"Wanji, if I am not out within fifteen minutes, ring the bell," Lan Xichen orders calmly as his brother nods.
Master Wei stood right behind Lan Zhan, and Mimi notices that he is rubbing the other man's back as if trying to calm him.
When her wounds had been bandaged and after Mimi had thanked the three men profusely. Lan Xichen had decidedly lifted her off the floor and on to the infirmary table. He now sat right across from her on a stool.
"Now, I will need to put my hands on the sides of your head to form the initial bond. You will feel a heaviness in your mind. Focus on the memories you would like to show me. I will not wander anywhere in your mind without consent."
Nodding nervously, Mimi agrees, her eyes on his hands. He gently presses his hands to either side of her head and takes a deep breath.
"Are you ready?" he asks.
Mimi silently nods, clustering her thoughts together. She finally looks into his eyes and feels herself melting in his chocolate eyes. Closing his eyes, he begins to chant under his breath. It is strange, Mimi thinks, keeping her mind blank. His presence is subtle as she feels him just on the outskirts of her mind. He gently presses his mind against her own, not rushing her into accepting him. Mimi focuses on this presence. She raises imaginary arms with her hands outstretched, trying to bring him to her. Fingers hesitantly interlace with her own. Sensing his own nervousness Mimi pulls him into her memories.
They stand in front of the Shen Castle. Mimi smiles down at their entwined hands before letting go and approaching the estate.
"This is Shen Castle," Mimi watches him slowly take in the magnificent battlements, the castle at its most impressive in the bright afternoon light.
Padding back to him, Mimi gently takes his hand once more between her claws and pulls him toward the doors. She needed him to see this. To understand why she did what she did, what she continues to do.
"You may want to prepare yourself," Mimi says quietly, "what I am about to show you is rather uncomfortable."
He squeezes her hands, "I will see all that you have to show me."
Feeling like some sort of demented ghost of Christmas yet to come, Mimi opens the door to her memories. Unwilling to overwhelm him, she presents him snippets of her memories, cropping out the foxtails. The empty corridors with dusty footprints. Lord Shen's face as he devours the koi on his desk and hands her the casket with an explanation of The Reverent. Her siblings standing motionless before their father, emerald eyes blank. Her mother's wild eyes. Mimi feels all too vulnerable when she finds herself focusing on Yuanjun. She feels the clan leader's hand on her shoulder, comforting her or perhaps comforting himself as they both watch her past self being hugged by the corpse. Mimi's arms hanging at her side full of stunned revulsion. Mimi turns away as her past self finally reaches up to hug him. His face bursting with maggots and unresponsive limbs. Her bloody claws under the moon tearing through his neck. Screams fill her mind as Mimi pulls the clan leader into another memory. She is running down the corridor, chasing the child's cries. Yongrui is lighting the stove as tiny fingers peek out of the pot. The force of her anger blasting Yongrui into the side of the kitchen, her fury forcing his body to change shape. Mimi sees the briefest glimpse of her wife's swollen stomach before she returns to the memory.
Shifting a little, she shows Chen bursting through the kitchen door with a wooden stick, all too prepared to defend her youngest sister as Mimi tries to beckon the small child from the cabinet. Her mind shifts to the quiet night afterward, having barricaded herself and the children in her room. The sleeping cubs curled around her, seeking her protection and warmth in the darkness. Mimi shifts momentarily to the residence in Cloud Recesses, fear and adrenaline clouding her mind. She is unable to find Dumplin until she and Chen find her within the closet sleeping.
The clan leader speaks for the first time, "You don't need to show me anymore."
Clasping his hand in hers, Mimi sighs, not looking at him, "I do."
Mimi lurches forward, briefly showing them in the infirmary as he heals her ribs, before presenting him with her memory of lying down on the bedroll and awakening in the spirit world. The stench of the sewage searing her nose as they both watch Mimi's past self, her bones breaking in the snake's coils, before she pulls the sword from the snake's side. She shows the man emerging from the snake's stomach and dragging the snakeskin to the pond in glimmers of brief thought.
