Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Long ago, before celestials, demons, and humans walked the earth. Was the birth of the world and the creation of the realms. Created with the featureless and formless primordial chaos was the universe. And within it, over the course of eighteen thousand years, was a cosmic egg in which yin and yang became balanced, and Pangu, the creation god, was awoken. 

With the aid of the Four Holy Beasts, the Phoenix, the Dragon, the Qilin, and the Turtle, Pangu separated the sky and the earth. Thus, creating the Heavenly Realm, the Mortal Realm, and the Netherworld. And once he died, his body became the rivers, mountains, plants, animals, and life of the earth. 

One such life was the first grandmother of the nation, Huaxu. She was the root of China and the mother of the progenitors of humanity and divination, Nuwa and Fuxi. 

Nuwa was the goddess of humanity, carefully and lovingly creating life itself from yellow clay,  from humans to monkeys. Due to her loneliness from being one of the only two beings in existence. And her marriage to Fuxi symbolized the union between the heavens and the earth, with a compass and a carpenter's square.  

She loved and cared for humanity as her children, protecting and providing for them, gifting them safety from the chaos that sat beyond the walls of the world with the mandates of heaven that she spoke. She was no longer lonely, and she made sure that none in her precious humanity would feel the pain that she endured. 

Then, her husband, Fuxi, passed away. And anyone who dared to harm another, whether human, demon, or celestial, was swiftly warned and punished.

And so, when a great war between deities and those within the heavenly realm caused calamity and devastation to spread, breaking the pillars that supported the celestial realm, causing floods, fires, and famine. Bringing death, chaos, and destruction to her children, whom she so adored. Nuwa protected the animals and mortals of Earth with everything she had.

With the aid of the Four Symbols, the Vermillion Bird of the South, the Azure Dragon of the East, the White Tiger of the West, and the Black Tortoise of the North. The mother goddess mended the holes within the heavens with the five color stones, repaired the pillar, and reforged the world anew in the Great Cycle. 

Even with the sacrifice of her life.

She was forever separated from her children, eternally trapped within the pillar of heaven, lonely once more. But that did not mean the heavenly realm and the deities of the immortal world would not feel her rage.  

The heavens, of which she and her husband unified with the earth, had nearly destroyed humanity due to their infighting. The immortal and celestial realms caused the deaths of thousands, the suffering of millions due to their carelessness about mortal lives. And without her there to protect humans, she knew they would do it again. If she could not protect her precious humanity herself, then she would ensure that someone would in her stead. 

She instructed her four subordinates, the Thousand-Year Vixen, the Pipa Jing, the Nine-Headed Pheasant, and the Nine-Headed Bird, to construct a home at the edge of the world. And used the materials from the Mortal Realm and remnants of Fuxi’s powers of creation to craft another realm, one that couldn’t be touched by any other known realm. 

This realm would be called: The Chaos Beyond.

Then, she entrusted four of the color stones to the Four Symbols, knowing that each guardian would protect them and the cycle with their lives. Powerful warriors that would be ready to make the ultimate sacrifice should humanity need them to. And she used the fifth stone to do what she did best. 

She created life.

Reaching into the primordial chaos that sat on the edge of her prison, using the yellow clay from the earth, the golden string that mended the heavens, and dust from the shattered yellow color stone, Nuwa created several clay figures. 

The statues were dropped into the sea of black clouds and orange light, hatching in the mortal realm to meet those they were destined to protect before being brought to live in the walls of the Chaos Beyond.

These beings were named the Chaos Born, primordial creatures who weren’t celestial nor demonic, but weren’t mortal either. They were raised and trained by the four subordinates, called the Heads of the Emissaries, serving under the loving and watchful eye of the celestial sovereign, Nuwa.

The Chaos Born, Nuwa’s children, Guardians and Pillars of Humanity, and the Heavens' opposite and opposition. 

They were the Emissaries of Chaos .

The Emissaries of Chaos were hated and feared by most of the celestial realm and court. They were a mystery to the Jade Emperor and Buddha, and, unknown to most, they were guardians of the mortals and immortals of humanity.

Well, all except for one. The Moon King, the Shadow Warrior, the Time Weaver, the Protector of Flower Fruit Mountain, the Nowhere King, and Sun Wukong's mate. 

The Six-eared Macaque, Liu’er Mihou. 

The legendary hero, lost to the time he heard, knew of the nature of beings from the Chaos Beyond due to one little creature. A young hatchling from a clay monkey figure who happened to be placed on the very mountains he protected while the King was away. He knew it wasn’t a monkey cub nor a stone monkey, not with the way a primordial power clung to its core in a formless shape, and it shifted its appearance to match those around it. 

It had thick, fluffy, dark brown fur that faded into the clouds of chaos that clung to it. Its mane was so long that it swept the dirt floor. And it had a birthmark that looked like a cracked stone over its right eye. But its mask and eyes gave it away the most. 

Placed on lightly tanned skin was a mask that mixed the shape of a heart and a star, creating three points. One on its forehead and two on each cheek that framed the mask. And the mask framed two wide eyes, the eyes and pupils were black, while the irises were the same glowing magma orange that peeked out between the clouds on its mask. 

And the three tails, that too. 

It was almost cute. Like a cub that didn’t quite know how to use a glamour, but was trying its best.

At first, the second king questioned it. He wondered if it was sent by Heaven, as tensions had grown and they had gotten testy. Heaven wasn’t above using children or cubs as weapons, anyway. Yet this creature didn’t threaten or harm anyone, only investigating the mountain with wide, amazed eyes. 

He followed it from the shadows as it wandered. Right until it got to the Heavenly Water Curtain Cave and slipped through the barrier in a flash of black lightning and orange smoke, clashing with the golden waters. The shadows shifted with whispers of protective promises, not quite threats, but warnings. 

Its clawed feet seemed to be leading it somewhere, its eyes following something that the shadow monkey couldn’t see. It only took a few minutes of climbing through cave systems and wandering through the temple's large halls with oohs and ahhs for the dark furred-simian to realize where it had headed.

The shadows snapped to attention, and a physical manifestation of the second king rose from the shadow of the chaos born. The chaos born had approached the large nest in the center of the Den of the Kings. Peeking over its walls to gaze down at the infant in the nest with dilated pupils and a curious coo. 

It was a similar reaction to most of the monkey cubs that met the child. Curiosity and amusement. Innocent intrigue. But this being was far too powerful to be playful with the baby cub.

The shadows slowly swirled around the creature, ready to snap at its hands should it reach too close, or drag it away with a snarl should it startle or become hostile. 

The infant reacted to the coo slowly, pure amber eyes blinking open until they focused on the looming figure above him, his four, petal-shaped ears fluttering. The den was silent for a moment, the shadows subtly closing off the noise from the temple and cavern as they watched the interaction carefully. 

Six ears picked up on a whisper from somewhere beyond the mountain’s barrier, beyond the realms themselves. It was soft, sweet, loving, and so, so lonely. 

“This is your eternal vow, my child. Your world to protect. And you will do so much good, Xiǎo Hǔnluàn.”

A necklace adorned the older cub's neck, a black string with a gold and cyan snake charm in the center.

Then, a smile. The infant let out its own chitter of intrigue, and the creature responded in kind with a trill of amusement. They weren’t exactly speaking to each other; the second king knew they were far too young for that, but they did seem like each other. If the joy-filled noises weren’t a sign, then the smiles on their faces were.

The more the king hovered, he had a small thought. The star motifs of their masks, the heart shapes, the dark brown fur, and the warm colors of their eyes. The slight differences in their behavior, yet they seem strangely similar. 

