[ Oh I see, our bubble is not SATISFIED. That's alright. The bubble is insistent and keeps bumping into them -- as irritated as he is, Estinien smacks it again with a shade of blue.
And then Jiuqing will get to see this memory right back, from the nightmare with its smell of ash in the air, to the waking world, the utter disregard for self-preservation. He was younger, and yet the expressions and the look he bore back then were far more severe, a look in his eyes that spoke nothing of one, singular emotion.
While it's not his business, he thinks it deplorable for a person to shun and manipulate family like so, and this is probably the reason why. ]
it's one thing to hear about a world like his - and something else to experience it through his memories. no amount of explanation from him or fantasy stories featuring dragons in the library could have prepared her for the harsh reality that is the life he's led.
her eyes are a little wide, but her expression sympathetic, when they come out of the memory.]
[ Welcome to Dragons, Jiuqing! Yeah they sure are fucking real in his world and she just got to see it all up close.
Estinien can only make a slight face when Jiuqing makes that comment, crossing his arms as he really actually swats away these bubbles for real this time. ]
Nay. 'Tis not an uncommon story where I am from -- family lost to war, to dragons. [ Sullen, though not because of the memory dragging up old wounds. Just sullen that the bubble is bringing it up at all. ] If I were stronger, I would perhaps have grown up a better person.
But even I could hardly dare dream of betraying blood out of pettiness.
she supposes that must be the case - war is horrible no matter what world it's happening in, and the danger posed by creatures such as dragons is so much more potent than soldiers with swords or spears. jiuqing is lucky, perhaps, that such things don't happen in daxing.]
I don't think you're a bad person... [but you can want to be better without being bad, can't you?
...it's not easy to let go of vengeance, once it takes root in your heart. she knows that.
her expression drops, and she looks away.]
I don't think they ever thought of my mother or me as family. Just as - obstacles, perhaps, standing in the way of what they wanted.
[ Where most people would probably pick their words better... here is Estinien, going 'yeah they sound like bitches' with no hesitation. But he's not angry on her behalf or anything, it's just his opinion. ]
Family need not be blood, as I've learned well. [ Given... you know, he is an orphan. ] But regardless of whether it exists or not, it takes more bravery than not to look past difficulties and greed and judge what is truly important.
[ ...That being said, he wants to ask if Jiuqing is still wanting vengeance, but he is against prying too deep. ]
he's not wrong! and she agrees with him, so she just nods.]
What's truly important...
[well, she thinks she knows what that is. her mother, the one member of her birth family that she doesn't absolutely detest. as long as her mother is fine, who cares about anything else?]
You've got a point. People would be easier to get along with if they all understood that, I think.
killing her would have been too easy. she'd rather see waner live on without the power and influence she'd been willing to kill for in her first life - that would just make her suffer more.]
[ 'Fuck them hos' - Estinien Varlineau. C'mon girl, he's just got his nondescript tea snacks because I don't know what people let alone Ishgardians have with their tea. ]
Shall we go, lest your herbs have been grown for naught.
[ Yeah rooftop is fun and fine. Once was enough, though maybe here and there Estinien will have to just blast one and Jiuqing just gets some nondescript and vague memory pieces, like snowscapes of Ishgard, of the slightly-bitter yet warm taste of Coerthan tea, of flying dragons and roaring maws -- little things.
I'm of half a mind to avoid people for the rest of the week.
[imagine if they get stuck with memshares during trials.
anyway, she likewise has to get rid of a bubble - estinien will get snippets of her daily life growing up as the daughter of a noble family in daxing which is really just ancient fantasy china, snippets of her training as a doctor, and snippets of her setting up and treating patients in her clinic. all the stuff canon says happened that they don't actually show us.
she busies herself with preparing the tea. the peppermint is freshly harvested from the greenhouse, and gives a nice, minty scent.]
[ Fondly remembers blasting everyone with a memshare FOR my trial in seasons.
For whatever reason, it's kind of nice in a really funny, not-so-nice way that they're both just batting away memories of their past together. At least they're not alone in not caring to have everything they were and what they lived through being put on blast for all to see.
Estinien puts down a bag of biscuits and cookies or whatever on top of whatever might count as a table for tea. It's not great presentation but it is presentation. He just takes in the scent of peppermint in the air... ]
The taste is... a little more subtle than the smell.
[it's not quite as sharp. but the tea is fresh and flavorful, as he'll soon find out when she pours him a cup.]
...let me know how you like it. I'm growing a few new plants that can be used for tea this week, as well, so... this time next week, I should be able to blend a tea from several ingredients if you'd like.
[ He says so mildly, as he takes a sip. It's not too bad. He doesn't have strong tea opinions, but he thinks he likes this more than sweeter or fruitier varieties. ]
It's fine. [ Long pause. ] Palatable.
I am not picky when it comes to these things.
[ You don't have to do cool tea blends for this nutjob. ]
I just simply didn't want to make it sound as if I didn't.
[ He's like, self-aware enough to know that he can come off that way. It's just a matter of whether he cares or not, and he might care a little bit here. ]
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And then Jiuqing will get to see this memory right back, from the nightmare with its smell of ash in the air, to the waking world, the utter disregard for self-preservation. He was younger, and yet the expressions and the look he bore back then were far more severe, a look in his eyes that spoke nothing of one, singular emotion.
