Beware Of Chicken

Tigu stood in front of a stall, tossing a ring up and down in her palm.

“One more try? Are you sure about this girlie?” the stall owner asked, his smile vaguely slimy.

Tigu just smiled slightly at him. The first two throws had been to test her theory. Now, it was time for her victory.

Tigu loved festivals and parties.

The thumping music. The laughter and rowdiness. It just… felt good when everybody was having a good time, and most of all, they were including her in that good time. They didn’t stare at her strangely. They didn’t try to pull on her tail, or chase her around like she was some sort of curiosity.

She was just herself.

She flitted from place to place in the town of Verdant Hill, as her Master and Mistress had commanded all of the disciples to “have a good time.”

So Ri Zu had leaped into her hair, and she stole… er, got Shaggy Two, her disciple, to come with her while The Torrent Rider took off with Bi De, Misty Boy, and Little Xian. The dog was growing big, but he was still the cutest and the fluffiest thing in the world. He had even remembered his training! This time, when she greeted her disciple, he properly guarded his belly.

While it was no Dueling Peaks, there certainly were plenty of things going on. Instead of what fun people could make for themselves, or Chun Ke giving everybody rides, there were stalls lining the streets, some with games and prizes. There she had found several children from Hong Yaowu, ‘chaperoned’ by Ty An… who Tigu knew just liked having an excuse to play the games.

Some of them were quite challenging. Challenging to the point where Tigu guessed they would have been impossible for most people, but it was a surprisingly good test of accuracy and dexterity.

Until Tigu realised that if it was slightly challenging to her, it would be near completely impossible for any of the children that were visiting the stalls and trying to claim their prizes.

Ri Zu had been as incensed at their duplicity as Tigu had been.

Tigu, however, did what she did best. She had a righteous cause… and now, she was going on a rampage. In her wake, there lay a dozen stunned stall owners, in awe of her might. She conquered them with ease, but did not slay them utterly. This one however, deserved only complete devastation. The only stall where the man was truly cheating.

Tigu’s sharp eyes had caught him pulling on strings and jostling the rings loose.

He had even dared do it to her… and now, she had the counter.

“Win, Big Sis!” Even the normally silent Little Liu begged. The girl Tigu had taught to carve was staring with as much emotion she had ever seen on the child’s face.

“Ha! Tigu is gonna win, easy,” Ty An sneered, looking to remain aloof… but that was ruined by the fact that she had several empty bags of sweets on her person and was eyeing the massive bag greedily.

Shaggy Two, by her feet, yipped.

The rest of the Verdant Hill children were staring at Tigu, half with worry, half with fervent hope.

Tigu let fly the ring in her hand. It had to be a gentle touch—any amount of force and the ring would bounce right off the slightly-too-big-for-it peg. But with the right amount of force.. just so, it would stick the landing.

Then, as it settled, she stamped her foot at the same time that the stall owner pulled on a string under the counter, a failsafe he had devised that was connected to the pin. One that would knock the resting ring off, should it land correctly. The vibrations canceled each other out, and the ring settled in its place.

The man, looking panicked, pulled again. But he was just a man. He had no cultivation, and Tigu was in the Profound realm.

Another tap of her foot, and the ring stayed up.

The man’s jaw dropped.

There was silence for one beat, and then another. Then, the children around Tigu burst into cheers.

The owner of the stall stared at the ring.

“And! We have a winner! An amazing throw!” The man said, trying to sound magnanimous or impressed, but she couldn't miss the dislike in his eyes.

Tigu held out her hand for the enormous sack of candies. The man looked, for a moment, like he wasn’t going to give it to her…

A slight bit of Tigu’s intent hit him. His eyes bugged out, and cold sweat broke out all over his face. He was only too quick to hand her her prize and start making excuses that he had to close early.

Tigu extracted two pieces as her prize… and then handed the sweets off to the rest of the swarming children.

Ri Zu chittered with amusement. Tigu made to leave, only to get held up by Ty An… who flashed her a bottle of rice wine. Ty An’s eyebrows waggled. “Me, you , Bowu, and the new guy. After the kids are in bed, yeah?” She whispered conspiratorially.

Tigu nodded, and bumped Ty An’s fist— then set off back into the town, wondering where she should go next.

Bi De was with Xian, Misty Boy, and the Torrent Rider. The Blade of Grass and Damp Pond were being boring, just sitting around in a tavern with Gou Ren. Chun Ke and Pi Pa were at one of the parks on the outskirts, where people rarely ventured, having a “date” to use her Master’s words. They weren’t to be bothered. Wa Shi was with Yun Ren, recording images of the festivities and sampling the food. Finally, Master and Mistress were still with Meihua and Tingfeng, talking about children and other topics that Tigu thought were quite boring, which she was rather glad she was released from.

She shook her head and turned her attention back to the town, wandering past several tables where people were playing games of chance.

‘Hey… can we sign up for that?’ Ri Zu asked, her voice full of question.

Tigu glanced in the direction Ri Zu was pointing.

“New Year Mahjong Tournament” the letters boldly proclaimed. Tigu, personally, thought the game was rather boring if she wasn't teasing people until they got fed up and hit her. She had known how to play properly for months… but occasionally slapping down a completely nonsensical hand alongside a nonsense epithet for the play was absolutely hilarious. The reactions never got old.

But while Ri Zu couldn’t openly participate, Tigu could.

