[Qiu'li]

[attr="class","popqiu"] ❝May the crimson leaves show me the path I must follow.❞ wc: 903 | twc: 903 Qiu'li

[attr="class","qiutext"] Step. Leap. Land. Step. Repeat. Qiu'li could hear his own heartbeat pounding heavily in his ear as the raven-haired man practically soared through the forest towards the source of the sound. The glow of his campfire slowly began to fade into darkness as he relied on the bright, fragmented moonlight to guide him. He didn't quite have the enhanced vision of the dark like some Faunus did, but still he scurried along towards the sound. The sound of fighting, struggling, and running. In an environment where sounds come from all directions, there's always a way to hear a specific sound: Listen for the thing that doesn't belong. The forest was a living, breathing, organism, just like an animal. When something doesn't belong, one could sense it with enough skill. In that same sense, Qiu'li used those instincts and habits that he had acquired while growing up in Forever Fall in order to track down the source of the struggle that disturbed the natural sounds of the forest, namely the one doing the struggling. There was no mistaking it, the sound of her voice was distinctive, familiar. As he grew closer towards the source, the sounds became sharper. Heavy breathing, infrequent cries of pain, and exhaustive labored breaths. She must have had been running for quite some time, or at the least been exhausted in an attempt to fight. In addition to those normal human noises, the sounds of sinister growls and roars grew loud as Qiu'li finally caught up towards the noise. Just barely between the tree's, the moonlight barely shone to reveal Evangeline desperately trying to escape the attention of a Grimm that was in quick pursuit. Whatever it was, the Grimm was not too far behind. It was a bit too dark for the raven-haired man to figure out just what it was, but quite frankly, it didn't matter to him as he clambered his way up a tree and continued the pursuit from above. Keeping his breath steady was a difficult thing to do in this situation, but he tried his best to maintain his composure and remain relatively stealthy while he followed behind. Qiu'li had little in the way of equipment besides his glaive, clothes, and his sling that only had his blanket. The rest of his equipment was left at the camp, where Aegle was probably waiting for his return. Hopefully nothing was happening there, but his mind wandered briefly to the cup of tea that was also waiting for him there... Oh, how he longed for tea. Wait, now was not the time to be thinking about that. Focus. Whatever this threat was, Qiu'li was sure that he was unable to take it out in one hit. He couldn't tell if it was wounded already, but he felt most of his Aura already replenished from his prior rest and meal, which would give him enough energy to engage if necessary. However, it didn't take long for the raven-haired man to deem it necessary. There was a smell that Qiu'li picked up and additional noises, or rather a lack of noises, that ticked the raven-haired man about what was to come for the future: Rain. It wouldn't take long, but he was sure that it would start raining soon. Shortly thereafter, the downpour began. The raven-haired man grunted as he continued to pursue Evangeline and the mysterious threat, but it wouldn't take long before she would stumble and trip mostly likely as a result of both the low-light conditions, and the wet, slippery conditions as a result of the rain. The beast, whatever it was, would stop as well and begin to circle Evangeline. What was it waiting for? Qiu'li eyed the lone creature as he came to a slow realization. There were probably more coming- in a hunt, numbers meant everything, and in a situation like this, it was better to be safe than sorry. Judging by the lack of their immediate presence, there was a bout a minute or so before they would catch up. The thought of Evangeline, the one who worked hard and trained diligently in the training grounds with him, to die in a place like this. Qiu'li felt his grip tighten on his weapons as he crouched down and leapt into the air, well above the Grimm that loomed over Evangeline as as he was filled with enough rage to draw the Grimm's attention briefly to above it's head. With a powerful hurl of his staff, the weapon would catapult downward towards the figure and smash against it's face along the way before impacting the soft ground between the Grimm and Evangeline with a loud thud. Immediately behind the toss, Qiu'li drew his ringed broadsword and raised it over his head. He curled into a ball midair and began to rotate vertically. The rings smacked against the metal side of the sword and clanged loudly as he descended towards the Grimm with the force of his full body. Rotating faster and faster, Qiu'li would rely on his improvised fighting technique to aim square for it's head. Undoubtedly, this attack would be insufficient to finish it off if it had been relatively unharmed prior, but it was enough to get a good amount of damage on it. With the whistling wind and the roar of thunder above, the raven-haired man dropped onto the Grimm with a loud, metallic clang. Back into the fray. -- Fènnù (+Strength +Agility +Projectile Sword Beam) | Rank D Lóngtóu and Panlong | Rank F Featherfall I (Leap) | Rank D Weapon Proficiency I (Martial Arts) | Rank E Dance of the Wild Winds II (Acrobatics) | Rank E Shadow Step I (Stealth) | Rank F Resilience of the Crimson Oaks II (Durability) | Rank E

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[Evangeline Lys de Verre]

tell me pretty lies

template by Punki of Adoxography

Qiu'li -x- 1095 words -x- ship intensifies

Today, it seemed, was completely, and utterly, bubbles.

Evangeline had not gotten a single break throughout the entire day, since she landed in this dumb forest. Hunting Grimm, running from Grimm, it was a never ending cycle. When she had escaped one Grimm problem, she'd run into another. When she cleaned out a Grimm problem, another showed up! It was like a game of whack a mole, where no matter what you do, whether you whack the dumb mole or let it pop out and pop back in, another one is going to pop out right after anyway.

Her aura had been in a constant cycle of getting banged up and regenerating, over and over again, throughout the day. Right now, her aura was shot through, leaving her vulnerable. Her clothes were ragged, with rips and tears all over her sleeves and legs from getting caught on foliage, tiny bloodstains visible here and there around those rips where the foliage had scratched more than just the fabric. Her hair was worse than it had been in the morning, when it had already been pretty bad, twigs and leaves caught in the stained, dirty golden hair. Despite cleaning her face multiple times already throughout the day, it kept getting marred with dirt, mud and bleeding scratches constantly.

And here she was again, in the dead of night, running for her life as a Beowolf chased her down. It was a lone hunter, apparently, as no other Grimm were visible or audible to giving chase. Evangeline let out a yelp of distress as she met a large wall in her path in the form of a fallen, hollow tree. She spotted a hole in the tree and dove for it, diving in through the small gap and quickly scrambling sideways along the length of the tree. A few seconds later, the Beowolf crashed into the tree, trying to fit its large head through the hole she had escaped into, one arm fitting alongside the head to try and reach for the huntress trainee, who screamed at the proximity, scrambling back.

"BACK! BACK YOU BEAST!" She screamed, brandishing the bow for her violin like a rapier and stabbing it at the Grimm's face, landing a scoring hit in the beast's large, red eye. The beowolf recoiled instantly, roaring and howling in pain as Evangeline took this opportunity to scramble to the other side of the tree, where there was another hole on the opposing side. A hole she quickly exitted and began running through.

It wasn't long before she heard the Beowolf chasing her once more, this time slavering growls and howls following her as the beast raged after her. There was no way it could get any worse, it seemed.
But, Fate decided to poop on her cornflakes once again in her life, and within seconds, a downpour of epic proportions started.

"BUBBLES! FLOWERING PETUNIAS! WHY!?" Evangeline screamed in dismay and horror as she kept running, her breaths coming in harder and faster. It was getting even darker, and getting slippery. It was hard to look at the terrain in front of he-

A root caught her right ankle. There was a sharp lightning bolt of pain that shot up her leg, a cracking noise, and then the ground rushed up to high-five her face with all its muddy glory. Evangeline fell painfully on her face, but her survival instincts didn't even allow her to slow down as she quickly scrambled back up and began to try and run more, sobbing with pain and desperation.

She made it into a clearing before her injured leg gave way and she fell down again with a cry of pain. Evangeline turned around, crawling backwards slowly on her posterior as the Beowolf lumbered into the clearing, seeming to know that its prey was down and on its last dregs. Evangeline breathed hard and heavy, trying to steady her sobbing and fear as the Beowolf seemed to sniff the air, drool dripping from its maw as if it was enjoying the taste of her negative emotions. Or perhaps that was the rain water dripping off of it. Either way, it looked like it was drooling and it definitely looked like it was savouring the hunt.

Looks like this was it for Evangeline. Her lips wobbled as fear and helplessness threatened to overtake her, but mostly, she was just angry. Angry at the world for not giving her a break, and angry at this poophead of a monster for trying to eat her.
"Viens donc! You fil'zy poophead! I hope I give you indigestion!" She screamed at the top of her hoarse voice, pulling her arm back and chucking Lis Fleurissant at the Grimm's face. The Violin spun through the air before conking the Beowolf right on the skull, cracking its white bony mask with a solid sound. The Beowolf yelped in pain, shook its head, stared at her with one baleful red eye before preparing to pounce. Evangeline screamed, bringing her hands up over her face as a last ditch effort to protect herself.

