[open]

[shizun]

WHO: Shen Qingqiu and OPEN.
WHERE: Castle in the woods.
WHEN: Early August.
WHAT: An idiot decides to stay in the haunted castle.
WARNINGS: None.

i. Living in the Castle

[ He isn't certain how he thought living in the castle would go. The main issue is that he is completely cut off from the network -- and consequentially, every person in Chroma. But villains are supposed to be ostracized and a giant haunted castle seems like the best place to be!

Shen Qingqiu certainly talks up his situation, but he absolutely isn't sure how it is going to go. The place is filled with traps. He's busying himself with attempting to put evil-warding talismans everywhere in order to make it relatively safe for his person.

This doesn't do jack shit. ]

a. During the day

[ If a person comes to the castle during the day, they will definitely see a sleep-deprived Shen Qingqiu wandering the hallways like a ghost. Whenever he falls asleep in the castle, he has nightmares -- horrific nightmares! Sure, a cultivator could stay away for a few days without trouble, but his sleep has already been shit and now it's gotten significantly shittier.

So, he wanders the hallways with a dazed, empty look in his eyes. From lack of sleep and that alone! It may take a few times calling out to him for the man to realize that someone's calling out at all. ]

b. During the night

[ As if nightmares weren't awful, he's also being chased around by shapeless shadows! He's summoned balls of fire (great balls of fire!) to circle around him in order to light his way at night, because the last thing he needs while being chased is to run into a wall or a literal pitfall!

Shen Qingqiu sprints down the hallways at a high sprint -- he doesn't even pant as he rushes about while forms made out of darkness and void crawl all over the walls after him.

He throws a few talismans that he's made in order to banish them, but it only does so much when the entire castle is filled with these entities. Fucking shit!! It is only as he's sprinting by does he realize that he's not alone.
Skidding to a halt, he rounds backwards to the person. ]

What are you doing here?! Don't you know it's dangerous?!

ii. Return of the Hero

[ Three days past. Shen Qingqiu realizes the error of his ways in that short time. He realizes it when his right hand starts to lose color and creep its way up his arm. His emotions become more muted -- which surprisingly helps with the constant anxiety he has been feeling -- and allows him to think a little more rationally.

This was silly. I'll head back. His words are calm. Extremely calm and empty. He leaves the castle that tormented him for three days and heads back to Chroma. ]

a. Hewwo, I made a bad decision

[ Partially black-and-white, Shen Qingqiu returns to the city. He blinks at everything in an uninterested fashion -- rather than feeling relieved to be home!! -- and heads back toward Bluo to rest.

One may notice that his clothes are torn and ruined. It's what happens when one fights shadow creatures for over three days on little sleep. He does not look the best, but he doesn't seem bothered by it. For those who know what a discolored state means, that probably isn't the best thing. ]

iii. Wildcard.

[ None of these work? Let's make something that does! ]

Comments

during the night

[meridio]

I do.

[ It only takes one look for Somnus, who is seemingly unarmed, to notice Shen Qingqiu's ragged appearance. As of now, there's enough of a distance between them and the shadows to afford this chatter. ]

Knowing this yourself, why do you wage battle with these creatures?

1/2

[shizun]

[ Listen here, motherfucker. ]

[shizun]

[ He tucks a strand of hair behind his ear as he steps forward. ]

I am attempting to live here, and so I cannot allow these creatures to continue to upset my new home. [ Shen Qingqiu is honestly shocked how calm that he says that. Honestly, he's at his wits' end with these creatures and nightmares. If it was just one thing, that'd be doable, but it's two fucking things at the same time.

He's exhausted already, okay?!

But to this person that might end up blackening Ardyn, he puts on a lot of airs. ]

[meridio]

[ The man seems prone to capriciousness. Frazzled and frantic a mere second ago, he now puts on an air of control and calm. ]

This is no place for a mortal from another world.

[ Somnus glances in the direction of the approaching shadows. Any second now, they'll lunge and put an end to this conversation. ]

Leave this place. I shall accompany you.

[shizun]

[ Good sir! Fuck off!

