Jinyu
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Weekend Warrior
Player Character
Posts: 58
Player Name: Andrew Yang
OOC Username: Peony
Arena Points: 0
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Post by Jinyu on Nov 16, 2023 22:16:58 GMT 9
❝Hey, Seta!❞ he waved enthusiastically at the tall, dark-cloaked figure without a clear face, only a steady, sun-like glow. Miss Goldie had been out of the Poke Ball, floating/swimming beside him, looking rather nervous about the place because, well, she had been here not very long ago, as one of the masks that remained in the Everworld. A prison that for some, was the most they could ever ask for. Jinyu, on the other hand, was treating the NPC like an old friend, and honestly he didn't seem so bad - he just wanted the best fro the spirits here, didn't he? He wished he could've helped more Magikarp, but maybe they were in a better place now, somewhere, wandering out there, or maybe in Pokemon Heaven, if such a place existed.
❝How've you been? This place feels a lot more empty than it used to.❞ Again, whether that was something better or worse, he really wasn't sure. ❝Actually, I came here to ask for some help. I'm looking for someone, and I feel like they might've passed by here.❞ It seemed more like that the scenario was that they whited out and ended up here, though he supposed Vera would try to get a free Pokemon out of Seta.
He ruffled through this inventory to pull out a picture that he quickly drew with black and red crayons.
{An artwork} ❝They look like this. Sort of.❞ he smiled sheepishly, but then his expression became one of regret. ❝They're really important to me, and I want to talk to them again. I guess, like what you say, I'm hoping for a change when I talk to them? Even if they don't talk to me back? Oh, I dunno. I guess I'm rambling to the God of Death.❞
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Jinyu
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Weekend Warrior
Player Character
Posts: 58
Player Name: Andrew Yang
OOC Username: Peony
Arena Points: 0
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Post by Jinyu on Nov 16, 2023 12:53:17 GMT 9
Yuze didn't need to say anything more, because the words died the moment he tried to get them out. Hearing it was almost a relief, a tiniest little thing. He still had no idea what to say, if there was anything that could be said that would make it hurt a little less. Did such words exist? Andy was, unfortunately, not a poet, he was a goddamn scientist that worked so hard to get to where he was, and he let a string of decisions ruin him. Not to the eyes of the world, but to who he thought was his world. And that was enough to break him, as it turned out.
Was there any way out of this deadly spiral that led to nowhere, especially since their lives had crossed again, in a game, of all places? In different selves? One achingly familiar and another a stranger? There is no strength to his grip when Yuze freed himself, walking away without looking back, and Jinyu had a moment of jealousy, wishing he could look as unbothered as she did. Even if there was wistfulness of her being just as affected, or at least a tiny bit affected compared to him, it never showed. He wouldn't know, while his heart was laid bare.
But not all hope was lost.
She left with an invitation, after all. Not necessarily one to repair the bridges burnt, but a promise to meet on the opposite ends of the gap. Maybe a farewell? Closure? What did he want out of this. Jinyu held his hands that weren't his own and sunk into memories he had replayed a thousand times over.
❝Hah...I'm so weak.❞ he covered his eyes with the hand that touched nothing. ❝I'll find you, Vera. And...❞
He wiped the tears from his eyes before turning to the opposite direction. He thought of logging out, but he lingered. ❝Perhaps I'll let the words decide.❞
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Jinyu
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Weekend Warrior
Player Character
Posts: 58
Player Name: Andrew Yang
OOC Username: Peony
Arena Points: 0
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Post by Jinyu on Nov 16, 2023 12:26:58 GMT 9
❝Thank you, my dear! I trust His Highness is in good hands.❞ without the weight of the egg on his chest, he was much more ready to rumble. Herr Forehead even let out a battle cry (of sorts? It sounded like a normal cry, but with a lil more gusto!) as he watched the Grookey shittalk the rival kiddo. Good stuff, good stuff! And then he brought out his own Pokemon, which proved to be a bit of a menace. A Chimchar and a Blitzle, huh? Two monke???
❝I mean we're all raring for a battle here, me included!❞ was it legal to punch a horse in the face? He would make it legal! But better take care of the Chimchar first since that was actually going to be a pain for the Grookey, who was in much better shape to battle than him and Herr Forehead. He had to admit though, him pulling out his guitar from his back (or was that from thin air?) and suddenly making battle music play was pretty sick. The ground changed into something more like a battlefield, too! At least the other NPCs wouldn't get caught in the shenanigans that were about to ensue.
