#IF JINGS LAST NAME IS KING

[totally-correct-shenanigans]

[followup/sister poll to this!]

bonus question do they have any other siblings? i personally like to think it's just pk and Unnamed Aunt and pk is the youngest. does anybody else think about things like this

[fluffypotatey]

Thanks for enlightening me to what they did. [Macaque sacrificing himself to the Pagoda because “I get all the consequences and you get to mope!”] This is like him trying to make up for Wukong sacrificing himself to surrender to the Jade Emperor. The Pagoda may be no Five Phases Mountain, but at least Wukong can be the one to run away this time. I am NOT okay ;-; Could I 👉👈 cut off the rest of my nonsense and just resend the single piece of brainrot I've yet to see covered by you, reblogs, or another anon? because I understand my asks are too much at once lol. In trying to avoid burdening you with multiple tiny asks as each thought comes to me, I try to cover everything at once, but that has its own drawbacks. Sorry about that! You can ignore what I sent before since other anons/reblogs have basically mentioned those aspects already. This specific bit about everyone fighting for the title of most sacrificial butt had a lil more effort because I wanted to provide some entertainment for you :D

Wukong falls, his pained cries filling all six ears, and Macaque halts. The past, the present, the future. The visions brought by what he hears, all those whispered memories converge on that moment. Why him- why again-? He turns to call out his name and watches as MK races to Wukong's side, his monkey form flickering from some invisible connection that's strained and hurting, just like it did the first time you found him sitting by the cliff's edge, he's hurting too from this. You don't need to think about it. You're already in the way, the second you hear Li Jing say "this nonsense ends now." You're grabbing his arm and dispelling the spell. It's silent all around. There's a single ring of the bell from your angsty little soundtrack. AND THERE MACKY GOES, his eyes shadowed as he grits his teeth, "Xiaotian..." But his mind is already made up. Calm, focused, acceptance in between the gloom. "You go...and save the world." HE SAYS WHILE TURNING AROUND WITH HIS RED SCARF LOOKING LIKE A CAPE BILLOWING IN THE WIND. Wukong is stunned, "What? No! Macaque- No!" as he starts sinking into the shadows. He can only yell out once more before before everything disappears. What is WRONG WITH HIM. Wukong bodily tackling him from heaven to the earth wasn't enough. I need to crush him on the ocean floor. ~ oooh red is the color of heroes ~ ooh classy cape look and STUPID DRAMATIC LINE DROP YOU SAVE FOR THE END OF THE SEASON YOU LOSER MONKEY. he wants to be the knight in shining tattered cape sooooo bad/j and then pretends it's all for Mk and not also Wukong. Hey, do you think Macky knows how to use a washing machine?

*through tears* nah, i bet he doesn’t know what a washing machine is

WHY IS HE LIKE THIS T^T

[bored-storyteller]

Warning: none, fluff

Author's note: Blade just came home, and I write for Jing Yuan rightly. On the other hand I started the game for him, just a little too late to have him.

Honkai Star Rail, Jing Yuan x Reader

Confidence

You have never considered special the closeness you have with the Xianzhou Lofu General.

Jing Yuan is a kind, reasonable, and soft-spoken person, and while his vaguely opportunistic subterfuges strike you at times, you know how deep his commitment to his people is, including you.

You always did your best to be supportive of him, and you were grateful to be able to be so close.

On the other hand, you knew that he would never reject anyone, and you never deluded yourself that your deep affection for him could leap to the eye or somehow be considered with equal consideration.

You've never done it, but you could have done it a thousand times.

If only he could see you now, looking at his sleeping face, he would truly understand what you are feeling -he didn't, did he?-

You sigh slowly, a veil of concern clouds your gaze: it's not uncommon for him to fall asleep while sitting in that position at work, but there are times when it's impossible to wake him up, like today.

He's so exhausted that not even your presence wakes him, and you know nothing will unless it's something his brain directly links to an emergency.

“Mimi.”

You feel his soft fur caressing your arm, the lion is by your side even before you call him.

Looking down on him you see all the majesty of a king, the sweetness of a kitten and at the same time an awareness unknown to you that is hidden in the feline blue eyes.

He really looks like its owner.

“What should I do?” You ask at the animal, kneeling in front of him. Your hands sink into the clear mane, a soft roar from him answers you.

You smile as you look at the sharp canines protruding from his jaws. He could kill you, Jing Yuan could too, but they never would.

The huge cat stomps behind you, standing by you the entire time as you take care of the dear General, in your way.

Mimi sits quietly munching on the piece of meat you've granted him while you prepare some food, but his eyes are intently on you. You feel observed, and perhaps in a sense even cared for.

The lion watches over you as if it were him.

He makes no sign of waking up, the General, when you place the tray on the table. It will be his dinner when he wakes up, or maybe his late lunch, probably he hasn't eaten today.

You unhesitatingly retrieve papers from his desk, you're familiar enough with his work that you're allowed to do so, yet you've never thought about the matter.

All those practices and those reports make you smile a little, because the soul of the commander is in there too.

You look at him again, he's in deep sleep, his head lolling wearily on his shoulder, his tousled locks hiding his face more than they already normally do.

You don't quite know what's going on right now, because you're so close to him. Maybe it's out of affection, out of gratitude, or maybe out of a protective instinct towards the one who always protects everyone, but you reach forward.

A kiss on his soft hair won't wake him up. They smell like leaves, and you wonder where he's been to get that smell on him.

The contact of your lips lasts longer than you planned, but remains gentle and respectful.

“Thank you.” You mutter at him, before pulling away and turning to leave.

You are at the door when you hear movement behind you.

“You know, I've always found the way you cut vegetables cute.”

His voice makes you stop on the spot, in his tone you already feel the smile on his lips. Maybe he wasn't as soundly asleep as you thought, but since when?

He knows you're embarrassed, you're sure of it.

You call his name uncertainly as you turn towards him, but he's faster: he's already standing behind you, his good-natured expression makes your heart melt.

He leans over your shoulder, you feel the soft tufts tickle your neck as he places a chaste kiss on your cheek.

“I guess it's boring watching me sleep, but do you really have to leave while I'm awake?”

Your expression of surprise must be funny, because he's laughing.

You are used to the closeness you have with him, but now the closeness is becoming intimacy.

His hand rests softly on your face, his expression is so loving you think you might get lost in it.

“Even this old General needs tenderness, you know that?”

Those words touch your heart. You see in his eyes the tiredness, the pain, but also everything he feels towards you.

Affection, gratitude, desire to protect.

It comes naturally to smile to you, and you lean into his touch. He looks satisfied when his thumb lightly rubs your cheekbone. Again, you're used to the closeness you have with him, but maybe that closeness isn't for everyone.

“Dine with me.” He says, taking you by the hand. “You are always so generous when you cook, this time don't make me eat alone.”

You laugh: “If that's the order, General.”

Disappointment makes him wrinkle his nose slightly: “It's not an order. I don't need an order, do I?”

Now you know that he has seen further than you thought.

“No…” You whisper as you gently place your palm on his.

Mimi is now lying on the floor, her breathing is slow and his eyes are closed. Now he's the one giving himself a well-deserved rest.

As you sit in front of the commander you think about how you haven't felt this happy in too long. It's not overwhelming happiness, making you laugh and jump, but it's warm and mature. Something that lasts over time without corroding.

It is true that General Jing Yuan doesn't deny himself to anyone, that everyone can enjoy his kindness, but don't you think that many besides you have the honor of laughing in front of his face dirty with rice.

[kaycode1999]

LMK Sun Wukong x Reader pt.2

~Season 5 episode 2~

“ The world has fallen into chaos, and at every step of its descent you have been there.” A deep voice echos through the portal as Y/N and Wukong fall through careening toward the ground. Wukong wraps Y/N in his arms protectively before landing on the ground, and MK and Macaque suddenly appear behind them. Y/N can only tell they are in some huge cave type area that is filled with fog as Wukong gently sets her/him/them down and pushes her/him/them behind him, he then quickly slashes his hand through the fog dissipating it revealing several figures in hooded robes.

“ What?! A second ago I was in bed, what's going on?” MK says is surprise and Y/N rushes over to him hugging him protectively, “ Yeah, the guys in the cool robes only strike when you're asleep- kind of their thing.” Wukong says in an agitation.“ What do you want?” Macaque asks glaring at the robed figures.

“ Sun Wukong, the Six-Eared Macaque, and MK the Monkey Kid. You have been summoned before the court of the underworld to answer for your crimes.” The same voice from before speaks up, “ You stand before the 10 Kings Guardians of the great cycle.” A Different robed figure with a deeper voice says. “ A cycle which has been disrupted.” A higher pitched female sounding figure in the same black robe speaks says.

“ Help me remember, what was it that happened the last time you all brought me here?” Wukong says sarcastically “ Oh right, things didn't super work out for you.”, “ And as I recall, you removed your name from The Book of the Dead.” The first robbed figure says and Wukong gives the robbed figures an indignant smirk. “ A similar crime has led to this moment. The scroll of memory was stolen, your guilt is obvious.” The robed figure with a more female voice says.

“ Wait are we on trial? Do we need a lawyer?” MK asks worriedly “ Don't worry, we watched almost every episode of Monkey Cop Courtroom Edition.” MK chuckles to himself before turning back to the court “ Uh, your honors- What exactly are the charges? Also, why is my sister/brother/sibling here?”

“ An unfortunate consequence of she/he/they and Sun Wukong having been in the same space at the time we brought him here. As for the other matter-” the first voice explains when the deeper one cuts in, “ because of your actions, the Jade Emperor fell, and now the pillar of Heaven has been irreparably damaged.” A Different robed guy says angrily, “ The pillar of Heaven.” Wukong whispers in disbelief. “ You stand accused of the destruction of this world.” The female robed figure says

“ I'm gonna… I’m gonna need a minute with my clients.” MK stutters nervously before pulling Wukong, Y/N, and Macaque into a huddle “ Okay, my professional legal advice is- we should leave.”, Wukong hums in thought for a moment picking his head up to look around. “ Not seeing a door, So l'm just going to make one.” He says taking a step back and raising his arm

“ We thought you might try some foolishness to escape justice, and so we have brought a power even greater than yours.” The first robed figure says, a portal suddenly opens and the lotus prince emerges. “ Nezha?” MK says is surprise “ Hey Nezha!”, he excitedly waves at him just before Monkey King bursts out in laugher so hard it makes him tear up slightly

“ This is your big scary?” Wukong laughs before a bigger more intimidating figure appears in front of Nezha and Wukong freezes “ Okay yeah, a little bit more powerful than Nezie”, “Pagoda-wielding General, Li Jing, new leader of the celestial realm.” The first robed figure explains.“ Nezha’s dad?” MK asks enthusiastically “ Nezha, your dad is the new Jade Emperor?”, “ The Jade Emperor cannot be replaced” Nezha states. “ In his absence, I have been charged with resolving this.” Li Jing interrupts.

“ Big ups on the promotion Li, I always knew you'd weasle your way to the top.” Wukong says,“ The world is on a knife’s edge, you add nothing but chaos.” Li Jing says with a judgmental glare.

“ Objection!” MK retorts “ Ergo, Visa V, We're guilty until proven innocent-”, Y/N gently elbows him to bring his attention to what he just said. “ No wait, forget I said that.” MK says,“ You know that Pagoda of yours isn't gonna be enough to stop us.” Wukong warns stepping in front of MK, Y/N, and Macaque almost protectively. “ Perhaps.” Li Jing says “ There was only one thing that could ever bring the Great Sage to heal, and as I have been empowered by the Heavenly Host.”

A green glowing light with a bunch of symbols appears in front of his hand, “ Stop!” Macaque yells running forward as a golden crown forms around Wukong’s head. “ I collar the beast!” Li Jing asserts, Wukong starts screaming in pain holding the area where the crown is placed. The pain causes him to stumble backwards until he’s caught by Y/N and Macaque as he falls to his knees, “ Monkey King, No!” MK yells worriedly. MK suddenly starts phasing back and forth between his normal and monkey form, “ No, no no no” MK says in a panick, and just before Y/N can Wukong reaches over and takes MK’s hand.

" It's ok kid, We're ok" Wukong says reassuring him after taking a few recovery breathes, thankfully MK form seems to stabilize. After seeing that MK is alright Y/N moves in front of Wukong putting a hand on his cheek looking at him in concern. " Wukong's fangs have been pulled." Li Jing says turning his back to them, " Father, these four they're not-" Nezha starts. " Control yourself." Li Jing asserts " This side show is over.". The two start toward the portal they came through.

Y/N suddenly sees red and turns toward Li Jing and the court. “ Where do you think you're going?!” she/he/they yell taking a few steps toward them “ How dare you! Get that pain crown off of him right now!”, “ You would do well to hold your tongue mortal. Though you are insignificant, do not think you can not incur our wrath.” the first-robed figure warns. “ You intentionally caused pain to someone I care about, I think you should be more worried about incurring mine.” Y/N says darkly with a murderous glare before the four suddenly fall through another portal into some type of jail cell in the celestial realm.

Macaque leans against the wall with his arms crossed and Monkey King sits on the groaned cross-legged while MK tries pull the crown off of Wukongs head, “ Didn't Mr. Tang's past life guy put one of these dealies on you originally?” MK asks. “ This one's somehow tighter.” Wukong says gingerly running a hand across it “ I really really didn't want to wear one of these again.”, Y/N gives him a sympathetic look as Wukong just glares at Macaque. “ Classic, I get all the punishment and you get to mope." He snarks.

“ Maybe going to jail wasn’t on my agenda for tonight.” Macaque retorts annoyed, “ Oh, so you think this is my idea of a good time? Trapped in here with you?” Wukong asks angrily. “ Ok, ok enough.” Y/N says trying to calm them down, the two continue to glare at each other as a tense silence passes over the group.

MK slightly breaks the tension by going back to pulling at the crown until his fingers slip and he nearly falls, he then jumps up on Monkey Kings shoulders trying to pull it up that way. “ Wow that is…that is really on there.” He huffs before trying several different ways. “ Nearly got it.” He says before getting launched into the wall “ I don't have it.”, MK slides down onto the floor as a yellow see through portal appears behind him. The lotus prince himself stands on the other side much to MK’s excitement. “ Nezha! you bustin’ us out? ah, amazing!” He says happily before it turns into nervousness “ It's uh - it's tense in here.”

