Information

Zhen Ji has a minion!

Ji the Zodiac Rooster Spirit

Zhen Ji
Legacy Name: Zhen Ji

The Reborn Lain

Age: 11 years, 2 months, 3 weeks

Born: January 14th, 2015

Adopted: 11 years, 2 months, 3 weeks ago

Adopted: January 14th, 2015

Statistics

• Level: 1
   
• Strength: 10
   
• Defense: 10
   
• Speed: 10
   
• Health: 10
   
• HP: 10/10
   
• Intelligence: 0
   
• Books Read: 0
• Food Eaten: 0
• Job: Unemployed

The zodiac wheel floating in the heavens is built upon golden clouds that never surrender the light of the sun. Each wedge contains sakura trees shaped in the Chinese symbol of the zodiac animal that resides in the house at the end of each of twelve paths. The paths are formed from smooth stones decorated with etchings that depict the characteristics of the guardian spirit that watches over each animal.

The houses are delicate constructions that use traditional Chinese building materials to create a balance of elegance and practicality. A wooden framework supports walls of rice paper, the sturdy beams standing through even the chaos of cosmic storms. The walls may collapse but the structure will always remain standing.

The gardens are no less magnificent with rock pools that murmur gentle melodies and fragrant flowers that give one a feeling of serenity with just one breath of their perfume.

The sign of the sheep stands before the home of Fei Yen. Her calm and creative spirit is evident in the colorful stones arranged into the shape of lotus blossoms, forming the path that leads from the center of heaven to her home.

Zhen Ji took a sip of the soothing tea in her cup, scowling in the direction of Fei Yen’s neighbor to the right. The tea was tasty but not even the strongest herbs could soothe the volatile Rooster.

“I don’t know how you can stand to live so close to Wei Yan. He's always boasting like he's so much better than the rest of us.” She smirked as her eyes traveled over Wei Yan’s carefully tended rows of flowers. “I’d love to see him spend a day in the harness of a farmer. I’ll bet he couldn’t finish two rows before he collapsed.”

Fei Yen sampled her own tea, allowing Zhen Ji to continue. It was not easy living with ten males and Zhen Ji did not have Fei yen’s limitless patience.

"Xan Pei is even more annoying. He’s always carrying on about how his charges are among the most successful humans, destined for popularity because of the years of their birth. I asked if he knew what humans did to rats on Earth. He said anything was better that having his tail plucked and ending up in the stew pot.” Zhen Ji stamped a booted foot, the rooster feathers at her back quivering. “Don’t even get me [started] on the Dog. He is so convinced that there’s no human better than a loyal human. He is the most arrogant, self-centered creature in the heavens. The only one worse than Yin Quan is Meng Yao. I don’t honestly know what you see in him, Fei Yen. He is such a-"

“Hello, Ladies!” Meng Yao came bounding into the room, rabbit ears twitching as he fixed Fei Yen with an enormous smile. “There’s my pearl of starlight. You’re not going to believe what I’ve got!” Without pausing, he whipped out his hand, holding up two small golden marbles. “We’re going to the Festival of Lunar Harmony, Fei Yen! The spirits said it was impossible to get an invite this late but they never counted on my persistence.”

Fei Yen reached for a marble, hesitating with her hand in the air. “Zhen Ji and I were planning to visit the market.”

Meng Yao snorted and brushed aside her concern with the wave of a hand. “You can visit the market any day. How many times will you have the chance to see the dance of real, live wind dragons!” He grabbed Fei Yen’s hand, tugging her toward the door with a literal spring in his step. “Let’s get going. I want to make sure we have time to check out the booths before the show.”

Fei Yen turned to offer a quick apology, freezing at the on Zhen Ji’s face. With a small moan of expectation, Fei Yen pulled free of Meng Yao’s grasp and grabbed a small jade vase that was very dear to her.

“You are so rude! Don’t you ever stop to think Fei Yen might have her own life? You’re not the center of the universe, you twitchy little creep!”

Meng Yao put a hand to his chin as if he was deep in thought. Very deliberately, he changed the position of his hands, grabbing up the corners of his mouth, wiggling his ears, and waggling his tongue.

