heiibai

[heiibai]

Some people are just born to fight, I think. It’s not that they’re born brave. It’s not that they’re born strong. It’s just that the universe has decided that this one, this one will have grit and fire and steel in their blood. And it’ll be tested, this cosmic mettle of theirs. They’ll face trial after trial, be broken and damaged in countless ways. But this one was born to fight. Maybe it’s not the life they would have chosen. Maybe they’d love to lay down their arms. But they were born to fight. It’s what they know. It’s what they do best. It’s all they can do. 

[heiibai]

daxned​

The small creature’s long limbs moves about, unable to get free from the grab of this rude person. If it could scream, oh, the Sapling so would. Long spindly limbs pokes around the man’s wrist. 

Dam-bi lifts her head, green eyes glaring up at the man. She has nothing to protect the Sapling with should this man turn out to be horrible, but that wouldn’t stop her from fighting regardless. 

“Put it down. You’re hurting it.” Those sad emotions she’s felt just minutes ago, she shoves them down quickly and stands. She holds out a hand, waiting expectantly. 

 the  poking  at  his  wrist  feels  like  it  tickles  at  best.  wujiu  isn’t  too  phased  by  it,  let  alone  by  the  little  girl  who  glares  at  him.  it’s  not  like  he  is  the  bad  guy  here  when  this  thing  started  acting  up  for  no  reason.  in  truth  he  would  probably  would  just  have  walked  past  them  had  it  not  been  for  the  sapling’s  non  audible  hissing.  

     ❝      here,      ❞     he  says  as  he  drops  the  sapling  in  her  palm  whilst  maintaining  eye  contact.     ❝      you  shouldn’t  let  it  provoke  others,  it’s  your  responsibility  to  keep  it  in  check.      ❞      

[heiibai]

@electrifried​ , hello fellow should be dead guy but alas here we are  — lovely weather isnt’t it?

[heiibai]

@timemarked​ :    ❝   mon amie  ...   an inquiry ,   ❞         appears  uneasy ,   ashen  brows  knotted  downwards  in  evident  thought ,   the  opening   &   closing  of  bitten  lips  uncertain  as  to  how  to  truly  phrase  his  next  question :            ❝   is there a reason you sometimes make those ...   sounds ?   ❞

 at  first  he  blinks,  then  blinks  again  followed  by  a  tilt  of  his  head.  judging  by  the  quizzical  look  he  is  giving  the  other,  it  appears  that  he  has  absolutely  no  idea  what  the  other  is  talking  about.     ❝      sounds  ?  what  kind  of  ...  sounds  are  you  referring  to,  might  i  ask  ?      ❞     thin  finger  pushes  the  corner  of  his  lips  upward  a  little.     ❝            would you mind repeating them ?      ❞     however,  upon  seeing  the  other’s  refusal  of  doing  so,  he  slowly  is  starting  to  get  as  to  what  joseph  may  be  referring  to.  

     ❝      oh  !      you  mean    —      ❞     what  follows  next  is  without  question  a  moan.     ❝      well  you  see,  the  reason  why  i  do  that  is  because  ...      ❞

 out  of  thin  air  he  appears  to  be  holding  a  contract     ❝      you  see,  in  our  contract  with  netease,  i  and  the  survivors  have  to  moan  every  3  minutes  or  so  in  order  to  maintain  our  fanbase  of  simps.  this  is  to  ensure  they  keep  buying  new  skins  and  we  remain  relevant  after  all  these  years.  these  are  no  easy  times  for  early  hunters  such  as  myself.      ❞     and  that  was  a  fake  sob.

[heiibai]

timemarked​

     ❝   even they do not know of this place   …   ?   ❞           this  response  MAIMS  him ,   inexplicably  speared  with  DREAD ,   cloistered  by  a  grip  tight  enough  to  draw  blood    ⸻   were  it  not  for  the  split  -  second  realization  that  his  manicured  claws  laid  atop  the  white  guard’s   &   not  his  own .   the  corner  of  lips  twitch   &   joseph  desaulniers  reels  away  from  touch  as  though  it  were  a  live  wire .             ❝   of course …   of course they would not .   a baron which remains uninvolved lest something entertains them so ,   &   a secretive otherworldly being   …   qu'ils aillent se faire foutre !   pourquoi dois-je faire face à ce dieu inutile ?!   ❞

      shame  borne  of  utter  helplessness  has  the  photographer  turning  away  from  dearest  friend  momentarily ,   knowing  how  UGLY he  must  appear  now  with  UNBECOMING  RAGE .   his  wish ,   his  eternal  life ,   his  dearly  departed  brother   …   no ,   even  the  wish  of  his  precious  friend ,   were  they  truly  lost  causes ?  although  upsetting ,   anger  has  little  room  to  stay  with  their  following  inquiry ,   ebbing  away  as  cerulean  returns  to  reunite .

