"It seems that we need to alleviate at least some of the drug problem in Astrey. It's causing quite the kerfuffle," Song Yuze announced to his companions. "I'd rather not stir up more trouble with the Crimson Dragon, if possible."
"Good idea," Akar said with a simple nod. "When?"
"Ideally, we would go before Quynh and his friends left the city," the Azure Dragon replied, then added with a disappointed sigh, "however, I don't think we would get there in time. Which is unfortunate, since I'd really like to see the Golden Phoenix. It has been a very long time since its previous incarnation's demise."
"It'll probably be a while before we get the chance to see her again," Zuma said with a frown. "Especially since we have no way of tracking her down at the moment."
Suddenly, as if waiting for the moment Zuma finished her sentence, a gentle rapping at the large front door sounded into the living room. All three of them looked at each other with doubtful expressions. Just who exactly would come knocking on their door? They were located in such a remote part of the mountains that it was nearly impossible to trek to, even if one knew its coordinates.
Akar stood from his seat and made his way to greet the guest. Just as another round of the incessant, but gentle, tapping against the wood started to sound, Akar tugged on the doorknob to open it. A small young boy, no older than 9 or 10, collapsed onto the Tortoise's feet. Evidently, he hadn't expected anyone to answer the door.
Song Yuze raised an intrigued brow at the situation, but a knowing expression settled on his face after a moment of detailed observation. The young boy had a head of fluffy white hair and wide white eyes, and a horn sticking out of the left side of his head. Both he and Zuma hurried over to the door while Akar helped the boy back to his feet.
It was the White Qilin… but not the one that they had been close with before – which meant their friend was dead, and with no explanation. The Azure Dragon couldn't help but grow weary at the thought, but decided to focus on the matter at hand – there was a new White Qilin, and he was a kid.
As soon as the young man was standing upright, he looked up at the trio, his gaze as pure and captivating as the full moon, and said: "привет! я потерян и холоден. могу ли я войти?"
Zuma blinked a few times, as did Akar. Did the child just start speaking Russian? Neither of the two had any clue what he had just said, and thus had no idea what to answer.
"He said, 'Hi! I'm lost and cold, can I come in?" Song Yuze translated for them and closed the door behind them. A large pile of snow had fallen into the entryway along with their new visitor, but the Azure Dragon decided to have the maids deal with it later. There were more pressing issues at hand than a bit of snow being tracked inside, after all.
"Я голоден," the kid added, his nose bright pink from the cold. "я почувствовал запах чего-то вкусного, поэтому я проследил за своим носом."
"What?" Akar deadpanned.
Song Yuze sighed. "He said that he's hungry, and that he smelled something tasty so he followed his nose here."
"You speak Russian?" Zuma asked, her brows raised in surprise. "I had no idea."
"When you've been around as long as I have, you learn a lot of things, Zuma," Song Yuze replied, then turned his attention back to the child. "You can speak our language, can you not?"
The child gave them a toothy smile and looked up at Song Yuze, "Yeah!"
"What? Then why did you speak Russian when you came in?" Zuma frowned.
"I'm just used to it," he shrugged. "I'm Pyotr! Thanks for letting me inside, I was freezing to death! I've been in the snow for weeks!"
"Just because it's your first language doesn't mean everyone will understand you," the Vermillion Bird hissed. "I don't walk around speaking Nahuatl to everyone just because it is my native tongue."
Akar hummed and got on one knee, which made him about eye level with Pyotr. He introduced himself, "Akar. A pleasure."
"Wow…" Pyotr mused. "You're so big and strong. So cool!"
Song Yuze took in a deep breath as he tried to assess the situation. He decided to ask some clarifying questions, "Pyotr, do you know what you are?"
~~~
[Centuries prior.]
"Verro, where are you going?" Song Yuze asked, his voice cracking in a rare display of emotion.
A man in all white stood before the Azure Dragon, his expression somber. "I am troubled by this."
"I am, too," Song Yuze said. "He was my best friend. I can't stand the thought of him no longer being here beside us."
"No," the man called Verro replied. "That is not why I am troubled. Yes, the loss of this White Tiger is heartbreaking – but the cause of the loss is what haunts me the most. It is a seed of hatred that has blossomed between the guardians, and all of us have lost our way."
"We are guardians, and we have to protect what we care about – even if it requires violence. That's not our fault," the Azure Dragon defended.
"Isn't it?" Verro countered. "The beasts should never have been separated this way. As a qilin, I can feel the rift between each of us clearly. This bloodshed cannot be part of the gods' intentions."
"What… what are you trying to say?" Song Yuze asked, his sorrow displayed clearly on his face. "We have been together for so long, Verro."
"Our time together is time that I will always treasure, Yuze," he replied. "However, I cannot continue to participate in such violence. After much careful deliberation, I have decided to retreat to the eastern mountains to meditate, and clear my karmic debt."
"You're abandoning all of us? Won't you support our cause?" the Azure Dragon asked, in a final attempt to persuade his friend to stay. "You are important to us all."
"Your cause…" Verro looked into Song Yuze's eyes meaningfully. "Once I return, I will come bearing the answer you desire – whether or not I will continue to support you."
~~~
…But that was an answer that would never come. A question left unfulfilled.
Song Yuze's chest throbbed at the realization that Verro's abrupt and heartbreaking departure was unknowingly his last conversation with his White Qilin. Instead, of seeing his beloved friend again – that friend's pure and untainted reincarnation stood before them.