(october catch-all) IT'S TIME TO GET FUCKIN' DAMP

[vestigemods]

OCTOBER CATCH-ALL

► YOU CAN BE REGULAR DAMP

As Autumn sets in, the containment zone begins to settle into all of the trappings of autumn. Chilly weather, bundled clothing and hot drinks, the turning and falling of leaves... It really just goes to show that life goes on in a place like this just as it does anywhere else.

For those unfamiliar with the seasons on a cultural level, the newfound offerings that Foodland and the gas station have to offer might be a little surprising. After no seasonal trappings to accompany summer, we now see an abundance of plastic gourds and multi-colored corn, of browns and oranges and leaf-themed decor - and as the month goes on, an influx of spooky decor in blacks and purples and... still oranges, orange is pretty universal as far as fall is concerned. Many of the buildings around town also sport seasonal decor, subtle but present. A pumpkin here, a glittery sign with a fall-themed pun there.

The weather, depending on perspective, has taken quite a turn for either the better or the worse. All of the rain the skies withheld throughout the summer seem to be coming down all at once, sometimes a sprinkle and sometimes a downpour that soaks you to the bone if you dare venture out for groceries. But the rains are just short of lukewarm, not yet carrying any proper chill, and the lush greenery of the landscape seems to be thriving in it. Perhaps it isn't all bad after all?

► OR YOU CAN BE EXTRA SPICY BONUS DAMP

On the 18th of October, however, the weather starts to get a little bit... dodgy. Which is to say: You should probably be ready to dodge, as you find that the leaves blown about on the savage winds no longer just flop wetly against your clothes or your cheek. It will likely come as quite a surprise the first time one stings - you might even mistake it for an unusually frigid drop of water splattering across your skin, at least until your fingertips come away reddened just slightly with blood. But it's certainly not the end of the world, nowhere near as bad as rotting away or being haunted by some malevolent ghost. You can just bundle up! It's not as if they can slice through clothes.

But oh, it's not quite done just yet.

On the 24th, the cutting winds come to a head in a thunderstorm. Dark, ominous clouds greet you as you wake on this morning, perhaps even confusing your sense of time as a far dimmer light than expected shines in through your window. But the storm sets in like an oncoming wave, first hitting the town and then sweeping west. Those with an eastern view over the nearby trees will see it coming, a foreboding curtain of rain encroaching all to quickly. Then comes the thunder, rumbling far too close to feel entirely safe. Which is true. It isn't safe. Because after each clash of thunder comes the immediate flash of lightning... Lightning which skips right past high-reaching trees to seek out the nearest living being it can find. No - not any being. Just those who've been trapped here. Those whose suffering brings rest to the elder gods below.

Perhaps it's best to stay indoors.

► MOD NOTES

• This is the October Catch-All Log, for any action top-levels throughout the month which don't fit in a designated event log. Large gatherings (parties, meetings, etc) are still encouraged to post their own logs for organizational purposes!
  
• All top-levels for the Winds of Change mini-event also go here, since it won't be getting a log of its own.
  
• Refer to the bottom half of the October Bulletin for any October-specific info to potentially include in your prompts! The above blurb is honestly just mood-setting flavortext.
  
• Because this is a catch-all for everywhere + all month, try to remember to label your top-levels with identifying information like the IC date and location of each prompt (whether in the subject or in the prompt title within the comment). Also try to indicate any event prompts for the Winds of Change mini-event aside from just listing their dates, so they can be easy to spot!
  
• Any questions can be directed to this top-level or, for a quicker response, to Trace on discord/plurk.

Comments

Lan Jingyi | MDZS

[gusumouthcannon]

Ghost-free Window shopping - Early October - OTA

[After spending September basically hiding in his room from all of the ghosts (ghosts!), Jingyi is finally ready to prove that he is both brave and dashing. Unfortunately, he chooses to do so when it is absolutely pouring. Even so! He is window shopping in town--peering in the little shops, going into them to poke around all the miscellaneous nonsense in its various states of decay, and generally exploring now that it's more or less safe. He is paying attention to his surroundings, though, so if he sees someone, he will definitely say hello!]

Soggy Bowling with Sizhui - Early October - Closed to Sizhui

Are you sure it's safe?

[Jingyi is...unconvinced. And a little jumpy. It has not been very long since, well, since last month and everything that had been haunting the town. But Sizhui had mentioned bowling and, well, Jingyi was game for it. It was just.]

Do you promise?

