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wangxianficfinder · 2 months

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Fic Finder

July 26th

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1. hi! pease help me find this fic because i really want to re read this.

junior quartet got sent back around sunshot campaign (i think?) because in the future, the four were there in the guanyin temple face off with jgy, together with lxc, lwj, wwx, and jwy. they were really losing and the seniors told the juniors that they're going to find a way to get out of there. turns out, the seniors sacrificed their life to send the juniors to the past through an array but the juniors didn't know about this. jin guangyao also went back in time because he got into the array in time.

here are some details that im not sure if they're are a part of the fic or it's from others (my mind sometimes mix things up). i hope these help:

- jingyi found young jingyi when they were sent back.

- the juniors went to burial mounds and the people there wer skeptical about them

- later part of the fic, zizhen was not accepted in his family (i forgot why) @moonyramie

FOUND? ❤️ Tragedy is Not the End by Hobbsy3 (T, 358k, wangxian, Time Travel, Torture, Hurt/Comfort, Golden Core Reveal, Canon Divergence from Qiongqi Pass, Angst with a Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Yunmeng sibling bonding, good dad wwx, good dad lwj, JZX Lives, JYL Lives, Junior Quartet Dynamics)

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2. Hello there again! Im looking for this one sci-fi fic where wei wuxian was a scientist and lan wangji was a military soldier. They met during an Alien invation. In the fic they try to figure out how to kill the aliens or how they even got in earth. Thankyou!

FOUND? Number 2 sounds like Son of a SoliderMan, by FireAwayy, who deleted it and quite a few other Untamed fics because of harassment. // Also had Jiang Cheng and Wen Ning as ambulance drivers, Lan Xichen, Nie Mingjue and Song Lan as solders who were sent into the area.

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3. Hi! This is for ficfinder. I read this fic a few years ago. Its MDZSXTGCF crossover. Im not familiar with TGCF so maybe there will be some incorrect use of some term and relationship. WWX dies after he jump from a clif and then he become ghost in the ghost city. He work/become a friend with hua cheng. WWX wore a weimao (its either weimao or a red umbrella). HC and XL then feel some disturbance and with WWX they visit a place where they jail jun wu (?) In some mountain. But when they arrive, the jailer tells them its not jun wu. HC, XL, and WWX then continue their investigation and they meet with LXC and NMJ. I think there WWX identity is revealed to LXC and NMJ. They found out that the disturbance is because of yin iron that are thrown to the magma in nighless city acting up. To stop that WWX sacrifice himself and he died again. When i read that fic its still ongoing but i dont know what this fic status right know. Thats all i can remember. Thank you! @idontknowwhattowriteforusername

FOUND! Hi! Im #3 i just found the fic. Its 🔒Can we skip to the Good Part? by pink-lotus-pods (kkomaism) (T, 107k, HuaLian, WangXian, Canon-Typical Violence, Crossover, YLLZ WWX, HuaLian are in Love , Married HuaLian, Slow Build, Canon Temporary Character Death, Ghost WWX, Fix-It of Sorts, Canon Divergence, Blood and Violence, Character Study, Panic Attacks, WWX Has a Mental Breakdown, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, unbearable amounts of sexual tension, Suicidal Thoughts, mild but it’s still there!, Additional Warnings In Author’s Note, Genius WWX)

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4. For fic finder, please! I am looking for a modern fic where Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian are raising Jin Ling together and they had a happy little family life, but struggled financially. The two were strippers who eventually catch the eye of Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji who begin to tip them ludicrous amounts of money. I remember the fic laid out their salaries and tips and they were making hundreds of thousands of dollars but they still bemoaned that they were broke and struggling. My confusion over their finances is what I remember most about this fic, lol. Would love to read again, if this rings a bell for anyone! Thank you!

FOUND! Silk & Satin by Brieeze01 (E, 171k, WangXian, LXC/JC, Modern, Stripper/Exotic Dancer, Strippers & Strip Clubs, Pole Dancing, Falling In Love, Love Confessions, Idiots in Love, Child LSZ, Child JL, supportive brothers, hardworking brothers, Uncles and nephews, Love Story, Emotions, brokeass pole dancers meet billionaire bachelor brothers, Kinks, Lipstick, High Heels, Blindfolds, Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Rough Sex, Gentle Sex, Lube, Strip Tease, Dancing, Dirty Dancing, First Kiss, First Time, Love Bites, Anal Fingering, Rimming, Romance, Silk, satin, Slow Burn, Happy Ending, Wholesome, Pining, kink appreciation, healthy family relationship, Healthy Relationships, Everybody uses lube, Lapdance)

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5. Hi I was wondering if you know about a certain fic that takes place during the cloud releases study arc. Where Wei Wuxian wakes up one day suddenly and inexplicably pregnant with an egg. I'm pretty sure its incomplete but I read it a while ago and it was interesting. One of the main parts I remember is Jiang Cheng asking/trying to convince Wei Wuxian that he's not pregnant and it's just a "food baby". @wolfcubx2

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6. Hi! First of all thank you for the existence of this blog, I'm pretty sure it's saved my sanity more than once at this point! I'm looking for a post-canon fic where wwx is telling lwj something like "of course I died screaming, I was being torn apart, but I died calling your name bc you were the only good thing I had in my life"

Unfortunately I can't remember whether it was a long fic or a short fic, or even the rest of the plot, I read too many to keep track lololol so I don't have anything else to go on, but that part really stuck out to me and I wondered if it might ring any bells for anyone else! (And if nothing else I might get a different fantastic recommendation out of the deal!!)

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7. looking for this fic, I don’t remember much but it was abo, modern au with wei ying as an omega and lz as an alpha. there was a part in it where wei ying was presenting to lan zhan and lan zhan was thinking something along the lines of omegas don’t actually do that anymore, or something like that.

FOUND? Tastes Like You by airinshaw (E, 30k, WangXian, A/B/O Dynamics, Modern AU, Alpha LWJ, Scenting, Claiming Bites, Getting Together, Light Dom/sub)

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8. Hello Hello!!!! So I've scrolled through 20+ pages of my Ao3 history for a fic but can't find it. So I'm hoping yall can help!! Lan Wanji was a vampire who lives alone in the woods away from humans and his family. Wei Wuxian was a traveling merchant who ends up crashing Lan Wanji's place. He breaks the man's privacy by entering a room containing a portrait of Lan Wanji's mom, this inturn leads to Wei Wuxian being kicked out. Lan Wanji feels guilty after a bit and goes out to find him. Wei Wuxian ends up in a bad situation and Lan Wanji attempts to save him. They both end up in like a ravine and Wei Wuxian is near death. The two kiss and Wei Wuxian purposefully cuts his tongue on Lan Wanji's fang. At the taste of Wei Wuxian's blood Lan Wanji goes feral and bites his neck. Wei Wuxian dies right then and there, Lan Wanji is convinced he killed him despite desperately trying to turn him into a vampire. Lan Wanji was successful after a few minutes of mouring and hating himself Wei Wuxian comes to. It ends with a time skip to vampire Wei Wuxian buying something in a market dressed in a sun hat and long sleeves buying something for Lan Wanji @crimson-gay-sought-flower

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9. Hi! Do you know the fic where there's a scene with WWX taking the Wen Remnants away and LWJ is his husband and they kiss goodbye but then WWX tells them no one saw that? I think it might have been a arranged marriage au .. @abijo2024-blog

FOUND? seldom all they seem by Fahye (E, 25k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Arranged Marriage, or rather Arranged Betrothal, followed by Weapons-Grade Thirst) They're engaged rather than married during the rain scene, but I'd say everything else fits. Hope that helps!

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10. Hi!! I'm looking for a fic where wei ying gets his original body back and absolutely no one recognises him. Wei ying doesn't realise this though and walks around gusu in lan clothing. However people start to think lan wangi's gotten a new consort and get mad at him for doing that to wei ying. @louvoilite

FOUND? Is Your Old Body Considered a Halloween Costume? by The_peregrine_falcon (G, 3k, WangXian, WWX's original body, Junior quartet makes an appearance, LWJ is chief cultivator, Fluff,Canon Compliant, Post-Canon) but I don't recall the villagers thinking he was a new consort

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11. Hello I'm DESPERATELY looking for a Tumblr fic, it's relatively short, in which a demonic cultivation is brought forth to the sects in a conference, and he asks for incense and prays to WWX who, lo and behold, is a sleeping god. Please help??

FOUND?🔒Calling Heaven by mondengel (Not Rated, 2k, WangXian, God au)

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12. Fic finder please! I am looking for a fic that I can’t remember if it was time travel (like WWX went back in time) or if it just was au starting with him as a child. Child/teen WWX joins a theatre troupe and he performs a veiled dance at a Nie gathering and teen Huaisang tries to propose to him thinking that WWX was a beautiful female dancer. It is only several years later that they meet again and realize they had that shared moment. It is a WangXian fic, but this is the scene I remember!

FOUND! The Darkness Before Dawn by PsycheStellata707 (M, 113k, WangXian, WIP, Angst with a Happy Ending, Time Travel Fix-It, Canon Divergence, BAMF WWX, Attempt at Humor, PTSD, Oblivious WWX, WWX-centric, Blind WWX, Sentient Burial Mounds, Everyone Lives AU, Except Those Who Deserves to Die, Oblivious Pining, Not Canon Compliant)

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13. Soo ik it's a discontinued fanfic of wanxian , and I'm not sure if it's been deleted or the name is changed but, it was on Wattpad i think, and was called 'i will fix everything ' it starts with Wei yung returning in time to when he was at gusu lan for learning, he is sitting in class when he opens his eyes and is shocked by this fact , but then he sees suibian near him and he unsheathed the sword and slit his throat. later it goes as he shows his memories to everyone and they find a way to save

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14. Hello,

I'm looking for a fic, set Modern day, no magic, where Wei Ying runs away/is kicked out? during high-school and years later Lan Zhan finds him at a framers market/ crowded street? .. the scene I remembered specifically that led me to trying to find it is Lan Zhan calling Jiang Yanli and saying "I found him" after seeing him in the streets, and her thinking he means like at a morgue so she starts crying and so he continues with "I found him alive" ...I think Wei Ying also lives with the wens on their farm ... I realize that that is not alot of information to go on but I read it so long ago, its all i remember, I can't even remember if it is worth searching for to reread but that didn't stop me from spending 3 hours looking before giving up and finding this page to ask

Thank you for taking your free time to to help random people find lost fics! @cassie-joy567

FOUND? clean from the war (your heart fits like a key) by sysrae (E, 28k, WangXian, Modern AU, Reunions, past xy/wwx, xy is fucked up but not evil because it's a modern AU and I said so, Hurt/Comfort, Panic Attacks, past wwx/jfm, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Abuse, Rape Recovery, transphobic violence, Victim Blaming, Past wwx/others, allusions to past self-harm)

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15. Here I am again, begging on my knees: can you help me find a fic where wwx finds a book describing a shrine to a good he's never heard about, and goes out to find it. He ends up discovering lwj ascended a long time ago, but he is bound and his temples were burned and devotees killed by the sects, lead by the Lan. Turns out they bound and imprisoned his body and he can only manifest in his temples, and WWX helps him escape the confinement. It is (was?) a WIP, featuring Wangji and Bichen having human forms, lwj is the one who helps wwx master demonic cultivation, creepy rituals that transfer the conscience of a past sect leader into Xichen, and the one who received wwx's golden core is jyl. Please?

FOUND!🔒 We'll Build This House on Stone (Altars) by FluffyHippogriff (E, 270k, WangXian, WIP, Romance, Supernatural Elements, Old God LWJ, Dumb Baby WWX, Friendship, WWX Finds an Ancient Altar, what happens next will shock you, Hijinks & Shenanigans, YLLZ WWX, There's Always a Price, But For Once It's Not WWX's Sweet Bod, Angst with a Happy Ending, Explicit Chapters Will Be Individually Tagged, Bichen Sword, Wàngjī Guqin, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Nonbinary Character, Nonbinary Bichen)

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16. Hi I have been looking for a fic I read and cannot find where Wei Wuxian doesn't realise he and Lan Zhan are dating. I believe it had a scene where the two of them go grocery shopping and run into Lan Zhan's ex, Mo Xuanyu, who tries to persuade Lan Zhan that they should get back together. Obviously, since he believes he has now started seeing Wei Ying he says no. There was something about Wei Ying secretly picking up ice cream for Lan Zhan. If anyone can remember it that would be fabulous, thanks! @funny-it-worked-last-time

FOUND! without your new eyes by anaphoricae (E, 66k, WangXian, Modern, Didn't Know They Were Dating, Sexuality Discovery, Self-Discovery, Literal Sleeping Together, mentions of WWX/others and LWJ/others, Drunk LWJ, Teacher LWJ, WWX is a… throws dart… computer scientist, No Angst, Jealous WWX, Flirty WWX, Eventual Smut, Bottom LWJ, Fluff, Non-Sexual Intimacy, WWX's Love Language is Physical Touch, Guess what: even more non-sexual sleeping together, the plot of the fic is just… co-sleeping, call it the Nap Fic ™, Podfic Available, WWX isn't so much 'oblivious' as he is wilfully blocking some feelings subconsciously, WWX 'idk how I feel' to 'I'm gonna marry him' pipeline)

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17. Hello, I’m looking for a short M or E rated fic, modern au, where wwx talks on social media, likely TikTok, about the benefits of having an older partner who knows exactly what he wants and communicates that clearly. Lwj is older than wwx and has some sort of corporate/business job. There is a chance this was a single chapter in larger work that is a collection of short fics.

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18. Hi! I'm trying to find a Lán Qǐrén/Wēn Ruòhán fic that was deleted on ao3. The title was "God & Monsters." I don't know the author's exact name but I know it had "jupiter" in the username. It's an time travel fic where LQR goes back in time when he was younger during his studies at cloud recesses with WRH, JFM, YZY, etc. I just know it's not "Cursed couple." @cherry1928rev

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19. Argh! For FF, I'm looking for a time travel fixit where Su Minshan time travels and nopes out of CR study arc. It's written in his pov, and he's kind of Indiana Jonesing it, studying the burial mounds for forgotten magics. ANYWAY hope think it would be easy to find Su Minshan redemption/time travel as being reasonably unique, but no. I even failed to bookmark it so help!! @mreisse

FOUND? Dark Promises Amid Rising Screams by meyari (M, 88k, SheYao, WangXian, Time Travel Fix-It, Unreliable Narrator, Major character death, Not Really Character Death, Discussion of Genocide, PTSD, Chronic anxiety, Panic Attacks, Warning: JGS, Warning: WRH, Mind Control, Canon-Typical Violence, Politics, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Sacrifice, Asexual Relationship, Aromantic Relationship, Aro/Ace SS, Aro/Ace MY)

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20. Hi! I remember having read this fic where Lan Zhan is face blind and didn't really notice Wei Wuxian came back to life in a different body, because he just recognised wwx's behavior. It was a very sweet fic and I'd love to read it again, but I totally forgot what it was called and I don't think I bookmarked it :(

I'm pretty sure I read it on ao3, but perhaps it could have just been a tumblr post.

