Childe "I Can Make Her Worse" Tartaglia (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
monoceroscaeli) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
insurmountable2022-11-26 09:40 pm
monoceroscaeli) wrote in insurmountable2022-11-26 09:40 pm
Entry tags:
you hide your face with your disguise // 'cause someone filled your head with lies
[It had been a few days since the hunt for the Great Mujina Youkai had come to an end, having to say goodbye to the kids and to Yoimiya too. The ship that was to take him back to Snezhnaya would be arriving a bit later in the day, and Childe sighs as he sits back in his chair in the tent he's occupying in one such hidden Fatui camp. He had a great time in Inazuma. The country was beautiful, rich with a new culture to learn and all sorts of places to explore and fight new and more exciting enemies. All his things were in order- the gifts that he'd bought to bring back to his family, Teucer's Onikabuto in a little bug box with some food to keep it alive during the trip back- all he'd have to do is wait for the ship and he'd be on his way.
He tells himself that he'd return to the country one day, once tensions between the Fatui and the Shogunate calm down. It was a miracle that he was able to stay as long as he has, evading the Tenryou Commission. He has some people to thank for that, and he won't forget what they did for him while he's been here. Some gifts would be in order for them upon his return.
The Harbinger idly plays with a writing utensil between his fingers. He'd like to bring something from Snezhnaya for Yoimiya, too.
There's a sharp rap at his door, and Childe sighs. He doesn't really want to deal with work right now, perfectly happy reminiscing on the time he's spent in Inazuma before he leaves, but answers with a bored tone to his voice:]
Come in.
[An agent enters, bowing and standing at attention.]
Sir, we've captured a Tenryou Commission spy that was found sneaking around. We've taken her into custody and are awaiting your orders on how to deal with her.
[Childe's eyebrow raises. It should have been hard to find this camp, even by the Shuumatsuban. Somehow, doubt creeps into his mind, but stands from his chair.]
Alright, I'll deal with it myself. At least I can have one last bit of fun before I depart.
[The agent only bows once more, to lead Childe towards the prisoner. He knows better than to argue with the Harbinger, but feels sorry for the spy. The two cross the camp to another tent, the agent stopping him right before lifting the flap for his senior commander.]
She claims to be from the fireworks shop, but we've seen Tenryou soldiers stop frequently at it.
[Before he can answer, the flap is lifted to reveal a certain girl that he'd met not but a few days ago...]
He tells himself that he'd return to the country one day, once tensions between the Fatui and the Shogunate calm down. It was a miracle that he was able to stay as long as he has, evading the Tenryou Commission. He has some people to thank for that, and he won't forget what they did for him while he's been here. Some gifts would be in order for them upon his return.
The Harbinger idly plays with a writing utensil between his fingers. He'd like to bring something from Snezhnaya for Yoimiya, too.
There's a sharp rap at his door, and Childe sighs. He doesn't really want to deal with work right now, perfectly happy reminiscing on the time he's spent in Inazuma before he leaves, but answers with a bored tone to his voice:]
Come in.
[An agent enters, bowing and standing at attention.]
Sir, we've captured a Tenryou Commission spy that was found sneaking around. We've taken her into custody and are awaiting your orders on how to deal with her.
[Childe's eyebrow raises. It should have been hard to find this camp, even by the Shuumatsuban. Somehow, doubt creeps into his mind, but stands from his chair.]
Alright, I'll deal with it myself. At least I can have one last bit of fun before I depart.
[The agent only bows once more, to lead Childe towards the prisoner. He knows better than to argue with the Harbinger, but feels sorry for the spy. The two cross the camp to another tent, the agent stopping him right before lifting the flap for his senior commander.]
She claims to be from the fireworks shop, but we've seen Tenryou soldiers stop frequently at it.
[Before he can answer, the flap is lifted to reveal a certain girl that he'd met not but a few days ago...]
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So he turns back to Yoimiya, softening his expression, to help reassure her that things are okay.]
Yeah, I think so. I thought I sensed something in here somewhere, so be on guard just in case. The last thing we need is to be caught off guard if there really is something in here.
[If his theory that there might be some kind of volcanic activity is correct, there's a chance some kind of fire elemental might be here too. But that's nothing he can't handle, especially with his hydro vision.]
