deercountry | here it goes [september open/catchall]

Entry tags:

here it goes [september open/catchall]

Who: Manabu Yuuki + Soldier Blue + OTA
What: Gen + event open prompts for the month for both of my characters! Tag one, tag many, go apeshit. will match format
When: September
Where: Various
Permissions: Psychic power permissions/opt-out

Content Warnings: September event warnings + eye trauma + memory loss/manipulation + monsters & the gore they can make
there are drawn images of torture/monsters/blood embedded

1. house hunt
manabu yuuki @ housing in crenshaw

"...Hello?"

Manabu stops just shy of the next, creaky step in the large and (seemingly) empty building he's entered in. Things don't fall entirely silent until the little dog's tippy-taps click to a stop at the foot of the stairs, punctuated by an impatient snuffle.

Just find an empty space and make it your own, they said...jeez, really? That seems so...invasive. Because it is. But what is he supposed to do? Build a place himself? Fat chance. And no one seemed keen on trading menial work for rent, either - that uncomfortable separation of Sleepers and Wakers being the basis to dote upon him. He doesn't deserve that. Maybe others who suffered or struggled more do, but he sure doesn't.

The dog yips, its voice carrying through the open foyer and, perhaps, to spaces beyond, giving Manabu a little bristle. He glares over his shoulder and shushes.

"If you're gonna follow around, you're gonna be quiet, okay?!"

A moody little whine follows, and the dog sits. Manabu rolls his eye and looks back up, sighing and starting to climb up. Maybe nobody else really is here...

2. the dog
manabu yuuki @ the rainy streets of trench

[whether he knows it or not, this spunky little dog is a part of him. Manabu's a bit slow on the uptake when it comes to things of the heart, so the efforts they take to convey that to him are slow to take...yet still the little scrapper persists, because persisting is what Manabu himself does.

the dog is galloping through the rainy streets, sniffing around with a clear, anxious frustration, growling and yapping at passers-by that don't seem to be what they want.

eventually, they find a Sleeper. perhaps an old friend, perhaps a stranger who seems to have some shades of apparent compassion.

either way, the barking will persist, to the point of hopping and nipping at clothes for attention, trying to encourage the Sleeper and its omen to follow them.

come on! hurry up!]

3. event: bloodsport
manabu yuuki @ open lots within trench, near the canals

It can't be possible, but it feels as though Manabu's blood is both boiling and freezing at the same time. Sleeping doesn't help, moving doesn't help, sitting, standing, breathing...

What the hell is going on?

Cold fire flickers, sparking here and there with some residual electricity. It races off his body and snakes off into the saber he holds out as though it were drawn to it like a lightning rod. This should hurt...way more than it does. No more than an itch, an ache...

But the longer he stands still, the more it hurts. Manabu winces, doubling over for a minute before getting his stable footing back. He swallows down fresh panic, swiveling his head around so his good eye can survey, growing in desperation and doubt.

What does he do? What is he supposed to do?!

Get help, obviously. Somewhere. The thought is in his mind even as the confusion begins to overwhelm him; he yelps in alarm as another tongue of flame laps up across his shoulders and arms. Something catches his attention just over the bridge of his nose, and in fear and impulse, he swings that sparking saber with a yell.

4. event: river of regret
manabu yuuki @ a canoe on a strange river

D'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-!

[down he goes, dropped by the menacing murder that swept him up in the first place. Manabu's a small guy, so at least he's not at risk to toppling the canoe he plops into, but it's graceless, and he may wind up landing on whomever was there before.]

A...aowh...what the hell...?!

5. event: growing pains
soldier blue @ misc. planting grounds in trench

The rain has eased back into a steady, but gentle drizzle. The streets are still slick, but the wind has died down, making walking easier to manage. And while Blue no longer walks alone, he must do so slowly, carefully, putting distance between himself and the many, many open minds that surround him.

There's some reprieve here, especially with most citizens inside to avoid catching sick from the rain. A faint, pale blue aura keeps Blue dry and safe from that sort of fear - one more reason he has to take his time. The lion ambles just as slowly, letting him keep a hand on him for balance, emanating a steady sense of safety and assurance that Blue would find in himself were he to search.

Right now, though, his attention is outside of himself: The spark of a Sleeper - that familiar echo of their shared beginnings here - lights up in the gloom, and Blue is drawn to an open gardening space where someone seems to either be puzzling over what to do or...why.