      ❝   it would be incorrect to say i’ve never attempted escape ,   but my abilities here are LIMITED .   i cannot even linger in my beautiful world for longer than minutes at a time .   it seems as though i   …   no ,   WE  always end up back here .   do you believe you will be lucky enough to return again ?   ❞

       ❝   but ,   a   …   reason to stay ,   ❞          it  has  hollowed  his  throat  of  words ,   &   now  there  was  no  CLEAR  CUT  answer  the  frenchman  can  speak .   still ,   photographer  finds  the  heart  sinking ,   sinking  to  the  very  bottom  of  his  stomach  with  a  slow  realization   :     having  his  promised  wish  FOREVER  LOST  is  an  immeasurable  loss ,   one  joseph  had  known  not  long  after  his  initial  arrival  in  the  city ,   but  is  what   is  what  twists  the  knife  that  he  hadn’t  thought  of  the  manor  in  a  long ,   long  time  thanks  to  aesop  carl ?   is  what  twists  the  knife that  aesop  carl has  made  this  place  more  desirable  than  the  manor  which  is  capable  of  returning  what  is  lost ? 

        ❝   i–     ❞          am  uncertain .   do  not  know .   am  fearful  of  finding  this  answer .    VIBRANT  EYNE  lift  sharply  to  stare  up  at  the  figure  that  loom  above  him ,   no  more  human  than  himself ,            ❝   …   why do you ask this ?     ❞

 when  the  claw  leaves  his  hand,  he  uses  his  free  hand  to  hold  the  umbrella  instead  while  idly  shaking  his  hand  idly  as  he  continues  to  listen  to  the  complaints.  whereas  normally  the  french  part  would  go  through  one  ear  and  leave  through  the  other  he  now  was  able  to  understand  it  thanks  to  the  city.  covering  part  of  his  mouth  with  his  sleeve  he  mutters  a  ‘  how  vulgar  ’  under  his  breath.  though  it  is  not  like  he  blames  him  for  it.  he  can  understand  the  other’s  frustration.  

 so  he  has  tried  to  escape  but  to  no  avail.  it  seems  like  there  is  truly  no  way  out  of  this  place  lest  another  miracle  of  sorts  occurs.  perhaps  he  ought  to  pay  a  little  visit  to  that  certain  pier  again.     ❝      so  we  remain  limited.  i  for  one  have  kept  some  of  my  abilities  but  wujiu  has  not.      ❞     though  he  cannot  see  him,  he  knows  the  fact  greatly  frustrates  him.  

 yet  when  the  question  is  asked  with  another  question,  bi’an’s  expression  softens.  now  he  won’t  deny  that  part  of  it  stems  from  being  curious.  however,  there  was  something  else  that  he  noticed  when  he  first  set  his  eyes  on  him  after  over  a  year.  

     ❝      ...  you  looked  happy,  my  friend.      ❞

[heiibai]

daxned​​

Dam-bi isn’t sure what’s worse. Having all of her powers and feeling powerless to control it or having lost all if not MOST of her powers and feeling powerless without it. She’s always been frightened of it at the beginning when everything fell apart. The memory of the village burning, the creatures at terrorized her home and her father….

I want my father. Where is he? She remembers asking. 

The frightened and terrified shouts and looks she encountered when she was tied up. The villagers—the remaining villagers….

She couldn’t do anything but cause them the exact pain they had brought upon her. It hadn’t been that long ago since she left the village to rot and burn with no more survivors. The child never did look back and she believed it was then that she sealed a lot of her old self away from the world. 

….

Why….

Why was she thinking about all of this right now? 

I want my father…Where is he? 

