[hm. they listen, and when he's finished... they begrudgingly give him an approving little nod. they do not sound like they particularly care to say it, but:]
An outlook like that should serve you well, here. I suppose this is a part of why she's grown attached.
[but, well. even with avatars he hasn't spoken with, apparently gu yun isn't safe from the memory leak problem, and there's a shift in perspective.]
[there are other people present, in the background, but you only have eyes for one man here in particular. you've already begun the conversation, but this picks up just as you stroll over to him. "do you know," you say casually, "the most reliable way to deal with those who stubbornly refuse to see reason?" he turns toward you more fully as you continue. "you conquer them-- crush them under heel. but conquest is the easy part. the true challenge begins once the dust has settled-- quenching the glowing embers of animosity and maintaining a semblance of peace. this requires the conqueror to treat the conquered with dignity, and the conquered to let bygones be bygones. a difficult feat to achieve."
you fold your arms, looking him over. "but you have achieved just that, to my considerable surprise."
he gives you an uncertain, wary look, and you practically roll your eyes. "it's a compliment," you grumble. "take it."]
gu yun's about to say something cheeky about being charming, actually, that's why lup likes him so much, but he doesn't, as the memory shift happens. the area around the memory is unrecognizable, but as gu yun returns from despair's little speech to this man he doesn't know, there's a wry curve to his smile. ]
Have you ever considered rewording your compliments? [ the affixed humor to it stays. ] They're wise words, though.
[ the look on gu yuns face says "yeah i know" like clear as day. hehehe.
he will willingly drop it, though, pleased with his victory. ] I can imagine. For a nation to continually know peace - that's the goal, though sometimes it feels one that's quite far away. [ that was his wish, after all. the one thing that could get him to agree to this little deal - the safety and security of his beloved great liang. ]
I've tended to defend more than conquer, in my years of service. My nation is large, and our borders need securing more than growth. There are dragons to the north, and tigers to the west, and they are always looking to take a bite out of Great Liang .There is no such thing as a nation with no transience, I don't think, and little time for complacency, either.
[ a beat. he laughs. ] Or indulgence, really, which is what makes this place so new.
[ why does he feel like he's being lectured. again. why is everyone lecturing him!!!!!! ] For the record, trouble finds me - I certainly didn't choose to be whisked off into the innards of White's brains last week!
I do find myself wondering something, however, when it comes to many of you. Many people, in a situation such as this, would view everything purely as an indulgence and nothing more-- would not grow overly attached to or protective of others. Yet the deaths that occur trouble far more of you than expected, for reasons beyond fear of your own lives. I suppose it is reasonable enough to bond a little too quickly in a strange situation, but...
Precisely what is all of this, to you? Where do you believe you fall, when it comes to how much of it is purely for your own benefit and goals?
gu yun's quiet for a moment as he considers the answer, properly. his finger taps against the inside of his arm. ]
I'm certainly not afraid for my own life. [ that first. ] And, I think what you said has merit - that this is a strange situation, one fraught with dangers, and one where we are expected to approach some sorts of physical intimacy with others or else be removed, as with what happened to Nathan. It's easy to become attached.
But, at its core, I suppose it's not all that different from being at the front. There's the chance that we could die at any time - that does not stop me from growing fond of members of the corps. At the same time, it means that losing them is a reality, and one that must be dealt with as it comes. Death is an inevitability, and I don't think of it as anything different, whether it occurs to someone I barely know, a mass murderer, a weekly murderer, or a close friend.
Then, in terms of indulging - I'm not a monk immune to desires or wants, either. [ this comes with a huff of a laugh. its nice not to be playing a voluntary celibate actually ] Rather, I just have never had time. Here, it seems I have nothing but time, unless someone attempts to have me killed.
So, I suppose I'm in both camps. To me, it's a win-win; I get to participate in things in life I rarely have gotten to enjoy, and meet people from fascinating places far beyond even what I could have imagined existed, all for the goal of granting a desire that I'd have no guarantee of ever achieving in my lifetime, otherwise. I quite enjoy the company of many of the people here, and will enjoy it for as long as I am able, and currently, it dovetails with the desire that I intend to achieve. I certainly don't see it as a chore to be indulgent, for the most part.
