Empatheias-themed call me out
Sep. 28th, 2014 08:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fanfictionming posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
calvino
"Empatheias is a large, floating island and is the last remnant of a destroyed world. Its only city, Verens, is a somewhat strange place with its steampunk design and magitech technology. No two buildings ever seem to look the same, but perhaps it's not just because of the nature of its fashion. Emotions also help to change and sometimes warp the city and the island itself. Through these emotions, the island continues to grow, revealing more about what happened to the world below. These emotions can also play a role in much smaller ways. A simple laugh can illuminate a room, an angry outburst can shatter windows. The grass can both grow and wither depending on who is standing on it.
These emotions are collected in special crystal amulets and it is this amulet that you will rely on throughout your stay. As you meet and interact with people, explore the world, and go about your daily life, it will fill with the various emotions you experience. Keep it close, for it may prove to be the key to returning home.
Until then, get to know your new "home" and neighbors. Who knows what will be revealed next?"
((OOC: A call-me-out post set in the setting of the Dreamwidth RP Game
empatheias. Credit to empatheias for the original concept and description, and credit to molybdenumgp03 for the image.))
no subject
Date: 2014-10-05 03:11 am (UTC)She's in a teahouse when the rumbles start coming closer. A few warm drinks and even a night's stay for a single dance to entertain the guests-- it was a good trade. And the day seemed to be going so well, as she was reminded that her dancing could do more than trick and beguile. Maybe they liked it especially so because it was 'exotic', given her whole visage. But she didn't mind. She was smiling, and still smiling as she realized something was wrong.
It's only when one of the shopkeepers open the window and scream that her heart sinks to her feet.
Diao Chan doesn't waste any time. That's the last thing she can allow her to do, both back home and in this world. The chain whip she left on the table is the first thing she reaches for, and the last thing she says to the people cowering inside is to hide. There's some protest as she walks right into the storm herself, but no one runs up to stop her personally.
That works with her. Besides, she's far from helpless in these kind of situations.
The first few beasts are easy to take care of. They're threatening, but they're also slow, far too slow. She jumps all over them, slides between their feet, and trips them over each other. They swarm at her without a second thought, and they all suffer when she starts to twirl. The magical pink that surrounds her isn't just for dancing, and proves that as much as she can, keeping the monsters away from the town.
But even though she slips out of trouble every time, like a fish slipping through a man's hands, the fish will eventually suffocate out of water.
Her weapon is made to keep things away, not kill them. Its only way of truly getting rid of monsters is to whip them to death, which is achievable, but not so conducive when there's just so many. But she can't back off, either-- because the people she's protecting are even more defenseless. How can she fight them off, then? This is a secluded part of Verens, and--
Oh. Wait. She knows.
As if you needed the incentive to keep hurrying, Zhang Liao, but she's going to duck behind a building for a moment before pulling out her amulet.]
Master Zhang Liao! The left district of Verens, with--
[And she's about to tell him where she is, before one of the monsters starts flying down from the rooftops, and the scream that comes is very much genuine.]
no subject
Date: 2014-10-05 05:33 am (UTC)The monster has barely leapt from the roof when there's a sudden streak of lightning that flashes across the sky, accompanied with a deafening clap. And right at that moment, the monster's downward swoop is quite abruptly ended by a spinning axe to its head. With a sickening thud and crunch the monster ends up pinned to the wall, eyes rolled upwards and tongue lolling out of its mouth and fangs still bared for the kill as blood and brain matter trickle down the sides of its muzzle.
And standing there with his arm still outstretched from the throw and a splash of black monster blood on his armour is Zhang Liao. The rain and darkness keeps his face covered in shadow, but there's no mistaking that dangerous gleam in his eyes, nor the red, bloody foot prints that he leaves behind, unable to washed away by the torrents of water pounding down on Verens. Like a cobra with its hood fully expanded and its body coiled tight to strike, Zhang Liao's sending out a clear warning to the monsters; touch a single hair on Diaochan's head, and there won't be anything left of them by the time he's through.
This is the Zhang Liao that everyone in Wei fears. The Zhang Liao who rides out at Lu Bu's side, leaving nothing but carnage and destruction in his wake.
With the Diaochan's safety temporarily secured for the time being, Zhang Liao walks over and calmly wrenches his axe out of the monster's skull with a sharp twist of his wrist. Blood sprays out from the gaping wound and what little remains of the skull as the body splatters to the ground, further painting the fearsome warrior in black and red. The blue armour he wears underneath begins to resemble his old uniform.]