The Sapling approaches Dam-bi and although it cannot convey its concern in any form of noises, a spindly leg rests on Dam-bi’s white gomusin. Dam-bi brings both hands over her face and curls, pulling her knees up to her chest. The Sapling steps back and beady eyes lowers to the ground. Though, when it feels another presence, it immediately turns to face the source with a defensive stance. Dam-bi doesn’t make a move from where she sits, face completely covered from her hair and hands. 

The Sapling opens its mouth, revealing…nothing. There’s no teeth, but it does its best to come off threatening. To ward off the potential enemy from coming any closer. 

 deity  not  too  pleased  with  finding  themselves  in  this  place  again.  he  had  hoped  he  could  leave  this  place  in  the  past  and  let  it  remain  a  memory.  alas,  fortune  never  seems  to  be  smiling  on  him.  he  should  be  used  to  it  by  now.  just  being  here  has  put  him  in  a  foul  mood  as  is  evident  to  how  he  keeps  walking,  showing  very  little  regard  for  his  surroundings.  

 that  was  until  he  comes  ‘face-to-face’  with  a  sapling  that  stands  in  the  middle  of  the  path,  throwing  a  voiceless  hiss  at  them.  eyes  narrow  as  wujiu  huffs.  

     ❝      move  it,  beansprout.      ❞     he  didn’t  have  time  for  some  creature  thinking  it  could  pose  a  threat.  however,  the  creature  remains  persistent  much  to  his  own  dismay.  so  the  next  thing  he  does  is  bend  over  and  grab  the  sapling  by  its  leaf.  there  is  no  desire  to  harm  it,  despite  finding  it  to  be  annoying  and  a  bit  persistent.  it’s  only  then  when  he  notices  the  other  presence.     ❝      does  this  thing  belong  to  you  little  miss  ?      ❞    

[heiibai]

timemarked​

    ❝   since our first meeting ,          i have not been far from you   …   i could not bear for it be any different .   ❞          expression  softens   :      smile  gone  genteel  with  reassurance’s  touch  by  his  shoulders ,   feeling  the  hurried  pace  of  an  anxious  heart  calm  with  the  realization  settling  in .   they’re  back .   for  good .

      &   YET .   &   YET .   & YET .   here  lies  the  opportune  moment  for  HOPE ,   for  comfort   ;   gone   &   smothered  out  like  a  flame  as  the  white  guard  speaks  on  regarding  their  disappearance   &   reappearance .   any  selfish  prayers  towards  understanding  that  which  lied  ‘beyond’  this  ridiculous  place  DASHED .

     ❝   then ,   indiscriminate disappearances are not a thing of impossibility …   ❞

       pulled  him  in   /   returning  like  nothing  had  happened   /   a  disappearance  since  long  ago ,   the  descriptions  reminds  joseph  desaulniers  of  a  dream ,   except  in  all  the  wrong  ways .   his  beloved  friend’s  hand  atop  stiff  should  the  only  thing  keeping  photographer  stable  in  the  present .

      ❝   &   …   our wishes .   what of your wish ?   MY wish ?   ❞          THERE’S  SOMETHING  ABOUT  PHOTOGRAPHER’S  TONE  that  feels  like  a  punch  to  the  gut .   recently ,   when  thinking  of  the  manor     ⸻   a  sickening  source  of  hope   ⸻     it’s  always  the  bite  of  guilt  pinching  at  skin ,   a  phenomenon  courtesy  of  the  vastly  decreased  distance  between  himself   &   a  certain  embalmer .          ❝   if we cannot return ,   are we never to receive our due payment ?   ❞          …   however ,   there  was  NO  DENYING  that  it  was ,   in  frenchman’s  eyne ,   a  NECESSARY  EVIL .   if  it  allowed  claude  to return  by  his  side ,   if  it  allowed  him  eternal  life ,   how  could  joseph  possibly  cast  it  aside  ?

       ❝   have you-   have you spoken to the baron of this ?!   is this truly something beyond their control ?   ❞

     ❝      how  endearing  you  really  have  gone  soft  on  me.      ❞

 guard  laughs  with  a  playful  smile  surfacing  as  he  teases  photographer  for  his  sentimental  nature.  however  this  phrasing  can  easily  be  used  against  him  as  well.  for  the  white  guard  (  and  black  guard  )  both  share  a  fondness  for  the  former  count  known  as  joseph  desaulniers.  that  day  when  bi’an  saw  them  he  knew  he  saw  something  similar.  a  sadness  only  they  could  know.  

