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chongyun laughs a little at her concern. not that it's funny, but because chongyun isn't used to people caring so much for them. at least, not in this kind of way. "i'm well enough," they reassure hu tao. "don't worry about me." as tired as chongyun is currently, they're not so tired that they're on the verge of collapsing right then and there. maybe they were, but going to the tea house sounds like precisely the thing they currently need to let their body rest first before resorting to sleeping.
"and..." chongyun puts a finger to their chin as they follow along, taking in the sights and smells of the harbor. everything smells delicious, though chongyun is still hung up on the idea of eating fish. nothing else sounds quite as good. "if you want to learn more about yin and yang, i can teach you what i know sometime." not now ― that is a lesson chongyun is going to need notes on themself. even with their own yang energy, chongyun never fully got the hang of what exactly it is. those particulars had simply gone right over their head, like most teaching. the only lessons that really stuck were the physical training and the mantras.
"i don't know much about them myself, but i know bits and pieces," chongyun continues. "everything my parents tried to teach me went over my head. i was always more interesting in learning how to fight and how to use my claymore, over any ailments i was born with." there's another sheepish expression on his face. "i know we still have books at home, if you'd ever like to stop by sometime. i plan on staying here for awhile at least, before i have to pick up and get back to work." leaving liyue harbor for several days.
"but we can enjoy the rest of today, i'd rather not force my brain to work too much if i can avoid it." he points at the teahouse. more specifically, chongyun is pointing out a still empty table that the pair can sit at.
"The teahouse it is then!" she affirmed with a smile. The director maay had been hoping he would choose that option. It seemed this was another thing she had in common with Chongyun. As well as their love for a good story.
"Maybe we can actually hear a conclusion to those usual cliffhangers~" Hu Tao mused in reference to the storyteller's habit of forgetting where they left off. Not that she minded. She found the quirk rather fun and endearing, hence her frequent visits to the teahouse.
Moving back to the present moment, she found there was a lingering closeness between the two. Not to mention a sense of awkwardness. And yet, she didn't instinctively back off. Of course the exorcist was being nothing but genuine in their sentiments toward her. She knew that. Still he was correct in his thoughts that she wasn't use to such kindness in general.
"Ahh..I suppose I have bit more to learn about those yin and yang energies," she remarked letting out a soft sigh. "You really are much too kind, Chongyun."
With that she grasped onto his hand helping to pull him up onto his feet. She didn't doubt what he had said. Not at all. The exorcist had always been such a kind friend. Even since they were kids.
The mention of food did elicit her own stomach to growl slightly. Yep, she was hungry as well. Though her face did scrunch up with a bit of embarrassment that she simply overworked herself she forgot to grab something to eat earlier.
"Come on. The teahouse isn't too far from here. Just right past the funeral parlor even" she began to tug at him in an effort to lead but then paused turning her attention back toward Chongyun. "You are well enough to walk there, right? I mean here.." she stepped a bit closer over a shoulder for him to lean on in case there was such a need.
"one." kami holds up his index finger, too tired now to even GLARE at ren. the most he can manage is a blank stare. "i don't give a shit if you know them well enough. i don't want you handling the fatui on your own. i'm not about to let you throw yourself to the wolves again, so that's out of the question." he pauses to slap a few paper towels down on the ground. they come to rest by his feet, and kami doesn't even bother wiping up most of the spillage. a sticky floor is nothing new to kami, it's a mess for future kami to clean up.
"two." a second finger is thrown up. leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table, kami can only IMAGINE what he looks like now. definitely not worth looking into a mirror at this point. "i probably shouldn't be asking this in the first place, i'm safer not knowing, blah blah blah. but HOW are you getting your income?"
not... well... he isn't expecting ren to pay rent right away. maybe give his cousin a month to just relax. it's not like kami is short on funds. the whole reason he'd gotten a two bedroom apartment in the first place is because of the extra room it had offered. he would have gone with a bigger apartment even, but that had almost felt like too much for just him. the inheritence money is still in his savings, and the money from his job is enough to keep him living comfortably. the spare room is ren's now, for free if he wanted to.
kami isn't even sure he wants to pay for his living situation with something ill gotten; that wouldn't sit right with him. that's not exactly a converstaion kami really wants to have right now either. just asking about the money feels like plenty for now, they can continue other serious conversations later.