Macaque hummed to himself. They almost looked like siblings. 

Then, the chaos born reached its small hand over Macaque’s infant. The simian nearly reacted on instinct, the shadows slinking towards the creature and wrapping around its stretched out small hand. Not to harm the child, never, but just in case. The manifestation of the king loomed over the two.

Yet the chaos born didn’t react, its eyes still locked onto the giggling infant in the nest. It let out a chirp, and Macaque’s eyes widened.

“Baby! Brother!”

The infant reacted by grasping onto a stretched-out finger. He smiled and cooed, and the creature responded in kind. 

He would’ve pondered the thought if he could, would’ve questioned where the being came from, maybe raised it on the mountain to see how its powers behaved. Yet one day, nine snakes came to the mountain range, and he couldn’t hear the young one that had only been there for around a year or two anymore.

And in a few weeks, all he would hear would be fire, death, cries, and heaven's taunting before his world would be reduced to a prison tainted by twilight. 

Slayed by the suitors of-

“The Courting Tournaments. An event held by people of high status every three hundred and fifty years to find a suitable partner, should they find themselves with more courting offers than they can handle individually. The demon or celestial may host the tournament as they see fit, so long as there’s a result of some kind. If they don’t accept any of the advances by the time the tournament is over, they remain single and can participate in other courting traditions.”

Xiangliu kept his eyes on the documents as he scanned them. With the recent activity in the mortal realm, he supposed it was only a matter of time before the subject made its way to the sixth realm. He had seen these events before, but none that he saw were concerning. The documents that he received from the Heavenly Realm on the topic didn’t spell danger either. 

One of his nine heads, which was dedicated to making sure the nearby mentee was listening, narrowed its gaze when the person in question preferred blowing their dark brown bangs out of their face over paying attention. 

The Nine-Headed Demon disregarded the snake's look, continuing his explanation, “That is what the Courting Tournaments are.”

LC gave the glaring snake head a bored stare. 

They couldn’t tell what was annoying them more, their orange bandana doing nothing to hold back their bangs, or the boring explanation. The dark wooden chair creaked as they sat back. They raised their silver, golden-star-covered sword and caught Xiangliu waiting for a response in the reflection. 

Even considering their mentors' words didn't convince them to care. The entire premise sounded stupid to them, if they were being frank. 

And they were, which is why they raised a brow and asked, “So these ‘Courting Tournaments’ are held because nobody in Heaven's got game?” 

“What? Where did you even get that…?” The head of the emissaries let out a sigh that held hundreds of years' worth of stress. He glanced at the carefree guardian with a glare, placing the documents down on the long table. “Xiǎo Hǔnluàn,” He scolded, “Can you please take this seriously? This matter has been brought to our attention for a reason.”  

“I would if we weren't discussing immortals making a stage play out of fan fiction tropes in an annual ‘who's got game’ competition,” The guardian chuckled, “And the matter wasn’t brought to our attention. You asked heaven about it.”

Xiangliu placed a hand on his hip and turned down to the taunting stack of papers again. His expression shifted as he allowed himself a moment to think. 

No one in the Chaos Beyond exactly liked speaking to the members of the Celestial Realm, and normally, he wouldn’t bother conferring with Heaven about matters involving mortals. But whatever was going on in the mortal realm was putting humanity in some form of danger, and even though these things mainly involved powerful demons, it was worth investigating if heaven was involved.

“Besides, if these guys, immortal or not, are holding these events willingly, why would we have to get involved?” LC asked, snapping the Nine-Headed Demon out of his stupor. By now, the aviator jacket-wearing chaos born had taken the documents to read for himself. Even stuffing his hands in his jeans to focus more, his sword sheath, dawning symbols of the sun and moon, now rested in his chair.  

The mentor was half tempted to tell LC to pick it up, so they didn’t leave it behind when the two left for their appointment with the celestial administration. The other half of the Nine-Headed Demon wondered why he was bringing LC along. 

The first emissary of chaos didn’t like immortals, and he liked heaven even less. And yet, something in him told him that LC was the one for this job. That the emissary made from a monkey statue should be by his side for this mission. 

Maybe he was just looking for an excuse to send LC to the Mortal Realm that they were so fascinated with. 

One of his heads watched LC silently. The boy was finished with the documents, or maybe he got bored, but either way, he was once again quietly gazing at a part of the room that the light didn’t touch. His eyes looked curious, as if he was listening to something or searching for where the noise was coming from. 

Or, maybe he was curious about LC’s recent taking to the shadows.

The Nine-Headed Demon snapped his fingers, and LC’s head was back on the ground, looking towards his mentor with a raised brow. “Because the ‘Who’s Got Game’ competition,” Xiangliu couldn’t help but laugh at the name, “Is enforced by heaven. And knowing heaven as its bureaucracy stands and rules are enforced, I doubt they’re telling us the full story.”

LC hummed, their bored expression shifting as their interest was finally snatched, “And if Heaven is being annoying about it, then it’s our business, that makes sense. Maybe they’d learn to pull some maidens if these tournaments were about them putting in some effort in winning people over.”

The mentor nodded and took the documents under his arm. Along with a muzzle that went unquestioned. “It’s time to leave,” He called as he began walking toward the hall that would lead out of the palace. “Remember to grab your things. And no scaring the celestial guards, I know it’s funny, but you almost got arrested last time, and I’d prefer if you didn’t have to break out of prison again.”

LC tossed their sword with a spin, the constellation spun with seven stars shimmering as it landed in the emissary's hand. They turned to their mentor with a fanged smirk and a snort, rolling their eyes as they sheathed their sword. The low glow from the symbol of the moon didn’t catch their eye.

Brown eyes with flickers of orange glimmered with amusement, “No promises.”

The last thing Nezha expected to happen ever was a messenger from heaven appearing before him in the middle of a fight with a suitor, and telling him that he needed to report to the celestial realm immediately. And they did so with a panicked look in their eye, causing Nezha to question why heaven was calling the stand-in champion to the celestial realm during a tournament. 

The news the celestial delivered was enough to make Nezha almost strangle the guy he was fighting from shock alone. And because he was sick of the suitors, but mostly from the shock. That was the part that Nezha never, ever expected to hear.

The Third Lotus Prince couldn’t just leave his post as the stand-in champion. That would give the suitors far too much leeway to attack or make a move, and he couldn’t let anyone tag in for him. Unless that someone happened to be a father who was angered rather recently and probably needed an outlet. 

Pigsy readily agreed to take his place when he was asked. 

Wukong wouldn’t stop looking at the prince as if he were worried that the boy would kneel over any second. “Why can’t you continue fighting?” The ginger simian asked.

His worry paled in comparison to everyone else's. 

MK, Mei, and Redson looked ready to murder someone. Pigsy and Tang were out right ready to murder someone. Sandy looked like violence wouldn’t be his first choice, but it was an option. Because they were gathered in Wukong’s house, safely guarded by the heavenly waterfall, it was a crowd of vengeful looks. 

“I’m going to come back, don’t worry,” Nezha reassured.

Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

“I’m just going to the Celestial Realm because the Emissaries of Chaos have an audience with the heavenly court to discuss the Courting Tournaments.”

Wukong nearly doubled over; he swore he saw his several immortal lifetimes flash before his eyes. Tang wasn’t even eating anything, and he still choked. Redson’s hair lost its light so fast that it became ash black. Sandy felt a mix of panic, shock, fear, and anxiety fire through the air faster than he could blink. 

