#for being an ancient chinese teacher doing what he did

[hiemaldesirae]

one of the major problems i find with online discourse about antagonistic characters and storylines sourcing from novels is that some people cant see past what is said to what is meant- and that other people can, but in their perception of the implied lore, make overdue assumptions of plot and character.

for example: in svsss, it is heavily implied that qiu jianluo s/a'ed the original shen qingqiu, thus shaping his outlook on society in general: females are safe, males are not. this leads to point against him in the form of his favouritism for ning yingying, the only (afaik) female qing jing disciple and his habit of finding comfort in brothels. this is misconstrued by the original protagonist in the novel pidw, leading to a false misconception held by our protagonist, shen yuan, that shen qingqiu is a lecherous paedophile.

as the reader, there are a number of context clues given to tell us how that is not the case-- mostly found in the extras-- and are meant to challenge the worldview, make us realize that like shen yuan, we as the audience only know as much as the author will tell us. did shen jiu hate luo binghe specifically because his name reminded him of qiu jianluo? was he jealous of the potential luo binghe had? or was he merely looking for a target to take his anger out on?

it is not mentioned, therefore we do not know, and should not make assumptions on the canon behaviour of this character towards someone else.

however, this is often not understood by the overall fandom: either they completely look past the context clues that tell us, this character is more than they seem and instead jump straight to demonization without first considering context and setting, or they overcompensate for someone by making excuses to justify behaviour we do not have explanations for.

this is the reason why we have people who constantly demean and bully others in fandom: they cannot read or think for themselves past what is clearly shown to them and refuse to challenge the idea that the author may be deliberately feeding unreliable information to make a more interesting story, and it doesnt help that there are people attempting to justify behaviour that is specifically written to be bad.

[szynkaaa]

04. In Which They Have Language Lessons Together

Previous Chapter ✦ Next Chapter ✦ Read it on AO3

“What are those symbols you are writing above?” A bored monkey king was lounged in a chair next to me, his eyes following my hands gripping my fountain pen and scribbling things into a book that Shen Monkey gave me. Or rather, he was going to throw it away, and I decided to take it. It first started out with just being curious to see how books were made in ye olde ancient China, and then turned to slightly horrified when I realized, I can’t read half of the text inside.  

I usually pride myself with being able to understand and speak Chinese fluently. Informal Chinese, but better than nothing. My reading skills were also good enough to be able to read Chinese boys love web novels at three am in the dark, on the bed sideways with autor-otate turned off on the phone.  

The unfortunate reality was that I learned how to read simplified Chinese, which in my world was adapted less than 100 years ago from my time. That means while I was able to recognize some words and characters, a lot of I was not able to read the full text and understand the context.  

It’s like having learned French for a year on-and-off and when you open up The Little Prince in French, you are only able to understand every third word or less. Sometimes you understood the sentence context, other times there were just too many unfamiliar vocabularies for me to make any sense of what it was trying to say.  

Not being able to read a text in a language that I was familiar gave me a sense of loss of control, and there was nothing less I liked than not being in control of things in my life.  

So that was something I needed to rectify, and unfortunately for my favorite monkey, you were tasked with helping me learn how to read some words. And you seemed to be very happy when I approached you and asked you to help me. I haven’t seen much of you lately, as you were busy discussing with your generals and rebuilding Mount Huaguo, making sure it was habitable again, so I supposed you jumped at the first chance to be able to spend more time with me.  

Might have also heard you yelling ‘Clear my schedule for the next few days’ to your advisors, who did not look very happy about it but did not argue further with you.  

So here we are now, sitting outside in a nice forest clearing close to the waterfall, with books and papers and ink and brushes scattered across the table. You plucked a few of your fur, chewed on them and then blew them out to turn them into furniture.  

Very practical to have a walking and talking IKEA store with me.  

The ‘symbols’ you’re asking about are the Pinyin I was writing above the Chinese. “Those are Latin letters,” I explained “back in my world, we use Pinyin as a way to write down how Chinese characters sound, and have a standardized system. It uses Latin letters, because it also helps foreigners to learn Chinese.” The explanation was a very dumbed down one, but I hoped it was enough for you to understand the gist of it. “By writing it down above the characters I don’t recognize, I will know now how this word is pronounced. So the next step will be memorizing and hopefully next time I see the same character in another text, I can point at it and go ‘Hey, I know this because Old Sun taught me this’”.  

Your tail perked up at me calling you Old Sun, and you grinned. “So this is why you want my help. Do not fret, with your Monkey King as your teacher, you will be able to read every text in the mortal realm.” You boasted, tail now swinging left and right.  

My hair fell over my face, the long strand dipping into the clay tray that was holding the black ink. I grimaced at the ink staining the tip of my hair, and tucked the strand over my ear. My hair has goes a bit over my shoulder now. I was mostly used to short hair, but you liked to play with my longer hair, so I haven’t gotten around to cut it yet.  

“Latin letters...” you repeated what I said, and then pointed at the Pinyin again, “Is this the writing system used when you speak ‘English’?”  

I had to bite back a laugh, remembering your very confused face the first time you heard me cussing and cursing out loud in English at a yaoguai, because sometimes it was better they didn’t understand what my filthy mouth was saying.  

“Yeah, it's that. There are many other languages that use the same writing system.” More hair fell into my face, but you reacted fast this time and put the tray of ink color away before my hair could dip into it again. I gathered my hair in my hands and tucked it under my hanfu, hoping they will stay there.  

“Chinese and English... Impressive, my cherry blossom speaks knows two languages.” You said, a grin across your face, like you were very proud about the fact that I was multilingual.  

“Four.” I corrected you, and took a sip from my tea. You raised your eyebrow, even more impressed now. “Except three of them are virtually useless here, and I am struggling to read basic text here.” I added, pointing at said text book in front of me.  

My hair fell forward once again, and you could tell that I was getting frustrated by having to constantly pull my hair back somehow.  

“Why do you not use the hairpin gifted to you by the zodiac villagers.” You asked, there was a bit of bite in that question. The hairpin you were referring to was a birthday present from the villagers, given to me when I was seeking shelter there and hiding away from you for a few weeks. I think a part of you was also hurt that you missed my birthday when I was avoiding you, and I insisted that it was alright, and you didn’t have to get me anything.  

“I don’t know how to use it.” I replied, thinking back about the hairpin sitting on my vanity, unused.  

You remained silent at first, so I went back to studying and copying characters I was unfamiliar with, repeating the Pinyin silently trying to memorize it, when is saw from the corner of my eye how you picked Jingubang out of your ear. I looked up again, your golden staff now the size of a hairpin in your hand.  

“Face me and do not move.” You commanded.  

I did as you asked, putting my pen down and shuffled in my chair to be facing you. My heart was starting to pick up speed, my gut predicting what is coming next.  

You leaned forward, close to my face. With Jingubang in one hand, you used your free hand to gather my hair, and then moved both hands back to twist it a few times around your staff. In a few seconds, my hair out of my face, and tied up neatly around Jingubang.  

You then leaned back, and had a big proud smile on your face. “There, now you do not have to worry about the ink staining your whole black hair back.” You said, referring also to our time on the road when I temporarily tried to dye my hair black.  

My face heated up, and I carefully reached a hand to the back of my head to feel your masterwork, fingers running over Jingubang. There was something very precious and special knowing that he transformed his trusty golden staff into the size of a hairpin and then tied my hair up for me...  

“Thank you.” I said sincerely, and without thinking much, I quickly moved my head forward and planted a kiss on the cheek-part of your face that was covered in fur. The result was instant: The tip of your ears was turning red and a big red blush began to blossom on your face. Oh, how I loved seeing you blush, and even more when it was me who caused it.  

With the speed your tail was waggling, one would think you were trying to dust the floor.  

“Do you wanna know how to write your name in Pinyin?”

  

[shintoinenglish]

Review: The Essence of Shinto

I have written before of Yamakage's authorship of multiple antisemitic conspiracy theory books. That said, given that there are not a lot of English language books about Shintō, I find this book is often recommended. It should not be recommended to anyone, not just because of the authorship, but for its misinformation. There is very little actual information that can be salvaged from this trainwreck of a book.

Koshintō is not an ancient practice - it's a new religious movement; an attempt to imagine an ancient Shintō, which is, in my opinion, inherently paradoxical, as the concept of Shintō as the name of a religion (and indeed the concept of a religion itself) were consciously constructed as recently as the Meiji Era, which is the 19th century. The archaeological and historical truth is that we do not know what Yayoi or Jomon period peoples believed, and Shintō is likely very distinct from that, and that is okay. While I understand the impulse to try to reconstruct Yayoi or Jomon era religions, I find the impulse to remove foreign elements like Buddhism to contain elements of xenophobia, and have found the idea of Shintō as truly ancient to be misleading at best. We do not actually have an ancient practice handed down to us. Japanese religious practice, first, is diverse -- regions do things differently. Kyushu area graves, for example, bear continental Chinese influence and have 土神 enshrined at their sides. Secondly, while I do think there is a necessity to undo the damage that State Shintō has done, it is not helpful to do so in a way that, at best, ignores and at worst, contradicts history.

Secondly, Yamakage Shintō is barely attested outside of Motohisa's writings. Many of the practices allegedly specific to Yamakage Shintō are common Japanese New Age theories, along with some condescension of traditional practices. One way to recognize this is his repeated use of the word "spiritual" (which presumably was either written スピリチュアル in the original text). It's ironic, then, that he puts down "bizarre cults and sects" (p.13). The aforementioned paragraph should explain why I am so skeptical of the Yamakage school when there is no such thing as ancient Shintō by definition.

Crucially, there is some dangerous and typical New Age medical misinformation here. He claims that certain chants or practices can heal different physical and mental health symptoms, which is not something anyone should say, much less someone who claims to be a religious teacher. This is a sidenote, but I am hoping that Paul de Leeuw did not absorb any of this, but am concerned as he trained under Yamakage.

Yamakage states "...Shinto leaders have been at the forefront of campaigns to restore the forests..." As much as Westerners want Shintō to be the Green Religion that saves the world, I've had very little luck actually encountering any shrine websites or articles that back this up, outside of the traditional practices of keeping very small sacred forests known as chinju no mori. If anything, the opposite has been documented. See Sacred Forests, Sacred Nation for more on this subject. I would be open to correction on this, but Yamakage provides no sources whatsoever; in fact, he provides no sources throughout his book for any of his factual or historical claims. Presenting the Showa Emperor as a source does nothing but reinforce fascist rhetoric about the emperor being the religious head, as he was at the time of State Shinto, and likely says more about his personal convictions than his religious ones. There is something eerily dystopian and fascistic in Yamakage's description of the people cheerily following the Showa Emperor's example.

I have noticed a tendency in some Japanese people to do what I think of as self-orientalism; an exoticization of your own body and culture to appeal to whites. It seems to me that Yamakage is doing such a thing, while simultaneously appealing to Japanese nationalistic sympathies, by saying it is an ancient, mysterious religion untainted by materialism. Demonizing materialism, in fact, goes against the actual practice of most Japanese -- many, many businesses regularly pray for prosperity and dedicate lamps to shrines, or will get ritual decorations for prosperity known as kumade during the November Tori-no-Ichi festival.

"Ajimarikan" is a chant that is, at best, shoddily derived from Buddhism, as is his use of mudra hand gestures. At worst, he completely fabricated this chant and doesn't even attempt to provide a meaning for this phrase. The Five Great Vowels Chant and the Heavenly Counting Chant are both chants that do not exist outside of this book.

Yamakage Motohisa also repeatedly uses Okinawan/Ryūkyūan religion as examples as if it is a part of Shintō, which it most decidedly is not. There was forced assimilation because of colonization, to my understanding, but the practice is entirely different from Shintō.

This is kind of a briefer overview than I originally intended, but I hope this provides some information on why I dislike Yamakage and this book so much. My hope is that he stops being recommended as any sort of resource and a better one is translated soon.

[kehideni]

There's something about what Nine said, about the allegory of the cave?

Nine is apparently from the previous cycle, making him one of the oldest beings alive. (I'm guessing that's why he claims to know Wukong, but Wukong doesn't know him, because Nine knew Wukong's previous life? Not sure how that would make sense...)

He saw pure chaos and longs to get back to it.

He has a connection to it.

And Macaque had the ability to severe that connection, not only that but he now has that connection despite never having been near chaos (unlike MK's staff)

And Nine, despite him being this ancient, not knowing what or how or from whom Macaque learned his magic...

It increasingly becomes a more and more important question.

Who taught Macaque? WHEN did he learn it? What exactly is his power?

Shadows don't create portals, hypothetically black holes do.(which they do not but fiction is fiction)

Shadows don't do eating(like eat your powers), but black holes swallow EVERYTHING.

I'd bring up Macaque's lantern too, but i'm not sure how much that belongs to him at all. That lantern did not steal shadows, it stole souls...

Also Nine mentioned that he just sped up the cycle, it was going to happen anyway, only thousands of years later. So in theory, someone is coming for the planet, or existance or whatever in thousands of years of time? Or is that like some natural disaster like the heatdeath of the universe or something? Or humans kill off themselves? Nüva said humans are drawn to chaos so, maybe it's humanity's fault?

Chinese mythology doesn't really have bad guys from what i am told so... who could be up the power ladder that high to make a villain of in LMK?

And how high up the ladder is Macaque's supposed teacher? Does he have a teacher? He seems to not have made a deal so the other thing Nine theorized is that Macaque had a teacher.

Come to think of it, we don't even know how Wukong and Macaque met, or which is older. (Again.... LMK specifically, i don't need anyone to lecture me about jttw, this show hardly has anything to do with it) Macaque learned that magic before meeting Wukong, that makes the most sense, since if he learned after meeting Wukong than it stands to reason Wukong would have learned it too. Obviously Wukong does not know Macaque's kind of magic, so...

But again i'm just spitballing.

[dolce-tenebra-toscana]

La squadra and what languages (other than italian ) i think they might speak:

Risotto ✂️: Greek 🇬🇷

Italy is very close to Greece, and i think Risotto participated to some summer camps with his church group ( his granny had some connections with the local diocese ) and so he spent 4/5 years of his childhood in the island of Corfù. He knows the basics of the language and can keep up with a conversation but if people start talking to fast his brain shuts down and start singing " Ciuri Ciuri " by Roy Paci.

Prosciutto 🍖: French 🇫🇷

Ok so with Prosciutto is a lil complicated; his mother was a piano teacher that traveled a lot in France for concerts and sometimes he hat to attend to ( or do his own recital) and being the son of two cold hearted perfectionists he was supposed to speak fluently the language at first try. At the age of 15 ( when he decided he had enough of his family and ran away to Napoli ) he decided to put his knowledge aside and speak only in italian or the sicilian dialect, cause his hate for the tongue was rooted so deep inside of him. Eventually Risotto found out about it and knows that if he needs someone to translate some documents in french,Prosciutto is the right man!

Melone 🍈: Chinese 🇨🇳

The city of Prato has one of the largest Chinese community in Italy and Melone, being the lil know it all he is, was more than happy to add this skill to his curriculum. He started when he was in university and of course the first thing he tried to do was flirt with the chinese students from the Erasmus program ( his pronounce was terrible at first and received so many slaps in the face ) but the more he practiced the more he actually started enjoying the complexity and history behind the language. Now he uses it when he has to do some hacker jobs or just finding weird sited for his " alone nights "....yes i know, this mann CAN'T be normal.

Illuso 🔎: German 🇩🇪

Illuso's father was born and raised in Dresden but during a lil trip in Torino, was mesmerized by the beauty of an italian brunette...3 months later he found himself living in a loveless marriage with her and their unborn baby. Now, he didn't love his wife but he truly loved his son and he did everything he could to teach young illuso about his german heritage: he spoke to him in german when his wife wasn't around, sang his childhood's lullabies to him, made illuso watch cartoons and read comic books in german...La Squadra's favourite narcissist may act all tough and brag about his high level skills with the language but truth is, he just remembers fondly those memories with his late father.

Ghiaccio 🧊: Finnish 🇫🇮

You just got your driving licence, you are an angry teen from Veneto and your first car is a green Panda 4x4 that you are using to run away from the police after your parents had " a lil accident ". What's the best thing you can do to let some steam out? Hide in the countryside of Emilia-Romagna, roll up a j*int and listen to Finnish heavy metal music. Ghiaccio had some really tough times before joining la Squadra, and had a lot of pent up anger to let out, so he found comfort in finnish music and while he screamed with their lead singers in a very akward imitation of their dialect he actually slowly started to learn that ancient and interesting tongue. Now he can proudly speaks a fluent Finnish and whenever he has occasion he spends time with Risotto, blasting music and doing some wild karaoke.

