madreen_rua: (Default)
Little Red Dog ([personal profile] madreen_rua) wrote in [community profile] bakerstreet2019-10-14 10:22 am

You can't say you weren't warned

haunted happenings

just couldn't leave well enough alone, could you?




this meme is for serious or light-hearted forays into the unknown. were you at a planned seance trying to hear your long-dead aunt barbara speak to you? are you at a sleepover and some smartass decided to chant bloody mary in the bathroom mirror? maybe you thought the abandoned house in town looked like a cool place to take photos at midnight. no matter how serious or sarcastic your attempt, you've actually managed to trigger the supernatural.

rng for prompts, or choose based on your favorites! try to put which scenarios you're most interested in in your top levels.

the scene
1. a sleepover.
your house or theirs, this is a decidedly normal and un-spooky place most of the time.
2. an abandoned house. this one's at least up-front about it, even if you don't believe in ghosts. doesn't have to be a house - maybe it's overgrown train tracks or an old asylum. whatever it is, it's crumbling and quite frankly a little depressing.
3. a cemetery. the most obvious place of all, and yet the ghosts probably didn't spend much time there while they were alive. were you here to grieve? to prove you're not afraid to wander around at midnight? taking a shortcut home?
4. a carnival. is their psychic pulling up real ghosts from your past? are you seeing a terrible future in their crystal ball? maybe that tarot reading is starting to come true in horrifying ways. or maybe you just found a ghost eating popcorn behind the water pistol game.
5. at work. they say it's a killer job, but you'd really thought it was just a phrase.
6. any and all others.


the trigger
1. ouija board.
specifically made for contacting spirits, you were probably at least aware that this was happening. but did you expect it to start spelling out threats? or is it just asking you to change the pandora station because it's sick of your weird acid punk music?
2. bloody mary. did a friend go into the bathroom and then come out screaming that it actually worked this time? did you try it out and end up face-to-face with a very drunk ghost? why does that drink even have clam juice in it? maybe now you can ask.
3. recordings. is there a vampire in the background of your latest snap? or maybe your serious attempt at recording an EVP was successful.
4. ghosts, man. you turned a corner at that abandoned subway station and now you're staring at a worker from the 1800s. your closet houses a long-dead Baltic immigrant who won't stop trying to sing you lullabies at night. whether friendly or aggressive, it's a little creepy to talk to a ghost.
5. mystical artifact. those surprisingly cheap boots you got from a garage sale were apparently not vegan leather, because now you've activated a mummy's curse. a book you got from the library turns out to be a witch's favorite grimoire. whatever the situation, you've managed to find the exact wrong thing to get your hands on.
6. surely there's more. bring in your favorite spooky trope or old haunting legend. there's room for it all in hell.

From: here
afterthemoment: (observing)

Wei Wuxian | Mo Dao Zu Shi | OTA

[personal profile] afterthemoment 2019-10-18 11:17 pm (UTC)(link)
[Trying out a new muse! WWX is mainly from S1 of the donghua or the novel canon. I haven't seen S2 of the donghua or all of The Untamed yet.]
sanzohoshi: (Stop it with the monkey emojis.)

makes something up idk

[personal profile] sanzohoshi 2019-10-19 03:52 am (UTC)(link)
[The thing is, there's always mystic artifacts that end up scattered among the mortal realms. Normally rather harmless on their own, all it takes is one idiot human to start messing with them in the right (wrong?) ways...

Yeah, look, the mystic realm's sorry about the yin iron and evil artifacts, okay? But it's fine. Probably. Eventually.

As it is, there's another Bad Artifact that Sanzang's been given the mission of finding, since this area of China seems to be hit rather harshly with them lately (Sanzang blames Daji, personally), and while normally she'd go off alone... She's happened upon one (1) demonic cultivator at the creepy old ruins she was sent to.

