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[closed] Fuck around and find out

WHO: Childe & Wanderer
WHAT: Sparring (fighting)
WHEN: A bit forwarded to the 8th of March
WHERE: Arena
WARNINGS: To be added

[Wanderer waits for the other to move first. Not that he has been actively training, in fact, he has been quite busy with having fun. Because dating is quite a fun thing to do. And now, everything was not fun and he can only blame himself for not being able to see it coming. He should have known.

He watches Childe with a frown on his face and finally rolls his eyes.]

Tch. Move, you worm.

[After muttering those words he rushes forward, absolutely being a little faster than usual. Maybe focusing on this little sparring session will dull the ache in his chest.]

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[Childe's always had fun with the sparring sessions he's had with Wanderer, he's a force to be reckoned with and that's exactly the kind of excitement he's always looking for. Scaramouche was ranked higher than him, much higher, and it never mattered to him who he sparred, as long as he could test his strength. Any of the Harbingers would prove to be a worthwhile and exhilarating fight (with one sole exception, lol.)

But there's a different fire in Wanderer's eyes today. He noticed it right away, but he didn't know what it was or why he's like this. It's reminiscent of when he was still a part of their ranks, like no mortal was worthy of being above the sole of his shoe. Childe knows that whatever the problem is, it'll come out on the battlefield. There are no lies or deceit in the heat of battle, not when throwing yourself passionately into it- and the fight would bring out whatever it was that plagued his companion here. Not that he cares entirely in the moment, excited to meet the puppet head on in a clash of true strength.

The truth will come out though, soon.]

Do your best to make me, why don't you?

[Planting his feet, he braces himself to absorb that first attack, the flat of his sword coming up to block while digging his heels in.]

[It has been such a long time ago since he has been this angry. And the funny thing is, he is the most angry at himself. And the thing is, when he is this angry, everyone around him has to suffer.

He can feel the wind in his face when he speeds forward and still, all he feel is anger. And a sense of missing. Loneliness.

As his speed increases he grits his teeth, forming a big swirling ball of anemo in one of his hands. Really, if the idiot wasn't going to move he'd simply blast him off his feet.]

[Here he comes, not a word but all the ire and spite in his eyes, the ball of anemo slamming into the flats of his blades with all the force of a raging inferno. Every muscle in Childe's body flexes and strains against the initial impact, and for a moment he's able to hold Wanderer in place until a surge of anemo pushes forward through that orb and blasts him backwards, sending him flying through the air. The battle-hardened Harbinger spins through the air a few times before righting himself and landing on his feet several yards away from Wanderer, all too aware now that the puppet was in an even worse mood than usual. Usual being how he was coming to Ellipsa...he could see the Harbinger Scaramouche blasting him like this without so much of a shred of empathy.

Wiping dirt from his face, he stands up straight, eyeing his opponent up.]

You seem a little more riled up than usual. But that doesn't matter to me, as long as you put up a good fight.

[It's his turn now, taking this opportunity to come in quickly, earth flying up from beneath his feet as he closes the distance between the two of them faster than one could easily follow. His blades slice forward at Wanderer, aiming for his chest and arms, any part that he can hit.]

[Maybe, if he would keep this up long enough he'd run out of energy. In a way it would be nice to just collapse and 'sleep' for a while. Maybe he'd turn to stone eventually. It could be that this battlecrazy idiot would get too excited and cut him down instead.

So when he sees Childe fly backwards he cackles. All in all it is an amusing sight.]

Shut your mouth.

[And thank whatever god, that is exactly what Childe is doing. Shutting his mouth and attacking instead. And instead of increasing the distance between the other and himself, he decreases it instead, coming at the Harbinger at top speed.]

You know you have to do better than that!

[He manages to evade some of the blades but the two blows to his chest significantly slow him down. For a moment he hangs still mid-air, eyes narrowed a little.]

Tch. That's all?

[There's no taunting tone to his voice when he speaks, just annoyance.]

