[ Thanks, Gu Yun. Primrose takes ten seconds to breathe, moves the balloon behind her and then additionally moves to cover Childe so he can try and break the window.
It earns her a bite to one forearm and a hiss of pain but she also tries unceremoniously to shove a bangle into its mouth to delay it from further chomping, kicking out at the other one.
Anyway, you're all doing great (?). Protect that balloon, Gu Yun! And your gorgeous face! How is Childe trying to break the window? I hope he tries hitting it with his hand, because if he does, it... does not break and he'll have hurt his hand for no reason at all. But anyway, regardless of what he does, the window is apparently indestructible.
In fact, between that and a door that won't open, it seems like you're out of options! The dogs keep attacking, seemingly invincible and not running out of energy, whereas the four probably are. This goes on for a while, but then, a voice echoes in their minds—the same voice at the start, who told them to fight.
Do you want to survive?
Do you want power?
If you do, then accept the path you must take, no matter the price—and drink the vapour.
[ Vlad tries to kick the dog off, but to no avail. It just keeps gnawing on his leg, sinking its teeth deeper into his flesh. Eventually, he gives in and elbows the dog hard enough to loosen its grasp on him...but now it only puts his arm within biting reach too.
Wonderful. Now he's got a dog ripping into his arm too. Vlad swings his arm wildly (hope it doesn't hit one of the others!), aiming to smash the dog up against the wall in the hopes of loosening it.
And--yeah, there's that voice in his head again, and for a second he thinks--vapor? Before he remembers the balloons.
Oh, absolutely the fudge not. Vlad would rather the devil dogs he knows than the devil vapor he doesn't. ]
[ what is it with this place that wants gu yun to do drugs!!!! first it was molly with the weed, then the opium den, and now balloon vapor!?
ultimately, it comes down to this. he can't get this fucking dog off of his arm, and its teeth are digging in to the point that even he can feel it. all of the training, all of the martial arts, every skill he's ever had in his life is useless in this situation, and it's becoming increasingly more obvious that there's nothing he can do.
childe couldn't get the window - the door wouldn't budge - the dogs won't stop. tactically, assessing, there's only one thing to do. gu yun's free arm shoves past another dog as the one on his arm digs its teeth in until blood is spurting from his arm, grabs the balloon, and pulls it right in front of himself so it pops and puts a cloud of the vapor right in his face - hopefully "drink" works with "inhale". mmm lessa juice
[Yeah he absolutely just punched the glass so now he has a hurt hand. Rude? But it's fine, he's had worse. I typoed that as "he's hand worse" so that's how I'm doing today.
ANYWAY. While he would normally be none trust left beef, they've already established that this is an illusion, and even if it wasn't--who the hell wants to die getting torn apart by hungry dogs?
So there's no hesitation as he makes a grab for a balloon. GENSHIN'S BALLOONS ARE more like balloon-adjacent but for the sake of simplicity I will say he understands this clip situation or whatever's happening, so he will drink his drugs properly, hopefully before a dog tries to lunge for him.]
[ This sounds like a very bad idea. But her arm is bleeding, she's got scratches all over her legs at this point, and she can't do a damn thing, so after glancing at the others (mostly to see how they do it) and offering Vlad a reluctant shrug, she too works her balloon open enough to drink this mysterious vapor.
[thanks pixi for accepting that i was totally lying about anything i said regarding the balloons and tape because i just forgot how these balloons worked in canon
Anyhow! Everyone drinks the vapour, except for Vlad, who unfortunately does not succeed in shaking the dog off. They'll soon black out, so who knows? Maybe Vlad was right not to drink it.
... Except once they fall to the floor, unconscious, the dogs leave them alone. It's not quite instantaneous; rather, they pause, before backing away, as if sensing something about the three that can't be seen.
Unfortunately for Vlad, this does nothing to curb their apparent desire to vore. All it does is make him the only target left to go after! Which they do.
[ Nope! Absolutely not, not now knowing that vaping the balloons causes you to pass out and maybe spontaneously die? Vlad would check but he's getting chewed on by a dog.
...of course, that's when he notices that all the other dogs have all focused on him now. They all jump him, biting into his shoulder, his other arm, his hip--he stumbles violently backwards until he hits the wall and tries to fight for a moment, but he feels so weak and--and--
all the others at least aren't conscious to get eaten alive, so you know what? screw it.
Vlad desperately unties the balloon knot as well as he can, with multiple dogs hanging off his arms like toothy leeches, and inhales as much of it as he possibly can. ]
[Everyone's out on their drug trip now! Yaaaaaaay.
