Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

With a wet, sickening crunch Yi’s blade struck true. Fuxi’s hulking form collapsed to his knees in exhaustion as his arm severed almost completely from the body. It fell onto the floor with a wet slap, hanging on only by a few pink strands of mutated flesh. Moments later his mask shattered and his arm severed completely, revealing a pair of milky-white eyeballs in the center of his face. A face that was bloated, almost melting; covered in pustules, some of them that same sickly shade of pink; and a trail of drool hanging from his malformed mouth. The sordid sight made Yi recoil, unable to look away as he pulled out his medicine pipe and stepped back to recuperate from the lengthy fight.

A horrified gasp from the side reminded Yi that Nuwa was still here. Her hulusi fell from her hands, clattering on the floor, before an anguished scream left her mouth. “No…no! What have you done!” she cried, tilting her hover chair forward to cross the room towards her brother’s corpse. “FUXI!”

Nuwa’s hand slipped at the last moment, causing her to fall from her chair, flat onto her face in front of Yi. Unable to stand due to her bound feet, she resorted to desperate crawling to close the last few feet. “I put so much effort into his makeup!”

Looking back at Fuxi’s corpse, Yi began to put the pieces together. “His corpse has almost completely decayed…” he observed aloud, his brow furrowing. “Before liftoff, was he already in a-”

“SHUT UP!” Nuwa yelled, turning back towards him where he could finally see the tears falling from her face. “So what? He’ll be fully cured as long as he keeps getting his shots!”

Yi’s stomach twisted. “Wait…shots? What do you mean shots?”

“That’s not your business!” she yelled, reaching out a hand to her brother’s malformed face. “Fuxi…”

A great sense of unease washed over Yi as her hand made contact, brushing against one of the pink pustules in the process. Whether through delusion or denial, Nuwa was oblivious to the unkillable, mutated nightmare happening throughout the Empyrean District; and by extension, oblivious to the danger before her. Would Fuxi stay down unlike the things outside? Yi took a step forward. “Nuwa…get away from him.”

“Would you just SHUT UP!?” Nuwa whirled around, pointing a finger right at the center of his chest. “This is all your fault, asshole! All of it! I don’t want to hear it! H-he was going to get better, he was!” She brought her hand close to her chest, growing quiet as she held in a sob. “H-he still can…he-”

A squelch cut loudly through the air as Fuxi’s corpse suddenly exploded with dozens of long spikes breaking through the skin. Yi lurched forward, eyes wide, while Nuwa screamed. A moment of silence stretched on for what felt like years as he studied her for any wounds, before a cold sense of relief washed over him as he realized that, miraculously, the spikes had avoided piercing her.

“F-Fuxi…?” she whispered, fingers tracing one of the spikes that had popped out in front of her. Her watery eyes just stared right at it, her mouth twitching but no words coming out. Then finally, something inside her broke. “Wh…what did you DO TO HIM?!!” she cried, lurching forwards and covering her mouth as pained sobs wracked her entire body. “Fuxi-i-i-i…” she wailed, wetting the floor with her tears as Yi watched helplessly in front of her.

The sorry display tugged at Yi’s heartstrings, and even as he looked away her anguished cries pierced his stoic demeanor. It had been a long time since he’d seen such a raw show of emotion, and it brought back uncomfortable memories of his sister and their parents. He had always been wary of the Fengs, but in that moment he understood perfectly well the feeling of loss she was experiencing, and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t feel at least a little guilty. “Nuwa, I…”

“Just leave us alone,” Nuwa croaked, her voice breaking as the sniffles and tears kept coming. “Take what you want and leave us alone, Yi…”

Yi looked off to the side, an edge of Nuwa’s vital sanctum visible through a doorway. He still needed to grab her Sol seal, but what was going to happen to her in the meantime? Almost all the Sols he’d dealt with previously had immediately met their fate in some way, and here, finally, seemed the chance to actually try saving one of them. Of course it was Nuwa of all people, and she wanted nothing to do with him after what he did to Fuxi, but could he really live with himself if he just left her here?

He glanced at Fuxi’s corpse one last time. For what little knowledge he possessed of the mutants so far, they possessed rapid regeneration abilities and an uncanny ability to avoid being killed. Fuxi seemed to lack that, at least for the time being. Time moved slower inside the soulscapes, but he really needed that Sol seal. Yi steeled himself and hoped he wasn’t making a mistake as he left behind the banquet hall for Nuwa’s private quarters, stepping over to her sanctum and plugging himself in.

A pair of siblings glancing through a window at the scene on their own street. Their own countrymen lie dead on the road, bursting with hauntingly beautiful flowers. The sister plays with her hands, sick with guilt as she wishes she could’ve done more for them. The brother notices and does what he can to reassure her.

“Don’t dwell on it. This isn’t their fault, and it’s definitely not yours.”

Backstage before a performance, the two siblings share a moment. Like many times before he’s helped her with her makeup and dress, and his handiwork this time is nothing short of stunning. With a proud smile he holds his hands up to the sides of her head.

“Beautiful! Just as our clan’s lead actress should be!”

The brother lies bedridden. His sister watches over, stricken with grief as she knows there isn’t much time left. The Tianhuo has taken its foul hold earlier than either of them expected. She’d do anything to make him better, anything for even just a speck of hope.

And as it just so happens, the scientist that entered offers that speck freely.