Stay close me either way. I wouldn't forgive myself if you got hurt.
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If anything, a fight will make this date even more exciting, a sentiment this thrill-seeking blonde shares with her lover. ]
Will do! If something is lurking inside of this cave, it's going to be in for a bad time if it tries to mess with us.
[ Yoimiya's got her bow and Yoifish and she's not afraid to use them.
True to her word, she stays close to Ajax's side with her bow locked and loaded with arrows. As they traverse together, Yoimiya never senses the entity that caught Ajax's attention but unbeknownst to her, they're being pulled along like puppets with something terrible at the reigns of their strings.
T̴͔̔h̶̩̾a̵̠̐t̵̥͐'̴̠̉s̵̮͝ ̷̪̇ right, ẗ̶̘́h̴̼͛í̵͉s̸̯͑ ̸́͜ḯ̷̤s̵͔̔ ̴͇́t̷̢̓h̵̖͝ḛ̸̂ path you seek. Come c̵͇͛l̴̙͝ö̷̦́ș̷̒e̷̫̽ȑ̷̥... closer... closer...
An invasive voice echoes in her mind. Normally, that would be a huge cause for concern but its timbre is so soft, singing in her ears like a soothing lullaby that she blissfully accepts it with ease. The gentle voice beckons her to keep going, a command that Yoimiya is happy to comply with. ]
Huh... I can't explain it but something is telling me we need to keep going down this path.
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They make their way further down into the cave, the paths splitting off here and there, and Ajax follows Yoimiya as she seems to be leading them.]
Oh? Is this your women's intuition?
[Not that he's doubting it, but it's amusing to him that she seems confident in her decisions about their path.]
I've got a feeling you're right though- the sound of running water is getting louder the further we continue. Can you hear it now? It was almost too quiet to hear, but I can hear it moving somewhere around us.
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For the time being, she tries to brush off the strange feeling stirring inside of her, choosing to focus on the sounds of the cave. She closes her eyes and listens, it's faint but her ears pick up the white nose of water flowing across the cavern walls. ]
Ah! You're right, that's definitely the sound of running water. Sounds like we're getting closer to making a discovery.
[ Whatever that something is, Yoimiya is so excited to see it for herself. Now that she's even more confident they're going down the right path, she continues forward with her precious Thundering Pulse still drawn. They trudge deeper and deeper down the trail with Yoifish's sparkling light leading the way and it's then, she notices the temperature around them is considerably warmer than when they first walked into the cave. The once glistening stones are now as black as the night sky as they walk further and from a distance, a small stream of firey lava awaits them. ]
Ajax, look! There's a little strip of lava. You were right, looks like there is volcanic activity.
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He's not sure how far down they've gone at this point. Spending the time with Yoimiya doesn't make it feel all that long, but he's guessing since it's starting to heat up, that they've traveled quite a way down. His eyes instantly snap towards the natural light of the lava stream the minute it's visible, his face brightening with the discovery.
They really did discover lava in this cave!]
Whaddya know.
[He walks over closer to the stream, bubbling dangerously as it flows downwards towards what he imagines is something bigger.]
It looks as if this whole tunnel used to be filled with lava a long time ago. The walls are obsidian, [he states, gesturing at the jet black stones.] Incredible. I never would of guessed such a thing existed here...let's follow the stream, shall we?
[He gestures for Yoimiya to follow, but coincidentally, they won't have to walk far- the tunnel that houses the stream eventually opens up into a huge expanse of lava, an entire lake of it that lights up the ceiling. The blue of the stones of the ceiling glow bright in contrast to the obsidian that juts out every which way at the bottom, as if they were standing on a crown of the rock with a dark blue sky above them. The sight of it is intense and breathtaking, and he can barely contain his delight. Exploring is always so cool.]
Goodness, look at that! Hahaha, what an incredible sight! Yoimiya, isn't this wonderful?
[He looks excitedly over to her, like a kid who just got a huge present that he didn't even ask for.]
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Finally, the stretch opens itself to a scene that Yoimiya never thought she'd get to witness even in her wildest dreams. An endless pool of lava oozes across the cave's floor and looks absolutely breathtaking as it casts light on the shimmering blue stones paired with the obsidian stalagmites. It's as if they're standing in the middle of a sea of crimson gold topped with a majestic blue sky above them. ]
Oh my goodness, it's wonderful! Your theory was right, Ajax! There really is lava inside of this cave.