Formaggio 🧀: Spanish 🇪🇸

Ok cheese man here is the king of flirting, and what language yells sensuality all over the place ( in his mind at least ): spanish~ He spent MONTHS in Ostia Lido, trying to catch the secrets of the iberic latin lovers and how the get all the ladies during his adolescence and now with his arrogan-ehm confidence, roman charm and smooth talking like an italian Ricky Martin he literally has to peel girls from his body. No seriusly 2/3 times the rest of the team thought he wasn't going to get some that night but the moment he starts lowering his voice and speaking spanish, the girl is already swooning in his arms. Watch out this summer chicas~

[fantasyinvader]

So, the “Edelgard was designed as a rival for Byleth”-thing just clicked for me. I mean, let's look over some details.

They both have the Crest of Flames However, Byleth's came from his (I'm going to use male pronouns because Engage uses male Byleth) mother, who was an attempt by Rhea to resurrect Sothis (still believe Sitri was Sothis without her memories, a reincarnation if you will), begging Rhea to give Byleth her heart. Edelgard's came from Thales experimenting on her and her siblings to create a weapon against Rhea.

Their fathers have the Crest of Seiros and initially push their children to distrust Rhea. However, Jeralt comes to see that running away from the monastery may have been a bad idea and that maybe he should have trusted Rhea. Ionius, on the other hand, is said to be a puppet of Thales.

Byleth knows TWSITD killed Jeralt and, by default, won't side with Edelgard and them by proxy. Meanwhile, Edelgard is stated to know her father is their puppet, their influence on the Empire, and what they are doing to Ionius. She continues to work with them for her own goals.

Sothis is the ancient Greek name for Sirius, the brightest star in the heavens, and by fusing with her Byleth gains the Enlightened One class. Thales' personal class, Agastya, is the Indian name for Canopus and can mean “one who brightens in the darkness.” Thales' people became drunk on their power, viewing themselves as gods, and scorched the earth with their wars, Sothis otoh used her power to heal the damage resulting in floods. Thales creates the Flame Emperor, an allusion of Chinese folklore, while Byleth becomes the leader of Fodlan and is part dragon, much like how the Flame Emperor was defeated by the Yellow/Dragon Emperor.

Building off of 3, Rhea was the creation of Sothis while the Agarthans created Nemesis. Rhea in turn created Sitri, who birthed Rhea's successor Byleth, while the Agarthans manipulated Edelgard into being Nemesis 2.0.

Byleth has trusted allies listed under his likes (though admittedly smiles in the Japanese), whereas Edelgard was based around the idea of a lord betraying the player.

Byleth also lists helping people as one of his interests/hobbies. Edelgard, on the other hand, believes that people need to be self-reliant and that by relying on others they become weak while at the same time expecting Byleth to help her when the time comes.

Byleth is said to have the merits to lead Fodlan after being appointed Rhea's successor. Edelgard, otoh, takes credit for Byleth's leadership of the BESF to bolster her own image, needs Ferdinand to figure out how to make her ideals work (seriously, she never even thought of educating the commoers to give them a chance), Hubert to put down threats to her regime from the shadows, pilfered Agarthan tech to maintain the peace according to Byleth/Constance's ending. Byleth is appointed by Rhea to lead the Church ultimately chooses to be a the new King of Fodlan, while Edelgard complains about the responsibility thrust upon her simply because of her birth.

Byleth is a commoner, Edelgard is a princess.

Jeralt did not educate Byleth about Fodlan, leading to him needing to figure things out on his own. Edelgard's “secret Imperial knowledge” came from her father, and she ignores information that contradicts her narrative.

Byleth is a teacher, tasked with guiding his students. Edelgard is a student that wants to sway Byleth over to her side when she attacks the school.

Byleth's time at Garreg Mach results in him showing emotions for the first time in his life. He enjoys being a teacher. Edelgard's time, according to Girl from Hresvelg, causes her to grow attached to the place and makes it harder to move forward with her plans before she decides to throw it all away and start her war. However, Edelgard does not encourage Byleth's arc and instead insists he not question her when she says he is just like her in being cold and distant from others.

Byleth's paralogue is unlocked by having a support level with Rhea, but is lost if they join Edelgard.

Options that unlock Safflower are presented as “changing the story.” Byleth's story, in it's natural state, is fighting against Edelgard.

Edelgard drops her backstory in White Clouds, while Byleth learns his in Silver Snow.

Byleth's personal class is Nirvana in the Japanese, named after the path of liberation. Alternatively, Edelgard's path is called the path of the beast in Japanese, the antithesis of Nirvana. When faced as a final boss, Edelgard turns herself into a beast unit.

It really does create a narrative surrounding these two, how they are actually polar opposites to one another despite Byleth being a silent protagonist. If anything, the game plays out like this. Byleth and Edelgard are opposites, but by joining her Byleth can become like her. Byleth does not become a leader at the end. Dimitri and Edelgard are also opposites, and at the end Dimitri and Byleth lead Fodlan together. Claude is like Edelgard initially, but Byleth's influence makes him more like Byleth resulting in both kingdoms being friends with each other.

[yamayuandadu]

What’s Masafusa relationship with Minamoto no Yoshiie and how did he become Yoshiie’s teacher for the art of war?

Apparently while they were contemporaries, this is just a legend (source; source 2 - check p. 364). Wikipedia presents it as a historical fact… but the source cited in Masafusa’s article (the claim is unsourced in Yoshiie’s) does not. It just summarizes an episode from Kokon Chomonjū according to which after the Zenkunen War Yoshiie arrived in the imperial court to report on his deeds. Masafusa was not impressed with him because he lacked theoretical knowledge about warfare despite his accomplishments. One of Yoshiie’s soldiers overheard this and shared this information with him; Yoshiie surprisingly agreed with Masafusa’s evaluation, and approached him to become his disciple. Later on the knowledge he acquired from him let him discover disguised enemy soldiers during the Later Three Years War.

A fairly similar legend is also recorded in the Ōshū Gosannen Ki (“Chronicle of the Later Three Years War in the Mutsu Province”; completed in 1347, but based on an older illustrated scroll created less than a century after the war). Here the same deed is presented as the result of reading a military treatise authorted by Masafusa (no title is provided), which taught him that “when soldiers conceal themselves in the grasses of plains, they disturb flocks of geese”. Note that the same work also credits him with returning soldiers who have frozen to death to life, so its reliability is dubious at best.

There is one more problem: Paul Varley, who covered this legend in Warriors of Japan as Portrayed in the War Tales, mentions that he failed to locate any work of Masafusa that would fit, and points out that the passage instead finds a close parallels in a quote attributed to Sun Tzu (see here). While I’m not familiar with Masafusa’s entire body of work, it indeed doesn’t really fit his main interests, like Chinese literature, classical poetry, governance, or anecdotes about immortality, rebirth in the pure land or repentant sinners. 

Yet another version of the legend is preserved in Tandai Shōshin Roku (see here), written in the early nineteenth century by Ueda Akinari. It’s basically an abridged edition of the above: Yoshiie met Masafusa while he was reporting his victories in the imperial court. Masafusa was not impressed with him because despite his military deeds he was not familiar with the study of the art of war. Yoshiie took this criticism to his heart and asked him if he can become his disciple and learn strategy and tactics from him. The translators of the annotated English edition stress that this account does not reflect historical events; Ueda actually just brings it up to illustrate a point he’s making about people in the past being often well versed in both poetry and warfare, in contrast with his contemporaries. For what it’s worth, I do think this sort of petty commentary is in line with Masafusa’s historical penchant for gossiping, so if you are asking because you’d like to write something about them, despite the incident not being genuine history I do think relying on it for characterization is fair game.  Something that can be considered a further particularly divergent variant of the legend shows up in the preface of the Heihō Hijutsu Ikkansho (“The Single Scroll of Secret Martial Technique”). This text is a fourteenth century compilation of military esoterica. Supposedly it was originally written by Zhang Liang (a famed ancient Chinese strategist), arrived in Japan during the reign of the  legendary emperor Kaika, got lost until the reign of Jingu (and then again, this time for good, when her son Ōjin became the emperor), got reimported from China by Ōe no Koretoki at the request of emperor Daigo, with Masafusa being responsible for editing it later. Yoshiie was then granted the right to use it before the war by the imperial court. In reality, no copy of Heihō Hijutsu Ikkansho predates the early 1300s, and while part of the text does reflect Chinese - specifically Tang dynasty Daoist - sources, for the most part it is a fairly standard work of medieval Japanese esoterica. You can learn more about it in R. Keller Kimbrough’s article Casting Spells: Combat Charms and Secret Scrolls in the Warrior Fiction of Late Medieval Japan.

[classicschronicles]

Hi lovelies,

Okay so my dad is going through a mid life crisis and has, I shit you not, brought a parrot. The parrots name is Juno, which is fitting because much like the goddess, it does not shut up. Anyways that being said I thought I would share a quick history of Parrots as pets, because, as so many things do, it finds it self rooted in the classical world.

Parrots were first domesticated by the ancient Romans and kept as pets as far back as up to 5000 years ago in Brazil, which we can gather from cave paintings of macaws. Interestingly enough, there are also ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics from 4000 years ago that depict what appear to be parrot pets. It is widely accepted that the parrots the ancient Egyptians kept were African Greys, which is what Juno is.

The first written reference to parrots was found in the ‘Ringveda’ (a piece of Indian literature) written more than 3000 years ago. By the 300 A.D., Chinese poetry described the idea of birds in cafes and birds housed in elaborate structured rimmed with jewels. Quick fun fact! The Kama Sutra (10th-13th century A.D.) states that one of the 64 requirements of a man was to teach a parrot to speak. Oh also another fun fact, but in ancient Indian civilisations, parrots were actually considered birds of love.

The first recorded presence of parrots in Europe was in 327 B.C. when Alexander the Great conquered India an took a rose-ringed parrot back to Greece. In true Alexandrian fashion he named the parrot and its family the Alexandrine Parrot (which we now class as a parakeet). In Ancient Greece, parrots soon became a symbol of wealth amongst the aristocracy. The philosopher Aristotle also had a parrot which he called Psittacae. This actually is the reason why the scientific name for the parrot family is Pscittacine. The earliest known reference to Parrots in European literature is also from around this time, where a description of a bird we now call a plum-headed parakeet is described as being able to ‘speak an Indian language’.

During the first millennium B.C. royalty and upper class families kept parrots in Asia and Africa. And as the Roman Empire came to prominence Psittacula parrots (talking parrots) became a huge deal amongst the upper classes, where professional parrot teachers were hired to teach the parrots latin. Which actually is quite impressive because genuinely you couldn’t teach me latin if you tried (again). But to be honest, the way they taught the poor parrots latin was brutal because Pliny the Elder says they used to hit the parrots on the head with iron bars.

Anyways, as the Roman Empire began to decline, so did peoples interests in parrots. The general curiosity surrounding them rise again in the Middle Ages when crusaders, merchants and explorers brought them across the seas. And once again, the were owned by the upper classes as a symbol of wealth.

Currently I am listening to my dad try to teach Juno Kutchi, which is actually quite entertaining. Anyways, parrots have always had a long and colourful (pun intended) history, and I think they’re another cool example of how almost everything finds it links back in the classical world.

~Z

[flyingkoalaandsloths]

Why you should watch Hikaru no Go (2020) Live Action

by me who just finished rewatching it for... idk 5th time now i guess... and I am having some emotions.

A very detailed and itemized review of the series is below. I would be happy if I convince one (1) person to watch this very underrated show.

What is it?

Also known as Qi hun, it is Chinese live action adaptation of Japanese manga Hikaru no Go by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata

You might know Obata Sensei who also draw Death Note manga. So you know its manga already is awesome. There is also an anime adaptation.

It’s about board game Go and can be classified as sports manga/anime. Basically the plot is: a Go master haunts a boy and teaches him way of Go.

[The manga appears in the cdrama!]

So you have options���. But why should you watch the cdrama?

It's the cutest thing ever

I never seen anyone who watched it and did not like

Acting is very good especially the kid actor is one of the best I’ve ever seen

Do you want numbers? It has IMDB rating 8.6.

Although the story is not same as the original material, its one of the best adaptations ever. You will enjoy it whether you are a fan of the manga or a new audience.

The main character: Shi Guang (aka Hikaru in the original manga)

Look at him he’s so lovable!

He doesn’t know any Go in the beginning but he is a genius so he becomes one of the best young players in country in record time.

Young Shi Guang is so good at acting and he is so cute I love him.

[At some point he wears a t-shirt with "Agender" written on it so you can headcanon him as he/they nb icon]

The other main character: Chu Ying (aka Sai)

Not a Ghost!

Accidental time traveling spirit of a Go master of ancient times (Southern Liang Dynasty to be specific)

His goal is to achieve the “Divine Move” which is a Go term for a perfect play/move

No one but Shi Guang can see him.

He is Shi Guang's bff, mentor, and Go master.

He is a funny little guy (but not physically, the actor is quite tall)

Rival: Yu Liang (aka Akira)

Go prodigy and the son of 9-Dan Go master Yu Xiao Yang

He gets beaten by Shi Guang (actually it was Chu Ying) when they were children and he proceeds to construct his whole life around him

He is obsessed™

Actually both Shi Guang and Yu Liang are so obsessed with each other. They have this passive aggressive relationship which is so interesting and also (again) very cute.

Likes to hold Shi Guang’s hand and run

Friends! Friends everywhere!

Shi Guang is a very sociable character so he is surrounded with friends and family

His relationship with his mother (unfortunately doesn’t have a name) is so realistic and so soft. They are not perfect mother-son but they love each other and they show it.

Actually, Shi Guang is very affectionate with all friends so you might die from all the fluff.

Plot

Shi Guang meets with Chu Ying when he is very young. Chu Ying forces him to play Go. He plays for Chu Ying. Against Yu Liang twice. And enters a tournament and of course wins.

But he feels bad for the other kids who work very hard so he drops Go completely for 8+ years. During that time Chu Ying disappears

He is forced to play Go again in middle school because everyone thinks he is some sort of prodigy while he knows next to nothing

Chu Ying appears again and they play together.

Shi Guang then decides to learn and play by himself.

The rest is regular sports manga/anime plot.

Towards the end the drama hits you hard and rips your heart out but last two episodes are so fluffy that by the end you will feel so much better.

Ships? In this shipping website? More likely than you might think

So many shippable pairs... like all sports manga/anime fashion they come in pairs

From students to teachers... with the main pair being Shi Guang/Yu Liang

Other than slash, there are also many platonic options that you might consider

By the end of last episode, all your ships will be as canon as cdramas would allow and no I’m not kidding the final arc is all about being the perfect partner (in Go).

[light to my dark, sun to my moon, etc, etc]

All is good, what about down sides you ask?

Not many female characters or female relationships.

Go ahead then! Watch it! Enjoy it!

First episodes are in youtube!

(the videos cut last few lines at the end of episodes for some reason but it doesn’t make much difference)

[and come back to me talk about it if you like]

[screenshots and stills are from kinorium]

[translations-by-aiimee]

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun - Chapter 6

Original Title:  二哈和他的白猫师尊

Genres: Drama, Romance, Tragedy, Xianxia, Yaoi

This translation is based on multiple MTLs and my own limited knowledge of Chinese characters. If I have made any egregious mistakes, please let me know.

Chapter Index

Chapter 6 - This Venerable One's Shizun

Xue Meng had lived on Life-Death Peak since he was a child. He was familiar with shortcuts and terrain so he had no problem catching up with Mo Ran

He escorted him all the way to the back of the mountain. The back mountain of Life-Death Peak was the closest place to the ghost realm in the whole world, separated by an enchantment, behind it is the netherworld.

Looking at the miserable situation in the back mountain, Mo Ran immediately understood why that person was clearly at home, but still needed Madam Wang to treat guests in the front hall.

It wasn't that the man didn’t want to help, but he couldn’t step away--

The barrier of the ghost world was broken.

At this moment, the entire back mountain was filled with a heavy spiritual resentment. The ghosts that hadn't taken on a body howled and hovered bitterly in the air. At the entrance of the mountain gate, there was a giant breach ripping through the sky. Behind the breach was the ghost realm, and a tall, bluestone staircase stretching thousand of steps escaped from the barrier cracks. Seeing out from the staircase, the fierce spirits that had regained a flesh body were climbing down this step disorderly and chaotically, rushing from the underworld to the human world.

