catch-all for shang qinghua.

[selfimmolates]

Comments

week 1; tuesday

[selfimmolates]

[is shang qinghua at the pool for a dip? because there's already someone inside. fully clothed. and holding onto the edge of the pool (because he can't actually swim, technically, though he's sure he could figure out through analysis and math if he wanted to, because that's how his canon rolls but i digress).

...

and now, instead of covered in sparkles and feathers, he's wet and covered in sparkles and feathers. great.]

[nosediving]

[swimming through analysis and math . . .

although not for a dip, shang qinghua is here! it isn't unusual for there to be others where he goes, so ray's presence doesn't surprise him. no, it's the sorry sight that halts his steps.]

Y . . . young man, is everything all right?

[selfimmolates]

[that's what happens with genius preteens ig]

Everything's great. [no!!!] You can move along now.

[nosediving]

[no, everything is definitely not great! it's so not great, he has to take a step closer to see for sure.]

You're covered in feathers. [and sparkles.] How did this happen?

[selfimmolates]

Maybe I just felt like rolling around in the Costume Hall.

[ugh. since they're not coming off, he climbs out of the pool, dripping water everywhere. time to go fetch a towel.]

week 1; saturday

[nosediving]

[shang qinghua visits the armory after the trial. with a fist to his chin, he stands before a display of swords, seeming to consider whether or not he should invest in one—and muttering to himself while he's at it.]

. . . can't take it out until the week is over. Not even two weeks have passed. Really, they can't expect a death every seven days . . .

[selfimmolates]

[okay then.

ray was just here to practice his archery, but—]

Maybe you should consider not thinking out loud.

[nosediving]

[that fist on his chin unfurls to clamp over his mouth. he cranes his neck to ray and tentatively lowers his hand.]

The young man has caught this participant at an unseemly time. It was not my intention to give voice to those words.

[he pauses.]

Are you . . . here to practice?

[selfimmolates]

... You really don't talk sincerely, do you?

week 2, friday

[selfimmolates]

[ray's about to enter the private study, when he sees that there's already someone there.

...

damn it.]

[nosediving]

[shang qinghua is poring over a pair of scrolls when he lifts his head and spots ray. he beckons, heading straight into business.]

Young man, come in. There's something I want to show you.

[selfimmolates]

[fine, he'll stay.]

What?

[nosediving]

[he raises the scrolls toward ray. there are two, and both are blank.]

These were given to me by a great god. Without instruction for their use, though, I haven't been able to do anything with them.

[they can't be mere paper. what would be the point?]

week 3; saturday

[selfimmolates]

[hi, sqh. i'm not going to bother with a setting.]

So Advancement Opportunity was used on you, huh? If that's true, you left that part out of your explanation before.

[nosediving]

[who cares about settings?]

Would it have changed anything? Either way, I was going to defect.

[selfimmolates]

No, but it would've been nice to know.

[nosediving]

. . . I'll remember, so I don't do it again.

week 3; sunday

[nosediving]

[here is shang qinghua, browsing flowers in the courtyard. he starts to reach out, then pauses. reconsidering, he brings a hand out to a group of violet lilacs . . . ]

[selfimmolates]

Shang Qinghua!

[AND HERE IS RAY TO RUIN HIS PEACEFUL DAY.]

Have you ever spoken to Indulgence?

[nosediving]

[his extended hand whips out to the side, slapping the poor flowers. he's so sorry. he whirls around.]

Great Indulgence? No, I can't say that I have.

[selfimmolates]

... Okay, first, calm down.

Anyway, go see him sometime soon. You don't need an offering beyond saying that I sent you.

week 4; saturday

[nosediving]

[based on what he's heard, ray visits the laboratory often. so it comes as no surprise to him that he would find the boy here, though he pauses in the doorway. after that overwhelming reveal, everyone's bound to be a little jumpy.]

Young man, if it weren't for you, we might not have found out the truth.

[selfimmolates]

[well, ray's making more bullets because, uh. this trial sure just proved he needs to keep a constant supply.]

... Thanks. Just doing what's expected of this competition, though.

[nosediving]

[he briefly glances at the bullets in the making, more intent on looking at ray's face.]

Is it? What do you think is expected of this contest, exactly?

[selfimmolates]

To try and not completely screw up?