Who are you?

'...50 percent restoration. So the rest is in Xion and Roxas before Namine can continue.' Beiyue mused as she and Riku talked about why the boys aren't home.

'Xion is the easy part.' said Riku. 'I'm instilling doubt in her like any good bad guy would...damn, can't believe I said that.' said Riku gloomily.

'We do what we have to do.' Beiyue told him consolingly. 'We did this for Kairi, now we do it for Sora too.'

'Yeah. They sure get into lots of trouble, don't they?' Riku wondered with fond exasperation.

'They do. We don't get into this much trouble ourselves.' Beiyue giggled. 'Well, I'll go see Namine before we stalk Xion again.' she said, running off.

'How our lives changed indeed if even that sweet innocent girl can say such things now.' said Riku sadly. 'To think we can say such things naturally now because of dangers we faced when before...'

'Yes.' Riku gasped and sharply turned to attack the newcomer who blocked him with his sword. 'I never dreamed Beiyue can now say such things either, Riku.'

'Who are you?' Riku demanded warily. Who is this guy and how'd he know people are living here? Enemy or friend?!

'I am Zhanye, her cousin.' said Zhanye. 'Combining Dongling's magic with my own heart, I got here in this town.' upon hearing that familiar name, Riku relaxed his stance.

'Dongling helped you?' he snorted in disbelief. 'I find that hard to believe as she is the only thing Beiyue loves in your world. And its weird for Dongling to help others get to Beiyue.' Riku mused warily. 'Pray to any ancestor for your life if that girl is harmed in any way.'

'I didn't threaten her or anything.' Zhanye raised his hands in surrender. 'I really come in peace.' goodness knows Beiyue's insanely powerful now. She's a Sword Sage Warrior that he had to beef up his own training and he's pretty-sure his other brothers did the same. How strong is she in other things, if in the World of Darkness, she becomes its goddess judging by how her form changes into a terrifying beauty when she's within potent dark energy. Even more shocking? Her form as a mermaid! That seashell thing she wore horrified them all! Royal Grandmother fainted from shock.

'Hmph.' Riku then walked away, and Zhanye followed him. Out of the library to a hallway with bannisters leading to a stairway downstairs towards a double-door.

'We'll wait for her out here.' said Riku.

'Is Namine a friend of yours?' Zhanye asked him.

'She became one, after Sora and I saved her from being used as a tool convenient for our new enemies.' said Riku. 'I never dreamed that a new enemy appeared again according to Master Yen Sid.' he sighed. 'There is no rest for the weary indeed.'

And so...

When Beiyue came out, she was in a good mood.

'Riku, time to...' she called out when she saw his companion. 'Huh?!' good mood turned hostile as she summoned black tentacles tipped with blades! This alarmed the boys.

'W-w-wait-wait-wait-wait!' Zhanye yelped, wide eyed as he had to dodge many attacks with great expertise. Riku's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets comically as where Zhanye sat seconds earlier right beside him, were about fifteen tentacle-blades!

'...coming here is a bad idea for you.' Riku stated the obvious flatly. She was far deadlier without her sword! Zhanye was forced to summon Kirin and his shadow weapon, a silver sword with a purple handle and hilt. In response, Beiyue summoned Bingluan.

'Listen to me first damnit!' Zhanye cried in exasperation as he drew his sword and worked together with Kirin.

'What did you do, Zhanye!' Beiyue demanded angrily, taking out her Shadow Sword which is basically an Ice Sword. Summoners tend to get Shadow Weapons that represented their Spirit Beast, and its strength depends on them. Thus they can either be weak or strong weapons in a VS Summoner Fight, but Shadow Weapons are the strongest weapons in the world. It's why Summoners are extremely respected, especially if they are competent warriors with their Shadow Weapons!

'I didn't do anything to Dongling! I asked her help, the rest is on me! Let me talk, Beiyue!' Zhanye yelled as he forced his way through and its a battle of wits now in combat as she clearly wants to tear him apart! For the preconceived notion that he may have threatened Dongling to get to her which he did NOT do!

'What, is going on here?' DiZ asked Riku as before him and Namine, an unbelievable fight ensued. They came up from the lab since they felt two massive powers clash!

'...Beiyue's cousin coming is an unwanted visit.' said Riku. 'Family is a very sore topic and you can see how.' he sighed, waving a hand towards the fight. 'The only way to stop her anger...I have no idea at all!'

