Three Wishes ficlet for a Meej!
First, some background: jesuitfluff and I have sort of worked out that Qing Jao thinks Agni is the bee's knees (and also hot). Why? 1) Because it's hilarious, and we love things that are hilarious, and 2) as Meej said, "how often is the main villain a boy who has the hots for one of the main chicks? (Answer: almost every shoujo anime villain.)" WE ARE TURNING THAT TROPE ON ITS HEAD AND ALSO MAKING IT GENDER CONFUSED.
The prompt:
me: I AM ON A TOTAL ROLL WITH RP-RELATED DREAMS LET ME TELL YOU. First Fang and Binshou best buds, and then last night I had a dream that Agni and Qing Jao were hanging out in a non-dead-people garden and she was willfully misinterpreting everything he said as totally in line with The Tao as read by Qing Jao. <3
It's like I'm writing drabbles every night in my sleep.
Meej: THAT IS THE AWESOMEST THING I THINK I HAVE EVER HEARD, MY Z-BOT
... if you write it up I will sequel it.
Yes, I dream about RP sometimes. WHAT OF IT?
I thought it was going to be hard to write (because: Qing Jao) until I actually sat down to write it.
TRUTH: I bet Agni is wearing something like this.
Title: Borrowed Scenery
Series: Three Wishes
Characters: Agni, Qing Jao
Agni picked nervously at the embroidery on his jacket as the saffron-clad attendant lead him through winding walkways and across stone bridges. The garden was lush and beautiful, glowing with a soft green light that dripped through the trees and bounced off the water. It reminded him more of Sairou than of the bright, rocky village he had just left behind. Only the knowledge that he was a walking avatar of high treason and yet not one mile away from the Imperial Seat made it hard to relax.
They stopped at the next clearing and Agni glanced around. He was expecting to see the same representative of the Ministry of Revenue that had approached him about giving some of his lands over to the Empire, the one that had met with him not a month ago in Mount Taikyoku Village. Instead there was a small porcelain doll of a woman with a serene and impersonal smile on her face. The attendant introduced her as "Madame Qing Jao Wu, Minister of Enlightenment" and promptly left.
Agni's first thought was that he was meeting someone new and he had better bow and introduce himself right away. "Agnikam Vasumdhara. I am honored to make your acquaintance."
His second thought was that this had to be a trap. Why else would they set him up with the Minister of Enlightenment?
His third thought was that he would have felt something earlier if it had been a trap, and he most certainly hadn't.
"Forgive my confusion, but I had expected to meet with a representative for the Ministry of Revenue."
"The ministers of her gracious Majesty serve as one. We are guided and informed by our titles, but not confined by them." It was a reasonable approximation of the truth.
She gestured for Agni to accompany her and set off down a twisting stone walkway. He followed obediently, stepping less gracefully than he might have had he not been in the belly of the beast.
"We have reviewed your holdings in Kutou, Citizen Vasumdhara, and found them to be ideally suited to the needs of the people as served by the Imperial Regency. We need only an approved account to which we might wire your payment and-"
"Wait," said Agni, holding up his hand. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but... you're paying me for the land?"
Qing Jao's smile didn't waver an inch. "Were these untouched, virgin lands, then indeed there would be no need to render payment. However, the Vasumdhara family has invested so much time and energy into creating what is now one of the most efficient mines in all of Kutou. Rather than put a strain on some of our most productive citizens, we will match your family's investment into the land, that the Vasumdharas might more effectively continue to provide for all our people."
She continued down the path again, Agni by her side. It might have been his imagination, but he could have sworn that her expression moved a micrometer closer to something approaching human warmth. "It is commendable that Citizen Vasumdhara should wish for nothing greater than to give freely of himself to the people. It is not our intention to cause offense."
"Oh, no," said Agni, skillfully keeping the sarcasm out of his voice. "Not at all."
"It is unfortunate that a minority of our people would object to handing over their lands at all, regardless of payment."
Agni still had yet to hear any alarms going off in his head. He decided to push his luck. "Well, I think it damages their sense of permanence. The idea that one's land, one's farm, one's home might be taken from under one's feet is a frightening prospect for some people."
They entered a grove of plum trees, their white blossoms opening late in the cool mountain air. Qing Jao pressed her palm to the trunk of one of the trees, favoring it with an almost maternal smile. "Yes, some have an unfortunate tendency to forget that they are a part of something permanent. They need only for us to remind them that though they may wither and die, the Empire will remain."
"Isn't this rather inauspicious, though?" Agni laughed. "These blossoms symbolize revolutionary struggle."
"They did, years ago, when our people had need of such a concept. They are now widely known as being symbolic of resilience."
Agni shrugged and smiled to himself, giving up on the game. He was genuinely surprised when Qing Jao plucked one of the white plum blossoms from the tree and handed it to him with a smile. "That Citizen Vasumdhara may never forget what he is a part of."
He twirled the blossom in his fingers, admiring the delicate petals. All symbolism aside, it really was a lovely flower.
