When the future's architectured by a carnival of idiots on show

[thethirdhare]

Characters: Lavi (seaoflames), Yao Wong [China] (closedmarket), Li Shang (manmaker), Mushu (travel_sized4u) and Fa Ping [Mulan] (thethirdhare) will be OPEN later.
Location: OUT AND ABOUT idk specifically where
Rating: PG13 but subject to change.
Time: July 18 in the very, very weeeeee hours of the morning.
Description: Lavi went snooping for books and got stuck in Shibusen when the fog settled in. Ping

Comments

ffff hope this is aright, guys!

[manmaker]

Shang finally turned to Mushu, somehow managed to yell at him under his breath: "Would it kill you to be cautious..."

Except then, when his attention was diverted...something came out of the fog. It came up behind him - almost slinking, as if it were a little nervous about approaching the group. And then when it was a metre behind Shang and in clear view of Ping...it beamed.

"Hi!" said the Shadow DerpShang to Ping. The Shadow had none of Shang's confident movement or assurance. It seem to fidget all the time, and kept meeting Ping's eyes and then looking away as if embarrassed, before looking back at her and rambling exitedly. "You're alright! You know you shouldn't be out here - I was so worried and I really don't want you to get hurt...ah...not that you can't take care of yourself! I mean, you fight real good and you look really nice when you're fighting...can I walk with you? I want to walk with you!"

The Shadow dashed towards Ping, acting rather like a giddy child. Shang stared at it in shock. "By the heavens..." he said, too stunned at the fact that some idiot wearing his face had just come out of nowhere to react.

The Shadow send one dirty look to Shang, before looking down at Lavi. "You!" it said, with an expression that almost looked...jealous. "Why do you have to keep getting in the way?"

[closedmarket]

This was worse than the ones before - this one looked like a true reincarnation of Shang, as much as China wanted to jump (it was worse than hearing Kurapika) and perhaps flee, when it... spoke, his jaw dropped, instead.

"What is it doing."

It wasn't even a question. He didn't move from where he stood, eyes shifting from the real Shang to the... fidgeting one (a poor doppelganger, truly) to Ping to Lavi-- get in the way of what? Ping wasn't threatening the spirit with him.

... Or was this like the shapeshifting thing they had just encountered? Now China shuffled closer, face betraying his worry and indecision in truly closing in. "Should we-- can we leave it behind, aru? Let us keep going!" It would leave. Wouldn't it?

/dies ilu blue xD

[thethirdhare]

Uh.

Well then.

That was. Entirely unexpected. For a moment Ping just froze, face coloring brilliantly and looked between Shang and--was this one also--yes. Ping was close enough to see the distinct yellow hue of the Shadow's eyes.

"I." What should he say? Yes? Technically he was already walking with her, wasn't he? It would almost have been funny if Ping wasn't so confused. He had never seen her Captain act this way it was...endearing. And strange. But nice. But also totally unexpected.

He was saved from answering by the sudden hostility and he pulled Lavi away, hiding the weapon behind her. China's suggestion seemed wise by for some reason he couldn't bring himself to just leave. He looked towards Shang (the real Shang) it was his decision--but Ping had to know.

"In the way of what?"

/much loves xDD

[travel_sized4u]

Oh this was...this was just priceless! Sure this thing was supposed to be danger but, just look at him! All he needed to do was twiddle his thumbs and he'd be just perfect! Mushu tried to keep back a laugh, both claws going to his mouth to close it shut. It wasn't enough and he fell back against Ping's shoulder, tiny fist hitting her as he just let loose.

"Aw man! This is priceless!" The laughter died down to a soft chuckle when China spoke up, Mushu perking an ear up to hear him better. While the idea was sound and Mushu personally wouldn't mind a fast hike outta here; this was just to priceless to mess with!

He glanced at Ping to see what his super trooper was going to do- and spotted the blush on her cheeks. Hey, hey- didn't we get over this already?

/no love for my wifi

[seaoflames]

In the reflection of one of his blades Lavi manages to scowl at the Shadow. If they were going to run into one of these things for everyone he wasn't sure his patience would last that long.

China's comment nearly caused Lavi to uproar, but instead he only focused on the Shadow before him. "What are you talking about...?!"

