cryovision | Pavo Heart Game: Sunday Session

When you wake, you find yourself standing in an official-looking hall. Any weapons or items you had on you are gone, and any powers are turned off. Everything here is neat and tidy, perfectly spaced, plants healthy and green and all the same size, paintings perfectly level with one another.

Here and there on the walls there are mirrors.

There are five possible exits:

- A sturdy wooden door bearing an insignia.
- A red door that occasionally rattles.
- A stone-framed door with reinforced hinges, which lets off a pleasant warmth.
- A blue door with a metal knob that's ice cold to the touch.
- A set of stairs leading upwards.

There is a double-wide door behind you that seems like it should go outside, but it appears to be sealed shut.

A knight with an unremarkable face approaches you, carrying a few ornate metal boxes.

"Welcome, strange yet respectable guests. I understand you might want to get to exploring, but there's a process we have to follow, so could you give me a moment of your time?"

... [ childe is un-fucken-impressed, folding his arms and looking half past annoyed. ] A moment is all your worth, so hurry it up.

[ Childe. Manners... ]

I assume you have seen that insignia before.

[ he's not thrilled to be here and he's not sure how he feels about his company. ] I do. It's not secret that the Knights of Favonious don't appreciate the Fatui's presence in their fair city, but, really, who does?

I see. Then have you ever spent time in Mondstadt before? It's been some time since I ventured to the City of Freedom.

I have.

Well if we ever get out of this building, then perhaps you could look around. It seems like your friend needs a favor though.

Would you prefer it if I gave you space in your search then?

I have no preference. If you'd like to look around together we can. Who knows what we may encounter here.

I would. Outside of the he insignia for the Knights of Favonius, many things here are yet unfamiliar to me.

[ motions to the locked mechanism that the both of them have activated. ] It looks like we need to find the other elements to get this thing to open... so we might as well start poking around then. [ points at the red, rattling door. ] Mind if we start there, Xiansheng? [ look, he things there might be something to fight behind there. ]

I had never been stationed in Mondstadt, so I don't know all there is to know, but hopefully my knowledge will come in handy... [ going to approach that door. ]

[ The rattling door? Why is he not surprised? ]

It is a good place to start as any.

[ And if there is something to fight, maybe that will help Childe work out some of his--- whatever emotion he is feeling right now. ]

Please lead the way.

I imagine we'll be checking all of these doors out at some point... [ he muses aloud as he heads to the red door. ]

[ TIME TO THROW IT OPEN... assuming it's not locked. ]

[It opens...!

You enter solitary confinement.]

[The knight looks a bit put off by the attitude, but he stays friendly! He laughs awkwardly, and offers you one of the boxes.]

Guests are to be given these gift packages. They're things you may have lost, somewhere... hopefully they're useful.

...something I might have lost, hm? [ or something stolen. he'll keep his mouth shut and give his thanks as he opens the box. ]

[ what's inside? ]

[Inside the box is... your vision, as you may have anticipated. There's also an oddly shaped tile bearing a map of Monoceros Caeli. On the back a message is written in a slightly blocky, runic handwriting:

The elements know the truth of this world.]

I have to say, you vision bearers sure are lucky. Fighting aside, Elemental Sight makes life a lot easier.

Speaking of which... There's something I think you could help me with, if you don't mind.

[ removes his vision from the box and affixes it to his belt, taking out the tile next and reading over the message scrawled on it. ]

And what could you possibly need help with? [ he shuts the box and offers it back to the guy, because he's not interested in carrying it around for the duration of this. ]

Sorry, I can't take that back. It's yours, now.

[deal with your baggage, cheri]

But, uh... This switch over here won't turn on. Without it, we can't open the front door, so...

[He walks away a few steps, gesturing at a small, round plate on the wall. Around it are seven elemental symbols, and in the center is a light that's currently dark.]

[ 8|... ]

[ follows him over and examines the mechanism. ] Hm. Mind taking a step back? [ going to summon one of his hydro blades and slash at it to see if he can, perhaps, activate the hydro elemental symbol affixed to the door. ]

[The symbol lights up, and the light turns on! Near the sealed exit, you hear a click.]

Wow, thank you so much! I think there are more locks, though... If you're going to wander, can you keep an eye out?

[ nods. ] Mm, of course, I think I know how we'll be opening this door... [ he's going to activate his elemental sight as he heads toward red, rattling door because that one has caught his interest. ]

[With Elemental Sight, the state of the room seems to change a bit. There are a few cracks in the walls and floor, and you can hear a distant, strained creaking like a tree branch close to snapping. Elemental trails lead faintly to all the exits.]

[ ...files that away for now. ]

[ This is just reminding him that he hasn't been to Mondsdadt in a long time. And near the hq of the Knights of Favonius even longer.

Turning to the knight ]

But of course. What can I help you with?

[The knight bows slightly, returning your own politeness, and offers you one of the boxes.]

Guests are to be given these gift packages. They're things you may have lost, somewhere... hopefully they're useful.

Thank you.

[ And he takes the box ]

Might I ask your name?

My name? It's uh... y'know, I can't seem to remember.

[Inside the box is... a vision. It looks like your fake one, but it's very much real and resonating with you. There's also an oddly shaped tile bearing a map of Lapis Dei... except, was that a real constellation to begin with? It is now, that's for sure. On the back a message is written in a slightly blocky, runic handwriting:

The elements know the truth of this world.]

I have to say, you vision bearers sure are lucky. Fighting aside, Elemental Sight makes life a lot easier.

Speaking of which... There's something I think you could help me with, if you don't mind.

[ Zhongli affixes the vision to his belt and slips the tile into his coat. While smiling politely at the knight, he does in fact try to activate his Elemental Sight to see if he can see anything of interest in the room ]

I don't mind in the slightest. By all means.

[With Elemental Sight, the state of the room seems to change a bit. There are a few cracks in the walls and floor, and you can hear a distant, strained creaking like a tree branch close to snapping. Elemental trails lead faintly to all the exits.]

Uh... This switch over here won't turn on. Without it, we can't open the front door, so...

[He walks away a few steps, gesturing at a small, round plate on the wall. Around it are seven elemental symbols, and in the center is a light that's currently dark.]

I will see what I can do to help.

[ And he touches the symbol for geo, gloved hand faintly glowing with geo energy as he does so. ]

[The symbol lights up, and the light turns on! Near the sealed exit, you hear a click.]

Wow, thank you so much! I think there are more locks, though... If you're going to wander, can you keep an eye out?

Of course. I am at your service.

But before you go, might I ask what you know about the other rooms here?

Not much. That one [gesturing to the sturdy door] is the Acting Grandmaster's office. That one [gesturing to the red one] is our Solitary Confinement cell. The others... I can't say.

I see. Thank you for your time. We shall be off now.

[ And he's going to follow Childe to the red door. ]

[ heading back into the hall from the acting grandmaster's office he's just going to head to the stairs and take a seat. he had said the two of them should communicate more, since that hasn't ever been their strong suit, so perhaps talking about some of the crap encountered he would... help... especially since they both haven't been able to see everything because of the active/inactive elemental sight. ]

...so. [ clears his throat. ] I'm sure we'll have to head back into that room at some point. [ his eyes flicker to the blue door. ] But it might be best to do so without elemental sight, if that's even an option anymore. I heard things, lots of things, and none of them good...

I suspected as much though I will not pry into exactly what it was telling you.

I could attempt to use Elemental Sight instead if you think that would help.

...nothing I haven't heard before. [ but hearing the people he cares about saying it had made it 100x worse. ]

I'd rather you didn't. It doesn't seem like we'll need it anymore anyway. You saw those monsters, right, before we left?

I suppose we could try finding the lock first without activating the Sight.

And yes, those reflections will need to be cleaned out before we can move further into the maze.

I doubt we'll need it. I mean... you managed to get the lock in the last room and I don't think we needed it in the first. It seems like Elemental Sight just shows us the true nature of this place... for better or for worse. [ ... ] We can head back into the maze last then... after we've found the other locks. [ he's going to reach for zhongli's hand. ]

I am amendable to this plan.

[ He takes Childe's hand in his own and squeezes it reassuringly. ]

When we are done here, might I accompany you back to Cupcake?

4/7 isn't bad. We might be able to do this. Not sure what the hell could be behind the door though. I'm getting mixed signals. [ motions to that dude in the hall, assuming he's still there. ] He thinks we should, but the little girl seemed to think *he* was afraid of what was behind it, ...

...if you'd like to, sure. [ going to stare at their joined hands. ]

In that last room with the Grandmaster, she told me he was his sense of loyalty and responsibility. And that it had been shifting over time.

What did you see when you used the Sight?

...she hadn't been there and the desk was askew with piles of paperwork. Boring shit. I fixed a broken statue of Barbatos and found out that he's probably just as shady as the Fatui. I also saw a memory of when he was inducted into the knights. He seemed torn.

The Grandmaster also said that behind the locked door was his true self. That opening it would be good for him. But I began to wonder---

This is just another game hosted by the faeries. They expose memories and manipulate feelings and desires. This game is no different. If positions were reversed, what would I want for those I cared about? What would be fair?

I do not think it is my place to tread where I am not sure I am invited.

Perhaps we should just unlock the door but not enter that room.

...I think hell would freeze over before I was invited into his true self. [ snorts. ] But if I'm being honest, Xiansheng, if our positions were reversed and it was he who was in my heart, then I wouldn't trust him not to tread where he isn't invited. [ he gets up from his seat on the stairs. ] But, fine, we can simply work on unlocked it. I just want to get out of here.

[ He gets up with Childe, squeezing his hand once more before dropping it. ]

I do not know him well enough to say whether he would or would not, so I will defer to your assessment of the matter.

But I do believe that this method is beneath our honor, and I am relieved to hear that you agree.

I know him well enough. [ and he's not too different from me... ] tch. He doesn't deserve this. [ folds his arms. ] And he's not going to appreciate it either. [ #annoyed. ]

[ he'll head for the final door down here: stone-framed. ]

[You go through the door, to a lively spot indeed.]

[ He's taking Childe back to the stairwell and having him sit down again.

Zhongli doesn't let go of his hand the entire time. ]

Is it still bad out here?

[ sits and... tries to keep still, but he might sort of be vibing out of his skin a bit. he feels so empty and hollow and... sick. he keeps a firm grip on zhongli's hand and nods. ]

I'm not going back in there. [ he uses his other hand to reach into his pocket for the note pavo gave him and he shoves it at zhongli. ] I'm beginning to care less and less about this place and it's owner.

Then I will finish the game for the both of us if it comes down to that.

[ Takes the piece of paper ]

But I will say it again, I am not leaving you until you are all right.

[ if zhongli were anybody but the former geo archon childe would have probably broken his hand with how hard he's squeezing it. ]

It has not and will not come down to that. I'm not letting this stupid bastard and his heart get the better of me. He should consider himself lucky that I don't throw caution to the wind and start tearing this entire place apart. [ pissy? uhm, hell yes. ]

Let's head upstairs and see what the last room is about, because the faster we unlock that stupid door the faster we can leave.

[ He's treating this as a challenge now? Of course, he is. Childe would never treat it as anything less. ]

Yes.

Let's head upstairs.

[ And up they go ]

[You go up, to the sea of stars.]

You enter a well-decorated office. The atmosphere is pleasant, cozy, with walls lined in bookshelves and a scent in the air like spiced vanilla. Around the room are vases full of various coloured roses.

On one side of the room is a desk, with a small number of papers spread across it and a quill pen and inkwell. On the other is a conference table, currently hosting a western-style tea set and some plates of small cakes and cookies.

On one bookshelf, there is a statuette of a small winged figure draped in robes and holding an orb out as if in offering to the sky.

There is an open window, through which comes a brisk breeze -- it smells a bit stale, and seems to have blown the flowers and books right off of a nearby table.

Browsing the books, there is a tall blonde woman. When you enter, she turns to look at you and gently smiles.

"Good afternoon. Can I help you?"

Edited 2021-05-16 21:02 (UTC)

[ he is half tempted to submerge this entire BUILDING... but he refrains and just stalks into the office. he ignores her pleasantries and just activates his elemental sight as he moves past her for the statue of barbatos, or that's what he's assuming it is. ]

No. I'll help myself.