[Through that small exchange, Childe reads Wanderer a little more, analyzing in real time how he dodges, how he manages to land hits, what his opponent's mental state is like. He's been around the guy enough at this point to know what facade put up on the exterior should be and what lies underneath, and why. Normally, this wouldn't draw such an annoyed tone from Wanderer, it's not like Childe used any kind of hard hitting, personal taunt. And yet, here they stand, that terrible mood coming out with every word.]

No. I just wanted to see if you've been taking all my suggestions to heart during these little sparring sessions of ours. The better a fighter you are, the better the fight.

[It's only a partial lie, though. There's something going on, and he's going to try to find it. And if Wanderer needs a little bit more of a push to vent, then Tartaglia happy to give it. Another barrage of attacks come quickly, swapping from his dual blades to his glaive and back, to keep Wanderer on his toes. In turn, he's also guarding against any attacks thrown back at him, clearly enjoying the heat of the moment and taking it all in on the fly.]

C'mon!

[He yells, as he continues to swap blows with Wanderer.]

You're going to have to keep your eyes on me a little better if you're going to fight like that-!

I am not here for your entertainment. Just fight me. [There's no joy in the laughter that escapes his mouth.] Give it your all. [Until he's tired and the only option is to lie down.

And of course, Childe does not disappoint. Before Wanderer knows it, the other already launches a second barrage of attacks.]

That's better.

[Wanderer mutters the words softly before he focuses on the fight at hand, dodging the attacks quickly and using every opening available to blast a couple of fierce anemo-blades at the other. It would be fun to see Childe tumbling backwards again.]

Tch.

[Eventually he is being forced backwards again, avoiding and blocking several blows. And perhaps that is when he loses his focus a little, leaving himself a little more vulnerable than he wants himself to be. Despite his blows increase with strength, he gets sloppy with his defense.]

[No matter what state of mind his opponent is in, he's always been fierce and truly a good fighter. Blow for blow, the two of them clash, the anemo windblades surging past him and taking a good couple of slices right through the fabric of his jacket and into his skin. But with as much adrenaline is pumping through his body, Childe barely feels it, even as blood trickles freely out from each of the wounds inflicted on him. It's exhilarating, the feel of dodging attacks that might of sent him to the hospital or worse, his swords cutting through anemo blades that threaten to take off an arm, only to take what are just nicks in comparison to what it would have been.

Every so often, Childe has to recoup and come back with his attacks, and with that effort he can see the focus leave from Wanderer. It allows him to push him further, force openings on him, ensuring a victory.

But victory is just the reward for having learned and practiced in refining one's skills, and it's becoming more and more apparent the longer this goes on that there isn't much to be learned from this fight.]

What's wrong? [The taunt is clear, his voice challenging.]

You better be focusing on me here, or else you'll pay the price...

[Another slice is made at the torso of the Wanderer, followed into an aimed kick to his chest that he will capitalize on to make his opponent yield unless it's dodged.]

[Silently he wonders when he'll reach that state where nothing else matters but this little fight. And perhaps it helps to spend all his energy. Anything to stop all these annoying emotions.

He can see that his attacks are doing some damage to the other. There's a flash of torn clothes and the sight of a gashes with blood. Briefly he wonders if its fair, after all, Childe has more reasons to stay alive than he himself does.

At least his chest is not hollow.]

I can't remember I gave you permission to speak.

[The words leave his mouth in a halfhearted tone. And he does manage to dodge the slice, yet the kick hits him full in the chest and it does send him backwards. It could look quite embarrassing if he did not manage to catch himself halfway and use his anemo strength to regain his balance again.

He takes a couple of seconds to look at Childe while elevated in the sky and then he moves again, being awfully fast and also quite reckless. At first it looks like he is coming straight for the other and just when he is within reach he topples over lets Childe be faced with a large ball of anemo right beneath his shoe.]

That's where worms belong... [Wanderer mutters the words softly.] ...into the ground.

[Despite his taunts, all Childe gets in return are somewhat hollow responses. Sure, the words are ones that he'd say, but the fierceness, the fun, the challenge isn't there. There's a feeling of emptiness that the young Harbinger picks up immediately from Wanderer, and he's unsure of where it's coming from. He watches from the ground to see what his opponent will do next, the landed kick not feeling as satisfying as he thought it would. It doesn't feel like he's fighting someone who want to have a good spar, who wants to improve themselves.

