"Ma'!! C'mon....!" A child's voice whined out, "We're gonna be late for the parade—!!"
Fixing up the child's haori, a chuckle erupted from the demoness' lips, "You can't leave until I tie this up, or else you'll trip when you start running around, Ren."
Ren jutted his lip out into a pout, crossing his arms, he turned his head to the side, "Fine... Since I wanna look cool like Pa'..."
A hand was gently placed on the demoness' shoulder as the person in question leaned over her to get a good look at Ren, "So that's why you chose that haori, huh? To look like me?" He teased with a grin, showcasing his canines.
"I- Well... Yeah! Got a problem with that!?" Ren flailed his arms around in annoyance.
"Now, now, stop moving around so much, I've almost tied it up firmly." The demoness gave the man beside her a sharp look, "And stop your little teases, Macaque."
The simian raised his hands up in defeat, "Whatever the head of the house says." He saluted with a serious face. Resulting in Ren snickering at his expression and posture.
Jinhua shifted to the side as she pulled out some sound nullifying ear buds. She handed them to the simian as he started to hold them up with furrowed brows, "They work, don't worry." She chuckled.
"Well that's good. I don't wanna go deaf mid way through." Macaque chuckled as he started putting them in. Ren climbed up on his back to get eye a good look.
With a roll of her eyes, Jinhua let out a small laugh at the two, "Honestly you two are gonna be the end of me." At that she got up from her kneeling position and went to grab some cash for the festival.
Macaque was tying a small fur rimmed robe as another coat for Ren as he held another for Jinhua, "You gotta be on your best behavior, Ren.. No teleporting or showing your tail."
Macaque used his glimmer to shift into a more humane look.
Ren looked up and nodded slowly, "I don't understand, Pa'.. Why can't we just walk the streets without using these illusions and spells...?"
Macaque smiled sadly and rubbed his head affectionately, "This world has yet to understand that demons and humans are not so different from each other. Instead Humans and mortals choose to live in fear for what they cannot understand.."
Ren looked down at his purple and blue splotches skin tone, "But... That's just stupid..!" He huffed with a scrunched up nose.
A small chuckle was heard behind the two boys, "Indeed it is, my little sugar plum. But that's just how it is. The world is a very cruel and unjust place." Jinhua grabbed one of Ren's hands, "But... That doesn't mean the world is just that... It's filled with the things we also love most."
Ren blinked in awe as he looked up at his parental, "Like family...? A-And mochi?"
"That's right, bud." Macaque punched his cheek playfully, "All we need is Family and mochi. With that, nothing can stop us."
Ren giggled at that, and grabbed hold of Macaque's hand with his free one. He stood in the middle as he beamed a bright smile, "I like the sound of that...!"
Jinhua and Macaque smiled softly and glanced up at each other from either side. Once they're eyes met, it felt like they accomplished something.
Something they fought for to gain.
And this was it.
A family.
"Let's hurry up!! I wanna go and get some sweet mochi on the stick!!" Ren beamed excitedly, his hands tugging on both his parent's hands.
"Okay okay...!" Jinhua chuckled as she snapped her fingers, golden flames erupting around her figure and the others.
—
Sliding out of the alleyway, Ren was already dashing out, his amber eyes filtering the streets of lights and colors.
"Look! The lanterns are all rainbow colored! A-and look over there! I don't know what it is, but it smells good!" Ren giggled as he raced over with pure joy.
Macaque chuckled and followed after with a hand over Jinhua's, "I expected much, but it seems we're gonna be running for our money after this night..."
Jinhua's expression softened at the sight of Ren glancing back every other minute to check that they're still there. His face lighting up once he saw a giant black cat plushie.
"I'm happy for him..."
Macaque glanced over at his lover and couldn't help but grin, his hand then reached over her shoulder and brought her closer into a side hug, "I don't doubt it."
"Ma'! Look!" Ren pointed at a stand at the far side with a small line.
Jinhua narrowed her eyes as she noticed a couple of familiar demons.
Macaque chuckled lightly at the sight, "Well I'll be. I guess some people do change." He guided the demoness over with a shit eating grin, "I'm the form of a spicy middle stand."
At the sound of a familiar tease, the Demon Bull King glanced over his shoulder to see the small family. A small smile filtering his face at the sight, "I see you've both gotten together."
Jinhua muffled a chuckle at his comment, "After all the events that transpired, it was going to happen sooner of later."
The Demon Bull King chuckled at that, "I wouldn't have helped that simian if it wasn't you, Jinhua." He continued to cook in his pot full of noddles, "After all the things you've done for my family...? I didn't even hesitate."
Jinhua's eyes softened, "And I thank you for that...."
With a huff that came through his nose, "Now that your here, I expect you order or leave, I don't wanna get trapped in another long conversation between my wife and you again..."
Macaque stifled a laugh as he watched Ren clamber up on a stool and barely peek over the counter.
"I want the mildest one you got!" He placed a few coins on the table.
Macaque glanced over at the levels of spice, "I'll take the same thing as my boy here." He then glanced over at Jinhua, "And you?"
