Event Seventeen.

[awashmods]

I went to the wood and got it; I sat me down to look for it And brought it home because I couldn’t find it.

he magical vines creep ever onward, slowly infringing upon the Town. No matter how many are chopped down, no matter how many are set on fire, they keep coming even so. And slowly, one by one, the people in the Town start to fall to the curse that they bring along with them. Stay and tend to the cursed? Venture out into the woods to find the castle at the source of these vines? Whatever you choose to do, you'd better decide quickly; the curse only seems to get worse and worse the longer everyone is afflicted. Welcome to Awash's seventeenth event log, everyone! Further information on this event can be found here at the OOC post. You are welcome to make your own logs and posts for this event! If there are any questions, please ask them here. Thank you!

Comments

[stripedown]

Teacher...?

[ The last thing she wants (or needs) is for this kind and graceful stranger to end up carrying her back, when it's just going to result in him with an armful of tiger cub and a lot of explaining that she's not really ready to do right now.

So while Kisa's admittedly curious, she's also quick to add-- ]

I... I'll be okay to walk back soon... I think it'll pass.

[shizun]

Of course. Then, I'll wait here until it passes.

[ Right, right. Being carried by someone that you don't know can be scary. It's okay! I'll stay right here! You're not alone! Besides, only a dick would see a kid on the ground, confirm they're fine, and leave!! Like who would fucking do that?! And she certainly isn't alone in feeling like shit either. His hand rests against his cheek as he feels how clammy his skin is. Yuck.

He reaches out with his other hand to lightly pat her head. It's okay. I'm sure you feel embarrassed but it's fine. We're both sickies together! ]

And yes, I am a teacher. My name is Shen Qingqiu. I have come here recently from the well. [ Like, what the fuck? Am I right? ] And you are?

[stripedown]

[ Headpats are nothing new to her. He may still be someone she just met about ten seconds ago, but he seems nice enough, and he's not trying to drag her back home, so Kisa allows the gesture and closes her eyes briefly.

It's nostalgic, after all. ]

I'm... my name is Kisa Sohma. It's... nice to meet you, Shen Qi.. ng... Kingu... yew?

[ She tried. ]

[shizun]

Shen Qingqiu. [ Close enough. ]

"Shifu" is also fine. [ Another small cough into his sleeve. What a pair! ] It's nice to meet you, as well, Kisa Sohma.

But as a teacher, I wonder... what is your favorite subject? [ You're feeling bad, so let's talk about something fun! ]

[stripedown]

...

[ That is not very fun, if Kisa's suddenly downcast expression is any indication. ]

I don't... really like school.

[shizun]

[ The downcast expression does tug at one or two (or all) of his heartstrings at once. ]

... Is that so? [ Why? He wonders if he should keep pursuing this sort of questioning. But given how sad she looks and how sick she is, isn't that considered cruel? ]

Then, do you like fans? [ Like I am going to give her my germs, but-- He snaps open his silk fan. Right, right, she's not a child, tho. Shen Qingqiu thinks about putting his energy into the fan to make some wind attacks in the ground ahead. No, wouldn't that be scary?

His eyes roll up as he thinks. Wait!

Filling the fan with his energy, he has it fly up into the air, hovering around to where she can see it. It hangs about in place before spinning about slowly. The fan soon closes before it drops where he catches it. If Liu-shidi knew I was using cultivation for these little street tricks, he would vomit blood for a week. But really, this is fine, this is fine! ]

[stripedown]

...!

[ She... doesn't expect that. At all. But not only does she find the fan very lovely and elegant, the fan itself decides to prove its worth by doing a bit of a graceful dance in the air. It doesn't take a whole lot of energy to track it with her eyes, awed, though she only speaks when it drops back into his hand again. ]

How... did you do that?

[shizun]

This teacher is a cultivation master.

[ ... don't say shit and think people are going to understand what the fuck you mean, my guy. ]

I can use my own energy and cause it to flow into my fan. Think of it as like -- [ Fuck?! To explain... wait, I got it! ] -- blowing on a pinwheel to cause it to move. [ Close enough! ] Only I can control how I would like it to move instead of it moving however it likes.

[ +10 reassurance points!! She looks to be in much better spirits, too! ]

[stripedown]

... Can you do that with everything? Items, I mean?

[ She has definitely never seen anything like this before. So yes, it's a perfectly effective distraction for someone who's usually so petrified around strangers. ]

[shizun]

I can.

[ That is four pints of blood my poor shidi would be spitting out at hearing me making cultivation a parlor trick!! ]

Do you have an item you would like to see fly?

[stripedown]

Oh... i-it's okay, I think the fan was amazing enough.

[ She doesn't want to keep him out here entertaining her. ]

[shizun]

Thank you. This teacher is touched.

[ He smiles softly. ]

How are you feeling? [ That worked as a good distraction so he wonders after how she's doing. ]

[stripedown]

... Less dizzy. Um... thank you, Sensei-- Shifu.

[ She still feels weirdly tired, but it's better than before. ]

[shizun]

[ He holds his hand out to her to help her up. ]

Well, let's get you home, then, Kisa Sohma.

[stripedown]

... Mm. [ Slowly, delicately, she'll reach out to place her hand in his. ]

[shizun]

[ Feel better, okay? We're sick buddies now. He turns his head to cough lightly into his own shoulder as he helps her to her feet.

Ah!! She's really cute! Really cute! The kind of kid you want to pat on the head whenever you see her! If a heart could manifest over his head, it would. This just makes him want to make sure she gets home safely even more. ]

Now... which way? [ I hope you got someone to give you some hot soup. Even if it doesn't taste like anything, it should be okay, right? Right? He frets quietly in his head as he smiles in his usual gentle way. ]