Rescue Me, My Love

Disrupted, But the Road is Clear

     Bai Xue picked up Baohu and laid him on the cushions.  He was out cold.  Ye Hua was passing him energy.  Jinzi, still weak from his own ordeal, was trying to sit up when Mi Shu came running with a basket on her arm.  He pulled out a bottle and gave it to Jinzi.  He sat still for a few seconds and then stretched.  "Good, you're here!  Go to the cauldron and make me some Huli elixer.  Four for now.  Quickly!"  She left and called Chang Shan as she ran.  Jinzi reached in the basket and pulled out a dragon potion.  "Da ge, split this in half between Gaoxing and Xingfu."  He reached in the basket for another bottle and got out another potion.  "Er ge!  Split this one between Fengbao and WuYun.  They expended their energy helping me."  He pulled another bottle out and drank it himself.  Mo Yuan sat staring at him.  "Jinzi, your skill still amazes me.  Not to mention the fact that you give orders like a general and everyone hops to do your bidding.  What just happened to Baohu?"  "I can't say at this point.  Give me a few more minutes and then I will scan him.  He's alright for right now.  Fuqin, I don't want to alarm you, but have you scanned Jingsi and Jiaxiao for their cultivation levels?  If they just took a full hit from Baohu, either he is disrupted or they are two very powerful Xiao Bailongs."  Mo Yuan sat back and sat them down in front of him.  He moved his hands and arms in a circular pattern and read their power level.  He brought his power back and looked at Jinzi.  "I think I need to pay a visit to Fuqin."  He grabbed up his baby girls and jumped straight to the bench on the pinnacle of Kunlun.  He called before he sat down good.  "Fuqin!  I need you now!!"  Both his mother and Fuqin appeared.  They sat on either side of him.  His Fuqin spoke first.  "My son, what has you in such a snit?"  "Read them, Fuqin.  Read them now!"  Both Fuxi and Nuwa read the aura of the little girls.  Fuxi sat back and looked hard at Mo Yuan.  "My son, do you remember the lessons I gave you when you were small on controlling your power?"  "Yes, why?"  "Do you remember me telling you that control was the key to your well being?"  "Yes, why?"  "If you don't get your temper under control, they will kill you.  They can't discern who is right and who is wrong in a situation.  They only know what they think is right.  To them, it was right to protect you from Baohu.  You need to intensely train them using situations where they have to make choices.  Train them hard Mo Yuan.  They wouldn't mean to hurt anybody, but they need to learn how to tell the difference.  Do you agree, Nuwa?"  Her hands were on the faces of the sweet faced babies.  "Come to Zumu, my Xiao longs."  They went to her and she held them close to her.  They both sat in her arms looking at her as if a very intense conversation was going on.  She hugged them close and handed them back to Mo Yuan.  "My dear sweet son, you have given me the privilege of tutoring your daughters.  They will not harm anyone until they learn.  They have promised me they will listen to you.  Love them, my sweet boy.  It's what they want.  They want your love and approval.  They will be fine.  Now come here and let me show you.  Fuxi, hold those girls for a minute."  Mo Yuan stood and handed them to his Fuqin.  He turned to his mother as she waved a hand over him.  Suddenly he was 25,000 years old.  The age when his trial came.  She took his hand and pulled him into her lap.  He suddenly felt the pain he felt that day.  She hugged him tight and he lay his head on her shoulder.  Suddenly he understood.  He felt her love and pride in the things he had done as a boy.  He had surpassed all of his friends.  Her love enveloped him.  For the first time in his life, he felt what a mother's love was.  Before he could stop it, words came out of his mouth.  "Mama, it hurts.  It hurts, Mama."  She waved her hand and he was sitting in her lap full grown.  "Mama, knows, baby, Mama knows."  She wiped his tears with her thumbs.  "Does Mama's first born understand now?  Hmmm?"  "I do, Mama.  I do."  She squeezed him tight and lifted him off her lap.  "Now love them, like I have loved you.  I waited your whole life to be able to do that for you."  He nodded and smiled.  "Hand them to me, Fuqin."  Fuxi looked at Mo Yuan and then at Nuwa.  "You know dearest, I believe they would have been ours, had you lived.  It's just a feeling."  He gave them to Mo Yuan and he kissed them.  Mo Yuan kissed his Fuqin for the first time and then his mother.  They left him there with his beautiful baby girls.  He held them close to himself.  They laid their heads on his chest and listened to his heartbeat.  He started humming the lullaby.  He sang softly as they clung to his robe and hummed.  When he finished they were asleep in his arms.  He jumped to their room and laid them down for a nap.