Blue slows to a stop at a safe distance to observe - as much to avoid startling them as it is to perhaps avoid an unexpected attack - but it's hard to ignore someone faintly glowing in the rain for long.

6. strain
soldier blue @ rainy streets of lumenwood

Hh...nh...

[without much warning, Blue drops, just barely able to catch himself by his hands, sparing his head a nasty impact. but it's all he can do to keep up, his stamina waned.

he can't...keep moving. he heeded the advice - pointed to this district for healing - but he can't get there. between his natural frailty and the almost ceaseless torment of the moon-addled minds of the coldbloods, Blue's reaching a limit for his own faculties.

the lion, aware, circles him and snuffs, nudging at him and searching for a chance to try and heft his body up over him somehow. it's kind of hard to do without the proper limbs...and before they can, the lion's ears flick to the sound of someone approaching. it turns to step in front of Blue, letting out a warning rumble, daring whomever it is to approach with ill intent.]

7. event: river of regret
soldier blue @ a canoe on a strange river

In a blustering flurry of feathers, beaks, and talons, Blue's form appears - breathless and ruffled, but otherwise unharmed. He quivers, despite the heavy layers he wears, and stares at his shaking hands.

He's very quickly aware he's not alone, and even while the feathers flutter free of his hands, his red eyes flicker up to the other person in the boat - silent, but concerned and questioning.

What...is happening?

The thought leaves him unchecked.

8. frenzy
soldier blue @ a monster attack in trench

[a bright bullet of light precedes the sound of impact and a garbled, monstrous roar. moldy wood cracks and splinters under repeated swipes of tremendous force, and a mangled, starved beast grows more frenzied in its attempts to clear obstacles to get to the source of the glowing, fading light.

for the empathetically insightful, terror bleeds through the near area without recourse. terror and fury from two sources tied to a similar thread, for while Blue struggles to get some distance within the cellar for himself from harm's way, the lion is recovering from being shaken off and lunging onto the beast's.

it's not going great, though, because there's more than one of these mad creatures in the yard.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Manabu didn't expect to hit anything, let alone hear the clang of metal...or a voice. His heart leaps into his throat, still wired by the anxious blood. Adrenaline joins the mix with a wave of alarm so abrupt that he can't even process who it is speaking.

The saber remains in place, save for the quivering of his arm. He's not a swordsman by any stretch - his form is barely form at all. This is blind lashing about and it's clear.

...Half-blind, if we're being technical.

"Who--" Just as he blurts, the red hair registers. The lanky form. "Ch-childe...?!"

"The one and only," he replies, his burning for a battle seeming to calm down a little just from crossing blades just now with Manabu. Further composing himself, he quickly addresses what he'd just witnessed.

"Are you alright? When I spotted you, you had what looked like elemental energy buzzing about you. That fire on your blade certainly confirms it."

Manabu just...stares at him, incredulous. Disbelieving. Are you alright? he asks...as if that's even a thing to ask!

...Unless Manabu looks to be handling this way better than he is. Which he doesn't.

"What--what do you--" Wait-- fire. He makes a strained sound, shaking the saber until the last tongues of fire fizzle out before his arm falls to his side, frazzled and exasperated.

"No, I'm--I'm being messed with! I don't know how, but--but this keeps happening!"

"I was more concerned for your physical condition. Believe me, I didn't think you would handle suddenly having elemental powers well at all."

He laughs, though he doesn't mean to make Manabu feel worse. Childe waves his hand to dismiss his own laughter, apologizing.

"I don't mean to laugh, but such a thing is so revered where I come from. You would have been recognized by the gods themselves with that ability. I'd say you've been favored rather than being messed with."

"Revered--" He looks himself over, all charred and chilled, and makes a face. "This? Sorry, that...to me, that sounds crazy! What's so favorable about suddenly bei--IGYAH-!!"

As if directly responding to his complaints, a spark crackles off his arm, igniting in a brief tongue of flame that fizzles out with no more kindling from clothes. They're drenched, there's nothing more to burn, jeez!

"J-jeez...! I feel like I'm going crazy!"

"Luckily for you, controlling the elements to serve your needs just so happens to be one of my specialties," he says, amused by Manabu's misfortune.

First observations definitely pointed toward everything reacting to Manabu's mental state. That was a bit different than how his Vision worked, but it's a vein he can still understand.