“ This is.. not what I wanted.” Nezha says sadly,“ Weren't you meant to be busy guarding the Jade Emperor's power?” Wukong asks in an accusatory tone “ Don't tell me daddy Jing took over that job too.” He chuckles to himself “ You got demoted?!”. “ Just stop.” Nezha asserts in frustration, the portal opens up and Nezha steps through closing it behind him. Wukong fans four strands of his hair out into the hallway with his tail while Nezha isn’t looking. “ Someone's trying to destroy the pillar of heaven, and my father-“ Nezha starts.

“ Quickly jumping in here, what's the Pillar of Heaven exactly?” MK interrupts appearing behind him, “ If the old legends can be believed, the pillar is a mystic energy that holds back the primordial chaos.” Nezha explains.“ It’s what lets the world be- the world.” Wukong adds, MK hums sliding to sit down next to him. “ Yes, good.” MK says “ Now do it like Tang.”, “For real?” Wukong questions. “ Helps me learn.” MK says with a shrug, Wukong can’t help but look over at Y/N to almost gage if MK is joking and she/he/they just shrug and do an I-don’t-know noise. He groans before begrudgingly going into a Tang impression.

“ Legend tells that the Universe was born into chaos. Long ago, a sanctuary was constructed. This world, protected from the chaos by the pillar of heaven.” Wukong explains, “ and someone’s trying to break it.” MK states. “ Not for the first time.” Wukong says in his normal voice, MK wags his finger at him making a Nuh-uh-uh sound. Wukong groans in frustration before going back into the Tang impression, “ it was broken once before. Chaos poured into the realms until the goddess Nüwa mended the pillar with the mystical five-colored Stones.” he explains.

“ Sounds like someone needs to get those stones and get to mending.” MK asserts, “ The kids right.” Macaque agrees “ Which begs the question why you're here instead of out there working on a rock collection.”. “ Exactly.” Y/N agrees, Nezha sighs and looks down “ My father-“ he starts. “ Doesn't want anyone looking for ‘em.” MK guesses popping up right next to Nezha “ Interesting. Suspicious”, MK starts walking back toward the other three. “ Yes, what- what's he doing?” Nezha asks confused.

“ Ignore it, it’s his lawyer bit.” Macaque explains, and Y/N nods in agreement while Wukong chuckles at MK’s antics. “ Best attorney monkeys can buy.” MK says flattening his hair back “ Hmm, if I was a secret enemy trying to break a magic pillar… I- objection!- to people looking for the magic rocks that can fix it as well.”, “ My father is not the enemy.” Nezha states.

“ I mean…” MK chuckles “ He put us in a cell, and a pain crown on Monkey King's head.” he rushes over sort of hugging Monkey King before leaning on his head for support “ You know, it's not… it's not best friend behavior.”, “ This was a mistake.” Nezha says turning away from them. “ Nezha, wait.” Y/N says and just as he turns to look back at her/him a voice from outside the cell grabs his attention.

“ Yeah, super was.” Wukong calls, “ What? No!” Nezha says in concern seeing all four of them outside the cell. “ You always fall for the clone bit!” Wukong laughs, “ Now you're stuck inside, and the real uses are out here.” MK says. “ I'm a clone” the Wukong, MK, Y/N, and Macaque that are in the cell say. “ No!” Nezha yells desperately before using his staff to burst through the portal into the hallway trapping all four of them against the wall.

“ Told you you always fall for it.” Wukong laughs just before they all burst into an orange-ish yellow smoke, Nezha quickly turns around to see the four of them already out of the cell and trying to sneak away. “ Someone's trying to destroy the world, and I'm not going to let anyone stop us from saving it.” Wukong asserts, “ Here comes jailbreak kid!” Wukong and MK both call talking strands of hair and creating several clones that waste no time in tackling Nezha and trapping him under them.“ Wukong!” Nezha yells angrily as the four take off running away from him, “ Sorry Nezha. We love ya, but we gotta run.” Y/N calls over her/his/their shoulder and Wukong chuckles at the situation.

The four burst through the wall and out onto the path through the celestial garden running at full speed, MK nearly rushes off the side of the path which leads to a deadly fall before he just barely stops himself in the edge with a scared yelp. “ Come on kid.” Wukong chuckles pulling him back onto the path as they all continue to run for their lives getting chased by several celestial soldiers throwing a variety of weapons at them which they have to dodge, “ Why is it always like this when you come here?!” Macaque asks in an accusatory tone and Wukong laughs.

What must be a celestial army leader steps in front of them with a whole squad behind him causing them to stop, “ That's far enough prisoners.” the leader says unsheathing his sword. “ This guy thinks he's the main character.” Wukong chuckles, he and Macaque quickly work together to knock him out and take his sword. “ Oh my Great Sage.” MK says fearfully upon seeing the large group of soldiers in front of them. Wukong and Macaque look like they are about to strike when Y/N puts a hand out to stop them. “ Please, allow me.” Y/N says sweetly before rolling up her/his/their sleeves

In a flash Y/N has the whole group of soldiers taken down and out of the way, MK, Wukong and Macaque look at her/him/them in sheer disbelief. “ Wow.” Macaque says impressed, “ I know right?” Wukong says his tone laced with adoration and all but literal heart eyes. The four continue running leaving the incapacitated soldiers behind, “ We have to get outta here.” MK says. “ Yeah.” Wukong agrees “ but you're really not going to like how we do it.”, “ What?” MK questions. Suddenly, Wukong pushes all three of them off the side of the path with an “ Alliup” jumping after them sending them all falling towards the mortal realm. “ Wukong!” Macaque shrieks angrily while Y/N and MK yell in terror.

Wukong chuckles taking out the sword he took from the guard throwing it below them, the sword suddenly stops in mid-air as a yellowish portal appears around it and once the four reach it the scenery below them changes a familiar street where Tang, Mei, Pigsy, and Sandy are hanging out in front of Pigsy’s noodles. Wukong and MK fall directly onto Sandy’s truck while Macaque grabs onto Y/N creating a portal below them that slowly pushes them back up to the surface once they fall through it. One of the tires bounces off the newly demolished truck landing right in front of Sandy and Mei before the same sword falls off somehow hitting the tire to which Sandy makes a disheartened noise

“ MK! Good-a you to show up for work-” Pigsy says “ 8 HOURS LATE!”, MK laughs nervously as he rushes down from the truck. “ Yeah, we have to go.” MK warns, “ Does that have anything to do with the ominous cracks being back?” Tang questions pointing to the sky where a large crack appears. “ It's okay, we've got a plan.” Wukong assures putting an arm around MK, “ Oh, do we?” Macaque scoffs “ We don't even know if these magical pillars healing stones exist!”. He and Wukong growl angrily starting to get in each other's faces but Y/N steps in between them forcing them apart and MK walks a few steps away. “ What if going after the stones is just another tricky plan by some tricky plan demon?” MK questions worriedly and his voice finally gets Macaque and Wukong to stop trying to kill each other “ Like if this is exactly what they want.”. He lets out a defeated sigh hanging his head, “ What if we really are chaos?” He asks quietly.

“ MK. You are not chaos” Y/N says feeling sad for him before walking over to him putting an arm around him, “ Listen bud, the only thing I know for sure is I don't trust anyone who isn't standing here right now.” Wukong says trying to comfort him “ If those stones are important the safest place for them is with us.”. “ Uh, what stones?” Pigsy asks confused, just then many of the celestial portals appear in the sky above them. “ Feels like we’re still missing some pretty important information.” Tang says nervously

“ We’re sort of on the run from the celestial realm.” MK says nervously rubbing the back of his head, “ What?!” Pigsy yells. “ We can explain everything.” MK says, at that moment beams of light come down from the portals and the group is surrounded by celestial guards. “ Later! We can explain later!” MK says anxiously.

“ Probably wish you hadn't smashed up Sandy's new truck right MK?” Mei asks appearing next to him, Mk makes a questioning noise looking over to the demolished truck. “ Oh!” he says taking out the staff “ here comes Monkey Kid!”, he brings the staff down onto the truck and uses its power to rebuild the truck which sends out a wave of energy that blasts the guards several feet away. “ Everybody in!” Mei yells pointing to the newly rebuilt truck, Y/N and MK take off following after her. The sound of Wukong yelling in pain stops Y/N, MK, and Macaque in their tracks only for them to turn and see him on the ground with his face contorted in pain and Li Jing behind him using the power to activate the pain crown.“ Wukong!” Macaque yells worriedly, “ No!” MK and Y/N yell rushing to his side. Y/N steps in front of him protectively while MK checks to make sure he's alright, and after a few seconds MK starts phasing in and out of his monkey form again. “ I suggest you back away from us now.” Y/N warns glaring at him angrily, “ This foolishness is over” Li Jing says

Before he can open the portal to Pagoda Macaque appears in front of him pushing his hand out of the way to separate the connection to the pain crown on Wukong, “ Kid. Go save the world.” Macaque says as a portal opens up below them and they start to sink through. “ What? MK says in surprise, “ No” Wukong and MK yell trying to move through the portal to get to him. “Macaque!” Wukong yells just before they fall through right into Sandy’s newly rebuilt truck that is speeding away from the city.

MK looks out of the window just in time to see the purple-ish shadow figure disappear. “ He’ll get away right?” MK asks looking to Wukong expectantly “ He always gets away.” he says “ Right?”. Wukong looks down sadly and doesn't say a word, Y/N puts an arm around him allowing him to rest his head against her/him/them to recover from the pain. “ Even if he's trapped in the Pagoda for now, we’ll find a way to get him out.” Y/N assures. Wukong slowly ends up nuzzling his head into Y/N’s neck before falling asleep exhausted for the pain inflicted by the crown.

[zellia-rambles]

Slight S5 spoilers?

WHAT??? WHO GAVE U THAT NAME, LI JING 💀💀😭😭

LAST 2 SEASONS WAS DADDY BULL KING. NOW WE HAVE THIS

[phoenixeclipse-lmkau]

Is Qi Xiaotian the only cub that The Monkey Kings have with Phoenix?

No, he is actually not. The Monkey Kings don't want just one cub and Phoenix absolutely love cubs too so they have several.

There are six that I have already created.

First there is obviously Qi Xiaotian, he is the oldest and takes after all three of his parents. His name is eventually turned to Sun Xiaotian when he meets his dad and Baba though. Depending on the AU sometimes he never had the Qi in front of his name to begin with.

Second and Third are twins. They are Bao and Tao.

Sun Bao is reckless and impulsive just like his dad, which Phoenix found odd because he looks like the spitting image of Macaque. He had pure white fur, with striking gold eyes. A dark purple face mask covers his face. And he has six ears like his Baba.

Sun Tao is the opposite of his brother. He is calm and thinks things through before he goes causing havoc. Of course he is still chaotic like his brothers though. He has golden fur and dark golden eyes. He shares the same dark red face mask as his dad and has six ears like his Baba.

The last three are actually Triplets. Their parents were ecstatic though one passed out when they found out that they were having triplets.

Sun Meihua is the oldest of the triplets. She is the spitting image of her Baba and her Mama. She has beautiful white fur with a light pink heart shaped mask across her face. Like most of her siblings she also has beautiful golden eyes. Roses decorate her long fur, along with the eight beads that she has woven in a single braid. Each symbolizing one of her family members. She is also calm and calculated like her Baba.

Sun Jing is the second youngest of all the cubs and the second born of the triplets. She is strong and impulsive, taking mostly after her dad. She is the only cub of the family that only has two ears too, though they are more sensitive than a normal demon's. She has beautiful golden fur, with a red face mask that flares out at the bottom.

Sun An, is the youngest cub that the trio has. The one who nearly didn't make it the day she was born. She is the 'weakest' of her siblings and takes the most after her mother. If it weren't for the six ears, and golden eyes she could be mistaken for her mother. With her dark brown fur, bright red roses and pretty pink heart shaped face mask. She is the kindest and least destructive of all her siblings.

~Loved this Ask!! If you have any more questions on these little rascals, don't hesitate to ask!

[journeytothe-legos]

✦ Welcome Welcome! ✦

to begin, my name is verity and i am the one keeping this blog afloat. ae/aer or they/them pronouns are what i go by. the characters open to ask and any rules will be added below! i hope you enjoy!

⊂Character List⊃

Monkie Kids

MK

Mei

Sandy

Tang

Pigsy

Demon Bull Family

Demon Bull King

Princess Iron Fan

Red Son

Immortals

Sun Wukong

Six-Eared Macaque

Nezha

Chang'e

Li Jing

Lady Yin (note: she is based off my design for her)

Nuwa

Nine-Headed Demon

Brotherhood / Camel Ridge

Azure Lion

Peng

Yellowtusk

Miscellaneous

Jin & Yin

Lady Bone Demon

(Not) Mayor

Ao Lie

Little Girl / Host (Bai He)

Princess Jade Face (note: based off my design for her)

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if an ask implies discrimination of any kind from the asker i won't answer it, characters on the other hand may have questionable wording on topics.

no asks involving real life drama that could lead to controversy, only situations that exist within the show will be answered.

for the most part no shipping will be explicitly stated, but there is a chance there may be hints of things i ship. but nothing outright shown or stated.

if any of you guys start fighting in the inbox your asks will be removed. however, referencing another person's ask is fine as long as the question/comment is directed towards a character still.

no nsfw or 18+ content.

debated on ocs, but i will allow them. however, the characters will answer as if they don't know them / your oc being a minor or background character.

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nezha will be portrayed as an adult on this blog, if that bothers you i recommend you find another ask blog. i will not be budging on this.

i will be allowing magic asks (if not for a specified amount of asks [max. 8] than i will automatically set it to last for three asks with the characters afflicted]

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⭐longest rat anon

💎 anon

🐝 honey anon

sleepy cupidromantic <3

🪷 anon

[wisteriashouse]

in this life and the next.

pairing: jing yuan x xian zhen (oc)

genre: romance; commission

word count: 10.5k

a/n: king yuan stan @meaningofaeons

“Jing Yuan, you cannot be serious about this.”

“Now, now, this is hardly the decorum of an aspiring general.” Jing Yuan doesn’t need to look up to know who it is that has just entered his office without declaration or permission, but does so anyway — just to see the displeased frown on her face. Despite her sudden arrival, his staff at the Seat of Divine Foresight don’t look too surprised to see her. They’re probably a tad too used to her coming and going. “What do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Lady Fu?”

