aeon-of-cultivation

[aeon-of-cultivation]

Witch Hunt Chapter 1: A Fresh Start

Sawyer exited the travel spaceship, filing out with the rest of the passengers. Moving always stressed him out, but he knew this would be for the better. He needed to be somewhere no one knew him or his family. His sister, mostly.

This one particular ship was supposed to be the most relatively peaceful. Hopefully he can at least get settled in first. It was either this or ice planet or weird cult planet. As much as Sawyer loves snow, he refuses to live in a perpetual winter. So strange, ship-shaped space ship it is.

He rolled his suitcase behind himself as he navigated through the crowd, trying to find where to register as a resident. “Is this some kind of tourist ship?” He muttered to himself as yet another person bumped into him without apologizing.

It doesn’t take long for Sawyer to figure out that the guys with helmets, glaives, and blue uniforms are the police (probably). They should at least be able to help point him in the right direction. Hopefully they don’t try to stab him or anything.

“Excuse me? Sorry, but where do I go to register as a resident?” Sawyer asked meekly. ‘Pleasedontstabmepleasedontstabmeplease-.’

“Just go down this way and look for the Realm-Keeping commission. They should be able to help you get your documents in order.” The soldier person pointed down the street (is it really a street if there are no cars?). Sawyer gave them a polite bow and made his way as directed. He could feel eyes on him from above.

When Sawyer hazards a glance up, he sees someone with blond hair and a blue outfit on top of a building. That person was focusing on him more than normal. He doesn’t like that.

He manages to break their line of sight by ducking behind a store. Subtly pulling a talisman from his pocket, he casts an invisibility spell on himself and quickly makes his way to the Realm-Keeping Commission. Thankfully, he doesn’t feel anyone watching him anymore.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Getting himself registered as a resident and finding housing wasn’t as hellish as the last time he went through this damnable process. He’s in and out in less than an hour and heading towards his new apartment.

No one is watching him this time.

When he unlocks the door and enters, a box is already sitting there, waiting for him.

“Good luck with your new place!” it says in fancy cursive. Sawyer recognizes it as his sister’s handwriting. “Here’s some stuff to help you settle in for your first day.”

“Of course Miss Chaos had this ready,” Sawyer mutters to himself as he pulls his suitcase inside and opens the box.

Inside was a few outfits, a bed sheet and comforter, towels, and basic necessities that he no longer needed to worry about. As always, his sister was a worrier, but at least she meant well. All that was left was finding a new companion to make the apartment feel like home.

He already had a companion in mind, unpacking the bare minimum and pulling up a map on his phone. Without a shadow of a doubt, he was going to have a cat. Hopefully there were shelters or something nearby. A home without a cat was like ramen without the toppings. Not something he wanted to live with.

After ten minutes of searching, Sawyer left the apartment, locking the door and skipping as he thought up names to give his new kitty.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————

So change of plans. Sawyer didn’t go to a shelter.

Instead, Sawyer was lying on his side playing with a little cat he saw in an alleyway.

“Oh my goodness, you’re such a friendly baby!” he cooed at the fluffy orange kitten softly. “Yes, so friendly and playful and goofy!”

Sawyer wiggled his fingers at the feline, letting it jump and play. Despite being on a ground covered in who knows how many germs, Sawyer didn’t care as he kept lavishing compliments on the feline.

“Hey!”

The poor kitten got startled and scampered away. Sawyer could only look on despondently as it hid away in the alley.

“What? What’s the big idea—?” Sawyer for up and turned around to face the idiot that scared off the precious little fur baby.

It was that blond from before, except he looked worried. He kept scanning Sawyer, but not like that last time. “Are you hurt? I saw you on the ground barely moving.”

“I was petting a cute kitten, if you must know,” Sawyer grumbled as he got up. “Now I gotta find another cute fluffy pet.”

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————

The blond, Yanqing, treated Sawyer to some sort of local specialty as an apology. “So you’re stalking me,” Sawyer commented as he took a bite of Lotus Songcake, leaning back in his chair.

“I wouldn’t say that exactly,” Yanqing countered sheepishly. “But, back to what I wanted to ask. Are you a fighter or something?”

“… No.” Sawyer didn’t choke on his food, but the slight hesitation gave Yanqing his answer.

“Where did you learn? What kind of weapon do you use?” He presses Sawyer.