"Letting yourself get all worked up like that certainly isn't helping. Calm down or you'll burn your own home down in record time."

"Gee, thanks a lot!" Manabu scoffs, petulant. "Now that you said it, it'll be a hundred times easier!"

As if punishment for getting snotty, a second spark crackles off his arm within eyeshot and makes him yelp, frantically patting at his sleeve.

"Quit acting like a child," he retorts, sighing as karma deals a blow to Manabu as the spark crackles off his arm.

"I know that this is all very new to you, believe me. The concept behind controlling your newly-found pyro abilities isn't difficult to understand if you'd accept that you have them in the first place. At least try, Manabu."

His face colors, annoyed and embarrassed as he hugs his arm to himself.

"I-it's not my house," he says, glancing up over his shoulder at the derelict building behind him. "I just. Was passing by when the rain kicked in real bad. And then this started kicking in worse, and after a while I just..."

He looks down, his hand still hanging onto the saber that had swung and started their meeting.

"Nothing else helped...except moving with purpose. But I don't really have one, you know? Not, not right now, I mean..."

Childe's expression softens, thinking back to event that happened before he'd even left his home of Teyvat for this strange new one that he finds himself in now. To him, purpose was a very important thing when it came to fighting and using the powers granted to him by the gods.

"Well, I certainly can't help you with that. But I know one way that might help."

Water swirls into his hand as his hydro blade emerges once again, leveling it with Manabu.

"Raise your saber and fight me, and let the clash of our blades give you purpose for the moment. Don't worry, I'll be gentle..."

"Eh...?"

The offer comes as something of a surprise to Manabu, who already bristled when Childe conjured his blade...and pointed it at him. He blinks, looking from weapon to wielder a couple times before his eyes flick down to the saber.

"But I...I don't actually know how," he admits, embarrassed. "I mean, I'm trained with firearms! Not--not this one, I mean, it's not standard issue. I mean, I can probably fire it, but that's the gun-part, not the...the sword part..."

Word spaghetti, spaghetti all over the place. He hears it pouring out of his mouth and doesn't like it; when did he become so hesitant about everything? Why is he so anxious all the damn time now!? It's so aggravating to hear, to feel.

He looks back at Childe, eyes wincing.

"That is...you'll, you'll have to show me."

The blade lowers, relaxing his sword arm in surprise. Not once, had Childe ever asked Manabu about his combat abilities. He'd just assumed he was proficient in whatever weapon he had- Manabu had demonstrated his ability with a gun quite well, so he'd made an assumption that the saber in his hand now was something else he was experienced in.

"I didn't know you weren't versed in swordplay," he says, noting Manabu's embarrassment. "If you're serious about learning how to fight with a new weapon, I'd be more than willing to teach you. But knowing why you want to learn is just as important as the lesson itself."

"I mean--" His eyes wince. "You said it was...something to do. To, to deal with this whole...power-problem, right?"

Or was he off-base? Man, he's probably off-base, like everything!

"Well, yes," he begins. "But there's more to it than that. Learning to 'deal' with your new power is a start, but you should have something deeper than that. Without true conviction, you won't get anywhere."

A principle that he's held close. Even his little brother didn't get a pass without a good reason to get lessons from Childe.

"If you have that, then you can master everything I have to teach you with controlling your elemental skills and mastering that blade of yours."

True conviction...

It sounds not unlike words Captain Bulge had said, back when he'd put Manabu on probation. Think really hard about what you want to do, Manabu Yuuki. You can't do this half-heartedly.

Manabu's expression falls, gaze downcast. He shivers, but otherwise is unmoved while he digests this.

"I...I don't have it," he realizes, his voice small. "It's...what I had is...it's back there. In my other life. It...I don't know if it can...follow me here."

Because none of his loved ones or peers have walked paths here. He's alone, he's the first. His hopes and dreams all started in the shadows and steps of others before him; what does he know about striking out alone, just for himself, beyond childlike arrogance that he'd already hoped to slough off?

"Well, you have plenty of time to find a new conviction. We haven't been here that long, but I'm sure something will find a way to light a fire inside of you."

A small smile forms- there was no shame in taking the time to figure out how to start a journey. It can't be rushed, and can't be poorly thought out. A false start was no start at all. Childe points to Manabu's arm, observing it closely.

