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fandomweekly2021-10-10 05:47 pm
curiosity) wrote in fandomweekly2021-10-10 05:47 pm
Entry tags:
[#079] First Snow (MDZS)
Theme Prompt: #079 - First Snow
Title: First Snow
Fandom: MDZS
Rating/Warnings: G / Modern Cultivation AU, a little angst.
Word Count: 1,000
Summary: When Jiang Cheng is turned away from a meeting with Lan Xichen, he decides to take A-Ling playing in the snow.
Jiang Cheng held four-year-old A-Ling so he could catch snowflakes in his hands without getting his little shoes wet. The snow had come unexpectedly, sweeping down from the mountains of Cloud Recesses and snowing in the city of Caiyi. An impromptu festival had sprung up, with the cityfolk gathering fresh clean snow on strips of cloth and in baskets to make snow candy and drizzle with flavored syrups.
A-Ling’s tongue was dyed an unnatural shade of blue. Jiang Cheng had taken dozens of pictures. He'd even coaxed a tourist into taking a few of him with A-Ling and some of both of them examining the flakes in A-Ling’s little mittened hand. The tourist had been happy to do so, for a selfie with the famous Sandu Shengshou.
Cultivators were supposed to set good examples in society, so he'd agreed.
It was part of his civic duty and Jiang Cheng took every duty seriously.
He couldn't help but be grateful, though, at the wide space around them. He and A-Ling stood out in their many layers of vivid traditional robes. People gathered and stared. Jiang Cheng was taller than most, with a commanding air. That and his sword kept Jin Ling out of the crush.
So it wasn’t a wonder that Zewu-Jun, the man they’d come to see, spotted them. He was even taller than Jiang Cheng. He was known and beloved in Caiyi. The crowd parted for him like a school of fish giving way to a dragon.
If only they knew.
“Sect Leader Jiang! What a pleasant surprise,” the Lan Sect Leader exclaimed. “What brings you to Gusu?”
Jiang Cheng scoffed, little A-Ling glaring in solidarity. It was adorable but Jiang Cheng didn’t let himself become distracted.
“You,” he replied. “I sent a note three days ago saying I had a matter of urgency to discuss. When I arrived, I was turned away at the gates and told that Gusu Lan had no time for petty Yunmeng matters.”
Lan Xichen looked shocked, then thoughtful. And then sad. “I can only apologize, Sect Leader Jiang. I am not sure what has transpired but I can assure you I will correct it. If you are willing, I will escort you myself and we can address your concerns. I’m afraid I never got the message.”
“I’m sure you didn’t,” Jiang Cheng returned calmly. “My brother’s demonic cultivation is incompatible with modern electronics. I’m sure you’ve had many lost e-mails, calls, and so on. And my brother does inspire loyalty, even after he's betrayed it. I imagine his minions have taken up defense on his behalf.”
The Gusu Sect Leader could only wince. “Please accept my apologies.”
“None are needed. Now that I know he is sheltering here, you need never worry I will seek guidance from Gusu,” Jiang Cheng bowed, little A-Ling folding his hands in an appropriate gesture. “Until this little one is in need of teaching, you will not hear from me.”
“Please reconsider,” Lan Xichen pleaded.
But Jiang Cheng tucked A-Ling into his outer robe and pulled a tiny scarf from his sleeve to wrap around the baby’s ears and neck. He pulled out Sandu, to the audible shock of the gathered crowd.
“It would be a misguided attempt at recapturing one's youth to pursue this matter,” Jiang Cheng mounted his sword. “Yunmeng is open to you, if you have need. Good day, Sect Leader.”
Then he was a purple streak in the sky with a gold blossom tucked close to his chest. Lan Xichen watched until Jiang Cheng was no longer visible and then turned his sight to Cloud Recesses. There was a long walk ahead. It would give him time to think.
Once Jiang Cheng was safely over Lotus Pier, he flew lazily. Swooping and diving, spinning in slow curlicues; all to delight A-Ling and help him catch snowflakes on his little (still blue) tongue. Disciples gathered below, cheering at his stunts and he heard the instructors calling out things to watch for. How he shifted his balance, how the flow of qi stopped here and began anew there.
He was pleased to demonstrate, if only to vent his frustration. Little A-Ling giggled and clapped from his perch inside Jiang Cheng’s robes, warm and safe so close to his Jiujiu. The lakes rippled contentedly in their winter banks. While there was snow here in the upper reaches, it all melted away before it reached Yunmeng soil.
Was this how the Lans felt, up there on their mountain? Far away from the dirt and toil of common men. Was that what his brother preferred?
He sneered and let Sandu drop. A-Ling’s thrilled scream vibrated around him like shattering glass as they plummeted. At the very last second, he righted their flight and he put more weight on his back foot.
Just enough so that the point of Sandu’s blade trailed in the water. Just enough drama to justify their cheers and his watering eyes.
He was a man of Yunmeng, of mud and lotus and lake.
Let others seek the clouds. He would not be ashamed of his roots, for they ran deep.
Jiang Cheng’s youngest disciples, round-cheeked babies all of them, ran up to him as he dismounted on the dock and sheathed the blade. They danced around him as he marched down the dock, tugging his robes and rifling through his outer pockets for candy.
Which they found.
“Sect Leader, Sect Leader, that was amazing!”
“Will we learn how to do that some day?”
“A-Ling is so lucky!
Take us flying too, Sect Leader!”
A-Ling is the absolute cutest!
“Oi! You brats! Don’t you have lessons? Chores? Do you want to run laps until dawn?” He demanded with a fierce glare. “Do you want me to break all your legs?”
His disciples, the spoiled little brats, ran away laughing and sharing out the candy amongst themselves.
His Second in Command waited, arms crossed and eyebrows raised.