Any ordinary person would be terrified at the scene unfolding. The first time Mo Ran saw it, he was shocked to the bone, but he was used to it now.

The barrier between the human and ghost realms was set by Emperor Fuxi in ancient times. Today, it was very weak. It would grow weak spots every now and again, which need to be repaired by immortal cultivators. However, this kind of thing not only does little to improve one's cultivation but is thankless with how much spiritual energy it consumes. It was a real drudgery, so few immortals in the upper cultivation world were willing to take this job.

When a fierce spirit was born, the people of the Lower Cultivation Realm were the first to come under attack. As the protectors of the Lower Cultivation Realm, Life-Death Peak was forced to undertake the task of repairing the barrier. The back mountains of the sect faced the weakest point in the barrier all to ensure they could be repaired swiftly.

There would be breaks in the barrier about four or five times a year. It was just like an old, chipped pot; useless.

Now, at the entrance of the ghost world, on the long bluestone stairs, a man stood there with snow-coloured clothes and wide sleeves flowing in the wind. He was surrounded by the aura of his sword, the golden light shimmering. Using his own power to clear out the evil spirits and ghosts, he repaired the small holes appearing in the barrier.

The man had a slender waist and an elegant appearance, with a holy aura and a handsome face. From a distance, it was easy to imagine he was a scholar reading an ancient scroll under a flowering tree. However, looking closely, he had sharp eyebrows, phoenix eyes slanted upwards, and the bridge of his nose was straight and narrow. While he seemed to be gentle and elegant, his eyes were mean and seemingly unkind.

Mo Ran glanced at him from a distance. Although he thought he had prepared himself, when he saw this man appear in front of him alive and healthy again, it made him tremble down to his smallest bones.

Half fear, half. . . excitement.

His Shizun.

Chu Wanning.

This was the person that Xue Meng had cried and begged to see when he arrived at Wushan Hall in the previous life.

It was this man that ruined Mo Ran's ambition, ruined his plans, and was finally imprisoned and tortured to death by Mo Ran because of it.

Logically speaking, if Mo Ran had the chance to avenge himself and defeat the enemy that had blocked his progress.

The sea is wide and free for fish to swim in, the sky is high and the birds could fly endlessly, no one could reign him back anymore. At least, that's what Mo Ran thought.

However, that doesn't seem to be the case.

After his Shizun died, something else seemed to have been buried along with his hatred.

Mo Ran was not a man of culture and didn't recognize any other feeling than being evenly matched with a worthy opponent.

He only knows that here on out, he had no archenemies.

When Shizun was alive, he had been afraid, paranoid, and anxious. When he saw the willow vine in Shizun's hand, the hair on the back of his neck stood on up. He became just like a beaten mutt, just the sound of a wooden club slap caused his teeth to ache and legs to give out. Even his calf muscles would spasm from fear.

Later, when Shizun died, the person Mo Ran had feared the most was finally gone. Mo Ran felt that he had grown and matured, being able to finally commit this act of murdering his teacher.

Afterwards, when looking at the mortal realm, no one dared force him to kneel down, and no longer slapped himself in the face.

To celebrate, he opened the pear blossom white wine, sat on the roof, and drank wine all night.

That night, under the influence of alcohol, the scars that Shizun had inflicted on his back when he was a teenager seemed to feel hot and painful again.

At this moment, when he saw Shizun reappear in front of him, Mo Ran started, filled with hate and anger, but there was also a slight twinge of ecstasy.

Such an opponent, lost and now regained, how can he not please?

Chu Wanning ignored the two apprentices who broke into the back mountains and continued concentrating on fighting the scattered undead.

His facial features were elegant, his eyebrows are evenly long. His phoenix eyes were cast downwards, his cool demeanour powerful. Amidst the demonic air and blood rain, his expression had not changed. His face remained calm, as though he might sit down and burn incense or play the guqin at the moment.

However, such a gentle and beautiful man, at that moment, was holding an icy exorcism long sword dripping with red blood droplets. With a flick of his wide sleeve, the sword's energy sliced through the bluestone steps in an explosion. Crushed stones and bricks rolled down, cracking an immeasurable chasm from the gate all the way to the bottom of the mountain, splitting the staircase and its thousands of steps!

So ferocious.

How many years had it been since he had seen his Shizun's power?

This familiar and powerful dominance made Mo Ran lose all his strength. Shakily, he fell onto his knees with a thump.

It didn't take long for Chu Wanning to kill all the ghosts, and neatly fill in the holes in the barrier to the ghost world. After doing all this, he fell from mid-air and went over to Mo Ran and Xue Meng.

He first glanced at Mo Ran kneeling on the ground, and then raised his eyes to look at Xue Meng, his phoenix eyes holding a powerful chill.

"Causing trouble again?"

Mo Ran sucked in a breath.

Shizun had the ability to always correctly assume any situation.

Xue Meng: "Shizun, Mo Ran went down the mountain, committing the two crimes of stealing and prostitution. Please punish him accordingly, Shizun."

Chu Wanning was silent for a while, expressionless. He coldly remarked: "I know."

Mo Ran: ". . ."

Xue Meng: ". . ."

Both of them were a little confused. Then? Is that it?

However, just when Mo Ran thought tat he had gotten off lucky, he looked up at Chu Wanning and caught a a glimpse of a sharp golden light suddenly cutting through the air. There was a lightening-like crackling sound that slashed across Mo Ran's cheek!!

Drops of blood splashed everywhere!

The speed of that golden light was so fast, Mo Ran didn't even have a moment to close his eyes, let alone dodge it. The skin on his face was flayed open with a fierce pain.

Chu Wanning stood with his hands clasped behind his back, standing coldly in the chilling breeze of teh night air. The air was still filled with the foul aura of fierce spirits and ghosts mixed with the smell of human blood. It made the forbidden area of the back mountains appear even more eerie and terrifying.

In Chu Wanning's hand was a willow vine that had whipped Mo Ran. The vine was narrow and long, with green leaves sprouting from it, hanging down near the edge of his boots.

It was clearly sucha graceful object. Looking at it would have made people think of poems such as "Pliant is the the willow branch I gift to my beloved".

It's a pity that Chu Wanning was neither pliant or had a beloved.

The willow vine in his hand was actually a magic weapon named Tianwen. At this moment, Tianwen was glimmering with golden red light, piercing through the surrounding darkness, and also reflecting in the bottomless depths of Chu Wanning's eyes.

Chu Wanning pursed his lips, and said sensibly: "Mo Weiyu, you are so bold. Should I really not do something to discipline you?"

If this really was the fifteen-year old Mo Ran, he might not have taken this exclamation seriously, thinking that Shizun was just trying to scare him.

But after being reborn, Mo Weiyu had thoroughly experienced Shizun’s "control" with his blood in his previous life. He immediately felt the roots of his teeth ache and blood rushing to his head. His mouth was already moving, ready to deny everything and clear his name

"Shizun. . ." His cheek still bleeding, Mo Ran raised his eyes, staining them with a thin veil of tears. He knew that his current appearance must look extremely pitiful. "This disciple has never stolen. . . has never laid with a prostitute. . . why did Shizun listen to Xue Meng's words and strike me without even listening to my side of the story?"

". . ."

Mo Ran had two tricks to get out of trouble with his uncle. First, act cute. Second, pretend to be pitiful. Now he tried these out on Chu Wanning, trying to look so pitiful that tears almost fell from his eyes: "Is the disciple really so worthless in your eyes? Why doesn't Shizun even give me a chance to defend myself?"

Xue Meng stomped angrily next to him: "Mo Ran! You, you piece of shit! You truly are shameless! Sizun, don't listen to him, don't be fooled by this bastard! He really did steal! All the stolen goods are still on him!"

Chu Wanning looked through his eyelashes, his expression cold: "Mo Ran, you truly never stole?"

"Never."

". . . You should know the consequences of lying to me."

Mo Ran's arms were covered in goosebumps. How could he not know? But he still foolishly persisted: "Shizun, please!"

Chu Wanning raised his hand, and the shiny golden vine waved again, but this time he did not draw it on the face of Mo Ran. Instead, he used it to tightly bind Mo Ran.

This feeling was all too familiar. In addition to whipping people on the regular, the willow vine "Tianwen" has another function——

Chu Wanning stared at Mo Ran, who was held tightly in Tianwen's grasp, and asked again: "Have you never stolen?"

Suddenly, there was a familiar stabbing pain straight in Mo Ran's heart, as if a sharp fanged small snake had slid its way into his chest and was playing with his organs.

Accompanied by the severe pain was an irresistible temptation. Mo Ran couldn't help but open his mouth, his voice hoarse: "I. . . never. . . ah. . . !!!"

Tianwen's golden light seemed to pick up on his lies, glowing harder. The pain caused Mo Ran to break out in a cold sweat, but he still desperately resisted such torture.

This was Tianwen's second function: interrogation.

Once tied up by Tianwen, no one could lie. Whether it was a person or a ghost, dead or alive, Tianwen had a way of forcing them to speak and reveal the answer that Chu Wanning wanted to know.

In his last life, by relying on a strong cultivation base, there was only one person who had finally managed to keep a secret under Tianwen's influence.

That person was the person who had become the emperor of the mortal realm, Mo Weiyu.

After being reborn, Mo Ran had hoped he'd have a bit of luck, thinking that he would still be able to resist the forced interrogation of Tianwen. But after biting his lip for what felt like forever, with big beads of sweat dripping down over his dark eyebrows and full-body trembles, he finally bowed before Chu Wanning's boots in pain, gasping for breath.

"I. . . I. . . stole. . ."

The pain abruptly disappeared.

Mo Ran hadn't even caught his breath before Chu Wanning asked another question, his voice even colder than before.

"Did you commit debauchery?"

Smart people don't do stupid things. Since he hadn't been able to resist before, it was even more impossible now. This time, Mo Ran didn't even resist, and when the pain struck, he went so far to even shout: "Yes yes I did!!!! Shizun please! No more!"

Xue Meng's face turned blue at his side. He exclaimed with shock: "You, how can you. . . That Rong Jiu is a man, you actually. . ."

No one paid attention to him. As the golden light of Tianwen slowly dimmed, Mo Ran gasped for breath, his whole body was drenched as if he had just been fished from the water. His face was as white as paper, his lips still trembling, and he collapsed on the ground, unable to move.

Through sweaty eyelashes, he looked up at Chu Wanning's elegant figure, wearing a green jade crown and wide sleeves that fell to the floor.

A strong hatred suddenly surged into his heart - Chu Wanning! This Venerable One wasn't wrong in is treatment of you in his past life, that much is true!! Even after being reborn, the hatred still burns strong! Fuck all eighteen generations of your ancestors!!

Chu Wanning didn't know that this crafty disciple was going to fuck all eighteen generations of his ancestors. He stood there for a while with a sullen expression, and then said.

"Xue Meng."

Although Xue Meng knows that men were the popular choice among rich businessmen and wealthy households, and many people play with male prostitutes just for something new and not really because they liked men, he still couldn't digest it. After a while, he said: "Shizun, this disciple is here."

"Mo Ran went against the three mandates on corruption, debauchery, and deception. Take him to the Yan Luo Hall so he can repent. Bring him to the Platform of Righteousness and Evil tomorrow morning so that he receive a public punishment."

Xue Meng was startled: "What. . .? Public punishment?"

Public punishment means taking the disciples who have committed severe transgressions in front of the disciples of the whole school, in front of everyone, even the ladies in the dining hall, and punishing them for the crowd.

Utterly shameful.

It should be known that Mo Ran was a disciple of Life-Death Peak. Although the disciplinary measures in the school were strict, because of Mo Ran's special status - his uncle pitied him for losing his parents so young and was scavenging outside for fourteen years - he couldn't bear to punish Mo Ran. No matter what Mo Ran did, he would just get a small lecture in private, and he would be beaten.

But Shizun wouldn't even save the face of the sect leader. He wanted to take his precious nephew to the Platform of Righteousness and Evil and publicly punish and shame Young Master Mo in front of the entire sect. This was something even Xue Meng hadn't expected.

Mo Ran, however, wasn't surprised.

He lay on the ground with a sneer at the corner of his mouth.

How great and selfless his Shizun was.

Chu Wanning was truly cold-blooded. In his previous life, when Shi Mei died in front of him, Mo Ran cried and pleading, pulling on his clothes, kneeling on the ground and begging him for help.

But Chu Wanning turned a deaf ear.

And so his disciple had breathed his last breath before him, and even with Mo Ran crying his heart out next to him, Chu Wanning simply stood there and ignored his sobs.

Now all he was doing was putting him on the Platform of Righteousness and Evil to be dealt with before the public. There was nothing strange about this.

Mo Ran could only resent how weak his cultivation base was now. He couldn't peel off Chu Wanning's skin, rip out his nerves, drink his blood, can’t pull his hair back, can't insult him, can’t torture him and destroy his dignity, make him desire nothing but death. . .

He hadn't been able to hide the beast-like hatred in his eyes, and Chu Wanning picked up on it.

He faintly glanced at Mo Ran's face, a stoic expression on a gentle and elegant face.

"What are you thinking about?"

Fuck!

Tianwen hadn't been removed yet!

Mo Ran once again felt the vines tying him up, and his internal organs felt like they were about to be squeezed into mush. He yelled in pain, panting and roaring out the thoughts in his head——

"Chu Wanning, you think you're so refined! Watch me fuck you to death!"

No one made a sound.

Chu Wanning: ". . ."

Even Xue Meng was stunned: ". . ."

Tianwen suddenly retracted Chu Wanning's palm, turning into a small speck of golden light before disappearing altogether. Tianwen was made from the bones and blood of Chu Wanning and could appear when summoned and vanished at will.

Xue Meng's face was pale and he stuttered: "Shi-Shizun. . ."

Chu Wanning didn't say a word. His delicate black and slender eyelashes lowered, examining his palms for a while. Then, he raised his eyes, his face even, but his complexion even colder. He glared at Mo Ran with a gaze saying "this disciple deserves death", then said in a low voice:

"Tianwen is broken, I am going to go fix it."

Chu Wanning threw down these words, turned and left.

Xue Meng was kind of slow: "How could an immortal weapon like Tianwen be broken?"

Chu Wanning heard it, and glanced back at him with a look of "this disciple deserves death" as well. Xue Meng shuddered.

Mo Ran lay on the ground, half-dead, with a blank expression.

What he had been thinking really was looking for a way to fuck Chu Wanning to death. He knew that the Master Chu, who held titles like "Yuheng of the Night Sky, Beidou Immortal", had always paid attention to elegance and correctness, and he couldn't stand being stepped on by others, defiling him.

But he didn't want Chu Wanning to know that he was thinking that!

Mo Ran whimpered like a stray dog, covering his face.

Thinking of the look in Chu Wanning's eyes when he was leaving, he felt that he probably did not have long to wait until his death.

Previous Chapter Next Chapter

[peterxwade24]

Meant for Greatness

"Not Such a Normal Girl"

For Maribat March 2021 day 20 prompt Speed Force (if you squint hard enough).

This is a bio parent au, so if you don't like you don't have to read.

This is also incredibly late but it's the first chapter in a new multi-chaptered fic so, yay?

Anyways, enjoy?

Wally had always known that there was a piece of him missing. He couldn’t explain why but he had this sinking feeling in the bit of his stomach that a part of him was out there. Wally wished he knew why he felt like that but he couldn’t pinpoint the source. Nonetheless, Wally had had this feeling for several years now.

---

Linda Park-West had made several mistakes in her life. However, after marrying Wally and having Jai and Irey, her biggest mistake and her biggest regret was giving away their first child. In Linda’s defense, they were young and had barely started dating when she got pregnant. She had made sure that their baby, a little girl named Minji, went to a loving family. She can’t believe that she just gave away her baby but at the same time, Linda knew she wouldn’t have been able to raise her baby on her own. She could only hope that her baby was being raised right, and that her baby was loved.

---

Marinette had always been a hyperactive kid, almost too hyperactive, and her parents had taken her to several psychologists and psychiatrists before she’d finally gotten a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and a prescription for Guanfacine.

Marinette was a normal girl, with a normal life, or, she claimed to be. Marinette wasn’t even the only kid in her class with ADHD, she was just the only kid in class with ADHD with a prescription. Marinette was always getting into things, she always needed to know everything about everything.