"You know, your powers haven't decided to rebel against you in the last few minutes or so. Did you secretly figure it out while we've been talking?"

"Eh?"

Manabu blinks a couple times, then glances down at his arms.

"...Hey, you're right! I--"

Famous last words.

"D'AH!!"

Fizz, spark, sizzle, frantic patdown. Manabu groans.

"Jeez...this is so dumb...!"

"Your blood really needs to get out and do something," still amused by Manabu's ordeal. "Not exactly the best position for someone untrained to have to deal with...hm."

If Manabu can't properly fight with a sword, that wasn't a good way of dealing with the problem at hand. Wait...maybe if he could get Manabu to punch him? He's not convinced he will though, even if he provoked him to do so. Childe holds a thumb to his chin, thinking.

"Perhaps a stationary target is a better choice for now. I know it seems a bit strange, but why don't we use a tree for the moment to try to find some respite for you. All I really wanted was for you to exert some of your power out on another person or object. Swinging your saber a few times might do the trick."

Manabu frowns at the suggestion, looking over at the tree. Not even a training dummy, just...a tree. That tree has done nothing to Manabu.

...While Childe has kind of not done anything to him? Nothing offensive, at least.

He looks from tree to Childe.

"Just...smacking the side of a tree?" he asks dubiously.

He holds his arms up in a sort of 'what can you do?' kind of stance.

"Unless you've got a better idea. I've heard there's plenty of foes to fight at The Gate, but I don't think you're ready for that."

Not that he wouldn't love to go with Manabu there, it has untold amount of delicious fights to get into and he'd love every second of it.

"What--" He makes a face. "Is everyone a better fighter than me? Is that what you mean?"

His face goes red almost the second he finishes talking, embarrassed by blurting out something so childish so easily. Man. What the hell is wrong with him?!

"S...Sorry. No, tree's...tree is fine..."

Confusion fills him at Manabu's outburst, as that wasn't what he was trying to say, and takes a deep breath after his apology. Perhaps his phrasing was wrong. He doesn't want to discourage any desire to get stronger from anyone, so he thinks for a moment before responding, even though he believes that his friend here is acting a little green on the matter.

"I didn't mean to portray it that way. I just know that the likeliness of incredibly strong individuals who have dedicated their lives to the thrill of battle is high. They may kill you, and I don't think that's a great start to becoming stronger. I wouldn't be a great mentor if I let you dive into something like that."

"No, you're--" Manabu rubs at his face. "I get that. I do! I...I don't know why I said that. I just--" He shakes his head, taken by a full-body shiver that makes him grit his teeth for a moment. "I'm just...all...knotted up! Or something. Like a can of soda shaken up before being...popped open."

The saber is resting limply at his side while his other hand curls into a fist against his face, rubbing his knuckles against the blind eye.

"I'm sorry. Sorry, I--" He huffs. "I need to...figure out what's going on. I think. Maybe--" Ugh. "Maybe that blood stuff wasn't completely off? I don't know."

Whether it be his own private training, sparring with Diluc, or whatever he felt like doing at the time, he'd always indulged in the urge to exert power during the entirety of the time the moon was influencing him via his blood. He gleefully let himself go, and was going to visit The Gate very soon to really test his skills against those who also craved bloodshed. It was so natural to him and already a core part of him that perhaps he hadn't noticed how warped that was, due to his own natural state. And it's now that he is realizing that for someone like Manabu, who doesn't share the same enjoyment of killing and testing their strength or powers, might show real adverse effects.

"It's quite alright. I'll admit it's very unlike you to make outbursts like that. I should have realized that the moon was causing your blood to burn for a fight. I don't think you're going to feel any better unless you get it out of your system. Ha, if you had kept going, you were going to rile me up and then we really would have a fight on our hands."

While Childe speaks, Manabu turns away, rubbing at his face, gulping back on a sudden lump in his throat that he's not quite sure is him about to get sick or just...about to stay feeling that way. He starts pacing a bit, back and forth, rubbing at the arm still clutching the saber.

Out of his system...? Like a flu bug or something? He exhales in a shaky breath, making himself stop, back still to Childe.

"Burning...for a fight..." It sounds like just a silly saying parents give to excuse back-alley scuffles. Hell, he's sure his mother had said as much when he was little, coming home dirty and scuffed up from such things.

"I guess...it's as good a reason as any, huh..." He looks over his shoulder. "And...fighting actually helps?"

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