"and three." kami waves three fingers obnoxiously in ren's face. let him stew on point number two for a bit, kami isn't in any hurry to get through any of this. in fact, he's almost tempted to call off this entire conversation so they can both go wind down for awhile. maybe kami will throw his switch at ren to keep him occupied for a few hours so kami can take his long needed nap.
"if you go off and fucking die again, i'm purposely managing your funeral, and i will make sure EVERYTHING about it is the exact opposite of what you like. i swear on my fucking books that i will make sure candy platters are given to every attendant. you stay alive, and you stay with me."
he huffs, but pulls back, slumping in his seat. arms dangle at his sides as he rolls his head back to stare at the ceiling.
"and four, please go take a nap. i think we both need to cool off and relax or something. unless you'd rather play games. my switch is somewhere in your room; if you find it, go wild."
❝ it's ... ❞ well, he can't exactly say it's OKAY — because that little outburst proved it most certainly isn't. still, ❝ it's not your fault. ❞ it isn't. ❝ you aren't the one who should be apologizing. ❞ and he does genuinely regret lashing out at kami as though he were the one RESPONSIBLE. it's his mother's fault — and makoto's, depending on to what degree she was actually aware of ei's failings as a mother. ren never exactly saw his aunt as a person; she was more like an impossible ideal he strove to emulate — and later, a figure immortalized much like the medley of names every child was forced to memorize in their history books. ( even now, she still occupies that role in his mind, though for slightly different reasons. ) the hacker has always taken care to keep that particular opinion to himself, however; he doubts it would go over well with those more personally shaken by her untimely passing. he only had to deal with the ripples — a vessel nudged by the waves of some distant storm.
dragging his hand down his face, ren watches his cousin clean up the spilled tea. he feels NUMB, though whether from fatigue or burning through his emotions like a candle wick is impossible to tell. he reaches for his own cup and finally takes a shallow sip, barely tasting the bitter liquid on his tongue. ❝ i can handle the fatui. ❞ he says — hoping that the claim is CONVINCING enough to put kaminari's mind at ease. in truth, if ren thought he was capable of taking out that group, there would have been no reason to fake his own death in the first place. even now, he knows he has enough blackmail material stashed away to wage a VICIOUS war against them — though there's no telling whether he would actually be able to win... and even if he did, it would still come at the cost of compromising his security.
... more importantly, he could kiss any illusions of keeping his family safe GOODBYE. it just isn't worth it. not now — not while they think kunikuzushi is little more than a fading memory. ❝ i'm not going to disappear this time. ❞ he knows it's a joke, but he feels the need to reassure him nonetheless. the hacker can't; the same trick won't work TWICE. and his very presence here has, in some deeply selfish way, dragged kaminari into this mess — even if only as some unwitting accomplice. it doesn't matter; the fatui would surely ruin them both indiscriminately.
what a disaster. he glares into his tea, meeting the accusatory eyes of his reflection. his stomach twists with revulsion at the sight.
❝ i already took the liberty of changing my name. ❞ ren continues aloud. the fatigue renders his voice toneless. ❝ birth certificate, driver's license ... i fabricated them all. it shouldn't be a problem. ❞ he's already broken the law at the fatui's behest countless times; adding one more CHARGE to his hypothetical sentence hardly matters. ❝ and i have my own methods of securing income. untraceable. ❞
nails tap-tap against the mug. ❝ ... so i guess i'll just hide in your guest room until i die. for real, next time. ❞ his own terrible attempt at a joke, though it falls equally flat as kaminari's feeble effort. perhaps such a terrible sense of humor is a family trait.
"if the trailblazer can't bite anymore, then what's the point of sneaking aboard her ship?"
her gaze through him is wildly uncomfortable. like she's not even seeing him at all, but only caring about his power and how it can be traced back to HER.
how typical, and arrogant.
as much as kami wants to scoff, or yell, or do something to unleash centuries of raw hurt and bitterness, he is quiet, holding as still as possible to let her finish her examination of him. aside from clear signs of aging, mostly covered up by his clothing, he's still remarkably holding up well enough. though part of that, kami is WELL aware, is from dottore's experimentations. that doctor had done his best to keep kaminari in one piece, though it's all the credit kami is wiling to spare for him.
right now, he's focused only on the archon he once called mother (still calls mother, he desperately wants to establish familial ties).
"is that not what i am?" kami asks. "your first failure? why else would you have so carelessly thrown me away, completely disregarding everything you've made me to be?"
he clicks his tongue, turning away briefly. he hates everything about this. coming here to confront her had been a huge mistake. she's never going to give him the affection he always sought. it's so typical of gods to believe themselves above anyone and everyone else, including their own creations. he should not have expected ei to be any different.
