those many springs.

[spicehill]

affiliated jiaoqiu of the xianzhou yaoqing, written by mel.

info. dossier. talents.

dialogue color: #656565 soft thread cap: 10/10 snowswept stamp tracker.

[spicehill]

digital words washed ashore.

empyrea cleanup commission with @avcnturine.

[avcnturine]

BACK IN COMFORTABLY AIR-CONDITIONED QUARTERS ,　♤　he pauses at the threshold as the pressurized doors slide shut behind them with a hiss to let jiaoqiu get his bearings on their new surroundings. the foxian's ears flick and turn, those impaired eyes still scanning their environment even as they struggle to focus on anything. if the other hadn't mentioned it earlier, he wouldn't even have thought to notice the invisibility of the disability. what a funny place to be, both fully aware of his blindness and still constantly forgetting about it.

as he leads jiaoqiu around the perimeter of the starship's main foyer, the fall of their footsteps is muffled by the line of rich carpet beneath, dimmed by the barely audible hum of the structure all around them. "ahaha, i was thinking we would just have something brought up to my room. that's how i would do it if i was alone. don't let being on a starship fool you——we're not short on variety either."

"but, having someone else offer to cook is admittedly a first. normally, i'd say that there's no excuse for asking a guest to take on the work. . . "

half-amused, he pauses them at the juncture where hallways split: one further into the ship's body toward the VIP suites, the other continuing down the main promenade toward the kitchens and other utilities. "but if you insist. . . i get the feeling that you might get bored otherwise, just sitting around and waiting."

and he has to admit, he's curious to see how a blind man goes about cooking, if not for the inevitable shock he'd get for showing up unannounced in the ship's kitchens. sometimes, going through all the effort of reassuring everyone that he wasn't here to breathe down their necks was hardly worth the hassle.

. . . then again, maybe an unexpected audit wouldn't be a bad idea, to see where exactly his food was coming from.

[spicehill]

the amount of time it takes to walk from the entrance of the ship to the next area --- which smells like a kitchen of some variety, even at a distance --- says something in its own right, providing a hint that this ship of mr. aventurine's is anything but a tiny personal vehicle. "bored, with you around? I don't think that's very likely. but regardless... don't worry about making me do all the work. I'll want you to help me find and prepare the ingredients I need in your kitchen." jiaoqiu's tone hints subtly at a related query --- you do know where to find things in your ship's kitchen, right, mr. aventurine? --- but he doesn't ask it aloud, and changes the subject instead.

"honestly, I miss the breakfast food I'd usually make at home, after all the bland bread and eggs people seem fond of in empyrea. even some kind of spiced rice porridge sounds quite pleasant right now..." though, jiaoqiu still isn't sure what aventurine likes: that would also be a good question to ask, but maybe that could be done while he was determining what he could make with the available ingredients on this ship. he always had his own spices to work with, too... "but I realize porridge with chili oil certainly isn't for everyone, so we could make a few different things to share."

the sound of a swinging steel door opens before they can cross through it. the door pushes a puff of air towards them as the individual who opened it stops in their tracks, and a quick thump and a surprised grunt from the person seems to suggest the door hit their backside before they could move out of the way. "o-oh... mr. aventurine! ah, what are... is everything... alright? I was just..." the person speaking has a low, nervous voice: a pale pink ear twitches curiously. "... sorry. nevermind. do you need something? I can get it now! just say the word!"

[spicehill]

selfhood lost in kapatcir's mist.

tsurumi island time loops with @tartagliare.

[tartagliare]

Fog or no fog, Childe can see just fine.

The hand that extends to him is a bit withered. As he considers taking it, he has the creeping suspicion that his hand might look the same if he were to inspect himself any further. Spidery, purple veins weave where normal ones would be. The other man’s eyes are open but unfocused. Dazed or unseeing.

Like everything here, it doesn’t make any sense. Under normal circumstances, he’d want to push forward until it did make sense. To fly further into the fog but well… his siblings were still crying out to him. In pain or in danger with each step in the wrong direction. “Hah,” His hands do look odd, chilled to the bone when he locks their fingers together and pulls the fox his way. “I dunno. I really don’t like whatever’s making us feel like this. It feels forced, right? I didn’t get…” He pauses, reorients himself with new facts filtering through. Harbinger. He’s a soldier. “Didn’t get to where I am today by going back when the road gets a little rocky. Whatever happens, I can handle it. What about you? Is your name even…” He struggles to find the information as it’s being overwritten. “Jiaoqiu?”

[spicehill]

jiaoqiu. the name still called out for him sounds right, certain, like the only thing he really knows: the rest of what he's being asked feels convoluted, layered between a life this young man he knows as ajax does not live in a simple village tucked behind the shadow of a hollow mountain. who is he --- he, himself? or he, the young man tugging at his hand through thick and unrelenting fog in his vision?... brows furrow, and he tries to answer slowly. "yes. that is my name."

he's heard variations, nicknames, strings of titles and terms of familiarity woven in ways that don't seem to fit this village life. a life aboard a fleet of ships, each a civilization of their own... not tied down to this ground beneath his feet. "are you... is ajax correct for you too, if you have to ask me my own name?" they don't belong here. they don't belong here. they don't belong here. they could belong here. but if they walk longer, ask more questions, then it is hot oil spilled across skin, poison burned behind corneas --- it can't be taken back, the damage will be done.

　　　　　　　　go back.

　　　　　　　　　　go back.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　go back.

but which way is back?... jiaoqiu doesn't wait for the answer to the question spoken, and acts on the one in his mind instead as hand tightens its hold and starts to walk backwards. "I... don't think we're supposed to be here, ajax. what about your sister?"

　　　　　but the question is more personal than it sounds: what about my sight?

[generalforesight]

𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼 𝓸𝓷𝓵𝔂

commission board destruction. jing yuan/jiaoqiu

[generalforesight]

That it takes Jiaoqiu time to arrive at the inevitable is just fine. In this, Jing Yuan merely waits patiently while the other arrives where he wants him to.

