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xiulan zhou
OTHER SCHOOLING ALUM FORTUNE TELLER DIVINATION MASTERY CLAIRVOYANT PROPHET
176 posts
played by Audrey
That fancy wine won't put this fire out.
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last online Apr 29, 2024 18:36:37 GMT -7
WIZARDING ADULT
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Sept 23, 2021 10:35:33 GMT -7
Post by xiulan zhou on Sept 23, 2021 10:35:33 GMT -7
April 4, 2026 Gradually, Bianca explained to her that her father had been a role model for her when she was growing up and that it was because of him that she had been sold on the idea of being good to other people. That wasn't a bad thing, in itself, but it seemed that Bianca's level of dedication to that commitment versus what was realistic to accomplish had been causing her strain. "I want to believe he’s right. I made this far, didn't I? He always thought I had the potential to become something. But he never got to see it," she said. "And everything I’ve seen of the world, everything I’ve seen as an Auror… I don’t know if I can believe that being good is enough, or that evil can be defeated. It sounds like it belongs in a fairytale more than real life." She was visibly distressed but stopped to sip her tea. "So was he wrong, then? Am I just fooling myself that I have the power to change anything?"
Xiulan took a moment to absorb Bianca's question. She didn't have a concrete answer for her even after some thought on the subject. "Divination is difficult for even skilled witches and wizards to understand," she acknowledged. "And many people choose not to put their faith in it." Some even considered it a sham. "I am a Seer, but even my abilities are limited," Xiulan added, though she guessed that Bianca probably didn't want to hear that. She couldn't just tell Bianca every detail of her future by looking at her, for instance.
Bianca Alia Rivera
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Bianca Alia Rivera
CASTELOBRUXO ALUM MAGICAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT HEAD OCCLUMENS LEGILIMENS
270 posts
played by Jenny
do your worst for I will do mine
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last online Apr 29, 2024 0:34:31 GMT -7
MINISTRY
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Sept 23, 2021 11:39:11 GMT -7
Post by Bianca Alia Rivera on Sept 23, 2021 11:39:11 GMT -7
Once she began to haltingly tell Xiulan about her father and the values he had always attempted to pass on to her, Bianca found the trickle turned into a torrent. The words came rushing out of her, as if after years of silence she couldn’t wait a moment longer to share her doubts. It was rare for Bianca to mention her childhood, since she normally found the memories too painful to revisit. Sometimes her mother wanted to talk about Papa, but that only felt like it was driving the knife in deeper. She’d mentioned him to Felix once too, the camping trips Papa used to take her on to see the lights in Patagonia. But it surprised her how eager she was to share with Xiulan, now that the silence had been breached. Maybe Bianca had missed her father more than she’d allowed herself to realize. At any rate, admitting all this to Xiulan felt like taking off a heavy burden after carrying it alone for so long. Bianca took a moment to reflect on the new lightness in her chest as Xiulan sat in silence, processing her thoughts on whether there was anything substantial to what her father had always preached. She didn’t know how the Seer might answer, but Bianca stared at Xiulan in disbelief as she carefully acknowledged the limitations of Divination in answering these sorts of questions. Merlin, she must receive so many demands from her clients for concrete answers – to read their palms or tea leaves and tell them everything they wanted to know. And if that was the majority of her interaction with other people, Bianca couldn’t blame her for immediately jumping to the conclusion that Bianca wanted that as well. “Xiulan,” she said finally, a serious note entering her tone again, “I’m not asking you for a reading. Or anything, really.” She wondered what kind of life Xiulan must have had, or how strong her abilities were, if she expected everybody to want something from her all the time. Maybe not too different from the same pressure Bianca received at work and in the Order to constantly know what to do, how to solve the problem. Bianca sighed slightly, removing her elbows from the table – she could almost hear her mother berating her for showing such sloppy manners. “It’s just…important to me, to ask these questions. I don’t…always feel confident about the choices I make. But most have only seen me at my best, and what would he—no, they think if anyone saw anything else?” Bianca’s cheeks flushed at her mistake as she stumbled over the word and quickly changed course. She’d already admitted to Xiulan that she cared what people thought of her, to an extent. That was bad enough, since most people believed she didn't give a fig at all. She didn’t also need to confess that she cared what a very particular someone thought too. Was she back in Castelobruxo, mooning over boys and worrying over whether she was popular enough? xiulan zhou
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xiulan zhou
OTHER SCHOOLING ALUM FORTUNE TELLER DIVINATION MASTERY CLAIRVOYANT PROPHET
176 posts
played by Audrey
That fancy wine won't put this fire out.