But, from Nezha and Wukong, came the slightest sense of hope.

“Uh, who are the Emissaries of Chaos, and why are we all panicking?” MK asked, looking around the room with some subtle fear of his own. It was never good when the adults in the room suddenly panicked, and the one with C-PTSD was the only one who was calm. 

“The Emissaries of Chaos are primordial beings that come from beyond the five realms. No one knows where they came from or how they got their power,” Nezha explained as Mei fixed his hair for the day filled with fighting and guarding. “But they’ve proven to be people that even heaven refuses to pick a fight with.”

MK stilled. 

His family had already faced so many threats, and all of them were lower-level celestials or demons who managed to get the drop on them. And they still did so much damage. If people with powers that couldn’t be predicted, powers that the heavens were afraid of, participated in this fight against his family…

His voice was dull, “...If they support the Courting Tournaments…”

An eclipse sparked in his eyes, violet clashing with gold and bronze. Sandy felt fear, then he felt anger.

Yet his shadows weren’t screaming. They seemed hesitant, hopeful, but not protective or scared.

“Be calm, Starlight. They will not harm our family.” They hummed. The feeling of being watched granted him a sense of safety. 

Lotus and freshwater, and Nezha placed a hand on his shoulder. The shadows breathed a calming breath, and the sun peeked through the clouds. MK’s four ears fluttered and relaxed. 

Nezha gave him a soft smile, eyes brightening when he saw MK’s attention return. Mei finished tying off his ribbon and allowed him to fully stand, dusting off his outfit. “We may not have to worry about that. I don’t have time to explain fully, but the emissaries have always opposed heaven whenever they bother the Mortal Realm.”

He tapped his Fire-Tipped Spear to the ground and summoned a heavenly gate beneath his feet. “Think of them as the opposite of heaven,” He said, turning to the group with a small smile. It was amusing, almost. The last time the prince remembered the chaos creatures interacting with heaven was a long time ago, and it was over the burning of Flower Fruit Mountain.

He had never seen a rage as hot and calm as the inferno that burned the forest. The emissary with the snake necklace was swift and stern with his warning, never losing his composure, but it still managed to scare even the Pagoda Wielding General. 

“Then it's not ‘If they support it’, it’s if they’re against it,” Wukong pondered. He may be weaker than normal, but he’s still a king. He knows how to negotiate, he knows how to rule, and he knows a chance when he sees it. “If… If we could get the Chaos Born on our side, it would put us at a huge advantage.”

“But if they opposed the Courting Tournaments, wouldn’t they have done something by now?” Mei asked, leaning on MK’s good shoulder. Frustration tainted her tone, but her curiosity won out.

“They wouldn’t have known about the tournaments; they could only interfere with the matters of humanity with Nuwa’s permission, so they don’t come to the Mortal Realm that often,” Nezha explained. He watched Redson, Mei, and MK’s expressions light up, and the joy at seeing the children relax for the first time in ages.

Petals swirled around the prince in a whirlwind. He turned to the silent group with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Know this, the Emissaries of Chaos don’t take kindly to the Celestial Realm messing with anyone, whether mortal.”

Nezha was sent to the celestial realm with a gust of lotus and freshwater. His voice carried in an echo that made light shine in every tired eye of the people huddled in the Monkey King’s hut.

“Or immortal.”

The Heavenly Realm was grand, bright, filled with colorful characters of varying moral standards who work in a celestial nine-to-five, and most importantly…

Absolutely boring. 

The Nine-Headed Demon could feel his student’s sarcastic quips and annoyed attitude, getting ready to fire at anyone who breathed in his direction. The mentor resigned himself to a fate of trying to swallow laughter against several old jokes and being the only adult in the room until LC had his fill of fun. 

“Diplomats from the Chaos Beyond.”

“Pagoda-Wielding Heavenly King, Li Jing.”

LC blinked. Their orange eyes drifted over every celestial in the grand palace room that flinched or glared under their gaze, until they landed on the hovering crown-wearing king with the pagoda in hand. 

“Manager and minimum wage working manager getters.” The emissary laid his head in the palm of a hand as he leaned on the stone table. The greeting earned him a few fiery glares and rolled eyes, followed by exasperated sighs. He didn’t know why they were so annoyed, he’s never been respectful a day in his many lives. 

Really, they should’ve been used to it. 

Xiangliu resisted a chuckle and chose to ignore the remark from his student, though he heard one of his snakes hiss out a giggle. The demon turned to the Heavenly Court and set down the documents. “Right, enough pleasantries, we’re here to investigate the Courting Tournaments.”

“Specifically, the whole ‘meddling with the Mortal Realm’ part of them. So what are these ‘Who Can Get Into Someone’s Pants the Fastest’ overdramatic dating shows?” LC added, crossing his arms and straightening up with a raised brow. He may not have cared about the tournaments, but he did care about humanity and his duty to protect it. 

At all costs.

Li Jing sneered at the emissary’s remark as he spoke, “The Courting Tournaments are trials of strength, wit, power, and knowledge that suitors undergo to prove themselves worthy of becoming the partner to someone of high status and power. They were established and imparted upon society by the Pilgrims, with the full agreement of both Sun Wukong and Heaven.”

Something on the edge of LC’s hearing hissed, “Liar,” it snapped, “there was no choice.”

It was because LC’s attention was grabbed away by the mumbles that he caught something he found interesting. Nezha, the Third Lotus Prince, who sat by his father's side, gave him and the statement a glare with heat that rivaled his Fire-Tipped Spear. 

The emissary raised a brow.

“Uh-huh,” The monkey stone hummed, giving his mentor a side glance. “And everyone who participates in these things is completely willing? Full free will in signing up and all, both the suitors and the host?” 

“Yes, everyone participates out of choice. The host, the suitors, and the champion. All must agree-”

Xiangliu stopped the general with a raised hand. He picked up the documents and flipped through them with every set of eyes scanning every page, every sentence, and every word. He handed the stack of papers to his student, who held them with a grumble, and narrowed his eyes on the suddenly quiet court.

“As I thought, the documents that Heaven gave me don’t mention a ‘Champion’, nor do they mention the rumors about Heaven weakening Sun Wukong. Is there a reason for that?”

Nezha had never seen his father freeze so fast. The air in the courtroom shifted, plummeting with apprehensive pressure from the celestials.

Li Jing cleared his throat when no one else spoke up. “The Champion is entirely out of Heaven's hands, as the host selects them from close relatives or friends. The Champion is simply a stand-in for the host, should the host not wish to participate in the tournament themself. And the rumors are just that. Rumors.”

“Mkay, clearly their lack of maidens has driven them mad. Why don’t we just talk to the champion of this year's tournament?” LC asked, their stance relaxing as they turned to their mentor while rolling their head to the side. “The guy’s gotta be here somewhere if these things are held by immortals like celestals and demons.”

Not waiting for a response from the Nine-Headed Demon, they turned to the celestial court, specifically the tense general and any fighter in the room. “If the champion’s got first-hand experience, then we can just use that for our report to Nuwa. So, who’s the guy?”

“You’re reporting this matter to Nuwa?!” Nezha and Li Jing asked in unison.

The snake charm that hung on the brown-haired emissary's necklace seemed, whether it was laughter at their shock or scoffing at the idea that they would’ve reported this to the one they serve. Either way, both reactions were mirrored by the diplomats. Xiangliu gave the two an amused smirk, while LC looked at them like they had asked what the color of an orange was. 