Her parents had encouraged her to sign up for several extracurriculars, including but not limited to a science club and a free running club. They wanted her to get out as much of her excess energy before she got home as possible because they weren’t always the best suited to dealing with her so they kept her as busy as possible while she was awake.

Marinette thrived in her extracurriculars, but she didn’t have many friends in them. Sure, she was friendly with everyone in her various clubs and activities but no one put in the effort to actually become friends with her. However, things would change with the addition of Chinese lessons.

---

Marinette was ten when she found a flyer for Chinese lessons being given by an elderly Chinese man who lived a few streets away from the bakery. She simply had to show her parents the flyer and suddenly she was taking Chinese lessons. She excelled in her Chinese lessons, learning more and more as she continued to visit her teacher, who she called Master.

What Marinette didn’t know, was that she was learning more than just Chinese. Master Fu, her Chinese teacher, was teaching her a much more ancient language as well as Chinese. He was training Marinette to take over for him when he passed. She didn’t know that by the time she turned thirteen she would know more about the beings she was being taught about then he did, she didn’t know that by the time she was thirteen she would be in charge of the beings she currently thought of as simply an ancient legend.

---

Marinette was sitting in her homeroom waiting for class to start, the seat next to her was empty like usual because she was usually very distracted and had a habit of distracting whomever sat next to her. She didn’t mean to, she just couldn’t focus.

Mlle. Bustier, her homeroom teacher, was standing in front of the class with a smile on her face. Mlle. Bustier clapped to get the students’ attention. “All right everyone. This year, things are going to be a little different. First of all, everyone’s switching seats. Yes, I do mean everyone.” Mlle. Bustier surveyed the class and saw the disappointment in their eyes. “It’s for the best, it builds character. Now, everyone up.”

The class stood up, their belongings in their arms and frowns on their faces. They paired up differently than they usually would. Mylène, who would usually sit with Ivan in the back, was now sitting beside Sabrina in the front while Ivan was sitting with Max diagonally behind Mylène. Sabrina’s usual seatmate, Chloè was sitting beside Alix across the aisle from Mylène and Sabrina, with Sabrina and Chloè in the non aisle seats. Kim, who usually sat beside Max or Alix, was seated beside Marinette across the siale from Max and Ivan with Max and Kim in the aisle seats. Juleka sat beside Nino behind Kim and Marinette while Rose and Nathanael were sitting together at the desk behind Max and Ivan. This seating arrangement left the back two desks for any new students but that didn’t mean that they wouldn’t be rearranged at some point.

What Mlle. Bustier hadn’t thought through was sitting the two students with ADHD beside each other.

Marinette, despite her prescription, was still extremely distracted but her brain seemed to go a hundred miles a minute. She did however, get all of her work done and then immediately start on something else for one of her other classes and suddenly before she knew it the bell was ringing releasing her from her homeroom. She collected her belongings and made her way to Chemistry, however it seemed as though she just blinked and she was there.

---

After school, Marinette has her Chinese lessons. She loves her Chinese lessons, because she can go off on a tangent and learn new words associated with her tangent.

So, Marinette skipped to her Chinese lessons merrily. She couldn’t wait to find out what she was going to be learning today.

“Hello Master Fu.” Marinette called as she entered the massage parlor and slipped her shoes off.

“Hello Marinetta.” Master Fu called from the back room. “Come in and take a seat. We’ll begin in a minute.”

“Yes Master Fu.” Marinette quietly walked into the main room and took a seat beside the table. She noticed that the Gramophone which usually sat on a side table against one of the walls was proudly displayed in the center of the table.

Master Fu joined her a few moments later, a smile on his face. “I know you were expecting to learn Chinese today, but I had something else in mind. I think it’s time you met some friends of mine.” Master Fu pressed some of the buttons on the side of the gramophone and suddenly it was opening and an octagonal box was rising out of the base of the gramophone. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng, may I introduce the Box of Miracles and the Kwamii.” Master Fu opened the Box of Miracles and smiled.

Seventeen small, animal-esque, creatures flew around Marinette with smiles on their faces before they all turned back to Master Fu and it seemed like they forced their smiles.

One of the creatures, who looked like a ladybug, seemed to step into the roll of the leader. “Master Fu. She’s a child. Surely you can’t be thinking-”

“Tikki. I am an old man. I needed a successor and the Universe brought her to me.”

Marinette could only stand in shock. Maybe she wasn’t such a normal girl with a normal life, maybe she was meant for greatness.

[imthepunchlord]

Do you have any thoughts on how the guardian role is handled lore wise? Would you change much about being the guardian?

Oh yes I do and there's so much that I would change up.

The more we see of the Guardians, the dumber they are and the more pointless they are. To a point it's a wonder if they were worth the inclusion as they don't amount to much and are just useless. I'm putting this undercut as I just go off.

- Lore wise, they set it up that adults are naturally more powerful, so why did Fu pick two kids to fight his battles for him? Why not adults? Why did he leave them on their own instead of offering them some means to have an edge over HM?

- Of the Ladybug and Cat, we have yet to see anything unique that the Cat brings to these fights that the other 15 miraculi that Fu has with him couldn't do. You need a distraction that's going to mess up the akuma? Monkey and Fox. You need a protector/aggressor? Bee, Turtle, or Dragon. Ladybug is a must as its the only cleanser so far and has ML to boot, but Cat doesn't need to be out there, and as soon as HM had quite publicly stated that he wants LB and Cat, Fu should've reclaimed the Cat immediately to secure its safety and that HM won't get both. Another or two could go out to replace it.

- Why was picking Adrien a good idea? If Fu had just arrived in Paris, ok, but Backwarder reveals he's been living in Paris for a while. And with that, he's seen Adrien's face everywhere.s Adrien is potentially the most well known kid in Pari. Technically, for Fu's want of secrecy, why pick the most iconic face in Paris to get a miraculous? That sets up one of your heroes to always have attention on him. Fu picking Adrien doesn't make any logical sense.

- Why is Fu ok with endangering one kid but not the other? Why does Marinette get a test set up that risks her life and Fu's if it hadn't gone well and Adrien just helps an old man up, a common decency that most would do. It's like two extreme differences that don't work well in comparison as Marinette gets the risky test and Adrien it looks like he got his miraculous on a silver platter as he got the far easier one that takes the least effort to be a decent human being.

- Fu being a terrible mentor and hero picker in general and the whole shebang with Syren. If Adrien is not meeting his standards or if he doesn't trust Adrien at all, why is Adrien being allowed to continue as a hero? Or if he really wants Adrien to stay, why isn't he doing anything about Adrien? Why isn't he telling Plagg to encourage Adrien to step up and get serious? If he can take on the role of being Adrien's Chinese teacher, why not do that to try and guide Adrien to improvement so he can also be trusted with Guardian secrets too and truly help Marinette out. He's got two options when he doesn't trust Adrien or finds that he's meeting his standards: he takes the miraculous back or he addresses this issue himself.

- I also call big BS about him not doing anything at all when he comes upon Adrien detransformed on the roof with Plagg. Cause he's risking himself going out to find Chat Noir only to find him detransformed. That realistically should raise some brows and concern him. Adrien at least should've gotten a lecture or warning.

- Also the reveal that kwamis aren't allowed to know about their own power. that to me is off putting. It really stresses that kwamis are beneath them, these very ancient and powerful beings that have probably seen a lot. And canon validates it by making them children (which to me is the writers being lazy so they don't have to do complex characters).

- The whole thing with Fu's backstory. Dumbest backstory I've ever heard and it just paints Guardians in a really bad light, and by extension, real life monks. Monks didn't go to people's homes to take children. If they did take kids with them, those kids had nowhere else to go and offered them a place to stay until old enough to be on their own. And that test, omg, wtf. Ok, I can get the idea of a test of temptation, but there are other ways to perform it without starving a kid. Especially leaving said kid alone unsupervised with 19 powerful miraculi two of which have wish granting abilities. How would the Guardians even know if Fu used a miraculous as they left him alone with mriaculi. If Fu wanted to, he could've made a wish to never be picked.

- Fu didn't even do shit when he finally had a chance to face off against HM. He just sat in his damb ball and allowed himself to get knocked around. At least try and roll over him! Be a ping-pong ball! DO SOMETHING. Like, why did you even pick Turtle??? Turtle wasn't able to do anything against Butterfly! I thought it could as Fu had been ready to go in Origins, plus the 5 are based off Wu Xing, by set up, Fox and Turtle should have some sort of an edge over the Butterfly. But I guess that means there could be other options aside form LB and we can't have that, Marinette's miraculous needs to be the only thing to take on the Butterfly to really stress on the fact that it comes down to only her.

- The memory wipe thing that's an apparently must when you retire from being the Guardian. Honestly I think that should've been saved as a last resort if you're ever captured and could be forced to leak info, not when you retire. Doing so removes a valid source of advisement that a new Guardian can rely on. History is there to learn from it and this tradition removes a source of history to learn from, either from having guidance or seeing what the old did and how you want to change things. This also makes me concerned as I see Adrien taking advantage of an amnesiac Marinette.

- I went off about the NY Special revealing there's more Orders here.

- And lastly, Su-Han, the other Guardian to see aside from Fu. And with him, it solidifies how stupid they all are. When the Butterfly is being misused in Paris, why is someone aggressive and judgmental coming to Paris? Why is this guy even working with kids when he doesn't like kids? And the reveal that Guardians don't use miraculi at all. That just makes that test all the dumber with testers being unsupervised. And for Guardians not meant to use miraculi, how come Marinette gets a nice perk as LB that she can pull a miraculous out of her yo-yo? They're probably playing that she's "the first" to do so but realistically, I'm pressing x to doubt. In the long history of miraculi and when Guardians were around, you expect me to believe that Guardians never used miraculi themselves? What if there was no one to turn to, do they just the disaster happen? ...Well, based on how terrible canon is setting them up, I wouldn't be surprised.

SO.

There is a lot I would change up about the Guardians and for this, I'll adjust canon.

- Adrien gets the ring another way, maybe a gift from his mom or aunt or grandparents. Realistically, there's no logical reason for Fu to pick Adrien. He just has too much attention on him and Chat being an unexpected miraculous user can make him wary, adding to him only trusting Marinette.

- I'd have Fu be more present in Marinette's life, a customer who comes in a lot. This way he can offer advise when needed but not take away from Tikki. And this has him more closely keeping an eye on things.

- I'd change up Fu's backstory. He got separated from his family in a flood, the previous Turtle saved him, tried to help him find his family and with no luck, took him to the Temple, but only the section where other orphans are where they work to help take care of it, oblivious to the miraculous near them. After a year, Fu is one of the few selected to be entrusted with miraculous knowledge. He's surprised but not all that for it as he'd rather go find his family still. Idk how Temple falls but its not that. That was just dumb and avoidable.

- I wouldn't have Adrien meet Fu at all. In truth, it actually could've been cut out entirely as Adrien meeting Fu didn't amount to anything. He doesn't help with Guardian duties, doesn't help pick heroes, hasn't stepped up at all in his role as a partner. And he's not as torn up about Fu's loss as Marinette is. Adrien meeting Fu was pointless in the grand scheme of things. Nothing was progressed or changed from Adrien meeting Fu.

- I'd have HM ONLY getting an edge on Fu because Mayura was there to help him, catching Fu off guard. I want to see the Turtle truly in action, to see what else it can do cause sitting there to be smacked around was just unimpressive. And if Asstruck even did as much research as he could, he'd know that in Chinese mythology, the Turtle is a boss. It's the keeper of history and symbol of immortality, and it's up there with Tiger as an animal that can go toe to toe with the Dragon. And of the Four Symbols (associated with 4 seasons), the Black Turtle is also known as the Black Warrior. There should've been a lot more to Turtle than just sitting in your shell and allowing yourself to be knocked around.

- Su-Han I'd drastically change up. I'd keep in him being critical and stern, but he approaches things smartly and patiently. Before he dives into aggression and accusations, he wants to know what's going on. Why does this 14 yo have the Miracle Box? How was the Butterfly obtained and misused? And what the hell is going on??? How are these people so small and how did they get into this thin glass box?? Computer? What's a computer??? Essentially, have fun with the fact that Su-Han is essentially a time traveler and one great bonding experience to have with Marinette while also offering some good comedy is him learning about the modern time and her acting as his guide. Su-Han can give her guidance that Fu hadn't been able to give, and Marinette can offer her own in a way that Su-Han will need. Which by extension could remove Marinette having a near mental breaking point and revealing herself to Alya, and could avoid some of that drama of what's coming.

- Speaking of which, Adrien. I'd use Su-Han to finally address the issues with Adrien as a hero and partner. Su-Han prioritized Marinette as she has the Miracle Box, but Adrien is someone he'd take the miraculous away from. Adrien would get a very clear warning and call out for his actions and role.

[cheri-translates]

Headcanon - let’s have a school romance

This work, 来场校园恋爱吧, was originally written by 君兮耶君兮 on Weibo, and she has given me permission to translate it!

[ VICTOR ] 

“Class President! Don’t mark my name down - I’m not late!” 

With the fastest speed you can manage, you bolt into the classroom. The moment you rush into your seat, the school bell signalling the start of class rings.

“Seven nineteen and fifty-eight seconds.” Victor tilts his head towards the watch strapped on his right wrist. “Four seconds later than yesterday.”

The intense exercise earlier leaves you taking in large breaths. Victor lets out a resigned sigh, then hands you the water bottle at the side of your bag.

Taking the bottle, you hurriedly down more than half of its contents before slowing down.

“In that case, I’ll sleep for one more second next time so I can make it to class just as the bell rings.” 

Taking the attendance record book from Victor and giving it a browse, you realise that your name isn’t in it.

“Victor, it’s really nice to be your girlfriend. I don’t have to worry about having my name taken down.”

“If you like it, I can write your name right now.” With a blank expression, he takes out a book and begins his morning reading.

“No no no, I don’t like it.” You shake your head as though its a rattle, fearing that your name would appear in that “honourable book”.

“Victor, your little sweetheart doesn’t have the strength to do the morning reading.” You plop onto the table weakly, sending signals to him with a wink.

He continues being immersed in that mandatory ancient poetry book, but his left hand reaches into the drawer, retrieving a lunchbox and handing it to you. Inside, there’s handmade Chinese dumplings.

“...”

Victor completely missed your point.

“I’ve already had breakfast.” You wink again, attempting to make him understand.

With a furrow of his brows, he finally channels a minute portion of his concentration off the book and onto you: “What do you want then?”

“I want... a kiss~”

“Dummy.”

[ GAVIN ]

“Gavin, why did you pick a fight with them?”

With an ache in your heart, you dip the cotton swab into hydrogen peroxide and disinfect his wound. He continues staring up at the sky, as though he can’t feel the stinging pain at all.

Gavin sits on the windowsill, catching a ginkgo leaf which drifts by. After ensuring that it’s clean, he inserts it into your hair.

Seeing that he isn’t responding, you raise your volume.

“Gavin, are you even listening to me!”

“I heard you.” His line of sight travels from outside the window to you. “They were bullying underclassmen.”

As expected. 

After helping others, your Gavin would always appear as though it wasn’t a big deal. He never tells anyone the reason why he gets embroiled into fights, and wounds of all sizes are always found on him. 

After a while, teachers and students assumed that he was nothing but a bad student - ignorant and incompetent, and only knowing how to stir up trouble.

But you know he isn’t like that.

“Gavin, have you ever thought about what you want to do in the future?”

Worried the application of medicine would hurt him, you find a conversation topic as a form of distraction.

“Police officer.”

Your hand pauses. It’s an answer you didn't expect, but a reasonable one. You continue.

“Why a police officer?”

“That way, I’ll be able to protect what I believe in, and protect... you.”

[ LUCIEN ]

“So not only did you not bring it, but you also didn’t do it?” Lucien carries a stack of workbooks, collecting them as he goes down the name list of students who have yet to submit theirs. When he sees his girlfriend’s name, an evident smile surfaces. 

“I’ll definitely submit it next Monday. Could the most handsome, best and smartest student let me off this time~” You end the sentence with an exaggerated curl of your voice, making you feel goosebumps all over.

You really shouldn’t have read those comics last night. Who knew they’d be so interesting that you’d almost forget to eat and sleep?

Lucien purses his lips and furrows his brows, pretending to be deeply troubled. “But this will make things difficult for me.”

“My dear classmate Lucien, could you kindly spare your adorable, beautiful girlfriend?” You blink at him, hoping your femininity can buy him over.

