change on the rise

The key easily slipped into the keyhole. On the other side of the door, he could hear the vague mumbling of people on the tv. Had he left the tv on before he left, or was it one of his pokémon that had accidentally turned it on? Míngzé shook his head and entered his apartment.

Welcome home, gēgē.

A scream already escaped his lips, followed by the clattering of his keys hitting the ground, before the sentence was finished. The door fell shut behind him and his back hit the door as he staggered back. His body was trembling as he stood there, trying to recover from the sudden panic. Míngzé held onto his cane until his knuckles turned white.

That voice, even though it has been a while he still recognized it immediately. A while ago he would’ve scolded the other for scaring him like this. Not this time.

“Sāng,” he said breathlessly. In a failed effort his eyes darted around panicked, trying to search for the man. How— why— His mind was racing to catch up.  

It was not every day he entered his apartment, only to be greeted by someone that should not be there. The moment a voice sounded, his heart skipped a few beats.

Once he would’ve laughed afterwards after the initial shock and once he knew who it was. Not anymore. He could feel the artifact more clearly than he should, meaning Sāng had found it. Which he had expected. Like him the other could clearly feel it. Hiding it was nearly impossible.

Míngzé narrowed his eyes as he gazed towards the other. After last time he had nothing to tell the other. Especially knowing Sāng had tried to kill her and threatened their lives. Again.

So he stayed silent and let Sāng talk.

“You prefer I keep it on my person?” He cocked an eyebrow as there lay a challenge in his voice. Míngzé stepped away from the door and straightened his back. “Parade around town, letting everyone know I have it?” Like someone both of them knew had done.

He slightly turned his head, trying to hear if Jui was somewhere nearby. Given that Sāng was sitting on his couch, he assumed the pokémon had been defeated.

Míngzé was unsure what was more unsettling, the way his ‘friend’ laughed or the silence that followed. The past had already shown that it was dangerous to carry it with you at all times and he was sure Sāng knew exactly what incidents he was talking about.

Which was proven when he spoke next. Míngzé narrowed his eyes slightly. A cold feeling settled in, especially when he was faced with facts. He immediately swallowed the lump in his throat. “I’m well aware.” Out of everyone he knew, he doubted anyone would be there for him when he really needed them. Something he’d made peace with a long time ago.

Turning his back towards Sāng, he folded his cane and hung it on the hook next to his door. “You wanted to talk, then talk. What do you want?” He did his best to keep his emotions in check and appear calm as he did not want to show how intimidated he was by the other’s sudden presence.

Míngzé continued by removing his coat, hanging it away and then his shoes too. All Lucina had told him about the man was fresh in his head, but in the end they were just empty words. He knew Sāng and would not let his mind get fully clouded.

The subject came as no surprise. He sincerely doubted Sāng was her to have a nice cup of coffee, discussing daily life.

“Why the sudden interest?” Míngzé asked as he turned back towards Sāng. He stayed where he was, not wanting to close the distance between them. For now he avoided saying anything, giving his mind the time to come up with what to say when he had no other choice.

Seeing as now was the first time Sāng came to him, he must not have been that interested before. What has changed? Why was he here? He held the artifact and Míngzé did not know what to do if he were to walk out with it.

Míngzé listened as he got an explanation and he was unsure what to make of it all. The things he addressed were nothing new really. In the grand scheme of it all, there was not much he and Lucina could do, because they lacked the power as he said.

“She had a name, you know. It’s Lucina and she is not a beast.” It had bothered him the first time too, but he’d hoped that it was a one time thing. While their friendship was also troubled, he did not like the way Sāng talked about her.

The next part made him narrow his eyes slightly. There had been something that nullified the powers of those artifacts, but it did not seem important anymore as it was broken anyway. “And so you come to me expecting I hold all the answers?” He drew in a sharp breath. If Sāng really wanted to get rid of this part, they were in even greater trouble. He could not let that happen.

He came a bit closer, placing one hand on the couch but did not sit down.

A troubled mix of feelings went through him. Part of him wanted to tell Sāng what he knew, hoping that the person he once called a friend would trust him. On the other hand he feared Sāng would not understand, just like everyone else. “It doesn't really matter, does it? You two still hold one of the pieces, even though whatever you used is no longer working. As far as I’m aware, they are useless individually. Vince will be just fine.” There was only the constant exposure to the dark tendrils that seemed to pull him towards it.

For a second. A swift fleeting second, all his nerves were gone. Rabies. That had to be a joke. Right? Sāng could not seriously think she— he opened his mouth to say something, only to close it again and shake his head. “Do you hear yourself?” he managed to ask. If the situation had been different, he would’ve laughed at the stupidity.

Ah, so that was what Sāng was worried about when it came to Vince. It made sense. “Perhaps you should not have given it to him, if you didn’t want him to turn into a target,” Míngzé stated calmly, although his heart was beating rapidly in his chest. When he was first informed about this whole ordeal, he thought it stupid. With the object they had against it, it made a bit more sense, but not now it no longer worked.

Something else plagued his mind. For a few moments he held his breath, wondering if he should tell him or not. “She might not be the only one coming for it.” No, Sāng had the right to know.

There those questions were yet again. they were the same as Lucina asked him. The difference was the opposite sides they were on. “But as I told you before, I wanted to be free of the affinity that was making my life a living hell and he gave it to me,” Míngzé said with a shrug, trying to sound indifferent about it all.