It feels like he's fighting someone who's just fighting to erase pain and anguish.

Lightning sparks up around his feet, noting how quickly and recklessly Wanderer comes in to use this powerful attack of his. If he gets hit directly by it, it's not going to look good for him, so it's imperative he dodges. Childe's mask materializes on his face as he moves, a black and purple blur of electro shooting off to the side then upward at the man floating in the sky, his fist coming up to aim a punch directly to the side of Wanderer's face.]

Enough!!!

[He can feel the power of the anemo attack below him, the wind kicking up and elemental energy surging upward to cause more damage, slicing through more of his clothes and cutting open more wounds on the bottom half of his body. Nothing some heavy bandages and a little rest won't fix, a necessary move to do his best to end this fight before it gets too out of hand.]

[Wanderer notices that it will only take a little bit more. Just a couple of minutes before his energy would reach that level where he'd fall down and nod off. He expects that the only hand Childe will be holding is that of that dimwitted fireworks-girl and really, that is fine with him.

Still, what he did not expect was Childe to shoot upwards to punch him in the face. That ball of anemo should be enough.

And the second Childe's hand comes in touch with Wanderer's face anyone with ears on their head can hear a loud crack. And anyone with eyes next to those ears could see him tumble backwards at first to finally make the most unelegant flop into the ground.]

Oh?

[Wanderer sits up halfway.]

Already had enough?

Edited (html fail, what else) 2024-03-06 16:52 (UTC)

[His fist connects and he feels the pain from hitting him surge through his hand into his arm like a bolt of lightning, a feeling he's more than familiar with when striking things that are usually a solid brick wall to anyone else. The sound that follows echos the force that he's struck him with, watching as he falls back to the ground as Wanderer hits the dirt.

Childe's annoyed, that's for sure. It would be plain on his face if the mask wasn't covering it, as he walks over to Wanderer. There's no weapons drawn, no fighting stance taken, as he stops in front of the puppet with his arms crossed.]

I've had enough of fighting someone who's not taking this seriously. Your mind is somewhere else completely. What's wrong.

[It's a statement rather than a question. Something is wrong and he can see it, and he's making it clear there's no use in hiding it.]

[Wanderer moves his hand over his cheek and he can feel a crack. Somewhere he makes a mental note to get that fixed one day. And when he looks up he can see Childe walking up to him and, in a way, it is satisfying to see that he is wearing his mask. At least he got him that far.]

Look at you...using your Delusion. [Slowly he gets on his feet again.] Nothing. Lets just fight. [Wanderer laughs.] You like fighting, not?

[So without any further ado he summons his anemo strength again so he can rise into the air.]

Come on. Do your best. Make the Tsaritsa proud.

[Naturally, he says it's nothing, but Childe knows better than that. Looking upwards, he lets out a sigh that seems to drain the tension out of his shoulders, the mask dissipating from his face and reforming onto the side of his head. The clothes fade from the black and red back to grey, looking uninterested in the fight that Wanderer is asking for. If he fights him now, it's just going to be more of the same, and as much as he'd love to bash the guy's face in, there's also something not right.

He acts like he didn't even hear what Wanderer even said to him. It's not even worth addressing, in his opinion.]

Does it have something to do with Lumine?

[He'd gotten an inkling that there was something up with them. He doesn't know Wanderer to really care all that much about anyone or anything around him, so it's got to be something awfully special to put him in this bad of a mood.]

[Wanderer staggers briefly while hanging in the air and finally he gives up and lands back on the ground. And of course Childe isn't doing what he wants him to do. Instead of fighting he wants to talk.]

If you don't want to fight we're done here.

[Because, yes, the other is right. And Wanderer doesn't feel like talking about it. It doesn't change the fact that he feels like an absolute idiot. After all, if there was one lesson he had learned over time is that forming bonds always ended up in something painful.

Slowly he starts to dust off his clothes, noticing some tears here and there.]

Tsk. Pathetic.