I hope someone knows which fic I'm talking about, but I'm also open to other fics where Lan Zhan (or other characters) are face blind. @ifyourelostjustlookforme

FOUND! Faces by osiesaur (G, 1k, WangXian, lwj is faceblind, wwx and lwj are both learning to communicate better, WWX in MXY's body, they're married, LWJ POV)

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#wangxian #mdzs #wangxian fic finder #wangxian fic search #the untamed #wangxianficfinder #long post

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atlasofthestaars · 9 months

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[MK X READER] New Era - Chapter .015

first part | previous part | next part

NOTE:

Yet again we’re hoping for less than three weeks update time. We’ll see how it goes now haha ^^

edit: I lost track of time. I keep on forgetting when I last updated.

Rain got in as a love interest, which does alter the story a bit!

Reminder that I like to do canon divergence <3

Would you guys like a collection of headcanons I’ve done for requests on AO3?? I usually don’t post them there because they’re pretty short but I can put them all into one book that I’ll update.

Also happy 100k+ words! I'm. I'm not ready to figure out how many words this will all be by the end.

FROM THE EYES OF SOMEONE WHO ENJOYS A MOMENT OF PEACE

“Things are getting rough.”

You stood upon the roof of a building, staring down at the destruction of the city around you. Outworlders mobbed the streets, terrorizing the innocent Earthrealmers. To describe it as “rough” was an understatement. It’s been two long years ever since the first invasions on Earthrealm started. It’s been nearly a year since you’ve moved out to the city along with the others to fend off where it was the worst.

Most of Earthrealm’s forces were sent here, along with Raiden, to defend the city. But there were a few that were scattered around the world to help other regions. Fujin and your father, for example, stayed behind to help the monks defend the Wu Shi along with others of the White Lotus. You missed both of them dearly, only being able to communicate with them occasionally.

You haven’t been able to visit Kung Lao’s grave in over a year. You only hoped that he understood why.

“Are you planning on going out again?” Liu Kang’s voice spoke. His voice dripped with concern. You turned your gaze away from the apocalyptic sight to your dear friend. It was a much better view than the one below. His eyebrows furrowed as he stared at you. You sighed and nodded before turning your gaze down to the view below. As disturbing as it was, you felt guiltier turning a blind eye.

“I have to, I don’t think Raiden and Johnny Cage are enough to take down that extermination squad they’ve sent out.” You said, crossing your arms. A light breeze passed by, sending the smell of smoke your way. You grimaced at the acrid scent. No matter how long you’ve been here, you’re not sure if you’ll ever get used to it. Especially with how you’ve become so accustomed to the much cleaner air at the temple. “That, and Nightwolf said he would enjoy my help to help recruit the two Raiden has been getting information on.”

“New recruits?” Liu Kang inquired. You nodded gravely in response. A hint of distaste seemed to linger with his words along with some confusion. You didn’t blame him, ever since you’ve been out here, you’ve never really gone and sought out other help. Well, you’ve wanted to, but Raiden had been hesitant in dragging others into this whole affair.

As if they weren’t already. Still, you saw the logic within Raiden’s decision, even though it was flawed.

“Yes. Raiden says they have potential.” Out of the corner of your eye, you see your friend move. Was that a flinch? Or did he simply shift his weight? When you turned your gaze to check, you couldn’t tell. “I think it would be good to get more help. Our efforts are stretched out thin as it is.” You elaborate. Your hands go out to grasp at the concrete railing, gripping it tightly. You were certain by the time you let go of it, your hands would have the texture imprinted upon them.

“I still cannot believe that even after winning two tournaments and even I had nearly killed Shao Khan, it was not enough.” Liu Kang said, moving to stand closer to you. Bitterness coated his words. The distaste within his words felt strange, no matter how much more common it was becoming. You recalled back to the moment you had confronted him at Kung Lao’s grave. He was doing much better now, but you had felt like something had fundamentally changed within Liu Kang.

You could never truly pinpoint when that change happened. Was it when the invasions had started? Or maybe, was it when Kung Lao died? Part of you doubted it was either one of those, even if it sounded like it made sense. It was probably much earlier, maybe after Raiden had said Liu Kang was not the chosen one. Either way, he had changed. There was resentment that lingered in his soul, directed at Raiden. You could feel it with every interaction.

It worried you. Team morale was low enough as it were without the subtle drama between Liu Kang and Raiden. It was taxing enough to keep on a brave face in front of everyone, to pretend like everything would be alright. You didn’t know if you had enough spirit left in you to mend things together. With every day that you had to hide your dwindling confidence, you broke a little inside.

You should really talk to him, but you feared that it would lead to more issues. Maybe you were being irrational and over thinking things. You were all tired, maybe he was just irritated at how the world has essentially fallen apart.

Surely that must be it. Liu Kang was not one to dislike Raiden. If anything, he had been the one out of all three of you who had regarded him the highest. So it was illogical to think that he would suddenly dislike or even hate the god.

You were just being too worried. Maybe your logic has become weaker after pretending everything was alright for so long. That, and Liu Kang and Raiden were adults, or in Raiden’s case, more than an adult. They can figure out whatever dispute they had, if they even had one. They didn’t need you to coddle them. You had enough on your plate already, you could trust them.

Still, even with that conclusion, a pit of guilt formed in your stomach.

Warmth radiated from Liu Kang, a detail that you noted as you were drawn from your thoughts. It enveloped you in a sense of security. You closed your eyes, and for a moment you had nearly forgotten how terrible everything was. You felt safe. You only indulged yourself in the sensation for a moment before you opened your eyes and forced yourself to look at the destruction below. You didn’t deserve to feel safe and comforted in a world that needed your help.

“I can’t believe it either.” You replied after a long, long moment. You didn’t know what else to say, because what else could you say? It was unbelievable to you as much as it was to him how awful things were, even after all your efforts. It felt like a perpetual punishment for something you’ve never deserved. None of you deserved this, and yet you were all saddled with the heavy responsibility of it.

The two of you stood on the rooftop, looking out at the horrors of the world for a long while. It wasn’t as if you enjoyed seeing it. Not at all, but you couldn’t bear holding a smile for the others right now. Being alone with Liu Kang was better for your soul at the moment. None of you spoke, either not knowing how to or unwilling to break the fragile silence that settled over the two of you. It wasn’t until you realized how much time had passed that the silence had been broken.

“I need to get going now.” You informed Liu Kang. “Nightwolf will be waiting for me.” You turned away, moving to walk away from the man. Then, you felt him grasp your hand. His grip was firm, but not harsh. Just enough to keep you there, but you could still shake his grip off if you needed. But you didn’t. Your gaze trailed up from the grip to his arm then settled on his face. “Liu Kang?”

“I-” He began. His hand trembled. For what reason you had no idea why. Worried, you turned to face him fully. You placed a hand upon his, trying to quell whatever had caused him to shake. His hand settled between yours. His gaze lifted, and for a moment that stretched into eternity, he stared into your eyes. There was a fire that seemed to burn in his eyes, then it slowly burned away into embers. A soft flush appeared on his cheeks, and it seemed he even stopped breathing. You rubbed the back of his hand with your thumb, trying to coax the words out of him. His hand twitched before squeezing yours. “I just want you to stay safe.”

You could tell immediately that isn’t what he wanted to say.

“I will.” You said, reassuring him. You didn’t know what he wanted to say, you just knew those weren’t the words he wanted you to hear. But you held no judgement for the man. He could tell you what he wanted to say in due time. There was no need to rush him. You simply smiled at him. You lifted his hand and pressed it to your chest so he could hear your heart’s beat. “This heart of mine won’t stop beating anytime soon, okay?”

A shy smile spread across his lips as he nodded. His gaze fixated on where his hand was spread upon your chest, feeling the steady heart beat.You could feel how his hand grew a bit warmer, a side effect you knew from him getting a little emotional, whether it be from sadness, joy, anything really. You stood there, letting him feel the reminder that you were alive for a few moments more.

“Alright.” You said, gently removing his hand. Though the man was tough as nails, you delicately removed his hand. You moved it down to his side before sending him a smile. “I’ll be back soon, hopefully with new recruits.” You assured him, giving him a nod. “You better stay safe too, okay?” You watched as the monk nodded slowly.

You left him on that rooftop, feeling the warm gaze of your friend follow your form as you descended down back into the base.

Waking up today was the first time in a few days where you did not feel mired in heavy emotion. That was not to say you didn’t feel at least a little somber, but you at least did not feel desolate. You didn’t think your bed could handle another frenzied episode. Your fingertips traced the sewn up areas a little guiltily. You were still hoping that it was enough to not make others not mad at you.

The last thing you’d want is to ruin the apparent fragile relationship between Outworld and Earthrealm over something silly like this.

You felt a little better at the idea that perhaps not all of your memories would be so heavy and dark. You swung your legs over the bed, and you moved through your morning routine with some grace. It was a small boost of confidence, but one you sorely needed. Maybe it was a little silly, but you didn’t linger on that type of thought process for long.

As you stepped out of the bedroom, the last bits of your somber mood felt like they disintegrated when the sunlight touched you. You felt light, but there was still a slight chill in the air. It was hard to deny that you missed the warmth Liu Kang would give you within your memories. For a brief moment, you wondered if it would be silly to try and stand close to the god to feel if he had that same warmth.

Right on cue, the familiar taps of princess Kitana sounded from the far hallway. As both of you made eye contact, you shared a nod in understanding. Both of you met halfway, falling into familiar step as you walked by her side. It felt familiar. You weren’t sure if it was because you’ve walked by Liu Kang’s side for years, or because of the implications of your memories that you might have walked by her side before.

It felt nice to have a companion to walk with, either way.

“I noticed you went around with the actor.” Kitana spoke, a tinge of amusement in her voice. You couldn’t tell whether she was amused at the idea of the actor, or you being with the man. “Or, rather, he dragged you around.” She quipped. You held back an exasperated sigh at the memory. Even the princess had noticed that?

“Yes, he was rather…” You trailed off, trying to think of the proper words to express your feelings without making a bad impression of the actor for the princess. “...persistent.” You watched her eyebrows raise, and she nodded. The very hint of a laugh left her lips. You blinked, you weren’t certain if that was the first time you’ve heard her laugh.

“I can attest to that.” She replied, a tone in her voice indicating that she understood, even if just a fraction, how stubborn Johnny Cage could be. “The actor would not leave me alone the day after the banquet.” She peeked over to you, a thoughtful look on her face. “Forgive me for saying that I had the thought to smack some sense into him.”

“I take no offense, I understand just how he is like.” You said, a laugh escaping your lips. “He’s rather stubborn whenever he wishes, but he has a good heart.” You said, hand raising to cup your own cheek. Your smile slipped into something that felt sentimental before it bounced back into its more friendly state. You shrugged causally. “Even if it isn’t apparent at first.”

“Such praises are more comforting coming from you rather than his own mouth.” Kitana said, and you could detect what you could only describe as a teasing lilt to her voice. You smiled warmly at it, and you saw how her own smile seemed to grow a little less professional and a little more genuine. It was like watching a flower blossom.

“I can imagine so.” You laughed, bringing a hand to muffle it. You could imagine Johnny bragging about himself to the princess, and her probably being annoyed at it. Or amused. Either way, you had a feeling that the impression he left upon the princess was not the one he desired. “I just hope he didn’t irritate you. Like I mentioned, he means well.”

“While he is persistent as any other who attempts to court me, he is far less brutish.” Kitana reassured you, making you feel a bit better about his flirting, “And, if anything else, he is amusing enough to listen to.” You let out another chuckle at the image of Johnny thinking he was wooing princess Kitana when in reality she thought him closer to a court jester.

“Don’t let him know that.” You informed her, making her quirk up an eyebrow. “He’s an…entertainer in Earthrealm. His ego would swell with pride at the idea that he at least amuses you.” You couldn’t tell if it was the trick of the light or not, but you swore you saw her roll her eyes at the premise of Johnny Cage’s ego swelling even more.

“I’ll keep that information in mind.” Kitana replied, a light tone to her voice. With that, the both of you arrived at the entrance to the Great Hall. She turned to look at you fully, a small smile still gracing her lips. “Enjoy watching the match.” She said, and you granted her the same sentiment. She walked off, content with your response.

To your surprise, Raiden and Kung Lao were not around yet, leaving only the fire god waiting in the Great Hall. You looked around. For a moment, you considered the possibility that you had arrived earlier. You then were quick to doubt that idea due to your walk with princess Kitana. She seemed to be very diligent on routine, so you doubted that you both would have walked out early.

“Where is Raiden and Kung Lao?” You inquired, moreso thinking about the former than the latter. It wasn’t like you didn’t fret over Kung Lao, it was just that the lack of Raiden appearing was strange. While Kung Lao was typically early, it wasn’t as if he didn’t allow himself to take more time to himself. Raiden, on the other hand, was always early. Almost to a fault.

“I am not certain.” Liu Kang replied, his voice calm. You looked over to see him composed as ever. He caught your gaze, giving you a small smile in return. Subconsciously, you found yourself standing near him. You noted the warmth he radiated. It was familiar, the same aura he had back in your memories. “I would not fret over it, I am certain they will be here in due time.”

“I know.” You said, and yet you found yourself biting at a thumbnail. Your gaze was cast downwards as you contemplated over the whole ordeal. “It’s just…odd.” You admitted. “He usually would be here by now. By he, I mean Raiden. Kung Lao sometimes shows up simply on time.”

“Indeed.” Liu Kang nodded. You could feel his gaze still on you. It did not sear you, rather it felt gentle. It was much like how it would feel if you were to hover your hand over a candle to feel its warmth. “However, he is also not the type to show up late if it is an important event. I would not worry over it, it will simply cause more stress.”

“You’re right.” You replied. You felt called out at the last statement, but you knew it was for the best. After all, you weren’t the best at keeping yourself from not being stressed. It was supposed to be a friendly reminder. You took in a breath, straightening out your back before lifting your head up. You shouldn’t be stressed.

A silence settled over the two of you. This silence was different from the comforting one you were used to. It was tense, like a string being pulled far too taut. You supposed it was your fault, you and your busy mind. That, and you've been finding it harder and harder to try and separate the man you remembered the god in front of you.

“Have you been enjoying your stay in Outworld?” Liu Kang spoke. His voice was soft. It was like a droplet of water falling into a still pond. It was so deliberate, so delicate, how he broke the tension. You turned your gaze, and saw the smile he sent your way. It was bittersweet, the way he smiled. It was exactly the same way you remembered.

