Nothing is more foolish then you.

"You already know who I am." ask blog for Lego Monkie Kid's Nezha (also rps with low activity) follows from @bigbluekittypapa run by Tepperz who also runs @munkussy

[nezha-taizi]

He didn't expect her to lay it all out for him like that. Not here, while she's begging for his help for an unrelated matter. There goes his plans to invite her for tea and talk it out slowly. Bringing up trauma was something he hadn't wanted to pull from her like a rotten tooth, but rather be a listening ear in a safe place. Still, it was her story and she was the one choosing to share it with him now.

Nezha was thinking carefully about how to reply when his breath caught. Something had just happened. A jolt of power had struck the air, making him turn to look in its direction. In the sky, a white and green light emitted from the heavens. It was like the anomoly he had felt near Green Snake's home, but this time it was much, much more powerful. Electricity and... heavenly power.

"I fear you might be right after all..." Nezha breathed, holding out a hand to Chunhua. "Grab on. I move fast."

[worldclassmenageriie]

She had been waiting, not even realizing at first she was holding her breath waiting for him to say something. /Anything/. His breath catching got her attention, swiftly followed by the beam of light.

Right at Green Snakes home, where last she checked Alkebu-lan still was. What came out was more a strangled half screech than any human words. Panicked gaze shifted from the light to Nezha, eyes wide and fearful.

She didnt hesitate to grab his forearm, using her other hand to press his against her own arm; the most secure hold she could think of.

"As fast as you can" If she was right? Macaque could be at that house and in danger. She didn't want to think about losing him. She couldnt.

[nezha-taizi]

He used the moment of her hold to shift her onto his back. Red ribbon tied her snug around him, making sure she wouldnt fall off. Flames licked from under them both, heat building as he leaned forward like an expert runner. It all happened in a matter of seconds.

Then they were off, only slightly slower then the speed of light -- if she werent a demon, this speed could have been lethal.

The stop was just as sudden, with him skidding in circles of pink fire. The garage he'd seen earlier was now a wreck, a giant hole spewing light creating a gaping hole in the earth.

Heaven's white energy beamed into the sky, encircled by electricity and tainted green miasma. What was in the hole was covered in smoke. "Stay here," he warned Chunhua, his ribbons dropping her unceremoniously. He didnt check if she listened to him as he jumped forward into the hole.

Inside was thick with the smell of plasma and the tingle of unnatural currents in the air. Green Snakes back was too him, and behind her was two macaques attached to some machine. And even further into the space was an empty wooden room decorated with flowers. Nezha scrunched his nose in distaste as he peered at the snake diety, covering half his face with one arm. "The power of heaven... you're using the power of hell to bring it down!? What's wrong with you!?"

@6em4k @worldclassmenageriie

[nezha-taizi]

There was much to consider, and the three pieces of evidence presented were only the start.

First: "She took apart and fixed my cellphone---she's not on any sort of mental decline at all." Fixing a cellphone does not necessarily mean that she is mentally acute. If technology is truly as second nature to her as he has heard, then it could simply be her going through the motions. But it's not a worthless observation, even if it goes against Nezha's personal glimpses of the snake yokai.

Second: "She has Macaques phone, claiming she found it ---but wouldn't tell me where." If she was senile, then she could have simply forgotten where she got it. Or, Macaque could have lent it to her to be fixed and sworn her to secrecy. This testimony is weaker then the others.

Third: "I don't have any concrete proof but I have a bad feeling something is wrong."

A bad feeling.... Nezha stared at Chunhua as if he could see through her. Demons are selfish and unreliable. If she's so worried about Macaque, there's every chance she has feelings of affection for him....

The question is: are her feelings blinding her and causing unwarranted paranoia? If everything came down to her testimony alone, then that seemed to be the most likely scenario.

But there was one more piece of information: the power spike that Nezha felt earlier, the one near Green Snake. What had that been...?

Furthermore, what was being asked of Nezha was unbelievable. That he would protect a demon, at the request of a demon. He was the sword of the Heavenly Army. Thanks to re-obtaining his Universal Ring, he was also more powerful then ever before. The quality of the tool Nezha knew himself to be was pure power and efficiency. If his brutality and might was wielded unreasonably, it would go against Buddha himself. And punishment from the Buddha was.... something to be avoided. Nezha wanted, but also needed to use his power only to uphold the laws and balance of the universe.