“Yes,” The mentor confirmed, “only to make sure that she knows of this investigation. You shouldn’t have anything to worry about if it’s not a matter of concern. So, the champion?”

Nezha took a deep breath as he rose, careful to keep his expression and posture steady. This was it, the moment that could decide if the Emissaries of Chaos would intervene. And if they were to report to the Mother Goddess, this opportunity could be used to get one of the chaos born on their side.

Li Jing watched his son stand with a look of confusion.

Those children, his family, and friends could finally receive some good news in all of their desolation. 

“I am currently acting in the stead of Sun Wukong’s legally chosen Champion for this year's courting tournament,” The Lotus Prince explained, “As the current one was too injured to fight-”

LC leaned over to his mentor with whispered questions, and Xiangliu shared his shock. “Why would Sun Wukong be hosting one of these and need a champion? And the champion’s been injured to the point of being unfit for a fight?” 

“And is in no state to answer questions at the moment, as he is resting. I will be glad to answer any inquiries you have in his place.” Nezha watched Xiangliu flip through the documents with an air of both frustration and questioning, mumbling something about heaven enforcing brutality between immortals. 

LC, however, gained Nezha’s full attention when they tilted their head and watched him with an analytical eye.

“If you’re here, then who’s the champion?” The emissary asked, their normally amused expression disappeared in the blink of an eye. Although they still didn’t seem to care overly about the subject, nor were they angry, they did seem to be annoyed with the Celestial Realm’s lack of communication.

But that wasn’t the reaction the prince was looking for.

Nezha answered without missing a beat, “The child of Sun Wukong and Liu’er Mihou-”

“Not the Monkie Kid, not MK, no titles. Call him by his name. They will recognize him.”

“Qi Xiaotian.”

The air in the room didn’t shift. 

It snapped. 

It whipped from slowly cooling apprehension to scared-stiff silent celestials and chaos beginning to stir in the cracks and crevices of the court. The Nine-Headed Demon and the Chaos Born stood as though they had returned to clay. 

The documents dropped with a deafening thud. Red eyes latched onto Li Jing like a snake that caught a mouse. His smile stretched so wide that the celestial court nearly thought it would split his face. “That boy is not immortal. A mortal child is participating in brutal tests of strength and power against demons and celestials. In a tournament under your watch.”

Something cracked outside the courtroom walls, like black and orange lightning striking the ground. Nezha smiled. He knew he won.

The Lotus Prince felt something grab his Red Armillary Sash and hoist him into the air, bringing him to the emissary, who had a hand on the hilt of his Seven Star Sword.

“Who did you say was the champion?” LC asked. His voice was deadpan, his eyes blaring with deep orange and black streaks. His claws were digging into the table as he leaned forward, the snake on his necklace swayed despite the lack of wind.

The Lotus Prince nearly flinched, though the shadows and lightning whispered no threat.

LC’s eye twitched when Nezha didn’t answer immediately, his irritation shifting with the splotches of black and gold that began to crawl up his arms. The inhuman hand lifting the prince brought him closer as LC stood. His expression was unreadable, dark brown bangs covering his birthmark. “I’m starting to think you lied.”

The shadows responded with a mutter, louder now that the mist making up the formless power cast darkness on the area beneath it. “He did not die that day. The prince is not your enemy.”

Nezha steadied his expression and gave the emissary a stern nod. He understood, LC had no tolerance for immortals playing with the lives of those who could die, especially not celestials. Not after that mountain burned. This child’s rage was not directed at him; it was a simple question. One that Nezha would answer happily.

“Qi Xiaotian. If you doubt me, you may go to Flower Fruit Mountain to check for yourself. I can inform them of your arrival.”

Li Jing gulped when Xiangliu stopped responding to his explanations, though they were more excuses than anything. The Nine-Headed Demon placed a hand on LC’s shoulder, and the Emissary of Chaos placed Nezha back on the ground, not bothering to put him by his father. 

The two diplomats nodded to each other and turned on their heels. Xiangliu left without a word, trusting his student to warn the celestial court in his stead. And they did, glaring at every celestial and striking fear into the heart of heaven itself.

The chaos born’s lips pulled back into a snarl. “I’ll take ya up on that offer, Lotus Prince. I’ll be going to Flower Fruit Mountain to see the damage heaven caused for myself. If this is true, if mortals have been harmed because of something you enforce, if you have lied to us today?”

Chaos, formless, ever-changing, staying true to its purpose as a weapon and a shield, while not having a purpose at all. Heaven's opposition with the mother goddess’s anger on their shoulders.

But this rage? This was an anger that even LC themself hadn’t felt in years. One that they still couldn’t name. But it didn’t matter.

The snake charm hanging from the neck was hit by the light just right. Gold flashing in the gems that made up its eyes.

“Lady Nuwa’s fury will be unyielding. And the least of your concerns.”

When Nezha returned to Flower Fruit Mountain in a cyclone of flower petals and pitch black wisps of wind and lightning, it was dark outside. The moonlight washed over the lush mountain range in a cold blanket, and the stars above shimmered like gems sewn into the sky. 

But the Lotus Prince wasn’t interested in observing the scenery tonight. Instead, he was more focused on scanning the forest for any suitors who took advantage of his absence. And he got his answer when a scream rang out through the forest like a siren.

Something, someone? Someone was thrown past him in a blur and a blast of wind. The demon slammed into a tree, and because they didn’t get back up, Nezha assumed they were knocked out. Hopefully. The Chaos Born didn’t exactly have an aversion to murdering first and questioning later. 

LC appeared by his side, dusting the clinging clouds of chaos off their hands with an unimpressed stare. His appearance was back to normal at least, so he wasn’t as angry as before. He even leaned around the prince and hummed, “These guys are losers. I can’t believe these bozos aren’t dead yet.”

A monstrous hand made of ashy clouds and a magma glow shot out of the shadows on the ground, launching the demon into the air, reeling itself back, and whipping the now screaming demon across the mountain range to the Ring of Fire at the speed of a bullet. LC giggled to himself.

Nezha turned to the monkey stone with a stern stare. “Because murder is expressly forbidden. It’s quite literally the first rule of the Courting Tournaments.”

The shadows finished their cackling, “Yeah, don’t kill anyone.”

“Oh,” LC hummed. He then stuffed his hands into his pockets and shrugged, “Whatever, I’m sure the guys can still move. Maybe. Doesn’t matter to me since I’m not participating in this weird romantic drama.” The emissary dodged a playfully scolding dark violet hand to the back of his head.

“That’s why you're in jail,” He said, sticking out his tongue at the unbothered shadow at his feet. LC then turned his attention to Nezha, “So, you’re gonna be my tour guide?”

“Right, I have some people I would like you to meet. Including the host.”

Chapter Text

LC was ready to kick down a door. Mainly because he was impatient, and waiting outside Sun Wukong’s hut was getting boring, but also because of the Third Lotus Prince’s outrageous claim. The only reason the emissary was here was because of it. That and the allegations against the Courting Tournaments, of course, he still had a job to do.

The moonlight from the hole in the top of the mountain bathed the area in a silver haze. The chaos born’s eyes drifted across the scene, forced on them. Every crack in the non-charred stone, every faded hue in the murals of lost history, every leaf, every rock, every speck of dust in the air. 

The weakened gate at the entrance melted away for the emissary as soon as they took a step towards it. Had it been any other circumstance, they would’ve laughed when Nezha was let through with reluctant permission.

The gravesite.

Horrible. Familiar. Emotions. Nostalgia.