The Grookey and Blitzle start to duke it out, which left him with the fire monke. Good choice! He was still holding his Magikarp upward, and people might've assumed that he was expecting for the fish to shoot out a Water Gun, that was, until they remember that Magikarp couldn't use any moves other than Splash, Tackle, and Flail...right?
"Chimchar, get in there and scratch that fish!"
The Pokemon looked rather unsure about, well, the much bigger target he could accidentally hit, but it looked like the player consented to getting banged up in this battle, so he rushed in, paws glowing to form sharp claws. The Magikarp squirmed, looking plenty nervous, but Jinyu gave him a pat. ❝Don't worry, Herr Forehead! Just charge up and I'll do the pointing!❞
"Charge up? Ya mean charging up a loss? Haha!"
But then the Magikarp, with his mouth agape, suddenly had a white energy ball of some sort form in front of his mouth. As Chimchar leaped into the air and realized that left him completely vulnerable to any sort of counterattack, Herr Forehead raised his fins, and Jinyu shouted, ❝Fire!❞
Or rather, it was Flash Cannon. And the beam was fast, loud, and powerful, hitting the monke squarely on its belly, getting knocked back in the air before landing on the ground with a resounding thud. It was more of the shock value than anything else, with the NPCs around them suddenly quiet and the rival's jaw dropped as far as the game would allow. Chimchar would let out a pained groaned, pushing himself up from the ground weakly. ❝Oh shit, Fire resists Steel!❞ the player yelled before awkwardly clambering over to the fallen Pokemon and giving it a good sock on the head.
"What the hell? That's totally foul!!"
❝Says who? I also have a health bar on top of my head! I'm risking my arm and leg out here!❞
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Jinyu
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Weekend Warrior
Player Character
Posts: 58
Player Name: Andrew Yang
OOC Username: Peony
Arena Points: 0
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Post by Jinyu on Nov 15, 2023 19:34:58 GMT 9
Jinyu beamed rather proudly at her pointing out his Magikarp's name, ❝Glad ya think so! He's a chill dude.❞ he patted the back of his Pokemon, behind his fin. Herr Forehead just let out a cry of contentment. ❝I get what you mean about the whole body thing, but it makes it easier to remember that we're playing on VR.❞ he wasn't going to say that he had already done this before, but with an entirely different look, and he remembered that one took a while to get used to as well. With this body, well, it was more of the size than anything else (he certainly did not have this much bulk in real life), but he wanted to give off a friendly bear kind of vibe.
The lurch of the carriage displaced his Magikarp somewhat, making his fins flail, but between his legs he was mostly secure and settled back quite quickly. The carriage, however, was not going to be a smooth ride, unfortunately. Oh, and poor Fuecoco, that tumble looked like it hurt! At least she seemed like a friendly, caring sort. She immediately tried to comfort the fire type, who didn't look like he was in the mood to converse for the time being. (Not that Jinyu would know, he chose to turn off PokeSpeech this time around, though maybe that would change in the future).
❝I think so. If ever, we actually do have fast travel if things get sticky, unless the quest is gonna keep us here.❞ at that thought, he did check his UI again to see if things were grayed out -- aaaand yeah, they were. Oh boy. ❝This region is supposed to be safer, 'specially since the corruption hullabaloo is in Mistra.❞ he had read up on it through media channels since he was thinking of eventually trying to head to Ostellia as well. No real reason other than he felt like...he might find something there. And adventure! Poor thing also looked scared though, and Jinyu thought that, err, this wasn't exactly a sunshine and rainbows kind of game. Good luck to her, he supposed.
❝Oh, sure! Good question, Magikarp?❞ he let out a laugh. ❝What about you?❞ he then thought for a moment, noting the Fuecoco still looked rather hurt. ❝Oh hey, I think I got a Poffin that I purchased from the shop for the lil guy, to cheer him up.❞ he quickly scrolled through his inventory and pulled it out of the holographic box. ❝Hope he likes spicy ones?❞ he had a red spherical pastry in hand, outstretched to Jupiter.
