A New Year's Oath

A New Year's Oath

• Related Event: Skyborne Spectacle/August 2019
• Release Date: August 31, 2019
• Featured Characters: Ku Hai, Su Fang, Lin You, Xiao Lei

Dialogue

A New Year's Oath Please note that this story contains spoilers for the "Skyborne Spectacle" event. Welcome back, Xu Fu! Thank you so much for saving the village. Now we can celebrate the Lunar New Year in a peaceful fashion. Ah, Lunar New Year...and pyroblossoms... Ah, but this does feel nostalgic. I've not seen it since I set out on my wanderings. Well, it seems the party is in full swing, so perhaps it's time to depa— There you are, Ku Hai! Ah, Su Fang. Do you need something? I've been looking everywhere for you! You just suddenly disappeared. ...... Anyway, the festival's just getting started, so let's have some fun together! My apologies, but I will not be staying in the village for long. Don't you like the festival? Of course, I find it rather thrilling. Well, that's good to hear. Still, if you're a fan of festivals, why are you leaving? Please don't tell me you don't like Peng Lai itself! Goodness, but you are a paranoid one. Listen to me, Su Fang... First and foremost, you must understand that I am not in a position to speak on things I like or dislike in regard to this village. I gave up this village. I gave up my home. Mmm, I see. I guess you've had a fair share of things happen in your life as well. Well, if that's how it is, I understand. Good. Then I bid you fare... Er, Su Fang? Please let go of me. Sorry, no can do. I need you to stay here and enjoy the festival until the very last cart is rolled away. You just said you understood my feelings in this matter. Yes. I understand that even you need a hometown. A place to warmly welcome you just as it did myself after life crushed my dreams and took my parents from me. Ah... I don't know why you left Peng Lai. But since you clearly don't hate it, I think it's still your home. ...... So maybe just stay and enjoy the festival. And after that...just stay? Here, I mean. I'm sorry, but that is impossible. Su Fang is totally right about this! Don't you think so, Xiao Lei? Hmm, yes. It appears to me that Ku Hai himself still has a lingering attachment to this place. Must I explain myself to both of you as well?! Hee hee! Sorry. I wasn't TRYING to eavesdrop. It just kinda...happened. There just didn't seem to be a good moment to speak up... Anyway, like my master used to say, "Training isn't over until you're all the way home!" So if you have a home you can actually return to, why not do it? The matter is not so simple. It's plenty simple! I mean, it's not like this village kicked you out, right? So it's up to you whether or not you want to go back. I admit I sometimes think upon my hometown with an excess of warmth during my wanderings. And that means you— However, I must gird myself against those feelings. For to allow my heart to rely on such things would be a form of weakness. Weakness of the heart dulls one's blade. And so encumbered, I would be unable to make good on my long-held desire. Thus did I cast everything aside. Respite, connections with others—all of it. ...Right. That's how you freed yourself from any hesitation... Which is why you're also casting aside your relationship with all of us, right? Precisely. Okay, I understand that. But I'm still not going to forget the times we fought together—or this time! Su Fang, you— Peng Lai always says the folks in this village are his children, which means we're all family in a way. And in that case, we'll never really be apart from each other! I mean, we're not numbers—we can't be divided up. You feel this way as well? ...No, I am sorry. No matter what you say, I cannot remain here. But know that my gratitude for your kind feelings is real. And out of respect for those feelings, I will stay here and enjoy the festival. Is that an acceptable compromise? Yes! Finally! Now let's hit the food carts, 'cause I could eat a dragon right now! You nearly bought out an entire food cart earlier! How can you still be hungry? Ha ha! Just save some for me and Ku Hai, all right? (This feeling is wholly strange. I swore never to return to this village until I accomplished my goal, and yet here I find myself. A place to return to... A home.) Ku Hai, look! It's an acrobat troupe! A Lunar New Year performance, is it? Mmm, they ARE quite spectacular. When I was young, I stood in this same spot and looked upon performers much like these. Wooow, they're amazing! Can I do stuff like that?! If you keep training your mind and body, my son, you can accomplish anything. Ah! (Without that motivation, I wouldn't have gone to the dojo and met Master Xuan or Haoran. It seems I am unable to completely sunder my bonds with people just yet.) Ku Hai? What is it? I was just thinking about how things are as you said they were. A hometown is something that wraps you in a warm embrace, no matter how hard you may try to cast it off. That's exactly right! That's the great thing about a hometown— it's always there for you. So does that revelation mean you'll be staying here for good? No. I have things I must do, and so cannot remain. But I think I will at least return during the Lunar New Year and partake in the joys of the festival. It's a date! No, it is a promise. Let us meet on this very spot one year from now. (I surrendered my village, but retain my friends. I can think fondly of home without burdening my journey... I know not what twist of fate brought me back, but for now, I will be grateful for my connection to this place.)

The End