He'd scarcely noticed that the sun was setting until he saw flames flickering in the distance, one torch after another being lit in turn. He started off in their direction, hoping to catch some warmth from the fire, when he felt Qing Jao's hand on his arm. "Not that way. Our path leads elsewhere tonight."
Arm in arm, they left the plum trees behind.
The prompt:
me: I AM ON A TOTAL ROLL WITH RP-RELATED DREAMS LET ME TELL YOU. First Fang and Binshou best buds, and then last night I had a dream that Agni and Qing Jao were hanging out in a non-dead-people garden and she was willfully misinterpreting everything he said as totally in line with The Tao as read by Qing Jao. <3
It's like I'm writing drabbles every night in my sleep.
Meej: THAT IS THE AWESOMEST THING I THINK I HAVE EVER HEARD, MY Z-BOT
... if you write it up I will sequel it.
Yes, I dream about RP sometimes. WHAT OF IT?
I thought it was going to be hard to write (because: Qing Jao) until I actually sat down to write it.
TRUTH: I bet Agni is wearing something like this.
Title: Borrowed Scenery
Series: Three Wishes
Characters: Agni, Qing Jao
Agni picked nervously at the embroidery on his jacket as the saffron-clad attendant lead him through winding walkways and across stone bridges. The garden was lush and beautiful, glowing with a soft green light that dripped through the trees and bounced off the water. It reminded him more of Sairou than of the bright, rocky village he had just left behind. Only the knowledge that he was a walking avatar of high treason and yet not one mile away from the Imperial Seat made it hard to relax.
They stopped at the next clearing and Agni glanced around. He was expecting to see the same representative of the Ministry of Revenue that had approached him about giving some of his lands over to the Empire, the one that had met with him not a month ago in Mount Taikyoku Village. Instead there was a small porcelain doll of a woman with a serene and impersonal smile on her face. The attendant introduced her as "Madame Qing Jao Wu, Minister of Enlightenment" and promptly left.
Agni's first thought was that he was meeting someone new and he had better bow and introduce himself right away. "Agnikam Vasumdhara. I am honored to make your acquaintance."
His second thought was that this had to be a trap. Why else would they set him up with the Minister of Enlightenment?
His third thought was that he would have felt something earlier if it had been a trap, and he most certainly hadn't.
"Forgive my confusion, but I had expected to meet with a representative for the Ministry of Revenue."
"The ministers of her gracious Majesty serve as one. We are guided and informed by our titles, but not confined by them." It was a reasonable approximation of the truth.
She gestured for Agni to accompany her and set off down a twisting stone walkway. He followed obediently, stepping less gracefully than he might have had he not been in the belly of the beast.
"We have reviewed your holdings in Kutou, Citizen Vasumdhara, and found them to be ideally suited to the needs of the people as served by the Imperial Regency. We need only an approved account to which we might wire your payment and-"
"Wait," said Agni, holding up his hand. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but... you're paying me for the land?"
Qing Jao's smile didn't waver an inch. "Were these untouched, virgin lands, then indeed there would be no need to render payment. However, the Vasumdhara family has invested so much time and energy into creating what is now one of the most efficient mines in all of Kutou. Rather than put a strain on some of our most productive citizens, we will match your family's investment into the land, that the Vasumdharas might more effectively continue to provide for all our people."
She continued down the path again, Agni by her side. It might have been his imagination, but he could have sworn that her expression moved a micrometer closer to something approaching human warmth. "It is commendable that Citizen Vasumdhara should wish for nothing greater than to give freely of himself to the people. It is not our intention to cause offense."
"Oh, no," said Agni, skillfully keeping the sarcasm out of his voice. "Not at all."
"It is unfortunate that a minority of our people would object to handing over their lands at all, regardless of payment."
Agni still had yet to hear any alarms going off in his head. He decided to push his luck. "Well, I think it damages their sense of permanence. The idea that one's land, one's farm, one's home might be taken from under one's feet is a frightening prospect for some people."
They entered a grove of plum trees, their white blossoms opening late in the cool mountain air. Qing Jao pressed her palm to the trunk of one of the trees, favoring it with an almost maternal smile. "Yes, some have an unfortunate tendency to forget that they are a part of something permanent. They need only for us to remind them that though they may wither and die, the Empire will remain."
"Isn't this rather inauspicious, though?" Agni laughed. "These blossoms symbolize revolutionary struggle."
"They did, years ago, when our people had need of such a concept. They are now widely known as being symbolic of resilience."
Agni shrugged and smiled to himself, giving up on the game. He was genuinely surprised when Qing Jao plucked one of the white plum blossoms from the tree and handed it to him with a smile. "That Citizen Vasumdhara may never forget what he is a part of."
He twirled the blossom in his fingers, admiring the delicate petals. All symbolism aside, it really was a lovely flower.
He'd scarcely noticed that the sun was setting until he saw flames flickering in the distance, one torch after another being lit in turn. He started off in their direction, hoping to catch some warmth from the fire, when he felt Qing Jao's hand on his arm. "Not that way. Our path leads elsewhere tonight."
Arm in arm, they left the plum trees behind.