theafflicted | 02.50 - week two, saturday

W2 SATURDAY

Like last Saturday, everyone will get an announcement on their tablets; this time, the announcement is preceded with a bell of some sort before Lorelei appears on the screen again.

"Good morning, everyone. This is an announcement to let you know that today's lesson will take place starting at 8:15 tonight. Again, today's lesson will be starting at 8:15. Please meet at the lower campus exit near the lecture by 8:00pm; Florence will be waiting for you there.

If you have a bag for some snacks and, perhaps, an item you can use for self-defense in the case of an emergency, please arrive with those things on you. We will provide you with an overview of what to expect when you arrive at 8pm.

Thank you."

The alert ends.

You have the day to prepare, ask each other what the hell is happening -- Florence and Lorelei do not seem to be available, strangely enough. There's a lot to take in with the information you have now. But before you know it... night falls.

FULL NAV

(CODE)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ How cruel.

Jokes aside, Xingqiu turns immediately to face Chongyun, expression quite inscrutable like this. ]

...Chongyun, have you lost faith in me as well? Hmm, I suppose that isn't too surprising.

[ A shadow comes over his eyes, but he doesn't sound disappointed. If anything, it's uncharacteristically resigned, even as it looks like he's about to pull a fist back, his stance not exactly the most friendliest right now.

What is his good friend's next move? ]

There's no one I believe in more than you.

[ There's not even a hint of doubt in his words. ]

To lose that - well, that would imply that it could be lost in the first place, and that's plainly impossible.

[ Serious and steady. He carefully closes the distance even more. If it's just a punch, he'll take it. It might even give him the advantage he needs to grab Xingqiu. ]

[ ...oh.

There is a ripple amongst the drowning sea of foreign inadequacy in the face of Chongyun's stalwart conviction filtering into his words—a belief that doesn't sound shaken. ]

Why do you say that it's impossible for it to be lost?

[ It's indeed just a punch! It may help that he seems to throw it less harder than he was going to in the face of the other male's words. Though, he will struggle nonetheless, and be prepared to throw another to see if he can get Chongyun away from him. ]

Hng - [ He takes the punch with a short grunt, letting his chest absorb the hit, then uses his umbrella to knock Xingqiu's arm aside. He's counting on the move to disorient the other boy enough so he can sweep Xingqiu's legs from under him. ]

Is it possible to lose the sun? Or the moon? How about the rain? If there's one thing I can count on, it's that the rain never truly leaves. It always returns.

...!

[ Xingqiu is deffo disoriented! Possession is not necessarily a smooth business either, so down he goes with an undignified yelp that is definitely not befitting a skilled and genius martial artist. But it happened, because alas he is human.

As he lies down there, he's staring up from the ground, not exactly believing in his own skills to put forth any more effort in resisting ... thankfully. ]

[ There is a faint image, of something beginning to pull from his body, beginning to climb out. As if being forced from the mortal body this being has invaded.

Indeed, it is evidently the ghost, still trying to cling on...in vain, perhaps. ]

But, the sun may be eclipsed and hidden away from view—you can say the same of the moon.

And a drought can send away the rain long enough that it may never return. But, would you still believe in it even then? Even if that rain will not come back when you wish for it to do so?

[ Even as he says this, the battle is nearing its end. This is the last part of the fight that the ghost is daring to put up. ]

[ He slaps - gently - a talisman on Xingqiu's forehead, covering that glimmer of beauty and horror. If Xingqiu begins to move too erratically, he'll hold the other boy down. ]

Wishing doesn't mean we're immediately granted our heart's desire. I always hope it comes back, but it's up to the rain to decide. It's never failed to return before. Never.

Come back to me, Xingqiu.

[ Well, good thing that Chongyun is doing that because he'll be probably trying to move or twitching as the ghost is being a pain in the ass, but—

There's a moment of silence, and no more movement as for a moment Xingqiu's eyes slide closed. Perhaps unexpectedly. Then, there's a slight jolt, and then he's still once again. Like the dead, and then... ]

...as you predicted, the rain has returned.

[ Sunset eyes open once again, staring up at into cool ones. The strange emotion tinting his irises and expression have left—and so has the ghost. ]

Urgh, that was quite unpleasant. I'm hardly in any interest in repeating that once more.

Once was more than enough for me anyway. I was lucky you didn't have your sword on you. You were holding back with that punch, weren't you?

[ His eyes crinkle in a smile, and he settles back on his knees, letting the other boy go. Now that his hands are free, his rubs his chest, gauging if there's bruising - thankfully, none. ]

Welcome back.

...Yes. It was difficult to maintain my usual self in the midst of all that, but your words acted like a bridge to allow me to pull my punches, so to speak.

[ Xingqiu fixes Chongyun a smile of his own, sitting up, though his gaze does linger, as he watches him check for bruising. When there's no hint or expression of pain, he relaxes a bit. ]

Thanks to you, of course.

It's good to be back.

[ There's one thing, however, that still bothers him. ]

The words you said earlier - did you mean them? Or were they all from the spirit?

[ He's never heard Xingqiu speak like that before. ]

...I'm certain that they weren't from me. They must have been the spirits's influence, if anything.

[ Xingqiu feels a flare of anger but immediately tempers it into mild frustration, taking a breath, and letting himself calm. ]

I don't think it's a stretch to assume that the other spirits would do something similar as well.

[ A quick, instinctive glance at Xingqiu. ]

If anything. [ He'll accept that answer for now. ] And yes, that's true. Though I do wonder why my condition didn't work on it - it didn't seem particularly powerful or violent.

[ Xingqiu is grateful for that. He's feeling unfortunately rather unbalanced, and he thinks he just needs more of a moment to even bring that frustration under heel. ]

Maybe it's a quality as a result of the spirit being in a place like this. Something about the spirit can make your condition unable to work on it?

It's unfortunately a little beyond me.

Yes, or... these aren't real ghosts. Not in the sense we're used to, perhaps. As the rain never fails to water our lands, my pure yang spirit has never failed to repel the supernatural.

[ He gets to his feet and holds out a hand for Xingqiu to take. ]

How about a bit of reprieve?

That is certainly true.

[ A little disconcerting, perhaps. But it can always be worse...maybe.

There is a slight uptick of his lips at Chongyun making the callback to the rain, from earlier, though. It soothes away a bit of that lingering frustration—like a comforting balm. Truly, they are fortunate not to have to face this alone.

He will reach out, fingers carefully wrapping around the hand, and using the other male as leverage as he rights himself. ]

I wouldn't say no. Though it will be a relatively quick one; given what's happening all around us I do doubt it'll be easy for there to be anything but a short reprieve until we figure out how to resolve it all.

No doubt we'll do everything we can do help.

[ A sigh, short and... not quite frustrated, but close to it. If anything, it's entirely his fault for not being more prepared. It won't happen again; a silent promise he makes to himself and Xingqiu. ]

Why they did not prepare us more for this venture, I can't begin to guess.

[ He lets go of Xingqiu's hand, but stays close, just in case the other boy needs support. ]

02.50 - week two, saturday

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