Stella Fortuna Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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stellafortunalogs2021-08-03 09:46 pm
stellafortunamods) wrote in stellafortunalogs2021-08-03 09:46 pm
august mingle
August Mingle
Welcome to Teyvat - a vast magical world of adventure.
Happy new year....! In Teyvat, that is. It is now January ingame, and Liyue's people go about their disaster recovery efforts with more vigour than before. After all, Liyue's biggest festival is slated to occur in the latter half of the month - the Lantern Rite!
The Rite of Parting - Rex Lapis' funeral - passes without much incident, and Liyue collectively breathes a sigh of relief. With the Fatui being chased out of the yard, it seems that peace will finally return to the harbour city as they rebuild from the storm. You'll also get to watch three million Mora's worth of incense go up in smoke, so there's that.
Eager to focus on the future, Liyue folk have begun discussing the upcoming festival. The Lantern Rite commemorates hope for a new beginning and continued prosperity, and the construction of the festival centerpiece is currently underway. This year's Mingxiao Lantern will soar into the sky amidst thousands of smaller lanterns, and it will take the shape of a fallen Adeptus to commemorate the Adepti's contribution to Liyue's lasting peace.
Unfortunately, you're not quite out of the frying pan yet. With the Fatui gone from Liyue, the Ministry of Civil Affairs turn their attention to solving another issue that has cropped up after Osial's revival and subsequent defeat. Quite a few miners have gone missing from the Chasm, and the likelihood of finding them will only grow slimmer as the days go by. Both the Millelith and the Adventurers' Guild have pitched in to search for the kidnapped people. All clues lead to Nantianmen - and it's just your luck that Geovishaps and their hatchlings have come out of hibernation at around the same time. These lizard-like beings have shells of solid rock, and they seem especially agitated at having their territory invaded. Solving the mystery of the missing miners will take more than just a day's work.
State of the World
With the Lantern Rite set to open on January 21st, all of Liyue have come to visit the harbour to set up their stalls and pitch in to craft the Mingxiao Lantern. Hopefully the miners are found before the festival begins - the Lantern Rite is a festival of reunions, after all. Not to mention the Geovishaps' increased activity will inadvertently lead to them burrowing around in the rocky mountains. There's a small, but non-zero chance of them hitting an ancient seal somewhere and unleashing a buried threat.
Unless... that was their intention all along?
Please direct all questions to August's OOC post!
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No. But I've been more or less okay here. [He hesitates, briefly, unsure of how much he should say.] ...Elliot is here, too. It helps to have that kind of support.
[Yeah, just gonna... save the boyfriend reveal until later, he thinks. Not because he thinks it's something to hide, but because if he knows Crow, that will completely derail this conversation and he will never get any answers.]
So you're from the future, where I'm concerned. [He sighs.] Lovely.
I guess that... kind of explains why I. You know. Was pretty sure I was never going to be able to talk to you like this again.
[His voice shakes a little on those last few words, and he swallows to steady himself.]
I would hope that after everything, you wouldn't be avoiding us if you had the option, anyway.
All right, then. I think we both know my main question is: how on earth am I even talking to you right now?
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Believe me, if I'd had the option any sooner I would've said something.
[ They'd beaten him fair and square in the Infernal Castle, he owed them at least that much. ]
As for how... first of all, let me say upfront that I had no idea this was an option. But... it turns out that for Awakeners, dying isn't necessarily permanent. Sort of. I was able to be brought back because of my connection with Ordine as a sort of... Immortal. As long as Ordine has the mana for it, I can keep existing— even if that's technically an impossible existence.
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He gives a sigh and a soft smile at the confirmation that Crow isn't — wasn't? This time thing is so complicated — avoiding him anymore. He didn't really have any doubts that would be the answer, but he's spent so long chasing Crow's shadow up until this point that he's pretty glad to hear he hopefully won't have to do that anymore.]
...Listen. I know you can be... let's just go with difficult at times, [read: you're an asshole, Crow, and Rean knows it,] but I wouldn't have thought for a second that if you knew you'd be back, you would have let all of us cry like that.
You can tease me for being soft all you want, but I know you. And you're soft enough to not want that for us if you didn't absolutely think it was over.
[But there's the rest of that to contend with, and Rean's hint of a smile is quick to fade. He's looking out at the city, not able to look at Crow as he continues.]
...So this little reunion of ours is just temporary, then, is what you're trying to tell me.
[Rean is ever Rean, and there's a part of him that wants to argue for hope's sake, but...
Well, a lot of that's been beaten out of even him at this point. Even he sounds resigned to it.]
