isleofavalon | [Closed] April/May catch-all

Following their incredibly free-form conversation, Klaudia can once again be found standing outside the gates to Loch Manor. She's done up just as fancy as she usually is, the same backpack that the two men have seen before slung over her shoulder. Standing there, she bounces anxiously on the balls of her feet, looking first one way and then the other for the two she's supposed to be meeting.

She didn't get a chance to explore the manor as much as she would have liked to before, so she's very much hoping that one of these two are able to see the ghosts inside. If not, well... They could always take a trip to the Land of Rot and look at the zombies and skeletons instead. Or even up to the Ash mountain... There was that request she wanted to fill, and that Wei Wuxian did say he knows a few ghost hunting tricks.

That Wei Wuxian maybe undersold his ghost related experience just a tiny bit, but only because it's pretty irrelevant in this setting. What's he gonna do, play non-spiritual music at them? No, he doesn't need to befriend or command the ghosts, just seeing them is fine and all he's here for probably. This is a normal outing for normal people, which you can tell Wei Wuxian is because he's waving cheerfully and yelling well before he's in a polite speaking distance, as though he might somehow be unnoticeable otherwise.

"Who's ready to be wrong about ghosts? I think we all are."

Despite Wei Ying telling him cheerfully and relentlessly about nearly every part of his conversation with Klaudia, Lan Wangji was not in fact aware of the purpose of their walk when they set out on it today. The first thing that catches his attention ~~besides Wei Ying~~ is the manor, set slightly apart from the other buildings of this area and clearly in a state of disrepair, perhaps even abandoned.

By the time he notices the second notable fact - a familiar horned figure waiting at the gates - Wei Ying is already greeting her, though his announcement has Lan Wangji halting in his tracks and turning to him with a slight frown. "Ghosts?" Klaudia can wait a moment longer.

Klaudia grins at the sight of the cheerful waving and the stoic walking of the two men that are approaching her, and raises her arm to wave just as cheerfully back. She never in a million years would have guessed that they were friends, which is irony at it's finest, all things considered.

Lan Wangji might be stopping to look at Wei Wuxian, but Klaudia is already set on hurrying over to meet them. "I think you're ready to be wrong about ghosts," she says by way of a greeting as soon as she's close enough not to shout. "I'm still confident that I have made no erroneous statements about ghosts whatsoever."

Surely the ghost part can't come as too much of a surprise; it was right there in the pictures and all. As well as the extensive calls for backup re: ghost meat (unforthcoming, to date). Surprising Lan Zhan would even go along with this, without the promise of ghosts, but then the day has just been full of Lan Zhan Socializing surprises already. So he just nods his best confirming nod and clarifies sparklingly, "At the manor, yeah." Sorry Lan Zhan, this nighthunt doesn't come with lore.

Look, Klaudia will surely also help clarify things. "You can't even see them! That's the whole point! You wouldn't know if you were wrong." This sand cultivator is awfully confident, when he was so gracious in allowing them all the possibility of being wrong, as is only fair when they're all outsiders. "Then again, maybe we won't either." Big shrug, that's life sometimes, etc.

The lack of lore is the reason for his concern, Wei Ying. They have no access to the necessary skills for handling spirits, and no knowledge of the local spirits' natures, behaviors, or how to counter or suppress them. So why is he seeking them out?

Lan Wangji's gaze flicks down to Chenqing tucked into Wei Ying's belt, but he doesn't comment. Despite his unease, he will just have to see where Wei Ying is going with this.

Him and Klaudia both, apparently. A joint venture. Then maybe she will be a little more forthcoming. He turns to look at her. "What do you know about the spirits here?"

Klaudia comes to a stop in front of the two men, folding her hands behind her back with an air of politesse that she hadn't had a moment ago--though somewhat ruined by her barely-contained excitement that makes her look more coy than refined.

Still. Ghost hunt.

"I've had one described to me! Briefly!" she retorts back with Wei Wuxian, before turning her attention to Lan Wangji and getting down to business. She is the tour guide here, after all. She can't expect them to know anything about this place.

"They're all victims of a serial killer that used to live in the manor--some sort of nobleman, or so the rumor goes. I don't know what happened to him, but after the manor was turned over to the kingdom, they found that the place was so infested with spirits that they couldn't even tear it down. So now it's been set up as a training ground for those that end up with death magic."

