Beware Of Chicken-Novel

Rou stared up at the night sky, filled in with a thousand cracks of gold, and the glimmering points of stars. It was warm here, like a late summer evening. The deck he was sitting on felt comfortable and worn, as if it had seen a thousand nights just like this. Area they were in seemed both endless, and tiny at the same time. The grass stopped not far off the deck, fading into darkness, yet Little golden trails continued onwards, far, far away until Rou couldn’t see them anymore.

Rou contemplated his surroundings, absent-mindedly tapping his leg. After all this time, a letter.

So the old bastard was fine. That was good! Better than good. Rou was glad he was okay. Glad it wasn’t something Rou had done that caused the old man to leave. Gramps had been angry at somebody else; that’s why he had been so short. It had been about some other guy calling in a favour. He’d even apologized in the letter.

Rou was still angry. Really, he just said it was a mission, then didn’t explain, the bastard. He dumped him off at the sect, Rou had worked like a dog—

For a brief moment, he’d felt a flash of exhilaration. It was his chance. Perhaps he could be the one to take command permanently! But as quickly as it came it faded.

Jin had a thousand chances to snuff him out. A thousand chances to destroy what was left of the man once called Rou.

Yet he hadn’t. He hadn’t even once considered it.

Rou sighed, and looked to his side at the other guy.

“Hey.” He whispered. Jin perked up, his good eye opened, glancing at him, while the other was a ruined mess, covered completely in gold.

There were no real words needed, other than that. Jin nodded to him, not bringing any more attention to it. He understood. They were kind of similar, like that.

There was silence, as they sat together.

“So. What do we do about the Cloudy Sword Sect?” Jin asked. Rou rolled his eyes.

The other guy looked surprised.

Rou stared at the idiot.

“We’d have to leave the farm, we’d have to give up every single thing we have now to go back—”

Jin’s eyes widened.

Jin smiled. Rou turned away, glaring at the darkness around them.

“Like you would have gone anyway.” He muttered, before shaking his head. “The bigger question is. What do we do now? The Cloudy Sword Sect knows about us. We’re dumping Gold Grade Rice onto the market. We even asked that Chyou woman to put together an expedition to the south. We can’t stay a secret anymore. Somebody has already come knocking. This time it was just mail, next time?”

Jin sighed, looking down into his tea.

Jin lapsed into silence.

Rou frowned. He never had known how strong Gramps was. Never really tried to see. But weren't strong guys supposed to have all sorts of special cultivation resources? Rou hadn’t got any from Gramps, not as far as he remembered.

“We protect what's ours.” Rou finally said. “If the Cloudy Sword Sect really is looking to make amends, well, they can help us out when we need it.”

Jin rolled his eyes. Then smiled and asked. “Can we ask people if they dare oppose the Cloudy Sword Sect?”

Rou barked out a laugh.

The two half-men stared at each other. At the web of gold, and the points of connection between them.

“We protect what's ours.” Jin said, holding out his arm in a fist.

Rou tentatively reached his arm out, and punched Jin’s fist with his own.

The two ruined, mirrored halves pulled together.

“Remember to write a letter to gramps, would ya?” Rou asked.

Jin nodded. “I’ll let him know we’re okay. If he wants to see us again, he can come and visit.”

Rou felt his eyes start to close. But he did have one more question.

“Hey… do you think Yin would be willing to crap in an envelope for us?”

Rou’s eyes closed, a little smirk on both sides of their face.

===================================

My eyes opened. I stared at the ceiling of the inn. My hand absently came down to stroke the rabbit sleeping on my chest. A rooster was sitting beside my head, and a snake was coiled tight around my arm.

It wasn’t quite like waking up to Meimei, but it was the next best thing.

I gently scooped Yin off my chest. The rabbit grumbled, and curled tighter into Big D as I laid her down. Noodle woke up from the movement, staring at me a moment, before nodding his head, and slithering off to coil up near the others.