‘If you don’t want to—’

“Sure. Let's see how far you get. But really, you need to master a human form. It makes these things so much easier…”

=======================

Several hours later, the sun was mostly set and Tigu was sitting in the main square along with everybody else as it filled up. She was leaning up against her Mistress and scratching Shaggy Two’s luxurious fur as her Mistress praised Ri Zu, who had a bronze coin in her hand. Ri Zu was a bit pouty, but she wasn’t really upset about third place. Ri Zu had ended up losing to two old men. One was lacking hair; the other, the victor, was missing an arm and an eye, and carried with him a little doll of the Blade of Grass that was tied to his waist.

“A good luck charm. Who can be luckier than the woman who killed that monster?” the old man had said, at Tigu’s inquisitive look.

Indeed, his wounds had been caused by a sword, and not somebody particularly skilled with the weapon either. The cuts were ragged, and the scars were thick. Mistress had once mentioned treating refugees of a village assaulted by the bandit, and a good number of them had stayed in Verdant Hill.

Tigu idly wondered if she should give him one of Bi De’s feathers, so he would have a charm from the true victor over the bandit, since the man had been a good and worthy opponent.

He had been kindly, genuinely impressed at the plays Tigu made for Ri Zu… and then had utterly crushed the rat with a happy smile on his face.

“A few more years, and you’ll have it,” the man had praised her… before walking over to what looked like his grandson, the boy helping his grandfather walk off back into the town.

Now Tigu was simply relaxing. Most people were in the square, listening to a woman called Lady Wu, Mistress’ teacher, as she played a traditional song on her guzheng for the crowd. She was the latest in a long line of people to enter the space cleared and start playing a song.

Eventually, the nice tune ended, and Tigu realized what her Mistress had been waiting for.

For the next to enter the center of town, after bowing to Lady Wu… was Tigu’s Master.

Mistress smiled and waved as he gave them all an exaggerated wink.

“I’d like to dedicate this first to my wife,” Her Master called out, and several people laughed and jeered. “And to Verdant Hill. The best town in the Azure Hills!”

That got more cheers, and more laughter, as his master cleared his throat. Several people from the crowd that Tigu didn’t know shouted her Master’s name. He unlimbered his Ban-Joh, and strummed a few chords.

Finally, he began to sing.

Friendship lasts forever, as the earth and sky.

How can I forget old time’s friends?

Tigu had heard the song in her Master’s strange language. Auld Lang Syne he had called it, and he had spent a long time translating it, trying to find words that rhymed.

We once all day wandered in the blue mountains of our hometown; We too, have been through hard times…

Her Master’s powerful voice carried through the town. The song was slightly melancholy. An ode to the end of the year, and all the good memories that were accompanied by it.

“How can I forget old time’s friends!” Tigu shouted out along with her Master’s voice.

Her Master glanced up with a smile.

“Let’s raise a cup and heartily drink; Friendship endures while the world lasts!”

“How can I forget old times’s friends!” Several more people shouted, as Master gestured to the crowd.

Ri Zu on one shoulder. Bi De on another. Xiulan, Xianghua, Gou and Yun; Bowu, Xian and little Liu. Pi Pa and Chun Ke; Wa Shi.

Friends. Tigu snuggled up closer to her Mistress as she rocked back and forth, whispering the lyrics Tigu had heard before under her breath.

It wasn’t traditional in the slightest. But nobody in the town cared. After all, it was an interesting tune on an interesting instrument… and they could all sing along.

“How could I forget old time’s friends?” The town roared, as her Master’s instrument twanged out the last few notes… and then he started into another song, this one far more upbeat.

=================================

And thus, another year ended.

One that had been full of hardship and strife.

But for the night, there was no dwelling on the battles and conflict of the world in Verdant Hill.

The Lord Magistrate’s stomach was not on his mind, as his wife invited him to dance, her steps so full of vigor when before all she could do was stand and rock back and forth.

A heavily pregnant woman was invited to dance to the upbeat, twanging tune by the most beautiful girl most had ever laid eyes on. Her smile was radiant, as they spun together, their feet pounding to the music.

Beside them, a man who looked like a monkey and a tall woman with feathers in her hair, wearing a dress from the tribes of the north, dazzled all with their movements, so in sync were they.

Those that were not distracted by them were instead cheering on a rabbit as she bounded through the air, somehow looking graceful.

The people of a gambling den roared with laughter as they got fleeced by a literal monkey, too amused and too drunk to care how much money they were losing.

High above, a young man rose on a dragon’s back as they watched the town below glowing.

Two pigs leaned against each other, sharing a meal.

An ox, near the shadow of a building, watched a puppet show. The Demon Slaying Orchid kicked around Sun Ken. None could hear the plough laughing at the treatment of its former wielder.

An orange-haired girl ran her hands along the top of an old, three-legged tomcat’s head, and then stood, leaving as another girl and two boys called her over.

A rooster shook his head in amusement, with a rat on his back, and left four teens to get into mischief with a bottle of drink they probably shouldn’t have had… and then laid eyes on something most amusing.

A stall that was selling dolls. One of which had bright orange hair, made out of yarn.

The owner of the establishment looked incredibly weirded out as he approached. But the rooster had the exact change.

The next day, on the first day of the new year, a rooster awoke the land with his melodious cry.

If that didn’t awaken a person, the shout of outrage as the girl found the doll of herself tucked in beside her certainly did.