While it's not his business, he thinks it deplorable for a person to shun and manipulate family like so, and this is probably the reason why. ]
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it's one thing to hear about a world like his - and something else to experience it through his memories. no amount of explanation from him or fantasy stories featuring dragons in the library could have prepared her for the harsh reality that is the life he's led.
her eyes are a little wide, but her expression sympathetic, when they come out of the memory.]
...you're so strong.
[like
HELLO???]
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Estinien can only make a slight face when Jiuqing makes that comment, crossing his arms as he really actually swats away these bubbles for real this time. ]
Nay. 'Tis not an uncommon story where I am from -- family lost to war, to dragons. [ Sullen, though not because of the memory dragging up old wounds. Just sullen that the bubble is bringing it up at all. ] If I were stronger, I would perhaps have grown up a better person.
But even I could hardly dare dream of betraying blood out of pettiness.
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she supposes that must be the case - war is horrible no matter what world it's happening in, and the danger posed by creatures such as dragons is so much more potent than soldiers with swords or spears. jiuqing is lucky, perhaps, that such things don't happen in daxing.]
I don't think you're a bad person... [but you can want to be better without being bad, can't you?
...it's not easy to let go of vengeance, once it takes root in your heart. she knows that.
her expression drops, and she looks away.]
I don't think they ever thought of my mother or me as family. Just as - obstacles, perhaps, standing in the way of what they wanted.
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[ Where most people would probably pick their words better... here is Estinien, going 'yeah they sound like bitches' with no hesitation. But he's not angry on her behalf or anything, it's just his opinion. ]
Family need not be blood, as I've learned well. [ Given... you know, he is an orphan. ] But regardless of whether it exists or not, it takes more bravery than not to look past difficulties and greed and judge what is truly important.
[ ...That being said, he wants to ask if Jiuqing is still wanting vengeance, but he is against prying too deep. ]
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he's not wrong! and she agrees with him, so she just nods.]
What's truly important...
[well, she thinks she knows what that is. her mother, the one member of her birth family that she doesn't absolutely detest. as long as her mother is fine, who cares about anything else?]
You've got a point. People would be easier to get along with if they all understood that, I think.
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[ He'd... know that. ]
As long as you don't sink as low as her.
[ Wan'er you bitch. ]
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[miserable, but - still alive.
killing her would have been too easy. she'd rather see waner live on without the power and influence she'd been willing to kill for in her first life - that would just make her suffer more.]
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And is that something that bothers you?
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No... not really.
[she's getting what she deserves.]
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[ 'Fuck them hos' - Estinien Varlineau. C'mon girl, he's just got his nondescript tea snacks because I don't know what people let alone Ishgardians have with their tea. ]
Shall we go, lest your herbs have been grown for naught.
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[and so they go somewhere to have tea! i don't know where would be best for this actually. up to the rooftop?
they will probably have to dodge like five memshare bubbles on the way there]
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Freedom... on the rooftop. ]
To think there'll be several more days of this.
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[imagine if they get stuck with memshares during trials.
anyway, she likewise has to get rid of a bubble - estinien will get snippets of her daily life growing up as the daughter of a noble family in daxing which is really just ancient fantasy china, snippets of her training as a doctor, and snippets of her setting up and treating patients in her clinic. all the stuff canon says happened that they don't actually show us.
she busies herself with preparing the tea. the peppermint is freshly harvested from the greenhouse, and gives a nice, minty scent.]
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[ Fondly remembers blasting everyone with a memshare FOR my trial in seasons.
For whatever reason, it's kind of nice in a really funny, not-so-nice way that they're both just batting away memories of their past together. At least they're not alone in not caring to have everything they were and what they lived through being put on blast for all to see.
Estinien puts down a bag of biscuits and cookies or whatever on top of whatever might count as a table for tea. It's not great presentation but it is presentation. He just takes in the scent of peppermint in the air... ]
Sharp tastes.
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[it's not quite as sharp. but the tea is fresh and flavorful, as he'll soon find out when she pours him a cup.]
...let me know how you like it. I'm growing a few new plants that can be used for tea this week, as well, so... this time next week, I should be able to blend a tea from several ingredients if you'd like.
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[ He says so mildly, as he takes a sip. It's not too bad. He doesn't have strong tea opinions, but he thinks he likes this more than sweeter or fruitier varieties. ]
It's fine. [ Long pause. ] Palatable.
I am not picky when it comes to these things.
[ You don't have to do cool tea blends for this nutjob. ]
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Well, if you're sure...
[she won't insist. it's simpler not to blend them up, even if she's perfectly capable of blending things because she blends medicines all the time.]
I'm glad it's, ah... palatable.
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What would Aymeric say... (WWAS...) ]
It's good.
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...you don't have to force yourself to say that. Just enjoying it is fine.
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[ He's like, self-aware enough to know that he can come off that way. It's just a matter of whether he cares or not, and he might care a little bit here. ]
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[jiuqing kind of figures he'd just set the cup down and Not Drink if it was something he didn't enjoy.]
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Alright, you have me there.
[ Fair enough. If he hated it he really would just ignore it and leave it there. ]
You really are just that polite, aren't you?
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"Just that polite"...?
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[ Couldn't be him. How do people like you stay nice? ]
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