After all, it would be rude to refuse such a gesture. At least…ruder than accepting right away, thus taking advantage of whatever sentimental string pushes the Arbiter General to offer in the first place. “It’s no trouble,” Assurance and a smile that goes unseen, but Jing Yuan taps his shoulder as he passes, giving direction. “The ship is not far.”

Acting as a guide is easy enough, making measured steps while he chats with Jiaoqiu about the Space Station’s advanced technology. The travel attendants balk quietly at their sudden appearance, whispering behind their hands or pocketbooks while Jing Yuan checks regular maintenance logs. “It’s been sometime since I’ve flown myself.” This particular assignment had been handed to a commission leader, but none could question Jing Yuan’s sudden interest. “Rest assured that you are in good hands, and the Space Station already expects a visit from the Xianzhou Luofu.”

Only after they’ve begun the launch does Jing Yuan acknowledge the thick stack of papers tucked in the pocket between seats. “As for the report itself, it is an extensive look at your personal health history.” Once their course is clear and set, Jing Yuan is able to lean back and close his eyes. “I am no physician. If there are things you intend to keep private, I understand.”

Then, more deliberately."I have never heard of a person's sense of taste going numb. This happened...before the incident with Hoolay?" All considering, this detail is tame. A branch to inform that Jing Yuan may have memorized too much. Accidentally, of course.

[spicehill]

the hum of an engine coming to life once aboard the general's ship is somewhat familiar: a hum of a uniquely powerful and well-kept military-grade starskiff engine, likely provided by the marshal to all her of her subordinate generals... though the sound of this one is just slightly different from the one he'd usually enter, a half-tone lower, almost calmer. perhaps that is fitting, all things considered: the divine foresight's temperament always seemed a tad more mild than the merlin's claw.

but an ear twitches as jiaoqiu listens, and the loss of his taste is mentioned: neutral expression as he tries to relax in his own seat in the ship curls into a slight, polite smile. "ah, that... yes, the loss of my sense of taste was an unfortunate consequence of my service in the third abundance war." he considers sometimes if it was that one instance that was to blame --- the day her mask of dafeng vanished, likely turned to nothingness and never to be seen again under the bombardment of blinding light with her young mentee tucked into his arms. but... it could just as easily have been exposure over time, well over a century spent on warfronts where the reignbow arbiter's bombardments fell. a breath, and jiaoqiu adds on the other possibility, carefully implied --- "or, at least, that was when I first noticed it was truly gone. sense of taste and one's sensitivity to spice are thankfully unrelated, so stronger spices still stand out to me... thankfully, only coriander really upsets my stomach."

finally, jiaoqiu considers the offer the general made again, to keep things private --- he already saw much, most likely. "in terms of privacy... there's no one else aboard the ship anyway, correct? and we have some time before we'll arrive at madam herta's space station, regardless. since dr. zaine's report is in such small print, I would still appreciate you sharing highlights, at the very least."

[avcnturine]

𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦⠀──⠀⋆˙⛃

#GHRevelation2025⠀∶⠀vodka donuts are now a thing

[avcnturine]

JIAOQIU'S DISHEVELED HALF-NAKEDNESS　♤　is almost a little embarrassing by comparison now as he pushes the tray a little further onto the table to squeeze back onto the couch again. an arm wraps around the other's waist as he does so, tugging him close against his side——a gesture of intimate lovers: flirting with the boundary of familiarity and brazen in its presumptive comfort. "you can just eat it if you like. there's plenty to go around with the vodka later." and he's actually pretty curious to see if he really does go through with the spicy donuts. it's hard to imagine they'd taste very good, but what does he know about a foxian's palate?

hand massaging idly up and down the other's ribs, he reaches for one of the regular ones himself, looking over the thick layer of sugar before taking a first bite. glaze crackles as it caves against his teeth, the dough satisfyingly shell-like rather than the soft mealyness he's used to. it's more air than substance as a pastry, but the crisp texture and sweetness makes that unimportant, unlike any other donut he's tried before.

"that's pretty novel. . . " he remarks, chewing for a few more bites before setting the rest of it on a napkin and reaching for the syringe in jiaoqiu's other hand. "how's yours? want me to help?"

he presses the syringe into the underside of the dough without waiting for an answer, pushing vodka into the filling with brow arched. spicy, sweet, and vodka. . . he can hardly imagine what that'd even taste like.

[spicehill]

the reach and pull of aventurine's hand again at his side makes him slide even closer, faintly aware of the scents of the delivered dish --- caramelized sweetness, a hint of astringent liquor not contaminated by artificial fruity scents to mask the burn, a hint of cinnamon and honey and the smallest trace of some kind of chili powder cut with lime. taking in these scents was probably the closest he could get to tasting most of it... otherwise, jiaoqiu imagined the vodka would burn more than a mild chili powder the hotel's chef thought would be meeting the peculiar request without being offensively spicy.

a small lick at one of the donuts he'd requested confirms the mildest hint chili powder, barely more than a kind of warmth that differs from the fresh-baked pastry's heat: jiaoqiu feels aventurine's hand guiding his own next. "oh, thank you," he replies softly as the other man helps use the peculiar syringe ( at least... peculiar in this setting ) with the barely-tasted spiced donut in his other hand. finally --- a bite, and he tastes the sting of the vodka more than anything else almost instantly, and feels the softer texture of fried dough and the grit spices and sugar that had coated it after. "hmm..." a thought, and he puts down the syringe as he offers the next bite of his own donut towards aventurine with a smile. "I don't have the sharpest tastebuds, so the vodka overwhelms it quite a bit for me... how about you try? the chili powder they used is quite subtle, I'd imagine it actually compliments the sugar nicely." his now-free hand between them comes to rest on the other's leg, quietly insistent.

