Estinien can be found here, frowning as he kind of just... walks through the store? Evidently lost??? What in the actual ever-loving hell? He has NEVER been inside a grocery store, because they don't exist in XIV!
He'll be here, frowning at vacuum-sealed plastic packs of cheese. ]
[jiuqing turns a corner, coming around from one of the other aisles. she's munching on a pop-tart. no, she is not going to pay for the food here. yes, she's going to sample it before she takes some back with her; how else is she supposed to know if it's any good or not?
when she spots estinien, though, she finishes up her snack and brushes away any crumbs before she speaks up.]
only... as they're convening outside, one of the memshare bubbles picks that exact moment to catch them. jiuqing sighs. heavily.]
...if you'll excuse me, Estinien, I believe the only way out of this is to...
[her voice trails off, and she touches a hand to the bubble, infusing it with a softly glowing metallic color. the only way out of this situation is through it; she's been stuck in a bubble enough times by now to know.
[ Do you ever just leave a store and get vored by bubbles? No? Just us? Cool. ]
For Fury's sake -- [ He swears in annoyance immediately, though he doesn't have much time to mull on it as Jiuqing is quick to react to make it go away.
And, well. If it didn't happen so suddenly, so fast, and almost like if he was forced to watch, he would perhaps look away for her comfort. But no, he does see it.
First, he blinks, slow -- and then there's a harsh flash in his eyes, brief. It's only for a moment, and not too deep, and yet somehow, it's an expression that bores deep when its rage and it's from him.
'Make them pay with blood' -- that's a sentiment he knows all too well.
When they're freed, he bats away the bubble with a free hand, gruff. Get out of here you stupid balloon. ]
Would that this place quit its machinations, it's starting to get old.
[ 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.
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W3 : MONDAY.
Estinien can be found here, frowning as he kind of just... walks through the store? Evidently lost??? What in the actual ever-loving hell? He has NEVER been inside a grocery store, because they don't exist in XIV!
He'll be here, frowning at vacuum-sealed plastic packs of cheese. ]
What in the hells...
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when she spots estinien, though, she finishes up her snack and brushes away any crumbs before she speaks up.]
...Estinien?
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[ He glances at her, a way of greeting. Nice Pop-T*rt. ]
I take it you've familiarised yourself better with this building than myself.
[ Given she's snacking. ]
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[and snacking as she goes.]
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[ He's just holding this gouda cheese in vacuum-sealed plastic in his hands. He looks like he's at a loss. ]
There is far too much, here... and yet, no merchants to look over it all.
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[she glances at his cheese]
We should just take it. It's just going to go to waste otherwise.
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...
Such as colour, or something.
[ He just kind of shrugs??? Okay. ]
I suppose I could do something with... packaged cheese.
[ This reads so much in Captain Holt voice. ]
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Actually - why don't we pick out some snacks that will go well with tea? I was able to harvest the herbs I planted yesterday, so we're due for that.
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[ He's surprised she remembered. Because he's an asshole who doesn't really make nor remember plans. ]
I don't have much in mind. Suppose we'll meet outside in a few.
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[and so they get supplies for their tea party!
only... as they're convening outside, one of the memshare bubbles picks that exact moment to catch them. jiuqing sighs. heavily.]
...if you'll excuse me, Estinien, I believe the only way out of this is to...
[her voice trails off, and she touches a hand to the bubble, infusing it with a softly glowing metallic color. the only way out of this situation is through it; she's been stuck in a bubble enough times by now to know.
but that doesn't mean she enjoys sharing the memory this place plucks out of her mind.]
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For Fury's sake -- [ He swears in annoyance immediately, though he doesn't have much time to mull on it as Jiuqing is quick to react to make it go away.
And, well. If it didn't happen so suddenly, so fast, and almost like if he was forced to watch, he would perhaps look away for her comfort. But no, he does see it.
First, he blinks, slow -- and then there's a harsh flash in his eyes, brief. It's only for a moment, and not too deep, and yet somehow, it's an expression that bores deep when its rage and it's from him.
'Make them pay with blood' -- that's a sentiment he knows all too well.
When they're freed, he bats away the bubble with a free hand, gruff. Get out of here you stupid balloon. ]
Would that this place quit its machinations, it's starting to get old.
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Yes, it certainly is.
[she is SO TIRED. fuck her entire family except for her mom, honestly.]
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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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