When they wake up, it's a white void, everywhere around them a seemingly endless expanse of nothingness. They'll soon notice a few things... new about themselves!
First off, they now have two cute horns on their head. Do these seem familiar? Eh, probably just their imagination. (No, they look identical to White's uno horn.) Furthermore, where a normal human would have molars, they have fangs! Sharp.
Second, their vore dog wounds are partially healed (to however small or large of an extent you so desire, though they will scar over no matter how healed).
Third, their physical capabilities have been enhanced. Not quite superhuman, perhaps, but they're definitely a lot stronger, faster, more agile, more enduring, etc. than the average human now.
Fourth, if they happen to get particularly emotional, dark vapour might spill from their mouth. Does this do anything? No, it's just for aesthetic. But just so you know!
That aside, if they look closely, they might see a figure in the distance; the only thing otherwise breaking up a monotone of pure white.]
[ LAST TO VAPE, FIRST TO WAKE UP. LIFO, baybeeeeee
It's a strange sensation, standing around in a white nothingness. Even stranger still is the way his body feels now. The pain from the dogs is dulled and, in fact, many of the last bites have scarred over while the worse, initial ones are barely bleeding now. He feels so much stronger than before, and it's almost a nostalgic throwback to how he feels when he has access to his ghost powers, if not for the strange horns on his head now.
He spots what looks like a speck in the distance, and squints at it. ]
[ he said he didn't want to die, but that's cool!!
gu yun sits up, and the first thing he feels is that rush of odd strength. it's inhuman in ways he isn't, and he takes a long moment to assess himself and his surroundings, breathing in, and out, and reaching up to briefly feel at the horn. he thinks... of endorsi, not white, at first (this is white's cyoa? rude) but eventually does, as he's getting to his feet and assessing his injuries. there's blood, but it at least seems to have stopped freely bleeding, and gu yun flexes his fingers before looking around to the others. ]
This is precisely why I avoided the opium den.
[ terrible. sarcasm helps no one. he will glance back to make sure prim is okay (and childe, i guess) before giving a nod of his head in the direction of the speck. time to walk that way? he'll lead the charge if no one else will. ]
But okay just for kicks, let's say Childe's wounds are barely healed, so he can get blood on the floor of the color-inversed Abyss or whatever. He hopes it stains, because he didn't need MORE memories of vicious dogs, thanks.
Anyways, the bites (mostly on his leg) are at least healed enough that he's not gonna just bleed out on the floor, as hilarious as that would be. So he ignores them in favor of checking in with this new sensation of strength and power.
Hunh.
Neat, can he keep it? The new pointy bits can stay too, he guesses...]
I can't say I'm much of a fan either, to be honest.
[At least drinking keeps you warm. GOD. He'll get gingerly to his feet, offering his hand to Primrose.]
[ She's a little slow to stir, and for a minute, she looks completely disoriented, her hand reaching up to touch the little horns and then looking herself over.
The scratch and bite marks have all scabbed over at least, and she finally sighs under her breath and takes Childe's hand with a faint smile. ]
We're all in one piece, if nothing else. Shall we go see who our new dance partner is?
[ Which means she's going to start walking there too, even as she lightly tugs Childe along with her. ]
Anyway. As they approach the speck, it grows bigger... and bigger... and bigger! In fact, once it's within sight, it becomes clear what it is: a goat-like monster that will loom over them.
Fortunately, despite its somewhat nightmarish appearance, it doesn't seem hostile. It'll wait patiently for them! Once they're all there, it speaks.]
Humans.
I see you have walked paths stained in blood to reach where you are now. Then, you who have chosen to wield my power—what is the road you hope to take from here?
[ honestly i just thought they were all standing by default here but that's fine, leave the poor old man on the floor until he scrambles up onto his legs and walks to the speck himself.
And uh, boy howdy, what a speck it is. It's not the Ghost Zone, but he's reminded of it nevertheless--the endless expanse, the power he feels in it, the great beasts that reside there... ]
I have my own goals and aspirations. Rest assured, I will be using this power to attain them.
[ i, sisi, reach up to kiss this goat monster gently on the nose
gu yun, who is a normal fucking person who has never seen a monster in his LIFE, has now seen more than enough creatures that even a giant black purple blue goat thing staring at him has his first thought somewhere along the lines of need to tell molly about this later instead of the concern you would think.
then again, he's gu yun, afraid of nothing, so. he listens to its rumbling voice, watches for a moving mouth as it speaks, and then looks up at it, shoulders back, spine iron, confident, like he's just talking to a normal person. ]
The same one I'd take without it - the one that ends with the people of my homeland thriving, whether the path there is easy or impossible, or somewhere in between.
