World Tree MUSH

    As the group make their way out of the Seat of Divine Foresight, March sidles up to Stelle. "Well, we had a lot of stumbles along the way, but we still managed to kick butt and save the Luofu without breaking a sweat! Feels kinda surreal huh?"

    Stelle, for her part, looks pensive. "Could this all just have been fate? I mean, the Stellaron Hunters predicted all of this, right?"

    March scoffs. "Bah! No way! Everything good has come our way due to our own hard work! I'm not letting them take a single iota of credit for this! Besides, it might seem like they're controlling everything, but no matter how powerful they are, they can't manifest a future that doesn't exist!" March frowns then... "I should have asked when we saw her, but... with so many people around I got cold feet... I was wondering if Diviner Fu could do me a favour." she tugs at her skirt a bit. "The Matrix of Prescience has amazing powers, and can iterate and reiterate Kafka's past... so it got me thinking -- if the Matrix got turned onto me... could it calculate my past?"

    "Pretty smart... I guess even Extrovert March gets stage fright though." jibs Stelle, nudging March with an elbow. "H-Hey! I was feeling shy! Talking about personal stuff like that in front of everyone... it'd be so embarrassing."

    Some time later,
    Entering the Palace of Astrum at Starskiff Haven.

    "... I see, Please extend my regards to the Ten Lords..." Yukong's voice carries, as she speaks to an android-like woman. Human enough at first glance, but clearly artificial after a few moments to look her over. "I will. Our condolences, Helm Master." She glances over at the group, "You have guests. I shall take my leave." Xueyi turns and passes the group, dipping her head in respect, though her gaze lingers on Dan Heng for a moment or two longer.

    Yukong turns and greets the group with a slight dip of her chin in a curt version of a bow. "On behalf of the Sky-Faring Commission, I would like to thank the crew of the Express, and their allies, for saving the Luofu from the Stellaron crisis."

    Clara just kind of stares at March.
    She wouldn't call being traumatized by TIngyun 'not breaking a sweat', but she opts to not say anything.
    So on to the Starskiff Haven and the Sky-Faring Commission.
    And Yukong's very formal words of thanks.
    "Ah... We were just trying to be helpful."

    "Wandering troubleshooters, that's what we are! Where there's trouble, we'll shoot it for very reasonable fees!" Jessica announces! She keeps looking at Stelle though, after the mention of past.

    "So um... is that all wrapped up for now or..." One can never know the next crisis!

    Talia gives Clara a gentle pat on the shoulder, giving March a cocked eyebrow. She bows her head at Yukong when they reach the Haven, "It was just what came naturally, but your thanks is most welcome. It didn't suit us to do nothing."

    "Hmm." Bi De tilts his head at March talking to the diviner. "Exploring the past can find many things you may not wish to know. Whether your findings are good or ill, you should keep in mind all that you have done now." He has no idea what March's karma is like, but he's seen this sort of 'secret past' end up damning before. Better provide some protection for that.

    He bows deeply at the thanks, just responding with a humble, "It was a task that needed done."

    Yukong dips her head again, a bit more deeply this time. "I heard about Tingyun... I did not want to believe it, but having seen 10 leave, but only 9 return, was enough for me to know that Fu Xuan's report was indeed accurate."

    Stelle glances over to Jessica, indicating the fan.

    Unslinging her pack, Jessica tugs the folded fan out of a side pocket where it wouldn't be crushed, clearing her throat before stepping forward to extend it toward Yukong. "Um... it isn't much, but we do have this. We were told you should have it."

    The reports were accurate. Tingyun is gone.
    Clara is still kind of sad about that.
    She goes real quiet when the fan comes out to be passed over to Yukong.

    Almost, Bi De says something about it, straightening up and opening his beak... then he clicks it shut, and the crystal that translates for him remains silent and dark. Without knowing more, he doesn't feel like speaking about it would be good. Better to go the solemn silence route.

    "It is a true shame. I am to understand she was a highly esteemed figure among your people. You have my condolences." Talia offers to Yukong, but that's all she can offer.

