Forum Thread

Liyu smiled and made a perfect copy of the cake appear on the table, then waved her hands and dissipated it into smoke.

Glancing at the window which had a view of the sea, a flicker of silver was steadily growing on the horizon.

The moon.

"Watch the moon rise from the sea, isn't it such a pretty thing?"

---

"..yea but, it looks so lonely doesn't it?"

Jing Yu scratched his cheek sheepishly. He gazed at the moon with wonder and pity. People may gaze at it's beauty, but they often forget that it's always alone amongst the stars.

He hopes neither of them becomes like the moon.

It may shine brightly from the distance, but it's a poor lonely thing.

---

"Maybe..."

Perhaps the moon was lonely, but wasn't it worth being lonely to shine brightly?

Was it?

Was it worth giving up your own selfish bids at belonging to receive prizes and praise?

"But poets write of its eternal elegance, and sing of its pure beauty."

---

"Tsk tsk. Then those are some prettyyy bad poets meimei."

Jing Yu scrunches his face in discomfort as if he just ate a lemon or lime.

Whatever metaphors they fed to the listening public sure are some delusional ones. Or perhaps it was just his strict tutors teaching of seeing both sides that was drilling his head that he thought that way.

But either way, he thought it was pretty dumb.

Elegance? Beauty?

What did those 2-faced compliments mean? What are they worth?

Suddenly a deep sense of dread filled his stomach, the sight the retreating back filled his mind.

"...meimei, do you aspire to be like the moon?"

---

Something about the way Jing Yu said it made Liyu pause before answering.

"Is there... Something wrong with that?"

If she could become like the moon, ethereal and glowing, she would no longer be the weak one dragging down the family name anymore. Jing Yu shined like the sun, he was naturally charismatic and got along so easily with everyone.

What would he know about the moon?

The moon was beautiful, it hung high in the sky, outshining even the brightest golden stars.

---

Jing Yu paused. He hesitated.

The look in her eyes scared him. Why was she so desperate? What was she so desperate for? Afterall he was here. As soon as he earns the title of family head within a few years, they wouldn't need to suffer anymore. Afterall, he'd be the shield for her. She wouldn't have to worry about his health no more..

As soon as he becomes of age...

Jing Yu shook his head and looked at the other in the eye. Perhaps this was the first serious conversation they had in years.

But that's what worries him so much.

Do they still understand each other?

Doubts filled his mind.

He tentatively reached his hand out towards her.

"..meimei, did something happen? You know you can always tell me everything y'know? I'm always here to help."

---

Liyu blinked, the slight haze that always seemed to cloud her gaze dissipating, revealing startlingly clear eyes.

Jing Yu looked doubtful, almost scared.

What had changed?

A foolish question.

Everything had changed, from the moment she'd failed to reach him, and the tense hours afterwards where she'd been unable to do anything.

Utterly, utterly useless.

"You almost died."

---

His tutors always told him that he was horrible at keeping his composure. This time it was no different. Jing Yu's expression immediately crashed.

His face betrayed his emotions.

He could barely remember that day. It was all a blur to him, after all it all happened so quickly. It felt like the world was in slow motion when he dropped onto the ground into a slump. Loosing all control over his body unwillingly.

But if there was one thing he remembered so clearly.

It was the expression of absolute distraught on Li Yu's face.

Oh how he wanted to comfort her, and give her a smile. But he couldn't control his body. He couldn't do anything to protect her within the chaos.

Never did he felt so useless.

So..

Utterly, utterly, useless.

"It.. was my fault."

---

Liyu stared unblinkingly at Jing Yu, her expression the complete opposite of his.

Closed off, and cold. Oh, so very cold.

It was how she'd learnt to deal with the guilt she'd carried all the way from that day, to neutralise and freeze any and all leftover emotions.

She cared, and she cared too much.

That day, which had gone from glistening starlight to absolute darkness.

Perhaps that was why she craved the light, to forcibly push away the dark.

"You didn't know. No one knew."

"I should have known."

---

The hand that was reaching towards Li Yu faltered. It hesitated. And it retreated.

Since when did his little sister become so cold, so dark, and so lonely. When did her shoulders become oh so heavy?

Didn't he promise himself that the moment he becomes the family head, he'll protect her? So why did the time when he looked away, suddenly the person he vowed to protect became so distant?

Jing Yu bit his lips. The pain did nothing to rationalize him.