“Wait, slow down. First, what gives you the impression that I’m some kind of warrior? You literally only saw me walk around with a suitcase.”

“Your gait,” Yanqing retorts. “You were walking a bit too much like you were ready to run. You also knew I was watching. Only thing I don’t know is how you escaped my line of sight.”

“Again, how does that tie into me being some warrior? And why do you want to know anyways?” Sawyer asked, trying to act nonchalant. “For all you know, I could just be a paranoid traveler.”

“But a paranoid person wouldn’t have such a calm expression like you,” the blond smirks as he leans forward. “As for why I want to know, I was wondering if you’d be a worthy opponent—”

“Absolutely not,” Sawyer cuts him off. “To me, fighting is a last resort. I used to work as a disaster relief volunteer, not a combat trainee. I probably don’t have what you’re looking for.” It wasn’t a total lie, but there’s no way in hell Sawyer was going to get in trouble on his first day.

“Call it a swordsman’s instincts, but I think you’re better than you let on.” Yanqing scrutinizes Sawyer’s bag. “You have a weird vibe about you, but like, weird in a good way. No one just disappears into thin air like you.”

Sawyer shrugs. “Maybe you just haven’t met enough people then.”

“I’ll get you to spar with me one day,” Yanqing promises, though Sawyer looks unconvinced. “Regardless, welcome to the Xianzhou Luofu.”

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Art by @angel-of-the-moons

[aeon-of-cultivation]

White Day Special and Lore Drop

Sawyer was prepared for this.

Hopefully.

At least, he thinks it’s a good idea, all things considered. After all, he too had access to the restricted parts of his family’s library.

Sawyer never really celebrated White Day before. He had no reason too. He’s been away from Japanese culture for so long, it feels weird to claim it as his own anymore. He rarely uses his Japanese name after he turned fifteen. No need when the place he’s visiting doesn’t have parallels to Japanese culture.

But this year was different. Even if he didn’t know where he and Yanqing stood, he still wanted to repay the Lieutenant for their trip to the cat shelter.

The worst part (hopefully) was considering what Yanqing would want. What exactly can a pacifist gift to someone who prioritizes his swordplay and training over other hobbies? Hell, the first time they met, Yanqing wanted to spar with him. The androgyne can’t even think of a time the other picked up a hobby for more than a few days.

The only logical options would involve the fighting styles of other warriors in the Multiverse, but even then that felt too shallow. Yanqing was the type who would want to learn a fighting style naturally.

That left Sawyer with only one idea.

The teachings of his sister’s master, the founder of the School of Taixuan, Jingwei.

His sister kept those scriptures locked up in the restricted section of their family library. She never wanted to see them again, but never had the heart to throw them away.

The Edge of Taixuan’s Eminence was both her crowning achievement and her greatest shame. She never liked talking about it, but did occasionally express her wish that the technique and legacy could live on properly.

Sawyer never questioned what she meant by that.

But from what Sawyer has seen of the teachings, it was insanely powerful and useful for controlling their Chaos. His sister’s master taught her, and she later taught him. He still practices the basic meditation whenever he can.

Objectively, the ability was decently compatible with what Yanqing was learning, so Sawyer hoped he could make use of it.

Now for the second hardest part:

Sneaking in without his sister noticing.

——————————————————————————————

Sawyer snuck into the gardens, careful not to disturb any plants. It had long become normal for Sawyer to use anything but the front door. When he knocked at his friend’s window, the other didn’t even jump anymore.

He tucked the talisman further into his pocket, hoping that it would be strong enough to allow them to bypass his sister’s gaze.

“So, how exactly does this library of yours work?” Yanqing asked, pulling Sawyer out of his thoughts.

“It exists in a subspace that only my sister and I have access to,” Sawyer started as he moved for Yanqing to climb out the window. “We can give access to others if we want, but my sister is a bit stingy on that. Can’t exactly blame her when it contains knowledge spanning countless universes.”

“And you’re certain she’s okay with us entering?” Yanqing pressed with a quirked eyebrow.

Sawyer gasped in mock offense as he slaps the other boy’s arm. “Of course she is! Who can say no to little ol’ me? I’m more surprised by you agreeing to sneak out with me. What happened to mister discipline and bedtimes?”