“I am developing a new cure, but I can make an exception and let your brother try it out.”

The two sit together in their private chamber, the sister now the one to dress him up. The virus has not been kind to him, but it’s been especially cruel to his face; any outsider would recoil in fear if they saw it. Not her though; it’s still her beloved brother behind those eyes, and as long as he keeps receiving his treatments he’ll continue to get better. He has to.

“Time for your shot, Fuxi. You’ll be better in no time.”

Fragments slowly drift together to form a vision of better days. The twins in their prime, hand in hand, locked together in dance.

And maybe something more.

“These feelings emerged in a haze, but they deepen with each passing day.”

Finally emerging from the soulscape, Yi immediately felt around for something to lean against as his free hand came to his mouth and tears threatened the corners of his eyes. He felt bad enough seeing Nuwa like that, but to finally know the full story left him numb inside. He finally had an answer to his earlier thought: no he could not leave her here. Even if she hated him for the rest of eternity, he had to at least make the attempt. After everything he’d done, here was a small chance to set something right, and he was not going to let it slip through his fingers.

Before he could leave, he caught a glimpse of a crate in the corner. Looking inside he found rows and rows of pink vials, each bearing a familiar symbol. He grabbed one and studied it close, unease growing within him as he recalled the soulscape memories.

A terrified shriek broke him out of his focus. He pocketed the vial and sprinted back out into the banquet hall, where his blood ran cold as he saw what had disturbed Nuwa. Sprouting from Fuxi's corpse was a long pink tendril he'd seen before in the main hall of the research center. Its single eye studied Nuwa as she slowly backed away with abject terror. “F-Fuxi? Fuxi it's me…”

It didn't seem to be attacking her, but Yi wasn't taking any chances. Closing the distance, the eye stalk finally noticed his presence and readied a needle. Yi deftly parried it right back into the center of its eye and followed up with a slice that almost completely severed the stalk and left it hanging by a few threads. He landed in front of Nuwa and held out his hand. “It won't stay down for long, let's get out of here.”

Nuwa swatted it away. “I'm not going with you! I told you to leave me alone!”

“You'll die if you stay here!” Yi snapped, anger flashing across his face.

“Maybe that wouldn't be so bad!”

Yi glared at her, debating how to approach this. Behind him he could hear the eye stalk slowly reforming itself. A thought crossed his mind and he acted on instinct. Bringing his hand to his ear, he dialed in a channel at the pavilion. “Abacus, can you remotely command a hover chair?” he asked, glancing at the one Nuwa had fallen from. “I need this one to follow me.”

“[Of course, My Lord,]” it replied, and a moment later the chair hovered over to him. With a sigh he heaved Nuwa off the floor.

“Wha- HEY! PUT ME DOWN! LET GO!” she protested, flailing about and trying to hit him as he deposited her onto the chair. Before she could try anything else Yi sprinted away, leaving behind the banquet hall and its drugged-up occupants.

Out in the courtyard, the mutants had already gathered below the bronze statues flanking the entrance to the hall. As Yi and Nuwa emerged, the mutants immediately fixed them with their singular eyes and charged. Yi readied his blade and parried the first one to pounce on him, dodging underneath it and following up with a slice that left it sprawled out on the ground. Another was right behind, spitting a blob of purple goo that gave him a window to apply a talisman and detonate it. Half its body exploded in a shower of mutated flesh and Solarian parts, but even as the remainder of it fell to the ground by its comrade, both of them were already starting to repair the damage. Knowing that to stop would spell death for them, Yi charged through the opening made, with Nuwa close in tow.

Nuwa could only scream and hold on for dear life as the chair defied her attempts to regain control of it, whisking her through the carnage and down the streets of the Empyrean District. Sheltered away from the worst of it this whole time, she was finally brought face-to-face with the living nightmare outside her fortress. Pink masses of flesh, spikes jutting from the walls, and beasts that vaguely resembled Solarians emitting blood-curdling howls and moans. Nuwa tightly shut her eyes, helpless to do anything but trust that Yi had a plan and she wouldn’t be left to fend for herself. Or worse.

The Empyrean District was huge, its buildings tall and clustered tightly together. Even though Yi knew the way back, it felt like an hour before he arrived back at the main elevator. Exhausted from his gauntlet, he plodded through the gilded doors and sat down in a corner. Pulling out his medicine pipe, he slowly breathed it in, letting the medicinal fumes calm his mind, nerves, and racing heart.

Nuwa and her hover chair were close behind. The situation had calmed down enough in the last few minutes she’d been able to assume a natural posture and ease her death grip on the cushion. With her arms crossed and a thousand-yard stare, she refused to look at him as her chair settled in the opposite corner and the elevator began to shift.

Yi eyed her up with pity. Though she’d done nothing physical, he couldn’t deny she’d been through a far worse day than he had. Her mascara had long since been ruined by the tears, leaving black streaks of matted fur below her eyes. It was obvious she was deep in thought and still wanted nothing to do with him, but against his better judgement he couldn’t help but ask:

“Did you…really not know?”

Nuwa glanced at him, her expression unreadable. Not a word escaped her and she looked back at the wall a moment later.

Yi sighed. “...Sorry.” Bringing his pipe close for another hit, he let the quiet hum of the elevator take over for the remainder of the ride.