LC trained themself to control the emotions they were never supposed to have, that Nuwa gifted them when they first learned of the fate of this mountain—saying that grief was another sign of their connection to the mortal realm. 

And a connection they sure had. To Flower Fruit Mountain. 

It took everything LC had not to grit his teeth. The nerve that Celestial had to say that Qi Xiaotian was the champion. And then tell him, when he was dragged here, to wait outside to “get everyone ready so they don’t bite you on sight.”

LC hated Celestials. 

A deep breath, and the storm was quelled. 

Meanwhile, inside the house where LC was waiting, Nezha was doing his absolute best to keep everyone calm and behaving.

It wasn’t working.

Wukong ran a paw through his messed-up mane for the fifth time in a minute. If he paced the floor one more time, he might just fall through it. “The emissary is here? As in, outside of my house right now?! This soon?!?” He said, only pausing to turn to Nezha with a look that wanted to become a glare. “They work fast, but not this fast. I thought we had at least a few hours until they arrived. What did you tell them?”

Redson seemed to vibrate with anticipation. Or maybe it was the overwhelming urge to prepare something to show respect to the sudden guest formally. It could also be the anxiety of someone new, who could’ve been a threat, entering an already chaotic situation. “Is there something we need to do- Prepare something as a show of respect? Is there anything we need to do?”

Nezha paused his stuttering attempt at an explanation to an agitated monkey to turn to Redson, “What? No, the Chaos Born are hardly that formal. Just don’t bite them upon entry.”

Mei blinked, “Why does it sound like you’re talking to me?”

MK nodded, “And me.”

“It’s because I am.”

MK and Mei turned to each other in unison. They stared in judgment, gauging the likelihood of such an action. They found that the warning wasn’t exactly… Unwarranted, “Unprovoked. Fair, but unprovoked.” 

“Back to the important thing,” Wukong called, snapping Nezha’s attention back to what was now a glare, “What did you tell them to make them act so quickly? What are we working with?”

Pigsy nodded along with more fervor, gaze bouncing around like a ping-pong ball, “And who? No one has told me who the hell these Chaos Emissaries even are or why they’re so important!”

“There are some tales of the emissaries' work in ancient texts, but not much is known about what they do or who they are,” Tang spoke, specifically to Pigsy and a slowly panicking MK. 

“They are saviors in some, gods in others, even monsters in a few. But humanity always came out unscathed by the end.” He reassured them, or at least he tried to. Their panic wavered, but the mention of monsters didn’t lessen their fear.

MK let the words sink in, racing thoughts trying to find something to focus on, considering Nezha was too busy trying to get Wukong not to kill him to answer. Something about these primordial beings felt familiar. 

Like a name he couldn’t quite recall, or the title of a song he couldn’t remember despite knowing the melody. Like unseen eyes protecting him, or a monster holding out its hand in greeting. But it was different from Mr. Shadow.

Weirdest of all, the feeling of being guarded by magic just beyond his reach had grown. Like the seals around the mountain had shattered and shot up before anyone could blink, then blanketed in an air-tight bag that whispered a promise instead of a threat. 

“They're guardians.”

Redson placed a hand on MK's shoulder and hummed, “Who are guardians?” 

MK spoke as if stating a common fact, the shadows and moonlight letting out a soft hum. Harmonizing with the melody coming from beyond the door. “The Emissaries of Chaos. They hate anyone who messes with the mortal realm while doing anything to protect it. They're guardians of humanity, they've gotta be.”

The door swinging open brought silence to the room.

“It’s rude to leave a guest waiting, tour guide.” Sounded from the entrance, an impatient voice that spoke with a hint of courtesy and a lot of annoyance, “I’m not coming in because I don’t want to upstage your rudeness by entering without the host's permission. So, if I could meet the host?"

MK’s ears flickered on instinct to listen for every piece of information about the person that he could.

As did the silent therapist who allowed himself to read the new guest's intentions. 

There wasn't much that could frighten Sandy. And MK was frightened a lot. 

But this person, nonchalant and unbothered, who had just entered the house, managed to alarm them both. Not because of their mannerism or strange power, bringing in the air of something ancient and eternal upon entrance. Or because of the way they suddenly appeared without a care in the world.

But because MK heard ominous rumbles and harmonious thrums in place of a heartbeat. 

And Sandy felt nothing.

No matter how much his chi prodded or his empathy poked, he couldn't sense anything . As if the emissary wasn't born with emotions and nothing filled that spot. It wasn’t that they didn’t have chi or a soul, but he still felt a void in both.

As if this being’s emotions were locked away for so long that all that was left was nihility, emptiness-

“Right, my apologies, everyone is ready to meet you,” Nezha said, stepping forward and gesturing for MK to stand in the center of the room. The champion followed the request, with Redson, Mei, and Sandy standing closest to the kitchen on one side. And his father's standing in the living room, tense and apprehensive.

On the defensive.

Footsteps sounded as the new guest entered the living room. Everyone watched with a range of curiosity and investigation. 

The emissary chose to appear human and glamoured, standing at 5 '7 with back length, wavy, dark-brown hair, and a large birthmark that looked like cracked stone covering his right eye. Half covered by bangs that were tied back by a long orange bandana with red stars hanging from loose ribbons. 

They had eyes that were a mix of orange and brown, almost matching the brown aviator jacket with tan fur, which clashed with the blue jeans.

And a sword hanging off their hip, its hilt glowing under the moonlight with three golden stars. And the purple symbol of the moon and the hazel symbol of the sun on the sheath were glowing just as bright.

Wukong forced his eyes away from the symbols. Tang tilted his head and pushed his glasses up his nose.

Familiar. He looked familiar. MK narrowed his eyes and dug through his memory. Where had he seen the chaos born before? They had been to the mortal realm at some point, but when? Had he seen them before? 

“What a welcoming atmosphere. And a colorful bunch.” The emissary hummed, looking around the group with a small chuckle. Eyes drifting. Searching for something, someone. They looked desperate, almost, but Sandy couldn’t sense desperation. He still felt nothing from this child. 

First, Sandy. 

Then, Mei. 

“That they are,” Nezha allowed himself to laugh at the remark before clearing his throat and straightening up. The prince gestured toward the harbinger, who stood with a bored stare. “Everyone, I would like to introduce you to the first Emissary of Chaos, student of the Nine-Headed Bird and Nuwa’s Sword-”

Then, Redson.

“LC, real name Xiǎo Hǔnluàn. Xiǎo Hǔnluàn, meet Sha Wujing, or Sandy, a river demon. Long Xiaojiao, or Mei, a dragon. Redson, the demon bull prince and samadhi fire wielder. The champion-”

Then, MK.

And that was unexpected.

LC went silent. His expression froze and melted all in the span of a second. His eyes locked onto MK and didn't drift. He found what he was looking for, and he didn't believe it. He couldn't believe it. He had been alive for cycles, he had seen the impossible, and yet he’d never seen this…

Their body wanted to go limp as the weight of apathy was let go. 

Grief. 

Pure, unbridled, and childish.

Sandy almost fell to his knees at the sheer force of it. It was almost on the same level as Wukong’s, coming out in waves. Like an ocean flooding a desert. It bled into the air, the wood of the house, the sky, and the ground. The earth and the heavens. 

Grief, then rage. 

Who hid this from him? How could this be possible? Who dared? 

Sorrow. And finally, hesitation clashing with hope.

How long had he been alive? How long had he suffered? How long was he left alone without them by his side? Did they abandon him that day? 