[The answer he gets makes it plain as day that this is about Lumine and Wanderer would rather go brood somewhere else if he can't take it out on him in a fight than talk about it. It could of been something small as a squabble, or something as terrible as a death. He has no idea, but he just wants to make sure so he doesn't worry over nothing.]

Hold on. You have to tell me.

[His mind is already racing through every possible worst case scenario, steeling himself for the worst news.]

Nothing happened to her, right?

Edited 2024-03-07 17:55 (UTC)

She is fine.

[Because she is. There is nothing wrong with her. She went home and that means her memories of here are gone. And he considers that a good thing. No way he could accept the fact that she would be there, remembering him and liking him. That would be a waste of her time.]

Don't bother visiting her, though. You won't find her anymore.

[That he is stuck here with all these new memories sucks a little, though. Because, frankly, despite everything he has been going through, he still feels too much and he still doesn't like it.]

[It's a relief to know she's okay. That's really all he needed to know. He's always known that Lumine takes care of herself just fine, but this world has lots of surprises and sometimes you just don't know when death comes for you...so he breathes out a sigh of relief there. Good.

But his arms hang a little limply at his side at what Wanderer says next. Though she's alright, she's gone. She went home. Tartaglia feels a small pang in his chest at that news, but on the other side of the coin, that's where she belongs, just like they do, too. It's just...she left before they could figure out how to retain their memories.]

I see.

[The words come slowly and softly. He's not aware of everything that was going on between Lumine and Wanderer, but he can take an educated guess.]

Sorry.

For what?

[Really, he never really understood that entirely.]

She's back in Teyvat and can continue her journey. Find her brother. [Then he pauses.] She'll be fine.

[He himself...well, he's doing a little less fine. Then he gestures at Childe.]

Get yourself treated. You look like an injured animal.

[He looks down at himself. Yeah, he does look a little beat up. Blood is staining his clothes, but Childe only laughs in response.]

C'mon. I've taken much worse than this.

[He sighs though, pausing between his words.]

Look, all I'm saying is that I understand what that feeling of loss could feel like. It's called empathy, Wanderer.

[The sarcasm is there, but it's not thick. He doesn't know how he'd handle if Yoimiya disappeared one day.]

Don't get too used to it coming from me, though.

Edited 2024-03-07 18:47 (UTC)

You don't understand anything. And I don't need empathy either.

[Wanderer looks straight at Childe when he says that. There isn't any sarcasm in his voice, he merely says it as it is.]

Idiot. [He rolls his eyes a little and crosses his arms.] I wish you would've given it your all. At times I prefer not to listen to my thoughts echoing inside my head all the time.

Edited 2024-03-07 19:03 (UTC)

Whatever.

[Extend an olive branch for a moment, get your hand bit. He supposes he shouldn't be surprised by the guy's reaction. His mouth turns downward into a scowl, turning himself sideways so he doesn't have to look at him.]

If that's how you want to deal with it, then fine by me. And if you want my all, then don't waste my time using me as your therapy. You were sloppy and unfocused. It was pathetic.

[Wanderer has no idea what Childe means with the word 'therapy'. Perhaps it means the same thing as 'outlet' and if that is so, maybe he's right. But in the end it is better than stewing in all those emotions he doesn't want to feel or acknowledge.]

Then don't bother.

[He shrugs.]

I hope you will not forget how fake this universe is. Even more fake than all the stars in Teyvat. [And in a way that helps. It is better that, at one point, he will forget about all of this.] Heh. In the end everything you achieve here is useless. [Still useless things hurt a lot.]

So if the Doctor might end up coming here, why would I care?

[Tartaglia barely sends a glance backwards. He doesn't want to hear about the "fakeness" of this world or the prison they find themselves in back at home. He knows, he's spent time in the Abyss, but to him that doesn't mean that fighting for the ones he loves is useless.]

Oh? You're really going to stand there and tell me that nothing matters? Could you really stand in front of the Second and be able to quell your anger, as if everything that's happened wouldn't affect you now? Would you gain no satisfaction from tearing him apart, even if he would revive not but a few days later?

[He scoffs. It's clear Childe doesn't believe a word Wanderer is saying. He's not into that whole nihilism philosophy.]