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last online Apr 29, 2024 18:36:37 GMT -7
WIZARDING ADULT
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Sept 23, 2021 20:10:09 GMT -7
Post by xiulan zhou on Sept 23, 2021 20:10:09 GMT -7
April 4, 2026 "Xiulan," Bianca started in, her voice slightly more stern than it had been for a while. "I'm not asking you for a reading. Or anything, really," she corrected her, pulling her elbows back off the table. Even though she had begun to sound more sure of herself again, Xiulan could hear Bianca's voice faltering. It was important to her, she explained, to ask those sort of questions because she didn't always feel confident in her own choices. At the same time, Xiulan could tell that it ran a little bit deeper than that. Most people, Bianca said, only saw her at her best, but it was clear that she was struggling to differentiate between what her father had wanted for her and what most other people expected of her.
Truly, Xiulan felt for Bianca. She had been in that position, too. There had always been pressure on her to reach certain milestones and tick those boxes to prove that she was doing things in a way that was socially acceptable. The pressure to get a good education, to get married to someone of a similar background, to produce an heir (ideally male), that was how she was raised… She had been expected to balance everything flawlessly and without complaint. Not everything had happened as expected, and having to live with that hurt. As much as she knew that her family's honor hung in the balance, there was only so much that she could do; she was only human.
"I promise that you are not the only person who has felt that way," Xiulan reassured her. She couldn't say that it was normal or necessary, though, because she didn't fully believe that. It was awful, if anything. While she might have been a high-ranking Ministry official, there was no denying that Bianca's age was part of why she was doubting herself. Xiulan didn't want to infantilize her, but she knew that she couldn't simply sit by as Bianca fretted. "If I can do anything to help you," she reiterated gently, "please tell me. I know that the Druids feel very strongly that we can somehow… fix this for them, but I feel that this is possibly out of our control." Xiulan knew how determined Fae was and didn't want to hurt her or her people. "You have my support, too, Bianca."
Bianca Alia Rivera
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Bianca Alia Rivera
CASTELOBRUXO ALUM MAGICAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT HEAD OCCLUMENS LEGILIMENS
270 posts
played by Jenny
do your worst for I will do mine
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last online Apr 29, 2024 0:34:31 GMT -7
MINISTRY
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Sept 24, 2021 8:15:53 GMT -7
Post by Bianca Alia Rivera on Sept 24, 2021 8:15:53 GMT -7
Bianca gave a bitter laugh as Xiulan mentioned the druids. Merlin, talk about a different kind of headache she’d been coping with for months. She remembered what Fae had said when the two had met in Bianca’s office to strategize and form a common approach towards Yrisle. The High Druid had said something incredibly similar to what Xiulan had just now, which suggested that either the druids had become very predictable or Xiulan was just an insightful person…or a damn good Seer, at any rate. Hy-Brasil would like to offer its support, but it’s up to the Ministry to ultimately resolve the problem. Bianca hadn’t reacted visibly when Fae had said it, but it was the same attitude she’d been receiving since January. “Everyone wants me to solve this problem for them,” Bianca said, trying not to sound resentful. “The Minister called a special meeting with the department heads to discuss the island when it first appeared after New Year’s. That lasted about five minutes, since everybody decided it should be Law Enforcement’s role to find a solution. And then the meeting with Fae…she reached a similar conclusion, even if she cares more about how we get there.”It was hard not to sound frustrated. Everyone expected her to have the answers, or at least the power to do something about it. But every person who had visited the island or debated the topic among themselves had hit a wall – nobody seemed to have any clue what the island was, why