My lady, are you unharmed?
[His voice is rough and his frightening aura doesn't dissipate, but at least there's something resembling concern in his tone as he questions Diaochan.]
no subject
Date: 2014-10-05 07:10 am (UTC)In the thick storm, it's hard to register anything. Only flashes of red color between periods of darkness, lightning strikes only illuminating the surroundings for so long. It's hard to smile when you're so unsure of everything and the smell of blood is thick in the air, so she decides not to. With the wind blowing so fast around them and the visibility so low, it's not like Zhang Liao would notice, right? (Right?)
Instead, her expression falls from a shocked look to something of a forlorn stare. There's blood covering her feet and in-between her toes, with scrapes on her knees and a small gash across her collarbone. She's far from injured, yes, but she could use a good shower. This is a disheveled state Diao Chan hasn't ever reached, not even during the peak of battle. Because Lu Bu was always there, along with (as much as it pains her to admit it) Dong Zhuo, and they wouldn't want any scars to appear on their pretty little dancer. Hell, even when it came to tricking the two, her father was always somewhere nearby to support her. To remind her it was all for the better.
So, you could say that these monsters were, in fact, the first battle where she stood alone.]
I'm alright... [Lu Bu would be furious to see her in such a state. She-- almost mistakes Zhang Liao for a monster, to be honest, which causes the wind around them to whip even faster at their skin. But he's far from a monster. He's an ally, and now she's not alone here.]
--Ah, no, the teahouse! [She can't dally. Diao Chan snaps her head at the direction of the place where she came from, only to see a monster (or two) slam right through the entrance. She needs to say something, anything to Zhang Liao-- it could just be 'please save them', or 'the monsters can't be allowed closer'. But for some reason, her feet are moving faster than her lips, and she's running straight towards the threat.
...Oops.]
no subject
Date: 2014-10-05 08:40 am (UTC)His piercing gaze flicks from her face down to her feet, stops for a moment to note the blood (no serious injury, that's good) before he looks back at her young, fatigued face, still locked in some expression of shock before it turns into despondency. And that's not a surprise for him; it's not lost on Zhang Liao either that this is the first time she's entered the battlefield without Lu Bu by her side, ensuring her safety.
Poor girl. So young, so delicate and yet forced to fight.
But minor nicks and bruises aside she seems to be alright. Zhang Liao allows a slight sigh of relief to slip out of him, a tiny flicker of the humanity that he normally sets aside when in the thick of battle.]
Good. Forgive me for my tardiness, I-
[And than suddenly she's off again, sprinting towards the damn teahouse. Diaochan rushes off before Zhang Liao can stop her; it's an unconscious reaction as he reaches out to grab her, the tips of his gloves just barely brushing against the soft fabric of her clothes before she's out of his grasp and running back into danger. In this darkness she's a pink petal, tossed about helplessly by the wind and forces that she can't fight back against. Yet still she pushes onwards, throwing herself against the strong gale that whip and tear at her as she pushes through a curtain of heavy rain.
He runs after her, yelling for her to stop, that he can handle this and he just wants her to stay out of danger and stay safe because she's his lord's beloved concubine, he has an obligation to protect her from harm. He's already failed Master Lu Bu once, he can't afford to fail again!
But...but isn't he already failing his master? Because that tightness in his heart that's threatening to burst his chest...that's not solely born out of his loyalty and duty to his old master.
He doesn't know when his voice turns ragged and desperate, almost pleading as he screams for her to just listen to him, but his voice is drowned out by the storm and all he can see is her running, running, slipping out of his grasp and through the ruined doorway. He's but a few steps behind, but then again...it only took Zhuan Zhu a few steps to strike down the King of Wu.</small.]
no subject
Date: 2014-10-05 09:13 am (UTC)The fact that she was always so full of gratitude all the time didn't help, either. Diao Chan is a maid, but she was also the adopted daughter of a father who cared for her. And he raised her on stories, of exemplary people, men and women. Of acts filled with bravery, of earth-shattering displays of loyalty and of heart-wrenching acts of generosity. These stories become the guiding light for so, so many-- the wise and the kind, the protective and the enlightened. Their names are recorded in history which such glory, people really do dream of joining them in being remembered for values.