She speaks rather fast with very few pauses, pulling her backpack to her side as she does so and retrieving a small notebook. "The last time I was in here, the person I was with spotted an older woman just past the main entrance. Let's see... Possibly in her 60s. A long dress. Jacket and gloves. And a hat. She tried to communicate with us, I think, but all my companion could hear was screaming of some sort. Which is an unreliable observation, since I found out he wasn't keeping up well with his magic, but an observation nonetheless. After he left, I continued by myself for a while. There were a few notable incorporeal activities--moving things around without anyone being present, temperature fluctuations, et cetera--but there wasn't a lot I could do without being able to see or hear them. And then I heard something moving around that was very much not a ghost, so I left."

The notebook gets snapped shut again, and she looks up at them. "There's also rumors of a banshee in the basement, but I don't have any interest in tangling with that, so we should steer clear of anything below the ground floor. Any questions?"

That Lan Zhan, all business. That means a nighthunt was the right choice, probably, even if his face is all Like That for some reason. Chenqing is just here for aesthetic purposes, there's no need to worry about it. There's no need to worry about anything in fact, they're not even going to do anything with the ghosts, probably. And look, their guide has a book and many words! Wei Wuxian gestures accordingly, eyebrows raised, as though this has made a meaningful point. This is so legitimate of a nighthunt. What gossiping inn patron or shaken ghost-spotter ever had a notebook? "Just a koi pond for ghosts, right? We're just browsing."

The more words their guide says, the more Wei Wuxian is all business as well, visibly committing this information to memory with what may be a surprising level of dedication. This does nothing to repress his essential nature, unfortunately, so at her call for questions his hand shoots up like an unruly student trying to get the teacher's attention, because he does have a question, actually. "If you were already seeing ghosts move things around, what did you hear that was 'very much not a ghost' exactly?"

The thoroughness of Klaudia's explanation surprises even Lan Wangji a little. But only a little - he'd already been the unwilling target of her attention to detail before, after all. It's certainly helpful information, though hardly as reassuring as Wei Ying's gesturing is attempting to make it look. This place must harbor a strong concentration of resentful energy, with so many murder victims gathering and refusing to allow the memorial of their suffering to be erased. It should be difficult to appease them, with the murderer gone, and there isn't much he or Wei Ying can do in their current state regardless. Not that this would stop Wei Ying; he may intend to just 'browse' now, but he has known him for too long to believe that couldn't change at a moment's notice.

But Wei Ying is clearly set on this, and Klaudia has already taken the unnecessary risk of exploring the manor by herself once before. There is a disapproving quirk to the corner of his mouth but he remains silent for now, letting the two exchange whatever other information there is to exchange.

Klaudia gives Wei Wuxian a bit of a look first and foremost--something a little confused and skeptical. But he's asking a question, so she's going to ease her furrowed brow and answer that first.

"Well, the ghosts are like... Hmm." She holds the book in both hands and tucks it against the front of her--compact and almost polite, but her weight shifts too much from one foot to the other as she fidgets. "Like startling noises. Things being knocked off tables or shelves or dragged across the floor. Doors and windows opening and closing. Glass beads clinking on chandeliers. Those sorts of things, right? But this was... Footsteps. Heavy ones--and breathing, I think. It was definitely something solid, possibly living. Not a meat ghost." She cuts off that train of thought before it even starts.

And barrels immediately into her own question because she can't simply let his commentary go without her own: "And when you said Just Browsing... You're not planning on taking one home with you, are you? I don't think they're house-trained. The inn will absolutely kick you out." No ghosts allowed. Probably.

Why is everyone being this way about the concept of window shopping for ghosts? (Don't think he doesn't notice that disapproval, Lan Zhan.) Browsing means just admiring, just LOOKING, come on! This is hurtful, so hurtful, says his wounded expression and crossed arms. If he hadn't already shifted into business mode he would derail this nighthunt to wail about it. Or possibly refresh the ghost meat argument, and then where would they be. He's not sure what this admittedly intriguing and alarming description of non-ghost sounds means for their prospects, but it'll probably be fine. Klaudia is probably just displaying some typical pre-nighthunt nerves, if that even. Chances are no one will even see anything.