[Childe, meanwhile, has seen a bazillion monsters and is also just not really fazed by anything, so. He just keeps holding Prim's hand, his other thumb hooked into his pocket in the same relaxed stance he usually has. He's still bleeding on the floor. Sorry goat man.]
The one safely out of here would be a good start, I suppose. [Still, because he does like his new gift, even if he likely won't get to keep it--] Much thanks, by the way.
[ Primrose has also seen a bazillion monsters and that is probably why she can stare up at this Kingdom Hearts boss goat rather steadily, even as she keeps holding Childe's hand because sure why not.
She's silent for a long moment, letting the others speak first, though there's a thoughtful frown on her face. Until she speaks. ]
There's someone I seek to utterly destroy. I will not rest until I have completed that task, no matter what I must do.
Well, first, you all need therapy! Not that this goat monster knows that therapy is. But, uh, it doesn't look thrilled with your responses? You all fail! CYOA over, take your prize and go home.
No, just kidding. It's not quite that strict, but it bares its fangs in what resembles disapproval, silent for a long moment.]
This power was never meant to be yours. [Sorry to those of you who like it? :/] It has corrupted those with weak wills and brought much ruin to innocents, by the hands of those who sought to use it for their own ends.
I do not intend to see it used in such a way ever again.
[STARES AT SOME OF YOUR ANSWERS]
Oh humans, who have suffered much in your lives to come here now. [Well, mostly. I'm not saying I might exclude one of you from that category, but. Actually Vlad can have a little suffering, as a treat. Except your coping mechanisms?]
Show me what you will do. Are you willing to face what you were and what you have become?
[They might get the sense that this is strictly a yes or no question, and that they miiiiight want to consider their answer very carefully...]
[ thanks for editing to acknowledge vlad's suffering
Vlad is certain that he won't be corrupted--his will is not weak by any means, he can withstand whatever this is--but the note of not wanting to give this power to those who "seek to use it for their own ends"...well.
Surely the goat monster isn't happy with that. But then maybe it shouldn't have offered it to him in the first place. Seems like a you problem, goat man. ]
Of course. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't.
[ Vlad knows exactly who he was, is, and will be. The goat can try and intimidate all it likes, but Vlad cannot be swayed. ]
the last thing gu yun has ever been in his life is weak willed. his stubbornness is one of the arguable only things that has kept him alive, up to this point. when it comes to achieving peace in great liang - to pushing back the dragons and the tigers that chomp at their borders - he'll stop at nothing.
even if the cost to him is great, it doesn't matter. he'd be the marquis of order, or a lowly guard on the silk road, if it meant great liang could prosper. so of course, he's willing to face whatever consequences come with this, and whatever it might do to him. ]
[thank god you aren't giant slackers and you all said yes
For a few moments, the goat monster stares at them with its (several) eyes in silence. Then, once more, they'll find their consciousness fading. Hope they aren't sick of this and waking up in new places, because it seems like that's about to happen again!
But as everything turns to darkness, they will hear a voice. It seems to be that of the goat monster they were just speaking to, but there's something more gentle in it, this time.
Even if the world is full of sorrow, I hope you can remember to be—
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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It earns her a bite to one forearm and a hiss of pain but she also tries unceremoniously to shove a bangle into its mouth to delay it from further chomping, kicking out at the other one.
We're doing great, guys!! ]
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Anyway, you're all doing great (?). Protect that balloon, Gu Yun! And your gorgeous face! How is Childe trying to break the window? I hope he tries hitting it with his hand, because if he does, it... does not break and he'll have hurt his hand for no reason at all. But anyway, regardless of what he does, the window is apparently indestructible.
In fact, between that and a door that won't open, it seems like you're out of options! The dogs keep attacking, seemingly invincible and not running out of energy, whereas the four probably are. This goes on for a while, but then, a voice echoes in their minds—the same voice at the start, who told them to fight.
Do you want to survive?
Do you want power?
If you do, then accept the path you must take, no matter the price—and drink the vapour.
What.]
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Wonderful. Now he's got a dog ripping into his arm too. Vlad swings his arm wildly (hope it doesn't hit one of the others!), aiming to smash the dog up against the wall in the hopes of loosening it.
And--yeah, there's that voice in his head again, and for a second he thinks--vapor? Before he remembers the balloons.
