Post by Silver_Highwind_Magician on Apr 17, 2010 21:57:06 GMT -5
[The Greater Promise]
The baby will soon be secured. Zhu Di brings the little multiracial babe to his elder sister, Zhu Lien. Zhu Lien is an expectant mother that chooses not to speak of her pregnancy with her father. But, she is well knowledgeable that she will soon be swollen with child. She reflects on reality, as she rests comfortably in her bed --- gazing out at the beautiful scenery of Ziweiyuan through her bedroom balcony. Soon, it will be the summer time --- the season where the beautiful peach blossoms decorate the trees of the city. She focuses her mind on this, as she rubs her stomach with love and affection.
Zhu Di enters, stands in the center of his sister's door, bows before her and slightly alerts her. She smiles, knowing well that her little brother must have something for her. When she sees him approaching her with the cooing babe in his arms, her face lights up with a loving smile. Zhu Di has a seat by his elder sister, and begins explaining the meaning behind this.
"Sister Lien, he is the prophesied one --- the child of legend that will save the universe!", excitedly declares the honorary elder brother. Zhu Lien sighs with great joy, for she never thought she'd live to experience this. Zhu Di happily asks, "Isn't this great news, Sister Lien --- to have him as our own?"
"It sure is, Brother Di! I know that I am of young age, but it seems like a miracle to hear such an amazing discovery. Please, may I hold him for a moment?"
"Yes, please, do so.", happily says the honorary elder brother, as he hands the babe to his sister. She receives the babe with gentle arms. Zhu Di brings up a point that catches Zhu Lien's attention. "The baby --- do you know when you will have it?"
"...In...6 months from what I've been told. Dr. Fong told me that I am a healthy mother, and I will produce a healthy baby. My body is tired though --- sleeping isn't as easy as it use to be with these contractions happening every other hour. But, it will all turn out well soon. Our little savior will have someone to play with in less than a year's time."
"I don't know the baby's name, but he seems like he's full of love.", analytically and kindly says the honorary elder brother. Zhu Lien giggles and nods. Zhu Di looks up to his elder sister and asks, "Does father know about the baby?"
"No, but I should tell him that Mekong is the baby's father. I plan on marrying Mekong when I am done defending China against the Dark Dragons. The baby is not a setback for me, either --- I take great pride in knowing that I will soon be a mother."
"So --- spreading the poison aren't we, dear brother?", ruthlessly questions the voice of Yunwen from the opening of Zhu Lien's bedroom. Lien and Di look at the doorway and see the image of the approaching Yunwen. He bows next to his siblings, sighs and says, "Forgive me for my actions earlier. It is not like me to show such hatred --- I am heavily ashamed, Di. I should have not spoken to you, father or the outsider in such a manner."
Zhu Lien is honored by Yunwen's bravery. It takes a man with a big heart to apologize for his wrongdoings. However, in Di's mind, he knows well that Yunwen has something up his sleeve --- to change his attitude in less than 5 minutes from making such a ridiculous scene in the Prayer Room... But, ignoring this, he accepts Yunwen's apology for showing moral nobility within his shame.
"For your humbleness, I accept your apology."
"Thank you, little brother.", smiles Yunwen. The elder brother looks upon the cooing babe and caresses its forehead. Yunwen smiles and asks, "So, your are called Xavier Highwind eh? What goddess gave you such a mysterious and handsome name?"
"Big brother is much more handsome when he's being nice --- I've always said that.", smiles Lien.
"I agree, big sister --- much, much more."
"I was convicted by heaven when I stepped out of the Prayer Room...", begins Yunwen. He caresses the baby's head, once again. "They told me that I should bless this child using light's essence. If you please, will you allow me to perform the ritual? I must not defy the heavens again, or it will result in a demotion of my rank."
Zhu Lien claps her hands together in delight, hearing her elder brother's good nature finally coming into play. Zhu Di, however, has a gut feeling --- he doesn't like the sound of this. Rituals usually involve performing a certain kind of divination over someone's body. This little babe --- revealed to be named Xavier Highwind --- might not survive the stress that divination puts upon one's body. His little heart might not be able to take such pressure.
"Zhu Di, I will need your consent --- being that you are his guardian.", says Yunwen with a certain gleam in his eyes that Di doesn't approve of. Zhu Di gently grabs onto Baby Xavier, stands up and begins walking out of the room. Yunwen exclaims in an outraged manner, "What are you doing?!? Do you wish to have the heavens angered because of your rebellious nature?!?"
"Stuff it, Yunwen --- it's not working!", protectively barks the young monk to his mystic brother.
"Di...are you all right?", Lien concernedly asks.
"I'm fine, but Yunwen is not --- being influenced by the Darkness and whatnot.", seriously replies the younger brother. Lien looks at Yunwen in disbelief and denial. Di looks at Lien and seriously says, "This handsome and nice brother of ours has been cursed with a hateful and scornful heart because of his dealings with the Mystic World. We all know how you like to experiment, Yunwen. Tell us the truth and shame yourself for once?"
"I owe you no such thing, boy!", angrily says Yunwen with luminescent eyes. Yunwen demandingly holds out his right hand to Di. With a commanding tone, Yunwen barks, "Give me the child, boy! Know your place before the heavens!"
"There is no heaven in hell, Yunwen!", protectively says Di to his elder brother.
"Both of you, stop it right now!", sternly commands Lien.
Lien stands up holding her stomach with love. She walks up to her younger brother, gently takes the baby and begins walking out of her bedroom. Di walks after his sister to see where she is headed. Yunwen does the same. Lien is doing something that she thought she'd never have to do --- taking a baby to a friend for protection. She stops in her tracks, midway down the hall, turns around and faces her brothers. Di and Yunwen comes to a halt before their serious warrior sister.
"I am taking the baby to Cixi Taihou, our honorary sister.", declares the stern warrior. Di and Yunwen are outraged. "Don't give me that! This baby does not deserve to be around such childishness, and neither do I. I refuse to put stress on my unborn fetus because you two can't get along for nothing. Don't come near us until you grow up!"
Zhu Lien leaves her hot-tempered siblings behind, knowing well that it will take more than a few hours for these two to cool off. To be honest, Yunwen and Di have never, ever gotten along. It'd take the entire universe to space their moral dissimilarities apart from one another. But, one of the reasons why they hate each other so much is --- they're exactly alike in so many other ways. Yunwen is a diviner who believes in following the ways of heaven, and Di is a moralist who believes in following set rules for the better of mankind. Not even the strongest prayer can fix this inescapable friction...sadly.
Looking at the baby in her arms, Lien sees her future before her --- what she must soon endure. Motherhood will be something new to her, being that she never once knew her birthmother. Her mother, Zhu Chun-Li, died giving birth to her youngest brother, Di --- during the time when Lien was away in Wushu camp. Lien missed most of her childhood and, because of this, she has lost a lot of time for gaining a lot of memories. In her heart, she does not want this for Baby Xavier or her unborn child. And so, she makes a promise to the infant and her unborn fetus...
("With all of my heart and soul, I vow to never let you suffer the way I did. You will live your life knowing that you are loved by a strong warrior woman --- your sister, Xavier...and your mother, my unborn child. Until the day that I die, I will always, always protect you --- even if I must do so with the last of my life's blood.)