'Uhm, I can help?' Namine squeaked out her offer. 'But she'll be sleeping a week for this in turn...or because of our jobs, you can do this yourself.'

'What can I do in that mess?' Riku asked her, baffled. Namine beckoned him to come closer and whispered some words that got DiZ's eyebrows raising while Riku sputtered.

'T-that?'

'That. Get going as my option will hinder our work to get Sora back.' Namine shrugged. 'I am Kairi's Nobody, I know what she knows.' she smiled with unrepentant mischief glinting in her eyes. 'Teenage boys sure are dumb.' that got Riku sputtering incoherently in denial.

Riku was red-faced and looked awkward. But braced himself and vanished into black mist...and appeared before Beiyue without warning and kissed her senseless, shocking the two royals. Then to steady themselves, he had to hold her tight against his body like...THAT.

"Wha..."

This, was unexpected, and shocking.

And for Beiyue, this was massive damage on her part as her face went glowing red, her shyness as a maiden coming out. Namine was snickering, a hand over her mouth and arm around her stomach in a fruitless bid to smother it.

Another massive damage was Riku's smile when he stopped, as well as his warm hands on her cheeks. 'You alright now? Can we talk this over?'

'T-talk what over?' she stuttered in a shocked daze. Riku wondered for how LONG has this been going on. That the group baby looks at him in...this way? And he just kissed her to stop her. He had no idea how to face her now in the coming days...

'Your cousin coming.' he said. 'Let's hear him out first, OK?'

'...you seriously kissed Beiyue in front of me?' Zhanye twitched in annoyance. The boy she likes, kissed her to stop her anger. Effective but this is something that irks his feelings as an older brother. Four years, he thought of her as his youngest sister and deeply regretted not even thinking of her for years, but the real truth came out last year, when Dongling's projected dreams and his strong heart going past censoring revealed what the beast within her knows. And he secretly told his grandmother as he can't bear to break his father's heart. She called Dongling to confirm his words, and she was shocked that he got past her lady's censoring.

Because he has a strong heart.

'OK, I'll let her kill you next time.' said Riku wryly, making Zhanye sputter.

And so...

'So she wants to see me.' said Beiyue skeptically. 'Why? She hasn't looked at me since people found out my defect. Why the sudden change? That now I'm a human being by your standards now?' she snorted cynically. 'After all, I'm a warrior and sorcerer now.' she drawled mockingly with an armfold. 'Standards of humanity there is if you can cultivate or not. You are deemed non-human if you can't. That after all this time I'm finally worthy of being your family, as if years ago was swept under the rug.' the way she spoke broke Zhanye's heart and they only have themselves to blame for her beliefs. She dripped in contempt. 'So tell me, why should I grace her with my presence? Why should I give a rat's ass?'

'Please Beiyue...I know what happened years ago can't disappear so easily.' Zhanye begged. 'But grandmother...she has so many bitter regrets regarding Royal Aunt AND you. Please hear me out.' he choked out. 'I'll tell you the chaos that happened after you vanished during royal aunt's funeral.'

xxx

In the lab, security cameras active...

'Wow...I knew from Kairi's memories that Beiyue's a princess, how could we have known a Prince would pay a visit?' Namine wondered in amazement.

'A prince with a heavy baggage, considering what we're hearing right now.' said Riku wryly. 'After Beiyue appeared in Destiny Islands years ago, the Funeral Incident and uncovering a heinous crime ensued thanks to Dongling, her only maid. Crimes that led to many things unfairly to the royal children of the Grandqueen out of greed for power...and exposing Beiyue's family for their mistreatment of her when her mother isn't around.' he said. 'And her bitterness is from the fact that the Royal Family never even put her in their eyes after a certain ceremony at age six. She felt abandoned for what was never her fault in the first place.'

'...what was this fault?' DiZ questioned him...and Riku answered. He had to explain the culture of Beiyue's world.

xxx

'...'

Beiyue listened to Zhanye's tale regarding years ago.

Thanks to Dongling, a lot of trash had been found, that sweet girl. Those who do good are rewarded indeed. The Xiao Clan finally paid for everything! And the Royal Family finally suffered the guilt they should have had for abandoning her, but was it truly sorry, or is it because they insulted her mother's memory, while never truly caring for her?

However, Zhanye and the Grandqueen knew the truth.

Zhanye got past her censoring with his heart. Damn. Oh well.