“If you simply use your words, there seems to be something missing.” He taps on the name list with his pen.

All right - looks like you’ll have to bribe him.

“One kiss?” You ask, testing the waters.

“I have to submit the name list to the teacher...”

You clench your teeth. “I’ll submit it to you over the weekend!”

“All right,” he crosses your name off the list neatly. Finding it slightly unpleasant, he erases your name completely and writes it in the list again.

“In order to prevent my adorable and beautiful girlfriend from forgetting again, get your workbook from home after school, and come to the library in the evening. I’ll watch you finish it.” 

Lucien smiles, his eyes crinkling as he pushes up the spectacles on his nose. “At the same time, you can return me the fifteen kisses you owe me from previous times.”

“...why do I feel like a fox which has been outsmarted by another fox?”

[ KIRO ]

“Kiro, are you sure we don’t need to hide properly? I felt like the Dean was looking at me weirdly, as though he’d send me to the office for a lecture in the next second.” You pull your hoodie over your head, covering most of your face.

“It’s all right Miss Chips. Don’t they always say that the most dangerous place is the safest? At night, the Dean usually goes to the artificial lake to catch couples. Intelligent people like us who take a stroll around the teaching building are not easy to get caught.” Kiro grips your hand tightly, assuring you with full confidence.

After hearing what he says, you loosen up slightly, hoping the Dean wouldn’t decide to patrol over at this area.

“Miss Chips, where should go this weekend? We’ve been to the amusement park, the aquarium, the zoo... why don’t we go to the Science Centre this time?” He suggests excitedly, his blue eyes slightly foggy under the moonlight.

“...all right.” You can’t bear to be a spoilsport considering how excited he looks, so you agree with a nod. As expected, his eyes crinkle. The flickering, scattered stars in the sky fall into his eyes, causing them to brim with gentleness.

“What are the two of you doing!” An enraged voice rouses the two of you from the warm ambience. Before you can react, you’re dragged along with Kiro as he breaks into a run.

“Miss Chips, run!” Kiro pulls you, sprinting into the forested area near the lake, hoping the Dean would shift his attention away from the both of you and to another couple.

“Kiro, I told you that the teaching building was too dangerous!” You gripe, running as fast as you can.

“Nothing will happen. When the Dean finds more targets in a while, he wouldn’t care about us.” Although he’s running furiously, he exudes a calm aura.

“Miss Chips, we’ll part ways in the forest later on, and we’ll meet in class~”

[ SHAW ]

Twice each week, the teacher in charge of the school orchestra would give you special piano lessons. Along with you, there’s also a senior from the music club.

So far, the most you’ve interacted with the senior has been a mere nod of the head. However, with the upcoming school celebration activity where the both of you would perform an ensemble, you gradually grow familiar with each other.

“It’s late. Want me to send you home?” The senior packs his violin, turning his head and looking at you with a gentle gaze.

“No need, my house is nearby.” You politely decline, signalling that you’re perfectly fine heading home by yourself.

After the senior leaves, you practise for another half an hour before shutting the lid of the piano and preparing to leave the music room.

“What’s your relationship with him?”

Right after stepping out of the music room, you find both of your hands clasped against the wall. Your instinctive reaction to such a fright is to shut your eyes. But after hearing the question, you flick open one eye to look at the other party. It’s the bass player one grade below you - Shaw.

“Are the two of you a couple?”

You catch a hint of nervousness in his sharp eyes.

“We’re not.” You can’t help but knit your brows together, feeling the pain in your back from the impact seep in.

The grip on your wrists loosens slightly, and he seems to release a sigh of relief. “That’s good.”

“Shaw, why haven’t you gone home yet? It’s late.” You rub your wrists, which have turned red.

“Nothing much. I just noticed that you haven’t left.” He picks up your bag, which had fallen to the ground earlier, and pats the dust off it. “Next time, stay away from that fellow.”

“Why?” You take your bag from him, walking out of the building together.

“Because you’re my girlfriend.”

“Hey, I haven’t even agreed-”

He interrupts before you finish.

“I’ve agreed, and that’s what matters. Let’s go - I’m sending you home.”

--

More translated and original works: here

-

[ Permission to translate ]

君兮耶君兮: You can - just note the source of the author

[tiramisiyu]

【未定事件簿】 Tears of Themis: 【腾霄】 Xia Yan | Skyflying Date Translation

Translation Masterlist | Xia Yan Masterlist

Video

Translation under cut~

Part 1

Home

After finishing up with work, I returned home, collapsing onto my bed. Suddenly, my phone rang.

MC: Hello, Xia Yan?

Xia Yan: Got home yet?

MC: Just did, what’s up?

Xia Yan: Recently, there’s been an experiential culture variety show called “A Unique Challenge” – have you heard of it?

MC: I have – it’s been pretty popular recently, though I haven’t seen it yet.

MC: I heard that they’ll pick normal and famous people each week to experience cultures of different regions or types.

MC: Cheng Cheng’s idol participated once, experiencing an ancient ceremonial culture and playing some little games.

MC: Although, since when were you into variety shows?

Xia Yan: My friend was one of the picked participants, but he’s got something going on for now and doesn’t want to go there anymore, so he gave it to me…

Xia Yan: That week just happens to be a pairs’ challenge – would you be interested?

MC: What’s the theme?

Xia Yan: It’s trendy culture, and I heard that they prepared a lot of things for this topic. Want to go try?

MC: Sure, let’s go together.

In the few days after, as long as I thought about participating in a show with Xia Yan, I couldn’t help feeling somewhat nervous.

Finally, it was the day of filming.

--

Clothing Store

MC: Xia Yan, are you not done yet?

Xia Yan: Almost, almost…

MC: You’ve already been in there for ten minutes. Are the clothes hard to put on?

Xia Yan: Ugh, this headband is a little hard to handle.

MC: Then I’ll help you put it on.

Speaking thus, I got up and walked towards the fitting room.

Xia Yan: Ah, no need, no need!

Xia Yan pulled the fitting room’s curtain tightly.

Xia Yan: Uh… I feel like… this outfit doesn’t really suit me, so I should probably change!

Rustling sounds came from inside the fitting room.

MC: Let me see! If you don’t come out, I’m going to lift the curtain!

I faked an act to scare Xia Yan. Sure enough, hearing me say this, the sounds of movement from the fitting room stopped, and the curtain was slowly pulled open.

Xia Yan: Ugh…

MC: …

Back during school, Xia Yan always wore school uniforms, and the clothes he wore now were mostly casualwear. Speaking of which, this was my first time seeing him wear hip-hop style clothing. The bright symbols didn’t feel over-the-top; instead, it added a free, confident youthful vibe for him.

Xia Yan: This outfit… is it… too gaudy?

MC: …

Xia Yan: You’re not even talking… looks like it really does look bad. I should go change it.

MC: Don’t change it! It looks great, of course it looks great!

Seeing Xia Yan walk towards the fitting room, I grabbed onto him.

Xia Yan: For real?

MC: Of course – you look super cool!

Xia Yan: …

Xia Yan: Wait, why haven’t you changed yet?

Xia Yan: Do you think the clothes I picked for you look bad?

MC: How could that be? I’ll go change now, wait for me!

Xia Yan: Go ahead – after changing, we’ll officially start the challenge.

In fact, Xia Yan and I were already in the middle of filming. We were changing clothes at this store due to the show’s requirements.

--

[Flashback]

Filming Studio

Host: The theme this time is trendy culture. The topics that can be drawn are different, and the contents of the challenge are also different.

Host: Next, could the guests please come onstage to draw topics?

I followed everyone towards the stage and drew an envelope out of the box. When I flipped it, I saw a word written in large font on the envelope – skateboard.

MC: (It actually ended up being skateboarding…)

Host: Alright, could everyone now open your envelopes and read the details of the topics?

Hearing the host’s words, I rushed to open the envelope and take out the topic inside.

MC: Search for the mysterious skateboard?

MC: Looks like we have to find various components of the skateboard, then assemble them.

Xia Yan: Let me see…

Xia Yan took the mission card from the envelope, looking it over in detail. According to the instructions on the mission card, the components of the skateboard were scattered in different places on the commerce street, guarded by NPCs. Our mission was to find the NPCs, complete various tests, collect the skateboard components, and assemble them.

Host: The mission locations are at the pedestrian commerce area outside. Please finish them as soon as possible.

Host: The program team will keep track of each team’s time, and rank everyone based on completion time.

Host: If you have not completed it beyond three hours, it’s counted as a failure.

After finishing her explanation of the rules, the host gave a slight smile to everyone.

Host: Alright, after you have prepared, you can set out.

Host: Before the game starts, you can all choose a trendy culture-themed outfit at the clothes store.

[Flashback end]

--

After regaining my train of thought, I rushed to put on the clothes and pull aside the curtain, then walked in front of Xia Yan. However, as I turned in several slow circles, Xia Yan kept his eyes on his phone the whole time.

MC: Xia Yan, why do you keep staring at your phone!

MC: You’re not even giving me your opinion… does it look good or not!

Xia Yan: …

Xia Yan: It looks great, of course! You look great no matter what you wear.

MC: Really? Why do I feel like you’re… being a little perfunctory?

Xia Yan: It’s not perfunctory, they’re all my sincere thoughts!

Xia Yan rushed to shove his phone back into his pocket.

Xia Yan: I just received a message and didn’t notice, sorry.

MC: Is it an important message?

Xia Yan: It’s nothing urgent.

Xia Yan stood up, walked around me in a circle, carefully looking over the clothes I was wearing.

Xia Yan: Inspection complete. It really suits you, so let’s go with it!

Xia Yan: Looks like my eye is getting better and better.

MC: Pfft…

MC: Right, Xia Yan, I haven’t asked you yet – when did you learn to skateboard?

MC: I definitely remember that you hadn’t learned to skateboard before.

--

[Flashback]

Near the School Grounds

During middle school, Xia Yan wanted to learn to skateboard, but the school prohibited students from doing dangerous activities like this.

School Dean: Young man in front, get over here!

Xia Yan: Crap!

MC: I’ll cover for you, run!

Xia Yan planted a foot on the skateboard, kicked off the ground quickly, and disappeared past a corner within seconds.

School Dean: You-! Which class did that boy come from?

MC: I don’t know. I also just passed by, and I’d wanted to persuade him to stay away from these dangerous activities.

Xia Yan: Oww!

The sound of something falling sounded from far away, followed by Xia Yan’s pained shout.

MC: Xia Yan!

Since he left in a rush, Xia Yan, who was not yet familiar with the skateboard, fell heavily down from the stairs.

[Flashback end]

MC: After falling that time, didn’t you not ride the skateboard ever again?

MC: When did you secretly learn it again?

Xia Yan: Uh… that time was just an accident because I ran off too quickly. Afterwards, I was very careful.

MC: So you really were doing it secretly…

Xia Yan: Just a few times. I didn’t say it because I was afraid you’d worry.

MC: Really?

Xia Yan: It really was just a few times. Think about it, weren’t we together all day?

Smiling, Xia Yan changed the topic.

Xia Yan: I actually truly learned the skateboard after going to the Ministry of National Security.

Xia Yan: The teacher who took me in back then really liked skateboarding, and I learned from him.

Xia Yan: There was very little time to relax in the Ministry, but whenever there was time, I would skateboard with my teacher.

Xia Yan: When I was little, I was only concerned about looking cool and rushed too much. After learning the basics from my teacher, I wasn’t scared of getting hurt anymore.

MC: Alright alright, I won’t look into the things you’ve hidden from me.

MC: You can’t be like this in the future. You have to tell me if anything comes up!

Xia Yan: …

MC: Could it be that you’re hiding other things from me?

    Part 2

MC: Could it be that you’re hiding other things from me?

Xia Yan: I’m not.

Xia Yan: Alright, it’s about time, so let’s hurry out.

Hearing Xia Yan say this, I took out the mission card given by the program team from my pocket.

MC: We have a total of four components to find – the board, bracket, bearings, and wheels respectively.

MC: Although, where should we start?

Xia Yan: There’s a clue on here, right?

Xia Yan pointed to a sentence on the mission card.

Xia Yan: “One cunning and one foolish” – this should be the clue.

MC: Does this mean we have to find two NPCs, one smart and one dumb?

Xia Yan: Shouldn’t be, I feel like this sentence seems more like a riddle.

If it’s a riddle…

>The answer is a word >The answer is a term

MC: The answer should be a term, and “cunning” and “foolish” represent one word each.

Xia Yan: But what word does “cunning” refer to?

MC: Cunning… crafty… foolish… inflexible…

MC: I got it!

MC: Cunning refers to “skate”, and foolish refers to “inflexible”, which is “board”.

MC: When joined together, they form the term “skateboard”.

Note: 狡诈 = Cunning; 狡猾 = Crafty; these are synonyms (or near synonyms) that have the same first character; the second character of “crafty” sounds the same as and looks similar to 滑, which makes the first character of “skateboard” in Chinese.  

呆 = Foolish; 呆板 = Inflexible; the term for inflexible includes the term for foolish, and the other part, 板, is the second character of “skateboard” in Chinese.

Also note that skateboard in Chinese is made of two characters, rather than one (hence why the answer is a term, not a word)

I do think that this riddle is a bit of a stretch though haha

Xia Yan: If the answer is “skateboard” … then let’s go ask at the skateboard shop.

--

Skateboard Shop

As soon as we entered the skateboard shop, Xia Yan and I saw another team of guests. They were surrounding the staff member, wanting to ask for some information.

Guest A: You really aren’t an NPC from the program team? You really don’t know what this sentence means?

Guest B: We’ve already asked all around. This is the only skateboard shop on the commerce street, so it has to be this place.

Shop Staff: My apologies, sirs, I really do not know what that sentence means. Please do not impede my work anymore.

Guest A: Alright, sorry about that.

The two gave up struggling. When they saw Xia Yan and I come in, they sighed helplessly.

Guest A: Don’t waste your energy. That person isn’t an NPC; we’ve already asked.

After speaking to us, the two left the skateboard shop dispiritedly.

MC: What do we do now? We guessed wrong…

Xia Yan: Not necessarily.

Xia Yan: She only said that she didn’t know what the sentence meant, but she never denied that she was an NPC of the program team.

Smiling, Xia Yan walked up to the staff member, took out the mission card, and pointed to the riddle on it.

Xia Yan: We already know what this sentence means. This is a riddle, and its answer is “skateboard”.

Xia Yan: This is the only skateboard shop on the street, so you should be an NPC of the program team.

Hearing Xia Yan speak, the staff member smiled slightly.

Shop Staff: Congrats on solving the riddle and successfully passing the first stage.

Shop Staff: This is the skateboard’s bracket; please hold onto it.

MC: Awesome, Xia Yan, we got it right.

Xia Yan: Then do you have the clue for the second stage here?

Shop Staff: If you want the second clue, the two of you need to do a little challenge.

Xia Yan: Sure, what challenge? Bring it on.

Seeing Xia Yan’s determined expression, the shop staff took out a little plate, grinning.

Shop Staff: It’s nothing difficult; the two of you just need to eat two spicy peppers raw to get the next clue.

Xia Yan: W-what?

Xia Yan’s smile stiffened instantly. Seeing this, the cameraman followed up quietly, pointing the camera at Xia Yan.

Xia Yan: Ah, this… uh…

The peppers were bright red, and a single glance would tell you that they were very spicy.

MC: (Even someone who can handle spice probably wouldn’t be able to endure this test.)

Xia Yan closed his eyes, held his breath, took a pepper, then stuffed it in his mouth. After chewing quickly twice, he rushed to swallow the pepper down.

A mere few seconds after, Xia Yan’s eyes widened, and he opened his mouth, inhaling deeply.

MC: Xia Yan, are you okay?

Xia Yan: Water… water! Quick, give me water!

Luckily, the program team had prepared in advance. I rushed to hand a glass of water to Xia Yan. He swallowed the water noisily, and even his eyes had reddened from the spice, tears at the corners of his eyes.

MC: (I can’t let Xia Yan suffer alone, so I’ll do it too!)

I grabbed the second pepper and stuffed it in my mouth. The agonizing taste spread in my mouth, and I speedily swallowed the pepper.

Xia Yan: Ah! Haa…. Don’t eat it! Haa…

Right after swallowing the pepper, a mere few seconds later, a burning hot spiciness rushed at me, filling my mouth with pain.

MC: So spicy! Water! Water!

MC: This is way too spicy!