But then, there was a clanging noise, the sound of something hitting the ground in front of her, yet she did not feel herself getting ripped apart. She opened her eyes and moved her hands away to see a metal staff fall to the ground in between her and the Beowolf. And then, with more clanging noises, a shadow suddenly descended on top of the Beowolf, cleanly cleaving the beasts' head down the middle with one fell swoop. Not even a whisper of a growl before the Grimm dissipated, leaving only Evangeline and the shadowy figure. The sound of distant thunder rolled as the rain poured all around them, Evangeline staring up at her savior as he turned around to face her.

Qiu'li.

Her breath caught in her throat, her lips parting and closing like a fish out of water, sapphire eyes wide. Then her lips closed, tight, wobbling as her eyes swam with tears. She managed to get up with her one good leg to throw herself at Qiu'li, throwing her arms around him in an embrace like he was a solid, constant rock in the middle of a raging ocean. She buried her face into his chest and began to sob loudly, crying her fear and relief out of herself and incoherently murmuring things like, "Chuu'li." "You're here." "You saved me." "I was so afraid." over and over again in random order, like she couldn't believe he had saved her, and she wasn't dead yet.

[Qiu'li]

[attr="class","popqiu"] ❝May the crimson leaves show me the path I must follow.❞ wc: 934 | twc: 1837 Qiu'li

[attr="class","qiutext"] A clang, a slice, and a thud. He hadn't anticipated that slice would kill the Beowolf, but chances are that Evangeline had wounded the Grimm prior to his rage-induced attack. With a deep breath, the raven-haired man stood back up slowly as he gazed over at his broadsword. A puff of steam escaped his lips; was it his Semblance? No, it was simply getting colder due to the change of weather conditions. No trace of blood, but the wisps of the ashes dissipated leaving only the reflection of the shattered moon, the dancing trees above, and his own face. Rather, not his face, but his eyes. They were filled with anger, with hatred. The were slanted, as if a knife had cut them across. His stare was much more intense than usual, so upon noticing them, he quickly became self-conscious upon realizing that Evangeline was present with him. Shit. Shit. Qiu'li was sure that he'd have all but frightened her away with his sudden appearance as well as his terrifying look. One that would historically drive away those around him. Upon making sure that there were no immediate threads, Qiu'li began to turn away, but was met with a sudden surprise. Thud. Warmth. He was taken aback by the sudden attack from behind. He was sure that the coast was clear prior, perhaps another attack?! Upon glancing back in surprise, he was met with Evangeline... Hugging him? Turning his body, she readjusted herself and dove right into his chest, where she began to sob uncontrollably. This was something that Qiu'li had no experience with. Comforting someone whose crying their eyes out? Qiu'li never had someone who relied on him or even cried for, let alone now. Several waves of emotion overcame the raven-haired man as the rain started to pick up. Was it simply the fact that he had saved her from the Beowolf? Perhaps he was one of the few that she had encountered and was glad to see another classmate? Or perhaps it was something more...? Qiu'li was taken aback upon briefly reflecting on it. Despite his unfriendly demeanor, his deep scowl, and his cold-like attitude, Evangeline remained and didn't run. Could it be..? No. Qiu'li didn't know for sure, and swiftly shook his head, like a dog shaking off his wet fur. For the time being, he tried to consult what he had read in Shadecloak's manual. How did it go when it was best to comfort someone when they were crying...? Ah, right. Reaching out with his open arm, Qiu'li wrapped his arm around Evangeline and pulled her into an embrace. Almost immediately, Qiu'li felt like the entire forest went silent. The sounds of the forest were drowned out by the pitter-patter of the raindrops above, the insects went silent, and there, as if time had stopped entirely for the two of them, Qiu'li held her gingerly. A sudden memory of a distant past echoed in his mind as he instinctively began to rub her back rhythmically, reaching up to pat her head reassuringly while the sounds of rain and Evangeline's hiccups filled his ears. His chest tightened a bit and his scowl softened, just for a moment. His heart throbbed, though he wasn't sure why or what it meant. Was this what it meant to care for someone? Qiu'li didn't know, all he knew right now was that he wanted to hold her for a long time, and didn't want to let go. However, time began to resume, and a familiar noise filled his ears as he quickly shifted his head towards the darkness. That's right. The remaining pack was coming, and they had to prepare to either fight or run. Turning to Evangeline, Qiu'li knelt down and picked up her weapon. "Alone... They are weak. That is why the Grimm do not fight alone." Qiu'li glanced at her leg and saw the injury. Running wasn't an option, at least not for very long. Opening his sling bag, Qiu'li pulled out a length of rope and loosened his robes. "However, that is same for us." Stooping down to pick up Evangeline, the raven-haired man shifted her onto his back and fastened her to him. His leaping ability would be reduced and so would his acrobatic finesse, but the alternative would result in the same outcome. Therefore- "... We fight together." Qiu'li said as he picked up his staff and affixed it into it's glaive form. Lowering his body. He awaited their arrival. It seemed like there were three in total, all large Beowolves. Manageable, but in such conditions, they were at a slight disadvantage. The raven haired man would rely on Evangeline to get in the first pre-emptive shots on the Beowolf once they were in range. Once she would land the first few hits, Qiu'li would leap back to avoid their initial pounce attack, and then follow up with and charged slash to finish them off or make more distance for Evangeline to prepare her next shot. He would stop when they had enough distance for her to get a good aim while also relying on the trees to prevent flanking lunges, but for the most part, the two would have to continue moving forward with reduced speed, which meant that they were practically at about the same speed, if not the Beowolves with a slightly higher speed advantage. Either way, Qiu'li would defend while Evangeline shot, taking any glancing blows or intercepting their attacks by clashing with their powerful strikes. Upon another slash, the raven-haired man let out a grunt as steam began to emit from his skin. -- Fènnù (+Strength +Agility +Projectile Sword Beam) | Rank D Hei Tiequán | Rank E Featherfall I (Leap) | Rank D Weapon Proficiency II (Martial Arts) | Rank E Dance of the Wild Winds II (Acrobatics) | Rank E Shadow Step I (Stealth) | Rank F Resilience of the Crimson Oaks II (Durability) | Rank E

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[Evangeline Lys de Verre]

tell me pretty lies

template by Punki of Adoxography

Qiu'li -x- 1279 words -x- dokidoki intensifies

From the moment his arm came around to embrace her back, Evangeline knew she was safe. He was her lifeline in a roiling sea of storms. He was her northern star that would guide her home. He was the constant, the one thing she knew would never change even when the world around her was falling apart. She held onto him, her cries slowly quieting down, now replaced with the occasional shuddering, deep and long breath as she calmed herself. It was like the world around them had melted away to nothingness, leaving only them; a shining pair of stars in the expanse of the abyss of space.

A moment that could've stretched till eternity, a moment that felt like it did, ended far too quickly in reality as familiar sounds reached her around the same time it did to Qiu'li's senses. Evangeline stepped back from Qiu'li, keeping one hand on his shoulder to remain standing with her injured leg while Qiu'li picked her weapon up for her, Evangeline taking it and biting her lips. Her ankle throbbed, settling into a numb buzz. She didn't think it was broken, but sprained badly enough that it might as well have been for how useless it was right now. Even the slightest weight on that foot made her wince in pain. And then, Evangeline found herself picked up onto Qiu'li's back, like an oversized golden-white backpack, tied to him with a rope. A lifeline. Her heart, which was already beating fast from their closeness, swelled with warmth at his words. Qiu'li was a man of little words, quite literally. But he was a lot more intelligent than people gave him credit for. Sometimes it wasn't how many words a person could speak that told of their intelligence, but rather, how much they could say with how little they spoke. And Qiu'li said a lot with those few words.

Only, there was one problem.

"Uh... Chuu'li..." Evangeline muttered near his ear as he prepared himself for combat. "I'm out of arrows."

That was when the pack burst out at them. Evangeline could not get any preemptive shots in due to her lack of arrows, leaving Qiu'li having to fend off the first charge by himself. They threw themselves at the pair with the reckless brutality that the Grimm were known for, and it was all Qiu'li could do to fight them off with his weapon and his dodging. Evangeline managed to help occasionally by swinging at any Grimm that came too close with her violin, using the weapon like a mace, scoring a hit on a Beowolf that brought its face too close, cracking the mask and sending it into a daze, allowing Qiu'li to finish it off. But there were too many of them coming at them.

