cryovision | Pavo Heart Game: Wednesday Session

Pavo Heart Game: Wednesday Session

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.]

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[the lock lights up, and you hear a distant click!]

[Sweet.]

[She will drop the elemental sight and see if the woman pops up.]

[She does! Everything returns to the way it was.]

I see you've accomplished a bit.

I think so.

What is Pavo's job anyway?

Hm? Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius. Why?

Just curious what job he had that had so much responsibility.

It is a busy job... But there's more to "me" than that.

Of course. There's always more to a person then a job.

So why a captain?

"I" rose to that rank naturally, after-- after Master Noctua quit. The knights has ten captains, under the command of the Grandmaster. The Cavalry Captain also serves as quartermaster.

I mean, why become one?

...That's a long story.

One 'you're' willing to share or no?

[CONSIDERING...]

I can tell you something. "I" joined the knights because my "brother" joined the knights. Because our "father" wanted nothing more for him but that success, and because "I" wished to stay at his side.

But he left, and his position was open, and there were things "I" knew I could accomplish with that title. So "I" took the promotion.

So even if you couldn't stay at his side, those goals were worth staying for?

That's right.

I see.

[Hmmmm.]

What is the deity's domain?

"Domain"...? Anemo -- wind, that is. And freedom.

Hmmmm. [She looks out the window, at the stale air.]

[She turns on Elemental Sight and will stand up, walking over to the statue with a broken wing, picking it up.] Wind and freedom...

[You are back in the other version of the room, with the sparkly wind and the broken statue.

The desk drawer from the envelopes is hanging open.]

[Anything else in the drawer?]

[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.]

[Huh. Pulling them out of the drawer, see if there's an effect like the pictures.]

[You scoop out the trinkets! The moment they're 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.]

[You come into yourself, but since you grabbed them all at once, you're thrown immediately back to the past.]

[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 there's no third memory. The pin and ribbon leave a sense of nostalgia, but the glue is just glue.]

..... [she stares fir a minute at the ribbon and pin. Lets tge silence reign, before holding them, the statue, and moves to stand at the window with the glowing wind.]

[And-]

[Well, standing there might do something first-]

[Standing there doesn't do anything, but the floral smell is nice!]

Pavo Heart Game: Wednesday Session

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