[Glitch]Mk8L0Zhy1d100 1d100
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Jinyu
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Weekend Warrior
Player Character
Posts: 58
Player Name: Andrew Yang
OOC Username: Peony
Arena Points: 0
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Post by Jinyu on Nov 15, 2023 17:26:15 GMT 9
❝...huh. How'd I get here?❞ Jinyu scratched his head as Herr Forehead floated beside him, mouth still hung open like how Magikarp usually do. It was a powerful (and absolutely stupefying) moment, really, when he realized that hidden away in his settings, there was an option to toggle different parts of the class flavor he was equipped with. Somehow, "Let Water types swim in the air" was toggled off. Why? Did he do that? Did the game? That would've saved so much trouble with the rival fight! Well, it was better late than never, he supposed. Herr Forehead, confused at first, was particularly happy with the adjustment, even if he would sometimes swim too far and skid around in the air. It didn't take him all that long to control it properly (Jinyu figured it had something to do with the air not weighing as much as water).
Anyway, back to the matter at hand: he suddenly found himself in front of a carriage, which reminded him of those period drama vehicles that looked very posh. If he squinted, the wood seemed to sparkle, or maybe he was just imagining things. Nonetheless, the driver also seemed to be looking at him with interest, and it also took a little time before Jinyu noticed him.
❝Err, a ride to where?❞
It was up to them to decide, apparently. Or maybe it would be explained further as they progressed through the quest (the UI flashing at him at the corner of his eye told him that it was marked as such). Lightly shrugging, he called Herr Forehead to get on the carriage, and it turned out that there was already someone waiting for him there. She looked young, and reminded him of his niece, who was starting to grow into her teen years. Ah, they grow up so fast...
Heading to Briarbane too?
❝Oh, I was...❞ he decided not to mention that he just came from there and chalked it up to game logic. ❝Yeah! Nice to meet ya, I'm Jinyu, and this is Herr Forehead.❞ it only dawned on him then that His Highness must've been whisked back into his inventory when he teleported. Upon checking the windows quickly, he let out a quick sigh of relief to find the egg safely tucked in there. He raised his hand to offer a handshake, but hopefully she didn't find it weird that he was somewhat older (then again, his avatar was designed to look like someone in their early twenties, or maybe even someone around twenty. It wasn't like he wanted to be reminded of him aging).
❝You're new, yeah? So am I! How're you finding the game so far?❞ he sat opposite to her and let his Magikarp rest between his legs so that he wasn't just lying on his side uncomfortably.
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Jinyu
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Weekend Warrior
Player Character
Posts: 58
Player Name: Andrew Yang
OOC Username: Peony
Arena Points: 0
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Post by Jinyu on Nov 13, 2023 8:39:26 GMT 9
Memory was a funny thing, wasn't it? Andy knew that his...ex-girlfriend could not be beaten when it came to memory. On days when a quiet buzz would hang between them, he would sometimes bring up a bubble of the past, a story of them in a shining moment. Sometimes, he'd get the details wrong, intentionally or not. Vera was always ready to correct, in that usual tone, with a hint of a smile that he always chased, and he would laugh sheepishly, before being chastised to get back to work. He would remember this one time, holding her close, his hands cupping her cheeks, wanting her to look at him instead of through him, to plant a kiss that would quell an ache. There were at times it felt surreal that he had a girlfriend, especially one like Vera, but a part of him would sink into a quiet despair of what if's. What if I'm never good enough for her? What if she just feels forced to like me? To stay with me?
What if, after everything, I'm the only one that's going to be hurt if things end?
The defiance registered belatedly. It was a voice that belonged to no one, unassuming, almost like an AI reader. But it was him, it was her, it must be itmustbe itmustbe And he was still walking, pace quickening, because the ghost was leaving, and he couldn't, he couldn't let him leave, or else risk that his haunting will be permanently scarred onto him. And the closer he got, the more he couldn't deny what he was seeing: Yuze, shadowed in darkness, his avatar, controlled by the last person he left his WorldScreen with. Who else could it be, or is the world playing tricks on him, mocking him again?
He grabbed Yuze's wrist, unable to control his strength. He was trembling, clenching his teeth, trying to find words (and he thought he had so many), but none of them would get out. Look at me, Vera. Please. Look at me. and he wasn't sure if he was thinking or saying, amidst the background noise that started to pick up again, it might've even been possible that he wasn't heard. Why are you here? Why, of all times, did you decide to appear to me today?
❝I...❞
I'm sorry
And he both knows and doesn't know what he was sorry for, but would that set things right? Wasn't that the magic word that everyone touted, the first step to that offers a hand, wanting to repair a connection severed?