[ Utterly captivated by this magnificent sight, she drops her guard, completely forgetting about the dangerous presence to take in this amazing discovery. She looks over at Ajax with an equally jovial expression, the lava is incredible and she's having a blast but his childlike wonder fills her heart to the brim with glee. ]
It feels like we just made a huge discovery. And to think... this amazing sight is practically in your backyard.
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I know. I'm sure the people of Morepesok and the surrounding area can make good use of this, as we've made springs such as this into energy sources around the country. Snezhnaya is the leader in military might on the continent- and we're able to stay there for a reason.
[But that's not why they're here. Tartaglia begins to step closer to it, beckoning Yoimiya to stick to him but follow. The last thing he wants is for either of them to get hurt, somehow. But regardless, and he can't really put a finger on why, but getting closer to the lava feels like a good idea.]
Come, get a good look. Who knows when you'll be able to see something like this again. Be careful now, we wouldn't want you falling in.
[But as soon as he says it, he senses that presence again. It's faint, but he feels a pressure at the back of his mind, and an aura that seems like it's distant. He doesn't want to alert Yoimiya to this though, but he looks around to see if he can see something, taking his eye off of his girlfriend so he can survey the area just in case.]
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She's so excited to view the lava up close. When Ajax motions for her to follow, she's hot on his tail, practically stuck to his back like glue. As thrilled as she is, Yoimiya also knows the dangers of playing too closely with fire, so she's taking extra steps to be careful. ]
I don't want to miss this incredible opportunity for the world. Don't worry, I won't leave your side, not even for a second!
[ In a cruel twist of fate, she spoke far too soon.
Now with her guard down, the dark presence seizes the opportunity to shroud Yoimiya's mind in pitch-black darkness, the light in her eyes loses its bright shine, blurring her sight and forcing her own consciousness out of her body. As Ajax admires the bubbling lava, she doesn't say anything and even if he did, she wouldn't be able to recognize his voice. All she can hear is a soft timbre whispering commands like a sweet symphony playing in her ear.
Doesn't it look warm and inviting? It's waiting for you. Go on and you'll have sweet dreams for eternity. ]
Ajax...
[ Mindlessly walking forward, her lover's name escapes from her lips like a mantra. She breaks away from Ajax's side, striding dangerously close to the edge to peer over the sea of crimson. The voice in her head is right, the lava looks warm and inviting, a beautiful bed of gold to sleep in forever. It's then, Yoimiya does the unthinkable; she steps off the edge and begins to fall face-first into the smoldering hot lava. ]
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Hey, Yoimiya-
[Until something dark enters his mind too, lulling him into a sense of complacency, a hypnotic voice that brushes against his mind and sings to him so sweetly that he hesitates to do anything to stop her. Ajax's body sways back and forth as his girlfriend hovers over the lava, the voice soothing his concerns about her precarious position. His eyes lid heavily, the trance he's falling into heavy and deep.
Let her go, this is her wish, to fall into an eternal sleep. Let her do this, this is her destiny. Be happy for her that she can fulfill it...]
Yes...goodbye, Yoimiya...
[The word 'goodbye' seems to trigger something in his head, watching her begin her fall, and his mind seems to snap out of it as electricity manifests around him in a sudden realization of what's happening.
Goodbye?!
One second he's there, the next second Ajax is only a streak of purple, a bolt lightning that streaks across the expanse of the entire lake of the boiling, molten lake that's opened its arms wide to welcome Yoimiya into it. No longer is the blonde falling to her fiery death, now in the arms of the young man who's entire outfit has gone jet black with her in his arms, on the shore of the other side of the vast sea of lava. Tartaglia kneels down, his arms and hands shaking but unable to let her go as he gazes into her eyes now devoid of the shine that was once in them. Panic surges through him, trying to steady his breathing but all he can do is wonder what just happened.]
Yoimiya, hey, Yoimiya! Are you okay? Yoimiya...!