He knew he could not use his (justice) power for anything so (helpless) petty as a baseless accusation from a (begging) demon (one that had turned to him, against all odds, to protect another). To protect another demon (though, the macaque he had spoken to, chuckled with -- had he truly been so bad?).

Even if his heart wanted to.

Why... why had he not yet turned her down...?

No -- there's still more to think about.

Nezha closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing as he thought.

Lastly, there was the bargaining chip:

"I will tell you anything you want to know, about what happened to me. Every detail I remember. You can ask whatever you want, no limits, and I'll answer."

A testimony on the rule-breaking celestial mentioned from before. The one who had allegedly snuck undocumented immortality against the Jade Emperor's orders.

Nezha had his own suspicions now, ones that supported but did not confirm the demon's words. True to his earlier promise, Nezha had spent days in heaven, locked in the scroll chambers while investigating in his own way. He's not as clueless on this matter as he once was.

He did want to investigate the matter further, but Chunhua was misunderstanding something very integral.

Nezha opened his eyes and looked at Chunhua's tail. "Trifling with immortality is a crime worthy of punishment, but solving the matter is not my job." He didn't want to see what her face looked like when he said those words. "I am the razor's edge of justice, but only when it comes to inflicting that justice. I am not judge nor advisor of the rules of heaven." He'd learned the hard way: follow the rules, don't make them. Between the lines was what Nezha really wished he could say: as much as Id like to help you, I can only be your guide and not your advocate. It's not my place to take reponsibility on this matter, but if we work together to make a strong case, then perhaps something could be done about it. He was no renegade any longer -- he was a rule follower. It's flustering to be a prince with such limited capabilities... but alas, that is politics. Nezha was just a part of something bigger then himself.

The assurance he could give was one he always stood by. He looked back to Chunhua's face and gave a promise: "But I promise you that if heavenly balance is shaken, I will do everything I can to make things right."

[worldclassmenageriie]

She listened. She listened and tried to school her face. But her ears and her tail betrayed her.

Her tail lashed and her ears pinned to her head. It didnt sound entirely like an agreement.....but it HAD to be enough.

She didnt know what she would do if he didnt help after all this. She had to trust he would though.

"Fine. That has to be enough i guess......" Her tail lashed, looking anxiously in the direction of the Green Snakes home. Nothing yet. What was happening?

"I was young. Really young. Her name was Xiǎo Yǔ, i met her in the wisteria grove on my mountain and she announced out of nowhere we were friends now after playing all day. Told me because we were friends she would bring me a peach, since they were my favorite. That it would be special and just for me. She didnt tell me it was a nine thousand year peach...."

Anger still burned in her chest at the betrayal. Now naive shed been and how happy she was to have a new friend who had so many amazing stories to tell.

"We met up every year in that grove to have a picnic and play and just....I dunno" She huffed, tail lashing so violently it caused small puffs of dust when it passed over the ground.

"It was the hundredth year....and I was running a little late but when I got there I heard her talking to an older woman, called her An. An saying she didnt know why a celestial maiden wasted her time with a yaoguai. Xiǎo Yǔ said....said it was because I was more fun than her pets in heaven. I could talk and play with her and let her dress me up.....and because of what she'd given me id live as long as her." Recounting it, truly recounting it for the first time? Old emotions bubbled up, made her nose sting with the earning of incoming tears. She had to pretend angry tears weren't welling up in her eyes making her vision go blurry.

"I ran. I ran away from them and never went back to the grove. I dont know if she kept going or not but I never saw her again. Thats what happened, everything I remember and why im immortal."

[nezha-taizi]

He didn't expect her to lay it all out for him like that. Not here, while she's begging for his help for an unrelated matter. There goes his plans to invite her for tea and talk it out slowly. Bringing up trauma was something he hadn't wanted to pull from her like a rotten tooth, but rather be a listening ear in a safe place. Still, it was her story and she was the one choosing to share it with him now.

Nezha was thinking carefully about how to reply when his breath caught. Something had just happened. A jolt of power had struck the air, making him turn to look in its direction. In the sky, a white and green light emitted from the heavens. It was like the anomoly he had felt near Green Snake's home, but this time it was much, much more powerful. Electricity and... heavenly power.

"I fear you might be right after all..." Nezha breathed, holding out a hand to Chunhua. "Grab on. I move fast."

[nezha-taizi]

[worldclassmenageriie]

"It doesnt /matter/ what I think could happen---Im afraid something has so I'd rather have help ready and not need it than not have anyone in my corner" She huffed, admittedly a little frustrated before blinking at Nezha in a baffled way.