"i find myself asking that same question," he retorts. "what brings me before you? i was hoping, since i heard you'd softened your heart a little in recent times, that i might try my hand again with you. i was hoping to see positive change, but you're still acting like the cold, unfeeling archon who strove for eternity."
lowering his kasa, he lets out a heavy sigh. too much emotion building up now. "not everything has to be logical or meticulous, raiden ei."
So he is. She knows his claims are true.
There is very little that would prevent the archon from recognising the undercurrent of power pouring through as her own. A mere fragment. Reflected in both the Shogun and herself.
Vibrant eyes prickle with their intensity when she takes in the Wanderer’s features; unblinking in focus, precision and prying, as though she were attempting to gaze into the shape of his soul itself.
There is much that evaded her for the time being. Shadows flitting in between the shutters of her memory- no matter. The truth will always be illuminated under the blinding heat of lightning tearing through the darkness.
Her first creation…
Unlike his openly expressive countenance, her own vessel is comparatively flat in demeanour. Nevertheless, there is confusion in the deliberate tilt of her head when she processed his words.
“There is no reason to deem yourself a failure.”
A simple statement of fact.
“Per my estimate, that would make it several hundred years since your time of creation. What brings you here before me?”
@oficeandwind
"Chongyun's the best big brother ever - oh, him and Raven, I mean!"
the exorcist is wearing the largest smile now. as they glance down at rei, they only see a little girl who's gained herself a whole family. maybe not the most ideal family, considering she probably needed parents. chongyun adores her regardless; she's been so much of a positive influence on their own life, chongyun CAN'T imagine not having her around anymore.
reaching down, chongyun pats her on the head with one hand, handing her a popsicle with the other. "if you don't tell raven about this, i'll even give you a second one," chongyun says happily. not that raven would likely care in the first place, but still. spoiling rei with sweets before she's had a proper meal? such a thing should not be allowed under any other circumstances, but chongyun is riding the compliment high.
though just to double check, chongyun is even looking around. both sides, in front of him, and even glancing over his shoulder. he can't see raven anywhere in any of the four directions. that's probably a good sign, right? right?
(chongyun should probably also glance UP.)
"also rei," chongyun continues, glancing back down at her. "you're the best little sister anyone could ask for. my favorite little sister, even!"
for a SPLIT second, kami wilts. he can clearly see the moment cyno's consciousness retreats, and hermanubis takes complete control over the body. that split second is all kami really has to reflect on how his words might come across, because hermanubis is now launching toward him with every intention of destroying him.
this ISN'T the scenario kami had envisioned. he hadn't actually meant to upset cyno to this degree, to the point where kami's witnessing an all out possession take place. (where's an exorcist when you need one?) he had hoped for more conversation and understanding, but evidentally, hermanubis and his stupid lust for judgement is going to dictate the terms now.
alright.
kami shoots straight up into the air, HOPEFULLY just out of reach. he's not dumb enough to think that he can't be reached by the current puppeteer. while kami hasn't actually seen cyno's skills in action before, he isn't the general mahamatra for no reason. the man has to be scarily good on the field and in battle. right now? kaminari is TERRIFIED. he's not breathing anymore, no longer wheezing out a painful breath. but he's not trembling anymore either, now focused on tapping into his anemo.
the call of the untapped electro within is also calling to him, practically begging for kami to tap into it once more. it'd be so tempting, so POWERFUL, and he'd easily render cyno unconscious with it. even as irritating as the general is, kami is not about to resort to old tricks to win an unwinnable fight.
"cyno, wake up," kami snaps, throwing a single attack out in his direction. "you're not this stupid, snap out of it!" it's probably no use ― there is no cyno currently, and this spirit is actually going to hurt kami if this keeps up for long. talking isn't going to work, only action will.
readying another attack, kami flies closer, hovering just above hermanubis now. he's building up wind speeds around him, before kicking downward, sending a very strong, almost solid gust of wind straight for hermanubis. kami knows he's strong, he knows what he's ALMOST capable of (even if he's still learning about what he can actually do with anemo), and he knows he can still take hermanubis in a fight.
he just doesn't actually want to, for fear of hurting the host in turn. cyno really doesn't deserve any of this. he didn't deserve kami and nahida withholding the truth from him, and he certainly doesn't deserve hermanubis taking over his mind and body.
already, kami is readying another attack: his favorite method of weapon, a swirling, almost black hole-like vortext in his hand. he's not remaining in place though, kami is flying backwards, launching himself toward one of the bookshelves in hopes that hermanubis won't actually damage them. who is he kidding? a vengeful spirit, hellbent on ripping him apart?
the house of daena will be a complete and total loss.
