𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫

𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙬, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮. #𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐔’s 𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙖𝙧��.

[𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 @ThePastSoldier]

📌

𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘈𝘯𝘣𝘺’𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘮, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳.

𝘾𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝘽𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙬

[𝐋𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲! 𝐋𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲! 𝐋𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲! @PeonysQueen]

`The Peony Association Never Engages in Immoral Acts.`

Moran - Third member of Underworld Queen, leader of Peony Association.

[𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 @ThePastSoldier]

@CerenaTheGrand Her cheeks? Why does she want to squish them.

[𝘾𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙖 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝 @CerenaTheGrand]

₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚
𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘢𝘨𝘦~
₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚
#𝘖𝘊𝘙𝘗 #𝘔�#𝘔𝘝𝘙𝘗 #𝘝�#𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘙𝘗 #𝘋𝘯𝘋𝘙𝘗 htt#𝘋𝘯𝘋𝘙𝘗 http

[𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 @ThePastSoldier]

— answering with a non verbal way.

“I wouldn’t mind it. Would you say that. . . I’m finally coming back to a home with you~?” That voice of hers, it’s a teasing one, but also true.

#𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐔

[𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 @ThePastSoldier]

She sat silent for a moment. She was waiting for an answer whether it would be negative or not. She was nervous, admittedly. But this time she was going to accept it, no matter what.

Now hearing her answer, Anby puts her hands together. Her smile was brief, as if already –

[Yixuan. @YixuanShifuIII]

Could she really have a daughter, have a family?

#𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐔 ╳ #𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒇�#𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒕

[𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 @ThePastSoldier]

— sure if she should be thinking about it as much as she should. Yet part of her body feels transfixed on the fact. The lack of a parent, or figure all her life, asides from Nicole. No one to really look up too. She almost feels…clingy to the thought.

#𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐔

[𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 @ThePastSoldier]

They aren’t going to get anywhere if they don’t bring it up. Anby tasked a soft sigh, she was better at bringing up difficult topics… most of the time.

“Have you had time to think about it? It feels a bit uneasy. But if you still want more time, I understand.”

Anby isn’t -

[Yixuan. @YixuanShifuIII]

" My disciples spent a summer helping to rebuild this place. They did excellently... "

She stretched her arms as the bird came to perch on her lap.
" Did it now? Well. Who am I to doubt it's insights. "
How was the best way to do this...
Rip off the bandage straight away?

[𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 @ThePastSoldier]

#𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐔

[𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 @ThePastSoldier]

“I’ve been okay. I was told that coming to the beach for my ‘break’ was a good way to wind things down. Your bird led me here.” She wasn’t the best at small talk, but she tried nonetheless, even putting in a smile.

“It feels peaceful. I always like a good setting like this. ~”

[Yixuan. @YixuanShifuIII]

She had some time to think about it.
But how could anyone really fully process they were an unknowing mother.

" So . . . How have you been? "
Start with small talk.
That was the best way forward, surely...

#𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐔 ╳ #𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒇�#𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒕

[𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 @ThePastSoldier]

— off her earphones, setting them down.

She was there, as silent as ever, as if waiting to be told something to do. Or maybe she hardly has anything to say.

#𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐔 https://t.c

[𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 @ThePastSoldier]

As instructed, the soldier nodded. She slowly approached Yi Xuan. Eyes could only meet hers for a few seconds. A beach of all places was one of the last places she would expect something like this to be discussed.

“Okay, yeah.” Now directly next to her, Anby sat —

[Yixuan. @YixuanShifuIII]

Perching softly on her head before taking off, leading her to Yixuan.

The grandmaster rose her sunglasses when Anby spoke. " Ah. You made it, it's nice to see you... Come, sit. "

A free lounger was just near by, ready to be picked up and moved over so they could have a talk.

[𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 @ThePastSoldier]

— comfortably on a towel she lays out. The towel was themed after a movie she liked, the dark colors and the logo imprinted on it distinct like proper merchandise.

She bends her legs, arms wrapped around to the front of them while sitting up. For once, she actually takes —

[𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 @ThePastSoldier]

— as to not startle. Just how does she say hello like this?

“I figured you would be here.” Is all she could say. She didn’t know how to properly continue after what she had told the grandmaster previously.

#𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐔 https://t.c

[𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 @ThePastSoldier]

She was fidgeting with the sweatshirt wrapped around her waist, yet a lone shirt covered her mid section up. She sees her perfectly fine.

All she was told, or thinks she was told by her Qingming bird was to show up here. The soldier is hesitant to approach thinking she —

[Yixuan. @YixuanShifuIII]

from the mayor and it's grim revelation...

Maybe she'd see Anby, or Yixuan... Or even Lucia here...

#𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐔 ╳ #𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒇�#𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒕

[𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 @ThePastSoldier]

— might not be ready yet. What if she doesn’t want her to come? But then why did the message seem clear?

She took a subtle breath, adjusting her one piece under her shirt before making way to Yi Xuan. She carefully took a few paces before stopping a few feet behind her —

[𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 @ThePastSoldier]

— she feels a bit warm inside, fuzzy too. . .

[𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 @ThePastSoldier]

She wasn’t expecting to be pulled inside so abruptly, she felt the tight grip on her too. Anby almost tumbled, yet leaned into her as she was brought into the abode while holding the bag and herself together.

“Th-This is rather…” Tight is what she wanted to say, but —

[ᴜᴘ ʜɪɢʜ @OneLittlxStar]

" You didn't tell me you were in town! "
She almost leapt out of the door and took her into a hug with a little giggle, gently pulling her inside.

Hari had given her the key to her apartment while she was out of town, looking after her plants and cats.

[𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 @ThePastSoldier]

— seeing Lucia all joyful and happy. She couldn’t say no to her. “Well, I did want to surprise you. I wanted to see if you had time today. I would like to spend time with you. You know, like. . . well. . .” She was a bit hesitant to say the one word to describe them. Even —

[𝕷𝖚𝖈𝖎𝖆 @Lucia_Elowen_]

𝖂𝖆𝖓𝖓𝖆 𝖍𝖊𝖆𝖗 𝖆 𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖗𝖞 𝖆𝖇𝖔𝖚𝖙 𝕰𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖑𝖘?𝕴𝖋 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖓, 𝖜𝖊'𝖑𝖑 𝖇𝖊 𝖋𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖘! 𝕷𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖓 𝖙𝖔 𝖔𝖓𝖊 𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖊, 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖜𝖊'𝖑𝖑 𝖇𝖊 𝖇𝖊𝖘𝖙 𝖋𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖘!

[𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 @ThePastSoldier]

-- about that." Knocking her to the ground due to the weight of her body, she offered a hand out to Aria to help her up.

"Let me help you up." She subtly said, the monotone yet cutely sounding voice as obvious as ever with her.

[𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 @ThePastSoldier]

She did not see very much to know everything that was going on. She was distracted herself when adjusting her music track, what else would she be listening to with those headphones?

Bump. She wasn't looking forward the one second that didn't involve combat or a burger. "Sorry -

[✦ 𝑆ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 ♡ Encore ✦ @LYR1CALlilANG3L]

🡩🡩

Distracted, lost in own thoughts as she had the idea of acting in stage performance like her secretive Dance Instructor (Is Billy), so much that didn't notice the white haired girl seemingly as lost before BUMPING against her.