“I have.” You said. You weren’t keen on lying to the god, but you did feel a bit bad admitting it. You watched his face shift a tiny bit, but you couldn’t quite read if that had any significance. You turned away, finding it hard to see the way he smiled. “It’s very…different.” You told him. There was a hesitance to your words.

Certainly you were struggling to find the right words because you didn’t want to make it seem like you were suddenly forsaking Earthrealm, but there was also something else to it. You enjoyed Outworld, you truly did. But you weren’t naive to blindly praise it to a god. There were, for all you knew, probably a darker side to this place.

The memory of seeing Shao Khan for the first time still lingered in your mind.

“I’m glad you have been enjoying it.” Liu Kang replied, a pleased tone to his voice. You felt his heat grow a little more. Curious, you glanced over to him to see he has stepped over a bit. He was standing so close that he was nearly brushing your arm with his own. “I hope you continue to enjoy your stay here.”

“How has your experience been for this trip?” You asked quickly, not wanting the tension to settle back in the air. You forced yourself to look at him, meeting those glowing white eyes. You wondered, just briefly, what caused the warm mortal eyes you once knew to become godlike. Was this just a new world where Liu Kang was deemed a god? Or was there more reason to it?

“It has been lovely.” Liu Kang said, seeming satisfied with the eye contact you gave him. “Not much has changed since the last hundred years since Outworld functions differently, but something about this time around has been more…” There was a pause as the god seemed to search the air for the perfect word to say. “pleasant.”

“I see.” You replied, but the words felt like a lie on your tongue. You understood the joys of being here, but not the reason behind why it was more enjoyable. The little voice in your head told you that you should know though. And you felt just a little dumb for not knowing the reason. Still, you kept the smile upon your lips.

It was hard not to smile when Liu Kang was looking at you that way.

It didn’t take long for someone to show up. That person was Kung Lao. A broad smile spread across his lips as he sauntered in. As he laid eyes upon you and the god, his eyebrows raised as he looked around, probably searching for his fellow farmhand. When he did not see him, he walked over to you two and looked around once more, just to make sure.

“Where’s Raiden?” He asked, the confusion clear within his voice. You saw him cross his arms as once more, he scanned the room. He seemed more certain that his eyes were in the wrong rather than believe in the fact that his friend was simply not here. You supposed no one could blame him, you were just as unbelieving when you had arrived.

“He's just a little behind.” You excused, trying your best to not show in your voice that you had felt the same way. You didn't want to cause a fuss. “I am certain he shall show in due time.” You saw the fire god nod in agreement, which only made sense since he had been the one to share that same sentiment. At your reassurance, you saw Kung Lao shrug nonchalantly.

“I guess so.”

Some more time passed, and despite your own words, you felt yourself getting antsy with every minute that the diligent man did not arrive. Kenshi had arrived at this point, sending the group a curious glance upon noting the disappearance of the champion. You felt your intertwined hands fidget and clench and unclench. The stare that Kenshi sent your way did not help either. He could do very well with being less obvious.

Finally, to relieve your worries, Raiden finally showed up with Johnny Cage at his side. You sighed as you walked over to Raiden. Your eyes raked over the man. He looked rather unkempt. His clothes were a bit of a mess, and his hat was a bit crooked. He seemed to be nearly on edge. Your tongue clicked as you reached out, adjusting his clothes and hat for him.

“You had us worried.” You admit softly, making sure that the man was presentable. After all, at this point, many of Outworld’s citizens were keeping an eye on Earthrealm’s strong champion. You sent him a small smile, trying to reassure him since you could see how tense he was on his face. You watched as his mouth opened to say something, probably an excuse, but you laid a hand on his shoulder to quiet him. “Hey, you’re here, that’s what matters. Plus, you’re not late either. Don’t worry about it, it’ll leak into your fighting”

“You’re right.” Raiden said, nodding slowly. You could see the nervous energy in him seem to melt away. His eyes closed as he took a deep breath in before releasing it. A small flush covered his cheeks, perhaps still from how he had rushed to get ready this moment. When he opened his eyes, he sent you a sunny smile that warmed your heart. “I will do my best.”

“I know you will.” You told him. You watched as Kung Lao handed over a few items for Raiden and Johnny Cage to eat. You could always rely on him for that. Raiden seemed most grateful at the gesture. Chatter among the group seemed to calm the former farmhand, and it was not very long until the usual proceedings occurred.

“Young Raiden.” Sindel spoke, gazing down at Raiden. You were impressed with how she kept her smile seeming this warm and cordial despite the trend of her champions being taken down by Raiden no matter how the odds seemed. “You have…bested all the champions thus far with grace skill.” The empress commended, though there was almost a slight strain to her voice as she admitted it, it was very subtle, hardly noticeable. “Let us see if this next contender can match your might.”

Surprisingly, after being absent yesterday, General Khan was back to announce the next champion.

“The next challenger is another one of my officers, Motaro.” The general spoke, his voice booming and echoing off the walls of the hall. The sound of hooves caught your attention, and you turned to see a centuarian walk into the halls. His stride was confident, and he walked in with his arms crossed. His gaze was tilted down already, almost glaring down at Raiden who was forced to look up at his opponent.

Despite being an officer, he lacked the same armor that both Kotal and Reiko had donned, being fully bare on his upper body. Only a silver belt concealing where a horse body fused into a human body was present as any sort of protection, and even then it was more decorative than anything. That is, until you spied the back of his horse body. A metallic tail more akin to a lizard’s was attached there. Your eyes lingered on the curve of his horns, finding them interesting. It seems that centaurians were not a simply a human fused with a horse body as Earthrealmers would believe.

You believe you’ve seen this man before, but whatever feeling you had was much weaker than it was for any other person you’ve met. Maybe this man was in your life for but a brief moment…still, if he was, it was strange your brain even felt like it recognized him.

“Motaro is one of the centaurian’s finest.” General Shao bragged, seeming more enthusiastic to talk about Motaro compared to Kotal from the other day. Motaro lifted his head up to bask in the speech, an almost pleased look on his face. “With the tenacity of a bull and the might of one of the best warriors I have fought alongside, he is one of the best warriors in the legion.”

“Little man.” Motaro addressed Raiden curtly. He snorted as he continued to look down at the farmhand. His countenance returned to the look he had previously, but it was marred with a near sneer. His gaze felt nearly as sharp as his metallic tail did. You watched as Raiden took the comment in stride, bowing to his opponent, not fearing despite the size difference between them both.

“It is an honor to fight you.” Raiden told his opponent. You smiled at how polite he was to his opponents, even despite the lack of respect he was granted in return. Still, you wondered if that would remain that way in the future. While the thought of Raiden trying to smack talk his opponents was funny to think of, you hoped that nothing would hurt Raiden enough to take him in that direction.

Motaro’s fighting style was unique, suffice to say. His unusual body type, at least compared to what Raiden had normally fought against. He would charge in a brutish manner, using brute force to try and make the champion cower. Despite his bulk, he also maintained a lot of the battlefield control when Raiden tried to create space by being able to shoot projectiles from the metallic tail that you had spied earlier.

Still, even with the trickiness of the fight, Raiden’s wit led him to victory. When he needed to close the gap, he would teleport behind Motaro. Due to Motaro’s body, he struggled to turn around and face the man before he was met with lightning that was strong enough to stagger even him. Sometimes, Raiden would realize that he would have to match the reckless nature of Motaro and surge right at him, catching the other man off guard.

It was no surprise to you to see that Motaro eventually collapsed. Taking deep breaths, Raiden looked down on his opponent, an ironic twist on the dynamic before. Except for Raiden, there was no hint of malice or disrespect in his eyes. Only warmth glimmered within his.

“Thank you for the match.” Raiden told him humbly, a soft smile on his lips. You watched him reach out to try and attempt to help up his opponent instinctively. He almost seemed to flinch when he retracted it when Motaro denied the help. There was a mixture between a scoff and a huff from the centaurian, but ultimately he nodded before he walked off. You eyed the tail that almost seemed to drag on the floor, making a slight scratching sound.

“Congratulations on a well fought match.” You said, walking up to the once again successful champion. His smile seemed to grow as you walked towards him with a delighted expression. It was almost like seeing a child light up when you gave them the sweetest candy in the world. “Your technique is improving everyday.”

“I can only thank you, Lord Liu Kang, and the monks for preparing me for these moments.” Raiden replied, seeming to fall back onto his habit of being far too humble. You sighed and shook your head in disapproval of how he still didn’t consider his own skills into the fray. Still, it was endearing enough that you still smiled.

“Do not forget how much hard work you have also put in, Raiden.” Liu Kang reminded him, practically taking the words out of your mouth. You saw the god’s eyes flick over to you for a moment. Whether that was in reference to how you and Raiden had often stayed up late training or if it was a reference to how the god knew what was what you were going to say, you could not tell.

“Yeah man, you killed it out there, even with sleeping in.” Johnny hopped into the conversation. You elbowed the actor at the mention of him sleeping in, maybe a little harsher than you should have after seeing how flushed the champion’s cheeks became. You heard the American clear his throat. “You gotta give yourself some credit, Raidude.”

“I will try.” Raiden said, a bit of hesitance in his voice. While it did seem to partially stem from the insistence from all of you that he should be giving himself more credit, you could also sense the hesitance coming due to the nickname Johnny had called him. You would never admit it, but the fact that even the kindest of your mentees seemed to hold a slight disdain towards the actor’s nicknames never failed to amuse you. Yet, all the same, the enthusiasm in him wanting to succeed and work hard on whatever his criticisms were shone through.

After discussion with Liu Kang, like usual, your little group dispersed once more. For a moment, you swore you saw Kung Lao linger for a moment before he seemed to walk off with Raiden. You weren’t sure if your eyes were seeing things correctly, though. The man who did stick around was Kenshi, who soon found his way by your side.

“Ready?” The ex yakuza member inquired. His eyebrows were raised as he looked at you. The way he gazed at you seemed to tell you more words than he said, like how he was willing to wait for you if you weren’t. You supposed it only made sense, from what Kenshi had told you before, that the Yakuza would need to be subtle and communicate with others with even the slightest nod. Still, it was almost like a fresh breath of air compared to the others who seemed like an open book compared to the man beside you.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” You told him with a confident nod. Then, the both of you set off. The difference between the walk to Sun Do with Kenshi compared to Johnny was almost night and day. While it wasn’t completely silent, you both only had some chatter here and there. It didn’t feel like small talk, and comforting silence filled the air otherwise.

You took this time to try and sneak some glances Kenshi’s way while he seemed to remain vigilant in staring on the path ahead. Out of all your champions, you considered the man beside you to be the one you understood the least. While you did attempt to get closer to the man through food, there was still a lot you had left to learn about him. He wasn’t as eager to dispense knowledge as the others, even if he wasn’t totally private about the past.

The reason why Kenshi was so vastly different in this timeline compared to the other three was beyond you. It was a mystery you’ve been trying to unravel since you’ve met the man. His backstory was completely different, and the lack of powers he had previously made you question a lot about this life. Different backstories weren’t anything new, per se, but it was still strange how…different it was. From your memories of the world before, you could conclude that perhaps his lack of powers was from how he did not wield Sento.

You’ve considered confronting Johnny about giving the swordsman the sword back, after all the actor had it for a rather petty reason, but you’ve never gotten too far in your plans. You couldn’t guarantee that talking to the actor would do any good, that man was rather stubborn, even in the face of reason sometimes. But there was also another reason you’ve held yourself back.

You were afraid that the sword would doom Kenshi to some kind of tragic fate. Your memories of Kenshi's previous story were hazy. You couldn’t tell if it was because you simply didn’t remember, or if it was because you never sought out to ask too much about it in the past. Either way, you were upset with yourself over it.

What you did know for certain, despite the lack of memories, was that in your previous life, he had been blinded due an incident that had something to do with the sword. Yes, he did gain powers that enabled him to be more than he was, but thought of losing his eyesight because of it and you potentially being the catalyst for that was more than you thought you could bear. It wasn’t as if you could warn Kenshi of the dangers, you’d sound insane.

Plus, you knew with the significance of that sword, your warnings might go unheeded. You had a sense that the ex yakuza member was selfless enough to be a martyr for the sake of his clan. The thought of him giving up his eyesight willingly squeezed your heart.

You were willing to craft a hat for Kung Lao, there were no flaws behind that as far as you could tell. But Kenshi’s weapon had a lot more weight to it. You wouldn’t know if the consequences behind that influence were the same, and if they would be less than the positives. There was a lot more to consider. Even if your decision that you would err on the side of caution, you still felt guilty that you could not help and provide the weapon that the man beside you craved.

“You’re glancing at me a lot, should I be flattered or concerned?” Kenshi inquired, snapping you out of your thoughts. You found that you were now meeting the swordsman’s gaze who held you with an intrigued look. With a scene that felt all too familiar, you felt your face heat up again. How you’ve let yourself space out and stare so obviously at your companion two days in a row, you had no idea.

“Flattered, I suppose?” You said, awkwardness soaking your words after you cleared your throat. You found yourself unable to maintain eye contact. Suddenly, the blue sky speckled with clouds seemed interesting. You felt your hand creep up to the side of your neck and press against it. Compared to the heat of your face, your hand felt like an ice cube.

You didn’t know what excuse to say, or if you even should. Obviously, you couldn’t tell him the real reason why you were taking what you thought was sneaky glances. If you weren’t telling the god who took you in about your memories, you weren’t going to tell Kenshi. The issue was that now, you had no idea what excuse to even say, and you put yourself in a rather awkward situation because of it.

Despite this, it seemed that you didn’t have to. You heard a chuckle, and took a cautious peek to see Kenshi looking at you with a gaze that seemed free of judgement. His cheeks were tinged with pink. It seemed whatever excuse he had gleaned from what little you said satisfied him. You weren’t sure what his assumptions were, but at this point, you figured you were far too deep to ask what he thought it was.

This was the consequences of your lack of sneakiness, you supposed. You didn’t find yourself too upset though. It seemed to make him pleased enough, and that was enough for you.

The rest of the walk to Sun Do left you feeling just a little lighter.

You both wandered into the city, deliberately leading him in a different direction you had gone with both Johnny and Raiden. You didn’t need to retread those places, you knew very well that you wouldn’t find the gift for Bi-Han you wanted in those shops. It would only waste precious time. You both went from shop to shop, peering at possible gift ideas with careful eyes.

Shopping with Kenshi was much different than the other two. With Raiden, he had been far too passive. He seemed to enjoy peering at the wares and agreeing with you more than scrutinizing the items. He4 didn’t provide any meaningful feedback in terms of whether the gift was appropriate or if it felt right. You didn’t blame him, you had a feeling he was far too elated by simply being in the heart of the capital. That, and he was the one who invited you to explore rather than shop.

With Johnny, he had a completely different taste than you did. He often criticized your choices for being too “tame” or not flashy enough. Perhaps it wasn’t the worst opinion, you had gone for subtler gifts, but the gifts he offered before the ribbon had all been rather…gaudy and definitely didn’t fit the Lin Kuei. It was almost a miracle he had spotted the ribbon and offered it up.