He wasn't good at emotions in the first place.

Did he not try hard enough?

He didn't understand...

"What do you mean you should've understood? Are you hiding something from me meimei? Tell me, please. No why are you avoiding me? Did I do something wrong?"

So please explain it to him so that he can understand.

Please.

---

Liyu had always thought of Jing Yu as surrounded by a halo of golden light. Whether he was sad, happy or angry, the halo was always there, brightening the world around him.

Finally, it flickered.

It faltered.

The light falling away in confused ripples, like it didn't know what to say, what to think, what to feel.

Where it used to be, there was instead pleading, searching eyes.

What was he looking for?

What did he want from her?

Suddenly, she realised she didn't know anything about him.

She'd always observed him from a distance, watched him laugh with his friends, charm everyone he met.

And so the gap between them grew.

"I should have known they'd make their move. I should have known how to remove the poison."

"I should have saved you."

---

"But how could you have known? There was no way you could have found out. Not when not even our private personals could. "

There was nothing she could have done. So why does she keep saying she could have? After all they were just children back then.

They were just powerless kids that barely knew anything about the dangerous world after all.

"So why do you keep blaming yourself meimei.. why?"

What happened to you that caused this distance between us?

---

"I..."

Liyu stopped.

He might never trust her again.

He might hate her for it.

He should.

She hated herself for it.

But wasn't it her wish to be like the moon?

Perfect and lonely.

"They told me it would make you like them. They said we would finally be accepted."

Excuses.

Slowly, she removed the star from her dress.

A push of the topmost point revealed that the star opened.

Inside rested a single purple petal.

Toxic to their species.

---

"Oh, then come and get me or find me when you do go deliver the dress to her, I'm just going to go back to my room to finish the rest of my dinosaur~? She chimes as she stop besides Astrophel, "So, you want to walk together to my room with me?' She offered as she simply waited there swishing her tail waiting for an answer.
-
Heading towards the balcony once more as that was admittedly Sydney favorite spot out of the entire school, there hoof clopping up the stairs and in front of the railings to look out at the sky is in front of them to only see the sun has nearly already set for the day, "Anndd it looks like I will be going back to sleep so waking up was absolutely pointless..." She grumbles to herself as she began to glance around the ponds down below nearby. Catching eye of a koi fish jumping out of the water but there was something definitely off about it..It was about the size of a human..how is that even possible? She thought to herself only to have the so-called fish turn into a human mid jump before turning back into the koi fish, (Okay, that's definitely not right!) she thought to her self even more baffled than before, only to have this "fish" spot them in the corner of their eyes as it flew up right in front of her and turning back into a human after they became face to face with them. "what the f***, am I tripping for real finally?" she let out with uncertainty only to have them respond back with "well that's not a very nice way to introduce someone!" in a calm voice. "fine, fine, my name is Sydney and what yours flying fish human?" "Azurul." They simply respond before noticing the crossbow and the dagger inside the belt, "So, is there a reason why you're carrying deadly weapons?" "For fashion sense." She replied with annoying as Azurul only shook his head, "if you're going to lie you can at least do it better job and sweetheart!" His sign at this attempt as Sydney only roll her eyes "okay smart-*** then it's for murder!" She growls as Azurul became rather fascinated how they could help, but of course something in return if they were going to help doing such a task, catching eye of the rings that would make good rings for his own three toes claws. "How exciting, I would be so happy to help with such a task, of course I won't kill them as that's your job but to perfectly help to make that happen. But that's if you give me all those rings you have on you, they would make nice rings for my claw!" "What are you talking about you don't even have-" she began to say only for them to show their true form, dropping their coffee as soon as they saw the lower half of an entire Asian Dragon that was bigger than them, "C-Claw..." She finished what she was going to say before being cut off as Azurul look down at them with their upper human half and their soulless white eyes, "So what will it be horsey?" He said in the ominous voice as Sydney stand there for a moment thinking about their response, as they knew it would be a pain in h*** to find someone to make a solid gold rings that were customize to fit her, but at the same time how could she say no from the help of a dragon themselves. "...fine..." She grumbled out as she took off all the rings and placed them on the ground, Azurul carefully slipping three of each on each individual finger before turning back into fully human, with the rings now being on his finger as they flew behind them to gently place their feet back on the ground. "Thank you very much my kind la-" "Sir!" "Um..I meant sir, so who is the one that we are exactly hunting? "It's a boy that likes to say they're a girl that looks exactly like me, but her fur is black and her tail is bigger while having White stripes in her red tail fur hair and tail, but she is probably the least of your worries out of a certain second someone that's going to intervene." She replied as Azurul let out a small hum, "which is?" "A little church boy name Ayran, they literally blind you with their mere presence and he can use a stick and make it the most deadliest thing on the planet!" She follows up as Azurul let out a another small hum. "I'm sure I'll find a way to counter them in time, even if I have to die a few times..." "What do you mean die a few times?" "Well I'm actually a immortal spirit but when I'm in the mortal world, I still follow the rules that you guys follow but when I die, I simply turn into a wisp and go back in water to revive myself which takes about a day." "Well ain't that wonderful for you!" She mumble out as Azurul soon took their leave, simply heading back to their oom for the night as Sydney does the same.

