Chapter Text
A single white boot touched down onto the surface of the lake, barely making a ripple amongst the petals. Menglin blinked, taking in the colors and shapes despite the darkness caused by the eclipse above him, a smile spreading across his face. He had done it, he made it to Earth!
The trees and flowers, even the water, had so many different hues. He walked across the water to the shore, his robes not soaking in a drop. He reached out, catching a vibrant maple leaf that blew off a nearby tree. Menglin smiled, tracing the edge of the leaf. What a wondrous thing.
He would need to make the most of his time, before the moon passed out of the Earth’s shadow. A small book was pulled out of his sleeve, the leaf carefully pressed between blank pages. The first of his collection.
Menglin was so engrossed in admiring the strange new world around him, he didn’t notice the glowing eyes watching him from the woods until a large hand shot out and wrapped around him. A surprised shout left Menglin, his white hands grabbing at the hardened skin and scales of the monstrosity. He looked up, eyes wide at the creature that pulled him hundred of meters up, a frightful miasma filling the air.
What was this thing? He had been so careful to descend to a place that was free of human life, how had he missed such a beast? The thoughts flashed through his mind, hardly having a chance to fully form before the flash of metal hitting scales made him close his eyes.
He was falling before being caught and carried away into a tree, gasping at the speed. Menglin blinked, his vision filled with long strands of black hair before he was deposited in the hollow knot of the tree.
“Stay here until the danger has passed.” The man with the long dark hair hardly spared him a glance before leaping off the branch, spear brandished at the monster below them. Menglin blinked, leaning out a little to watch.
The battle was a sight to behold. The stranger leapt and struck the monster, over and over, in such a graceful manner. Even as the monster keened its death throes, the man landed back on the sturdy branch, looking down with intent before turning his attention to Menglin.
Chénglóng had been hunting this monstrosity for the better part of three days, through thick woods and barren hills. He hadn’t seen many people out here, save for the occasional hunter. But this man, he looked like he belonged in the courts of the finest level of gentry.
With pure white robes, embroidered intricately with rabbits and stars, that matched the shade of his skin and hair. Chénglóng had thought him an elder at first, but now saw the face of a vibrant youth who hadn’t quite reached full adulthood yet. Someone his own age.
The young man wasn’t one easily shaken, but he felt his expression go slack with awe as he stared into the strangest eyes he’d ever seen. Pupil less and pure silver.
“That was incredible!” Menglin couldn’t help himself, just as in awe of the human before him. “You must be a mighty warrior.”
Chénglóng couldn’t sense any evil coming from this creature, but there was a power. Radiant and pure. He said nothing, slowly offering a hand. Menglin’s excitement calmed, turning into a more nervous energy. He had been specifically instructed not to interact with humans.
Still, he had no other choice, did he? He took the stranger’s hand, noting how vibrant and warm it was compared to his own, before he was once again swept off his feet and carried back down to the forest floor.
“Who and what are you?” Chénglóng brandished his spear in a defensive position in front of him, not daring to point it at Menglin. Not yet. The strange young man brushed a few bits of bark from his robes before looking back at the warrior. He bit his lip a moment, before giving an expression as though giving in.
“My name is Menglin. I’m just visiting.” He offered a shy smile, trying not to be nervous about revealing himself. As long as no one found out he spoke to a human…it would be fine.
“Visiting? From where?” Chénglóng sounded far more curious than he intended, his brows still furrowed. Menglin shifted, glancing up at the lunar eclipse that had not yet reached its zenith. Chénglóng followed the silvery gaze and lowered his weapon slowly. The moon…
“Well, I…um…”
“You…come from the moon?” It was Chénglóng’s turn to sound awed by Menglin. He straightened, his spear moving to his side as he finally let wonder take over his face. Both men looked at one another, quiet for a moment.
“What brings you here, my lord?” The formal manner of speaking twisted Menglin’s insides. He held his hands up, shaking his head.
“Please, just Menglin is fine! I just wanted to see all the colors and scenery…before the eclipse finishes. Everything back home is so…grey and white. Heng’e would tell me about colors and warmth, I just wanted to experience it for myself.” He rambled a little, tucking some of his crystalline hair behind his ear.
“Heng’e?” Chénglóng tilted his head, a confused look crossing his face.
“Yeah, she was from here. She had a husband but some bad things happened, and she had to come live with us with her rabbit. She doesn’t like talking about it, it makes her really sad…”
“You mean Chang’e and Jade Rabbit?” Menglin gave him an odd look, and Chénglóng felt his stomach twist, like he’d said something incredibly stupid.