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Jinyu
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Weekend Warrior
Player Character
Posts: 58
Player Name: Andrew Yang
OOC Username: Peony
Arena Points: 0
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Post by Jinyu on Nov 8, 2023 14:53:53 GMT 9
Hell yeah, it was time to take names and kick ass!
Ever since he got a shot of Cosmic Power from Miss Goldie, Jinyu got an idea. A wonderful and crazy idea that made him equally viable in fights compared to just slowly powering up his Magikarp. He felt he stood no chance at the moment against the Arena baddies, and he wasn't exactly close with anyone to ask for a fight (that was a crazy commitment!) So the next best thing seemed to be getting himself armed, or in this case, unlock the Fighter class so that he can legally punch Pokemon[tangent=Note that Andy is far from athletic, and Vera tends to win in matters of endurance]*[/tangent]
And he was in a virtual world, so what was the worst that can happen? Him dying? It's okay, Seta and he were best buds now! It was a shame that after hoping to get another Magikarp, something happened in the most recent raid that released the rest of them. Were they off in a better place now? Maybe? But he was also glad that he was able to bring back one of them with him. The virtual mortal coil can still invite pleasant surprises.
Anywho, in order to start unlocking, he needed to start fighting, and that meant actually getting himself in the field. So who was first to taste a scientist's knuckle sandwich?
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Jinyu
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Weekend Warrior
Player Character
Posts: 58
Player Name: Andrew Yang
OOC Username: Peony
Arena Points: 0
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Post by Jinyu on Nov 8, 2023 13:15:25 GMT 9
This really did remind him of how he used to help around his parents with decorating the house. Holding the cord and bringing it up with him, he positioned the cords to make sure that they were hung nicely and weren't tangled. (NPC) Mom was happy to help by going to the box and helping him untangle some of the cords; otherwise, he would've had to keep going up and down the tiny step-ladder (well, he had to do that anyway to reach the other parts of the walls that still needed a bit of a glow-up). He also noticed that his player buddy was also working on putting up other decorations, which were...surprisingly not Pokemon themed. Maybe Christmas was a little rushed this year?
In any case, it did not take too long to hang up all of the lights, and from there, the house was already looking more festive. Some decorations were also put into place thanks to Cypress, so that only really left the Christmas tree. His Highness had not moved since he was placed on the chair, snug as a bug under a rug. ❝Okay, what do we have here?❞ he pulled out another box from underneath the tree to reveal colorful, bright and glittery baubles, as well as a few not-Pokemon themed (again) items, like nutcrackers and...tiny Christmas tree-shaped ornaments? On Christmas trees? It made him laugh a little at the silliness. He started to put some up under the instructions of (NPC) Mom, hanging them on fake pine needles that prickled his skin. The texture was shockingly nostalgic. It felt like years since he approached a Christmas tree and touched it with his bare hands.
Working together, it felt like half an hour or so passed before they were able to unpack most of the decorations in the boxes, and the room had transformed into one of holiday cheer. ❝Phew! And that's that.❞
"Oh thank you so much, Jinyu and Cypress! It was certainly more fun having all three of us decorate. It's been so lonely since you've gone off on your own Pokemon journeys..."
Oh, mom, he knew that she was just performing her programming, but he saw his mom in her, and gave her a hug. He was plenty taller and bigger than her. ❝Don't worry, Mom, I'll come and visit again soon. 'Specially when His Highness hatches!❞ he then looked at Cypress if she too wanted to give Mom a hug, or something. Or maybe ask about the shoes.
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Jinyu
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Weekend Warrior
Player Character
Posts: 58
Player Name: Andrew Yang
OOC Username: Peony
Arena Points: 0
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Post by Jinyu on Nov 8, 2023 9:53:03 GMT 9
Oh, this was not a favorable match up.
Jinyu was really here mostly out of curiosity since he already checked out the other tower, also because this wasn't named a tower but a park. A park full of dogs. Well, that was his understanding, but it turned out it was full of things that dogs like, which were...balls. Lots of 'em. It was pretty hilarious, save for the fact that he only had Magikarp, and the next prompts were asking for them to chase after Voltorbs. He knew their wily, self-destructive ways, and he definitely didn't want to risk sending his Magikarp out there to try to fetch one (they would only be able to do so by whacking it with their tails). Thus, he figured that the only way to accomplish this was to do it himself, as he figured that he was not weak to Electric. Right? (ignore that this scientist forgot that people were weak to generally anything).