No, he could not tell Sāng about what more he’d learned after these last few weeks.

“That’s it. That’s all I know.”

As Sāng talked about Lucina’s desperate attempt to get the piece back, his own attention shifted to the one currently in this room. In a way he could understand why she did it. “So you tried to kill her?” It was how Lucina had described the whole situation, something that was still difficult for him to imagine.

It was all about trust and Vince had decided to keep the artifact himself. In Sāng’s eyes because it would somehow keep Vince safe, even though people were looking for those artifacts. “What if he kept it because he didn’t trust you with it?” It would make sense, since Sāng still carried the dark affinity with him.

Apparently Sāng already knew there were more people running around looking for these things. One even attacked Sāng’s dad. “How did that turn out?” This person that attacked, could he have been the one to find that third artifact?

Not that it mattered, something more important came up.

Lucina had told Sāng. The moment he heard that, his jaw clenched and his fingers twitched. That idiot. Why had she been so reckless? This man had already stolen her artifact and yet she thought it a good idea to tell her about this?

There was no way he could save this lie. “She told you?” he repeated, needing to hear it again. Such an important piece of information and she had told Sāng about it. What more would she tell others now that he’d shared everything with her?

She had pushed him into a corner because of it with no way out. A silence fell over him as he tried to gather his thoughts. Was it possible to deny he wanted them together? No, because she told him he was looking for a sacrifice. Could he lie about his goal? That was his only option and still, how could he twist that?

His mind was racing to come up with something. Anything. But nothing came out of it. With a troubled expression he gazed towards Sāng. “You wouldn’t understand,” were the words that were forced over his lips.

A sigh filled with disappointment escaped. During his last talk with Lucina she’d told him about the encounter, but barely gave him any details. Sāng did not deny any of it, but gave him a reasoning as to why he did it. Not that it made it any better. Maybe it was stupid of him, but he instantly believed Sāng. “For whatever it’s worth, I’m sorry for what she has done.” She should’ve left both of them alone. Hopefully she will from now on.

With a crease between his brow he gazed towards Sāng. That was not the answer he’d been expecting, or more that he had not expected the tone in his voice. Questions burned on his tongue, but one by one he swallowed them. He sincerely doubted the other was willing to talk about it and as always, he would not pry.

What came next also told him very little, only that this person was alright. “Do you know if they found an artifact too?” Míngzé asked carefully. There was still the one missing piece someone had found. Although he doubted Sāng would tell him if another piece was close to him.

Míngzé shifted his weight uncomfortably from one leg to the other. “Really? Wouldn’t be your first time.” He rather liked having ten fingers and preferred to keep it that way.

A bit stiff he moved in front of the couch and sat down at the far edge. “No more chaos and suffering from affinities. That’s basically what he promised.” He spoke quickly, wanting this to be over as soon as possible. Already he knew how it was going to end, he had experienced it time and time again.

He sighed deeply at the revelation that there was no artifact involved. If that was good or bad he did not know, as that meant this other individual was still unknown. The thought to tell Sāng crossed his mind, but for now he kept it to himself. Perhaps later.

There was a feeling of shame that crept up to him. “You were very clear last time and have threatened my life more than once by now,” he reminded Sāng. It was horrible, really, that his trust had sunken low enough that he acted like this. This was not what he wanted and if he could change it, he would. Something that felt impossible for now. If ever. “And need I remind you that you broke into my home.” If this were a movie or book, they would be practically considered enemies.

Míngzé rubbed his hands while Sāng talked, keeping his eyes to the ground. He kept quiet throughout it, letting the words sink in. “What other choice do I have?” It was his only lead in years. The one opportunity that could change everything and make it better. “It wouldn’t be complete removal.” The words I hope were left unspoken. “I’ve heard doing so would kill everyone, which I really don’t want. I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

This was all he should be telling him, nothing more. It was already too much. If Lucina knew about this, she’d come for his throat too. “He said it can reshape the land, affinities and humanity,” Míngzé repeated the words against better judgment.

”No.”

So far no blood was on his hands. No one Sāng had mentioned got hurt because of him. While they might not be safe anymore, it was not his doing. While an attempt was made to collect another artifact, he had failed. Things were more or less still the same.

“And I plan to keep the promise I made,” Míngzé said with determination. No matter what his goals were, he did not want to hurt anyone.

Míngzé rolled his eyes almost in amusement at the simple explanation, before silently sighing. “That ‘red bitch’ also has a name.” How was it that Sāng warned him not to hurt those he cared for, while he kept calling Míngzé’s friends all kinds of names? He shook his head, knowing full well that reminding him of her name would be pointless.

When Sāng was talking again, Míngzé clenched his jaw. He leaned forward, hands folded together as his arms rested on his knees. At the last part he huffed. “I bet you do,” he muttered, one corner of his mouth twitching into a smile. Would there really be a lot of ‘deshaping’ — as Sāng so wonderfully put it. “Trust me, I know,” he then confessed. Trusting Him was a dangerous thing to do, anyone in their right mind knew that. “If there was anyone else or if I could do something else—” he started although he was unsure of what to say.

“Fuck.” He buried his face in his hands as his fingers disappeared into his hair.  “It all sounds so stupid when you put it like that.“ Ever since he stumbled upon that first piece he’d been on edge with only one thing in mind. It had only gotten worse after his conversation with that woman at the temple. These days it felt as if he had a constant headache. “All I want is to help.” Prevent people from experiencing the same things he went through.