     He returned to the pavilion with a new purpose.  "What did Zufu say, Fuqin?"  "It wasn't so much Fuqin that enlightened me, but my Mama.  She showed me what to do."  They looked at him funny.  "Did you just call Zumu Mama?"  "Well, she is isn't she?  Now tell me what is wrong with Baohu."  "Fuqin, I'm not sure, but it feels like Baohu has been sent for another trial.  His spirit is not here.  His body should not be either.  I look for him to disappear any moment now."  "How would that be possible?  He's already a high god.  Unless Shao Wan damaged him?"  "All I know is that he is gone for now."  Baohu started to glow and his body disappeared.  Mo Yuan had a bad feeling in his gut but he kept his thoughts to himself.  Bai Qian had been silent but she too had a feeling.  She sat by Mo Yuan and took his hand into hers.  "Dearest, I feel in my heart that Baohu did not mourn for Shandian Li as he should have.  His Huli was strangely silent.  Maybe this is a way to reconcile him.  Get him back to an even keel.  I know if he really mourned her, he would have been incapacitated for at least two months."  Mo Yuan looked up straight into her eyes.  "What if she is not dead, but on a trial herself?  What if his spirit has been trying to get him to realize this but he refused?  Maybe he was so ashamed in his spirit of what he had done that he just didn't want to accept it!  All we can do is wait."  Jinzi rose slowly from the cushions.  "I need to rest.  I'm afraid I have used too much of my power in the last few days.  JinDe, could you get Mi Shu for me?  I'm going to rest in Baohu's room."
     Mo Yuan sent to his study to think.  Nothing would please him more if Li Li was on her high god trial.  He knew she was truly worthy to be beside Baohu.  They would just have to wait it out.  Whatever happened, he wanted what was best for Baohu and his sons.  He smiled.  Yes it was time to start training in earnest.  Taiyang and Zhenzhu were starting to get near their high god trial.  Gaoxing and Xingfu were only five hundred years older than Jingsi and Jiaxiao.  He thought about his mother.  He was so glad he could talk to her now.  She had shown him what true love of a mother or parent felt like.  He didn't have to regret not having her around anymore.  In those few moments, she had given him what his life would have been like with her there.  He smiled again.  "Care to tell me what that smile was about?"  Ye Hua walked in the door.  "I was just thinking about Mama, that's all."  "What happened when you took the girls to see her and Fuqin?"  "She did something for me.  She waved her hand and I was 25,000 again.  The day I had my high immortal trial.  I suffered the pain alone.  Fuxi didn't comfort me because he didn't want me to be weak.  She took my hand and put me in her lap just like I know she would have done.  She showed me real mother's love.  She let me feel what it would have been like if she had been there.  Do you remember when I picked you up?"  "Yes, I do!  I would have been alone and hurt if not for you, Da ge.  I remember it well.  I remember the first person I saw when I woke up from my high god trial was you.  You have tried your very best to show me what love was.  I know you love me, Da ge."  "Yes, Ye Hua, I do love you.  Even though in reality you are my brother, I've tried to love you like a Fuqin would.  You had only Qian'er and I to be parents to you.  You truly were an orphan.  I will always love you and when my calamity comes, I want you by my side."  "You don't feel ill do you, Da ge?"  "No, why?"  "I notice you're starting to get really nice streaks of gray hair at your temples now.  I find it to be disturbing."  "Why?  I'm old!  And I'm not getting any younger.  I was 230,000 years old when you were born, golden boy!"  "You're not old and I refuse to accept it.  This past year has been the first time that we really don't look identical anymore.  You look more like my Fuqin instead of my Da ge."  He pounded his fist on the table.  "I won't accept it!!"  Mo Yuan stood and walked around his desk.  He pulled Ye Hua into his arms.  "Didi, don't distress yourself!  I'm fine!  Now answer me this, have you finished the painting of us in our matching black robes?"  "Yes.  I'm actually amazed at how well it turned out.  Would you like to see it?  I've created a hall to place portraits of all the high gods there.  I hung Fuqin and Mama's portrait there, too."  "Well carry me there then!" 
     Ye Hua grabbed his hand and jumped him to the new portrait hall.  It seems Ye Hua liked to paint when he could.  He led him to the back wall of the room.  He had the portrait of them hanging in the middle.  There they were standing side by side, identical in every way accept for Mo Yuan's mustache and beard.  Ye Hua had eyes as black as night whereas his were more honey colored.  He managed to capture the power that they had in their bearing.  He thought what a good idea it had been for them to have their hair unbound.  "Didi, you have captured us perfectly!  I look at your paintings and I'm amazed.  You truly do have Mama's talent."  He walked around and looked at all the portraits there.  There were spaces for more.  "Amazing!  I'll have to bring Qian'er to see this." He walked down the left wall and gasped.  There was a portrait of Jinlong in all of his glory, shining like the sun.  "When did you do it?  It looks like I'm in repose there."  "When you crashed into the valley.  When you were asleep in the arena, I sketched how your scales look with the sun shining on them.  I used that and my memory of you to paint it.  Since I look just like you, I used your image but changed the color for myself.  Do you like them?"  "Ye Hua, these paintings are fantastic!  We should have a festival every year for people of the realm to come see them!  Look!  It's Lord Pua!  And Donghua!  Bai Zhi!  I love it!!  I guess all of those lessons paid off!!"  Mo Yuan hugged Ye Hua.  They walked together and looked at every portrait and even some scenes from every realm.  They jumped back to the hall for tea and cake.
