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January Catchall | Open
WHO: Xiao Xingchen and YOU!
WHEN: During their three week lighthouse stay
WHERE: ...The lighthouse
WHAT: A catchall for mostly bad decisions
WARNINGS: Some weird eye squick and potential blood visuals...much blood Also Xue Yang. Xue Yang is his own warning. Including some mild disciplinary violence on Xingchen's end.
1.
[The lighthouse is yet another stop on the group's ever eastward journey, but after time spent in a world where the life and death cycle is...trapped in an infinite loop, Xingchen is glad to be somewhere a little more normal. A little. He's been in this world long enough to know that not everything is as it seems.
And, naturally, that comes to light to him after spending enough time on the lower floors of the lighthouse. Something has felt off since he first ascended these floors, but the longer he stays the more he trusts his gut, for once.
There is screaming, warning, and general anger and vitriol spat around the space. Xingchen takes a seat well into the night - he hasn't slept well in months to begin with; the fact that he can't see to get any schedule on track doesn't play into this - and jumps, surprised, the first few times the harsh cries ring out. But he grows used to it. And, when one of these voices pleads They come from above! Xingchen gently responds.]
Who comes from above? What have they done?
[The voices do not answer, but he gets the distinct feeling that they are nothing he has ever encountered before.]
2.
[Xingchen has always been curious and friendly, wanting to learn new things or connect with other people, but he's also been able to keep his hands to himself and not prod where he isn't welcome. It's a good trait, until it's also a trait that has gotten him into messes he never should have in the first place. One doesn't learn unless one asks or reaches out to grasp for knowledge.
He decides if he wants to be of any real use here, he'll have to start being nosy and cross some thresholds.
Which is why he's found that door on the twelfth floor and, after tracing the letters explaining the need for a wish in order to enter, he does just that. And, yes, he discovered the still-living bodies collected within and that is certainly noteworthy. Who are they? Why do they sleep so deeply? What is happening inside that room?
But after he leaves the room, something else has happened. Xingchen is driven to help, even more than usual. Instead of quietly offering assistance when he feels it is necessary, now he approaches anyone he meets with an eagerness.]
Do you need an extra hand? I have two perfectly capable ones.
[Or, even if he's not sure what someone could need help with, he simply offers himself up.]
Whatever help you need, please rely on this one. He's happy to bear the load.
[Because the wish he made to get into the door? I wish I could be more useful.]
[ooc: The only limitations to this helpfulness are no sexual situations, self-mutilation, suicide, or killing. But feel free to ask anything else of him! This lasts for 24 hours after he leaves the Sleeper room.]
3. CW for eye horror and blood imagery
[Regardless of how his helpfulness spree has gone, Xingchen wants to go back to that strange room and try and figure out anything else. Except that requires making another wish. And, sure, the first one took a strange turn, but it wasn't a horrible turn of events. Maybe...he'll get lucky again.
Xingchen knows better than to trust something in this world. He knows. But that curiosity, that need to know as much as he can about this strange situation, keeps him there. Only, the first wish that comes to mind is something he doesn't want at the same time. And yet...if it could help him again...
But there's...not guilt involved, just an acceptance. He is blind, and blind by his own choice. Regret does not linger in his flesh about this decision. He would do it again if he could. If he had to.
...But he does miss things. He's been blind for a few years now and he misses color, he misses seeing how a smile can light up someone's face. He...
I wish I could see again.
If only that wish could have gone into effect when he entered the room again, but it doesn't. No, it comes to fruition, again, after he leaves. As soon as the door closes behind him, a fullness inflates behind his covered eyelids, a weightless presence takes up residence once more in his abandoned sockets. It hurts, but it doesn't. It just feels sharp and dull at the same time.
Not long after, Xingchen seats himself on one of the lower floors, his blindfold in one hand while he looks - looks! - at his hands in front of his face. A face that is complete once again.
Except, well. If one were to look at his eyes, they would notice that they are...not quite right. They're eyes, definitely, but not human eyes. No, they're a little more bulbous, a little thicker. Fish eyes. They're fish eyes.