Flames raced up the edges of Zhen Ji’s blade as she unsheathed it. The first fireball was nowhere near its mark. A cream paper curtain bordered with a teak frame went up in flames. Meng Yao howled with laughter as he began to cartwheel around the room. Fei Yen was working hard to fight back tears as Zhen Ji leaped forward in pursuit.

“Hold still you vermin. I’m going to cook you to well done and chop you up for stew!”

“Don’t forget the herbs and carrots. You can’t have a good rabbit stew without carrots. You might even throw in a few special spices…if you’re not too chicken!” Meng Yao was breathless with laughter as he dodged a line of fireballs, narrowly avoiding a singed ear tip. He darted out the door, bounding through a line of bamboo stalks that promptly went up in flames.

“Hey Zhen Ji, what do you call a chicken in a shirt?”

Zhen Ji tried to follow the sound of his voice, wanting to shorten his ears before he could bellow the answer. She did not succeed.

“A Henley!”

His laughter was infuriating. Zhen Ji began to swing her blade like a scythe, desperate to catch that pesky Rabbit.

“I’ve got another one for you. What do you get when you cross a chicken with a marsupial?”

A pair of stalks crossed just like rabbit ears fell to her blade. She ground her teeth in frustration as his voice rose from the other end of the field.

“A kangarooster!”

“Say one more of your awful jokes and I will throw you off a cloud bank you cotton for brains!”

“One more? Alrighty then, since you insist! Why didn’t the chicken cross the road?” He waited only a few seconds before blurting out the answer this time. “Because there was road construction and she had to take a detour!”

“Come out and face me directly, you cowardly Rabbit.”

He was at her side before she had time to react, giving her a sloppy kiss on the cheek. As she swiped at her face in disgust he leaped right over her head, bounding back through Fei Yen’s front door.

Zhen Ji allowed the fire to go out as she took in the on Fei Yen’s face. Meng Yao leaned against one of the support beams on which a talisman of fire protection was hung. This was certainly not the first time Fei Yen had been forced to redecorate.

Fei Yen had remained in the house, watching sadly as her bamboo patch was reduced to a square of charred stubble. She said nothing as she placed the precious jade vase on the one table that had escaped damage. Her other furniture was smashed to bits and there was not a single screen left to distinguish the rooms of her house.

Zhen J hung her head at the inevitable sigh that escaped Fei Yen’s lips. Gentle Fei Yen was her dearest friend, the only other female zodiac and the one Zhen Ji could tell her most embarrassing secrets to. Zhen Ji really did try to reign in her temper but Meng Yao was just so annoying. Every nose wiggle and ear twitch was a subtle taunt that could not be ignored and his jokes were awful.

Meng Yao looked out on the sun just touching the edge of the horizon. “It’s always a pleasure to prove you can’t aim, Zhen Ji, but we need to get going. There are treats to try and games to play before the concert, and I plan to win our dear Fei Yen a cloud sheep. Besides, it’s your turn to do the cleanup.”

Zhen Ji narrowed her eyes. “You got barely halfway through last time and wandered off to bet on a Pegasus race. Fei Yen and I ended up buying all the replacement furniture and I had to chase away the slugs that got into the yard when you left the gate open.”

Fei Yen raised her hands. “I think you’ve both caused enough trouble for one day. I would rather do the cleaning myself than have any more fighting.”

Meng Yao and Zhen Ji exchanged a long look. With a sigh, Meng Yao pulled a leather purse from his pocket “That should be more than enough to cover everything. It’s only right that Fei Yen should enjoy herself for once, having to put up with us.”

Zhen Ji snatched the pouch. “I certainly don’t need your help but since you’re contributing something for once, I’ll see to it Fei Yen gets some nice chairs this time.” She made a face at a wooden chair with green stripes that was now a heap of wood chunks.

Meng Yao once again took Fei Yen’s hand, dragging her outside and chattering about the wonders they would see. Zhen Ji waited until the couple was out of sight to start grumbling under her breath about the enormous mess in front of her. She decided this would be the ideal time to pay a visit to Bao Wei, the wise Monkey.