The main hall of New Kunlun remained quiet as usual, save for the hum of distant machinery that was broken up by the sound of Yi’s shoes softly padding against the polished floor. Nuwa hovered right behind him, having made no attempt at escape or conversation during the elevator ride and afterwards. The chair still obeyed the simple command to follow Yi, and until control was relinquished there was nothing to be gained from trying to make a break for it on her painful, malformed feet.

Yi led her in front of the doors to the Four Seasons Pavilion, stopping in front beneath the shade of the two statues flanking them. He finally turned to look at her, and she immediately attempted to avoid his gaze. “Whatever issues you have with me I understand,” he began with a heavy sigh, “but I’m not the only one living here. I trust you will not bring harm to them, or make knowledge of this place known to anyone who can.”

Nuwa’s eyes widened slightly at the mention of there being others, but her answer to his statement was simply the barest of a shrug.

Yi’s eyes narrowed. “Say you understand.”

“...I understand…”

Satisfied, Yi threw open the gates to the pavilion and led her inside. The digital sky was approaching dusk, casting just enough light on the trees and pavilion to catch Nuwa’s attention. For a brief moment her worries were forgotten as she took in the simple beauty of Yi’s abode. She had rarely spent time outside the Empyrean District, even well before the launch of the Eternal Cauldron, so to finally catch a glimpse of something different was enough to give her pause.

Walking up the steps to the pavilion, a rotund orange figure rounded the corner on a hover chair of his own, his eyes widening in surprise. “Yi, you’re back! And…is that Nuwa? My goodness man, I didn’t expect you to actually bring a fellow Sol back one of these days! You must tell me what happened!”

Nuwa couldn’t help but stare, slightly stunned that Kuafu happened to be one of the other occupants Yi had spoken of. After a moment’s consideration it started to make sense; the two had always been close, but after literal centuries of being willfully ignorant to everything happening outside the Empyrean District, every new bit of info made her current situation that much harder to process.

Yi finally relinquished control of the hover chair to Nuwa, and ushered Kuafu into a side room. “There’s…a lot we need to talk about,” he started in a quiet voice. “I’ll tell you the deal with her, but first…something is very wrong.”

While Kuafu listened in silence, Yi began to recount everything that had transpired over his last excursion. Starting with his arrival in the Empyrean District and his eventual run-in with the mutants, before pivoting to his encounters with the Feng siblings. He glossed over what he’d seen in the soulscapes, not feeling right to recount it in full; but explained everything he knew about Fuxi and his fate, before finishing with how he’d managed to get Nuwa out safely.

“...and then we finally got back to the elevator and made our way back here,” Yi finished. He rummaged through his robe for a moment before pulling out the vial he’d pocketed earlier. “Here’s one of the ‘shots’ she mentioned. I’m going to have Abacus run a scan on it, hopefully we can get some insight on what happened up there.”

After a few long moments Kuafu finally spoke. “That’s…wow. Poor Nuwa…I vaguely remember what happened to Fuxi, but I almost never heard anything from the Empyrean District ever since launch. I never realized it had gotten so bad for her…”

Yi looked down at the floor. “I’m still not sure if I made the right choice,” he said in a slow, hushed tone. “She’s never going to forgive me for what I did to her brother, even if she ever manages to accept the fact he died centuries ago.”

Kuafu’s gaze softened. “Oh Yi…I can’t imagine I would’ve done anything different in your place, brother. Even if she begged me to, I don't think I’d be able to sleep if I just left her there like that.”

“Just…do what you can to look after her. Oh, and keep Shuanshuan from hounding her too much. I don’t think she’ll want anything to do with us for a while.” He gently bounced the serum in his hand. “I’m going to go have this scanned now.”

Yi left to run his errand, leaving Nuwa and Kuafu alone in the same room. The resulting silence was deafening, but it gave Kuafu enough time to think of something to break the ice. “So Nuwa…would you like a tour of the place?”

An indifferent shrug. Kuafu winced inside, but decided to take it as a ‘yes’ anyway. There was no good way around this being awkward. With a forced smile and a wave of his hand, he ushered her into the center of the pavilion.

Nuwa was only half listening as Kuafu began to show her around, the bulk of her attention spent noticing just how messy it was. Yi had mentioned others, sure, but the level of furniture and stuff that was scattered around was more akin to a mess produced by a Solarian child than anything Yi or Kuafu would have done. It wasn’t long before the source of the mess revealed itself, as the rapid pattering of feet reached her ears.

“Woaahhhh, did Yi make a new friend? That’s a cool hat! I like your chair too, it hovers just like Uncle Chubby’s!” a high-pitched voice giggled.

Nuwa whirled around, recoiling as she noticed the ragged, dirty apeman looking up at her with a wide smile. “What is that thing doing here?” she gasped.

“That ‘thing’ is named Shuanshuan,” Kuafu replied matter-of-factly, “and he’s here because of Yi. Apparently the two of them were quite good friends even before I came along. And…I must admit he’s grown on me as well.”

“Hehe, I love you too Uncle Chubby!”

Kuafu bristled, blush spreading across his face. “Don’t push your luck kid! You know what I said about that nickname!”

Shuanshuan looked at her with curiosity. “What about you? What’s your name? Ooh, can I call you auntie?”

“This is Nuwa, Shuanshuan,” Kuafu explained, putting a hand on his shoulder, “and I was busy showing her around. Think you can go back to what you were doing for a bit?”

He pouted. “Aww, but I only just met her!”

