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Threads Of Destiny(Eastern Fantasy, Sequel to Forge of Destiny)

Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
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I feel like it's better to understand our enemies more. We are more of a scout type and thus the response of province matters less than what we know about our enemies. We can get better info and make better decisions on missions the more we know about our enemies.
 
[] What was known about the enemies that had attacked them

I'd like to know more about our enemies, the mystery of the Gnawing Ones, the different clans of Cloud Tribe, and of course most importantly about our very own rival bardbarian-kun (the last part is of course most likely not gonna be mentioned THAT specifically)
 
yrsillar said:
Ling Qi was quiet, sipping her tea as she watched her friends converse. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched her mother. She saw Ling Qingge's careful, practiced poise, and the stewing concern under the facade as she answered a question of Xiao Fen's in a polite and demure voice. Though this had been an unexpected and sudden visit, her mother had been preparing herself very rigorously, had she not?

She thought back to their conversation in the hearth room, and the frustration and bitterness that had briefly surfaced there. Was she really going to suggest that her mother abandon her again? Whatever she thought she would be arguing, that would be what she was asking.

No.

Ling Qi felt herself relax, a snarl in her qi flow that she had not even noticed forming smoothing out. Even if it meant they might be in danger, she couldn't force her decisions on her family. Later, they would talk, mother and her and determine what precautions that the household would take, but they would do so together. Their staff, she would give the chance to leave, as they had not signed up for this, but family was a different matter.
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"One person's desires cannot, alone make a home nor a family."

This family will stay together.

yrsillar said:
"Would either of you be bothered if my little sister came out to play in the garden while we have our tea?"
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Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

yrsillar said:
Ling Qi nodded slowly, then stood up to go speak with her Mother. She was not even going to ask.


***​

Ling Qi was in a good mood by the next morning. After her friends had left, she had spent more time with her Mother and sister and discussed what they were going to do.
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Utter devastation. I wanted so desperately to read that scene.

yrsillar said:
The sight still seemed strange. Each time she had met Bao Qingling, the girl had been stiff, taciturn and irritable, like Su Ling except condescending and arrogant, and yet… there was something more animated about her, as she spoke she gesticulating with her hands. The sharp, jerky movements reminded her of a spider plucking at its web. Meizhen was as sedate as ever, only responding periodically, nodding or smiling faintly in response to words that Ling Qi could not hear.

Meizhen was, Ling Qi noted clinically, walking a bit closer to her side than was strictly appropriate, and the prickly Bao did not seem to find this objectionable. It made her feel odd, and the dark qi in her channels stirred sluggishly. She clamped down on it. It was unfair of her to feel that way, and she had grown past that. She was happy that her friend was making more connections.
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Ooooh, Meizhen is being just a tad forward, and Qingling's caustic demeanor is melting a little bit when they are alone.

yrsillar said:
"You're lucky you're as sturdy as you are," Bao Qingling said, her animated expression fading back into her usual disgruntlement now that they had been interrupted. She folded her arms under her chest, going eerily still. "And that the Sect broke out the good medicines."

Ling Qi glanced over at her, raising an eyebrow, why was she even commenting. "Oh? I'm glad that they did, but…"

"Bao Qingling has been quite busy with medical duties, in the wake of events," Meizhen cut in smoothly. "She was the one who informed me of your status."

"It was a mess," Bao Qingling said sourly. "It might have saved you, but your body reacted to the sun qi about as well as it did to the poison. I had to do a lot of cutting."

Ling Qi couldn't help but pull a face, imagining the pallid girl looming over her with a surgeons knife. Unconsciously, she reached up to rub her bandaged shoulder. "...I'm glad it went well."
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Damn, she was our surgeon, she knows exactly how bad it was.

yrsillar said:
"Are you sure of what you're doing?" Ling Qi asked quietly.

"As sure as I can be without broaching the matter directly with her," Bai Meizhen said. It was strange, despite the swirl of events, her friend seemed… content. "Which is… soon perhaps. War does not leave time for regrets, as they say."
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This warms me right up. Meizhen has truly grown up, totally at peace with herself and just about ready to act on her feelings. This is the ship this thread deserves.

yrsillar said:
"I can't say that I really understand," Ling Qi sighed. She wanted nothing to do with that sort of thing. "But I wish you luck all the same."

