video; un: jin_guangyao

[turmoiling]

[The smiling face of Jin Guangyao shows up on the sepia-tinted video of the Watch.]

Good evening, everyone. I've been considering several things for some time, and I thought I would ask my fellow Mirrorbound for their opinions, if you would spare a moment or two.

[The smile is soft, perhaps a little sad here.] I'm afraid that even if a way back to my home was found, going back would be quite impossible. Of course I am sure there are others who would hope to remain, if given the choice. Or perhaps some have not given the issue much thought? No matter which way your intentions lie, I would ask for you to please indulge me by answering the following 'poll'. Even if you have no interest in commenting further on the issue, even a simple yes or no would be appreciated.

I do think that, even though we are all strangers in this land, many of us share an interest in improving the world here. We are not temporary visitors, but rather, people whose homes are here now, and for that group of us, putting this forth plainly to the local folk this may be viewed well, I had thought.

Poll #24758 To return or not?

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 31

View Respondents

Do you plan to remain in Aefenglom even if a way to your home realm is found?

View Answers

Yes
6 (19.4%)

No
16 (51.6%)

Undecided
9 (29.0%)

Comments

text: un: purrsuing

[izanyagi]

It would depend on the circumstances for myself.

If the portal is one-time only, I would go, but if there's no time limit I would stay a little longer to help before going back.

[turmoiling]

What sorts of things would you like to stay and help with, may I ask? There are unfortunately many problems, even here, and I fear the Cwyld will not be so easily dealt with.

text; un:crimsonrain

[deadvotional]

why would the locals care about whether or not we want to stay

[turmoiling]

I think, particularly those of us sitting on the Mirrorbound Council, hope to help change things for the better. If we are seen as only inadvertent tourists, proposals may be taken rather less seriously.

Even those who are in search of a Bond -- I think it no coincidence that Mirrorbound only bond to Mirrorbound. Who would do such a thing with someone who one felt might leave on a moment's notice?

text; un: belmont

[quickwhip]

Nope.

[turmoiling]

Of course, I don't think any of us can fault those who still have opportunities back in their home realms.

text; un: scenarios

[silentsavant]

Temporary visitors is precisely what we are. We don't belong here. The locals aren't wrong in thinking so, either.

[turmoiling]

Do we not? Like it or not, we are being altered to fit here. I certainly did not have scales before my arrival.

[Also he might have been a hair's breadth from death so no thanks he's good here, you can rip this new chance at life from his cold dead snake coils.]

video; un: leslie

[foundfamilies]

I think that it would cause more problems for the people I am staying with than it would solve, if I were to never return to my own world. I'd need to talk to them before I could even consider staying.

[Her expression shifts from thoughtful to concerned.]

Why can't you return to your home? If that isn't too personal of a question.

[turmoiling]

I had suffered several grievous injuries before I was brought here. I would not be alive, were it not for coming to this place. So I am grateful to it, and the people here by association.

[He replies humbly, even if it's quite the understatement of the situation he'd been in.

Also, Jin Guangyao is not grateful for turning into half-snake here, but you take what you can get.]

May I ask who you are staying with here?

text; un: bearoness

[moneytwin]

[ It surprises Vex how long it takes her to place a vote on this. She doesn't like being indecisive. And yet.. ]

You know, if you'd asked this when I first arrived, my answer would have been a Yes without any doubt or question.

[turmoiling]

Has it been the troubles of recent events, then?

video | un: qingsman

[bingyun]

Temporary visitors.

[was he seriously just called that.]

[turmoiling]

I am sure that is what some think, at least.

voice;

[unsundered]

A once complicated question made straightforward... though I wonder how many others here have changed their minds, in one direction or another. Whether through an attachment to place or person, or a despising of them both.

[Emet-Selch's voice is low, but mild, and punctuated by a thoughtful hum, even though he already knows his own mind.]

I would remain. Though it has little to do with any concern for this world, nor a mislike of my own. But my time on my own star has become quite free, you could say... enough so that I can spare this place the remainder of my attention.

[All lightly spoken, as though this were some idle topic of little import, and only moderate interest.]

As for whether we're actually welcome here, well... that answer is quite variable in my experience, and I've no doubt that any number of natives here would still gladly see us drowned in the nearest body of water, should we fail to disappear in a timely enough manner.

[turmoiling]

May I ask if there is any part of this place that draws your attention in particular? Or idle curiosity alone?

text, un; nocturne

[synchroswim]

ages ago i wouldve said no but i thiiiiiiink.....

huh
i guess it sorta depends :(

[turmoiling]

I suspect this is not an uncommon opinion. Would it trouble you to explain your difficulty in deciding in more detail?

voice; lanling.jin

[disasterstraight]

[ Well, this is certainly an interesting survey. Zixuan doesn't hesitate to give his answer, but he does so to think about whether or how to respond to Jin Guangyao directly. ]

What brought on this line of thinking, A-Yao?

[ Certainly, returning home is impossible for some of them. Can you really ask someone to choose between the possible and the impossible? ]

[turmoiling]

[Oh look, his brother choosing to stay. For the same reasons, in essence, as Jin Guangyao's own, no doubt. And actually asking a pertinent question in turn.

To say he has mixed feelings about this is quite the understatement.]

I had hoped to gauge interest for longer-term projects. Of course, there is no guarantee that a way to return permanently will ever be found, so some may be stuck against their will. But I think the intent to remain should have value when it comes to proposals put forth to Parliament and the citizens here.