But he wasn't so silly as to charge in there barehanded, especially since the prompt required him to use his Pokemon somehow. He then got a flash of brilliance as he pulled out his Pokeball to send out his newest friend: ❝Miss Goldie! Can you buff me up with that nifty move of yours?❞
The Magikarp was at first very happy to oblige, only to suddenly have a look of concern. She let out a few cries in succession, which anyone can more or less deduce as, <Wait why?>
❝I need some extra protection if I'm gonna grab those balls!❞
Looking rather nervous at what her trainer was going to do, she quickly relented as she figured that he had thought this through (he didn't). Raising her fins, she began to glow in prismatic colors before Jinyu saw the same aura surround him. He wasn't sure if he could really feel something different or if it was just placebo, but he thanked Miss Goldie, told her to stay far away from those rolling two-toned balls, and happily ran up to another one to bring to the legendary doggos.
Magikarp used Cosmic Power! Prompt #17: [Tower]ZZZalA2O1d50 1d50
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Jinyu
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Weekend Warrior
Player Character
Posts: 58
Player Name: Andrew Yang
OOC Username: Peony
Arena Points: 0
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Post by Jinyu on Nov 8, 2023 9:39:39 GMT 9
| MISS GOLDIE | [tangent=]WEAKNESS[/tangent] [tangent=ALWAYS APPLICABLE +5 Water Type
CIRCUMSTANTIAL ---]➕ BONUS[/tangent]
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MAGIKARP | FEMALE | WATER | | SUPPORT | 150 HP | ATK: 2d12 | C (+0) |
BASIC MOVES 01-10 Splash
TIER 1 MOVES 10-20 Tackle
TIER 2 MOVES 20-30 Flail
TIER 3 MOVES 30-50 ---
TIER 4 MOVES 50-70 Z MOVES
OTHER MOVES [tangent=Everworld]Cosmic Power[/tangent]
| OTHER INFORMATION: Once the light faded, Jinyu was surprised to see how much she resembled his first goldfish. She was thus named after it, and seems to have an amicable, sagely personality (well, that's what Jinyu thinks).
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Jinyu
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Weekend Warrior
Player Character
Posts: 58
Player Name: Andrew Yang
OOC Username: Peony
Arena Points: 0
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Post by Jinyu on Nov 5, 2023 23:01:43 GMT 9
Even if Jinyu could breathe underwater, it didn't mean that he was getting tired from moving his arms through it. His movements quickly became more sluggish as Magikarp continued to swarm around him, moving frantically to get away but inadvertently pushing others closer to his range. Eventually, they would swim out of his range, and there was now just a watery space between him and all of the others. But Jinyu smiled while panting, for he had succeeded. The disruption was enough to cause a part of the school to break away from the pattern, now unsure of what to do.
❝Of course, it doesn't mean that we didn't make mistakes.❞ he looked down and saw that the pond stretched deep, deep down. It was dark down there, and maybe if time passed and more Magikarp were placed in this pond, the swimming fish can stretch to infinity. ❝God knows I have made so many.❞ memories flash of unintentional but hurtful words, choices or lack thereof, him just standing there, watching her life slip away. ❝I don't know if I'll ever get that second chance, but I can give you one.❞
The Magikarp look at each other.
❝No, all of you. What right do I have to pick? Even if parts of you are putting up walls, forcing yourself to think that you are really okay with this, well...you might like different. Though it might hurt, I can't say that I can guarantee that it'll be smooth sailing. I'll let you be the judge of what feels right, but you can't tell me about it unless you experience it for yourself. So come now, my dear namesake,❞ he raised his arms upward, no longer moving them wildly, but inviting an embrace. ❝I believe that there's still something else you need to show me.❞
For a while, everything was still moving as it had always been. In circles, round and round, but one Magikarp would suddenly swim a little more downward than it should, and then another, and more would follow suit. These would glow bright white, enveloping their bodies and shrinking them into small, round spheres. They almost looked like stars, swirling like a galaxy, and they moved down, funneling into the Magikarp that had stopped to listen. They too would glow white until one remained; a ringleader to guide all of the stars to him, shards of a single soul that have once again come together. Once all of the lights coalesce, the Pokemon that remained was pure white, a little more than a silhouette.