     ❝      my  wish  ...      ❞     guard  trails  off  whilst  looking  at  the  umbrella  in  his  hand.  how  long  has  it  been?  will  his  wish,  their  wish,  ever  come  true?     ❝      as  long  as  we  remain  here  our  wishes  will  never  come  true.      ❞     then  there  was  this  matter  of  joseph’s  wish.  to  have  his  twin  at  his  side  again.  he  does  not  say  anything  about  it.  not  even  when  he  first  told  him  of  this  wish.  both  guards  know  it  cannot  be  for  claude’s  soul  must  be  elsewhere  now.  how  would  the  baron  even  bring  them  back?  

 and  thus  he  shakes  his  head,     ❝       i  have  spoken  with  the  baron,  but  even  they  did  not  know  of  this  place.  hastur  said  the  same,      ❞      this  is  a  world  they  have  no  control  over.  they  are  on  their  own.     ❝      are  you  working  on  a  way  to  escape  or  ...  have  you  found  a  reason  to  stay  ?      ❞     there  was  something  different  about  him  somehow.  

[heiibai]

timemarked​

       here  is  the  image  of  MELANCHOLIA ,          raindrops  dripping  down  the  starless  sky ,  the  veil  of  muddied  clouds  thick ,   unmoving   ;   this  kind  of  weather ,   only  the  sentimental   &   the  peculiar  are  out  to  bask  in  this  dreariness ,   &   HE ,   photographe  malheureux ,   becomes  emboldened .    

     camera  held  close  in  defense  from  the  air’s  moisture ,   the  sudden  SHADOW  looming  over  himself  does  not  go  unnoticed .   curiosity  earns  himself  a  tilt  of  silver  crown ,   eyne  meeting  a  familiar  tall  frame   &   half  -  lidded  gaze .          joseph  blanches ,   goes  pale  ( r ) ,   mouth  dry  as  the  photography  device  is  held  to  his  chest ,      ❝   ——   bi’an !   ❞

      BEWILDERED  SHOUT   :   a  sadness ,   LONGING ,   lingering  in  the  strange  cerulean  of  his  eyes .   he  turns ,   non  -  dominant  hand’s  grip  leaving  that  of  his  camera   &   instead  placed  right  atop  the  WHITE  GUARD’S  OWN   /   UMBRELLA’S  HANDLE .   the  idle  heart  thumps ,   CONSTRICTS   &   RELEASES  with  a  feeling  joseph  was  never  quite  good  at  dealing  with ,      ❝   you   ———   where had you gone ?!   to have left so abruptly ,   without notice nor explanation   …   oh ,   mon très cher ami ,   i ought to take you   —   the  BOTH  of  you   —   by the ear   &   give you a piece of my mind !   ❞      whispered  aloud  with  the  contradiction  of  action   &   words ,   lowered  lashes   &   gentle  smile  warping  away  any  sign  of  true  vexation .

      even  the  heaviest  rain  must  stop  somewhere ,   the  returning  sun  splintering  through  dark  clouds  across  the  skies .   they  look  well .   they  look  alive .   they  look  just  as  they've  always  looked .

     ❝   you must not tease me when i say   ——   i’ve missed you so .   ❞

 even  though  they  had  no  say  in  it,  it  had  been  a  cruel  act  to  leave  the  joseph  like  they  did.  knowing  fully  well  how  he  is  incapable  of  handling  loss.  the  shout,  the  look  that  he  gives  him  tells  him  more  than  he  needs  to  know.  it  is  a  promise  he  cannot  make  and  something  he  certainly  will  not  do  (  at  least  not  out  loud  )  but  he  promises  to  himself  then  and  there  that  he  will  not  put  joseph  through  that  again.