"We need to run. We can't take 'zem!" Evangeline said urgently, bringing the slender bow of her violin forward with her other hand to deflect a beowolf's claw from hitting Qiu'li as he slashed at another one on the other side. Was this how Ruqa felt? Fighting with four arms instead of two? If so, it was terribly inefficient, as Evangeline had to struggle to reach over Qiu'lis shoulders and no interfere with his own movements or attacks. "We have to go now!"

And then they were off, Qiu'li taking massive bounds like a lion, Evangeline holding on with one hand as she used her violin to ward off any attackers from their back. The beowolf were pursuing them, but unlike Qiu'li who, despite carrying her, could leap nimbly and deftly over and around obstacles, the much bulkier pursuers were much less dexterous and elegant with their motions, constantly losing momentum and speed as they tried to not collide into trees or each other, sometimes failing to do exactly that, in their haste to chase.

The pair was gaining a good lead on the beowolves, and for a moment, it was looking good. And then there was a sudden jarring moment of flying. That moment when the ground gives way underneath you and for a moment, your stomach goes up to your throat as gravity loses meaning for the span of a breath.

And then they were falling down a muddy slope, Qiu'li hitting the ground on his front first, the rope instantly untangling as Evangeline bounced off of him and onto the slope as well. Then they were slipping and sliding down, rolling and bouncing over the slope which was thankfully soft due to all the mud, yet still somewhat painful with all the impacts. Rolling, tumbling, falling. And then they were off another edge, this time off a sheerer drop. Midair, Evangeline let out a silent scream, feeling strong arms grabbing her around the waist and pulling her into a warm body. Qiu'li had grabbed her midair, and was encircling her, turning around so he would hit the ground first and not her.

Thankfully, it wasn't a massive drop. They crashed into the ground, which was not really solid ground at all, but rather, the roof of a cave, held up by roots and soil, softened into mud by the rain. Cracking sounds as the roots broke, the ground giving way under their impact as they began to fall once more, into a dark cave. They hit the solid, rocky ground of the cave only a second or two later, once more, not a drop that was severe. This time, they stayed where they fell, nothing else giving way or washing them away.

For several moments, Evangeline lied their, breathing harshly from the adrenaline and fear of the fall, her body aching from the impacts despite being cushioned by Qiu'li. From what her senses could blearily tell her, they were in an underground cave, the only source of light coming in from the hole they had made several meters above them. Rain water trickled down through the hole onto them, their little cave held up around them by a combination thicker, stronger roots of the trees above, packed dirt and solid stone.

Evangeline then realized she was still on top of Qiu'li, who had taken the impact of the fall not just once, but twice.
"Chuu'li! Are you okay?" She said in an urgent whisper, planting her hands onto the ground around his shoulders so she could push her weight off of him. And then she froze, staring down at Qiu'li's face, only an arm's breadth underneath her. This man had saved her life, not once now, but twice over. She had believed he didn't care about her, or didn't even know her despite that one training they had shared, and yet, he had gone out of his way to protect her. And his face was now underneath hers, level with hers, their breaths coalescing in the space between them which seemed far too wide an expanse at this moment. For a solid few seconds, nothing but the sounds of their breaths and the sound of the rain above them echoed in their little cave, as Evangeline just stared down at the dark haired boy with the intense eyes, trying to understand the strange urge in her mind that made her want to close the distance between his face and hers. "Chuu'li?" She whispered in a soft, strange voice, as if she was in a trance.

But then she rolled away from him, scrambling into a sitting position next to him, giving him room to breathe and sit up while looking away, her face burning with heat. "T-thank you. You saved my life." She said, embarrassment coloring her voice as she tried to not think about how close she had been to kissing him in that heat of the moment.

[Qiu'li]

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Carving

a path to discover

True

Strength

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"I know." Qiu'li said as she mentioned her running out of arrows; his gaze remained on the Beowolves as they tried to flank around, re-positioning himself. Had she contained any arrows left, she would have used them prior to his intervention, but the fact of the matter is that every student had a level of pride, and to protect one's own pride as well as his fellow peers was something he was willing to do within reason. Despite her pleas, Qiu'li opted to lessen the number of Grimm around before retreating out. Right, the campsite... The campsite... The campsite..? This was a problem. With the increasing amount of rain mixed with the presence of various threats, navigating the forest back to the campsite was less than desirable- not to mention that he would be leading an entire pack of them straight to where Aegle was. Urgh... Qiu'li continued to leap through the forest, using the tip of the glaive to keep them back.
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With every two hits, the raven-haired man took one in return as he tried to outmaneuver them. The steam continued to emit from his skin as they entered a clearing, rain pouring heavily followed by a loud clap of thunder. If there was a time to use his Semblance, now was the time. Unleashing the cloud of steam, Qiu'li shot forward and thrusted the glaive cleanly through the first Grimm. One down, two to go. As he leapt back for a second swipe, the raven-haired man caught the back end of a swipe as he took another step back. Unfortunately, one step too far as he felt his footing loosen below him. The earth began to crumble and Qiu'li slipped. Shit.
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Before Qiu'li could even mutter out Evangeline's name, he his Aura draining quickly not only from mitigating the damage from sliding, but also from his Transformation semblance that was eating it up too. Feeling the ropes loosen, Qiu'li grasped quickly around for Evangeline as he descended down the hill and tumbled. After finally managing to get stable while falling, his eyes widened as he saw them quickly approach a drop. Not being able to see what awaited them below, his immediate instinct was to leap for the dark figure that was Evangeline as they tumbled into the depths. Pulling her in, Qiu'li whirled his body so that his back was facing the earth while they fell down.
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Crack. Snap. Various noises filled his ears as he broke through the surface and into darkness. Qiu'li felt the last bit of his Aura take the hit and he rested on the group, exhausted from running, rolling, and falling. It was a pathetic sight, but he couldn't even move to get Evangeline off of him as he laid there on the cavernous ground. All he could see was the dark silhouette of Evangeline with a bright outline of her body with what little light came through the hole that he fell in. The rain continued to pour in, with the thunder rumbling in the distance as the echoes of Grimm reached the place. It didn't seem like they were going to pursue, but he couldn't be too sure.
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Glancing around, he had realized that he lost Lontou and Panlong. Great. Qiu'li grimaced slightly, but decided that he would have to search for it later. His thoughts were immediately interuppted by the soft, urgent voice of Evangeline as she called out to him. Despite being inches from his face, Qiu'li didn't react very much as he gazed at where her eyes would be. Her face was inches from his, yet the raven-haired man dared not move further. Various emotions were running through his mind as he tried to process what they were, but before he could even get a word out, the small little ball of sunshine scooted away and got off his chest, allowing him to suck in a breath of air. The last of the steam dissipated from his body as it returned to normal, but he was still feeling somewhat exhausted.
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He turned to gaze at Evangeline, who had her back turned to him as she left him with a word of thanks. The raven-haired man lifted his head slowly as he propped himself up on his elbows and nodded. The voice and tone she was making confused him, but Qiu'li decided not to question it as he rubbed the regions that he had fallen, namely his back. "I am glad you are okay... Are you hurt, Evangelin-" He suddenly stopped and realized that she was in fact, not alright. Her sprained ankle was likely in pain and he quickly pushed himself up further. The rush of the events had lead him to forget what happened earlier, so now that he had gained some sense of himself, the raven-haired man got to work.
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"Do not move." He said in a low voice as he scooted himself close to Evangeline and inspected her foot region. Through the dim lit, he would wipe the dirt and mud aside to see if it was swollen. If so, Qiu'li would undo his red sash and began to wrap it, compressing it firmly to prevent it from moving. The more stable it was and less able to move, the better. "Ankle injury is painful, but not serious. I learned how to treat since very young- Learning how to treat self when falling a lot is necessary." Qiu'li said quickly as he finished preparing the dressing for Evangeline. Getting out and carrying her wouldn't be the issue, though doing so in light of the threats outside...
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"We will make camp here. Best avoid further encounter with them while you are injured, Evangeline." The raven-haired man said as he began to take off his robe top. It was caked pretty well in mud, but since he wore nothing underneath, it would be problematic if he caught a sickness. Leaving it on a nearby stone, Qiu'li got to work scrounging for any dry twigs and such. With little to work with, all Qiu'li could really rely on what was inside the cave, which consisted of largely free twigs, some small branches, and some other dry foliage as he gathered it in a small circle of rocks that he salvaged. Not a lot, but better than nothing. He searched in the cave for various rocks, namely ones that could produce sparks, before returning to attempt to get a fire going. Difficult as it may, he somehow got a small one started as it illuminated the small cave that housed the two of them.
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Compared to the one he made back at camp, this one was mediocre, but it was enough to at least dry the robe. Reaching into his pack, Qiu'li drew out a somewhat damp blanket. It must have gotten wet from their tumble, but it was better than nothing. Qiu'li turned and wrapped it around Evangeline as he turned and took a seat at the campfire, gazing at it intensely. Despite being a working fire, it was still relatively weak and ready to die out, therefore he had to watch it constantly. In addition...
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... He couldn't exactly face Evangeline either. It was a weird sensation, one that he was unfamiliar with. Why did his heart race when he was close to her? Why did he get angry when the Grimm was just ready to attack her? The raven-haired man had no explanation for it other than a grown sense of fondness for her. Perhaps it was a desire to simply protect her? No, then it would be left simply at the instance with the Grimm. This feeling... It was much deeper than that. However, the thought frightened him- how was he supposed to handle this? For now, the raven-haired man remained in thought as he continued to gaze at the fire.