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Just in the nick of time, Tartaglia saves her from what would have been her firey grave with lightning-fast precision. She can just barely make out the sounds of crackling thunder before being pulled away in an embrace warmer than that of the lava. Her lover has just saved her from a terrible, painful death but sadly, all of her senses are gone, she's unable to see or even feel anything around her. All there is is pitch-black nothingness.
Somewhere in the depths of her soul, she can hear Ajax's voice calling out her name but the presence that's captured her mind doesn't allow her to respond. All her listless body can do is stare at him with empty eyes, her dazzling gold irises once full of energy and spark are now cold and devoid of any life.
Then, the dark voice that wormed its way into Ajax's mind speaks again. This time, the timbre no longer has that tranquil pitch and instead, has a hint of sadness and the slightest edge of agitation.
Why... why did you stop her? She was so close to fulfilling her wish. Why couldn't you just let her fall? Why? ]
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Panic surges through him as he stares down at her, that cold lifeless void in her eyes unnerving him more than anything in his life ever has. Through countless battles he's faced, terrifying monsters that nearly ate him alive in the Abyss, nothing has frozen him down to the core more than to see Yoimiya just gone in front of him. Her body is still warm, she's breathing, and yet it's as if he's holding a lifeless doll in his arms. Ajax shakes her, his voice pitching upward as he continues to call out to her, begging for her to wake.]
Yoimiya, please wake up, please...
[This can't be happening. The anxiety in his chest only grows, until that presence, that aura comes back and envelops his thoughts once again. His own vision blurs and his body sways again as it speaks, feeling its emotions almost as if they were his own. Whatever it is, it's far too powerful for them to safely stay here, but that doesn't stop his own agitation from growing.]
Who are you?! What have you done to her?! What do you want with her?! Let her go!!!
[Ajax holds onto Yoimiya for dear life, terrified that if he let her go for even a second, she'd stand back up and walk herself right into the lava again. Whatever possessed her to do that is clearly the owner of the voice in his head, and he's thankful that the Tsaritsa's power gave him the ability to snap out of that trance in the nick of time.]
You may of tried to pull a fast one on me there, but mark my words, I'll never allow you to try to take her from me again!
[He shouts into the emptiness of the cave, his voice bouncing off of the pitch black walls that now jut out in ways to resemble the teeth of a giant maw, ready to swallow them both whole. Tartaglia won't bother to grace the voice's questions with a proper answer, furious and wanting only to rip the head off of whoever's made his precious Yoimiya their target. He looks around the giant cave in anger, his ire boiling hotter than the lava that almost took her life.]
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Somewhere in the depths of her soul, Yoimiya can hear her beloved begging, pleading for her to wake up. His voice is like a tiny speck of light rousing her consciousness but try as she might, her body refuses to respond to her. This is easily one of the most terrifying moments of her life, never before has she felt trapped in her own body, unable to scream, unable to cry, unable to do anything. Whatever is controlling her has a tight grip on her mind, forcing her to see nothing but an empty void.
Finally, her body shows the first signs of a response, blearily blinking her eyes at him. She's looking right at him, looking as if she's slowly starting to come to. ]
Ajax...
[ As his name departs from her lips, her voice is dull and lacking her bright spunk. It becomes evident that she's still under the possession of something horrific as she stares at him with her lifeless eyes that could turn anyone's blood cold. ]
It's time for me to go. I must fulfill my destiny...
[ To twist the knife in Ajax's heart even harder, the presence that's taken over Yoimiya's body uses her voice to speak, it's as if the mysterious entity isn't here to simply kill the blonde, it wants to make them suffer.
See? This is what she wishes for, to have sweet dreams and sleep for all of eternity. Let her go and forget all about her. ]
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Stop it. Stop it!
[Tartaglia's teeth grit, his rage and sorrow growing as he finds no way to retaliate against the entity in her head that's making her say these things, making her try to kill herself. And for what? What has Yoimiya done to earn this? Why didn't it try to kill him instead, because it knew he'd be able to fight against it?]
She isn't yours to sacrifice! That's not her wishes, you're just puppeteering her into doing your bidding! I swear when I find you, I'll make you pay for what you've done here...
[Ajax stands up, still holding Yoimiya tightly in his arms, unable to look down knowing that what he'd see is nothing more than an empty shell of his lover bound by the spell that this entity has placed upon her. Electricity surges upward around his body again, stepping forward now to leave this cave behind and get her out of here. He doesn't know if there's a distance to this power over her, if getting back home is far enough away to break it...and worst case scenario is that now that it's wormed its way into Yoimiya's mind, it's there until it decides to release her.
