2nd Battle | UN: Childe / Video

[monoceroscaeli]

[His transmission is short. He sits at home, holding his Omni up in front of him while his fox omen sits in his lap, curled up. Possibly one of the few times it wasn't causing all sorts of chaos.]

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I figured there would be at least a handful of you who would like to know.

[He pauses for only a moment.]

If you knew Manabu Yuuki, he was killed. I imagine he won't be back for at least a few weeks or so. His corruption had gotten the better of him, so I made sure his death was quick and painless.

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text; un: wulala

[royalfling]

[ This is not what Wu was expecting to hear today. He saw Manabu just a few days ago, and, yes, he wasn't doing great, but he wasn't corrupt.

Was he?

It hurts down into his bones, hurts that his friend could go that far. That his other friend could take Manabu's life. He can't spare much to be confused or concerned or angry-- he knows how Deerington works, and it seems Trench works similarly, as much as he wanted to deny it.

He can't really bring himself to say much. Normally, he would be on video, but he's feeling too raw, too sad, too lonely, to show his face right now. Maybe he helped Childe, a week ago, but now? Now he couldn't help Manabu, not well enough. Now, he's useless and floundering and can barely think of what to say, but he has to acknowledge his friend's death. ]

Thank you for telling us. I'm sorry you had to do that.

I tried to help him. I guess it wasn't enough.

[monoceroscaeli]

[If he knows Wu at all, he knows there's a chance that he might be beating himself up over this unnecessarily.]

I've lived a good portion of my life on the battlefield. Sometimes these things happen.

[Though usually not quite in the way they've happened right now.]

I know if you tried to help him, that you tried your best. I think the lesson here is that perhaps sometimes, even the brightest light cannot uncover every corner of darkness if we hide it away well enough.

[royalfling]

Were you fighting him?

[ That would make it a little better, he supposes. But it doesn't stop the hurt wracking through him, exacerbated by the awful feelings of this month, of everyone's loneliness coalescing in him, of his own feelings of inadequacy and failure ]

You're probably right. Maybe there was nothing that could be done.

[ But that feels like a cop out. ]

Are you doing alright?

[ Wu's never killed someone, but it doesn't seem like it would be something one could just move on from. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

Don't worry about me. I'll be fine.

[It's not entirely answering Wu's question, but that's how he decides to go about it.]

I did have to fight the monster that Manabu had become. It was stronger than I had anticipated, but I managed to end it mostly unscathed.

[Wu can't see it, but Childe's fingers lightly touch his cheek where a tendril had slashed his face open. It was starting to heal, but it still stung and would be a reminder of that battle for several months.]

[royalfling]

Mostly isn't entirely. Do you need anything?

[ It's something he learned from Mako, bringing people food or whatever else they might need when they're hurting. ]

Where is Manabu? Is someone taking care of his body?

[monoceroscaeli]

No. I've got everything I need here, so I'll be fine, truly.

I've got Manabu here with me. I've got his body iced so it doesn't decay while he finds his way back here. One of his housemates will be here sometime today to drop some clothes off for him. Though, I'm not sure if there's anything else that can be done for him at the moment.

[royalfling]

You're probably right. That's all we can do for him.

Thank you, Childe. He'll be back soon, and... you did a good thing. Even though it was hard.

[ Even though he killed a friend. Wu saw it enough in Deerington to know when it was necessary ]

[monoceroscaeli]

Being thanked so sincerely for killing someone is a first for me. I'm not sure if I'll ever get used to that.

[But that will happen more, won't it? Not that he minds killing powerful foes, or even living in the chaos this all presents, but the way the situation even arises is unlike anything he's dealt with in Teyvat.

And he absolutely doesn't like it.]

I think I'll need some time to think about things. This experience has given me a lot to ponder in the meantime.

[royalfling]

A quirk of this place I suppose.

[ Not one he likes, but he understands it. ]

Of course. If you need to talk, let me know. My new powers are good for something.