"You think tea leaves cost twenty gold coins a piece?" Mimi snorts and lets out a bark-like laugh, that is until she realizes that the clan leader is not laughing.
"That must be some non-cultivating joke that I don't understand," Lan Xichen says apologetically as he sets down the tea tray before her.
"I only asked if you knew how much tea leaves are," Mimi squints at the clan leader and realizes for the first time how wealthy the Gusu clan must be.
"As the clan leader, I do not have much time to do regular shopping," Lan Xichen says, not entirely understanding why Lady Shen seems to be struggling to keep a straight face.
"That paperwork can't do itself," Mimi quips, as she holds the red casket in her hands.
"It really can't," Lan Xichen says with grudging annoyance, but his face softens as he recognizes how her hands shook.
It is easier to laugh than to think of the possible horrors that she might soon face. Lan Xichen quickly reasons.
"Are you alright?" he asks softly, placing his hands over hers to stop the trembling.
Straightening her back and holding her chin high, Mimi captures his eyes with her own, "No. I'm not. I'm not okay. But I don't have a choice."
It had been a couple of weeks after the boat incident, and the clan leader, after much fussing, finally agrees she is ready to complete another task. He had watched rather despondently as she had slowly regained her magic while Master Wei had instantly regained his. But Mimi did not regret it. She knew she had done the right thing. Even if he still irritated her a little. The warm looks on the clan leader and his brother's faces as Master Wei slowly eased away from demonic cultivation is more than enough of a reward.
"I will be right here," he comforts, his eyes tender, moving the incense burner so she could reach it more leisurely.
The clan leader had never seen someone look so helpless and dangerous at the same time. It was like observing a predatory bird with a broken wing. He reaches out to tuck her hair behind her ear. Mimi follows his hand and leans her cheek into his palm.
Pulling the stick of incense out from the casket, Mimi studies the remaining sticks. She did not feel as if they were anywhere close to finishing. Lighting the incense, Mimi sets it upon the burner and lays down on the bedroll.
The now-familiar burning sensation of the tattoo carves itself into her side. The clan leader squeezes her hand, and Mimi drinks in his beautiful face like a starving woman before the smell of the incense drag her down.
Mimi never thought she would get accustomed to waking up in strange places, but here she is, nearly having been impaled by a very sharp looking boulder on a cliff face. Peeking towards her left, Mimi immediately feels grateful for the boulder's presence. It had saved her from a nearly hundred-foot drop. Looking around, Mimi realizes she is lying awkwardly in front of a large cave.
"Just peachy," Mimi whispers, already disliking this.
Being underground meant that she could be easily trapped. Ripping through her dress to reveal her stomach, Mimi studies the tattoo. Tilting her stomach from side to side, Mimi tries to figure out the strange necklace. The "necklace," if she could call it that is shards of a mirror or broken glass looped through a blue ribbon. Whatever hint it is trying to convey, Mimi does not understand it. Turning her attention to the cave, Mimi keeps her claws out, ready to defend herself at whatever lurked in the dark. Summoning her foxfire, Mimi carefully enters the cave mouth and lurks around. Seeing movement out of the corner of her eye, Mimi lashes out with her claws. A shrieking grating sound erupts into the room. Pushing her foxfire towards the sound, Mimi soon finds herself. It is her, but not. The broken mirror reflects her sharp hawk-like features, but Mimi soon realizes that the her in the mirror is wearing an entirely different robe. It is black and embroidered with delicate yellow peonies.
The her in the mirror shifts as if noticing her for the first time. Tossing her hair back, the reflection puts her golden claws on the glass. Backing away from the mirror, Mimi continues to walk further into the cave. Ragged pieces of mirror jutted out of the walls.
Not knowing what else to do, Mimi calls out, "Hello? Is there anyone here?"
Her voice returns to her faintly from inside the cave, it said, "Here, here, here."
Curious, Mimi follows the curving path deeper into the cave. She comes across another mirror, this one larger and intact. Staring at herself, Mimi realizes her image is wearing the same robe from before. The reflection touches her claws to the surface of the mirror.
"Who are you?" Mimi asks, as the reflection mouths the words back to her.
