Chapter Text
Life was never trouble-free when your line of work was fate. Your life was tied to every living thing in every plane of existence. Some people were firm believers in the powers of fate and destiny. On the other hand? Others believed unwaveringly in free will and the capabilities of choice.
As for fate itself? Well, fate itself was as incomprehensible as the concept is depicted. It was omnipresent and bore over a thousand names and forms. There were days when she truly despised her job. But, on the other hand, sometimes she couldn't be happier with her career.
On the other hand? Contrary to every other day of the year, one day granted fate a severe migraine. Whenever someone reaches the point called "The Crossroads of Destiny," what does it mean? When individuals face the most important choices of their lives. A huge decision that will determine their fate and all those connected to them.
Ordinarily, fate wasn't one to personally interpose at this pivotal moment in one's life. After all, she couldn't directly impede the choices or free will of living beings. Regardless, people assumed otherwise. The truth was that she was incapable of changing the fate one chose for themselves when one reached a Crossroads.
That didn't mean there weren't occasionally insinuating circumstances where she'd bent the rules without breaking them. Except that was only in the most exceptional cases that she stepped in and helped 'nudge' someone at their Crossroads. It just so happened what exactly was going on today.
She existed in a geographical area so implausible it'd blow your mind. There were no other words for it but mystical and otherworldly. You're entirely encircled by colors beyond anyone's imagination in all planes of existence. Night and day simultaneously existed while a trillion multi-colored heavenly bodies sparkled.
Right now, she hasn't taken a physical form yet. However, that didn't hinder her from gazing into a magical crystal sphere known as the Mystifier. This magic item held incredible powers as cryptic as its name. The Mystifrire had alerted her that TWO souls were about to reach their Crossroads simultaneously! Very extraordinary circumstance indeed.
Witnessing what Mystifier was manifesting within its enchanted crystal sphere meant she could kill two birds with one stone. Mingyun could see that both souls at their Crossroads required a little 'nudge.'
In the fantastic location that Mingyun referred to as home, she began to take on a human form slowly. Her form was that of a purple and pink-haired Chinese maiden. She wore a matching cheongsam. She had a few exquisite ornaments and carried a sheathed Jian sword at her side.
Conjuring up a jeweled hand mirror, she looked over her appearance like any ordinary woman. "Hmm, I look lovely and fit the cultural aesthetic I'm about to encounter. Still, a few tweaks to make me more beautiful don't hurt. So who should I encounter first?" She held up the Mystifier in her right hand.
"Hmm, the girl has more influence than the Sky Child. She is the one who will set into motion many events yet to come. I'll speak to her first. Fortunately, I won't have to be as direct with her as I'll have to be with the other."
Clutching Mystifier tightly, she glowed brightly until the glow enveloped her. When Mingyun reappeared, she stood in the darkened bedroom of the 11-year-old child, Jade Chan. She was a rather pretty girl and would blossom even further as she reached womanhood. However, she already knew that, given the young child's lifestyle, that might not be the case.
"Hmm, I don't think I need to use my full powers to aid her in her Crossroads. However, I can't directly interfere with her choices, of course. Nevertheless, they're nothing about having an amazing dream to give you a 'nudge' in the right direction." She helped the Mystifier up, which glowed again.
In Jade Chan's dreamscape, she was kicking butt with whatever evil her Uncle Jackie encountered. The little girl's dream self was taking on the Shadowkhan, Shendu, and Enforcers alone. Her ideal self was winning with ease. The purple-haired woman smiled at the child. So easy to get lost in the dreams of a thrill seeker and forget what was necessary. Hence why she was here tonight."
Snapping her fingers, the dream figures disappeared while the landscape changed to the same garden as Mulan. "Hey, what gives?! Where did all the baddies go?! Why am I in a silly garden?"
"I thought we needed a more peaceful place to talk about. I find gardens like these can soothe one's mind and bring about a sense of clarity much more easily. When one is not distracted by unwanted hindrance," came a most magical voice behind her.
Jade was whirling around and saw one of the most extraordinary-looking ladies she had ever seen since Viper. She was so pretty and carried a badass sword! And what was that crazy, magical bobble in her hands?! "Okay, I'll bite. Who are you, lady? Where am I? If you don't answer, don't think I won't open a can of butt whoop on you!" promised the tenacious preteen girl.
"Calm yourself, Jade. I'm not here to attack or do you harm. I want to speak with you. Come sit with me," she patted the space next to her on the bench. However, Jade didn't fully trust her. Yet she still sat down.
"So, where are we? Did we get transported into the world of Mulan? Because this place looks exactly like the movie! Oh, are you some warrior woman too? Is that how you got your sword?! Is it a magical sword?!" she asked a mile a minute.
Laughing musically, the woman shook her head. "It's not magical per se. It's more than it comes with the outfit and only has powers if I deem them needed. But otherwise, its as sharp and true as any sword blade."
"Neat! Can I use it?!" Jade asked eagerly.
The Chinese woman merely smiled, "Maybe later. We need to talk."
Jade pouted for a moment, then said, "Okay. Um, why do we need to talk? Again, who are you? Why do you want to talk to me?"
"You may call me Mingyun. I want to talk to you because you will determine your and another's fate tomorrow."
"Say what?" she asked, her voice filled with confusion.
"You are at the Crossroads of Destiny Child. Tomorrow, your choices will either make or break your life. And all those connected to you now and in the future."
"Okay... this is not weird at all. Not weird at all," she said in sarcasm.