Bao Wei was well familiar with the rivalry between Zhen Ji and Meng Yao. He always kept a spare broom that he was glad to lend and he knew many useful charms for removing scorch marks from wood and picking up splinters with sticky paper so they would stab no tender feet.

Bao Wei offered Zhen Ji a knowing smile as he placed the broom in her hands. “Young Meng Yao has once again pulled your tail feathers, I see.”

Zhen Ji scowled but could never truly get angry at Bao Wei. “He treats Fei Yen like he owns her. She’s my friend too but she’s always with Meng Yao.”

“Her calming influence is good for you. The heat of your passion comes from your need to be innovative, just as Meng Yao’s charisma gives him the energy to always be in motion. You are each drawn to Fei Yen in unique ways and your mutual dislike for one another will only grow due to the love you share. You must find small ways to show your love for Fei Yen to remind her that though there will be disharmony at times, you will both work to restore harmony in small acts of love.”

Zhen Ji thought about what Bao Wei had said as she walked back to Fei Yen’s house. Surely cleaning this mess was an act of love? She certainly cared more about giving Fei Yen a quiet afternoon than noisy Meng Yao. He was always dragging Fei Yen to crowded places. Those rare times Fei Yen offered a complaint; it was to say it would be nice if Meng Yao would spend an evening at her house enjoying a home-cooked meal now and then.

Still, she could not deny that Meng Yao worked to make Fei Yen happy. He showed his love by sharing what gave him joy with Fei Yen.

Zhen Ji finished piling broken furniture in one pile, separated from a second pile of ashes. If Meng Yao could give Fei Yen the sight of wind dragons, she would see to it Fei Yen’s house was more beautiful than it had ever been.

The bridge to the Spirit Market was formed from the purest white clouds in the sky that neither darkened with rain nor ever lost their shape. The air spirits that tended the stalls provided a variety of wares for the needs of the many inhabitants of the heavens. Each spirit was formed more form sensations than matter, their blurred edges constantly shifting shape. The seller of blades created from lunar rays was a hot, metallic taste in the back of one’s throat. The herb vendor had to hang her strongest-smelling herbs to prevent customers from being lulled to sleep by her soothing presence.

Zhen Ji bought one of the enormous paper rolls that could be cut to fir the special screens assembled by the spirit that formed objects from wood. Fei Yen had owned only one teak screen; now she would own three. The sensations of throwing out tender shoots to be chopped down and ground into paper were not particularly pleasant. Zhen Ji shuddered and made a mental note to visit the paper vendor first next time. The thought was forgotten with the next contact of a wispy hand.

The furniture vendor was even less substantial than his brothers and sisters. He was forced to spend more time in the human world than most spirits, keeping up with current Earth trends so that he could offer new and exciting products to his customers. In time he would fade away completely, leaving his eldest child to take over the family business. Zhen Ji sincerely hoped it was a daughter. Even among spirits there were far too many males, in her opinion.

She always considered Meng Yao’s selections gaudy. He went for jewel tones and wood that came from foreign lands. The chaotic patterns of oak belonged on rickety human ships, not in the refined house of a zodiac animal. Zhen Ji looked for tables and chairs that looked natural. She was very specific in choosing a tea set with a red and white pattern, knowing that red was one of Fei Yen’s lucky colors.

Replacing the scorched sections of the garden would not be so simple. Zhen Ji bought as many bamboo stalks as were needed to fill the gaps but it would be many weeks before they reached their proper height. There are limitations on the growth of plants, even in the realms of heaven. Zhen Ji paid for her selection, handing over a few extra coins to have the plant tender deliver and set the plants.

Zhen Ji was preparing to leave when a new arrival caught her eye. It was a majestic red vase that stood four feet high, its sides decorated with elegant black swirls. Zhen Ji had to dig into her own purse to come up with the asking price but she didn’t care. She even put down the money for a protection charm, one that would protect against damage from fire, violence, or cartwheeling Rabbits.

Once she had seen to it that all her purchases were assembled and put in their proper places, she went to her own garden for a handful of her precious lotus flowers. She filled the massive vase with flowers, allowing the blossoms to float on top. Fei Yen would be the only zodiac animal with an indoor serenity pool.

The flowers were arranged with care in the shape of a heart.

Story by Pureflower

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