"Of course I'm not taking any home with me! I don't have any spirit capture pouches, anyway. Not that I would, if I did." He leans into Lan Zhan's space like that might realistically result in any kind of backup and says, not at all quietly enough not to be heard, "Can you believe this sand cultivator?"

At least Klaudia is displaying slightly more common sense than Wei Ying acting like they're back at Biling Lake to investigate a few water ghosts. Though not by much, if she considered exploring the manor by herself a wise choice. He isn't too surprised to hear there may be something else taking up residence in it; even if it isn't suffused with resentful energy itself, it may just enjoy the seclusion of a place that people have had to abandon. But if they aren't capable of liberating or suppressing the spirits, and aren't intending to capture one, he still has to wonder what Wei Ying hopes to achieve here.

What he hopes to achieve with his conspiratorial muttering, though, is perfectly clear. Too bad Lan Wangji has chosen a different ally. With barely an exasperated glance to the side, instead of responding to him he brings his arms up in a wide circle and presents Klaudia with a small bow. "We appreciate Miss Klaudia's warning and we will be sure to heed it."

Klaudia has half a mind to ask about the spirit capture pouches, if only because those sound interesting. Mean, but interesting. She's pretty sure that ghosts would hate being captured, but if you could capture one, then she supposes that one might be able to get away with taking one home without the inn getting upset. It's certainly something to think about--or it would be if he had any. She'll have to make a note to check back with that later.

Mostly because Wei Wuxian is acting so conspiratorially against her for absolutely no reason that has to do with her. She's fully prepared to go into a lengthy explanation about how she's not a "sand cultivator", and she doesn't know what that's even supposed to mean, when... Lan Wangji takes her "side" instead, presenting her with a bow. There's a full second of surprise in her expression, where she looks over to Wei Wuxian with raised brows... and then presses her lips together in a very poor attempt to restrain a mischievous smile.

Her attention goes back to Lan Wangji, and she grasps the edges of her skirt and gives a small curtsy back. "Of course. I only have your best interests in mind. It would be a shame to see either of you sleeping on the street because of some unfortunate ghost choices."

Betrayal! Beset on all sides! Wei Wuxian is sorely tempted to kick up immediate fuss about his impeccable ghost choices and this shocking, unnecessary backstabbing, but he can't even form a pout for having to suppress a grin; Klaudia's dumbstruck look is pretty funny. He gets it, Lan Zhan's stately participation in shenanigans is both a cold-water shock and hilarious. Welcome to that knowledge, sand cultivator. If a little betrayal furthers his companions' bonding experience, that is well and truly worth some suffering, and he will only grumble about it.

"I can see there's no hope for justice here, so can we just get on with seeing some ghosts, which I promise a thousand times not to bring home? Or get on with not seeing them, which is still a possibility. Either way, maybe at least the ghosts will be nice to me. Maybe I will just live in the cursed manor instead of sleeping on the street."

He'd had an inkling that Klaudia would know how to respond appropriately to his offer of unity against Wei Ying's poor judgement, and there is a distinct sense of satisfaction to the sweep of his arm as he settles back into his usual posture. But with Wei Ying thus curbed, he has also reached the limit of nonsense he is willing to listen to or participate in and, seeing no reason to wait for the conclusion of his grousing, he makes for the manor with long strides. It is an unspoken fact that he will take the lead as they enter unknown, likely dangerous territory.

He sets a hand on the gate and it swings open with a loud creak, but far too easily for his liking. Isn't this place locked? Warded? His gaze sweeps the grounds again and he becomes uncomfortably aware that he would be blind to sensing any wards or hostile energies in this place. Troubling.

Klaudia tries her best not to grin at Wei Wuxian's grumbling. He's so ridiculous about it--she certainly doesn't manage to keep a straight face through it. Though she also wasn't keeping that sort of face before it either, so maybe it was a lost cause from the start.

"The street would be safer, but far less interesting," she points out, only after Lan Wangji has moved past them towards the front gate. She starts following after, but her attention is still on her sillier companion for the moment. "I'll bring you a house-warming gift, if you do move in. Is that nicer? Do you feel less bullied?" It's really the best offer she can make, since she has been one of the bullying parties.

The creak of the gate draws her attention away, which is probably for the best. They're here to see some ghosts, not to talk about moving in with them. Her notebook is still out, of course; and she flips through a few pages to find a blank one, dating it in the corner to start a new day's notes. Though she stays patiently behind Lan Wangji, there's a strong urge to duck under his arm and dart inside herself.