Fu Xuan ignores him, as expected. “The personal shuttle of the Yaoqing’s Brigadier General has arrived at Cloudford.” No polite niceties or beating around the bush. She cuts straight to the point like a well sharpened sword. Jing Yuan smiles from his seat, and slowly sets down the report in his hands.

So, she’s here.

“Does the esteemed Master Diviner find issue with me recruiting more talents to join the Luofu’s Cloud Knights?”

“Enough of your jokes.” The Master Diviner crosses her arms over her chest, eyes narrowed. Although her countenance appears annoyed, Jing Yuan has known her for long enough to recognise that it only belies her deep seated concern for him. How touching. “You know that I don’t have any problems with that. It is who you are recruiting that I have concerns with. And I have advised on this matter countless times now — advice that I see you have very clearly ignored! Are my words a passing breeze to your ears, hm?”

Jing Yuan can’t help the laugh that escapes him. “Then, I suppose the great Master Diviner has scried a tragic fate for me, following this decision.”

“Why would I? It’s not like you would have heeded my warnings regardless.” Fu Xuan lets out a huff and turns away. After a moment, she speaks. “Jing Yuan, you and I both know that the Vidyadhara see their longevity differently from the other long life species of the Xinazhou. The molting rebirth that they undergo is not just an extension of their lives, but a whole new cycle. Her incarnations might share the name ‘Void Cleaver’, but they are about the same person as much as Dan Heng and previous Imbibitor Lunae are.”

Jing Yuan raises an eyebrow. That was a harsh blow, and both of them know it. Regardless, he smiles. “Yet, all of them have found their way back to that same pseudonym. If attachments to simple titles can linger, who is to say that the possibilities are limited?”

She shoots him a glare, and Jing Yuan muses to himself idly that he and Fu Xuan are now eye to eye, even though he remains seated. She cuts an intimidating figure, regardless. “Brigadier General Xian and the Void Cleaver Xiahui are not the same people,” she spells it out for him sharply. “Jing Yuan, you—”

“I know.”

Fu Xuan falters momentarily, her frown deepening. “You do?” She clearly didn’t expect him to relent so easily.

“Of course. The Yaoqing’s Brigadier General is not my comrade of old, as much as I would like to believe otherwise.” Jing Yuan glances at one of the display cabinets in his office as he speaks. Fu Xuan follows his gaze, sees the pair of large dao sitting inside a display of crystal glass. The steel chains are still attached to their blades, and although it has been centuries since they were last touched by their owner, the weapons still bear signs of careful maintenance. “Worry not, Lady Fu. I might be getting on in years, but I haven’t gone senile just yet. You will still have to be patient for now, I’m afraid.”

“Do not make it sound as though I am coveting your position. The changing of seats is merely a natural progression of things.” Fu Xuan looks at him. It has indeed been a long time since the General has held this seat — he is one of the few who has made it past the half millennium mark. But while his mind does not appear to have dulled even a little, there is a… tiredness about him that Fu Xuan cannot help but observe. “Then, why did you request to have her transferred here?”

He shrugs. “The Yaoqing have experience dealing with this particular group of borisin before — the ones that the Divination Commission have calculated to be heading towards the Luofu.”

“And I do not remember writing in my report that we required any assistance. The Luofu’s Cloud Knights should be more than sufficient to deal with them.”

“The Lady General of the Yaoqing has mentioned that this group is particularly tricky — they have more advanced technology and use underhanded means. Brigadier General Xian Zhen has led many campaigns against them, and so General Feixiao thinks that she might be an asset to us in the upcoming battle.”

Fu Xuan stares at him. Not for the first time, Jing Yuan feels as though the third eye on her forehead is boring straight through his chest like the piercing tip of a spear, right into his soul. Fortunately for him, while reading minds is well within the realm of her abilities, the Divination Master requires the Matrix of Prescience to do so, and Jing Yuan’s thoughts remain privy to only himself for now. 

“And I suppose she will return to the Yaoqing after this borisin matter is dealt with.”

“That is what is intended, yes.”

She lets out a defeated sigh. “Well, if even the Yaoqing’s general has agreed… I suppose it will not hurt to have an additional pair of fighting hands.”

“You suppose correctly.”

Fu Xuan glares at him. The General smiles at her in response, but Fu Xuan cannot help but feel as though he looks a tad too self-satisfied for her liking. She is sure that he is not being completely honest with her, but while she is loath to admit it, Fu Xuan has complete faith that he will not allow his personal agendas to undermine that of the Luofu. And if all that has been taken into account by the general, then she is in no position to continue to disagree.

Yet, that look… Fu Xuan wants to wipe it off his face!

Instead, she huffs out a breath and turns to leave. “Well, I’ve said my piece. As for the rest, do as you please.” She is almost at the lowest stair of the dais when the General suddenly speaks from behind her once more.

“Thank you for your concern, Fu Xuan.”

She turns around to see Jing Yuan looking at her with what almost seems to be a… genuine smile on his face. And for some reason, it makes it difficult to meet his gaze. “If you are grateful, then you should hurry up and retire,” she mutters. With that, she makes her way out of the Seat of Divine Foresight, leaving Jing Yuan behind her.

After the Divination Master leaves the room, Jing Yuan finally allows himself to let out a breath and sag back into his seat. As expected, Fu Xuan is blunt but perceptive. Even earlier, he does not think he managed to convince her entirely — it is said that the first step to convincing others is to first learn how to convince one’s own self, after all. 

And Xiahui, well… the strings of fate between them have been interwoven too thickly to be severed by something as paltry as molting rebirth. Dan Heng, try as he might to run, had never truly been able to wholly escape his predecessor’s eclipsing shadow. No, their lives have burned too brightly to simply be swept under a rug.

He looks at the chain dao sitting silently in their display cabinet, still awaiting their owner’s return. For so long, Jing Yuan had thought that she’d perished for good — his last glimpse of her the blood soaked back of a frenzied demon cutting down the borisin hordes closing in on her — before she had vanished from the battlefield, leaving behind only her old weapons and the rumours of a mara-stricken fate. And yet now, that old name has resurfaced once more, like a soul escaped from the Hall of Karma to haunt the living.

Void Cleaver. While she had not been part of the Xianzhou’s legendary High Cloud Quintet, Xiahui had been a formidable warrior in her own right. Jing Yuan had favoured the path with the least trouble and casualties, but Xiahui had always been one to charge headfirst into battle without fear of injury or death. The two always had a good rapport, and over time, stronger emotions had begun to develop between them.

Yet although he had already been aware of his own feelings, he’d failed to make them known. Why had he hesitated, and decided to wait? Perhaps, just like his master, he’d once thought that happy days flowed before them like a never ending stream. But life often has its ways of proving people wrong.

“General.” One of his secretaries, Yong Hai, approaches his table, scrolls nearly spilling from his arms. If paper could suffocate, they probably would. “Outside… the Yaoqing’s Brigadier General has arrived at the Exalting Sanctum. She wishes to greet you personally.”

He pulls his gaze away from the dao. What use are these realisations now? Jing Yuan shakes his head, before glancing up at his secretary with a slight smile. “Mm, escort her in. Oh, and fetch some Verdant Jade Lotus Tea. We should treat an honoured guest who has travelled far with suitable consideration.”

“Yes, General.” Yong Hai hurries away. Jing Yuan takes a quiet breath to calm himself. It’s been a… while, since he’d last felt trepidation. After centuries of living, the sensations of fears, sadness and happiness have all dulled with time. But to know that he will be seeing her again soon… that it makes Jing Yuan anticipate something once more.

The doors to the Seat of Divine Foresight swing open, and Jing Yuan feels as though he has just seen a ghost. The woman who had just arrived looks just like the Xiahui he remembers, and he must remind himself that this is a stranger wearing his old friend’s face. As she approaches, Jing Yuan looks her over carefully. Her dark hair falls over one eye — had she lost it in battle? Her attire is much more sophisticated than the clothes Xiahui used to favour, though this might be because of their meeting here today. 

She stops in front of him, clasping her fist before bowing her head low. “It is my honour to meet the Luofu’s Arbiter-General. I am Xian Zhen, Brigadier General of the Xianzhou Yaoqing.”

He had expected it, of course, but to hear himself being addressed so formally from such a familiar face… well, the faster Jing Yuan teaches himself that they are not the same person, the more quickly he will be able to move on. One sided nostalgia can only lead so far.

“No need for such formalities. We are to become comrades in arms soon, after all.” Jing Yuan rises to his feet to receive her. Xiahui— no, Xian Zhen’s eyes follow him with the sharpness of a hawk. Well, it looks like while some things change, other things remain familiar regardless. “Calling me General is enough. Have you settled your living quarters and such with Qingzu?”

She nods, quick and curt. “Yes, General. I came only to give my greetings, everything else has been more than satisfactory so far. There is no need to trouble someone as important as yourself with such paltry matters.”

Jing Yuan smiles slightly. “As a general, I take care of the men under me. And if I am unable to deal with paltry matters, how will I deal with greater ones? Do not worry, Lady Xian.”

She hesitates for a moment before she bows again. “Then, I thank the General for his generosity.”

There are centuries of history between the two of them, but how quickly it is that they have already run out of things to say to one another. There was another time, when he and Xiahui would spend hours after sparring chatting about everything under the sun and around it, but he supposes those days are long past now. It would be best if he remembers to think of the two as separate people now. Having brought Xiahui’s incarnation here was already an indulgence on his part — one that he should be careful not to take too far.

However, when he looks up to dismiss her, Jing Yuan is surprised to see Xian Zhen looking at the glass display cabinet — the one that houses Xiahui’s weapons. “Lady Xian?”

“Oh! Apologies, did you say something, General?”

“No. You simply seemed very lost in thought, staring at those weapons. So I called out to you.” Xian Zhen glances at the display case once more, and a look of deep interest crosses her face.

“Are those a pair of prized weapons, General? I use similar dao myself, so I noticed that their make is of excellent quality. It is difficult to find a craftsman who can make a chain that is both flexible and strong, even on the Zhuming.” There is a certain spark to her gaze when she talks about the weapons, one that was absent when she was speaking to him earlier. Jing Yuan cannot help but wonder if he is looking at his old friend once more. “Ah, but of course the General would have many rare treasures.”

Jing Yuan shifts his gaze over to the chain dao lying quiet and silent in their case. Weapons are not meant to be displayed like this. For what purpose are weapons crafted, if not to live out their purposes? That is what the craftsman who had created those blades had said, at least.

Old friendships become scattered to the winds, and enemies are either captured or dead. Only memories remain…

“They are treasures, indeed.” Jing Yuan nods mildly, looking at Xian Zhen once more. He momentarily considers what he’s about to say next. “And if you would ever like to use them, you can take them.”

Xian Zhen’s eye widens abruptly at his words, and Jing Yuan holds back a smile. “S-surely, I couldn’t simply take one of the General’s weapons like that!” 

Yes, he much prefers to see her true personality over the formal countenance she had been showing him earlier. He should endeavour to surprise her more often. “I must say I much prefer methods that do not resort to arms. If violence is inevitable, I have my glaive. Besides, an old friend of mine used to say that a sword not in use is merely a stick. I am sure that these weapons will serve a far greater purpose in your hands.”

She stares at the weapons one more time, as though in disbelief, before she bows, even deeper this time. “I cannot thank you enough, General.”

JIng Yuan laughs. “No gratitude required.” He is simply returning them to their owner, after all. “You can thank me by putting them to good use instead.”

“I swear by the heavens that I will.”

“Now, now, that’s not at all necessary…”

Xian Zhen, not Xiahui. Yet, there is that same hard flint in their eyes, the same animated expressions when talking about weapons. 

If his relationship with her predecessor had been anything to go by, well… Jing Yuan thinks that he could come to like Xian Zhen as much as he once did Xiahui.

“Cannon to C4.”

Yanqing squints even closer at the board, as though doing so will help him see a path to victory. There isn’t one — Jing Yuan has made sure to block off every possible escape route for Yanqing’s king, trapping it within the confines of its palace. But Jing Yuan lets him continue to study the starchess board regardless, perhaps the young man will find a new way through and surprise him.

“General,” Yanqing says at last, looking utterly worn out already, “I beg of you, no more starchess. How about we take a break from this and spar a little instead?”

“A warrior must be well skilled in all matters regarding warfare, which includes battle strategy as well,” Jing Yuan comments idly with a smile. “And to be well skilled, one must first practice, no?”

“But there is no way I could beat the General at starchess…”

“Then are you saying that you could beat me at sparring?”

“No! Well, no, but…”

The weather is perfect today, and there is a gentle breeze stirring the leaves in his courtyard. It’s too beautiful of a day to be cooped up inside the Seat of Divine Foresight — which is why Jing Yuan has decided to skip out on work for today and allow himself some rest. All pressing matters that need to be finished have been taken care of, so there is no reason that he can’t lounge around for a bit.

And besides…

“General!”

It never fails to summon her.

“General! What do you think you are doing?” Xian Zhen storms across the courtyard, the fine silk of her robes billowing behind her like mist. Opposite him, Yanqing gulps quietly, and very carefully sets down the starchess piece in his hand, as though afraid that the resulting sound might alert the raging beast to his presence. Very good survival instincts, his protege has.

As for Jing Yuan himself, well… today, he feels like tempting fate. “Good morning, my dear Lady Xian. The weather is beautiful today, don’t you think? How about a round of starchess? After I finish this match with Yanqing, of course.”

After the Luofu’s triumph over the borisin space-pirates (a resounding success, of course), Lady Xian had not returned to the Yaoqing as she had originally intended to, but instead chosen to accept a permanent position at the Seat of Divine Foresight as one of Jing Yuan’s battle advisors. A decision, Lady Xian claims, to have regretted every single day since.

“The General did not use to be this way,” she would lament to her colleagues at the Seat of Divine Foresight. “He was always an upstanding and responsible man! What happened to him?” Fu Xuan would simply shrug and tell her that Jing Yuan had always been this way — how do you think he got the nickname ‘Dozing General’, hm?

“We do not have time for starchess match, General. Not when you suddenly disappeared from your office after lunch time, and did not return after! I searched half of the Luofu for you, but no one had seen you!”

Jing Yuan turns a beatific smile upon her. “Ah, but where else would I be besides my own home?”

Lady Xian looks like she wants to strangle him, but tamps down her irritability impressively quick. Jing Yuan follows her line of sight to the young man sitting behind him, head lowered and eyes very determinedly not looking up, and has to hold back a laugh. “Perhaps at your office, where you are supposed to be at the moment.” She turns to Yanqing, her voice suddenly calm. “Yanqing, would you give me a moment with your General? I need to sc— I mean, speak to him about some matters.”