it existed or what purpose it served. Much less any way to minimize the danger to society by sealing it away. So Bianca didn’t know why anybody would expect her to have better luck, except that she was unlucky enough to have been in the right position at the right time for them to delegate the responsibility (and all the stress and fear) to her. She didn’t know what to say to Xiulan’s last statement (simple, but warm) so she took another sip of tea instead. “Thank you,” she finally said after a pause. Her tone was emotional, both from the heaviness of telling Xiulan about her father and all the thoughts that weighed on her mind, and from the appreciation of having someone to simply…be there for her. “I don’t…I don’t know how anyone can help me,” she admitted, her shoulders slumping, “but I appreciate it anyway. It’s the most I’ve gotten so far.”The silence stretched at this point as Bianca took a contemplative sip of her tea, thinking about Yrisle and her immediate future. She would need to check in with Fae, since she had sent Ministry archives and personnel to Hy-Brasil and ensuring their safety was still her responsibility. Then it would be time to (ugh) get in touch with Rhys – Bianca knew he had contacted another cursebreaker and they had visited the island again to investigate the runes and the dagger. There were so many moving pieces to this puzzle that it could make one dizzy trying to follow them all. So Bianca set it aside for the moment (this would be something to ponder when she was back in her own apartment) and refocused on Xiulan. “And,” she began, wondering how to phrase this, “If you change your mind about how I can help you, then you’ll let me know?” Xiulan was a mysterious figure, and she was skilled at staying vague about her past. But Bianca wouldn’t forget the few details she had gotten, and more if Xiulan would be willing to share. xiulan zhou
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xiulan zhou
OTHER SCHOOLING ALUM FORTUNE TELLER DIVINATION MASTERY CLAIRVOYANT PROPHET
176 posts
played by Audrey
That fancy wine won't put this fire out.
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last online Apr 29, 2024 18:36:37 GMT -7
WIZARDING ADULT
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Sept 25, 2021 4:39:40 GMT -7
Post by xiulan zhou on Sept 25, 2021 4:39:40 GMT -7
April 4, 2026 It was apparent that some—if not most—of Bianca's concerns at that moment tied back to the problems with Yrisle. From the Ministry's side, it sounded as though the situation had been left to her to figure out a solution. Xiulan knew better than to think that that was all that Bianca's department had to deal with, so it was Yrisle on top of everything else. Bianca thanked her for what she had said about supporting her and took another sip of tea, though Xiulan could hear a weight to her words even before she said that she didn't know how anyone could help her.
That made two of them, Xiulan mused in the silence. Almost funnily, Bianca brought that up, too, asking her to tell her if she changed her mind about receiving help from her. Xiulan nodded. She felt more comfortable with Bianca, although she felt bad that the both of them had been pushed into positions of such discomfort in order to be more transparent with one another.
"In Chinese culture," Xiulan explained, although the concept wasn't strictly Chinese, "there is this idea of what we call 'face'. Essentially, 'face' is… a person's status or self-respect," or at least that was the easiest way Xiulan could think of to describe it. It was hierarchical but in a different way than what she had seen in London. "It is important not to 'lose face' in interactions with other people, and I find it hard not to think in that way." All this was to say that she wasn't trying to be difficult. "I have nothing against you, and I am honored that Fae and her people have put so much trust in me," Xiulan clarified, "but this isn't my daily life." She hadn't asked to make the prophecy that she had, and some days, she felt lucky enough to have the physical strength to get out of bed. "I don't want any of us to get hurt, Bianca, because I wasn't honest about my health and the limitations it places on me. I know that having some sort of carer to manage my condition would only make me lose face. I don't want to be seen in that way."