     Bai Qian was there.  "Just where have you two been?  I've been looking for you!"  "Ye Hua finished the portrait of us together.  He has created a hall with portraits he has done of high gods and rulers from other realms.  It's fantastic!  I told him he should hold a festival every year for people of the realms to come see it.  Would you like to go see it?"  "Yes!  I would!  I've been dying to see that portrait of you two together."  They jumped there together.  Bai Qian was amazed at every painting.  She saw the portrait of Jinlong.  "Look!!  It's just what you look like, dearest.  So smug!  And look at Heilong!  Look!  It's me!  Look!  It's Xue and JinDe!  Baohu and Jinzi!  All of our children!  Look at that portrait of the two of you!!  Ye Hua, it's perfect!!"  Her exclamations had Ye Hua blushing.  She stood back and looked at the portrait of them.  Ye Hua had captured them perfectly.  So much alike, but subtle differences.  Ye Hua had eyes as black as night, whereas Mo Yuan's were honey colored.  She looked at the identical faces.  Except for Mo Yuan's mustache and beard.  They were standing shoulder to shoulder, slightly angled with the touching arms behind their back, their other arm slightly raised in front of them.  Their unbound hair over one shoulder.  They, themselves had a beauty along with their manly persona.  They did indeed have a healthy dose of their mother's beauty.  The twin sons of the Father of Gods and his lovely wife, Nuwa.  She smiled and hugged them both.  They both looked at her with the same raised brow.  "I'm so in love with that portrait, Ye Hua.  Now I can actually see how much like your mother you both are!  Look at her portrait and then the one of the both of you!  Just wonderful!!"  "I mentioned to Ye Hua that he must institute a festival for everyone in the realm to come to this gallery and observe the paintings.  Wait!!  I just had an idea, Ye Hua!  Why not have the artists of the realms bring a piece of their work here?  Wouldn't that be wonderful?"  "Hmmm, a very good idea, Da ge.  I will make a decree to the realms.  Now I must get about the business of said realm!  Later!"  Mo Yuan turned to Bai Qian and pulled her close.  "How about a kiss for your dragon, my love?  Hmmm?"  "Behave!  I need you to help me finish up a few details for Junjie's wedding and then we can play.  Now come along and be a good dragon!"  He bowed to her and laughed.  Your wish is my command, my love!"
     They did indeed take the rest of the afternoon to finish up wedding details.  Mo Yuan was walking towards the nursery when he ran into Bai Xue.  "Fuqin!  Fuqin!  I just got a message from Lei!  Dalong is missing!  They are searching the kingdom for him.  I sent Fenli and Ali to scent him out.  He can't be far, can he?" "It all depends on how much mischief he wants to get into.  Let your boys sniff him out!"  Dalong was indeed up to no good.  He had decided he wanted to see his Zufu since his mother threatened to get him to come teach him a lesson.  He liked Zufu.  Zufu powerful.  Zufu can teach him.  He took off on a shaky cloud toward Kunlun, or at least that general direction.  He traveled for a half day until he happened upon the south gate where Taowu was stationed.  He shifted into his cat form and walked up to the gate.  He pretended to be wounded and hopped with one leg held up.  Taowu watched him closely.  He hopped closer.  The great creature bent down to smell the young cat.  He smelled the snow leopard kingdom.  Knowing that Queen Xia Liang Lei was there, he surmised that this was her little one.  He called for Mo Yuan to come to the gate.  Dalong rolled on the ground just like a cat would do.  He rolled.  He bathed.  He rolled some more.  He panted for water.  Every little trick he could think of.  He was about to attempt to run under the legs of the gate guardian when Mo Yuan appeared.  Pay dirt!!  Zufu!!  He transformed and held out his arms.  "It's ok, Taowu.  This is Dalong, son of Mao Qiang de Hei and Xia Liang Lei.  Next time just let him in.  Come to Zufu, you bad boy!"  He jumped them to the hall.  Bai Xue had just come for tea.  "Look who we have here!  A visitor from the snow leopard kingdom!  Mao Dalong Bao!  Dalong, say hello to your Shushu, Bai Xue!"  "Fuqin, did he come by himself?"  "Me hop cloud.  Fly long way to see Zufu!  Dalong sees!"  "Zufu is not happy, Dalong.  You could have been hurt.  You shouldn't come by yourself.  Next time you should tell your parents you wish to see me.  They will bring you.  Why did you wish to see me?"  "Dalong show Zufu.  He jumped down, held out his hands and made a very nice set of talons appear.  