'To be honest, I'm not sure how to feel myself.' said Zhanye. 'In my heart, you were my sister but all this time, you really are truly my cousin.'

'I never had such delusions in the first place.' said Beiyue blandly. 'My blood cannot be counted on, ever.'

'Can you not give us a chance?' Zhanye asked her sadly. 'Feel my heart, Beiyue! We're all really sorry!' he pleaded, wanting to get through to her.

'I never had that chance from any of you.' a black corridor appeared under him and he saw it to his horror. 'Why, should I give you the chance you all denied me when I never committed any wrong? That's not fair, isn't it?'

'Wait, no!' and he was gone.

xxx

The Palace, Xia Guang Hall grounds...Zhanye landed and it was morning.

'...she sent me back here...' he sighed gloomily. 'Chance...huh...? I wonder how on earth will I get through to her, for grandmother's sake...' he went to see Dongling again. He found her in the kitchen.

'...I can see that you failed. Its written all over your face.' she commented as she put away her apron. Not far from her, was a baby's cradle with a sleeping baby in it.

'How can I reach Beiyue's heart, Dongling?' Zhanye asked her. 'When it comes to us, her heart is sealed shut.' he told her what happened in Twilight Town.

'...it stems from that day after that ritual when she was six...that everyone decided not to have anything to do with her ever again.' said Dongling softly. 'Palace visits stopped. Milady stopped taking miss over. And given how our culture works...miss felt it was to protect her. If her own siblings mistreat her, what more of her royal cousins...?' she chuckled sadly. 'Only to learn years later the Xiao were never her family, but before the truth came out, abandonment scarred her.' she sighed.

'Eventually, her worst fears came true...she must have prayed hard. Desperate. That her power reacted for the first time for her wish...perhaps, if you, her royal relatives never ignored nor neglected her, things might have turned out differently...and then there's that bastard Xue Che.' she scoffed in derision. 'Two families who could have done the right thing...but in the end...its total strangers who did.' she croaked out before giving Zhanye a beseeching look.

'Crown Prince. This world of ours will soon lack humanity. The ability to care and love, almost gone.' she said. 'This world that focuses on any power they can grab hold of...money, power, connections, cultivation...the focus on obtaining it all by all means possible, betraying one another left-and-right for it...' Dongling shook, clenching her fists. 'The culture of our world deprived the people of their humanity...in this world, power is everything. Be useful or be discarded. Siblings will kill each other for their father's favor. This cruel culture gave birth to that goddess of darkness we all know, milady who surpassed Princess Royal in potential, had anyone here, bothered to do what's right.' she said. 'Our world is so horrible that if Heartless invaded this world, we'd be mostly the source of crazy-large Heartless.' Dongling shook her head at the frightening notion. 'I'm just glad our world's barrier is strong, had they known!'

Zhanye pursed his lips.

Dongling wasn't wrong there.

As Crown Prince, he had to be careful of his associates. As a result, he has allies, but not truly...friends.

His eldest brother Prince Jing married Jing-wangfei, Lin Wanyi last year and since then, he had uncovered conspiracies to dethrone him from his status as Crown Prince by Jing's Anguo Clan relatives, his mother, and the Lin Clan. He investigated on his own and acquired proof at his own peril as he can't trust anyone. It took a lotta effort to uncover yet another conspiracy that got his father furious.

One conspiracy was enough, two was two too many. First his sister and Beiyue, and now, Zhanye!

The Anguo Clan pissed off his father with what Beiyue found out regarding her situation with them. And now plotting against Zhanye. While protocol was done, father was glad Jing was innocent of the crimes.

However, the Anguo Clan and Lin Family and other people involved...ceased to exist. Jing's newborn son, was given to Dongling to raise, until Jing recovered enough to raise his child as any father should.

The first thing he gave to his son was his name, before he never looked at the boy ever again out of grief and sorrow. Father's grandson, his and his siblings' nephew, Prince Zhenji(reality) would never know his father, unless Jing shapes up as a parent.

