jikan_network | Video, UN: Zidian

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the untamed: jiang cheng

Video, UN: Zidian

Good day.

[Cheng seems to be in a decent mood, a half smile playing on his face and his body in a more relaxed pose. He's not slouching, but he doesn't look like he's ramrod stiff, either.]

I need to inquire about certain weapons. Ones that can be customizable.

[His 'room' doesn't look like the one he had been in previously. It looks more modern, a little stark in its decoration save for two items hanging in the window like sun catchers: a jade ring with a silver dragon entwined around it and a soapstone carving of a lotus blossom.]

Preferably, war fans. They would be called tessen here, I believe. Where I'm from, they can come in bamboo or steel boning, and I'd like to purchase a couple of sets of each. Any direction where I can find them and an artist to paint them would be greatly appreciated. Actually, I may know of an artist who can help me, but the fans themselves need to be purchased first.

[There's a slight bow to his head in respect as he cuts the feed and waits.]

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[ Had he been drinking tea at the time, he might have spit it out with shock. His mouth fell open slightly with a laugh, his eyes twinkling with curiosity. ]

It what?

[ He's only been here for a few weeks, so the slang definitely confused him. ]

[ okay, maybe it was amusing to immerse people from around his time in that slang. ]

From what the others around here claim, using 'sucks' in that context means it's terrible and miserable and no one wants to be a part of it.

I never would have made that connection. I thought sucking something was supposed to be fun... [ He couldn't even imagine the possible origins of that. ]

But I have to agree. Winter does... sucks. [ It sounded weird, but he was trying. ]

My blood is cold, so I much prefer the warm. [ The whole 'being a snake' thing. ]

[To his credit, Cheng was remaining stoic and passive. Inside, he couldn't tell if he was cringing or dying from laughter. ]

As reptiles do.

[Another nod before he sits. ]

Are you then a snake who transforms into a man or a man that transforms into a snake?

What you see here... [ He motioned to himself. ] Is not my true form. Nor is what you saw of my brother his true form. I'm much cuter when I'm a little green snake.

[ He insisted with a smile and waited patiently to be served his tea, eager for the warmth it was going to provide to ease away the cold. ]

His form is far greater, a massive dragon that could consume the sky. But it's easier to arrange the heavens based on the forms of men, rather than animals. That way we are all similar in size. And it's easier to blend in with mortals, which is what I prefer to do anyway.

[ He nods, offering Yanyou his cup. ]

You must be comfortable here, then. With the people having Kizuna traits. And I will admit, the last time I saw a person turn into something else when I wasn in Yunmeng, it was not a good thing.

[ He accepts it with a grateful bow of his head and a smile. His fingers wrap around the warm cup and he sighs faintly in relief as he takes a deep sip. It wasn't as though it was freezing in the room or anything, he was just naturally cold. ]

The Kizuna traits are... strange. Not something I'm used to, at all. Now, I'm not sure whether someone is an immortal or not. Then again, it doesn't matter since I don't have to keep what am a secret here.

Usually when people learn who I am they ask for favors, or blessings, or nonsense. I mean, really, I'm not the Emperor! The idea is laughable at best!

[ Then, after another sip. ]

What did they turn into?

[ There's a small smirk from him. It seemed no matter one's status, there would always be something to complain about. ]

When people see someone who is better, they will always ask for alms to lift them up.

People usually turned into monsters of some sort. Not by choice unless they were seeking power.

I'd give alms if I had any, but honestly? They kicked me out of the heavens ages ago.

[ Now it was his turn to shrug, as if that wasn't such a big deal. ]

People turning into monsters for power? That's something I'm, unfortunately, very familiar with.

Why would they do that?

[Cheng was at a loss as to why Heaven would refuse a celestial being. ]

Desperation, mostly. Greed. Willful blindness-- oh, you mean why did they kick me out?

[ He let out a sheepish laugh and rubbed the back of his neck. ]

That's kind of a long story, but it's not very exciting. If you want to hear the tale, I'll tell it.

[ Well, for trying not to roll his eyes, he did so-very slightly. ]

I am well aware of what men do for the sake of power. But, since you are here and I have provided hospitality...

[A small smirk as he gestures Yanyou to continue. ]

There is a full pot of tea.

Well, it's the least I could do for showing up unannounced and drinking your fine tea. [ He lifted his cup to toast Jiang Wanyin's kindness, drained his cup, then set it down for a refill while he thought of where to start his story. ]

When I first entered the Heavens, I was very naïve and oblivious to political machinations. One day I was dining in the palace when the most beautiful creature I had ever seen approached the Emperor's throne. Her name was Suihe, and she was of the bird tribe. She had a purity about her, an innocent face and a humble smile. I felt I had met a kindred spirit, someone as new and as lost as I was. When she sat beside me, I couldn't even overpoured my wine and made a complete idiot of myself to greet her, and all she did was smile and gaze at me as if I'd done nothing wrong.

I fell head over heels for the first, and last time in my life.

[ Pause for dramatic effect, or perhaps to accept his next cup of tea. ]

[The story itself held a familiar ring. Somewhat like his own in Gusu. ]

Sounds familiar.

[ He pours more tea for the other and quietly sips on his own, waiting for Yanyou to continue. ]

[ He nodded gratefully for the tea and drank first before he continued. ]

Little did I know, the Emperor at the time, not Runyu but his father, was making eyes with one of the fairies present. The Empress noticed this and Suihe was eager to curry her favor, so she hatched a plot. She spent time with me, playing games of strategy and made a promise that she would take a walk with me the following day.

