oom: THE CULTIVATOR JOB

[cultivation_npc]

The door opens, and on the other side is Jin Guangyao.

He puts his finger to his lips, opens the door wide, and lets people pass into a stone-walled passageway lit by torches in sconces.

As everybody enters, he lifts a finger in warning and points to his left -- there are guards there -- then leads the way to his right, towards a large gate in the stone wall.

Comments

[herb_and_needle]

Tears spill at the words and she doesn't even notice. All her life she fought to protect Wen Ning and now she has failed. It feels like there is nothing left for her and she is tempted to stay.

But a stubborn voice within fights against the idea of letting the Jin have that final victory. She takes a few moments to accept the loss of her brother before taking another steadying breath and nodding.

"I am ready."

[thesecondjade]

Lan Zhan turns to Zenigata, who grunts and nods, murmuring over the comm, Princess in hand, we're leaving the castle. Come to us. Then he nods again to Lan Zhan, who is happy to lead them all out of this horrible box of a room.

Once outside, Zenigata shuts the door behind Wen Qing and replaces the padlock. Why make it easy for them, after all?

[hat_and_dimples]

Jin Guangyao walks down the corridor, then turns to put his finger to his lips.

"We don't want to wake the guard," he whispers, arching an eyebrow. "He is sleeping so nicely."

And soon, forever, he doesn't add.

[lupintrois]

Lupin dumps his loot back out in the bushes so he's not clanking with each step, and then circles back around to draw the guards off the gate with claims that he'd seen a suspicious person climbing over the wall.

[herb_and_needle]

Wen Qing follows along breathing calmly and building her core to supplement her body. The last thing she wants is to be the reason they are caught.

As they travel she can't help eyeing the strong and very tall man that is with them.

[thesecondjade]

Zenigata and Lan Zhan are both stupidly tall, but Zenigata barely edges out the younger man. Both of them walk with confidence, but caution, ready to act if they must, both hoping it will be unnecessary.

"Now we just need Lupin," Zenigata says as they walk. "Once we get to the door, we just need to make sure we're all through it."

[hat_and_dimples]

"Lupin," Jin Guangyao murmurs into his headset, "now is the time to return. Please materialize by the Door."

The Door, with the requisite sense of importance.

[herb_and_needle]

Both are very tall but Lan Wangji is like a willow while this other man is like a mountain. Regardless, Wen Qing waits patiently for this other person.

[lupintrois]

And suddenly Jin Guangyao #2 appears, his face and smile identical to the man he's abruptly standing next to. The only difference between them is a large sack with a swirly karakusa pattern hanging over one shoulder.

[herb_and_needle]

At the sudden appearance, her brows pinch just a fraction, and her lips part briefly before she schools her features. Looking between them, she offers a brief bow for propriety's sake before tilting her head ever so slightly at Lan Wangji with a hint of raised eyebrows.

[thesecondjade]

"About damned time," Zenigata hisses as Lupin comes into view, keeping his voice low. His eyes narrow at the bag, already turning red in the cheeks. "You couldn't have gotten that far, or into that much trouble?"

Lan Zhan, by way of explanation says, "Zenigata was a friend the Wens. Lupin is a friend to Zenigata, with skills in theft and disguise. We can discuss it as necessary on the other side of the door."

He glances to Jin Guangyao. "If you would lead the way."

[hat_and_dimples]

Jin Guangyao nods, creeps almost exaggeratedly past the doomed, sleeping guard, and the down the corridor they had come in through.

[lupintrois]

“Hey, miss.” Lupin gives a very un-Jin wink, his voice dipping back into his own natural nasal tones. “Let’s get you somewhere a little more comfy, okay?”

As they walk, he scatters a few items from his bag along the ground. Silver ingots, tiny trinkets. The sort of things a thief would drop when he’s on the run.

You didn’t think he’d actually keep the loot he wanted somewhere so obvious, yeah?

[hat_and_dimples]

When they reach the door they had come in through, Jin Guangyao opens it, revealing Milliways.

"After you," he says, bowing to the others while holding the door.

[herb_and_needle]

Wen Qing walks forward and grasps his elbow to gain his attention before bowing her thanks. Then she walks through.

[zenigatcha]

Zenigata snorts softly at Lupin's trail, waiting as Lan Zhan goes through after Wen Qing.

"Glad you got your exercise," he grumbles, but there's no teeth to it. He still works to herd the thief like he was a very large corgi with a very clever goat. "Maybe you can stay out of trouble for the rest of the week."

[lupintrois]

Lupin hangs back and waits until the other three have gone forward, then peels the mask off. The hat clanks a bit as he takes it off, leaving him looking like he's swimming in the Jin robes and holding the hat upside down like a bowl.

"Might be, if you've got something better for me to do," he says, grinning, twirling a tiny golden chain around his finger. "How's that new apartment working for you?"

[hat_and_dimples]

Jin Guangyao gives Lupin a little push, as if to make sure he's through, and then steps through into the bar as well, closing the door.