Not that she's actually approached him yet. She's been watching him from one of the rooftops of a not entirely destroyed building, curious
]
afterthemoment: (Default)

hey works for me haha

[personal profile] afterthemoment 2019-10-19 04:31 am (UTC)(link)
[Behold: an idiot, teenaged human.

Wei Wuxian is, indeed, poking around the ruins with all the interest of a cat that's too curious for its own good. He's perfectly relaxed as he sauntered into the spooky looking ruin with two fresh new jars of Emperor's Smile in hand. A merry smile blooms bright on his face. He hasn't spotted the dangerous artifact just yet but really, it's only a matter of time. He's making a beeline directly for it and moving fast. There's an ever-so-slight wobble in his steps suggesting that maybe he's already partaken in some of his favorite liquor before the party's even gotten started.]
sanzohoshi: (I hope you fall in a pool of honey)

[personal profile] sanzohoshi 2019-10-19 05:53 am (UTC)(link)
[Said dangerous artifact is actually hidden in one of the semi-dilapidated houses and ye, Wei Wuxian seems to be making a beeline right for it. Oh dear.

As amusing as this all is, Sanzang would really be bereft in her duties to allow him to actually stumble across it and get injured. She brings her thumb and pointer to her mouth and whistles shrilly, before quickly leaping down to the ground.
]

Hey, hey, not so fast! You're going to get into trouble if you keep going along like that!

[She gives a playful little wave of her long sleeves, grinning widely. Nevermind that she just came out of seemingly nowhere and was...definitely not dressed like she was from any particular sect or anything. It's fine, probably. Maybe.</small.]
afterthemoment: (excitement)

[personal profile] afterthemoment 2019-10-19 06:44 am (UTC)(link)
[If there's one thing that can distract Wei Wuxian from certain doom before his future gay marriage to one of his classmates, it's the arrival of a mysterious maiden. Especially one arriving on scene in such elegant and dramatic fashion. He doesn't recognize her clothing at all so maybe she's a rogue cultivator or from one of the smaller ones he doesn't recognize.

Most of what registers and sticks in Wei Wuxian's tipsy, adolescent, and hormone ridden mind is that she's gorgeous.

With his typical brazen confidence, he strides toward her, still weaving a little with each step, beaming at her with booze in hand.


What brings you here? I didn't expect to find any beautiful maidens here.

[He doesn't seem the least bit fazed at being yelled at.]
sanzohoshi: (I hope you fall in a pool of honey)

[personal profile] sanzohoshi 2019-10-19 11:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Beautiful? Heehee! I don't know about all of that!

[But it's a common enough compliment that she doesn't refute it exactly, just waves one of her long sleeves with a big grin. She lowers her voice though and leans in some, the jewels on her headdress clinking together]

But shh, shh! You should keep your voice down, unless you start disturbing some things here that we'd rather keep resting!

Can you feel it? There's something dark here, don't you think?
afterthemoment: (friendly; talkative)

[personal profile] afterthemoment 2019-10-20 12:10 am (UTC)(link)
[Nice smile. She's a cute one, for sure.]

Is there? There's spirits around but they're not bad company.

[Many of the living humans can be far worse. Wei Wuxian shrugs and holds out his booze.]

Want a drink? I promise it's really good. It's my favorite. I bet if you'll try it, it'll be your favorite, too.

[Smooth, real smooth. As for the spirits, it's entirely possible Wei Wuxian's as bad at reading the mood of ghosts as he is people who hate him or find him annoying.]
sanzohoshi: (Stop it with the monkey emojis.)

wheezes as i finally get back to this

[personal profile] sanzohoshi 2019-10-31 03:17 am (UTC)(link)
Hmm, not those ones. [She laughs a little.] There are plenty of demons and ghouls and the like who aren't doing anything to anyone, but there are some pretty bad ones around here who might cause some trouble! I don't want to see you getting hurt!

[The offer of booze amuses her too. Sheesh, he really does remind her of Hakkai...]

