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

[countermeasures]

[well.

jiuqing rolled a 2 on her perception check, so she doesn't notice the bird, because she's focused on the dragon.]

It is called Daxing. I don't know where it is in relation to here - the map I saw had no places that looked familiar to me.

[disestablishment]

First, thou may address me as Vidofnir, daughter of Hraesvelgr. [ Dragon :thonk: ] It is not a land I have heard in mine years alive, but my sire may knows better. Seeing that I have found no animosity in thou and thine, so thou may past to Sohm Al. My sire's abode is further in the Churning Mists, but will only be summoned by a tune played on a horn. The moogles have been wards for this horn for centuries. Beseech them.

[countermeasures]

You have my gratitude for your guidance, Vidofnir, daughter of Hraesvelgr.

[help. it is a miracle that she rolled higher than a 10 and didn't botch that pronunciation.

she smiles, though - she is grateful - and straightens up, glancing at ysayle to see if she knows where they can find the moogles. if not, jiuqing will have to ask vidofnir where they are.]

[disestablishment]

Yes, thank you, Vidofnir. I am ever in your debt. [ YSAYLE IS A TOP! So she, even if she doesn't fucking know, will lead them through the large door opening that connects to a bridge. This is where they enter the Churning Mists. ]

[ When they step out, there is a hill they must scale, but when they reach it, they find themselves a platform to view the vistas that float on the clouds themselves. They all connect, all of it climbable, but between the gaps and crevices they can see clouds and the earth below.


Here Jiuqing can see even more dragons flying overhead. They keep walking and before they know it, they'll find Dravanian down trees, a plethora of them, and this little thing just... Dancing. It is wiggling about by itself while singing? ]

[countermeasures]

[oh, wow...

jiuqing mostly keeps her composure as they walk, but - she looks impressed at the view, too.]

It's breathtaking...

[she's not going to like, look around wildly or anything like that, but she is definitely appreciating the view from up here. she looks curiously at the down trees, too, and she wants to ask what they are, but - there's that little creature.

she glances at ysayle.]

Do you know what that is, because I don't...

[disestablishment]

[ Whispers: ] 'Tis a moogle. [ She seemed professional before, but now she's filled with endearment. ]

1/2

[countermeasures]

It's so cute...!

2/2

[countermeasures]

[ah, but, right. the moogles are the ones who had the horn they need...

she takes a breath, composes herself, and approaches. focus! they need to focus!!]

Hello, there! That's a lovely song you were singing.

[disestablishment]

You like my song, kupo? Of course you do, kupo! [ It preens its giant pom, the thing that's attached to the top of its head. ]

---

[ Ysayle arthurfists because inside she is SQUEALING, but professional voice. Professional look. With Jiuqing. ] Greetings, moogle... We are here for the horn to summon the great wyrm.

---

You mean... This horn, kupo?! [ TAKES OUT THE FUCKING HORN. ]

[countermeasures]

[oh.



that was easy.]

Yes, that one! Might we borrow it from you?

[disestablishment]

[ ... Hides the horn immediately. ] No, kupo!

[countermeasures]

[


or not.]

I'm not asking to borrow it for free, of course. Perhaps there is some service we could do in exchange for it? We'd give it right back afterwards.

[disestablishment]

A favor? You would do a favor, kupo?

---

Yes, yes! We will do aught to use the horn, moogle... [ This is a trap. ]

---

Hm... I've been bored, kupo. Tell me a tale—a romantic tale! Of people you know, kupo. From the realm of color!

---

The realm of color? [ WHAT. ] What in gods is the realm of color?

[ write me romantic prism fanfic ]

1/2

[countermeasures]

[hm.




actually, jiuqing would rather die.]

2/3 i lied

[countermeasures]

...I come from a... very colorful place, Lady Ysayle. I think perhaps they are asking me to tell them of people I know.

[well.

at least she is alone? on this cyoa? for some reason? so no one will know if she talks about some of the ships. what story should she even tell? itsuki and buzen? no, that's depressing, itsuki became a widow so fast. atsushi and vin and ruby? that's also depressing, atsushi is dead.

help. maybe she will just write fix-it fic instead. maybe if she speaks a happy ending into existence, they'll get it?]

In the realm of color, a group of strangers found themselves caught together in a situation they weren't wholly prepared for. But as they got to know one another, some of them found that they grew to care for each other.

There was a young man who looked after others, often at his own expense, and a sword that had taken human form and wished to support as many as he could. They became a support for one another, but... they were separated far too soon.