Kenshi, on the other hand, was almost like the perfect shopping companion. His tastes seemed to align with what you were searching for, so that was a far better companion than Johnny. Not only that, but he was very inquisitive and seemed to take every comment you said to heart. You couldn’t resist a smile as you realized this nature was the exact reason why you had chosen Kenshi in particular to critique your cooking.

“How about this?” Kenshi inquired, lifting up an intricate blue sash. You hummed as you leaned in close to peer at the fabric. You plucked the item that was draped over his hands, your fingertips brushing against the inked surface. You lifted up, studying the details. Then, you squinted at it more as you tried to imagine Bi-Han wearing this sash. Your nose wrinkled at the fact that you could not conjure up that image.

“I think we should stray away from accessories like this.” You concluded. “I don’t think Bi-Han would find himself wearing anything in accompaniment to his uniform.” You explained. The swordsman nodded as he took your words into consideration. You handed back the sash to him so he could place it back. With careful precision, he folded the sash before delicately placing it back into its former spot. Had you not known the man, you would have never guessed his dark past with how he carried himself in his actions.

You scanned the area, looking for other ideas while Kenshi also perused the store. Nothing in particular for the grandmaster caught your eye. This store was mostly filled with accessories, which was not the type of gift you could imagine giving Bi-Han. And yet, despite this, something did catch your eye. You walked closer to get a look.

It was a set of five rings. Though they looked initially plain, the closer you inspected them, you saw the beauty within the craftsmanship. They were intricately engraved, small patterns dancing along the metal. But the part that caught the eye the most was the gorgeous gems set into each of them. Each one had a different color, gold, pink, blue, green, and red. You marveled over the rings and were pleasantly surprised to see that the rings had some minor magic, so they could be resized on their own.

You looked and saw they had a special deal if you bought the whole set. Your eyes lingered on the rings for a moment more. How perfect this would be as a gift for your champions. A smile appeared on your face as you thought about it. You glanced back at the bag where you held your gold. Maybe if you had left over gold you could come back for these.

“I don’t think this place has what I’m looking for.” You told the swordsman, striding over to him. You stood slightly in the way of the rings. You didn’t think he’d notice them since it didn’t align with the idea you had for Bi-Han. But still, you wanted to keep it a surprise, just in case. Luckily, it seemed that Kenshi hadn’t noticed where you had gone.

“I agree, especially since this place is geared towards accessories.” Kenshi replied. He nodded in the direction of the door, his hand gesturing for you to lead the way. You did just that, managing to glance back at the rings one last time. You knew that if you did, Kenshi would be likely to notice with how much he’s been noticing your stares. Then again, you supposed that’s because your stares towards the swordsman were rather…obvious. Still, you wouldn’t put it past him to notice the little things.

And so, both you and the ex yakuza member were back on the streets. But not for long. This time, Kenshi pointed out a shop. At first, you hesitated, gazing at all the porcelain cups and teapots. You weren’t certain if these ceramics would be an ideal gift, but then your eyes landed on a particular teapot set in the window. You were so fascinated by it that you stepped inside to get a better look.

The teapot set in question was delftware styled. The blue painted ceramic was decorated to be depicting a snowy wonderland with snow leopards as the main focus. Your eyes studied the set carefully, marveling over it. It had some gold accents around the rim, giving it that extra pop. It even came with a little tea pet, a snow leopard. At first, you couldn’t imagine gifting Bi-Han such an item, but the more you marveled over it, the more you couldn’t imagine giving him anything else.

“With the way you’re looking at that, I think I did my job.” Kenshi remarked, walking up next to you. You smiled over to him, and you saw on his face a very pleased expression. He crossed his arms as he took his gaze from you over to the set. “It’s miraculous how cheap these items are here, back in Earthrealm, these would be worth a fortune.”

“I can’t believe it either.” You agreed with a nod. You eyed the price. It definitely was cheaper than you would expect, but the quality didn’t seem terrible despite it. Looking at it for a few more moments, you nodded once more. “I think this is the one.” You told your companion. Kenshi hummed, his eyes lingering on your decided gift before pointing to something else.

“While we’re at it, you should probably get him some tea.” The swordsman recommended. Your eyes landed on the displays of various teas they had. You walked over, noting how they felt similar in style to the dried teas you served for Madam Bo. On a closer look, some of the teas even appeared to be the same. For a brief moment, you wondered whether a long time ago Earthrealm had some of their teas imported here. It didn’t seem too far off an idea.

You scanned the various teas they had on display. For a moment, you considered picking a tea unique to Outworld. But then you considered how awful it’d feel to gift something that he might enjoy, but then never be able to savor once again in his lifetime. For that reason, you decided it might be better to chose something that he may be able to get at home.

One particular tea caught your eye.

You grabbed the box of the high quality tea, inspecting it. You had never considered this to be made into tea. You couldn’t help but to smile down at the box, too amazed at the fact that tea was a thing. You held it up to show to Kenshi who quirked up a brow.

“Parsley tea?” He asked, eyeing the box carefully. His voice sounded skeptical. You shrugged, but you already knew that the moment you had laid eyes on this particular type of tea, you were going to buy it. Something within you simply told you that it just fit him. That, and you couldn’t deny that you were interested in how it tasted. From the look Kenshi gave you, he seemed to know you were already set in your ways.

With a little pep in your step, you walked over to the Outworlder at the counter. After discussing which set you wanted along with the parsley tea, you soon found yourself back onto the streets with a very nicely wrapped gift in your hands. As you were walking back, satisfied with your findings today, you spied the shop with the rings you had looked at earlier.

“Could you hold this for a moment?” You asked the man. You swiftly handed him the gift and quickly walked off into the shop, ignoring the perplexed look the swordsman had sent you. You couldn’t blame him, you had said you only needed one more gift.

Stepping inside, you were thrilled to see that the rings you had your eye on were still there. Elated, you quickly asked the clerk for the rings. The centaruian seemed more than happy to oblige, giving you a few boxes to carry them in. You slipped the gold one on, eyeing how the light seemed to reflect off of it perfectly. The rest you slipped into your bag. You wanted to keep them a surprise for now.

Checking the money you had left, you were delighted to see you had enough to buy one more gift. That would be reserved for Liu Kang.

“Find everything you needed?” Kenshi inquired. He peered at you, his eye catching the sight of your new found accessory. You nodded, beaming happily at the man. You reached out, hands extended to take back the boxes. Despite this, you found the man pulled away from you, boxes clutched securely to his own chest. “It’s fine, I don’t mind carrying them.” He insisted.

“I don’t want to burden you with them.” You said, furrowing your brows. You made a reach for the boxes again, but the man simply side stepped your attempt. You sighed, placing a hand on your hip. “This is rather childish of you, Kenshi.” You chided, trying to see if you could convince him to give back the gifts. And yet, despite your words, the man was adamant. You sighed once more, shaking your head. “If you insist.”

“I do.” The swordsman quipped back, a victorious tone in his voice. You resisted an eye roll and made your way back to the palace. Once there, you led the ex yakuza member back to your room since he insisted on helping them carry them back all the way back there. As you finally regained the packages, you peered at him for a moment before opening your door. “Wait a moment for me, okay?” You asked.

You stepped into the room, placing your packages along with the other gifts you’ve bought. You removed the rings from the bags, admiring them once more. For a moment, you considered bringing them all in so you could give them at dinner time, but then you paused, remembering you hadn’t gotten Liu Kang’s gift quite yet and how awkward it might seem. Plus, you fancied the idea of giving the gifts privately. It would seem more personal that way.

“Thank you for waiting.” You said as you strode out. You placed your hands behind your back, hiding the little box. You supposed you were as sneaky as a toddler attempting to hide whatever mess they’ve made, because Kenshi quickly sent you a questioning look and leaned over to try and peek. “Here.” You handed over the box, scanning his features for his reaction. “A gift.”

“You didn’t have to.” Kenshi said, his voice shocked. He tried to hand back the box to you, but you pushed into his hands. After that, he relented. He scanned the box, probably trying to guess the present before he opened the box. You felt elated as you watched his surprised reaction to the ring. He lifted it up, watching with amazement as he slipped it onto his finger and it fit perfectly. “This is…” He trailed off, trying to find the right words.

“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” You remarked. You held up your hand to showcase your golden ring. “I thought this would be the perfect present for all of us.” You then gestured to the red ring. “I chose that color specifically for you.”

“Why red?” Kenshi inquired, looking between the ring on his hand and you. You smiled at him, a small laugh leaving your lips as you looked directly into his eyes.

“Simple. I think it matches your eyes wonderfully.” You explain to him. A soft flush appeared on Kenshi’s face, and he appeared to have been stunned into silence. His mouth closed, then opened, then closed once more. Then, a soft smile appeared on his face as his gaze cast downwards to the ring on his hand once more.

“Thank you.” Kenshi mumbled softly. You grinned at him and placed a hand on his arm.

“No problem, I’m glad you like the gift.” You told him. “Now let’s go, I’m hungry.” You walked off, leading the way. You missed the fond gaze Kenshi sent you way, taking one more glance between the ring and you before following you.

Dinner went smoothly, and it was just as delicious as before. You were tempted to make plans to go shopping for some Outworld type of seasonings before you left so you could cook up some food the reminded you of this place. Maybe if you had left over money after Liu Kang’s gift.

It was yet another wonderful night in the garden. You basked in the moonlight as you waited patiently for the princess to emerge from the palace. You perked up as you heard the familiar sound of heels, and smiled as your eyes landed on the princess.

Oddly enough, there was not the more prestigious and refined look that she usually held. Her face held something that reminded you of the first time you encountered her here. She seemed…upset. You raised your eyebrows as she drew near. When she noted you in the spot, her face shifted, masking her previous attitude with a smile.

It reminded you of Empress Sindel’s smile towards Raiden.

“Are you alright?” You inquired, testing the waters. You saw her smile strain, like a string being pulled nearly too taut. Her hands, which had been folded in her lap, squeezed together as if she were squeezing out her frustration.

“I’m fine.” Mileena replied, her words clipped. You couldn’t sense any hostility within her words, but you could tell that asking about her situation would probably be unwise. You didn’t blame her, you weren’t that close after all. You nodded slowly, taking her attitude into consideration. “How have you been?” She inquired quickly, eager to divert the topic of conversation.

“I’ve been fine, I went and shopped more today.” You told her with a smile. You could read the signs of her frayed nerves and played along with her plan, changing the conversation away from herself. You saw her eyes dart to your hands. You looked down and saw the ring. You lifted your hand to showcase it, allowing her to get a better view.

“I can see that.” The princess observed. She leaned in closer, analyzing the accessory and how it fit on your finger. You saw her expression change slightly, going from a more fake look to a more genuine smile. She looked at it for a few moments more before leaning back and looking at you. “It suits you, you have a good eye.”

“Thank you.” You replied, staring down at the golden gem which shone so prettily in the moonlight. You smiled, still feeling the high of making a satisfying purchase. You paused, considering what to talk about next due to her slightly antsy mood. “How was your day, princess? I’m excited to see how you fare against Earthrealm’s champion tomorrow.”

“My day was alright.” Mileena replied, her eyes looking away into the garden. There was almost an empty tone to her voice, as if she were not telling the entire truth. She rolled her shoulders back as she cleared her throat. “I…” She began, then paused, her face scrunching a bit as she seemed to ponder on the words she would say next. “I am interested to see how I fare against him as well.” She replied, the same smile from earlier appearing on her lips.

You couldn’t tell entirely, but you could sense the aversion towards the topic of fighting. Was it that she was nervous? You scanned her. No, it didn’t seem so. But the reason behind her distaste towards the topic was one you weren’t certain of.

You couldn’t quite ask her about it either.

“What story would you like to hear today?” You inquired, quickly changing the subject. You saw her posture relax a bit, and what must be a breath of relief left her lips. Very subtle actions, but actions you noticed. You suspicions were definitely correct, she had some type of issue with fighting Raiden, or the topic of it.

“Anything light hearted would do.” The princess requested, the relief of the topic change showing on her face. You pondered on this, humming as you considered the various stories and movies you’ve seen. What could possibly cheer her up? You smiled as you recalled the first movie you saw and turned to face her.

“Alright, then how about this one?”

That night, you didn’t quite know why she was upset, but you knew you uplifted her spirits.

part sixteen

tagged - @bonezisded @lollipopin @simpxinnie @zhivaxo @koisuko

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theunbreakablecurse0 · 1 month

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Got back from my trip to China (12 days), current achievements:

🫧 Took 4 flights

🫧 Been to 8 different cities/towns

🫧 Almost passed out from heat thrice

🫧 Argued with a granny (hello Toji fans 👋🏻)

🫧 Saw a Gojo cosplayer next to the Lama Temple in Beijing, got no idea wtf he was doing there, thought I was hallucinating for a second (he left so quickly 😭)

Me, standing there in my Geto t-shirt:🧍🏻‍♀️

🫧 Took high speed train twice, sailed on small boats two times

🫧 Stood on the Great Wall, saw Terracotta Warriors

🫧 Learned how to professionally kill mosquitoes

🫧 Visited Shaolin temple

🫧 Enjoyed amazing caves and mountains in Guilin

🫧 Been to Gusu district (hello mdzs fans 👋🏻)

🫧 Seen lotus ponds 🪷 hehehehe

#jjk #jujutsu kaisen #geto suguru #gojo satoru #satosugu #sugusato #jjk 0 #travel #toji fushiguro #mo dao zu shi #mdzs #lan wangji #wei wuxian

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ruiconteur · 1 year

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meta on li lianhua’s hair ornaments (x)

transcription and footnotes under ‘read more,’ because the CPS rate for this video is inhumane

transcription:

Which of Li Lianhua’s hair ornaments in Mysterious Lotus Casebook do you like the most?

Lotus seedpod hairstick: In the first and last episodes, Li Lianhua wore the same hair ornament. Lotus seedpods allude to a fate of longevity; I hope that Li Lianhua will be unbothered by illness and live a long hundred years of age.

Lotus leaf hairstick: lotus leaves allude to a quick wit, cleverness, quiet and calm. When Li Lianhua encounters an incident, he remains cool and collected. When solving a case, he’s sharp enough to spot even the minutest detail [1], and his predictions are of divine accuracy. A lotus leaf hairstick fits detective!Li Lianhua very well.

Lotus flower hairstick: lotus flowers symbolise purity, nobility, eternal friendship, and that one’s desires will be gratified. This lotus flower hairstick only appears once in the entire show. At the time, Li Lianhua said: “Before I die, I will find shixiong.” What Li Lianhua felt for his shixiong then was a close attachment and brotherly affection [2].

Threaded lotus vine hair ornament: this hair ornament alludes to the continuance of Li Lianhua’s life and endurance.

