Pavo Heart Game: Sunday Session

[cryovision]

When you enter the light, you find yourself hovering weightless in a void, as if caught in a moment of falling inertia. In the distance, you hear a voice that seems to shift and twist, familiar and yet unfamiliar.

"You shouldn't be here. But since you already are, let's make a wager. If you can uncover the truth, you'll find me. If you can't, you may be hopelessly lost... What a shame that would be."

You begin falling, and your vision blacks out--

[OOC NOTE: your goals are "reveal the truth" to "find the true heart". All images in toplevels are for general inspo, please make sure you read the flavourtext cause things are not exactly as they are in the images.]

Comments

ANGEL'S SHARE

[cryovision]

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.

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[leaveofabsence]

[ 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. ]

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[childeishly]

...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.

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[leaveofabsence]

[ 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. ]

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[cryovision]

[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.

1/2

[leaveofabsence]

[ 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) ]

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[leaveofabsence]

[ 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?

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[cryovision]

[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?

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[leaveofabsence]

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

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

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[cryovision]

You might need that later. Keep it.

[He seems to be unfazed!]

Why do you think it's not true?

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[leaveofabsence]

[ 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.

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[cryovision]

[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.]

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[childeishly]

[ 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.

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[cryovision]

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...?]

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[childeishly]

[ ...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.

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[cryovision]

[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.]

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[childeishly]

[ 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. ]

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[childeishly]

[ 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. ]

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[cryovision]

[...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.]

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[childeishly]

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

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[cryovision]

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.]

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[childeishly]

[ 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. ]

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[cryovision]

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

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[childeishly]

... [ 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.

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[cryovision]

[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...]