---

“ I suppose I have nothing else to do.” Astrophel said to Scarlett with a slight smile. Besides it was getting dark outside and it was time to rest up for the ball. “Though I do wonder if walking is truly the best way to reach your room” Astrophel laughed. With that, they reopened their wings and floated slightly in the air.

---

Having Astrophel bring out their wings as Scarlett soon tilt there head at them as it took her a little bit to gather the puzzle pieces together, "Oh, are we going on a joy ride~?" She chimes out loud as she eagerly sway there tail back and forth, as Scarlett always wanted to know how it felt to have the wind blow on your face and gilde though the air.

---

“Want to get on do you?” Astrophel said with a grin. “Very well.” With that, Astrophel proceeded to grow in size to accommodate Scarlett. After a few seconds, they had nearly doubled in size and their normally rather thin build became much more robust. Their wings then grew slightly larger to make flight easier. The moonlight shone through the chitinous wings, outlining their dragonfly like appearance and casting a dim prismatic display onto the surrounding ground, contrasting the darkness emanating from Astrophel. In this moment, Astrophel felt truly free for the first time in years. They had restrained themselves for so long after the destruction they caused. They had been deemed dangerous by students and staff alike. They had to put on a frail, gentle facade to avoid being shunned: a facade that cost much energy and willpower to maintain. Now it felt as if a great burden was lifted from their shoulders and they could truly be who they once were. The transformation now complete, Astrophel then turned to face Scarlett, their bright white eyes now shining brighter than before. “Now then, I suggest you hold on firmly”

---

"...What?"

Jing Yu couldn't believe what he was seeing, nor hearing.

Did his sister just reveal that she knew all along, that somebody did know about the assassination attempt. After all, they've been wondering for years how the assassins got into the household in the first place.

But it turns out, answer has been close by his side all along.

Jing Yu clenched and unclenched his fist.

Sweat dripped down his back.

He didn't know what to say, or should he even say anything? What could he even do at this point?

Jing Yu looked at Li Yu in disbelief.

Should he feel betrayed?

He did, but at this moment, that wasn't the strongest emotion he was feeling.

Rather, confusion swirled.

"Accepted..? I thought we were fine being how we are! You even told me we should be proud of our family name!"

Jing Yu stood up with a bang. He couldn't care for the ruckus he was causing right now. Rather he wanted answers. But the murmurs that entered his ears maid him falter.

The first thing he did was snatch the golden star away from Li Yu before grabbing her wrist. He looked back at her with mixed emotions before signalling for her to follow him.

"... let's leave before we cause a ruckus."

---

Liyu walked out with Jing Yu in a daze.

It felt good to finally confess.

It felt so selfishly good to share her secret after all this time.

Even if it ruined her relationship with Jing Yu forever.

Acceptance?

Something a young girl had once chased after.

Something she'd given up on long ago.

Acceptance was for naive children and their innocent minds.

It was for people who belonged anyways.

She longed to be better.

---

Watching them grow in size and their wings getting slightly bigger as Scarlett only began to jump up and down while clapping their hands, "Ooooo~!" She squealed out as she unheastly gripped as tight as she could on one of their legs, shortly curling their tail around it too as Scarlett only looked at their white eyes with eagerness and a soft smile. "Well are you waiting for dear~?" Lightly left out with innocence while changing the smile to a light smirk, not wanting to wait any longer than she has been to experience such a rare once in a lifetime opportunity here she was being granted.

---