"...Is something the matter?" He's not scared, is he? He really doesn't seem the type.

At least someone appreciates his performance! He nods and pouts as he tags along, but can't sustain it in the face of such (however sarcastic) indulgence without cracking a grin. He is a large baby and he is going to see some ghosts (possibly) and all is right with the world.

All is not, perhaps, right with Lan Zhan specifically, however, and it's very much for the best that Wei Wuxian is not aware that Klaudia has even considered the possibility that Lan Zhan is scared. Didn't he say they're both so good at ghosts? Probably less good here, which is likely the source of Lan Zhan's caution. Not that he's habitually incautious? Just that there's usually a lot less to be cautious about. But they're still very good in theory! He leans in towards Klaudia and speaks with hushed confidence, like he expects her to find this worth writing down. "Lan Zhan is just getting a sense of the manor's energies. I suspect he will tell us they are not good. Because they aren't. Right, Lan Zhan?"

The manor is certainly cast in an eerie silence, as if being avoided by insects and birds alike, its walls and darkened windows looming hollow and lifeless like the bones of a large animal. But he also can't hear any wailing, knocking, whistling or other evidence of restless spirits. The hedges and trees on the grounds are overgrown, shapeless things, but that could be the lack of maintenance just as well as any evidence of unbalanced energies. And that is where his expertise ends, in this world. Any ordinary person could come to the same conclusions, could stand here with dread of the unknown in their heart.

At Wei Ying's blithe words, he responds by aiming a frown at him over Klaudia's head, the lines of his mouth and eyes tight with annoyance. "I sense nothing. You?" As if he isn't suffering the same loss of senses and abilities they've been taught to rely on for their whole lives. Did he really need the reminder? Is he just better at pretending it doesn't affect him? Maybe so, but he doesn't have to make Lan Wangji part of the pretending.

In Klaudia's mind, their theoretical "goodness" at dealing with ghosts is presently being put to the test--though she can't very well judge them on any ghost abilities if they're merely standing outside and assessing the state of the exterior. It should be obvious that the ghosts are inside, right? She's all for giving things the proper attention to detail, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of detail to give attention to out here.

"Well, we're not even in the mansion yet," she chimes in for both of them--though mostly to Wei Wuxian, since Lan Wangji wasn't specifically speaking to her. "I don't know what sort of energies you're going to sense out here."

At which point, she is going to duck past Lan Wangji and take a few steps into the grounds, turning her back to the house for a moment and facing her companions. Her patience can only last for so long. "I've been into the foyer already--I don't think we have to worry so much until that point at least."

[Following the ill-fated trajectory of this conversation...]

Most visits with friends do not require the level of preparation that Klaudia has put into this particular visit to Lan Wangji. She's gone over their previous texts several times and all but memorized the responses he's sent. She's likewise flipped through her texts to Wei Wuxian and scoured for any mention of Lan Wangji that she can. There's a few instances where they discussed him, and those get added to her metaphorical databank. She's also taken meticulous care to her appearance, both her clothes and her hair are as presentable as she can make them--she'll need every advantage that she can get, she thinks.

Thus she finds herself standing outside Lan Wangji's door that evening, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. This is fine. No worries. She can do this. She knows how this song and dance goes; and by the end of the night, she'll have an even better idea of how to navigate around this man. And hopefully she won't have to go live in the forest, or anything like that.

She knocks on the door twice in quick succession with what she hopes is only a moderate amount of noise. Then she folds her hands behind her back and waits.

Lan Wangji has not put any preparation into this visit, but he is glad for the knock when it comes. He is willing to accommodate Klaudia's enthusiasm for written conversations, but he suspects some things may be lost in the space between messages, without hearing a tone of voice or seeing where the other might struggle or hesitate to answer. There'd been a few of her responses that he would have liked this perspective on, and so he is glad to see her pursuit of knowledge and understanding is a sincere one.

But this isn't Cloud Recesses and there are no set times for lectures and rest, and if there were he can already guess Klaudia wouldn't observe them. So by the time she chooses to knock on his door, he has already divested himself of his hairpiece, his hair tied back plainly with his headband. The calming smell of incense surrounds him as he opens the door, and he meets her eyes in greeting with a relaxed expression before stepping aside to invite her in.