Was this the actual truth? Did he hear that right? Kaminari's words were reaching his ears, and yet Cyno felt he could not hear them directly. There was something in between, a vibration that drilled straight through his skull, and each message came as an echo, overlapping to other things... voices? Or thoughts?
The corruption of the Akademiya, the Fatui, the many ordeals he'd been through and nearly lost all he had for...
For him? Kaminari?
A God... Created by an Archon, and by an Archon resurrected. Protected, even, through secrecy and lies.
"... You shall not tamper with life and death." He heard himself say, without even thinking those words specifically. Or maybe he had... or maybe the spirit of the priest had.
A construct made whole to live amongst humans.
"You shall not interfere with human evolution."
A being built to be God.
"You shall not divulge secrets..."
But why? Why would Nahida betray him so? Was this the reason behind the closeness with which she kept the Wanderer by her side? The way she'd told him nothing? Casting judgment of her own and giving sentence, without him at her side?
What does it mean to be a General Mahamatra, if the God he swore to serve works directly against the Law he was given to enforce?
Feeling his soul sinking into the darkest pit of despair, Cyno no longer heard; no longer spoke. For the first time in his life, he wanted nothing more than to run away... from himself, and who he was.
And in that small step back he took in his heart, the crack in his headdress grew wider, spreading like a spider web, cutting through one of the glowing eyes of the jackal... and it was like a beast had just broken free of its leash.
With its claws extended, the Pactsworn Pathclearer was fully unleashed, and charged straight at Kaminari. Swinging, punching, chasing him with no regards for their surroundings or witnesses.
Seeking only to destroy and purge the abomination that stood before him.
"when you submerge yourself in water, you get wet. but water itself isn't actually wet, is it?"
"everyone calm down, i'm asking about the physical properties this time. i could have asked about our bones, but i decided to err on the side of caution."
@erabundus: "your bones are wet, but they no longer will be if you don't find something else to talk about."
"how many holes does a straw have?" happy, ren?
@vohunara: People cannot perceive wetness; rather, they recognize other sensory aspects, temperature being the most prominent. So whether water is wet, we can't say for sure, as we don't know what wetness is.
"what about when we take showers or baths? don't we instinctively know we're wet then?" chongyun presses his hands together in front of his mouth, deep in thought. "my brain always tells me that i know i'm getting wet, but i never stopped to to think about how it actually feels."
"exactly!"
@oficeandwind
"EXCUSE ME?! THAT'S LIKE SAYING PYRO ISN'T FIRE!"
"who said i'm lying? with actual elements, you need something already existing for them to be created. like, you need water to create ice. you need chemicals to light a match. then explain how vision users can create their element on a whim, without pre-existing chemicals and substances."
he pauses, then smiles.
"you also shouldn't be drinking the hydro. that might give you stomach cramps."
"WHY WOULD YOU LIE LIKE THIS?! OF COURSE IT IS!"
"then i suggest you steer clear of childe. knowing him and his penchant for mayhem," chongyun stops there to rethink his words.
"―more than even me." that's better.
"he'd try to get you to drink it."
"How would I know however visions work? I don't bother whatever your gods created, all I care for is that I can burn... enemies.", she squinted her eyes, her expression showed disgust.
"I have never planned to drink hydro. That sounds... just weird."
"i've been submerged in water before," chongyun begins. "mostly to help with meditation. i've found that being underwater helps me focus a lot more." this is all beside the point though.
"i didn't think too much about it at the time, but i wonder if it's worth experimenting with in the future. to just go sit in a lake somewhere and contemplate the..." he frowns. "i guess, results? to see if we actually can feel anything."
‘ Hmm... ʼ Interesting debate and introduction to a new observation, but, still, Kaveh is true to the bit of information he's presented. ‘ We would know once it changes the aspect of a given thing, like turning it malleable in the case of our hair or clothes. But feeling wet, that isn't well translated. Take being completely immersed in water for example — would you say you can still 'feel' it despite knowing you're soaked? ʼ
"i think i might hang out for awhile. there's tons of water everywhere, i'm not hard-pressed to find a pool deep enough to sink into. i just want to make sure it's cold enough first. but i'll come running back to you when i figure it out. if you still live where i think you live, then i shouldn't have any trouble tracking you down."