[spicehill]

you don't really want this help.

something something blending sneak + huddle into a mini thread

[avcnturine]

HE HAD TO WONDER :　♤　did jiaoqiu mean to come onto him by his offer given their circumstances, or was it just a common practice in xianzhou, or the yaoqing, to cook for someone without being solicited? if the former, it wouldn't be the first time——and then he had to wonder whether he wanted to curb expectations ahead of time at all. . .

the tarp moves aside with a shuffle of heavy fabric, forty mils thick and lined with fur. the inside is blessedly warm with the embers of a fire still running, which meant that everyone couldn't have gone far. "hm?" eyes turn to jiaoqiu, and he laughs softly as he takes in the bewildered expression and unfocused searching ; a split-second impulse almost brings a hand to the other's jaw to guide his attention to where it should be, but he thinks better of it. "everyone likely just stepped out. they should be back any minute."

oh, he probably doesn't know where he is.

the next chuckle is a little more chagrined. "sorry, i forgot to explain. this isn't the main camp, but you could call it a small outpost that i had set up so we wouldn't have to drag all the equipment back and forth. it's still close enough to the main camp that the service can reach."

and with him out here while topaz stayed behind with everyone else. . . if not for her soft spot for this place and her previous work, he might have something to say about delegation if he wanted to be less gracious.

"in exchange, our rations are a little better than what you'll get there at least. until everyone else gets back, you can warm yourself up by the fire for now. i'll go see what's left to work with."

[spicehill]

a different camp... that did explain a few things, and from the sound of it, also made the prospects of what could be made for a meal a little more promising. but who owns those rations that are better than what the rest of the people are working with in this crisis?... jiaoqiu doesn't let go of aventurine's arm just yet though, and clings even tighter for a moment as he starts to walk to the source of warmth in the shelter to find a place to sit down. "everyone else? haha, just how big of a team is working with you here?..." he doesn't exactly expect an answer --- as jiaoqiu finds a bench to take a seat on, arms gradually release their hold on the other man, and he focuses instead on undoing the thick coat he's wearing to move himself a little more freely and feel more of the fire's warmth.

once fully settled, jiaoqiu exhales slowly, then turns to share another thought in the direction he hears aventurine in. "if there's a better selection here than at the main camp, don't worry about letting me know everything that's available. I can work with whatever appeals to you the most instead." though he would also need dishes, and cookware, and perhaps some water, though that could just as easily be snowmelt... he hums, and then reaches to his belt to double-check the spices he brought with him to belobog ( which... was never quite famed for its variety. he was fairly certain he'd brought a lot with that in mind )... each rung has a small glass vial with a raised character on a bronzed cap, and so far, he'd only used the cinnamon a few times.

then, jiaoqiu leans forward from his seat to feel around by the fire, looking for any of the materials he'd need to see if they were left there. when he finds a pot, jiaoqiu places it to his side on the bench --- "in fact... just place whatever you'd like to try in here. it can be a surprise."

( with any luck, maybe they could even have something neither had tried before. )

end.

[spicehill]

peach lace, drowned in indigo.

an unexpected encounter with @mydcimos.

[mydcimos]

Domestic threat?

Despite the many allegations against the intelligence of his people, he understands the words themselves. It’s the oddity of hearing them paired together, as if the whole of Amphoreus was composed of anything else. “Perhaps.” He answers, shaking his head to relieve the amount of dirt and debris layering into his hair. It’s on his skin, too, somehow more offensive than the blood and sweat of battle.

Jiaoqiu’s answer pacifies the instinct that demands the foreigner is the root of new evil. “Stay still, before your blundering shifts the pillars overhead.” Even if he’d spent most of his life wandering the eternal night, there was a difference between what that was and…this. Pure darkness, a collapsed wall completely obscuring the outside skies that had given some adjustable light. Blind, he strides forward until the toe of his greaves crunches into solid stone, one arm stretched overhead to field off anything that might bludgeon him while the other reaches for the area where Jiaoqiu’s voice echoes softly in the enclosed space. “We’ve been buried.” He informs the other, using the last of his generosity to explain the situation. “Whatever threat this is, we will not wait to be found.”

Because Jiaoqiu is shorter than most, his outstretched arm brushes fur. Ears, he remembers, adjusting to wrap around his waist instead. “Do not struggle.” Strife is warm, he’s been told. Boiling. Mydei has never cared to ask for further definition, but he feels fire warming his skin as it erupts from him, launching them into the air like any lance soars over a battlefield. The Palace’s several floors crumble, scratching his skin but ultimately giving way – he checks his hold on Jiaoqiu as he looks for a place to touch down.

[spicehill]

do not struggle...? he feels a searingly hot arm wrapping around him before he fully understands the implication of mydei’s command: with it so dark, his damaged eyes can’t see anything at all… and it’s hard to say if it’s dark enough that the other man can’t see anything, too. perhaps just well enough to know where he is?… “alright,” it’s a quiet acknowledgement, before inner ear feels sudden, rapid upward movement and feet sense that the ground is no longer beneath them. the next thing he follows is the sound of chaos —- crumbling stone, cracking concrete, the scent of dust and rust.

ribs and spine ache the longer this grip around him continues —-

—- and when feet find ground again, jiaoqiu stumbles away with a shove against the arm holding onto him, coughing slightly from the dust of the debris. stumble continues until hands find the ground: head shakes, and after several more moments, jiaoqiu pushes himself back up and calls back over his shoulder. “those monsters from before… they are capable of something like this, aren’t they? or is that impossible?” he still didn’t have a great sense for what they were, so it wasn’t easy for him to determine the answer to his question; once completely on his feet again, jiaoqiu takes out the personal jade abacus in his pocket, and holds its screen close to see if there had been any recent messages received from other yaoqing personnel that had come here with him. “still no service here, either… how strange.” but his device buzzes the next moment, despite a connection error showing on the screen: cryptic, garbled text loads when he opens the message, in characters completely indecipherable… perhaps he just can’t see it well enough. “mr. mydei, could you take a look at this?… are these symbols from castrum kremnos?”

