FOUR BEASTS WUXIA Chapter 1 V3

AN: What follows is the very rough first draft of a story idea. IN this version, Luna is part of a world where there a re four nations that live on top of and within huge versions of the Four Auspicious Beasts. It's an idea I have drafted intensely and would love to build upon.

I discarded this and several other iterations (At least three total!) when I realized I was trying to cram way too much into one thing. I would like to revisit the Four Beasts nation, but worldbuilding has always been more exciting for the writer than the reader.

As a writer, I'm quite proud of what I created. As a reader, I found that I was skimming much of this as I was working.

These scraps will most likely remain a patreon exclusive. But hoepfully not forever.

If there's enough interest, I"ll post other scraps and outlines of old works which include discarded chapters and episodes.

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It would be nice to be a bunny.

Just… not have to worry about anything. Be cute and fuzzy and adorable. Maybe pound mochi on the moon if the old tales are to be believed, but I’d just settle with not having to worry about anything.

Bit morbid to think about since I’m cooking rabbits for tonight’s stew, but eh, it’s whatever. I’m allowed to daydream. Besides, it was mostly a vegetable soup with how many carrots and onions were shoved into this thing. Rabbit was just to add a bit of flavor to it.

It wouldn’t taste good, but it didn’t have to. Soon, my month-long stress will be over and I won’t have to worry about idiot tweens dying under my watch.

Tonight is going to be the Second Full Moon of the Three-Moon Ceremony. Barring a few idiots who couldn’t decide what type of materials they wanted to build their first Tool with, the rest of us could finally start heading back to the Black Turtle and prepare for the Crafting Portion of the Three-Moon-Ceremony and present ourselves as adults.

I am not staying no matter how much the idiots whine at me to help them find better materials. It’s been a month since I found the poor kids out on their lonesome for ‘tradition’, and it is a miracle that the Orderly Wilds have not fucked us over. They may be ‘Orderly’ which meant the terrain didn’t change on you every hour, but it was still the Wilds with all that entailed. Not like the wilds on the Black Turtle either with its normal fauna and flora. These Wilds were the energy-infused ones, with magical beasts and fucked up plants to kill you in spectacular ways.

And that was the better ways to die if you were stupid enough to try and eke out a living away from an Auspicious Beast. Stay any longer and the Black Turtle will move on, taking the Orderly Wilds with it, and leaving the idiots who decided to gamble their lives to lose their lives in the chaos of the encroaching Unsteady Realms.

As it was, I was very uncomfortable with the way the snowy hills that we had camped in suddenly bled into scorching savannahs in the north and blooming flower fields to the west. Sudden biome changes is a clear sign that you’re about to be claimed by the Unsteady Realms where chaos was law and the law was lethal.

But we won’t have to worry about that if we’re smart! No need to deal with the nightmare monsters from that region of existential horror if we finish our dinner fast and then pack up and return home.

Taking a sip of the stew, I nodded in satisfaction. Bit watery, but that was to be expected without any true starches to thicken up the stew. I'd have to remember to thank Professor Tsuchi for giving me that traveling spice pouch. It really made having good food outside easy.

Also have to remember to thank Dad for giving me the camping mess kit. The size changing enchantments on the pots made it easy to carry around yet cook for large groups.

Looking around, I checked on the other foods' progress. Bread was just about done baking in the underground fire pit. So were the three boars spinning over the firepit. This might not be enough for the munchkins to feel full, but they just needed something to keep them going through the trek back.

Standing up, I stretched and cracked my back before striding out into the middle of the encampment. Placing both hands on my hips, I shouted, “ALL RIGHT! EVERYBODYLINE UP!”

Immediately, the munchkins began striding out from the surroundings. Some popped out of the snow they had been hiding under, others hopped down from the trees they had been perched upon, they popped up from everywhere. For all their spontaneous materialization though, they ordered themselves up quite nicely.

It almost stirred this cold bitch’s heart to see the tweens line up, all nice and orderly like a Warden outpost. After this ceremony, they would all be adults, but in my eyes, they’ll forever be the idiots that somehow survived my care. Look at the couple doz…

...There are a dozen columns in front of me. Assuming each column has at least five munchkins, that’d mean there’s about sixty kids here. THere are definitely more though since I counted up to fifteen on average between them all and… Turtle’s black balls, I’ve been keeping over a hundred kids alive this past month. Possibly two hundred. Hopefully, not two hundred.