He retracted them.  He shifted to his cat form and promptly disappeared.  He reappeared on Baohu's dais.  He roared a very nice little roar and shifted back to his human form.  He grinned.  "Very nice, Dalong, very nice!  You are learning well!  Is there something you want Zufu to show you?"  "Are you big bad dragin like mama say?  Will you shake Dalong like rag doll if me bad?  Dalong just want to know!"  Mo Yuan's eyes turned gold.  "Yes, I am big and bad dragon!  Yes I will grab you in my talons, bite you with my teeth and shake you for being bad.  Especially if you refuse to listen or if you do something stupid like you did today.  I assume you were bad and your mother threatened to call me?  Hmmm?"  He hung his head and nodded.  "Xue, bring him to the arena."  He jumped himself there.  When Xue brought Dalong to the center of the arena, Mo Yuan transformed, put his head down and growled at the young boy.  He gently took him into his talons and shook him.  He looked right into his eyes and growled again.  He saw terror in his eyes so he made his point.  He sat him down and took to the skies to roar loudly and come back down.  He transformed as he landed right by a very terrified little boy.  "So you see, Dalong, Zufu will indeed get you!  Now come so I can take you home."  He was walking into the hall when Lei appeared on the portico.  She was furious.  She saw her Fuqin with a very bad little boy in his arms and sighed.  "Fuqin!  I hope you scared the fur off of his little fuzzy hide!  He was being very disobedient so I threatened to call you.  He didn't believe me when I said you were big and bad.  I hope you showed him?"  Dalong reached for her in absolute terror.  "Mama him scary!  Zufu scare Dalong.  Dalong not be bad anymore!"  "Good!  Next time mama tells you something you better listen.  Now you must be punished."  She sat down, turned him over her knee and spanked him good.  "Now who will you run to for sympathy?  Hmmm?"  Bai Qian walked in to drink some tea.  She sat down and Dalong jumped right to her lap.  "Zumu, Mama whip me and Zufu be scary dragon to Dalong.  Me so sad!  Kiss for me, Zumu?"  "Poor baby!  Come get a kiss then!"  She hugged him and kissed his cheek.  Liang Lei looked at her errant son who had no shame whatsoever.  "Mother!  Dalong has been very naughty!  He disobeyed me and his Fuqin and hopped a cloud to run here because I told him Fuqin's dragon would get him.  He didn't believe me so he just found out the hard way that Jinlong means business!  I whipped his fuzzy little butt too!  Now he runs to Zumu!  He has no shame!"  Mo Yuan motioned for Dalong to come to him but he only buried himself behind his Zumu.  His eyes turned gold and he growled.  Fear came into his green cat eyes.  He sadly left his Zumu's lap and crawled to his Zufu.  Mo Yuan picked him up and looked square into those eyes.  "Dalong, if you are to one day rule your kingdom, you must learn to be responsible.  Not obeying your parents and running away is not responsible.  Understand?"  He hugged the little boy as he nodded.  "You will be good from now on, won't you?"  "Dalong be good!  Dalong love Zufu, just don't want scary dragon."  "How about you come and let me fly you around?  Hmmm?"  "Dalong fly over mountain?"  "Yes!"  He hopped down and started running for the arena.  "Well!  I'll be back!"
     After a ride on Jinlong's back, Dalong decided he was not scary and that he was ready to go home.  Liang Lei picked him up and smiled.  "We will come back later, Fuqin.  I want you to help him with some of his spells.  He remembers well so he will be ready for you.  I love you!"  She kissed her Fuqin and mother goodbye and left for home.  Mo Yuan grinned at her.  "It seems that cat curiosity is as bad as Huli mischief.  I'll write her a message telling her what to expect!  Now, my love, how about a walk in the garden?"  He held out his arm as she stood up.  They walked and small talked as they toured the garden.  "Dearest, I'm convinced that Baohu has been thrown into a trial.  I'm also convinced that Shandian Li is on her high god trial.  What do you think?"  Mo Yuan thought a moment as they walked.  He paused at a bench and he sat her down as he joined her.  "I agree.  We can only hope that somehow, it is Baohu that becomes her savior in her trial.  We just have to wait it out."  "I suppose you're right.  He has been through so much!  I want them both to come through this together and stronger than ever.  Am I wrong to wish that?"  "No, my love."   He held her close in his arms.  "No, for I too wish for them to come out together.  Now look!  Your rose is blooming!"