(no subject)

[wotanon]

Who; Anybody
Where; Wherever
When; Day 435

[ it's time for some memory roulette,
ARE YOU FEELING LUCKY?! ]

Comments

Re: cw: suicide; witness ok; endwalker spoilers

[leaveofabsence]

[ There is a gentle hand on her wrist to stop her from pulling on the earring further. ]

Alisaie.

Re: cw: suicide; witness ok; endwalker spoilers

[scattershot]

Sorry.

[She can't do this to him now.]

Just - reflex.

Re: cw: suicide; witness ok; endwalker spoilers

[leaveofabsence]

An understandable one.

But perhaps we might be able to instill a different kind of habit. Would you care to join me for a walk?

Re: cw: suicide; witness ok; endwalker spoilers

[scattershot]

A walk...?

[He'd mentioned that before, hadn't he...? After the game.

[She pushes her half-drunk coffee away, with the tips of her fingers. There'll be world enough and time for another, when she's feeling slightly less inclined to break the cup.]

A change of air sounds wonderful, yes. Thank you, Zhongli. I'd be glad to.

Re: cw: suicide; witness ok; endwalker spoilers

[leaveofabsence]

[ He offers his arm to her as she stands. ]

There are some wonderful gardens not too far from here. I've been meaning to show you for a long while now.

[scattershot]

[She takes it.]

Oh, you have? Then I should very much like to see them.

Would you care to take a warm drink with you, since we're in the café, or shall we just go?

[leaveofabsence]

Yes, that would be lovely. Shall I order you a fresh one as well?

[scattershot]

Please. Just black coffee for me. Unless there's a tea you'd recommend?

[leaveofabsence]

I think we should go with the most comforting drink given the circumstances.

[ So he orders a black coffee of a type he thinks Five would enjoy since Five is as much of a coffee snob as Zhongli is a tea snob.

Almost. ]

[scattershot]

[Ah yes, the circumstances.]

Some other time, then. Thank you.

[Alisaie draws her coat a little tighter about herself as they head for the door. Having something to keep her hands warm is just as welcome as the drink, if she's honest.]

I keep thinking I really should get some kind of vehicle... not that I'd know what to do with it if I did.

[leaveofabsence]

While I do prefer walking so that I might enjoy the scenery, I do have a motorcycle if you would like to try your hand at it.

[scattershot]

You have a motorcycle...?

[This does not compute with her image of Zhongli at all and yet is somehow exceptionally intriguing.]

You'll have to show me how it works, some time. I've just been endlessly borrowing horses, when I want to get away.

[leaveofabsence]

You can thank D.Va for such an accomplishment. It is unfortunate that the two of you could meet for only a short time.

She certainly knew how to lift everyone's spirits.

[scattershot]

I don't know why they didn't let her graduate. She'd certainly been here long enough. She deserved better than just being cast aside...

[This isn't lifting the mood much at all, is it?

[Alisaie falls silent for a moment, the cup in both hands, fingers spread to catch the warmth.]

It's like a part of her's still here, isn't it? If you pass on something to me that you learned from her... she might almost still be around. Encouraging us all to be different.

[leaveofabsence]

[ Even if the topic is not the most uplifting, he smiles all the same at her comment ]

Exactly.

That is the true beauty of this place.

She lives on in us. Just as I will take each and every one of you with me back to Liyue when I return.

[scattershot]

And just think... if we hadn't been brought here - even if it's like this, and for a terrible purpose - then we'd never have met at all. I can't even imagine a life which had never had you in it...

[She laughs, a little ruefully.]

I don't suppose I shall ever be grateful to them. That really is asking too much. But I am glad.

[leaveofabsence]

We have a saying in Liyue - that flowers can bloom even in the most turbulent of storms. I like to think that our fated meeting here is one such flower.

It may be fleeting and only a spark of color and life across a bleak landscape, but I am glad to have experienced it nonetheless.