That is more than enough of an excuse for Yanqing to agree. The boy mumbles an excuse about being late for training with some friends, bows hurriedly to the General before scampering off. At least he has the decency to shoot an apologetic look over his shoulder as he leaves.

The second that Yanqing disappears from sight, Lady Xian rounds on him. “General, you are supposed to be at the office. It worries us when you do not inform us where you are.” She deposits an armful of scrolls on the table in front of him. “You still have this much work to finish, and the day is almost over now. Please finish these as quickly as possible. I will help you, if need be—”

“But Lady Xian,” the General selects one of the scrolls and unfurls it. “This report to the Realm Keeping Commission is only due in two weeks. I hardly think that this is very urgent, is it?”

Xian Zhen frowns, leaning in close to read the contents of the scroll. But it is just as the General says — while the bi-monthly report that the Realm Keeping Commission requires is vital, it is not urgently due. She stares at the scroll, before turning to Jing Yuan. It takes some effort from him to hold back a laugh from the clearly flabbergasted look on her face. “But these were on your table… you never leave work at your desk unless it is urgent.”

So it is just as Jing Yuan had thought — she had noticed that habit about him. To test that theory out, he’d made sure to leave his spare work out on his table before heading out to wander the Luofu without informing any of his subordinates. It hadn’t taken long, before the fish he’d been hoping to catch had taken the bait. 

The confirmation that she notices him more than she cares to let on pleases him more than it probably should. If Lady Fu Xuan were here, she would probably be giving him a look — that look that says ‘I told you so’. 

“Is that so?” Jing Yuan says instead, leaning forward so that he can prop up one chin on his hand. Xian falters a little, gripping the scrolls in her hands more tightly. Their eyes meet, and Jing Yuan thinks that even though parts of her have changed, her eyes (or well, eye, now) have always remained the same — clear and honest — as ever. “Hmm, well. Old habits die hard, but repetition does make things awfully boring after hundreds of years, no?”

She opens her mouth as though to argue, and closes it once more without saying a word. There’s a distinct pink tinge spreading over her cheeks. Before Jing Yuan can say anything else, however, Xian straightens up, folding her arms across her chest.”Well, as the General, it is your responsibility to be on top of all matters concerning the Luofu. Whether that be days, or even weeks in advance.”

Xian is very clearly flustered, as much as she tries to hide it with her brusque words. He holds back a smile. “It seems that even after all this time, I still have much more to improve on as a General. Forgive my negligence of my duties, Lady Xian.”

“I am not criticising you for negligence,” she starts to say, struggling to find words before she lets out a huff. This time, Jing Yuan is unable to help the laugh that escapes him. He remembers the days that he used to joke around Xiahui like this, part of him secretly hoping to get a rise out of his comrade.

Now, Lady Xian crosses her arms across her chest and shoots him a very pointed look. It’s become familiar to him, after their years of working together, and oddly refreshing. As though clouds that have long hung in the sky are finally starting to clear.

In a better mood now, for no apparent reason, Jing Yuan gets to his feet and dusts off his trousers with one hand. “Now, since my subordinate has come all this distance to find me, I suppose that I have no choice but to return to work.” Xian begins to nod approvingly. “After a quick nap, of course. The afternoon is a far too tiring and sleepy time for productivity.”

“No,” Xian pushes the scrolls into his hands and grabs him by one of his sleeves. That causes him to raise an eyebrow in surprise, although he tamps it down quickly. He likes this thoughtless intimacy, and if she is made aware of it she would retreat a polite distance. “You will return to the Seat of Divine Foresight now and complete the work that you left out on the table. I have no wish to race around the Luofu to hunt you down once again.”

Jing Yuan can see her patience with him beginning to wear thin, and decides that this will be his final push. He leans in close, slow and deliberate, relishing the way her breath hitches through parted lips and how he can see himself reflected in her wide eye. “If the Lady Xian insists… then perhaps I could be convinced to shift my nap to after I finish my work.”

She takes a step back. He follows, more sedately but still unrelenting. “W-what… what convincing do you need?”

“Well…” He pretends to deliberate this very carefully, and the suppressed panic on Lady Xian’s face almost makes him laugh. “I could be convinced if the Lady Xian agrees to stroke my hair as I nap, after.”

He can almost count the expressions that flit across her face — the disbelief, followed by shock, before that is quickly replaced by flustered indignance. Her cheeks remind him of the ripe peaches in the gardens of his childhood home. He wonders if she would be just as sweet. 

Immediately, Lady Xian spins on her heel and begins marching towards the exit. “Do not follow me!” she barks at him as he trails after her, amused. “You should be ashamed of yourself! This is unbecoming behaviour, ill-fitting for a renowned General. Not to mention unprofessional, and—”

“I thought the Lady Xian wanted me to return to the Seat of Divine Foresight to finish my work. How will she oversee me and make sure I carry out my due diligence if she does not accompany me?”

She comes to stop, abruptly wheeling around only to notice that Jing Yuan is only a few steps behind her, still with that unflappable smile on his face. A scowl flashes briefly across her face before she turns away again, resuming her stride. Jing Yuan, as expected, follows.

“I shall accompany you to the Seat of Divine Foresight, only to ensure that you do not slack off again before finishing your work.”

“The work is expected to take a considerable amount of time. As a show of my gratitude, how about I treat you to dinner tonight?”

“Do not think that my forgiveness can so easily bought, General—”

“Not even for Qingzu’s handmade Crystal Prawn Dumplings?”

He catches the pause in her step right before she continues marching down the street. “Perhaps I can have a bite or two before I leave.” She still isn’t looking at him, but Jing Yuan can see the corner of her mouth curl up, pleased.

The other residents of the Luofu catch sight of the General and Void Cleaver as they walk side by side on the bustling streets, and those that he is more acquainted with incline their heads in greeting or even wave. The evening air is cool, the sky is clear, and the night is peaceful. Even though Jing Yuan knows all this has been manufactured by the climate engineers, he can’t help but feel as though this moment is wonderfully dazzling in his eyes.

There is a sense of simple happiness, and something that Jing Yuan identifies as nostalgia, welling up within him. Not so long ago, he and Xiahui would walk down the same streets after hours of intensive sparring, sharing sweets and desserts from the roadside stalls. Yet, there are fundamental differences in this moment and the experiences that have long passed — the most prominent among them being the woman in front of him right now. 

His old comrade had never reacted this way to his teasing remarks back then, no matter how hard he had tried to get her to notice him. She had never turned up her nose like this, never crossed her arms and stormed away while trying to hide her expression. Yet more differences between her past and current incarnations… and Jing Yuan is surprised to realise that it’s been a long time since he’s last drawn a comparison between the two. As he walks behind her, Jing Yuan silently resolves in his heart that he will not compare the two any longer — they are not the same person.

Perhaps it is time to let ‘what ifs’ and possibilities remain in where they belong — in the past. The one walking beside him is no longer Xiahui, and if he thinks about it, Jing Yuan is no longer the naive, playful boy that he once was all those years ago. 

And perhaps, his present self also prefers the Lady Xian who responds to his teasing with such lively indignance. 

“An urgent report from Lady Fu!”

Jing Yuan doesn’t look up from the other urgent reports piling on his table. “Lady Xian, do me a favour and read its contents to me.”

On any other day, Xian would scold him for trying to rope her into doing pointless tasks, but today is different. Tensions are running high at the Seat of Divine Foresight, the threat of the Cancer of All Worlds on board the Luofu looming above all of their heads. The revival of the Ambrosial Arbor is a terrible omen to bear witness to, its branches burning fiercely over all of the Luofu. 

Not to mention the sudden uprising of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus. They are small in number, but their groups are widespread over the Luofu, making it difficult for the Cloud Knights to focus their efforts. 

The crew of the Astral Express had left with the Master Diviner a while ago to support the Cloud Knights against the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus. This report must be the results of their work. Xian Zhen unfurls the scroll hurriedly, her eyes scanning through the short and straightforward words.

“Lady Fu Xuan and the Astral Express crew have taken care of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus at the Alchemy Commision. But there have been reports of the Disciples using some sort of pellet-infused smoke that causes the long-life species to become mara-stricken.” Xian Zhen huffs at that. “To deliberately trigger a mara-stricken state in others… how callous! General, I will tell the Cloud Knights to broadcast a warning to the public before coming with you to deal with the Stellaron Hunters.”

But to Xian Zhen’s surprise, the General remains silent. His brow is furrowed, eyes narrowed as he looks at the report in her hand. And there is a strange look to him, one that Xian Zhen has never seen before on his face.

Despite the long lifespans of their species, Xian Zhen knows that few truly make it far along the path of life without falling victim to mara or to death, such as her previous incarnations did. Jing Yuan has lived a long, long time — and yet, somehow, he has never shown any signs of the same mental wear that drove his master to insanity. At least, not until now. 

Xian Zhen frowns, taking a step forward in concern. “Jing Yuan? Are you alright?”

The General nods slowly. “I am fine. It is just that… I once lost a dear friend to something similar.” He looks at Xian Zhen and smiles, before getting to his feet. “It seems that the time to act is now nigh. Lady Xian, you will remain at the Seat of Divine Foresight to give orders in my place. I will be proceeding to deal with the Stellaron Hunters.”

Xian Zhen stares at him, before she shakes her head. “General, what are you talking about? Of course I will come with you — Qingzu will be more than enough to manage the coordination of the Cloud Knight troops.” 

“No,” Jing Yuan’s response is sharp, and Xian Zhen frowns. He must see the look on her face, because he lets out a quiet sigh and reaches out to grip her shoulder. “You will not go to the front lines, Xian Zhen. Listen to my orders and support the Cloud Knights.”

She refuses to back down. Xian Zhen cannot help but feel as though he is keeping something from her — he has sparred with her himself, he knows her strength and capabilities. Why should she be relegated to a support role when her skills would be better suited to the battlefield?

“I have the strength to protect the Luofu. There is no reason I shouldn’t use it.” She allows her dao to manifest in her hands — the very same ones that the General had given to her the first day she had arrived at the Luofu. “General, I am a Brigadier General. Some time might have passed since then, but I have trained under the Lady General of the Yaoqing herself. What reason do you have, that I should not join in the fight? With a Lord Ravager as our foe, do you not need all the support you can get?”

“Because—” Jing Yuan exhales sharply before he takes a step back. Perhaps he should have prepared a better, more believable excuse. But the report of the people induced into a mara-stricken state, the news of the pellet-infused smoke… he cannot help but feel as though history is repeating itself right in front of his eyes.

It happened decades ago, but Jing Yuan’s memories of that battle are as clear as ever. He remembers the glazed, empty look in her the last time their blades clashed, his desperate pleas for her to return to herself — despite knowing that all of it would be futile. Their battle had been drawn out and bloody, Xiahui holding nothing back with each strike. In the end, she had vanished into the chaos of the battlefield — just like his master had — not to be seen again for hundreds of years. 

And now, he cannot help but feel as though the same thing is about to happen again. 

Xian Zhen is still looking at him, growing impatience and frustration on her face. He understands — it makes no sense to keep a warrior as fine as she, and a Brigadier General at that, out of the fight. It’s just that…

Perhaps Xian Zhen has grown dear to him, just as Fu Xuan had warned him all those years ago when her shuttle had first arrived at the Luofu. It is clouding his judgement, and he cannot shake the irrational fear in him that the same fate is to befall her again.

It seems that even after resolving to see them as different people, Jing Yuan still cannot completely let go of Xiahui — and the tragic fate that had befallen her.

Finally, he lets out a deep sigh. There is no time for him to properly resolve his internal matters, and if he continues to allow those thoughts to plague his mind, the mara will start to creep in on him — and Jing Yuan cannot allow that to happen. “Alright then. Let’s go.”

Xian Zhen looks surprised by his sudden agreement, but is smart enough not to question further. She nods and starts to stride towards the door. “Understood, General.”

At the entrance to the Ambrosial Arbor, Xian Zhen stares in awe at the great sight of the Lunarescent Depths parted. The power of her people, and the Vidyadhara’s High Elder… it is unmistakable, then. The forced rebirth of the previous High Elder had not allowed his power to fully pass on to the Lady Bailu.

But all those are concerns for later. Right now, they have more pressing matters to worry about — such as the revived Ambrosial Arbor in front of them, and an impending confrontation with the Lord Ravager behind it all, Phantylia. “Lady Fu, Lady Xian.” The General’s voice carries with it some foreboding that Xian Zhen doesn’t quite like the sound of.

Fu Xuan and Xian Zhen exchange concerned glances before the Master Diviner steps forward. “Here, General.”

Jing Yuan must be able to see the disquietude in her eyes, because he gives the two of them a slight, private smile before resuming his orders. “The two of you will remain here — I’m counting on you to lead the Cloud Knights in defense of this passage. With the matter of the Stellaron Hunters still unresolved… we must prevent any further incidents from occurring.”

That all sounds well and good, except for one very large detail that the General has neglected to point out. Fu Xuan frowns, crossing her arms over her chest as she steps forward to confront him. “Jing Yuan… General, are you planning to face Phantylia alone?”

He just smiles — that infuriating wordless half smile — the one that Xian Zhen has been on the receiving end of far too many times now. It’s the same smile that he gives whenever he has been caught red handed at something, or when he has something on his mind that he would rather not say. This seems to be an instance of both.

“Well, I would say so.” The General glances over his shoulder at the Astral Express crew that is gathered off to the side, but Xian doesn’t even need to follow his gaze to know that he is looking at one of them more than the others — the reincarnation of the previous Vidyadhara High Elder and High Traitor to the Xian Zhou, Imbibitor Lunae. 

She had heard the stories, even when she had still been aboard the Xianzhou Yaoqing. Who hadn’t? It had still been relatively fresh, by the time she herself had undergone molting rebirth and hatched, and she had taken special interest in matters related to other Vidyadharas such as herself. 

Dan Feng’s story had stunned her then. He had once been a shining beacon to the Xianzhou, one of the most powerful Vidyadharas to have ever existed in her people’s history, and part of the High Cloud Quintet. To go against the very principles of everything the Xianzhou, as followers of the Reignbow Arbiter, stood for by attempting to pursue immortality using the powers of the Plagues Author… It's no surprise that the Ten Lords Commission had wanted him utterly destroyed. 