Xia Yan: Haa… here, water… haa…

Unable to pay attention to how I appeared in front of the camera, I took the water and drank it down noisily.

--

After ten entire minutes, Xia Yan’s and my tongues finally recovered.

MC: So much hassle just to get this clue.

Xia Yan: Miss, you can give us the second clue now, right?

Shop Staff: Indeed I can.

The staff member took out a little paper slip and handed it to Xia Yan.

Xia Yan: “Seems to be but is not; search for the origin.”

MC: Looks like it’s a riddle again. I wonder what it means?

MC: Origin… does that mean the originating point? Could it have to do with the materials that make the skateboard?

After not hearing an answer from Xia Yan, I looked up, wondering. Xia Yan wasn’t looking at the paper slip; instead, he was staring at the product shelves, thinking about something.

MC: Xia Yan, Xia Yan?

Xia Yan: Ah, sorry, I just got distracted…

MC: Is there something you want to buy?

Xia Yan: No, I just felt like there was someone over there just now.

MC: Probably the cameraman from the program team; don’t they have to take some other shots?

Xia Yan: I feel like there’s someone who’s been watching us the whole time.

Xia Yan: Although, since we’re filming a variety show, people watching out of curiosity is also normal.

Xia Yan: Let’s go, we’ll think about this new riddle on the way.

MC: Sure.

   Part 3

Commerce Street

After walking aimlessly on the road for a while, I felt faintly unsettled from seeing Xia Yan’s expression. He didn’t seem like he was thinking seriously about the answer to the riddle – instead, he kept scanning the people on the road.

MC: Xia Yan, I feel like you’ve been a bit absentminded ever since the beginning.

MC: What did you see? What’s the matter?

Xia Yan: It’s nothing…

MC: …

Xia Yan must be hiding something from me. But we had microphones on us right now and were surrounded by the program team staff, so I couldn’t just ask him.

Seeing my concern, Xia Yan gently touched the microphone, then winked.

Xia Yan: Let’s rest up ahead first.

MC: (Is he hinting that he’ll use other methods to tell me?)

We found a drinks shop by the road and scanned the menu code on our phones. Just as I was browsing the menu, contact notifications popped up.

--

[Phone Interface]

[Xia Yan]: It seems like I offended someone when investigating a case before. I received a text when trying clothes on earlier.

[Xia Yan]: The text told me to be careful, and he’d let me know how one “ends up when sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong”.

[Xia Yan]: Though I don’t know if they’re just trying to scare me or if they’re serious, it’s still better to be careful.

[MC]: Did they bring up the show filming today?

[Xia Yan]: No, though I’m a little worried.

[Xia Yan]: There are lots of people here, and I can’t tell if anyone with bad intentions might have mixed in.

[MC]: Okay, I got it.

[MC]: I’ll help you keep an eye out on the surroundings. You be careful too.

--

MC: …

So Xia Yan’s unusual expression just now was because of this. I relaxed the expression on my face, ordering a drink as if nothing were up.

MC: Let’s hurry and think about that riddle.

MC: Search for the origin… what does that refer to?

MC: Is there some special story associated with the origin of the skateboard?

Xia Yan: Hm… I’m not too clear on this either. I’ve only heard that skateboarding is an extension of surfing.

Xia Yan: Apparently, people living on the seaside were the ones to invent the first skateboard, to not be limited by geography or climate, and to enjoy the feeling of surfing.

MC: Could it have to do with surfing?

I turned on my phone and sure enough, I was able to find a surfing equipment shop.

Xia Yan: Who would’ve thought that there really would be a surfing equipment shop here…

Xia Yan: Then let’s go see.

--

Surfing Equipment Shop

Xia Yan: Surfing is the origin of skateboarding, and the surfboard and skateboard also have similar aspects.

Xia Yan: So the answer to “Seems to be but is not; search for the origin” is this place, right?

Shop Owner: I didn’t think that you two would be able to get here this quickly.

Shop Owner: You’re the first team that drew skateboarding to get here.

Shop Owner: You can get the board and sandpaper here.

The shop owner thus handed the items to us.

Shop Owner: If you’d like, you can assemble the components you’ve gotten first.

Xia Yan: It’s inconvenient carrying the sandpaper around, so let’s just assemble it here.

MC: Sure.

Xia Yan: Then can you also provide us things like screws and washers?

Shop Owner: Hahaha, of course. You two won’t need to waste energy searching for those.

After getting the materials, Xia Yan tugged me down to sit and started to assemble the skateboard.

MC: You really are familiar with this.

Xia Yan: Yeah, because I’ve always disassembled and reassembled my skateboard myself.

Xia Yan: To me, the skateboard is just like a partner.

Xia Yan stared seriously at the skateboard, twisting the wrench in his hand.

Xia Yan: Did you know – each skateboard gives everyone a different feeling, and each one is special.

Xia Yan: The tightness of the brackets, the size and hardness of the wheels, the material of the board – all of these will give a different feeling for each person.

I gazed quietly at Xia Yan. His eyes were shining, flashing with the light of excitement. Hearing him speak, it felt as if the skateboard in my hands had a life.

MC: Xia Yan, why do you like skateboarding this much?

MC: Is it because of the stimulation from fast movement?

He stopped the movements of his hands and thought for a moment. Then slowly opened his mouth.

Xia Yan: It isn’t that, or you could say that it isn’t just that.

Xia Yan: As an extreme sport, skateboarding can be mentally stimulating, but compared to my line of work, it’s not really worth mentioning.

Xia Yan: I still like skateboarding because it lets me continue to challenge myself and break past my limits.

Xia Yan: After completing a challenge, the joy of achievement is what has me most fascinated.

I had never ridden a skateboard, and I hadn’t personally experienced the emotions Xia Yan had towards skateboarding. But seeing him look like he liked it this much, my emotions felt somewhat complicated…

MC: Xia Yan, when we were little, mom and dad didn’t let you skateboard, and I didn’t support you for it…

MC: Do you blame us?

Hearing me speak, Xia Yan was somewhat surprised.

Xia Yan: Blame you? What for?

MC: Because we didn’t understand you…

Xia Yan: I don’t – I wouldn’t blame uncle and auntie, and I definitely wouldn’t blame you.

Xia Yan: Uncle and auntie wanted me to grow healthily, and you didn’t want a repeat of the past – it was all for my own good.

Xia Yan: Everyone has their own selfishness, especially towards those who are the most important to them.

Xia Yan’s voice got lower and lower, and I seemed to hear a faint whisper.

Xia Yan: I’m like that too…

Before I could ask him about it, Xia Yan’s hands stopped moving as he smiled.

Xia Yan: Alright, it’s done. Now only the wheels and bearings are left.

Xia Yan: Boss, do you have the next riddle clue?

Seeing us about to leave, the boss took out a sheet of paper and handed it to us.

Xia Yan: Let me see… A car carries seven people, and twenty-eight people return home…

Sure enough, yet another riddle.

Xia Yan: Should be a word riddle… a car with seven people on it…

MC: Ah, I get it! The answer is “wheel”.

Xia Yan: Makes sense, so the twenty-eight people refer to the four wheels?

Note: The Chinese character for wheel is 轮, which is visually made of three different characters, 车 (car), 人 (person), and 七 (seven). If there are 7 people per wheel, and 28 people total, this means there are 4 wheels.

MC: Then “return home” should refer to where the tires are…

Xia Yan: “Return home”… or we can take it to mean “the place of the very beginning”?

MC: Does it refer to that studio where we started filming the show?

Xia Yan: Possibly, but it might also be the first place where we found the clue.

MC: That skateboard shop?

Xia Yan: Yeah, it said in the mission card that the locations to finish the missions are on this commerce street, but the studio is some distance away from here.

MC: So the location should be the first store we entered after arriving on the commerce street, or the place where we found the first clue.

MC: Although the program team wouldn’t know where we’d go first, so it’s more likely to be the skateboard shop.

Xia Yan: Yep, that’s right.

MC: Then let’s go check out the skateboard shop again.

--

Skateboard Shop

We changed direction and headed back to that skateboard shop. Seeing that we had returned, the store staff was a little curious.

Shop Staff: Why did you come back? Did you leave something behind?

Xia Yan: Yeah, we left “something” behind.

Xia Yan displayed the clue in his hand, pointing to the words on it.

Xia Yan: A car carries seven people, and twenty-eight people return home. The answer to this riddle is this store, right?

Shop Staff: Correct, the answer is indeed this place.

Seeing that Xia Yan and I had already found the answer, the shop staff no longer concealed anything, taking out four wheels from the shelves.

Shop Staff: Here, take it.

MC: Awesome, Xia Yan, now all that’s left is…

MC: Ah…

Suddenly, a massive force pulled me backwards.

Xia Yan: Careful!

MC: Xia Yan?

Xia Yan’s brows drew closely together, switching positions with me in what was nearly an instant, blocking me from the front. Only then did I realize that someone was running straight towards us. He was wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, and a single glance could tell you that he came with ill intent.

Xia Yan: Who are you?

If Xia Yan hadn’t pulled me back just now, that guy would have made it in front of me by now. When I remembered the message Xia Yan sent me earlier, my heart jumped up to my throat.

MC: (Is it someone who came to get revenge on Xia Yan?)

MC: (Xia Yan thought someone was watching us before. Could it be him? Was he following us the whole time?)

???: Ow!

Before I could react, Xia Yan swept a leg out, knocking the guy down to the ground.

???: Heeey! W-wait! You can’t just hit me!

???: This is different from what was promised!

Xia Yan: ???

Seeing that Xia Yan had stopped, the man propped himself up into a sitting position, then speedily shifted backwards. After he had escaped beyond five metres, he cleared his throat again, rambling some “fierce words”.

???: If you… got the skill, then… have a showdown with me!

Xia Yan: …

MC: …

Hearing this, Xia Yan and I had completely frozen where we were. The man sitting on the ground had also gotten up, taking advantage of this to snatch the wheels in Xia Yan’s hands.

???: I… I’m taking the wheels. If… if you want to take them back, then find me at the park!

???: Remember, it’s the park behind the commerce street!

After speaking, he sprinted out of the shop door, holding the wheels.

   Part 4

If you asked me what the most awkward experience of my entire life was, I bet it would be this moment. It was obvious that the guy who’d just come was an NPC arranged by the program team, yet Xia Yan and I took him to be a dangerous hoodlum and knocked him down.

Xia Yan: So it was someone arranged by the program team…

Xia Yan: And I was just making a big deal out of nothing.

Shop Staff: Sir, isn’t your desire to protect a little too strong?

Seeing that the shop staff, who didn’t know about the whole situation, trying to hold in her laughter, I felt so awkward that my toes could pretty much dig into the ground.

MC: …

Xia Yan: I’m really sorry…

Xia Yan turned around, apologizing to the program team staff. But the director said nothing, holding up a sign in his hand, which had writing on it:

Continue!

Xia Yan: Ahem ahem… then let’s hurry and find him.

MC: Okay, let’s use our ability to get the wheels back.

--

Park

After adjusting our mentalities, Xia Yan and I arrived at the skateboard park behind the commerce street. The man we’d run into at the shop just now was holding a skateboard, waiting for us in the middle of the square. Beside his foot were several skateboards of different styles and some protective gear.

Director: This is the special guest we invited for the show. He’s a professional skateboarder and has won quite a few awards.

Xia Yan: I’m really sorry about just now…

Skateboarder Young Man: No problem, no problem… I’ve fallen a lot while skateboarding, and I’ve long gotten used to it.

After a simple greeting, the man in front of us cleared his throat, reciting the show script given to him.

Skateboarder Young Man: You two have finally arrived.

Skateboarder Young Man: If you want to get the wheels back, then bring on your true skill!

Xia Yan: Then tell us, what do we need to do for you to return the wheels to us?

Skateboarder Young Man: See this racecourse? You two have to ride to the endpoint together.

Skateboarder Young Man: No worries if you go a little slowly, but if you fall off the skateboard midway, you’ll have to start over.

MC: They… want me to skateboard?

Xia Yan: Sure, no problem.

Seeing my shocked expression, Xia Yan circled his arm around my shoulders with a smile, patting me gently.

Xia Yan: No problem, we still have two hours, which is enough for me to teach you now.

I looked at the racecourse before us. It was around two hundred metres in distance, there were obstacles on the straight path, and there were around four or five turns. The worst was a row of barricade poles near the endpoint…

MC: This is…

Skateboarder Young Man: Barricade poles. You must use a Hippy Jump to jump over them.

MC: Hippy Jump?

Xia Yan: It’s a term for a skateboarding move, meaning that you jump up from the skateboard, then fall back onto the skateboard while riding.

MC: ???

MC: I don’t even know how to skateboard, yet they also need me to… jump?

Xia Yan: It’s fine, we can definitely do this. I’ll teach you how to skateboard first.

Xia Yan borrowed two skateboards from the program team and helped me put on various sorts of protective gear.

Xia Yan: Here, put your left foot on the skateboard first, and put your center of gravity on the left foot…

I carefully followed Xia Yan’s directions, planting my foot on the skateboard.

Xia Yan: Then put your right foot on, stand stably and get a feel of it.

MC: Okay.

Seeing that my feet were placed horizontally on the skateboard, Xia Yan gently let go.

Xia Yan: Great, keep the skateboard horizontal. Don’t push down with your heel.

This was my first time standing without support on the skateboard. Though I wasn’t moving, my legs still couldn’t help trembling. The skateboard wasn’t as stable as I’d imagined – the board was prone to movement, and with my wobbliness, it also rolled from left to right.

MC: Aaah!

I didn’t know why, but Xia Yan’s miserable fall during school replayed over and over in my head, making me more and more nervous. All the muscles in my body tightened, and I tried my best to maintain balance.

Xia Yan: Don’t be nervous, relax… relax…

Xia Yan: You don’t have to tighten up this much. I won’t let you fall.

Under Xia Yan’s consolation, I heaved a deep breath, then gradually straightened my body. Sure enough, when my legs stopped trembling, so did the board.

Xia Yan: Now, let’s try moving.

Xia Yan: Put your forward foot where the truck bolt is, slowly kick at the ground, and then follow up with the back foot.

Xia Yan: You have to fix the center of gravity on the left foot. Don’t be afraid.

Xia Yan opened his hands on my sides, as if he could grab onto me, no matter what pose I fell in. With him standing beside me, I felt filled with limitless courage. Following his instructions, I lightly kicked at the ground with my right foot. The skateboard rolled forward crookedly, and I gritted my teeth, quickly moving my back foot onto the board.

MC: Ah…

I spread my hands, trying to maintain balance.

Xia Yan: Straighten your front foot. That’s right, just like that, you got it!

The skateboard rolled forward, slow as a snail – but no matter what, I had successfully overcome my mental obstacles.

For the next hour, I repeatedly practiced skateboarding, as well as learned some simple turns under Xia Yan’s instruction. With half an hour left to go before the mission ended, I decided to end training and officially take on the challenge.

Skateboarder Young Man: Ready to go? Ready, start…

I heaved a deep breath, stepped onto the skateboard, and started to move.

Xia Yan: Awesome, here I go.

Seeing me stabilize myself, Xia Yan caught up from behind. He held onto my hand, spurring me forward at a faster speed.

Xia Yan: How does it feel?

Two skateboards, one in front and one behind, moved forward at breakneck speed. I held tightly onto his hand. A slight summer breeze blew at the hairs around my ears, bringing a sliver of warmth amid the coolness.

MC: Pretty decent.

Xia Yan: Push down lightly with your toes. We’re about to get through the first turn.

MC: Okay.

The turn was right before us, and the flowerbeds on the roadside looked like they were rushing at me.

MC: (Relax, I have to trust Xia Yan… and trust myself!)

As I maintained my balance, my toes pushed down on one side of the board. The board started to turn, but the arc of movement couldn’t keep up with the curvature of the path.

MC: (I have to get past!)

I couldn’t help squinting my eyes and holding my breath. As if the skateboard had heard my prayers, it slowly changed directions, and the shrubbery in front of me also gradually got further.

MC: Xia Yan, I did it!

Xia Yan: I said so already – you can definitely do this.

My heart beat wildly, but I knew that it wasn’t because of fear – instead, it was because of excitement. Right then, I understood why Xia Yan loved skateboarding so much, refusing to give up even if he fell and got hurt. Extreme sports were not only a source of excitement and stimulation, but there was also the sense of accomplishment after conquering yourself.

MC: (We’ve gotten past four turns. Next up, there’s…)

Xia Yan: Do you trust me?