Bianca Alia Rivera
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Bianca Alia Rivera
CASTELOBRUXO ALUM MAGICAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT HEAD OCCLUMENS LEGILIMENS
270 posts
played by Jenny
do your worst for I will do mine
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last online Apr 29, 2024 0:34:31 GMT -7
MINISTRY
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Sept 25, 2021 8:12:51 GMT -7
Post by Bianca Alia Rivera on Sept 25, 2021 8:12:51 GMT -7
One of the unique aspects of being a foreigner to the UK was that Bianca had to shoulder the difficulty of remembering her own culture even as she learned how to adapt to the British one. That had been another topic that was always so important to her father – remembering her roots. No doubt he had meant that she should remember her Muggle upbringing, even as it became clear that her future would be in the magical world. Still, the fact of her non-British background wasn’t something Bianca’s enemies at the Ministry would forget, so she wouldn’t either. It was because of this that Bianca listened gravely to Xiulan’s explanation about Chinese culture – not an area of the world Bianca had ever dealt extensively with, but at least she could understand what it meant to balance between two distinctly opposite mindsets. “With all due respect to where we both come from,” Bianca started, even though that particular opening didn’t suggest much respect at all, “What we think, what we want…sometimes we have to set it aside. We’re living in a time of crisis now. I understand how easy it is to wish it was happening to someone else. Merlin, I really understand that.” Bianca sighed slightly at the admission. She’d already told Xiulan how important it was that the people relying on her didn’t doubt that she was solid, that she could carry them through this crisis and any other. There was an unspoken truth hanging in the air – sometimes Bianca didn’t see the point in fighting so hard. Sometimes she just wanted to give up and let someone else take care of it. But she knew herself, and knew that she wouldn’t allow that to happen. So she continued. “But we don’t have a choice, because it's happening to us. When my predecessor gave me this job, he told me that I’d never be ready for any of the most important things in my life. But he didn’t mean that as an excuse not to try.”She glanced at Xiulan, and it felt odd to be giving the older woman advice after just admitting so many of her own insecurities. But she could see that Xiulan doubted herself too, and that the Seer didn’t believe she had the power to do anything because of her own limitations. “I know you don’t want to be seen as weak. I think…that’s my biggest fear, too. But we have to solve this, because there just isn’t anybody else.” Bianca laughed, but it was dry and devoid of humor at the thought. “Normal is gone. It flew out the window when that island appeared. I honestly don’t know what we can do to stop it, or if it even can be stopped. But I know that I have to try anyway, and I’m ready to believe you will too. And…that’s a start, isn’t it?” Bianca could almost feel herself recapture her usual level of self-assurance, the confidence with which she did everything in life. At her final question, however, she felt the doubt begin to creep into her tone, seeking reassurance from Xiulan that they at least had a chance. That was what she needed right now...not a solid guarantee, not a reading to know the future. Just to hear someone else say that they should at least try. xiulan zhou
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xiulan zhou
OTHER SCHOOLING ALUM FORTUNE TELLER DIVINATION MASTERY CLAIRVOYANT PROPHET
176 posts
played by Audrey
That fancy wine won't put this fire out.
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last online Apr 29, 2024 18:36:37 GMT -7
WIZARDING ADULT
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Sept 27, 2021 6:53:12 GMT -7
Post by xiulan zhou on Sept 27, 2021 6:53:12 GMT -7
April 4, 2026 The cultural differences to which Xiulan had had to adjust upon moving to London had been significant, but she had known that going into the move. It had been a lot of things all at once, so she imagined that it had seemed harder than it might have been. Had Aloysius been alive, it would have been easier. His being alive would have made everything so much easier.
Bianca's confidence grew some, and she talked about the need to set aside what they thought or what they wanted, as they were living in a "time of crisis". Xiulan knew that things weren't simply bad for her and her alone; there was a lot happening all at once. She knew that Bianca was making a real effort to encourage her to feel that she needed to try, but Xiulan felt convinced that she had just about exhausted everything that she knew to do.
"I'm only the messenger," she stated as a reminder, her voice more distant then. It was perhaps more accurate to explain things in terms of her body's being a vessel for whatever message might come through by way of a prophecy. "I'm not some hero." As much as Xiulan wanted to detach herself from everything in its entirety, she couldn't do that. She couldn't suddenly go back and tell Fae that she really didn't want anything more to do with what she was facing. She wanted to help, but she knew that she could only do that to a point. From her perspective, divination could only help so much. Bianca believed that the island was something that they could put an end to, but it was too hard to say. Yrisle wasn't simply something that they had imagined. It was real.
"I don't want to disappoint you or Fae or anyone else," Xiulan apologized. "I want peace and stability, but it's… overwhelming to think that I—" She paused, catching herself as her voice broke. It was overwhelming that this prophecy of hers was coming true in her own lifetime and that she was being pulled into fixing it.