“Well she’ll be staying here now so you’ll have plenty of time for that later, but for now can you just leave us be?”

Shuanshuan was a little disappointed, but he obliged and his joy quickly returned as he got back to the calligraphy practice he’d been working on, leaving the two Solarians to each other once more. Kuafu was able to finish the tour without any interruptions, but through no fault of his own, Nuwa’s heart just wasn’t in it. When she’d been shown the whole layout and asked if she needed anything, she simply asked for a room and to be left alone.

Kuafu was a little dejected, but he understood. Compared to his memories of Nuwa this was practically a different person. The party animal he knew was gone, replaced with a depressed loner who clearly had no idea what to do now that her brother was dead. Bringing her to one of the vacant guest rooms, he let her inside and gently closed the door behind her. Alone at last, Nuwa looked around her new living space and took it all in; a modest bed, a dresser with a mirror, and a small bathroom were the only things of note. To most it might be considered ‘quaint’ or ‘cozy’, but to someone high class like her, it was a far cry from what she’d been used to. It may as well have been peasant quarters.

Hovering over to the dresser, Nuwa took stock of the pathetic makeup selection, and eyed herself up in the mirror. I look dreadful…Her mascara had turned into streaks, her fur was rough, and there were already bags under her eyes. Needing something, anything to do besides mope, she grabbed a hairbrush and some marked vials, and began the long process of trying to make herself look presentable again.

It wasn’t long before she held her head in her hands, the desk below her slowly growing damper with each sniffle.

Simulated night fell upon the pavilion and its regular occupants gathered round the table for dinner. Kuafu had gone up to Nuwa’s room beforehand to invite her down, but received the cold shoulder instead. After everyone had eaten he’d attempted to return with some leftovers to offer her, but even those were turned down. Dejected, but unsurprised, he left her alone for the night.

Unfortunately for Nuwa, sleep would not come. She made an attempt, but after lying in bed staring at the ceiling for what felt like an hour, she realized that even if she managed to doze off she would no doubt be plagued by nightmares. With a resigned sigh, she climbed back into her hover chair and quietly left her room to explore the rest of the building. Eventually she came to rest in front of one of the large windows, and began to gaze out at the digital night sky with an utterly aimless look.

Alone with her thoughts, Nuwa soon found she didn’t even need to sleep to be haunted by the day’s events. “Oh Fuxi…” she whispered to herself, unable to shake the mental image of her poor brother kneeling there, broken and battered at the hands of that traitor, Yi. Her breath hitched in her throat as a quiet sob slipped out, but by now she was exhausted and had cried enough already such that tears no longer appeared. She continued to stare out the window, feeling utterly alone and abandoned for the first time in her life.

“Um…hello?”

Nuwa’s brooding was interrupted by a familiar high-pitched voice. She turned and saw the apeman child from before, standing off to the side with a hesitant look. “What do you want?” she croaked.

“I saw you couldn’t sleep so I figured I’d come be with you. If…that’s alright…”

“...I guess,” Nuwa said, looking back out the window.

Shuanshuan walked over and crawled up to kneel on the bench next to her. He glanced between her and the view outside a few times before speaking again. “Yi says I shouldn’t stay up late like this, but he never tells me why. If I’m not tired then why do I still have to go to bed?”

Nuwa’s face twisted into an awkward smile for half a second. Wow, it’s exactly like a Solarian child…

She didn’t have anything to respond with, but Shuanshuan seemed to notice the brief change in her demeanor. He stuck out his hand, offering her a piece of paper. “I made this for you earlier, but you were locked in your room all day.”

Her curiosity piqued, Nuwa turned to look at him. She took the paper and held it close, slowly making it out in the low light. It’s…me? She realized with widening eyes. A crude rendition of her filled the page, featuring an exaggerated headdress and hover chair. It was very obviously drawn by a child, but it was slightly better than one would have expected. Dare she say it even had a certain charm to it. “I…thank you…” she replied, still in disbelief.

Shuanshuan giggled. “Hehe, I hope you like it. Drawing your weird head thingy was a lot of fun!”

Nuwa let out a ‘hmmph’, but she couldn’t bring herself to be offended. He was obviously trying to help, and after such a horrible day, the absurdity of a child being, well, a child was a welcome change of pace. She couldn’t muster much will for conversation, even if she could think of something for them to talk about, but the tiniest of smiles still managed to grace her lips.

A yawn escaped Shuanshaun, followed quickly by an “I’m not tired.” He remained quiet otherwise, understanding that now was not the time to ask all the questions he wanted of her. He slowly transitioned into a laying position, and when Nuwa eventually looked over he found him fast asleep. She stayed where she was, deep in thought, but feeling just a little bit less alone.

Day dawned on the pavilion, its occupants stirring and preparing for the day. Shuanshuan awoke on the couch to find himself alone, but his disappointment didn’t last long as Kuafu came down to help him prepare some breakfast. Yi and Shennong joined them around the breakfast table, the former eager to get an early start. He explained Abacus’s findings from the scan of the serum, and how a DNA sample was still needed to fully sequence it.

“I’ll be heading into the Grotto of Scriptures today. There’s still two more Sol seals to acquire, and hopefully I’ll find what I need along the way.”

