Meng Goes Home

“Just there!” Meng shouted as she tugged at Youshin’s horns.

“I see it I see… Could you not pull my head so hard?” Youshin asked dejectedly as he started descending from the clouds towards the small village by the river.

“Sorry!” Meng apologised as she held on for dear life as Youshin dived downwards.

The pair swiftly arrived just outside the village, Youshin landing gently on the ground before Meng unceremoniously fell to the dirt.

“I’m okay!” Meng announced as Youshin rolled his eyes. Meng stood up and quickly ran towards the village while Youshin yawned, looking for a space to rest.

“C’mon!” Meng shouted to the sleepy Youshin.

“I’m not sure that’s the best idea young lady…” Youshin sighed, trying and failing to summon the strength to fly away again.

“Don’t worry! People aren’t going to be nasty like that Taoyan guy!”

“You mean the emperor…” Youshin sighed as he reluctantly began to follow along, having little other choice.

“Yeah yeah whatever.” Meng shrugged as she skipped along the sleepy dragon.

Walking past the small hill that Youshin had landed behind revealed the modest village in all its modest splendor. A small river passed through the village, with a rickety wooden bridge connecting the village to the forest on the other side of the river.

Youshin kept an eye out for people but quickly realized that the village was almost entirely desolate, with only 2 of the houses being inhabited, the rest having been abandoned.

As the pair walked further into the village a clearer picture began to emerge, some of the buildings had been burnt out and others were decorated with a spattering of blood on the walls.

“So, why did you want to go to the moon then?” Youshin asked cautiously as they walked through increasingly more ravaged areas of the village.

“I said I’d meet someone there!” Meng explained cheerfully, not missing a beat as they approached an entirely burnt down building. The only remains were ashy wooden pillars and a small vase at its center. Youshin stood back as Meng put her hands together and bowed before reciting a smaller prayer.

“I see, I take it they lived in this village…” Youshin posited once Meng finished her prayer.

“Yep! But they had to leave after… Yeah but we said we would meet on the moon if we ever got separated!” Meng explained, her cheery demeanor standing strong.

“Seems like an awfully far away place to meet.” Youshin gently said.

“Well yeah, but so is Jeiwo! Besides, you can always find the moon in the night sky! Most of the time…”

“The moon is much larger than Jeiwo.”

“Nuh uh, we’re gonna meet in the eye of the rabbit!” Meng explained with her usual grin. Youshin let out a groan, he was never going to be able to convince this girl.

“I suppose so then.” Youshin declared defeatedly before letting out a loud yawn.

“I’m afraid I must be quite rude and ask for something to eat and somewhere to sleep. All this flying with you has made me quite tired.” Youshin requested. Meng quickly smacked the top of her forehead.

“Oops! Sorry I totally forgot! Just over here by Mr Blacksmith!” Meng said as she quickly ran towards the river, where one of houses with smoke coming out of it was.

Youshin followed cautiously, though as he glanced through the windows of the only other inhabited building he noted it was predominantly inhabited by the elderly.

“Mr Blacksmith! I’m back!” Meng shouted as she approached the building, an older man with many burn marks on his hands poked his head out of the door frame.

“Huh, so y’did it.” The old Blacksmith remarked as he saw Youshin following behind Meng. He left the doorway to be greeted by Meng’s full body hug.

“Yep! Youshin agreed to take me to the moon!” Meng declared, Youshin went to correct it but just sighed instead.

“Right now I'm quite tired and hungry, too much flying for one day.” Youshin explained as he collapsed on the clearing just next to the blacksmith's house, coiling up like a snake.

“Mmm, Meng y’keep forgettin’ ta feed ya guests!” The Blacksmith chastised, giving Meng a firm smack around the back of the head for her rudeness.

“Sorry Mr Blacksmith! I’ll get him some fish now!” Meng exclaimed, quickly running to the river to catch Youshin some food. The Blacksmith went back inside and quickly returned with a pair of drinking glasses and a large bottle of liquor.

The blacksmith sat cross legged on the ground, placing a glass in front of himself and Youshin

“Ya drink?” The blacksmith asked as he poured two glasses.

“Occasionally, though not today.”

“More fer me then!” The blacksmith laughed as he grabbed his glass.

“I appreciate the hospitality regardless. I can see this village has seen better days.”

“Yepp, think the girl’s the last young’n around.”

“Seems like she’s done a lot of travelling.”

“Yepp, rest of the young’ns are dead.”

“I see…”

“Bah don’t be so sad about it, was when she was about…” The black smith placed his hand around his eye level while taking a swig of his drink.

“... Yeah about this tall. Good 5 years ago now me thinks.”

“She seems quite dedicated to the cause.”

“O’ course she is!”

“Hmm.” Youshin mumbled as the blacksmith kept drinking with the dragon in silence. The only sounds that could be heard in the village were the chirps of crickets, splashing of the river, gust of the wind and the struggling of Meng to reel in another fish.

Eventually she succeeded and brought the overflowing basket of river fish to Youshin.

“Thank you kindly for the meal young Meng.”

“You’re very welcome old Youshin!” Meng replied with her usual sunny attitude. Youshin smiled slightly and let out a groan, already knowing he was going to regret what he was about to say.

“Alright, once I’ve rested up we’ll fly to the moon.”

“W-what!? Really!?” Meng gasped. Youshin sighed and nodded. Meng jumped for joy as the Blacksmith nodded.

“Yer a good dragon.”

“And I pray you are a good blacksmith…” Youshin sighed.