Little brother, little brother, if I promise to drink with you, will you get somewhere safe? I have to find a special artifact here. It's really not the place for people!
afterthemoment: (grin; like the sun)

poor Sanzang dealing with this kid lol

[personal profile] afterthemoment 2019-10-31 04:22 am (UTC)(link)
I'll help! I'm good at dealing with things like that.

[And now he's positively beaming as he approaches, uncapping the jar, as he hands it over. Oh, the confidence of youth and the need of teenage boys to try to impress pretty girls. The idea that maybe the pretty lady doesn't actually want his help doesn't occur to him at all.]

I'm one of the four best cultivators of my generation, you know! And the first disciple of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect!

[He puffs his chest out a little in boyish pride, patting the hilt of his sword hanging at his waist.]

They can't be any worse than water ghouls or fierce corpses. I can handle it.
sanzohoshi: (U asked everyone for their hoodies)

she feels like she's 16 again herself....

[personal profile] sanzohoshi 2019-10-31 06:32 am (UTC)(link)
[Even after deciding to take over guardianship of this mortal realm, Sanzang hadn't had enough time to really acquaint herself too much with it beyond the basics before she'd jumped in. She was aware of who the sects were, but not exactly their prodigies]

Is that so...? Hmm. [She didn't really want to get people involved in this who didn't need to know, but he seems oblivious to the kind of danger he was getting into. Likewise, he seemed oblivious to the idea he could get into any kind of serious danger to begin with.

Ah to be a brash teenage boy who thinks themselves immortal.
]

And what if they are worse than water ghouls or fierce corpses? [She takes the jar and sniff it lightly, avoiding making a face by sheer force of will, and takes a drink anyhow.

She's always preferred tea to liquor, but it's not terrible. But she's also keen on keeping a clear head about this mission, so she's not about to try and get drunk
]
afterthemoment: (and with my sword)

let him charm you, Sanzang~`

[personal profile] afterthemoment 2019-10-31 06:59 am (UTC)(link)
I'll handle it! I can help if you let me.

[His confidence and faith in himself doesn't waver in the slightest. Why would it? At this point, Wei Wuxian's never failed at anything aside from gaining Madam Yu's approval of anything he says or does. And at this point, he's gotten so acclimated to negativity and harshness from her that it's ceased to have a significant impact.

Well, there's his failure to overcome his phobia of dogs but the only time he ever thinks about that is when the beasts are already snapping at his heels.]


You don't have to worry about me, Maiden. I'll be fine. I'll keep you safe from harm.

[As the mere son of a servant, he's also expendable compared to Jiang Cheng or most of the youths he's met from other sects. If he dies here, it doesn't really matter so much.]
inquiryguqin: flyingsnow @ dw (088)

<3

[personal profile] inquiryguqin 2019-10-19 05:32 am (UTC)(link)
[This is a perfect night for a night hunt. Well, somebody has to accompany him to make sure he isn't too drunk. Whatever is Wei Wuxian's idea of fun for a night hunt date such as going to hunt for ghosts in an abandoned haunted house, or wandering through a cemetery, or going to a carnival, Lan Wangji dutifully accompanies him. The moon is full and the only light on this night. While Lan Wangji is just expressionless and stoic as ever, he is genuinely concerned for him.]

...Wei Ying, please walk properly.
afterthemoment: (flirty)

<3

[personal profile] afterthemoment 2019-10-19 06:15 am (UTC)(link)
[It is, indeed, the perfect night for night hunt date. Wei Wuxian is clearly in good spirits in more than one sense. His steps have been weaving for a while now, at one point, tripping over a gravestone and nearly falling flat on his face. Despite this fact and that it'd occurred no less than fifteen minutes ago, he boldly declares in a vaguely whiny tone:]

But Lan Zhan, I am walking properly! It's not my fault if the headstones keep getting in my way.