"I just saw her, earlier today. She took apart and fixed my cellphone---she's not on any sort of mental decline at all. Shes perfectly fine." Her tone was flat and blunt, a slight frown on her face as she anxiously held her tail in her hands

"She has Macaques phone, claiming she found it ---but wouldnt tell me where. She also obviously still holds a grudge after whatever happened with the Bone Demon. I dont have any concrete proof but I have a bad feeling something is wrong."

"If youre not willing to take the trade then say so now so neither of us waste our time"

[nezha-taizi]

There was much to consider, and the three pieces of evidence presented were only the start.

First: "She took apart and fixed my cellphone---she's not on any sort of mental decline at all." Fixing a cellphone does not necessarily mean that she is mentally acute. If technology is truly as second nature to her as he has heard, then it could simply be her going through the motions. But it's not a worthless observation, even if it goes against Nezha's personal glimpses of the snake yokai.

Second: "She has Macaques phone, claiming she found it ---but wouldn't tell me where." If she was senile, then she could have simply forgotten where she got it. Or, Macaque could have lent it to her to be fixed and sworn her to secrecy. This testimony is weaker then the others.

Third: "I don't have any concrete proof but I have a bad feeling something is wrong."

A bad feeling.... Nezha stared at Chunhua as if he could see through her. Demons are selfish and unreliable. If she's so worried about Macaque, there's every chance she has feelings of affection for him....

The question is: are her feelings blinding her and causing unwarranted paranoia? If everything came down to her testimony alone, then that seemed to be the most likely scenario.

But there was one more piece of information: the power spike that Nezha felt earlier, the one near Green Snake. What had that been...?

Furthermore, what was being asked of Nezha was unbelievable. That he would protect a demon, at the request of a demon. He was the sword of the Heavenly Army. Thanks to re-obtaining his Universal Ring, he was also more powerful then ever before. The quality of the tool Nezha knew himself to be was pure power and efficiency. If his brutality and might was wielded unreasonably, it would go against Buddha himself. And punishment from the Buddha was.... something to be avoided. Nezha wanted, but also needed to use his power only to uphold the laws and balance of the universe.

He knew he could not use his (justice) power for anything so (helpless) petty as a baseless accusation from a (begging) demon (one that had turned to him, against all odds, to protect another). To protect another demon (though, the macaque he had spoken to, chuckled with -- had he truly been so bad?).

Even if his heart wanted to.

Why... why had he not yet turned her down...?

No -- there's still more to think about.

Nezha closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing as he thought.

Lastly, there was the bargaining chip:

"I will tell you anything you want to know, about what happened to me. Every detail I remember. You can ask whatever you want, no limits, and I'll answer."

A testimony on the rule-breaking celestial mentioned from before. The one who had allegedly snuck undocumented immortality against the Jade Emperor's orders.

Nezha had his own suspicions now, ones that supported but did not confirm the demon's words. True to his earlier promise, Nezha had spent days in heaven, locked in the scroll chambers while investigating in his own way. He's not as clueless on this matter as he once was.

He did want to investigate the matter further, but Chunhua was misunderstanding something very integral.

Nezha opened his eyes and looked at Chunhua's tail. "Trifling with immortality is a crime worthy of punishment, but solving the matter is not my job." He didn't want to see what her face looked like when he said those words. "I am the razor's edge of justice, but only when it comes to inflicting that justice. I am not judge nor advisor of the rules of heaven." He'd learned the hard way: follow the rules, don't make them. Between the lines was what Nezha really wished he could say: as much as Id like to help you, I can only be your guide and not your advocate. It's not my place to take reponsibility on this matter, but if we work together to make a strong case, then perhaps something could be done about it. He was no renegade any longer -- he was a rule follower. It's flustering to be a prince with such limited capabilities... but alas, that is politics. Nezha was just a part of something bigger then himself.

The assurance he could give was one he always stood by. He looked back to Chunhua's face and gave a promise: "But I promise you that if heavenly balance is shaken, I will do everything I can to make things right."

[worldclassmenageriie]

Chunhua didnt you say you wouldn't tell anyone else about becoming immortal? You gonna tell Nezha?

"If he agrees to the trade, Ill tell him."