[break]
WC: 1307 TWC: 3144
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--
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Fènnù (+Strength +Agility +Projectile Sword Beam) | Rank D
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Hei Tiequán | Rank E
[break]
Featherfall I (Leap) | Rank D
[break]
Weapon Proficiency II (Martial Arts) | Rank E
[break]
Dance of the Wild Winds II (Acrobatics) | Rank E
[break]
Resilience of the Crimson Oaks II (Durability) | Rank E
[break]
Shadow Step I (Stealth) | Rank F

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[attr="class","fg-cred"]SELKIE

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[Evangeline Lys de Verre]

tell me pretty lies

template by Punki of Adoxography

Qiu'li -x- 1379 words -x- :eyes:

Evangeline let out a soft sigh when she saw that Qiu'li was alright. He had taken some hard knocks but it was apparent that he wasn't worse for wear. With that settled, she turned her attention to her foot, which was still throbbing. She unlaced her boot and pulled it off, pulling her socks off as well to inspect how bad it was. It was thanks to her boots, which almost reached her knees, that her ankle wasn't completely broken. Just a bad sprain, judging from the swelling and the tenderness of motion. And then Qiu'li was suddenly near her, inspecting her ankle while telling her not to move. She flushed again but allowed him to poke and prod, biting her lips from the small amounts of pain shooting up from certain touches. Once he had inspected it enough, he used his red sash to tie up her foot. She hissed a bit at the tightness of the wound, but nodded.

"Yes... I know, I am good wiz' first aid too." She paused for a moment, before saying, " 'Zank you."

She blinked as Qiu'li took off his robe top, exposing his- his-

Evangeline looked away pointedly, fighting the heat on her cheeks, not wanting to be rude and stare at his impressive physique. What was it with girls and male torsos? Carmim was obsessed with Mark's abs, and Evangeline couldn't help but swoon at the sight of a strongly defined back. Stupid primitive monkey brain.
But then she felt the first telltale signs of her body cooling down too much. A slight shiver. Her clothes were wet and covered in mud, which wasn't good given she was wearing heavy layers. Their little underground haven, while it would definitely capture heat if they managed to make a fire, was very cold right now. Maybe there was a good reason why Qiu'li had taken his top off. Evangeline's brain worked and she knew that she needed to get out of her ruined, wet clothing or risk freezing to death. But... Strip, in front of Qiu'li? Sure she was wearing underclothes and she would definitely not be nude, but... To expose so much of her skin to a man? That was not ladylike, not at all. That was scandalous.

But... What was she to do at this moment? What was more important, her stupid concepts of propriety or literal survival? She looked over at Lis Fleurissant, which had thankfully followed them down into this hole. It was covered in mud, but not broken or damaged. That was good, but not useful at this moment, given she had no aura and no arrows. She pulled her messenger back out to her front, opening it to look for what she could use. She had only brought some minor first aid supplies, food and water. No extra clothes. Nothing to make a shelter with either. She wasn't exactly used to outdoor survival so she had had no idea of what she would need. Packing light had seemed to be a smart idea at the time being, and it had been; it didn't slow her down when she had been running for her life. But now, it was an issue.

She bit her lip, her shoulders slumping in a defeated way, she glanced at Qiu'li, seeing he was walking around collecting firewood. That was one good thing about their little hidey hole. Down here, wood had probably fallen over many months, or years, and stayed dry, protected from the weather. Perhaps a little damp, but none were as wet as the wood above them right now. It was pretty dark in their little cave, she could barely see his silhouette. That was good, she guessed. Meant he couldn't see her that well either.

It took her some effort and struggle, given that she had to do it while sitting down, her injured leg not really allowing her to stand for prolonged periods of time. She was also trying to be subtle about it, but there was no hiding the sounds of sopping wet, heavy clothing being shed in the echoing chamber. But soon, she had stripped down to her white smallclothes, her clothes laid out flat on the stony ground to dry. She shivered, bringing her knees close to her chest as she hugged them, trying to conserve heat. And then, there was a spark. It took some effort, but a small fire finally lit up, Qiu'lis efforts paying off.

Evangeline froze, even her shivering stopped, as a dim orange light washed over her. There went her shield of darkness protecting her from sight. She didn't move, wanting to disappear into the dark once more, her eyes fixing on Qiu'li with wide fear. What would he say? What would he think? She was sitting here almost completely exposed and now there was enough light for him to see. Would he think she was pretty? Would he think she was a harlot for stripping like so, even if it was for survival? Or would he see the glaring imperfections in her? How she wasn't like other women her age? How she had fake limbs, their lines quite visible and exposed in this low lighting. The anxiety was about as bad as staring down a Beowolf, perhaps worse, and Evangeline couldn't bear to face it, hiding her face into her knees, as if she was just resting. She closed her eyes tightly and struggled to calm her roiling anxiety, heart pounding as vicious, venomous thoughts began to swirl around her mind.

And then, there was a light weight around her shoulders.

She froze, even her thoughts stopping in mid flight. She slowly raised her head, eyes going from the fire in front of her, to her shoulders. A... blanket? He had wrapped a blanket around her, perhaps to protect her modesty and also to give her warmth. That was... surprisingly kind and sweet of him. She wrapped it tighter around herself, not being able to stop the small smile that came to her lips. It smelled like damp fabric, but behind that, she could barely make out another smell. The smell of freshly cut grass, of oak leaves and earth. A very natural smell, one she could easily associate with the man sitting near her. She blinked, looking over to Qiu'li now, seeing him gazing into the small fire, still shirtless. His eyes were always so intense and serious, like he was always deep in thought. It was intimidating to many, and Evangeline could see why... But it always just made her mildly curious rather than afraid. His gaze, while more intense than say Nikolas, had depth to it. Nikolas' gaze was like staring into the eyes of a man already dead. But Qiu'li's eyes... It was like staring into the night sky. A dark depth so great in expanse you felt like reaching into it would make you fall forever. She blinked, breaking out of her stare, before looking at the fire. It was small, but provided some warmth... Yet, it was still cold in the cave, in an uncomfortable way.

Evangeline bit her lips, debating strongly with herself as she sat with her chin on her knees, before she finally looked over to him again and said, "H-hey... Chuu'li?"
Once he would look over to her, she would pull one side of the blanket off of her, gripping it with one of her hands, offering for him to sit with her under the blanket. " 'Z-zere is enough room for 'zee boz' of us. It iz better if n-neizer of us freeze." She said hesitantly, her face displaying shyness for obvious reasons, but her eyes displaying some measure of hope and insistence towards him. It was completely normal for her to offer him the blanket after all. To begin with, they both had to survive, and the best way to do that was to share resources, which included both this blanket and... body heat. The fact that they were the opposing genders was completely coincidental, and could not be considered at this moment. She bit her lip once more, hoping he wouldn't say no. Although that would be relieving in one way, it would mostly just make her disappointed, as if it were some kind of rejection.