That isn't Diao Chan's goal. But they've certainly affected her, because she must repel the monsters, she must save the people who offered her a place to stay. That's just how it works, and--
She doesn't completely forget about Zhang Liao. But probably not in the way he would like-- she looks around closely, making sure there isn't any monsters which can ambush him, but doesn't stop to wait.
When she finally slips in, it's right under the nose of a monster, and right into the face of another. Her chain whip goes to work immediately, and she spins on her toes with a kind of ferocity that wouldn't be good in a dance but would be good in combat. The monster right outside the teahouse is thrown to the floor, and the other is slammed into the wall. She's got to use her emotions to her advantage-- focus on the anger, focus, focus, put it into your weapon-!
A scream from the other side of the room throws her off, and the anger switches into worry before it switches into pain.
The monster she put against the wall swiftly returns the favor, its humanoid shape giving it the ability to flick an arm and toss her aside. Its ugly pig face almost seems to laugh (just her imagination?) as her shoulder knocks against concrete hard, and her head starts buzzing from the impact. She's stepped on broken glass, and now, the blood on her legs isn't just from monsters.
...Get back up, she's getting back up, but the one outside is coming back too...]
no subject
Date: 2014-10-05 05:40 pm (UTC)A loud ear-splitting crack and earth-shaking boom pounds the tea house; for a moment the entire building sways, and both monsters and scared victims alike duck their heads, loose pieces of plaster tumbling down from the ceiling. All sound in the room cease; no howling wind, no thunder clap, not even a drop of rain water. Instead there's quiet. An ominous, chilling silence. The air grows thin and tight as breathing becomes difficult, but a thick tension presses down on everyone, prompting cold sweat and a gnawing fear that something is building up and about to explode. Like a kettle that's been kept sealed but boiling on a fire, the pressure is intense, almost suffocating.
Time seems to slow down as Empatheias waits for the hammer, poised and ready to fall on the anvil.
Both monsters stop in their tracks; where human reasoning fails, animal instinct prevails. The one closer to the door decides to check the entrance. It makes a turn...
...and that's when the bubble pops.
A buzzing whirl. A blast of wind. A light tap on the wooden floor.
A bloody foot print.
Time resumes.
All at once, the missing storm sounds return to the teahouse, blaring out their return like some disorderly and chaotic orchestra. The thick pressure and tension in the air dissipates, allowing the cold air to flow freely once again. For a moment it's a slight breeze, gently bouncing off the walls. Then it begins to circle, curling around the crouched figure in the centre of the room, head bowed and twin axes extended out like wings.
The monster turns back to look at him. It lumbers forward, one meaty hand uncurled to reveal huge and wickedly sharp claws meant for shredding human flesh to strips. Then suddenly, there's a crackle in the air. A thin, static blue line dances between the tips of the axes, from one point to another...
...and that's when the entire, hulking beast rips neatly into half from a cut so sharp, fierce and fine, that the monster had not even noticed it is already dead. Blood sprays out from the cut, completely drenching him in the monster's life essence. Truth be told though he welcomes it, just like he welcomes the powerful gust that comes rampaging through the teahouse's doors, wrenching the window shutters of their hinges and sending the tea cups crashing to the ground. The rain bursts in through every opening it can find, drenching everyone in cold, freezing water...save for the man that's standing straight up right now, blood dripping off every inch of his armour and trailing a mess down his face. The lightning that springs from his twin axes sizzles the air, what with all the moisture seeping in. The wind whips all around him as he becomes the eye of the storm, drawing it from outside into the teahouse.
But it's the expression on his face that draws the most attention. He appears almost like a stranger, one that would prove to be unrecognisable to Diaochan. All semblance of the stoic, calm man that had just spoken to her this morning has been wiped away. Instead, there is nothing but a terrible, terrible rage that promises no mercy, promises pain and suffering and all manners of torture. There is nothing left of a human in his eyes, so wild and burning with madness. He takes one step forward and the ground crackles and burns with all the pent up emotions that he has, for so long, held back. But the dam is broken and they rush out like a flood, unstoppable and sweeping everything away.
It's a good thing that he gets mad so rarely, for it seems that Empatheias reacts badly to Zhang Liao's anger.]
no subject
Date: 2014-10-05 11:51 pm (UTC)The building sways, but she doesn't have enough air to gasp.