He spins to throw out a few more tailsmans to once more break up the pursuit of the shadows coming for him. ]

This is my home. I have no intention of leaving. [ Shen Qingqiu is really going to lose a lot of face in a few days when he ends up having to return back to Chroma. But for now, he is standing firm. ]

ib

[queenofminiskirts]

[Guess who, Shen Qingqiu? It's your student!

And she's pissed.]

I should be the one asking you that, Sensei!

[Her arms are crossed and her ponytail is doing that thing it does when she's angry, not so much moving in a gentle shoujo breeze so much as it's swaying, like the tail of an angry cat.]

[shizun]

[ What are you angry about!

It may be that he has no means to contact anyone, and so he also has no means to find out what's been going on in the city itself. But he does have a flower that'll allow him to transmit information to others but he hasn't had much of a chance to use it to its fullest yet. ]

Did something happen back at Chroma?

[queenofminiskirts]

Does something have to happen for me to come find you?

[She comes close enough to reach out to grab his sleeve. A surprisingly gentle gesture considering that she's still really mad.]

Sensei went into the forest all alone, without telling anyone! Of course I'd come to look for you!

[shizun]

Well --

[ Shen Qingqiu nearly says that seems like it would track. It makes sense to come looking for him if something had occurred that needs his attention!

However, he cuts himself off when she comes to take his sleeve. His expression softens immediately even though she still is radiating anger. There, there.

His other hand lifts to lightly pat her head. Don't be mad. ]

-- there's no need to worry. I have no intention of challenging anything that I cannot handle this time around. [ He unwisely jokes. ]

iia

[wooden_one]

[He'd heard about people losing colour, but this is his first time witnessing it.

He frowned as he approached.]

Peak Lord Shen. What happened?

[shizun]

[ Hm.

He gives a small glance back towards Chu Wanning. ]

Ah. I stayed in the castle for too long. [ Lifting his arm, he points back towards where the forest is. He's able to hold his arm up for a few seconds before it drops -- flops -- back down to his side. ]

[wooden_one]

The castle? [Which castle? A castle in the forest? The forest everyone kept saying was dangerous to go into? The forest that was constantly noisy in a very unsettling and annoying way?]<

Why were you there?

[shizun]

I was attempting to live in the castle.

[ His head drops a little. More of his hair falls forward in front of his face. A very bad idea. ]

I wouldn't recommend it. That place does not want to be cleansed at all...

B

[pyrafect]

[ It's the early hours of the morning, right before dawn, that she's been rising to make her way to the castle as she's been doing for the past few weeks or so; some of the projects she's been working on require a lot of metal, and the castle provides a good amount of iron. Iron from the fences that line the gardens, the dungeons, steel from the swords and suits of armor found within...

She has been gathering these items, throwing them into a cart to bring back to Chroma, when she begins the rukus coming down from one of the hallways. ]

What am I--

[ Are those fireballs he's conjured around him? Well that's awfully convenient, but the light of them also illuminates how terrible he appears. ]

Shen Qingqiu....! My goodness, you look... awful. What are you doing here?

[ Worriedly, and without thinking, she will try to reach out to take his hand. ]

[shizun]

[ He purses his lips like he wants to argue about how awful that he looks, but he really can't. It isn't so much that he finds it an insult but he's always prided himself on looking like an immaculate cultivator. To think that only a little time of living in the castle and he's ruined his own appearance so terribly.

Shen Qingqiu does give a tired smile at his hand being taken, however. ]

I am going to be living here. [ It is best to be honest about these sort of things. Very best! Of course, he immediately sobers and wakes up as he realizes what he's said. Nightmares are one thing! Being chased by shadows is another! Both at the same time has really upset his sleep and thoughts!! ]

I thought it might be worth a try.

[pyrafect]

[ She looks at him as if he's just said that volcanoes erupt snow. ]

Ah--....what?

[ Even surprised, however, she will abandon what she's doing, leaving the iron and steel upon the cart. There are some things far more important than whatever little projects she's working on.

Pyra begins to lead him to... wherever there might be a bench? A chaise? Or some place he might sit down-- that is, if he's willing to come along. If she stands still as a rock, then she'll simply stay. ] But here of all places... why?