[With Elemental Sight, the room, of course, changes. The air is stagnant and heavy, hard to breathe, and rather than snacks the table and desk are piled with seemingly endless stacks of paperwork. The barbatos statue is on its side, with one wing broken off.

And yet, it's still a cozy and lived in room. There are still flowers, and nothing terribly horrible, just... heavy. It makes you tired to breathe. But the breeze through the window is fresh and carries the scent of flowers and little dustmotes of anemo energy that flutter playfully through the room.

Jean does not become a monster. She's just... absent, now. Where she stood is merely empty space.]

[ sets the statue upright and if he's able to fix it he will, otherwise he's going to set about reading whatever paperwork is scattered all over the desk. ]

[If you want to fix the statue, you might need some glue, but you do set it upright.

The papers are largely busywork. Reports of routine patrols, inventories of supplies, requests from the townspeople to look for lost pets or escort someone to a nearby location. They're boring, but there are so many of them. It would take days to process it all.

While you're looking though, you might notice the corner of an envelope sticking out of a desk drawer.]

[ he'll keep that in mind. perhaps some ice could help... lol. ]

[ and, man, a lot of this reminds him of the debt collecting he does sometimes. it's boring and monotonous and not nearly as interesting as he'd like it to be. ] -! [ but he does catch sight of the envelope, so he'll snatch it up and open it. ]

[You pull out the envelope, and a few smaller ones come with it and fall to the floor.

Inside, there are lists. Lists of local criminals and ne'er-do-wells, their personal profiles, their preferred smuggling routes and points of attack on the roads. There are even some merchants, both local ones and foreign ones that do local business. Some people and places are crossed out in red ink, and others are circled. There are notes in the margins along the lines of "this should keep things interesting" or "easy to pressure" or "needs more coaxing".]

...hm. [ is he surprised, ..? no, not really. pavo and noctua didn't seem to operate under the exact same umbrella as the rest of the knights, positions here and there notwithstanding. ]

[ can he open the drawer these fell out of? and if so is there anything of interest in it? ]

[He can in fact! It's mostly similar envelopes with similar content. Though there are a few trinkets at the very bottom:

- A pin in the shape of the favonius crest.
- A blue ribbon.
- A small bottle of glue.

[ he's going to take all of the stuff-! since he's sure it'll come in handy at some point. UNTIL THEN he'll immediately set to fixing the statue of barbatos with the small bottle of glue. ]

[ as soon as he's finished he'll just head out of the office, since it doesn't seem like there's much else to investigate... at least on the elemental sight end of things. ]

[ so how's about that stone framed door? ]

[You go to pick up the pin. The moment it's in your hand, though, you're hit by a vivid hallucination -- it's slightly faded with time, with fuzzy details, but you are witnessing a memory.

It's the swearing-in ceremony for all trainees who passed the knights exam this year. It's reverent but cheerful, as ceremonies in Mondstadt tend to be.

You don't understand what's so fun about entering the military.

Is everyone here spoiled by peace, or is it simply that you're too twisted to enjoy the accomplishment? You know it won't last. Sooner or later, this day will be flung back in everyone's faces. And anyway, you could easily have passed the exam two years ago if you really tried. You only held off so long to make sure everyone knows D̵̩̠̿ͅͅȉ̵͖͖̐̚̚l̷̞̚ú̸͇̿͘ͅc̵͇͖̰̞͗̀͌͠͝ is stronger than you. You don't want to be seen as special. That's too much attention. You're content to live in his shadow until destiny finds you.

Still, it's best to pretend you understand. When your name is called, you step forward with a bounce in your step and a wink to your proud partner-in-crime, and recite oaths you have little intention of keeping. Even if you stayed-- even if things were simple, and you could truly come to rest in this peaceful lie, you wouldn't keep them.

Though it's confusing and a little annoying, when you take your standard-issue sword and hold it, the smooth leather in your hands feels soothing. When they place the pin at your collar, it feels like a chain has just been clasped around your neck, and yet the weight is a comfort.

Yeah, you don't get it at all. But you feel it. And so you won't keep your oaths -- because to protect this baffling place, so long as you can, you'll wield your hidden self however you must.]

[ ...clenches the pin in hand. bits and pieces of what he sees his close to home... and he's got to laugh at that. as much as he'd like to discard the for making him suffer through that he'll keep it. ]

[ he's a bit hesitant to touch the blue ribbon, because this place has done nothing but fuck with his head, but bring it on. ]

[It is in fact another memory.

You're small, sitting on the edge of an impossibly plush couch in an impossibly beautiful parlor in an impossibly big house. You've been here for months now, but you still can't seem to settle in. Everyone in Mondstadt is so... nice. You have a hard time believing there's really a place so laid back. You have a hard time taking in the sight of the sky, the sound of rain, the warmth of a freely-given hug from someone who doesn't even know the real you -- or care.

It's raining now, actually. The couch is in front of a crackling fire, but outside you hear the booming of thunder, and it makes you shiver.

A warm hand touches yours, and you turn, startled to meet the bright crimson eyes of your still-new "brother".

(Ha. As if you could ever really belong to this loving, happy family.)

"If you're scared of the storm, don't be! The anemo god would never let anything bad happen to us. Father says that when it storms--" The other boy, just slightly bigger than you and much more exuberant, cuts off at the creak of the door.

"I said what?" asks the tall, bearded redhead you recognize as your temporary "Father" as he comes in, soaked from the rain.

Your companion is instantly excited by his arrival, and leaves you to go tell this "Father" all about all the mundane, pointless things you did today. You weren't productive at all, so you don't know what there is to be proud of, but "Father" seems delighted at every word. He pats D̵͉̍͑̀ï̵̢͈̹͝ľ̶̤͇͎́̏̕͝ü̸̩͈̳͙͝͝č̴̱̍̅ on the head, and you bitterly think that no father will ever show you that kind of affection again.

But then the man approaches you, and while you stay still, internally you flinch. Every time he comes home, you're a little afraid he'll tell you he's figured you out.

But he never does. And he doesn't tonight. Instead he kneels to get down to your level, producing a shiny blue ribbon from his pocket. You recognise it. You'd stared at it a bit last time you were in town, but that didn't mean you really wanted it--

"This is for you, K̷̢̢̩̲̟̔ả̶̉̽͜e̴͓̍̈́́y̴͚͉̯͙̰͛͑̅ā̶̱̙̤. I noticed you seemed interested, so I thought I'd pick it up on the way back. Although, I really wish you felt like you could ask... Whatever you need, we'll provide it. You're family, now. You'll always belong here."

"Father" smiles at you, as he gently ties the ribbon into your hair, and suddenly it strikes you that his smile for you is truly warm. And then he pats you on the head, the same as your "brother", and for the first time you feel this impossibly wonderful house sinking into your mind as "home".

You wish you never had to leave.

...But if you go for the glue after all that, it is just plain glue.]

...hah, real cute. [ family has always meant a lot to him, so it's nice getting a chance to see something like this. he's glad that noctua and his family managed to melt some of the ice around pavo's heart, and maybe he feels a bit bad for how he tried to 'help' with their issues, but... who said he's good at helping? no one. no one said he's good at helping because he's NOT good at helping. ]

[ returns the envelopes, pin, and ribbon to the desk... meanwhile he'll use the glue on the statue. ]

[ if there's nothing else to be done here he's heading to the next door. ]

[When you fix the statue, the breeze from the window gets more anemo motes! It's very distinctly anemo-infused now instead of just sparkling with a little bit of it.

And then you leave, with the room not much changed and nothing trying to kill you!]

[ FOR ONCE. ]

Greetings, Grandmaster.

[ And he bows his head politely even as he watches Childe saunter farther into the room. ]

We are actually looking for an elemental lock, if you happen to know where one might be.

Oh-- I'm only Acting Grandmaster, actually...

[She responds slightly sheepishly, before focusing on his request.]

But I'm happy to help. If you're looking for the locks to the front door, there should be one on the underside of my desk.

Ah yes. I am looking for that exactly.

Do you mind if I---?

[ And he gestures to the desk ]

No, go right ahead. It's probably best for us if you can open that door.

[ As he kneels in front of the desk to search the underside ]

Why do you say that?

[There is in fact another lock there, fixed to the wood of the desk. Jean comes over to watch, touching her chin thoughtfully.]

Things have been getting unstable, lately. "I" don't want anyone to go through that door, but if it opens, I earnestly think our chances of obtaining happiness will increase.

[ He taps the lock with a little bit of geo energy ]

What do you mean by unstable?

. . . Outside of the obvious stress of being stuck in this fae realm, I suppose I should add.

[It activates, and you hear another click!]

Things have been changing. Plans have been changing. My role remains the same, but "my" sense of reality has gotten fuzzier. That window over there didn't use to open, either. I'm not sure if that's good or bad.

If it's not prying, might I ask what is your role here?

Not at all.

[she puts a hand to her chest, as if reciting a vow]

I'm loyalty -- or more accurately, a sense of responsibility. This whole room is a manifestation of loyalty.

I see.

And what is behind the locked door? Or perhaps a better question is what happens any person here goes through it?

That space is "my" innermost self. My honest and real feelings. If you go there, it'd be easy to destroy "me", but if you're kind... then maybe I can believe in myself a little more. And in you.

[ Glances over at Childe while in his mind a highlight reel of their interactions with Pavo have played out.

Maybe we should not be going there actually. . . ]

[She glances over at him too, and laughs a bit.]

Are you worried? As long as you can keep him under control, maybe he can fix things between us a little.

I would like to ask that of the Knight of Favonius directly rather than through a shortcut to his most vulnerable self.

I suppose that would be the honest way to go about it... "I" can respect that.

But if you think it will do him good, we will see the door unlocked.

[ He bows his head respectfully. ]

Thank you. You have been most helpful.

Of course. I wish you the best of luck.

[she returns the little bow, and then turns back to her books.]

[ And Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum are back.

Probably in significantly worse shape than before. ]

Grandmaster, might I ask a favor?

[ hi, i'm here and also looking like shit. he's just going to take a seat somewhere and lounge like he isn't fatui scum. ]

[Don't get Fatui blood in my office!!

She glances at them both in surprise, pulling out another chair for Zhongli since Childe went ahead and sat before she could help.]

What do you need?

[ He takes the offered chair.

And speaking of the Fatui (and other) blood: ]

Is there a healer somewhere in this place?

Xiansheng needs healing. [ blurts out, interrupting. ]

[Technically Jean is a healer, but is heart Jean a healer? Hmmmmm]

...There is healing food at the tavern, but I'm not sure you would be authorized to take some.

[Zhongli would. Childe tho...]

. . .

Is that the only place?

We're not going to the tavern. If you don't have a healer here in HQ, then the least we'll ask for is some bandages and a wet cloth.

[She seems to be very seriously considering this problem. How does this part of Pavo feel about this? Is this a responsibility...?

Ultimately she sighs a little, pressing a hand to her temple.]

No need. I can take care of it.

[cue anemo healing for the both of you!]

[ Yes, but question. Does anemo healing take care of the constellation tile wedged in the space where his gnosis used to be or does Zhongli get to take that home as a parting gift? ]

[ :) you could reach in and find out.

...but no it's still there, unless he wants to stop her to pull it out first.]

[ VIBRATING OUT OF HIS SKIN. ]

Grandmaster, hold on a second, [ moves out of his seat, nearly knocking it over, as he moves over to zhongli. ] we should remove that, Xiansheng. Look at the sort of things it was capable of doing here.

[ Blinks up at Childe ]

Ah, yes. You're right. We should.

[ And then going to try and stick his hand in his own chest. Surely this can't be harder than removing one's gnosis. ]

[You continue to make good decisions.

Enjoy ripping yourself back open.]

You enter a small room. It appears, on first glance, to have been some kind of light security holding cell, judging by the size and the one small, barred window. However, it's nothing like a prison now. The walls are covered in shelves full of toys and storybooks, there's a plush rug over the floor and a very nice cot piled in fluffy blankets.

Across the floor are scattered crayon drawings and open books. On one wall, there is a rack of weapons -- mostly swords. A few miscellaneous items are piled in corners, and there are paper flowers strewn about.

A small girl is lying on the floor, drawing. When you come in, she looks up with a big sunny smile!

"Oh, hi! Are you here to help with Klee's new treasures?"