[trailblczed]

☆ aren't you tired of being nice? don't you ever want to go ape shit?

【 crystalize commission ── shackling prison trainer(s) 】

[trailblczed]

❛ General Feixiao.. ❜

Caelus hums in an echo, seriously considering the option of approaching the woman to ask the same question(s) he intended to answers for from Bailu. It's not a bad idea, but.. Caelus would feel bad to take someone of such high status and importance- often busy as well, he assumes- just to humor his befuddlement. Still, it wasn't a bad idea regardless, as the foxian General had the respect of many and knew how to take charge. Perhaps when she isn't bogged down with work and other General Duties the silver might try.

A much more relaxed and almost amused hum rumbles in his throat as he nods, nudging his arm that Jiaoqiu was holding onto in a playful manner.

❛ Yup, yup! It's quite the place, and smells amazing. I would be surprised if someone passed by and didn't become overwhelmed with the desire to stop by and indulge themself. ❜

The Nameless confirms their location just before a Vidyadharan woman approaches them with such strong cordial energy, their eyes and expression just beaming with a polite gentleness.

❛ Yes Ma'am, just us two. I know my preference but um- ❜

He pauses to glance over and up to his companion still attached to him. While the silver would much rather be inside, as there are way too many people that pass by that he'd rather avoid ( he was "The Hero of the Luofu", and that comes with many, many fans. Oh the horror. ), this isn't about Caelus. This is about Jiaoqiu and his desire to adventure to the Steamboat Moon to get a taste of what they offer. Caelus can't be any more greedy or less than he already had been-

❛ Do you have a sway one way or the other? Or.. which would be easier- less strenuous..? ❜

The inquiries come out soft, almost uncertain- as if Caelus didn't want to ask but made himself do it. Who cares how embarrassing the unspoken words were- that of which would be easier on a man still in recovery- but fuck pride if it means Caelus can do something to be less of a burden to ease the pain.

[spicehill]

an ear twitches slightly at the softness in caelus' tone as the question is directed towards him instead. normally, he'd be inclined to take a seat outdoors on such a lovely day... but this was still so close to the luofu's alchemy commission, where either dragon lady ( the small or the more standard size ) or their assistants who had been seeing to his treatment would be quite cross if they caught him having hotpot not long after a check-up.

besides... the trailblazer wants to have a talk, doesn't he? indoors, preferably somewhere quiet and far from the main kitchen, would likely be their best bet. so --- jiaoqiu smiles, then turns to where he heard and can vaguely make out the form of the hostess who'd greeted them. "let's head inside."

the figure before them shuffles and leaves the stand --- he moves to bring caelus along before she even gives the direction. "alright, wonderful! ~ please, follow me!"

once they've taken a seat in a quiet part of the restaurant, jiaoqiu turns to the hostess to push away a bound booklet she's placing down in front of him. "oh -- no thank you, I won't personally need a menu: just tell the server that I will want to know the current hotpot specials when they arrive. but my friend may need one."

the hostess makes a sound of acknowledgement as she takes the menu away: "mm, of course. your server is yuze, he'll be here shortly!" then, departing footsteps follow.

finally, jiaoqiu turns back to caelus: "if it's not too much of a distraction while you look through things, feel free to share more of what you wanted to ask me about on our walk here. leadership qualities, correct? and as I last mentioned, while I've not been in a position of leadership per-se, I have served as an advisor to a few different leaders over the years."

[avcnturine]

𝗫𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗭𝗛𝗢𝗨 𝗗𝗥𝗜𝗙𝗧⠀──⠀⋆˙⛃

comm. ABUNDANCE⠀∶⠀bootleg starskiffs.

[avcnturine]

WHEN EVERYTHING SLOWS BACK DOWN ,　♤　it feels like it's been a millisecond and an hour. he's breathing hard, chest heaving, hardly processing his own grip white-knuckled on the wheel. they're still alive. somehow.

there isn't even time to sit with that.

a ship zipping by on their left nearly rocks them out of the sky, and he has to kick the acceleration back in again——at normal levels this time——to keep airborne. "shit. hahaha. . . " only then does he realize that jiaoqiu had said something to him, maybe a minute or a few seconds ago. following the trajectory of the starskiff that'd just passed them, he dips their nose down into a shallow dive, figuring that whoever else was in this race would at least know the track. it's a miracle they're even still on it with his blind guessing. "mm, alive for now, believe it or not. i think i'm getting the hang of this. . . "

for the hours he'd spent committing to ad hoc flight lessons over the last handful of weeks, what's really serving him here is intuition. he only recognizes half the switches and buttons on the dashboard, though maybe they're just in a different layout from the one he'd gotten used to. they'd been in such a hurry, he hadn't gotten a chance to take a good look at them.

"can you——"

wait. right, he can't.

with an ironic sigh, the stoneheart accepts their reality with a half-smile. "maybe we should worry less about winning then today and just make sure we make it out in one piece." they're on a relatively empty stretch of airspace now, almost unnervingly quiet after that rocky start. a calm before the storm——or so it feels ; he hopes that's just nerves speaking. but when has his gut ever proved him wrong? "the guy who was supposed to be flying with me today, something must've happened to him. better not to think about what. . . " a glance paid in jiaoqiu's direction now that he's back in the copilot chair. what could a blind man do? up ahead, there's a slim golden ring suspended in the sky——a track marker.

"what's more worrying is the possibility that if they already knew to stop him, then who's to say there aren't more traps? maybe the very starskiff we're flying right now." wouldn't be the first time he'd been put in something designed to kill him. "any chance you know anything to get us out?"