[Qiu'li]

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Carving

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Ack, Evangeline knew how to perform first aid, his shoddy job at setting her ankle and keeping it straight must have been mediocre compared to what she could have done. He wasn't sure if she was simply being polite by thanking him, but he brushed it off immediately as he had more important things to worry about, like keeping them both warm for one. It was rather dark in the cavern, save for the bit of light that shone above, but gradually his eyes adjusted and he could make out dark silhouettes. On one hand, Qiu'li could make out the tracings of various things that he needed. Rocks, wood, and flint. On the other hand, the raven-haired man noticed Evangeline... Doing something. He couldn't make out what, but judging by the sounds of sopping wet clothes hitting the stone floor, his mind began to race slightly. He was half-undressed, and Evangeline most likely was too. The only thing that separated them was a thin veil of darkness. One that he was all too aware of now that his mind began to wander. Wait- what was he thinking?! The longer that he hesitated, the sooner the cold will settle in. Focus, there was no time to be distracted. Sattota reminded him the dangers of seeing the leaves and missing the trees. This was just another internal test. Of course!
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As the fire began to gain life, although small, Qiu'li was diligent in keeping it alive. It was the only way to keep the both of them warm in such a cold environment- it took most of his energy, but the fire was at least stable enough so that it wouldn't extinguish immediately. Already he was feeling his body warm, and with Evangeline huddled to the side with his blanket, he was sure everything was accounted for. Honestly, the only thing left was to wait out until the next day to complete his assignment. Right. Conclude the task with one other person. His gaze lifted up slowly and fell on Evangeline, who had been staring at herself for quite a while for some reason. Huh. She must have been exhausted from the situation, and up noticing a bare patch of skin, Qiu'li instinctively threw his head down back to face the fire. What was.. That? Why did he suddenly react that way? It was uncharacteristically like the raven-haired man. These unexpected emotions that came from Qiu'li, unbeknownst to him, was a result of a lack of social interaction growing up, and missing out on the standard emotional turmoil that accompanied when a child reached adolescence. He didn't know how to piece together the information, the feelings, nor how to respond. All that he could fall back on was the teachings of Sattota, who constantly beat into his head the mantra of suppressing one's emotions in the face of chaos, blocking out otherworldly desires, and to avoid the allure of temptation. What that temptation was, Qiu'li wasn't sure, but this had to be it! A trial of sorts. Well, game on-
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'Z-zere is enough room for 'zee boz' of us. It iz better if n-neizer of us freeze."
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...
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Immediately everything that Sattota had taught him in that moment had been washed away like a massive tsunami. His mind blanked for several moments as he tried to process what Evangeline had said. His primal brain told him to agree. It made literal sense. Two bodies, plus blanket insulator, plus proximity of the fire, equals warmth for both of them. Simple and easy. His other brain, however, made much less sense, and began firing off questions in rapid succession while trying to process Evangeline's request. Like a ping-pong ball, his conscious began to go back-and-forth on various dilemmas, questions, and interpretations of what she meant. Was a simple invitation to keep warm? Was it more than that?! Did she insinuate something more? Why was he worried about something like this? He had no problem with her on his back previously. As the raven-haired man simply stared at Evangeline for the past minute or so, the ultimate result of this internal battle with himself was this: He saw Evangeline as more than just another person. He saw her as a female. Someone of the opposite sex. Someone that was attractive, charming, and nearly sickeningly sweet. Of course, with that, his body acted upon instinct.
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Losing all sense of reason, Qiu'li stood up silently, walked over to Evangeline, picked her up and returned closer to the fire. He unraveled the blanket that was around the wet ball of sunshine and proceeded to drape it around himself. Finally, Qiu'li took a seat, placed Evangeline between his legs, and proceeded to complete the blanket wrap around them both. Having no sense of what was considered socially appropriate, or knowing what would be considered boundaries, the raven-haired man simply acted upon the primal side of his brain and put her in a position that would provide them the most warmth. He wasn't sure what to say or what to do beyond this- her head rested right below his chin, where he could pick up her scent. It was a scent that would imprint in the back of his mind for the remainder of his time, and all he could do was really stare at the flickering fire that had finally settled down after his excessive movements. Once more, the sounds of nature began to return to the cavern- the distant pattering of rain, the crackling of the fire, and the quiet exhales of their breathing as he felt Evangline's heartbeat thump against his chest.
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After several minutes of silence, unless Evangeline had said something first, Qiu'li would speak up. "When I saw... That Beowolf nearly strike you down. I was very angry. My vision was... How you describe.. Red? Yes. I have the vision of red. I am of great happiness that you are okay, Evangeline." Almost on instinct, his body tensed slightly as his legs closed around Evangeline and his grip on the blanket tightened a bit. His gaze was fierce and intense as he stared at the fire, but they didn't meet Evangeline's. "You are of the few people who weren't afraid of my gaze. Afraid of me. Why is that?" He asked her in a low voice. "My eyes have been a reason why I have been mostly alone, growing up. Some are too afraid to approach me, others avoid me thinking that that I am challenging them." Qiu'li closed his eyes and leaned forward slightly. "Yet you did neither of those and approached me like I was normal person. Thank you, Evangeline." He said softly.

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WC: 1091 TWC: 4235
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--
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Fènnù (+Strength +Agility +Projectile Sword Beam) | Rank D
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Hei Tiequán | Rank E
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Featherfall I (Leap) | Rank D
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Weapon Proficiency II (Martial Arts) | Rank E
[break]
Dance of the Wild Winds II (Acrobatics) | Rank E
[break]
Resilience of the Crimson Oaks II (Durability) | Rank E
[break]
Dragon's Roar I (Utility Tool) | Rank F

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[attr="class","fg-cred"]SELKIE

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[Evangeline Lys de Verre]

tell me pretty lies

template by Punki of Adoxography

Qiu'li -x- 1396 words -x- Qiu'lis treading on fragile ice rn

There was several long moments of silence, while Qiu'li stared at her and Evangeline stared at him. It was getting kind of awkward since Evangeline was holding her arm out. At the precipice of awkwardness, just when Evangeline was about to lower her arm, Qiu'li stood up and walked over her with... purpose. Evangeline's arm dropped and she actually blinked in surprise, feeling her stomach do something like a somersault. As far as she knew, stomachs weren't supposed to do acrobatic gymnastics like that, nor feel like it was doing so.

Qiu'li leaned down and scooped her up, a soft sound of confusion and surprise exitting Evangeline's lips as she was instantly, mentally thrown back into her memories. Images of that fateful meeting with Qiu'li came upon her, where he had scooped her up very much like this. The first moment when her heart had skipped a beat, the feeling of his arms holding her giving her an absurdly foreign sense of... strange emotions. So foreign, she couldn't even begin to describe it, only that it was exhilarating and confusing. He had scooped her up and carried her back towards where he had been sitting, setting her down. She turned her head to look at what he was doing, and in a few moments, he settled down... Behind her. Around her. It was a strange position.

It was like he was a bowl and she was a... smaller bowl? Fit into the span of the bigger one. He encircled her with his body and the blanket, and she was extremely tense from this sudden new closeness. Her heart was going a million miles an hour, so fast that she was worried for a moment if the cybernetics inside of her were messing up. But they simply settled like that, silence only broken by the pitter patter of the rain coming down the hole, hitting the ground above them, and the soft crackling of the fire. Slowly, Evangeline relaxed, like a stray kitten slowly becoming comfortable with a new hand, until all the tenseness had vanished and she was in a loose state of calmness. However her heart was still beating far too fast. What would she do? What would he do? What were they supposed to do? This was just heat sharing, wasn't it? Or was it something else? What would Carmim do? Her best friend knew all the things to do with boys. Evangeline wished she could ask Carmim right now what they were supposed to do... Was she supposed to... hold hands with him? But what if that gave her a baby? Evangeline wasn't ready to be a mom. It was risky business, hand holding, and Evangeline was aware of the position of his hands and hers.

His voice suddenly breaking the ambient silence actually made Evangeline start, extremely tiny, nigh unnoticeable, barely a sudden tensing of her body for a moment, before she turned her head a little bit to listen to him. She honestly... didn't know what to say, at his confession that seeing her nearly dying to the beowolf made him so angry, and that he was very happy to have saved her. It filled her with a viscous kind of warmth that made it feel like sunlight had turned to honey and was spreading from the center of her being. Maybe Qiu'li was just happy to have saved someone. Anyon- Scratch that, most of her classmates would be very angry at seeing one of their classmates about to be eaten by a Grimm, and would rush to the rescue. So his anger wasn't too out of the ordinary... But his happiness at saving her? Was there a deeper meaning to that?

His legs tightened around her, his arms bringing the blanket tighter around them, so she was almost in an embrace with him. If she leaned back a little bit, her back would meet his chest. Was his heart also beating as wildly as hers? She could feel the ghost of his breath tickling her shoulders, as she turned her head to look at him, his eyes focused with a vivid intensity on the fire. She felt her heart cry a little, not because of something he had done, but out of sympathy for him, as he told her about how people shunned him or avoided him because of his stare. Sure, his eyes were intense and she could see why they would be intimidating... But to her, they were honest eyes. Thoughtful eyes. Eyes that did not lie about who he was.