Edited 2021-05-16 20:44 (UTC)

[ ...damn. he hadn't expected this room to be cute. HE HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR A FIGHT. but, alas, he has a weakness for cute kids, so he's approaching and crouching down alongside her. ]

How did you know? What did you need help with?

[Hey at least there are weapons in here!

She sits up when he comes down to her level, and holds up the current drawing! It appears to be... schematics for a bomb.]

Klee is making the biggest jumpty dumpty ever! But I can't reach stuff on the tall shelves...

[ . . . ]

[ best fucken room
and best fucken child. ]

It's a good thing I'm really tall then, huh! Climb aboard and let's start gathering things! although I do need a little favor from you, it's only fair, yeah?, help for help?

Yeah! Help for help! Thanks a bunch, Mister!

[ SCOOPS KLEE UP AND PLACES HER ON HIS SHOULDERS. ]

Are any of the shelves in here or are we going on a little adventure around the Favonious HQ?

[She settles naturally, with her hands on his head.]

They're right here! I bet there's good stuff in other places, but Klee has to stay in here. We have to be reeeally careful. If Klee goes out there, she might get eaten by monsters!

And if I promise to protect you from the monsters for the duration of my time here will you come out there with me? I really need your help with a door out there. I think you may be able to help activate something on it, but I'm not special enough to do it without somebody like you.

[ he goes to the shelf she's pointed out for him and grabs whatever she needs from it. ]

Are you talking about the locks?

[She reeaches up, and grabs a big bag of stuffing from the top shelf! It kinda hits Cheri in the face.]

--Oh, sorry! Uhm, I don't think I can help with the lock, though... But, but butbut there's another one in here somewhere, I think!

Yep! How did you know?

[ oof. ]

Another what in here?

'Cause I heard the first lock! There's a lot of locks, but they're scattered aaaall around, 'cause [there is a blip where she says a name but you only hear static] doesn't like to open that door.

[ HMMMM. ] Mind helping me with the one in here then? And do you know why? Is there something behind it that they're not fond of?

'Cause he's scared. But, I don't remember exactly where--

[and this is the point where she gets yote so that's all you get]

[ WHELP. ]

[ ... Cute.

Leaving Childe to interact with the child for a moment, he is going to crouch down so he can get a better look at some of those crayon drawings ]

[They are, at first glance, a lot of drawings of the inner workings of bombs, as well as doodles of places around Mondstadt and various people, including Noctua and all the knights. Despite the fact that "Klee" is the one drawing, all the doodles seem to put Pavo front and center where children usually put themselves.]

[ Hmmm...

He'll pick up one of the drawing with Pavo in it and see if he can see anything else about them with Elemental Sight. ]

[With Elemental sight, this entire room changes, as if you've teleported to another place entirely. The warmth evaporates, replaced by a damp chill, and the cot becomes a table with heavy straps. Gone are the toys and games, in their place instruments of pain and injury.

It's not a play room, it's a torture chamber. And riding on Cheri's shoulders is, rather than a cute little girl, a horrifying mass of tentacles and suckers with a big beak that looks ready to bite his head off.]

[ Sorry, did someone just say tentacles?

Instinctively, two things happen - one) a reflexive stele raises up to vault the tentacle monster off Childe and two) a jade shield shimmers to existence around Childe.

Unfortunately, action one is going to happen before action two in the timeline. ]

[ and reflexive stele is going to come as a surprise, because childe still has klee on his shoulders and not a god awful tentacle monster. klee??? gets launched, probably!, and childe makes some sort of choked sound as he faceplants the wall, sagging down to the floor FULL OF FUCKEN CONFUSION. ]

Xiansheng?! What the hell???!?!

[In Childe's view: Klee gets suddenly flung off his shoulders and lands hard on the floor, where she immediately starts to cry.

In Zhongli's view, the tentacle monster hits the floor with a wet splat, and shrieks in rage, flailing its arms towards the attacker!]

[ as soon as he picks himself off the floor he's going to race over to klee and gather her up in his arms. ] ...hey, shhh, it's alright, he didn't mean it. [ shoots zhongli A LOOK and then mouths at him: what the fuck? ]

Are you feeling okay, Xiansheng, maybe you could use some air...

[ Zhongli immediately summons Vortex Vanquisher, but before he can get a chance to skewer the creature, Childe has it in his arms again.

. . .

He can't attack like this. ]

Use your Sight, Caeli.

That is no human child.

Ok, but there's a lock in here for the front door, and I need her... er, it, [ ... ] ugh, whatever, to help find it, so I'm not letting you [ motions at his polearm!!! ]

[ but if zhongli is that concerned about whatever klee ACTUALLY is, then he's going to set her down, because absolutely doesn't want to see what he's actually holding. ] Look around and I'll keep it busy.

[In Childe's view, Klee continue to sob, but clings to him for comfort until he puts her down. She seems upset and confused about this entire thing.]

What did Klee do?! Klee's not an "it"!

[In Zhongli's, the tentacle monster winds around Childe, its suckers sticking to the jade shield with clear strength. If they touched his skin, they would leave bruises.]

[ Hello, living nightmare as Zhongli's eyes are tracking things that are 100% not there in Childe-vision. ]

Very well. But do not let it touch you.

And I will only keep to this plan as long as the shield holds.

[ And then Zhongli quickly turns to the table full of torture implements, tucking his spear defensively at his side though not de-summoning it. There is a ticking countdown to finding that lock, after all. ]

... [ sets a hand on klee's hand and pats... a LITTLE reluctantly. ] Don't mind Xiansheng. He's going senile and this is just what happens when you've been around for as long as he has. [ forces a bit of a laugh as he leads klee ELSEWHERE. ]

If you could help me find the lock we'll be out of your hair. [ he's going to see if he can't do some searching as well, all while trying to keep the klee!monster away from zhongli. ]

O-Okay...

[Klee whines but follows along with Childe, glancing back warily at Zhongli as she does.

The tentacle monster follows too, of course, burbling wet noises and stroking the shield searchingly.

The lock is not on the table, and neither is it on the shelves. But there is a faint glint of something under a pile of stuffed toys (or, in Zhongli's case, a pile of adult toys) on the floor.]

[ Zhongli doesn't have time to be embarrassed as he shoves all that aside to get to whatever is underneath.

He'll think about this room more in depth later--- as in never. ]

[You found the lock, embedded on the floor! It looks just like the last one.]

[ The application of geo energy is much less gentle this time around. ]

[The lock activates! You hear another distant click.]

[ Good. ]

Cheri.

We're leaving.

[ This is his Morax voice. ]

[ rude. don't turn him on in the presence of a probably!child. ]

Heard, Xiansheng, loud & clear.

Alright, we've got to go, but you've got everything you need for your bomb now, yeah, so... have at it. [ he's going to activate his elemental sight as he quickly goes over to zhongli and ultimately the door the heck out of here. ]

[With Elemental sight, this entire room changes, as if you've teleported to another place entirely. The warmth evaporates, replaced by a damp chill, and the cot becomes a table with heavy straps. Gone are the toys and games, in their place instruments of pain and injury.

It's not a play room, it's a torture chamber. And sitting where you left Klee is, rather than a cute little girl, a horrifying mass of tentacles and suckers with a big beak, reaching eagerly out towards you both.

But you can run. Where to?]

[ ...alright, so this explains a lot. is the door leading back to the main hall still here or is he going to have to make one, because he's not above making an attempt at that. ]

Do you want to do the honors, Xiansheng... [ motions at the tentacle monster. ] or would you rather I take care of your friend. [ he cracks an obnoxious smile at him; hydro polearm materializing in his hands. ]

You picked this door hoping for a fight, did you not? Well, it seems your wish has been granted.

Go ahead.

[ Though he does re-apply the shield before Childe goes off to battle. ]

[The tentacle monster oozes closer!

The door you came in is available. You can return to the hall to rest or move on straight to one of the other doors.]

...hah, alright. You can pick the next door then. [ but there's a part of him that can't help but think that, on the flip side, that horrible thing is a cute little girl. ] ... [ remembers the message on the back of his constellation and buries that thought, digging his heel in to turn on a dime and dash at the tentacle monster aiming to skewer it with his own polearm. ]

[The monster, it turns out, is not very strong. When skewered it shrieks, flailing haplessly, and then... it simply dissolves, leaving naught but a slippery stain on the floor.]

[ He glances back once at the room before turning back toward the hallway and then heading toward the blue door. ]

[ he'll be scooping up some tentacle monster smear and then following zhongli. LOOK. he'll leave it in the hall, ok! GOSH. ]

[Childe has obtained tentacle goo.

You return to the hall and go through the blue door.]

[ xiansheng... help me steal this child. ]

[ ABSOLUTELY NOT!

On multiple levels ]

You enter some sort of planetarium. It's a beautiful room with a domed ceiling covered in stars, with a floor made up of one giant marble compass rose.

However, it seems something has been tearing this beautiful room apart. The ceiling is half pulled down, the pieces scattered across the floor like an ugly jigsaw puzzle. The bare ceiling behind the stars is rough, plaster-caked stone, and there's dust all over everything. The curved walls seem to have once been covered in velvet curtains, but a few of them have been torn down and lie strewn across the floor.

Near one wall, there is a ladder.

Along one half of the room there are seats, plush and comfy. The ones more towards the right are dusty and only look up at the ruined ceiling, but the ones on the left are cleaner. At the very far left, there is a pile of downed curtains.

In the center of the room, there is a jumble of alchemy equipment, tended to by a handsome young man who is completely and utterly ignoring you.

Edited 2021-05-17 03:42 (UTC)

[ He's going to bother the man anyway. ]

Excuse me. Do you know where the lock in this room is?

[ he stares down the ceiling pieces and ogles the ladder, but just follows zhongli to the blonde shortie. how dare you ignore us. ]

[He continues to ignore you for a moment as he finishes pouring something from one vial to another. There is a small poof of pink smoke that sparkles. But then he finally speaks up.]

I can't help you with that. Whether or not you find it isn't relevant to what I'm doing, so I'm sorry but I'll have to ask you to look on your own.

I see. Sorry for disturbing you.

[ He holds up the folded note between two fingers and shows to Childe.

Should they try this next?

Do we trust Pavo at all anymore? ]

[ childe heaves a sigh. ] ...let's just take a look around. We need three switches and we haven't explored this room and the bar and the ice maze, so... [ he motions to the ladder and then the broken ceiling. ] Let's avoid elemental sight and just... I don't know. Should we try either of those?

We can take the ladder.

[ And he starts moving in that direction ]

[ surely touching this ladder won't come back to bite him in the ass... ]

[It is a regular ladder with no ill effects. It's tall enough to allow you to reach the ceiling, and a bucket of fresh new plaster hangs from a hook at the top.]

[ Hmmmm.

He summons a stele next to the ladder (as a contingency plan) and then starts climbing up the ladder up until the bucket of plaster. ]

It looks like we need to piece it back together. Do you want me to start passing you the pieces? [ and by him he means using his vision to send out a bunch of hydro tentacles to grab them. ]

[ childe is just going to stand there with his arms folded, because he doesn’t want to touch them. ]

[Nothing weird happens while you mess with the ladder.

Albedo glances over at you for a moment, but says nothing and goes back to his work.]

Yes, if you could.

[ And Zhongli will carefully take the pieces (careful to never touch the hydro tentacles) and try to place them in their appropriate place on the ceiling before using the plaster to hold it in place.

Is this how ceiling construction works?

He has no idea. He left that to Planning and Zoning, but at least he's going to try. ]

...of course. [ he also notices zhongli isn't touching the tentacles. it's not surprising given all the stuff they had dealt with earlier. he supposes if zhongli is touching them with no problem, then he can put them to rest... except that he doesn't, and they remain out, though he does start passing zhongli ceiling pieces with his hands. ]

Let me know if you wanna switch or something. This kind of seems like something I'd be better at, no offense, Xiansheng.

[It does seem to be how ceiling construction works! The pieces stay in place, anyway. As you place them, your voices begin to echo a bit. Have you improved the acoustics, maybe?

Regardless, when you get close to finished, you'll notice there are two missing pieces... and they match the shape of your constellation tiles.]

[ Are you implying he is not good at manual labor?

Childe would probably be right, but he continues working anyway. Sorry that his perfectionist tendencies means it takes a bit. ]

There is no need.