"This is quite different than the fairytale you told your sisters. From what you told me," the clan leader says, watching with concern as Mimi's previous self shoves the skin into the pond.
"I didn't think you would believe me," Mimi answers honestly.
"You would have been right," the clan leader stares as the snake is healed within the purified waters.
With difficulty, Mimi tugs him away, and the two drift into her more recent memories. He stands with her next to the watercolor pond as they both watch Mimi's past self-struggle to process what just happened. Mimi feels her hackles rise, being here once again.
"You were actually here?" Lan Xichen looks around him excitedly as he tries to memorize this intricate painted world.
"This is a mimicry of the spirit world. The laws of our world will not apply here," Mimi hums.
Seeing his barely concealed interest in this world, Mimi lets him explore. He touches the bark of a tree and comes away with white paint on his fingers. He grins delightedly before remembering her presence. A sheepish smile flickers across his features. She wonders if perhaps she should spare him from what she is about to show him.
"Why do you regret?" Lan Xichen asks her suddenly, and Mimi realizes he sounds hurt.
"You can feel my emotions?"
"The spell is called empathy. I can feel everything you felt emotionally and physically, but I can't always understand the context," Lan Xichen looks back at the grove of trees, studying the brush strokes.
"I felt regret. I thought maybe I shouldn't show you what is to come. You seem to enjoy this world. I didn't want to ruin it for you."
His face softens as he feels the truth of her words echoed back at him. He is embarrassed Mimi realizes, and then she remembers something else.
She immediately removes the remembered pain in her leg, "I'm sorry, I didn't know," Mimi whispers, looking down at his leg.
He reaches a hand out to touch her shoulder, "I have seen your wounds. I knew what to expect."
"You should have told me. I would never want to hurt you if I could prevent it," Mimi sullenly looks away, and the world around them shifts, and they are in the village as she had first seen it.
"I can feel that," he says quietly, and Mimi flushes before she walks ahead of him.
Quickly catching up to her, she allows him to take in the villagers at his own pace.
"They . . . are they moving?" he asks, his voice awed, before he seemingly senses her unease at being here again.
"You . . . are uncomfortable?" he asks, trying to figure out the strange feelings reverberating through her mind.
"Not with you," Mimi says quietly as she watches the figures move slowly. She observes things she hadn't noticed before, a woman slowly raising her arm with a knitting needle before an older man, readying her strike.
"Why then . . ." and she could practically feel his realization as the world around them incrementally descends into chaos.
Mimi watches her past self-slipping on to the paint and crashing into the two people. The painted people exploding around her.
He puts his hand on her elbow, "Show me more."
The scenery around them changes, and Mimi flinches at the sight of herself, looking upon the faces of the apples.
Wrapping an arm around herself, Mimi nods to the clan leader to take a look as he watches her looking torn. She couldn't entirely block all of her pain and emotions from him, the memories being too fresh, "Go ahead, I will be fine."
He leans over her past self to observe the apples and hear their whispers. She tries to remind herself that she had already done this. But there is still the anticipation. Since she had not seen the creature form or hear its approach, she could only wait for it. Mimi closes her eyes and ignores the sound of her foxfire.
"What is this thing?" the clan leader says from close to her, picking up on her fear.
Mimi realizes she is shaking as she opens her eyes to see the creature surging towards her past self.
"The villagers," Mimi whispers as she squeezes her arms around herself, "Just watch."
Once again, torn between her and the creature. The clan leader hesitantly wraps an arm around her as he watches. He sucks in a ragged breath, and Mimi once again closes her eyes as her past self screams as she pulls the sword from her leg.
"I'm sorry," he whispers to her, but he is unable to stop watching the fight.
"The sword was from the previous task?" he asks, and Mimi nods, still refusing to open her eyes.
"What made you think to use the sword and the fire in tandem?"
"I read it in a book of myths once," Mimi feels him gently pull her closer until she is pressed under his chin.
Close to him like this, Mimi could smell the mint on his breath and clothing. It calms her. She allows the memory to play out naturally. But as she finishes digging the hole with her claws, a strange sound fills the air.