After breakfast they all said their goodbyes. As Yi left on his latest outing, the rest of them dispersed amongst the pavilion. Nuwa had remained absent the entire time, having left for the upper floor shortly before dawn. Sleep still evaded her and she had no desire to initiate conversation with anyone, so she had spent breakfast eavesdropping. Something she began to regret a little as hunger finally made itself known.

Sitting near the round window in the center of one of the second floor rooms, Nuwa occupied herself with observing a Qiankun board that had been left out. The sound of the elevator activating finally grabbed her attention, and she looked to see Kuafu’s large form emerging from it with a plate in his hand.

“Hungry yet?” he asked, holding it out to her as he floated over. Some wheat cakes, dumplings, and steamed rice filled the plate. The sight made her stomach rumble and she graciously took it and started digging in. “Um, how are you feeling?” he asked after a few seconds.

Nuwa paused her chewing, face drooping as she swallowed. “I don’t know, terrible. I still haven’t slept…”

“I see,” Kuafu gazed sympathetically. “Well, if you’re going to stay up I can probably find some things for you to do around here. Otherwise Shuanshuan was looking forward to asking you a lot of things; he was awfully talkative about you at breakfast for some reason,” he chuckled.

Recalling last night, she smiled a little before resuming eating. “I’ll see. Thank you, Kuafu.”

“Of course,” he smiled in return. “Let me know if you need anything!”

Parting ways for the time being, Nuwa quickly finished her breakfast while pondering how to spend the day. Perhaps speaking to the apeman child was the best place to start; he’d been the nicest so far, going out of his way for her despite only meeting her half a day ago. A meeting with Kuafu would be nice too, though she wasn’t sure she was ready for the more serious, grown-up conversation it would inevitably bring. Better to start small.

Shuanshuan was downstairs by a large rectangular window. Nuwa heard him before she saw him, beautiful notes of music echoing through the building. At first she thought a record was being played, until she was close enough to see the flute held to his mouth. He was deep in concentration, playing a song he had no doubt practiced before, only a few imperfections cutting through the performance.

As the last note died away, he finally noticed her staring. “Oh, Auntie Nuwa, you’re here! Didya like my playing?”

Nuwa blinked. “It was…surprisingly good,” she confessed. “Where did you even learn that?”

Shuanshuan gestured to the pale Yi-like hologram that stood in the corner, giving her a jump as she hadn’t noticed it before. “Abacus helped with most of it. Yi too, sometimes, but he’s busy a lot of the time. He did bring me the music though!”

“[Shuanshuan has progressed a lot the past month. When My Lord first brought him the music he could not even read it,]” the hologram added.

“Impressive,” Nuwa admitted. “...I’m proficient with the flute myself, but I don’t recall being able to play a song like that within a month.”

“Woaaahhh, you can also play it? Can you help teach me too?”

“Umm.” Nuwa vaguely recalled the fate of her hulusi, no doubt still laying on the floor of the banquet hall. “I would need one for myself first. I’m afraid I lost mine…”

“Aww. Well I’m sure Uncle Chubby could make you one! He can make just about anything with that workbench of his.”

Nuwa wanted to say no. Not only had she never taught before, but it still felt weird for this child to be so willing to go out of his way for her. On the other hand, having something normal to do around the pavilion would probably be a boon for her mental health. That, and letting down a child wouldn’t sit right with her. She smiled. “I suppose I can.”

Hours later the sound of flute music heard throughout the pavilion finally drew to a close. Nuwa held the one Kuafu had printed for her in her lap while she watched Shuanshuan finish his tune. She’d managed to teach him the beginning of a classic Shang Kingdom folk song, and while the intro was still rough around the edges, he’d done surprisingly well for someone of his age.

“Very good!” Nuwa clapped her hands together. Some of her old peppiness had returned as the two of them relaxed and got into the routine of teaching. “That’s a good place to stop for today.” Her stomach rumbled, having barely gotten its fill that morning. “...And it’s a good time for lunch as well.”

As if on cue, Kuafu hovered over to them, carrying a tray of pork sandwiches, tea, and cookies. “Lunch anyone?” The tray was set down and the three of them immediately began digging in. “That was quite the lovely performance, you two,” he said between bites. “I didn’t expect you both to hit it off so well so soon.”

Tea cup in hand, Nuwa blushed as she brought the other to her face. “Oh, that was hardly a performance, he just wanted a new song to learn. He’s been so nice to me, how could I say no?”

Kuafu beamed. “Well that’s great to hear. Just wait till you see what all else he’s learning. Your artistic flair could be more helpful for him than you think.”

The conversation died away as they ate, but upon finishing, Shuanshuan finally worked up the courage to ask a burning question. “So how come you have a hover chair like Uncle Chubby? Is it cause of your feet?”

Nuwa’s eyes grew wide for a second before she glanced down, looking very ashamed. “Coming on a little too strong, kid,” Kuafu warned.

“Oh, I’m sorry auntie…”

Though Nuwa had gotten used to living like this, it had been an unspoken rule on Penglai to not bring attention to bound feet in pleasant conversation. The bluntness of his question brought back - quite literally - painful memories of her mother insisting on the process against her will. That said, he was an apeman child with no frame of reference for this kind of thing, and she realized she couldn’t stay upset at him over that.

“No, it’s alright,” Nuwa replied mournfully. “It’s…it’s called foot binding,” she explained, lifting up a leg for them to see. “It was widespread in the Shang Kingdom, especially amongst the nobility. It’s considered beautiful, but…” her voice trailed off, the explanation clear without needing to finish.