[ But he sees the spot for the constellation tiles and shifts to slot his in place. ]

[ yes. yes he is. ]

I guess we are almost finished. [ watches as zhongli slots his own constellation tile into place. ]

Let me guess... you need mine? [ offers it up. ]

[Zhongli's tile fits perfectly. You get the sense that the room is waiting.]

[ He takes Childe's tile and also slots it into place.

Here's to nothing bad happening. ]

[ FUCK YOU ROOM BE PATIENT. ]

...he doesn't deserve this. [ scowls. ]

[The tiles fit in perfectly! When they do, the ceiling is completed. The cracks disappear, and the stars twinkle brightly as if they're real.

And then your body is seized by a wave of agony. Your skin burns, your bones twist -- surely you hit the floor, but by the time you do you've been thoroughly Cursed. Exactly how is player preference, but you've gained some sort of monstrous features. Your form is no longer a pleasing one.]

[ Welp.

The wave of sudden pain causes Zhongli to lose his hold on the ladder, landing with an unpleasant thump on the marble floor from ceiling height. Surely something is broken for the loud crack that echoes in the chamber.

Except that crack sounded even before Zhongli hit the floor. And another crack follows. And another. By the time Zhongli lands, golden horns break through his skull, a long dragon tail rips from his spine, and obsidian/gold symbols start pulsating on his skin through his many layers of clothing.

The very ground (even on the second floor) rumbles menacingly as he slowly gets to his feet.

And it becomes very apparent that the poets of Liyue did not do the cold, unforgiving amber eyes of Morax any justice as they eventually land on both Albedo and Childe. ]

Xiansheng-! [ since he's standing right there he's going to attempt to catch him, except he's also stricken by an unforgiving amount of pain and forced to his kneels as it overtakes his sense. he growls, scraping his nails along the floor as zhongli lands just a few short feet from him; the sickening snap making childe flinch. ] I'll... I'll kill him. [ he hisses under his breath, ducking his head as his already bright blue eyes swirl with a greater intensity. the tips of his hair turn to wisps of water, elongating and becoming living hydro tentacles that all flail about curiously. his skin becomes marred with the sigils of permission used to summon osial as his own bones start to stretch and break, building becoming somewhat similar to the foul legacy as bits & pieces of the armor break through the skin. ]

[ childe pants, gaze slightly unfocused, but he hardly seems to care about the tiny alchemist in the room, instead focusing on the archon in front of him. ] We never did have a proper fight, ... [ his tone is deep, somewhat gravely, and without emotion. ]

[tiny alchemist is taking notes.]

Those were particularly violent transformations... But even so, there's no need to act out.

[ His expression never changes as he sizes Childe up, eyes lingering on the sigils of permissions and the hydro tentacles. It flickers something in his memory among the erosion.

Something that is quickly discarded. ]

Who are you to demand a fight from the Prime of the Adepti?

[ Sorry, Albedo, he's not paying him any attention. ]

[ childe picks himself up off the floor, but doesn't bother answering mr. prime of the adepti, because, feh, he doesn't need to answer him... not when he's going to strip him of everything. childe darts forward in a burst of water as a hydro polearm materializes in his hands, one he immediately tries to drive straight into zhongli's chest the moment he reappears in front of him. ]

[SIGH]

It's always worse when it takes their minds... At least try not to knock anything over, please.

[ Sorry, Albedo. What is restraint?

His own spear materializes to block the hydro polearm at the last moment and lock their weapons together - at least for the moment.

And the now completely starry sky above darkens to a midnight purple as a hunk of cosmic rock is hurled right at Childe's head. ]

[ childe just laughs, like a fucken lunatic, the echo filling the room and reverberating off the walls and making it seem louder than it is. the clash of their weapons has his blood pumping, adrenaline rising exponentially, as he sics his tentacles on zhongli; circling his wrists and, most importantly, his throat. ]

[ hey, zhongli, have you ever been a meat shield before... or a cosmic rock shield? no. first time for everything! ]

[why are you two like this?

he's pulling his stuff away from the middle of the room so you can't destroy it as easily.]

[ Childe, you little piece of---

The jade shield flickers up around them at the last moment, the meteor smashing into it (as it soaks up most of the damage). The immediately surrounding area is perhaps not so fortunate.

In the next moment, Zhongli drops his spear, useless in his hands as those hydro tentacles aren't giving him more than a few inches of leeway at best. Only to hook the handle of the spear with a twist of his ankle as it falls and send it spinning up again, aimed directly for Childe's side. ]

[ childe tanks the hit, LIKE A BOSS, as a semi translucent watery red like fluid oozes out from the newly torn wound in his side. he doesn't seem all that phased, though there is more dribbling out of the corner of his mouth. CLEARLY that hurt, but he's not giving zhongli the satisfaction of knowing as much. the tentacles tighten their grip as childe dispels the polearm to, instead, summon a couple of hydro blades to drive straight into zhongli's chest. ] I never did get your gnosis, but I'll make up for that now. [ going to see if he can't just straight up fucken gore zhongli. ]

[ Zhongli tanks that less well than Childe does - probably because it's very hard to do anything but writhe and choke when someone shoves their hands/knives into your chest and root around for something that isn't there any longer.

He coughs up blood, the act made even more difficult by the hydro tentacle wrapped around his neck.

(Why is this happening on the second floor where he can't summon the earth to rise up to his aid...?)

He shifts his weight to try and slam into Childe's body where the spear is embedded. Dig it in deeper so that it hits something vital. ]

Just die already. [ here, he'll even help some more... by forcing one of those hydro tentacles into his mouth the moment he starts choking on the blood his body is so desperately trying to expel. breathing is a luxury, xiansheng, and one you no longer have any right to - ahahaha! childe grunts, forced a step backward, so the spear in his side drives just a little bit deeper. ]

[ water surges around the two of them and swirls at childe's feet, lifting them both up toward the ceiling and subsequently removing any ( and all ) leverage zhongli's poor spear had in him. ]

[ taking zhongli's throat in one of his own hands he squeezes, leaving small crescent shapes as he reaches to tear his own constellation tile from the ceiling... why - because zhongli is missing something and clearly the best course of action is to fix that. ]

Did you plan on sealing me away if and when I became too much for you, █̸̙̺̗͓͖͙̥̯͈̲͉̞̞̗̲͌̌ͣͯͫͧͪ͂̆̅ͯ̽̐̒̚͘͟͝͝█̴̸͇̥͇͚̞̖̰ͨ̌ͨ̂͟͡█ͨͨ͛ͭ̔͝҉̢̫̱̦̺̝̺̲̩̙͚█̤̺͕͉̐ͨ̎͌́̀͟͝█͆͌ͦ̾ͥ̉̎͊̈́̈́̊͒ͨ͂̍̊ͤ҉̡͚͉̩͕̙͠͠, just. like. them?!

Perhaps, [ an unhinged bubble of laughter. ] I'll make you mine instead. [ here, have his constellation tile ker-shoved straight into that perfect hole he made in your chest ♥ ]

Edited 2021-05-18 03:33 (UTC)

[Conveniently, within a few moments of ripping your constellation out of the ceiling, your curse abruptly reverts!

...Which means another incredibly painful transformation but hey! You're fixed!

Zhongli however is not.]

[ Perhaps if Zhongli was actually Morax at the moment instead of just a mortal with a vision in this heart, he could take hits like this.

But alas, being choked on two fronts and having a foreign object shoved into his chest cavity is enough to make him pass out from the shock of it. ]

[ as soon as he shoves the tile into zhongli's chest he's going to change back, because timing. the pain of a reverse transformation is something he can withstand, but the sight of zhongli looking like this because of him. childe immediately feels sick to his stomach, thoughts swirling with an abundance of dark and negative thoughts. fuck. fuckfuckfuckfuck. ]

[ childe starts mumbling in broken snezhnayan under his breath as he holds zhongli closely. he summons another surge of water to lift them up toward the ceiling again, a hydro sword materializing in his hand to help him dig out zhongli's constellation piece. it takes a bit of work, since he's doing this one handed and trying not to jostle the other, but he eventually manages. ]

...got it, Xiansheng.
though I don't know if this is going to make things better or worse for you.

[Zhongli is also no longer cursed!

...And yet... And yet, unfortunately for Childe, he won't be able to address those wounds. Because Zhongli's lost consciousness and so, after a brief while, he dissolves out of view.

Because being incapacitated has sent him elsewhere. Alone.]

. . .

[ time to summon his hydro polearm and just tear this room to shreds. he's going to destroy the ceiling first and foremost and then if albedo is still hanging around, being USELESS, childe is going to drive his spear straight into him. ]

[Man Albedo can see that coming and he absolutely fucking hides under a seat as soon as Childe starts destroying things.

But. His lab...]

[ nothing is safe from childe. ]

Get out here, shrimp, and fight me. You could have warned us, if nothing else, but you kept your mouth shut, and for what reason, ...observing us like we're lab rats? How about I dissect you then and see how you like it?

[ kicking the seat aside. ]

[oh barbatos it's a demon man????

Albedo scrambles to run! His voice is a little less monotone now, given the extremely dire situation.]

It isn't my place to interfere with fate! Your actions are your own, so stop throwing a tantrum!

[so he says, as he drops his stupid flower and then his stupid ult. Childe's being hit by an explosion of geo flowers, and Albedo is going up on his elevator.]

If you want to get back to that man, you could just die.

...and it's a damn shame that I don't give a shit about this place anymore. Like Pavo, it's more trouble than it's worth. [ a wall of water springs up in front of childe to not only slow some of the geo flowers headed in his direction, but also misdirect a couple of others. he gets hit by a few, but if tanking the pain means he'll have a chance at tearing albedo's throat out, well, #worthit. a storm of hydro arrows rain down on albedo as childe summons a bow to fire off a riptide shot to mark the little bastard. ]

If only one of the other Harbingers were here. I'm sure he'd love to pick you apart piece by piece. Me, I'm not into that, though perhaps I'll channel a bit of him for this experiment.

[Welp.

He's not good enough to escape all that from this distance. He jumps down to try to dodge, but he still ends up with several wounds. Given he was attempting to dash that just means he wipes out on the stone floor, landing on his side and sliding a foot or two before he comes to a stop.

Fuck.]

You won't... like what happens... in the real world. If you kill me.

[ he approaches him and shoves his boot, hard, to his chest. leeeeans over him and then summons a hydro polearm to shove straight against his throat. he's not stabbing him, yet, but one wrong move and he's not going to hesitate, bitch. ]

I don't care for the real world already. I really have nothing to lose. [ his lips curl into a sadistic smile. ] I'll spare you if you tell me how to get the remainder of the switches to get out of this rotten heart. Or perhaps you can tell me a better way of finding Xiansheng short of killing myself. [ presses. harder. on his chest. is breathing getting hard yet, little man? sure hope so. ]

[ also don't mind the snake of water slithering toward your vision, albedo, can't have you making this harder for him, so, yoink!, he's taking that. ]

Edited 2021-05-18 04:33 (UTC)

[you stomp on the NPC, and put your spear right above that cute golden star at the hollow of his throat!

Albedo struggles to breathe, coughing weakly when Childe presses down harder. He winces, but doesn't try to get away. He's smarter than that -- both Pavo and the boy whose face this part of him is wearing.

He lifts a hand, slowly to make sure it doesn't seem like a threat, and points vaguely to a spot on the wall. There is a lock there!]

Don't-- Don't know where the others are. But... the only way to go where he went is to lose consciousness. Or I guess... convince "me".

[ removes the spear from his neck and lets it de-materialize as he heads to activate the lock. he lingers near it for another couple of moments and then sighs, letting his shoulders slump. ]

...can you go to Xiansheng and make sure he gets through whatever twisted place he's stuck in now? If I go there too, then we'll never get out of here.

I can't leave this room.

[He says softly, making a pained noise as he sits up and tries to catch his breath. He coughs a few times, and then starts putting pressure on the worst of his wounds. He's bleeding quite a bit, but it's not enough to kill him.]

But... You're only missing two locks now, aren't you?

Edited 2021-05-18 04:56 (UTC)

...tell him then. I doubt he has 0 control over his own stupid psyche. [ he sends a snake of water to alebdo to help clean him up some. ] That's right. How do you feel about the door? Should it be opened, and should people like Xiansheng and I even bother going through?