“What can I say? You’re just a terrible influence,” Yanqing snarks back playfully. “You never explained why we’re going though. Is there a special reason?”

Sawyer couldn’t stop the slight blush forming. “Well, it’s White Day, and you got me something on Valentine’s Day, sooo………”. He trailed off, not finishing that thought as he turned away and started fiddling with the transport array. “You wanna see the library or not?”

Yanqing took the opportunity to tease Sawyer more as they walked through the newly created portal and into the library.

——————————————————————————————

“Wow. Is this what your entire library looks like?” Yanqing asked, looking around the ancient monastery. “It’s smaller than I thought.”

“Oh hush,” Sawyer nudged him. “This is just one area dedicated to a certain origin that the books share. This was mainly the part I wanted to show you.” Sawyer pulled an old wooden scroll off a shelf and opened it.

“It looks like something out of a xianxia novel,” the blond deadpans, only to be met with the same from his silver-eyed friend.

“Ah yes, and flying swords are a Xianzhou original…”

After a moment of silence, they both start cracking up and take a look at the scroll.

The two spent hours learning the different fighting styles taught by the old master Jingwei, unaware of the library’s overseer who watched them with a hint of melancholy in her silver eyes.

She may never enter the replica of her old home, but she’s glad that her master’s teachings can be put in the right hands this time.

[aeon-of-cultivation]

Valentine’s Day Special Extra

Yanqing had a problem.

A problem he had no clear cut solution for.

And it all had to do with his short-life friend

He’s heard from Sawyer’s friends about Valentine’s Day and how it was celebrated. The Xianzhou had a different tradition, but Sawyer had spent the last year celebrating Xianzhou holidays. It’s only fair that he get to enjoy one from his home.

But from what Yanqing knows, Valentine’s Day was meant to be a romantic thing between partners. He and Sawyer were just friends. Just close friends. He’d still take any excuse to hang out with them, but he’d probably implode if he made a fool of himself in front of Sawyer. No, he’d definitely implode from the embarrassment.

After agonizing over it for an hour, he gives up and texts Koutari. That girl was Sawyer’s friend, practically his sister. She’d at least be able to give him a place to start.

——————————————————————————————

So Koutari was of no help. He should have known that a woman whose entire life revolved around fighting would suggest something like a spar or a stakeout to hunt criminals.

Yanqing can do that with Sawyer at any time. He wanted something more special. More meaningful.

He looked through his contacts again. He didn’t know many people that knew Sawyer. He knew Koutari, Sawyer’s elder sister Jackie, and that was kinda it. He wasn’t close enough with Sawyer’s other friends to trust their judgement.

The worst part is that Jackie was downright terrifying most of the time. Probably just as scary as Jingliu, but more magical. He’s seen her scare a man so much, he passed out and pissed himself.

But Yanqing is running out of time. If he doesn’t man up and do this, Valentine’s Day will just be another holiday Sawyer misses out on and secretly gets sad about.

Sawyer had made so many changes when he moved to live on the Luofu. He’d given up so much to help Yanqing out of sticky situations. Sawyer deserves to have someone care about how he’s doing.

——————————————————————————————

“Valentine’s Day? You gonna finally confess to him or something?” Jackie mumbled over the phone, sounding like she just ran a marathon.

“No! I just want to do something that’ll make him happy,”. Yanqing protests, thankful that she couldn’t see him blush. “I’ve pretty much given up on the gift giving idea. I mean, you tend to buy him anything if he even mentions it to you. But what else could make him happy?”

Yanqing could hear a long, drawn-out sigh on the other end of the phone. “I can’t give you an exact answer. You hate horror, so obviously you can’t watch a scary movie with him. He’s already had you listen to the entire Epic Musical. And you two spend a lot of time together. You know him, so just choose something that he likes and do it.”

“That doesn’t exactly help me,” Yanqing says in a deadpan voice as Jackie ends the call. “Something he likes? What’s that supposed to mean?”

Yanqing closed his phone and looked at his screen saver. It was a picture of him, Sawyer, and one of the Ditings they had secretly borrowed from the Artisanship Commission. The green-haired androgyne looked so happy cuddling it. He’d always been fond of animals, especially—

Yanqing sits up in bed, sending a request for the day off to Jing Yuan. There’s something he knows Sawyer misses more than anything after their move to the Luofu.