But, I am also far too pragmatic to think that death won't touch things I have come to care for. [ because... it always has, so nothing new there. ] And I am far too pragmatic to think that achieving something as large as what I have wished for will come without a heavy price, and one that I am willing to pay if the time is right.
This place is a means to achieve an ends, yes. But the situation and the conditions attached call for more flexibility than a simple answer of "I'm here only to get my desire". I don't think that spending time with others in those ways --[ others like wrath, who. well, despair quipped that she was fond of gu yun, but the feelings' very mutual ] -- and achieving that are necessarily mutually exclusive, so long as its done with a healthy measure of caution.
The conditions of this place are still murky, beyond the basics, after all. I intend to suss them out. Maybe then, my answers will change.
[ he grins, eventually. ] But, I suppose I'd like to have the fish and the bear's paw all at once.
Perhaps Greed ought to have had you, instead-- though I suppose that is a prideful enough answer as well.
[they say that as dryly as ever, mulling over the rest of his words. reasonable enough, to be sure, given the situation. given what they have all been offered here.
the pragmatism is somewhat refreshing, at the least, and there's no distinct air of disapproval-- neither do they outright seem approving, but maybe with them, a lack of disapproval is enough to count.]
All are acceptable enough responses, but do keep your caution. I am certain it would be a blow to some, if you were to be foolish enough to lose your life here.
[ the other reason i think my guess is correct is because no one else makes me write these PHILOSOPHY HELL TAGS im having flashbacks (in the best ways) ]
An arrogant army is sure to be defeated. [ the pride goeth before the fall, and all of that. he hums, leaning over to admire a flower in the garden - a lily of some kind, red and orange, and quips - ]
Say it like that, and I'll think you'd miss me. [ okay that's definitely teasing. ] I have things to return home to, and a desire to be granted. I'm not so foolish as to think I'm guaranteed survival because I know how to fight, but, I plan on stacking my deck in my favor with every tool in my arsenal to make sure I die on a battlefield in Great Liang, not here.
Though, admittedly, not having access to my usual ways of defending myself does make it a bit more difficult, but, I can be creative.
[ lol. with a careful hand, he plucks the flower itself, making sure not to damage any of the plant around it. despair's right, gu yun's not dumb. ]
She's lost enough. [ he says in response, simply. from what he saw, from what he's learned. ] I know.
[ gu yun's definitely also smart enough to have seen how rattled wrath was last week, and - it was definitely his fault. he'd been worried, tried to help pull her back down, and it had taken the passing of time and a special present to make progress. he's quiet, for a moment longer, looking at the flower in his hand. ]
You all... weren't originally like this, were you?
If I'm the one awake on a Thursday evening, I will be the one to wake up the next morning, and I don't intend on getting caught, either. I have a trick up my sleeve in that regard. [ his own cleverness and skills aside, the peach blossom pin in his hair won't be going anywhere anytime soon. ] And if I am somehow caught, then it'll be in self-defense. Nothing personal. Admittedly, the boon I received this week isn't as helpful, and I was more public about it than anything else I've been gifted so far, but that's alright - I'll make do.
[ a pause. ] Unless you're asking if I have plans of making a preemptive strike of some kind.
All well and good, yes, though I fail to understand why so many of you willingly volunteer what is at your disposal-- but none of this is what I intended to ask.
What do you intend to do regarding the relations between the two of you, Marquis.
[ wow, the so far completely unflappable gu yun's ears turn pink. ]
I - that's what you've trying to get at? I - this is that talk that parents are supposed to give, is that what you're giving me right now. [ who is he, shen yi, ] I. [ fLUSTERED ] - I greatly enjoy Wrath's company and wouldn't do anything such as die to ruin that, or - ruin it in other ways?
[ ?? ???? ??? hes so bad at this its actually comical THIS IS THE LAST THING HE WAS EXPECTING!!!!! at least he's bad at it which is how you instantly know he's sincere, because despair has probably noticed that gu yun would rather die than be wrong about or bad at almost anything. ]
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An outlook like that should serve you well, here. I suppose this is a part of why she's grown attached.
[but, well. even with avatars he hasn't spoken with, apparently gu yun isn't safe from the memory leak problem, and there's a shift in perspective.]