"Is that . . ." Mimi asks before the two of them are driven out of her mind.
Groaning, Mimi struggles to open her eyes. The bell is irritating, and Mimi wants nothing more than for it to stop. Feeling sluggish, Mimi raises her hand to bat at it and touches skin. Her eyes flash open, and she realizes three things at once. Her forehead is pressed comfortably to the clan leader's, and he had yet to awaken. Her hand is on his face. As his eyes slowly open, Mimi becomes acutely aware of his brother standing nearby, his face unreadable, rattling the bell.
"Watching you and Zewu-Jun is better than reading a dirty. . ." Master Wei yelps as his cultivation partner shoots him a dirty look before tossing the bell at him.
Mortified, Mimi leans away and loses her balance, lurching sideways on the table, falling on her injured leg. Mimi nearly bites through her lip as the pain in both her leg and hands reasserts itself.
It is Master Wei that assists her up, propping her up against his shoulder, "It's not very pleasant returning. Just rest. You are probably going to feel dizzy for a bit. Just relax."
"Easy, Xichen," Lan Zhan eases his brother gently back on to his chair as the clan leader staggers forwards in his brother's arms.
"Is the clan leader alright?" Mimi asks as she gradually returns to herself.
"I'm fine," Lan Xichen gives her a smile, his eyes immediately settling on the light indentation of his forehead band on her brow before turning his sharp gaze to Master Wei, who makes sure Mimi is in front of him like a makeshift human shield.
"I am on pins and needles, Zewu-Jun. What did you see?" Master Wei feels the woman beside him go rigid.
"All that she said is true," Lan Xichen confirms, "With the Lady Shen's permission, I can answer certain questions about recent events."
"Go ahead," Mimi wants to throw up and then go to bed, depending upon whatever comes first.
"Wei Ying lets go," Lan Zhan says softly, and after seeing that she could sit on her own without tumbling over, Master Wei gets off the table and follows his cultivation partner.
"Would you mind checking on the younger Lady Shen's while I finish here?" Lan Xichen asks after his brother.
"Where did you think we were going?" Master Wei grins happily as the two exit the room.
Mimi rubs her hands over her face before tugging her hair back. The idea of the black-cloaked cultivator influencing her little sisters temporarily overwrote the pain in her hands.
"Do not worry, despite Master Wei's. . . particular personality, he and Wanji are very good with children," Lan Xichen promises, getting to his feet awkwardly.
"My sisters are not quite sure what to make of him. Dumplin and Chen seem to adore your brother, though," Mimi experimentally shifts and nearly gasps at the pain in her leg.
"My brother will appreciate knowing that," Lan Xichen realizes her intention and says, "Let me fetch something for that. Don't try to move."
"I don't think I will be doing handstands or dueling for a while," Mimi smirks at the clan leader as he gives her a perturbed look.
"With what I know of you and observed. I am sure I will be surprised by whatever occurs in the next few days."
"Perhaps I can write the answers to your uncle's exam questions on my bandages," Mimi says contemplatively as the clan leader picks up a salve off the counter.
"You very well could," Lan Xichen smiles, "Except for the robe he recently came into possession of has properties that prevent that type of unscrupulous behavior."
"Ohh, who would be so cruel as to do that to his students," Mimi retorts, enjoying his playfulness.
"Indeed. If I may?" the clan leader gestures to her leg.
She nods and watches him undo the neat bandages his brother had wrapped about her leg, "You will indeed have a bit of a scar," he says apologetically.
"What is another scar?" Mimi shrugs, and Lan Xichen smiles as he applies the salve to her leg, instantly nullifying the pain.
When he is done applying the salve, he stares admiringly at his brother's work. The stitches began at the base of her ankle, hugged her knee, and threads halfway up her leg.
"I can hardly believe you were hiding a sword in there," the clan leader says softly, rebandaging her leg.
"It wouldn't have been my first choice, either."
"I apologize. That was insensitive," Lan Xichen finishes binding the bandage and stares at her expectantly.
"I didn't interpret it that way," Mimi holds out her hands, and he spreads the salve there as well.