Threaded lotus seedpod vine hair ornament: Li Lianhua’s hair ornaments are all largely related to lotuses. The lotus has too many good meanings; what is worn on Li Lianhua’s head is the lotus in question.

Threaded lotus leaf string hair ornament: this hair ornament was what Li Lianhua wore while solving the Lotusbank Manor case; truly a perfect match with his ink-green robes—noble, pure, and it does not detract from his elegance.

Bamboo joint, silver leaf, and fish-head hairstick: when Li Lianhua spoke about his past, he said: “Back then I was penniless and injured. The only thing of value I had, I pawned for fifty taels of silver—it was that token of the Sentinel Sect’s leader that can bestow life and death, unknown to none in the martial realm.” This hairstick alludes to well-being, wealth, and status. I hope for Li Lianhua to simply be safe and sound.

Threaded pinecone vine hair ornament: pinecones symbolise good fortune and delightful beauty. Li Lianhua’s ten-year lifespan is too short; I hope that Li Lianhua can live on, safe and sound.

Dual bamboo joint hair ornament: this hair ornament appeared the most frequently in the show. Bamboo is a plant that is evergreen in the four seasons of the year; it has an indomitable vitality. Bamboo symbolises a willingness to break but not bend; even when battered by the wind and snow, it will not lower its head. No matter if he is Li Lianhua in the drama or Cheng Yi in real life, that spirit of unbending efforts of his is hard-won and to be treasured.

Lotus root joint peach wood hairstick: lotus root joints allude to auspice, longevity, blissful love, and carefree independence. Peach wood symbolises warmth and tenacity. Li Lianhua wore this hairstick while meeting with A-Mian in the Temple of Deliverance because he too once had a blissful love.

Pine branch hairstick: pinewood represents everlasting verdancy and alludes to longevity. Li Lianhua wore this hairstick while using the Stillness of Yangzhou to save A-Mian. Each time Li Lianhua uses his internal power, he shortens his lifespan. How I hope that even as he saves everyone, he can save himself as well.

Lotus heart [3] and root joint tea needle hairstick: lotus hearts can be brewed into tea to cleanse the heart, and represent a simple and steady character and attitude towards life. This hairstick was only worn in the Women’s Residence. In the Women’s Residence, gold can be taken as toys; there are delicacies from land and sea, there is fine wine, there are beauties. From beginning to end, Li Lianhua only ever seeks a simple life; being able to visit the mountains and enjoy the waters, drink tea and fish would be enough.

Curved lotus seedpod hairstick: this hairstick was worn during the Women’s Residence case. Lotus seedpods and lotus flowers are the same—they grow out of the muck unsullied [4]. Sacred and pure, peaceful and clean, unaffected and simple, exactly like the simple life Li Lianhua seeks. Tranquility yields profoundness; to be unmoved by worldly ways, to be untempted by fame and gain, to be undisturbed by worldly desires.

Black gauze flower bud hair ornament: this is the most unique hair ornament worn [by him] in the entire show. It was only worn during the Stoneld Village case. In ancient times, black gauze was said to avert death; Li Lianhua saved Xiaobao twice in the Stoneld Village case, exposing his identity the second time, even though he knew every time he used his internal power, he would shorten his lifespan.

Black bamboo joint hair ornament: black bamboo represents steadfast resolution, tenacity, unsullied nobility, and the quality of neither bending nor yielding. It bears the epithet of “gentleman.” This hair ornament was worn during the imperial palace case, the last of the show. On the road Li Lianhua took to get here, he broke many strange cases and risked losing his life often, and finally uncovered Shan Gudao’s scheme.

Lotus root tea-pusher [5] hairstick: this hairstick was worn by Li Lianhua as he was rescuing Di Feisheng. The two of them were once sworn enemies, but now they are each other’s salvation, having unknowingly established a special friendship.

Jade-inlaid coronet to tie up the hair: this is Li Lianhua using Li Xiangyi’s identity to return to the Sentinel Sect and save Yun Biqiu. The same person, the same attire—yet the characters presented are entirely different.

White jade needle hairstick: “Partings upon partings, farewells upon farewells; the coming times shall be the coming times.” Ten years ago, Li Xiangyi was buried in the eastern sea; ten years after, Li Lianhua was reborn. Li Lianhua didn’t die—he’s living the life he wishes to live.

footnotes:

“Minutest detail”—秋毫 / [something as small as] an animal’s autumn down.

“Close attachment and brotherly affection”—情同手足 / to be as close in affections as one’s hands and feet.

“Lotus heart”—莲须, which refers to the 花蕊 / stamen and pistil of the lotus flower. I’ve rendered it as lotus heart because 蕊 has three 心 / heart radicals.

“Grow out of the muck unsullied”—出淤泥而不染, a quote from the famous prose piece 《爱莲说》 / on the love of the lotus by 周敦颐 Zhou Dunyi. here’s a translation by @/sevenseas.

“Tea-pusher”—茶拨. from what I’ve seen, it's a long and thin utensil used to push tea leaves from a scoop into a cup.

#mysterious lotus casebook #li lianhua #li xiangyi #莲花楼 #lhl #rui rambles #how did a 2min video take me an entire day when i've subbed 45min eps in a week. explain this to me.

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geekedoutbunny · 10 months

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Nezha x Fem! Reader - Question

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

Nezha x Wife! Reader - Question

Paring: Nezha x Wife! Reader

Rating: Rated M

Warning: No Sex, Fluff, Mention of Lactation kink, Breeding kink

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

Nezha has been your husband for a few years now, he was always in the Lotus Temple, inevitably guarding something. You've grown accustomed to this, spending 100s of years alone in your own temple, but you both always made time for each other's.

It was usually you who'd go and visit Nezha, you'd spend a few hours with him in the Lotus Temple, laughing, talking, slow dancing, and every so often, if you were able to convince him, sex.

Sex was an activity that you and Nezha didn't always partake in, it had to be a special occasion. His sex drive wasn't very high, and his job was more important than a little quicky, so you'd have to settle with your hands or a toy.

It wasn't idea, but you never complained, you knew what you were getting into when you started dating him. Today, however, was a surprise. Instead of you going to visit him, he came to visit you.

It was bizarre, he loved you with all his heart, but he only came to visit if something was seriously wrong. You immediately got into battle mode, your weapon was summoned, and your armor appeared. "What's wrong, Nezha?" You asked, and are ready to help defend.

He raised his hand calmly. "Rest, love, there are no threats." He calmly said. You stared at him in question before you relaxed, and your weapon and armor vanished. You sat down and got back comfortable as you gave him a questionable stare.

"Then why have you come, Liánhuā?" You asked. He slowly approached you, and as he did, you took in his person. You noticed that his staff wasn't with him, he had a tender stare, yet it was also hazy with something. You wanted to rub your eyes in disbelief at the haze, but you refrained from doing so.

'Is he possibly here to lay with me?' You thought. He usually took lots of convincing, but this time, it didn't seem to be the case. 'I wonder what's got him so worked up.' You thought as you watched him close the distance.

He gently reached for your hand, you raised it and laid it gently in his palm, and he rested his other hand over yours. He stared at you for a moment before he looked down. You tilted your head at him before you smiled sweetly at him. 'He's awfully nervous, the poor thing.' You thought in sympathy as you patiently waited for him to gather his confidence.

His eyes would flicker up to yours every so often, his cheeks flushed a pretty pink as he looked back down again. You kept your giggles to yourself, It took all of Nezha's willpower to make it down to your temple, and you didn't want to run him off.

"I... I was wondering... if it would be disapproving of me to ask you if I could..." He paused, his voice was soft and unsure as he spoke, yet it was stern meaning he knew what he wanted, but sadly, you couldn't read Minds. You leaned forward, your free hand cupping his cheek. "Nezha... No question will ever be disapproving to me, but I can't read minds, love." You gently said.

He finally took a deep breath before he looked you in the eyes, his stare was stern yet tender, hazy yet shy. You waited for him to speak, your fingers rubbing his palm gently.

He nodded his head ever so slightly before he took a deep breath. "I was wondering if I could suckle upon your breast like a newborn?" He asked. You blinked a few times, your brain processing his question.

'That's it?' You thought, he stared at you nervously, his palm moist but not sweaty. He opened his mouth to speak, but your soft chuckle stopped him, he looked up at you, shocked. The hand on his cheek pulled back to cover your mouth.

His cheeks reddened. "I, apologize if my question was ridiculous... I've just been having thoughts recently..." He timidly explained. You looked at him lovingly as you cupped his cheek once more. "Don't apologize, Liánhuā, I'm just pleased to know that you've come to me for once and not the other way around." You said through happy chuckles.

He stared at you with uncertainty before he relaxed, and he leaned into your palm. "I'm sorry about that, I have a duty to the Jade Emperor." He said. You nodded in understanding as you leaned your forehead against his. "You need not explain your behavior, Liánhuā, I understand, I knew what to expect once I fell in love with you." You said, your voice soft.

He smiled softly at you. "That's why I married you." He said sweetly, you chuckled lightly before you shared a kiss with him. "I would've never guessed that you of all men would have a lactation kink." You teased. His cheeks reddened as he looked down. "Me neither." He sheepishly agreed. You tilted your head in curiosity.

"What brought this on anyway?" You asked him. He stayed silent for a moment, his eyes darting around in thought before he looked at you. "The thought of you being pregnant with our child." He responded. You stared at him in shock. "A child... me pregnant?" You questioned. He nodded.

You breathed a sigh before a smile grew on your face. "Liánhuā, I would love to be the mother of your child." You said, your eyes slowly gathering unshed tears in them as you spoke to him. He smiled as he cupped your cheeks gently.

"Then we have to prepare for a new life." He said, you nodded in agreement before he pulled back. You chuckled as you allowed him to pull you up, you wrapped your arm around his offered one, as you both walked towards your bed chambers.

#lmk #lego monkie kid #lmk x reader #lmk x y/n #lmk fanfiction #lego monkie kid x reader #lego monkie kid fanfiction #lmk nezha #3rd lotus prince nezha #lotus prince nezha #nezha x reader #nezha x y/n #monkie kid nezha #nezha lego monkie kid #nezha lmk

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centuryberry · 20 days

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Could you make a family tree/timeline specifically with Macaque, Shanzha, Yue, and the Zodiac Monkey? It doesn’t have to be polished, I’m just a bit confused to how they are all related. Like ZM is excited to be reunited with Shanzha because she’s his daughter, but not Macaque (who is his son then? I think? Is he not?). Shanzha is descended from their powerful ancestor (but not politically powerful at the beginning of the story) and is sisters with Yue’s mom (deceased) which is why Yue has six ears? Or is she Yue’s mom’s “husband’s” sister which is why the gene is passed down, it’s through the dad’s blood, and Shanzha has no political standing at the beginning because it went to her brother? I’m kind of confused about the Zodiac Monkey line familial connections.

That's understandable! A lot of things happened in the fic.

Here's the timeline/family tree of Yue's family:

A monkey participates in a race with 11 other animals. He ascends to the Celestial Realm as the Zodiac Monkey and leaves his mortal spouse and children behind to establish the Zodiac Monkey Clan in his honor.

Another monkey (completely unrelated to the Zodiac Monkey) makes it his mission to free a trapped Primordial Wind Spirit from a calabash. His success establishes the Spirit Macaque Clan and he ascends as the first Spirit Macaque King. He and his direct descendants are gifted with six ears.

Sometime up in the Celestial Realm, the Zodiac Monkey meets Jiayi, a Celestial General's daughter, and starts a romance with her. Jiayi gets pregnant and is sequestered away while the Zodiac Monkey is forbidden to see her.

Centuries after the first Spirit Macaque King's passing in the Mortal Realm, a young Princess Sangshen of the Spirit Macaque Clan approached the Primordial Wind Spirit (who visits once every century to grant a wish) to wish for a little brother. The Primordial Wind Spirit grants the wish but loses its form to turn itself into a baby Macaque.

The Spirit Macaque Clan falls to war and is ransacked. Sangshen desperately tries to protect her little brother by placing him in a giant lotus flower. As slavers capture her, she learns that a storm came and washed all the flowers to sea and assumes that her little brother is lost.

Up in the Celestial Realm, Jiayi gives birth to Shanzha and dies. Heaven hands the baby off to the Zodiac Monkey Clan to be raised since Jiayi's father wants nothing to do with the baby and the Zodiac Monkey is forbidden from seeing her.

Shanzha grows up unaware of her true parentage as she is raised as the only daughter of the Zodiac Monkey Clan Head of that time (Yue's Grandfather).

[Some context]: The Clan Head viewed Shanzha as a threat to his position since she is a direct descendant from the Zodiac Monkey and half Celestial while he's only a yaoguai descendant. Outsiders simply assumed that Shanzha was an illegitimate daughter with no power or favor so thought nothing of it when she was sent over to the Clan Temple to be its tender and priestess.

Sangshen, who had been passed from cruel master to cruel master, winds up serving at a party hosted by the Zodiac Monkey Clan and catches the eye of Yishan, the eldest and heir of the Clan Head. He frees her from slavery and takes her as his concubine.

Yue is conceived and born not long afterward.

So, to make it clear to who's who with Yue as the focal point in this family tree:

Zodiac Monkey: Yue's ancestor from her father's side

First Spirit Macaque King: Yue's ancestor from her mother's side

Primordial Wind Spirit: Guardian Spirit of Yue's maternal side of the family and possibly another form of Macaque

Jiayi: The lover of Yue's ancestor and the mother of Yue's Aunt Shanzha

Sangshen: Yue's mother and Macaque's older sister

Macaque: Yue's maternal uncle and Sangshen's little brother

Shanzha: Zodiac Monkey and Jiayi's daughter, assumed daughter of the Zodiac Monkey Clan Head, Yue's paternal aunt (but is actually Yue's great, great, great, many great aunt)

Yue's Grandfather: The Zodiac Monkey Clan Head at the time when Queen of the Mountain starts. He's a miserable asshole

Yishan: Yue's biological father, Shanzha's (assumed) older brother, and Sangshen's husband. Another asshole

Yue: Our main character

#queen of the mountain #answered ask #family tree #yuebei xing #shanzha #macaque #zodiac monkey

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journeytothewestresearch · 6 months

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The Crow's Nest Chan Master of JTTW

I am reading back through Journey to the West (Xiyouji, 西遊記) and was reminded of a strange, seemingly throwaway character who appears at the end of chapter 19, the "Crow's Nest Chan Master" (Wuchao chanshi, 烏巢禪師). He is described as an accomplished cultivator who lives in a juniper tree nest on Pagoda Mountain (Futu shan, 浮屠山), just beyond the border of Tibet (Wusicang, 烏斯藏). Zhu Bajie claims the master once asked him to jointly practice austerities, but the pig-spirit passed on the opportunity. Flash back to the present, and the pilgrims pass into his domain. After a brief chat, the Crow's Nest Chan master orally passes on the Heart Sutra (Xin jing, 心經) to Tripitaka.