I guess we should just... make the most of what we have, then. [His hands are tense against the rock, betraying his feelings, but he tries to keep his voice level.] I can't say I want to accept that I have to let you go again. But... if I have no choice... I at least want to be able to make up for a little lost time. Have some of the closure we didn't get before.
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[ So it's totally not about being soft! ]
But... yeah, it's temporary.
[ He knows what Elliot said before about him still being alive, but he just can't make it make sense in his head. And he doesn't want to give Rean any unrealistic hopes, not when he can't really accept it himself. Crow has always been a cynic at heart, and he's known since he was a teenager that one way or another, he wouldn't make it even as far as into his mid-twenties.
It's just how it goes. ]
I wouldn't mind a little extra time to hang out with you guys before I go. Seems like I still owe you after everything that went down at the Infernal Castle. And I believe I still owe someone some interest.
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[Oh, Crow. Never change.
Okay, no, maybe change the part of you that's convinced that you have no hope for anything ever. That change would be good. But the dramatics, those can stay.]
Don't talk about it as "owing," though. I know there's always been some weird power stuff between us, between you being older and then more experienced and everything, but...
I don't know about you, but I don't want any of that stuff anymore. I just want to be your friend. Talk to you about stupid things, play cards, fight alongside each other like we used to. [A slight pause, before offering a mischievous little smile, like he's saying something he shouldn't.] Maybe go get some drinks, now that we're of age.
[Is Crow of age? ...Eh, to hell with it, this time stuff is bad enough without questioning zombie ages.]
...The interest, though, that's still in effect.
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Still can't get out of that interest, huh?
[ He grins and winks. ]
Alright, alright. You'll get your interest. Someday. And as for the rest of it.... you've got yourself a deal.
[ No promises on ditching the fatalism, though. ]
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Haha, nope. [Rean gives his own grin in return.] If I'm calculating correctly, I think you'll be paying that off well into our next lifetimes. So I'll be waiting for "someday~"
[Which is to say: Even when this bonus time is over, Crow isn't safe. Rean will reincarnate someday and hunt this dumb bird down.]
I swear I had more questions, but everything's honestly so scrambled right now I honestly can't think of anything. So I guess you get off with that, for now.
[He laughs despite himself, but then raises a fist to offer towards Crow, for bumping.]
Welcome home, partner. I'm glad to have you back, at least for now.
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It's good to be back. Even if I can't get you all that interest yet, there's still plenty of things I wanna get into with you before overtime's up. Not the least of which is getting those drinks.
[ As for their next lifetimes.... well, that's a problem for future Crow isn't it?
He doesn't think he minds that. ]
I'll give you another shot at those questions if you ever remember 'em.
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[If you're a lightweight and you know it clap your hands—]
But after that, I think tonight's wide open, if you're in.
[It's so easy to slip back into things with Crow, and Rean loves it.
It's nice not feeling like there's a gaping hole where the other half of his metaphorical coin should be.]
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Is that the sound of a lightweight I hear~?
[ He laughs lightly, shaking his head. ]
Alright, alright. After you've had something to eat, then.
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It's the sound of someone who just turned 20! Give me a break!
[Rean laughs.]
You, too. Elliot and I are no Sharon, but it's been too long since we ate as a group, don't you think?
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[ She's the best cook he's ever met, no questions about it. ]
But dinner sounds good to me. Your treat, of course~
[ Look Rean, he has no money right now. ]
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[Rean knows how it goes.]
We'll get you hooked up with some commissions soon enough. That way you won't be quite as much of a mooch.
[Rean's not afraid to call it like it is.]
...There's a kid here you might want to talk to, too. Name's Jun. He managed to talk Forneus into paying him for his services here. [Casually not mentioning how Jun gives him some of that because he was too dumb to ask himself...] It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to ask what he said that got him to agree and try for yourself.
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[ It might be accurate but that doesn't mean he has to admit it. ]
But as for getting paid, that's just common sense. A guy's gotta make a living, after all. I'm definitely gonna be having a chat with the guy about it.
[ Is he implying Rean does not have any common sense? Of course not, he doesn't know he didn't ask. But he already knows Rean doesn't have any regardless. It's a charm point. ]
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[Hey, now! Rean's getting paid... just by Jun... the point is, he's still making money, so it's fine! And he almost always makes sure he gets paid for his commission work...!
...
Yeah, no, Rean doesn't have a lick of common sense. A charm point, indeed.]
I'm happy to treat you this time, but you gotta carry the groceries. Deal?
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[ The complaint doesn't carry any real heat to it, but of course he was going to make it anyway. ]
Alright, alright. Consider me your one-man cart.
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[Rean shifts himself to pull his legs back up onto the rocks, then pushes himself up to his feet, and offers Crow a hand up.]
Ready?
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You know it. C'mon, let's get going.