Week 6 cyoa: hei, jiuqing, vin, and kashuu

[saturations]

spoiler warnings: ff14 heavensward and some light endwalker elements
content warnings: violence, death, war, terrorism (short), brief mentions/references for eyegore, brief mention/reference for decapitation, depression, suicidal ideation (nihilist flavor), suicide, dragons and monsters eating people

Comments

[slashay]

[IS KASHUU EVEN CLOSE ENOUGH TO HEAR HER SHE'S OVER THERE WITH THE FAT DRAGON AND HE'S OVER HERE WITH THE DRAGONS YEETING PEOPLE but this is the expression he'd be making if he did hear her.

It's the expression he makes as he watches one of their injured get snatched up and just wholeass chucked over the side of this mountain into hell, in any case.]

Oh my god...

[Flying enemies.......... are bad.]

—Eh?! Falcon's Nest?! Should we head there--?

[He'll take this 19 roll and try to help them move some of their injured more quickly, poised to fend off any that might try to swoop down and yeet more. He's casting a worried look Vin's way, though, checking to see how she's doing with her LOW ROLLS EXCUSE ME.]

[disestablishment]

[ Well... She's halfway through its head, but it is firing up its fire ball. Her greatsword has a hard time, but it cleaves through right as the dragon spits its fire. Instead of from a tunnel that is its mouth, the fire just comes in a large wave. Its a heat that doesn't kill her, but... Wow. It is fire, a fire of vengeance and maybe she can feel the hatred in how it searches to singe all it touches. It fills in every gap and hole it finds in her, once the shield she gave herself melts away.

With her 6 and tank traits bolstering her to survive better than other professions, she can stay standing. Barely. The degree of her burns and where is up to you.

The knight had been leading Kashuu to Falcon's Nest already, no worries, but Kashuu does so well defending the dragons and maybe nailing them with his ranged snowflake magic spells when they come to his range. Another injured does not get taken.

Instead, a dragon comes to attack the knight in the back who's trying to snipe the dragons down. ]

Railoux!

[ Their ally cries, but the downed knight fending the dragons maw with their bow yells back: ]

March on! Leave me behind!

[allomantic]

[good news! the wound on her arm is getting cauterized! bad news! everything else!

the fire spills over her hand and arm as the shield is destroyed, and she cries out again, the damage extensive. she doesn't collapse, but she's clearly incredibly pained as she looks at the severed dragon head nearby.

please hold while she decides what to do next.

im mobile but i got a thirteen]

[slashay]

[I MEAN. He may be over with these other dudes but he's not so far away that he can't see that wholeass wall of fire from the stump of a dragon's neck washing over Vin.]

Vin—!!

[Probably at the same time that these other people are having their own tragic moment, rip. War is garbage and even though he knows it so well, it is still so tiring every time.

In any case, if no dragons seem to be heading Vin's way, he'll try to help fend off the dragon going after this apparent Railoux which WITH AN 8 PROBABLY WON'T DO MUCH. But. He's always going to prioritize the people he cares for, especially in a situation where everyone else is probably fake anyway, so. After that he's briefly ditching this side of the squad to sprint her way THAT'S HIS ADOPTED STRAY CAT AND SHE NEEDS HELP. The sprinting at least is a 13.]

[disestablishment]

[ Vin! Will not be met with any new enemy. The dragons are too focused on Kashuu and friends. Unfortunately, for Kashuu, yeah. He won't be able to help "Railoux" much. The dragon claws the shit out of him and it knocks off his helmet. What Kashuu will see, instead of a regular human that he does not recognize, is a familiar face. What is the point here when this pour sword is dead? His chest is gored through by the talons, as if the dragon is making a nest out of this poor lad. ]

Damn it, Kunihiro!

[ That's also a familiar voice. Damn. Identity reveal... Kashuu will leave them, but at least they're close enough to Falcon's Nest that he can see reinforcements are coming. ]

[allomantic]

[since she's out of dragons to behead and kashuu seemed to be dealing with some nonsense before he ran her way, she'll start heading towards him in turn! she's kind of staggering at this point due to the ridiculousness going on with her arm and the wound on her leg, but it's fine.

she's still dragging this huge sword behind her just in case......]

[slashay]

[Oh, that's a face. That's not the first time he's seen Horikawa damaged on one of these ventures, either! Seeing his body gored so viscerally invokes a kneejerk response, where he wants to abandon everything to help him, but. Well.