❝You are beautiful alone as you were when you were thousands. I'm sure my fellow Magikarp would be happy to meet you.❞
The Magikarp let out a cry and swam up to his arms, sticking close to his chest. He enveloped his arms around it, as gently as he could. ❝Oh dear...I wonder what Vera would say if she saw me now.❞
The water was still and silent, save for the two lingering souls that have found each other. It seemed like a greater peace compared to before, as well as a promise for a new beginning.
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Jinyu
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Weekend Warrior
Player Character
Posts: 58
Player Name: Andrew Yang
OOC Username: Peony
Arena Points: 0
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Post by Jinyu on Nov 5, 2023 21:23:17 GMT 9
He gritted his teeth and decided that staying out of the pond was clearly going to get him nowhere.
So he inhaled deeply, exhaled sharply, and then took a step into the water, clothes and all (because of Swimmer; that class was a lifesaver). Even this interruption did not deter the Magikarp; they only adjusted to his presence as he invaded their space, taking great care not to touch him and continue forming their patterns, their scales glistening from the sunlight. It didn't take many steps for Jinyu to be underwater, as the pond was far from shallow. It actually sloped hard; his foot almost losing its hold on the ground before letting himself sink, head fully submerged. It took some moment to get used to being able to breathe here even if he could feel the sensation of water around him. It was cold, but it did not stick to his clothes and skin. Very weird. But also very cool.
Underwater, Jinyu would be surprised to see even more Magikarp that he wasn't able to see from above. They still swam the same way, in the same patterns and with blank looks. The circles continued in numerous rows, forming what looked like floors in a building, except it was all fish (it always has been). None of them look like they want to break away to investigate him. Goddamn, where was the inevitable change that heebie jeebie guy was talking about? Everything was still the same!
...oh.
He hated how easily that reflected on himself. He didn't want to answer the question on whether he tried to move on or not, because he hadn't. He couldn't bring himself to. He too had been swimming in the same circle, for days and weeks and months, which could easily turn into years if he never found the way out. Continued to swim and swim and swim and swim and
No, if these Magikarp weren't going to move if one of them were taken out of the water, then he would have to cause the disturbance right in the thick of it.
He shot himself forward by pressing his foot on the earthen ledge and using it as a springboard. It propelled him into a group of Magikarp, who had no choice but to look at him in order to dodge the incoming disturbance. The moment they tried to get back into the pattern they so desperately sought, Jinyu would push them further away, create large movements with his arms, shoving the fish aside. He hoped not to hurt them too badly, but they were starting to bump into each other now, the chaos slowly creating a domino effect that expanded the circle and made others struggle to find their place one more. A few began to complain - he could hear the "Karp karp karp" from them, fins flapping and scales rubbing on each other.
❝Aren't you tired, Magikarp? I know you. You don't have to keep doing this. Just because others push us away, just because we've been told that we're no longer wanted, doesn't mean that we let that define us forever!❞
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Jinyu
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Weekend Warrior
Player Character
Posts: 58
Player Name: Andrew Yang
OOC Username: Peony
Arena Points: 0
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Post by Jinyu on Nov 5, 2023 20:21:20 GMT 9
Jinyu studied people. People have studied him. He was taught about patterns, circumstances, factors that could all mesh into an individual soul, carved from experience, beautiful and painful. The world was never rigid, and the billions of eyes that shift and stare; each was a different picture, a different view, a self that they put forward to meet with other selves - an attempt to understand one another. No matter how much Andy had tried, he could never completely understand her and her pain. He couldn't, but he did try, didn't that amount to something? To anything?
Was the answer that he did not try hard enough, or that he made a wrong turn somewhere? Stepping into a downward spiral with no way back up, because of the tiniest little thing?
And here he was, confronted with not only a specter of that past, but a question boring into his thoughts:
Who are you?
Yuze moved, not away, but forward. Caught in the gravity of what could be, Jinyu also continued to move. Each step sounded like nothing, but felt like concrete slabs that he had to put all his strength into pushing, otherwise he would fall face first, or be unable to take another step. Jinyu couldn't stop his face from contorting; his body from shaking. It...it really was, it could only be
❝Vera?❞
But the moment he said her name, the host's voice cut blasted through the speakers, announcing that they would take a short break from the talk and resume in a couple of minutes.