She felt something between them, like a bond. He was opening up to her. And judging from the way his voice was low, almost strained, it was obvious he wasn't used to sharing his thoughts like this. He had leaned forward, so his breath was definitely coming over her shoulder as he spoke. Evangeline turned her head back towards the fire, staying silent for a few seconds. Finally, she spoke, "I don't 'zink your eyes are scary... Your eyes are just 'zat. Your eyes. 'Zey are true eyes, true to who you are. I haven't met many people in my life, but during my time in Atlas academy... I've met many people with kind eyes. Sweet eyes. Eyes 'zat whisper, 'you can trust me, come be my friend.' But 'zey were... not good people. 'Zey spoke behind my back, belittled me, told me I would never amount to any'zing 'zan a healing little doll. 'Zey had 'zee eyes of snakes, lying about who 'zey were. Your eyes are not like 'zat, Chuu'li. Your eyes do not lie, 'zey outright say, 'I am who I am. You can choose to trust me or not.' 'Zee eyes of a wolf, because a wolf does not hide what it is, not like a snake." She said, speaking softly and somewhat haltingly, pausing every now and again as if she was speaking directly from the heart and it was taking her some effort to translate it into spoken words.

"I understand what it feels like to be... shunned for being different." She said, her voice lower now. She extended her left hand forward, towards the fire, holding it splayed out, the fire's glow highlighting all the black lines around the joints of her fingers. There was even a cut on the back of her left arm, a tiny scratch, probably from a branch or something, the small line of blood long dried out. But something silver-white was visible through the tiny cut, glinting in a dull metallic way as she turned her arm this way and that. Her arm was only flesh and blood skin-deep after all.
"Back in Atlas, 'zey would call me 'Dollgirl'.... Like I was not a real person. 'Zey would make fun of me because I wasn't a good soldier or that capable in combat. I tried to be nice, I tried to be kind to all of 'zem, to be friendly. But most of 'zem just saw me being nice as a weakness and met it with contempt." She said in a somewhat shaky voice. Her left hand had begun to tremble as she held it out, so she drew it back in and around her knees, hugging her knees loosely.

"What scares me is I don't know if 'zey are right, Chuu'li... What if I'm not a real person? What if the real Evangeline died long long ago and I am just a copy? Just a fake?" She said, her voice falling to a near whisper as she felt... lost. Helpless. It was one of her greatest insecurities, feeling like she wasn't who she was, made worse over the year of bullying she had endured at Atlas. Putting into words had been... Hard. But it had come almost naturally, like she wanted Qiu'li to know. Like she wanted to know what his opinion was. Would he agree with them? Now that he had clearly seen her prosthetics, would he also think she was nothing but a fake? She turned around in her seat as much as she could, enough to twist herself so she was facing him, looking up at him with sapphire eyes that were shimmering with sadness and pleading. "Am I?" She asked, barely a whisper so it would've been impossible to hear if it hadn't been already this quiet in the cave.

[Qiu'li]

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Carving

a path to discover

True

Strength

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Before he began talking, he noticed that his voice had startled Evangeline, which caused him to pause briefly. Whether or not this meant that the blonde-haired one was afraid of him, Qiu'li wasn't sure. However, it seemed like she had made herself relatively comfortable underneath the makeshift tent. He felt her stare, as he spoke. Large, sapphire-blue eyes that were fixated on him as he felt her turn her head to look up at him. He didn't pause while she moved, but he continued to stare at the fire, afraid that the moment that he would stop, he would forget what to say next. This was a first for Qiu'li, being unable to meet someone's gaze out of fear of himself. What would he think once he met her eyes? What would he do next? He felt a bit of heat radiate from Evangeline's small body, though he was sure the he was doing the same himself. Larger bodies tend to exhibit more heat, after all, as Qiu'li shifted slightly to allow them both more comfort and for Evangeline to be able to turn herself better.
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Qiu'li blinked suddenly as he listened to Evangline talk about his eyes. His own eyes... Huh? Qiu'li never thought about the prospect. He had only been obsessed for so long with how his damn glare chased others away and his resentment towards others refusal to accept him, that he had never stopped to consider accepting himself. What did it mean to be able to accept oneself? His thoughts were interrupted as he thought about what Evangeline had told him about her past. "The eyes seem to tell many about a person's soul." Qiu'li mused as he continued to listen. "But they can deceive and fool, too..." He muttered as he gripped the blanket edges. "I speak not with words, but with actions. However, what does it mean when both actions and inactions are judged by others?" The raven-haired man stopped as he finally looked at Evangeline. Eyes like a wolf, huh? He gave a perplexed look at he tilted his head, much like a dog would when they were intrigued by something. "I have never been called a 'wolf' before..." The idea bemused him, despite the fact that it was a pack of wolf-like Grimm that had ended the life of his mother. Perhaps it was what they called 'irony' though he held no resentment towards Evangeline- she wasn't aware of it, nor would he need to bring it up unless he needed to.
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The raven-haired man's eyes followed Evangeline's arm as she moved it towards the luminescent light of the fire, revealing the metallic secrets that was hidden beneath her flesh. Almost like a child that was curious, Qiu'li reached out to... Touch the arm, tracing the edges and brushing against the hard, metallic piece before ending it against her fingertips. He continued to listen, saying nothing as their contact was broken with her retracting her hand back towards herself like a shelled creature retreating back into their place of safety. Doll-girl... Was it because the faint outlines on her arms were similar to that of a doll? Was it because they could easily manipulate her with sweet words and promises of giving a sense of 'teamwork'? Or was it because she feels like she lacked her own sense of motivation? He continued to say nothing as she lamented on the prospect of believing that she didn't exist herself- that she was a fake. A copy. Someone disingenuine. He couldn't quite follow how she got from her natural kindness being a hindrance to her fear of being an impostor, but he concluded that it probably had something to do with the artificial limbs that were a part of her.
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His thoughts were interrupted once more as the blonde-haired one shifted from her spot and turned herself around to face him directly. Those... Entrancing blue eyes. They were beautiful, like bright-colored gems that sparkled in the evening, and they were fixated entirely on him. He had nearly forgotten to breath when they made contact, but he managed to force himself to do so as she whispered out to him, almost like a desperate plea. Looking down at Evangeline's hands and back to his own, Qiu'li tried to formulate what to say. What to do. The first thing he did was take both of Evangeline's hands into his own. He wasn't sure if both of them were artificial or not, but after closely examining them and thinking about their first encounter, he had an idea of which one was which. After taking the organic hand, he cupped it and brought it to his chest. Pressing it where his heart should be. "Do you feel that, Evangline?" He asked slowly with somewhat bated breath. Outside of combat, he had never touched anyone before in this manner, no less someone of the opposite sex. His mind raced quickly, and so did his heart, but the desire to reassure Evangeline outweighed his own personal fears in that moment. Pressing her hand against his chest, he let her feel it beat rhythmically as he awaited for her to react. "Master Sattota says that all living beings possess a soul. The soul is what gives us life, to feel, and to suffer." Qiu'li released his grip on her hand and redirected it towards her own body so that her hand was placed on her chest with his hand over her's. His other hand was on Evangeline's small, frail back to prevent her from falling into the fire by accident, but also to be able to feel her heartbeat himself. "Like me, you are of possession of a soul, too. You are real, Evangeline." Qiu'li said as he looked back up to face the blonde-haired one.
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"Remember what I told you, earlier before we fled. Regardless of what happen, we fight together. Not as a... 'healing doll', but as a fellow comrade." He said as he released his tentative grip on her. "You were weak because you were alone, even among the snake-eyed ones, that is why you were weak. They did not consider you teammate, therefore you were alone. That is why I have saying that now, when you fight together with team, you are strong." Qiu'li had no idea if his words reached Evangeline, but it was the best that he could muster without being able to overload his brain. After realizing what he had done, Qiu'li simply dropped his arms. At least the one touching her hand. He didn't want to accidentally release the tension on the hand on her back and she accidentally falls into the fire.
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They were much closer now than he had anticipated, now that he thought of it.



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WC: 1135 TWC: 5370
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--
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Fènnù (+Strength +Agility +Projectile Sword Beam) | Rank D
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Hei Tiequán | Rank E
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Featherfall I (Leap) | Rank D
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Weapon Proficiency II (Martial Arts) | Rank E
[break]
Dance of the Wild Winds II (Acrobatics) | Rank E
[break]
Resilience of the Crimson Oaks II (Durability) | Rank E
[break]
Dragon's Roar II (Utility Tool) | Rank E

[attr="class","fg-circ"]

[attr="class","fg-cred"]SELKIE

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[Evangeline Lys de Verre]

tell me pretty lies

template by Punki of Adoxography

Qiu'li -x- 824 words -x- not asleep yet just tired

When Qiu'li spoke about speaking more with actions than with words, Evangeline would nod in agreement. And at his question, Evangeline would think for a moment before saying, "If I have learned anyzing... It is that people will judge you no matter what you do, action or not. What is important is how you judge your own actions. Sometimes action is the right choice, sometimes it is not. It is how you judge your decision on either that is important, not the judgement of others." Evangeline would pause and give a small bittersweet smile, before adding, "Sometimes you can do everyzing right and someone will still judge you poorly. That's just how people are."