"And I cannot fully understand your reticence," Meizhen replied sadly. "However, perhaps life in Emerald Seas has made me soft, but… I find myself looking forward to a little youthful indiscretion. Life is to be lived, after all."
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Lol, you go girl.

yrsillar said:
"Meizhen!" Ling Qi hissed, scandalized. She knew their words were screened, but still.

Bai Meizhen let out a soft laugh, covering her mouth with her sleeve. "My apologies Qi."

"You've changed Meizhen," Ling Qi replied after a moment. She wasn't sure how to feel about that.

"Haven't we all?" her friend replied airily.
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Qi is still quite prudish. Though it may not be her natural inclinations sans her upbringing, sexuality still creeps her out, and her main examples of romantic love is: Qingge being betrayed by Qi's father immediately, Xiulan's unhappy betrothal to Fan Yu, Xiulan kinda torching her friendship with Han Jian because he didn't reciprocate her feelings, Zeqing imprisoning her ex husband into eternal torture. Seeing a functional happy couple might break her.

yrsillar said:
They both made their farewells and Ling Qi turned back to her destination. She knew she had many things to speak of with Cai renxiang, but the first thing on her mind was…

[] What was known about the enemies that had attacked them
[] What the internal response of the province had been like
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Indifferent to this vote.
 
Ahh, Meizhen is best snake. As for changing, both Ling Qi and Meizhen have changed, and I'm excited for Meizhen's and Ling Qi's friendship to strengthen further even with the change. Because a changing friend does not diminish the friendship one has with them. And even though war is horrible, it can forge the strongest of bonds, and with Meizhen staying at the sect to show Bai solidarity with the Cai, we'll have a plethora of opportunities to fight alongside Meizhen. Which will be amazing.
 
ChronOblivion said:
Qi is still quite prudish. Though it may not be her natural inclinations sans her upbringing, sexuality still creeps her out, and her main examples of romantic love is: Qingge being betrayed by Qi's father immediately, Xiulan's unhappy betrothal to Fan Yu, Xiulan kinda torching her friendship with Han Jian because he didn't reciprocate her feelings, Zeqing imprisoning her ex husband into eternal torture. Seeing a functional happy couple might break her.
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Even Xin and Jiao being happy has "Remember when you overwrote my personality with your own contributions and molded me into your wife." which also would creep Qi out.
 
I'm thinking internal politics insights because externally...a lot of it is IC wise going to be first hand scouting reports and speculation. Consider just how much difficulty it'd be to even consider that your enemies might have skilled alchemists rather than using the venom of beasts, as suggested by Meizhen, it'd be impolitic to even suggest they could.
 
By the time Xiao Fen is finally able to start serving Meizhen she'll be wondering if her liege has been replaced by clothing too, she's become so outrageous. Wonder what her elemental spread looks like these days.

Can't tell if that cut off before Biyu showed up was some form of cruel and unusual punishment or omake bait...

Personally, I'm thinking commission bait :D

Edit: guess I should clarify /s just in case
 
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Gnawing One seems to be at a level where it's actively being kept a secret though. Even by Elder Jiao, mr. MoI Head retiree.

I want to know more secret about them
 
yrsillar said:
Ling Qi felt herself relax, a snarl in her qi flow that she had not even noticed forming smoothing out
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This is interesting, could jut be fluff. But also could be a sign of things to come. Duchess Can cannot go against her way, is this an early sign of that effect?

yrsillar said:
The other girl's pointed canine ears flicked in a way that she knew denoted concern
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I really like this detail, shows Su Ling's animalistic side and body language, and shows Qi's familiarity and friendship with her by understanding it.

yrsillar said:
she just had to convince mother to put up with skeletons in the basement
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Ummmm, that sounds hilarious, and I would be terrified of the basement as a child.

yrsillar said:
Is she teethed?" Xiao Fen asked.
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People already said it....but what?