To make things worse, Zhanye didn't know Princess Wanyi just gave birth, when he presented everything to his father who called the Censorate over, and things snowballed from there...that Jing can't bear to look at his own son, as his own son was apparently, a tool to supplant Zhanye, born for that reason! He was horrified and took to being a drunk since and wanting to be left alone. He had trusted and cared for Wanyi and this was what he got? Treachery? Heck, he doesn't even want to look at another woman, dismissing all his maids and replaced them all with manservants. Unless its females he knew personally and to an extent Dongling who never attempted social-climbing with all her privileges, he had become quite the cynical jerk towards other women. Any maid unlucky with crossing his path ends up running from him in tears! He thinks maids stumbling upon him are actually trying to get his attention are trying to be his woman next ala Concubine Xue!

His brother the third prince was also affected. His fiancee, Princess Meng Hongling is the grandchild of Chief Counselor, another conspirator. Because of their royal father's punishment, unto the third generation, two men lost their wives and children. Duke Pingbei and Xiao Yuancheng lost their wife whose father was Chief Counselor and children born from that woman.

The remaining Xiao child now, was Xiao Zhonglei. And as he was a third year in Imperial College with barely any cultivation to his name, he can't be a proper Childe as out of all childes in school, he was the weakest because all of Xiao Qiyuan's money went to Zhongqi's cultivation. Well, Zhongqi's money wasted now. Rumor has it that in the military, Xiao Yuancheng was in a daze. Funny he didn't mourn his royal furen the way he mourned his concubine, Concubine Qin, annoying many people again and Xiao Qiyuan was seen getting drunk. Zhonglei was glad he knew how to access family coffers to keep his home running, otherwise he'd be at a loss as one, he didn't know martial arts and he's not much of a cultivator either that he can't even be a mercenary. His only hope was to graduate the Imperial Course and get a respectable job somehow.

Rumor has it that Duke Pingbei's concubines were fighting over the furen status, now that Qi Youya, the Pingbei-furen is dead along with her trueborn children. Zhanye's younger brother is single again in a morbid manner that greatly shook him. He had really liked Princess Hongling too, but she paid the price of her grandfather's sins.

He took leave off school to recover and last Yingye checked, a lot of girls are plotting to catch his eye next.

'I hope that if you are to succeed as Emperor...you can bring back everyone's humanity.' Dongling spoke again. 'If not you, your task should be carried on by your future children. You have more power than I do. On the other hand, I'll adopt orphan children and teach them the way to the light.' she swore. 'That these children will know how to love and care for others, and pass on these teachings to THEIR children, as I will keep taking in orphans to lead to the right path. For little highness Zhenji too.'

Zhanye gave his sleeping nephew a mournful look. He was a child born out of tragedy. Unwittingly a pawn of evil by those wanting his father on the throne to gain political power by benefiting off him! He lost his mother from her own ambitions and his father to his own grief. He's technically, an orphan now!

Greed indeed, destroys people and around them.

'Dongling? Who are you talking to?' Zhanye got startled by a foreign voice as a boy just around Yingye's age came out. He was clad in black with a bellflower tattoo on his face. He also has long hair with an emotionless look on his face.

'I was talking to his highness Crown Prince Zhanye, Che.' Dongling told the boy called Che. 'He came by for a short visit.'

'Heeee...'

Zhanye looked at Che.

'Who is he?'

'I met him last year, when Grandqueen returned to the city as a lost traveler.' said Dongling, making ki writings in the air that says HE'S BLIND that made Zhanye do a double-take. 'Until his companions find him, he's staying with me. I put up notices on Bugi'er Bazaar but all we get so far are Charlatans pretending to be his friends.' Dongling griped in annoyance. 'But to be honest I've grown fond of Che. He isn't like most boys in this city and the children like him too.' she said wistfully. 'Too bad he can't stay forever since he and his friends are travelers and they're bound to find him here if they read the notice boards.'

'I see. I hope he finds them too since being lost is never a good thing, unless you find a good person willing to help you.' said Zhanye softly in sympathy to the boy. 'Can you send me to Beiyue again? I won't give up, not until I bring her home at least once to see our ill grandmother. Father really wants to see her too...due to his many regrets as well.'

'Well, I hope she doesn't send you back again!' Dongling snorted. 'Focus on princess, like you did before.' she said, gathering her magic to help Zhanye go to Beiyue again, and he's gone again.

And it so happens that the bell outside her residence tinkled.

'Dongling...' Che got up from the bells.

'I'll check if its a customer or yet another Charlatan...' Dongling swore. 'This makes 99 pairs of idiots now.' and they went out to see another pair of man and woman.

'Molian! You're living here with this young lady for how long?' the man inquired.