He...might have gotten carried away with the wishing, huh.]
[ooc: Not only does Xingchen have brand new eyeballs for 24 hours, but they come with some fun powers, detailed here. If you want your character to appear in any of these forms to Xingchen, specify in the subject or explain it in the tag, just let me know somehow! I'm happy to traumatize any and all of us involved. If you'd rather not be subjected to those images, just leave the subject blank or let me know about that, too!]
4. wildcard!
[You know how this goes. Want something completely different with Xingchen? Perfect! Hit me up and I'll go with the freaky flow!]
WHEN: During their three week lighthouse stay
WHERE: ...The lighthouse
WHAT: A catchall for mostly bad decisions
WARNINGS: Some weird eye squick and potential blood visuals...much blood Also Xue Yang. Xue Yang is his own warning. Including some mild disciplinary violence on Xingchen's end.
1.
[The lighthouse is yet another stop on the group's ever eastward journey, but after time spent in a world where the life and death cycle is...trapped in an infinite loop, Xingchen is glad to be somewhere a little more normal. A little. He's been in this world long enough to know that not everything is as it seems.
And, naturally, that comes to light to him after spending enough time on the lower floors of the lighthouse. Something has felt off since he first ascended these floors, but the longer he stays the more he trusts his gut, for once.
There is screaming, warning, and general anger and vitriol spat around the space. Xingchen takes a seat well into the night - he hasn't slept well in months to begin with; the fact that he can't see to get any schedule on track doesn't play into this - and jumps, surprised, the first few times the harsh cries ring out. But he grows used to it. And, when one of these voices pleads They come from above! Xingchen gently responds.]
Who comes from above? What have they done?
[The voices do not answer, but he gets the distinct feeling that they are nothing he has ever encountered before.]
2.
[Xingchen has always been curious and friendly, wanting to learn new things or connect with other people, but he's also been able to keep his hands to himself and not prod where he isn't welcome. It's a good trait, until it's also a trait that has gotten him into messes he never should have in the first place. One doesn't learn unless one asks or reaches out to grasp for knowledge.
He decides if he wants to be of any real use here, he'll have to start being nosy and cross some thresholds.
Which is why he's found that door on the twelfth floor and, after tracing the letters explaining the need for a wish in order to enter, he does just that. And, yes, he discovered the still-living bodies collected within and that is certainly noteworthy. Who are they? Why do they sleep so deeply? What is happening inside that room?
But after he leaves the room, something else has happened. Xingchen is driven to help, even more than usual. Instead of quietly offering assistance when he feels it is necessary, now he approaches anyone he meets with an eagerness.]
Do you need an extra hand? I have two perfectly capable ones.
[Or, even if he's not sure what someone could need help with, he simply offers himself up.]
Whatever help you need, please rely on this one. He's happy to bear the load.
[Because the wish he made to get into the door? I wish I could be more useful.]
[ooc: The only limitations to this helpfulness are no sexual situations, self-mutilation, suicide, or killing. But feel free to ask anything else of him! This lasts for 24 hours after he leaves the Sleeper room.]
3. CW for eye horror and blood imagery
[Regardless of how his helpfulness spree has gone, Xingchen wants to go back to that strange room and try and figure out anything else. Except that requires making another wish. And, sure, the first one took a strange turn, but it wasn't a horrible turn of events. Maybe...he'll get lucky again.
Xingchen knows better than to trust something in this world. He knows. But that curiosity, that need to know as much as he can about this strange situation, keeps him there. Only, the first wish that comes to mind is something he doesn't want at the same time. And yet...if it could help him again...
But there's...not guilt involved, just an acceptance. He is blind, and blind by his own choice. Regret does not linger in his flesh about this decision. He would do it again if he could. If he had to.
...But he does miss things. He's been blind for a few years now and he misses color, he misses seeing how a smile can light up someone's face. He...
I wish I could see again.
If only that wish could have gone into effect when he entered the room again, but it doesn't. No, it comes to fruition, again, after he leaves. As soon as the door closes behind him, a fullness inflates behind his covered eyelids, a weightless presence takes up residence once more in his abandoned sockets. It hurts, but it doesn't. It just feels sharp and dull at the same time.