yrsillar said:
and yet… there was something more animated about her, as she spoke she gesticulating with her hands. The sharp, jerky movements reminded her of a spider plucking at its web. Meizhen was as sedate as ever, only responding periodically, nodding or smiling faintly in response to words that Ling Qi could not hear.
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So Meizhen is getting through to her, glad that ship is going well. Really interested in how much spider imagery is present too.

yrsillar said:
It made her feel odd, and the dark qi in her channels stirred sluggishly. She clamped down on it. It was unfair of her to feel that way, and she had grown past that. She was happy that her friend was making more connections.
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Still a greedy girl.

yrsillar said:
but your body reacted to the sun qi about as well as it did to the poison
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Another interesting detail. So there is a repel effect in sun and moon qi. Maybe more connections? We have Renxiang, the Star Child, us, the Moon Wraith, so who is our Sun Champion?

yrsillar said:
"You think someone in the empire is supplying them?" Ling Qi asked with some concern, did they have to watch out for traitors as well.

"No," Bao Qingling replied bluntly.

"An unpopular opinion, to ascribe such sophistication to mere barbarians," Meizhen mused.
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Okay, this is becoming more dangerous by the instant. How much is behind this stack? There are the barbarians, the Fallen Star (radiation?), the ice spirits, the tomb, and the gnawing ones. All with the Red Garden present, and a seemingly weakening empire/weak empress.

yrsillar said:
"As sure as I can be without broaching the matter directly with her," Bai Meizhen said. It was strange, despite the swirl of events, her friend seemed… content. "Which is… soon perhaps. War does not leave time for regrets, as they say."

"I can't say that I really understand," Ling Qi sighed. She wanted nothing to do with that sort of thing. "But I wish you luck all the same."

"And I cannot fully understand your reticence," Meizhen replied sadly. "However, perhaps life in Emerald Seas has made me soft, but… I find myself looking forward to a little youthful indiscretion. Life is to be lived, after all."
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This is lovely. I mean, Qi displaying her way and also that her trauma is nowhere near gone, which is good and bad. But the best part is just how much Meizhen has changed and matured. The earth is really making itself apparent in the best of ways.

yrsillar said:
"You've changed Meizhen," Ling Qi replied after a moment. She wasn't sure how to feel about that.
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You don't have to be scared Qi. You are still her best friend. I think she is just not sure what do to with herself in the arena Meizhen seems to be entering.

[] What the internal response of the province had been like

This is what I'm voting for. We are literally talking to the duchess heir apparent, she is going to have the best knowledge here. We have plenty of other sources for info on our enemies.
 
yrsillar said:
"I was intending to spend it with Zhengui," Ling Qi replied apologetically. "Although… if you do not mind the setting, you're welcome. I'm sure he would appreciate a visit from Cui."

"Then we shall be there," Meizhen agreed. "Now, do not leave Renxiang waiting. She is having a stressful enough day I think."
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I'm really happy that Ling Qi and Meizhen are figuring out time for tea, and letting Zhengui and Cui meet up again. I wonder how Zhen will react to the news?
 
I am guessing that maybe that scene with Biyu could be material for a future Interlude. That, or an incentive for fans writing their own interpretation of what happened, their own derivative fiction about it.

In my case, until I read otherwise, my headcanon of that scene is: Biyu bit Xiao Fen repeated times while Ling Qi's mom had a small anxiety attack and Su Ling just laughed out loud about it the entire time. Then Biyu pulled on fox tail, and it was Xiao Fen's turn to laugh.

As for the vote, I was initially tempted to ask about the enemies, but after reading some posts, I believe I'll go for this too:
[] What the internal response of the province had been like
 
...actually I am truly worried about Qi's reaction. Just Meizhen showing interest in someone else incites her jealousy and greed. What is someone that close to her leaving going to do?
 
Leosky00 said:
...actually I am truly worried about Qi's reaction. Just Meizhen showing interest in someone else incites her jealousy and greed. What is someone that close to her leaving going to do?
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There'll probably be some sadness and sorrow, but anything drastic is going to be mitigated by our advanced insight that our desires, alone, do not create a family. Perhaps Ling Qi will compose a song expressing her friendship with Xiulan and give it to her a recording as a going-away present.
 
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