An awkward silence fell between the three for a moment, eventually broken by Shuanshuan. “Can…can’t you fix them somehow? I’m sure Uncle Chubby could make something, couldn’t you?”

Kuafu rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Hmm, with a little time I could whip up a design for some leg braces that would help. If you want, that is.”

“Oh, you’ve done more than enough for me already,” Nuwa sniffled. “You really don’t have to…”

Kuafu scoffed. “Please, you know how much I love tinkering, I’d appreciate the challenge. Just because you’re the Sol of selflessness doesn’t mean you have to turn down an act of it from others.”

Nuwa fell silent, weighing her options in her head. Ever since she was a child, the foot binding her mother had insisted on had limited her ability to do a lot, but she always had Fuxi around to carry her, both literally and figuratively. The hover chair had helped gain some independence, but she’d still remained fiercely dependent on her brother for most things. With him gone it was like she’d been thrown into the ocean without a life raft. Like or not she was going to have to adapt somehow.

She sniffed and wiped a few tears from her eyes as she finally responded. “Alright, sure.”

Within an hour Nuwa had been in and out of Kuafu’s workshop, the latter satisfied with the measurements and designs he’d come up with. They’d made some light conversation, but Nuwa’s heart wasn’t fully in it yet; she wasn’t ready to discuss anything deeper with Kuafu right now. For the rest of the afternoon she spent time in her room or with Shuanshuan, helping the kid tidy up while taking in just how many artifacts and trinkets he’d amassed during his stay.

As evening rolled around, the root node in the center of the pavilion suddenly activated, signaling Yi’s return. Nuwa’s mood subsequently soured as the little Sol caught sight of her, and she left the pavilion for some fresh air and to get away from any potential interactions from him. Hovering out onto the back porch, she leaned back and looked around at the scenery until a whistle caught her attention.

If the whistle didn’t make her jump, setting her gaze on its source definitely did. A morbidly obese apeman sat off to the side, naked except for a pants, ankles straps, and some leaves around his neck. She’d vaguely known of his presence at the pavilion, but somehow she avoided actually seeing him up until now. She really wished it had stayed that way.

“Ah, I’ve been waiting to meet you!” he yelled with a wave, making her face wrinkle in disgust. “Didn’t expect that white-haired demon to bring back another one of his own. The name's Shennong, by the way.”

“And what do you want?” Nuwa asked cautiously, unable to look at him directly.

“Someone to humor me with conversation and a stiff drink. My usual drinking buddy’s been too busy lately to indulge me, hmmph.”

Under any other circumstance she would have turned him down, but the prospect of alcohol gave her pause. After yesterday she could still use something to dull the pain and calm her nerves, and there was only so much that Kuafu or Shuanshuan could do for her in that regard. Really the only thing stopping her was how unbearable it was to look at the apeman, but a few drinks would change that quickly enough. With a sigh she hovered over.

“Hehe, good choice,” Shennong chuckled, pulling out two cups and pouring them full of a frothy, sickly yellow liquid. Nuwa brought it to her face and gave it a cautious sniff, subsequently recoiling. The second thoughts returned in force, but she’d already made it this far. It would be rude not to…Before she could have third thoughts, she brought it to her lips and gulped it down.

“Oh…oh wow,” she said. Despite the looks and smell, it had a surprising sweetness to it, almost fruity in nature. It was a far cry from the fancy wines and spirits she had back in the Empyrean District, but for what it was, it was surprisingly…good. Or maybe it was because her expectations for it had been at rock bottom. Either way she hesitantly stuck her cup back out for another round.

“Hah, good isn’t it? Here,” he laughed, pouring it full once more.

“Just don’t ask him how he brews it.”

Nuwa turned to the source of the voice, seeing Yi standing there watching. Her eyes narrowed, but he gave no show of emotion and walked away a moment later. “...What did he mean by that?” she asked with concern.

Shennong merely grinned. “You’re a little too sober to know that.”

A loud, piercing laugh filled the night air. “...and then, AND THEN! Juuust as Kuafu thought he -hic - wuz gonna get away, the guy grabs him. And poor Kuafu, he turns around and - hic - and throws up ALLLL over the guy’s fancy suit!”

An hour and three drinks in, Nuwa had transformed almost completely back to the personality she was known for. Whatever was in Shennong’s brew was strong enough to strip away all the doubts and worries she had, bringing her back to the blissful state she’d been chasing for the past five centuries.

The apeman himself joined in with a large belly laugh. “Hehehe. I must say miss, uh…ah hell, what was yer name again…You are definitely a more interesting drinking partner than that white-haired demon.”

“Y’mean Yiiiiii?” she slurred, leaning in with a lopsided smile. “Hmmph, he’s always been like that! Always busy with his stuuuuupid lil projects, never any appreciation for - hic - the finer thingz in life.” She pointed a finger. “I ‘memba this one time…we finally managed to drag him to a party. And allllll he did was sit in the corner the whole time! THE WHOLE. DAMN. TIME!”

Another chorus of chuckles echoed between them. “Well I suppose he was right about one thing. You Empyrean District folks sure know how to party.”

Nuwa giggled. “Ohhhh, you have nooooo idea. Shame ya weren’t there. Music, singing, dancing…and I coulda showed ya stuff so potent it’d make this shit you brew look like water! Heehee, tell ya what, once Yi’s stupid lil plan all blows over I’ll bring ya up there and me’n Fuxi’ll…” her voice trailed off, giddy demeanor rapidly evaporating.