[ he starts heading for the door. ]

[thanks for the cleanup?? that does save him some trouble!]

Ah... It could go either way. You could help, or you could hurt. That's a fate I can't determine. But the one in there could reunite you.

[ could. feh. ] ...thanks. [ he throws him a wave and leaves. he'll be heading back to the tavern, whichever door that had been. ]

[You return to the tavern. And your wild flickering mindfuck doesn't come back, even!]

You walk through the door and find yourselves in a bustling tavern. Patrons fill most of the available seats, and the air is filled with the smell of alcohol and sizzling chicken mushroom skewers. The atmosphere is jovial, party-like, welcoming, and the walls are covered in various framed pictures. Here, a painting of a crackling flame. There, a drawing of a lioness dozing in lush grass.

Tending bar is a stoic-faced man with fluffy red hair that you may recognize as a fellow fairyhell resident. Sitting and drinking with him is Pavo himself.

[ Oh lovely.

A tavern in Mondstadt.

His favorite location in the world.

/sarcasm ]

I'll take the Elemental Sight for this one.

[ It is somehow not phrased as a question. ]

...sure thing. [ but fff. that's going to leave him to talk to pavo and noctua. someone end him right now. because this is pavo's heart he doubts noctua is going to appreciate his presense, so, uh... just approaching the bar near the two of them and ordering a drink for both himself and zhongli. ]

I heard the Dandelion Wine is real good this time of year.

[ He 50% expects a tavern brawl and does not care at all whether the tavern gets wrecked in the process. (Don't disappoint him, Childe).

Anyway.

Turning on Elemental Sight then. ]

[You turn on Elemental Sight, and everything goes grey. The colour is instantly seeped out of the room, and the sounds of the rowdy bar fade to a distant din. The people are all still there, but you can barely hear them, and they are acting as if you don't exist.

All the frames on the walls have been turned backwards.

Noctua is cleaning the glasses behind a bar at which slumps a silent Pavo, with a greatsword through his chest. The only colour in the room is the blood spilling over the bar and his seat and pooling on the floor.

You can no longer see Childe at all. You're alone, now, except for Noctua's sharp eyes.]

You really should have accepted the lie.

[ Zhongli stares for many long moments at Pavo's dead and bleeding corpse---

(and for a moment does not see Pavo but a host of friends that are no longer here. Some by his own hand) ]

[ Before moving to take a vacant stool next to his body and folding his hands neatly across the countertop. ]

Was I the one that needed convincing of that?

[From this different angle, you can see that, dead as he may be, Pavo has a satisfied smile on his bloody lips.

Noctua shrugs slightly, crossing his arms and meeting Zhongli's eyes without fear or regret.]

That was a useless piece. You don't need to worry about it. What do you want to drink?

[ He drops the tile with Lapis Dei on the counter, inscription side up. ]

What can I get for a tile with an untrue proverb?

You might need that later. Keep it.

[He seems to be unfazed!]

Why do you think it's not true?

[ He glances over at Pavo. ]

The God of Freedom does not grant his favor to useless pieces.

I can accept that the circumstances of conflict can move our hand in ways that conflict with our personal desires, but I do not accept that as the truth.

Edited (No real names in popdrop party foul) 2021-05-17 02:24 (UTC)

It's the truth of how "I" feel. And that bit has been dead for years. Nothing will change just because we don't accept it.

And what piece of him are you?

[He tilts his head, setting the now-clean glass on the bar in front of Zhongli.]

Love.

[ Why are people from Mondstadt LIKE THIS??? ]

You think yourself incapable?

Or is it this particular relationship?

I think it's unwise. To rely on love, when you can't trust it, is only going to get "me" hurt. Back then, loving too hard is what killed that.

[he gestures at the corpse]

But then...

I suppose I look the way I do for a reason.

[ Zhongli opens his mouth to reply, but stops when he thinks he catches Childe saying something in a panicked voice he is not sure he's ever heard from the Harbinger before.

He drops Elemental Sight immediately. ]

[Despite his current perception issues and the fact that Noctua & Pavo seem to have forgotten he exists, you can in fact see Childe just fine!]

[Pavo and Noctua look up at him, and Noctua deeefinitely narrows his eyes for a moment, but he doesn't immediately throw Childe out so that's a plus?!

Pavo only smiles, but is that really a reliable sign of goodwill with him?]

Yo, Fatui boy. Take a seat and join us, won't you?

[says Pavo, as Noctua reaches behind the bar. His voice is flat and slightly growly when he speaks up.]

You have two choices. A Death After Noon, or some juice. If you want something take it and go.

[Oddly, neither of them seem to acknowledge Zhongli's presence. Actually, if you turn around yourself, he seems to have disappeared.]

[ childe avoids meeting noctua's gaze and instead just looks at pavo. oh, he knows better than to trust this bitch. ] I have a name. [ but he flashes a smile all the same, one that, like pavo's, is just for show. ]

Juice. I'm not interested in getting drunk. I'm here looking for something, actually. An elemental lock. [ ... ] You feeling alright? Perhaps you could use some juice too.

Fine.

[Says Noctua, ducking down to pull a fresh bottle of grape juice from under the bar. As he does, Pavo nudges you slightly with his elbow -- below the edge of the bar, where Noctua can't see, he's passing you a slip of paper.

Meanwhile he chatters, cheerfully, watching Noctua rather than you.]

No need to be rude to a guest, my dear. Even one as vile as this one.

[Noctua just huffs, muttering to himself. Now where did that bottle go...?]

Edited 2021-05-17 02:06 (UTC)

[ ...huh. he takes the slip of paper and continues acting as those things are #fine. since noctua is busy looking for the bottle he'll deftly open the paper and steal a glance down at it. ]

Is that how you both feel about me? I'm wounded. And, here, I thought we could get to know each other.

[The paper says

A hint:

When you go upstairs, don't use your sight right away. Sit in the seats on the far left, in the front row, and then look.

Pavo says:]

Did you really? How delightfully bold.

[Noctua rolls his eyes, as he comes up with the bottle of juice and pours a glass.]

[ he stuffs the paper into his pocket and leans on the bar counter, snickering. ] I did, but maybe I had just been feeling a little... optimistic. [ as soon as noctua has poured him some juice he takes the glass at lifts it up. ] ...or stupid. Maybe the two are interchangeable. [ he takes a sip of the juice. ]

They are, sometimes.

[Pavo agrees. He glances over at you, smirking, as you lift the juice to your lips.

When you take a sip, reality seems to fracture. On the one hand, you can see the two of them still there, in the happy bar, picking up a bantering conversation that's full of rude words but still sounds like flirting. On the other, you can see a black and white, near-silent version of the scene, where Pavo is slumped against the bar, dead, skewered by a greatsword while bright red blood drips everywhere and Noctua is chatting with Zhongli.

It keeps flickering. You feel dizzy. Neither world seems to recognise your existence.

What is real? Who were you again?

You're alone. Forgotten by the world. W̸͔͑͌̑͝h̵̳͔̘͛͑͂ǫ̴͋̆̏̿͜͝ ̶̢̜̫̏͊̚à̷̢͜r̴̢͓̖͓̿ë̶̢̗̼́̑̆ͅ ̴̡̦̲͓̥͊͋̚y̶͉̤̲̆̃̃o̴͖͊̍͆͝u̵̯̻̫̓́͘͠?̷̰͊͐̈́̈́͝

