AUDIENCE: HUA CHENG

[retellers]

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week 2, tuesday

[retellers]

[ Hua Cheng makes a wish, and at first it almost seems like nothing is happening... but not long after, there's a flash of sparkling light for behind him and Swan is standing primly there, hands at their side ]

Hi. And here I thought you didn't want to talk to me.

[ it's said like a very weak joke ]

[supremity]

[ Hua Cheng squints up at the stars of the planetarium for a moment, like he's actually contemplating a serious! answer! to that, but then turns. ]

It was a near thing. [ Dryly. J...joke. ] No, with quite a bit going on, I just had to decide what my opinion of you was.

[ So, like, yay? ]

[retellers]

And... it's... a good one?

[ in a confused sort of tone ]

[supremity]

[ Pleasantly(?): ] Good enough.

[ tiger for bottom tier atm tho ]

You've all heard every accusation of distrust and unfairness under the sun already, none of us need to rehash it. We've got more important things to be dealing with, when a place has a veritable mind of its own and the power to execute it, and people willing to kill running around in the meantime.

So, yes. I want to talk to you now.

[retellers]

Right.

[ there's a kind of wan smile before they draw themselves to stand up straight, looking almost commanding for a moment ]

So what did you want to talk about?

week 2, sunday

[retellers]

[ it takes a bit, but wherever hua cheng ends up going to after his request is unanswered is where swan shows up, teleporting in with a sparkle of light and a groan ]

Okay! Okay, I'm here. What did you need?

[supremity]

[ Look at that, a light show. Hua Cheng at least doesn't go too far from the planetarium, mulling over shenanigans. ]

Oh, good. You're alive. [ like, a joke but also not??? ] With the way they went running off after the execution, I was wondering what happened.

[retellers]

[ there's a weak laugh ]

Let's... just say people have maybe been breaking the rules a little too much and the Realm isn't totally stable right now.

[supremity]

That's... not particularly comforting, given everything that's going on.

[ And here he was, trying to follow the rules? Guys come on if he's still cooperating. ]

Should we be concerned with a collapse, or a greater loss of nova? Someone came forward with the information that there's an outside entity stealing nova, and apparently one person - if not multiple - has been killed because their nova was splintered. So if the Realm is unstable, that runs the risk of it being even more vulnerable.

Whatever the, ah, rules allow you to share.

week 4, wednesday

[retellers]

[ On Wednesday, before the mini-event, there's a text from Swan.

"I'll come see you when you're alone."

and true to their word, swan will teleport to where HC is, looking solemn... but with a set to their jaw, like they've made up their minds. ]

I'm sorry that it's so out of the blue, but there's something I need to ask of you.

[supremity]

[ Considering that Hua Cheng is doing a bit of running around, it takes a little time for him to truly be alone. But he makes sure of it, for Swan - and stands with his arms crossed, waiting.

That's certainly a serious face. ]

And what's that?

[retellers]

Alyssa's nova is splintering. [ they pause and frown ] Or something--someone-- is making me feel like it is. If it was just that, I might have let it go. I can't just trust a feeling when I know I didn't feel the same for Yoshizawa. But... even if it's not true... and what I'm feeling is just someone trying to pit us against each other...

[ they curl their hands into a fist ]

Some of the Leaders have been saying it, and people have received the same message from the participants who have been removed. To get the ones from our team back, our team needs to kill twice. That's why, I'm asking you to remove Alyssa.

[supremity]

[ So here it is. There have been enough guesses at how this works, and whether or not it was true, but to have the confirmation... ]

Alright. [ He hears them out, all the way to the end, and that's that - simple. ] It may be that someone might be trying to pit teams against one another, which lends more credence to the possibility of someone working outside of the rules of the Realm, but if there's a chance?

We can take it, and I'm willing to be the one to do it. [ calmly ] Better me than any of the others. They're not incapable, but Taako is still hurt and the others don't need to take that responsibility.

[ Fiora wouldn't do it, anyways. tch ]

week 4, sunday

[retellers]

[ this will probably take him by surprise but whether he's in the planetarium or uh elsewhere, what he is getting is a very sudden teleport next to him that immediately turns into a hug. hi. hello. ]

You did it...!

[ someone sounds Relieved ]

[supremity]

[ HELLO? Hua Cheng at least has enough time to be aware that it's Swan that has appeared next to him, before he is being hugged. You are so small. I am dying. What is happening.

... he. Puts his hand between her shoulders, the other going on top of her hooded head. Pat pat. ]

When I make a promise, I don't tend to break it.

[retellers]

[ hua cheng is so giant and she is so small. it is hilarious. but yeah, swan squeezes before looking up at him with a soft grin ]

And you didn't. Thank you. [ she'll let him go after, though, mostly because oh god her neck. both their necks. ]

[supremity]

[ Sorry, his legs account for most of her height, don't they? But once the hug has ended, he inclines his head at the thanks. ]

You're welcome. It had to be taken care of, even if I'm sure she'll be gearing up to haunt me, on the other side. [ just a wild guess ] How're you feeling, now?

[ What did you remember what did you learn, give him the lore. ]

week 5, wednesday

[retellers]

[ teleport nyooms in

i have grown so lazy with opening texts ]

Hi, Hua Cheng! Is this about the chest?

[ she's heard. from sowa. ]

[supremity]

[ He wiggles his finger in his ear at some static, but otherwise is just like, sup, there's no need for opening text at this point. ]

I figured he probably would've told you about it.

[ taDA, he has it. ]

[retellers]

Hmmm. Okay, let me take a crack at it. [ she'll peer at the lock, looking all over at it... then uh, draws her fist up with sparkles and punches the lock.

nothing happens. ]

[supremity]

[




He stares down at the chest. Narrows his eye. ]

Of course. [ A tap tap on the top of it, not expecting anything. ] Can you materialize a lockpick or is that too easy.

week 6, thursday

[glitterbomber]

[ sparkly teleport in ]

Hi, Hua Cheng. [ she

is immediately on her tippy toes trying to see the gift ]

[supremity]

[ They're nearing the end, he's just going to continue letting his name slip in one ear, out the other. ]

Hello, Swan.

[ He holds it out of her reach, having rolled it up. ]

First thing's first - are you hurt anywhere? [ Like, you know, all the rest of us. ]

[glitterbomber]

[ she is so bad at remembering and it's funny. anyway she pouts and considers teleporting like. visibly. ]

Look for yourself! I'm totally fine. [ and it's true that while her outfit covers a lot of skin what's visible is... not? injured? and she does not seem to be bleeding?

hmm ]

[supremity]

[ It's not even like anyone's called him out on his deadeyed stare before he responds, it's fine, he's not going to deal with it. ]

Hm. [ prods her with the scroll ] You know, gege was pretending he wasn't, as well.

[ Hua Cheng does not trust her. But he'll relent - for now - and give the scroll to her. ]