‘ I can't say I haven't done the same, though for less disciplined reasons. Regardless, recalling the experience was a perfect cue to offer a counterpoint. ʼ Something else to think about, too. ‘ It isn't my field of expertise, admittedly. So if you get different results in your future attempts, I'm inclined to invite you to share them at your earliest convenience. ʼ
oh, shit, she's mad. sora is mad.
they grin and hold up a raw drumstick and a fish. one in each hand.
"i'll give you these plus a popsicle, and an apology if you forgive me."
@oficeandwind "sora, my best friend, my partner in not crime. i am just trying to understand the world better!"
She doesn't respond right away, instead choosing to turn around very slowly to face them. "You come into my home and you lie not once, but TWICE?"
"for any future incidents, if the exorcist is going to drop a figurative bomb on us, please do everyone a favor and knock them unconscious. it will save ALL of us from the biggest headache."
"you tell me she's changed, but i don't know if i believe people can change that quickly." kami's also partially referring to himself ― lumine only knows a FRACTION of everything he'd suffered. she knows more than anyone else, but kami doesn't want her arrogance to assume she knows more than he's willing to tell her. kami is still dealing with five hundred years of anger and resentment, and so much hurt. that would not be a tale he wants to share with anyone, ever.
for him, he might be on a new path, but kami can't shake the resentment and disdain that still creeps up from time to time. humans as a whole are still so frail, far too fragile to get that close to them. kami doesn't want to take any risks if he can avoid it, but lumine. she is different. kami is aware she isn't a typical human, and surely that's why she'd know better than most how fickle change can be when habits are still hard to break.
"she's been seeking eternity for as long as i've been alive," kami continues. he's not even looking at lumine now, pulling his hat low to stare at the ground. he doesn't want lumine to see his face, or the doubts etched on it. "i don't believe for a second that she can change her mind just because you happened to help the rebels win a war."
that's...probably a lot harsher than kami intended. this isn't supposed to be a scathing review on lumine's abilities ― she had only done what was right for the nation, he supposes. wars can't last forever, after all. "what i mean to say is, do you really believe she's changed that quickly? you know me, you know what i've done, and i don't FEEL any different than how i used to feel. do you believe people can actually turn around for the better?"
he's almost tired of learning this lesson. it never sticks for long, his thoughts continuously stray to bitterness and resentment, and forgiveness is difficult. yes, even forgiving lumine is difficult. her part in everything he'd done in the past had only lended to him getting more and more frustrated, resulting in their final showdown. she hadn't actually done anything other than stand up to him and fight, but it had still done a lot of harm for his own emotions and goals.
"if you really think i should go see her, then we probably should get it over with. i should also let lord kusanali know where i'm going to ensure she has backup if she needs an errand boy."
Second chances did not come often, Lumine was extremely aware of that.
What happened to him it was indeed a rare occurrence, however some demons never stopped clinging to his shadow despite this new journey of his.
Betrayal, sorrow, regret, loneliness. Wounds could heal with time, sometimes they'd only leave scars, sometimes they'd never stop bleeding.
They might have not had the best start of whatever bond they now shared, however more than anyone else she could somehow sense the inner battle that currently plagued Kami.
All she wanted it was to be by her brother side again. All she wanted it was to have him between her arms again, hear is soft laugh carried by the wind like the sweetest lullaby she had always fallen asleep to. But he had chosen a path without her, he had taken a journey in which he didn't need her. Would things be different when they'd meet again? She had faith in her brother, yet that fear creeped in more often now, thorns coming through the cracks of her own open wounds.
"Some debts might never get fulfilled" Her arms fell by her sides, her features now softening too. Someone could search for forgiveness, but after all it all depended from those who would be willing to provide it. Healing was a complex process for each side involved. "I might not be able to carry those debts for you, however I can stand by your side in this journey if you ever need me to." And she truly meant it. Torment was not meant to be held by oneself alone, ironic to came from someone like her of all people.
"She has also changed." She would be lying herself if she said she had forgotten all the affliction the Electro Archon had brought to Inazuma and her gained comrades. The fear she had felt in her presence, the anger that had raged before Ei when she was determined to destroy her ideals. The same way she had never forgotten Teppei's life slipping away in front of her helpless eyes. Forgiveness was truly a hard matter to deal with.
"But as you said, we always have our plan A anyway if the encounter takes a wrong turn." She stuck her tongue out playfuly.