     ❝      i  wish  i  could  tell  you,  but  you  see  ...      ❞     when  it  happened,  they  too  had  wondered  about  it.  yet  they  seemed  to  hit  the  same  wall  every  single  time.     ❝      the  truth  is  that  we  do  not  know  what  happened.      ❞     he  replies,  recalling  that  fateful  night.     ❝      all  that  i  remember  is  that  i  stood  at  the  pier  that  night.  i  thought  i  heard  something  in  the  water,  but  when  i  looked  down  it  pulled  me  in.      ❞     in  a  way  he  got  to  experience  what  wujiu  felt  when  he  ...     ❝      when  i  woke  up  i  was  in  the  manor  again  like  nothing  had  ever  happened.      ❞     but  something  had  happened  didn’t  it.     ❝      when  i  asked  about  you  they  all  said  the  same  thing  :  he  disappeared  a  long  time  ago.      ❞     it  was  almost  as  if  they  were  erased  and  they  were  the  only  ones  that  remembered  him.  

 yet  gentle  smile  emerges  upon  hearing  those  words.     ❝      have  i  ever  done  so  before  ?      ❞     yes,  yes  he  has.  with  his  free  hand  he  places  it  on  top  of  joseph’s  shoulder  and  gives  it  a  gentle  squeeze.     ❝      i    —    we  have  missed  you  too  my  dear  friend.  our  days  would  be  very  dull  without  you  at  our  side.      ❞

[heiibai]

* tw warnings: suicide 

DO YOU SIN? now you can  — don’t think you can buy your way out of hell now.

they once worked at a yamen ( administrative office ) till a rumor surfaced saying that they had injured the governor's son. while both of them were innocent, the governor wanted to see one of them punished despite the son being guilty of breaking the law. 

first confession: xie bi'an confessed to assault at the tavern and that no one else was involved.

second confession: fan wujiu confessed to assault at the tavern and that no one else was involved.

both insisting to take on the blame. it was wujiu who took matters in his own hand and inflicted punishment on himself by drowning so bi’an would not be punished. incapable of handling this loss, bi’an eventually hanged himself.

admiring their dedication to each other the jade emperor reunited them in death by turning them into fortune deities. however as they have only one body they cannot see each other.

you know the whole concept of an angel on your shoulder telling you to do good and the devil telling you to do evil deeds? it’s like that, except the devil is telling you to do good and threatens to beat you up if you don’t. 

don’t try to hide your crimes they already know.

hunts people in a twisted 1 vs 4  game in order to have their wish fulfilled : don’t feel bad for those that are being chased, they’re all guilty anyways. 

[heiibai]

my mom likes to tell me “you have to pick your battles” well im full of rage and im picking all of them

[heiibai]

 oh  how  he  dreads  rainy  days.  melancholy  written  across  the  guard’s  face  as  he  looks  up  at  the  sky  as  they  weep.  how  dreary,  are  reunions  not  supposed  to  be  joyous  events?  for  a  second  he  feels  the  dread  tugging  on  his  heartstrings  but  with  an  inaudible  voice  urges  him  to  go  forward.  he  cannot  make  out  the  words,  but  he  guesses  they  are  right  and  thus  he  sets  out  to  find  the  one  person  he  needs  to  find  in  this  place.

 fortune  would  have  it  that  he  comes  across  him  as  he  stands  near  the  entrance  of  a  building,  having  found  shelter  against  the  rain.  the  camera  held  close.  at  least  that  has  not  changed,  but  from  what  he  could  see  so  far,  joseph  is  doing  well  :  it  makes  him  happy.  

        ❝      such  dreary  day,  wouldn’t  you  agree  my  friend  ?      ❞     bi’an  says  as  he  holds  the  umbrella  above  the  two  of  them.  a  smile  tugging  at  the  corner  of  his  lips,     ❝      it  has  been  a  while  since  we  have  last  seen  each  other  has  it  not  ?      ❞

@timemarked​​ || hey 💖

[heiibai]

Rare costume.

[heiibai]

gleefulsong​:

♫ “Mhm! Too many sweets are bad for you, and I’d hate to rot out my teeth…” It wasn’t that easy to rot out your teeth, but back in Mondstadt the other sisters would often tease her with comments like these. Naïve as she was, Barbara usually ended up believing them. She smiled when he took the treat, nibbling on her own not long after once inspired by his own bite.

“Right? There are candies where I come from, of course, but nothing like this! It’s things like these that make me think my world is miles behind.” Even though things like cars were probably better examples! “Is your world at all like this one? It’s always interesting to hear about where people came from!”