<3 (also kicks Lassie's wifi)

[manmaker]

The Shadow smiled awkwardly at Ping for a moment, but when China started speaking...suddenly his whole face seemed to light up, and he bounded over to China before throwing himself into the deepest possible kowtow. Lavi and Mushu were promptly ignored.

"Shèng!" the Shadow cried, a happy expression on his face. "I am so honoured to be able to see you in person again!"

Shang, meanwhile, had gotten over his astonishment and had stepped over to the Shadow. "Who are you?" he demanded. "Why are you wearing my face?"

Shang ignored that niggling feeling, that remembered the encounter with Lavi and...that other Lavi. No. No this couldn't be like that. This had to be something else.

"I'm you, of course," the Shadow said.

/joins in the kicking.

[closedmarket]

"Ah--"

That hadn't been much of an answer to Ping's question, and China would have pointed it out, if the babbling wasn't now directed at him. There was some feelings of deeper confusion, but the way the shadow looked so happy (and maybe the fact that it was aimed at him, not others) took the anger right out of his stomach. Needless to say, he might have turned a bit red in the face. Good thing the fog almost covered that.

"You are...?" Slightly dazed, though he shook his head and regained his voice a minute later, forcing a note of disapproval - and slight disbelief, and wariness, and a bit of embarrassment - into what he said. "If you are him, why are you out here?"

/kisse---kicks! 8D;;.

[thethirdhare]

This was his Captain? Despite the situation Ping couldn't help but smile and he had to keep his head down to keep anyone from seeing it--though Mushu and Lavi might be able to anyway.

"Perhaps if we just, listen to what he has to say, as we did with Lavi?" the voice was quiet, nearly betraying the bubbling urge to laugh.

/punches it :3

[travel_sized4u]

Alright...so this was another one of those shadow things. Okay...that was clear. It was obviously Shang's Shadow, even if it seemed a lot more...likable then the pushy Captain. He listened to the small exchanges; it was a small comfort to know he wasn't the only one confused about this whole thing. They just better not run into anyone else- the fog was really starting to creep him out.

Go on, Ping, laugh. Mushu did. "What? Man...and I thought listenin' to the ancestors was a pain in the...well." He laid down on Ping's shoulder, carefully watching the Shadow. He seemed harmless, but the little dragon wasn't about to let his guard down. Not with that things attention on Mulan so obvious.

[manmaker]

"I'm the real Shang," the Shadow said, still focused on more. "And I'm sick of honour! Why should I be 'keeping my distance' for honour? What good has it done me? My father is dead, and I never told him how much he meant because honour said I couldn't!

Shang started, shocked at the mention of his father. "Don't you talk about him," he said, his voice low.

"Why not?" The Shadow said, challenging. "Oh, you think it's not dignified? I don't care!" Turning back to China, the Shadow shuffled it's feet, once again looking awkward and without the cool persona Shang usually affected. "You are shèng, and I...I don't care if it's not dignified or appropriate! I'll...I'll take whatever change I can get just to be in your presence!"

And then the Shadow bowed, then whirled around to face Ping, and bowed again. "And I...I love you!" it blurted out.

Shang's eyes widened in horror. Everyone still thought Mulan was a man! And in front of China! This disgrace to his name was unacceptable!

"Shut up!" he said for the first time today resembling the Shadow with his flustered outburst.

[[ooc: Pelt, feel free to bring in Shadow!China whenever now. Shang keeps wanting to say "you're not me!" orz]]

d-derp. red and blue tag team!

[closedmarket]

"He's right."

China started as bad as he had been in shock, taking the distraction eagerly at first - what had the shadow just said to Ping? it couldn't have been right (all the same, with this babbling... thing, he couldn't help but feel bad for the Captain, embarrassed) - and then, once catching the green, stiff material of a military uniform, wished the distraction would just go away.

"What good is honor? Or dignity? Pride? All it's done is keep you from attempting to the fact that you've been rotting, breaking down, crumbling, collapsing, for centuries. You could have gotten help from someone other than Russia."

It sniffed, face sad but accusing, rubbing its nose into a sleeve even though its voice was growing in volume. China snapped out of his trance at staring at the thing to look over at the others, though his eyes snapped back a minute later. "Pu Yi would've appreciated it."

"-- I moved on from that, aru! You have no reason to bring that up, if you are-- you are-" Oh, there it was. Some grip of anger, but with underlying fear. His gaze jumped to Shang. "These are not facts, are they?"