The room seems hardly lived in, nothing out of place except a low coffee table that has been removed from the sofa and placed in the center of the room with a few cushions arranged around it. On it rests his guqin, a few burning sticks of incense and a modest tea set. And, as Klaudia is perhaps coming to expect by now, Lan Wangji isn't alone.

Wei Wuxian is, as he had speculated, not banned immediately from the Morality Conference upon its commencement, and is in fact already here, for...(im)moral support? To heckle? No good reason at all? ~~To read Lan Zhan things off his phone and gripe about roofs?~~ He has done the courtesy of being unobtrusively stationed on the sofa, anyway, though he draws the line at sitting properly, and as of now reserves the right to roll off of it and enmesh himself in proceedings if they get too interesting to be removed from, at any point.

He hopes his presence is at least a little bolstering, and chooses to express this with a smug look and wave. Soon being nervous will be a distant memory, superimposed by the insufferability of Wei Wuxian. “Did you get lost on the way to the woods?”

While Klaudia does manage a "Good Evening" in greeting upon seeing Lan Wangji, having the door opened to all of these sights and smells is certainly an experience that she wasn't expecting. The incense is nice, she thinks, as she's given silent permission to step past the threshold; though she immediately lingers off to the side of the door while she waits to be shown where she should sit. It would probably be easier to appreciate the atmosphere if her thoughts weren't already buzzing, but it does set a noticeably warmer tone to the whole room--and her mood warms a little with it.

Wei Wuxian's presence, however, is both bolstering and worrying, considering the level of confidence she's already put in him. A confidence that he immediately sets about betraying, much to her embarrassment. His commentary earns a quick glance towards Lan Wangji, her suspicions immediately raised that he already heard all about the plan to flee this conversation. But she quickly corrects her attention back to Wei Wuxian, pressing her lips together for a brief moment.

"Yes, the woods between my room and this one were very thick, and I got lost several times. I inadvertently ended up in at least two other rooms before I came here. So this time, I knocked first to make sure I wasn't lost. I'm very happy to have weathered such a treacherous journey safely."

Klaudia needn't have worried, as Lan Wangji is a master of the art of being able to tell when something Wei Ying says requires further consideration, and when it isn't for him to understand. He considers this the latter, as it's clearly some teasing directed at Klaudia. Though her extensive and imaginative rebuttal gets a small amused quirk to the corner of his mouth as he walks back to his spot by the table. He sits down, his robes and sleeves pooling around him, and trusts that Klaudia will find a seat to her preference. This isn't a Cultivation Conference with assigned seating, after all, as evidenced by the fact that what Wei Ying is doing could not rightfully be referred to as sitting.

While the two of them undoubtedly bicker some more, he sets out three tea cups from the set, because offering tea to a guest is only right and proper. But then he hesitates, regarding the cup in his hand before he looks up at Wei Ying with a slightly questioning, slightly hopeful expression. ~~The eyes, Wei Ying.~~

There, see, just a funny joke about how they are all stationed in the same inn, and not about Klaudia's fit of Lan Zhan inspired nerves at all. Not even the normalest thing to be going on right now but easily top three. From where Wei Wuxian is not-sitting he still manages enough structural integrity to sketch a mocking bow, phone cupped in hands, holding back a smile. "These humble cultivators appreciate your brave sacrifice. Lan Zhan will surely make it worth the trial." Maybe he's eyeing that cup to gauge whether it can be used to scoop Wei Wuxian up and put him outside.

The reality is of course incomparably worse; Lan Zhan's ongoing victimisation at the hands of a heretical kettle is equal parts hilarious and, when deployed in the form of this particular look, devastating. Giving up his lounge zone on the sofa and scuttling off like it's his feet getting simmered instead is a small price to pay for escaping it, but not without a fond little headshake. In honour of Lan Zhan's most elegantly mournful declarations and expressions re: said kettle, which he would love to see again but which would also derail the Conference.

The fact that Lan Wangji doesn't make any comment on her woods story has her reconsidering her suspicion that Wei Wuxian told him everything about their conversation. Does he not know, then? Is that secret safe? It's a little exhausting that she has to worry about this on top of everything else going on. She's a little envious of how casually her friend can lounge on the sofa like that.