'...its Honglian and Qitian alright.' said Che who was called Molian by Qitian. 'It was good you didn't write my name on the notice boards or even I'll have trouble telling them apart.' he admitted. 'Some people sound the same.'

'Yeah, I thought we'd have the hundredth pair of fakers.' Dongling scratched her head. Honglian and Qitian knew there's a story there. 'At least you're not a lost boy anymore. Don't get separated again alright? Remember what his highness said. Not everyone will be kind to lost travelers.'

'Mm. Thanks for everything, Dongling.' said Molian gratefully as Dongling and the peeking children behind her bade him goodbye.

'Bye big brother!'

'Visit us again sometime!'

'I will!' Molian promised with a smile neither Honglian nor Qitian ever saw in him in the years they knew him. It was shocking!

'There's a story we certainly need to hear.' Qitian stated, intrigued. 'Who is that young lady?'

'...long story but we have all time in the world.' said Molian. 'It started when I stumbled into this city on the day the Grandqueen returned home here...I learned many things.'

'Like running an orphanage?' Honglian snorted. 'Those sure are white-skinned kids.'

'We'll get there the more I talk.'

So he did. He also talked about things...he really shouldn't talk about due to his innocent nature. His stories got his companions' eyebrows raising as they felt they got TMI from Palace Happenings in Nanyi Country...and about Dongling(who said her lady left Nanyi for who-knows-where as she hated their country, but not before rewarding her) who became a young matron trying to raise hope for the future in a bid to counter the society she grew to hate. She couldn't marry any man who would just use her for money...and THAT! She couldn't find a good man in Linhua City and she can't leave the city until her first generation of orphans became adults. She can't travel with kids!

Nanyi is rife with royal scandals!

'Dongling taught me a spell so I can see for a day, but I have yet to master it.' Molian moped. 'I keep practicing while I was reliant on her to cast it. Just this morning, the spell wore off after breakfast. It was a novelty being able to see. I was able to learn things I should have known, had I been able to see since birth. But learning how to read and write is still a long way to go I know enough what commoners know just to get by. At least I mastered arithmetic and how to use money and shopping.'

'Well, education takes ten years at most.' said Qitian thoughtfully. 'But first we do our jobs while you master that spell.'

'Mm.'

'Well, you said she's a Mystic Rank 2 Pharmacist and an Arcane Sorcerer Rank 9? That little girl?'

'Princess Beiyue rewarded her well with all cultivation needs as she is very wealthy before leaving, throwing away her status for a normal life.' said Molian. 'Loyalty and being a decent human being is worth more its weight in gold. Not only that, Dongling passed the late Princess Royal's Test of Character that she was the only maid of that mother-daughter pair who was granted citizenship and an education. She's no longer a slave, but a respected cultivator.'

Honglian whistled. Its rare to have Arcane Sorcerers of such rank. 'But why slack off with Pharmacy? We need more Pharmacists in this world.'

'Well, a lot of people are jealous of her among slaves. Many slaves would kill to be her yet they never got the same privileges she did. She truly lucked out with Princess Royal and her daughter for being a good person that she was greatly rewarded.' said Molian. 'If not for learning magic, she would've been victim to many things, sabotage, kidnap, murder attempts, framing her for crimes, so she prioritized magic over pharmacy. When she got certified with her status, she quit being a maid in the palace and gained enough fortune to foster forty kids. Rising in Pharmacy can wait, life comes first, she says.'

'Hmph, point.' Honglian huffed. 'As a free citizen she would've been an asset, but protected by the Emperor himself, huh? She truly cannot leave if one were to read between the lines. Who'd be dumb enough to let a sorcerer of her rank roam free?' she snarked. 'Her skills are useful, not to mention a source of intel as she trusts Molian.'

'Indeed, Molian appealed to her. He wasn't like most boys she met, wanting to marry her for selfish reasons.' Qitian tut-tutted. 'Too bad he's not a native here.'

'I'm right here.' Molian grumbled. 'Oh yes...one more thing.'

'Hm?'

'Princess Beiyue looks like Honglian when I asked Dongling what she looks like and she showed me with illusion magic. And then I see Honglian for the first time today.' Molian piped up. 'Only, she didn't have a big chest like Honglian does and her skin is white as paper like the other kids...and she's fourteen.'

'Oi?!' Honglian sputtered, arms around her ample bosom, blushing. It didn't help that Qitian, smarmy little bastard who was having fun with this, eyed there!