The bells around her neck swayed softly in the wind. Jinhua sat on her porch and watched the sky dim into an orange blaze of light.
"If only things were different..." The demoness trailed a finger gingerly across the top of her hand, circling the tattoo and its random design.
Her nose scrunched up in distaste once she realized what she was doing. She placed her tea cup down and wandered back into her cabin in search for something to cover her hands.
Pulling out a magazine, Jinhua trailed over the catalogs and saw some gloves that won't be too much.
Snapping her fingers, silk fabric gloves adorned her hands and arms. Doing it's job of covering the dreadful designs.
A sudden ring echoed around her home, making Jinhua look towards her lotus plant sitting on her window sill.
A few tung on Jinhua's chest indicated that both her bonded are in need of desperate help.
Glancing back at her tea cup that was left untouched, Jinhua let out a sigh as she snapped her fingers.
—
"Master!"
"Jinhua—!"
"Madam!?"
Waving the golden flames from her vision, Jinhua opened her eyes to see a massive shadow projection nail a punch into another massive beast.
"OOOOOO—!" MK and Mei scrunched their noses at the painful looking punch.
The projection then proceeded to land another hit into the beast that looked the way same tint of purple as the projection half the upper body of a wolf with the massive paws, and lower body of a snake with spines trailing down its tail.
It's yellow gleaming eyes wide in a twisted manner as if it were out for blood.
"The big creature thing started wreaking havoc first and then the other monster thing started to throw hands with it—!" Mei summarized quickly for Jinhua who continued to just stare.
The beast raised one of its massive paws and smack the projection into multiple buildings.
"Ahh-!!"
Screams rang out across the city as the two mighty giants continued to brawl.
Jinhua could feel her hands tremble at the familiar scene. Her eyes glowing a bit as she brandished her sword and charged into the city with Mk and Mei following quickly behind her.
"What do we do against that—!?" Mei shouted and pointed at the beast that stalked towards the projection with a twisted grin. It's eyes shifting from yellow to blue. But when it did, Jinhua spotted a few tears leaking down its face as it continued onward.
Each step it took made buildings crumble under its weight.
"You don't need to focus on the them—! Just focus on the civilians! This whole city is in grave danger as long as those two giants continue to duke it out!" Jinhua stated through gritted teeth. Her demon features finally shifted as she grew another feet taller. Her eyes sharper as she took in her surroundings.
"Scour the city! Help as many people as you can!"
MK and Mei nodded with determined looks and darted from her side in a flash as they rushed into opposite directions.
Jinhua quickly took a powerful leap with her hind legs and managed to land on top of a tall skyscraper. Taking a deep breathe, Jinhua let out a loud call.
"REN—!!!"
The beast stopped in its movement, its body gone frigid as its eyes slowly trailed over to Jinhua's form.
The howling winds and terrified screams went quiet as Jinhua and the creature stared into each other.
As if they were trying to see if this were reality and not another trick of an illusion that their grieved minds made up.
A whispered word uttered from the creature's mouth. A title that Jinhua had longed for so long.
"Ma...?"
A sudden fist connected with the creature's face and sent them flying. The beast laid sprawled over multiple shops and streets. It's eyes looking dazed.
And once it closed it's eyes it started to shrink back into its true form.
Jinhua snapped her fingers and teleported over to where the child might lay.
But once she appeared, another figure stood over the child and held them close to his chest.
His ears perk up at the slight sound of heels clicking on the cemented streets.
His body slowly turned around to see the mortified gaze of Jinhua holding her hands over her mouth. Her eyes pricking with a sudden itch.
Rushing footsteps could be heard behind her as they called her name.
"Master—!"
"Jinhua!"
But they froze at the strange atmosphere between their mother figure and this stranger who held the child protectively in his arms.
"Isn't that..."
"But that's impossible, didn't he.."
They trailed off as the words they were gonna say next were lodged in their throats at the sight Jinhua silently sobbing.
"This is some twisted joke isn't it...?" A weak chuckle left her lips. Her lips trembled as she watched the simian hand the child over to a shadow clone. His steps hesitant but they grew more bold as he grew closer.
"You... You died...!" Her statement made her voice crack in anguish, "You went cold—!" She choke back a sob.
Mei and MK stood behind her, not knowing what to do as this was the first time the oh so mighty heaven warrior crumbled into such a fragile state.
She held out her gloved hands as if presenting something, her face twisting in confusion and heartache, "This isn't real, you aren't real... you aren't standing before me like—!" She couldn't finish the sentence as his own hand grabbed ahold of hers.
His gaze never leaving her wavering one's.
His fingers slowly trailed up her arm and took hold of the red ribbon that tied around her neck comfortably. A single ring of the bells rung in the air only for Jinhua to hear as he gave it a flick.
The only indication she heard it was the twitch of her sharp cat ears.
His fingers trailed down the ribbon lace and held it up to his lips as he gave a chastising kiss.
He looked up to meet her broken expression, his own eyes softening. His next sentence brought the demoness to her knees.
"I had never stopped searching."
A weak chuckle fell from her lips as she closed her eyes, leaning into his palm that rubbed her tears away gently.
"I guess you did..." She placed her own hand over his softly, her violet orbs glancing up through her long lashes.
"It's nice to see you again, Macaque..."
"And I, to you, Jinhua."