*The room is peaceful and quiet. A bright white glow appears and when it fades, 5 people are standing in the room, confused and dazed. These are Rong Xuan, Yue Fenger, Wen Ruyu, Gu Miaomiao and Qin Huaizhang*
Wen Ruyu: *holds his unsteadied wife by the shoulders* What the...
*It's at this moment that the 5 notice each other. For a solid 10 minutes, they simply stare, shocked*
*Then 2 things happen at once. The first, Rong Xuan runs up to Fenger and pulls her into a tight hug*
Rong Xuan: Fenger! Fenger, I... I...
Yue Fenger: *hugs him back* It's okay. I'm just glad to see you again.
Rong Xuan: I'm sorry... I'm...
*Fenger shakes her head, holding him as Rong Xuan cries*
Yue Fenger: It's okay. You never wanted to go mad. It's not your fault.
*The 2nd thing to happen is Huaizhang approaching Ruyu and Miaomiao- his old friends- slowly*
Qin Huaizhang: *shakily* Ru... Ruyu... Miaomiao...
Gu Miaomiao: *bows deeply*
Wen Ruyu: *smiles sadly* Yeah... it's us. Thank you for everything you've done for us... Huaizhang.
Qin Huaizhang: 7 years ago... the farm... it was completely burned...
Gu Miaomiao: ...there was nothing you could've done about that.
Wen Ruyu: Miaomiao is right... you did what you could.
Qin Huaizhang: But... you're okay.
Wen Ruyu: *chuckles sadly, looking at Miaomiao* I don't any of us are "okay" anymore... but at least we're together now. In the afterlife.
*Overcome with emotion, Huaizhang pulls both of them into a hug. Ruyu and Miaomiao reciprocate, and for a long few minutes, the hugs persist*
*Then everyone lets go. Rong Xuan turns to Ruyu and Miaomiao, as do they. Fenger and Huaizhang follow*
Rong Xuan: *bows* Ruyu.
Wen Ruyu: *smiles* Rong Da-ge.
Rong Xuan: Thank you. I'm... so sorry for all the trouble I caused you.
Yue Fenger: *bows as well* On my husband's behalf, I thank you.
Wen Ruyu: We only did what any friend should've done. No need for thanks... and no need for sorrys.
Gu Miaomiao: Shijie... Rong Da-ge... Ruyu and I are so happy to see you.
*Rong Xuan and Fenger both laugh. For a moment, all is simply well*
Rong Xuan: Now. Should we try to figure out where we are?
*The group looks around. The room is mostly barren- the only things they can see being a large screen on the wall and a round carpet on the floor. It doesn't help that the light is a bit dim. As they look around, Ruyu finds a small black box in the corner*
Wen Ruyu: Hey uh... Huaizhang?
Qin Huaizhang: Hm?
Wen Ruyu: You're good at traps and gadgets, right? Can you take a look at this?
*Huaizhang goes to Ruyu and looks at the box. He taps the box, and when he hits a small button, the bump on the corner of the box whirls to life, and a ray of light shines from the big, round glass in front of the box*
Yue Fenger: ?! What's that?!
Qin Huaizhang: That's... weird. I don't think I've seen a blueprint for something like this in the stuff Long Xue left us... can't really tell what-
*He's fiddling around with it as he speaks, and it's at this moment he presses another button, causing a small tray to pop out*
Qin Huaizhang: ...huh. Seems like we should put something here.
Wen Ruyu: So... *leans over to look* we're looking for something round and the size of a palm, ri-
*A crash comes from a nearby room*
Wen Ruyu: ...what the-
*A girl runs into the room. She looks to be about 9 or 10, wearing purple, a whip at her side. She skids to a halt upon seeing the rest of the group and cocks her head curiously*
*Following her is a young man in his 20s, chasing her like a tired parent runs after his hyperactive kid. He picks her up and begins scolding her*
Young man: A-Xiang!! Stop running around like that- we don't know where we are, we don't know what any of these things do- if you see something tell me?! So we can look at it together and I can protect you?!
Young girl: Sorry Master... *turns to the group* Who are you?
*This draws the young man's attention to the rest of the group. Unfortunately for evetyone, the first guy he locks eyes with is Rong Xuan, him being at the front of the group. The young man puts the girl down slowly, glaring*
Young man: *flies at Rong Xuan, his voice a roar of anger* YOU-!!
*Fenger shields Rong Xuan, ready to take the blow for her husband, but it's Ruyu who catches the young man's hand, stopping him in his tracks*
Wen Ruyu: Young Master, surely this is something we can talk out! What's your grudge with Rong Da-ge?
Young man: ...?!
Wen Ruyu: ...young master?
*The young man opens his mouth, but no sound comes out. It's at this moment, his eyes darting around the room to look anywhere but Ruyu that he locks eyes with Gu Miaomiao and Qin Huaizhang*
*A feeble croak emerges from his throat, and he runs off*
Young girl: *follows* Master!!
Wen Ruyu: Young...! *hesitates, turns to Rong Xuan* Uh...
Rong Xuan: *shrugs* I don't get it either. Never seen him before.
Yue Fenger: *chuckles in good nature* Like that says much. You don't remember anyone's faces.
Rong Xuan: That's not true!
Qin Huaizhang: Okay then, how many times did you have to see me to remember my name?
Rong Xuan: I--! *rolls his eyes and sighs exaggeratedly* Fine fine, ya got me. I'm crap with faces, I'll admit it.
*Fenger, Huaizhang and Ruyu laugh*
Gu Miaomiao: ...did he look familiar to anyone else?
Wen Ruyu: What, the young man?
Gu Miaomiao: Yeah... I don't know, I thought... maybe I'm imagining things, never mind. Forget it.
~○●○~
*In the corridors outside, Zhou Zishu and Qin Jiuxiao are trying to figure out the layout of this place*
Qin Jiuxiao: *leaning against the wall as if checking for hidden passages* Shixiong, what do you think?
Zhou Zishu: *looking at a piece of paper* Uh... I think we're close? I don't... there aren't any landmarks-
*Meanwhile, the young man is running down the same corridor, the girl following him. He's too absorbed in his thoughts to notice what's going on and as a result, runs headlong into Zishu, knocking both of them back*
Zhou Zishu & young man: Ow...
Young girl: *pulling at Kexing's sleeve, alarmed* Master?!
Qin Jiuxiao: Shixiong!
Zhou Zishu: Ah... thanks Jiuxiao. *gets up with Jiuxiao's help and offers a hand to the young man* You okay?
Young man: *accepts Zishu's help and bows* I'm sorry I bumped into you. I... I've... I've had a big shock and wasn't paying attention to what was ahead. Uh... *looks back and forth between Zishu and Jiuxiao* who are you?
Zhou Zishu: *bows in return* My name is Zhou Zishu.
Young man: *eyes wide* ZHOU...?!
Zhou Zishu: ?
Qin Jiuxiao: ?
Young girl: ...Master?
Zhou Zishu: Is... is something-
Young man: I NEED TO GO!
*He runs off once again. The young girl shoots Zishu and Jiuxiao a glare and follows him*
Qin Jiuxiao: ...what the fuck?
Zhou Zishu: Language!
Qin Jiuxiao: I'm 16!!
Zhou Zishu: *laughs* You'll always be a child to me. *pauses, then turns to go in the young man's direction* Come on. That's the first guy we've seen since getting here... and I'm curious.
Qin Jiuxiao: *shrugs and follows him*