There are two things that interest me about the Chan Master. The first is his magical abilities. Sun Wukong is offended by the monk but fails to hit him with his staff:

Enraged, Pilgrim lifted his iron rod and thrust it upward violently, but garlands of blooming lotus flowers were seen together with a thousand-layered shield of auspicious clouds. Though Pilgrim might have the strength to overturn rivers and seas, he could not catch hold of even one strand of the crow's nest (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 1, p. 391).

This reminds me of an event from Acts of the Buddha (Sk: Buddhacarita; Ch: Fo suoxing za, 佛所行讚, 2nd-century), an ancient biography of the Buddha:

The host of Mara hastening, as arranged, each one exerting his utmost force, taking each other’s place in turns, threatening every moment to destroy [the Buddha, but] … Their flying spears, lances, and javelins, stuck fast in space, refusing to descend; the angry thunderdrops and mighty hail, with these, were changed into five-colour’d lotus flowers…” (Beal, 1883, pp. 152 and 153).

This points to the Crow's Nest Chan Master having great holy powers.

The second thing that interests me is that he is based on a historical monk, Niaoke Daolin (鳥窠道林, lit: "Bird's Nest" Daolin; 741–824). Here is his full biography from the Records of the Transmission of the Lamp (Jingde chuandenglu, 景德傳燈錄, 1004 to 1007):

Chan master Niaoke Daolin ... was from Fuyang in Hangzhou and his family name was Pan. His mother, whose maiden name was Zhu, once dreamt of the rays of the sun entering her mouth, after which she conceived. When the baby was born a strange fragrance pervaded the room, so the name ‘Fragrant Light’ was given to the boy. He left the home life at the age of nine and received the full precepts at the Guoyuan Temple in Jing (Jingling, Hubei) when he was twenty-one years old. Later he went to the Ximing Monastery in Chang’an to study the Huayan Jing (Avatasaka Sūtra) and the Śāstra on the Arising of Faith (Śraddhotpada Śāstra, Aśvagosa) under the Dharma Teacher Fuli, who also introduced him to the Song of the Real and Unreal, and had him practise meditation. Once Niaoke asked Fuli, ‘Could you say how one meditates and how to exercise the heart?’ Teacher Fuli was silent for a long time, so then the master bowed three times and withdrew. It happened that at this time Tang Emperor Taizong had called the First Teacher in the Empire [Daoqin] of Jing Mountain to the Imperial Palace and Daolin went to pay him a formal visit, obtaining the True Dharma from him. Returning south the master first came to the Yongfu Temple on Mount Gu (Zhejiang), where there was a stūpa dedicated to the Pratyekabuddhas. At this time both monks and laymen were gathering there for a Dharma-talk. The master also entered the hall, carrying his walking stick, which emitted a clicking sound. There was a Dharma-teacher present from a temple called Lingying, whose name was Taoguang, and who asked the master, ‘Why make such a sound in this Dharma-meeting?’ ‘Without making a sound who would know that it was a Dharmameeting?’ replied the master. Later, on Qinwang Mountain, the master saw an old pine tree with lush foliage, its branches shaped like a lid, so he settled himself there, in the tree, which is why the people of that time called him Chan Master Niaoke (Bird’s Nest). Then magpies made their nest by the master’s side and became quite tame through the intimacy with a human – so he was also referred to as the Magpie Nest Monk. One day the master’s attendant Huitong suddenly wished to take his leave. ‘Where are you off to then?’ asked the master. ‘Huitong left the home life for the sake of the Dharma, but the venerable monk has not let fall one word of instruction, so now it’s a question of going here and there to study the Buddha-dharma,’ replied Huitong. ‘If it could be said that there is Buddha-dharma,’ said the master, ‘I also have a little here,’ whereupon he plucked a hair from the robe he was wearing and blew it away. Suddenly Huitong understood the deep meaning. During the Yuan reign period (806-820 CE) Bai Juyi was appointed governor of this commandery and so went to the mountain to pay the master a courtesy call. He asked the master, ‘Is not the Chan Master’s residing here very dangerous?’ ‘Is not your Excellency’s position even more so?’ countered the master. ‘Your humble student’s place is to keep the peace along the waterways and in the mountains. What danger is there in that?’ asked Bai Juyi. ‘When wood and fire meet there is ignition – the nature of thinking is endless,’ replied the master, ‘so how can there not be danger?’ ‘What is the essence of the Buddha-dharma?’ asked Bai. ‘To refrain from all evil and do all that is good,’ answered the master. ‘A three-year-old child already knows these words,’ said Bai. ‘Although a three-year-old can say them, an old man of eighty can’t put them into practice!’ countered the master. Bai then made obeisance. In the fourth year, during the tenth day of the second month of the reign period Changqing (824 CE), the master said to his attendant, ‘Now my time is up.’ And having spoken he sat on his cushion and passed away. He was eighty-four years old and had been a monk for sixty-three years. (Textual note: Some say the master’s name was Yuanxiu, but this is probably his posthumous name.) (Whitfiled, n.d., pp. 56-58).

Sources:

Beal, S. (Trans.). (1883). The Fo-sho-hing-tsan-king: A Life of Buddha by Asvaghosha Bodhisattva. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/foshohingtsankin00asva/mode/2up.

Whitfiled, R. S. (Trans.). (n.d.). Records of the Transmission of the Lamp: Volume 2 - The Early Masters. Hokun Trust. Retrieved from https://terebess.hu/zen/mesterek/Lamp2.pdf

Wu, C., & Yu, A. C. (2012). The Journey to the West (Vols. 1-4) (Rev. ed.). Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press.

#Journey to the West #JTTW #Sun Wukong #Monkey King #Tripitaka #Tang Monk #Tang Sanzang #Xuanzang #Zhu Bajie #Pigsy #Crow's Nest Chan Master #JTTW characters

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a-chuffed-floating-panda · 1 month

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A love in the eye of the hurricane: all characters & brief descriptions

Gods and Buddha knows I should have done earlier, but they let me continue as I've done up until now... (will be trying for all characters, but I am doing this myself and will inevitably miss something)

Jamyang= main oc (main smart bebi blorbo. Uma is her bison. Choejor 'Jamyang' Lhamo. She is more like her mother, being quiet and studious. A bit socially awkward-ch6. Frighteningly observant-ch6. Cries when Tashi cried because her sobs sounded so painful-ch6. Has created a small whirlwind and blew it into Gawa's face- mentioned in ch6. Bows to each Dölma statue in the smaller forests over the temple) She is good with the staff-ch9. Has transcribed words on bamboo leaves over to paper before with the help of a calligraphy book and dictionary before-ch9. Gawa calls her handsome and it throws her for a loop-ch10. Smart bebi blorbo is a year ahead in her studies and takes advanced staff classes.

She mopes when the festival is close to ending-ch11. Gawa's hugs send sparks across her skin, uh oh-ch11. Stubborn-ch12. Kind of obliviously offers to pick up painting so they can get better at it together-ch13. Jamyang mentions a rice cake restaurant, subtly pushing Tashi toward taking Choda there-ch14. Gets a sword made for Gawa-ch15. Choses a lotus flower for Gawa's tattoo-ch15. Not fond of the training robes given to her as a child, she preferred different robes and set a trend-ch15. Has a very ✨ moment while observing Gawa-ch15.

Disappears for a moment, Yara worries. Uma gets help-ch16. Has evaded inquires about her master ceremony for years-ch18. Has killed people as of chapter 19. A cuddly baby-ch20. From ch18 to ch20, the Western temple elders- the exception being Elder Sonam- hasn't spoken to her in months. Isn't fond of meat, likes sea food more-ch20. Hit with a moment of feelings, but ignores them-ch20.

Never expected to have her master ceremony when she found out she needed a firebender for her move and put it off for as long as possible to spite the elders, but Tsering does magic and she is allowed to have hers-ch21. Thinks Gawa is pretty, too-ch21. Doesn't like the Gelug nuns at the Eastern temple-ch22. Jamyang is aware that Yuna has a slight infatuation with her-ch22. Wants to figure out if she actually likes likes Gawa before doing anything-ch22 I have something I'd like to share, tracing someone's arrow is an intimate gesture-ch22. First mention of visit to Wat Tham suea-ch23. Jamyang is being very ✨ with Gawa after getting her tattoos, wanting to count her freckles- because she is doing a painting of her and can't get the freckles right-ch24. Gets seriously injured in ch25. Broke a total of 18 ribs-ch26

“I’m ahead by almost a year in my studies and I’ve moved on to advanced staff classes, and I’ve done it by myself with minimal to no help at all.” See? She wasn’t a brat. There. - ch11. She doesn't move classes because she doesn't want to leave her friends behind and it never went well for the protagonists in the books when they moved ahead in classes-ch11

She is a kagyupa

First trip to the spirit world happens by touching a mural-ch13

"In her opinion, those she’d met here were better at non-judgement and had even more open minds than some of those she’d met back at the temples; For someone who could praise the works of Jetsun Milarepa, a known murderer before he found the dharma. They never talked about why he became a murderer, only speaking of the torture he went through by Marpa Lotsawa to clear his negative karma, and thus telling their students to never stray because removing negative karma was painful.

That’s what Yara told her one time, at least."- Jamyang ch13

Her birthday is 28 may-ch15

Jamyang and Yara once appraoched Sister Tsering, holding up three fingers, asking which 'three' was right because they were holding up different fingers-ch16

She saw someones rebirth into Amitabha's pureland-ch17

Yara= Jamyang’s identical twin sister that lives at the Eastern temple (she is more like her father, being outgoing and adventurous. Yara is an uncommon name among the four temples. Jamyang doesn't know, but her sister is named after the Yara Lhatse, a mountain peek North in the Druk's nest- mentioned in ch5. She is first seen in ch8 where she tackles Jamyang to the floor for a hug) Cries when she first meets her mother-ch11. Gives Jamyang a weird smile-ch12. Has the most colourful room at the Eastern temple-ch12. Yara is upset that Zopa can hug boys, but she can't-ch14. She has freckles-ch16. She has killed someone-ch22. Likes sweets-ch22

She is a kagyupa

flinches at the sight of weapons-ch13

Her birthday is 28 may-ch15

Her bison is Jjongie-ch22

She has a palm tattoo of the air nomad swirls, Rinzen has the same tattoo and it is a mastery tattoo, but the gelug nuns at the Eastern temple barres her from getting her arrows because of the palm tattoo-ch22. Yara gets her tattoos with Jamyang at the Western temple instead of the Eastern one-ch22

Jaya= Jamyang's best friend who decided to adopt her (the extrovert adopting introvert dynamic. Has two lemurs, Mingyur and Manan. Her bison is Moji) She is not great at brewing tea, but Jamyang doesn't tell her that-ch15

"She agreed to that statement; remembering how Jaya got so concerned over Jamyang possibly hurting herself when she saw her recreate an action filled scene from a book she read, and then the concern boiled over into thinking that Jamyang wouldn’t learn to socialise correctly because of all the books she read.

At four winters and three moons, Jaya declared to her she’d adopted Jamyang and they were now siblings."- Tsering about Jaya, ch13

Sister Chomden= Main chef/Head chef

Hayma= a drukpa warrior nun from Taktsang and Tsering's girlfriend (incredibly green eyes and hair in a warmer shade of red. Highly keen sense of smell. Has a smooth voice Jamyang compares to milk tea, but she also puts honey in her tea, so her voice is sweet, too.)

Bankei= warrior monk, has fire nation amber colored eyes. Has a fire affinity-ch11

Ji bong= warrior monk. Has black eyes

Zoho= warrior monk, friend of Fuji. Has blue eyes (They're working on a blueprint of a hobby of theirs, mentioned in chapter 3. He startled so badly once that he threw a kunai at a nearby tree when he noticed her-ch7)

Amanthi= warrior nun and Sister Jetsun's girlfriend (Hazel-green and calm eyes. Hair a bright red, like flames, demanding attention. Jamyang describes her arrow as more blue-gray than what she's used to, a squiggly line followed the arrow's edges and she believes that there are letters tattooed on her arrow as well, but she can't tell. She has a tattooed letter inside her left hand. Has scarred, discolored hands and a healing injury in her left knee) Has the keen sense of foresight- confirmed in ch6. Uses battle fans-ch7. Has a large pink zigzagging scar up her arm that stops at her elbow-ch7. Has the unique skill of juggling pebbles like an earthbender-ch8. Has the kanji for 'earth' on her palm. Speaks the Miyako dialect-ch21

- “Whatever the others might say, none of us like killing.” Jamyang knew that. Anzan once got so upset when he found a nest of dead baby chicks that he cried. -ch20

The juggling pebbles like an earthbender is me trying to connect this current work to the other work I had been working on for two years before this idea almost tore everything apart

Has a fear of fire-ch11

has two children, Juro and Emi-ch19

Fuji= warrior nun, friend of Zoho (they're working on a blueprint for a hobby of theirs, mentioned in chapter 3) Has green eyes and asks about a standoff Jamyang had in ch7 with Monk Taiki.