[spicehill]

anything that could get them out... jiaoqiu settles back into the seat with a sigh as the ship steadies again. in this moment, he not only curses his damaged sight, but also the traditional decision made as a child to reject all the possibilities his parents had placed in front of him as part of said tradition: the toy sword, the miniature starskiff, and the jade abacus all held little interest, then. instead, he had asked his parents about their own cauldrons, and if he could use one of them as his choice. it was exactly what they had expected of their son --- but right now, he almost wishes he had chosen the toy starskiff.

any capacity he had to navigate the interior of this modified starskiff would have to come from secondhand knowledge. "if the owner of this starskiff had access to military-grade aftermarket modifications for its acceleration, then... maybe..." maybe there's a way to get them out, quite literally. "at the base of your seat. there may be something that resembles a woven lever that is very difficult to pull out of place, but that is by design... if so, that's a promising last resort." he had only ever treated injuries related to verdant knight pilots ejecting from starskiffs in an emergency --- never seen or felt what it would be like to actually experience it.

but was that all they could do, here? jiaoqiu shakes his head, not happy with the idea of forcibly abandoning this starskiff and leaving it to crash land somewhere aboard the luofu. "alternatively... if we want to fly elsewhere, you can pull up the autopilot navigation --- if you get us out of luofu airspace and into the yaoqing's territory, I may be able to help get us out of this in a less dangerous way. once the yaoqing's skyfairing commission contacts us to verify our identities and reasons for entry." if this was an illegally modified starskiff... most likely, it would draw some regulatory flags from upon trying to enter another fleet ship's airspace. but he could explain them well enough to those officials --- and their intervention could also make sure that anyone more dangerous that could be following them would be scared off or captured.

[spicehill]

selfhood lost in kapatcir's mist.

tsurumi island time loops with @tartagliare.

[tartagliare]

Maybe indirect questioning just isn’t the way to go.

Blunt nails scratch over his scalp once while he thinks, stubborn hair curling back into place seconds after he’s smoothed it down.“Power over you?” Humor tinges his tone as he echoes the sentiment – maybe too much, in hindsight. There is a sharp edge of interest that he can’t quite grasp yet, only that the idea of holding that kind of power in his hands gives him a rush of newfound energy. “Yeah, that might not be your best move. I don’t know if I can be gentle.”

He could. He couldn’t. The two certainties fight to be heard in his head, knocking against his common sense. The feeling has been happening more and more often, accidental ripples in a pool of water that’s meant to remain untouched. Pristine, like glass. Ajax wouldn’t dare shatter it.

Childe would.

The air rushes from him all at once, disturbing the gloomy mist that’s caging them from all sides. “You must be mistaken. Violetgrass only grows in Liyue…and it’s not this easy to collect.” The mist distorts reality. Childe has realized this before, a few times when some nagging wrong pushed him from the quaint little village. In the mist, he begins to remember other events.

Kneeling in front of an icy throne. A snowy countryside, where his hands are stained with blood. The feeling of rushing wind as he travels by boat. So much travel…

As soon as he begins considering it, his siblings begin to call him through the mist. Broken, pitiful things to lure him away. Childe knows. Remembers, that if he returns to the village he’ll begin to forget again. “Hey Jiaoqiu,” Strained, he can’t manage the title. The knowledge that he’s somehow gone too far from safety narrows his vision and urges him back. “Can you get rid of this fog? Do you hear that?" Could he hear Tonia screaming, or was it some special trick reserved only for him?

[spicehill]

he grows increasingly aware of it the further they walk in search of plants: this mist was so cold. too cold, and not in the way he would expect, like the frigid ground of a snowswept path on a high mountain: not cold like the chilled wind on a night in the desert, not cold like... the heavy mist that it was supposed to be.

instead, it felt empty.

cold from a lack of sunlight, on a planet too far away to truly feel the warmth it orbits: cold like the emptiness, nothingness, pointlessness. the voice calling his name is not one he knows, not one of the countless knights who relied on him to do his best before they'd set off into that unforgiving, cold emptiness once more. do you hear that? can you get rid of this fog? --- it asks after his name. but his hands can do so little, except to mend and send away towards death once more, only...

"... what?" the mist is so thick, so cold, so deep: when he turns back, the young man nearby seems like a distorted blur in his field of vision. it must be the mist, right? even if he doesn't belong here, even if he's meant to be somewhere else --- this liyue the other spoke of, perhaps? was it a place so cold, so empty? --- as soon as the mist clears, he'd surely recognize this face. with a sigh, jiaoqiu shakes his head to answer: "no, my apologies: I only... hear you." what was this young man's name again? a sigh, and he takes a step closer to offer out his free hand: "regardless... we should head back. I'm having a hard time focusing, or seeing much of anything with how thick this mist is right now."

[spicehill]

digital words washed ashore.

empyrea cleanup commission with @avcnturine.

[avcnturine]

IF HE'S GOING TO HAVE SOMEONE OVER　♤　for a late breakfast, he could stand to freshen up a bit in that case. the phone rests idle on the sofa cushion, discarded by its owner as the rush of water runs in the next room over, a crystalline golden light spilling out from its inteior over luxurious fixtures and stylish wall paneling. as usual, he puts on one of the weekly podcasts he tunes in to every sunday morning out of pier point as he goes through the routine of muscle memory: washes, cleansers, toners, oils, everything and nothing drifting through his mind as the starbelt's top economists debate the trends of the previous week.

by the time he gets back to his device, it's been a little while since jiaoqiu's answer. his location——not far from where the cleanup crews were working, actually. he glances over to the TV to see if he might catch a serendipitous glimpse of a pink head and foxian ears. . . too bad, it's no dice.

still, amusing to think about.

[ 9:22 am ] I think I saw you on TV just now, actually. Close to the clean-up crews? Or maybe just someone who looked like you

chuckle at his private joke petering out, he considers the logistics of the location more seriously. for something more official, he'd send out some men to find jiaoqiu and invite him back with a little bit of pomp and circumstance ; and if he's honest, he's still tempted to just to save himself the time and effort of going out into the remaining dump of an island facility, that concrete shell of a paradise.

but, they're friendly by now, aren't they? so for the sake of hospitality. . .

