Video; UN: Wei Wuxian || Text; UN: jtd

[singlelogbridge]

[Even before the feed flickers into life, anyone literally anywhere in the sunlight room is probably aware that there is something going on thanks to one very shrill scream immediately followed by several minutes of panicked shouting. When the feed does flicker on, the view is oddly…tall? It's at height with the tops of the trees in the sunlight room which is because Wei Wuxian is making this post from the top of one of those trees.

The reason why becomes immediately obvious when he pans down to the familiar form of Jake barking up at him from the base of the tree. Jake's expression is partially obscured through the foliage, though a close study will find more fear in Jake's face than threat. Whatever he thinks he's looking at, it isn't Wei Wuxian.

Finally, the view shifts to Wei Wuxian who is wide eyed and panicked, his face completely bloodless as he holds onto the tree with one arm and gestures at Jake below with the other.]

Why? [He squeaks out in a desperate whisper, eyes darting back to Jake again before he lets out a soft whimper and returns his attention to the feed.]

Why is there a dog?

----

[ Jake's post comes through almost simultaneously, text somehow communicating volume as much as his urgency. ]

I FOUND THE GHOST. I REPEAT, I FOUND THE GHOST. GOT IT UP A TREE IN THE SUNLIGHT ROOM. PLEASE ADVISE ON NEXT STEPS AND/OR EXORCISM.

[ooc: please indicate in the comments which you're responding to!]

Comments

PRIVATE; Video; (to Wei Wuxian)

[heroooic]

Very funny, guys. How long have you been planning this one?

[ Uncharacteristically, Finn remembers to switch to private for this message…he didn’t want to ruin the joke for the rest of the crew. ]

Unlocked

[singlelogbridge]

[Uncharacteristically of him, Wei Wuxian doesn't even bother with a private filter, far too distracted by the dog. He barely even registers Finn's words, only whimpering softly and closing his eyes.]

Planning...what? [What even are words anyway?]

text to jake | private

[heyciri]

Jake, isn't it mean to be shouting up at a fellow crewmate? I think you're scaring him. Pretty badly.

text; un: jtd

[doooooog]

crewmate?? kiddo this is a ghost, i've been seeing them around for WEEKS. they keep showing up in the corner of my eye, then wailing and disappearing into thin air!

that's GHOST behavior

PRIVATE; Text (to Jake)

[heroooic]

seriously dude, you guys are geniuses; i can’t believe you didn’t let me in on this!

[ Does he feel a little earnestly left out of Jake’s first prank on the crew? Yes. ]

text; un: jtd

[doooooog]

[ Much like Wei Wuxian, Jake is simply feeling too terrified brave to keep up the filter. ]

what. are. you. TALKING ABOUT.

audio; un: Sabriel.Abhorsen; BOTH

[bindsthedead]

To Wei Wuxian

Because he has a regret and he made a bargain? But at least he's retaining a fixed form.

To Jake

That sort of thing is my specialty, actually. But that isn't a ghost.

Audio

[singlelogbridge]

[At Sabriel's words, he pales even more. Is she suggesting that the dog is an ORBER?]

IT'S A DOG!

text; jtd (permatext because he is still presently barking. rip wwx...)

[doooooog]

IT IS A GHOST!

text; un: naruhodo (to wwx)

[locumstudentesquire]

[Ryunosuke winces and blinks confusedly, the simultaneous arrival of both messages giving him a slight headache. What the HECK is happening here?

The video is more baffling, so he decides to go tackle that first:]

You mean Jake? I understand the stretching is more than a little bit alarming to experience at first, but you really don't have anything to fear from him.

[...Then again. He does have the man cornered up a tree.]

...At least, I don't think you do. I'd suggest messaging Finn.

text

[singlelogbridge]

[Literally every single word Ryunosuke just said is disconcerting. Every single one. He isn't going to ask about the stretching. He isn't. Fuck the stretching.]

but why is it HEREE?????

Audio; un: 苣屋 (to wwx)

[dispassioned]

[Honestly this might be the funniest thing he’s ever seen. Absolutely amazing.]

I think he’s asking the same thing about you.

Audio

[singlelogbridge]

Who's asking what? Why does it talk? How is everyone acting like this is normal, WHY IS THERE A DOG HERE? WE'RE IN SPACE! SPACE IS SUPPOSED TO BE FREE FROM DOGS!!! [He whimpers again and then buries his face back into the tree, mumbling under his breath the whole time.]

audio; un: felix (to wei wuxian)

[swordandshield]

Really. You're afraid of dogs. How pathetic.

[He would probably be laughing if he were in a better mood himself, or if he could see this in person. It's fucking hilarious in his opinion.]

[singlelogbridge]

[🗸 Read]

audio; un: mafioso (to wei wuxian)

[essenceofdeadlybeasts]

What's wrong with there being a dog around here?

[Besides the fact that there usually weren't any animals here... Zhao was pretty sure this wasn't one.]

audio

[singlelogbridge]

Aiya, why is everyone so obsessed with these stupid beasts? It's a dog! It's not supposed to be here!

voice; un: inspector.lestrade @wei wuxian

[youre_nicked]

[ As a dog owner, Gina immediately recognises Dog Fear. Unfortunately she is a rude 18-year-old who doesn't think Dog Fear is valid. ]

'E's cute, innee!

voice

[singlelogbridge]

"Cute." [He lets out a high pitched laugh that borders on hysterical.]

What's wrong with you people?

voice; un: redgrave, to jake

[shishkabob]

[He should probably clear up the misunderstanding here. He ought to.

…you know what would be funnier, though?]