    Yukong accepts the fan with softly shaking hands. Her face doesn't change, but it's clear she's suppressing the urge to collapse and start crying. "... Tingyun..." She swallows, licks her lips then clears her throat. "I still can't believe it. The whole report reads like a bad joke -- it's simply unimaginable. The Antimatter Legion on the Xianzhou? And Tingyun... a Lord Ravager?" Yukong turns, walking to her desk and placing the fan down in the center. "How could someone who spent over thirty years working alongside me at the Sky-Faring Commission... turn out to be nothing more than a monster in disguise? What happened to the real Tingyun?!" Yukong slams a fist down on her desk, making things jolt an inch into the air from the impact shock... and causing a wave of silence to pass over the Commission members... before they quickly turn back to their tasks.

    March tentatively steps forward. "Madam Yukong..." she says softly.

    Yukong takes a breath... straightens and turns back, recomposing herself. "I'm sorry... It's just... hard for me to accept." She walks back toward the group. "Thank you for bringing Tingyun's belongings back to the Palace of Astrum. The Stellaron crisis has cost us too many comrades, brothers, sisters... children." She looks around the group, then the room, before looking back at the group. "I would like to invite all of you, as witnesses to this war, to a soul-soothing ceremony hosted by the Sky-Faring Commission. Will you consider this?" she asks.

    Welt pipes up. "A... Soul-soothing ceremony?" he asks.

    "Ah... to put it in short-life terms, a funeral... you see, for long-life species death is a distant, mystical concept... In ordinary times, the Ten-Lords Commission guide people to the Hall of Karma before symptoms of Mara can manifest. There, they leave behind their lives and wait for their time to come. People here are used to a short 'farewell' rather than a prolonged 'burial'."

    Talia is silent along with Bi De, she will leave Yukong to her grief as necessary. She's no stranger to losing people, she knows how it feels. It's best to let Yukong be for now, in Talia's opinion. But she will have to grieve on her own time, "It's hard to say. We didn't know Tingyun long, for all we know this was an imposter the entire time."

    Talia's breath hitches briefly, and she nods. "I'd be honored to attend this ceremony, Yukong."

    "It is unclear if it was a very long game, or if at some point she replaced the original," Bi De murmured. "But if it were a replacement, then it would be better to remember the original, would it not?"

    He steps forward. "Of course." The chicken bows his head again.

    "OF course we'll go to this!" Jessica seems to think it's a silly question, her ears flicking back. "I don't think it would be right if we didn't. We can stay that long, right? There's no um... immediate crisis that needs us is there?"

    Yukong explains how Foxians are the only Long-Life species to continue with burial rites, how the other Long-life species only have a short farewell for those going to the Hall of Karma... and how there were so many lost to Mara, that the Hall couldn't accomodate them all. "...All of these sudden deaths and unfulfilled wishes remind us that long-life species still live out insignificant and limited lives." she takes a steadying breath. "By combining Sky-Faring Commission technology with foxian ceremony, we honor those who have passed on. We places items of the dead onto starskiffs, and send them out to sail between the stars -- to shine brightly amongst them."

    Yukong looks between the gathered. "It's not just to comfort the dead -- those souls who can never talk with us again -- but also to comfort their surviving relatives, close friends and indeed all residents of the Xianzhou... It's also my way of saying farewell to Tingyun. I know, I'm selfish. She may not have died a Cloud Knight, but she's still one of us at the Sky-Faring Commission -- a victim caught up in the wider conflict."

    It's a very interesting lecture to be sure! But we'll assume we fast forward all of that for the sake of the audience.

    Talia listens with rapt attention, nodding in acknowledgement sometimes. "When Jedi pass, we traditionally burn the bodies. It's a way to free the spirit, as they join the Force."

    She remembers the bodies she had to burn when she escaped that station...what was left of them anyways. She had Gareth's body, the rest...well, it was anybody's guess.

    At that point, death was preferable.

    "Sort of like memorials, then," Jessica agrees. "Mm... we sometimes have to do special circumstances, but my people get the idea as well. I've seen a lot of different methods in my travels."

    "It is not strange to want to honor a fallen that you respected, even if the situation is more complex," Bi De muses. "Perhaps one day we will know the truth of her fate... it is a story that I would like to know, myself."

    He pauses, then clucks softly, "Is her identity as a Ravager known to the public?"

    Yukong looks to Bi De. "I'd like to hold this ceremony to distance the memory of Tingyun from the Lord Ravager who tarnished her identity." she replies. "I can still hardly believe it... I'll use my own methods to locate Tingyun's whereabouts, but at present... I..." she shakes her head, taking a shaky breath. "This is the least I can do for her."