[deferences]

I'm absolutely, one-hundred-percent sure it is! And I promise you, Jingyi. If that isn't enough reassurance, [he pauses, reaches to his side and removes the qiankun pouch he'd found underneath his bed a few days ago.]

Does it help to tell you I've gotten my guqin back?

[so whatever ghosts are brave enough to even try coming near them, sizhui can fight them off far easier now.]

Wen Ning | ota

[lookslikeacinnamonroll]

» early october: a helpful boy/a creeper in the woods

[ Wen Ning had woken up one morning with a surprise: a small pendant nestled in his open palm. He didn't know where it came from, or who it belonged to, but something about it-- the glass it was made from, the way he felt when he looked at it-- reminded him so much of his long lost sister. He wears the pendant every day from then on, placing it securely underneath his clothes and never taking it off, not even to bathe.

With the increased space of their containment box comes the possibility of increased dangers. Wen Ning takes to some old habits as a result. Namely, following people from a distance as they walk down the roads and paths that criss cross the containment zone. He stays in the trees and bushes alongside the road, out of sight unless he steps on a particularly loud branch. He just wants to make sure no one is caught unawares and attacked. If any monsters or resentful creatures make themselves known, then he'll spring into action, leaping in to fight them off.

Maybe it's a little creepy, to follow people without making your presence known? But Wen Ning means well, he promises. And every time he sees someone safely to their destination, he gets a warm feeling from the pendant around his neck, like his sister is looking down on him somewhere, telling him what a good, helpful boy he is. ]

» mid october: a wet boy, taking shelter in the Foodland

Wen Ning is soaked. It's not that he doesn't know what an umbrella is-- they do at least have those where he comes from-- but he can't figure out how the modern umbrellas in the gas station work. He presses the button to get them open, but then he can't get them closed again! And the metal keeps bending out of shape every time he tries. Better to just forgo an umbrella altogether.

As the month progresses, and the rains get worse and worse, he begins to regret leaving the metal umbrella behind. Caught in one downpour, he dashes quickly into the Foodland to get out of the rain, already soaked to the bone. Thankfully there are racks of clothes there so he can trade out his wet ones for some nice dry ones instead. The variety of clothing strikes him as rather odd, but who is he to judge modern fashion he knows nothing about? He finds an outfit in a color that suits his tastes and gets changed quickly in an empty aisle, leaving only his long underclothes on underneath. The short sleeves still aren't quite warm enough for him, so he throws on a shearling lined jacket for good measure.

He's still going to wait out the worst of the storm in here before he heads back to the lake, so feel free to find him sitting on the linoleum floor by the entrance, staring out the large glass doors at the darkened sky.

[ ooc: will match prose or brackets! hmu @ Chris_#9103 if you want to plot something else. ]

[gusumouthcannon]

[Hrm. He squints at the pouch dubiously.]

Yes. A little. But only because I know how good you are with it.

[This is said very grudgingly. He folds his arms in front of his chest and grumbles for a moment. He then shakes his head and pulls himself up a little so he can see where they actually are. The town, somewhere, sure, but.]

But where are we going really?

[deferences]

[should he... take the guqin out as well? because he can, it wouldn't be any trouble! jingyi makes that remark though and he sheepishly inclines his head, unable to keep from smiling faintly.]

Then you have nothing to worry about, I'll keep you safe.

[they haven't made it there yet (they should hurry because of the rain), but jingyi's still acting uncomfortable and sizhui's certainly not going to force him— but a little persuasion never hurt anything, right?] Somewhere that's not wet, [he giggles, gingerly takes his friend by the elbow then continues moving forward.] Come, come. Before we end up getting too wet.

[blessedly, the bowling alley isn't far now; it only takes a few more minutes for them to get there and even when they do arrive, he stops them just outside the door, which is not quite inside but at least they aren't getting rained on anymore.]

[gusumouthcannon]

I will keep you safe, too.

[And that is the determination of someone willing to punch what he fears in the face if Sizhui is in true danger, at least now that he has been pried outside. But it is only because Jingyi trusts Sizhui implicitly that he has not mutinied and stayed in bed, honestly.

And he has given himself a complaint quota (which he has already exceeded), because even he knows when he is being ridiculous. He tucks himself close in to Sizhui as his elbow is taken and follows along, squinting into the wet at their surroundings as they go.]

How can one place have so much rain!

[...that does not count as a complaint. It is definitely a question. He jostles Sizhui out of the rain once they arrive and squeezes out his hair.]

Why this place, anyway?