[ 9:23 am ] Anyway, you're in luck. You're not too far. I'll come find you. Just stay put

he could use a walk anyway.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 —⠀♠⠀—

"jiaoqiu."

he announces himself by way of a call, the sound of the other's name reaching across the short gap with a mixture of greeting and sympathy, the signature of a commiserating headshake built into it even if the recipient wouldn't be able to see it. "they're even asking someone like you to help?" the day is hot despite the hour——or maybe it just feels that way after a month spent in a cultivated oasis fine-tuned enough to be believable. he offers the man a characteristic smile out of habit, even knowing there isn't much point. "if you haven't even eaten, then there's no reason for you to be out working. fortunately, my starship's not far."

[spicehill]

jiaoqiu turns when he hears his name, ears moving just slightly before head as he pinpoints where the increasingly familiar voice is coming from. midmorning light makes the source a shadowed figure a short distance away: he chuckles when he hears the question, and starts to walk in the other man's direction. "... your ship, mm? getting away from all this mess does sound like a good idea... but, I wouldn't blame the workers too much. I think most people don't realize my vision is impaired from a quick, passing glance." at least not when he was in a period of time between experimental treatments, like this one... an arm comes forward to reach out and ask for guidance once he's close enough for them to head on their way.

the walk back to their transport isn't terribly long: once aboard aventurine's ship, jiaoqiu looks around briefly before taking out his own jade abacus to send a quick 'heading off to get something to eat' text message to a few key contacts who may end up looking for him in his absence and fear the worst. the external shape of the ship certainly wasn't a xianzhou starskiff, despite their previous meetings taking place within the alliance --- seems more appropriate of a vehicle for someone who only occasionally visited the cluster of spacefaring ships he called home.

with the way the man he's accompanying seems to usually behave... perhaps he'd only learn a few small, new things about him each time they meet, and this one would be simply seeing the kind of ship he flies. a breath, and jiaoqiu calls for aventurine again after he puts the jade abacus back in his pocket. "so, mr. aventurine... do you have something for breakfast here in your ship? if so, I would be happy to help prepare --- I actually enjoy doing that sort of thing. or, were you thinking of going somewhere else entirely?"

[spicehill]

you don't really want this help.

something something blending sneak + huddle into a mini thread

[avcnturine]

FEET ARREST ABRUPTLY AT THE TUG TO HIS HAND.　♤　vibrant eyes lift to catch jiaoqiu's, already turned to some invisible space before them, more sense than sight. "find something?" he asks, and the other's eventual response doesn't surprise him given the long pause in between. looking down, he adjusts the dials some more, careful and incremental and slow, trying to get them back to the exact calibration they'd been on when they'd stopped. a glance tests the foxian's hearing again. ". . . still nothing?"

"well, even that's better than what i expected. worth reporting in." he notes down their exact coordinates on a notepad jammed into one of the transmitter case's pockets and a few other observations about the time, the weather, and their surroundings. "but i wouldn't be surprised if even that little bit is gone by tomorrow. if this is the work of a stellaron, it'll likely need a little more creative intervention to set things back to normal."

fortunately, he knew at least a few of the astral express' nameless had shown up for the festival too ; if anyone tended to have a way of ending up right at the heart of things. . .

turning fluidly, he offers his companion a smile, repressing a shiver as the fading daylight summons a stronger boreal gust out of nowhere, biting through even the thickest layers and loudly rattling some nearby corrugated sheet pulled down over a storefront. "why don't we head back now, friend. i've been waving my arms out here for the past few hours. and once it gets darker, i'm afraid this place won't be so peaceful."

[spicehill]

it was just a blip, a crackle --- and it didn't return the next moment, or the moment after. eventually, jiaoqiu sighs... and nods at aventurine's suggestion, as if to say lead the way. it's not like he knew ( or could try to make out ) the best way back to camp in these conditions. jiaoqiu removes the headset to let it rest around his neck as he starts walking alongside aventurine again. "mm, sure. you really should rest a bit more, I think: it has seemed like you've had quite the eventful time here at the festival. and I would still like to make you something nice to eat... the rationed ingredients aren't much to write home about, but I do have a few spices I keep on my person that could be added..." his voice continues to speak as they walk further, brainstorming aloud what sorts of things could be put together to make a warm, hearty meal once they were back at camp.

surroundings get darker, darker, darker: dim haze in his damaged sight gradually turns to blackness, with the warmth of the hand holding his own serving as the main tether of reassurance. feet eventually feel like they cross a threshold into a structure of some kind; the crunch of snow underfoot is replaced by what feels like more solid stone after a creak of wood sounds nearby. the noticeable warmth that greets them inside is confirmation that they're likely in a camp, but...

why is it so quiet?

head swivels as he tries to listen for anything other than the sound of their own breath, and the sound of crackling fuel burning in what's perhaps a fire. his voice comes as a hushed whisper eventually, not sure if he should speak at all --- perhaps there's a reason why it's dead silent. "is... no one else here? or..."

[spicehill]

you don't really want this help.

something something blending sneak + huddle into a mini thread

[avcnturine]

HE DOESN'T HAVE TO LOOK AT JIAOQIU　♤　to guess that he's thinking ; the curious scrutiny on him is almost palpable, stretches out the cadence of words even as aventurine half-mindedly fiddles with the dials on the transmitter again as they come close to the outskirts of the designated safe zone——a span of abandoned city blocks still close enough to the encampment to be covered by the semi-regular patrols, but by no means truly safe. if some monsters were to find them out here, would he have to defend both himself and a blind foxian?