    Stelle places a hand on Talia's shoulder. "How can we help?" she asks to Yukong.

    "I've instructed Yanming to sort through Tingyun's belongings... I'm hoping you can pick out some to place around the Starskiff." Yukong gestures over to a human-looking man in a Sky-Faring Commission uniform, hunched over a collection of things off to one side.

    Talia appreciates the gesture, and she smiles at Stelle softly in thanks.

    "May she find peace in where she goes next." She says, nodding to Yukong.

    This next face up ahead just might be the most normal looking gentleman the party's met so far! "Ah, hello! Yes, we appreciate the help with that!"

    Bi De will of course look for anything that seems sentimental or full of Qi, while he inspects anything. "That is probably wise," he notes as he looks. "And perhaps we will have some luck and the original is still alive. If your divinations can find such, that would be a great relief."

    "Is there anything that was particularly strange in the collection?" Jessica asks. "I wonder if... um... like maybe we can tell a little bit more... never mind, I'm not sure I even know what I'm trying to say. A favorite item or something that used to be?"

    Yanming is talking to himself as he works. "You always did say that I liked to gossip, and here I am rambling on, proving you right yet again... if only you were here to cut me off..." he jumps as Talia speaks up. "Oh! It's you... for a moment I thought she'd returned... Did the Helm Master send you over?" He sighs, then gestures to a box full of items that would probably be sentimental to a young-ish extroverted woman. An Amicassador's seal, a small box, a knife, and a bow, the box contains a foxian folk statue that is very old. The statue has a note on it. 'This is for you, Mr. Yanming. Wishing you fortune and success in every endeavor.'

    Yanming looks at the note, and the statue for a long moment. "... I... I remember asking her for one at the time..." he clears his throat. "This is.. unexpected. I only mentioned it in passing, but she still remembered." he smiles wanly, "We were from different guilds... Competitors as well as colleagues... we started trying to one-up each other during our trips to other cultures... who could bring back the oddest gift... like candy that made your leg hair grow, or a violin that could shatter glass with its piercing resonance... even now she's gotten ahead of me."

    The statue seems like a good choice then! Bi De listens to the story, then clucks softly, "I see, but that is yours to keep. Perhaps, instead, you can give one final gift to send on her way? Would that not be appropriate? After all... surely her spirit would appreciate the game that is still being played. Was it not a source of joy?"

    "Sorry, was I interrupting something?" Talia says wryly. She gives the box a respectful silence, as Yanming looks it over. "We were asked to bring it over to you." She says softly, and she nods in approval at the statue. "There's no wrong answers." She says in agreement with Bi De.

    "When did she bring this?" Jessica asks curiously. "I mean... maybe we should have it checked, and if it's clean maybe that can give us an idea of... um..." It seems a little morbid to be bringing this up now, but Jessica, for all her friendliness, does have to deal with some dark themes in her life.

    "None of this feels like something Miss Tingyun would have kept." remarks March, pointing out the knife, the bow and the little box. Stelle peeks into the box, revealing some kind of seeds inside.

    Yanming speaks up. "Perhaps these were gifts for others around the Palace, and perhaps Aurum Alley too." he says, indicating an etching on the knife case that reads 'Spices Supreme'.

    March picks up the bow, gently drawing the string. "This is a good bow... it couldn't be for me could it?" she asks... earning a flat look from Stelle. "Okay okay! I'm not the only archer she knows... but who?"

    Anyone who knows plants might recognize the sees being tea plant seeds... perhaps it's meant for the teahouse across the bridge.. the Sleepless Earl.

    "If they were gifts meant for others..." Clara considers, "should we try and find who they're supposed to go to?" The girl asks.
    Before she purses her lips at March.
    "I don't think that was for you.

    Talia shrugs a shoulder at March, "You can never truly judge a book by its cover." She says, "But I suppose we'll need to figure this out." The Jedi begins to carry some of the seed containers, ambling towards the teahouse. It's as good a place as any to start looking.

    Jessica spends most of her time doing tower defense instead of fetch quests, so looks at all the gifts. "Maybe... if they're from the real one, she did seem nice enough to do that sort of thing. Should we put them in storage or try to deliver them?"

    "Hmm..."

    Bi De looks around and then clucks, "Almost certainly these were gifts for others. It would be an honor to her memory to deliver them to their owners... provided we can ensure they were not some sort of trap designed by the Ravager. Is there any way we might inspect these for corruptive demonic essence or the like?"