You don't know. You don't know, you don't--

you don't--

you--

Ḯ̷̤̩̺͈͇̟̇ ̷̺̲̮̰̳̫̼̀̀̇͜d̸̞̥̥͖̹͕͖̹͓͈̊̌̀̀o̷̭̅̉̓n̶̨͚̱̫̞͈̣̱͉̭̓͊̈́͊͜'̵̧̰̖͔̰̺̳͉̳̿ẗ̶̢̰̞̳̬͇̜̰̩̗̬́͆͑̃̚ ̶͈͈̫͇̙̝̖̭͈̔̇͐̾͊̚͝ͅk̸̟̼̫̙̳̿̕ṉ̵̳̪̥̤̄̓͛̆͛͂̊̈́̀̊͗͝o̸̡͆̃̏͂̉͛̐̂̈̐̚ẁ̶̱̲̯̞̘̦͇̱̟͍̻̂̈͒̐̈́͊̔̏̈́͠͝ ̷̜̹̣̹̘́İ̷̛͎͕͙̻͖͓̯̝̹̈͆͆̅̌̍̃̈́̚͝ͅ ̶̧̡̠̭̘̳͎̻̭̰̟̟̘̑̇͑̊͗̓͂̀̅ḑ̸͓̰̮̺̻͎͔̖̀̆̐̀͊͜ǒ̶̧̡̜͓̰̱͇̞͔̣̝̬̜͘ň̴̨̨̡̦͓͇̙̫̫̤͉̽̅̋̃͗͝ͅ'̶̡̢͍̰̲̠͚̰̌̂͆͠͝ţ̶͉̱͖̘̪̖͑͐̀̐̾̆̆̌̍̌͗̕͝ ̸͖͇̬͖̠̗̈́̽̇̈̂͑̈́̐̔̓̂k̴͉̬̳͆̆͝ǹ̸̻͍̥̑͊͒ő̵̗͍̔̈́͛͗̀̿̕̚̚͝͝͝ŵ̸̢͙͉̳̤̰̤̟̹̑̏̅̔ ̶̯̩̼͕̤̱̺̘̝̔̌́͗̾̾́͂̉̕͠Ǐ̶̫̠̈́͜ ̵̛̙͕͚̻̮̘͗̈̿̈́̐͐͗̍͠͝͠d̵̟̝͉͈̐͗̔́̄̾̾̚͝o̷̢̗̝̦̟̬͉̽̉n̴̢̨̛̟̘͇̯̠̩̖̼̒̅̓̋̈́͑̃̒͛̅͜͠'̷̡̰͎̤̼̲́̾͘͜͠t̸̠̥̱̩̣̰̻͉͂̀͂͗̎̈͜͝ ̸͙̼̙͇̈͂͗̀͗͑͝k̷̦̹̦̗͓̻̯̘͕͓̮͒̿̇̈́̑͋̓̚ṋ̸̢̢͍͇͍͌̎͌͛̓͆͑͂̈́́̕͜͠o̷̠̣̺͆w̴̛̫͖̩̓̅͒̈́͋̽̾̾͊̏͝ ̶̻̼̞̑̽̅͑̎̓̅͆̿͆̌̀̕I̸̝͓̙̪̅͌̈̾͐̉̈̉̓͘̕͜͝͠ ̴̧̧͚̘͎̱̹̜͖̣̦͎͖̏̾̓̇͐̍͝d̷͔̤͚̩̪͙̱̤͉͔̀̒̊͐̋͗̚͠ō̸̡̮̰͓̥̟̝̦͇͉̤͛̂̊̒̋̑͗̓̈́ṇ̸̢̭͓͎̻͙͌̓'̵̢̢̥̙̻̬͇̯̥͇̋̔̈̚̚͜t̷̫̰̒̐͐͗̒̓̕ ̴̤̞̫͇̳̩͈͉͙̯̝̒̈́͝k̴͎̱͕̽̂̈́́̊͌͠͠n̵̢̛͕̮̬͔̱͚̲̼̞͙̟̠̄̍̉̽̌́̄̀͘͘͘͠ȏ̷̡̗̼͈̺̖̩̖͌͑̍́͜w̶͕̼͔͔̯̗̽̓̒̌̀̄̆̀̕͠͠ ̷̨̳̟̭͓̩͚̲̭̪̂͛́̄̄͐̽̈̈́Ì̷̯̝͖̜͔̺̔̎ ̸̧̤̪̻̱̱̣͍͍̥͂͋͠d̴̘̟̭̩̱̥̜̣̳̱̻̄̊̔̈̓̉̈́̔̀͌̃ǫ̶̬͔̙̤̻͈̪̱͔̯̤̫̅̿͆̈ṅ̸̛̗͍͚̒'̴̹̗̙͇̠̦̤͇̂͒ț̶̬̱̲̠̈̍͋̕͝͠͠ ̴̛͇̥͉̟̺͒͑̾̋͋̎k̴͇͖̙̗̈̈́̓͆̐͠n̵̢̛̥̤͍̞͈̫͐̽͆͊̿o̷͖̗̤͛w̵̡̹̭͕̩̠̹͓̙͎̆͒͑͒͋̕͝ ̸̡͓̮̞͉͖̝͎̘̯̏̽̿ͅĬ̴̩͉͙̱͚̫̗̙̻͋͊̉͛̔͐͘ ̸̢͉̈́̽̂͐̆̚͝͝d̸̠͉̘̺̱͉̥͇͍͖̆̾͛͌͗̌̎̈̀̔͌̚͜ͅo̵̘͍͖͖̲̠̝̙͎̦̍͑̀͑͛ñ̷͍̒͒̿̏̾̅́̕'̵̤̺̤̫̇̊̓͑̒͋̅͂̏̕̕̕t̷̟̱̟͓̦̹̞̙̣̺͕̰̘͌ ̴̭̞͗̂͑̔̌̕k̴̦̪̟͑̃̽́͗̽̃̍̓̊́n̷̨̛̦̣̟̗̈́̋͋͆͋́̓̀̒͘͘̚o̸̟͈̙̪̙̫͔̠͆̐̑̆̊̐̓̀̓̂̒͂̀ͅw̶̧̬̤̣͔͉̘̬̐͒͗́͋̅̋̂̾͐̈́͜͝ ̵̰͍̓͌̈́̃͐͗̃̌̕I̷̢̠̺͉̪̼̲͐̿̌́̅͗͒̀͜ ̷̳̩̳͍̼͌͜d̸̡̼͕̞̭̘̪̯̍̀̈́̀̎̈́́͠ȍ̵̱̥̲̊͆̽̃̏̆͠n̴̮͇͈̖̼͔̲̞̆̎̇'̷͉̮̓͋͜t̷̡̧͈͕̯̟̰̹̣̮̗̦͂̐̊̿̈́̊̽͘̚͝ͅ ̷̢̤̥̜̼̥͖͇̣̺̓͜͠k̵̛̝̲̣̟͈̓͋̐̈́̿͆̀̎̍̌͝ͅṉ̷̛̩̫̦̠̮́͗̽͑̔͗̾o̵͉̲͉͗̾̇̇̈w̵̡̘̩̹̪͔͕͔̱̖̽̎̊͘ ̵̨̖̱͙̳͖͇͚͙͕̞͇̒͆̓̐̔̇͛͐̚Ì̴̢̡͔̣̦͈̹̺̻̱̇ ̶͎̆͛̋̅̾̋̀̓̈́͌̿͝d̸̡̨̠͈̭̝̟̪̹͇̬̜̋̋̇̈́͝o̶̢͎̮̪͇͎͒̆͗̈́͒̒̃̈́͒̔̀̈́͐n̵̡͉͍͙̳͉̝͍͈̗̱͛̀̏͋́̄̏̄̍̾͘͝͝'̸̢̲̻̲̻̻͖̜͕͛̀͂́̎̀̚t̴͎̖͖̟͖͚͔͕̯̬̊̈́͐̏̆͗́̈́̕̚͜͠ ̸̟̤̰̒̾̕̕k̵̫̝̹͕̈̾̈́̚n̴̨̡̢̲͇͐͛̆̀͠ỏ̶͔̰̉̏̄̑̉̓̾̚͘w̴̢̪͈̓ ̷̡̨̫̰̻̗̬̟͕̻̗̄͂͋̽̀I̴̛͍̜͉̎͂͐̇́̅͆̂͌̑̚ ̴͇̉̆̌̊d̸̡̛͈̮̳͓̫̲̯͓͆̒́͑͐̐͐̓͝͠͠ô̷̦n̴̢͇̠̝͍͔͑̓̽̐̚̕̚'̷̲̙̙̣̩̯̈́̎͊̏t̶̤̩̺͇̳̅̓͒̋͝͝͠͝ ̵̧̜̖͙͍̣̱͂̐͋͛k̴̩͖̉̋̂ṅ̸̰͉̰́͒̾̍ǫ̷̨̣̥̝̹̣̹͉̩͇͐̍̅̈́w̶̠̽͂́̽̋̚ ̵͉͓͉̭̯̪͙̟͎̆̏̅͘͝Ḯ̴̢̧̢̧͚͓̞͉̗̺̘̞͑̾̈́ ̵̡̩̯̳̥̙̠̯̣̖̝̳̃d̴̢͚̟̱̜̜̟̤͙̪̩͑͛̂͒̅͆͗o̸͚̭͍̮̝̝͍̾͐̐͆̿̆͠ͅṇ̷̭͚̞͓̯̟̗͚̺̺͓͚̈͒̉̄̒͌'̷̬̩̬͚͕̮͈̖̬͓̘͗̑̿̐̊̓͒͂́͋͌̏̕t̵͎͚̤́ ̵̛͚̗͍̇͑̍̕k̷̪͕͆̀̔̏̅̃̄ͅn̴̘̺̭͂̈͒́̔͗o̵͍͖̭̮̞̖̱̥̤͛̿̀̀̋̿̎̏̄̉̕͠͝w̵̧͍̙̞͇̌̿ ̷̩̜̒I̵̡̟̼̗̠̜̰͒͊̕͝ ̴̘̻̪͕͚̼̹̾́̂̎̈́͛̏̀̊d̷̯̤̹͍͕̤̰̫̅̈́̂̒̔õ̷̞͖͚̜̲̳̜̗͎̹͕͑͘͝n̵͇͍̥̮͓͓͇̥̫̦̈́̌́̀̾͝ͅ'̵̡̧̯̗̯̮̯͖̪͎̠̆̒̂̅́̇͜͠t̷͔̜̲̓̀̂͐͂̔̕͝ ̴̧͎͍͙̘̺͔̝̖̫̫̻̯̐k̷̼̱͓̥͚̪̇̓̆̀̄̽̾̈́̒̚̕̚͝n̵̢̳̦͙͚̲̳̠̲͉̻̱̈́̌͐o̴͙͊̒͑͑̕͝ͅẃ̷̧̛̰̠̯̯̖̺̀̔̎̑̓̒̚͝ ̷̨̛̜͇̰̜̭͙͓̯̘͙̆͛͜I̶̞̖̠̍̅̏ ̷͍̟̪͇̭̭̞͗͘͝d̷̛̞͎͓̩͒̾͐̄̎͊̔̐̕ͅo̶̡̲̙͓͕͋͐̄͊͐̆͛̇̀͐́ͅņ̴̢̢̨̯̬̙͇̥͇̗̓̇̀̉̑̌͂̄́͘͝͝'̸̟͙̫͂̋̓̈́̑̒̈́͌̃̕̕͜ţ̵̭̫̫͍̫̳͔͕̥̔̈̎ ̷͓͑̂̍͌̚k̸̢̘̼͍͙͎̪͓̻̗̯͎̐͊̚ͅn̸̯̞͖̞̆̉͋̓͋̐̅̒͛͝͝õ̸̢͉͎͍̱͈̭̗̤̲̍̀͛̈̀͝͝w̶̛͇̩̓ ̷̨͈̦͙̯̠̼̖̓̒̊̏̓͂̅͐̎̕I̶̛͇͕̗̰͕ ̴͈̭̺̱̲͇̠̀̽͋͋̇̈́͜d̵͎̥̱̝͍̝̗͕̈́͗̄͜͝ö̸̧̯̺̞̣͈̠̖̫̖͇̟̰̈́̐̈͊͂͂̈̌͊̒͝ň̸̡͖͎͈͍̰̲̜͈̑͆̈̀̆̎̋̍'̶̝̫̺̭̜̮̱̞̝̈́͊̇̒̃ͅt̶̫͔͗͋̅̄͆̈ ̵̖͕̖̹̜̯̃͆͐̿̉̅͑̾̊͠k̸̲̫̭̤̞͇͚͉͌͛̊̕ͅn̸̲̳̼̙̰̗͗̉̏̀ơ̴͚͖̠͍̹̂͆͆w̶̢̨̢̰̙̪̮̰̎̈́̎̒͋̀͊̈̂̚ ̵̢̗͇̜̺̪͉̹͙̾́̌̆́͘̚Į̴̢̧̢̛͍͚̞͈͇̦̞̒̈́̓̋͗́̇̂̒̌̕̕ ̸̧͙͖̘͙̠̼̣̲̟͍̣̉͆͒͆̇̊d̵̛̜̩̻͙̥͇̋̍̊̕ͅo̸̱͖̼̲̫̦̖͔̥͚͉̣͐ͅn̶̡͓̜̲̫̱͙͔̼͍̎̈̄͜'̴̦̺͚̬̬̪̐͒̓̄̓͜ţ̴̜̤͖̼̝̻͑̀͑́̆͂̾͛͋̓̓͌ͅ ̶̧̡̛̭̪̻͖̟͇͕̰̫͇͌͆͒͆͆̇̊͑͆͗̕̕k̶̛͔̞̮͍͖̘̖̱̽͒̓̃̾́́̽͐͒͝n̷͕̪̫̮̝͈͋̍͋͗̔̽̀͂̈́̓͘͝o̸̬̞̼̻̯̗̜̟͉̾̍͒͊̎̍̈́̓̕ẇ̵̢͇̙͚̹͎͎̅̊̿͌́͗́̆͝ ̷̣̦̱̞̗̠̾̂̈́̿̈́͠ͅI̴̙͙̪̎̎̃̀̀̀̀ ̸̪̗̜͈͎̿̈̅̈́̔͆́̉̀̆͑̕͠d̸̼͗̓͊̈́̾̎͋́̕͘ǫ̸̠͚̬̘̭̩̯͍͋̓͛͊̔̿̑̈́͝ṅ̸̢̧̧̩̙̯̠͚̩̰͛͐'̴̡̡͍͚̳͚̺͖̭̪́͒̽͋̃́̃͂͆̈͘̚͝ͅt̷̢̛̮͇͚̯̫̼̥̤̏̓̅̒̉̔̑̓͋͝ͅ ̸̩͉̤̳̈̑̊̃͌͂̕k̴̨͇̮̰̦͈̞̠̺͕͆̓͆̚n̸̞̊̈́͒͑̐̇̂̓͐̽̚o̵͖̺̜̞̲̽͒͐̌̅ẅ̴̼̪̣͈͔̫́̂͂͐̐̃̌͜ͅ ̶̞̔̔́̀͠I̷͇̣̓̓ ̵̧͇̻̫̹̫̣̫̞͍͚͂̉̓d̶̰̪͚̅̍̅̏͘͠ơ̷̡͙͓̭͍̘̹̿͂̌͆͆ͅͅṅ̷͚̭͈̇̋̄̇͐͑̇̚͠͝'̵̹̺̙͕̣̗͔̖̤͇̙͗͆̕ẗ̷̨̞͇̬̝̝͙̬͖̠͈́͗̉́͋̊͘͠ ̷̹̃̓́ͅk̵͕̍̃̒͌̀̐͒̊͒n̷͙̦̘̥̠̔͐ơ̷͙̏̔ẃ̸̦̙͔̹̭͓͒͒̋͛ ̷͎̈́̀̀͆̔̊̈͛͑̚̕͠ą̴̛̘͍͚̹̬̮͋̆͐̑̄͜͝ń̵̛̖͍̙̗̰͕͇͎̗͑̆͒̄͊͠͠y̸͉̔̽̌̋̔̑͂̓̈́́m̶̢͇͕̰̞̝̺͕̝͒̓͆́̎̿̎̄͗͠o̶̺̺̱̣̗̲̣̔̾̆͜r̶̢͍͓̫͗̽̓̏͑͌̈́̓͂͘͜͜ę̴̟͍͎̜̮̠͑̌̏͝ͅ!̷̛̮̝͉̥͇̫͆̊́̐͗͋]

[ ...dammit. he should have taken the hint and run, but he's stupid. he's fucken stupid. he drops the glass and lets the remainder of its contents spill on the counter as he grabs a hold of it, gripping until his knuckles turn while. he feels sick, and memories of something else flood into his head. it's not something he's forgotten, because he could never, but... something he keeps locked up tight. his other hand grabs for his chest and he wheezes, losing his voice for a moment. ]

X- Xiansheng. Xiansheng!

