After Tsung Yue's first independent battle, she successfully proved herself to the old man that she was indeed worthy of her pearl. As they swam back down again, the searing blue flames that were once guarding the pearl were gone, the round pebble glowing softly like the first star in the fox-coated evenings. Once they reached down, Tsung Yue let go of Hairong and reluctantly approached the pearl.
-"This is the moment…"
Hairong whispered, mostly saying it for herself, as her many days of hard work were finally going to pay off.
Beside her, the old man watched the white dragon's movements intently, still vary of them, but what could he do? Tsung Yue has every right to claim the pearl, so this was not up to him to decide what was best for the snow-white gem. But this didn't stop him from speaking after all.
-"Anyone could've defeated that ugly fish…"
Hearing this, Hairong glanced at the old man with a side-eye. With a taunting tone, she whispered back;
-"Yeah, even a weak, old leaf can beat that thing, you're so right."
-"Let's not start this argument again, I don't wish to hear you anymore."
Hairong knew the old man was just trying to get on her nerves, so she just shrugged nonchalantly.
-"Neither do I want to disturb my ears with your horrendous voice but here we are. My hearing's already bad, but you made me wish I was born deaf."
The old man let out an annoyed grunt, lost for words. But after a moment, Hairong asked him;
-"What's your name, anyway?"
-"I don't need a name."
Hairong's mouth twitched in judgment, thinking what kind of an idiot wouldn't have a name.
-"Then, I'll just call you *Nameless*."
-"Don't call me, ever."
-"Nameless."
The old man had no choice but to sigh loudly to express his annoyance. Before he could speak, Hairong interrupted him.
-"Shhh, Tsung Yue's having her moment, you're being extra."
Meanwhile, the dragon was slowly moving towards the pearl, the light of it reflecting her claws with a soft glow that seemed to flicker brighter as she got closer. Just when she was near enough to grab it, Tsung Yue's head was banged against an unknown force like a bird hitting a glass window."
Bam!
Tsung Yue flops down on the ground from the impact, her eyes wide with confusion. Seeing this, the two watching from a distance were shocked too. Their mouths were wide, especially Hairong's, as her eyes almost bulged out from her eye socket.
-"Ah?"
The noise came from Tsung Yue, her mind unfocused for a good while as she tried to figure out what just happened. Was the pearl not hers? If it wasn't, then what was the feeling? No, this should be her pearl, it has to be!
Seeing this, Nameless was enraged.
-"So you lied! You're not the withholder of the pearl, you frauds!"
Hairong noticed Tsung Yue's confusion but she understood that she was too concussed to reply to the old man. Time to let out that rage again.
-"Nuh-uh, you shriveled-up donkey! You saw how Tsung Yue defeated the creature, and how the pearl was glowing when she was near it! Can you explain that, you expired brain-having bastard!?"
The old man was at a loss for words. Tsung Yue had every acceptable reason to have the pearl, but he'd never admit it to her face. Maybe the old man was attached to the pearl, for protecting it for decades.
After saying that, Hairong went up to Tsung Yue, trying to figure out what was wrong.
-"Hey, are you okay? Can you get up?"
Tsung Yue blinked once, then twice, and finally looked up at Hairong.
-"There's something…"
-"I know that! I'm asking if you're okay."
-"I think so…"
Tsung Yue grumbled as she got back up. When she looked back at the pearl, it was covered with transparent barrels that could only be described as a seal. They weren't glowing as bright as the pearl, but visible enough to see the way they covered the pebble. Seeing this, Tsung Yue thought to herself;
"What the s***!?"
The old man was also surprised, as he had never seen anything like this before. When he approached the duo, he whispered;
-"How did this happen?"
-"Like hell would I know…"
Tsung Yue spoke back, her head still turned towards the pearl.
-"Why don't you try again this time?"
Hairong asked Tsung Yue, hoping that something might change. Even if there was no assurance that the seal might break, Tsung Yue wouldn't hit her head again.
As Tsung Yue slowly approached the seals again, she placed her claw against it. That's when the barrier started to glow, almost bright enough to blind any living organisms nearby.
As the glow increased, its intense light wrapped around Tsung Yue, covering her entire body, as she started to ascend. After a few moments, the glow disappeared, leaving Tsung Yue unconscious, but still keeping her afloat. But something had changed. Sure, her antler-like black horns, and long, white tail were there, but the dragon herself…had taken a human form.