Oh, absolutely the fudge not. Vlad would rather the devil dogs he knows than the devil vapor he doesn't. ]
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ultimately, it comes down to this. he can't get this fucking dog off of his arm, and its teeth are digging in to the point that even he can feel it. all of the training, all of the martial arts, every skill he's ever had in his life is useless in this situation, and it's becoming increasingly more obvious that there's nothing he can do.
childe couldn't get the window - the door wouldn't budge - the dogs won't stop. tactically, assessing, there's only one thing to do. gu yun's free arm shoves past another dog as the one on his arm digs its teeth in until blood is spurting from his arm, grabs the balloon, and pulls it right in front of himself so it pops and puts a cloud of the vapor right in his face - hopefully "drink" works with "inhale".
mmm lessa juicegu yun will not die here.
he will not. ]
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ANYWAY. While he would normally be none trust left beef, they've already established that this is an illusion, and even if it wasn't--who the hell wants to die getting torn apart by hungry dogs?
So there's no hesitation as he makes a grab for a balloon. GENSHIN'S BALLOONS ARE more like balloon-adjacent but for the sake of simplicity I will say he understands this clip situation or whatever's happening, so he will drink his drugs properly, hopefully before a dog tries to lunge for him.]
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WOOHOO. ]
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Anyhow! Everyone drinks the vapour, except for Vlad, who unfortunately does not succeed in shaking the dog off. They'll soon black out, so who knows? Maybe Vlad was right not to drink it.
... Except once they fall to the floor, unconscious, the dogs leave them alone. It's not quite instantaneous; rather, they pause, before backing away, as if sensing something about the three that can't be seen.
Unfortunately for Vlad, this does nothing to curb their apparent desire to vore. All it does is make him the only target left to go after! Which they do.
Vlad might want to vape that balloon, actually.]
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...of course, that's when he notices that all the other dogs have all focused on him now. They all jump him, biting into his shoulder, his other arm, his hip--he stumbles violently backwards until he hits the wall and tries to fight for a moment, but he feels so weak and--and--
all the others at least aren't conscious to get eaten alive, so you know what? screw it.
Vlad desperately unties the balloon knot as well as he can, with multiple dogs hanging off his arms like toothy leeches, and inhales as much of it as he possibly can. ]
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When they wake up, it's a white void, everywhere around them a seemingly endless expanse of nothingness. They'll soon notice a few things... new about themselves!
First off, they now have two cute horns on their head. Do these seem familiar? Eh, probably just their imagination. (No, they look identical to White's uno horn.) Furthermore, where a normal human would have molars, they have fangs! Sharp.
Second, their vore dog wounds are partially healed (to however small or large of an extent you so desire, though they will scar over no matter how healed).
Third, their physical capabilities have been enhanced. Not quite superhuman, perhaps, but they're definitely a lot stronger, faster, more agile, more enduring, etc. than the average human now.
Fourth, if they happen to get particularly emotional, dark vapour might spill from their mouth. Does this do anything? No, it's just for aesthetic. But just so you know!
That aside, if they look closely, they might see a figure in the distance; the only thing otherwise breaking up a monotone of pure white.]
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It's a strange sensation, standing around in a white nothingness. Even stranger still is the way his body feels now. The pain from the dogs is dulled and, in fact, many of the last bites have scarred over while the worse, initial ones are barely bleeding now. He feels so much stronger than before, and it's almost a nostalgic throwback to how he feels when he has access to his ghost powers, if not for the strange horns on his head now.
He spots what looks like a speck in the distance, and squints at it. ]
What on earth...?
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gu yun sits up, and the first thing he feels is that rush of odd strength. it's inhuman in ways he isn't, and he takes a long moment to assess himself and his surroundings, breathing in, and out, and reaching up to briefly feel at the horn. he thinks... of endorsi, not white, at first (this is white's cyoa? rude) but eventually does, as he's getting to his feet and assessing his injuries. there's blood, but it at least seems to have stopped freely bleeding, and gu yun flexes his fingers before looking around to the others. ]
This is precisely why I avoided the opium den.
[ terrible. sarcasm helps no one. he will glance back to make sure prim is okay (and childe, i guess) before giving a nod of his head in the direction of the speck. time to walk that way? he'll lead the charge if no one else will. ]
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But okay just for kicks, let's say Childe's wounds are barely healed, so he can get blood on the floor of the color-inversed Abyss or whatever. He hopes it stains, because he didn't need MORE memories of vicious dogs, thanks.
Anyways, the bites (mostly on his leg) are at least healed enough that he's not gonna just bleed out on the floor, as hilarious as that would be. So he ignores them in favor of checking in with this new sensation of strength and power.
Hunh.
Neat, can he keep it? The new pointy bits can stay too, he guesses...]
I can't say I'm much of a fan either, to be honest.