But staying here won't net him any answer, so he chooses now to begin the trek back, his power staying up to guard against any more mind attacks. Unknowingly to Tartaglia, the entity itself could easily cut through even that if it wanted to.]
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Ajax, let me go. Please let me go. I must go. Please... please.
[ Not only is the entity controlling her body, it takes hold of her voice, making her speak in a monotone timbre, unlike the bubbly blonde's usual perky tone. Whatever this entity is, it clearly wants Yoimiya dead for some cruel reason, the presence inside of her head is fighting hard to snuff her life out while making Ajax suffer in the worst way possible.
Suddenly, his voice finally seems to unlock something within her. In the depths of her empty eyes, there's the tiniest bit of light, the faintest hint of recognition as she stares at him. Still fighting to get out of his hold, her body is going against her wishes but the words that slip out of her lips tell a whole different story. ]
Please... help me, Ajax.
[ With a weak and trembling voice, she barely manages to enunciate her plea for help. ]
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No, Yoimiya. Stay with me. You can't go, something's telling you to do this. Don't listen to it, listen to me. Stay with me. Please.
[He begs, pleads with her, hoping something might wake her. And it seems like his efforts are rewarded, for when that weak voice finally comes, he looks down in surprise. Tartaglia can see her, she's fighting so hard for her life and for control of herself. His voice catches in his throat as he tries to fight back a scream, angry tears coming to his eyes, being forced to watch as she's being tortured by this presence inside of her body.]
I'll save you Yoimiya, I promise you this.
[With a renewed strength, Ajax pushes forward until the sunlight of the day finally kisses his face, a sight that should fill him with relief to be out of the cave, and yet he doesn't know if this will make a difference. Emerging from it, a cold biting wind instantly hits the pair, reminding them of their place in the desolate snow-swept lands of Snezhnaya. He looks around, to make sure there are no monsters or predators nearby, before giving her his full attention.]
Let's go, we need to get far away from here. Talk to me Yoimiya, please. Tell me...tell me you're you again.
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As they depart from the cave, Yoimiya is immediately met with a brush of cold wind and a stray sunbeam hitting her face. Normally, that should do the trick in rousing anyone but under this trance where everything around her is surrounded in darkness, not even the bright sun or the freezing cold of Snezhnaya is enough to stir her, she feels like a lifeless doll in his arms. ]
Thank you, Ajax... I know you will, I believe in you.
[ This is about as dire of a situation as one can get but even so, Yoimiya's faith in Ajax will never waver. If there's anyone who can rescue her from this terrible spell, it's the person she loves most in this world. ]
I... I don't know. All I can see is pitch-black darkness, I can't feel a thing... not even your arms around me. I'm scared Ajax... I'll do my best to fight it but I'm so, so scared...
[ A void of nothingness, that's all the mysterious entity allows her to see. Yoimiya has always tried to be a ray of sunshine, living her life to the fullest, and in all her years, this is the first time she's ever felt cold and lonely. It takes a lot for the normally fearless blonde to admit she's terrified, she can't recall a single time she's ever felt this scared. If only her body wasn't an empty shell, she'd be trembling and crying tears in his arms but she's unable to even choke out a sob. The only comfort she has is her lover's voice. ]
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Just keep fighting, Yoimiya. You've already managed to come to your senses, so it's only a matter of time before you can overcome this. I know you can do it, and I'm going to be with you to help you every step of the way. I'm right here, so I promise everything will be okay. Let me know the second anything changes with your body, alright?
[Not being able to see or feel anything, seeing if she can walk on her own is out of the question, gladly carrying her back to Morepesok. Tartaglia trudges through the snow with her in his arms, senses on high alert as he tries to keep watch for anything that might see them as a free meal. His Delusion is still active, to ward his mind of anything that tries to interfere with it, praying to the Tsaritsa silently that Yoimiya will make it out of this okay.]
For now, I want to hear something, Yoimiya. Tell me about the last festival you put a fireworks show on for in Inazuma.
