Threads 201 Festival 2

As she left in the afternoon, she found herself standing outside the gates, looking up at the sky. They’d positioned and inscribed the sculptures Zhengui had already made and twisted the flows of qi to thicken the mist about them, cloaking their simple details, but there was still quite a lot to do, especially since they were planning to accommodate twenty odd mortals instead of only a few.

“Are you really okay with that? It seems like a weird decision for you,” Sixiang commented.

Ling Qi hummed in agreement, strolling down the street toward the town’s gate at a mortal speed. It was a strange decision, but it wasn’t for her.

“Ah, I guess the little big guy was really excited about more people,” Sixiang mused.

His eyes, both sets, had lit up when she announced her decision. She didn’t truly understand it, anymore than she understood how Hanyi could be so irritable with crowds and yet so comfortable on stage, drawing energy from her audience to perform more smoothly than she ever did in their practices.

“There’s a lot of power in an audience,” Sixiang said. “In any crowd.”

Ling Qi thought of roads carved in mountains and endless cities built in towering piles, descending beyond sight in the depths of dream. Small pieces, making something greater and greater still.

“I’m not one for the great crowds,” she said, passing down the slowly emptying streets. “But it seems my siblings are. That’s fine, I think.”

… Trying to drag others along her Way was probably futile, wasn’t it?

Yet, Ling Qi found, she couldn’t yet arrive at a conclusion. She had seen a brief window of war. She had walked in the dusty streets of history and taken the tiniest measure. She had witnessed the adulation of people over the course of a week-long tour. What she was doing with Zhengui was another piece, she thought, perhaps the last one to find some satisfaction for the festering itch that had been in the back of her mind for months.

“Come on, Sixiang,” she said. “Zhengui is expecting us.”

***

“Oh, Gui is so excited!” Her little brother practically vibrated with excitement.

“Foolish Gui is too undignified,” Zhen hissed. “At least try to be serious!”

Ling Qi smiled faintly as Zhengui bickered with himself, looking out into the mist-filled paths of the garden. They had finished the last of the wards in good time, leaving the last few days to decide exactly how this festival was going to proceed. She had tried to invite Hanyi to participate as well, but her other spirit had taken one look at the garden and said it wasn’t her place. That hadn’t stopped her from hanging around and critiquing their efforts though.

Now, with evening falling on the last day, Hanyi was guiding her family and household to Zhengui’s hill.

“I think Zhen is right this time,” Ling Qi said. “It’s important to be serious for the first part.”

“Big Sister is right.” Gui stilled himself with an effort. “But it’s gonna be hard. Why do we have to wait at the center?”

There was a bit of childish complaint in his voice.

“Because you’re the king of the garden. Sixiang, Hanyi, and I are the guides,” Ling Qi admonished gently.

“Obviously,” Zhen hissed haughtily. He had been the one to insist most firmly on the idea. “Besides, foolish Gui will be busy controlling the trees! Do not be distracted and ruin Zhen’s first festival.”

“Gui is more worried about snotty Zhen scaring people and being mean,” Gui grumbled. “Gui will do his part!”

“Hmph, do not imply that Zhen would be so careless around Little Sister,” his other half hissed.

Ling Qi closed her eyes, knowing that it was just his nerves that brought out his bickering side.

“They’re almost here,” Sixiang whispered.

“It’s time, Zhengui,” Ling Qi said aloud.

“Okay, Big Sister!” they said together, and she could hardly tell their voices apart.