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.]

[nosediving]

[wow. the water did nothing.]

Were you . . . trying to wash it off?

[selfimmolates]

[nothing... at all...]

Do you think I dunk myself in water for fun?

[nosediving]

[some people do. but he gets the feeling that that's not the case here.]

Why don't you simply change clothes?

[selfimmolates]

Because it's stuck to my skin and hair and I can't just skin myself!

[nosediving]

You should at least change into something dry.

[selfimmolates]

I'll do that on my own time.

[nosediving]

[right . . . of course.]

You don't have to do everything by yourself. If you're ever in need of help, you can ask me.

[selfimmolates]

[uh.]

We're complete strangers.

[nosediving]

Isn't that the case for everyone here?

[selfimmolates]

Exactly.

[nosediving]

So we should look out for each other. If we don't, who will?

[selfimmolates]

Myself, for one.

[nosediving]

But you're . . .

[covered in feathers and sparkles.]

[selfimmolates]

What?

[nosediving]

[never mind.]

Ah . . . nothing.

[selfimmolates]

That's what I thought.

[mrrrgh.

before he does anything else, though, he's going to retrieve his rifle and bow & arrows from where he's stashed them. don't mind the armed twelve-year-old, shang qinghua.]

[nosediving]

[uh.

bow and arrows, okay. but when his gaze lands on the rifle, he can't help but to blurt out a question.]

What . . . is that?

[selfimmolates]

A gun. Geez, how many of you here have never seen one...?

[nosediving]

A gun. What does it . . . do?

[selfimmolates]

Fire bullets. [a beat.] Projectiles.