Why
With a sigh, Chanlien plopped down on the grassy patch overlooking the Jade Forrest below wondering why. She did not yet leer upward to view her usual relaxing sights, as she was busy looking at herself on the reflection of the pond next to her.
She was the same as she had always been: a youthful, monochrome colored Pandaren female. Jet black hair atop with Jade green streaks adorning it pulled up into a ponytail. An array of Jade colors surround her, be it the streaks through her hair, jade gemstones about her attire, or her lovely Jaded eyes. Obvious indications of Chanlien's way of life as a monk gazed back at her from the reflection, between her docile demeanor, proper forms and movements while in the sitting position, and an all too humble aura surrounding her. In that moment looking into the pond, she wondered if it was enough. If she was the epitome of a monk she thought she had become, in teaching and in nature.
Chanlien nodded to her watery replica and finally looked up to the scene before her.
The view from where she sat was just as breathtaking as it always had been for her and as it would be for many of her kind. Although Chanlien had long since been used to the sight and all it had to offer, due to living up atop this bluff, she saw it all differently on this day.
"Why is it different?" she vaguely half-asked aloud to herself. Chanlien loved her hut atop this spire of rock that jutted into the sky like the many that littered the Jade Forest she called home. It was quiet, out of the way and provided all she needed for her meditative and viewing needs.
Today, however, was unlike the rest. The view overlooking the Jade Temple she grew up and trained appeared old and not bringing the usual glorified happiness to her white and black cheeks. Dawn's Blossom below was just another of the many villages and towns in the area, of which she had no desire to visit any time soon. The Arboretum to her left dull and lacking amidst the many arrays of pink, greens, and browns from the cherry trees surrounding it, which in itself was quite the sight to see. In all, Chanlien's entire outlook was just tainted thanks to her emotions, as even the tide from the ocean off in the distance seemed to churn and be in the same manner of unrest she was in.
"Why?" Chanlien again asked herself as if a mysterious force would tell her why she was going through all this self-made turmoil or perhaps the wind caressing the landscape in which she sat might know. Nothing though of the sort came from her question.
Chanlien sighed, unable to shake the thoughts chaotically toying with her emotions.
Recalling her monk teachings, she knew there was a lot to be thankful for within these feelings of sorrow. Her lover was still alive. The Sha were gone for the most part and the threat of her homeland being overrun or destroyed had been taken care of. Times of peace and happiness was what was to come, or at least what was promised, but Chanlien could not help but to think about the negative aspects within the positive ones. She was happy for her kind and the newcomer races, but something inside her left her hollow. Left her weak. Left her feeling needing and anticipating. Left her asking why.
She wanted to know why it all came to be in the way it had turned out. Sure, everyone else was happy now the evils were at bay, but she just wanted other things to connect right in her life, not just for everyone else in the world, as greedy as it may have been to think. Her thoughts shifted back and forth between different events of why her life had so much potential to just leave her in her current state. Seeing a vague outline in the clouds while searching the seemingly painted Pandarian landscape for answers, she thought of him.
"Hogoken…," she said picturing the clouds in the sky before her form into his face. He was one of the main reasons she asked why. Why she could not be with her lover due to restrictions set by powers that were not her own. This 'Alliance' and 'Horde' separating her kind between the Tushui teachings and Houjin trainings like it was their place to separate and divide all Pandaren into either one or the other. As caring and nice as Chanlien was, this trivial fact of her kind being shoved into either or just irritated her and caused a small hint of hatred and racism within her, despite her outward appearance.
She shook her head, knowing it was too much for her to handle and decided to think about the future. What she is to now make of her life and what she can and will do for Pandaria. This only caused another sigh and another why.
"That idiot…" she murmured thinking back to what had recently happened. This why is what made her question where she would be going next in her life; why the academy she was part of had been ruined by the neglect, greed, and idiocy of its former leader.
Fond memories of being within the Imperial Academy coursed through her mind, like water streaming through a river. She smiled in the recollection, seeing friendly faces and remembering her teachings and the fun that was had while there. Chanlien met her best friend's while being part of the academy. Chisai, the female Pandaren farmer who offered Chanlien a place to stay in the Valley when she was going through some rough times right at the start of when the other races invaded their land. Yasashi, who was a noble and loveable Pandaren who took pride in all he did, but always with a hint of laughter. Junli, the quirky, yet loving Pandaren who had lots of friends and cared for others. Viavi, the harsh, yet tolerable human who could keep up well with monk teachings and adding in her own deadly twist to things. She then huffed recalling the worst one of them all, not even wishing to remember the name, just that she was an 'idiot' in Chan's eyes.
Chanlien looked down to the ground in which she sat, wondering how and why she was meant to live in this world. It was that ironic time of thinking that an odd, swirling bronze and gold mist formed but a long stone's throw away, in turn catching her attention, forgetting her dismay and now asking why this portal had appeared.