There was a young man who did not see himself accurately - he was wonderful, but his self esteem could use quite a lot of work. Still, he found two women who cared for him deeply, who he cared for in turn. [okay she does not actually know if ruvinsushi is real for sure but she wants to believe it is, just based on what she's seen in the aftermath.] He didn't confess at first. He was afraid to - afraid that he couldn't give the two of them what they deserved. But they never thought that it was about deserving. They liked him, and they wished he could see himself the way they did. ...they were separated too soon, too.

3/3

[countermeasures]

But that separation wasn't the end.

Everyone there had a common goal - to reunite with the people they care for, and to return to their homes. Even while apart, they never lost sight of that goal. They worked together - separate, but together - until they found a way back together.

...and when they reunited, nothing would keep them apart again.

[disestablishment]

[ ... ]

---

The story is confusing without names, kupo! But I like it, I like it. Do you find love, too? I hope you do, kupo! Have the horn! Make sure to play the song at the summit! [ toot toot ]

---

[ she's.. she's just like what the fuck? ] Thank you, Jiuqing... I wouldn't know how or what to striing for their favor.

[countermeasures]

[she takes the horn, but looks away when asked if she also finds love and does not answer that question.]

At the summit... we'll remember. Thank you.

[and then, to ysayle:]

...I'm glad I could be of assistance. Shall we get going?

[disestablishment]

We shall. [ She nods and leads Jiuqing to the summit. ] That was not what I expected when you spoke of Daxing. [ have you ever had such a big misunderstanding. It's fine. ] Is the story true? Is all not lost for them...? Will they be reunited? [ She may toot the horn when they're at the summit. ]

[countermeasures]

[as they walk, jiuqing feels a cough coming on. she brings a hand up to her mouth to cover it, angling the sleeve of her fancy white mage robes so the flower she coughs up vanishes into it, and then casually lets her hand drop so that the flower falls harmlessly and hopefully unnoticed to the ground.]

...the story isn't quite over yet. But, I'd like to hope that they will be. That's part of why I want to go back so badly - so that I can help it to come true.

[anyway, they arrive at the summit!




she toots the horn.]

[disestablishment]

[ Ysayle doesn't notice the flowers and stays quiet. She wants to believe, too. That is the sentiment Jiuqing gets.

With the horn tooted, a great white dragon appears... Unlike so many dragons Su Jiuqing has seen during her travels, he is both feathery and leathery. His wings give the illusion of having multiple, because the span consists or three wings themselves. After looping around, he lands on the summit... Heavy enough for quite a rumble.



Hraesvelgr. Is. A chonker, so much larger than Vidofnir. Here is a comparison shot of his head with Shiva.

"Thou would call for me, children of man?! After all thou hast done?!" ]

[countermeasures]

[that



is a big dragon. jiuqing takes a breath and wills herself not to be frightened of him, even though he could probably swat them both off this mountain and to their deaths with a single flick of his tail.

she bows, low and respectful.]

We are sorry to disturb you, great wyrm, but honored that you have heeded our call. Please, may we speak with you? We know that mankind committed a great offense in the past, but we seek an end to this.

[disestablishment]

[ By the way, this dragon cannot be seduced. He is widowed, but he has been monogamous to his dead lover for over a thousand of years. Such is dragon angst and devotion. ] Thou would call upon my aid? Impudence.

---

[ DAMN, SHE WOULD HAVE GREETED THE DRAGON FIRST, BUT JIUQING!! ] Jiuqing... You should have him hearken to your questions. [ Because Ysayle also understands that is just as important as her want for peace. ]

---

Another ask? [ ... ] Thou. Thou art different from the children of man from these lands. Speak.

[countermeasures]

[oops. she just thought peace was important. sorry, ysayle!!]

...I'm not... from here. I appeared on the tundra with no idea where I was or how to get back.

[...]

I seek to return to [...how did aymeric and estinien and meteion and emet phrase it...] my own star.

But I don't know how to accomplish that.

[disestablishment]

[ The dragon is quiet... Ysayle, too. She is too shocked to bolster her own cause because a different star? ] My sire, Midgardsormr, flew through the galaxy to find a star for our brood, but he is stronger than any other.

---

Is there naught you can do for her? She should not suffer being on a different star—there must be those she loves at home. [ Sometimes you project your want for a home and friends onto someone you just met, but also care genuinely. ]

---

[ He simmers on this, thinking more. It seems he's nicer to Jiuqing just cause she isn't from this star. ] This endeavor is beyond mine reach, but I sense others like thou. They march in Ishgard... They prepare for war that they will fail. They will die.