Excuse me if I'm having a hard time buying that.

[Maybe, when everything is said and done, at the core of all that has happened, maybe Wanderer would like to share a house with someone who likes him and he probably would tolerate wearing the same clothes as the other did.

Maybe it would be nice.

But still, he is the wrong person for things like that, and he should see Lumine's return to Teyvat as something good. He is never going to live in a house with someone else or bond with anyone. At least, not here. One day they tell him they want to become a friend, and the next day they're gone.]

I think you have answered your own question there, not? [He pauses.] We don't like each other and the reason why I even showed up at your little party was because Lumine insisted. Tsk, do I look like someone who wants to mingle with you and all those idiots you surround yourself with? I bet that they also don't want anything to do with me.

[And that's fine. He's not a nice person.]

Humans just use one another. One does a favor for the other and vice versa. An exchange. Nothing more.

[But at times he can be tricked, believing that bonds are more than that.]

You know perfectly well that's not true. Bonds, friendships, brothers and sisters, love...these are what make up humanity. Why we can coexist so well. Even in the heat of battle, friendships can be formed, not based off of the pure thrill of the fight but for respect of each other.

[Tartaglia has no issue biting back at statements like that. He wouldn't ever deny that humans use one another- the Harbingers alone are proof of that, not to mention the entirety of the Fatui itself- but even within the Fatui, there are people who genuinely care for each other.

He knows of Wanderer's past and why he's so jaded. It's a conversation he doesn't even want to bother to have, and yet it's so strange that he's seen him go from Scaramouche, the divine puppet that saw the world as mere ants beneath his heel, to this amalgamation of both the Harbinger he once knew and this newer 'softened' version of himself.

Teyvat's wild, yo]

For someone who's lived as long as you, you certainly lack the wisdom that should come with it. Maybe this is why destiny deemed you unworthy to take over as the God of Wisdom in Sumeru.

[It is odd to want something so bad, while knowing that such things aren't meant for him.]

For humans. [He's not human, you know this, Childe.] I wonder if you were thinking about these values when you unleashed that old god upon the poor humans of Liyue. [Two can play that game.] Were you thinking about the friends you made along the way? [Wanderer cocks his head.] No. You were merely being the Tsaritsa's loyal little soldier. Orders are orders.

[Oh, and he knows he has been exactly the same. Even better, he sees usefulness to others as proof of his own self worth.]

I was never meant to be a god to begin with. [He looks at the other with a completely blank expression on his face. Then he stays silent for a short while.] Tch. How easy everything must be for you.

[He folds his arms over his chest and shakes his head...why does he even bother. Seems like this guy is so desperate to put himself up on a pedestal just because he's a divine creation, but it's not that Childe really cares.]

Go ahead and think whatever you want about my loyalty to Her Majesty, the Tsaritsa. I simply did what I felt had to be done to fulfill her wishes.

[Did he like almost killing a whole bunch of people? No. Did he want to do it? No. Was he about to argue about it and let anyone make him feel bad or think he made a bad decision? No.

He waves his hand dismissively towards Wanderer. He can see where this conversation is going and he doesn't want to have it anymore.]

But don't let me stop you from having your little pity party to yourself. Since you're so deadset on pushing others away, far be it from me to stop you. That's your decision and your decision alone.

Good boy.

[The last sentences make him laugh softly. There's absolutely not one speck of joy in his laughter. It sounds more tired than anything else.]

Bonds mean nothing here. And yes, that is my choice. [Lesser Lord Kusanali would be so disappointed in him right now.] Heh. Just like it is your choice to find them valuable.

[He produces another chuckle.]

But tell me. Don't you dread the moment where you will forget all the bonds you have made here? Or when they will forget you? Or do you rather want to act as if it is never going to happen?

[He's not even going to grace most of that with a response. Sounds like the ramblings of a jaded old man to him, and Tartaglia is hardly someone who's let tragedies bring him down. In the face of adversity, he'll shine, and that's the way he's decided to live his life.

So he shrugs back at Wanderer, as if he'd asked him the dumbest question in the world.]