    Yanming holds his hands over the items for a few moments. "I'm no Diviner, but I have a little talent in detecting foul energies... and I'm not picking up anything strange from these." he says, scooping up the box of knives... "I'll deliver this to Aurum Alley if someone wishes to accompany me." he looks to March and the bow... then looks meaningfully over to Yukong but says nothing.

    Talia approaches The Sleepless Earl, and the tiny being in charge speaks up. "Hello! Welcome to the Sleepless Earl, I'm the owner, Mengming, how big is your party, and which tea would you like today?" she asks cheerily.

    Talia smiles and holds up the seeds in their container, "Hi! I guess it'll be just me tonight. I'm trying to see if I can find anybody who recognizes these seeds, and if Tingyun happened to know them. We found these among her belongings." Yeah, very direct like that.

    Well if there's no foul energies in the items, may as well bring them to who they were supposed to go to. ... If the party can figure out what goes where anyway.
    Clara... Actually goes with Talia.
    "Me tooooo." So Talia is not a 'just me' at the tea shop.
    "We think the seeds were supposed to be a gift but... Well..." She leaves out the fact that Tingyun has, essentially, returned to The Force.

    "I'll go with you!" Jessica offers, heading to Aurora Alley. "I'm curious what kind of weapons they have here anyway, and I don't think we should be going anywhere with just one person. That tends to get people in trouble!"

    Jessica may say some weird stuff, but she does have at least toddler-level pattern recognition.

    Mengming looks at the containers, taking one, opening it and sniffing curiously. "Oh... oh my, this is the tea Miss Tingyun promised to bring... did she truly go to another world for this?" The tiny foxian lights up like a celebration display, beaming up at Talia. "She's incredible! When I took over this teahouse from my parents I thought I'd shake things up by creating a new tea product. Famous brews like Whale-Tide Spring or Vegetations in the Alchemcy Cauldron have been around for millenia, and imported mixed teas have also found a niche. Introducing a new product into the industry is really hard." She smiles at Clara, somehow even shorter than the already small human girl. "Miss Tingyun came to the teahouse one day and heard about my troubles-- she said she coudl find me something brand new during her travels... something noone on the Xianzhou had ever tasted." she smiles wistfully. "I thought she was just trying to cheer me up... I never thought she'd actually do it." Something then seems to occur to her and her ears flick as she looks around. "Where is Miss Tingyun today?"

    Aurum Alley is a quiet little place. A lower energy system than the Starskiff Haven bazaar. Yanming heads towards a place called Spices Supreme. A Vidyadhara bows to those who arrive and speaks, "Honored Guests! Welcome to our humble eatery! What can we get for you today?" she asks.

    Talia, not wanting to ruin the moment, nods eagerly. "Yes she did!" She agrees, nodding as she smiles at the tiny fox girl. By the force, she's adorable. Talia takes Clara and Bi De as they grab a seat, and Talia orders up a pot of tea and dumplings, delicious delicious dumplings. "Sadly, she's...no longer with us." Talia says with a mournful expression. "We've been helping with some errands she never had the chance to finish."

    "The lady Tingyun has climbed the Celestial Staircase," Bi De says politely. "I am certain that she is pleased you have found such delight in her gift. Please, use them well."

    "Achoo!"

    It's a cute, tiny sneeze, and Jessica's ears splay sharply in apology. She looks about the eatery and flicks her tail. "Oh... it's a place to eat? Um... we have a box of cutlery that you may be interested in. That is, we're delivering, not selling! Don't worry, we aren't from Vector Marketing!"

    Mengming asks where Tingyun is.
    "Ah..."
    A pained look crosses Clara's face. "She..."
    Oh thank god, Talia and Bi De say it so that the actual child of the group doesn't have to.
    "... Yeah."

    "From where now? Is that part of the IPC?" asks Yancui. "Oh, pardon my manners. I'm Yancui... and delivering a box of cookware? Must be from Miss Tingyun! What a sweetheart she is. When she first ate here I told her my motto: You can't better your own food unless you taste it." Then she got me tot talk about my hunting and cooking experiences out on other worlds... She was /captivated... pestering my about dish after dish. At the end she mentioned she wanted to get me a gift. "A sword for a hero and a knife for a chef." That's how she put it." The woman is very energetic, and takes up the knife after Yanming offers it over. "She must've forged this herself from some rare mineral, look at the edge! This'll cut through a Thalassa Titanium Terrapin shell no problem!" She looks around a moment, "With the ports opening up again she must be super busy right? Else she'd have brought it herself."