[At least drinking keeps you warm. GOD. He'll get gingerly to his feet, offering his hand to Primrose.]
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The scratch and bite marks have all scabbed over at least, and she finally sighs under her breath and takes Childe's hand with a faint smile. ]
We're all in one piece, if nothing else. Shall we go see who our new dance partner is?
[ Which means she's going to start walking there too, even as she lightly tugs Childe along with her. ]
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Anyway. As they approach the speck, it grows bigger... and bigger... and bigger! In fact, once it's within sight, it becomes clear what it is: a goat-like monster that will loom over them.
Fortunately, despite its somewhat nightmarish appearance, it doesn't seem hostile. It'll wait patiently for them! Once they're all there, it speaks.]
Humans.
I see you have walked paths stained in blood to reach where you are now. Then, you who have chosen to wield my power—what is the road you hope to take from here?
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And uh, boy howdy, what a speck it is. It's not the Ghost Zone, but he's reminded of it nevertheless--the endless expanse, the power he feels in it, the great beasts that reside there... ]
I have my own goals and aspirations. Rest assured, I will be using this power to attain them.
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gu yun, who is a normal fucking person who has never seen a monster in his LIFE, has now seen more than enough creatures that even a giant black purple blue goat thing staring at him has his first thought somewhere along the lines of need to tell molly about this later instead of the concern you would think.
then again, he's gu yun, afraid of nothing, so. he listens to its rumbling voice, watches for a moving mouth as it speaks, and then looks up at it, shoulders back, spine iron, confident, like he's just talking to a normal person. ]
The same one I'd take without it - the one that ends with the people of my homeland thriving, whether the path there is easy or impossible, or somewhere in between.
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The one safely out of here would be a good start, I suppose. [Still, because he does like his new gift, even if he likely won't get to keep it--] Much thanks, by the way.
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She's silent for a long moment, letting the others speak first, though there's a thoughtful frown on her face. Until she speaks. ]
There's someone I seek to utterly destroy. I will not rest until I have completed that task, no matter what I must do.
[ "And world peace." ]
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Well, first, you all need therapy! Not that this goat monster knows that therapy is. But, uh, it doesn't look thrilled with your responses? You all fail! CYOA over, take your prize and go home.
No, just kidding. It's not quite that strict, but it bares its fangs in what resembles disapproval, silent for a long moment.]
This power was never meant to be yours. [Sorry to those of you who like it? :/] It has corrupted those with weak wills and brought much ruin to innocents, by the hands of those who sought to use it for their own ends.
I do not intend to see it used in such a way ever again.
[STARES AT SOME OF YOUR ANSWERS]
Oh humans, who have suffered much in your lives to come here now. [Well, mostly. I'm not saying I might exclude one of you from that category, but. Actually Vlad can have a little suffering, as a treat. Except your coping mechanisms?]
Show me what you will do. Are you willing to face what you were and what you have become?
[They might get the sense that this is strictly a yes or no question, and that they miiiiight want to consider their answer very carefully...]
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Vlad is certain that he won't be corrupted--his will is not weak by any means, he can withstand whatever this is--but the note of not wanting to give this power to those who "seek to use it for their own ends"...well.
Surely the goat monster isn't happy with that. But then maybe it shouldn't have offered it to him in the first place. Seems like a you problem, goat man. ]
Of course. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't.
[ Vlad knows exactly who he was, is, and will be. The goat can try and intimidate all it likes, but Vlad cannot be swayed. ]
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[ WOW!!!!
the last thing gu yun has ever been in his life is weak willed. his stubbornness is one of the arguable only things that has kept him alive, up to this point. when it comes to achieving peace in great liang - to pushing back the dragons and the tigers that chomp at their borders - he'll stop at nothing.
even if the cost to him is great, it doesn't matter. he'd be the marquis of order, or a lowly guard on the silk road, if it meant great liang could prosper. so of course, he's willing to face whatever consequences come with this, and whatever it might do to him. ]
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[Simply, easily, like he's never known a fear in his life. Whatcha gonna do, fight him for it?]
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[ Also simply. ]
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For a few moments, the goat monster stares at them with its (several) eyes in silence. Then, once more, they'll find their consciousness fading. Hope they aren't sick of this and waking up in new places, because it seems like that's about to happen again!
But as everything turns to darkness, they will hear a voice. It seems to be that of the goat monster they were just speaking to, but there's something more gentle in it, this time.
Even if the world is full of sorrow, I hope you can remember to be—
Too bad the sentence doesn't finish, before Vlad and Childe wake up in one place, and Gu Yun and Primrose in another.]