It's not real, right? Because Horikawa dies and dies again, gutted open or nailed to a wall dirty and burned or just simply gone without a warning or a trace, and it's never real. The same with the bodies on the tables, or the emptiness of his Citadel. The same with that familiar voice. In this moment, it's not anguish or despair or loss that pulses through him so much as a fury, raw and biting and ice-cold - a venomous, roiling hatred for this place and what it does to them.

He'll keep running until he gets to Vin and he's just going to try scooping her the fck up with his 15 roll and making a break back toward Falcon's Nest and its oncoming reinforcements where that familiarly voiced Other Knight was. WHERE'S THEIR HEALER HELP THEM.]

Keep your guard up, tell me if you see anything from behind.

[disestablishment]

[ !! You're GOOD! The knights that have helped those Kashuu left behind are being ferried back to Falcon's Nest. Unfortunately for Kashuu, he will see the knights taking Horikawa's body back with the other surviving knight by their side as they draw closer to the village. When the leftover knights see Kashuu and Vin in their state (poor Vin, really), they rush over to help them. There is a man that leads the garrison and he speaks first.


This Elezen gently asks Kashuu to entrust her to the knight on black chocobo, so she can be flown to Falcon's Nest immediately. "Her injuries are grave, but naught our conjurer's can't handle. Do not fret, my friend... And I thank you with all of my heart. The second knight on chocobo can accompany you after her." His voice is soft with a friendly lilt, trying to comfort them.

And beside them there are two black chocobos with knights ready to ferry them! Yes, no? Maybe so? ]

[allomantic]

[in any other situation, she would probably fuss about being princess carried, but everything hurts and she's dying (okay not the second part (unless...?)). she nods in agreement to his request, trying to clamp down on any pained noise that comes out of her mouth. when they make it to these knights and this stranger giving them that offer, though—

she'll go with whatever kashuu thinks is best, but that doesn't stop the way her uninjured hand tenses on his arm at the idea of being separated for any part of this, even if it's just riding separately. how are they supposed to get there on the same chocobo? good question that she's not thinking about!! she looks up at kashuu, though.]

...What should we do?

[slashay]

[DON'T DIE SO EARLY HELP.

Also, that's a fair mood. Kashuu's grip tightens just a little - somewhat reflexive, but he's mindful of her injuries. This Elezen seems like a person he'd want to trust, but he doesn't trust anyone with Vin's safety more than Vin and himself in this world full of strangers and hallucinations.

But also, how are they supposed to get there on the same chocobo. After a few seconds of hesitation:]

...Let's go separately. You really do need to get those injuries looked at, like, stat. I don't wanna waste any time. [And then, at a quieter clip for Vin's ears only:] If anything happens, I'll be right there with you.

[Even if he has to STAB A TEAMMATE TO GET THERE or something man he doesn't know he just doesn't trust anything on these ventures. To this stranger:]

Thanks - that sounds good. Let's go.

✔️ FALCON'S NEST

[disestablishment]

[ And they will be ferried by black chocobo to Falcon's Nest. Vin, on the chocobo ahead of Kashuu, is always within his sights! The knights are dutiful and make sure the flight is smooth and instantly they're taken to the conjurers' tent. There are medics, healers, and doctors, potions abound. They fix Vin up as best as they can! And she will be able to walk with ease.

Food is provided, too. It's a soup with a side of bread (very French bread), hearty and warm. They can take in the village in full, now that they're rested and healed to stability, given the jaunt back in their steps.


It is full of people, homes, and this village is predominantly made up of humans and Elezen. While there are a solid number of civilians and craftsmen, there are plenty of knights. The man that helped the two of them is talking to another knight...

For Kashuu, he will, again, see the survivor knight wallowing beside Kunihiro's bedside.

Here, Kashuu and Vin can talk to whoever (the Elezen knight, the survivor knight, people around) they wish and try to get information, then decide their next course of action. Or. They can just leave, I guess. I don't control them. ]

YOU TALK TO THE PEOPLE...!

[disestablishment]

[ Kashuu and Vin can separately talk to people of their choice! Falcon's Nest is pretty open so they would be within sight of each other most of the time, as long as it's outdoors. ]

[slashay]

[He's going over to the survivor knight because of course he is. Heart weak!!! Even when he knows none of this is real, he just has too much of a soft spot for his fellow Shinsengumi swords. They get him every time.

He'll walk over, looking down at Horikawa. He will commit this sight to memory so he can use it if he ever needs to get extremely furious in the future. But, for the survivor - a beat, and then a single simple:]

...Sorry.

[That he rolled that 8... damb...]