He should've been there. Been there for-

LC blinked away the tears slowly growing in his eyes and swallowed the knot in his throat. He forced himself to breathe and allowed himself to hope that this wasn’t some sick trick by the celestial realm. 

“Xiaotian…? Is that really…?” 

His tongue moved without thought, the world slowing down time to a crawl, and everyone else in the room faded into the shadows. Words didn't form, no, instead there was a soft chitter. Only loud enough for MK to hear in a language that only two other people would understand.

“Nectarine? Baby brother?”

MK's ears flicked to attention, fluttering under the moonlight as he gave the emissary a confused frown. Amber blended with the silver of the moon. That nickname felt familiar. It felt warm. It felt playful, like he'd heard it when he was being scolded, but it wasn't similar to a parent. 

He'd grown used to that feeling recently. First with Mr. Shadow, then Wukong, and now LC. But this felt more like a best friend than a parent or a guardian. His hearing sharpened to latch on to anything that would give him a hint that this guy was lying.

The only time he'd ever heard of hidden brothers was in a drama. But then again, his entire life so far seemed like a drama. 

Wukong, however, was half ready to lose his absolute mind. Both at this new guy, out of confusion over many things, mostly the sudden ancient simian and brother accusation. And at Nezha, because this is the last thing he expected to happen, yet the Lotus Prince didn't look surprised.

The Monkey King believed that he and MK were the only celestial primates alive who would've known that language from so long ago. And he already had so many unanswered questions about MK. So if LC knew a long-dead language that MK could recognize-

Golden eyes flashed from both father and son. Searching with just as much confusion as LC had before.

And they found that the previously cyan and gold snake necklace had changed. Now glowing gold, like MK's eyes, and a bright, splotchy orange. Just like LC's. 

And something with three tails, black eyes with orange irises, and a misty mask with two star points on each cheek and one on the top. 

Too powerful to just be a monkey demon, too similar to MK to be a coincidence.

Monkey King snapped his gaze to Nezha so fast that the Lotus Prince knew he was cooked. And that Wukong figured it out, but mostly that he was not happy with the lack of warning.

Pigsy was getting sick of the silence and lack of elaboration from the two members of the party who could understand what the new guest said. 

He believed LC had to be a suitor of some kind, maybe taking an interest in Wukong after seeing him. They knew his son's name and froze in fear upon seeing him; that was never a good sign. He'd already let the bad guy get the jump on his family more than once. It wouldn't happen again.

He tensed up more than he already was and raised a brow at the mysterious chaos born. “I take it, you know MK already?” He grumbled. 

“Of course I do,” LC sighed, their voice sounded like they were forcing it to project, as if it wanted to waver but its owner wouldn't let it. Their eyes didn't leave MK, and their expression shifted into a disbelieving, overjoyed, wobbly smile. “That's my… that's my baby brother.” 

They never believed they would say that out loud.

“BABY BROTHER?!” 

Had everyone's attention not been taken away by the loredump, they might’ve heard the way the shadows seemed to roar with an excited cheer.

The room erupted into as much chaos as it could when the main monkey of the hour had sensitive ears. Shock was the main emotion in the room now, and Nezha had the nerve to chuckle. 

This was why LC said it in simian at first, definitely not because of a near emotional meltdown.

Pigsy was also near an emotional meltdown. That was the last thing he expected. An older sibling. MK's older sibling, whom he knew nothing about and didn't know existed. He'd never even heard of LC until right that moment.

Tang only felt a strange sense of vindication. After all, he noticed that LC looked familiar first. Both were and weren't a surprise. What he was more concerned about was the fact that LC had brown hair, tanned skin, brown eyes, and a snake charm hanging from his necklace .

What was certainly a surprise was the celestial swine clutching onto his husband's shoulder for dear life with a look of absolute desolation. 

The pig took a deep breath in. “WE'RE DEADBEATS?!? DEADBEATS WORSE THAN WUKONG?!?”

Tang would’ve cackled. Had this been any other situation, he might have wheezed. “Of all the responses I thought you would have, that wasn't one of them,” he chose instead. Staring down with amusement when his husband's voice rose to a pitch that almost matched Mei's.

The dragon was currently shaking MK by the shoulders after she bulldozed Redson out of the way. He safely landed in Sandy's arms, but this wasn’t about him. Green eyes crackled with electricity and befuddlement. “YOU'VE GOT AN OLDER BROTHER-THING,” she shouted in question, “FOR REAL?!” 

MK was almost proud of himself for hearing the inquiry over the rushing wind, despite being shaken. Double proud for still paying attention after being suddenly grabbed, too. 

“I didn't know he existed until five seconds ago, Mei!” He turned to face Wukong, who was creeping towards Nezha and LC. Mainly Nezha, if the look of smothered murderous intent was anything to go by. “Do I have a big brother?!” 

“Yes.” Came Nezha’s answer. 

“Apparently!” Came the Monkey King’s answer. 

“DEADBEATS.” Came Pigsy's answer.

“Oh… well. That's another person I need approval from,” Mumbled Redson, “And he’s scary too. Wonderful.”

“HOLY BRICKS, I'VE GOT A BIG BROTHER!!” Was MK's reply to Nezha's confirmation of his new siblinghood. His tail wagged as sound barrier-breaking speeds, joy, confusion, and curiosity battled it out for the winning spot. He turned to LC with wide eyes, only to find his sibling in quiet conversation with Sandy. 

If the room wasn't chaotic before, then it was now. 

And LC would've been laughing along with Tang at the disorder had their world not still been spinning. They weren't exactly lying when they said the group was colorful and loud, like humanity is supposed to be. And as much as they loved it, they also got the curse of sensitive ears and magic that tied them to the mortals and immortals around them. 

They were slammed with the overwhelming feeling of joy, confusion, frustration, rage, and their own hint of sadness all at once. And the increased volume wasn't something they were used to with the quiet of the Chaos Beyond. 

They were also surprised by how quickly everyone, especially the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Pigsy, and Xiaotian, had accepted that they were Mk’s older sibling. 

It was certainly something.

The only thing they showed was a twitch of their eye. 

Sandy allowed himself to tune out the chatter in the room when he felt an odd sliver of calm bolt through the magic in the hut. He turned his gaze to Nezha, the only one who could be considered calm, and found that it wasn’t the prince. He was still too busy bumbling through an explanation of how and why to Wukong. 

Redson’s nerves were on fire, not panicking, but not exactly calm. Mei and MK were ecstatic and out of the question. Wukong was also overjoyed, overwhelmed, and not chill. Pigsy was never calm to begin with, which wasn’t a bad thing right now. And while Tang was calm, it wasn’t the kind of calm that Sandy just felt. 

So he turned his attention to the only person left. LC, who still stood opposite MK, frozen in place with a wavering neutral stare. He was fidgeting, tapping his fingers on his sword's hilt and looking everywhere without focusing on anything. If Sandy weren’t paying attention, he would’ve thought LC was indifferent. 

He looked like he didn’t know how or what he was feeling, but he didn’t look-

Calm down.

Like he was dissociating. Sandy stared at the guardian for a moment longer, allowing his senses to slowly tune in to LC’s magic, which was pulsing in waves. He was…

Overwhelmed. Annoyed. Grateful. Relaxed. Mournful. Protective. A LOT.

CALM.

Nothing.

Hyperaware and over-intellectualizing his emotions, forcing himself to be calm and separating himself from everything he felt to do so. That’s what he was doing. A part of Sandy acknowledged that this child technically wasn’t a patient, and he knew nothing about him or his history. 