Diao Chan is one of those stuck in a stupor as time seems to stop; she's left staring at the ground, wondering what just happened what just happened is everyone alright and yet her head is too heavy to lift up. She... floats like a spirit in purgatory, as if the judges of hell can't decide on which one to send her to. Maybe the building will collapse on her, or maybe the monsters will get her first. Footsteps, stillness, but her head isn't still, it's whirring with everything that's happened and oh no, what will become of her father back home, if she dies here--
And as time resumes, she realizes she can't die here, and her survival instincts kick right in.
She stumbles up, before standing on both feet equally, despite the gash in her right one. It's bearable, the pain is bearable, even though she can feel the wound splitting apart and the blood thinning out against the water. Diao Chan sees, she sees what Zhang Liao does next, and her mind almost falls into a stupor again.
But she can't, because she needs to live, and Zhang Liao is so so so angry she's not sure if she can.
Why is he angry? Is it because of her? Can't be just her, right? Is it because of the monsters hurting the people? Perhaps so? This is a different kind of rage compared to that of Lu Bu's (right?)-- she can't dim it by simply comforting him, by simply calling out their name and assuring them that she is right here.
The ground breaks. She feels like she might fall into it, almost, and so she says the first thing she can think of. The first thing that comes to mind when she sees the blood and she sees the anger, the first thing that comes to mind when she ignores his rage and hopes for the best--]
Master Zhang Liao!
[I'm right here!]
Are you alright?
no subject
Date: 2014-10-06 12:45 am (UTC)Zhang Liao crosses his blades in front of him, causing blue sparks of energy to flow from the sharp end to the handles. Yet somehow he seems unharmed, as he crouches down on the floor once again, facing down the sole remaining monster left in the room which roars and bears its teeth at him before it squares its shoulders and makes a suicidal charge.
For all its bluster and bravado though, Zhang Liao can sense its fear. And that fear makes him feel powerful and alive. The air around him once again crackles with electricity. It's a dangerous element to wield in a room spotted with puddles of water.
But he doesn't forget the other people in the room. And most of all, he doesn't forget her.]
I thought I told you to stay out of this!
[Is he yelling at her, or is he letting out a battlecry to frighten the monster? Either way it's dead, the twin axes having severed its midriff with little to no effort. The monsters legs are still moving when the top half of its body slides off its torso, and the entire mess crashes into the wall. The poor teahouse owner is going to have quite a lot of work cut out for him. Zhang Liao doesn't even flinch at the gory mess he's made. He's still too worked up from all that's happened to calm himself down, and that shows when all the mirrors in the room shatter when lightning continues to discharge from him, amplified by all the rainwater that's entered the room. The ceiling shakes again, causing more plaster to tumble down.]
Your disobedience could've cost you your life! There is only so much I can do if you deliberately continue to place yourself in danger like this!
[...well if she's looking for confirmation on exactly what's gotten him so enraged, she has it.]
no subject
Date: 2014-10-06 01:30 am (UTC)The thundering anger now currently reverberating around her is about to send Diao Chan to her knees-- and she almost allows it to, before locking them. She's stuck, stuck between her desire to protect those around her, and her duty of maintaining the persona of a delicate maiden. She should be used to this. She is used to this, to simply cowering down and manipulating men under the table. And while it's puzzling that Zhang Liao would become so genuinely angry rather than just shocked about her escapade, it's just another variable she has to consider right now.
He needs to... calm down. Or else he's going to destroy more than even the monsters.
And so, she bites back on her true feelings and locks them away again. As usual.]
...I understand. [Her head is bowed to the floor, which means she doesn't need to put on a regretful expression. So she only peppers her tone with that fake regret, while her face remains something of a grimace. Diao Chan is a delicate, delicate flower, and sometimes a flower is tossed off the ground by the momentum of the wind. That's all.]
I am sorry... to have put you through this trouble. [She'll take cover now. (Right? She's constantly questioning what she's doing, constantly scanning everything to cover up her mistakes.)] Please.... don't be angry.
[Please?]
no subject
Date: 2014-10-06 02:16 am (UTC)But as abruptly as the storm came, so does it end. Suddenly the rage just flows out of his face and his body, replaced with weariness and something akin to resignation. The cyclone around him subsides and the lightning vanishes, but the rain continues on, pouring down on their heads from the gaping hole in the roof that he had unknowingly punched through with that ugly display of temper.