“He’s in Gusu,” Jiang Cheng said shortly. “Alert the Nies.”
Title: First Snow
Fandom: MDZS
Rating/Warnings: G / Modern Cultivation AU, a little angst.
Word Count: 1,000
Summary: When Jiang Cheng is turned away from a meeting with Lan Xichen, he decides to take A-Ling playing in the snow.
Jiang Cheng held four-year-old A-Ling so he could catch snowflakes in his hands without getting his little shoes wet. The snow had come unexpectedly, sweeping down from the mountains of Cloud Recesses and snowing in the city of Caiyi. An impromptu festival had sprung up, with the cityfolk gathering fresh clean snow on strips of cloth and in baskets to make snow candy and drizzle with flavored syrups.
A-Ling’s tongue was dyed an unnatural shade of blue. Jiang Cheng had taken dozens of pictures. He'd even coaxed a tourist into taking a few of him with A-Ling and some of both of them examining the flakes in A-Ling’s little mittened hand. The tourist had been happy to do so, for a selfie with the famous Sandu Shengshou.
Cultivators were supposed to set good examples in society, so he'd agreed.
It was part of his civic duty and Jiang Cheng took every duty seriously.
He couldn't help but be grateful, though, at the wide space around them. He and A-Ling stood out in their many layers of vivid traditional robes. People gathered and stared. Jiang Cheng was taller than most, with a commanding air. That and his sword kept Jin Ling out of the crush.
So it wasn’t a wonder that Zewu-Jun, the man they’d come to see, spotted them. He was even taller than Jiang Cheng. He was known and beloved in Caiyi. The crowd parted for him like a school of fish giving way to a dragon.
If only they knew.
“Sect Leader Jiang! What a pleasant surprise,” the Lan Sect Leader exclaimed. “What brings you to Gusu?”
Jiang Cheng scoffed, little A-Ling glaring in solidarity. It was adorable but Jiang Cheng didn’t let himself become distracted.
“You,” he replied. “I sent a note three days ago saying I had a matter of urgency to discuss. When I arrived, I was turned away at the gates and told that Gusu Lan had no time for petty Yunmeng matters.”
Lan Xichen looked shocked, then thoughtful. And then sad. “I can only apologize, Sect Leader Jiang. I am not sure what has transpired but I can assure you I will correct it. If you are willing, I will escort you myself and we can address your concerns. I’m afraid I never got the message.”
“I’m sure you didn’t,” Jiang Cheng returned calmly. “My brother’s demonic cultivation is incompatible with modern electronics. I’m sure you’ve had many lost e-mails, calls, and so on. And my brother does inspire loyalty, even after he's betrayed it. I imagine his minions have taken up defense on his behalf.”
The Gusu Sect Leader could only wince. “Please accept my apologies.”
“None are needed. Now that I know he is sheltering here, you need never worry I will seek guidance from Gusu,” Jiang Cheng bowed, little A-Ling folding his hands in an appropriate gesture. “Until this little one is in need of teaching, you will not hear from me.”
“Please reconsider,” Lan Xichen pleaded.
But Jiang Cheng tucked A-Ling into his outer robe and pulled a tiny scarf from his sleeve to wrap around the baby’s ears and neck. He pulled out Sandu, to the audible shock of the gathered crowd.
“It would be a misguided attempt at recapturing one's youth to pursue this matter,” Jiang Cheng mounted his sword. “Yunmeng is open to you, if you have need. Good day, Sect Leader.”
Then he was a purple streak in the sky with a gold blossom tucked close to his chest. Lan Xichen watched until Jiang Cheng was no longer visible and then turned his sight to Cloud Recesses. There was a long walk ahead. It would give him time to think.
Once Jiang Cheng was safely over Lotus Pier, he flew lazily. Swooping and diving, spinning in slow curlicues; all to delight A-Ling and help him catch snowflakes on his little (still blue) tongue. Disciples gathered below, cheering at his stunts and he heard the instructors calling out things to watch for. How he shifted his balance, how the flow of qi stopped here and began anew there.
He was pleased to demonstrate, if only to vent his frustration. Little A-Ling giggled and clapped from his perch inside Jiang Cheng’s robes, warm and safe so close to his Jiujiu. The lakes rippled contentedly in their winter banks. While there was snow here in the upper reaches, it all melted away before it reached Yunmeng soil.
Was this how the Lans felt, up there on their mountain? Far away from the dirt and toil of common men. Was that what his brother preferred?
He sneered and let Sandu drop. A-Ling’s thrilled scream vibrated around him like shattering glass as they plummeted. At the very last second, he righted their flight and he put more weight on his back foot.
Just enough so that the point of Sandu’s blade trailed in the water. Just enough drama to justify their cheers and his watering eyes.
He was a man of Yunmeng, of mud and lotus and lake.
Let others seek the clouds. He would not be ashamed of his roots, for they ran deep.
Jiang Cheng’s youngest disciples, round-cheeked babies all of them, ran up to him as he dismounted on the dock and sheathed the blade. They danced around him as he marched down the dock, tugging his robes and rifling through his outer pockets for candy.
Which they found.
“Sect Leader, Sect Leader, that was amazing!”
“Will we learn how to do that some day?”
“A-Ling is so lucky!
Take us flying too, Sect Leader!”
A-Ling is the absolute cutest!
“Oi! You brats! Don’t you have lessons? Chores? Do you want to run laps until dawn?” He demanded with a fierce glare. “Do you want me to break all your legs?”
His disciples, the spoiled little brats, ran away laughing and sharing out the candy amongst themselves.
His Second in Command waited, arms crossed and eyebrows raised.
“He’s in Gusu,” Jiang Cheng said shortly. “Alert the Nies.”