[Voice; UN: gentlebreeze] CW: Death

[gentledawn]

[There is heavy breathing beginning this stream, panicked and sharp, and the sound of ice crunching under quick steps. A howl punctuates the otherwise still air and the breathing hitches.]

Please... If anyone can hear me... I don't think I'm going to get away this time.

[Growling, unnervingly close, follows, rumbling in the throat of something...big.]

I'm sorry, A-Yang...A-Yu...

[And every friend he has made. There is a thud and then the sound of paws against snow. Xingchen yelps and then everything goes silent.]

[OOC: Responses will come after he is revived. He will be reborn form a giant moonflower in the flower yard.]

Comments

Voice

[noodleboi]

XINGCHEEEEEEN!

[No response. No response at all. Oh no. No no no.]

Voice

[gentledawn]

[Something big and nasty chomped him. He will get back to you in a few days, friend.]

Later - {Video}

[gentledawn]

MK? Are you there? {Xingchen is in the flower yard, kneeling before his moonflower.}

Forgive me for the delay. I...made a mistake.

Re: Later - {Video}

[noodleboi]

I'm here. I'm here.

[He's at work at the moment but he is focusing on his phone as he walks into the back.]

What happened? That...sounded like a really big mistake.

{Video}

[gentledawn]

[He eases himself back, resting against the flower's stem.]

I was tracking something new... New to me, anyway. It seemed like a great wolf, but it moved so fast!

Re: {Video}

[noodleboi]

That sounds like one of the Werewolves. I've seen them before. They're not joke. Do you need someone to come take you home?

Action

[mayoninofukucho]

[At first, Hijikata calls Xingchen's device back several times, but it's as he feared: No one picks up. He knows that by the time he'll make it to the Winter Segment (not even sure of the exact location), his friend's body will already be gone, disintegrated from the ground and/or the monster's stomach to be reformed in his flower.

The closed moonflower stands out in the Spring Segment's flower yard, and he visits each day despite knowing full well that Xingchen won't be back before the 3rd. He may not be the only one waiting or the first to greet his reborn friend, but it's not long after the cultivator's emergence that he approaches him with a concerned look-over.]

Well, Xingchen, I hoped I'd never have to collect you here. If anyone deserved to avoid this, it's you.

Action

[gentledawn]

[Time passes and soon the great white flower opens and Xingchen is dropped onto the grass. He opens his eyes at the impact and frowns, slowly sitting up. Then he remembers.

Guilt tightens his stomach and he looks from the flower to...

Someone waiting for him. Hijikata. Cheeks pinking, he pushes himself onto his feet and brushes off his white robes.]

You're much too kind. I was careless and ill-prepared for what I encountered.

[He won't let that happen again.]

How long have you waited for me?

[mayoninofukucho]

[He gives him a reassuring smile, offering a basket with food and drinks. He hasn't forgotten how prepared Xingchen came to collect him after his own death so long ago!]

Don't worry, I just came after work to check on you. This is the third day, as usual.

[He won't admit it, but the previous two days, he totally talked to the closed giant flower, telling it things like "Don't keep us waiting, okay?" and "You better be alright".]

It's good to have you back. I know this process is reliable, but it's still scary every time! I hope your death was a quick as mine.

[It's a morbid thing to say, but the last thing he wants is for Xingchen to have suffered.]

[gentledawn]

[The preparation makes him smile, though there isn't any need. Ever since Xingchen embraced immortality - meaning he won't die from old age or illness - he can no longer eat anything but ice and drink water.]

...three days! [He steps forward and wraps his arms around Hijikata.] Claws and teeth are quick, thankfully. I don't recall much pain.

[Just a sharp, searing sensation, the heat of his own blood and then a deep chill.]

[mayoninofukucho]

[See, he should've remembered that! Alas, the human impulse to feed a friend overrode that memory. At least there is a water bottle!

He heartily returns the hug, given Xingchen a solid squeeze. (Getting to hold a cultivator feels like receiving a blessing, he can't lie.)]

That's a relief. What kind of creature got you?