"Who, who, who," the voice returns her.
Realization suddenly dawning, Mimi whispers, "You're an echo."
"Echo, echo, an echo," her voice responds, and Mimi could hear relief.
The "echo" in the mirror spins happily before disappearing. Mimi steps down the path, and the echo appears in another mirror, this one the size of a compact. Picking up the mirror, Mimi stares at the echo. Swishing her robes, an image appears. Nearly dropping the mirror, Mimi stares in bewilderment.
"Don't you remember?" Sara's voice chuckles as she tucks the reflection's hair back behind her ears.
This a memory Mimi knew well, and her heart twitched. But it is different. Sara is dressed in the clan leader's clothing and had his sword near her. Instead of the playground that Sara had led her to, they were sitting near the library pavilion.
"Of course, it's the anniversary of the college fair. When we met," Mimi sees herself grin, deliriously happy.
"Yeah," Sara blushes, and the memory dims.
Not being able to help herself, Mimi shakes the mirror, "Is that it? Is there more?"
The faint echo comes from deeper in the cave, "More, more, more."
Picking up her skirts and running down the path, Mimi sees a maze of mirrors. Turning to the first one, Mimi one again sees Sara. This time Chen and Dumplin were sprawled at her feet. Dumplin with her head in her lap and Chen demonstrating her swordplay before gazing at Sara for positive reinforcement.
"Yeah," Sara blushes, running her fingers through Dumplin's loose red hair, "I thought about saving this until maybe later. But since we're together now."
Sara hands her a white envelope, and Chen and Dumplin crowd around Sara like little ducklings.
Mimi watches herself opening the envelope and pulls out the photos, "These are . . . ultrasound photos?"
Sara nods her head excitedly and puts a hand on the front of her robes.
A roaring noise fills Mimi's ears as a giant head surrounded by fire rounds the corner of the cave tunnel and speeds toward her.
Not fully processing what she is seeing, Mimi picks up her skirts and bolts into the maze. Twisting and turning, Mimi runs into the glass. Running into herself. The walls of the caves narrow, making it impossible for her to jump over the maze. Furious at being duped with memories of her wife and led deeper into the cave. Mimi pushes herself into a corner and waits for the head. Summoning a large ball of foxfire, Mimi remains as the face barrels into its reflection.
A quick movement to her right and Mimi sees her reflection tapping violently at the surface, tears run down her cheeks. Shining green eyes bloodshot.
"Well, then what do you want me to do?" Mimi hisses.
"Do, do, do," the echo says frantically.
The head finally spots her and races through the maze. Thinking quickly, Mimi shoves her foxfire at the nearest wall, collapsing the mirrors on top of the head, trapping it. But it would not be for long. For the first time in her life, Mimi really wants a fire extinguisher as she watches the head struggling under the layers of mirrors.
Keeping the head in her peripheral vision, Mimi turns to her reflection. But she is not there. She is kneeling next to the head, trying desperately to break from its confines to reach the head. The head has stopped struggling and is staring at her reflection. Mimi feels immediately uncomfortable as the head leans against the mirror, and her reflection presses her hand against the glass.
Oops, Mimi thinks and taps the mirror, trying to get the reflection's attention. Her reflection turns to her, sadly.
"How can I help?" Mimi asks, and her reflection gives her a hesitant smile before slipping through the mirrors to reach her.
"Help, help, help," the echo responds, voice firm.
Standing before her once again. The reflection stares at her before pressing her claws to the surface of the mirror.
"You're not going to do anything creepy like tug me in, are you?" Mimi asks, watching her reflection warily.
Impatiently shaking her head, the reflection looks at her and then back at the still glowing head trapped under the mirrors. Bracing her foot at the base of the mirror just in case, Mimi sets her own hands against the glass. Her claws glinting, Mimi feels something other than the glass against her fingers. They slowly interlink their fingers, and Mimi, not fully trusting this creature, yanks it towards her. But the unexpected weight surprises her, and Mimi stumbles backward. Mimi wheezes as she stares at the twin lying on top of her before shoving her off.