[He glances over his shoulder at Lan Wangji playfully, his smile radiant with confidence in the moonlight.]
inquiryguqin: ᴄʜʀᴏᴍᴇsᴛʜᴇsɪᴀ @ dw (016)

[personal profile] inquiryguqin 2019-10-19 06:27 am (UTC)(link)
[Wangji strolled after Wuxian. This is quite romantic. A clearless night with the full moon out. Old tombstones abandoned with names and years engraved. Some eligible, some faded from the years. The smell of the earth as they walked over grass. So quiet and eerie. In the far distance, an owl hooted.]

...mn. Headstones. Some of them are old.

[A mild remark. With a small sigh and as Wei Ying stumbles, he caught his hand to help him steady himself and regain his balance on his feet. Such a klutz after drinking a whole jar of Emperor smiles on his own.]

Stand upright. You know, Wei Ying. I don't mind going to the carnival if that's what you wanted. I think it's much better.
afterthemoment: (contentment)

[personal profile] afterthemoment 2019-10-19 07:28 am (UTC)(link)
[The moonlit night is romantic but it's still young, far too early in the hunt to call it quits now. And perhaps the location's slightly off for him, too, at least, at the moment. Ever since his first visit to the Burial Mound, Wuxian's developed a liking for dead places, finding comfort among the spirits. Suddenly, a distant memory of Wangji chastising him for spending too much time among the dead resurfaces for just an instant before fading away.]

Maybe we should go after we're done. We're not alone here. Can't you feel it, too? What did the request say again?

[After all, Lan Wangji's the one who goes where the chaos is. Wuxian mostly just comes along for the ride.]

The sooner we finish, the sooner we can go.

[He isn't letting go of Wangji's hand though, holding it firmly so it probably wouldn't take much to talk him into going somewhere else.]
Edited 2019-10-19 07:39 (UTC)
inquiryguqin: ᴄʜʀᴏᴍᴇsᴛʜᴇsɪᴀ @ dw (022)

[personal profile] inquiryguqin 2019-10-19 02:35 pm (UTC)(link)
[Wangji is concerned in his sudden interests toward all matters of necromancy and the dead since the burial mound. He decides not to mention his connection for now, but if he could convince him to come back to Gusu to keep his temperament in check. This dark path he is undertaking can mess up his mind, and it's his mind that he is checking on, to see if he could keep this power under control.

They're not alone. Spirits are everywhere as far as Wangji is concerned, and they tend to gather in the cemetery naturally. His clan specialized in communication with spirits through song and playing specific notes on the strings of his guqin.]


The request is to see if this place is haunted. So far nothing came up through inquiry. I believe some people are terrified when they felt the spirits here.

[Inquiry enforces the spirit to give truthful answers. In other words, Wangji doesn't find anything necessary to purify the place. There's no evil spirits here. Holding Wuxian's hand firmly.]

...Mn. Wherever you wish to go, I'll go with you.
afterthemoment: (contentment)

[personal profile] afterthemoment 2019-10-19 09:20 pm (UTC)(link)
[Wuxian's mental state is certainly a matter of concern for anyone, given the amount of trauma he's endured and sometimes overcome during the course of his life. Between the prolonged exposure to resentful energy both before and after his time in the Burial Mounds, the intensely painfuland all the people more interested in the advantages his power gave others during the Sunspot Campaign, Wuxian hasn't spent much time reflecting or talking about it. It doesn't appear he's in the mood to do eiher right now either.

Instead, he turns to look at Wangji, a fond smile on his lips and a softness in his eyes that are for him and him alone. Maybe the moonlight's getting to him more than he thought, he can't quite bring himself to relinquish that hand just yet. And the more he thinks about it, a trip to the carnival does sound pretty nice after all.]


...Let's go then. I see no reason to disturb them.

[If the spirits aren't actively harming anyone and the request was simply a product of villagers' hysteria, it's fine to let them be. And he trusts Wangji's abilities.]

So where's this carnival?

