Title: Wish
Category: Cartoons » Hero: 108
Author: Cahaya Sidur
Language: English, Rating: Rated: K+
Genre: Friendship/Hurt/Comfort
Published: 03-09-14
Words: 2,287

Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.

AN: Written when listening to 'The Wish Well' by Redeemers, and 'One Day', by Matisyahu. Random idea that struck me. Hope you like!

09/03/14: Decided to just put both my one-shots into one one-shot collection randomly instead of posting it one at a time. May be putting up more one-shots based on random ideas.

Summary: With the rightful Emperor found and reinstated on the throne, what happens to Lin Chung? Random idea, so no clear plot.

It was a good day. Supposed to be a good day.

The young found Emperor smiled in the mirror. Today, he turns it all right. Today, he ends the war. Today, he banishes Highroller for good.

He couldn't think of anything better.

After being stuck in the shadows for who knows how long, coming back out to reclaim his throne and birthright seems…right. He laughed to himself. When First Squad had arrived at his place, seeking his help in ending the war, and elated of having found him, he had found them amusing.

Except for one.

Lin Chung.

There was something about him that seemed familiar. Ying couldn't think for the sake of him what, but he somehow had seen Lin Chung before. The warrior had merely smiled, and look amused at the actions of First Squad, before leading them all back to Big Green at night, to keep a low profile.

His grey hair, his calm nature, his dark eyes, his shooting skills, heck, even his smile reminded him of someone. Maybe someone from a story…? He turned as he heard the door opening, and Apetrully poked his head in. "Your majesty?"

Ying smiled at Apetrully.

Already, he knew that Apetrully was the Monkey King, and both had agreed to reveal it later on in the night. However, Apetrully had had a lot of doubts about this.

The soon-to-be Emperor had encouraged him to do so, going as far as to bribe and threaten him, before promising him that no one would hate him. This perked the Monkey King up, and he had agreed to it.

He turned. "A minute. I'm nearly ready."

Apetrully nodded, and went back out, probably pacing the corridor again.

Ying sighed, and stood up. He walked outside, met with Apetrully, and walked along the great hallway where the portraits of the former Emperors and their families were. One day, he hoped as he saw the past great Emperors, his picture would be up there as well.

He stopped for a few moments as he passed the last picture: His father, his mother, and his siblings. All of them were sitting or standing regally in the picture, and he, as the oldest, was standing in between his mother and father, who were at the back.

A sudden thought popped into his head, but he snuffed it out before it could get too far.

No use being distracted. He needed to have a clear head in order to be crowned Emperor and to overlook the treaty between the animals and the humans.

As he walked out to the Courtyard, he noticed how all the animals and humans were standing in different groups, split in the middle by the soldiers and heroes of Big Green. First and Second Squad waited for him on the end.

He walked to the end, trying to calm his thumping heart.

Ying looked up at the beaming faces of all of the humans, and knew personally that he had to make this succeed, or else he would have failed Hidden Kingdom. The Bears, surprisingly, were also there, but they were guarded carefully by the strongest of the animals: The Gorillas, the Elephants, the Rhinos…

After the ambush on East Citadel a few nights ago, he could finally take it back from the trickster who had stolen it from them…that reminded him. Where was Highroller?

He smiled at the people, and stopped at the end, where he bowed before Woo the Wise, who held in his hand the Emperor's Crown.

"Do you swear, Ying of Hidden Kingdom, to guard the people, to lead the people, to do whatever it takes to keep the people safe and in peace?"

The simple statement had much more meaning than that.

And Ying knew it.

Swearing to do so would be having to follow this until his future son took it, or heir, or his death. It would also mean that he had to keep both the humans and the animals safe, and made sure of their well-being. But he had no hesitation whatsoever, if this would help the people. "Yes."

The simple word contained much more meaning than the question asked earlier.

As Woo placed the Crown on his head gingerly, he called out for all to hear. "Long live Ying, the Emperor of Hidden Kingdom!"

Cheers erupted from all sides. The humans and animals mixed, and Ying beamed at the Squads, who returned the smirks and grins. Only Lin Chung remained distant, but he smiled when Ying joined them.

Two days after his crowning, and people were already expecting him to do great things.