[ childe shoves his stool back and stands up as he cries out of him, reaching in his direction. he's not alone! he's not!! no!!! ]

[ Once Elemental Sight drops, he tips over his own barstool in haste to grab onto that hand that's reaching out to him. ]

Cheri!

Cheri, I'm right here.

[ childe snatches zhongli's hand and squeezes it as hard as he can, like it's the one thing that's going to be able to ground him on either side of this fucken nightmare. he hears his name, but several yllables a missing, and it's sort of... garbled. he hates it. the surreal nature of this is making his head spin, so he just shuts his eyes to keep it from getting any worse. ]

Xiansheng... [ he yanks on his hand, shaking a bit, as he drops his tone to a shaky whisper, ] Go upstairs, but don't use your sight right away. Sit in the seats on the far left, in the front row, and then look. [ maybe sorting this stupid room will help. maybe. he's honestly not sure of... anything right now. ]

Do not be ridiculous. I am not leaving you on your own like this.

But if it this room that is bothering you, then---

[ And he takes Childe's other hand in his free one and starts escorting him out of the bar.

Further cementing his opinion that bars in Mondstadt are really absolutely the worst. ]

[ ...add this to the list of rooms that suck. he considers making an attempt an argument, but he care barely focus, so he'd be lucky if whatever nonsense came out of his mouth made sense. he sticks close to zhongli and lets him escort him the hell out of the mondstadt bar. ]

[As you leave, you may or may not catch Pavo (the live one), turning to smirk at you again.

But he doesn't say anything! When you leave, the flickering does in fact stop, but the strange feeling of loneliness remains.]

[ WOOP DE. ]

[ he heads inside and goes upstairs. like the note had said he doesn't use his elemental sight right away and, instead, he takes a seat on the far left in the front room. he starts looking around and then activates it. ]

[...Nothing in particular seems to happen. You just get plunged into the colourless version of this world, with the dead Pavo and all that fun stuff.

Maybe the note was talking about the other upstairs you just destroyed? You could ask.]

[ sighs, sighs, and sighs some more. he stands and grabs the railing. ] WHERE'S THE LOCK IN THIS STUPID ROOM-! [ yells at diluc. ]

Do you have to be so loud?

[Noctua GRUMBLES. But he also comes out from behind the bar, stepping casually past the puddle of bright red blood and going over to a free-standing cabinet, which he shoves out of the way.

There is a lock on the wall there. He gestures to it in a "THERE ARE YOU HAPPY NOW" sort of way.]

[ hops the railing and heads to the lock, activating it, and then turning to noctua. ] I am. How's about I show you how thankful I am. [ smirks and grabs noctua's jacket to yank him close, kissing him. ]

[ hey, pavo,
fuck you. ]

[You... have kissed black and white Diluc. He seems very startled but, despite making several confused noises, he doesn't pull away at all.]

... [ not the anticipated reaction. releases diluc and just stares at him, because he had expected to be smacked with how coldly he had been treated earlier... not to mention this is pavo's version of diluc and not... diluc... ]

Uhh.

[This is, indeed, a piece of Kaeya with Diluc's face. And his face is turning red -- like the pool of blood over by the bar, you can actually see the colour of his flush.]

...Go away, would you?

[But he's not hitting you!

On the other hand just about now you hear a loud series of clicks, and a long creaking noise in the distance. So about that final door...]

[ ...now he's blushing too! this is too tempting. a piece kaeya might be wearing diluc's face, but childe still sees diluc and he's cute when he blushes. ] No, because you don't really want me to leave.

You opened the door you wanted. You can go.

[he is GOING BACK BEHIND THE BAR, thoroughly confused and embarrassed]

[ he goes to sit at the bar... grinning. ] I can, sure, but... tell me to go and I will. Or is it like I said that you'd like me here for just a little bit longer.

Your partner is waiting for you.

[HE REFUSES TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION DIRECTLY ONE WAY OR ANOTHER]

Xiansheng is a big archon. [ he can spare a few more moments. childe reaches across the bar to grab at his jacket again, bringing their lips crashing together for another kiss. ] But, fine, I got my answer. [ he licks his lips and gives diluc a wink before heading out of the tavern and back into the main hall... ]

[ his goal is the maze next. he promised not to fuck with the stupid giant door or whatever. ]

[This time he kisses back a little, with that baffled-offended look on his face the whole time.

But he says nothing as you head back to the maze

You find yourself in a frozen wasteland. The exit you just came through stands as an ornate stone arch, but there are no walls or other manmade structures in this area. There's only a storm-dark sky and the endless, jagged maze of ice. The slight breeze is painfully cold and dry and the ice creaks ominously.

There is nothing immediately apparent to interact with, except your reflections in the ice immediately near you, which distort like in a funhouse mirror. You have a deep sense of foreboding, and yet the maze beckons.]

Edited 2021-05-16 21:38 (UTC)

[ Obtained: Sheer Cold status effect. Thanks, he hates it.

Turns to Childe: ]

If the last room is any indication, perhaps one of us should turn on our Sight and one should be without so we can see both what we are meant to see and the reality of the situation.

[ snezhnayan origins,
+10 resistance to sheer cold. ]

[ nods. ] I agree. But let's communicate a little bit better, alright, since I'd rather not be launched across this room too. [ ribs him. ] Do you want to use your elemental sight again or should I take the lead?

My apologies. You know how I am around----

. . .

[ He coughs into his hand and straightens his posture ]

Perhaps you should take the lead this time. We can take turns since the one without the Sight is at a disadvantage.

I know Xiansheng. I'm sure you couldn't help it, but it did come as a bit of a surprise... [ his smile softens. ] But at least we're no longer in that room, and here's to hoping there are no more tentacle monsters to encounter.

[ he activates his elemental sight. ] Alright, let's see what this place has in store for us.

[with Elemental Sight, the wind blows all the harder and all the colder, chilling you to your bones. Other than that, not much seems to change...

Except, are you hearing whispers? They're unintelligible and quiet, tickling at the back of your mind, making you feel watched and judged.

Something flickers at the edge of your vision, but if you turn to look you see nothing but your own reflection.]

[ childe steels himself as soon as the cold becomes that much more frigid. at least he's use to this sort of thing... but that doesn't mean he likes it. frowns, doing his best to ignore the whispers, but it's difficult. ]

...not much has changed, Xiansheng. [ he looks over his shoulder... and then again... is there something here? he's going to summon his hydro blades just in case. ] Let's try to find the switch and get out of here ASAP.

[ Zhongli sees Childe summoning his blades and keeps his own spear ready in hand before approaching their reflections. ]

[The reflections are... silly funhouse distorted reflections? At least, for Zhongli, they do nothing out of the ordinary.

In Childe's view, Zhongli's reflection suddenly makes eye contact with him.

In the back of his head, there's a clearer whisper:

"Why are you even trying?"]

[ childe is sticking close to zhongli and he hadn't taken interest in the reflectins, so he's just kind of chilling ( LITERALLY ) ...at least until he notices zhongli's reflecting looking back at him. ok, uhm, much creep. he's about to look at zhongli, because did he turn or??? but then he hears the whisper and the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. ]

[ ... ]

[ he looks between the reflection of zhongli and zhongli, himself, frantically, because he couldn't possibly have heard that right. ]

[ childe clenches his teeth and nudges zhongli aside none too gently as he slashes at this particular reflection. ] Say that again. I dare you.

[ KER-SHOVED.

And Zhongli was going to step closer to put a hand on Childe's shoulder before he started attacking the reflection.

Oh.

Oh, this is probably not good. ]

Cheri. . .

[ let him kill it, zhongli. he doesn't want to have to hear that again, especially not from something wearing your face. he growls in the back of his throat in response to his name, pulling away so he can follow through with his attack. ]

[The ice cracks and frosts over, and the reflection is gone. But behind it are more shiny pieces of ice, creating more reflections.

"It's pointless. You can't win. No matter how strong you are, you're nothing but a fake."

So the whispers say, in voices Childe will hear as ones he knows and loves. His family, his comrades, a growing tide of disparaging remarks that begins to fill his ears with chatter. Their reflections look at him with disgust and disdain on their warped features. But Zhongli hears nothing.]

. . .

[ for a moment he freezes... like he had hoped he would get a bit of reprieve from the whispers, but, nope, instead it gets worse. a lot worse. he tightens his grip on his weapons and starts attempting to destroy anything & everything. ]

[ lies! it's all lies! ]

[ but then he remembers the arrival of the other childe and that *he* had died and that maybe... no. ]

I'll show you weak! [ SUMMONING A MOTHERFUCKEN WHALE TO TRY TO CRASH IN ON YOUR MAZE. ]

[ Did he just summon a hydro whale in the middle of a frozen wasteland? ]

[ Just. Going. To.

Attempt to hook one arm around Childe's waist and pull him back so that they don't both get drenched with water when that thing makes contact and freeze to death. ]

I do not know what they are saying but I ask that you not listen to them.

Edited 2021-05-16 23:29 (UTC)

[The whale smashes into the ice, splashing water everywhere. Thanks to Zhongli they don't get soaked, but every drop of water that touches them does in fact instantly freeze.

The impact breaks a few spikes, but it also creates a whole new layer of reflective ice all over the ground and the previously too-rough-to-reflect surfaces. Due to the water seeping outward, this reflective puddle has trapped their shoes a little. But more important is the roar of criticism in Childe's head, accusations of lying and faking and worthlessness and inevitable death.

And then, fully visible to both of you, the reflections suddenly reach their twisted limbs out of the ice. They are emerging as distorted clones of the both of you, their shapes inhuman and their movements jerky and unsettling. Due to the new ice, there are now dozens of enemies, and more emerging as the others leave the ice free to reflect again. You will be swarmed, and quickly, if you're not careful.

You could try to fight them. You could also leave the way you came, or further into the maze.]

[ childe can't stop making shit worse for himself... but that's nothing new. causing a stir is all he's good at, and sometimes it backfires onto himself. LIKE NOW. he scowls in response to all the shit being slung at him and starts shouting back, in snezhnayan, as he starts attempting to flood this room. he has no interest in fighting these stupid things, but if he can summon more and more water, then he can freeze them all into a block of ice. ]

[ he keeps himself pressed into zhongli and backs them both up toward the door, inevitably shoving him out and slamming it shut as soon they're back in the main hall. ]

...

[ he dispels his weapons and just stalks back and forth like an animal for a bit, trying to clear his head of all of the negativity. once he sufficiently manages he'll just head for the door with the favonious emblem on it. ]

[ Zhongli watches him pace without comment.

Considering all that has happened to Childe in the past few days, perhaps now is not the best time to pry... ]

[You have created a lot more ice. Rather than a block it flows and splashes amongst the spikes, making more and more reflections with more and more shittalking and--

--and then you escape. Your next destination is the Acting Grandmaster's office.]

... [ as soon as he's finished pacing he crouches down and just remains hunched there. ] ...sorry. I don't think we'll be finding the lock in that room. [ and he's not going back in anytime soon. maybe a bit later once he's cool off ( ayyy ) but... he needs a bit of a break. ]

[Brrrrr.... well, she expected the cold, but this is harsh.

However, she's not one to back down. Celes presses forward, looking at the reflections off the ice.]

[The maze is deep and winding, and your reflections numerous and increasingly oddly shaped. You get the distinct sense you're being watched, and closely.]

[She keeps her guard up, but doesn't stop moving forward through the maze; idly keeping track of the twists and turns.]

[The watching feeling remains, but nothing seems to come of it. You round a corner -- and suddenly, you see a green, sunny piece of meadow. It's completely different from the ice around it. Peaceful. Beautiful.]

[...talk about a shift in scenery.

But that feeling still being there bothers her. Can she in fact look back with elemental sight to see if something is Off?]

[with Elemental Sight, the room changes a bit-- wind blows all the harder and all the colder, chilling you to your bones. Other than that, it seems the same...

Except, are you hearing whispers? They're unintelligible and quiet, tickling at the back of your mind, making you feel watched and judged.

Something flickers at the edge of your vision, but if you turn to look you see nothing but your own reflection.

The meadow evaporates into nothing.]

[Okay, mental note: this room is worse when examined closely. Got it.

She'll turn that off for the time being... but keep it in mind. Time to move forward, into the "meadow".]

[The meadow is very nice! For an instant, you feel warm.

