𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐦. n. (latin)
- star, constellation, glory, immortality, heaven.
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❝I don't need the stars, because I have you.❞
In which, the Celestial Nine-Tailed Fox finally visits the Mortal Realm after millenniums of avoiding her past.
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「 𝐕𝐚�...
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「 第十三章 // 𝗖𝗛. 𝟭𝟯 」
"Better Than Me."
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"I was wondering how you've been faring... not too badly, it seems." With multiple celestial relics in your hands, you follow after Macaque as he leads you into a shady theatre.
"Flattery will get you nowhere." He replies, and though you couldn't see his face in the dim lighting of the narrow passage, you could almost hear him roll his eyes.
Bemused, you choose to let the conversation die as the passage opens up into a bigger room filled with rows of seats. A wooden stage was raised above ground to your left, and you glance at the carefully placed decorations— torn pieces of cloth draped over the pillars, moody yellow lights scattered around.
Everything indicated his preference for exaggerated dramatics— along with the shadow lantern set at the edge of the curved seat in the first row.
With a hum, you walk up to the lantern, setting down the retrieved relics on the bench before picking up the shadow lantern gingerly.
You inspect it, turning it in your hands a few times. "You've already been to Shuilian Cave before this?"
It was less of a question, and more of a poking statement made to irritate Macaque. He scowls at you from where he stood, arms folded over his armoured chest.
"If it wasn't clear enough already, I, unlike someone, am unable to touch the reserves in the Celestial Heavens. I need to make a living for myself, too."
"How hardworking. Shadow plays, huh? Very much your style."
You hear an audible scoff coming from beside you.
"I'm always hardworking." You're just... too busy with someone else to see it, Macaque wants to add, but cuts himself off before he does anything he regrets.
You laugh dismissively, waving him off before taking a seat on the long bench; sorting through the relics to set weapons meant for combat to the side, and arranging various other magical vases neatly beside you, meant as a small trick up your sleeve if you ever came across less significant demons.
"Why don't you show me your shadow play? Even a small excerpt will be fine."
Macaque looked up from where he had sat down on the far end of the other side of the bench, fiddling with a miniscule toy staff in hand— where he got that, you had no idea.
