week two | match ceremony

[marriagebroker]

Tonight, we're back in the courtyard. It looks similar to last week with the slight exception, there is now a plush couch near the stage, and a single lantern already lit above the stage. There's still food, drinks, all sorts of things available for the contestants to snack on and enjoy.

On the stage is Wei Wuxian, looking presentable in his hanfu for today. He's busy twirling his flute in hand as he waits for the contestants to show up and find their places, and when they do he'll extend both arms out, welcoming the cast.

"Second match ceremony! You're exempt from a black out tonight because you've already found one of the matches."

He'll gesture to that couch from earlier, which seems to be The Special Seat for Ringo and Furina to sit at if they'd like.

"Now, we know how this goes so let's not delay anymore! Team Wangji, it's your turn to announce your matches!"

Comments

[ordimame]

[a brief pause, like he isn't sure whether he should ask. but she was so kind to share her story with him the other day, and. . . kind enough to talk about her mothers when he has been reeling from the apparition of his own]

Why can't you?

[embellwish]

[ She smiles vaguely, understanding his hesitance. But she's made peace with her condition... lonely as it is. Telling a few of the others about it, combined with getting absolutely decimated at the ceremony, is encouraging her to be more open about it. ]

This form in front of you... is an illusion.

[ How to explain it, without getting into the more gruesome details? She doesn't want to be a total downer, and she hates being pitied, or people pushing themselves too hard trying to help her. There's a quiet sigh under her breath, as she measures her words. ]

The wisteria when it's in bloom, too. It takes a lot of magical power for me to maintain it. Normally, my strength is too weak to do it, so I'm usually by myself.

[ She keeps the explanation light, and tries to get it over with quickly, like ripping a bandaid off. ]

I didn't want any of you to worry about me... but that's the truth.

[ordimame]

An. . . illusion?

[he frowns, brows creased. . . and despite her words, he feels a bit of worry bubble up in his chest. why does she need an illusion to be here. . .? and the tree. . .]

I don't understand. . . if this form is an illusion, then do you not have a physical body?

[asked out of genuine concern and curiosity, and not anything else. it truly doesn't matter to him if her form is an illusion or not. she is still the kind Yingying who has treated him so nicely since their arrival! he just. . . wants to understand]

[embellwish]

[ Edamura's sweet. She can tell he's starting to get worried, and for his sake, she's going to keep her cool, rather aloof while talking about this. After all, she's never been very interested in her own recovery... telling him about this is just relaying facts, to her, not a cry for help. ]

No, I do. Mm... but it's very corrupted and weak, swallowed inside the wisteria. Right now, it's impossible to extract it.

[ She understands how bizarre this is, at least, particularly to someone with no experience with the supernatural. Before this, she was like Edamura: a completely normal person. So she understands how outlandish it all is. ]

[ordimame]

[yeah. it's extremely bizarre. almost impossible for him to wrap his head around! but he's getting better at it, day by day. and he wants to try. . . especially for her]

. . . how did it get in there?

[embellwish]

Me, the wisteria, the whole village.... were all contaminated with something, when a shooting star fell from the sky.

[ Contaminated with something that had come from space. Even in the present, they're not sure what exactly that contaminant is. ]

Most people who survived the impact turned into monsters, but I didn't. [ ..... ] In the aftermath, the tree and I merged somehow... that must be how I survived, since I was the only one who did.

[ The other times she's had to tell this tale here, there's been a sense of whimsy or drama to it, a self-imposed distance to keep herself from thinking about the event too much. But Edamura's question is so direct, and everyone's right, that they should be a bit more open and direct, if they're going to win this game. Her voice doesn't waver — this was all a long time ago. But her brow does knit, and her gaze does lower, feeling awkward. She wants to tell the truth, but her grief is both raw and aged. She doesn't know what might hurt worse: someone saying they're sorry, or being happy that she was the one who made it out. ]

[ordimame]

[. . . so she was a bit like him, wasn't she? someone living a completely average life until something so insane, so out there, happened to turn it completely upside down. he can't comprehend what it must feel like to be the only one left behind. to be thrust into a world that she likely never wanted to be a part of in the first place. but his heart does clench in sorrow for her. especially when her gaze lowers]

[. . .]

[last time. . . she had reached out to him. this time--]

[he extends shaky fingers towards her hand, gripping it gently in his own, remembering how soft they had felt against his own]

That sounds. . .

[. . .]

. . . awful. You must be really lonely.

[embellwish]

[ It takes a second, but her hand closes around his after a beat of hesitation, lips tugging into a wry smile. For a while, she doesn't have anything to say — because it is lonely. Painfully so. But saying as much out loud always makes her feel more pathetic than she did the moments prior, so she simply dips her chin in acknowledgement, comforted, at least, by the connection of their hands. ]

...Mm. But I'm happy being here with all of you.

[ It's the one reprieve from the loneliness she's had, in terms of length in quality of time. With a little laugh at herself, she keeps going: ]

I keep finding myself wishing this time wouldn't end.

[ordimame]

[it warms him to know that she has at least found happiness in her time with them. the time spent enjoying the company of fifteen other people from various colorful walks of life. people she likely would never have been able to meet otherwise]

[but. . . it does leave him with one question]

When the show does end. . . [because it will. unfortunately, it will] . . . what happens to you?

[embellwish]

My power will wane... I won't be able to materialize like this anymore.

[ Thus, she will cease to "exist" on the same plane as them. She'll still be alive, still somewhere, but no longer an active participant in the waking world. ]

Others have suggested I use the wish to recover, but I'm not sure that's the best use for it. [ For one, it's an incredibly selfish thing to use a gift of such power on. For two, she has a degree of apathy towards starting her life anew, almost more inclined to give up on her recovery than fight tooth and nail for it. ] Some contestants even offered me their wish, but... I could never take something like that from one of you. So don't go thinking of offering the same thing.

[ordimame]

[but. . . but. . . !]

. . . but I don't want my wish.

[he responds, his words a bit firm, grip on her fingers tightening. not painfully so, at least]

Seriously. . . I don't have a use for it. There isn't anything back home I want or need that badly. [he doesn't really believe in the power of their offered wish, honestly] So you wouldn't be taking it.

[that said. . .]

Not that. . . I want to pressure you into something you don't want, either. [especially if her mind is made up] . . . just think about it, okay?

[they still have two weeks]

[embellwish]

[ ...She gets what he's trying to do, she does. And it's not that she doesn't appreciate it, or isn't touched. Her smile turns a little helpless, brows knitting. Reluctantly: ]

If that's your wish, I'll think about it.

[ But the heart of the matter remains. Yingying is serious about wishes, and doesn't like the idea of taking others' for her own. If they choose, with their whole heart, to wish for her health or happiness, that's different. But she's not so arrogant to believe any of them could wish for her the way her family had, year after year. They've only known each other two weeks... how selfish would it be to covet those wishes for herself? They all have their own loved ones, their own futures to think about, ones that she wants to see blossom. ]

But I want you to think about it, too. The desires in your heart. What you would sincerely wish for, given the chance.

[ Everyone has one, even if they think they don't. ]

[ordimame]

[. . . he is pretty sure he already has an answer to that. he is almost certain that nothing that happens here will change his mind, either. his world is so dreadfully normal compared to everyone else's that he legitimately cannot comprehend what a wish as powerful as the one the producers are offering could do for it]

[but. . . she is certain, too. and he asked her to think it over. so it's only fair. . . if he does the same]

All right. I will.

[genuinely!]

But when all of this is over, if I haven't come up with a different answer of my own. . . then I'll ask you again.

Is that fair?