Mention: @nezha-taizi

[nezha-taizi]

[nezha-taizi]

@worldclassmenageriie

[worldclassmenageriie]

"Im worried the green snake has done something to Macaque---she sounded angry. That he didnt get recompense for his part in the recent fiasco with Lady Bone Demon. Alkebu-lan is checking to be sure I'm not worried over nothing.... but if something is happening, we may need more help." She didnt hesitate in her words.

"I will tell you anything you want to know, about what happened to me. Every detail I remember. You can ask whatever you want, no limits, and I'll answer. But if we need help, if hes in trouble, I want your word, a promise, you'll help."

[nezha-taizi]

[nezha-taizi]

@worldclassmenageriie

[6em4k]

Well. That was that then... maybe.

She bent down, picking up the sunglasses from the grass. She looked down at the neon-glazed lenses, then up to the sky he'd flown off into.

No need to be lazy, though. She would take his mention of coming back at face value. She would keep her guard up and her senile old biddy routine at the ready.

"Don't take too long," She said, more nasal and slightly mocking. "An old lady like me hasn't got much time left."

She folded the sunglasses.

"Only another 200 years, honestly."

[nezha-taizi]

[6em4k]

"Abnormal... energy reading?"

She straightened up a little, as though taking this more seriously. As though she had just realized this was more than a routine house call.

Of course it was more than a routine house call.

(Macaque listened in on the conversation - he tried to scream, but his throat was dry and raw from the energy drains and spikes. Every inch of movement was bound and stabilized by the Spider Queens re-cobbled webbing. It would take a miracle for him to be the reason Ne Zha found him.)

"I see," She said, putting a finger to her chin and humming quietly. "Well... Megapolis has had it's fair share of energy spikes and falls, lately - that bone demon nonsense, the Azure Lion, the loss of the Jade Emperor, I'm sure you don't need my condolences on your workflow for that. I would be hard-pressed to think of anything more substantive than all of that."

[nezha-taizi]

@worldclassmenageriie

[nezha-taizi]

CONTINUED FROM [X]

[6em4k]

Jerk.

"I didn't realize she and I were squabbling," She said, opening the door wider. "So you have heard from her then? Is she cross with me? Is she...."

"My apologies, Ne Zha - look at me, prattling on like an old lady when you're down here in the cold. Would you like to come in? Can I offer tea? I just received some nice jujubes from a business client, if you'd like something sweet."

[nezha-taizi]

[nezha-taizi]

CONTINUED FROM [X]

[munkussy]

send me an ask with 🎨 and specify a muse at the beginning of your message if you want me to roleplay my responses with artwork in that reply chain!

[nezha-taizi]

*squints*

"..."

[6em4k]

@nezha-taizi - (through gritted teeth) "I don't notice when you use slang. After all, most of what you monkeys say, is crude."

"You finally looked up what a slag was, didn't you?"

[nezha-taizi]

"I do bare the responsibility for not double-checking my work.... and I apologize for giving you an incomplete thought."

"That said--"

"Whatever the misused term means, I can assure you its use was unintentional."

[6em4k]

fuck marry kill chunhua, wukong, nezha

"You do realize the idea of me marrying Ne Zha is actually a very funny thing to tease him about, right? Go up and throw myself at him, really put his 'love with marriage' thing under the gun?"

"I couldn't commit to it, though - that stick-in-the-mud would take me seriously."

[nezha-taizi]

"As if I would take the solicitations of a monkey seriously."

[marshalforgotten]

"Shame. Did not get a single bingo, this time." Strangely enough, she did not immediately go to burn it.

@nezha-taizi

[nezha-taizi]

"A shame? You wished to.... what is it that you're saying?"

This human had taken interest in him?

[lon3lyqu3en]

We all know Macaque is a whore//

[nezha-taizi]

Nezha makes a gesture of validation and acknowledgement.

[worldclassmenageriie]

@nezha-taizi

[nezha-taizi]

"You won." He said simply. "One line."

"If you wish for a respectful kiss as a reward, I will accommodate it."

[nezha-taizi]

"On the contrary, I never implied that you exchanged sex for money." He puts one hand on Macaque's shoulder and looks at him meaningfully. "Only you have." It was not his place to judge the actions of those that lived on earth, as distasteful as they might be -- what Nezha felt was closer to pity.

[6em4k]

"....Alright, wipe hat look off your face, lemmie rephrase."

"Did you just call me a slut?"

[nezha-taizi]

Nezha backed off. "If the boot fits."

That reminded him.

"By the way, have you happened to see---" A little monster carrying off only one boot? No. It sounded too silly. And was probably long gone. "...Nevermind."