But she didn't turn into any ordinary person, as the star-shaped mark was still on her forehead, her black labyrinth-like symbols were swirling in her back and shoulders that ended around her waist. She wasn't aware of her transformation, since she looked like she was sleeping.
But, after a moment, her eyes flickered open, as she got up to check her surroundings while rubbing her eyes.
-"What happened…my eyes hurt…"
You could imagine the sheer shock the two had experienced when they saw Tsung Yue become a person from a flicker of light. And unfortunately…this wasn't the worst part.
As you know, all living beings are born with no clothes, and die that way too. Only humans have invented the emotion called self-consciousness towards their bodies through the evolution of their minds. What I'm trying to say is that if Tsung Yue hadn't worn anything during her dragon form, then she'd transformed without any outer accessories too.
It didn't take long until Tsung Yue looked down at herself after glancing towards Hairong and Nameless. She yelped in surprise and embarrassment, trying to cover herself by wrapping her tail lower around her midsection. During so, she flies around desperately to find anywhere she can hide away from the two.
-"You- you…"
Hairong stuttered, her expression dumbfounded. Seeing this, the old man slowly turned away from the two, sighing heavily, trying to figure out how to react. It was such a long day for him, have mercy.
-"You're flying!"
Tsung Yue slowly glances up from a nearby boulder to look at Hairong in confusion. She thought Hairong would be shocked at her appearance, but it seems that wasn't what Hairong was focused on.
-"But I look completely different…"
Tsung Yue feels self-conscious for some reason, even though she wasn't that uncomfortable when she was a dragon. It appears her mind is clearing more and more.
-"So what? You're still you, Yue. It has to have some sort of connection with you and the pearl, and that's why you're transforming…We'll find a way to reform you back, but either way, you're getting stronger! You're flying now!"
Tsung Yue hesitates for a moment, taking her words in. After some time, she spoke up;
-"How would I know? What if I'm just swimming?"
-"If you were swimming, then you'd move your limbs, you crooked noodle!"
Hairong scolded Tsung Yue as if it was obvious to see if she was flying or not.
-"But, I'm still so..exposed…don't just stand there and help me!"
Hairong sighs as she swims up to Tsung Yue's hiding spot, and wraps her with the white silk she got from the cave. During so, Tsung Yue raises an eyebrow at Hairong, wondering where she just pulled that out from.
-"Where did you get that?"
Hairong looks up at Tsung Yue after she wraps the silk around her like a mummy.
-"Well, the cave, obviously."
-"I know that. Just…when?"
-"Just in case."
Tsung Yue had to take a moment to understand the situation. While she was turning her gears in her head, Hairong spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.
-"You didn't realize your tears turn into silk?"
-"What!"
Tsung Yue was befuddled, she only thought her tears would be tears since she felt the wetness against her cheek whenever she cried, but she never paid attention to how the tear transformed into silk after it dropped off her face. So, when the silk was dropped, Hairong was there first to collect it.
-"Anyway…you're flying now. So all you needed was a little support from your pearl. Come on, do it again."
Hairong encouraged, eager to see Tsung Yue fly again.
Tsung Yue hesitated but tried to slowly float around, like a lost tumbleweed spinning around under the wind's command. Soon she started to gain more confidence as she started to increase her speed and turns, her tail whipping against the waters as she flew.
After a while, Hairong joined her, as they flew together under the ocean. Seeing this, the old man could only watch so much. Never has he seen two other beings get along so easily, let alone stay together.
-"You're finally flying…after so many days of hard work, you did it…"
Hairong speaks as if she's going to cry, but it was just over exaggeration.
-"Why do you sound so melancholic?"
-"Young hatchlings like you wouldn't understand…"
Hairong wipes a fake tear off her eyes as she holds Tsung Yue while she flies alongside her. Her immense happiness was obvious, but she knew this wasn't over. Tsung Yue still doesn't remember anything, and it's hard for her to live on her own if Hairong left her now. But to teach her more, Hairong needed outside help.
-"Now, about that seal…"
Hairong spoke after stopping, then she looked at Tsung Yue expectantly.
-"What about it? Do you think you can fix it?"
-"No. But I think I know someone who can…"
***
Word explanation
Nameless: It may sound strange, but many people have this name, especially right after birth and it's given by monks to protect them against evil spirits. It's a religious belief, and even the name "Not human" is given.