[Maybe, if she talks more, she'll regain more of herself back. He truly has no idea how to help her in this fight, but he'll try anything to see if it helps.]
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[ No matter the circumstance, Ajax truly does have the power to lift her spirits. Being deprived of her senses has been the most terrifying experience of her life, especially since neither one of them knows if she'll ever be cured but listening to the love of her life's encouragement stokes the flames of her heart to keep on fighting. The sooner she gets better, the sooner she'll be able to see him, touch him, and be with him. She has to keep on fighting, not just for her sake but for him as well. Ajax has been doing his best for her, so she needs to do the same. He promises to stay by her side and that's all she needs to keep trying.
The faintest hint of a smile curves on the corners of her lips at his question, she closes her eyes, doing her best to reminisce on happy memories. She knows he's asking about her beloved fireworks in order to help perk her up and it's terribly sweet of him. It's moments like these that Yoimiya feels like the luckiest woman in all of Teyvat to have someone who cares and loves her so much. ]
It was... the day before I left Inazuma to visit you. Since I knew I would be gone for a while, I wanted to throw everyone a huge show so I could see everyone's dazzling smiles one last time. My parents and I invited everyone and anyone we could think of and had a blast on Amakane island. I wish you could have seen it, Ajax. It was so splendid. Iwao, Saika, and Matsuzaka couldn't stop screaming about the onikabuto firework. I...
[ Suddenly, she goes alarmingly silent, trailing off her words. ]
I...I...
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That is, until she starts to stutter and fade.]
Yoimiya?
[Tartaglia slows to a stop, concern lining his features, before kneeling down and holding her with one arm. His other hand goes to cup her cheek, staring down hard to try to find signs of what her condition might be.]
Yoimiya, are you alright? I'm here, keep fighting, okay? Don't give up.
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I... I'm sorry...
[ Her apology wrenched with pain is the last sense of control she has before succumbing to the presence lurking inside of her. In a flash, she summons her bow to slam the cold metal into his stomach to break away from his arms. As soon as his hold around her loosens, Yoimiya quickly jumps away just out of arm's reach, firing off a barrage of pyro-infused arrows at both him and the snow-capped trees. Her arrows sink into the trunks of the trees, shaking the leaves to cause piles of snow to impede Ajax from getting close to her.
But if there's anyone who can handle a fight, it's the Eleventh Harbinger himself. The entity inside of Yoimiya knows that snow won't be enough to stop a man brimming with determination to save his lover. Through the falling snow, he'll be able to lock stares with the dead eyes of his once happy-go-lucky girlfriend who now has her bow locked and loaded right at him with a cold expression devoid of any emotion. ]
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Wha-
[Without warning, Yoimiya's bow connects solidly with his stomach with a strength he wasn't prepared for, sending him flying backwards onto his butt, rolling with the momentum as the realization of what was happening sinks in.
She lost her fight, and now that thing has full control of his girlfriend's body.
Rage, sorrow, and panic flood his system as he automatically enters into a combat mindset, his own bow forming in his hand to knock away arrows that fly directly at him. Snow falls around him and onto him from the trees, heavy with the burden of the Snezhnayan blizzards that ravage the land; it's clearly a distraction and to put distance between them. But he can see how empty her expression is, how dead her eyes look as she takes aim at him. He hates that it can even make use of her Vision despite not being her own soul in charge of the body, making this more of a problem than he would have liked. But for now, he has to push down his emotions and figure out what to do.
Seasoned in unexpected combat situations, Childe moves swiftly through the snow, maneuvering easily as he displays having lived here his entire life through his movements. He expects her arrow to fly at him anytime, ready for it and knowing that her powers allow her arrows to do more than just hold pyro energy in them. She'll use her power to make ones that'll follow him too, even if he dodges them- but he's prepared for that.
And when the opportunity presents itself, he takes aim, hydro arrow aimed right at her bow, loosing it in an attempt to disarm her by knocking her bow from her hand. Even that small amount of time, successful or not, will give him an opportunity to close the distance between the two of them...and he's relatively sure that she's not versed with melee-range weapons to deal with him once he's there.]
