One Tail at a Time

No Virtue in Honor - 1

I am standing in front of my full length mirror staring at my reflection with a critical eye while Fu Yu sits unmoving on the dresser staring at his own with a pensive look.  It seems incredible how much he has grown over the years, but seeing his little form dressed in full battle gear with a small sword lashed to the side of his gown and a war pack strapped to his back, suddenly brings tears to my eyes.

Back then, we had been so young, our minds filled with mischief and logic that only the very young are capable of understanding, yet here we are almost forty five thousand years later and I cannot help but weep a little for the innocence we have well and truly left behind, because the pensive look on his face isn't really much different to the look on mine at the moment because both of us know what we are about to walk into.

Or rather, we think we do.  Shifu has never been one to make light of any of the wars we have studied, he has been brutally honest in his descriptions of what we should expect and even what we should not expect and having also thoroughly read the Demon Wars book, I am under no illusions as to how deadly this war will be.

Still, my little Fu Yu is only here because of one little wish that I selfishly made which saw him dragged here along with me, and I can't help but wish that he was back in the grove playing all manner of games with his little friends and getting into untold mischief with Zhe Yan who I have been told will be there to oversee the medical tent while Zhen Zhen said he would come if he was needed.  

Papa and Mama are in the Mortal Realm and Zhen Zhen said they too would be coming to join us should they also be needed and seeing as they were both there for the Demon War from before, they know as well as anyone that this war will not be any different.

So here I am with my lifetime friend staring back at our reflections and feeling super nervous for him.  Because despite the fact that he is the same age as me, it is very difficult for me to see him killing and tarnishing his poor wee soul and all for mine which he has dutifully sworn to protect.

And as noble as that might be, it wont make a single difference to those whose lives he will take because that is all a war is in the end.  Yes we are warriors whose fight is for the peace of all, but when I look at that little face as cute as a cherub yet edged in trepidation, what cost must our souls pay for taking the lives of others like us.  Surely the weight of their souls will burden his wee soul and he hasn't even cultivated enough to human form, so therefore the cost to him might be far greater than the lives he saves.

I know this is a morose thought, and I guess a war that is only hours away from starting has me realizing just how much of a debt we will all have to pay in the end, so I cannot help but allow the fear to creep in and take hold as I firmly drag him tightly into my arms.

"Fu Yu.  Promise me you will run if you find yourself surrounded.  Please don't....." I whisper tearfully having fully allowed my fearful thoughts to take flight.

"So long as you don't do anything stupid, then I will be just fine!" he scoffs back at tearful me, even though it is obvious he is becoming tearful too while hugging tightly at my neck.

"There is no need for that!" a voice I have not heard in forever suddenly erupts into our chamber like a bomb which has me immediately throwing Fu Yu off me as Zhe Yan comes into view and like a tornado, I am rushing into his arms which have opened for the both of us.

He is not a huggy kind of person as I think I have mentioned before, but his arms offer a much needed safety net as the both of us cling tightly to his familiar scent and energy.

"What is with the tears?  I thought you would have outgrown them by now." he says chuckling down at the both of us.

"Im just so happy to see you, I missed you." I say while also hoping he is here to take Fu Yu home and away from the madness before it can start.