On the other hand, his shadow sniffled again, voice lowering until it was almost dangerous. "You haven't. You're just a crippled dog with broken teeth, growling at the moon for getting bigger. Your time passed a long time ago, and it won't ever come back."

and this is where the rock begins to fall, sob

[thethirdhare]

Where before there had been something slightly funny--perhaps even, dare he use the word, sweet about the whole situation the moment those words flew out of Shang's Shadow they disappeared completely.

I love you. Every part of Ping froze at that, and if he wasn't red before, he definitely was now. Shang loved him? Even knowing the truth? Even know that he had lied to him for two years about something so important as his gender? That had been something that in all the time Shang had been here, Ping had not been able to consolidate. He knew what he was--he knew who he was, and yet he was okay with it. A part of him had yearned to ask, but a greater part was fearful for the answer.

Now to have this dropped on his lap, he didn't even know how to respond.

Then things only became worse when another Shadow appeared and that strange sickly feeling these Shadows brought hit him like a punch to the gut. This was bad. This was very, very bad.

;_;

[travel_sized4u]

Alright just when had they taken a swan dive into crazy town? Shang's words didn't just have an effect on Mulan, Mushu couldn't help but stare wide eyed at the Captain. If...that was true, then...what had happened on the mountain...argh this was way too much. His surprise turned to worry when that second shadow showed up; and if Mulan was right about that guy really being China.

This was not going to end well, he could see that already! He watched with growing trepidation the exchange between the two China's. Dealing with Lavi's shadow had been well, awkward and a bit intimidating; but have these two around was making his gut clench.

They were in big trouble.

"Maybe now would be a good time to get outta here?" He attempted to shout out, but it came out like a whiney growl.

/orz so late I'M SORRY GUYS

[manmaker]

Shang was beginning to seriously feel like the world was crashing down around him. This...thing with his face was making outright confessions of love to Mulan and...well, yes Shang did love Mulan but...but blurting that out in public was not proper! And now there were two Chinas?

"Let's leave," he said quickly, agreeing with the dragon. Shang was a brave warrior, but this wasn't just an enemy - this was dishonour, and Shang did not want to stay around while this creature brought down his name.

"Leaving won't do anything. I'll still be here! I'll always be here, because I'm you! But you enver let my out! And shèng will never rot!" The Shadow said, suddenly turning to China's Shadow. "China is eternal! You're eternal, aren't you China?" Looking up at the real China with a hopeful expression, the Shadow almost resembled a son asking their parents for reassurance. "You are the greatest thing in the world, you could never rot, right?"

DON'T APOLOGIZEEEE it's still amazing. ;;

[closedmarket]

He realized it slowly, but he did pick up on it before Mushu started with his (very good) suggestion-- Ping's look, making China in turn furrow his forehead at him - it couldn't possibly be about his shadow, but he knew Shang's hadn't truly said- that he--

"Yes! Leaving!" Too many things were happening at once. Exhaustion was humming along with slight panic, as he turned and began to move away, halted only by the Captain's words of never leaving. No, not halted - he kept moving, kept going forward, because this was no time to stop, no time to let themselves be distracted by foolish, illusion-like things, whether they were images or words or questions of his decay. He didn't look at the Shang, but he did stop completely. Started off badly, but added in more steel as he spoke. "Of... Course. Of course. I have had bad times, but that is all. Passing things. Just as you understand the Captain could not truly act as you do, yes--?"

"Old doesn't mean eternal. It just means he's more likely to break." A sneer was replacing the complaining. "And he did. Did you know, he's turned away from the emperor? Erased him. Disgraced centuries of tradition."

"And now that he's human, he's going to die, just like he should have. He's no more your shèng than the sand you're walking on."

[thethirdhare]

Conflict. To turn away from the Emperor? How did they live then? It was funny that it was only now that Ping thought to question the government of these places and times. He'd be so caught of with Shibusen and the war he hadn't really had as much time to think of how China may have changed in this time.

It couldn't have, could it? All this technology and these modern ideals had been easy to deal with, since it was easier to think of all this as a separate world or place completely--but as he had been told, in truth, China was simply across the sea...

And Shang. Oh what was he to say to Shang?

Ping moved, but he was somehow certain that these two figures would not leave until properly confronted, as Lavi had done with his.