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Ajax knows his girlfriend's skills all too well. The thing controlling Yoimiya forces her to charge up her next shot, summoning her signature kindling arrows alongside it. She focuses all her power on this attack, firing off all four shots with a quick release of her fingers, the main arrow is accompanied by one of the gleaming arrows as they zero in on their target, coming straight for Tartaglia. It's quintessential Yoimiya fighting style, all of her firey arrows packed into one single punch, however... two of the honing arrows bizarrely don't follow him. Instead, they fly past him into a mysterious portal shaped disturbingly like an eye. It closes its lid, swallowing the arrows before vanishing into thin air. But Ajax doesn't have to wait long for them, the two pyro-infused arrows that mysteriously vanished have seemingly manifested from both flanks, flying at him from left and right.
In this dire situation, a glimmer of hope comes in the form of Ajax's own arrow. As she was focused on charging up her powerful strike, it's too late for her to dodge the incoming hydro projectile, causing his shot to knock her bow right out of her hands and into the pristine white snow. Ajax's power really is on a whole new level, just the sheer force of his arrow also knocks her beloved's mask off her head alongside the accessories holding her golden blonde hair together. For the first time since this battle has started, she finally lets out a noise, a pained yelp from her wrist feeling the aftershock of Ajax's incredible shot. Disheveled with her blonde locks falling past her shoulders, Yoimiya is momentarily stunned by the loss of her bow, her body needing a short second to recover.
But that short second is the opportunity he's been waiting for. As she's looking for her bow, this is the perfect time to finally close the distance between them. ]
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First of which- he's confused as to why some of her shots flew past him, and when he anticipates them coming back, he sees them get swallowed by an eye-shaped portal. That, all in itself, is terrifying, and unless Yoimiya's been hiding something from him, he's pretty sure that's not a part of her normal elemental powers. It had an aura of power that's unlike anything he's ever felt before, and before he knows it those stray arrows are coming in at him from the sides unexpectedly. He barely manages to dodge them, swearing that he can feel them singe his hair- but this entire little encounter has been very enlightening for him, especially when it seems that being controlled by another entity doesn't give her invulnerability to attacks.
It twists his heart to hear her yelp in pain from his arrow striking the bow right out of her hand and sending not only his mask but her hair accessory from her hair, leaving her a disheveled mess as he finally closes that distance and gets up right next to her. This isn't like a spar where they'd be having fun fighting each other...this is a life and death situation.]
Enough...!
[He has to put aside that it's Yoimiya he's about to tackle, that he's going to hurt her no matter how badly he doesn't want to. Whatever it is that's controlling her is pure chaos, and he's already feeling like he's at his wit's end trying to figure out how to deal with this and save his girlfriend. So he hurls himself at her, to keep her from getting her bow and to pin her to the ground, quickly trying to grab for her Vision so he can stuff it in his own coat to disarm her further.
His eyes are a whirlwind of anger and rage at the thing inside of her, staring down at Yoimiya wanting to reach in and pull it out of her, if only he had that ability to do so without killing her.]
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Without any regard for her life whatsoever, the entity cruelly forces her to go against her beloved. Despite being a great deal smaller than him, Yoimiya fights back with all of her strength, not even caring that he's swiped her vision as she grabs his shoulders and digs her fingers into the fabric of his coat in an attempt to push him off of her. She doesn't need powers, all she needs is the perfect chance to escape from his clutches to fulfill the voice's promise of sweet dreams. Her body seems to finally be responding to her natural instincts, grunting and groaning underneath him as they tussle in the snow. ]
Ajax... why aren't you letting me go? Let me go... let me go...
[ All the while the emotionless blonde eerily stares at him with her cold, lifeless eyes, looking like a mindless doll who yearns for her own death. ]
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It's just that he can't think of a single reason why an outside entity would want to kill her. If it was a sacrifice, he would of done just as well for that, but it wants her specifically. Just what is going on...?]
Yoimiya, [he says softly, trying to keep her words from affecting him too much, but her expression kills him. To hear those words from her, to see those lifeless eyes, knowing that she's being controlled...it's almost too much.]
I'm not going to let you go. I know whatever's got you can hear me right now, [he says, his ire building as he addresses the unknown entity controlling her,] so please. Give her back to me. I don't know what you want, but I can't let you take her from me.
[He can't fight whatever's inside of Yoimiya, so he's forced to try to reason with it- and if that doesn't work, then he'll need to think of something else.]
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