[ EEPY!! truly they have time in excess, relieved from their respective duties as they are. jing yuan studies jiaoqiu's expression, but doesn't make comment just yet if he notices anything off. (he VERY PROBABLY... notices... like recognizes like, etc.) ]
A deal?
[ his lips quirk into a half-smile. ]
Nothing of the sort. [ says that but pretends to look scheme-y about it. ] Perhaps it is that my reputation precedes me.
Basilio... He seems the earnest sort. I am glad to hear it.
[ (secretly questioning if they put furries together on purpose.) ]
And you're welcome to visit as you please, of course.
[ jiaoqiu is pointedly looking at him, and jing yuan meets his gaze without shying. ]
Is it silly to say I was expecting it to be a little more like the Luofu?
[ is he playing dumb? maybe so... but his expression softens at least, because it is not an entirely dishonest admission. (once you've spent forever in one place, it's difficult not to believe that forever stretches into the afterlife as well.)
and, he's not really going to dodge the question—is merely waiting for jiaoqiu to ask directly. ]
jiaoqiu's ear flicks, at that. they do things differently on the luofu, and jing yuan has always been very different than feixiao. he respects both of them so very much, and has to remember that each general has their own way of working. be direct, he tells himself. thunder, instead of lightning.
[ it's true the two generals couldn't be any more different, but jing yuan too has deep respect for feixiao, and for jiaoqiu as well. different flagships, even different species, but in the end the same people.
...ah, there it is. there is no need for dishonesty here, even if jing yuan's emotions are carefully restrained. (always, always.) ]
I succumbed to my wounds, shortly after the battle with Phantylia the Undying. I am surprised the news of my passing had not yet reached you.
[ had communications failed between the flagships? it seems unlikely, just as unlikely as it is for jiaoqiu to have arrived here at the same time as jing yuan. he does not know of the yaoqing weathering a simultaneous crisis, when the luofu had been besieged. the master diviner would have spoken of it far sooner.
another explanation, perhaps. ]
...Just the same, I must wonder why you're here yourself.
[ it is jing yuan's obligation to know the happenings of the alliance. for feixiao to lose her closest counsel is no small matter, and though he has not seen either in some time, they are still very much familiar faces to him after so many centuries. ]
[ help me this revelation knocked me on my ass for some reason,
it also knocks jiaoqiu on his ass a little. not literally, but he very clearly is shocked by this, and he can't quite hide his reaction. eyes open, staring not quite at jing yuan - gold eyes that are just slightly cloudy.
his fingers dig into his arm, into his coat. ears press back against his skull, as he thinks his way through this. the devastation that this would cause is... immense. it's so much worse than his own passing. but, funnily enough, his mind goes right to yanqing before anything. the poor boy.
silence. and then: ]
It never reached me because it did not happen. [ he says, finally. ] You recovered after Phantylia's attack, and are alive and well, so far as I know. You were there to greet me and Moze several months later when we arrived on the Luofu alongside General Feixiao to transport Hoolay to the Yaoqing.
[ ... ]
Hah. I've spent these past few hours thinking my plan had failed, if you were here.
a heavy silence ensues from jing yuan as well, the surprise mutual and mirthless. whatever 'plan' it is that jiaoqiu refers to, it had come with a heavy cost, a price he continues to carry into the afterlife. it seems far too cruel, for someone who has only endeavored for the benefit of all the xianzhou.
(...and somewhere in jiaoqiu's words, a curious thread of truth to unravel, that cannot be true at all.)
but it can wait for a moment longer. his thoughts wander briefly to yanqing, who had been so exuberant to serve as ringmaster for the upcoming wardance, as jing yuan himself once had. to everyone else left in the wake of their demise, their treasured friends and allies.
these thoughts ultimately settle on the one here with him. he silently waves a hand in front of jiaoqiu's face, to confirm one suspicion. ]
Your plan was not one that ensured your wellbeing?
[ spoken with grave (albeit hypocritical) concern. ]
Tell me, what happened to you?
[ he would ask if it were the work of hoolay, however given the foxian history with the borisin, it feels prudent not to speak even basic assumptions. ]
[ there's a reaction at least, when he waves a hand - jiaoqiu seems to catch the motion, but it is limited.
he straightens, just a little, where he's standing. like he's going to give a report, like old habits die hard. he can disconnect himself enough to talk about it without feeling anything about it. not that he ever does, anyway; there's nothing to feel. he did his duty, as both Feixiao's retainer, and as a healer. ]
Borisin infiltrated the Luofu, not long before the Wardance. Feixiao knew that there was a chance they were going to take action, and so we requested Hoolay be moved to the Yaoqing. Moze and I made our way to the Shackling Prison to initiate the transfer.