[He won't go on an outright revenge spree, imagining that that wouldn't necessarily be what Xingchen would want, but hell if he won't kill any monster of that species with more prejudice going forward!]

Voice; un: shoto

[itsmypower]

[That it's all sound makes it worse, and as he hears—imagines?—he can't shake the vicious, foreboding feeling pulling its way up his throat. It's still distressingly familiar enough...]

What's happened? Hey! Xingchen...!

[Video] - After he comes back via flower.

[gentledawn]

[The messages are all heard belatedly and Xingchen frowns as he gets back with his friends, sitting at the base of his flower.]

Shoto? I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you.

Video; un: shoto

[itsmypower]

[3 days past; this much confirms what the younger boy's guessed-]

Somehow, I knew, but I didn't. I couldn't face that flower at all, Xingchen...

[Sorry. Sorry-]

To be honest, I'd looked everywhere else.

Video

[gentledawn]

I don't blame you. [Facing death (and the signs of it) is terrible.] May I see you?

[itsmypower]

[Relief like a bolt-strike. He may not see, but there's slow transition from dim to bright once he's further outside.]

You mean at the flower yard, right?

[Still shaky-voiced...]

[interviewee]

Xingchen! [Louis tries to listen for Xingchen's location, to find that labored breathing and follow it, but soon both the heartbeat and breathing have gone quiet.] Xingchen!

[He remembers what Xingchen had mentioned about being reborn of flowers. While he can't keep a constant vigil with the thread of the sun, Louis does try to keep watch at night.]

[gentledawn]

[The moonflower blossoms in the moonlight, thankfully, depositing Xiao Xingchen on the grass at its base. He comes to slowly, looking around with a small frown. When he sees Louis, he softens into a smile.]

Louis. What are you doing here? [Waiting for him, obviously! He ducks his head apologetically.]

I wasn't prepared, that's all.

[interviewee]

[Louis can't believe what he's seeing, but Xingchen seems to be gone one moment and present in the next.]

Xingchen. [Louis crawls over to Xingchen, unsure if he should help him sit up or leave him be.] I've been waiting.

[Louis sucks in a breath.] Don't go alone next time. Take me or your husband.

[gentledawn]

[Xingchen reaches out to Louis, unafraid, embracing his friend to remind himself of life.]

I don't want to...die again. [He whispers, shivering.] Thank you for waiting for me.

[interviewee]

I don't want you to die again either. [Louis wraps his arms around Xingchen in a tight hug.] I'd wait again, but don't make me.

[Video]

[jiangzaid]

[ There is no need for the feed to continue. Xue Yang knows the second Xingchen dies.

The heart-wrenching scream has no words as he collapses, unconscious. ]

[Action]

[nightimmortal]

[ Runyu doesn't need to be asked to go to Xue Yang with the certainty of what happened to Xingchen. So what if his heart clenches in pain and loss?

Xue Yang needs him. Xingchen is past help at the moment. So he gathers up the unconscious man and brings them to wait at the flower field, sharing a steady stream of energy to keep the poor man from just following Xingchen.

Whenever Xingchen blooms, he'll find them both nearby, Runyu cradling Xue Yang in his lap and his little Dream Beast pacing around them, worriedly looking around. ]

[Action]

[gentledawn]

[The moonflower grows and then blooms, releasing Xingchen onto the grass. He is confused for a few moments, breathing in the sweet scent of the flower yard - and his own flower - before he sits up. That's when he sees them.]

A-Yu. [He moves as quickly as his body allows, pale with fear. Once he reaches them, he strokes over Xue Yang's hair tenderly.] A-Yang, I'm so sorry.

[Tears well in his eyes and roll down his cheeks.]

Please wake up...

[nightimmortal]

[ The dragon looks a bit tired, but he doesn't stop his efforts to maintain Xue Yang's life, a constant stream of energy to keep circulating through the man's body. He manages a soft smile for Xingchen as the Dream Beast bounds over with a worried coo. ]

A-Yang needs your energy to wake, love. Are you strong enough? I can maintain him longer if you need to rest.