1a (1/2)

[espritdecorpse]

[ He's planning a party discussion conference soon, and as much alcohol as he's made, a party discussion conference can always use more. And he thinks there just might be a case of wine or several left in the cellar, there for the taking. As well as various other useful items: swords, bows and arrows, and so forth.

Naturally he's brought somebody strong to carry the load of whatever odds and ends he's found. ]

Look at this place! It's so cold and creepy.

[ He says the above happily enough... but then a sudden thought occurs to him, and he changes his tone.... ]

Lan Zhan, hold me! I'm scaaaaared!

[ ....to a horrible, nasal, sweet whine. ]

(2/2)

[alittlespicy]

[ It's not as though Wangji doesn't recognize the tone of voice. That he doesn't realize it's a whine just for his sake. That Wei Ying is not truly frightened...

Actually, other than when a dog is involved, he has not known Wei Ying to ever be truly frightened. Not even when facing a hundreds-years-old monster armed with next to nothing.

But Wei Ying is asking for him, and that will probably not stop being new for a long time yet. ]

Mn.

[ With their bounty so far stored away in his qiankun sleeves, his arms are free so he can open them slightly in welcome. ]

Odd feng shui.

[ Odd architecture and odd magic, too, but at this point he's almost used to those.

Almost. ]

[shizun]

[ A half-dead (pleased, more like half-asleep, but feeling like death!!) Shen Qingqiu rounds the corner to collide with the two of them. Not so much collide as he is not running at full speed, but rather he bounces off of them.

He blinks slow, lightly pats Lan Wangji's shoulder. His tired stare fixes on Wei Wuxian to give a light pat on the young cultivator's head. It seems very much like what a kindly old grandpa would do than a dignified Peak Lord!

But he mumbles something not quite audible before continuing on his way. His shoulder bumps into the wall. He lightly pats the wall, another mutter, and he places a tailsman on the stone. Pointing at the wall, he glares at it before stumbling forward. ]

iia

[alwaysfacepalming]

[SiZhui happened to be out in the city looking around near the area of Bluo when he spotted a familiar but less colorful person not too far away. Given the state of him, something had happened]

Senior? Senior Shen, are you alright?

[He hurried over]

[shizun]

I am.

[ His words sound empty and hollow. Like he is only answering out of obligation to the person rather than wanting to talk at all. ]

Lan-shaoxia. [ He breathes in and out slowly, calmly. After a labored bit of silence, he lifts his hand to point to his left. ] Don't go wandering around in the castle.

[alwaysfacepalming]

[When he was close enough, SiZhui folded his hands in front of him and bowed before turning to look in the direction indicated]

The castle? There is something wrong with the castle?

[Looking at Shen Qingqiu's clothes]

Is there anything I can do to help?

ia

[holycurse]

[Xie Lian scavenges a lot less than he used to these days, what with the lack of a need for money to make...but old habits are hard to break, and besides, the castle's an interesting place to explore.

He hadn't quite expected a casual search for usable junk to reveal a familiar figure wandering the halls like some sort of lost ghost, though.]

...Shifu? What are you doing here?

[shizun]

Hmm?

[ Upon hearing a familiar voice, he halts his shambling walk. His gaze remains fixed in front of him before he slowly, slowly turns his head to look toward the voice.

His skin looks ashen and his hair falls in front of his face in an unflattering manner. It only makes sense given the fact that he's been running and sprinting and flailing about the halls of the castle! ]

What am I... [ He walks back toward Xie Lian. His elbows bent and hands lifted, looking very much like some generic zombie!! Shen Qingqiu reaches out to place his hands on the young cultivator's shoulders. ]

... what are you doing here?! It's dangerous in this castle!

[holycurse]

[Xie Lian might actually have taken a step back when zombie Shen Qingqiu started shambling towards him, but he doesn't back up nearly far or fast enough to avoid getting caught.]

--Ah? I was only stopping by for a visit... [But more importantly--he raises his hands helplessly, not sure how or where to place them but noticeably worried regardless.] You look terrible though! Are you alright? You haven't been here long, have you? Did you run into anything dangerous?