Evangeline was definitely no aware of Qiu'li's past, and given that Qiu'li was a lot harder to read than most other people, she didn't pick up on his feelings on the matter. She would only nod when he mentioned he had never been called a wolf before. "Wolf... Lion... Tiger... Pan'zer... Any big nimble predator. My point iz 'zat 'zey never lie about who 'zey are. They are hunters and 'zey will not hide 'zat. I would ra'zer deal with a known danger than an unknown one that acts like safety. Not 'zat I 'zink you are a danger, but you know what I mean. Just honesty about oneself." She said, adding the last statement a little hastily as she realized he could take it the wrong way.

Qiu'li was mostly silent while Evangeline was in her monologue, which is expected and somewhat relieving to Evangeline. If he had interrupted her at any point, whatever resolve she had to be letting all of this would've faltered and she would've just dismissed herself. But he had listened and she had spoken, and at the end of it, she was staring up at him, wanting him to reassure her for some odd reason. She had put her heart on the line in this circumstance, and she was terribly afraid of what the outcome would be. But then Qiu'li grasped her hands and guided it up, Evangeline's blush returning with a new fury, inspecting them. Finding which one was the organic arm, he released the other one and guided her right hand to his chest. His chest was warm, a soft texture over a hard plane of musculature and bone, like velvet wrapped steel. She swallowed hard as he asked her a question in a low, almost husky voice, her eyes wide, jumping from her hand on his chest, to his eyes. Back and forth, before nodding mutely, feeling his heartbeat. Dimly she registered that his heart was actually beating somewhat fast. And then he moved their hands, and now her hand was placed over her own chest, his hand over hers, her blush deepening. Her heart was beating loudly, very very fast, and she was sure he could probably feel it through her hand.

But over this shyness, his words rang true through her, like a drop of clarity in a sea of fog, and Evangeline couldn't help but tear up, the moisture filling her eyes but not falling yet. She nodded once more, her lips wobbling into a small smile at Qiu'li's words, her hand coming up to wipe her eyes once he let go of her hand. The air between them, the tension, was almost palpable, so thick that it could be cut with a knife, so Evangeline slowly turned back around, turning her back to Qiu'li once more. This wasn't a dismissal, however, and after a few moments, she leaned back into him, with her back on his chest, the back of her head resting on his left shoulder.

"You know... Even if you don't say much... Sometimes you say amazing 'zings." She said in a low voice, another small smile coming to her lips as she slowly felt the tenseness of her body due to this new closeness and contact slowly going away, until she was relaxed against him enough to let her eyes droop.
" 'Zank you, Chuu'li." She muttered in a soft voice, staring at the fire. "For saving me." She added. A sentence with double meanings. Sure, she was grateful that he had literally saved her from the grimm perhaps an hour prior, but she also meant how he had saved her with his words and actions a few moments ago. She had always had this dark, yawning hole of anxiety and depression from all the insecurities she had, deep within her. Always there. It would probably always be with her. But at this moment, Qiu'li had been a lifeline, pulling her back from it before she fell into it. He had both literally and figuratively saved her in two occassions now, and Evangeline was really grateful for that.

"I'm happy 'zat it was you." She murmured, her voice definitely carrying tones of exhaustion to it. The entire day's activities were slowly catching up to her.

[Qiu'li]

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Carving

a path to discover

True

Strength

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Qiu'li nodded solemnly in response to Evangline's comment about how people will judge one's actions, no matter what they do. Damned if they do, damned if they don't. Regardless, Qiu'li stared at Evangeline with a hint of surprise at her final remarks. Right... In the end, the decisions he ultimately makes, he would be held responsible for. Therefore, whatever he chooses to do in the future, it would be something that he chose out of his own judgement. That prospect made Qiu'li relax a bit- right. There is not always a correct and incorrect decision, strictly speaking. Sometimes a situation calls for a line of murkiness and there was little he could do about it. At the very least, he thought with the best interest in mind. Right, just like always, he would always act true to himself like Evangeline said, and carry out his tasks in a diligent manner- though what did it mean to be honest to someone, and to be honest to oneself? Was there a difference? Was it possible to lie to oneself without realizing it? Of course there's situations where one might be disillusioned about their own capabilities and overestimate themselves in a situation, but is that really all there is to it? Possibly, but Qiu'li wasn't sure yet what to make of it. For now, he'd note it down to write down in his notebook when he had the chance.
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Qiu'li gazed at Evangeline intensely during the entire ordeal; he could sense her quickened breathing, the increased heart-rate, and the way her face turned a bright crimson color. It was... Cute, to say the least. However, his thoughts changed quick when he saw Evangeline start to tear up. The raven-haired man gave an alarmed look as he inspected her. Was she in pain somewhere? Did he tie the sash too tightly? Suddenly she began to smile, which perplexed Qiu'li even more as he tried to ascertain the situation. Before he could even get a word out of concern to ask if she was alright, the raven-haired man was surprised once more with the blonde-haired ray of sunlight leaning against him. He felt her entire body rest against him as he leaned back a bit for comfort reasons. She rested her head on his shoulder and began to comment on how he says amazing things, sometimes. He blinked a bit as he closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her. He was afraid that if he didn't she would disappear suddenly. Resting his head against the hard, cold stone walls that enclosed the two of them, Qiu'li looked up slowly at the hole that shone the outside light into. In the distance, he could make out the shattered remnants of he moon shining brightly as he heard her whisper how he had saved her. The raven-haired man thought about that phrase. What did it mean to save someone? He had saved a number of his classmates from danger already, but perhaps...
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Was this different from before? Qiu'li didn't know what to think, because these were new thoughts that flowed into his mind. Was true strength being able to save everyone? No- that was impossible. No matter what he could do, there was no way that he could save 'everyone'. Did saving people mean that he was strong? Or was it more akin to what they had discussed earlier. To take responsibility for his actions, and make a decision that was true to himself. He glanced at Evangeline. If he had to choose between saving Evangeline and someone else, would he choose her over that person? Even if it meant putting more people at risk? Qiu'li frowned at the thought of that. To choose was difficult, but perhaps that's why responsibility is so powerful. He wrapped himself around Evangeline and squeezed a bit gently before relaxing as she mentioned that she was happy that it was him. "Even if I can't save everyone.." Qiu'li muttered softly. "As long as I can save you, it would be worth it." He said before lulling to sleep.
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Qiu'li was awoken by the direct shining of sunlight on his face as he looked down. The smoldering remains of the fire had died out sometime in the evening without him noticing, yet he was still warm. It was Evangeline that had laid on top of him that was the source of heat, and the raven-haired man couldn't help but blink as he reached out to... Pat her head. It was like a natural instinct to do so that he hadn't even noticed, but upon touching her, Qiu'li remembered that time was starting to run out for their tasks. Nudging her awake, Qiu'li would gaze at the window of light out. Judging by how the sunlight hadn't peaked out from beyond the treelines, he was going to try and estimate the time before he realized that he had the Scroll. How convenient. Reaching in his pocket to check, he noticed that it was heavily cracked, probably due to his tumble from last night. he could barely make out the time, but it was several hours before it was time to turn in for the midterm. In any case, if she hadn't awaken the first time, Qiu'li would call out her name in a low voice, patting her back gently as he tried to get up with the two of them. "Evangeline. It is morning. It seems the rain had stopped." He muttered as he would lift her up. If she refused to get up, Qiu'li would set her back down with the blanket around her, or if she did, he would await her to accompany him while he poked his head to ensure that the coast was clear.
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The rain hadn't let up, but it had reduced itself to little more than a light drizzle with the sun hardly peaking over the edge of the treeline. Hoisting himself up out of the hole, Qiu'li would simply stare at the treeline and await for the sun to arise. It was surely a breath to behold, seeing the run rise while it continued to rain.

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WC: 1022 TWC: 6392
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--
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Fènnù (+Strength +Agility +Projectile Sword Beam) | Rank D
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Hei Tiequán | Rank E
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Featherfall I (Leap) | Rank D
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Weapon Proficiency II (Martial Arts) | Rank E
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Dance of the Wild Winds II (Acrobatics) | Rank E
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Resilience of the Crimson Oaks II (Durability) | Rank E
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Dragon's Roar II (Utility Tool) | Rank E

[attr="class","fg-circ"]

[attr="class","fg-cred"]SELKIE

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[Evangeline Lys de Verre]

tell me pretty lies

template by Punki of Adoxography

Qiu'li -x- 1056 words / TWC: 7029 -x- Support level A unlocked

Evangeline could feel her throat clogging up with emotions once more as she felt Qiu'li suddenly close his arms around her in an embrace. It was somewhat funny to consider how the smallest actions could elicit such a powerful reaction, and she couldn't help but give a shy smile to the thought, unseen by Qiu'li given her facing away from him, in the same direction as he was facing. She didn't even balk at the fact that she was almost naked, far too giddy from the roiling warm emotions that was currently coursing through her, her mind absolutely high on oxytocin.