She just barely recognizes the extremely informal bow that Wei Wuxian makes to her. He reminds her a little bit of a cat on a windowsill, trying his best to achieve a non-solid state while retaining enough solidity to have functioning limbs. She gives him a half-curtsy for his efforts, tucking one foot behind the other and dipping minutely as she flips her skirt out with one hand. It's the most casual she's allowed herself to be, three steps into this room.

"I'm sure the journey back to my room will be twice as perilous. I'll have to fend off whatever creatures roam these wooded halls at night, so I hope my time will be well-spent here."

The silliness also serves as a nice distraction from the fact that she hasn't been directed where to sit. Even as Wei Wuxian scurries off the couch to... do something(?), she's left with the prospect of picking her seat. Obviously it would be rude to take the seat he just left, so the sofa is out. Lan Wangji is currently seated at the coffee table, which seems like the more obvious choice if they're going to have a conversation--though the fact that he's sitting on a cushion on the floor does throw her a little. Somehow he manages to make that look refined, even as undignified as she might otherwise view it. If it wasn't for the instrument and cushions arranged in a very deliberate manner, she might have suggested that the inn could provide proper tables and chairs if they wanted them.

But regarding her present dilemma... She looks at the collection of cushions, frowning a little as she takes a slow step forward. Across from him would be the most direct and the most formal position, but it would mostly put her back to Wei Wuxian's place on the sofa, making it difficult for her to see or converse with him. Picking a spot to the side of him would make it easier to see both of their faces and engage with them, but it would be far more casual. Would he think that to be presumptive of her? Would that be better or worse than Wei Wuxian thinking her to be snubbing him?

There's a noticeable pause as her gaze flicks between the cushions. but hopefully they're both too distracted by the tea dilemma to take notice. She finally chooses a cushion to one side of Lan Wangji--which involves her kneeling down on the cushion and trying to situate herself into a sitting position. It's definitely harder than he made it look. He didn't even need to brace himself by putting his hands on the ground, but she certainly has to while figuring out exactly what she's supposed to do with her legs.

At first, she tries to keep them folded under her, but that's uncomfortable for her--and a good way to have her legs falling asleep in approximately ten minutes. So she shifts them to one side, but that makes her feel like she's tilting in the opposite direction. Having them straight out under the table is obviously rude, and pulling them up to her chest would be weird and also cramped. She finally gets to a point of being exasperated enough that she just crosses her legs like his are, fanning her skirt out to fully cover them.

Would some people be scandalized? Probably. But she's come to the well-earned conclusion that since he's making her sit on the floor of all places, he doesn't get to judge her.

Lan Wangji's thoughts hadn't yet arrived at the possibility of asking Wei Ying to make tea, so he blinks a little owlishly up at him when he immediately gets up to do so. As his eyes follow him across the room, he realizes Wei Ying had known of his discomfort with the tea process and decided to take care of it just like that, and he feels an indescribable warmth in his chest that seems to rise all the way up to his ears. He quickly lowers his eyes and sets the third cup down, as if that could hide the small smitten smile on his face.

So he is a little preoccupied while Klaudia chooses a seat, though after a moment he does notice she still hasn't quite settled. His glance briefly flicks over to her, but it is rude to stare and he goes back to looking sedately at a point somewhere near the tea cups. It is also rude to speculate, but he does have to wonder at her upbringing once again, knowing to acknowledge bows but struggling with basic forms of address and seating posture. Who had taught her before she came here? Is it only a matter of differing etiquette in different worlds? Either way, though, she is always quick to learn, and he too hopes she'll find her time here well-spent.

Once she's arrived at a decent posture, he patiently speaks up. "You had questions, earlier?" With a wry tilt of his head, he adds, "Rabbits aside."

It's just as well Wei Wuxian doesn't get to see the effects of his solicitousness; he already goes about the simple task with an incongruously preening air, like he's been charged with serving a real cultivation conference composed of the best of society. In his mind, of course, he has, and not just because he enjoys Klaudia's jokes about monsters in the halls. He really doesn't need any further encouragement to his self-importance, which he shouldn't even be feeling considering how little besides water-boiling he means to contribute to this endeavor. But at least Lan Zhan surely has the answers side of things well in hand, all joking about heroics aside.

