Chapter Text
“A Mi, your dad was brave, resolute and loved everyone in the world.”
“Your Dad is dead, Little Highness.”
“He saved the world and made it a peaceful place.”
“If he isn’t, why isn’t he here after 500 years? Could it be he just left you behind?”
A little girl with buns in her hair glared at the children before her, her sharp eyes narrowed dangerously. Their jeers and taunts were grating to her ears.
“If he truly is the Devil God, shouldn’t he be the most powerful being in the world? Where is he now?”
“Dead. Faded into dust. He’s not as powerful as my dad! My dad could’ve been the Devil God!”
“Please, your dad can’t even hold a candle to mine! Remember the last time there was a brawl in the public courtyard? My dad wiped the floor with your dad’s face!”
“Well at least our dads are alive. Unlike someone’s…” Their taunting laughter echoed loudly, painting a stark contrast against the otherworldly beauty of the Demon Realm.
Night-blooming cereus blossoms emitted a gentle fragrance. In any other circumstance, the scent alone would’ve calmed Tantai Zimi down, reminding her of blissful times with Niángqīn sharing stories of the world.
But at the moment, the scents and sights faded into the background as her entire vision was only filled with blazing crimson fury.
They don’t know anything. Diēdiē was a hero. He loved me!
Encouraged by her silence, the other demon children held hands, encircled A Mi and began chanting in a sing-songy voice.
“Fatherless Little Highness, Fatherless Little Highness. Oh where did Little Highness’ father go?”
They’re lying! Diēdiē's not dead. He’s coming back. Niángqīn said so!
“Dead, dead, dead, nowhere to be found. No word, no peep or sound!~”
A pained yelp stilled the chanting to an abrupt stop. Flesh hitting flesh followed by the sound of broken bones filled the heavy silence. A Mi stood before them, her fist dripping with blood. Her face was impassive and cold.
“Y-you… you broke my nose!” The boy from the Serpent Clan whimpered as he clutched his pitifully malformed nose.
A menacing aura emanated from the little princess. She crouched in front of him. “That’s not the only thing I’ll break if you keep talking. Now, scram!”
“My father will hear about this!”
“Go ahead! I’ll break his nose too!”
He shakily rose to his feet, stared at her with venom in his eyes then scampered away, the rest of his friends instantly flocking to his side.
She stared at their pathetic selves until they faded from sight. Quietly and resolutely, she swiped at the bitter tears starting to fall and made her way to the one place that brought her utmost comfort.
:･ﾟ✧:･.☽˚｡･ﾟ✧:･
The Mohe River looked as tranquil and radiant as the first time Niángqīn brought her there. The lone bright moon shone upon its surface as it flowed endlessly towards the horizon. She sat by the water’s edge, sobbing softly as more tears fell.
It hurt. She knew what they said were lies but it still hurt.
She was Tantai Zimi, the most beloved and honored Princess of the Demon Realm, daughter of the Phoenix Goddess and the Devil God. With the world in her hands, she could have anything, save for one thing everyone else had.
A father. Her father.
“If he were here, he’d love you just as much as I do A Mi.” Niángqīn crooned to her once. “He would’ve been a great father. He’d shower you with love and show you the most beautiful things.”
“Where is he, Niángqīn? Why isn’t he here?”
A wistful expression washed across Li Susu’s face and for a moment A Mi saw her eyes turn moist. “He’s in a place, far far away. Somewhere we can’t reach.”
“But he’s coming back, right?”
She turned to her daughter, kissed her cheek and hugged her close. “As long as we believe with a sincere heart, anything is possible, sweet pea. Anything at all.”
“Then I’ll start believing. As much as my little heart can.”
“I’ve been believing since then. Diēdiē, it’s been 500 years. Why aren’t you here?”
"Hello A Mi."
"Ah!" A Mi fell backwards, her eyes widening in shock. She quickly scanned her surroundings for the mysterious voice and noticed a beautiful cerulean dragon scale hovering before her. Under the moonlight, it emanated a soft, golden glow.
"Who are you? Where did you come from?"
A few moments of silence lapsed before the voice spoke once more. "I am a guardian... of sorts. I've been watching over you since."
Blinking wildly, she cautiously crept towards it. It looked much like the Heart-Guarding scale Niángqīn held in her hand the first time they visited there. Why was it here with her?
She tapped a dainty finger against its surface and it thrummed gently in response, much like the warmth of someone's hand in hers. Shock quickly melted into fascination and she replied, grinning toothily. "Cool! What does it look like in there? Does it ever get boring? Are you all alone? What's your name?"
The questions were fired off one after another with the boundless curiosity of a child, eliciting a soft chuckle from within the artifact. "It's very colorful. Imagine the most brilliant sunshine reflecting against a multicolored scale... I am alone. I always have been but it doesn't get lonely. Not when I can always see and hear you. As for my name..."
A smile could be heard from the voice’s next reply. "You can call me anything you wish."
"Handsome Uncle because your voice is so handsome!"
Niángqīn always told her to be cautious of strangers, but this uncle with his voice soft, deep and gentle like the first breeze of spring blowing through the leaves of the gingko trees surrounding Heaven Lake, felt like home. She couldn’t help but be drawn to him, as a baby bird beckoned by her parents’ birdsong.
“Handsome Uncle it is then. I am honored, Little A Mi.”
“Hehe, you’re welcome!”
“Are you alright? Why were you crying, little blossom?”