When we arrived at the bottom, we discovered that the borisin had managed to disguise themselves as foxians. They overpowered Miss Xueyi, unleashed Hoolay, and took me prisoner. Moze escaped, on my orders.
[ ... ]
I refused to let Hoolay escape without giving Feixiao a significant advantage.
[ and then - he reaches into his pockets, pulling out a small bottle of red liquid. ]
[ the borisin infiltrating the luofu, their warhead esacping the shackling prison is no pleasant news, especially on the heels of the sanctus medicus. as jiaoqiu steels himself to deliver his report, so does jing yuan to receive it.
(the casualties must have been immense. though despite his fears, there is also a reassurance, and deep gratitude knowing feixiao had been there, flanked by her capable retainers.)
but as for xueyi coming to harm, and jiaoqiu being taken prisoner... jing yuan stares unblinkingly at the vial in jiaoqiu's hand. knowing the foxian's skillset, he can supply one or two vague ideas. ]
I imagine not anything you utilize regularly in your cooking.
[ he'll ask for jiaoqiu to pardon his reach, as he takes the bottle carefully to examine it closer. ]
[ he allows jing yuan to take it, and glances across the room instead. the bottle is mostly full, which makes his skin crawl. ]
It is called Tumbledust. An extract from an exotic flower named Yabruh. With just one drop, it's able to numb a patient's body during surgery, making them painless throughout the entire process. However... increase the dose or the potency, and it'll slow the metabolism, making the blood thin and resulting in the loss of all senses.
I'm sure you know much about borisin customs. They partake in a feast of bloodwine and flesh from their prisoners before battle. Knowing this, I drank the entire bottle I had on my person, and waited for Hoolay to be done with me.
[ he folds his arms. ]
It would have weakened him greatly in his fight against General Feixiao. I hoped to ensure her victory, at the cost of one life.
[ there's an unspoken sigh as jing yuan commits these details to memory. as he conjures, unbidden, the grisly scene of blood and sawteeth. ]
...And now you are here.
[ he cannot praise him, nor can he admonish him. jiaoqiu is cunning by half, but even moreso he is brave, and above all loyal. and for all the horror the situation calls for, there is gratitude as well. a true sense of debt, to go with an unthinkable sacrifice.
jing yuan takes a moment, before he continues, softly. ]
General Feixiao is our greatest warrior across the hexafleet.
[ jiaoqiu folds his arms, but jing yuan requests his hand again so he may return the vial. he folds jiaoqiu's fingers over it and lingers there, his grip warm and weighted over his hand. ]
...I imagine the only great loss she suffered, was you.
[ he takes the bottle, ears pinned back against his skull. ]
... She will survive without me.
[ but there's a weight to it. already, he misses her. he worries. he doesn't know if she survived. it's going to sit on his shoulders for all eight weeks that he is here, and even longer, should he not make it back. he doesn't pull away, either, when jing yuan lingers. jiaoqiu thinks the alliance has lost something more important than anything else in jing yuan being here, but he can't help be feel relief that at the very least, they're within each other's sight.
well. mostly.
his lips purse, and his jaw works for a moment, like he's fighting himself on something. ]
My vision is badly damaged. I can see, but not well. Up close, it is easier, but from far away, it's shapes and blurry colors. I will not be announcing this to anybody, and I'd like for you to keep it to yourself.
it is not a certain end for either of them, however, and jing yuan wouldn't be who he is without a tireless mind. if there is some nebulous way back, as they've been told, they will find it. he will exhaust every avenue to ensure they are able to return home, and it is reassuring to know jiaoqiu is someone who will do the very same.
there's a moment's pause, before he gives jiaoqiu's hand a gentle squeeze. ]
...I am sorry to hear it. I am no healer, but it is my hope there might be a cure to be found in a place such as this. [ miracles and all. ]
But in the meantime, I will exercise discretion. And I ask that you call upon me as you see fit.
that's more true than he really realized, up until this moment. the hand squeeze means that his shoulders slump just a bit, that his posture goes from rigid to just... very exhausted. he hasn't really dealt with any of the emotions of dying, perhaps unsurprisingly. he won't do it now, either. ]
Thank you.