Sanoh= warrior nun, braided Jamyang and Jaya's hair in chapter 3

Sister Pema= Caretaker and teacher at the Western temple, Lobsang's sister, aunt to Jigme. Believes for a moment that Tashi and Palden are involved- ch8

Lobsang=Brother to Sister Pema, father to Jigme. His bison is Oshiro-ch19. He is from Karbandi-ch21

Sister Jetsun= Caretaker and teacher at the Western temple. Amanthi is her girlfriend. (Sister Pema has described as dense in the past- ch6) Amanthi teaches her how to use battle fans-ch7. A four year old child gives her the shovel talk-ch13. Has gentle gray eyes-ch15. Her second name is Dronma; Sister Jetsun Dronma-ch23. Doesn't trust Aya-ch25

Jigme/'little Jigme'= a seventh month old baby

Sister Gyalwo= caretaker and teacher at the Western temple and Tsering's best friend. Has brown eyes and freckles (Has an infectious laugh- Jamyang mentions in ch5. Has two lemurs, Cho and Ishank. Jamyang mentions in ch5 that she has a certain look on the airball court and she's scary when she gets that look outside of the airball court) Grows her hair out completely in the front-ch11

Sister Tsering= caretaker and teacher at the Western temple, Gyalwo's best friend and Jamyang's main caretaker. (Is described by Jamyang as calm, slightly stern, but kind. Tsering is happier and emotes more around Hayma, something Jamyang isn't used to seeing yet, mentioned in chapter two) She is the younger sister to Taiki from the northern temple. Scolds Jamyang for something reckless she did in the past- ch6. Jamyang says she is 29 in ch7. She began teaching her class how to use their staffs when they were five years old, something the elders with the exception of Elder Sonam, was against-ch9- Grows her hair out longer int he front-ch11. Has gone through the rite at the lover's pass-ch11. Mochi is her bison.ch14. Encourages Jamyang to find more teachers-ch15. Looks at Jamyang fondly when she says she likes Gawa's hugs because it feels like sparks flew on her skin-ch17. Tsering was close to fighting the elders on Jamyang's behalf-ch23

Sister Tashi= a nun from the Eastern temple (Jamyang doesn't like her. Fyi, the ‘Tashi’s’ from the Eastern temple will become a bit of a stereotype in this fic)

Brother Samten= monk from the Northern temple (Jamyang doesn't like him)

Aden Lhundup= a penpal and friend of Jamyang (Warrior monk novice. He is vague whenever the topic of training comes up when he speaks. "Jamyang knew that he currently trained with a wooden sword, spears, wooden staffs and a three-section staff, or as it was called there, a sanjiegun. And he trained in two other airbending styles, the third being the one that she’s being trained in"- ch2. Implied to be dense in ch3. Has a strong forehead, knocking out a burly general with a single headbutt- ch4. Can heal; his hands glow a dull gray- ch4) Was three years old when he first started learning how to use the staff-ch9. Gets his arrows when he's fifteen years old-ch17

Chokyi= Jamyang's classmate (described as "Who was an extremely expressive individual, happy often, a good airball player, struggled a bit with throwing balls the right way due to flexible fingers and gave great hugs, but was a bit slow when it came to picking up on others’ feelings and her own. She forgot herself sometimes, and she didn’t have that hug-o-meter that Sister Gyalwo had"- ch3. Likes Aden-ch3) Realises she likes Aden in ch17. Jamyang has caught Chokyi sneaking around and taught her how to do better-ch23

Kumbha= a bison prone to falling asleep often

Cintsha and Jannu= two red pandas (Gawa’s red pandas)

Sister Dohna= A young nun who's recently gotten her arrows as of chapter two (likes Monk Feng) She and Monk Feng have a moment in ch6 after a buildup in ch5

Monk Feng= A warrior monk (Thinks Dohna is pretty and likes showing off to her. He is twenty one. Is noted in ch5 to be of a strong build from training and a healthy diet) He and Sister Dohna have a moment in ch6 after buildup in ch5. Jamyang observes him and a group of monks carrying large boulders while running, yet their steps made no sound-ch7. Has opened a tea shop with Danan as of ch14. Teases Choda-ch14

Monk Danan= A warrior monk, aged seventeen and has a personality similar to Jamyang (but also a bit of a prankster) Jamyang observes him and a group of monks carrying large boulders while running, yet their steps made no sound-ch7. Has violet eyes. Has a water affinity-ch10. Is a good story teller, Jamyang could fall asleep to his voice-ch11

Panda's= Niji, Uzume, Kannon, Chuusei, Dal, Gohan and the one on her shoulders was named Tomoe, named after a famous female fighter. (These are flying pandas. Tomoe is Hayma's panda. Gohan is Amanthi's panda. Amanthi mentions in chapter 3 that pandas can use chi and they use their chi to heal damaged nature or to warm those they saw as their own. Jaya didn't know they could fly- ch6)

In chapter 4 another panda is introduced, Ketu, and unlike the others his fur is brown

Cintsha is a brown coloured panda

Jampo is Jamyang's panda, a gift from Gawa when she turned nine-ch15. He is a brownish flying panda, likes fashion passively

Lore: Red pandas come from the spirit world, hence the red panda village-ch25

Assam= a bullfinch, social bird. He speaks in phwee's and phwoo's and he dances and whistles when he's happy; he decided one day with Matcha and Oolong that they were going to hang out on top of Jamyang's head. He can mimic Matcha's signature skill. Dances for Tashi to comfort her in ch6. Jamyang says to Tashi that he always comforts her with a song and dance on her windowsill whenever she's sad-ch6. Jamyang mentions that he can be quite 'parent-like'-ch6. Serenade's Tashi with song and dance-ch11. Isn't affected by loud noises-ch11. His red feathers have faded into a spotty pattern leaving behind odd bright spots-ch18. Is nine years old-ch21. Jamyang thinks he is turning into a spirit or is part spirit-ch21

"-You could tell me, Sister Tsering, Sister Gyalwo, any of the visiting sisters and brothers and even Assam.” The last part was a bit of a joke, but he was good at keeping her secrets, few as they were. “Phowe!” He chirped as if saying ‘yes, that’s true!’ (Jamyang about Assam in ch6)

Oolong= Pine Siskin a solitary bird, a part of the trio of birds that hang out on top of Jamyang's head (Has a distinct zreet zreeet and husky tonal thrill he greets with) Have been dead for some time as of ch21

Matcha= A song thrush. A bit more social than Oolong, but not by much. A part of the trio of birds that hang out on Jamyang's head. (Has a flute-like whistle. Signature sound is a blurring the pitch when she sings in the lower tones. ) Have been dead for some time as of ch21

Gawa= Jamyang's future girlfriend (this is wifey btw. Jamyang thinks her eyes are very very pretty, so much so that she thinks a pair of jewels in the same colour followed her whenever she visited the earth kingdom. Still has baby fat on her face and Jamyang is often tempted to pinch her cheek-ch5) Is sad in ch6 and ch7 because Jamyang reminds her of a dead friend of hers. Was three years old when she first started learning how to use the staff-ch9. Has a minor fire affinity-ch10. Wants to learn how to use a multitude of other weapons: katana, changdao, nagamaki. Comes from an artistic family -ch11. She is a Nyingmapa-ch13. Jamyang notes that she is quite talented and seems like someone who'd get their arrows early-ch13. Has six bison(befriended a bison herd when she was younger-c15) Asahi is 'hers'-ch15. Admits to drawing jamyang whenever she has art block because she thinks about her often-ch19. Thinks Jamyang is pretty-ch19. Has seven names after her master ceremony-ch20. Stole a glider a went flying when she was four-ch20. Has a sense of foresight-ch20. Tattoos a hanuman yantra on Yara's left shoulder-ch22. Tattoos a red lotus flower on Jamyang's shoulder blade-ch22. She panics after realising she likes Jamyang -ch23. Shoots lightning as of ch26. Thinks Yutso is Hawt-ch26. Likes older people-ch26. Dölma is her cousin-ch28

Keiko is the dead friend that Jamyang reminds her of. Keiko died by sacrificing herself and taking a demon with her

Full name is Gawa Khandro-ch12

Gets her arrows when she is thirteen-ch15

Her father herds bison and yak in the mountains-ch20

her uncle is a carver

Feels guilt for getting Jamyang into her mission and possibly saddling her with negative karma-ch20

Gets slapped in the face by the world when she tattoos jamyang and realises that she likes her-ch22. This is one of the first sceners I imagined for this fic.

Abbot Dorji= A retired warrior monk, currently teaching at Zixiao monastery and Yonggungsa temple somewhere in the Earth kingdom. (He travels to other temples to lecture. Highly published author. Jamyang notes in chapter 2 that it's unusual to see him in all black instead of his purple and gray grandmaster robes. He has a face that Jamyang can't read properly. There is an underlying something in his face that she can't pinpoint. He carries a sword with a black hilt that is painted with golden shimmering foxes. There are odd pieces of cloth attached to the hilt along with a bronze-gold bell and a red bell sewn on them, that heavily implies something. Jamyang has seen his sword twice, but never taken notice of the cloth or bells. His tattoos are blue-gray) His nickname is the soundless wind-ch19. Was a Komuso monk when he was younger-ch19. He had light brown hair and styled it in a ponytail when he was a teen-ch19

Ema= A classmate of Jamyang's. (Noted in chapter 3 to be good at surfing) She wishes to take her interest in surfing further-ch21

Pema= a classmate of Jamyang's

Nyima= classmate of Jamyang's (fiery/intense personality; ch3. Ghamo’s love interest) Jamyang looks forward to calling her Sister when they get their arrows- ch11

Norbu= classmate of Jamyang. Is good with the staff. Her and Jamyang help their classmates when they need help-ch9. Is interested in the flying techniques used at Tanah lot, one includes a technique used for assasinations-ch21

Ngawang= classmate of Jamyang. First out of her class to get tattooed at fifteen-ch22

Ghamo= classmate of jamyang, (Nyima's love interest, creates pretty swirls and blows them into Nyima's hair-ch6)

Dolkar= classmate of jamyang (they exchanged opinions on books they have read, mentioned in ch3)

Sangye= classmate of Jamyang (first mentioned in ch7)

Amala= a teenager and apart of a friend group that Jamyang is familiar with (mentioned in ch6 to be concerned over Tashi, who have been spending less and less time with them) Uses some alternative techniques to see if Tashi likes her out of their friend group-ch9. Tashi doesn't like her. Is scared of birds because of an incident when she was younger-ch10. Knows everything between Tashi and Choda-ch14. Jamyang sends her a letter that has her laughing uncontrollably-ch14-ch16

Choda= a teenager apart of the friend group that jamyang is familiar with (current wish is to find love/love sick. Jamyang hears her over the current as she moans about love in ch5.) Jealous of Palden without knowing it- ch8. Is jealous of Palden-ch9 and ch10. Has gray eyes. Longing looks alert-ch11. Holds onto Tashi's sleeve and she doesn't shake her off-ch13. Is surprised with how receptive Tashi is to things she suggests-ch13. Longan is her bison-ch14. Choses a geometrical yantra and placed it on her shoulder blade-ch14. Gives it 15 years until Jamyang realises she likes Gawa-ch16 (She is correct) She is dense, Tashi compares her to Sister Jetsun and Chokyi-ch16

Oblivious teenage angst and 'have they always looked at me like that?' moment. Seriously-ch13 (Jamyang and Yara spies through the open crack in the door during that moment)

Brief mention of characters she's kissed, "kind Lobsang from the Southern temple, fiery Miko from a trip to the fire nation and this sweet individual who wasn’t a boy or a girl from Ba sing se"- ch13

Used to refer to herself as rice cake when she was a child, now it's when she's trying to hype herself up for something. She still calls cute children rice cake-ch14

"A hug a day kept the seasonal cold away, and she would hug everybody in her line of sight. Yes, including the teachers. They needed hugs too and who says otherwise can go away."-ch16

Tashi= part of the friend group jamyang knows ("nice and open-minded Tashi, aged fifteen from the Western Air Temple" this is apart of the stereotype; the Tashi's from the Eastern and Northern temple are mean and strict while the Tashi's from the Western and Southern temples are way more nice and open-minded. Is implied in ch3 to have feelings for Choda) Is good with bison tricks, Jamyang mentions that she got the most applause the year before for doing a one handed handstand while holding onto her bisons horn-ch6. Struggles with something that has her getting little sleep- mentioned in ch6 to doze off in classes. Jamyang describes her as lovelorn in ch6. She performs with Jaya and Jamyang in ch6. Is a master candidate as of ch6. Bobo is her bison-ch14. Choses an alligator yantra and placed it on her back-ch14

Has brown hair and hazel brown eyes

Got four new names after her master ceremony and has six names after getting her tattoos-ch20

Ceba= part of the friend group jamyang knows (good at math. Is concerned about Tashi who has been spending less and less time with them-ch6) Has caught onto something happening between Tashi and Choda-ch14

Chesa= Part of the friend group jamyang knows (first mentioned in ch7) Has caught onto something happening between Tashi and Choda-ch14

Dawa= part of the friend group Jamyang knows (first mentioned in ch12)

Sister Jamyang/blorbo oc namesake= a bison herder (mentioned in chapter 3)

Aika= fire breathing bird/Suzaku (Gawa mentions of a Suzaku hybrid with a long neck, like the eel-swan, and the Ho-oh or Fenghuang, ch4) Spends a lot of with the bison and teaches them how to screech. Can comfort, she comforts Tashi-ch11. Has a short moment in ch17. Her mother is called Imka-ch18

Elder Yeshe= Western temple elder (Implied to be strict "She had clacked her beak loudly at her, the sound strikingly similar to Aden’s Sanjiegun, and she had glared Jaya down with such an intensity that Elder Yeshe would be proud." - first mention in ch4)

Opame= a novice from a temple built over water (Tanah lot. Jamyang mentions it being a bison rider from the Wudang mountains. "Opame came from one of the smaller temples. It was a bison ride from the Wudang mountains and their temple was structured on big poles in the ocean."- First mentioned in ch4. She is described to wear light pink robes. Has black hair-ch5. Would be good at bison polo "Jamyang knew that if Opame was offered the chance, she would be great at bison polo"- ch5. She taught Jamyang how she would sneak out of the temple using the natural mist that surrounded her temple-ch7)

Anzan= Warrior monk novice and Gawa's best friend (first mentioned in ch4. Explained how he would shrink his presence down to the size of a lemur to sneak out to look at the storms during monsoon season) Was three when he first learned how to use the staff-ch9. HE HAS GREEN EYES! GREEN! I knew it!!! He is quite chill with Jamyang's impromptu staff lessons-ch10 Has a staff with the inscription 'the iron body with a soft heart'

A note I will add here, is that this is the first time Jamyang kind of questions the gender separations of the temples. "The idea was weird to her, boys and girls in the same temple? Gawa had said that all of them learned the same things: women learned to use weapons, men learned to use weapons, women learned to heal and men learned to heal. And all of them had teachers within different lineages so they could gain a different view on life, so why separate?"