“Her name is Heng’e. My mother’s name is Changxi.”
“My apologies… Perhaps the name was changed as the legend was passed down. I know there were two emperors with that same name.”
“That seems rude, to change her name just because they had the same one.” Menglin stepped closer to Chénglóng, making the man stiffen. Why was he acting like this? He’d fought monsters and warriors, he was in line to become general for his clan! Yet this foreign, mystical moon man caused his insides to twist and his heart to pound.
The monk way of life was truly making his ability to handle being social around attractive people falter something fierce.
“What is this color called?” Menglin’s hand reached out, touching the sleeve of Chénglóng’s tunic.
“It’s called blue.” He swallowed, watching the fascination on Menglin’s face.
“I don’t have anything in my collection of this color yet…do you know where I might find something?” He looked up, a soft smile on his face. So innocent and pure. Any thoughts Chénglóng may have had about doing anything other than accompanying this man on his quest vanished.
“I think I might.”
The grotto was serene, quiet save for the sounds of nature and the footsteps of the two men that approached. Menglin and Chénglóng had spoken softly, learning about one another on their walk as they weaved through the trees.
Menglin was fascinated by Chénglóng’s life. How he was the youngest of three sons, born into a high ranking family yet sent to study and train with monks and warriors in order to be worthy of becoming the clan general. An honor the man took quite seriously, despite his eldest brother being in a position to potentially become emperor.
And Chénglóng was mesmerized by the idea that he was in the presence of someone who not only knew a legend, but had apparently been alive to see Heng’e arrive on the moon. The aging was different for his kind, being one of the twelve children born of Changxi and Di Jun.
“I thought Di Jun’s second wife gave birth to twelve daughters…” He spoke gently, not wishing to offend the other. Menglin sighed, looking down at the ground as they walked. Clearly this was a subject that he was a little sore on.
“Yes, well…I do have eleven sisters, and Father’s first wife is more famous for bearing sons. I…think my mother resents me a little, for being born male.” He spoke the last bit quietly, as though it were a thought he had long kept to himself.
Chénglóng paused, looking at him. It would make sense as to why the young man was dressed in a more feminine attire and bore a feminine name. Menglin shook his head, looking up at the grotto.
“This place is beautiful. We can find something blue here?” He pulled his scrapbook from his sleeve, looking earnestly at Chénglóng. The human smiled before pointing over at a cropping of flowers.
“Right there, Menglin.” Tiny blue blossoms grew atop long thin stems, nearly impossible to see in the near darkness. But the moon-being’s smile was bright as he crouched down. Thin fingers ever so gentle as he plucked merely one or two flowers from the plant and added them between the pages of his book. Chénglóng knelt beside him, looking curiously at the ledger.
“What else have you collected so far?” Menglin looked over, surprise evident that someone would be interested. His smile grew wider, turning the pages to show and explain where he had collected each of his specimens. It wasn’t until he reached the maple leaf at the beginning that he paused to take it out and admire it.
“I think this has been my favorite so far.”
“Red?” Menglin nodded, smiling brightly. Chénglóng smiled in return, glancing down when a rabbit hopped closer to the otherworldly being. “You know, that is considered a very lucky color.
“Is it?” His smile grew even more, tucking it back into his book before hiding it away in his sleeve again. Chénglóng picked up one of the rabbits, gently stroking it and seeing Menglin’s eyes widen. He chuckled, offering the creature out to him.
“Why, it’s all white! Except its eyes!”
“That shade is called pink, it’s a cousin to red.” The two sat, surrounded by lazy bunnies in the serene grotto. It was a friendly sort of peaceful, exchanging knowledge while secretly wondering what it would be like to experience the kind of life the other had.
One of immortality and legendary fame, and the other of color and freedom. Until the last phase of the eclipse began to wane.
“I have to go…” Menglin stood, looking up sadly at the moon. Chénglóng got up, feeling a tug in his chest. A spiteful desire that he pushed down. He bowed to him.
“It was a pleasure, getting to meet and get to know you, Lord Menglin.” Menglin looked at him, giving him a sad smile. There was a part of him that wanted so desperately to stay.
But neither man spoke of these feelings as they bowed, giving each other their thanks and respect before Menglin made his way to the water of the grotto. Chénglóng watched in awe as the glimmer of moonlight enveloped his new acquaintance and the immortal being disappeared from his view.
Neither of them would come to know the fate of the other for a long, long time.