Admittedly, he's not even really very sure of the objective here; he really is just on site to roll around and apparently also to save Lan Zhan from eyeless kettles. Klaudia seems fine? Lots of questions but that's to be expected, he has questions too and not all of them can be answered by touching cheese or going to haunted houses. But if Klaudia wants to Discuss Things who is a humble servant named Wei to obstruct (unless the opportunity to obstruct presents itself and is funny). And who wouldn't prefer Lan Zhan for Discussing? So in that regard it does make sense. And getting to host a discussion and receive a guest and break out a whole third tea cup is probably beneficial for Lan Zhan as well. There's a perhaps surprising degree of contentment surrounding him as he bustles through portioning tea while the water heats and then settling down at the table with it. His own posture surely still leaves something to be desired, but at least he's here and ostensibly contributing with the tea, though no doubt an invisible timer somewhere is ticking down towards less helpful contributions.

Unfortunate how the sheer amount of unspoken communication and affectionate energy buzzing between these two passes completely and utterly over Klaudia's head. She hasn't yet seen Wei Wuxian not in a good mood, and Lan Wangji's muted expressions are lost on her as she's shifting about in her seat. But what she does notice is the wryness that he remarks on the silliness that led to this impromptu chat.

"My rabbit questions remain valid," she points out, lifting her chin with a small but silly amount of haughtiness. But she'll concede that it's not what their conversation had really been about when they were interrupted.

"...I think I was asking if it really mattered where a person was when they broke a law. The little ones might change, but there are fundamental rules that most places agree on--not formally, but in essence. So if one place considers a person bad, wouldn't the same follow everywhere else?"

The tea is a very real contribution and Lan Wangji accepts his cup gratefully when Wei Ying serves them, taking an appreciative sip before anything else. It is nice to have him here, in a way that's different from all the usual ways in which it is nice to have him here; it's the simple pleasure of receiving a guest together, a mutual friend.

Only once he's set down his cup does he consider Klaudia's question, not feeling a particular need to meet her eyes, nor Wei Ying's. "There are laws, and there is justice. The difference is not always clear, but it is significant." This is typically enough to have his disciples analyzing his words, attempting to draw their own conclusions and asking more questions, so he pauses.

Wei Wuxian, perhaps surprisingly, is managing so far to continue in silence, listening as attentively as any disciple ever has, probably, first stoic and then tilting his head, lips pursed thoughtfully. He already has commentary to stifle, of course-- no, an answer he thinks is right and a joke, which he will hang on to-- but that restraint won't last forever, may lapse so far as letting him pace or resume his couch-wallowing. But thus far? He's finding himself actually interested to see where this goes, and owes them for the earlier derailment besides. Not to mention, he's fondly intrigued to see an interesting new Lan Zhan skill, presumably brought to the front and honed in his long absence.

And naturally, the questions have some slight chance to become more than theoretical, more than just that they are from disparate worlds with who knows what laws and justice in common. But he can trust Lan Zhan with that. And he has some curiosity that Lan Zhan's thoughts on this might be different than his own outdated knowledge would reflect. Is it too early to send Klaudia an I-told-you-so look? Should he wait until it's even clearer that Lan Zhan isn't someone to hide in the woods from? Perhaps he can let that steep a bit.

While Wei Wuxian is busy being the most attentive disciple, Klaudia is being... well, something.

It's very clear that she's thinking about something, the way that her brow furrows, but the actual numbers being crunched behind that expression is something of a mystery. Fortunately for her, since most of those number revolve around the fact that deciphering what Lan Wangji means by 'justice' is tripping her up.

She knows full well what the word is. She can use it in a sentence and give examples of such, but her examples would all be hypothetical. In practice, she's not sure she's ever seen anything like 'justice', so to compare it to something as real and solid as laws... It's rather like comparing a handful of dirt to a jar of air. One has substance, while the other is... indefinite, at best. Imaginary, even.

She glances over to Wei Wuxian, trying to be discreet, as if searching for some clues in his expression. Finding nothing helpful there--for her specifically, she looks back to Lan Wangji again. Perhaps she can press him for a little more information?

"If you can discern a difference, especially a significant one, then it can't be that unclear. Can it?"

[Closed] April/May catch-all

Ghost Hunts; feat. Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji

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Morality Talks; feat. Lan Wangji (and Wei Wuxian)

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