Okay, NaNoWriMo was over one week ago - and I won, hooray me - but I only came to post this chapter today because my writing muscles were so tired that I couldn't bring myself to even look at my fanfic for a week.
So I'm back, I hope to keep a good pace so that the promised final two chapters will come soon.
Reviews always, always welcome.
Chapter 43 - Truce
Lan and Yu An sat across from each other in one of the small study rooms that lined the library. Yu An had Yi to thank for the keys provided with no questions asked.
Feng Lan looked at him through narrowed eyes, but rather than anger her tone revealed exhaustion.
"How are you doing, Yu An?"
"I could be better." He shrugged. "The girl I liked broke up with me, and now to top it off we are having a fight. I was hoping one of those things could be taken care of today."
"I don't want to be fighting either." Lan said. After the time they had spent together, she was used to how he would spout sincere compliments and flirts alike randomly in the middle of a sentence. It was one of her favorite things about him, and something she actually missed. But she had so many doubts that the effects cancelled out.
Accepting defeat graciously, Yu An moved on with the discussion.
"So, I guess we both have a lot of questions. How about 'ladies first'?"
"Fine. Why did you do that?"
"By 'that', do you mean killing Gui, or something else, or everything really?"
Lan opened and closed her mouth then, thinking better, answered.
"Everything."
"Well... we wanted to be famous. Winning a tournament and forming a band were already taken, and we would never be able to conquer the NPC cities before you did. Or after you did. Not with an army, anyways. I did propose to join a circus, but we didn't even know if there was a circus to be joined. So we ended up outlaws. My turn. Why an albino?"
Not giving Lan time to process his answer was a wise move, and his question got Lan off balance. She blushed ever so slightly.
"The GM and I created it together. I guess I just wanted my character to look pretty. Well, handsome."
Yu An nodded slowly. Lan asked her next question.
"And what was that thing with Infinite City?"
"Well, it was in part revenge for Moon City, but mostly a move to skyrocket our Fame."
"Revenge how? It was in the same night."
"Revenge for the effort. We were trying so hard to make Moon City strong enough not to fall... so much we actually got behind schedule with road robbing." That was probably what gave the fakes the space they needed to multiply, he realized, though it was not wise to mention it. "But you went... Prince went as far as killing envoys under a peace flag. Which takes me to my next question: why smiling when you are covered in blood?"
"I... it was not about the blood, okay? I just had so much fun playing as a warrior, and I usually finish my enemies when they are airborne, so it just splashes down on me and I don't even notice until people start making disgusted faces. Plus, it makes me scary enough to keep fangirls away."
After a few more rounds of questions (Why "Remember, you have been killed by the Black Brotherhood"? Why a band? Why the soap bubbles? Why a meat bun?) they seemed to be back to being comfortable around each other. Which was just the prelude to what Yu An had in mind.
"But, you know, this can't continue like this. It will be very hard to continue in friendly terms if we are going at each other's throats online. Something needs to change."
"You could stop being an outlaw."
"You could stop being an overlord."
Lan did not like his retort.
"What do you propose, then?"
"Well... we are both famous."
"You're more like 'notorious'..."
"I know, thanks. Anyways, we are both famous by being at opposite ends of the law, and we both enjoy it immensely. So whatever one does, it will end up being a direct affront to the other."
Lan nodded. So far he was restating the obvious.
Yu An looked at her, making sure he had all of her attention.
"Feng Lan, the Central Continent is too small for both of us."
"That sounds like a cliche from a western."
"Precisely."
"Then what are you proposing?"
"To do like they do in the westerns: we have a duel. Mano a mano. Two contestants in, one out."
"And that would help because...?"
"Because the loser will be exiled from Central Continent for a year."
It was one of those moments when Lan felt the Bloody Elf persona speaking for itself. While Feng Lan wanted to yell "One year?" an icy tone inside of her demanded:
"Why should I accept that?"
Yu An's smile was more on the devilish side.
"Because you can't catch me. You will never kill me back to a manageable level, and I'll be there looking for new and improved ways to shock society. Which wasn't really of your concern until Prince publicly declared he would get rid of the Black Brotherhood. So now every move I make looks bad for your image."
It was true, she realized, unhappy.
"Still, I can't just go and leave Infinity City. It would be a whole lot simpler if you just quit thieving."
"Well, I can't just go and quit thieving." He mimicked her tone. "You spread my picture around the whole continent. Even if you call off the reward money, it's not as if people will let me into their stores to just do business honestly."
Touché. Lan grimaced. She had put Crow in a desperate situation. And a cornered rat could bite. She looked up, noticing he was still speaking.
"I will have to leave Central Continent anyways. But my team will want a reason and 'Oh, Prince and I just had an amicable chat IRL' will create more questions than answer them. So I'm telling you: give me a reason to board a ship to another continent. Call out to the Black Brotherhood. Play this duel to the most, get the whole continent on their tiptoes, believing you are going to win... but with that knot in the stomach from contemplating the possibility you don't."
Feng Lan wondered if there was something as a "real life Charisma status", because, oh boy! Yu An was convincing. But there were still some things that needed clarification.
"It doesn't change the fact that I have a lot more to lose from this than you do."
"Only if you don't win."
"Where were you after that fight? Your party didn't show up in any of the rebirth points."
"You would really love to know that, now wouldn't you?"
"And why did you think I would even consider going along with your plan?"
That was the last question, they both knew it. Negotiations were over, whatever Lan's decision was. But that question had to be asked, and Yu An sighed, knowing that it had to be answered.
"Because you are you, and I am me. If it was just between Prince and Crow and we were total strangers, then I wouldn't have any guarantee that Prince's challenge wasn't a trap, and you wouldn't have any guarantee that Crow wouldn't cheat. I came here to propose this plan because I believe Lan and Yu An are people of their word, and can work out a honorable solution their alter egos can't."
Feng Lan was silent for long, long minutes. Finally, she asked.
"Do we have a deal? One on one, no tricks?"
He was so glad she had phrased it like that.
"Deal." He put forth his hand.
To his surprise, Feng Lan spat on her hand. Rationalizing that if her spit had germs he would have long ago died from kisses, he spat as well, and they shook hands.
In two weeks, at noon, in the Rising Sun Camp, Odd Squad and the Black Brotherhood would put forth their champions. Two would walk in, but only one would walk out. And the loser would be banned from the Central Continent for one year.