...Don’t think about how many times you almost fucked up. Or how they almost fucked up. Or just how many fuck ups almost fucked up lethally. Just focus on this last night. You did it last year and all the munchkins made it back, somehow; you can do it again this year and get these ones back, somehow.  Even if there are suddenly ten times the amount of kids than last year. Don’t think about the dead children. Don’t think about the hypothetical dead children.

...Damn it, now I can’t stop imagining the dead children. I wish I was a bunny. Bunnies don’t have to deal with this shit, right?

Licking my suddenly dry lips, I rallied nevertheless.

Taking a deep breath, I shouted, “Tonight is the last night, munchkins! After this meal, we are going to go on a straight march back to the turtle. I do not care if you want to grab anymore materials for your Crafting ceremony; we are not staying any longer! If you want extra materials, you can fight over the crap that I have gathered later.”

“Thank you, Boss Luna, Ma’am!” all the munchkins shouted

“Don’t call me that,” I snapped, turning my back to them to hide my blush, “Now grab your food and eat. I want us to move out at last light. Whoever’s on serving duty, get to it. Dismissed!”

“Hai!” they chorused. Then they all broke off into little groups, excitedly chatting as if they were on some idle camping trip. I mean, technically they were, but still! At least have the decency to be half as stressed as I am.

Tch. Damn kids. They’d better not die on the way back. Make all my hard work for nothing.

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Describe trek back.

Describe how the turtle’s aura typically makes things always cold.

Have section where kids spot a rabbit beast and want to hunt it down, but Luna stops them.

“Hey!”

“Fuck you!”

“I will fucking skin that rabbit!”

“Don’t chase it!” “How many times do I have to tell all of you not to split the party or chase random-ass things!? That’s how you die!”

“But it’s been throwing rocks at us.”

*Grabs rock and examines it* “You should thank it then. These rocks are actually Lunar-Aligned Materia. Pretty damn rare. You can sell it, but I’d recommend using it as a basis for your Tools since it’s purely Yin-aligned. Makes it really easy to add on other Materia when you want to customize your crap later.”

*Girl grabs it back* “Whoa! Really?”

“Indeed. Wait, how many of you have one?”

*Every single kid raises hand. Chews lip and ponders about how powerful that rabbit has to be to be intelligent enough to gift that many rocks.*

“Very fortunate and also slightly ominous.” “Let’s all thank it before it decides to punish all of you for your rudeness.”

“Thank you, Mr. Bunny!” *Girl*
“Thanks.”
“It hurt, but thanks!”

*Silence before even more rocks are thrown. Frantic scavenging.*

“Yo! This is awesome!”

“I know right!?”

“Hey, I’ve got too many; can somebody help me hold the extras?”

“I’ve got room!”

“Thanks.”

*Monologues about expecting in-fighting to break out over the rocks, but am pleasantly surprised by the discipline.*

“You guys can figure out how to split the spoils later. I want to keep going.”

“Hai!”

*Notices some kids looking at the rabbit*

“...I can practically hear all you idiots thinking about running after the damn bunny. Don’t. We are heading back to the turtle right now. Besides, that’s at least a Learning-Level beast. We don’t bother those.”

“What? Why?”

“Because even if they’re just sapient, they’re approaching sentience.”

“...What?”

“Right, Undergrowth kids.” “Basically, they’re about as smart as a kid and will only get smarter. I don’t like being mean to kids, so you don’t get to be either.”

“You’ve hit us,” one of the munchkins

“And that was to make sure you survived when things that can actually kill you, hit you.”

“...”

“Look, just don’t mess with the rabbit. Chances are it’ll fuck you over. Especially after it gave a gift instead of playing a prank on us. Kindness and manners pay back dividends. And never chase things that sneak up on you. If you didn’t see it first, chances are you won’t see it last either.”

“What does that mean?”

“It’ll probably kill you before you even find it. Or more hilariously, make you kill yourself in a way that’ll get told in stories on what not to do.”

“...”

“Do you want to be a what-not-to-do story? Because I’ll tell your story to the next batch of kids and laugh. Now get back in line, I want to be home by Moon’s Zenith.”

*Kids all fall in line.* *Rabbit cackles and disappears.

“That’s good. Now chop-chop.”

Looking up at the sky, I sighed in jealousy. Now that was a bunny to strive to be like if there ever was one. Showing up all mysterious-like, having no shits to give, and just causing complete chaos.

“Are we there yet?”

“Where are we?”

“I’m tired.

I bet bunnies didn’t have to deal with this bullshit.

KIDS FEEL RELAXED KNOWING THAT LUNA IS THERE TO WATCH OVER THEM, SO THEY ACT LIKE LITTLE SHITS.