A Mi grew silent. She tucked her legs beneath her, gazed towards the Mohe River and sighed.
“Just some stupid kids with their stupid comments. They kept saying Diēdiē was dead, that he wasn’t coming back. But that’s not true! I know he is. Niángqīn herself said he was. Right? Right, Handsome Uncle? If he wasn’t, then what’s the use in believing?”
Her lips began to tremble and she found herself crying once more. “Niángqīn said that the gods were merciful and that if we believed hard enough our prayers would be answered. Diēdiē sacrificed himself to save the world. He deserves to be saved too. Don’t you think so, Handsome Uncle? It’s not fair.”
It’s not fair. Not fair at all!
“If your Diēdiē could see you right now, he’d be very sad, A Mi. He wouldn’t want to see you cry. Not for him. Your smile and your Niángqīn’s make him the happiest.” Handsome Uncle comforted her with a voice oddly thick with emotion.
“I just want him back. I just want him back so badly. How long do I have to keep waiting? 1000? 10,000? 100,000 years?”
“Perhaps you wouldn’t have to wait too long…”
“What?”
“Nothing. Just a useless thought. What was your Diēdiē like?”
“I don’t know. I don’t even know what he looks like. All I know of him are from the stories Niángqīn tells me. That he was brave. That he was strong. That he lived a very sad life but he chose to be kind. And that he was handsome. Very handsome. Her eyes always sparkled whenever she talked about him.”
A Mi sniffled. “To me, Diēdiē always felt like a big hero, forever living in Niángqīn’s memories but mine. I want to hug him but I can’t. I want to hold his hand but I can’t.”
“But you do love him right?”
“Of course! Very much. My love for him is as big as this Mohe River!” She spread her little arms, stretching them as much as she could. Her love for Diēdiē had no comparison. (Except for Niángqīn’s of course.)
“Don’t you think that's enough?”
“No! Maybe? I don’t know!…” She whined, hiding her face against the crook of her crossed arms.
Silence stretched between them once more, filled only by the soft buzzing of the cicadas and the rushing of the river. A Mi toyed with the bells around her ankles, her little heart beginning to fill with guilt.
“I’m sorry Handsome Uncle. I didn’t mean to yell at you.”
“It’s alright.”
“You’ve been so nice to me and I was so rude to you.”
“I enjoyed listening to you.” Handsome Uncle’s voice sounded even softer, feeling much like her most comfortable fox fur blanket. It almost made her cry again, but she held back the tears. Enough crying. She wasn’t going to be more of a baby anymore.
“What was your Diēdiē like?”
Were her ears playing with her or did she just hear him gulp heavily?
“My Diēdiē… didn’t love me.”
“Oh…”
A Mi you fool! Now you’re gonna make Handsome Uncle cry!
“I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have asked.” She apologized, quickly ducking her head as she was immediately filled with remorse.
“Please don’t be. It was a long, long time ago. And even if he didn’t love me, my Shīfu more than made up for it. He treated me like his own. He taught me spells and the way of the immortals. He's a great, well-respected immortal.”
“Wow! He sounds so cool. Perhaps I already met him! I have two grandpas from two of the bestest immortal sects. I could ask them about your Shīfu! ”
Handsome Uncle laughed and A Mi found herself laughing alongside him. “Perhaps so A Mi. Perhaps so.”
“Did he have any pets?”
“Hmm, he did have a donkey and he brought him everywhere he went! Even to the Nether River.”
She gasped. “The Nether River but wh-”
“Little Highness! Little Highness, are you here?” Jing Mie’s voice called out.
“Little Highness you better be here or else!” Si Ying’s voice echoed, her tone steely.
Shoot!
“Oh no, that’s Jing Mie and Si Ying! Handsome Uncle, hide!”
“Alright then. Be safe, sweet pea.”
“Hm! Let’s talk again next time, okay? It was nice meeting you!”
The Heart-Guarding scale flickered blindingly bright for a brief moment, summoning tiny golden butterflies fluttering around A Mi before disappearing from sight.
“Hehe, how pretty!~”
“Little Highness, there you are!” She heard footsteps behind her and turned around to see Jing Mie and Si Ying.
“Where have you been? You made us worried sick!” Jing Mie crooned, scooping her into his arms.
“Sorry.” She glanced towards Si Ying whose expression shifted from worry to relief. The female devil’s eyes narrowed into slits.
“Sorry won’t cut it, Little Highness. I hope you know punishment awaits you in the Demon Palace.”
A Mi groaned. Si Ying’s punishments were the worst. “I know. I won’t run away again.”
“We shall see about that. We have notified the goddess as well.”
Oh great.
“Little Highness, what is this?!” Jing Mie held her little bloody fist up in horror.
“Oh hehehe. I might've punched the Serpent Clan’s Little Lord and broke his nose.”
“Little Highness!”
Jing Mie and Si Ying talked her ears off all the way home to the Demon Realm, but A Mi found she didn’t mind for once. She met a very Handsome Uncle and made a new friend. Besides, talking to him more might give her the answers to finding her Diēdiē. He did seem very wise. The little princess squared her shoulders and endured her guardians’ scolding as the gates of the Demon Palace came into view. Her dainty face was adorned with a determined, wicked smile.
Perhaps breaking someone’s nose wasn’t so bad after all.
:･ﾟ✧:･.☽˚｡･ﾟ✧:･.:
Niángqīn - mother
Diēdiē - dad/daddy
Shīfu - master