As I waited for her, my neck was pierced with something that caused me to fall into a deep sleep. When I awoke, I was in the arms of the fairy who had caught the Emperor's eye, and surrounded by the palace guard with both the Empress and Suihe at the lead. We were brought to her office for punishment, accused of licentious behavior on the palace grounds. I begged them to allow me to explain, that it wasn't what it looked like, but the fairy told me that they wouldn't listen because they were the ones who set us up. When I looked at the faces of the Empress and Suihe I could see it was true.

The Empress banished the fairy to be a mortal, never to enter the heavens again. I was allowed to keep my immortality, but I no longer had any home in the heavens. With one cunning action, Suihe secured herself as a trusted advisor at her Mistress's side, and eventually became the leader of the Bird Tribe and betrothed to the Empress's son.

[ He sighed as he shook his head. ]

Neither of them were happy in the end.

[A sorry of betrayal. But it sounded like there was some measure of justice even if it wasn’t a perfect happy ending.]

I’m sorry that happened. The Empress’ son…Runyu?

[Truly, he wasn’t one to celebrate another’s misfortune, prickly personality or no.]

How do you find living in the mortal world now?

[ He shook his head. ]

The Emperor was well known for his infidelity. Runyu's mother was another woman, one who adopted me when I was abandoned in my youth. We're bothers in that sense, but we weren't raised together. The Empress found an opportunity to steal Runyu away from his mother when he was very young, so he was raised in the palace. It's a very sorted affair...

I've always loved mortals and the world they live in. They can be as complicated as the Heavens sometimes, but I'm able to avoid trouble easier. They know how to live every day as though it were their last, because it could be, and that's the kind of joy I like to embrace.

[It appeared that their stories were not so different from each other. A tale of brothers, both fated for different paths, one severely wronged in the process...]

I believe there are some other immortals here, as well. Few seem well suited for the life of mortals, though.

[He refills the tea as needed, being the polite host]

This place is difficult enough to adjust to when all you're familiar with is taken away. Have you found it just as difficult?

A lot of immortals don't have regular experience with mortals. So many of the people in the heavens are dull... it's so quiet there.

[ He enjoys his tea with a grateful smile, his head shaking slightly again. ]

Not at all! Everybody has been really friendly. And honestly? Nothing was really taken from me. My dearest friend, Jinmi, and Runyu are here with me. It's true, this place is very foreign and I'm not used to the food, or even the buildings, but I'm adaptable. I had to be.

Did you arrive here alone? I can imagine that would make it much worse.

Arrive solo or arrived and found no one here?

[He wanted to make certain he had the question correct. He never heard of people showing up in pairs. ]

When I arrived, I learned that there were several people I knew here. My brother, a few of the other sects, most of them were dead in my time, but I knew them. And then others arrived, happy to see their loved ones. I had just Wuxian here and my heart turned bitter because the people I wanted to see were not here and I would never see them back home.

[ He takes a sip of tea, more for show and anything else. ]

Then some people arrived. It became complicated. I was happy to see them but ...I think I wanted to see them in a time when I was closer to when they passed? I had to grow and become a sect leader and in seeing them here after all of my experiences, the expectation was vastly different than the reality that was pressed upon me.

[ Toxic romances aside, he was still coming to terms that the dead should remain dead, as he originally thought when rumors that Wuxian had returned. He had hoped at one time that he was wrong. ]

[ He nodded at Jiang Wanyin answered his question in the way that he intended it. However, it was also a very complicated answer with a lot of emotional layers to it. It seems this man had gone through quite a bit, and Yanyou wanted to make certain he didn't dig to deeply into it. After all, he didn't want to make his new friend upset. ]

I've encountered something similar. My dearest friend, she seems to be from a time long before mine. She doesn't know all that she's gone through, all that she sacrificed, for the man that she loves and married here.

A part of me is relieved to see her happier, less brutalized by how cruel people can be. Another part of me knows that we've lost so many shared experiences together. Answering questions I'd already answered before coming here... it's a strange feeling, I'm not sure how to describe it. Bittersweet?

You didn't lose those shared experiences. She simply hasn't experienced them yet.

[That was the annoying part of this place. The time skips, slips, or whatever someone wanted to call them. ]

When she is returned, time will carry on normally for her and all the experiences you both have had will happen. Whatever happens here will not have any effect with what happens back home.

[And he still doesn't know if he should be relieved or saddened by that. ]

I do agree. It is bittersweet.

... oh. [ He looked a bit crestfallen at that news, his mouth turned down into a rare frown. His eyes dropped to his tea. ]

Given the chance, I would have let her stay here. Happy, with the color still in her eyes. What a shame... [ He inhaled deeply then looked forward at nothing, shaking his head briefly before speaking in a somber, poetic manner. ]

Try as we might to change the winds of fate, it simply blows through our fingers.

[ He shakes his head and drains his cup, 'tsking' softly under his breath. ]

Such a conversation to have over tea. Next time, I'll bring something stronger.

[ Well. That sucked. Cheng didn't mean to drop the mood like that, either. He was prickly, not heartless. ]

I'm sorry.

[ And while he did have wine here- good wine- it was for another purpose. So he makes a decision and rises from his seat. ]

I know a place we can go. The drink is strong and good.

[ There's some winter gear in his closet and he pulls out a woolen peacoat, looking back to Yanyou. ]

I think this will fit.

[ At the mention of wine, Yanyou's face brightened and he rose to his feet. He accepted the coat and gazed at it curiously. ]

I'm not sure how this will go with my style, but anything to keep the chill away.

[ He could be practical when he wanted to be, and pulled it on. It was clearly made for someone taller than him, but he wrapped it around his torso and chuckled a little at how silly how flowy robes looked at his legs. ]

Thank you. [ As silly as it was, he was grateful. For that, and the promise of strong drink. ]

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