[deferences]

[jingyi, please, his heart...

if there were ever a chance to experience his friend punching a ghost in the face, it would be here and he'd be amazed with his bravery. not many people would face their fears, after all, and sizhui's glad he hasn't had to. (yet. and hey, if jingyi had changed his mind about going out, he wouldn't have exactly blamed him, given the terrible weather.)

good thing he's so used to the other boy's complaining or else he might've very well pointed out he's gone over his limit— give him a minute though, he still might. however, having jingyi's side almost flush with his own is proving to be a decent distraction and before he knows it, they've already arrived at their destination, with another grievance aired not long after.] I'm not sure, but it's certainly doing its best attempt at washing us away. [which is why there isn't a single bit of fussing on his end whenever he's nudged further out of the rain.

he waits patiently while jingyi wrings water from his hair, reaches toward his own, twists it all up then tucks it into place atop his head in a bun.]

It's called a ‘bowling alley!’ [a quick gesture toward the nearby sign before he grins and leads them further in, flipping the lights on to reveal the surrounding area.]

[gusumouthcannon]

I will float down the street, watch. This is the last you will see me before I turn into a water ghoul.

[It is a bit of teasing, albeit somewhat absent teasing, as he peers at the sign. Sizhui's grin, however, inspires one of his own, and he beams back as he follows him inside.

Once in, though, he pauses at the threshold to blink at the slick wooden lanes to the mechanisms at the far end. The cheerful, somewhat washed-out word "bowl" and the brightly-colored booths both leave him blinking. The place seems empty at first glance, so he bounds over to one of the booths to prod at the vinyl seating and peer over the back toward the lanes.]

Okay, what is bowling and why does it need an alley? Because this does not look like any alley I have seen before. Is this where you have been disappearing off to?

[He flashes a smile back at Sizhui.]

Early October | A helpful creeper boy

[lethechained]

[ And here she'd thought that feeling of being watched had gone away.

It was quite the relief when visiting the town after the ghost incident proved to be a less viscerally uncomfortable experience than it was previously. Yet now she's begun to get that feeling on the roads, and that's just no good. Whether or not it's worse is probably up for debate, but it makes Naminé anxious regardless. Her trips back and forth along the paths are frequent all the same, for she's such a tiny thing that carrying large loads of essentials back from Foodland is a challenge.

Still... nothing's ever come of it. She's not so foolish as to disregard the sensation entirely, not after last month's happenings - but it has at least occurred to her that perhaps whoever's lurking around has some reason for doing so. Not that that stops her from walking as quickly as she can, of course, because not all reasons are good ones.

The bag she's carrying back toward the cabins today is heavier than she's accustomed to. It seemed necessary, what with the more frequently inclement weather; she's not exactly equipped for trudging through the mud the heavier rains can bring. Which is why when - as would suit her luck - it suddenly begins to drizzle, Naminé hurries her pace in the hopes of making it back before the downpour really gets started. A stumble is the unfortunate result of that, and sends a few apples toppling from the bag. She stops to collect them, but it's awkward with her groceries still in hand, and there's at least one piece of fruit that rolls out of her sight.

This particular escort mission might take a little longer than intended at this rate. ]

Naminé | OTA

[lethechained]

A. || LAKE SHORE | OCTOBER 18TH

[ The small figure curled up in the sand seems to be very concentrated on something. Her back is to the treeline, body angled halfway toward the water; like this, it might be hard for a passerby to see exactly what she's up to, but - whatever it is, it seems to involve holding her hands very close to her face. Every now and again there's a flicker of odd light that emanates from those cupped palms, a faint glow that peeks just over her shoulder. Every time it seems to end up punctuated with disappointment, if the faint murmur or sigh that follows is any indication. As engrossed as she is in whatever task she's set her mind to, it probably wouldn't be very hard to sneak closer.

Except when the wind kicks up, that is. That seems to shift her attention immediately, her head turning to peer warily over her shoulder toward the leafy ground beyond the shore. As she does, angry red line scored into her cheek might become considerably more obvious. ]


B. || ANYWHERE | OCTOBER 19TH - 23RD

[ In a place like this, there are a lot of things that could be considered Concerning - the contents of that sketchy candy, for instance. If something looks weird, sounds weird, smells weird or acts weird, it's not outside the realm of possibility that it may, in fact, be a threat. But...