INTERNAL MONOLOGUE HERE...There really should have been more than just me watching them. Teaching them basic crap and stuff. Never chase things that sneak up on you.

SECTION ABOUT COMPLAINING ABOUT LACK OF RANGERS FOR THE KIDS FROM THE UNDERBELLY. TALK ABOUT HOW THE RANGERS ONLY FOCUS ON THE OUTERSHELL AND THE INNER ORGAN KIDS.

“Are you really doing this again next year, Boss Luna?”

“Don’t call me that.”

*Expectant stares*

“Yes.” “Somebody’s got to make sure the kids from the Undergrowth don’t die.” *Mutters* “Four Beasts know that the fucking Rangers won’t do their jobs for the ‘filthy urchins’. Inner Organ kids and Upper Shell kids for sure, but what’s a couple dead kids from the Undergrowth? Damn pricks.”

“Is it really that bad?”

“You heard that?”

“Mmhmm.”

“...It’s not that bad. So long as you stay in the area where the Rangers patrol.”

“But all the upperfolk get all the good spots and grab all the good crap first!”

“And that’s the crutch of it. Most kids like us have to do what we did. Wander out to the edges of the Orderly Wilds and… yeah. Shit sucks.”

“Wait, you’re an Undergrowth kid too?”

“Dropped right out of the alleyways of the Turtle’s Lower Head,” I cackled. It would never get old that the seediest part of the Black Turtle was named after a stupid dick joke.

“Why are you out here then?” a girl asked, “I mean, you already did the Three-Moon Ceremony. Why did you come out here and help us?”

“Somebody’s got to teach the new kids how to actually do crap,” I sighed with a wry grin. I thought about lying and being a tsundere or something, but I’ve spent too much time out here and gotten attached, “Be honest, how helpful was the two week crash course from the Wardens on manipulating Qi?”

The grumbles that followed were to be expected. I sympathized hard with them. My greatest fortune was having the misfortune of getting my Qi unlocked early. It almost killed me way back when, but it gave me more time to learn how to actually use it. Almost gave me an edge compared to the trust-fund babies.

Almost. Money gets you actual tutors and training. My Three-Moon Ceremony was a shitshow and the Tool I made was… crap. AT least I survived though.

Clicking my tongue, I forced myself out of idle reminiscence, “Enough sad shit. You guys got the good materials, eh? Go make good tools, get a good start on life, and remember the basics of Qi, ‘kay? Live good lives and help others.”

“Hai!” they chorused.

“Good munchkins,” I said with a hint of pride. Just a hint. Didn’t want these idiots getting lazy. “Anyways, help others like us, eh?”

That should have been it, but then the munchkins surprised me.

“I’ll come next year too then!” a boy shouted,

“Me too!” a girl joined, The Undergrowth binds everything, and so we got to help like you do.”

“Pay it up!”

“Yeah. We should start our own tradition.”

...These damn kids. They’re good kids, and I hope they can keep up this kindness. Too bad it wasn’t allowed.

“Sorry, no dice,” I smiled sadly, oddly touched by their naivete, “It’s illegal for non-Rangers to be out during the Three Moon Ceremony.”

“Then are you a Ranger, Boss Luna?”

My smile stopped being sad and started being frozen. Oh right, what I was doing was slightly illegal. Right. Right. Recovering quickly, I snapped in a facsimile of habit, “Stop calling me that!”

That should distract them.

“Boss Luna didn’t answer the question.”

“She didn’t?”

“She didn’t.”

“That means she--”

In the creepiest display of unison, all the munchkins smiled in unison as they bullied me. “Answer the question, Boss Luna. Are you supposed to be here?”

Why did they always have to pick the worst time to be perspective.

Humming to stall for time, I tried to think of a way to avoid incriminating my slightly illegal way of helping these ungrateful munchkins, “Well, you see…”

“HELP! HEEEEEEEEELP!” somebody shouted off in the distance.

“Oh no,” I said, smooth as silk and jumping on the opportunity to escape the awkward question, “somebody is in danger. We must go help them. Apologies, I cannot answer anymore questions.”

And then I left. Adults can do that to kids, especially kids not done with the Three-Moon Ceremony. It’s bloody wonderful.

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AN: My plan for the next two chapters, according to my chickenscratch skeleton of an outline, was to have Luna rescue the upperclass kids, get hurt and almost die, and then have the Bunny character come in to partner with her.

I actually have the dialogue for that section written up already, but it's dialogue only. I'll try and find the energy to at least add in who is speaking, but for now, this is the scraps of NaNoWriMo.

November really is the worst month for that writing project.