Not to mention that Redson’s earlier concern held merit. Celestials and Demons were very different species with very different cultures, and actions held different meanings between both. So who’s to say that the Chaos Born weren’t the same? 

But he couldn’t leave them to an anxiety attack either, and they were seconds away from a shutdown.

And suddenly, the big blue calm water demon had arrived by LC’s side as though he had teleported. LC wasn't exactly sure how you could miss such a big guy moving. He was an absolute giant. 

Sandy approached with a small nod, watching carefully as the emissary's attention shifted to him in a heartbeat. “Are you alright? Do your ears hurt at all?” He asked, dropping his voice to a low rumble, allowing LC a moment to process the words. 

LC looked up at the river demon with an amused chuckle, though their chi didn’t react with the same feeling. They raised a brow at the question and looked around as if searching for a physical reason as to why Sandy had asked, “I’m fine. Why?” 

Right, the guardian seems to look for a reason for everything. Sandy accepted this new information and stashed it away for later. For now, he was just thankful that LC didn’t seem defensive. “Most of the primates here are sensitive to loud noises, and MK’s ears start to hurt if he listens to them for too long. So I assumed the volume of the room was bothering you.” 

LC gave Sandy a look of bewilderment, as if they didn’t know what the water demon was talking about. 

They blinked, looked around the room, and amusement shifted to recognition. They were grimacing, and their eardrums stung. “Hm,” they hummed, nodding more to themself than Sandy, “…Yeah. Didn’t notice.” 

The conversation drifted off. LC looked slightly more thoughtful now that he had something to focus on, but his magic still felt like a rubber band being stretched and snapped back into place. Anxiety still won out over every other emotion, so the therapist settled on something simple. 

Redirection.

“The group seems like they’ll need some time to settle down, and I left a batch of Pu’er tea on the stove before you arrived. I’d hate to ask this of a guest-”

LC snorted. Finding the notion ridiculous and hilarious. 

“Would you mind turning off the stove and preparing the tea? Things should be calmer by the time it’s ready.” Sandy gave the young adult a gentle smile and gestured in the direction of the kitchen. 

By now, he knew he had caught either Redson's or MK’s attention, but he was more focused on LC’s reaction to the request.

“I doubt a stove being left on is a fire risk with a water bender around, but sure. Be right back.” LC shrugged, raising a brow at the river demon's request and chuckling. His magic thrummed for a moment, and anxiety was quelled by amusement. But there was no reluctance or confusion as LC shrugged and wandered off to the kitchen. 

So the Chaos Born weren’t exactly like Celestials, as they would’ve found the notion ridiculous to a host requesting something from a guest. Especially something like getting tea. Which made sense if they were made to be the opposite of heaven.

But they also weren’t exactly like Demons, as they would’ve questioned why Sandy didn’t just get the tea himself, considering the kitchen wasn’t that far away. One probably would’ve expected Sandy to get the tea himself. 

So maybe… more like humans. Common courtesy could apply, but it’s not strict in either direction. 

Sandy saved that note for himself for later. With this group, he felt like he would need it.

And it looked like MK was the one whose attention had been caught by the quiet conversation. The second LC disappeared into the kitchen, and MK slithered out of Mei’s hold and followed after him. Like a curious monkey cub.

Sandy would let the two have their talk. For now, he should probably stop Wukong and Pigsy from trying to attack Nezha for the sudden sibling jumpscare. Wukong had picked up the lotus prince with his tail and was shaking him already with an interrogation. 

They really were a colorful bunch.

So, the kitchen was much quieter, Sandy wasn’t subtle, and neither was MK, who had been lurking around the corner for a solid minute. LC was beginning to think that no one on this mountain knew the definition of subtlety, and that was a little funny. 

MK, on the other hand, wouldn’t say he was freaking out. But he was definitely struggling. He couldn’t figure out a good icebreaker to use, which was fair, considering he didn’t know he had a sibling in the first place. At least with his monkey dad, he had an idea of who he was; he didn’t know jack squat about LC. 

And he had… So. Many. Questions.

Like, where had LC been this entire time? Who was he in the first place? Who were the Emissaries of Chaos? Where did LC come from? Did LC remember him? Did he remember their dads? How long had he been alive? Did he remember Flower Fruit Mountain before the fire? Did he have firsthand experience with the pilgrims and Journey to the West?

Did he really not know about the courting tournaments?

MK’s excitement slowly shifted to apprehension as he thought about his inquiries. There were so many of them, and the last time he questioned something involving his family…

Would LC even answer any of these questions that MK had? 

…At least they seemed to care for him, so that was a plus.

No evil twin or jealous sibling coming to try and steal his power or kill him. He’ll take that as a win.

“Lurking by doorways is considered rude, Yóu Táo.”

Okay, well, that’s awkward. 

The young hero poked his head around the kitchen doorway and found that he met LC's back. The emissary had half of their focus on the stove and half of it on MK, if he had to guess. His brain still couldn’t decide on what he wanted to say, which question he wanted to ask first, so he settled on the most eloquent thing he could.

MK slid over to his older half and tilted his head, “So, you’re my big brother?” 

Yup. Eloquent.

Interestingly, LC shifted to give MK space to stand next to him, but still blocked him from the stove with his arm. His gaze never left the tea kettle, so it happened unconsciously. “That I am. You were an infant the last time I saw you.” He turned to look at MK, blinked, and turned back to the warming leaf juice. “And you still are. Just in a different font.”

MK had the younger brother's urge to bite them for the remark. But he resisted. Instead, he put the energy into watching LC begin to take the kettle off its burner and move to a cabinet. He found the tea cups immediately, and MK’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. 

The primate cub tilted his head, “Wow, you remember this kitchen that well? I would’ve thought Baba changed it up at some point.”

LC picked out eight cups, one of which was a cup MK had never seen before, and laid them out beside a tray he grabbed from a different drawer. He playfully scoffed at MK’s statement and side-eyed his brother with a chuckle, “And ruin lǎobà’s perfectly good organization? He’d roll in his grave. Have you seen Wukong’s hoard? That king can’t organize for shit.”

The room dipped in temperature, but the vague amusement was undeniable. And the affection, weirdly enough. 

Neither one knew why Mr. Shadow, or the Shadow Man as LC had taken to calling him, seemed happy with the two interacting. 

If MK was drinking something, he would’ve done a spit take. The casualness of it all caught him off guard. He didn’t know whether to be offended or intrigued by the remark, so he chose to be both. Offended by the joke of a dead person and his baba, but intrigued by how casual his older half was about it. 

Then, one of his earlier questions came to mind. With a mild glare, since the offense was still there, MK shifted closer to his sibling’s side that wasn’t near the stove and asked, “Since you’re older, does that mean you remember this mountain before the whole… fire?”

The emissary responded without missing a beat, “Yeah.”

MK nearly reeled. “I was not expecting you to answer that so easily.”

The stove notch was twisted to a cooler heat, enough to keep the water boiling, but not enough to make it overly evaporate. A dried orange filled with Pu’er tea leaves was dropped into a teapot that sat beside the kettle. 

Once he was finished with his setup, LC turned to his brother with a hand on his hip. “You’ve got questions, I’ve got answers,” He shrugged, smiling, “Besides, we might as well take the time to talk before I have to ask the host about the whole Courting Tournament thing.”

MK followed after LC with every move they made, watching them navigate the kitchen with curious eyes. “Right, the Courting Tournament.” The champion allowed himself a moment to scowl at the mention of the word when we spat it out. Golden eyes glared at the floor, which LC barely acknowledged. 