Bianca Alia Rivera
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Bianca Alia Rivera
CASTELOBRUXO ALUM MAGICAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT HEAD OCCLUMENS LEGILIMENS
270 posts
played by Jenny
do your worst for I will do mine
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last online Apr 29, 2024 0:34:31 GMT -7
MINISTRY
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Oct 9, 2021 7:48:35 GMT -7
Post by Bianca Alia Rivera on Oct 9, 2021 7:48:35 GMT -7
Heroes. That was a difficult word to wrap her head around. Once upon a time, Bianca had believed in heroes, of all kinds. There were the comics she had dutifully collected and read all through school, Batman and Superman and Wonder Woman staying with her as relics from her Muggle upbringing. They’d been her first role models, really, a reminder that there was evil in the world and that meant somebody needed to fight it. But there’d been other heroes too, and her father had been the first example where Bianca had contemplated the odd thought that you didn’t need superpowers to be a hero. Or even magic, really. It was about belief, or faith as her father might have put it. She’d seen too much to really believe in heroes anymore, at least in the way she once had. Bianca was older, and a little darker, and more scarred. She had come to know real-life heroes too, Harry Potter and the gang of wizards and witches that had brought down one of the worst Dark wizards in recent history. It would be easy to idolize them, but Bianca had seen the struggles and dilemmas that defined their lives, and been given the chance to know them as people and not just figures that were larger-than-life. All her experiences had led her to the same conclusion, and she turned it over in her mind now before finally saying frankly, “Maybe you’re not a hero. Neither am I. It could have been someone else chosen to deal with this, but it wasn’t. And, really…after meeting the people closest to deserving that title, they don’t see themselves like that either. We’re not living in a story. There aren’t heroes and villains, only people who make choices. The only thing to do is try to make the best choices we can.” Bianca stared down at her now empty teacup, then shrugged slightly. “When I was still a trainee, my mentor taught me an old Auror trick. When a situation seems impossible, you just focus on surviving the next minute. And then you do it again the next minute after that.” She chewed on her lip for a moment before finally glancing up at Xiulan again. “I’ve used it to get through all the worst moments of my life. Every time I thought there was no way I could keep going. It’s kept me in one piece, hasn’t it?” Bianca wasn’t much for physical contact, so instead she took the teapot and poured Xiulan a new cup of tea. Then she advised, “Forget about the big picture for a second. Just focus on the next minute. Breathe.”xiulan zhou
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xiulan zhou
OTHER SCHOOLING ALUM FORTUNE TELLER DIVINATION MASTERY CLAIRVOYANT PROPHET
176 posts
played by Audrey
That fancy wine won't put this fire out.
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last online Apr 29, 2024 18:36:37 GMT -7
WIZARDING ADULT
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Oct 9, 2021 8:36:14 GMT -7
Post by xiulan zhou on Oct 9, 2021 8:36:14 GMT -7
April 4, 2026 For the sake of not crying in front of Bianca, Xiulan remained silent, listening to what the younger woman had to say. She explained that maybe neither of them were "heroes" and that someone else could have been chosen to deal with what they were dealing with, but that hadn't happened. They weren't living in a story with heroes and villains, Bianca added, and Xiulan also knew that. No one was completely one thing or another, although Xiulan could think of some people who certainly deserved to be called "evil".
Bianca, looking down into her teacup, explained a trick that her mentor had taught her as an Auror. "When a situation seems impossible, you just focus on surviving the next minute. And then you do it again the next minute after that." Even Bianca seemed to be thinking over that advice as she looked back up, Xiulan noticed, but she understood what she meant by it. "I've used it to get through all the worst moments of my life. Every time I thought there was no way I could keep going. It's kept me in one piece, hasn't it?"
Rather than waiting for her to fill her teacup for her, Bianca went ahead and poured her another cup. Xiulan didn't want to tell her that that really wasn't necessary, but she didn't.
"Forget about the big picture for a second. Just focus on the next minute. Breathe."
Xiulan, taking in a quiet breath, knew that she had to swallow her fear and get on with it. "Thank you," she told Bianca at almost a whisper, grateful for how much Bianca was trying to help her even if she hadn't asked for it. She knew that they couldn't plan out their next steps in relation to Yrisle minute by minute, but they couldn't shrug off the trust that Fae had placed in them.
"I'm alright," Xiulan acknowledged after a few moments more. She would have to work through her being overwhelmed on her own time, rather than taking up Bianca's time that way. "And I know how important it is that we act… before things get worse. We need more support than the three of us," she added, referring to the two of them plus Fae. She didn't know if that would need to come from the Ministry or from the Druids themselves, but she hoped that Bianca might have some idea.