Shennong glanced at her. “Mmm? Who was that?”

Remaining quiet, Nuwa just glanced at the empty bottom of her cup for a long time. “...No one. Nevermind.”

“Hmmph, I’m not that clueless,” Shennong grumbled. “The fat one and the kid told me enough. Your brother, right?”

“They told you?” Nuwa looked up with a whisper.

“Was more like that demon told them and then they told me. Guess he didn’t want them asking you anything uncomfortable,” he answered with a scoff.

Nuwa drunkenly swayed from side to side, lost in thought for a moment. She wasn’t really surprised that either knew, but that did explain a little bit about why Shuanshuan had been so nice to her. It was…nice of Yi to think of her like that, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that he had gone behind her back. “Bastard…” she muttered.

While Nuwa fell silent, Shennong tossed back the last of his drink and finished with a belch. “Y’know before I came here, that white-haired demon found me dying alone on the floor of your agricultural center. Woulda been easy for him to just leave me there and wash his hands of the whole thing, but he went out of his way to get me back on my feet and bring me here.”

Nuwa stayed quiet, letting the drunken apeman recount his tale while she turned the empty cup over in her hand.

“I dunno what he was like back in your time, but I've already seen him change over the course of my stay here, even if he won't - hic - acknowledge it. I can't rightly say why exactly he saved you or me, but…” he paused to find the right words. “Acts like that don't happen out of malice. “

“I guess. I just…really miss my brother…” she choked, tears threatening the corners of her eyes once more.

Shennong let out a low, understanding grumble. “I've seen a number of good folks come and go. Never gets easier, just different. I guess what keeps me going is - hic - knowing someone’s gotta carry on their legacy after everyone else is dead and gone. Otherwise what use was it all in the first place?”

A few stray tears traced a path down her face as she remained transfixed to the ground. “...That’s surprisingly insightful of you…”

“Mmm, I’m just rambling again,” he grumbled. “Bah, look at me, killing the mood like that.”

“S’alright,” she mumbled, bringing her hand up to dry her eyes. “Gettin’ late anyway…”

A slow smile spread on his face. “Well it was nice - hic - meeting you, don’t be afraid to stop by for another round sometime. I’ll be here.” As he started to reorganize his possessions to make a rudimentary sleeping spot, a thought came to him. “Ah, before you turn in, I never got to tell ya the secret to my brews. Whaddya say?”

She had never regretted saying ‘yes’ so much.

The sounds of music that echoed from the hall when he first approached were totally absent as Yi returned to it. Between the so-called ‘serum’ for Tianhuo and the DNA from a lock of Ji’s hair he’d recovered after their fight, Abacus and Kuafu had managed to put together a device that altered Yi’s talismans in a way that would theoretically destroy the mutants once and for all. A theory he’d spent the last few hours proving right as he retraced his steps in the Empyrean District to see if he’d missed anything under the masses of pink flesh that remained.

Stepping past the bronze statues of Nuwa and Fuxi that flanked the entrance, Yi walked up the steps into the hall where he’d fought them. It was eerily quiet now, and as he walked into the main room he understood why. A horrifying sight was before him; Fuxi’s corpse had been completely taken over by the mutation, pink tendrils snaking along the floor towards the drugged-up Solarians on either side.

The dancers and musicians no longer danced or played; instead their corpses littered the stage. Those who had just been here for the entertainment, or locked in the throes of passion, had started to be overtaken by the mutation, most of them wholly or partially encased in sickly pink flesh. The debatably lucky few that had been spared its grasp so far lie deathly still, and the fewer still that showed any kind of life twitched and foamed at the mouth, no doubt overdosing on an unholy concoction of mind-melting drugs the Fengs had provided to dull the pain of reality.

Yi shivered. He wondered if he’d have bothered saving Nuwa if this was the scene when he had first walked in. Assuming she’d even be alive by now. He couldn’t entirely blame them though; with everything he knew about New Kunlun that had gradually come to light, it would’ve certainly been a…less sobering way to go.

The eye stalk that sprouted from Fuxi’s corpse fixed its mutated eye on him once more, and reminded him why he was here. Before it could even bother attacking, Yi rushed past it, planting a talisman and detonating it. He looked back after a moment and watched as the stalk slowly dissolved, the pink flesh that belonged to it melting away. As it reached the bulk of Fuxi’s corpse it stripped away the mutation encasing it. What remained was not the hulking monster Yi had fought, nor a mass of rotten flesh, but instead a small field of fungal grass with a hauntingly beautiful Tianhuo flower at the center.

Yi slowly stepped forward, reaching into the center of the flower and retrieving the Tao fruit within. He held it in his grasp for a long while, contemplating it, before eventually storing it away inside his hanfu.

When Nuwa finally came to, it was midday, she was laying on one of the couches, and she had a splitting headache.

“Ohhhh…” she moaned, clutching the sides of her head in anguish. Her headdress seemed to have gone absent during the night, but that wasn’t important right now. As she massaged her temple, she vaguely recalled the previous evening; she remembered sitting down with that fat apeman for a drink, and then most of it was a blur. At least she remembered it ultimately being enjoyable, and she’d finally been able to get a restful sleep out of it.