The individual wandering around in what appears to be one very confused Halloween costume is not exactly as intimidating as they could be if they were maybe a little further over five feet tall. It looks a lot like someone started trying to dress up as a student of Hogwarts and then decided at the last moment that they wanted to be Jason instead; the sweater and long pants are normal enough, but did they really need two hooded capes layered together? And the mask, while it provides plenty of protection for one's face, is kind of disconcerting.

But, you know, at least now Naminé can be quite confident that she won't be having any unpleasant run-ins with sharp flying objects again. She might, however, give someone quite a start; she's not exactly the most friendly-looking person at the moment, and it'd probably be worrisome to turn and find her wandering down the same street as oneself.

It really doesn't help that she's pretty quiet. ]


C. || THE CABINS | OCTOBER 24TH

[ The thumping of footsteps on one's porch might be an everyday occurrence, or perhaps it's less commonplace. Either way, they're there all the same - and whoever's making them sounds like they were in a hurry, whether welcome or not. Hardly a few seconds go by before there's an unmistakable burst of lightning right outside, the thunder deafening. If one should happen to investigate by peeking outside thereafter, one will find poor Naminé just next to the door, her body flattened against the wall. She looks rather perturbed, going by the round eyes and shortness of breath. Did she run all the way here?

Well. Nevermind that it's not her cabin; cover is cover. She might make a more concerning sight than usual, however, what with the fact that she's still wearing that weird costume - although by now she's at least thought to push the mask up, so she only sort of looks like an overzealous trick-or-treater. ]

~Helpful Creeper

[singularwidower]

Daemon's on the move--place to be, gas stations to investigate--and he trudges through the woods as he beelines there directly south from the lake. The last time he'd been at the gas station it had been...odd, and it deserved a little bit of a looksee, what with the tree and the creeping sense of wrong.

About halfway there, though, he does his usual mental sweep for presences and draws up short. He definitely senses...something, though he is wary of peering too closely at the mind following him just in case he might hurt it (or it might hurt him, which is unfortunately much more possible here than he is used to). He turns in the direction of his follower and does not bother to hide the demand in his tone.

"You might as well come out and join me."

[deferences]

Ah... don't say that! What would I do without you, Jingyi?

[joking or not, sizhui sounds absolutely, one-hundred-percent serious when he asks that question. he's still smiling, meanwhile, although the thought does have him wondering: what would he do if his best friend turned into a ghoul? (does that mean he'd have to—?

oh...)

he shakes his head, as if doing so will physically eject the pessimistic thoughts, glad jingyi's distracted with hurrying toward one of the nearby booths. once he's sure his expression has softened again, he moves to follow, beaming at the other boy while leaning himself over the backrest of the seat. he shrugs,] I don't know why it's called an alley! [then sizhui's attention flickers toward the lane, head absently tipped with consideration.

somehow, his grin widens and he glances back, lifts off an arm and gestures toward the ball chute where some colorful bowling balls already sit.] Maybe it is. Would you like me to teach you?

[lookslikeacinnamonroll]

[ Oh... Oh no, her fruit! It's going to get lost! Wen Ning scrambles over to pick up the ones that have rolled away, off the side of the path, then cautiously steps out of his hiding spot. He knows his appearance can be frightening, so he does his best to make himself look small and non-threatening. ]

Here, miss. You... You dropped these.

[lookslikeacinnamonroll]

Uh oh. He's been spotted. But how? He was being so careful to stay hidden...

Still, no use in staying out of sight now that the man he's been following knows he's there. Wen Ning steps out onto the road, shoulders hunched in apology.

"H-Hello. I promise, this isn't what it looks like."

[singularwidower]

Daemon raises his eyebrows at the...person? They certainly look human enough. And they certainly speak like a human. He brushes at their mind with a simple psychic probe, just enough to try for base emotion and perhaps some clue as to why they look oddly pale.

"Do tell. What does it look like?"

He slips his hands into his pockets and gives absolutely no reassurance.

Tuuri Hotakainen || OTA

[skaldish]

[ A.October 18th || Mid-morning || Out and about ]

[ Ok, so the ghost thing was pretty bad. She's decided that she's done with ghosts once and for all in fact. The fact that it's been...Mostly quiet has been a relief. Mostly. People disappearing isn't a great relief. And it's with that semi-relaxed state of mind that she decides to take a walk with Han. For the first fifteen minutes, a good distance from the cabin, it seems to be fine.