[ he says, finally, voice a touch rough. ]
You can rely on me as well, General, as always.
[ this useless loser can still have a little bit of purpose. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
A deal?
[ his lips quirk into a half-smile. ]
Nothing of the sort. [ says that but pretends to look scheme-y about it. ] Perhaps it is that my reputation precedes me.
And how are you finding your accommodations?
no subject
the scheme-y look makes jiaoqiu snort a little, ungracefully, before he recovers. ]
Suitable enough. My roommate is Basilio. I enjoy his company. [ he's a good boy. ]
This place is pleasant, but not entirely what I expected.
[ he glances over in jing yuan's general direction, instead of looking out the window. ]
no subject
Basilio... He seems the earnest sort. I am glad to hear it.
[ (secretly questioning if they put furries together on purpose.) ]
And you're welcome to visit as you please, of course.
[ jiaoqiu is pointedly looking at him, and jing yuan meets his gaze without shying. ]
Is it silly to say I was expecting it to be a little more like the Luofu?
[ is he playing dumb? maybe so... but his expression softens at least, because it is not an entirely dishonest admission. (once you've spent forever in one place, it's difficult not to believe that forever stretches into the afterlife as well.)
and, he's not really going to dodge the question—is merely waiting for jiaoqiu to ask directly. ]
no subject
jiaoqiu's ear flicks, at that. they do things differently on the luofu, and jing yuan has always been very different than feixiao. he respects both of them so very much, and has to remember that each general has their own way of working. be direct, he tells himself. thunder, instead of lightning.
deep breath. ]
... Why are you here, General?
[ what happened? ]
no subject
...ah, there it is. there is no need for dishonesty here, even if jing yuan's emotions are carefully restrained. (always, always.) ]
I succumbed to my wounds, shortly after the battle with Phantylia the Undying. I am surprised the news of my passing had not yet reached you.
[ had communications failed between the flagships? it seems unlikely, just as unlikely as it is for jiaoqiu to have arrived here at the same time as jing yuan. he does not know of the yaoqing weathering a simultaneous crisis, when the luofu had been besieged. the master diviner would have spoken of it far sooner.
another explanation, perhaps. ]
...Just the same, I must wonder why you're here yourself.
[ it is jing yuan's obligation to know the happenings of the alliance. for feixiao to lose her closest counsel is no small matter, and though he has not seen either in some time, they are still very much familiar faces to him after so many centuries. ]
no subject
it also knocks jiaoqiu on his ass a little. not literally, but he very clearly is shocked by this, and he can't quite hide his reaction. eyes open, staring not quite at jing yuan - gold eyes that are just slightly cloudy.
his fingers dig into his arm, into his coat. ears press back against his skull, as he thinks his way through this. the devastation that this would cause is... immense. it's so much worse than his own passing. but, funnily enough, his mind goes right to yanqing before anything. the poor boy.
silence. and then: ]
It never reached me because it did not happen. [ he says, finally. ] You recovered after Phantylia's attack, and are alive and well, so far as I know. You were there to greet me and Moze several months later when we arrived on the Luofu alongside General Feixiao to transport Hoolay to the Yaoqing.
[ ... ]
Hah. I've spent these past few hours thinking my plan had failed, if you were here.
no subject
a heavy silence ensues from jing yuan as well, the surprise mutual and mirthless. whatever 'plan' it is that jiaoqiu refers to, it had come with a heavy cost, a price he continues to carry into the afterlife. it seems far too cruel, for someone who has only endeavored for the benefit of all the xianzhou.
(...and somewhere in jiaoqiu's words, a curious thread of truth to unravel, that cannot be true at all.)
but it can wait for a moment longer. his thoughts wander briefly to yanqing, who had been so exuberant to serve as ringmaster for the upcoming wardance, as jing yuan himself once had. to everyone else left in the wake of their demise, their treasured friends and allies.
these thoughts ultimately settle on the one here with him. he silently waves a hand in front of jiaoqiu's face, to confirm one suspicion. ]
Your plan was not one that ensured your wellbeing?
[ spoken with grave (albeit hypocritical) concern. ]
Tell me, what happened to you?
[ he would ask if it were the work of hoolay, however given the foxian history with the borisin, it feels prudent not to speak even basic assumptions. ]
no subject
he straightens, just a little, where he's standing. like he's going to give a report, like old habits die hard. he can disconnect himself enough to talk about it without feeling anything about it. not that he ever does, anyway; there's nothing to feel. he did his duty, as both Feixiao's retainer, and as a healer. ]
Borisin infiltrated the Luofu, not long before the Wardance. Feixiao knew that there was a chance they were going to take action, and so we requested Hoolay be moved to the Yaoqing. Moze and I made our way to the Shackling Prison to initiate the transfer.