Xian Zhen looks at her general again, but he has turned away from the reincarnation of the previous High Elder and is smiling that enigmatic half-smile once more. It does not bring her any reassurance. Are there perhaps some unresolved feelings… still lingering in him? 

“Do not worry for me,” Jing Yuan tells them calmly, addressing both of them and the Cloud Knights present before the Arbor. He jerks a finger at the group behind him. “I’ll be counting on a few friends for support.”

The Cloud Knights, however, instantly protest. “General!” One of them steps forward. His fingers are white knuckled with fear as he grips his glaive, but his voice is firm all the same. “Do not cast us aside! We are willing to go with you!”

Bravery begets bravery, because the other Cloud Knights begin to speak up as well. “Yes, General! We might not be the mightiest force, but it is our duty as Cloud Knights to protect the Xianzhou! How can we allow outworlders to face the danger while we stay behind the lines? With your permission, sir, allow me to lead the way.”

Despite the severity of the situation, Xian has to hold back a smile. It is good to see that the men are so determined and loyal — Jing Yuan is truly a General worth following with their lives. But Jing Yuan shakes his head firmly and holds up a hand. That is command enough to make them all fall silent.

“I understand your sentiment, soldiers… but the adversary ahead of us is not an Abomination of Abundance. They are a Lord Ravager of the Antimatter Legion! To cross this line would bring you into conflict between the Reignbow Arbiter and the Ruin Author, and you have a more important duty than this.” He eyes all of them with an expression that looks almost like pride, and Xian is sure that one of the Cloud Knights is going to start tearing up. “Cloud Knights, attention!”

“Ha!” The resounding shout from the gathered Cloud Knights echo in the gorge. Jing Yuan smiles. “After I enter the Ambrosial Arbor, if the seawater returns to its original state, you must withdraw immediately and seal off the delve once more.” He turns to Fu Xuan as he says this. “The Master Diviner will lead you, and the Void Cleaver will support you with her strength. Understood?”

“Objection.” Xian Zhen steps forward, and Jing Yuan turns to look at her as she approaches. She holds out her hands, and her chained dao form in her hands, a reassuring weight. A reminder of the power she wields, and her ability to protect those she deems precious to her. “I will accompany the General.”

Lady Fu nods her agreement. “General, I lack battle prowess — it makes sense for me to lead the reinforcements. But Lady Xian is a renowned martial master, I am sure that she will be able to support you in the fight against Phantylia.”

In response, Jing Yuan simply smiles and holds out his hand — the devastator glaive, Starfall Reverie manifests in his palm. It is said that the hand that holds the blade matters more, but Xian Zhen knows just how powerful it is, having been made by one of the most legendary craftsmen in Xianzhou history (as much as they try to bury his name). 

“Lady Xian will remain and guard the Master Diviner.” Although he is smiling, his tone is firm — immovable as rock. “It would be unwise to put our strongest warriors into one group, as it would leave the other undefended.” He turns to Xian Zhen. “I would be able to fight Phantylia better with my mind at ease, knowing that you are here to defend them with.”

There is something that he is hiding, Xian Zhen is sure of it. She had picked up on it the day that they had argued in the Seat of Divine Foresight, and she is getting the same uneasy feeling now. Perhaps it is the way that Jing Yuan is looking at her, as though she is a wisp of smoke about to dissipate any moment in a strong wind. 

She wants to question him right this moment, but with the Cloud Knights watching expectantly and the threat of Phantylia still looming over all their heads, she relents. “Then, it shall be as you say.” Xian Zhen says, inclining her head. She hopes that she doesn’t end up regretting this decision.

At that, Jing Yuan’s smile softens — equal parts pleased and relieved. Why? He turns to the Master Diviner. “Lady Fu, if I am unable to return, I entrust you with the important task of relaying the full account to the other Xianzhou ships.”

There is a saying among Xianzhou natives, that to think bad thoughts is to invite bad luck. Yet, Xian Zhen can’t help but imagine such a future: one where the General doesn’t return. She thinks back to the afternoons shaking him awake where he has dozed off at the Seat of Foresight, the numerous times she has spent under the ginkgo tree of his residence playing countless games of starchess, him watching from the side as she coaches Yanqing through his sword drills. All those seemingly simple, lazy days — and somehow, they have become more precious than anything to her.

And she will be damned if she allows them to vanish like this. 

Lady Fu’s eyes narrow, and she crosses her arms over her chest. “... I trust that you will be here to re-issue the order in person,” Xian Zhen is sure that she is not the only one who hears the quiet in the Master Diviner’s voice, “but whatever the outcome, I will do as you command and honour the mission.”

Jing Yuan’s smile widens. “Ha, spoken like a true general. Perhaps my time for retirement is truly approaching.”

“You will retire playing starchess and petting cats, General,” Xian Zhen tells him forcefully. Not lying still in a casket and buried where the afternoon sunlight doesn’t shine. Jing Yuan looks surprised by her sudden burst of emotions, before his expression softens.

“That is what I hope for, too.” Jing Yuan calls over his shoulder as he walks past them, the Astral Express crew following behind him. “Rest assured that I will do everything in my power to make sure that happens, Lady Xian.”

She will not be able to rest assured until she has seen Phantylia defeated and her general alive and well, but for now, Xian Zhen watches him walk into Scalegorge Waterscape with a strange sense of foreboding in her chest.

Xian Zhen is clearing the last abomination in the area when the sky lights up in a myriad of gold and green. For a moment, nothing happens, until the ground suddenly rumbles as though there is a beast shaking underneath the ground — just as the earthquakes of ancient times did to the lands. A second later, it is followed by an ear splitting clap of thunder that almost makes the ground rumble another time.

She instantly looks in the direction of the Amborsial Arbor. The General!

Flicking the abomination’s blood from her blade, Xian Zhen races over to the edge of Scalegorge Waterscape. It looks like a fierce battle is going on, from the massive sounds and the — Xian Zhen’s eye widens, is that a massive dragon made out of water soaring through the air? — chaos. Is the General alright?

There is an unbearable frustration within her, one where she feels as though she could be doing more but is forced to restrain herself. She grips the handles of her dao, doing her best to stay calm. The general will be alright. He will be alright. He commanded her not to—

“Go.”

The Master Diviner approaches, her eyes trained on the chaos of the battlefield. She does not seem troubled at first glance, but Xian Zhen can see the concern in her eyes. For all her talks about succeeding Jing Yuan as general of the Luofu, she can tell that the Fu Xuan would not want to gain the position this way. 

“The rest of us will be more than able to handle matters here,” Fu Xuan tells her, more sharply this time. “Go.”

Xian Zhen doesn’t need to be told again. “You have my gratitude!” she calls over her shoulder as she breaks into a sprint.

She hurtles down the stairs to the Ambrosial Arbor, the seas surging on either side. Although she knows that Jing Yuan trusts in the Astral Express crew, she cannot bring herself to leave his safety solely to their own hands.

And perhaps she was right, because when she arrives at the battlefield, Xian Zhen is horrified to see Jing Yuan suspended in the air with Phantylia’s powers as the Astral Express crew stare up at her, unable to do a thing against the might of a Lord Ravager. She is a beautiful, horrendous sight to behold — revelling in the stolen power of the Abundance. 

“I wonder,” Phantylia’s voice rings out across the Arbor, deep and rich and alluring and oh so repulsive, “if the transformation of a Xianzhou general into a Voidranger would cast the Luofu back into chaos?”

Xian Zhen’s heart drops into her chest. “No!”

She races towards the battlefield, summoning her weapons into her hands. Phantylia continues to mock Jing Yuan, leaning in close. She can see the glow of Destruction’s power crackling all around him. “Destruction works in fascinating ways… don’t you think so?”

No, this cannot be how it ends. That lazy, infuriatingly insolent, annoying strong yet kind man… Xian Zhen cannot imagine him a mindless puppet of the Ruin Author, thoughtlessly bringing destruction. It cannot be! She summons all her power into her blades, ready to make a desperate lunge straight at Phantylia when—

— it shatters. The cage of Phantylia’s power connecting the Lord Ravager to Jing Yuan trembles like a candle flame flickering in the wind, before it suddenly shatters into a thousand pieces. Xian Zhen stares as Jing Yuan thrashes in Phantylia’s hold, and it must be doing something, because Phantylia recoils from him, gripping at her own head. He is wresting control from her, Xian Zhen realises in shock. Only Jing Yuan would be audacious enough to attempt such a move… and have the mental strength required to pull it off.

Her general raises his hand high — a clear sign to someone to do something — and in the next second Dan Heng, Imbibitor Lunae’s incarnation leaps high into the air, the waters surging to meet him. The Lightning Lord looms behind Phantylia like a vengeful spirit, glaive raised, and the weapon strikes Phantylia down in one fell swoop — just as Dan Heng’s spear sinks into Jing Yuan’s back.

Phantylia falls, the body created of the Ambrosial Arbor’s power rapidly decaying before it crumbles like chaff in the wind. But with it falls her general, and Xian Zhen races forward to catch him before he can hit the ground.

He wouldn’t have — the Astral Express’ Dan Heng has moved to catch him as well. But when he sees her, he respectfully takes a step back, allowing her this reassurance that her general is still alive.

And he is, for most part. Coughing a little and looking the worse Xian Zhen has ever seen him, but alive. Xian Zhen gives thanks to Lan a thousand times over for that.

“Not bad, General of the Hunt…” Phantylia’s voice lingers like a whisper of the wind through the trees. “But all I lost was a body stolen on a whim. As for you… how much longer can you last?” Xian Zhen stiffens. As illogical as she knows it to be, every cell in her body is screaming at her to put an end to this threat right now, Lord Ravager or not. “The destruction of the Xianzhou… is nigh.”

She gets to her feet sharply, ready to retort, but Jing Yuan holds up a hand. Slowly, he rises to his feet — again — and stands in front of the group, his eyes blazing with a quiet but deadly fire. “Begone, pawn of Destruction.” There is a distinctively mocking note in his tone, alongside nothing but pure disdain. No fear, no worry. “Go back and tell the Legion… that the vengeance of the Hunt will soon fall upon them.”

Phantylia’s laugh echoes, dissipating fast. “I look forward to seeing that, general…”

Everything goes silent. For a moment, no one says anything… until Jing Yuan begins to cough once again. “As cool as that sounded, I must admit that I am quite spent.”

The archer girl with the pink hair — March 7th, if she remembers correctly — whirls around to look at him, a panicked expression on her face. “General! Are you… okay?”

He gives a tired laugh in response, shrugging his shoulders. “I am still alive,” he glances at Dan Heng. “And it would seem that the two of us can still coordinate our efforts.”

Dan Heng meets his gaze for a moment, an inscrutable expression crossing his face, before he glances away wordlessly. Jing Yuan just smiles, as though it was expected. He lets out a long sigh. “Phantylia… truly a fearsome enemy. If she hadn’t attempted to turn me into a pawn of Destruction, I’m afraid that victory would have been far from certain.”

“Perhaps you could have warned me prior that your plan to defeat Phantylia involved being turned into a stick of tanghulu!” Xian Zhen says sharply. Jing Yuan looks at her, before he laughs, shoulders shaking with the effort. The laughter quickly turns into coughing, and Xian Zhen hurries to sit him down.

“Apologies, Lady Xian. I’ll be sure to inform you the next time I plan to be skewered.”

“That’s not the point!”

The Trailblazer with the grey hair finally speaks up. “Then… is that thing dead?”

Jing Yuan coughs and shakes his head. “It’ll take more than that to destroy an Emanator of Destruction. Still…”

The older man with the cane — Welt, she thinks — nods. “Phantylia won’t be stirring up trouble any time soon. Don’t worry about her infecting the Arbor again. Just that sealing the Stellaron is going to take some time…”

“Leave that to the Master Diviner,” Jing Yuan chuckles. He leans back, and Xian Zhen hurries to catch him. Now that his back is against her knee, she can feel just how ragged his breathing is. “As for me… I’m afraid that I won’t be of much use for a long… long time…”

Xian Zhen feels as though everything goes still the second she feels Jing Yuan sag against her. March 7th similarly leans forward in alarm. “General? Hey, General, keep those eyes open! Now’s not the time to fall asleep!” She reaches out to shake him by the shoulder, but Xian Zhen yanks her hand away.

“Do not touch him — you might worsen any injuries that he has,” she tells the girl sharply. March flinches and takes a step back, but Xian Zhen is too busy contacting Fu Xuan for reinforcements and medical help. Her heart pounds in her chest, the beat of a frantic, unstopping war drum. The general’s eyes are closed, his head drooping against his chest. He looks peaceful, almost as though he is dozing off once again in the afternoon sunshine and all Xian Zhen needs to do is shake him by the shoulder to wake him and start scolding him for slacking off at work at—

“Lady Xian! Lady Xian, we need to move him to the starskiff. Let the medical officers do their work.”

A small hand grips her wrist, gently but firmly tugging her away. Xian Zhen watches in what almost feels like a daze as the medics gently lift the General onto a stretcher and carry him away. Fu Xuan takes one look at her, before coming to a decision. She pushes Xian Zhen forward.

“Accompany him,” Fu Xuan says. Her expression is one of understanding, sympathetic. “I will tend to the other matters regarding the incident.”

Once again, Lady Fu does not need to say it twice.

Jing Yuan wakes up much, much later than he intended to.

Which is two weeks and six days after the incident at the Ambrosial Arbor. When his eyes open, he is quite surprised to see an unfamiliar ceiling instead of the stormy skies of Scalegorge Waterscape, before everything rushes back to him. The fight at the roots of the Ambrosial Arbor, his coordinated strike with Phantylia, and then falling…

And then, someone catching him in their arms. A familiar eye, overlapping in his memories. With an exhale, Jing Yuan begins to sit up, a groan escaping him. Aeons, does it hurt—

“What are you doing?” Ah, a familiar voice as well. Jing Yuan turns his head to see Lady Xian marching through the door, and the second that she sees that he is trying to get up, she races over to force him back into a prone position. He follows willingly, because the stab wound at his back does hurt quite a bit, but mostly because of the expression on her face. She looks… tired. Worried. As though she hasn’t slept at all since that day at the Arbor.

“Is—”

“All is fine.” Xian Zhen moves to retrieve some medical supplies back in their cabinets. She does not look at him for a while. “Lady Fu Xuan has done an investigation with the Cloud Knights — Phantylia has left the Luofu, and from her calculations, she will not be able to return for a long time. She has also taken over matters pertaining to the General position for the time being, and she told me to make sure that you get the proper rest that you desire.”