Why? Why worry about it even if you know it's going to happen anyway? You know, some of us don't like to live our lives like that. I'd prefer to be happy and seize every opportunity I can.

It must be exhausting being you, always looking down on others from that fragile pedestal you've built for yourself. But the reality is, no matter how much you try to deny it, you're no different than any other mortal.

[Childe can't help but sneer at him, because he's so tired of this nihilistic point of view. It's as if he's always asking him to just be numb and sad instead, as if that's normal or healthy for anyone.]

There is no pedestal, idiot.

[Wanderer just has no idea how to handle this properly, despite all the interventions he went through. Maybe he expected all those feelings to end or that he could put them in a different perspective.

Just like he managed to face his past, how he accepted that he was never meant to become a god. Was he truly looking to the horizon in front of him, or was he about to fall back into the pit he crawled out of?

Slowly he moves to tap his chin, doing his very best to make some sense out of his thoughts.]

Tch. I know that. [Childe isn't wrong.] And worry not, I still despise you. You are not only stupid, you are in no way fit to be a Harbinger either. You're too human for a role like that. You're strong, but what beats inside your chest is your weakness. Because it's warm, it has a reason to beat that strongly.

[And his own chest is hollow, yet everything else inside of him feels and yearns.]

You are such a wretched fool. So unaware of what you truly have. Disgusting.

[There's an argument to be had that Childe may potentially be a little too fast and loose with his own life in search for the constant thrill of battle, and in a way he really can't argue against that point, even if he'll never stop seeking it out and never stop pushing himself to get stronger every day until he dies. But what he doesn't agree with is that his feelings, which he understands that Wanderer is referring to here, is a weakness. Naturally, it's phrased in the most annoying and insulting way possible, and it makes him wonder if he's just being backhanded to start another fight with him.

Which of course, he wouldn't mind, if his heart was really in the fight and not because he's just sad and lonely and won't admit that he's upset about Lumine disappearing.]

Sorry to tell you that Her Majesty feels different about my worthiness as a Harbinger. Your opinion on the matter has no place in this discussion, and you're wrong anyway. A part of my strength comes from my 'warm heart'. You've seen the inside of my mind. You know perfectly well how I feel about having the strength to protect those I care for.

[He folds his arms over his chest, unimpressed with his companion here.]

Don't sound so jealous of me, now.

Edited 2024-03-21 16:43 (UTC)

Don't flatter yourself. I have no desire to walk around in matching clothes, afraid that others might forget that I am dating someone.

[But being liked is nice. To notice fondness in another person's eyes when they see him is something he hasn't seen in ages. There is solace in knowing that there's someone somewhere who likes him, despite everything.

So yes, maybe he is a bit jealous. And maybe he doesn't mind to see Childe suffer the second that fireworks-idiot gets sent back to Teyvat.

Wanderer gazes at Childe's unimpressed look and shoots an equally unimpressed look back.]

And then I guess you also know that they can use them against you. Strength isn't the only thing needed to win a fight.

We've been over this.

[Another truth, not denying that fact at all. But he still holds he'll be able to protect his family no matter what, and there's nothing anyone could say to him that would convince him otherwise.]

The more you talk, the more it sounds like you're trying to convince yourself and not me.

[He dismisses Wanderer with a wave of his hand, unwilling to discuss the matter of his family and The Rooster.]

Perhaps one day, when you're done being afraid of getting close to someone else, you'll be able to see things from my perspective.

[Oh, he is absolutely trying to convince himself. He is also trying his best to not go up to Childe to shove a foot in his face.]

I despise this place. Just like the skies in Teyvat, it's fake. The only solace there is, is that I will forget everything the moment I am able to leave.

[Because, at this point, he wouldn't mind forgetting.]

Hah. You're so gullible it's pathetic. Enjoy your fake life here but don't break down when it will be taken away from you. [Still he is well aware of the nonsense that is coming from his mouth, Childe doesn't seem like someone who breaks down easily. It is he himself who is better at the entire breaking down thing.] I refuse to participate any longer.

[Turning to stone really seems like the best option here. Cowardly, yes. But still, the better option. So he turns around fully, ready to walk off.]

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