The clink of porcelain grabbed her attention. Shuanshuan approached with a tray of tea and some biscuits, laying it on a table in front of her. “Good morning auntie! Uncle Chubby said to give this to you.”

“Thanks kiddo…” she muttered, reaching for a cup of the steaming beverage. “Ugh, my head huuuuurts…”

Shuanshuan sat down beside her. “Is that cause of the stuff you and Ah-nong were drinking?”

“Mmmhmm.”

“Why do you drink it if it makes your head hurt? Sounds dumb,” he pouted.

Nuwa took a hesitant sip. Unmistakably oolong, with hints of something herbal that she assumed would help her headache. “There’s more to it than that…you’ll understand when you’re older.”

“I didn’t realize your ears were so big,” he giggled. “I thought your weird hat just looked that way for fun.”

Nuwa glared at him, her ears twitching in annoyance in a manner that just made him giggle even harder. He hopped up next to her on the couch and the two started making idle chatter as she nursed her tea and waited for her headache to subside. Eventually another pair of footsteps approached, and when Nuwa looked up she scowled to see Yi approaching.

“Can you give us a moment, Shuanshuan?” he asked, ignoring her glare.

When the apeman child was gone, Yi took his place next to her. For a while neither of them said anything to each other, Nuwa looking in the opposite direction, while Yi fiddled with his hands. Eventually the awkwardness became too much and she turned to ask. “Did you…need something?”

Yi sneaked a glance at her, but stayed quiet, continuing to fidget as he chose his next words carefully. “I…” he started, the rest of the words getting caught in his throat.

Nuwa angrily motioned for him to continue.

“...I…I went back to the Empyrean District. Between Abacus’s scans and Kuafu’s ingenuity, we were able to devise something that ensures the mutants stay dead. I managed to make it all the way back to the banquet hall where I saved you from and…” there wasn’t any good way to put this next phrase, “...ensured Fuxi’s at peace now.”

A cold feeling washed over Nuwa as her heart dropped into her stomach. Her mouth opened and closed several times, but she couldn’t manage even a gasp.

Yi reached into his robes, beginning to retrieve a few items. “I also managed to save a few items from your chambers for you.” He began to set them in the space between them; a makeup kit, a framed photo of the twins, and a set of robes that made up her theater outfit. “I’m not going to ask or expect your forgiveness, but…I do hope it makes your stay here a little more comfortable.”

Grabbing the photo with trembling hands, Nuwa brought it close and let her finger trace her brother’s side of the photo. It was the two of them in their theatrical garb, holding hands and waving to an unseen audience. She remembered that night; it was the curtain call on their first major performance, a crowd of thousands at one of the most prestigious theaters in all of the Shang Kingdom. “D-damn you, Yi…” she mumbled, hating the fact that she could consider thanking him for this.

“There’s…one other thing,” he started slowly. He reached into his robe one last time, gradually pulling out a blue sphere dotted in holes; a Tao fruit.

Her breath caught in her throat and her eyes shrunk to pinpricks. “I-Is that…”

Yi closed his eyes slowly. “Yes.”

Nuwa began to breathe heavily as she took it into her trembling hands. The tears she’d barely been holding back began to spill freely as she sobbed. After a moment she realized Yi was still there, to her embarrassment, so she took a deep breath in to try bringing her emotions under control, to some avail. At least this time it wasn’t all bad; the trinkets Yi had returned brought back pleasant memories she’d forgotten in her depression. Even the Tao fruit she held in her hands, morbid as it was, served as the most tangible remainder of Fuxi now that he was well and truly gone. “Th-thank you…” she replied with a faint smile.

Yi merely nodded and pulled out his pipe, silently keeping her company as she sat and recalled a memory from that night at the theater.

In the theater hall a thousand pairs of eyes were trained on the stage, waiting for the final act to emerge from the curtain. Behind the scenes the twins stood, waiting for their cue. This was the culmination of a year of practice and preparation and pulling the right strings. The older brother stepped forward, only to notice the absence of his sister by his side. He looked back to find her hesitating and sighed.

“Nuwa, you always seemed so eager to play for a real audience…” Fuxi stepped over, locking one of her hands with his while he cupped her trembling head. “I promised to take you to a renowned theater when I got the chance. Notwithstanding our mother’s desires.” He leaned in closer. “This is a great aspiration to you, is it not? So what’s making you back up so easily?”

Nuwa fixed him with an unsteady gaze for a second before the tears she’d been holding in flowed freely and she grabbed his arm. “I’m just so scared Fuxi…”

He gasped. “Oh no, don’t cry! You’ll ruin your makeup!”

“There are so many eyes…what if they see my body tremble?” Nuwa looked down, ashamed. “I’m sorry. I’m just not brave enough…”

“Nuwa, look at me…” Fuxi asked. She slowly looked up and he met her gaze with an encouraging smile. “You’re overthinking it again. Breathe. Bravery is not the absence of fear, Nuwa, it is to step forward in spite of such feelings.”

Outside the announcer’s voice echoed through the audience, letting them know the final act of the night was at hand.

Fuxi noticed and gestured towards the stage, still smiling at his little sister with pride. “We both saw how beautifully you performed during the runthrough.”

As the curtain began to rise he brought her in for a quick hug. Nuwa brought her head into his shoulder, pinching her damp eyes as he whispered some final words of encouragement into her ear:

“No matter what happens out there, I’ve got your back.”