And then it disappears in this version, too. You can see it, floating away in a faint cloud of mist.]

[CRUEL.

But she'll take what she can get. Is there more maze ahead....?]

[There is plenty more! Will you continue to the center?]

[She will carry the memory of that small warmth with her and continue onward, to the center!!]

[You keep going! Every so often, when you turn, you find another pleasant scene. A warm hearth, a rooftop with a gentle breeze. But every time you enter them, they disappear. The sense of eyes on you doesn't let up, but you do, eventually, reach the center.

There, you find a small hollow, free from the cold. There's a fireplace and a plush sofa, on which Pavo is lounging with a cocktail glass in hand.]

You made it, huh? That was brave.

[...........................of course there is. Pavo why in the fuck are you like this.

no, it is not actually a question.

Celes scoots herself into the hollow and makes herself comfortable next to him.]

Well... I can't just stand by when the people I care about need me.

Always the sweet one, Celes.

[He puts his feet down so she can sit, and offers her the bottle of dandelion wine.]

Have a drink. You've entered a good place. Imagination, you know? This, and I, can be anything you ask for, if you will it.

[She takes the bottle.

Anything is dangerous. She needs to focus.

...but she will have herself a drink.]

Does that mean... that out there... is that your imagination? Or perhaps... perception.

It's a kind of potential, is all I can say. It's hard to define.

[The drink is very strong, but nice! Nothing untoward happens.]

[She trusts him, it's Fine.]

I see. [...] I do think that's one kind of potential. But I think there are plenty of others, too.

[definitely Fine]

Oh? What were you thinking of?

[Celes thinks for a long moment with her drink before speaking.]

Ice is really beautiful, you know? It shimmers in the sun and reflects beautiful colors. It can be strong enough to support people-- and can even keep the cold winds back.

Right now, it's like it's trying to take everything in, but looking from all angles it just gets warped and distorted. So maybe... a palace of ice, surrounded by a lake of ice. Clear, sharp surfaces that reflect clearly and beautifully.

I see... Well then.

[He waves a hand, and while their couch seems to stay put, the maze shifts into exactly what she described! It's beautiful and perfect. Just like she wanted.]

...it really changed...!

[WHAT THE HECKIE]

Like I said. This can be anything you wish for.

It's one thing to say that, but having it really happen...

...really, though-- this place is beautiful no matter how you look at it. It's something to be proud of. [...] But I hope a little change of scenery might chase away some of the unwanted voices and shadows.

One might hope.

[he seems pretty chill about it, anyway.]

Were you looking for anything in particular here, or would you like to stay and relax?

As nice as it would be to stay-- I really do need to keep going.

I'm looking for a switch.

Oh, that little thing?

[As if it's totally unimportant...!

He pulls it out of his shirt. It's just there.]

Go on and unlock it, then.

[Giggling and shaking her head softly--]

If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were stalling just to spend some time with me.

[But time to apply hydro to the switch!]

I might've been.

[The hydro symbol lights up, and the light turns on! You hear another distant click.]

Sorry to disappoint, but you'll have to wait a little bit longer. When this is over though, I'll be back.

[Celes gets up and sneaks a quick kiss to his cheek on the way.

Time to find the path that opened up!!]

[The only exit is still the one back from whence you came. The big sealed door is still sealed, but you can go into any of the other rooms!]

[Time to head back and take the stone-framed door next!]

[You enter a very lively place.]

[ HI I'M BACK. ]

[ he summons his hydro blades and heads inside. ]

[ STOP RIGHT THERE! ]

Cheri!

[ cou^ld _th^at ju^st b_{e th}e ^maze f_ucki_ng wi^th _h^is he_ad? ]

Xiansheng...

XIANSHENG! [ turns. SLOWLY. ]

[ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it's zhongli, and he's in once piece! ]

[ drops his blades, leaving them to lose their form as soon as they hit the ground. he bolts over to zhongli and throws his arms around him, squeezing him, like he's got to test if he's real or not. ]

[ Zhongli is very real. He even makes an 'oomph' sound as Childe squeezes him and he tries to awkwardly pat him on the arm in return. ]

You do not have to worry about this one.

The door is open now.

I don't care about the door. It's not something I'm going through, and this is the only room I hadn't activated a lock in. He's hiding something in here, I'm sure, so... [ he takes a step back to look zhongli over. ] Did you take the tile out of your chest... [ also how is that wound doing? still looking horrible? ]

I did not so I assume it is still there.

[ He probably looks the worse for wear, bloody clothes and scars especially around the chest area. They both probably look like hell at this point. But it doesn't seem to be life threatening or slowing him down too much at least. ]

Do you want to activate the lock here as well then? Even though the door is open.

I just want to poke around. If the door's open, then there's no need for the lock, unless there's some sort of secret door somewhere... but I guess I wouldn't put that past Pavo. No elemental sight though, let's just... see what we can find without it.

Very well then.

[ And he'll step further into the maze.

Don't mind if he takes the lead, Childe. This place seems to have it out for him in particular. ]

[ he’s not letting zhongli take the lead. if anything, they’re walking side by side. ]

Xiansheng... [ reaches for his hand. ]

[ Childe is successful both in grabbing Zhongli's hand and making him pause in his steps. ]

Yes?

[ good. ]

I’m sorry. [ hesitantly reaches for his chest. ] Are you sure you’re alright. Maybe we should go see if Jean won’t heal you first.

[ He tracks that motion with his eyes but does not move away or flinch at Childe's touch. ]

No, I am not sure if I am alright. But if you think we should complete this room, then after that we can rest for good.

I believe I shall be fine enough for that.

... [ frowns at that. ] If were still here, then we haven’t completed our objectives, and this is the only room we haven’t gone over with a fine toothed comb, but... you mean more to me than him, so much more, so we don’t have to do this - continue, that is - especially if you’re not really sure...

[ loosely drapes an arm around zhongli’s shoulders in an attempt to pull him closer, fingers twisting in his ponytail. ]

[ He relaxes into the hold, more for Childe's benefit than his honestly.

(Maybe he can still convince him to give up this room.) ]

We have unlocked the door. That is all that I agreed to do for the Grandmaster. That is what she said might help.

So no--- I do not care to wander through these walls of ice especially if they are primed to chip away at our mental fortitude.

[ Never mind that Childe also got skewered upstairs so it's not like either of them are doing great. ]

Alright. [ he stares down the ice hell for a moment more and then starts judging zhongli back toward the door. ] Let’s get out of here before something happens.

Yes.

Let's see if we can wait it out in the Grandmaster's office.

[ nods. ]

[ goes back into the office. ]

You wake up.

There is nothing around you but a void and wisps of acrid smoke. The scent of burning -- of wood, of flesh, of scorched stone -- assaults your nose, and breathing stings your lungs just slightly.

There is no way back. There is only a dark stone path winding before you, towards a distant horizon where there flickers an occasional baleful flame.

[ Well.

. . .

This doesn't look good.

He pushes himself up to his feet and calls out to the darkness anyway. ]

Hello?

[You get no answer. You may notice: in this place, there is absolutely no wind.]

[ Good thing he's not Venti.

But also--- he tests making a stone stele to see if his vision still works. ]

[it does! you have placed a very helpful pillar]

[ That's vaguely surprising but welcome.

He starts heading down the path toward the flame. ]

[You go a ways down the path, but don't seem to be getting any closer.

Eventually, you come upon a fork in the road. A question pops up in your mind, clear as if it had been spoken to you.

"Imagine you're a guard, traveling with a merchant, and you find out a group of bandits plans to ambush you about ten minutes down the road. You could turn them in to the local authorities, but there's always the chance they could escape in that time. Or, you could go meet them head on, at the risk of your fellow guards' lives. Will you take the cautious road, or the risky one?"

You know, immediately, that the lefthand fork is the cautious way, and the righthand the risky.]

[ Zhongli cannot risk the lives of the innocent that he was sworn to protect. Not only the guards but the merchant could be caught in the crossfire.

He takes the cautious road. ]

[You head down the cautious road! After a few meters, though, the path turns to a thick, wet mud under your feet. You're sucked in, up to the chest, and your powers now don't work.

You're stuck. Probably?]

[ I---

Why are people from Teyvat like this???

Well, his geo powers don't work, but he touches his chest where Childe buried Monoceros Caeli.

Does that work? ]

[It doesn't. Or maybe it does?

Regardless, you suddenly feel presences at either side of you, looking down.]

You look like you need a hand.

[There, on your left, is a man who looks a lot like Noctua, only older and with a beard. On the right is...

...Who? You feel like you're seeing another man there, but his features don't stick in your head. It's like trying to recall the face of someone you've nearly forgotten -- although you might not be able to relate to that so much.]

[ Thanks. He hates that feeling of looking at the person on the right. ]

I suppose this is another choice.

So. Who are the two of you?

[They both say, at the exact same time:]

Father.

[And then they chuckle a little, as if sharing a joke. Then they offer their hands to help you out of the mud.

Once you're up, the not-quite-there man continues.]

It is a choice, but it should be a simple one. You should take my hand, because you're meant to. It's very important you don't deviate from this path, or there will be consequences for many more than you.

[The redheaded man sighs a little, in response.]

It is simple, but it's my hand you should take. What's important isn't what you're meant to do. It's what makes you happy. The people who love you.

[You could choose. Or you could try to escape it.]

[ He turns to the redheaded man. ]

If I choose you, will you be able to do anything about that dreadful tavern downstairs?

The tavern?

[he considers, for a moment.]

I think... I lost the ability to fix that four years ago.

I know that place is Love.

If you can't fix it, then how can you back up the claim you made?

Pavo understands who I am, yes? I don't enter contracts the other side can't uphold.

...He does.

[and you've seen through the ruse! This man's offer isn't quite what he says it is. And so, is the other man's the truth, or a different kind of lie?]

[ Please understand he is internally facepalming.

Pavo.

How many layers of lies does the rabbit hole go?

(He just wants to get back to Childe before there's nothing left of this heart but a smoldering crater.) ]

[ Turns to the not-quite-there man ]

And you.

What duty does he have now that he is no longer in Teyvat?

You might have to ask him that yourself. I'm sure it would interest you. But if you don't choose now, will you even be able to do that?

[sure is a lot of pressure!

but there's still the path. you could still just book it.]

I'll take my chances with Pavo himself.

[ Yep. Just gonna----

Try to get by on his own power. Vision or no vision. ]

[Off you go...!

And just a few steps down the path, you hear a loud series of clicks, and a long creaking noise, before everything goes white.

You go "home"

You find yourself standing on a well-worn path that leads through lush grapevines to a fine timberframe manor. The sun plays through the leaves of trees and glowing teal "butterflies" float amongst the ripening grapes.

It smells of earth, and growing things, and comfort. A warm and gentle breeze teases your hair, inviting you up the path, where you'll find Pavo standing under a terrace in elegant dress that's much less flamboyant than usual, picking grapes and dropping them by the bunch into a wooden basket.

"I really didn't expect you to get here... I have to say I'm impressed."

I do not know if impressive is the word I would use to describe it.

[ And then he takes a deep breath. ]

I know it is rude of me since I have only just arrived, but I need to find Cheri.

Edited 2021-05-18 05:39 (UTC)

I'm sure he'll show up on his own soon. He's trying to get here and the door is open, after all.

[ Glances toward the door. Does it look like the center room is destroyed?

Offhandedly: ]

Ah. So he managed to find all the locks?

[The "door" is just an archway between a couple of trees, from this side. You can't really see back into HQ. There's only light.]

All but one. But he didn't need to. You unlocked the whole puzzle all on your own.

By denying those two people?

I have no interest in prying as those secrets are you own. But it did not escape my notice that only one room was not... for lack of a kinder term, slightly horrific.

Well, I'm a complicated guy. Aaaand admittedly, not in the best shape at the moment.

[. . .]

Ah. Cheri seems to have decided not to come in after all. You want to go after him, or should I just bring him directly here?

I think he would not appreciate being lead anywhere at the moment. Can you tell me where he is headed?

Back to the maze to mess himself up, looks like.

[Shrug???]

Thank you.

[ And he heads toward the archway but before he leaves: ]

I hope having this door open aides you.

[ And then he's chasing after Childe ]

Pavo Heart Game: Sunday Session

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