imeeji_frontstage | (it's gonna rain tonight)

[As soon as he touches her, they both get snapped with a spark of static electricity, almost as if she had been dragging herself over a mile of carpet on her way to the lobby. She flinches, but otherwise calmly allows him to assist]

As a matter of fact, one is in surprisingly good health! One's legs have ceased functioning, but there is no pain, and one has been assured it is but temporary. It is, at most, an annoying inconvenience, but second to the annoyance one feels over not emerging victorious from this endeavor.

Well. It was probably inevitable. There was some initial dissent surrounding whether to participate in this challenge at all, which resulted in tactics from which we could not recover.

[ He stops at the first shock, blinking like he doesn't quite know what happened. Ah, best not to push it.

Folding his hands in his lap: ]

I see. Did your unit not wish to hurt the others?

Edited 2022-10-08 00:11 (UTC)

Our two hostages were a boy named Causality, who seems convinced he is human refuse deserving to be cast away, and a certain Yaksha that needs no description. Both were adamant that they preferred drowning over harming anyone on any team, including ours. Despite one's vociferous dissent, ultimately one relented to honor their desires and allow them to play as they wished.

However, unbeknownst to the others in our team, one member of our group snuck out an attack anyway. And it is well that he did, as it turned out the "punishments" were, in fact, naught but minor annoyances such as "weakness of the legs" and "intermittent static shocks," which the target teams would have had the choice to accept or disregard as they pleased.

So in the end, it was a choice between allowing our hostages to perish in agony, or ask another to willingly accept the most trivial of inconvenience. Both of them also admitted that, had the tables been turned, they would have cared not for our wishes, and would have forced us to watch as they subjected themselves to relentless tortures for no reason at all, even when it was not being asked of them.

All in all, the experience has thrown into clear resolution all those times you came to visit at one's abode with a certain look on your face, and deeply quashed your wine while saying nothing at all.

Edited 2022-10-08 04:11 (UTC)

[ That gets a small smile despite the ... everything about this situation. ]

Please, you make me sound Barbatos when you phrase it in such a manner.

But yes, that is a concerning trend that I have seen here. So many young ones are willing to thrust themselves upon the sword as if somehow pain was localized and finite, only affecting them in that situation.

Add to that layers of miscommunication and blame and self-loathing, and it creates the exact sort of atmosphere that the producers wish to achieve.

Unfortunately, I do not believe there is a good solution to such a problem. You may certainly attempt to instill preservation in a handful of them through repeated time and effort. But as for the yaksha---

Ah, no matter how much I try it does not seem to get through to him. And now that my identity has been revealed, I must be extra cautious that he does not perceive anything as an order.

Fortunately, one is subject to no such inhibitions. The next time our paths cross, that child shall be receiving such a peck directly to the forehead!

[She's probably joking... right?]

[ Is she tho? ]

If only such an act were effective.

Indeed. Nothing is so simple, is it.

[She's still grumpy tho. Sigh.]

And unless "sensitive" can do something about one's legs, one suspects maintaining one's daily routine - such as it is in this realm - shall not be very simple over the coming days, either.

[ Oh.

Yeah, that means Cloud Retainer can't walk or touch anyone for days.

Hmmmmm... ]

Do you need an assistant?

...

Perhaps so.

As loath as one is to admit it, one shall have a difficult time foraging on one's own.

[ Zhongli summons a smaller dragon version of himself. One long noodle dragon with gold horns and a fluffy gold tail. ]

Stay with Cloud Retainer until she regains use of her legs and follow her commands to the best of your ability.

[ The aibou dragon chirps before settling next to Cloud Retainer, eagerly awaiting the first instruction. ]

!!!!!

WH--

[whips her head around to boggle directly into zhongli's eyes]

Rex?!

WHYEVER DID YOU OMIT THAT YOU HAD A CHILD?! REX!!! OH, ONE CANNOT BELIEVE YOU ARE A FATHER AT LAST!!! ONE KNEW IT WOULD HAPPEN EVENTUALLY, CONGRATULATIONS!

[

Ah. ]

It is not my child.

Also--- at last?

[ Harrumphs ]

I am not that much older than you.

Edited 2022-10-09 20:12 (UTC)

[Cranes reach sexual maturity around 3 years old and have two chicks per year for decades after, so it's probably safe to assume she fired off at least a dozen or so before achieving apotheosis. Also, it's been 4000-6000(?) years since then so she has probably raised at least a few dozen more over the years, whether they were her biological children or not. Unfortunately, she loves children.]

Age has nothing to do with it, as well you know. It shall occur if and when you so desire. But should you desire it... ohhhh, one cannot imagine anything more precious than a small Rex in miniature, to dote on and nurture, to watch it grow and learn about the greatest wonders of the world. One should like nothing more than to see it, should that time ever arrive.

[her eyes are sparkling just thinking about it]

But if this is not your child, then whose? Why, it looks just like you!

It is an ability of the Heart Soldier troupe. Though not offspring, it might be better to think of it as an extension of myself. Like if the exuvia could still perform duties while my mortal form was living his life as he pleased. He will do as he's commanded and then return to me when finished.

[ A longer pause ]

Though on the subject of children, I have taken a partner and two lovers since coming to the production, one who has since graduated and returned to their world. If there are offspring to be had for any of these relationships, I'm afraid you'll have to wait for them to mature longer before you can be a potential aunt.

[!!!]

Why, one insists to be introduced to the two beaus who remain at your earliest convenience! And in the meantime, one should like to hear about all three in great detail! For those who are precious to you are, by extension, precious to the one before you as well.

[ That gets a huff on endearment out of him ]

You do not have to care for them just because I do, my dear friend, though the sentiment is greatly appreciated. And one is someone I believe you care for already.

[ The other tried to sink Liyue Harbor under an extremely convoluted game of manipulation and 4D chess that Rex Lapis played against himself. ]

Let us get out of this lobby and somewhere where we can sit and chat.

Ah... yes.

[She looks at the dragon...]

Er... by what name shall one call it?

The skill is called Aibou, but I have not thought to name it properly...

No??

Hm! Well! Since you are Rex Lapis, then this should be Priceps Glarea!

Priceps Glarea.

[ He turns towards his aibou ]

Well. What do you think?

[ The dragon chirps in Cloud Retainer's general direction ]

[For all she knows, that could be an acceptance, a rejection, or just a random noise. But, she figures it MUST be acceptance because all her ideas are good ones]

Then, so it shall be!

Princeps Glarea, one's legs are temporarily ceased their function. Kindly assist one in accompanying Rex to whichever destination he may have in mind.

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leaveofabsence - 2022-10-16 19:05 (UTC) - Expand

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