      ❝            if  you  brush  your  teeth  regularly  you  shouldn’t  need  to  worry  about  your teeth  rotting  because  of  candy.      ❞    

 though  it  is  true  that  sweets,  if  eaten  too  many,  can  be  bad  for  you.  a  healthy  diet  is  important,  but  sometimes  people  do  not  have  that  luxury.  however,  eating  a  few  sweets  here  and  there  isn’t  a  sin.  even  he,  who  doesn’t  eat  sweets  that  often,  can  easily  be  tempted  into  eating  a  few.  though  then  again,  he  is  always  so  easily  tempted  by  food,  despite  no  longer  needing  it.  

 he  shakes  his  head,    ❝   my  world  is  behind  too  when  looking  at  this  city.   ❞    there  is  a  pause  as  he  mulls  about  it  a  bit  further.    ❝   though  i  can’t  say  for  certain,  i  feel  like  my  own  world  is  similar  to  this  one.   ❞    a  pause,    ❝   older,  but  similar.   ❞    he  has  seen  the  world  change  and  this  city  feels  like  it  could  be  one  of  those  changes.   ❝         perhaps,  hundred  years  into  the  future  and  my  world  may  look  like  this  one.   ❞

 wujiu  speaks  of  his  world,  describing  the  buildings,  the  people  and  the  technology  that  has  just  begun.    ❝   i  never  got  to  use  any  of  that  until  now  but,  it  certainly  makes  life  easier.   ❞    easier  than  he  is  accustomed  too.    ❝   you  said  your  world  is  miles  behind  as  well    —    what  is  your  world  like  ?   ❞

[heiibai]

My good opinion once lost is lost forever.

- Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

[heiibai]

Thats just.....ADORABLE OWO

[heiibai]

tell me where it hurts, they say tell me where it hurts as if it is as simple as a broken bone as easy as a hidden scratch as if this is the kind of hurt that can be fixed with a few doctors’ visits as if i could point and say here, here is where it hurts and they could wipe it clean of infections and  wrap it up in bandages and watch it until it heals like new again if i knew where it hurts, if i knew how to make it stop don’t you think i would have done it by now?

i don’t know. that’s the point. ( j.p. )

[heiibai]

timemarked​:

     a  morning  warm  but  breezy ,            picture  perfect  for  a  pleasant  walk  along  park .   ever  since  the  events  of  the  art  gallery ,   joseph  desaulniers  had  difficulty  staying  put  in  his  home   (  a  direct  opposite  to  how  he  feels  when  winter  rolled  around ,   carrying  over  to  early  spring ,   where  it  only  got  worse  )   —   an  obsessive  hunger  nothing  but  his  camera  had  been  able  to  satiate .   how  lucky  he  is  that  some  old  friends  did  not  refuse  his  company ,   although  the  hoverboard  they’d  brought  along  DID  warrant  much  of  photographer’s  interest ,   confusion   &   curiosity  alike .

      it  takes  little  time  for  the  first  melodious  sound  to  leave  joseph’s  throat   —   a  hybrid  of  joy   &   grand  amusement .   it’s  not  often  he  gets  to  see  bi’an  move  so  ungracefully ,   their  towering  height  doing  little  to  mask  their  originally  stumbling  movements  at  first .   camera  set  up ,   the  PERFECT  angle  to  capture  the  white  guard   &   their  new  -  found  toy .   silver  crown  fitters  between  ducking  down  to  adjust  the  camera’s  time  settings   &   glancing  back  upwards  to  gauge  the  scenery .

     ❝   tu vas bien ,   mon ami !   ❞

       former  hunter  clicks  the  shutter  once ,   starts  off  a  serious  of  automatic  shutters  for  the  next  minute  as  he  sees  bi’an  successfully  hitch  a  ride  atop  the  board .   the  sight  alone  forces  another  boisterous  laugh  from  joseph ,   continuing  on  until   …   something  is  WRONG .   the  white  guard  is  racing  towards  his  direction  with  only  increasing  speed .   moving  quick ,   frenchman  can  only  move  from  his  position  behind  the  camera  in  a  PANIC ,   a  human  barrier  between  bi’an   &   his  camera .