Until the wind picks up. ]

Geeze, it's really windy today, isn't it Han? All these lea-Ow! [ The Finn is taken by surprise by an errant leaf hitting her in the forehead. They're...Supposed to flop wetly on you just like they've been doing for most of the month. ]

That hurt! I wonder if it was attached to a twig...[ It takes a minute or two and a concerned noise from Han for her to notice the feeling of something wet on her brow. She touches where she was hit gingerly, pulling her hand back and noticing a bit of blood on her fingers. ] I guess this means our walk is over, huh? [ As she says this the wind picks up stronger and this time a leaf brushes against the hand she used to feel her temple, leaving a sliver of pain and thin red cut on it. ] Ow! It's the leaves?

[ Her dog barks a warning as another leaf streaks by the Finn's face and leaves another streak of red dangerously close to her eye. There's an understanding between dog and master and both start making a run for it back towards home. Tuuri has her arms and hands over her head and face as the leaves swirl dangerously around her and leave little cuts on her hands and any exposed part of her head. She is thankful it doesn't seem to be penetrating her clothes at least, but that doesn't help the current situation. After what seems like an eternity, she thinks, as best as she can see, she's home, and she slumps against the cabin door.

Or at least she thinks its home. Maybe it is? She's still reeling a bit from the fury of the leaves, checking if Han is ok, and isn't quite paying attention. ]

[ B.October 22nd || Afternoon || Foodland ]

[ This time Tuuri's made the journey to the Foodland sans Han out of fear that he'll get attacked by the razor leaves, even if he hadn't shown signs of injury since it first started up. Better to be safe than sorry right? Either way, she's bundled up as much as she can with an errant throw blanket wrapped around her upper body for extra protectionso that only her eyes can be seen, at least until she gets indoors. Once in the Foodland, she unwraps her head, letting the throw hang over her like the largest scarf - Of course because she's so short it makes it look even larger on her - Almost like a poncho. She pulls a flyer out of a coat pocket, all sparkly and festooned up for the upcoming holiday.]

So...I need a..Costume for something? I guess this would be the place to get it, right? [ She shrugs slightly to herself and starts to browse the store. Might as well grab necessities and more clothes while she's here too. ]

[ C.October 24th || Evening || Cabin ]

[ The Finn has wisely decided to stay OUT of the storm and is in the cabin watching out the window, sort of absently watching the storm, bundled in blankets and petting Han. She's open to conversation or if you're an unlucky soul trying to dodge the lightning, you might be able to find refuge since she's not one to leave someone outside to be struck by lightning. She can always apologize to the other cabin occupants later for letting a stranger (or maybe not a stranger) into the house.]

[lethechained]

[ Even Naminé's hurried attempt to recapture the escaped fruit that she can see doesn't stop her from being aware that one particular chunk of the area suddenly looks a bit more populated than it did before. Although her reflex is to pause like a deer in headlights, she at least has the good sense to stand upright before she does it. (Perhaps it makes little difference; she is small and non-threatening, and there's no disguising that.)

The thing that surprises her most is that Wen Ning shows himself at all. His strangeness comes second - although she recognizes it right away, even before she can pick out exactly why it is that she knows it's there. This, however, is less alarming than the first point, for of course she can't help but wonder at his intent when they're so far from either of the more populated areas. But for all that she reasonably cautions herself about any stranger, he seems... timid, almost. Of two minds, Naminé watches him approach, hesitant herself even when her eyes move down toward the fruit he's gathered up. ]

Oh, [ she says, with a beat of uncertainty. There's an alarm going off in the back of her thoughts but a larger portion of them feels almost as though she's the one who ought to be trying not to look threatening. Her voice is gentler for it as she adds, ] Thank you...?

[ She'll have to move closer to retrieve the items. She takes half a step, then seems to think better of it; considering him carefully, though not unkindly, ]

I... didn't see you on the road.

[ So where did he come from - and more importantly, why? ]

Vivi Ornitier | OTA

[toosmall]

Foodland: Before the 18th

[There's a clatter of cans hitting the floor from the pet food aisle. A short and stout little black mage works on gathering up said cans into a few plastic bags he's found.

He's on a very important mission!]

... nine... ten... eleven... hm. I wonder if this will be enough?

[Stuffing the cans in a bag he stops to read one.]

Tuna and eggs? ... do cats eat eggs?


Town: During Rain Times

[Vivi can be seen pushing an unfortunate looking grocery cart through the town. He's barely taller than said cart, but he manages. The rain doesn't seem to bother him too much, his hat keeps a lot of it out if his face thankfully.

