[Video]

[tortoiseflipper]

[ Only a thin line to his lips might hint at annoyance in this arrogant face as it peers through the device he'd been handed. A moment passes without a word, then he almost rolls his eyes as he finally makes a comment that is likely expected of many who come here. ]

Yandan. Fifteen.

[ That should do it. True, the bracelet has been removed that would force her to either come within that distance, or be flung that far away. But if she can hear him, she must obey.

It's enough. ]

Comments

[dontbestubborn]

{Xuanye leans against the elevator wall and smiles at his son. There can be no doubt he is his father. Not that he thought Ranqing had lied to him. She is much too good for that.}

We were denied any time together. I was Muhan with your mother because Xuanye is her mortal enemy.

[tortoiseflipper]

[ No, there can be no doubt of what they are to each other. All one must do is look at them together. It's dangerous, Yingyuan is well aware of that painful fact.

His father is Asura.

He is, too. Those he's shown his true self to, aside from the one who had raised him, have all been destroyed to keep that secret.

But he still can't act rashly, or be careless. ]

You said it before. People who might cause trouble for us, could still come.

[ But he frowns then, just a little, and meets his father's gaze directly. ]

Use whatever name you wish. It does not matter to me.

[dontbestubborn]

Don't be frightened. {He can't read Yingyuan's mind, but he knows what kind of danger he poses to...anyone. The Asura are feared and hated for their power, but their short lifespans make achieving anything long lasting difficult. That is precisely why Xuanye has learned how to manipulate time.}

If they come, they have to face me. {And he can not only level his enemies, but feed off of their power to make himself stronger.}

Do you like Yingyuan? Ranqing chose it for you.

[tortoiseflipper]

[ He snorts just a little and shakes his head a little, gaze dropping. ]

I do not fear for myself.

[ He never has. It's always other people he worries over, even when he doesn't show it.

But here is his father...protecting him instead. It brings warmth to him and his expression softens rather tellingly.

His mother chose his name. He has to actually swallow past a sudden lump of awareness. ]

I never thought of using another name.

[dontbestubborn]

No, you wouldn't. You're too like her. {Ranqing never feared for herself. She faced her opponents with armor and without, ready to do what she deemed right.

The elevator doors open and he walks out onto their floor.}

Why would you? It's a good name.

{He unlocks the door to Yingyuan's rooms and ushers him inside to look around.}

[tortoiseflipper]

[ He's like his mother...? He's quiet as they leave the elevator and his father leads him to his new rooms.

Even after they've been unlocked and the doors close behind them, he doesn't immediately speak, picking his words carefully. And he does look around, brow furrowed just a little in thought. He doesn't really see the surroundings, they don't matter. ]

I was told my parents were both dead.

[dontbestubborn]

We are. {Xuanye inspects the apartment, making sure nothing nasty is tucked away anywhere. What? He has family. He has Ranqing's baby to look after. This is serious.}

Souls do not disappear nor do they all journey on.

[tortoiseflipper]

[ It's confirmation he neither needed, nor wanted. But it's the truth, which is valuable in itself. Yingyuan has to accept it. So he nods, just a little, then glances at Xuanye again. ]

How do you know about Yandan?

[ Specifically; how important to him she is. ]

[dontbestubborn]

She is with you when our paths cross. {That and being dead, he is aware of what happens to the living to some degree. He is a vengeful demonic spirit, after all.}

[tortoiseflipper]

[ Part of him relaxes to hear he will get to meet his father again. It explains how he was recognized, even more than simply by their faces being so similar.

Still, he hesitates, because it doesn't answer it all. And the truth of it might be damning.

If he didn't already hold himself fairly upright and stiff, he'd straighten now as he makes his choice. ]

And how I feel about her?

[dontbestubborn]

Why would she be with you if you didn't love her? {Circumstances being what they are, life and death and all that, love shines true. Anything less withers and dies.}

Are you trying to hide it?