[there are other people present, in the background, but you only have eyes for one man here in particular. you've already begun the conversation, but this picks up just as you stroll over to him. "do you know," you say casually, "the most reliable way to deal with those who stubbornly refuse to see reason?" he turns toward you more fully as you continue. "you conquer them-- crush them under heel. but conquest is the easy part. the true challenge begins once the dust has settled-- quenching the glowing embers of animosity and maintaining a semblance of peace. this requires the conqueror to treat the conquered with dignity, and the conquered to let bygones be bygones. a difficult feat to achieve."
you fold your arms, looking him over. "but you have achieved just that, to my considerable surprise."
he gives you an uncertain, wary look, and you practically roll your eyes. "it's a compliment," you grumble. "take it."]
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i mean
gu yun's about to say something cheeky about being charming, actually, that's why lup likes him so much, but he doesn't, as the memory shift happens. the area around the memory is unrecognizable, but as gu yun returns from despair's little speech to this man he doesn't know, there's a wry curve to his smile. ]
Have you ever considered rewording your compliments? [ the affixed humor to it stays. ] They're wise words, though.
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[the feathers of his wings ruffle, chiming against each other with the motion. of all the people for the memory issue to happen with...]
Those who care to understand them, will.
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Good advice tends to come from experience, though, and you sound like you've conquered a peoples or two. Is that right?
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[hmph.
they just wave a hand idly at the question, meanwhile.]
Likely more of them than you would think, at various points. It does grow tiring after some time to repeat the process.
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he will willingly drop it, though, pleased with his victory. ] I can imagine. For a nation to continually know peace - that's the goal, though sometimes it feels one that's quite far away. [ that was his wish, after all. the one thing that could get him to agree to this little deal - the safety and security of his beloved great liang. ]
I've tended to defend more than conquer, in my years of service. My nation is large, and our borders need securing more than growth. There are dragons to the north, and tigers to the west, and they are always looking to take a bite out of Great Liang .There is no such thing as a nation with no transience, I don't think, and little time for complacency, either.
[ a beat. he laughs. ] Or indulgence, really, which is what makes this place so new.
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[they fold their arms, claws tapping on one forearm.]
Not to mention your distinct ability to find your way into trouble.
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[ why does he feel like he's being lectured. again. why is everyone lecturing him!!!!!! ] For the record, trouble finds me - I certainly didn't choose to be whisked off into the innards of White's brains last week!
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[they consider something, for a few moments.]
I do find myself wondering something, however, when it comes to many of you. Many people, in a situation such as this, would view everything purely as an indulgence and nothing more-- would not grow overly attached to or protective of others. Yet the deaths that occur trouble far more of you than expected, for reasons beyond fear of your own lives. I suppose it is reasonable enough to bond a little too quickly in a strange situation, but...
Precisely what is all of this, to you? Where do you believe you fall, when it comes to how much of it is purely for your own benefit and goals?
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gu yun's quiet for a moment as he considers the answer, properly. his finger taps against the inside of his arm. ]
I'm certainly not afraid for my own life. [ that first. ] And, I think what you said has merit - that this is a strange situation, one fraught with dangers, and one where we are expected to approach some sorts of physical intimacy with others or else be removed, as with what happened to Nathan. It's easy to become attached.
But, at its core, I suppose it's not all that different from being at the front. There's the chance that we could die at any time - that does not stop me from growing fond of members of the corps. At the same time, it means that losing them is a reality, and one that must be dealt with as it comes. Death is an inevitability, and I don't think of it as anything different, whether it occurs to someone I barely know, a mass murderer, a weekly murderer, or a close friend.
Then, in terms of indulging - I'm not a monk immune to desires or wants, either. [ this comes with a huff of a laugh. its nice not to be playing a voluntary celibate actually ] Rather, I just have never had time. Here, it seems I have nothing but time, unless someone attempts to have me killed.
So, I suppose I'm in both camps. To me, it's a win-win; I get to participate in things in life I rarely have gotten to enjoy, and meet people from fascinating places far beyond even what I could have imagined existed, all for the goal of granting a desire that I'd have no guarantee of ever achieving in my lifetime, otherwise. I quite enjoy the company of many of the people here, and will enjoy it for as long as I am able, and currently, it dovetails with the desire that I intend to achieve. I certainly don't see it as a chore to be indulgent, for the most part.
