idolpro | Zhongli's Ideal World Session Out of Time

The edges of the world fade around you as you suddenly come face to face with yourself. The sound of the other Travelers and Liyue harbor become indistinct. Your doppleganger bows in a standard Liyue greeting, posture too perfect and movements too precise, making it seem uncanny for a moment.

[ "There you are. I thought you'd never make it." ]

A gaming menu also flickers to life in front of your eyes:

Please choose one upgrade:

Details: You may ask your doppleganger questions until you get one answer that will assist you in repairing Zhongli's erosion.
Ascend: You may add +1 to any stat (following the rule that it does not exceed +2).
Refine: You will be healed to full health or can choose to be revived to 1 HP should you fall to 0 health.

[[ Disclaimer: You may get an upgrade from your doppleganger only once. Should the area your doppleganger exists in be cleansed of erosion, you will still be able to interact with them. ]]

[ yep yep yep that is creepy af thanks Zhongli he hates it ] [ is he dressed like a soldier, because that's gonna double the weird feelings

BUT FORTUNATELY, the menu is incredibly distracting.

Lupine will spend a few seconds staring at it, then check his stats. There's another second or two of hesitation, then he'll take Ascend. +1 ELM, because he can't imagine the contract he made before he got here wasn't important. ]

Yeah, well. Maybe you should have more faith in... yourself.

[ He is dressed in LiliS clothing! All Imeeji idols are in their unit clothes.

Also because Zhongli does not know Lupine well, his mannerisms, wording and such will be off. Think uncanny valley. ]

I guess that's fair. Either way, I'm glad you made it. Are you enjoying your time in Liyue?

[ Also please note that here your vision glows. Roll ELM to see if you can narrow down what the problem is ]

[ SURE CAN'T, ELM 2. At least it wasn't a critical fail? ] [ Lupine is trying so hard not to make a face, bb, but it's not easy. ]

'Enjoy' is one word for it. I'm sure the real version's a nice place, but this isn't exactly a pleasure cruise.

"... What do you mean?"

[ Eyes drop down to take in the LiliS clothes more pointedly. ]

I mean, this is a game. We're supposed to wake Zhongli up, and I'm currently hoping that the whole spiel about Erosion that started this one isn't just a red herring.

"Ah.

It's not.

But erosion affects everyone differently. In Zhongli's case, those who have passed on, those who left here, and those were who never here to begin with all mingle in the same space.

That is his erosion."

[[ Also feel free to reroll ELM each tag ]]

[ ELM 4 this time! ] [ His eyebrows lift. ]

—Felicity didn't know what I was talking about.

[ Half a beat, then: ]

You're not just what he knows of me, are you. It's not quite that simple.

[ Both Cardinal and the giant dragon glow. ]

"Correct. It's a little more complicated than that.

I'm here to help you fulfill your contract. So I have a little more sense of what's going on.

Unlike Zhongli - he really can't tell reality from fantasy anymore."

[ ........but not his doppelganger. Right? ] [ And this is why one of the things on the menu was to keep talking to you until he got one piece of vital information. ]

—Okay. What are my options for getting help from you at this point?

[ But not the doppleganger ]

"I'll answer any questions that I can to help you remove the erosion.

That vision - it tells you where it is, yeah? Once you find it. Then remove it."

[ But you won't necessarily give him the answer he needs, because the guarantee on that has sailed. ]

...What vision?

[ Beat. ]

You mean the way things keep glowing?

[ uhhhhhh does he have to fight the fake idols, ]

"Yes. That's reacting to your vision - a gift from the gods."

[ A beat ]

"Try to summon a small flame for me."

[ A very blank moment, then he frowns. ]

Small might be the best I can do.

[ With a zero and all. ] [ He holds out a hand, palm up, and... well, he doesn't know what fire's supposed to feel like. He's just — going to try the frisson of concentration he usually uses for Rapunzel. Sort of... warm...? Hard to describe. It worked to trigger nymph powers, ]

[ There is a small flame dancing in his hands that moves in accordance with his thoughts.

Congratulations - you have been through a speed training on harnessing the element of fire. ]

[ Even though he was expecting that, it's a little. Startling. ]

—So. Neat.

[ ...and it doesn't burn him, but he's gonna assume it's still hot. ......Resisting the impulse to bring his palm up to his chest to see if his shirt catches fire or if the not-burning is all-encompassing. ]

[ Your shirt will catch fire if that's what you want to happen. ]

[ LOOK, HE RESISTED THE IMPULSE, OKAY. ] [ Looking back up at his doppelganger. ]

This what you had in mind?

[ Do you want him to do anything with this, or should he just let it go out? ]

"You asked what the vision did. This is part of it. Not only does it grant you elemental sight, but it gives you the ability to control one element.

With your other skills, you should be equipped to remove the erosion in this world."

And. When you say remove...

[ Trails away. ]

Should I be attacking these people?

[ Because he can do that. They're not real. But man. Felicity. Lark... ]

"If that is your strength.

If not, you can try to find Zhongli and convince him they're not real."

[ Lips purse. Probably doesn't have enough information to do that yet, but... he'd rather go that route than the brute force one. ]

Any preference?

"That choice is up to you."

So I should take it that Zhongli won't mind, either?

[ Wry. Wouldn't that be nice. ]

Is there anything else you can tell me, or do for me?

"Zhongli, once free from erosion, will understand what it is you were trying to do.

In this state, however---

If you are swift, it should not be a problem."

[ He puts a hand to his chin ]

"If you have further questions, I can try to answer them. But I am no longer able to tell you where exactly the erosion is.

You will have to use your Vision for that."

Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine

Re: Doppleganger: Lupine