Jing Yuan cracks a weak smile at that. “I’m surprised that she hasn’t already proclaimed herself General of the Luofu.”

Xian Zhen’s shoulders stiffen at that, and Jing Yuan immediately knows that was the wrong thing to say. She isn’t in the mood for jokes, clearly. After a while, she continues. “I’ve been left in charge of your care for the period of your recovery. The Vidyadhara Healder Lady tended to you, after we reached the Exalting Sanctum. She managed to stabilise you, but was worried that any more intense healing might put you in critical condition. You’ve been asleep for almost three weeks now.”

She falls silent, obviously waiting for some sort of response to that. It is not often that he finds himself unsure of what to say. “It is good that I have awoken, then.”

“The Astral Express crew, too, is doing fine. They seem worried about you.”

“Thank you, Lady Xian,” Jing Yuan says honestly.

She doesn’t speak for a while, picking up a basin and some clean gauze before she moves to unwrap his bandages. Jing Yuan is tempted to make a joke about her seeing him shirtless, to break the tension, but refrains from doing so. It doesn’t take an observant man to see just how upset she is — with every bandage she peels back, with every wince that escapes him, Jing Yuan sees her visibly flinch or furrow her brow. There’s something on edge about her, as though she is a precarious tower that could collapse with a single push.

Her expression is tight, but Xian Zhen’s hands are gentle as she works. He sucks in a breath as she peels back the old bandages from his body, and she hesitates, before reaching for the basin. Working slowly, she cleans the edges of the wound on his back, before applying medicinal salve and wrapping him with fresh bandages. It’s then that Jing Yuan decides to speak.

“Are you alright, Xian Zhen? Were you injured in any way?” She presses her lips tightly together for a while, and for a moment, Jing Yuan starts to wonder if he’s said something wrong, before she suddenly glares at him. So fiercely, in fact, Jing Yuan feels as though he is looking a snarling tiger in the eye. “Xian Zhen—”

“Me, injured?” She laughs, and Jing Yuan is horrified to hear how choked it is. “You were battling a Lord Ravager of the Antimatter Legion while I— what was I doing? Cleaning up flies of the Abundance! Those abominations were hardly a challenge for me. I could have been of more use to you, if you allowed me to come with you!”

Oh, Jing Yuan thinks to himself. She is really upset with him. And that isn’t the end of it, because she continues ranting. “You’ve been asleep for days. And did you know that before you got better, you got worse? Three times the Dragon Lady had to restart your heart with an electrical pulse, and the whole Seat of Divine Foresight was terrified that we might lose you for good. You had a terrible fever for five whole days that just wouldn’t break.” She takes a deep breath. “And what do you think you were doing, gambling everything on whether Phantylia would try to turn you into a Voidranger? Are you insane? Do you think you are invincible? And, and—”

Jing Yuan remains silent and lets her vent everything out. She deserves it, surely, with all the stress and worry that she has suffered on his behalf for the past three weeks. Her ranting continues for another good few minutes before she finally slumps back into a chair by his bedside. She looks exhausted, but it also seems like a great weight has been lifted from her shoulders.

“I apologise for my outburst,” she says from her chair, after a while. Jing Yuan watches as Xian Zhen rubs her eye, gets up, and begins to return the medical supplies to their cabinets. “It was improper of me to address my superior that way. I will receive any punishment you intend after you regain your health—”

“I am sorry, Xian Zhen.”

Xian Zhen’s shoulders stiffen, before she lets out a huff and turns around. “As you should be.” She marches back over to his bedside, throwing herself into the chair without much regard for decorum. “You’ll be making it up to me for a century, with how stressed I’ve been these past few weeks.”

He cocks his head. “Two centuries, perhaps. How dare I make a Brigadier General play nurse to a humble patient such as myself?”

Xian Zhen looks at him. After a moment, she rises to her feet and picks up a pillow from the adjacent bed…before promptly attempting to suffocate him with it. “Perhaps you require another near-death encounter to get rid of that awful humour of yours?”

Jing Yuan play-struggles against the pillow, laughing. The wound at his back aches, but he forces it down when he sees the slight smile on Xian Zhen’s face. After a while, Xian Zhen relents and tosses the pillow to the side.

“Well then, will taking you to dinner everyday suffice as a proper apology?” Jing Yuan asks. “Perhaps tea, as well, if you’re amenable?”

Xian Zhen crosses her arms over her chest. “That is not what I meant,” she says, but after a while she huffs. “I am not… disagreeable to it, however.”

Jing Yuan smiles. There is a warmth rising up in his chest, that he is reluctant to put a name to. As for now… “I will make the necessary preparations for it, then.”

“No, you will not.” Xian Zhen gets up to lean over him, fluffing up the soft pillows behind him and forcing him to lie down comfortably. He follows along without question. “What you will focus on for the time being is resting properly and making sure that you recover well. That is the best way you can begin making it up to me.”

“Then, I will have to take that seriously as well.”

She jabs a finger at him. “I am being serious about this. No general related tasks until you are sufficiently recovered — that is something that only the Healder Lady will decide. Understood?”

Jing Yuan’s only response is a beatific smile. “How nostalgic it feels, to be scolded by you this way. Although I seem to remember that you were always telling me to do more work and slack off less…” Xian Zhen turns a baleful look onto him.

“Stop running your mouth pointlessly and go to sleep. Or I’ll come up with a different way for you to make it up to me, and you won’t like it.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

For all of his teasing and bravado, Jing Yuan really does feel quite exhausted. Holding back a yawn, he eases back into the pillows. Xian Zhen, seeing his eyes begin to droop, reaches up to pull the covers more snugly over him. The comforting weight of the blankets and the rhythmic sway of the tree branches outside his window… it doesn’t take long before his eyes have shut, his breathing evening out.

Just before Jing Yuan falls asleep, he thinks he feels a warm hand wrap gently around his.

[trafalgarlogy]

THE KING'S WOMAN! Qin Shi Huang X fem! reader

CHAPTER 1 !

WARNINGS: GORE, BETRAYAL, LOVE TRIANGLES, MASS KILLING, YANDERE-ISH, OBSESSIVE BEHAVIOUR, SUICIDE

-Flashback-

On a dark night, soldiers of Zhao chased a mysterious figure in the forest, there was nothing that could be seen clearly, lighting up their torches they ran to the end of the forest to finally catch their prey, which appeared to be a young boy of around ten weeping for help, wounded, his face covered with blood and a huge scar, the guards pulled their swords out ready to attack the young boy

"HELP!!!!" he yelled for the final time covering his head with his small hands and closing his teary eyes until two figures stood in front of him shadowing him, as the silence spread in his surroundings

he hesitantly looked up opening one of his eyes, viewing two kids of the same age as him, "amazing..." he thought to himself looking up at them, having second look he realized one was a boy and another was a girl, for a while his eyes sparkled in admiration.

the girl turned back to look at him with a concerned look on her face, "this place is dangerous for now let's get out of here and treat your wounds! " she said lending her hand to help him get up, he was quiet shy and embarrassed at the same time, he held her hand slowly and got up

when he got a closer look at the girl, he saw her silky (h/c) hair shining in the moonlight, her rosy lips curled into a smile, and her beautiful eyes that made him feel like heaven hit him, touching her warm palm made him feel safe

he turned to look at the surroundings to see all guards knocked out, it was quite a shock for him, "don't worry about them, they won't be able to chase us anytime sooner, let's go" she said confidently.

after a while.....

"thank god, we didn't get in trouble," said the boy who introduced himself as, Jing Ke, "or else grandfather would have been angry" the (h/c) girl giggled as the three of them sat at the end of the cliff viewing the breathtaking view of the moon, "oh I forgot to as what is your name?" she turned to look at the wounded boy who was very silent, " Y-Ying Zheng......" he replied, "hmmm, so Ying Zheng tell me how did you end up getting chased by the soldiers of the Zhao? " she asked out curiosity, Ying Zheng's grip tightened remembering it all...though he was not certainly sure, why

"Oh I see, it's ok if you're not comfortable," she said smiling at him, "can you show me your hand, I'll try to cover it up for now cause it hurts like hell if you keep your wounds in the contact of surroundings," she suggested, Ying Zheng put his hand forward nervously as she gently held it with one hand and using the other to takeout a handkerchief from her pocket and slowly tied the handkerchief on his hand and later kissing it softly, he flushed red at the moment for what just happened

"By the way, what's your name ?... " Ying Zheng asked the (h/c) haired girl," Wei (Name), but just call me (Name)" she said with a grin.

"Hey Ying Zheng, what is it you want to become when you get older? " Jing Ke asked, "OH!! HOW ABOUT WE TELL EACHOTHER'S GOALS IN LIFE" (Name) exclaimed, "Hmmm, so I'll start! I want to improve my martial skills and become a great warrior like (Name)'s grandfather and protect (Name) for the rest of my life," said Jing Ke looking towards the moon and then turning his head towards (Name), "OK! I'm up next, so I want world peace, and all this war and fight to end once and for all," said (Name) confidently, "So, Ying Zheng now it is your turn". "I want to become a person who is powerful and feared so that I can protect the ones, I love", (Name) gasped, "Woah that's really nice !" she said smiling widely.

-End Of Flashback!-

Ying Zheng smiled within himself looking at the handkerchief that (Name) once gave him, it had been years since he last saw her, and with her breathtaking smile, he always kept thinking of where she was now? how was she doing? , he couldn't get (Name) out of his mind even as the King of the Qin

after all, He missed her.....

End of Chapter 1 !

NOTES !: i. I'll be writing Qin Shi Huang as Ying Zheng till the near bit end. ii. I got lazy with the senior's name so I used the name of the senior in the show. so don't mind it-

[chaotically-genderfluid]

Continuing with last LMK post we are now analyzing Episode 2!

You now have a spoiler warning, go watch the season before you read this. It’s worth it, trust me on this.

- Episode 2 -

Hi welcome to court.

No I am not kidding we open up with this frame as everyone is in court! Normal monkey stuff! Right?

So yeah we see everyone in court for crimes (mainly Wukong and then MK being wrapped up into this and then Macaque is just there)

And then we can see the ten kings of Yama, the ones running this court session. Y’know, the guys who were tricked by Wukong into letting him scribble his name out of the book of death?

Yeah those guys.

So as we get more cool shots of the ten kings, we learn that due to the scroll being taken something something and in guys own words “the pillar of heaven has been irreparably damaged” which, okay, but what does Macaque or MK have to do with this? There’s probably something I’m not picking up on, but my point stands. MK I can see why they’re blaming him, although I do not think he is to blame. All he did was open the scroll out of curiosity, so sure he did that, but then what about Macaque? Why is he here? what did he do again?

Also I won’t include the screenshot because of the image limit, but the fact that MK just says “OBJECTION” when talking to Li Jing is amazing to me.

Also last thing before we move on, NEZHA!! Sorry I have very specific favorite characters, all of them being either angry, traumatized, characters I relate to, or all three, and somehow this list includes Nezha and Red Child. So I thrive off of more Nezha content.

Well dang Li Jing didn’t really like you at the start but now you do this? Wooowwww

Okay I knew it was a matter of time till the headpiece was at least mentioned in LMK, probably, but that sucks for Wukong.

Okay so now our trio is stuck in heavenly prison or something and we get a funny scene of MK trying to take the headpiece off of Wukong and Wukong just accepting his fate, kinda.

So we get more Nezha as things are explained, specifically the pillar of heaven. Long story short, it’s what holds back chaos, and allows the world to not go boom.

Also Wukong with Tang’s glasses is everything to me I swear—

Like just—

This is amazing to me.

So, the pillar is being destroyed, and we learn that to repair it, we must find these five colorful stones and well save the universe with them. (i’m trying to not say anything) And for whatever reason throughout the season we don’t see anyone but the Monkie Kids looking for the stones??

Anyway, suddenly the captured people are un-captured by Wukong magic and we get an amazing chase scene. We have Macaque commenting on how every time Wukong goes to heaven he makes a scene and with the power of sword Wukong freaking hurls everyone off the side of the walkway and teleport back to the mortal plane.

Sandy is talking about his new car before SWORD and his poor truck gets impaled and crushed. Now the monkeys are here, now the cracks from last season are here, now heavens here. Also Tang has spoken! Finally!

Migraine headband is used on Wukong after everyone tries to escape and Macaque freaking teleports Wukong and MK, saying “go save the world”, into the new TEA, and does a self sacrifice for the time being.

Cool. I honestly remember this episode being more entertaining, but that might also have been me just happy that Nezha is back. Good episode 2!

Also: these things I do with motivation, and halfway though this I lost motivation, so don’t expect a new one for a good minute.