——————————————————————————————

At precisely 9am, Yanqing knocked on the door to Sawyer’s apartment. He had a bag of cat toys in one hand and treats on the other.

When Yanqing opened the door, he saw his dear friend in new attire. Sawyer’s lantern staff turned into a belt around his waist and his messenger bag secured on his shoulder. His silver eyes gleamed as he greeted Yanqing. “I’m ready, though I gotta ask. What outing did you plan that requires cat food and toys?”

“You’ll see,” Yanqing smirks and leads Sawyer downstairs to a portal waiting for them.

The look on Sawyer’s face when he realized where the portal leads is a look Yanqing will never forget. Through the portal was a cat shelter where Sawyer used to volunteer.

Without waiting, Sawyer ran through the portal and Yanqing followed close behind.

As they entered the shelter, the employees greeted them both. Most of them knew Sawyer, so it was easy for him and Yanqing to get through check-in quickly and get to the cats.

“Hello precious babies!” Sawyer squealed upon seeing some of the cats walk right up to him. He knelt down and started lavishing affection upon them while Yanqing set the cat food down on a table. He grabbed a string toy and handed it to Sawyer, who accepted it with a bright smile and continued playing with the cats.

The two didn’t talk. They didn’t need to. Simply spending time with each other was enough. And if Sawyer saw Yanqing staring at him, he didn’t say anything. It was a perfect day for the both of them.

Fin

——————————————————————————————

A/N: Thank you for reading and I’m sorry if it feels like it petered off at the end. FYI, this is Sawyer’s new outfit:

Art by @angel-of-the-moons

[aeon-of-cultivation]

Time to subject myself to the horror of being known so I can scream about my OC.

Introducing: Sawyer/

Art by @voodoosketch

Description from my notes:

Sawyer had his short fluffy green hair pulled back into a small ponytail that looked boyish. Yet his facial features were softer and his freckles made him look more feminine. His hands didn’t give anything away, and his arms and chest were covered by clothes baggy enough to hide any muscle definition. His shoulders, covered in freckles like the bridge of his nose, looked slightly more feminine, but that was it. His voice was also of no help, sounding perfectly in the middle of both masculine and feminine tones.

It’s impossible to tell if this androgyny is deliberate or not.  His eyes were possibly the most strange, as he had beautiful, white six-pointed stars as his pupils.

He's been in development for a long time, but thanks to Voodoo, he can finally exist.

As for his personality,

He's a very sweet boy who's always thinking of others. He has social anxiety and autism, so he doesn't like big crowds that much. He's a scholar, so he doesn't fight as much as his friend, who took the path of a warrior. Instead, Sawyer chose to adventure across the cosmos and document everything he learns.

Sawyer left his home at the age of 14.

As of now, he is on the Xianzhou Luofu

[aeon-of-cultivation]

Sawyer Extras

Sawyer is a multiversal traveler with a hint of chaos magic. His magic, however, is colored a jade/forest green, unlike his sister's red magic color. He loves DnD, so he jokes about being a warlock/cleric multiclass.

Of course, his true powers are much more than simple magic tricks.

He is comparable to a New God

think green Scarlet Witch

[aeon-of-cultivation]

Forgot to mention:

Sawyer's voice claim is Sylphyryll from Journey Through Another World (both in English and Japanese)

I chose Sylph's voice because it sounded androgynous, which best fits Sawyer

[aeon-of-cultivation]

Time to subject myself to the horror of being known so I can scream about my OC.

Introducing: Sawyer/Shiori of the Ryuujin Family

Art by @voodoosketch

Description from my notes:

Sawyer had his short fluffy green hair pulled back into a small ponytail that looked boyish. Yet his facial features were softer and his freckles made him look more feminine. His hands didn’t give anything away, and his arms and chest were covered by clothes baggy enough to hide any muscle definition. His shoulders, covered in freckles like the bridge of his nose, looked slightly more feminine, but that was it. His voice was also of no help, sounding perfectly in the middle of both masculine and feminine tones.

It’s impossible to tell if this androgyny is deliberate or not.  His eyes were possibly the most strange, as he had beautiful, white six-pointed stars as his pupils.

He's been in development for a long time, but thanks to Voodoo, he can finally exist.

If he looks vaguely familiar:

Yeah, I loved Pokemon when I was younger