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Jinyu
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Weekend Warrior
Player Character
Posts: 58
Player Name: Andrew Yang
OOC Username: Peony
Arena Points: 0
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Post by Jinyu on Nov 5, 2023 20:08:40 GMT 9
Ough. It felt like he was swindled. He was given no answer to his question and his predicament, and he quickly resigned himself to the fact that this was one of the puzzles he had to figure out. Grimacing, he thought maybe if he asked the Magikarp, they could give him an answer. However, the fish swam continuously and without even looking at him. They were also underwater, just below the surface. He also was pretty sure he didn't have PokeSpeech enabled, and if he checked his settings...yep, he couldn't change any of his settings right now. Fair enough, and he wasn't sure if he wanted a chorus of voices suddenly slamming into his eardrums by turning it on.
But the thing was that the Magikarp were barely making any noise. They swung their tails to turn and shift, but there was nary a splash in the water. They swirled around, propelled by some unknown force to continue moving, but it was perpetual and without end, circular, almost kaleidoscopic with the patterns they were doing (they would crush any synchronized swimming competition). Feeling restless that he was just staring at them, he decided to grab one by the tail to see if that did anything. When he pulled it out of the water, he only got to admire the black and white pattern for half a second before its powerful splashing (or was it flailing?) made him lose his grip. It also managed to get a smack on his cheek in from how powerful it wiggled, falling back into the water and creating a most minor disturbance. The Magikarp expertly adjusted to their returned comrade before continuing their endless swimming.
Damn.
Jinyu decided to sit down on the grass, folding his legs and watching the Magikarp do their thing. He remembered his first pet goldfish, appropriately named Goldie, that he won in a country fair when he was a kid. Predictably and regrettably, the fish did not last very long, but he remembered the wonder of watching it move around in its tiny glass bowl. Eventually, he learned that goldfish needed a much larger tank to be happy and thriving.
The Magikarp continued to swim. To eternity. Maybe these were all of the souls that were sacrificed, forgotten, left to wander with their kin, in a very large fish bowl. Death did not await them, for they were already dead. And he could only take one? Was there only one Magikarp here that wanted to try something else, out of thousands? He felt...that couldn't be right. Surely there were other souls in here that wanted more than that.
❝Are you really just going to stay here, forever?❞ his voice had been soft, and then he stood up, clenching his fists. ❝Surely this is not what you have wanted! To be thrown away! No one deserves that!❞
Was he the one who had been thrown away, or was he the one who threw her away?
The Magikarp do not turn to him and do not stop their swimming.
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Jinyu
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Weekend Warrior
Player Character
Posts: 58
Player Name: Andrew Yang
OOC Username: Peony
Arena Points: 0
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Post by Jinyu on Nov 5, 2023 19:35:24 GMT 9
Many within these halls grow stagnant, and though change is inevitable it is rarely easy.
Jinyu knew that he was talking about the Magikarp. He was talking about the fish, but it was so, so easy to think that was him. The halls, his home, the four walls--stagnant was his life right now, aimless, alone. His thoughts were clouded as he followed (NPC) Seta without a word until he was facing black. Come. The urge to step forward was strong, and at the back of his mind the player wondered what was causing this. Was the game interfering with his ability to freely choose? Was something in here affecting him through powers of suggestion? But he was tired of fighting, and he did choose to come here, so he went in.
The scenery shifted so fast that his eyes couldn't process it quick enough. It was faster than a blink - he was somewhere else, but likely somewhere within the space of the halls still. A gently breeze tousled his hair as his eyes rested on beautiful green trees. Leaves rustling, it was hard to ignore what was in front of him; the trees were surrounding a large pond, and in that near perfect circle of water were countless Magikarp, all of different colors. If a Magikarp was alone, it was easy to think of them as looking rather silly. After all, they often stared with little change in expression, and most of time they were just flopping around, to be used as fodder. In a school, however, in a group of hundreds, maybe even thousands of them, swimming as one, it was...mesmerizing. Breathtaking. His initial reaction was to take a picture, but he wasn't sure if a camera could even capture the glistening scales, the swirl of colors - orange, white, pink, blue, black, purple, and gold, among many others.
The soul you seek is here.
He let out a deep exhale. ❝Right.❞ Jinyu blinked, realizing what he had gotten himself into.
❝Wait, sir, which one did you pick for me? All of those Magikarp masks were painted gold!❞
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