MC: ???

Xia Yan: No, I should say, do you trust in yourself to jump over the barricade poles?

Xia Yan turned around and looked at me, his eyes full of anticipation and encouragement.

Do I trust in myself? As a newbie, it was really hard for me to say. But…

MC: Xia Yan, I trust you.

Seeing my certain expression, the corners of his mouth pulled up slightly.

Xia Yan: When you hear me say “Jump” in a moment, jump upwards.

Xia Yan: Don’t jump forward or backwards, just straight upwards. Then, raise your knees high.

Xia Yan: And leave the rest to me.

As we spoke, the barricade poles got closer and closer to me.

Was jumping up from the skateboard really something I could do? Though they were only 30 centimeters high, I might fall from jumping if I’m not careful…

A thin layer of sweat formed on my hand, and I started to feel a chill at my fingertips.

Xia Yan: Right now, jump!

Xia Yan and I let go of our tightly held hands simultaneously, and I followed Xia Yan’s instructions, lifting my knees as I jumped.

The feeling of flying through the air left me without the feeling of safety, and my heart beat furiously. I shut my eyes tightly in anxiety.

Suddenly, a strong arm clasped around my waist, and an external force pulled me upwards. With a clunk, my feet fell back onto the skateboard.

MC: Ah—

Xia Yan: Don’t be afraid.

Xia Yan: You’ve already done very well. Just leave the rest to me.

Xia Yan’s gentle voice sounded by my ear. He maneuvered my skateboard with one foot, with one hand supporting my backwards-leaning waist.

MC: …

Our poses right now looked very much like embracing dancers.

I lifted my head. Xia Yan’s face was as close as could be, such that I could even feel his breath. The hairs in front of his forehead entangled, and I could smell the fragrance of his shampoo, fresh and clean.

Xia Yan: Look, we did it!

With the sound of the timer’s ring, Xia Yan and I rushed past the yellow finish line.

  Part 5

Skateboarder Young Man: Wow, you two really are impressive.

MC: Ahem ahem…

Xia Yan: …

Hearing the man’s teasing, Xia Yan retracted the arm he’d encircled around me.

Xia Yan: Alright, you can return the wheels to us now.

Skateboarder Young Man: I didn’t say that there’s only one part to this challenge.

The man shrugged, looking at us like he was waiting to watch something interesting.

MC: What? But now… there’s only half an hour until the mission ends.

Set up by the program team again as we were, I couldn’t help feeling somewhat frustrated. Seeing my expression, the skateboarder man shrugged.

Skateboarder Young Man: Plus, two teams have already finished the mission.

Skateboarder Young Man: If you two don’t hurry, you won’t be able to rank.

Skateboarder Young Man: Although, it can’t be helped – sucks that you guys drew skateboarding. That’s the hardest topic, after all.

Xia Yan pinched my hand on the side, giving me a meaningful look.

Xia Yan: Then how many tasks are there after this?

Skateboarder Young Man: There are still ten moves after this. Both of you have to try five types of obstacles.

Skateboarder Young Man: But between the two of you, you only need to successfully do six of them for me to give the tires to you. It shouldn’t be a big deal with this guy’s skills.

Skateboarder Young Man: Though you won’t be able to rank, finishing the mission in time can be considered passing with minimum grades.

That was true – getting the wheels and finishing the mission within limited time wasn’t difficult.

Xia Yan: Minimum grades? Ever since I was little, I have never handed in an answer sheet that only met minimum grade.

Xia Yan: If you’re a prizewinning skateboarder, would you dare to compete with me?

Skateboarder Young Man: Compete? Why wouldn’t I dare? What do you want to compete over?

Xia Yan: With these ten movements, I can finish them faster, jump higher, and do them with better posture than you.

Skateboarder Young Man: Dude, maybe your skateboarding is impressive compared to normal people, but I’m a professional skateboarder.

Xia Yan: If you don’t try, how can you be sure that I’ll lose to you?

With an expression that could pass for a smile or a level expression, Xia Yan looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

Xia Yan: If I win, you’ll give the wheels straight to us without needing her to try.

Xia Yan: If I lose, our challenge will change from ten to twenty, and we’ll have to successfully do them all to get the tires.

Xia Yan: How about it?

The man in front of us also looked eager, but as a program guest, he couldn’t change the rules without authorization. Right then, the director following us on the side spoke.

Director: Sure, then let’s change the rules so you two can compete.

Director: This way, the show will be more interesting!

--

Thus, Xia Yan and the skateboarder started the competition. The racecourse this time was a harder one – not only were there different sorts of obstacles, but there were also half-pipes – heaven for skateboarding enthusiasts. Seeing that the two were going to compete here, the enthusiasts got out of the grounds, excitedly watching from the side.

Whoosh – Xia Yan and the skateboarder sped past me. According to the agreed-upon rules, they had to circle the track twice, during which they had to use ten different moves. The first to arrive at the end would be the winner of this race. The first circle had already finished, and their speeds were about the same, though Xia Yan was leading.

MC: Xia Yan, do your best!

Skateboarding Young Man: Hah, is that all you’ve got?

The man laughed disdainfully, springing up at a turn, jumping onto the railings with his feet planted on the board. His skateboard stayed stably on the railings, sliding down the handrails. He swayed twice, stabilized his body, and continued to speed forward after landing back on the ground.

MC: He’s already finished ten moves, and even used the moves to take a shortcut…

As expected of a competition-winning skateboarder – he could use anything on the path. Meanwhile, Xia Yan still had two moves left to go, and the distance between them was widening.

Skateboarding Young Man: Sorry, the result’s determined – you’re going to lose.

Xia Yan: That’s not for sure.

Xia Yan’s foot pushed off forcefully from the ground as he lowered his centre of gravity, seeming like he was about to make some move.

MC: Up front is…

MC: Xia Yan, careful!

There was a deep pit in the middle of the grounds. Unlike before, when he opted for stable paths, he rushed down the half-pipe. The skateboard sped downwards, then shot up along the upwards slope.

Right then, Xia Yan flew up into the air from inertia.

Xia Yan: Just watch me.

MC: …

This scene looked like a stunning artscroll, unforgettable even from a single glance. Amid the azure skies, Xia Yan looked like an eagle with wings spread, soaring into the sky. His extended arms were like wings that sought freedom, as if he would rush into the sky if given a chance. Right then, everyone and everything around me retreated from the stage. My eyes were fixed solely on him.

MC: (Xia Yan… really is amazing.)

The people all around all gasped in amazement, making the skateboarder young man look towards Xia Yan.

Skateboarder Young Man: What?! How could this be…

After the skateboard flipped several times midair, Xia Yan’s foot fell back onto the skateboard. He rushed from the other side of the pit back onto the racecourse, leaving his opponent behind.

Xia Yan: This time, it’s my turn to take a shortcut.

His soft hair fluttered in the summer breeze, a sliver of unruliness on his face, his eyes dazzling.

Xia Yan: As long as one hasn’t arrived at the end yet, there is no such thing as a so-called foregone conclusion in life.

Xia Yan winked at me, leaping down from the ladder on the side of the racecourse.

With a clunk, he dropped stably onto the ground, rushing towards the end.

Xia Yan: Sorry, I win this time.

With ten high-difficulty moves complete, Xia Yan arrived at the end first.

And so, this competition drew to an end.

--

MC: Awesome, we won!

When I saw the race end, I happily ran towards Xia Yan.

Director: Quick, follow with the camera!

Director: Did you catch that shot of him flying up from the slope? That part was absolutely magnificent!

The intense competition seemed to have left Xia Yan somewhat exhausted. He wiped his sweat, wanting to find a place to sit and rest. I got a bottle of water from a staff member, planning to hand it to him. Right then, the cameraman and several staff members walked over, getting near him.

Suddenly, a dazzling light passed before me.

MC: Huh? What’s that?

I took a careful look. One of the field staff was the source of the dazzling light, which came from the opening of his sleeve.

When I saw the thing in his sleeve, cold sweat formed on my back.  

That was a knife!

MC: Xia Yan, watch out!

  Part 6          

When I made out the thing in that person’s hand, my heart leapt up.

MC: Xia Yan, watch out!

When that person heard me, he looked back at me, then straight-up took the small knife out of his sleeve and rushed at Xia Yan.

MC: Crap!

MC: (What do I do?)

Driven by urgency, I snatched the skateboard beside me, throwing it towards the person.

Clonk—

Field Staff: Ah!!!

Caught off-guard by the wooden skateboard striking him, the man staggered. With his sneak attack stopped by me, the man in front of me rushed at me furiously.

Xia Yan: So it was you.

With a cold, short laugh, Xia Yan rushed forward, kicking the knife out of his hand. Before the man could react, Xia Yan caught his hand, restraining him onto the ground.

Field Staff: Let me go! Why did you damn detective have to stick your nose where it doesn’t belong!

Xia Yan: Hah, paying for murder with a lifetime. I merely made your father’s crimes known to the masses.

Xia Yan: Good thing you did not hurt her – otherwise, you would regret it.

Xia Yan looked frigidly at the person on the ground, then paid no more attention to him.

Xia Yan: Call the police.

The program team staff had been shocked frozen by the scene before them, only regaining their senses when Xia Yan reminded them.

Director: Yes, call the police, quick!

The sudden interlude cut the show recording short, and the director apologized to us. Not long after, the police arrived. Xia Yan and I also went to the police station.

 --

Police Station

Yan Wei: He confessed. It was indeed him that sent you the threatening messages and emails.

Yan Wei: He thought that it was all because of you that his father ended up in jail.

After Xia Yan and I finished with record-making, we happened to run into Yan Wei, who had just finished interrogation. He looked at Xia Yan, smiling helplessly.

Yan Wei: He suddenly went from an extravagant life as a young master to the son of a criminal. He couldn’t bear it and wanted to get revenge on you.

Xia Yan: I never would’ve thought that he’d be able to get into the program team.

Yan Wei: He hasn’t said how he got in – probably bribed the crew staff.

Yan Wei: Don’t worry, I’ll deal with this thoroughly. I won’t let him threaten your safety.

MC: Thank you for the trouble, Sergeant Yan.

Yan Wei: No need to be polite – it’s part of my work.

--

Park

After we left the police station, the program team director called us, saying that they’d tape the remaining portion another day. During the call, the director repeatedly apologized to us, saying that they would definitely do a strict audit of the identities of the production team members. He also promised that similar things would not happen again.

Xia Yan: I never would’ve thought that he really would blame everything on me.

MC: Ugh… since we were in the middle of filming earlier, I didn’t have time to ask you.

MC: If I didn’t notice that something was off about you, were you not planning to tell me about the situation?

Xia Yan: It’s so rare for us to get out and have fun, and I didn’t want to sweep away your excitement.

Xia Yan: Not to mention that things happened so suddenly, and I wasn’t sure if it was a prank or if someone really was targeting me.

Xia Yan: So I didn’t tell you from the start.

I knew that, when faced with difficulty or danger, Xia Yan’s initial reaction was always to bear it himself. It had always been like this, ever since we were young.

--

[Flashback]

Near the School Grounds

MC: Xia Yan, so you were here.

Xia Yan: Ah… I…

Xia Yan’s foot had just stepped onto the skateboard when he saw me come over, and he hurried to retract it.

MC: When did you buy a skateboard?

Xia Yan: I didn’t, I borrowed it from our classmates… don’t tell uncle and auntie.

MC: The older boy from the neighbors just fell and broke his bone a few days ago, yet you’re still willing to play?

Xia Yan: That’s why I don’t want you to tell uncle and auntie!

MC: Then why did you hide it from me too?

Xia Yan: I didn’t do it on purpose – I wanted to show you after I learned to do it.

Xia Yan: You were the one to say that the older boy looked cool when he was skateboarding, after all…

MC: Really? I don’t even remember that…

Xia Yan: You… ugh…

Xia Yan: Either way, I borrowed a skateboard afterwards, wanting to learn, but you guys said that skateboarding was unsafe, and I was afraid you’d worry if I mentioned it.

Xia Yan: Rather than making you worry all day, I might as well… just not tell you.

MC: …

School Dean: Young man in front, get over here!

Xia Yan: Crap!

MC: I’ll cover for you, run!

[Flashback end]

--

Maybe it was because he worried for others too much, but Xia Yan always tended to hide lots of things inside.

MC: Xia Yan, did you know – when you hide things from me, I get even more worried.

MC: When we were young and you fell while skateboarding and injured yourself, your foot had clearly swollen. Yet you bore it all yourself, saying that it was all fine.

MC: Until mom and dad finally noticed two days later and rushed to take you to the hospital.

Xia Yan: I know… back then, I thought if I just endured it, it would be fine. I didn’t think it would be that serious.

Xia Yan: I originally didn’t want to make you, uncle, and auntie worried, but I ended up causing trouble for everyone instead.

MC: After that, I always worried about if you were hiding anything else from me, bearing it all alone.

Just like today. Even though with Xia Yan’s skill, he still might not have been injured even if I didn’t notice…

But, what if?

During then, Xia Yan had just finished off an intense competition and was exhausted. What if someone was able to take advantage of this to hurt him?

When I thought this, I couldn’t help shivering, balling my hand into a fist.

MC: Fortunately, this time, you didn’t hide it from me the whole time.

MC: If I clearly could have helped you, yet I have to watch you get injured with my eyes wide open, then I will never be able to forgive myself.

I stepped forward, gently clasping onto Xia Yan’s hands. His warm hands were full of calluses, proof of what he had experienced during those eight years. In the past, I always felt that this pair of hands brought a feeling of infinite peace of mind, but now, I also felt a sliver of heartache and worry.

Xia Yan: I know.

Xia Yan held my hands back, his eyes filled with helplessness.

Xia Yan: That’s also why I told you everything in the end.

He gently twisted up my stray hairs, tucking them behind my ears.

Xia Yan: Though I hope that all I bring you is happiness and joy, rather than unease and worry.

Xia Yan: But I know that people can’t stay away from all trouble, especially in NXX, where the road ahead will be difficult to traverse.

Xia Yan: So, I’ve decided. If the road ahead is fated to be covered in thorns, then I will grow with you by your side, no matter what comes at us, traversing this bumpy road fearlessly.

MC: Xia Yan…

Xia Yan: Was what I said a little foolish…

MC: You didn’t. I’m really happy that you’re finally willing to face trouble with me.

Xia Yan: Mhmm. In the future, if I encounter any unsolvable issues, I’ll tell you, and we’ll figure it out together.

MC: Okay, it’s a promise.

Xia Yan let out a long sigh, no longer discussing those slightly depressing topics.

Xia Yan: Today’s challenge was pretty fun. My only regret was how they had to stop filming midway, so we couldn’t rank or get prizes.

MC: It’s fine – plus, I feel like the challenge wasn’t a failure.

MC: It’s precisely because of this ending that I feel like this was a worthwhile trip.

The summer night wind blew over the lake surface, the cool air dominating my senses.

I silently made a wish in my heart – I hoped that one day, I could become strong enough. I hoped that I could also protect Xia Yan, this eagle flying high with his wings spread, and his smile that was as warm as sunshine.

  Videocall

Good morning, got any plans today?

Why am I wearing this outfit? Because you said I looked good in it, so I bought it.

I also bought the outfit that you wore during filming.

Speaking of which, after the episode was broadcast, my colleagues laughed at me for a good while, saying that I looked hilarious when I was eating the chili peppers.

They even made me into a meme sticker and sent it into the Ministry group chat… even the teacher who taught me before started using it.

Revealing my identity? No need to worry about that, I reported it to the upper ranks before we went. And it’s exactly because of this that they watched the episode…

For the past few days, I checked out the comments… a lot of people were saying that we looked like a couple, dunno if you saw that…

Your colleagues and friends also said so? Then… do you feel troubled by it…

No? That’s good then. I actually feel like those shots were really well taken, and I rewatched it several times.

It really is great that we can use this sort of method to save good memories.

Right, the weather today’s pretty good, so do you wanna go out and skateboard? I can teach you to do some other things.

No protective gear? You don’t have to worry – I’ve got it all, gear and skateboards.

It might be a bit uncomfortable to wear the gear. If you haven’t gotten used to it, you don’t have to wear it. Either way, I’ll protect you.

With me here, I won’t let you fall, so just relax and leave yourself to me!

Then I’ll head for your house now, and I’ll also bring the clothes. See you soon.