And that was why Ying was currently in this room, where Second and First Squad were, for once, not bickering over who was the best. Big Green still existed, yes, but now it could extend it's roots to all over Hidden Kingdom, not just at one spot, far away from the East Citadel.

The animals were surprised when Monkey King revealed himself (except for Parrot King, but Ying suspected the King knew something about this), and had agreed for Apetrully to be the Emperor's advisor. As tradition, to ensure a balance, the Emperor would be a human, but the advisor would be an animal to make sure that both sides were satisfied.

He looked at the corner, where Lin Chung was quietly painting a picture.

Though, according to his friends, he had been terrible at first, he had improved considerably. Ying turned back to Kowloon, who was chatting happily to him, and completely ignoring Mighty Ray, who was trying to get Ying's attention.

Ying grinned, laughing at something Mighty Ray snapped at Kowloon.

He still couldn't place a finger on where he had seen Lin Chung before. But he was so close, so very close to finding out.

He looked at the Peacocks, who were now the official clocks, and were chatting eagerly with Mystique Sonia about something that Ying couldn't be bothered to find out. It was nearly time for the celebration…again.

Lin Chug had known for a long time that although finding Ying, the Emperor, would bring peace throughout Hidden Kingdom, Ying would also be his downfall.

When he had started off, and found Big Green, he was not exactly what you could call a normal human being. Normal human beings felt. They acted naturally, and did things through their emotions, not always through their heads.

But Lin Chung had always done his best to mimic them, so as not to arouse suspicious. Lin Chung wasn't even his name. He didn't have one. He had made one up to seem normal.

However, he knew, as he made friends, that his friends, his acquaintances, everyone he knew, shaped him. They made him more human. They helped him have emotions, helped him to learn how to feel.

That was his greatest gift.

But that was also part of the reason that he knew he was being selfish.

When he first realised how human he had become, he had in turn wished.

Wished like all of the other people of Hidden Kingdom. He had wished for someone to share his burden with, and the Jade Emperor had given him Tien Kwan, who could help him and guide him and lead him and teach him.

This was one thing which Lin Chung was most grateful for.

But he knew that he would have to pass one day, and so, he had spent every minute of being alive to try and cherish it. But that only got you so far.

When they had found Ying, Lin Chung immediately knew his time was up.

With so many people thankful of Ying, and of the peace, there was no need of him anymore. No need at all. And so, now, as he sat and quietly painted, he looked at his finished masterpiece. The one of Big Green, the one which had taken him forever to complete. The one where everyone he knew was in it.

All except for him.

Because he knew that he wouldn't be part of this bright future anymore.

He gently set the paintbrush down, examined the painting once more. He stood up, eyes closed, and a small smile on his lips. At least his friends would now be happy…

Ying turned to where Lin Chug had previously been painting, and his mouth fell open. Kowloon noticed, and turned, causing all of them to turn. The painting was still there, and so was the paintbrush.

But Lin Chung was gone.

Ying stood up, turned to the door, and frowned. "Where is he?"

They all shrugged, the door having not been opened. If it had, they surely would have heard it.

A voice spoke from behind him. "Back."

Ying jumped and turned around, to face an old man. Mystique Sonia recognised him immediately. "Tien Kwan."

The old man smiled at the young lady, and looked forlornly at the place where the painting still hung. "Hello."

"What do you mean, back? He didn't even leave the room! What kind of human being-?!" Alpha Girl made to shout some more, but Tien Kwan shook his head.

"No. He's not what you call a human being."

"What do you mean?" Woo asked cautiously, but Ying had figured it out.

Where he had seen Lin Chung before.

"The Wishing Star." He murmured quietly. "My mother used to read it to me." Tien Kwan nodded with a sad smile.

Mystique Sonia frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, Sonia, that each human being is granted a wish."

"A wish?" Mighty Ray asked hopefully.

"Yes." Tien Kwan turned to him. "But yours is already satisfied." Mighty Ray deflated visibly. "Everyone has a wish." All were listening to him intently now. "And when the Wishing Star deemed the person ready, it would grant their wish." He sighed. "And when that happened, there would always be a consequence. When Hidden Kingdom was nearly taken over by Highroller, what were you wishing for?"

"That Ying would take back the throne." Mr. NoHands spoke softly, very unlike him, as he realised what Tien Kwan meant.