Bianca Alia Rivera
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Bianca Alia Rivera
CASTELOBRUXO ALUM MAGICAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT HEAD OCCLUMENS LEGILIMENS
270 posts
played by Jenny
do your worst for I will do mine
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last online Apr 29, 2024 0:34:31 GMT -7
MINISTRY
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Oct 23, 2021 7:01:03 GMT -7
Post by Bianca Alia Rivera on Oct 23, 2021 7:01:03 GMT -7
On the surface-level, the differences between the two women were obvious and immediately striking. Bianca only needed to glance around to notice the casual display of wealth – a posh flat in a rich neighborhood, with likely priceless Divination artifacts tastefully displayed in all the rooms. Her eyes lingered on the strange-looking device she’d been studying earlier on the mantle before sharply returning to Xiulan. Bianca had never grown up with anything remotely resembling this. Her parents were government employees in a poor country that struggled to even pay them month-to-month. They would work long hours just to get by, and it was only as an adult that Bianca could even begin to realize how much they’d suffered to provide her with even the bare necessities. Much less the football or comic book or pretty earrings she’d beg for every year. But even with all that, there was still an understanding between them – a shared sensation that they’d both passed through trauma, and were only marginally learning how to cope with it. Bianca shut herself off from the world as a defense mechanism, and she suspected Xiulan did the same (in a much more physical way). The first thing one noticed about Xiulan was how private she was, her past cloaked in mystery with the woman reluctant to share any details about what had her so scared. She’d shared a few crumbs with Bianca, and as a Ministry official she was concerned about what she heard. But beyond that, as a woman who had also been given the bitter lot in life so much more often than the sweet, Bianca could sympathize. She’d had to fight for every inch of progress she’d ever made, and there were some days that she questioned why she tried at all. She sighed heavily and drained her mug in one long sip. Xiulan tentatively offered that she was alright, and that they needed to act now. Bianca wasn’t sure she believed the first part, but she silently acknowledged that Xiulan was completely correct on the second. They couldn’t afford to wait any longer and simply contain the situation. The island needed to be addressed, and they needed to find a permanent solution. “I reached out to an associate of mine last week. A cursebreaker,” Bianca added, trying not to let a look of disgust cross her face at the thought of Rhys. “He and another colleague have already visited the island again to investigate some of our leads from the last few months. He might have found something interesting.” Bianca hoped so at least – Rhys might be an absolute pain and have the temper of a child, but he was a professional and good at his job. That was enough to stomach the idea of willingly starting another conversation with him. Until then… “I should be heading out,” Bianca acknowledged with a sigh. She took a moment to pinch the bridge of her nose, before gently setting her empty mug back on the table. It was time to visit Godric’s Hollow again and check in with other parts of the Order on other missions. Unfortunately, it was impossible to dedicate all or even most of her time to this damn island. Her eyes lingered on Xiulan, and Bianca firmly said, “Thank you for the tea. And the conversation. I…needed it more than I thought.”xiulan zhou [End post Bianca!]
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xiulan zhou
OTHER SCHOOLING ALUM FORTUNE TELLER DIVINATION MASTERY CLAIRVOYANT PROPHET
176 posts
played by Audrey
That fancy wine won't put this fire out.
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last online Apr 29, 2024 18:36:37 GMT -7
WIZARDING ADULT
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Oct 23, 2021 8:09:10 GMT -7
Post by xiulan zhou on Oct 23, 2021 8:09:10 GMT -7
April 4, 2026 As their conversation continued, Bianca told her that she had reached out to a Curse-Breaker associate of hers who had already gone to investigate some of the leads on Yrisle alongside a fourth person. Xiulan nodded her head, admittedly a little bit surprised that it had been a Curse-Breaker, though she didn't know the workings of the Ministry well enough to bring it into question, least of all with Bianca.
Bianca sounded hopeful, though, and suggested that maybe the Curse-Breaker had found something interesting. It was worth following up with him, Xiulan agreed, if only to narrow down what they were dealing with. Especially for Fae's sake, she thought, it would be helpful.
That was about all that she said, though, before sighing and mentioning that she needed to go. Beyond that, she thanked her for the tea and the conversation.
Xiulan nodded, preparing to stand so that she could at least walk Bianca to the door. "You're welcome," she replied. Even if the conversation had forced her to become more vulnerable than she would have liked, there had been some value in opening up to Bianca in that way. "And please, if you need anything, you know where to find me."
Bianca Alia Rivera
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