Unknown to MK, the emissary frowned at their little brother's discomfort. It wasn’t like they forgot that he had been too injured to fight in Heaven's horrible dating death game. But he expected disgust, not discomfort. 

That was a problem. 

LC tapped a foot underneath MK’s line of sight and urged him to continue with a raised brow. 

“Yeah. I’m just gonna ask, what will the Emissaries of Chaos do, y’know, if they don’t take to the whole Courting Tournament?” MK asked. His eyes narrowed on LC into a warning glare. The answer to this question mattered. A lot. It would determine whether or not the guardian was allowed to leave the kitchen unharmed, whether sibling or not. 

MK’s fists clenched. 

LC hummed, likely unbothered. Which only grated at the celestial primate’s nerves even more-

“When, not if. Lady Nuwa and Master Xiangliu will name me the official guard of this mountain, to protect it from invaders and outsiders.” LC lightly flicked MK in the center of his temple with a roll of their eyes, “And its inhabitants, so I’m not duty-bound to the tournament or participating in it, but I am still doing my job. Now stop poofing up at me, goofball.” 

MK swatted at their hand and bared his teeth to lightly chomp at the offending appendage. But he couldn’t deny the relief he felt for the first time in a while. That wasn’t to say he was entirely stress-free. He didn’t think he could be at a time like this. 

Yet something about LC being a guard on the mountain, and completely removed from the event, felt like deja vu. Like, MK knew him as a bodyguard at some point.

The young champion allowed himself to relax. Not fully, but he didn’t look ready to instantly attack LC. “You act really comfy around me. And won’t Heaven call that cheating?”

“I helped change your diapers and feed you coffee when you were too young to have it, I can act however I want.” LC laughed. The snake charm on his necklace swayed with the same humor, the moonlight hitting its eyes just right to reflect an amused gleam. “And Heaven can suck it up if they’ve got a problem with it. Wouldn’t be the first time.”

LC turned back to take the water off the burner and poured it over the tea and orange, saving most of the water and setting the kettle back on the burner. He only waited a few seconds before placing the lip on the pot and swiftly pouring the rinse into all eight cups. 

With a wave of their hand, orange and black mist drifted through the kitchen and settled underneath the cups before swirling to form eight ribbon-esque hands. The hands assisted their owner and lifted the cups over the tray to pour out the rinse, while LC poured the rest of the boiling water into the teapot. 

As the hands set each of the tea cups down, LC swirled the large teapot with his own and moved with ease, filling each cup one by one until the last one was set down and filled with the golden liquid, until the pot was left empty. 

The smell of orange and earth drifted through the air as the steam rose, and the emissary placed the cups on the tray. LC paused as he got to the last one, the mug that MK noticed he had never seen before, and LC had to dig through the cabinet to get it. 

The older of the two silently placed the mug on the tray and turned it so MK could see the handle.

Right where “Little Star” was etched into the ceramic. 

“Before you ask why I know how to make tea. Lǎobà had to get you to lie down for naps after unlawful coffee acquisition somehow, and since I caused the problem, it was my job to help fix it.” LC explained, their voice dipping into a quiet tone, losing its normal amount of sarcasm or enthusiasm. Their orange eyes dimmed for a moment when they spotted just how surprised MK looked, his orange ears even fluttering in some form of joy.

The younger of the two had too many revelations in the earlier sentence to avoid the chuckle he let out upon processing the second. But he did know a look of mourning when he saw one. And that… Made him pause in his planned, excited ramble.

One of the revelations was that he had an extremely cool older sibling; those powers were unlike anything he’d ever seen. Another was the reminder of the meaning behind his sibling being older. From the look of it, at least with the glamour that MK still had to question, LC was only older by a couple of years. Somewhere in his early 20s at the max. 

And he knew what life was like on the mountain before the fire. Knew MK before the fire. And if MK learned anything from Wukong…

MK moved closer to his older sibling, eyes softening at the tears he saw pooling in LC’s eyes. He knew this grief, and he knew it well. It wasn’t exactly like Wukong’s, but it was close enough. He wasn’t sure how comfortable LC was with physical contact, so a hug was out of the question.

But MK raised a clawed hand and gently grasped LC’s, barely feeling it tremble. 

“Did you think I was… dead this entire time? Is that why we haven’t met until now?” The young hero asked.

With a deep, shaky inhale, LC’s hand finally turned over to hold MK’s. And his glamour fell with a soft gust of cool wind and inky clouds melting to the floor. Revealing that very form that only golden eyes could see, and what MK thought was a birthmark, began to shift.

Shifting into a burn scar. And a blacked-out blind right eye.

“I was a child back then, but when the emissaries found out about the fire, we rushed to help without waiting for our masters’ or Lady Nuwa’s permission. But by the time we got there, the fire had already engulfed most of the mountain. We did our best to help the Generals and Marshals from the sidelines, but… so many had already died.”

LC’s voice dipped into becoming dead, “Burned, murdered, bludgeoned, slashed, maimed, ash, gore- so many died. Including him. Baba was… gone. And I couldn’t find you. No matter how much fire I tore through, you weren’t there. ”

Tears, flowing with orange lightning and a pitch-black abyss, finally slipped down LC’s cheeks. His entire being was bellowing with despair that the emissary forced himself to rein in to control his magic. Until all that was left was that familiar, cold, lovely nothingness. 

The shadows whispered with a cry of their own, rage crackling through the rumbles.

Even the charm on his neck seemed to have moonlight tears spilling from the gems.

LC tried to give his little brother a reassuring smile as he saw his face begin to twist, but it faltered. “I couldn’t save either of you. I had never felt grief before, and Lady Nuwa tried to help by letting me put that pain into helping others. I vowed to protect humanity with all that I am, because if I couldn’t save my family, I would save every family I could.”

LC raised a hand to MK’s hair to give it a ruffle, forcing MK’s attention to snap back to earth with a forced inhale. The older of the two threw up his glamour and returned to his human form, shaking off his tears and despair with a sniffle. 

“Come on now, none of that,” He scolded upon hearing the low growl, “No feeling bad for your older sibling, it’s gonna make me feel embarrassed. The tea is getting cold, and we wouldn’t want a war with the British.” 

Had MK not been making sure that LC was okay and doing his best to listen to the grieving emissary, he would’ve snapped. He allowed them to drift around him and grab the tea tray to move it to the table, but by the gods, he was furious.

Between this inhumane tournament, hunting down his dad like he was a prize, threatening his friends and family's way of life, and physically hurting them. Hurting him. Hurting his older sibling, making them think he was dead. 

Just how much had these suitors hurt his family?

Peaches and honey, old books and coffee candles, noodle broth and cooking wine, lighting and lime, cinnamon and wood smoke, saltwater and tea, freshwater and lotus blossoms. 

LC sucked his teeth. A playful scoff and a loud chuckle snapped the emotional atmosphere of the kitchen in two. “Lurking in doorways must run in the family and spread to friends, huh? Come get your tea and let's get to talking.”

The emissary turned to display a glowing cyan and gold necklace swaying from his neck. The eyes gleamed in an ethereal way that matched the magic now hovering around LC with a whisper of anger, understanding, and permission. LC’s sword responded in kind, releasing a thrum of magic that harmonized with what replaced his heartbeat.

“Looks like Master Xiangliu’s report got to Lady Nuwa,” LC said as he took a seat at the table, gesturing for everyone to come and join him. “And if I’m gonna go back to being a royal bodyguard, I should know what I’m up against.”