[And though Wuxian may never admit it out loud, perhaps a graveyard isn't the best place for him to be with this much alcohol in his system.]
inquiryguqin: ᴄʜʀᴏᴍᴇsᴛʜᴇsɪᴀ @ dw (016)

[personal profile] inquiryguqin 2019-10-20 04:28 am (UTC)(link)
[Lan Zhan is learning to sense his moods. Being a quiet man, he simply agrees with him and whatever decisions he makes. Whatever is on Wei Ying's mind, he listens to him and considers it.]

...Mn. Let's go.

[Lan Zhan is not sure how he feels about Wei Ying, but he grows fond of him as a friend, and this fondness grows stronger by the day that he really cares for him. He has long grown passed from a simple prank since that day in the library pavilion. Now he worries for him. He hoped the resentful energy doesn't go through his head...or risk his own life. Lan Zhan knows a few techniques to balance out the yin and yang chi energies within his body if it's necessary.]

On the other side of the village, where the lights and townspeople are.

[When they arrive there, it wasn't much to look at it. It's a small village at best. Food vendors are out selling hot food and candy, spooky decorations, and lights being strung up to light the way. Turning to him, noticing he's stumbling as he walks.]

Wei Ying, are you all right? Do you feel dizzy? If you need to sit and rest, we can go to the inn.
afterthemoment: (childish; gremllin)

[personal profile] afterthemoment 2019-10-21 06:36 am (UTC)(link)
It's fine, I'm fine.

[He speaks with a casual, dismissive wave of his hand.

He's not fine. Wei Wuxian hasn't been any degree of fine since before his escape from the Burial Mounds. He's keeping secrets, ones he's prepared to take to the grave and beyond, if necessary.

But despite that, friendship's nice and drinking's always more fun with company. He lets go of Wangji's hand and hurries forward a couple of steps, tossing a smile back at him over his shoulder.]


Come on, Lan Zhan! Let's look around the carnival first.

[Now that he sees it, no matter how small and unimpressive it might be, he really wants to go now. Or maybe Wuxian's just being a little rebellious about being urged to rest and sit down.]

We can get a room together at the inn later!

[He probably didn't mean that the way it came out.]
Edited 2019-10-21 06:36 (UTC)
inquiryguqin: ᴄʜʀᴏᴍᴇsᴛʜᴇsɪᴀ @ dw (022)

[personal profile] inquiryguqin 2019-10-22 03:18 am (UTC)(link)
[Lan Zhan will let him keep his little secret and observed what the power does to him. For now, a little distraction and having a little fun won't hurt. With a nod, he agrees to see what is out there, exploring the rest of the carnival since they don't get to spend as much time as friends.]

...Mn.

[Lan Zhan doesn't seem to mind. Nothing much to see other than food vendors, a bright merry-go-ride with painted horses, and games to play to win prizes, and stalls that sells candies, sweets, and toys on display. Lan Zhan helps himself to buy a few cakes and snacks, which he buys for Wuxian too.]
afterthemoment: (daydreaming)

[personal profile] afterthemoment 2019-10-22 06:43 am (UTC)(link)
[The carnival might be small, rustic, and rather plain compared to fancier ones in larger cities but one might think it was truly something grand from the way Wuxian is grinning, it's just not in him to view humble places as beneath him. The painted horses, the games, the food vendors - all of it offered a thrill.

Even in his tipsy state, Wuxian's eager to experience all of it, even if he's not quite bouncing around with the same agility or grace he'd have when sober. He's also sticking pretty close to Lan Zhan's side, munching on one of the cakes he'd been given with childlike gusto. There's a few crumbs clinging to the corner of his mouth and dropping down onto his clothing.]


Hey, want to go on the merry-go-round with me? It'll be fun. We could share a horse.

[Because that's not a questionable activity to do with your friend or anything. Also, given the amount of people here, it doesn't even seem all that necessary.]
inquiryguqin: flyingsnow @ dw // credit flyingsnow if you take icons  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (Default)

[personal profile] inquiryguqin 2019-10-23 04:33 am (UTC)(link)
[OOC: And thread continues here!]