"wait a second," head turns back to the other, "you can't just say something like that without elaborating. personal physician to the merlin's claw, one of xianzhou's own divine generals?" in fairness, the disbelief isn't all cordiality. with everything altogether, he'd expected something high-profile, but still, someone that close to xianzhou's top brass was even less than a needle in a haystack. who'd have thought his bizarre fortune would land him here.

then again, he thinks back to the tour in liyue, the impossible red string around their hands. maybe there was some comment to be made about cosmic attraction, or fit, if he wanted to.

"i've really barked myself up a considerable tree," he laughs. retired or not.

[spicehill]

"oh, please... I was her physician, but that's not really feasible for me anymore. and with what little I know of your own lifestyle, I can't imagine a past role like my own is that far off from your own level of influence..." jiaoqiu chuckles softly, not surprised to hear that there's still little mr. aventurine has to share about himself after saying a little more about who he his, or at least... used to be. what else is there really to say about it right now, aside from what he's already shared?... ( stories, countless ones --- but none are too pleasant, perhaps. the time when she was young, and he was already old, and her mentor succumbed to the divine strike of the god they follow... ) "so, since I've been more forthcoming with you... what do you do, mr. aventurine?"

but before he can pause and wait for the other's reply, his ear listening to the headset twitches at a slightly static crackle in the otherwise steady hum --- jiaoqiu stops walking for just a moment, and the hand still holding onto aventurine's tugs gently again. "hm. I think I just heard something. but... it may have been nothing, it doesn't seem to be coming back." maybe he'll have to press a little harder some other time.

[spicehill]

you don't really want this help.

something something blending sneak + huddle into a mini thread

[avcnturine]

MISTER JIAOQIU'S VOICE WAS SOFT ,　♤　the pitch high and even floral for a man. it wasn't unpleasant to listen to, but it was the kind of voice that details tended to get lost in, whether that was intended or not. but this one happens to stand out, piquing a subconscious curiosity——' to invite us '? it only wouldn't be a strange thing to say if he were some kind of higher-up or representative. . . aventurine glances over again, recalling the estate he'd been taken to the time they'd met thanks to the masked fool's prank.

". . . i could say the same about you, friend," returns the compliment on the heel of an amiable chuckle. "whenever a large-scale invitation is sent out, i'm starting to expect that i'll find you there." he must be well-connected, or just have plenty of time and money to spare. on that note, he had never explicitly asked about what mister jiaoqiu did for a living, but also felt no particular urge to find out that easily. maybe the mystery was half the fun.

"as for me, a good businessman always has to stay on top of his prospects. jarilo-vi's re-opening isn't something to be scoffed at. and on top of that. . . you could call it a bit of a pet project. not mine ; an associate's. she helped me recently with a close call, so i'm here returning the favor. no one thought it'd end up like this. the higher-ups are probably scrambling right now. . . "

or maybe not at all. it was hard to be completely sure where opal and diamond were concerned.

"are you worried? about the thought of being stranded here?"

[spicehill]

was he worried? honestly --- not especially. the merlin's claw and moze were here somewhere, too --- as was the divine foresight, his student, even a foxian girl from the ten lords commission that he had heard of once before from little sushang. if any fleet of ships knew how to extract its people from the surface of this planet, it would be the hexafleet, without a doubt. the presence of two generals alone was enough o warrant it, after all...

... but aventurine's question about his own involvement here ( without disclosing any of his own, once more ) prompts further curiosity. what exactly was the business of the man walking alongside him? a steady hum rings in one ear from the headset he still holds close; amber eyes strain to look at the man next to him, only making out hazy shadows in the darkening dusk that surrounds them. at the very least, he has the sense to try and answer aventurine's question: "hm, I think that... if push to comes to shove, the hexafleet will not abandon a number of valuable personnel here. I once served as the personal physician of the merlin's claw, before my current condition... and she is here somewhere, along with her personal bodyguard. but this isn't merely a yaoqing issue --- the divine foresight and his apprentice are also attending the festivities, so I would expect that marshal hua would want to extract all of us." the leadership of the yaoqing alone served as a significant portion of the fleet's offensive capabilities, after all...

as he thinks, the tone in his ear stays steady, unchanging. was there really no notable frequency this machine could detect?...

though it feels strange to finally disclose these things about himself, when he still doesn't truly know what aventurine does. a man with what he seems to call colleagues couldn't be a lone operator: so, what was he? perhaps a corporate employee, one that travels to far-flung resorts like empyrea?... but also one that would find himself in situations that involve illegal starskiffs... perhaps some sort of finance that is more above-board, then: and a company that wouldn't restrict the upward mobility of a sigonian. the hand holding onto aventurine's squeezes slightly before he continues. "... all in all, I doubt my work takes me as far as yours does --- especially with me more or less retired, now."

[spicehill]

you don't really want this help.

something something blending sneak + huddle into a mini thread

[avcnturine]

FEATURES TINGE WITH MILD SURPRISE　♤　at the touch to his face, coming just short of drawing away, eyes following the motion of a curious hand as it skirts his cheek to his ear to press against it. was there something there? when it finally falls away, his own hand replaces it and massages to find nothing. the cordial smile returns at the request to come with him, simultaneously warm and cool. "hahaha, be my guest. this kind of work gets tedious fast. if you're willing, i could use a pair of sharper ears."

disentangling the bulky headphones from around his neck, he offers them out to jiaoqiu, then reaches up to start trying to situate them around his head. as it turns out, he's never thought about the logistics of getting equipment around a foxian's ears before, so he's sure the other'll reach up to help adjust it. "you can just leave one off if you want to talk ; they're pretty hard to hear through. the signal should be audible in both——if there is one. to tell you the truth, i doubt we'll have any luck with this machine."

steps turn to the side, encouraging jiaoqiu to walk with him.

"this situation's really turned into a mess," he continues conversationally as he fidgets with the transmitter to put things back in order. "it was supposed to be a pretty lively festival ; now, who knows when any of us are getting out of here. let me know if you hear anything besides a flat tone."