Ying's heart turned to lead.

"Exactly. You wished that the War would stop. The humans all wished this. So did the animals. That there would be someone who can help both the animals and the humans. Stop this unnecessary war that they feel like they had to win. And when the Wishing Star saw the wishes, the answer was simple. Get a person to accomplish this.

"But people are not what they used to be. They can be very easily corrupted, unfortunately. And so, the Wishing Star took some of it's own powder, and formed a person. A person who would be a great warrior, but would still be noble, would not be easily swayed, one who would be gentle as well."

He frowned as he saw several mouths open. "When you think of warriors, who do you know that does not have a flaw?"

"But Lin Chung had flaws."

Tien Kwan nodded. "Because you let him."

"What?" Mystique Sonia asked, frowning.

"Lin Chung spent 5 years wandering amongst the humans and animals, learning all he could about them, and learning to mimic their emotions so that he seemed almost normal. When did he join Big Green?"

"When the war started." Kowloon said in dawning realisation.

"Yes. When the war started. A few weeks after the praying started, when it was clear that the Emperor," He shot Ying a sympathetic look. "Was said to be dead. Then, when Lin Chung came, you shaped him."

"We shaped him?" Kowloon asked.

"Your thoughts of him. If you wanted him to be modest, you wanted him to be proud, be a warrior, anything. He would be it. It helped shaped who he is-was."

"But he wasn't the best at everything." Woo pointed out.

Tien Kwan nodded. "Yes. But that is because there are negative thoughts harbouring against him. If you wanted him to be stupid, while others wanted him to be clever, he lost some of that. Hatred harboured against him would shape him as well." At the confused looks, he frowned. "For example…being easily bribed or tempted. When he first stepped here, he was immune to it. But as you shaped him, formed him, he became more interested. Some of the things he did had deeper reasons than you actually think they have."

"Like?" Woo asked, interested.

"Like the Peacocks." Tien Kwan nodded at the clock, which tilted their heads. "When most of you were scrambling to try and be favoured by her, he was not as easily tempted."

"But he wanted to draw her feathers." One of the Peacocks pointed out.

"Because it must have reminded him of something. When the Wishing Star did this, it provided some of itself into Lin Chung. Lin Chung, not able to draw because of his skill being dulled-" Woo looked guilty, and they immediately knew the reason why. "Saw something beautiful, something wondrous that he hadn't seen in a long time."

He let out a sigh. "And now, when Ying is found, the wish for someone to protect them was gone. After all, they had the Emperor now…what could possibly go wrong?"

"But that's not true." Ying protested. "I can't just fix everything." His heart was sinking even more as he realised that even though he himself was the downfall of Lin Chung, the part of the Wishing Star had continued to wish for it.

"No." Tien Kwan agreed. "You can't. That is why the Wishing Star is still there." He faced Ying as he walked out. They followed him, curious even as they listened to his explanation. "He reminds you of someone, does he not? And so do I?"

"I remember you. You were the wisest of the Scholars and Archivists in the Library. But why not choose someone stronger? Or more knowledgable? No offence." He flushed slightly at the amused glance from Tien Kwan.

"Because he is wise." Woo pointed out. "You don't need to be smart or strong to make the wise decision. Being wise is…" He frowned, trying to find a word. "Better than being just intelligent or strong."

Tien Kwan smiled at Ying. "Do you now remember where you saw him?"

Ying nodded. "The exiled one. He was a prince who was exiled because he was framed. When they brought him back, he was hardened as a warrior. But he still possessed a gentleness to the ones who framed him. He didn't blame anyone. And he was said to practice some sort of witchcraft?"

"Harmonic and Chaotic Energy. Where do you think the books of them come from?" Tien Kwan asked. "Not anyone can study it in a few weeks and then present it in words. They need to take at least several years in order to properly understand it." They had now reached the top of the East Citadel.

Tien Kwan looked up at the sky. "The Wishing Star, in it's own way, protects us. It listens to our wishes and makes them a reality."

"Then, if we want to see Lin Chung, it will let us?" Mystique Sonia asked, curious.

Tien Kwan smiled at her. "If that is what you are all hoping for, then maybe, yes." He looked up, and smiled into the darkness. "Oh look. A shooting star."

A streak of bright light flashed across the sky.