Torokawa= A fire nation village close to the Western temple

Michiko's uncle= Unnamed at the moment, owns a koala sheep farm

Michiko= A friend of Norbu and Dolkar (implied to be easily distracted in ch4. Some clumsiness implied in ch5; her foot catching on Uma's saddle. Asks how to jump off the tower edge and over to the other one. “Um, so do I just propel myself down or what? How does that work?”- ch5. Notices that Jamyang has held herself back from pinching Gawa's cheek “That one has been sitting for a long time, hasn’t it?”- ch5)

Izumi= a friend of Michiko, Norbu and Dolkar. Amber eyes (Is mentioned in ch5 to have steered a bison in the past and having crashed the bison while landing. The landing being so abrupt that a person was thrown off. Got impatient in ch5 and dragged her friends with her to the Western temple)

“YOU WENT TO THE TEMPLE ALL ON YOUR OWN?! YOU ARE IN SO MUCH TROUBLE FOR LYING TO ME YOUNG LADY!” - Izumi's mother, ch11

Takumi=friend of Izumi and Michiko (mentioned to have gotten such a high speed while sliding off a bison's tai that he was out for an hour- ch5. Volunteers for a performance in ch5)

Oshima= Friend of Izumi, Michiko and Takumi. Quite stoic personality wise

Prince Shaohao= Son of Yosor, nephew to Gonryu. Has never met a pair of twin before - ch8. Insisted on being like the air nomads when he visited the temple, saying no to meat, joining the classes, meditating, wearing big robes so he would look like them-ch9. Ketu, the panda, takes a liking to him- ch9. Helps Akar rinpoche tattoo the arrow on Jamyang's forehead-ch22

Taiki= nomadic monk from the northern temple. Gyalwo's boyfriend. Also Tsering's older brother (they are at the opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to studying; Tsering being the studious one and Taiki struggling more. Is only inches taller than Tsering. They both have the same face when they're listening to someone, and they have the same smile with his smile lines being more pronounced than Tsering)

Adlartok= a man from the northern water tribe, Gyalwo and Taiki's boyfriend

Abbess Isa=Mentioned in chapter 5

Sister Zopa/Elder Zopa= Yara's caretaker at the Eastern temple. She knows about Tsering's relationship with Hayma-ch13. She is someone Tsering knows to not express herself outwardly often-ch13. Knows someone named Higa-ch13

Elder Tenzin= Elder from the Southern temple, has a beard (teaches the fire nation kidlings how to harness their breath so they wouldn't exhaust themselves while doing something excruciating-ch5)

Abbess Bennu= first mentioned in ch5, has a bison named Arun. Older, and observant. Kind of like the one teacher you can't lie to-ch7. She knows that Jamyang figured out why Tashi is distancing herself from her friends. Has so dark brown eyes that they appear black

Sonam Ema= a student of Monk Fang, first mentioned in ch7, second name dropped in ch18. As of ch18, when jamyang is sixteen, she says she got her arrows two years ago-ch18

Monk Fang= a teacher and warrior monk. Has brown eyes. Knows wing chun, Jamyang mimics a stance she saw him do in ch9

Palden Dölma= a zen nun, extremely proficient with the staff. She wears the standard gray robes and wears a brown rakusu around her shoulders. The brown rakusu signaling her authorisation to teach. Her arrow is gray, a similar shade to the moon. A striking feature she has are her blue eyes. "A striking feature of hers was her blue eyes, bright and ice-like, vividly reminding her of Adlartok."- Jamyang in ch7. Jamyang dry introduced her to Tashi(15) in ch7 in hopes of getting Tashi some support. Has experienced the same thing Tashi is going through, only that the person she liked was told that she liked them by someone else. She is an honorary member of the 'cheer Tashi up' group. She has teeth marks on her neck when she heals Jamyang finger-ch9. Gives Jamyang cold brewed jasmine tea while Jamyang thought she was more of a gray tea person instead-ch11. Can lift a person off their feet and throw them in a direction by waving her hand-ch16. catches jamyang spying on Tashi and Choda-ch19. Has jamyang sneak into a house-ch23. Has a frightening yell that Jamyang finds scary-ch23

Palden teaches mathematics and medicine at her temple, and is one of the youngest to do so. Jamyang admires her a lot

She was two years old when she first started learning how to use the staff-ch9

has a brown panda, miso- ch23

Priest Wenzi/'the daoshi'= A book deliverer for Zixiao monastery. Has the same lanky statue that the major of torokawa has, but is more outgoing personality wise.

Dache= a monk from the Jonang choeling monastery. First mentioned in ch8

Elder Sonam= first mentioned in ch8, elder at the western temple. She is kind of the odd one out among the elders(explained in the other works with her as the main character). Has a worn sutra scroll-ch12. Jamyang goes to her for wisdom- ch12

Elder Phuntsok= first mentioned in ch8, elder of the southern temple

“He and Elder Phuntsok look similar.” - Tashi, ch13. Heavy implication that he has a brother

Kokoro/koko-chan= friend of Palden, mention in ch9. Platonic kisses for the win-ch9. Jamyang essentially says she would like her to be her cool wine aunt that's three hours late to parties-ch11

“Since I already have a friend with controversial wisdom, then you’ll be the ani with controversial wisdom.” She said and patted her shoulder.

“Squ-caw!”

“Is that okay?”

Kokoro is a character that links to the other work I'd been writing on for two years before this one. Levitating red hair, murderous aura, chains coming out of her back? Can you guess what I am linking her to?

Sister Dalha= a caretaker and teacher at the western temple. A teacher for the older students to be specific - first mention in ch9. Shaohao flies a bison under her guidance. Her bison is named Momo

Sister Lhamo= a caretaker and teacher at the western temple. A teacher for the older students- first mention ch12

Unnamed nun=mentioned in ch9. Is from Palden's temple. Has her hair split into two braids that Jamyang finds pretty. She is teaching the other nun wing chun moves. It is implied that they are together

Unnamed nun2=Mentioned in ch9. Is from Palden's temple. The other nun is teaching her wing chun. It is implied that they are together

Eastern Sister Nyima= Nomadic nun from the Eastern temple, left because of an incident with her teacher. Likes Palden- first mention in ch10. She and Palden have a casual relationship-ch12. Knows how to use poison and has taught Jamyang how to use them-ch19. Crafted and gifted a blow gun to Jamyang on her twelfth birthday-ch24

Yutso= Jamyang and Yara's mother. Jamyang recognized her immediately, despite not knowing her-ch10. Yutso has the same calm brown eyes that Jamyang and Yara have. Jamyang struggles to read her face-ch10. Has a crooked ring finger-ch10. Jamyang notes that Yutso seemed hesitant to approach Tashi and Palden-ch11. Jamyang also is surprised that her mother walks in the same way Palden taught her so that she could sneak around-ch11. Has long arms; Jamyang wants to have long arms like hers so she could give the best hugs when she got older-ch11. Is not angry that Jamyang is learning how to fight, she encourages it-ch11. Her name means turquoise lake, was extremely calm as a baby just like an untouched lake-ch11. Uses long senbon; Jamyang calls them long needles-ch12. Is aware that Gawa likes Jamyang-ch26

She is a healer, among other things

"Sister Tsering was usually very composed with her emotions; reminding her of the nun she’d see the times she went to the infirmary because of the seasonal cold.

That nun was even calmer, though, and Choda often felt like she was in the presence of an enlightened being whenever she was at the infirmary. "- Implied to be Yutso, Choda-ch14

Rinzen Nawang= Jamyang and Yara's father, name dropped in ch18. He is not a monk, but he is an airbender-ch18. He suffers from sickness-ch18. Is a swordsman and deliveryman-ch18. Has black messy hair-ch18. He has tatoos on his palms instead of arrows-ch18.

Those palm tattoos are jamyang's first introduction to what Gawa is researching, just an fyi. "If they do, then it’s based on old tribe tattoos, they’re still common to see on people living in the Ryeong’s caves. Traditionally, they symbolise some sort of dual mastery, like lava, mist or heat, if you get what I’m saying. Xie says I can add lightning onto that list, but I’m not sure"- Gawa's letter, ch18

Tsewang= a small child with stubby legs that Jaya befriended during the smoke festival-ch11. Baby gets visit from her favourite child-ch13

Penden= friend of Gawa. First mention in ch13

Master Shiyi= A traveling teacher and a yantra tattoist. She tattoos people for donations to fund her travels. She sensed the relationship between Tashi and Choda from the other side of the island-ch14

Akechi= An apprentice of Master Shiyi. Carries a wooden sword. He will hunt down certain individuals for her if she senses something interesting-ch14

Suzume= first mentioned in ch13. A mysterious character that is connected to Abbot Dorji and Zopa

Higa= an old retired warrior monk with a tree stump replacing the lower part of his left leg. Tashi compares him to a ronin-ch14. Zopa is friends with him.

Yu= a red badgermole (technically kind of not a badgermole because they have eyes?? but like, badgermole) first mentioned in ch14

Xie= mother druk, first appearance in ch13, name drop in ch14. Is old enough to have known a previous life of Sage Bhuti, 'Chizu'-ch21. One of her hatchlings is named Raiju-ch25. Can shoot lightning-ch26

Abbot Kraisee= abbot at Wat tham suea- first mentioned ch14. Is a teacher of Palden

Wangmo= a child Tashi(15) befriends-ch14

Tora= a child Tashi(15) befriends-ch14. Is a friend of Gawa, they share the herd-ch16. has scarily accurate foresight-ch16. Has disheveled hair and black eyes-ch24

Unnamed healer in small forest temple= mentioned in ch14, puts a brace on Tashi's nose after she broke it

Surya= a teen Choda befriends-ch14. They whisper to her every time they catch her staring-ch14. has sent teasing looks to Jamyang when she applied clear gel to her new tattoos-ch20

Deki= a teen Choda befriends-ch14. They whisper every time they catch her staring

Sister Diki= first mention in ch15, implied to be strict

Sage Bhuti= an old monk from a forgotten reincarnation line that has a connection to the avatar and Raava (that lore comes from fragments of those who came before). He is name dropped in ch15. Gawa is researching his reincarnation line-ch15. Gives Jamyang the wisdom of never swinging with anger and hatred, only swing with the utmost calm mind or compassion and pray for them to have a good rebirth-ch21

"His presence was that of a strong wind, and she repeatedly touched her hair during the meeting because she would feel something tussle around with it, only to find it untouched. Her fingers would twitch in her lap, holding back the urge to touch her hair after Gawa said the room was wind proof.

She left with the feeling like she wasn’t supposed to have met him. It was difficult to describe the feeling, but the closest she could compare it to was finding an old book or scroll with secrets long thought to be lost."- jamyang ch15 on first meeting sage Bhuti

Has the ability to change/have a past life take over and physically change into the person-ch21. Ahnah is a previous life of Sage Bhuti, having live four hundred years prior to Jamyang-ch21

The animals around the druk's nest are fond of him-ch21

His first life was a woman-ch21

Abbess Zeya=First mentioned in ch15 during Gawa's tattooing

Abbot Wang Jing= First mentioned in ch15 during Gawa's tattooing

Jamphel= friend of Gawa first mentioned in ch15

Jalus Gewa/Gewa= Gawa's mother, name dropped in ch16. A famous thangka painter and airbending master. Knows Gawa likes Jamyang-ch26

Aya= a demon that has lived over six thousand years, name dropped in ch17. Started as a curse within her clan that later developed into how one should cultivate compassion-ch17. The other temples see it as a blessing to meet her-ch17. Is an ancestor to Kokoro-ch17

Aya is also another hint to what I'm trying to link this to

Outright stated that Aya is an Uzumaki with red hair, chains and 'everything'-ch25

Had two children when she was still human. Taro- ch25

Otsune is an important characer to her-ch26. Her chosen sister from the Sumiran clan. Had an actual younger sister named Ozaki-ch26. Kiku and Chūkyo-ch27

Dorjee Yonten Kelsang/Dorjee= a demon monk first present at Gawa's ceremony-ch17. He wears robes that were commonly worn 400-500 years ago Gifts Gawa a thought to be lost fighting style 'The dawn of the moon'-ch17. Jamyang knows who the monk is-ch18. Monk Samten wants to have his murals destroyed, but meets opposition from Elder Rabten, Monk Samdhup and their students-ch18. Had a student named Tsewang-ch18. Befriended a ryeong once-ch18

- “You’ve probably heard of me.” She had. A disgraced monk who killed his students and spared the youngest. Excommunicated and never heard of again. Jamyang read some scrolls he’d written. She found them behind a secret compartment at the very back of the great library-ch18, Jamyang.

Kosuke= a little boy, son of Yuka, name dropped-ch17

Yuka= the demon that attacked Jamyang in ch16, mother of Kosuke

Dudjom Gyaltso/Gyaltso= a monk two years Jamyang's friend groups senior from Chagri, first mentioned in ch17

Pasang and Gaden= two monks from the Southern temple first mentioned in ch17

Shu= a ryeong that Gawa befriended, named dropped in ch18. He has golden horns, longer than Xie's-ch18

Kyo= Earth dragons, ch18

Akar Rinpoche= a reincarnated teacher, a monk. Name dropped in ch18

Elder Garma= Western temple elder, milder version of Elder Yeshe-ch18. Instead of raising the seven hells, she's just disappointed

Elder Maya= Western temple Elder, more accepting, like Elder Sonam. Jamyang can't read her well-ch18. Rougher voice than the others-ch18

Sonam Dechen= Gawa's friend, full name dropped in ch18

Taki= Aden's friend, first mentioned ch18

Congsan= a place in the earth kingdom-ch19. Elder Sonam has horrible history there, mentioned in her own works

Tamagushiku= a blacksmith name dropped in ch19. Yutso gets her senbon from her and Jamyang went to her to get her staff modified-ch19. Fits jamyang for her first set of armour-ch24

Jinhae= a village 1.7km away from Tamshing-ch19

Chi= the child Gawa rescued on the mission that went side ways-ch19-20. He has green eyes.

Haoyu=Chi's father-ch20

Omu= the village Jamyang briefly stop at to gather supplies in-ch20

Yuna= the person that Jamyang brought the meat skewers from for Chi-ch20. Named dropped in ch22. A year older than Jamyang, and was an only child. Has a slight infatuation with Jamyang, which she is aware of-ch22

Elder Jungney= Eastern temple elder, name dropped in ch22. She is riddled with guilt seriously, has a past with Elder Sonam, that is touched upon later and in the Sonam-centric works

Jetsun Chesa= a toddler that has lived through her second winter, caretaker is Sister Jamyang-ch23

Unnamed woman= Jamyang sneaks into her farm house and listen as her husband yells at her-ch23.

Hanzo= is name dropped in Aliteoth in ch24, but he is also mentioned in Tsering's story as well. (Hanzo of the Hattori clan, resides at Senso-ji temples in the fire nation)

Panda village in the spirit world= ch25 (the fact I came up with something like that while sleep deprived is astounding to me) It is rare for someone to find the village in the spirit world-ch25. Red pandas use old airbending-ch27

Plump red panda=Bom, nicknamed Bommie-ch26

Guru Fēngmǎn= literal 'Guru Plump'-ch26. Jamyang referes to him as Guru panda-ch27

Lōng and Lóng: These are two different creatures-ch27

Dölma= Gawa's cousin-ch28

(From the left: Jamyang, Yara, Aden. Credit to: previously pastenofdraw now under chashimii_ on instagram)

(From left to right: Hayma and Tsering. Credit to @dl4draws here on tumblr)

(Tsering sketch: credit to @thyinum here on tumblr)

(From left to right: Gawa, Jaya. Credited to Archivanture on Twitter/X) Trivia: Jaya’s bald moment happened when she tried to help Jamyang with something when they were younger and her hair ended up covered in tree sap when Jamyang got a detail wrong.

(An older Aika with her hatchlings. Credit to: Archivanture on Twitter/X)

(From left to right: Gyalwo, Taiki and Adlartok. Credited to Cassual craft on Reddit)

(Character: Yutso. Credited to @dl4draws here on tumblr)

(Character: Abbot Dorji. Credited to @bellwethers here on Tumblr)

(Temples. Credited: Archivanture on X/Twitter)

#a love in the eye of the hurricane #oc fanfiction #oc jamyang #oc characters #original character names #original character list #I should've done this earlier #air nomad ocs #ALITEOTH edits rewrites and lists #Think I'm gonna go with that 😂#this has art:)

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