Not long after, Xingchen seats himself on one of the lower floors, his blindfold in one hand while he looks - looks! - at his hands in front of his face. A face that is complete once again.
Except, well. If one were to look at his eyes, they would notice that they are...not quite right. They're eyes, definitely, but not human eyes. No, they're a little more bulbous, a little thicker. Fish eyes. They're fish eyes.
He...might have gotten carried away with the wishing, huh.]
[ooc: Not only does Xingchen have brand new eyeballs for 24 hours, but they come with some fun powers, detailed here. If you want your character to appear in any of these forms to Xingchen, specify in the subject or explain it in the tag, just let me know somehow! I'm happy to traumatize any and all of us involved. If you'd rather not be subjected to those images, just leave the subject blank or let me know about that, too!]
4. wildcard!
[You know how this goes. Want something completely different with Xingchen? Perfect! Hit me up and I'll go with the freaky flow!]
no subject
He's not stupid, Xue Yang. He's learned to read well enough to decipher the Yiling laozu's secret scrolls. He's figured out new techniques after mastering what no one but the laozu himself could. He knows how to manipulate, how to twist words so they are sharper than any knife, how to win against superior cultivators through use of his wit and dirty tactics, all of which requires smarts. Quick thinking, street savvy, wicked mind.
But right now he looks lost, going beyond confusion into oblivion. Who has ever taught him how he feels?]
How do I tell, daozhang?
no subject
And yet, even as he watches, even as he tries to make any sense of Xue Yang, he realizes he hasn't had to do this in so long. Yes, it's only been a few years, only a fraction of his entire life, but going without sight has kept him out of practice. Still, he can tell that Xue Yang isn't faking the way he looks unsure.
Something hurts in Xingchen's chest. He almost feels...pity.
But then he remembers the sight of the Baixue Temple after Xue Yang had killed everyone except Song Lan and he keeps himself in check.]
Do you feel regret? Do you wish you hadn't hurt those people connected to me?
[He doesn't refer to the Chang Clan because he's sure Xue Yang feels nothing for them. But for Song Lan's family, targeted as a means to hurt Xingchen, and then the innocent residents of Yi City, thrown away to ruin Xingchen further, those are the ones of which he thinks. He has to know if Xue Yang would budge even a little.]
When you see me and think of everything you've done to hurt me, do you ever wish you could take any of it back? Or will I never get through to you?
no subject
Don't leave me.
What matters? What matters at all, what matter so him?
He remembers the day Song Lan came to Yi City, when he'd known, with certainty, that things would go exactly has planned. And he remembers wishing that he'd never have come. Take any of it back?]
I can't take it back.
[That's just a statement, it's stalling, because he's not sure how to word his thoughts, how to explain what he feels, he doesn't truly comprehend it.]
Anything. Everything. I'd take everything back, daozhang. For you.
[Does that matter at all? He doubts it. Even as he kneels in front of Xingchen, looking up at him with his arms raised, still in punishment position, he doubts it matters how he feels. Sorry. What is that?]
For daozhang, I want to not have been born.
no subject
But nothing is ever black and white. How stupid of him to have expected this to have been easy.
He thinks Xue Yang has some capacity for regret. It's just not directed in the place Xingchen wishes it would be. Xingchen himself should not be any sort of anchor or deciding factor in what Xue Yang considers wrong and right. Xingchen shouldn't really be involved at all. Maybe he shouldn't have asked about himself, knowing that Xue Yang has such an awful attachment to him.
What's worse - better? - Xue Yang wishes he had never been born. And Xingchen agrees that the world would have been better off in that case. But Xue Yang doesn't care about the world.
Xingchen sighs, slouching further back on his knees as he looks at the floor between them. What is he to do with this? This has solved nothing. All he has to show for it is a red palm and pitiful expression. He shakes his head over nothing in particular.]
...I wish you hadn't been born.
[Harsh words, despite their honesty. But as he thinks a little more, tears start to sting at his eyes and he raises a hand to cover them.]
I wish neither of us had been born.