But, I am also far too pragmatic to think that death won't touch things I have come to care for. [ because... it always has, so nothing new there. ] And I am far too pragmatic to think that achieving something as large as what I have wished for will come without a heavy price, and one that I am willing to pay if the time is right.
This place is a means to achieve an ends, yes. But the situation and the conditions attached call for more flexibility than a simple answer of "I'm here only to get my desire". I don't think that spending time with others in those ways --[ others like wrath, who. well, despair quipped that she was fond of gu yun, but the feelings' very mutual ] -- and achieving that are necessarily mutually exclusive, so long as its done with a healthy measure of caution.
The conditions of this place are still murky, beyond the basics, after all. I intend to suss them out. Maybe then, my answers will change.
[ he grins, eventually. ] But, I suppose I'd like to have the fish and the bear's paw all at once.
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[they say that as dryly as ever, mulling over the rest of his words. reasonable enough, to be sure, given the situation. given what they have all been offered here.
the pragmatism is somewhat refreshing, at the least, and there's no distinct air of disapproval-- neither do they outright seem approving, but maybe with them, a lack of disapproval is enough to count.]
All are acceptable enough responses, but do keep your caution. I am certain it would be a blow to some, if you were to be foolish enough to lose your life here.
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An arrogant army is sure to be defeated. [ the pride goeth before the fall, and all of that. he hums, leaning over to admire a flower in the garden - a lily of some kind, red and orange, and quips - ]
Say it like that, and I'll think you'd miss me. [ okay that's definitely teasing. ] I have things to return home to, and a desire to be granted. I'm not so foolish as to think I'm guaranteed survival because I know how to fight, but, I plan on stacking my deck in my favor with every tool in my arsenal to make sure I die on a battlefield in Great Liang, not here.
Though, admittedly, not having access to my usual ways of defending myself does make it a bit more difficult, but, I can be creative.
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[hmph. also, don't think they don't see those flower colors.]
Ensure your creativity does not fail you, then. I know you are sharp enough to understand I mean one person in particular.
[even they get tired of being vague sometimes, it seems.]
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She's lost enough. [ he says in response, simply. from what he saw, from what he's learned. ] I know.
[ gu yun's definitely also smart enough to have seen how rattled wrath was last week, and - it was definitely his fault. he'd been worried, tried to help pull her back down, and it had taken the passing of time and a special present to make progress. he's quiet, for a moment longer, looking at the flower in his hand. ]
You all... weren't originally like this, were you?
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[they don't appear inclined to give a straight answer, on that one, or perhaps they'd just prefer not to speak of it.]
But, knowing that about her, just what do you intend to do here?
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that's an easy answer. one given with no hesitation. ]
Survive. [ period. ]
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[they will wait.]
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anyway, he frowns, brows furrowing a bit. ]
If I'm the one awake on a Thursday evening, I will be the one to wake up the next morning, and I don't intend on getting caught, either. I have a trick up my sleeve in that regard. [ his own cleverness and skills aside, the peach blossom pin in his hair won't be going anywhere anytime soon. ] And if I am somehow caught, then it'll be in self-defense. Nothing personal. Admittedly, the boon I received this week isn't as helpful, and I was more public about it than anything else I've been gifted so far, but that's alright - I'll make do.
[ a pause. ] Unless you're asking if I have plans of making a preemptive strike of some kind.
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All well and good, yes, though I fail to understand why so many of you willingly volunteer what is at your disposal-- but none of this is what I intended to ask.
What do you intend to do regarding the relations between the two of you, Marquis.
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...Ah. What?
[ he
he wasn't even thinking about that. this is a comedy of errors. ]
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I - that's what you've trying to get at? I - this is that talk that parents are supposed to give, is that what you're giving me right now. [ who is he, shen yi, ] I. [ fLUSTERED ] - I greatly enjoy Wrath's company and wouldn't do anything such as die to ruin that, or - ruin it in other ways?
[ ?? ???? ??? hes so bad at this its actually comical THIS IS THE LAST THING HE WAS EXPECTING!!!!! at least he's bad at it which is how you instantly know he's sincere, because despair has probably noticed that gu yun would rather die than be wrong about or bad at almost anything. ]
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[they sound a little incredulous, frankly.
....the fact that he's so flustered helps, though, they are enjoying that part.]
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[ JUST SAYING ]
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