[ here is xie lian! he's on the couch in the lobby, with his ferret curled up in his lap in a ball, xie lian's hand resting on his head. he looks better - his chest is bandaged, now, and the scratch on his cheek has been patched up.
he's got a small smile for sholmes, though, and ducks his head politely in greeting. ]
Hello, Mr. Sholmes. I'm alright; I've fought in battles before, and have always tended to be a fast healer. Thank you very much, for your concern.
[ san lang curls a little further underneath xie lian's hand; he doesn't seem to mind the company, letting sholmes come and join. ]
Truth to be told, I doubt that he is truly dead. It is impossible to kill a ghost like that. That he turned to Dust was some mechanic of this odd place - but, I did nothing to his ashes. { so... there is that, too. ] I would have rather that it not come to what it did, even still.
[Ah, so it wasn't truly the "end", in a sense. But still. Doing something like that isn't something you just walk away from.]
Yes. Regardless of whether he can return or not...you were forced into that against your will, and moreover, you were pressured by the spectres. You were boxed into a corner. One hated to see such a thing.
san lang shivers a little under xie lian's hand - he doesn't still, petting him gently, as if soothing. ]
...yes. [ the wording, too, really gets him. curls up in his chest, tight. boxed into a corner. ] It is not the first time I've been in such a situation. [ ghosts included, really. xie lian doesn't say that, though. ]
Beyond anything, I am just glad that those creatures did not escape that barrier, and that no one else was harmed. Foul, resentful things.
That is correct. According to Qi Rong, there are four ghost kings - and while I would not usually trust anything he says at face value, four is an auspicious number, and when he was listing them all off, there was one that I had already known.
[ he counts off on his fingers. ]
"Black Water Sinking Ships", I cannot confirm or deny. [ ming yi sneezes in another universe. ] Then, Qi Rong. Then, this "Crimson Rain Sought Flower" that he had such a strong reaction to at the trial. [ a beat - he smiles a little. ] Truth to be told, that was a gamble, as well, as I have no idea who that is, but at least it worked.
[ laughs
anyway. xie lian is not smiling as he hits the final one. ]
...And the final Supreme - the final Ghost King would be the White Clothed Calamity. I believe some refer to him as the White No Face.
So, to put this straight, they are..."ghost kings", correct? And they all stand as grand examples of evil in your world?
[Hm. Yes. This..."Crimson Rain Sought Flower"...that is interesting.]
And this last one...ah. The mastermind who stands at such an opposition to you. Could he or the rest outside of Qi Rong be responsible for our situation?
...The idea of "resolving a conflict" - I think that is beyond the will of a Ghost King. Even if it is violence begetting violence, it still resolves in peace. It is entirely possible that we do not know the motivations of why we are truly here, even now, but...
...I think I would have seen him, today. If he was here. [ xie lian's expression tightens, a little, mouth drawing into a line. ] He likes to taunt me.
[ and that, perhaps, is the worst part. xie lian has no idea why the white no face chose him as a target. ] I barely even know what he is. I've never seen his face behind his mask - the only face he ever showed me was my own.
Beings like that only want death and destruction. And I... want the opposite. I wanted to save people. I suppose that could be why.
[ but even that feels flimsy. it's frustrating, to xie lian, and comes with a crippling amount of emotion - a fierce anger he's even now barely used to feeling, sadness, guilt. san lang curls a little closer to him. protective. ]
[He's silent for a moment, his gaze turning serious as he turns his head over to look at Xie Lian.]
That could be why, yes. But as I very well know from my experiences, regardless of the insurmountable things that stand against you in the form of these beings, you stand in a position where you can't and won't waver.
[He saw that very well during the execution.]
I believe you can accomplish that, you know. A victory over darkness, even when it seems like we're steeped in it.
[ these are such encouraging words. xie lian smiles a little, now, some of the frustration on his face fading, though.. it's not quite as bright as his usual warmth. ]
...Thank you, Mr. Sholmes.
[ but how does xie lian tell him that he's already lost? ]
I think most would say that I am simply very stubborn - so, I appreciate your faith in me.
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he's got a small smile for sholmes, though, and ducks his head politely in greeting. ]
Hello, Mr. Sholmes. I'm alright; I've fought in battles before, and have always tended to be a fast healer. Thank you very much, for your concern.
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[He'll sit on the arm of the couch, pulling Irene down to sit in his lap.]
