probe | W2 PLAYER CYOA: Childe, Gu Yun, Primrose, Vlad

[Whatever you were doing before—well, you aren't anymore. A blink later, and each person will find themselves in a factory. The scene is a wreckage, though: corpses of adults littered about, amidst scattered raspberries. There are various tools to be found, pieces and rods of metal lying around.

Immediately, two things might strike them. First, they're child-sized? Jan is going to be banned for turning you all into children in an 18+ game, but everyone will find themselves to be about 9-13 years old.

Second, they are alone. No one else from the base seems to be around... mostly. A few familiar faces can be seen (except they're also child-sized now? huh), standing nearby; however, they might wish this wasn't the case.

A man's voice will echo, and they will know that they can't get out of the situation he has demanded:

I will let just one of you live. We'll take that one under our wing.

If you want to be that one, you'll have to prove yourself. Prove yourself even if you must cut off everyone else.]

[Primrose will awaken in an unfamiliar location yet again, but this time, she's back to her normal age, physically and mentally, albeit with none of her previous inventory on her. Any injuries she might've incurred earlier in her fight against Therion and Tressa are gone, though she sure is going to have to live with those memories.

She'll find herself in an early 20th century-style room, windows covered by curtains. It looks to be a study/living space of sorts: there's a desk near the window, with a string of men's laundry hanging there as well. There's a coffee table on a rug, a few couches surrounding said table, a wooden wall with chains and knife marks and blood stains, and a door. Just your average room!

Furthermore, she'll notice that she's... kind of hungry? How long has it been since she last ate? Well, it's probably fine.]

[Vlad and Childe will wake up together—Gu Yun and Primrose nowhere in sight—in a modern city that... Vlad will recognize to be Amity Park, actually! It might take a moment, as it's nighttime, casting everything in relative darkness.

... The very jarring part of this, though, is the people from Liyue. The fantasy-Chinese people are probably not familiar to Vlad! They will be to Childe, however, as they point and stare at him.]

That's the one, isn't he...? The one who tried to destroy the city...

[Meanwhile, Gu Yun and Primrose will wake up in what Primrose will recognize as the streets of Sunshade, at night. For the most part, it will be as Primrose remembers... though one thing might be off.

At the other end of a street is a green-haired figure, and you can tell by the wild hair and short height that this can only be one twink: Sasazuka.

He, uh, does not look happy to see them. Too bad neither of them will have any idea why!]

[This time, they wake up in the ruins of a street at night, unfamiliar to them all. From the fog steps out a silver-haired man, his features returning to that of an ordinary-looking human as he slowly approaches.

They will get a vibe similar to that of the goat monster from him, but... not quite the same, either? Likewise, the man doesn't seem to recognize them at first; only after a few moments pass does understanding dawn in his eyes.

His gaze softens. He looks very sad, actually! He is sad for you and your shitty lives and everything you have been through and also, tbh, the shitty choices some of you have made. He's sad over everything. 😭

He also seems to be in literal pain as he clutches at his chest, over where his heart should be... which is visibly pulsing blue, for some reason.

When he speaks, they can identify his voice as the one who spoke at the very end, when they were falling unconscious after encountering the monster.]

... I do not have much time, nor much strength left. Come find me, in my true form. I ask that you return my power... It was not his right to give it to you...

[What is he talking about? Who knows. Maybe he's really the one drugged up, not you four. But he collapses onto his knees, so it seems like he's really not doing well!]

Once you do, I can grant you an exit... but I must warn you—there is a malicious energy among you. You—you are in danger...

[The space in front of him ripples, before two objects emerge: a mirror and a red blanket. As he hands them over, they will feel somewhat compelled to at least grab the red blanket. They might not want to stare at the mirror for too long, as they will get the feeling that it reflects not the outside, but the innermost parts of themselves.]

... No matter how difficult things get, I hope you can hold onto your compassion.

[That some of you arguably don't have much of! But he believes in you anyway, even if that might be a terrible life choice.]

This is all I can do for you now... if the enemy appears, you must—

[Before he can finish, though, he vanishes. Moments later, a portal opens up behind where he used to be.]

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VLAD & CHILDE