[spicehill]

as a headset is brought up to ears, he vaguely recalls struggling with the ill-fitting headset provided for the museum's audio tour: not only does a single ear make sense for being able to talk while they walk, but it also honestly... works better. "anything besides a flat tone... I assume you've had no luck hearing what that would sound like, though?..." a hum in his ear is low, constant, almost like a single steady note... he imagines that, were he more talented, he could assign a particular musical name to this tone, like an a-sharp, a d flat... jiaoqiu follows a different note from earlier in their conversation instead of pondering on it further. "mm, this turn of the weather has been quite a shock, and unfortunate timing for the people of jarilo-vi. after the wardance, the alliance wanted to bolster our support for the people here... I've heard that a young local man from this city's underground caught the attention of many prominent persons aboard the luofu during the competition."

not that he saw much of it himself, while in recovery at the alchemy commission: by the time he was able to visit those festivities, they were nearly over. but, considering where they've run into one another before this... sometimes within the territory of the hexafleet, but also on empyrea? it does seem like aventurine travels quite a bit. "what brought you to this festival, anyway? I believe the alliance was contacted with news of the event to invite us... you've always seemed fairly worldly, mr. aventurine."

[spicehill]

you don't really want this help.

something something blending sneak + huddle into a mini thread

[avcnturine]

IT'S CHARMING THAT HE'D LEAVE SOMETHING　♤　like this to chance. weren't they friends by now, after everything? aventurine's smile broadens, gaze soft with familiarity as the pink foxian comes closer to examine him. and even without full use of his eyes, jiaoqiu's still keen in a way that's a pleasant surprise——a way that's less about senses and more about faculty. "hm, this?" he takes the hand outstretched in offering, grasping it gently tight and applying just enough pressure in invitation into his personal space ; his other reaches up to nudge the headphones fully out of the way, dropping them to hang around his neck with an unwelcome sting at his ears from the fresh cold.

he shakes his head to scatter the feathers of blond matted by heavy equipment. "just some stone age technology. it's the best they had to look for some signal. connection to the outside is still a problem." one they'd be better off finding an answer to sooner rather than later ; belobog had only opened its doors for a little over a year, and without some outside intervention, no one wanted to think about thousands of non-natives being stranded here for who knew how long alongside jarilo-vi's own population, struggling over resources already drawn thin.

"on the other hand." attention returns to his unexpected company, looking him over again until it rests on the velvet vulpine ears atop his head, tufts of tall fur flecked in snow. "you must really not mind the cold. even the people from here are avoiding coming out this far right now by themselves."

[spicehill]

a soft laugh follows aventurine's conclusion --- did he not mind the cold? jiaoqiu has not really questioned it, so much as just... accepted it. he squeezes the hand holding onto his own in turn as he takes a step closer, close enough that a few features and colors of the other man's face can be made out in what's otherwise foggy, dark shadows. "mm... I can tolerate it to some degree, I suppose. though keeping active helps me more than sitting around, even by a bonfire..." his free hand reaches up to touch at aventurine's opposite cheek, finding it cooler than usual against palm: fingers then push towards hair, noting golden strands dampened by falling snow and a quickly-cooling shell of one ear. "... so, I'm going for a walk. besides, if truly needed, I know how to start a fire."

( never mind that it was his third --- and finally successful --- attempt to get away from one of those so-called safer zones to see for himself what was out here and to pass the time; never mind that the streets were not only more frigid, but also possibly home to invading plains bears, or worse... ) ... after a moment, the hand pressed to one ear starts to pull away slowly. "well. if you're still busy with this signal search, perhaps I could at least walk with you a while --- I don't need conversation to appreciate your company."

[spicehill]

you don't really want this help.

something something blending sneak + huddle into a mini thread

[avcnturine]

THE SIGNAL TRANSMITTER IN HIS HAND　♤　isn't like anything he's seen before——not in modern times, anyway. it reminds him of the old computers still stored away in abandoned rooms at the pier point headquarters: mammoth, wall-to-wall spanning things from amber eras ago that somehow hadn't been thrown out yet, whether out of sentimentality, laziness, or the off-chance of needing to dig up their parts someday.

even with the most insulated down-lined gloves he had, the bone-biting cold that'd swept in and threatened to lock jarilo-vi in a second eternal freeze could still be felt trying to chew through reinforced leather and numb the tips of the hand holding onto the damn thing, an ache beginning to develop in his upper arm as he tracked the empty city streets aimlessly and swiveled the object back and forth. periodically, he glanced down at the radar harnessed to his front and frowned at the obstinately steady flatline. the hum of the ancient machinery had become background noise some time ago. . .

so much so that he almost doesn't catch a voice calling out some ways away, still focusing on following the exact coordinates of the concentric layout they'd agreed on until he belatedly registers something off and reaches up to slide the bulky headphones back, feet turning to let him scan the sidewalk.

that's. . . "jiaoqiu," he responds, thoughts still half on the even, flat note of the radar——then a faint smile spreads on seeing how far away the other still is on his approach. body turns fully to face him. "i'm this way. just follow the sound of my voice."

[spicehill]

an ear twitches at the voice that returns his call --- sounds like aventurine isn't anywhere near as close as he pictured from the way scent lingered in the cool evening air. still, with the other talking, he's able to start moving forward until a vague shadow appears in damaged range of vision: once he's more confident that he's followed the right sound, jiaoqiu speaks once more. "I was wondering if we'd run into each other again. this snowstorm is certainly something..."

as he gets closer, jiaoqiu also hears faint sounds of a machine of some kind... eyes strain to try and identify what it could be once it becomes clear that it's something in aventurine's hand, but jiaoqiu decides to simply... ask. "huh... what's that? I can't quite make it out." he wonders quietly if it's anything he could recognize under more typical circumstances, or even just a year or two ago... but his hand reaches out next, offering to hold one of the other's that may not be occupied by the device. "seems like someone has put you to work with it regardless."