[disestablishment]

[ why did i thought it was a good idea to improtu rp. This knight truly is Kanesada Izuminokami by appearance, beside the supposedly Kunihiro's body, which is covered by a white drape. His eyes... They're fixed on it. His fingers flex, then curl to form fists so tight nails bite into his palm. ] No, it's not your fault—it's... Mine. [ ... ] But he lived like he should. As swords, we're supposed to live to protect and that's what he did with his very last breath. [ Sometimes, you have to comfort yourself. ]

[allomantic]

[since kashuu has ABANDONED HER (it was not that dramatic) to chase after a sword, she's wandering around after being healed. he followed after the survivor knight, so she'll approach the knight who saved her and the person he's speaking to.]

Hello... [a tiny pause.] I wanted to thank you.

[disestablishment]

[ He greets her with a joyous spread of his arms up into the air, like he has been given such great news. Seems the knight he was talking to is done and goes back to his post. ] You are most welcome, young miss, but it is I who should give thanks. You aided our knights and rescued the injured, did you not? [ A smile before looking over to the wounded resting at the medic's tent. ] ... The lives you've saved—mayhap you find it too few, but I'm sure they are grateful as well. [ A familiar voice whispers to Vin, not the same one from the beginning of this journey, but it is her own. The same nature of when she brings out living shadow: "we cannot save all. If we try, certainly we will lose ourselves. Who will you save then? Who will save you?" If she looks over to the wounded, she may spot... A familiar face? ]

DISCUSSION...!

[disestablishment]

[ Kashuu and Vin can discuss with themselves about what they've learn, what they think they can do. ]

[allomantic]

[whenever kashuu is back from swordgate she's approaching!!]

...One of the knights said we could go into the city past those gates to get new weapons, if we wanted. He also said that his garrison was tasked with defending this place, so he would be staying, but that another group would be going to kill a dragon named Nidhogg - oh, and I found Vax. He was talking about the Prism, so I think it's really him. [hilarious.] He thinks it would be a good idea to go with that group, and we'd have to talk to someone named the Lord Commander to do that. They are located in the city as well.

What do you want to do?

[slashay]

[Well the first thing Kashuu does when they meet up again is just hack a handful of rose petals into his hand, which he promptly stuffs into his pocket. He looks like he is So Used To This, because he IS. He's an emotional tsun, not expressing emotions is what he does and he's doing it hardcore right now because HIS (fake) KANESAN!!!

But it's fine, they move ever onward.]

Oh, 'kay. [JUST IMMEDIATELY TRUSTS HER WORD though he peers around to look for hei's trickery Vax.] I was thinking it was kinda weird that there's only two of us... Even the smallest groups so far still have three.

[As for the rest of that, though, considering:] Sounds like we should be going into the city either way, right? Even if we come back here, getting some extra weapons probably isn't a bad idea.

??? - CRIMSON AND FLAME (LOCKED TO KASHUU)

[disestablishment]

[ Optional unlockable!

Kashuu rides the black chocobo, but finds that it isn’t as fast as the one Kanesada took. Of course Kanesada knew which was the fastest and grand theft auto’d it—he needs to kill this dragon. As Kashuu finds himself flying through Coerthas, he will find a disturbed patch in all the snow.

There is a silhouette, difficult to make out with all the snow. Approach? ]

[slashay]

[HE HATES THIS SO MUCH WHY THE FCK. KANESADA. HELP. He's just watching this man's back zoom farther and farther away as he tries to race after him, wondering what the wholeass hell he's doing with his life...]

WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS LIKE THIS NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE, YOU STUPID, EMPTY-HEADED SH—

[Fortunately before he can keep cursing sweet Kanesada's good name, he's distracted by that patch... H...hello...

Well, he's not about to immediately hop off and ditch his Kanesada-chasing mission completely, but he'll veer over to try getting a better look before he just zips right on past, just in case it's someone who needs medical attention. Do they look dead. Is it even a person. i hope it's the dragon playing dead in the snow because it could sense kanesan's murderous energy]

[disestablishment]

[ VENGEANCE!!!

Kashuu is so funny. Kanesada had zipped so fast it was hard to see him with all the snowy winds until this point. As Kashuu tries to get a better look while passing by, he will notice this silhouette does fit Kanesada’s profile and another, beast-like shadow.

There is a very familiar voice, the one from the beginning, that rings, “why live to suffer?” ]

DECISION

[disestablishment]

[ deciding where ya wanna go ]

[allomantic]

[vin and kashuu are heading into ishgard together!!]

[disestablishment]

[ y'all zooming to ishgard! ]