    Yancui takes the new knife and starts preparing something without being asked, "Here, I'll make you something to take back to her. Just put it in the freezer if she's away, it should keep long enough for her to come back and enjoy it."

    Mengming pauses, a shocked expression on her face... "Miss Tingyun..." she says, her voice tiny and fragile like some tiny sculpture made of glass. "Th-thank you... for bringing this... I'll have your tea in a moment... and I should gift something back for her... I assume Madam Yukong is holding a ceremony for her."

    Mengming goes inside, and a few minutes later, there are two pots of tea, and a plate of dumplings. "I used some of the prepared tea... I've named it 'Tingyun's Blend'. Please, enjoy it, and since Miss Tingyun won't be able to... drink in her memory."

    Talia accepts the tea and pours a drink, before raising the cup. "I think a toast's in order, to our departed friend. We didn't know her well, but Tingyun will be sorely missed by many. And we should pay homage to that." She says.

    Clara gets a dumpling and cuppa tea floated over to her through the Force.

    "Oh um..." This is awkward. Jessica can't exactly refuse. She considers just telling Yancui what happened, scratching the back of her head. "It's... well, if you really want, I can try to get it to her, but it could be... a long time, yes. I'm sure it can wait though. She um... it may be a long, long time before you can see her again."

    Internally, /I'm so bad at this.../

    Bi De sweeps a bow, wings outstretched. "Your kindness does your spirit well, young one. We appreciate your gift, and believe that the Lady Tingyun would as well. I apologize that you had to hear of the news in this way."

    Yancui nods as if this is something normal. "Yeah, she's always travelling, seeing new places and finding new things. I'll wait for her to come back, but you can at least take this with you." She finishes up, and pushes a box full of something that smells /amazing/ toward Jessica and Yanming. "Chilli Oil Beef Offal Stew. The first dish Tingyun ordered. Spicy, sumptuous and guaranteed to get the mouth watering. Not even a girl as refined as Tingyun could resist." The Vidyadhara flashes a big grin, and twirls the knife in her hand with deft and practiced ease.

    After the tea is drunk and Jessica returns with Yanming and the food bowl, March frowns at the bow, before Welt speaks up. "I believe I know who the bow is meant for, March."

    March looks lost for a moment... "Oh... Madam Yukong right?" she says, and then the group head toward the foxian Helm Master. "Madam Yukong. I believe Miss Tingyun meant this for you." says March, offering the bow to the foxian.

    "Did Tingyun pick this out for me?" asks Yukong as she takes the weapon, caressing the arms gently. "She understood my pain.. it's a shame I can no longer do anything for her..."

    Yukong takes a breath. "Thirty years ago, I fought in a terrible war. My comrade and I set sail together, but only I returned... those scars never truly healed. Still, the Luofu traced out its arc of recovery and continued to trade." she looks out across the courtyard outside of the Palace. "I love my courage to ever pull a bowstring again... I hid away here in the Sky-Faring Commission and buried myself in my work... never wanting to see the sky again."

    Yukong chuckles. "Despite being Helm Master... Tingyun was the natural born merchant... always offering advice or discussing business matters... she never fought at my side in battle, but she was always a comrade-in-arms on the battlefield of commerce... without her, the Luofu would still be recovering, thirdy years later."

    "Tingyun prepared gifts for others too? That's just like her... thank you for delivering them, she can now depart in peace... we're preparing the starskiff for the ceremony, come... it's almost time."

    Jessica smiles sadly. "Thank you then. It's very nice of you to prepare this. I'll um... do my best." She gives her name and some other pleasantries before stepping out to head back, ears flattened. Siiiigh.

    "I wonder if we should send this off...?" Asked of the others as she heads off with Yukong.

    Talia nods with Bi De, "Yes, she must've been a great friend. I am truly sad to have seen such a wonderful person gone so suddenly." To be frank, seeing someone's neck get twisted like that is a sight Talia'll never unsee. Just brings back bad memories.

    "It's been a dramatic few days, to say the least." She agrees with the chicken once more.