[ 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—
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no subject
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...?
no subject
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. ]
no subject
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.]
no subject
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. ]
no subject
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?
no subject
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.
no subject
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.
no subject
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.
no subject
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." ]
no subject
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...]
no subject
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. ]
no subject
[ 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. ]
no subject
[Simply, easily, like he's never known a fear in his life. Whatcha gonna do, fight him for it?]
no subject
[ Also simply. ]
no subject
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.]