Anyone who happens upon him will see the small mage stopping at any of the shady spooky looking alleyways to open a few cans of dog or cat food and set them out. Kneeling down a little ways off, Vivi will watch and see if any of the many stray animals skitter out to gooble a few mouthfuls, looking uncertainly at him out of the corner of their eyes before dashing away.

Sometimes he empties out little piles of dry food as well. He's trying to get a read on what they like best.]

A

[coolmotivestillevil]

[ The wind is pretty volatile today, but the cuts are so shallow that Geralt barely notices at all. Of course, he does notice, and of course he thinks it's weird, but it's not like it's the first weird thing to happen here. It also won't stop him from going out. His cabin is empty, and there is no sign of Jaskier anywhere, and he's not sure if it's more or less worrying that he's not the first to disappear without a trace.

He wants to find the bastards in charge.

Normally, he would have ignored Naminé, but the light is odd and the muttering catches his attention. ]

You all right?

C

[theprezident]

[ Weather like this is normally for staying in with a cup of something hot. Considering the situation they're in, the storm is all the more ominous, and if Rhys had plans to keep scavenging in the city today, well. That's out the window.

Luckily, he's already ensured they have a stock of all hot drinks Foodland had to offer, and he's currently making rounds in the cabin to bring everyone cocoa. Tuuri, of course, also gets one. ]

Cocoa?

[gusumouthcannon]

Yes!

[His response is immediate, his attention snapping toward the balls that Sizhui pointed out.]

You know, when I am not with you, you do not have nearly as much fun. That would only be worse if I were not here at all. So prepare to have ten times the amount of fun you were having without me.

[He vaults over the back of the booths (because he can, honestly, and he's out and soggy and full of energy from cooping himself up) to the ball return to start poking about for one that is a color he likes.]

[lethechained]

[ Naminé, for her part, has far less experience with being wounded than Geralt does. The wind was an unpleasant surprise, and the way she's curled up on the shore as far away from the leaves as she can get might suggest that. Her abrupt pause at the sound of his voice and the quick drop of her hand away from from her face, however, might suggest something else. Her eyes are subtly rounded (and not so subtly guilty) when she turns to peer over her shoulder at him. The thin cut along her cheek is deep enough for a little blood to have collected along it, marking it out obviously enough. ]

Yes...! [ she responds quickly, automatically. Then, with a smidgeon more thought, ] I'm all right, but...

[ Her face scrunches slightly as she eyes him with open concern. ]

It's dangerous over there...! [ Where he is, that is. Squinting at him, she naturally looks out for any cuts similar to her own. Surely he's realized already...? It doesn't immediately occur to her that he might just, you know, not care. ]

[lookslikeacinnamonroll]

[ Oh no. She seems hesitant to come towards him. He doesn't blame her, really. He knows how scary he looks and how awkward it is for him to follow people without making himself known.

He'll just... carefully set the fruit down on an even patch of ground between them, then back away a respectful distance, keeping his gaze low, bowing slightly in deference. ]

I wasn't... traveling on the road. [ Is really the simplest way to explain that little discrepancy. He wasn't traveling on the road, he was traveling next to it, through the bushes and trees, staying out of sight. He just doesn't want to frighten anyone, but he still wants to make sure they're safe. The best way he can think to do that is to follow them, unseen, ready to jump in if anything bad happens. ]

[lookslikeacinnamonroll]

Wen Ning has no resistance to any kind of psychic intrusion, and so he is as easy to read as a book left lying open on the table. His emotions right now are a swirl of embarrassment and guilt, with a helping of shame thrown in for good measure. As for why he looks pale, he will have the residual sense of being a dead man, even though he is clearly up and ambulating like someone still alive.

Wen Ning averts his gaze and tightens his hands into fists. He has to accept the consequences of his actions. That's what his Jiejie would want him to do.

"It looks like I was... stalking you. Like I was planning an attack."

[singularwidower]

Daemon yanks his probe away and his eyes widen in surprise. The poor man's mind is all but an open door, with no inner barriers to speak of--but not like a landen, who would be damaged by Daemon's touch. This was something entirely different. Alarmingly different, though he almost didn't want to admit that, even to himself. Still, he got what he was looking for; the man's mind has no trace of malice or deceit.

And the taste of death in his mind is familiar.

"It did look like that," Daemon agrees, though his tone has warmed a fraction and he looks more thoughtful now than he had a moment ago. His curiosity is thoroughly piqued. If the man is demon-dead, he is like no demon-dead that Daemon has ever encountered. He pulls a hand from his pocket and beckons. "Walk with me? I was going to the gas station to look around. Maybe check on the tree."