[religioused]

Queen Esther and the Orange Shirt

Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22 (Contemporary English Version)

The king and Haman were dining with Esther 2 and drinking wine during the second dinner, when the king again said, “Esther, what can I do for you? Just ask, and I will give you as much as half of my kingdom!”

3 Esther answered, “Your Majesty, if you really care for me and are willing to help, you can save me and my people. That’s what I really want, 4 because a reward has been promised to anyone who kills my people. Your Majesty, if we were merely going to be sold as slaves, I would not have bothered you.”

5 “Who would dare to do such a thing?” the king asked.

6 Esther replied, “That evil Haman is the one out to get us!”

Haman was terrified, as he looked at the king and the queen.

9 Then Harbona, one of the king’s personal servants, said, “Your Majesty, Haman built a tower seventy-five feet high beside his house, so he could hang Mordecai on it. And Mordecai is the very one who spoke up and saved your life.”

“Hang Haman from his own tower!” the king commanded. 10 Right away, Haman was hanged on the tower he had built to hang Mordecai, and the king calmed down.

20 Mordecai wrote down everything that had happened. Then he sent letters to the Jews everywhere in the provinces 21 and told them:

Each year you must celebrate on both the fourteenth and the fifteenth of Adar, 22 the days when we Jews defeated our enemies. Remember this month as a time when our sorrow was turned to joy, and celebration took the place of crying. Celebrate by having parties and by giving to the poor and by sharing gifts of food with each other.

The book of Esther does not mention God, prayer, or covenant,(1) and there is not even much theology in Esther.(2) The lack of religious behavior might have reduced the book’s popularity.(3) J.G. McConville, who wrote The Daily Study Bible commentary on Esther, notes that just because God is not mentioned that does not mean that Esther does not teach about God.(4)

There are times when the Bible is political. Esther is political, making the power people in the Persian Empire look bad. Subplots in Esther mock the Persian court and king.(5) The thinly disguised insults were probably enjoyed a lot by the ancient Israelites who listened to the story of Queen Esther.

McConville says Esther “is by any standards a brilliantly written story.”(6) Commentator William Neil gives us the sense that Esther might not be historical but contains enough history to feel realistic. There is enough drama and nationalism in Esther to appeal to the children of Israel.(7) Contributors to the New American Bible state one purpose of the book of Esther is the “glorification of Jewish people.”(8) One theologian considers the book of Esther to be a short novel, a novella, about Jewish people living away from their homeland.(9) While I am very uncomfortable with high levels of nationalism, members of oppressed minority groups need high levels of self-worth to thrive in the face of oppression.

The Bible is a book for the oppressed, for all the oppressed. As we remember Orange Shirt Day, I am going to say that again. The Bible is a book for all oppressed people. I am not going to tell Indigenous people what the story of Esther means to them. I will share some of what the narrative means to me.

The Israelites, who were carried off into slavery in other nations, faced oppression. The passage in the book of Esther is about an extreme act of oppression, the attempt to kill all Jewish people. We study this story on a day when we remember the oppression of Indigenous children who attended boarding schools. The Canadian Encyclopedia says an estimated 6 thousand children died at residential schools.(10)

The school day for Indigenous children started at 5:30 am when the children were expected to get up. Students were malnourished and vulnerable to tuberculosis and influenza. The teachers were generally poorly qualified, and students did not develop the skills needed to be successful when they returned to their communities or went into the larger workforce.(11) Students and parents protested the schools. A few students stole food, ran away, or set fires. Parents and political leaders protested the “harsh conditions.”(12) The students, parents, and political leaders who acted out and who protested strike me as the heroes of the Indigenous residential school era.

The impact of policies that oppressed Indigenous students in Canada continue to this day. While a few Canadians of European heritage see residential schools as an old problem and might not want to talk about it, many Indigenous people daily see the impact in the current lives of their extended families. One way that non-Indigenous people can recognize the inherent, God-given dignity of Indigenous people is to listen, with a sensitive heart, to the stories. I see that as a spiritual call, not as a political statement.

Jewish people around the world remember the story of Queen Esther, her courageous coming out, and the salvation of Jewish people. The holiday is Purim, a word that means lots.(13) The name of the Jewish holiday means lots because Haman cast lots to decide the day Jewish people should be executed. If we were naming the holiday now, we might call it lottery.

Wong Wai Ching Angela is a theologian. She was teaching at The Christian University of Hong Kong when she wrote a short commentary on the book of Esther. Angela makes the point that people in Hong Kong live between two competing sets of values, western values, and Chinese values. Those living in Hong Kong are like the Jewish people living in Persia – living with a tension between being under a colonial power and being Chinese.(14)

Indigenous people live with the tension of living as Canadians and having an Indigenous identity. While Canada is not a traditional imperial, colonial power, some of Canada’s institutions and approaches to First Nations people were developed when Canada was a colony. A few of the policies implemented regarding Indigenous people reflect Canada’s colonial history. Some members of minority groups living in Canada can relate to Esther and to the injustice Esther’s people faced.

The timing of Purim, a day when Jewish people celebrate the story of Esther, remains meaningful. Joseph Stalin was a “ruthless” dictator, who was responsible for the deaths of “millions of innocent people.”(15) He was believed to have had “bloody plans” to solve what he saw as a ‘Jewish problem’ in the Soviet Union.(16) In 1953, when the situation was seen to be a crisis, Joseph Stalin died. He died on Purim.(17)

Some of you might remember the 1990s Gulf War that took place after Iraq invaded Kuwait. For months, Sadam Hussein, Iraq's president, threatened to use SCUD missiles containing “deadly chemical gas" to ‘burn half of Israel.’(18) I suspect many Israelis braced themselves for the worst. As I recall, Israel did not suffer an enormous loss of life. According to a Wikipedia article, three Israelis were killed by missiles, and 71 additional Israelis died as an indirect result of the missiles.(19) The conflict ended on Purim.(20)

The book of Ester is a story of fear, threats, courage, coming out, salvation, and celebration. After a competition, Esther, a beautiful Jewish woman, becomes the new queen of Persia. Esther’s Jewish identity was not well known.

Jewish people fell out of favor with powerful people in Persia. Haman was an important official in Persia, so important that people were supposed to bow to him. Mordecai, a well-known Jewish man, refused to kneel or bow to Haman. Mordecai explained that he did not kneel because he was Jewish. When Haman learned this, he wanted all Jewish people killed.

Mordecai learned of the plan to kill all Jewish people. He put on sackcloth and mourned. Queen Esther, who was a closeted Jewish woman, is notified of the plot. She is asked to appeal to the king to save her people, and she does that. Her first step is to go to the king and to invite the king and Haman to dinner. At the dinner, she invites the king and Haman to a second dinner. This is where we pick up the story in today’s lectionary reading. And you might be able to understand the sense of the poetic justice or the karma of the narrative. Haman had gallows built to kill Mordecai. Haman is hanged on the gallows that he built for Mordecai.

The poetic justice surpasses a modern case of poetic justice. Robert Watson-Watt is generally considered to be the ‘father of radar.’ In the 1930s, he worked with a team that invented radar, a technology that helped detect the presence of aircraft “at any time of the day and in any weather conditions.”(21) When in Canada, Robert was reported to have been caught speeding by a constable with a radar gun. Robert told the constable, “Had I known what you were going to do with it, I would never have invented it.”(22) And if you ever received a speeding ticket, you might be secretly enjoying the irony that the one who helped invent radar got a speeding ticket because of radar.

While a quick read of Esther may give us the sense that there is nothing particularly spiritual or religious about the book, Esther speaks volumes about God’s love and priorities. The fact that the book of Esther builds up the morale and self-esteem of oppressed people says a lot about God. It tells us that God is present and active whenever oppressed people are being encouraged and built up. As people of faith, it is a holy and sacred duty to encourage and build up people, especially people who face systemic oppression. That is not a political statement; it is a spiritual statement, and it is a statement about our God.

The story of Esther takes place after a disaster. Because they were displaced and enslaved by war, there were children of Israel living in Persia. Orange Shirt Day is a reality only because of a disaster of a policy of having boarding schools to teach Indigenous children. We are in the disaster known as the COVID pandemic. During times of personal pain that may blot out the word God and prayer in the narratives of our hearts and lives, Purim speaks to us.

I am going to conclude with a quote from Rabbi Manis Friedman, as he reflects on the meaning of Purim. “God became real enough that we don’t have to refer to Him to know that He is there . . . That is a real achievement. God has become real to us. Our relationship has gotten stronger after the destruction, not weaker.”(23)

Notes

1 Wong Wai Ching Angela. “Esther.” Global Bible Commentary. (Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 2004), 139, mentions lack of references to God, covenant, and prayer. McConville mentions a lack of references to God. J.G. McConville. The Daily Study Bible: Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. (Edinburgh: St. Andrew Press, 1985), 153.

2 McConville (1985), 153.

3 Angela (2004), 139.

4 McConville (1985), 153.

5 Angela (2004), 137.

6 McConville (1985), 154.

7 William Neil. William Neil's One Volume Bible Commentary. (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1973), 219.

8 New American Bible. St. Joseph Edition. (New York: Catholic Book Pub., 1992), 500.

9 Angela (2004), 135.

10 “Residential Schools in Canada.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. n.d., 22 September 2021. <https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/residential-schools>.

11 “Residential Schools in Canada.” (2021) <https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/residential-schools>.

12 “Residential Schools in Canada.” (2021) <https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/residential-schools>.

13 “What is Purim?” Tori Avey. n.d., 09 September 2021. <https://toriavey.com/what-is-purim/>.

14 Angela (2004), 135.

15 “Purim: What is Purim?” Chabad.org. n.d., 05 September 2021.

<https://www.chabad.org/holidays/purim/article_cdo/aid/645309/jewish/What-Is-Purim.htm>.

16 “Purim: What is Purim?” (2021)

<https://www.chabad.org/holidays/purim/article_cdo/aid/645309/jewish/What-Is-Purim.htm>.

17 “Purim: What is Purim?” (2021)

<https://www.chabad.org/holidays/purim/article_cdo/aid/645309/jewish/What-Is-Purim.htm>.

18 Tzvi Jacobs. “Purim Saddam.” Chabad.org. n.d., 19 September 2021.

<https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/39446/jewish/Purim-Saddam.htm>.

19 “1991 Iraqi Rocket Attacks on Israel.” Wikipedia. July 2021, 19 September 2021. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_Iraqi_rocket_attacks_on_Israel>.

20 “Purim: What is Purim?” (2021)

<https://www.chabad.org/holidays/purim/article_cdo/aid/645309/jewish/What-Is-Purim.htm>.

21 “Watson-Watt, Sir Robert.” English Heritage. n.d., 18 September 2021. <https://www.english-history.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/robert-watson-watt/>.

22 “Watson-Watt, Sir Robert.” (2021) <https://www.english-history.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/robert-watson-watt/>.

23 Manis Friedman. “The Meaning of Purim in 2 Minutes.” Rabbi Manis Friedman. 08 March 2020, 25 September 2021. <https://youtu.be/kiMCYYEznfE>.

[dragonrajafanfiction]

言灵 Yanling

The songs of dragons, deep growling voices like rushing waters, echoed in Tigre's mind as he opened his eyes. They were as clear as a song stuck on his head ,speaking ancient commands that stirred him awake. 

He was still on the couch where he had closed his eyes. The lights were out and there was no sound outside the hum of the HVAC and the clicking of a clock on the wall. The smell of booze lingered in the air. The girls weren't around but he was covered on a blanket. As he sat up, he flinched against the pain in his head.

The bottles were put away, the garbage can was empty, the furniture was returned to its place.   Tigre felt a twinge of guilt that he hadn't been conscious to help clean up after the party. He quietly removed the blanket and got up to see if there was anything he could do.

Shining bits of plastic ribbon were still on the floor. Tigre opened a few closets before finding the broom and started to sweep up what he could find. Fatigue made him pause a bit and sniffle but he urged himself to go ahead and keep working as the least he could do.

He started to murmur the dragon words to himself. He still remembered them from his 3E exam. A smile came to his face as he recited and recalled the vision. The dragon's majestic presence filled his chest with happiness.

He kept his voice low but it was hard. The words excited him and conjured up those images in his head of vast armadas bristling with weaponry. He couldn't wait to join them. Soon he would be there, his metal armor gleaming, his weapon in his hand.

"What are you doing?"

Tigre stood up straight. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up."

Celeste was standing in the hall that led to the bedrooms, shrouded in shadow. She was in her pajamas but she stood still in the hall.

"I was just cleaning.  I'm sorry I passed out. I didn't know how much I drank."

"You were reciting Yanling just now.  Why?" 

Tigre felt his heart beat race. She was glaring at him as though she was angry, like she might hit him. "It's beautiful.  It's… the song of the ancestors, the dragons… it makes me happy." He said softly.

"Are you serious?" She hissed sharply. "How can you be so ignorant? Dragon words are weapons! They're the strongest weapons in the world! Never ever do that again! Do you understand me?"

Celeste was shaking as she stepped forward. "I asked you a question! Do you understand?"

Tigre stared at her in shock. "Nothing happened." Why was he being scolded? 

"That's because Yanling has no effect on the campus. There's a Yanling that suppresses it here that someone is continually casting. And he knows you're wandering about growling Yanling like a monster!"

"Monster?" She was only a couple of feet from him. "Am I inconveniencing someone?" 

Celeste gasped at the severity of this understatement.  "Inconvenience? You have no idea what those words do! They kill! That's what they do! How can you not know this?"

"I lived in a cage my whole life! I never heard of Yanling before!" Tigre whimpered. 

"It's not beautiful.  It's deadly.  You know what my Yanling is? It's Scourge. It causes living tissue to calcify! It turns a beating heart to bone! And when I use it I feel like a monster!" She blinked against the pain in her eyes, realizing she'd said too much. "There's nothing beautiful about it. My ability is incredibly painful. The worst way to die. If you had chanted like that outside the campus, you could have killed someone!"

Tigre cast his eyes downward, full of shame. "I didn't know."

"Put the broom away, I'll vacuum tomorrow.  I didn't do it now because the vacuum makes too much noise." She took the broom from him.

"I can't do anything right." Tigre sighed. He hurried to his room and shut the door. He lay down, feeling miserable.

A few minutes later, Celeste knocked and opened the door just a crack. "I'm sorry I snapped. You just scared me."

"It's fine. You were right." Tigre was lying on his side, facing away from the door. "I'm sorry I messed up your party and left you to clean up."

"Lionheart cleaned up. Not just me. And I put you at the door so you would meet people and you did. I didn't post you as a guard. I'm not mad. I was just scared. Where I'm from .. they tell the children that dragons don't live in caves. They walk among humans. They're shape shifters. When I saw you walking around growling dragon words… It really scared me. Like the legends were true."

She leaned against the doorway. "In our culture, dragons always looked human."

"I'm sorry." He said.

"You're OK. Thanks for trying to clean. Can I come in?”

Tigre turned over and sat up. “Sure.” 

She walked in and sat on the bed. “Let me explain calmly so you understand. Yhe word Yanling combines the Chinese characters for Speech and Spirit. It is a living language, the linguistic ability of dragons. When you use these words, you impose a rule on an area. This rule causes a specific effect and the area of effect is called a realm.”

Celeste draws a circle with her finger. “My Yanling affects all living things within a 3 meter radius of the caster that have bones in their bodies. The ‘rule’ is to turn the non-bony structure into bone. This word creates the minerals calcium and magnesium, so it is classified as the Speech of the King of Earth and Mountain.”

“Generally speaking, when a Hybrid has enough of the right genes, he will resonate intensely with Yanling and will eventually master it. Dragons are born with the talent to use one kind of Elemental Yanling. Hybrids can only use one Yanling at a time… generally speaking,”

“I know more than one!” Tigre said. 

“You’re imitating what you heard on the 3E, that doesn't mean you can use it. You can only use what you are born with.” She corrected him. “There are 118 different kinds of recorded Yanling, but we are discovering more every year.”

“How do I know which Yanling is mine?” He asked.

“It's the one that works. To find out your ability… that may be dangerous. The only way is to use it.” She told him.

“But I can’t use my ability on campus…” 

“Don’t worry. I’m sure the teachers will help you.” Celeste yawned. “I’m going back to bed. Get some sleep. You have a packed schedule tomorrow.”

Tigre could not sleep. The question of what his ability was plagued him, and the memory of the dragon words of his vision, the Yanling, echoed in his head until he felt he was getting a headache.

He got out of bed and sneaked out, finding a quiet and isolated place. He stared into the sky and quietly chanted the words, over and over again.