❝   ————     wait ,   wait ,   wai—   !!!   ❞

      THE  COLLISION   :   when  it  happened ,   with  the  clatter  of  polished  metal  against  skin   &   bones  SLAMMED  to  the  asphalt ,   the  combined  shrieks  of  two ,   &   finally ,   the  loud  reunion  of  bodies  against  hard  ground .   despite  the  moment’s  disorientation ,   back  against  the  floor ,   cyan  eyne  are  quick  to  seek  out  the  condition  of  his  camera   —

    ❝   safe!   ❞     the  announcement  of  his  camera’s  safety  is  followed  VERY  shortly  with  a  pained  groan ,   feeling  the  soreness  of  collapsing  with  the  body  weight  of  two  atop  asphalt .   nothing  too  bad ,   luckily .

      ❝   ugh ,   my hips .   my behind   …   mon amie ,   you know i think of you with nothing but FONDNESS ,   ❞     coming  to  a  stand ,   gentleman  dusts  off  silken  attire ,   brushing  dirt  off  stark  whites   &   fine  cerulean .   he  quickly  glances  over  to  ascertain  the  other  had  no  serious  injuries  as  well .   one  hand  atop  his  hip ,   the  other  one’s  palm  faces  up ,   outstretched  towards  his  fallen  friend   :   an  offer  of  help .     ❝   ——–   but should you not have figured out how to STOP before riding off without a worry ?   ❞

 at  least  they  had  been  fortunate  to  not  end  up  breaking  their  friend’s  camera  in  the  process,  because  if  that  had  been  the  case,  their  day  would  certainly  have  been  complete.  the  pangs  of  pain  coursing  through  his  body  phases  the  white  guard  no  longer.  when  eyes  open,  he  only  hears  the  voice  of  his  friend  complaining  about  his  bottom  and  hips.  it  takes  all  of  his  strength  not  to  laugh  then.  he  really  is  an  old  man  sometimes,  despite  both  wujiu  and  bi’an  being  much  older  than  their  friend  in  question.    

 grasping  their  hand,  bi’an  uses  their  aid  to  stand  up  again  before  dusting  off  the  dirt  off  his  armour.    ❝      unfortunately  it  did  not  come  with  an  instruction  manual.    ❞    and  it  is  the  truth,  however  perhaps  his  height  had  also  been  an  issue  more  than  he  is  willing  to  admit.    ❝      i  had  hoped  i  would  figure  it  out  along  the  way  but  ...  alas      ❞      gaze  now  searches  for  the  hoverboard  in  wonder  where  it  had  gone  off  to,  only  to  stop  when  it  lands  at  the  fountain  in  the  distance.  his  new  toy  was  completely  soaked.  that  and  he  could  have  sworn  he  saw  some  sparks  emitting  from  it.  

      ❝      ...  it  won’t  be  going  anywhere  soon.    ❞    and  perhaps  that  is  for  the  best  if  it  doesn’t.  apologizing  again,  bi’an  wanders  over  to  the  fountain  to  fish  his  hoverboard  back  out  before  returning  to  the  photographer’s  side  with  a  deep  sigh.  it’s  clear  as  day  that  the  white  guard  is  positively  bored,  even  more  so  now  that  his  source  of  entertainment  has  met  its  early  demise.    ❝    i  did  not  think  i  would  ever  say  this  but,  i  sometimes  long  for  those  days  at  the  manor.    ❞    which  says  a  lot  considering  they’re  only  their  for  their  wish  and  not  the  thrill  of  the  hunt  itself.  

 he  may  have  gotten  part  of  his  abilities  back,  but  what  good  is  it  if  there  is  nothing  to  use  it  on?  no,  he  must  find  a  different  method  of  spending  his  days,  but  taking  strolls  and  making  music  just  wasn’t  it.  

 just  as  he  was  about  to  complain  about  his  boredom,  the  sound  of  a  ship  horn  drew  his  attention.  with  a  raised  brow,  he  looks  off  into  the  distance  with  a  glint  of  curiosity  and  excitement  in  his  eyes.    ❝      ...  my  friend  how  are  your  wounds ?    ❞    bi’an  wonders  before  deciding  to  take  his  friend  hostage  in  his  search  for  a  source  of  entertainment.    ❝    i’m  certain  the  ocean  and  its  creatures  makes  a  wonderful  muse.    ❞