"The Inferno one will do. I know how you like to give people a good challenge, Bull King." Jinhua grinned up at the Bull as she placed down her card.
Demon Bull King chuckled darkly, "But of course, I'd expect nothing else from a family friend." He then turned to the side, "Oi, Redson...! Come help in the kitchen!"
"O-on the way, Father!" A scramble of noises and things dropping was heard in the back, as the boy in question hurried over to help his father
Ren stifled a giggle at the struggle and sat back on Jinhua's lap as he started to mess with the red ribbon that hung around her neck.
Macaque watched the two as he noticed the two different ribbon on them. Jinhua was waiting patiently as she tidied up the child's ponytail with a blue ribbon.
A soft giggle came from Ren as he snuggled closer to the demoness and let out a sigh of content when Jinhua placed a chin on his head comfortably while her arms wrapped around him.
Macaque brought his arm over Jinhua's shoulder and brought her head leaning on his shoulder, his free hand holding onto Ren's small clawed one.
—
Ren let out a small burp as they continued to make their way around the festival, "That was still spicy..."
Macaque was fanning his mouth as his tongue was still stinging a tad bit, "I thought that was the smallest..."
Jinhua chuckled as she started to wipe Ren's mouth with her long sleeve, "You two just have a sweet tooth." She smiled softly at the similarities between the two as they both stuck their tongues out at the same time.
Macaque was carrying the giant black cat plush as they made their way around the colored stands.
Sudden shrieks erupted in the front of the crowd up ahead, "What's happening...?" Ren glanced around as he tried to see what was happening up ahead the crowd.
Jinhua dilated her eyes to peer further up ahead, "I'm not sure, but those aren't happy screams..."
The shrieks of terror started to grow louder as the crowd started to grow more loose and wild in panic.
Jinhua felt her shoulder get shoved as she saw Macaque and Ren glance around in panic as they stared back to her in the fray.
"Ma'!"
"Jinhua!"
Jinhua held out her hand and snapped her finger. Gathering golden flames swamped over the two and they both tried to reach out to her as she teleported them back to the house.
At this point the whole city was being attacked by some strange enemy force that she had yet to figure out.
"LOOK OUT—!!"
"THE SPIDERS!!"
'Spiders...?'
Jinhua shoved a few people out of the way as she continued her way to the front. Her eyes widened as she noticed the parade street covered in either dead bodies or spider mechs digging into the citizens back to gain control of their spinal cord.
"This... This is truly gruesome..." Jinhua was glad she sent Ren away so he wouldn't have to witness such a thing.
A tug on her chest made her come back to her senses as she instantly turned to the same direction.
"Fann...?"
Rushing back a bunch of other controlled civilians, Jinhua managed to cut off some robots off the people, but...
Once the mechs were detached.. The person was already too far gone with the giant wound on their back.
So that only left Jinhua to put them out of their misery as they could only live for a few more agonizing minutes of straight hell.
"Rest well... And may GuanYin guide you to the sacred place of Heaven's gardens..." Jinhua payed a quick prayer as she continued her way through the streets.
"Disgusting creatures..! What have you done to my family—!!"
Jinhua stopped in her steps as she turned to see Princess Iron Fan fighting off multiple spider demons that tried to grab hold of her.
One even had some kind of mechanic build attached their back, creating four more legs.
"Fann!!"
Princess Iron fan whipped around as she dodged another jab of short handed sword, "Jin...?"
Jinhua hurried over and blocked a attack of three spider legs stabbing down.
Parrying the attacks, Jinhua snapped her fingers and teleported both her and Princess Iron Fan away to a more secure location.
—
Standing at the edge of the cliff, Jinhua watched the city turn dark and filled with a dark cold chi.
"What do I do...?? My husband and son are still in there..! What.. I need to go and save them..!" Princess Iron Fan paced around frantically, "I just got my husband back and my family is now back together, I can't lose that.."
Jinhua placed a hand on her shoulder, "You can't... Apparently Spider Queen had gotten some help for another person..." The demoness narrowed her eyes at the spider Mech standing in the center of the city, "We can't go in blindly." She turned her violet eyes to meet Princess Iron Fan's ember eyes.
"You need to stay here and help any survivors that run out of the city. This place will be a sanctuary of safety for the citizens." Jinhua instructed as she snapped her fingers into her battle attire.
"And you? What about your family...?" Princess Iron Fan grabbed her shoulder, "Are you going to leave them, to fight?"
"We both know that she can't stay in one place when she knows there are others to be saved...."
The two demoness' turn to see Macaque strapping on his Chi staff as Ren started to put protective talismans around the house.
Ren smiled up at Jinhua, "Don't worry, Ma', we'll be waiting here so you don't have to hold back." He pumped his fists up.
Macaque chuckled and pat his head, "I'll guard the house and protect the survivors while Princess Iron Fan helps them get here."
Jinhua smiled sadly, "You guys... Are truly my whole world..." With that she snapped her right hand and summoned a katana to sheathe on her hip, "I'll be back to save the day."
"You'll always be the better hero." Macaque muttered as he watched her snap her teleporting hand.