The weight of him behind her and his arms and legs bracketing her from both sides, holding her steady, had a very calming effect on her, as the exhaustion of the day caught up with Evangeline. She had spent a lot of the day running for her life or stuck in combat with the Grimm. They had been finding her no matter what she did, and she had barely managed to get reprieve for anything longer than an hour before she had to run again. Once the thoughts of that came to mind, it was like her limbs had turned to lead, her mind almost diving like a falcon through the folds of drowsiness. Distantly, she heard Qiu'li murmur something, barely registering the words. Another smile came to her face, this one very sleepy as her eyes were closed, before she muttered the words, "Silly."

After that, she fell into the dark embrace of sleep, the eddies of slumber bogged down with exhaustion, preventing any dreams from intruding. Or, if she did have dreams, she didn't remember. All she could remember in her sleep was feeling the need to be warm after the fire had died at some point in the night, and thus, reaching out to tightly cling to the closest source of warmth. If Evangeline had been awake, she probably would've completely freaked out about how she had wrapped herself around Qiu'li, but she was not, and thus, it was out of sight and out of mind for her.

When morning came, Evangeline was solidly asleep. Even the sunlight shining down on her didn't do anything to wake her, her face buried in the man's chest and covered by stray strands of her hair, which caught the sunlight and shimmered like liquid strands of molten gold despite the dirt covering them. Qiu'lis patting, nudging and words would fail to rouse Evangeline from her slumber, the latter only making her utter a somewhat childish mewling sound, akin to a kitten refusing to leave the den and wanting to snooze longer. So Qiu'li set her down with the blanket as he set off to do Qiu'li things, Evangeline slowly waking up as the temperature dropped quickly without her partner body to warm her. Her eyes would flutter open tiredly, blinking a few times to register where she was , turning her head slowly just in time to see Qiu'li hoisting himself up through the hole.

Evangeline would get up then, shaking herself awake as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, before standing up, the blanket wrapped around her. She remembered that this wasn't some lovely getaway and they were still in the middle of a dangerous forest, and with objectives to complete. So she went over to her clothes, left overnight spread out on the ground. Touching them revealed they had sufficiently dried over night, although some of it was still damp. But the morning was warming and the daytime would be warm enough where it wouldn't be a health hazard, so Evangeline worked about dressing herself quickly, trying not to think about how she had spent most of last night practically nude with a man, especially a man she liked. She had hugged him, or rather, he had held her; they had held hands; they had even slept together! Did this mean she would have...

Worries for later. Questions to ask Doctor Haragatanai later. If the danger did exist, she was sure there was medication to prevent it.

Finally dressed, Evangeline would work on gathering Qiu'lis belongings, aka his blanket and his robe and his bag, before grabbing Lis Fleurissant and going over to the hole. She would shove the bags and her weapon up first, before hoisting herself up using the roots to pull herself up. Finally back out in the forest, she would take a deep inhale of the fresh green air, before spotting Qiu'li standing just a few feet away, staring up at the rising sun. Evangeline would blink at the scene, before a soft smile would come to her lips. It was a pretty scene, quaint and pleasant, and Evangeline said nothing other than to walk over to him, taking position next to him to stare up at the rising sun with him.

She could see why it had captured his attention. The hues of dark blue shifting to purple, pink, orange, yellow and all the other colors was somewhat mesmerizing, and she found her attention caught just as his was. It was truly a sight to behold and Evangeline couldn't help but let out a somewhat content sigh at the sight of it. Her right hand twitched, so close to Qiu'li's left hand that there was the ghostly sensation of touching, although they actually weren't, only a distance of a few millimeters separating them. She hesitated, before moving her right hand onto the other side of his left hand, slowly entangling her slender fingers through his. A sign of companionship and support. Perhaps a sign of something else slowly being born out of the ashes of last night's fire.

Evangeline smiled again. More things to consider and decide on later, along with having to leave soon for the midterms was going to be ending in a few hours. But for now, she simply took comfort in the scene. Just her and Qiu'li, standing in the middle of the forest, admiring the sunrise, sunlight filtering in rays through the gaps of the foliage around them, catching on the moisture from the drizzling rain. Evangeline could swear she even saw the faintest signs of a rainbow from all the refractions of light.

It was a memory she would imprint into her heart to remember for the rest of her life.

[Qiu'li]

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Carving

a path to discover

True

Strength

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As he felt the warmth of the incoming sun fill the place with a dazzlingly bright amount of sunlight, he took in a deep breath while he closed his eyes. The familiar view was something that he missed dearly; yet there was something that was much different from the ever familiar early sunrise. Qiu'li knew in the back of his head what it was, but he said nothing more as he simply stood still, tranquil. His head shifted slightly upon hearing the rustling of movement behind him, and his eyes opened to meet Evangeline's. Her soft smile was entrancing, inviting, and warm. Warmer than the sun, than any amount of fire that he had created in the past. It was something that he wanted to stare at forever- to cherish and to keep for himself. As selfish as it was, Qiu'li felt like he didn't want others to see this kind of smile. It was one that radiated inside him as he slowly turned his gaze back to the sun while Evangeline stood beside him. Never before had Qiu'li wanted the sun to slow down it's ascent, for the longer it took to rise, the longer he could spend standing next to her-

As indifferent as time always was, it will yield to nobody and move on, and so would Qiu'li. At least, that's what he was supposed to think. They were still in the Haven Forest, and in the middle of their assignment still. The time was ending soon, and as soon as they would leave the forest, things would proceed per usual. Yet, the thought about that upset him slightly. Would everything that happened here mean that things will be different in the future? Where would they go from here? Would it simply just revert back to how things were beforehand? Several questions raced in the raven-haired man's head as frowned to himself, trying to figure out just what exactly their relationship was, and where it was supposed to go from here. What was he supposed to think from here on out? To think or even d-

Qiu'li shook his head and let out a long, relaxing exhale. Right. There was no need to overcomplicate things. There was still time. If he had made it this far, surely he could hold out for much longer to find the answer. Perhaps this was an opportunity. One to pursue what awaits him in the future. Master Sattota said that life was a series of branches, and one's decisions will undoubtedly determine where down the branch would lead them next.

Immediately his thoughts and worries were erased with a suddenly warmth enveloped his left hand. Entangling his fingers, were a smaller set of fingers. They were soft, small, and delicate. Unlike anything that he had ever experienced thus far. Yes, they were the same hands that he had held so firmly in a blur of emotion last night. Their fingers intertwined between each other as his hand instinctively closed around hers, as if to secure her and refusing to let go. Little did the raven-haired man know, but slowly his body had acclimated to her presence. The warming sensation enveloped his body, much like a warm blanket wrapping around oneself after a cold shower. Was this the thing that he was missing most? Perhaps it wasn't strength that he truly sought for, but the thing that catalyzed his strength. The thing to draw out strength from him, could it be...?

Qiu'li wasn't sure where this decision would lead him down the road in his journey, but there was one thing that he was for certain now: Wherever he was to go now, he would take on the road as long as it had Evangeline by his side. Feeling a vibration in his pocket, Qiu'li drew out the Scroll, which marked that the time limit approaches. Turning to Evangeline, he nodded and told her that it was time to depart. Their journey here was ending, however he felt like this was just the start of a new change. A new path to pursue. The thought of it made the raven-haired man happy. As he took a step towards the rising sunshowers, he could feel a twitch on his face. If Evangeline peeked up, perhaps she, too, would notice it for the brief moment that it appeared. A faint sensation, of what he could barely describe as a curling of the edges of his mouth. 

Qiu'li smiled, just for a small bit, as they proceeded towards the goal with fingers interlocked. 


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WC: 758 TWC: 7150
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--
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Fènnù (+Strength +Agility +Projectile Sword Beam) | Rank D
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Hei Tiequán | Rank E
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Featherfall I (Leap) | Rank D
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Weapon Proficiency II (Martial Arts) | Rank E
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Dance of the Wild Winds II (Acrobatics) | Rank E
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Resilience of the Crimson Oaks II (Durability) | Rank E
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Dragon's Roar II (Utility Tool) | Rank E

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[Wolfe]

XP Distribution:

Eva: 70 x 200% (event bonus) = 140

162 + 140 = 302 XP new total

Qiu'li: 71 x 200% (event bonus) = 142

15 + 142 = 157 XP new total