I'm glad you're doing alright. Physically, at the very least.
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[ san lang curls a little further underneath xie lian's hand; he doesn't seem to mind the company, letting sholmes come and join. ]
Truth to be told, I doubt that he is truly dead. It is impossible to kill a ghost like that. That he turned to Dust was some mechanic of this odd place - but, I did nothing to his ashes. { so... there is that, too. ] I would have rather that it not come to what it did, even still.
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[Ah, so it wasn't truly the "end", in a sense. But still. Doing something like that isn't something you just walk away from.]
Yes. Regardless of whether he can return or not...you were forced into that against your will, and moreover, you were pressured by the spectres. You were boxed into a corner. One hated to see such a thing.
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san lang shivers a little under xie lian's hand - he doesn't still, petting him gently, as if soothing. ]
...yes. [ the wording, too, really gets him. curls up in his chest, tight. boxed into a corner. ] It is not the first time I've been in such a situation. [ ghosts included, really. xie lian doesn't say that, though. ]
Beyond anything, I am just glad that those creatures did not escape that barrier, and that no one else was harmed. Foul, resentful things.
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Yes. They were most awful. I was fearful it would get worse, but it seems that our masked benefactors stepped in right on time.
[There's a pause. He raises his hand to tilt his hat forward, covering his eyes slightly, but his expression is unmistakably and sincerely concerned.]
...Would you want to talk about it? I'm sure this...presses on quite exquisitely painful things. If I were you...I wouldn't let it simmer.
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there's a moment of pause on his end, and he scratches his cheek. ]
...I'm afraid I'm not sure entirely what to talk about. [ talking??? about your trauma????? ]
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[Boxed in...]
Those spectres...you have your grand enemy, yes? Is it like these creatures were?
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...Somewhat, yes. Though, truthfully, he is more like Qi Rong, if in name only and not skill.
[ damn xie lian the man's already dead ]
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[GHOST KINGARAMA?]
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[ he counts off on his fingers. ]
"Black Water Sinking Ships", I cannot confirm or deny. [ ming yi sneezes in another universe. ] Then, Qi Rong. Then, this "Crimson Rain Sought Flower" that he had such a strong reaction to at the trial. [ a beat - he smiles a little. ] Truth to be told, that was a gamble, as well, as I have no idea who that is, but at least it worked.
[ laughs
anyway. xie lian is not smiling as he hits the final one. ]
...And the final Supreme - the final Ghost King would be the White Clothed Calamity. I believe some refer to him as the White No Face.
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[Hm. Yes. This..."Crimson Rain Sought Flower"...that is interesting.]
And this last one...ah. The mastermind who stands at such an opposition to you. Could he or the rest outside of Qi Rong be responsible for our situation?
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[ xie lian frowns down at his hands. ]
...The idea of "resolving a conflict" - I think that is beyond the will of a Ghost King. Even if it is violence begetting violence, it still resolves in peace. It is entirely possible that we do not know the motivations of why we are truly here, even now, but...
...I think I would have seen him, today. If he was here. [ xie lian's expression tightens, a little, mouth drawing into a line. ] He likes to taunt me.
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[Mm. He folds his hands in his lap, past Irene, who draws her ear back - for a hare, she certainly looks concerned.]
...May I ask why he's so interested in you? Whatever have you done to deserve his ire? Work against him?
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[ and that, perhaps, is the worst part. xie lian has no idea why the white no face chose him as a target. ] I barely even know what he is. I've never seen his face behind his mask - the only face he ever showed me was my own.
Beings like that only want death and destruction. And I... want the opposite. I wanted to save people. I suppose that could be why.
[ but even that feels flimsy. it's frustrating, to xie lian, and comes with a crippling amount of emotion - a fierce anger he's even now barely used to feeling, sadness, guilt. san lang curls a little closer to him. protective. ]
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That could be why, yes. But as I very well know from my experiences, regardless of the insurmountable things that stand against you in the form of these beings, you stand in a position where you can't and won't waver.
[He saw that very well during the execution.]
I believe you can accomplish that, you know. A victory over darkness, even when it seems like we're steeped in it.
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...Thank you, Mr. Sholmes.
[ but how does xie lian tell him that he's already lost? ]
I think most would say that I am simply very stubborn - so, I appreciate your faith in me.
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But ah, my dear fellow...isn't stubbornness one of the greatest strengths of all?