I stood up and padded over to the desk, where there was already a brush and paper prepared.

A letter huh?

What to write?

I pondered the message, and reached out, grabbing Gramp’s letter, and looking at the seal on the bottom.

I pressed my Qi into it.

The seal shuddered, and disintegrated. With a muffled pop, a sword and a scroll appeared in thin air.

Both were simple and unadorned. But the sword was high quality steel, and the scroll had another seal upon it.

I stared at the gifts.

Gramp’s gifts.

I pondered them. A sword on my mantelpiece, perhaps. Or I would train with it. I didn’t know quite yet. Carefully, I packed both away for the journey ahead, and turned back to the desk.

I grabbed the brush, dabbed it in some ink, and started.

======================

The next day, Lu Ri beheld Jin Rou once more. He no longer seemed to be unsettled. His back was straight, and his stride was self assured.

There was no trace of any confusion or worry that Lu Ri could detect.

Their meeting took place once more in the pavilion. The streams bubbled pleasantly, and the last flowers of summer filled the air with a heady scent.

Lu Ri greeted him, standing to receive his guest, and his Spirit Beast Disciples.

“Senior Brother.” Jin Rou said, after the pleasantries had been dealt with. “I will not be returning as a disciple to the Sect. Too much here requires my attention.”

Jin Rou’s voice was calm. His voice had a firm strength behind it, as he met Lu Ri’s gaze.

Lu Ri frowned internally. For a brief moment, he desired nothing more than to take Jin Rou back to the sect by force, and finally put this chapter behind him. Elder Ge had said not to push the issue, however, so he pushed aside the impulse.

“Your decision is unfortunate.” Lu Ri admitted. “But understandable at this time.”

“However, if the Cloudy Sword Sect wishes to make amends… I can think of a few ways.” He smirked, a sly note entering his voice. “I do not wish us to be enemies. And I have this, If you need us to speak again.”

He held up the transmission stone Lu Ri had given him yesterday.

Lu Ri nodded. “I shall convey your wishes back to the sect.” He said. He did need to report his success in person, after all.

“But... uh, I do have a request. Could you ensure this reaches the right place at the Imperial Army Headquarters in Crimson Crucible city for me? It's my reply to Gramps.” Jin Rou brought out a scroll case, one that was firmly sealed.

Lu Ri stared at the letter, his entire journey flashing before his eyes. Every moment of frustration and searching. There was the brief urge to smack it out of Jin Rou’s hand.

Lu Ri plastered a stiff smile onto his face. “I shall convey your letter Jin Rou. Though I must ask…” He glanced at the spirit beasts, and considered the man’s well hidden power. “Are you certain of this course of action? The Cloudy Sword Sect’s protection and backing is no small thing.”

Jin Rou considered the question for a moment, before smiling.

It blanketed the entire pavilion with a gentle touch. It slowly expanded over the entire city. It grew until it went past what Lu Ri’s senses could detect. Feather light and hard to distinguish. It was all round Lu Ri.

It was vast in its size, yet quiet in its intent. It was the land under his feet, it was the air in his lungs, it was the sky above his head.

Lu Ri’s eyes widened. He still could not feel what Jin Rou’s level was. It was shrouded to him. Yet this was utterly beyond anything he could have expected.

“I think I’ll be okay.” Jin Rou said, and smiled. The roses were straighter. The stream’s water seemed to clear. The grass deepened in its colour, and stood taller.

Lu Ri had lived for longer than most mortals. He had seen many tournaments, with wondrous techniques.

Yet he could not. Jin Rou’s intent was clear, and he had a mission to fulfill.

“I shall go then for now, Jin Rou. May the heavens favour you.” He intoned.

Jin Rou Stood, along with the Spirit Beasts. All bowed their heads.

“May the heavens favour you, Senior Brother. And here.” He brought out another package.

A large jar of Maple Syrup.

“Something for the road.” Jin Rou said with a boyish smile.