When we arrived at the bottom, we discovered that the borisin had managed to disguise themselves as foxians. They overpowered Miss Xueyi, unleashed Hoolay, and took me prisoner. Moze escaped, on my orders.
[ ... ]
I refused to let Hoolay escape without giving Feixiao a significant advantage.
[ and then - he reaches into his pockets, pulling out a small bottle of red liquid. ]
Do you know what this is, General?
no subject
(the casualties must have been immense. though despite his fears, there is also a reassurance, and deep gratitude knowing feixiao had been there, flanked by her capable retainers.)
but as for xueyi coming to harm, and jiaoqiu being taken prisoner... jing yuan stares unblinkingly at the vial in jiaoqiu's hand. knowing the foxian's skillset, he can supply one or two vague ideas. ]
I imagine not anything you utilize regularly in your cooking.
[ he'll ask for jiaoqiu to pardon his reach, as he takes the bottle carefully to examine it closer. ]
Please enlighten me.
no subject
[ he allows jing yuan to take it, and glances across the room instead. the bottle is mostly full, which makes his skin crawl. ]
It is called Tumbledust. An extract from an exotic flower named Yabruh. With just one drop, it's able to numb a patient's body during surgery, making them painless throughout the entire process. However... increase the dose or the potency, and it'll slow the metabolism, making the blood thin and resulting in the loss of all senses.
I'm sure you know much about borisin customs. They partake in a feast of bloodwine and flesh from their prisoners before battle. Knowing this, I drank the entire bottle I had on my person, and waited for Hoolay to be done with me.
[ he folds his arms. ]
It would have weakened him greatly in his fight against General Feixiao. I hoped to ensure her victory, at the cost of one life.
no subject
[ there's an unspoken sigh as jing yuan commits these details to memory. as he conjures, unbidden, the grisly scene of blood and sawteeth. ]
...And now you are here.
[ he cannot praise him, nor can he admonish him. jiaoqiu is cunning by half, but even moreso he is brave, and above all loyal. and for all the horror the situation calls for, there is gratitude as well. a true sense of debt, to go with an unthinkable sacrifice.
jing yuan takes a moment, before he continues, softly. ]
General Feixiao is our greatest warrior across the hexafleet.
[ jiaoqiu folds his arms, but jing yuan requests his hand again so he may return the vial. he folds jiaoqiu's fingers over it and lingers there, his grip warm and weighted over his hand. ]
...I imagine the only great loss she suffered, was you.
no subject
... She will survive without me.
[ but there's a weight to it. already, he misses her. he worries. he doesn't know if she survived. it's going to sit on his shoulders for all eight weeks that he is here, and even longer, should he not make it back. he doesn't pull away, either, when jing yuan lingers. jiaoqiu thinks the alliance has lost something more important than anything else in jing yuan being here, but he can't help be feel relief that at the very least, they're within each other's sight.
well. mostly.
his lips purse, and his jaw works for a moment, like he's fighting himself on something. ]
My vision is badly damaged. I can see, but not well. Up close, it is easier, but from far away, it's shapes and blurry colors. I will not be announcing this to anybody, and I'd like for you to keep it to yourself.
... Please.
no subject
[ and neither will you, goes unspoken.
it is not a certain end for either of them, however, and jing yuan wouldn't be who he is without a tireless mind. if there is some nebulous way back, as they've been told, they will find it. he will exhaust every avenue to ensure they are able to return home, and it is reassuring to know jiaoqiu is someone who will do the very same.
there's a moment's pause, before he gives jiaoqiu's hand a gentle squeeze. ]
...I am sorry to hear it. I am no healer, but it is my hope there might be a cure to be found in a place such as this. [ miracles and all. ]
But in the meantime, I will exercise discretion. And I ask that you call upon me as you see fit.
no subject
that's more true than he really realized, up until this moment. the hand squeeze means that his shoulders slump just a bit, that his posture goes from rigid to just... very exhausted. he hasn't really dealt with any of the emotions of dying, perhaps unsurprisingly. he won't do it now, either. ]
Thank you.
[ he says, finally, voice a touch rough. ]
You can rely on me as well, General, as always.
[ this useless loser can still have a little bit of purpose. ]