1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

[baoshan-sanren]

best cdramas I’ve watched since the last one of these posts in 2022 (and some I’m still looking forward to seeing)

Heroes (watch on WeTV VIP | watch on bilibili) Adapted from the novel "Shuo Ying Xiong Shei Shi Ying Xiong" (说英雄谁是英雄) by Wen Rui An (温瑞安) starring Zeng ShunXi, Yang ChaoYue, Liu YuNing, Baron Chen and Meng ZiYi. I would’ve watched this thing for the cast only. Everyone is queer vibes. Not a flashy drama, but will emotionally shred you. The character development is totally worth it. Throughly entertaining, even when it punched you in the gut. 8/10

The Wind Blows From LongXi (watch on iQIYI VIP | watch on Viki) Adapted from novel "The Wind Rises in Longxi" (风起陇西) by Ma Bo Yong (马伯庸) starring Chen Kun and Bai Yu. I’ve been waiting for this drama for two years and it was worth every second of the wait. The cinematography in this thing is bonkers. The use of light and shadows, the muted colors, the indoor shots opening up into well-lit courtyards, the gritty sound mixing, the whole thing just blew my ass away. Chen Kun and Bai Yu are masters of their art. Fckn masterpiece. 11/10

Who Rules The World (watch on WeTV VIP | watch on Netflix) Adapted from the novel "Qie Shi Tian Xia" (且试天下) by Qing Ling Yue (倾泠月) starring Yang Yang, Zhao LuSi, and Xuan Lu. One of the rare romance dramas that really appealed to me. A well-balanced mix of court intrigue and martial world heroics. Unlimited blorbo potential. It’s hard to outshine Yang Yang (who gives major Mei Changsu vibes through like the first third of the drama) but Zhao LuSi and Xuan Lu together? Magnificent. Breathtaking. Brilliant. 8/10

The Legend of Hao Lan (watch on iQIYI VIP | watch on Viki | watch on tubi) starring Wu Jinyan and Nie Yuan. So this was like, The Story of Yanxi Palace cast, remixed. Was it great? Not really. Did I watch every episode? Yeah. I honestly think that Wu Jinyan could just make faces for 50+ sixty minute episodes, and I’d still watch every minute of it. Still, a fascinating take on the Warring States Period, and actually based on a woman who helped her son become the King of Qin, then ultimately the First Emperor of China. I think 99% of the budget went to costumes, and tbh, it was totally worth every penny. 7/10

(yeah, after all this, I rewatched Nirvana In Fire again)

The Silent Criminal (watch on Apple TV | watch on Bilibili | watch on iQIYI VIP | watch on Viki) starring Li Jiaming and Wen Sheng. So incredibly gay. Hilarious, yes, but predominantly gay. Murder, intrigue, suspense, pining; this little drama literally has everything. Did it impact my life and leave a long-lasting impression? Not really. But I was most throughly entertained. 7/10

My Heroic Husband (watch on Amazon Prime | watch on iQIYI VIP | watch on Viki) Adapted from the novel "Zhui Xu" (赘婿) by Fen Nu de Xiang Jiao (愤怒的香蕉). Starring Song Yi and Guo Qilin. Actually, the majority of Joy of Life cast is in this drama, including a cameo by Zhang Ruoyun in the very beginning. Cast aside tho, I fckn love this drama to pieces. Song Yi and Guo Qilin have amazing chemistry, and they’re so goddamn adorable together I can’t even stand it. The plot is far from complex but immensely satisfying. Excellent drama on a mediocre budget, one I plan to regularly rewatch. 8/10

Still waiting on: 

Immortality - based on danmei novel The Husky and His White Cat Shizun by 肉包不吃肉 starring Chen Feiyu and Luo Yunxi (you can think I’m a clown but you’d be wrong bc I’m a wholeass circus)

Winner Is King - based on the danmei novel Sha Po Lang by Priest starring Tan Jianci and Chen Zheyuan

Step By Step Lotus - based on historical novel Return to Ming Dynasty as Prince by 月关 starring Zhang Binbin and Luo Yunxi

Eternal Faith - based on danmei novel Heaven Official’s Blessing by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu starring Zhai Xiaowen and Zhang Linghe

Joy Of Life Season 2 - based on wuxia novel of the same name by 猫腻 starring Zhang Ruoyun and Li Qin

A League of Nobleman - based on danmei novel The Society of Four Leaves by Da Feng Gua Guo starring Song Weilong and Jing Boran

Flying Phoenix - based on danmei novel of the same name by 風弄 starring Dai Jingyao and Shu Yaxin

The Story of the Bat - based on danmei novel Bat by Feng Nong starring Mao Zijun and Zhang Yao

The Longest Promise - based on xianxia novel Zhu Yan by 沧月 starring Xiao Zhan, Ren Min, and Zhang Yunlong

Song of The Moon - based on wuxia novel 奔月 by 蜀客 starring Zhang Binbin and Xu Lu

Story of Kunning Palace - based on the the web novel 坤宁 by Shi Jing starring Bai Lu and Zhang Linghe 

Under the Microscope - based on the novel 显微镜下的大明 by 马伯庸 starring Zhang Ruoyun and Qi Wei

Till the End of the Moon - based on the web novel 黑月光拿稳BE剧本 by Teng Luo Wei Zhi starring Luo Yunxi and Bai Lu

[emilythenavi-animorpher]

•🌸|ᴋᴀᴢᴜᴍɪ|🌸•

Her voice by Tigress (Kung Fu Panda)

Desgins: Old Desgin | Disguise Outfits | Different Forms | Animal forms | Ages | Scars | Weapons |

Full Name: Princess Kazumi Samaira Faye/Suoh.

First Name Meaning: Harmony, Peace, Beautiful.

Middle Name Meaning: Goddess of Beauty; enchanting; reality; girl of shine, destiny; fashionable.

Last Name Meaning: Fairy-Dragon.

Nicknames: Princess, fairy princess, the eldest daughter of fairy hybrids, the first daughter of fairy princess and dragonlord, first granddaughter of dragon king/fairy queen, strongest daughter, cold-hearted, Lil Sakura, mio; Meaning a beautiful cherry blossom, or a beautiful thread (by her parents and grandparents).

Birthday: March 12.

Age: 221/ 21 (human disguise).

Species: Fairy Dragon Hybrid; Asian Dragon, Cherry Blossom Fairy, Elemental Dragon, Elemental Fairy, Sakura Dragon.

Gender: Female

Relationship status: Divorced/Single.

Sexuality: Straight Ally.

Home: Hidden Home Planet (currently)

Like: her family, cherry blossom, martial arts, training, weapons, fighting/batting (sometimes), Mulan (favorite idol), her close favorite/best friends (Akane and Emily), dinosaurs (mostly raptors as well as T-rex; favorite dinosaurs), Asian food, helping and caring for her family & close friends/allies, cherry blossom festival (as well other festivals and events) fashion, planning last minute, strategy games, sakura, strawberry, vanilla, and raspberry-flavored snacks, drinks, and food.

Dislike: her Cruse (Cruse by her maternal grandfather) Disappointing her family, messing up, rudeness, losing her temper, someone interrupting/disturbing her plan or life, roses (she is allergic to roses🌹), annoyed or wannabe villains, brothers/friends' fooling/silliness, sometimes forced/broken marriage/romance/relationship/friendship, and Brigade of the Wicked (most of her ex; Kuragari the Yo-kai dragon).

Bonding Partner: Emily the Queen Alpha. (Still connected byt separated)

Relatives:

Longwei Suoh/Faye (Biological Father)

Mizuki Faye/Suoh (Biological Mother)

Cryo Sahir Faye/Suoh (Twin Brother)

Doku Jiro Faye/Suoh (Second twin and older brother)

Fuji Adalie Faye/Suoh (Second twin and older sister)

Daichi Caesar Faye/Suoh (Third twin and middle brother)

Eimi Maren Faye/Suoh (Third twin and middle sister)

Kazuya Aiden Faye/Suoh (Fourth twin and second middle sister)

Chikao Sage Faye/Suoh (Fourth twin and second middle brother)

Keitaro Faye/Suoh (first Quadruplets and younger brother)

Aiko Faye/Suoh (first Quadruplets and younger sister)

Hikari Faye/Suoh (first Quadruplets and younger sister)

Tsuyoshi Faye/Suoh (first Quadruplets and younger brother)

Li-Jing Faye/Suoh (second Quadruplets and youngest sister)

Shen Faye/Suoh (Fifth twin and youngest brother)

Kira Faye/Suoh (Fifth twin and youngest sister)

Getsumi Faye/Suoh (Fifth twin and youngest brother)

Suoh Family Ancestors †

† Longwang, the First Dragon King (Deceased First Great Ancestors)

Long Suoh † (Deceased grandfather)

Tatsuo Suoh † (Deceased grandmother)

Ju-long Suoh (Patrernal Great uncle)

Demeter (Great Aunt-in-law)

Alexander (Uncle-in-law)

Persephone † (Deceased Aunt)

Iris (Cousin)

Longwang Suoh (Paternal grandfather)

Kayda Suoh (Paternal grandmother)

Draco Suoh (Paternal Uncle)

Tatsuya Suoh (Paternal Uncle)

Ryu Suoh (Paternal Uncle)

Kaida Suoh (Paternal Aunt)

Ryoko Suoh (Paternal Aunt)

Belindo Suoh (Paternal Uncle-in-law)

Yong-sun Suoh (Paternal Uncle-in-law)

Tawn Suoh (Paternal Aunt-in-law)

Druk Suoh (Paternal Aunt-in-law)

Drake Suoh (Cousin)

Deborah Suoh (Cousin)

Natsumi Suoh (Cousin)

Yaiyoi Suoh (Cousin)

Jax Suoh (Cousin)

Sax Suoh (Cousin)

Max Suoh (Cousin)

Julong Suoh (Cousin)

Yinxing Suoh (Cousin)

Xiongjong Suoh (Cousin)

Faye Family Ancestors †

Queen Tanish Faye † (Deceased First Ancestors)

Oberon Faye (Maternal Grandfather)

Titania Faye (Maternal Grandmother)

Preston Faye (Maternal Uncle)

Sebille Faye (Maternal Aunt)

Amitola Faye (Cousin)

Munja Faye (Cousin)

Fabian Faye (Cousin)

Diamond Faye (Cousin)

Emerald Faye (Cousin)

Moonstone Faye (Cousin)

Partner(s):

Kuragari the yokai dragon, the leader of Brigade of the Wicked (1st ex-friend/boyfriend/broken engagement ex-husband)

Ex-Prince Buster the Wolpertinger (2nd ex-boyfriend/husband)

Prince Ehecatl the Quetzalcoatl (3rd ex-boyfriend/ex-husband)

Prince Stolas, the owl demon (4th ex-boyfriend/ex-husband)

Prince Orepheus, the Vampiric Dragon (5th ex-boyfriend/ex-husband)

Prince Euandros, the Hippalectryon (6th ex-boyfriend/ex-husband)

Prince Francisco the Ahuizotl (7th ex-boyfriend/ex-husband)

Prince Anwir the Red Dragon (8th ex-husband)

Drobot the Draconic Machine (9th ex-boyfriend/ex-husband)

Prince Angelic Dragon (10th ex-husband)

Prince Shang Chi, the Chi Dragon (11th ex-husband)

???

[azure7539arts]

Re: Li Susu and Yue Ruanruan

Obsessed with the fact that when Li Susu found the drawings on the wall Tantai Jin had made during his childhood spent in Jing Kingdom's Cold Palace, just as she reached out to touch one and said Yue Ruanruan's name, we the viewers were also given an accompanying flash of Yue Ruanruan's image. A reminder of who she had been in the grand scheme of things.

But said image was neither of her still and lifeless form after the traumatic, death-inducing birth of her son, nor her happy and contented in blissful marriage to the King of Jing Kingdom. Instead, it was the first impression Li Susu had ever received of this woman, who would have otherwise faded into obscurity if it hadn't been for Tantai Jin.

Yue Ruanruan had been sitting there, spending her last days at home with her own people preparing to be married off to a distant land to a strange man whom she had never met, and she had been speaking to a butterfly.

"I understand. Thank you for telling me," she had said. "But I am the princess of Yiyue Tribe. For Yiyue Tribe, I cannot but go."

We never got the context for this, but the moment it was revealed that Yiyue Tribe had basically been forced to sign a blood pact with the Primordial Devil God, there was no longer a need for any elaboration. Somehow having found out about this, the butterfly or whoever had sent it had tried to warn Yue Ruanruan of the doomed fate that would have been awaiting her as the Chosen mother of a Devil Fetus, of her heading toward a certain and untimely death should she walk down this path. But she had chosen to go anyway—there had been no other way.

(Perhaps she had expected something to come out of this, perhaps she had expected nothing, but she and her husband had somehow found love in one another either way. And thinking about how resolute she had been that her baby would be good and kindhearted had made one thing clear: despite everything, she had never had any doubt that her child, born out of pure love and affection, could have been anything less.)

Li Susu saw this image right after finalizing her plan of cultivating an Immortal Marrow in order to exchange it for Tantai Jin's Evil Bone. Certain death was imminent, fast approaching even, given the way the die had been cast, but like Yue Ruanruan, there was just no other way for Susu, no other option that she could've chosen. "I cannot but go."

And just like Yue Ruanruan, she also wanted to believe that, in this new beginning she had decided to use her own life to painstakingly craft for Tantai Jin, perhaps he would take this chance to finally live a better life, to let go of the past and move on, to be the kindhearted person he could have been if none of this had happened to him.

(In that moment, perhaps Li Susu and Yue Ruanruan had both wanted to believe that Fate could somehow be moved after all, even just for a little bit. The hope for a different outcome.)

[pocket-luv101]

A Loyal Lion // CynoNari

Fandom: Genshin Impact Ship: CynoNari

Summary: Cyno adopts a baby lion, mistaking it for a kitten. When Tighnari learns of this, he decides to help him. (CynoNari, Inspired by Jing Yuan’s lion).

Tighnari heard numerous rumours about General Mahamatra Cyno—from his cold personality to his ruthless methods. He dismissed most of those things as mere gossip. Though, he never met the man to have an opinion on him and he doubted he would meet the man. The Matra didn’t have a reason to investigate him and he was too busy with his studies to socialize. He didn’t expect that Cyno would approach him first.

Tighnari recalled a time when he almost went to the Matra for help. Last month, he noticed someone following him but they would hide each time he tried to confront them. He decided not to report the incidents because the person disappeared as suddenly as they appeared. His senses were sharp and he never felt endangered by the person. He assumed that they were merely a shy classmate who wanted to collaborate on a paper but gave up.

He sat in a quiet corner of the House of Daena and heard familiar footsteps approach him. His initial curiosity to see who they were turned to shock. The General Mahamatra stood in front of him with a lion cub on his shoulder. Cyno held out a book to him and started to speak. Tighnari yelled over him: “Why did you bring a dangerous animal into the Akademiya? It might be a baby but it’s still a dangerous animal. You should know the rules against animals in the Akademiya!”

“Animals are permitted as long as they are registered with the Matra. They deemed that Crocodile King to be well trained and behaved. I also had an unbiased Matra make this assessment. Everyone must be judged fairly, even the General Mahamatra.” Cyno explained but Tighnari’s perplexed expression didn’t change. An awkward silence fell over them and he thought of something he could say. “Why do cats always get their way? They’re very purr-suasive.”

“That’s a lion!”

For the first time, Tighnari saw Cyno’s expression change. His brows furrowed together and his lips tipped into a frown. Cyno took the small animal from his shoulder and placed it on the table between them. The baby lion yawned and pawed at Cyno’s hand to be carried again. “Are you certain that Crocodile King isn’t a cat? He certainly acts like one.”

“Your new pet is a rare breed of lion only found in Gavireh Lajavard. They’re often mistaken for cats in their early years because of their size and white coat. Their lion traits will appear in a few years. You couldn’t have known so it was wrong for me to yell at you. I’m sorry.” Tighnari tended to snap in frustration whenever he thought someone was being reckless or endangering others. “I never expected the General Mahamatra to like cats. Though, the name Crocodile King doesn’t fit a cat or lion.”