Her doppelganger in the black robes is still gasping for breath as she struggles to her feet. The cave around them begins to shake, and large rocks fall from the ceiling. One of which strikes Mimi in the head. Mimi can feel blood gushing out from a new gash near her scalp.
"Just my luck," Mimi grabs hold of her twin's arm and staggers towards the head.
Gritting her teeth against the fire, burning her skin, Mimi gets a good grip on the creature's hair before dragging the duo through a shadow. The strange trio pops up just outside the cave.
Dropping the echo and the head next to each other, Mimi sits as far as she can.
"Alright, you two, we need to talk," Mimi begins healing the cut on her scalp, but the burns on her palms inhibit this.
Letting out a growl, Mimi watches as her twin changes shape into an androgynous-looking young man and embraces the large head. Holding it close to him. The echo had rich red hair, and Mimi is dimly reminded of Dumplin, but quickly shoves that aside.
"I apologize for this. For the confusion," the echo says, using her voice, which Mimi is not thrilled with.
"I am sorry for attacking you," the head growls, and for some reason, Mimi is reminded of a lumberjack.
"What were you doing in the mirrors?" Mimi asks, still trying to get the images of several horror movies out of her head.
"A woman put me there," the echo says, contemplating her strangely.
"Did she look like me?" Mimi asks, and the echo slowly nods, "I believe that is the only reason why you were able to pull me through. Otherwise, I would have never been able to pass the barrier."
"Who are you?" Mimi asks, eyes shifting between the duo.
"I am an echo," the young man says, curling up closer to the head, propping his arm on top of the head, "and . . . this is my partner."
The head nuzzles the man's side and sticks his head into the young man's armpit. Mimi decides she does not want to learn more and stands up.
"He fell in love with me listening to his own voice reverberate off the walls," the echo says, "I had been seeing the woman who locked me in the mirror, but she was married."
Mimi sits back down, "Did you have a child with her?"
The echo looks at her strangely and shakes his head, "Not to my knowledge. Why?"
"No reason," Mimi says very quickly.
"I did not have a corporeal form then, but I was able to siphon some of your magic to give myself a new one," he says apologetically.
"Your welcome," Mimi says tiredly, "Can I help you guys with anything else?"
"You have returned us to each other. The task is complete," Echo sits on top of the head, and the two float away towards the horizon.
It is the last thing Mimi sees before the world begins to fade into the darkness.
Tender fingers stroke her face as she begins to wake. Wanting to enjoy the moment for a bit longer, Mimi keeps her eyes closed.
"I know you are awake," the clan leader's amused voice interrupts her thoughts, but his fingers do not stop their ministrations.
Slowly opening her eyes, she sees his elegant face leaning over her. But, she reasons, the most tender thing about him. The most extraordinary beautiful thing about the clan leader is the shave ice he is holding in his other hand. Rising like a monster from an old horror movie Mimi is about to take it from his hand when he holds it just out of her reach.
About to growl at the possibility of losing out on this sugary treat, Mimi is halted when he says, "Why don't you let me fix the burns on your hands first?"
Seeing the disappointment on her face, he holds it just under her nose, "I will hold it if you keep your hands steady."
Dutifully holding her hands aloft, Mimi quickly licks at the shave ice. She is immediately awash with the overpowering taste of sugar. How much had he put on? How do you screw up shave ice?
"I was given instructions on how to prepare it, but I don't think I got it right," his ears turn a little pink as he concentrates on healing her hands.
"No, no, it is very sweet," Mimi takes more time to inspect his concoction, "Would you like a bite?"
He had even put it in one of the tiny green teacups. Taking another bite, Mimi sighs contentedly, and Lan Xichen can't help observing the tongue swiping at the crisp ice. Hesitating only for a moment, the clan leader leans over and takes a bite of the shave ice. His mouth screws up, and he swallows.
"That . . . is very sweet," he confesses as he watches in awe as she takes another happy bite.
"I could not convince my uncle to allow the shave ice vendor to stay in Cloud Recesses, but I thought perhaps I could . . ."
"You thought correctly," Mimi beams at him as he continues to hold the shave ice for her.
"How was your task?" he asks, tying a bandage on her hand.
"Too many mirrors."