You need to beat it in a dance-off. Trust me, it works every time. The more stylish you are the better.

text; un: jtd

[doooooog]

[ Okay, this sounds extremely made up. Like, extremely made up. But also, counterpoint: he's desperate. ]

"works every time"?? you've got experience in this??

{ text } un: joric (for jake)

[drawsblood]

Stop your barking or I'm coming in there and picking you up by the scruff of the neck.

That's a person up a tree.

[doooooog]

all ghosts are PEOPLE dude, doesn't mean they're not gonna suck your soul out through your eyesockets!!

video; un: redgrave; locked from wwx and jake

[shishkabob]

[This video is literally just. Popcorn popping over a stove in the kitchen.]

Got some popcorn in the kitchen going. Who wants some before they figure out what the game is here?

audio; un: romanoff

[deaddrop]

I could go for some popcorn. Save me a bowl?

video; un: y.mikotoba

[softshoes]

[To Wei Wuxian:] Ah. Yes, that's Jake. Finn's older brother.

Are you afraid of dogs? I assure you that he's perfectly harmless. Rather easy to get along with, even.

[A beat; he takes in the context clues from the rest of the video, and Jake's post. What... is going on here...?

To Jake:] H-hold on-- I think there's been a big misunderstanding here. [Also, Wei Wuxian is a ghost? What?]

He's a part of the Ximilia's crew like the rest of us, there's no need to bark-- or chase him up into a tree!

text (because barking); un: jtd

[doooooog]

[ Wait, Mikotoba? He's even doing his little stutter voice that he does when he's being sincere. ]

dude. are you SURE? this ghost's been stalking me for weeks, he's always showing up in the corner of my eye and then SHRIEKING and disappearing.

why would some normal crew member do that!??

{action} for wei wuxian

[drawsblood]

[ The longer he watches/reads/hears the conversations Wei Wuxian is having with people, the more Joric recognizes the complete, all-consuming fear he's in. In his land, they call it bad memories or after battle fear, but as a soldier he can see that whatever this man has experienced with dogs has completely overwhelmed him in this moment.

When he gets to the sunlight room, it's easy to follow the voices until he reaches the tree. Ciri is talking things out with Jake, so Joric looks up through the branches, trying to find a spot to stand that gives a clear sightline. ]

Don't worry. I won't let him hurt you.

[ Does he think Jake will? Of course not. But he knows the guy might take some time to accept that. ]

Mind if I climb up?

[singlelogbridge]

[The voice draws his attention because it's the first gentle voice he's heard since this started and he hesitates for a moment before peering down at the man below. He's seen him around the station and he's pretty sure they've spoken before, but he doesn't remember his name.

After a weighted pause he gives a slow nod and the upon realizing it might be hard to see from down there, he clears his throat to speak.]

...alright.

audio; un: mccoy (to both)

[homeostatic]

( he may have heard the screaming from the kitchen... )

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, the only ghost on this station is the ghost of my dwindlin' restraint.

To Jake

Why are you treeing orbers? The man's neither a ghost or a raccoon.

To Wei Wuxian

( switching to a far more soothing tone: )

It'll be all right, he's not gonna hurt you.

[singlelogbridge]

[As with Joric, the sound of a friendly voice—and even more so a familiar one—immediately holds his attention. He's being pathetic, he know how pathetic he's being, but he can't help it no matter how much he tries to force the fear away. McCoy's voice at least offers a little relief. There is safety in his voice.]

Is he really an orber?

[action] i made an icon just for this, so stupid

[shadysided]

[Ziggy's spidey senses are tingling upon viewing this 1-2-K.O. collection of network entries. Or is it a 'Wei Wuxian' sense? Truth be told, she doesn't need to know about a crippling fear of pooches to know that something is clearly freaking her teacher out.

First thing is first: disrupt the situation. So she marches into the sunlight room where Jake is BARK BARK BARKING — and proceeds to smack a rolled up magazine at his fuzzy little head. The energy of the smack in question:



While it's a particularly painless counterattack, the unspoken disapproval is maxed out.]

Hey! Don't you see you're freaking him out!?

Cut it out! You're being rude!

showing up late, thinking he can smooth this over

[heroooic]

[ Walking into the sunlight room, Finn sucks in a breath. This is worst thing he has ever seen.

Wei Wuxian curled miserable in the higher branches of the tree, crying; Jake, also terrified, at the bottom of it, and now Ziggy was here, smacking his brother with a…rolled up newspaper? He had to pinch his arm to make sure he wasn’t just having a particularly vibrant nightmare.]

W-wait, stop! Everyone just stop! [ Running over, Finn jumps in between Ziggy’s rage and Jake, wrapping his arms around his brother, starting to drag him away from the tree...not without getting hit with the newspaper himself, wincing. ] This is CRAZY! Come on-

audio; un: qinghe

[eschewings]

[ actual footage of huaisang when he, after removing his earpiece for several hours, connects it again and sees.......... whatever this absolute disaster is.

right. asking wei wuxian if he's alright is out of the question, and he's outright too late to do anything about anything now.

so in the end he responds with: ]

Wei-xiong, please signal once if you're alive and need help, and twice if you're alive and don't need help. Ah, and if you're dead, then don't signal at all...

audio

[singlelogbridge]

[It gets a soft groan out of him because now that things are settled, he's pretty annoyed with himself for looking for help publicly when he should have just contacted one of his trusted friends. Too bad panic had blinded him at the moment.]

Ah, I'm fine, I'm fine Nie-xiong. Let's just pretend this didn't happen. [It's not the first time Huaisang has seen him treed by dogs anyway, though this time the threat was far less real. Ugh.]