[tortoiseflipper]

[ A flash of anger lashes at him and he frowns, looking away and he moves around the small rooms. ]

Surely you know what is to happen to those of Heaven who fall in love.

[ Yes he tries to hide his feelings. To keep her safe. But she makes it so very hard. Her spirit makes him smile. Her ridiculousness, her irreverence. Her impropriety.

Her. ]

[dontbestubborn]

I have no idea. Those rules weren't there while I lived. {And what foolish rules! As if love can be stopped. Xuanye throws himself into a chair.}

I can't decide if they are a product of your mother or someone else.

[tortoiseflipper]

[ A horrible longing for that time takes him for a moment. Then he pushes it away and takes a more elegant approach to sitting. ]

Falling in love is forbidden. Those who do are killed. I do not know when it was put in place, only that the idea was to protect the Heavens.

[dontbestubborn]

{The rule was decided upon because of Yingyuan and the circumstances regarding his birth. The Emperor hoped to keep others from experiencing such loss. But Yingyuan has already learned the truth: there is nothing evil about love. True love is forgiving and selfless.}

I can imagine it had to do with Ranqing and I...and you. Losing her must have been a terrible blow.

[tortoiseflipper]

[ Because of him. Because of his parents. He hears it and it feels right, as if he'd already suspected or known it, but hadn't wanted to acknowledge it. Fingers clench briefly at his knees before he calms himself with a breath, lips pursing. ]

The rule has only caused more pain and loss.

[dontbestubborn]

{Considering how important Yingyuan has become to Heaven, it's not shocking. But his son has only tapped into half of his power.}

As it would. Love can't be stopped. Do you think I was planning on it? Ranqing was my enemy - the one keeping me out of Heaven.

[tortoiseflipper]

[ Yingyuan knows he's important to Heaven. Perhaps not how much, but he knows he's important. Maybe it's made him more aloof than he really needs to be, but so many fawn over him for favor that it revolts him.

He doesn't respond to that question beyond a rather bored glance. ]

I do not know what you were planning.

[dontbestubborn]

Asura have short lives, Yingyuan. I wanted power; I wanted control. Both had evaded the Asura consistently.

But then there was Ranqing. I sought to kill her. {Initially.} She thought I was merely a lost soul at first. Thus she named me Muhan. Each time I revealed the truth to her, she perished.

Then she told me she had you. {His eyes brighten and he smirks.} Since her fate was sealed, I died with her that time.

[tortoiseflipper]

[ Some of this, he knew. Even that his father had probably wanted power - so many want that. Power or status, which tend to go hand in hand anyway.

But hearing about his parents' meetings, how many times his mother had died to know the truth...it's hard. But he brushes it aside.

Or, tries to. Perhaps he's lived longer than his father ever did, and he's considered fairly young for an immortal! ]

I think it would not be such a bad thing...to not die alone.

[dontbestubborn]

{It's very possible that Yingyuan is many millennia older than Xuanye.}

Knowing I was the cause of her death... {No, it never made him happy.} I learned.

[tortoiseflipper]

[ He tilts his head just a little, gaze settling back on the other's face as a touch of curiosity settles over him. ]

Do you think I hate you for that? For any of it?

[dontbestubborn]

I don't know. {Hatred is normal for Asura. But Xuanye doesn't like Yingyuan hating him.} Do you?

[tortoiseflipper]

[ He could hate his parents. For him growing up without them. But he'd been raised with care and discipline. The supreme emperor had been kind to him for as long as he could remember. His nature, his identity, could have been kept from him. Wiped away. But he'd been told the truth. Every time, he could have given his life but it had been stopped. He'd been protected.

So finally he shakes his head. ]

No.

[dontbestubborn]

{What a good kid. Xuanye smiles, sharp as ever, until...

The expression softens. Warms. The Asura King has a family and he does care for them.}

Thank you.