“It’s a character from King of Invocation. My favourite light novel. Crocodile King was gravely injured and sealed into a casket. He’s a very strong character who survived countless fights and duels.” Cyno’s eager gaze begged Tighnari to ask him more about the character. Tighnari wondered if he was able to talk about the book for him to jump at this opportunity with him.

The man before him was different from the rumours that he heard. Studying the man now, he couldn’t see the stern Matra who stood in front of him only a few minutes ago. Cyno’s eyes were soft as he sat down and played with the lion. “I found Crocodile King half crushed beneath a dead lion. I assumed the lion ate its mother. Such a small thing can’t survive in the desert alone so I decided to adopt it.”

Cyno didn’t add that he wanted to protect the cat because he saw himself in the small, lonely creature. After his parents died, the Temple of Silence decided to send him to the Akademiya. Both would benefit if he learned how to control the divine spirit within him. He was scared and alone at first but Sage Cyrus took him into his family. He hoped he could be someone like that to others, starting with a small cat.

“Caring for an animal isn’t an easy task, let alone for a lion. You need to consider Crocodile King’s needs and train him. Lions are dangerous animals, even if you raise them from birth, but you can train them.” Hearing Cyno’s reason for adopting the animal, he couldn’t help but feel empathy. “I will lend you a few textbooks and manuals. I’m from the Amurta Darshan.”

“Your offer is a little ironic since I initially approached you to return this. You left it in Pardis Dhyai. Crocodile King was the one to find it.” He said and handed a notebook to Tighnari. “I appreciate any advice that you can give me. I was lost enough when I thought he was just a cat.”

“My first suggestion would be to shorten Crocodile King’s name? It’s a bit of a mouthful. How about just ‘King’?” At his suggestion, the lion purred happily and walked to Tighnari. It rubbed its tiny head against his arm. Cyno pouted and the expression was surprisingly endearing. Tighnari placed his hand over his mouth to hide his smile. He added: “Crocodile King is your pet so it’s your decision.”

“King seems to have decided for me.” Cyno reached across the table to pet the lion. “I’m currently assigned to patrol the House of Daena and I should return to my route. I stopped to give you this book. When are you free to help me train King, Tighnari?”

“Fridays mornings, I have classes in the lab but my schedule is free after that. Meet me at Pardis Dhyai at noon.” Cyno nodded and then stood with King on his shoulder. Tighnari would’ve liked to talk with him a little more but he couldn’t keep him from work. His familiar footsteps as he walked away caught his attention and he jumped to his feet. “Wait, Cyno!”

Cyno didn’t know why he would stop him but the urgency in his voice made him turn around. Tighnari tapped his finger against his notebook and asked, “What were you doing in Pardis Dhyai when you found my book? Someone has been following me all month. Not much can get past my ears. Your footsteps sound the same as that person’s.”

“The Matra opened an investigation on you. Unlike other Valuka Shuna, you are quite sociable. Our suspicions were piqued when you started study groups with students outside of your Darshan. We couldn’t ignore the possibility that you were gathering people with different expertise to form a coup. It’s my duty as General Mahamatra to investigate anyone who would break the cardinal sins or spread Forbidden Knowledge. But, I’m sorry if I frightened you.”

Instead of sounding offended or concerned by the Matra’s investigation, Tighnari’s voice was almost teasing. “Since you stopped following me last month and I haven’t been arrested yet, can I assume that you don’t believe I’m dangerous anymore?”

Cyno’s investigation had concluded that Tighnari was a kind hearted man who joined many study groups to help others. Most scholars pursued knowledge for selfish wants such as pride or greed. Tighnari was different. Though, Cyno discovered one dangerous aspect of Tighnari that he overlooked in his investigation. His smile had a strange effect on him.

“King, no jumping onto the table to steal food. You’re no longer the size of a cat. At this rate, you’ll destroy all the furniture in my home.” Tighnari chastised the lion and it whimpered in reply. He steeled himself against the animal’s large eyes. The lion was now the size of a lamb but it still acted as if it were a cub. “All of my training is pointless when your owner spoils you so much. Cyno should be here to pick you up soon. Actually, he was supposed to be here an hour ago. I hope nothing happened at work.”

Since his job as the General Mahamatra kept Cyno busy, Tighnari would often care for King. He didn’t mind the extra work because they grew close with Cyno. He looked forward to seeing him each day. He glanced through the window where dusk was settling on the sky and bit his lip. It was rare for Cyno to be late without sending a letter to tell him why.

He heard footsteps outside his door and his ears twitched in excitement. The way King bounded towards the foyer confirmed that the person was Cyno and Tighnari rushed to let him in. When he reached his door, he noticed how his heart raced. He ignored the feeling and hid his eager reaction before he opened the door. The moment King saw a small gap in the doorway, he ran through to greet Cyno. Tighnari felt a little jealous that the lion could be more open with his feelings than him.

“Someone’s excited to see me. I didn’t know being a few minutes late was enough to make you miss me.” Cyno knelt down and petted the lion. “How about a joke to make you feel better, King? Then again, Tighnari might yell at me. He says my puns are cat-astrophic. Do you get it?”

“We’re not characters in a fantasy world where humans and animals can understand each other.” Tighnari sighed. He would hear a new joke from Cyno everyday and his dry humour never improved. Yet, he had to admit that he would think about them once they were alone. “You’re late. It’s dangerous to walk back to the Akademiya at this hour so you can sleep here if you want.”

“I went to Lisa to ask her for some advice. You’ve helped me take care of King and trained him. I wanted to thank you and she suggested that I take you out on a picnic.” Cyno held up a basket. Thinking that the basket was a toy, King tried to swipe at it with its claws but Cyno lifted it out of its reach. “You’ve been staying up late studying and you need a break. This picnic can be a change of pace for you.”

“A picnic? Like a date?” He whispered to himself and his voice was too soft for Cyno to hear him. Tighnari hugged King and rested his cheek against its mane to hide his blush. He watched Cyno’s expression for his reaction. They started spending time together to care for King. While they became friends, Tighnari didn’t know if Cyno could feel something more for him.

“If you don’t want to go, I can leave this basket here. You probably ate already and your finals are in a week. I’ll take King home now.” Cyno’s nervousness slowly overtook the small courage he gathered to ask Tighnari on a date. When he held out the basket to him in exchange for King, Tighnari wrapped his hand around Cyno’s wrist.

“Where are we going for our picnic? I know a beautiful place in Avidya Forest and King can join us.”

Cyno’s feet felt heavy from nights without sleep but he dragged his body forward. After his journey through the desert, he wanted nothing more than to rest. Chasing scholars who fled their crimes was one of the more difficult parts of his job. He imagined Tighnari and King waiting for him and how they would greet him with a wide smile. They were enough to push him forward.

As he approached the border of Gandharva Ville, he noticed a large, white and black ball of fur. Warmth and happiness filled his chest when he realized that it was Tighnari sleeping against the lion. He could remember when King was small and slept on Tighnari’s tail. Cyno had sent him a letter that he would return that night and they likely waited next to the road for him.

He knelt in front of them and King opened his eyes. It yipped happily but it couldn’t stand to lick Cyno without waking Tighnari. Cyno read its thoughts and stroked its white mane. When he first came to the rainforest, he thought he lost his home. He found a new one with Tighnari and he hoped their family would only continue to grow.

“I’m home.” Cyno whispered.

[yo-kaigirl1560]

Ok, so this au has been swimming in my head for over a year now and I have to get it out.

An au of "Sly Cooper" or "Sly Raccoon" for the Europeans out there. I'm calling it "The Thievius Vulpis".

In this au, Carmelita Fox is the main character and thief, replacing Sly.

Taking the place of Bentley is Penelope, who is strictly a good guy here. She gains a last name in Ratigan.

Murray's replacement is an OC of mine called Kaia Kurotaiga. Murray is still there but doesn't make an appearance until "Honor Among Thieves".

Not to leave Sly out of the game, I made him the police inspector chasing Carmelita.

~~~~

I separated the au into parts.

Part 1 is dubbed "Carmelita Fox and the Thievius Vulpis". Not much has changed; but Muggshot, Mz. Ruby, and the Panda King are more willing to surrender after getting beaten knowing that the little girl they secretly protected has grown strong. Inspector Sly Cooper has also gained a sort of alliance with the Fox Gang.

Part 2 is called "Carmelita Fox 2: Band of Thieves" and like part 1, hasn't changed much. The major difference is that Constable Neyla is now Constable Neil.

Part 3 is "Carmelita Fox 3: Honor Among Thieves" and has changed quite a bit. The first change is in Australia for the Mask of Dark Earth boss fight. Instead of Inspector Cooper, the mask possesses a random thug. The second change is the Black Baron fight. Bentley is not just disguising himself but piloting a miniature mech suit. The third and biggest change is in China. Instead of just recruiting Panda King, Carmelita also recruits Kaia's cousin Tai Po Shirotaiga and Tai Po's girlfriend Jing King, Panda King's daughter. The fight against General Tso goes very differently as well, being a total curb stomp by Carmelita, Kaia, and Jing King. Murray is also brought on board through Kaia, being her boyfriend in this.

I haven't gotten the rest figured out yet but it'll come to me.

[journeythroughjourneytothewest]

Chapter 4 Recap: Appointed a BanHorse, could he be content? Named Equal to Heaven, he’s still not appeased

And so we are now in the chapter covering what could be considered the first step to the havoc in heaven! We began with Sun Wukong and the Gold Star of Venus traveling to heaven, with the Monkey King first getting angry that he’s not allowed in until the Gold Star clears up the situation, and then being surrounded by various divine officials who say he is a “bogus immortal” that deserves death for not prostrating himself in front of the Jade Emperor. Yet the Jade Emperor pardons Sun Wukong, and at this the monkey bows deeply and utters a cry of gratitude. It is then swiftly decided that he shall be the supervisor at the imperial stables, the BanHorsePlague. This is a position the Monkey King happily accepts.

For more than half a month Sun Wukong does very well in his new position. This contentment, however, comes crashing to an end when during a banquet held to welcome and congratulate the monkey he asks what his rank is, and learns it is the lowest of the low. Hearing this, Sun Wukong quits immediately and proceeds to “fight his way out of the Southern Heaven Gate” so that he might go back to being a king and patriarch on Earth. No one attempts to stop him.

The monkey is greeted with respect at Mt. Huaguoshan, but finds out that as one day in Heaven is equal to a year on Earth, he’d been gone much longer than he thought. He relates his horsey adventures to his monkeys and to two one-horned yaoguai who happened to come in at that moment to swear their loyalty. These one-horned yaoguai, besides giving Sun Wukong the gift of a yellow and red cloak, also suggest that there is nothing to stop him from giving himself the rank of “The Great Sage, Equal to Heaven,” which Sun Wukong promptly does.

Meanwhile back in Heaven, the Jade Emperor, upon learning of the Monkey King’s violence and violation of Heaven’s laws, sends out a small military party to subdue the simian, led by Pagoda Bearer Li Jing and the Third Lotus Prince Li Nezha. Gathering an army of fellow celestials, Li Jing and Li Nezha travel to Flower-Fruit Mountain, set up a base camp, and order the Mighty-Spirit God “to provoke battle.” He does so by storming up to the Water-Curtain Cave and telling the mob of yaoguai to let Sun Wukong know he’s been ordered to surrender, and if he doesn’t all the yaoguai of Flower-Fruit Mountain will be annihilated. The Monkey King responds to this by putting on his armor, confronting the Mighty-Spirit God, and letting it be known that unless he’s recognized by his new self-given title, he’ll cause chaos in Heaven. The ensuing battle doesn’t last long, ending when the Mighty-Spirit God is forced to flee with Sun Wukong’s scornfully calling after him that he only spared the deity because he needed someone to convey his message.

Li Nezha is the next to face the Monkey King after convincing his father Li Jing to spare the Mighty-Spirit God from execution for his failure. Sun Wukong refuses to fight the Lotus Prince at first because he looks like his “baby teeth haven’t even fallen out,” but soon changes his mind when Li Nezha “changed at once into a fearsome person having three heads and six arms,” each arm holding a different weapon. The Monkey King is “somewhat alarmed” by this display of power, but he too transforms himself into a “creature with three heads and six arms,” and the two engage in a battle so earth-shaking it “made the very mountains tremble.” They fight for thirty rounds, but Sun Wukong is once again victorious, and the Lotus Prince is forced to flee in pain.

The Pagoda General Li Jing, seeing how the battle went, is about the go to his son’s assistance until Li Nezha repeats the monkey’s threats and demands. Devaraja Li, upon hearing them, decides that the company should return to heaven and report the situation. There will, after all “be time then for us to send for more celestial soldiers and take this fellow on all sides.”

Back at Flower-Fruit Mountain, a triumphant Monkey King is congratulated for his victory by the monster kings of seventy-two caves and his six sworn brothers. During a celebration feast, and at Sun Wukong’s encouragement, the sworn brothers also also give themselves the title of Great Sage. They then proceed to have “fun for a whole day and then dispersed.”

Meanwhile in Heaven, Devaraja Li and Third Prince Nezha make their report to the Jade Emperor, who, “astonished” by Sun Wukong’s insolence, orders that the monkey is to be “executed at once.” Yet the Gold Star of Venus, noting that “the baneful monkey…has no idea what’s appropriate and what isn’t,” suggests that in order to not tax Heaven’s military forces the Jade Emperor instead “proclaim yet another decree of pacification” that would give Sun Wukong the title he wants, but would make it “a title without compensation.” That way Sun Wukong, proclaimed the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, would be kept in Heaven so that “we may put his perverse mind at rest and make him desist from his madness and arrogance. The universe will then be calm.” The Jade Emperor agrees to this plan, and sends the Gold Star out to give the decree.

                       Though the Gold Star is first accosted by yaoguai when he arrives at Flower-Fruit Mountain, Sun Wukong welcomes him with respect once again, and is left “highly pleased” at the edict. The two leave for heaven, and the Monkey King bows deeply to the Jade Emperor and “uttered a great whoop of thanks” upon hearing that his new place in heaven is “a position of the highest rank.” He also acquiesces to the command that he must “indulge no more in preposterous behavior.” After this, Sun Wukong “settled down in complete contentment and delight to enjoy the pleasures of Heaven, without the slightest worry or care.”

Whether this state of contentment will last or not is something that will be left for the next chapter.