They sit in comfortable silence for a moment before the clan leader quietly says, "You will be doing this again."
It was not a question, and Mimi sighs before reaching out and straightening his forehead ribbon. His eyes revealed an unexpected vulnerability.
"I will . . . not prevent it. But . . . next time, will you allow me to assist?"
Mimi stares at the clan leader in disbelief, "You want to help me kill my father?"
"Lady Shen, I do not pretend to understand this situation completely, but . . . for the time being, I am volunteering my services. I . . . do not appreciate his treatment of you or your siblings."
"Can I think about it?" Mimi asks, and the clan leader's eye twitches.
"Of course," he says evenly, "but if I may ask. Why do you hesitate? What have I done or not done to displace your trust? I could feel your trust in me . . . your affection while in your mind."
I am a fox, Mimi thinks.
"It's not anything you have done," Mimi suddenly feels very awkward seeing him practically kneeling at her feet, "I didn't want you to get hurt or have to deal with this baggage. You have enough to do running Cloud Recesses."
The clan leader ponders this for a moment before looking down at her leg, "Might I offer a proposal?"
"You may."
"You are concerned about my ability to run Cloud Recesses, despite my having done it for several years now."
Mimi realizes belatedly that she had unknowingly irritated this usually genial man. Watching his eyes darken to the color of what she thought an earthquake would be.
"I have noted you're fine penmanship. Perhaps I could dictate letters to you. You may also make copies using that delightful machine of yours in the library. With your . . . incapacitated leg that may take a few weeks to heal, I daresay it will give you plenty of distraction. I will, of course, in return, aid you, however I can with these tasks. I would require being alongside you while completing the task to prevent what could have happened today. Even now, my brother and his cultivation partner are looking after your siblings while you recover. As for this . . . baggage, well, I did not expect perfection from a potential partner."
Mimi purses her lips. The words "potential partner" ringing in her head, drowning everything else out.
"You are a handsome man. You could probably do better if it were not for the water demon in your water supply," Mimi quips, watching the light slowly awaken in his eyes, "Or the thousands of Gusu rules. What is it ten thousand now?"
He let out a sharp laugh before resuming his business-like tone, "Do you accept?"
"I have a sneaking suspicion that even if I did refuse you, you would still insist upon this arrangement." Mimi smiles at him warmly as he nods emphatically before saying, "I would like more assistance with more trivial matters such as paperwork, to engage in more pleasurable pursuits."
"I could arrange for Master Wei and Wanji to care for the children on a more permanent basis. My brother so loves children. I would be doing him a kindness," Lan Xichen smirks at her scoff.
"You wouldn't dare," Mimi teases.
"Do you accept?" he repeats.
Mimi pretends to think about this thoroughly as the clan leader finally gets up off the floor and beckons for her to get off the table. She winces as her leg touches the floor. It didn't hurt anymore due to the salve, but her skin is uncomfortably tight. As Mimi attempts to take another hesitant step, the clan leader takes her arm and allows her to lean on him like a huge crutch.
"I have decided that I do not like seeing you in pain," Lan Xichen says calmly, and Mimi is reminded a little of the Vulcans from Star Trek.
"I guess that is why I need to accept your offer then," Mimi teases, her leg still her main focus at the moment.
"If you accepted, I would carry you," he retorts, "think of it as a sort of promotion."
"I am not sure my pride would allow that," Mimi says as he opens the door for them both.
"I suppose that would impact my vow of chivalry," this is the only warning Mimi receives before he scoops her up off the ground much like he did when she was a fox.
Mimi winces as his arm impacts her leg in this position.
"My apologies," Lan Xichen, having realized this carefully, puts her over his shoulder, one of his hands on her back.
"Clan leader, this is not dignified," Mimi is tired and soon gives up wriggling as she sees Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi gape at them open-mouthed.
"You were right about your clan leader's premonitions," Mimi says as they pass, "I tried to run, but he hunted me down."
"No shouting, lying, or gossiping in Cloud Recesses," the clan leader says lightly as if carrying her did not affect him at all.
"I technically didn't shout," Mimi says to his back.