The water washes away some of the blood on his face, and with it all of the anger that had so consumed him. Zhang Liao takes a step back and bows to Diaochan; his shoulders still remain stiff, a sign that he's still tense, but he's calm now. Calm, stoic, and emotionless.
God, he's tired of feeling.]
...my lady. Please stay here and rest.
[His tone is quiet, almost regretful. And the truth is that he is very, very sorry that he lost his temper so badly. But even now he's still holding back other emotions that he can't afford to show Diaochan because there would just be too much questions and no good answers.
It's a good thing that it's raining so heavily already; it already perfectly matches how wretched he feels. With one last bow he turns around and marches back out into the pouring rain.]
timeskip next right?
Date: 2014-10-06 10:29 am (UTC)Her... shoulder still aches, but while the gash on her foot hurts, she's easily combat ready. A part of her still seeks to protest, but a stronger part of her forces her knees to stay. Her entire form is slouched-- unbecoming of a dancer, but she has to give off the impression that she's too tired to go anywhere.]
I will. ['Don't worry about me'? Will he only find that suspicious?
...Well, if anything, she has to stay here to make sure those taking refuge aren't threatened any further. They'll all get out of this. Alive.
And then, after all that, she can think about how puzzling Zhang Liao's emotions are.
She's about to wish him luck, but the words die in her throat, as if she's afraid to say them. Which... is true, isn't it? That's why it's even colder around Diao Chan (as if it needed to be, the water is going to freeze on her skin--).
At least, she'll still seek him out later.]
exactomundo!
Date: 2014-10-06 11:08 am (UTC)Aware that he's caused severe property damage from his little outburst, he returns back to the little tea house in the early morning. The proprietor is understandably nervous and jittery when he sees Zhang Liao approach; he ponders, briefly, if that's why the owner agreed to let him fix the roof to make amends. Perhaps the man felt that his life would be in danger if he refused? Zhang Liao couldn't blame him, really. Even back home his presence put most of the townspeople on edge, and even the children would run away when they saw him coming from afar. These things happen when the public opinion paints you as a vicious and violent fighter, almost as demonic as the very monsters you had slain to protect the people. So that's why he doesn't mind. Or at least, he tries not to mind.
For today he's dressed in the simpler garb of Verens; that makes it easier for him to climb up to the roof and repair it. And he works quietly and diligently without complaint; roof repairs is nowhere as exhilarating as martial arts but given how emotionally spent he still is from yesterday, he finds this mundane, repetitive but simple task relaxing, a break from everything that's happened and from all the fighting and killing.]
no subject
Date: 2014-10-06 12:16 pm (UTC)It's a thin black one that doesn't throw too much attention, except for the fact that she doesn't usually cover her arms, even on days where the cold threatens to snake its way into her bones. There's a hideous bruise spanning across her shoulder, but it'll go away soon enough-- though, her first instinct is to still buy something to hide it.
Zhang Liao isn't by the guardhouse. Seeing that it was the usual place people said he frequented other than the outskirts of civilization, she's... a bit lost on where to look next. Diao Chan doesn't forget the incident at the teahouse, of course (why would she?).
And, well. She shouldn't be surprised to see him.]
Master Zhang Liao?
[But just in case, she calls out to him tentatively. Are you already working?! It's barely been a few hours... and at this point, it's the late afternoon by the time Diao Chan finds him.]
no subject
Date: 2014-10-07 05:26 am (UTC)But then again...a sharp sickle will cut through a bundle just as fast as it would sever a single strand. Zhang Liao thinks of himself as that sickle, while the enemy soldiers that thought to group together to take him down...they're just like the grass. And he cuts all of them down all the same, whether individually or together.
...and he did blow up this roof by himself too.
That train of thought didn't end too well; guilt is an emotion he's too acquainted with. The branches of a tree nearby bend with the weight of what he feels; Zhang Liao sighs, takes a deep breath and steadies himself, watching as the branches slowly straighten back to their original position. There's no point in feeling regret about things that have happened.
And then there's feeling bad about things that are ongoing. Like the big, big issue of how he shouldn't be thinking of a certain dancer in a certain manner.
Zhang Liao hears his name being called out. He keeps his balance easily as he walks to the edge of the roof and salutes Diaochan, being extra careful this time to keep his emotions under check.]
My lady. The owner is inside, if you wish to speak with him.
[Though he has a sinking, sinking feeling that she's not here to talk about her job prospects with the proprietor. And the tree branches begin to bend again.]