It does seem that not so many are in quite such unfortunate positions as ourselves however, judging by the numbers to date.

[bloodwit]

Whether we like it or not, I'd still say we're very much temporary.

not here

[faithlikeaseed]

[viren 8(]

voice, un: mshivana

[faithlikeaseed]

[Quietly,] I hear a lot of folk saying we don't have any option in whether or not we stay, messere, but there was a dream some months ago with Fae who claimed to descend from the Mirrorbound.

I've been wondering about how that might happen.

[Neatly distracting from what his own answer to the stay-or-go question might be.]

To say nothing of us having no way of knowing whether or not it's us that return to our homes.

[turmoiling]

[Jin Guangyao visibly -- and audibly, heh -- perks up at the first.] That's quite fascinating. Was anything else said of their predecessors, or how long ago these other Mirrorbound had been here? As to how it might happen, surely such a thing need not be explained? [He adds with a hint of apparent good-nature amusement.

And maybe the mental image of fathering a clutch of small snake babies crosses his mind and he's forced to repress a shudder.]

But that aside... you are questioning what sort of state we would arrive back in, are you not?

video; un: sae

[shinkunochou]

[She tilts her head, curling a finger to her mouth and looking down thoughtfully.]

...I thought I had an easy answer to this, but it's a bit more complicated than I thought... It's not that I really care about the people here, [she doesn't, not really, she doesn't really know them, after all, so why would she?] but I like... living. Living here.

[Being alive.] But, I was waiting for someone... [She glances up and tilts her head the other way.]

Big Brother Guangyao, why can't you go back?

[turmoiling]

Perhaps if you're lucky they will show up here too.

[He suggests, trying to be helpful. He's not sure how he acquired this level with Sae... perhaps indirectly, through some of the others? It's not a problem, especially considering how informal so many of the Mirrorbound are, though.]

Unfortunately some terrible things happened to me very shortly before I was brought here. I've come to think of my time here as a second life, and a chance for a new start.

[Which started as a lie and keeps wandering somewhere between lie and truth to the point even he's not sure anymore.]

text; un: zewu-jun

[zewu_jun]

Are you considering some plans as well?

[turmoiling]

[Lan Xichen knows him too well. Jin Guangyao looks fondly at the message.]

It's a little early to call them plans, perhaps, but I have a few thoughts. If you'd like, we can speak more about it when you return home?

text • un: y

[velvetshot]

Returning to Mother is all that matters. I would only remain here if she decided to come and take this planet as well.

text; un: ursamajor

[beariot]

The truth is, there are those who have nothing to return to. They were not pulled within the mirrors from another place, but seemingly from nothingness itself.

voice | un: jinling

[fairyherder]

[ does he even want to engage this... considering the topic and the person asking?

but Jin Ling doesn't know for himself. because despite dead family members here, he also has responsibilities at home. responsibilities that's been beaten into him since childhood that he can't just turn a blind eye to. ]

... what do you plan to do, Xiaoshu?

[turmoiling]

[Jin Guangyao can't really say that sort of a reply is entirely unexpected. It could be worse, from those who know him before he came here.]

If I plan to remain here [And obviously he has no other choice...] I would like to help out where I can. But of course some things are not so simply accomplished. I had hoped there would be more that would be invested in settling down and building trust with the locals, but it seems to ask even that much is difficult for most.

voice; un: eisner

[hegemonwings]

No.

[ simply, plainly. ]

I understand the desire to stay... and for those who wish to, I hope it's possible. [ but... ] ... That said... this is our home, for now. If we can better it, we should.

[turmoiling]

Please pardon me for phrasing it in such a way but I don't think that the locals are wrong to view such things with suspicion. How can they trust that it will be better for them, in the long term, if those acting would abandon their efforts given an opportunity? It isn't a position that inspires trust, something that is sorely needed in such cases as dealing with Parliament, or the struggles of those living in the Outer City.

audio; un: prince

[chefalier]

I'm going back the moment I can.

[And he's sure Nami-san feels the same way.] I have a crew to return to.

text; un: kor

[spirialink]

I... Dunno.

[He knows what his answer is, but actually saying that answer leaves him feeling conflicted.]

I've got some great friends here that I don't wanna leave behind. But, I've got friends at home that I really miss, and they're counting on me to be for them. We've got some unfinished business there, after all...

[There's a brief pause on his end, there'd be a frustrated noise if there were audio here.]

Can I have the option to take my new friends back with me? If they're cool with it, of course! That sounds like the best solution to me.

[turmoiling]

Or perhaps your friends from home could come here if they wished. It would be the best option, if travelling to and fro was so easily, wouldn't it? I think that would make quite a few people happy.

[he smiles. Obviously not! It would be utter chaos, but look, he's trying to be nice here.]

text;

[fordola]

If I return home, I would be returned to a situation I'd rather not be in. But on the other hand, I do not think that the people here will ever accept a chimera.

So, either way, I'm fucked.

[turmoiling]

[Jin Guangyao looks sympathetic upon message receipt - not entirely faked at that. That sort of feeling isn't unfamiliar to him -- even if his own response was to fight for that acceptance. And fail where it counted most.]

It would be untrue to say that the city does not have its biases. But there are some kind people about, and the Underground besides. I suppose it truly does depend on how poor the situation at home should be.