"Trust me. It doesn't make my job any easier when people reach the same level as you. But I'm here to give you, let's call it, a 'nudge."
"A nudge?"
"Well, I can't choose for you, Jade. I can show you a glimpse to help you decide. Show you some of what could be and tell you the truths of here and now. Nonetheless, that's all I can do. I cannot change you. Whatever you do is still up to you."
"Okay, and your doing this. Why?" she questioned suspiciously.
"Because it's my job. But I don't usually make a face-to-face appearance. You and the one who will also reach HIS Crossroad have caught my attention. There are a few rare cases where I'm allowed to step in a little and give a 'nudge.'
Nudge again is the only word I can use. You are still a living being and, therefore, possess free will. I can't choose for you. I can only offer wisdom. To help you see some hidden truths. However, the decision you make here and now is still yours."
"Okay, well, lady, I still don't know who you are. Or where I am, but okay. I'll roll with it."
Jade Chan, so that you know, I've multiple names and various forms, but I'm known to one and all. I'm here because, in every soul's life, they reach a point known as "The Crossroads of Destiny," where they will make the most critical choice. Their choice at the Crossroads will conclusively determine their fate and all those correlated to them for the rest of time."
"So you get around, don't you?
"Yes, I do. Let's try to stay on track, please. When people reach their Crossroads, there is frequently a disconnect between their Mind and Heart while their Body battles it out. It gets quite tiresome. Assisting them in sorting it all out to determine what path they should take reliably. Even if its their choice for good or ill, what path of destiny they walk in the end."
"So, are you Fate or Destiny or something then?"
"I thought you spoke your native tongue. My current form name is the Chinese word for "Fate or Destiny," so that's exactly who I am."
"Wow, I've used ancient magical talismans, beat up magic ninjas, and battle demons. But never thought fate would visit me. But, boy, my life is strange."
"Believe me. It will only get stranger. But okay, then. Now take the Mystifier, and be careful with it, dear. There is only one in all creation, and it cannot be replaced. So don't break it," she warned.
"Okay! Be careful!" She held the sphere, about the size of a large grapefruit, in her hands, gazing into it. All she perceived at first was a bunch of swirling rainbow mist. Then it reformed, and she seemed to be looking at herself. Except she looked slightly different.
She looked the same in many ways. Yet she could see that her face had several small cracks. Her eyes looked like they were holding back tears. Of course, the rambunctious girl wanted to know what this meant.
"It's how you see yourself, Jade. You see yourself as almost flawless, but you know they are little cracks deep inside. The parts of you are filled with insecurities, loneliness, and sadness. They make tiny cracks over the mask that is your face. The one you show to the rest of the world."
"That can't be true! I'm so awesome! I don't have anything to be insecure about! I've got Jackie, Uncle, and Tohru! So how can I be lonely? What do I have to be sad about? My life is one big adventure!"
"That's the lies or the half-truths you tell yourself, Jade. Yes, you have a loving family, and your need for thrills and adventure is met regularly. But what about your simple everyday needs?
How do you feel that you don't fit in at school? How do you feel that Drew constantly picks on you or puts you down? The other children laughing at you makes you feel depressed. As does feeling somewhat rejected by your parents for being sent away in the first place."
Jade curled into herself, not wanting to admit out loud to the beautiful woman that she was right. Yet her silence and pout were all Mingyun needed to confirm. So instead, she hugged the girl tightly and kissed her forehead.
"It's okay to feel those things. Just don't keep them bottled up. Now take a look at the second image. You might like this one a little better," Jade did as Mingyun instructed.
This time, the magical mist showed an attractive young girl who looked confident, appealing, and happy. However, she was attired somewhat differently and looked slightly more developed.
"This is how others see you. Your family and the one whose fate is tied to yours. They see a strong, self-confident, compassionate young woman with great potential and a future ahead of her."
"Well, it's nice how others see me and that they see me in such a flattering way. But is that a false image or something?" she questioned.
"They see your many strengths, but they also know of your flaws, which you may not always recognize. For example, those who visit this strong young lady also see an extremely reckless lady.
On the flip side, they take brave leaps into danger without thinking things through. They know you suffer from a hero complex. You, at your worst, are a thrill-seeker. Now your thirst for adventure is your fatal flaw.
Jade Chan, do you understand? Your need to prove yourself and face danger head-on, which is admirable, but it also shows off all your flaws. You are far too impulsive and don't quickly learn from your mistakes.
This pattern could harm you when you face your choice at a crossroads if you're too hasty. Instead, suppose you need to think things through and think of all possibilities and outcomes. Both at the moment and long term."
She sighed heavily, "Is this another truth I refused to allow myself to know? My flaws? Are these parts of the cracks of the first image? The truths I secretly know but don't want to admit? So I cover them up with a mask?"
"Being able to realize that here and now shows you are starting to acknowledge these truths. That is very good. I'm only offering truths that I help you see in yourself by unclouding your eyes.
There is still a final image for you to see in the Mystifier. It's the most critical image that the Mystifier can show someone. So please take a good, long look at this one and think about it.
Gazing into her beautiful, copper-brown eyes, she saw a new image in the magical crystal ball. A tall, fit, and curvy, beautiful young woman with long, silky, jet-black hair shimmering. Her flawless skin glowed like moonlight. The stunning woman wore an ice-blue gown with energy crackling from every pore. Her smile was more beautiful then the Mona Lisa's.
"So, who is the princess?" she asked, confused.
Mingyun smiled and revealed the truth others seldom saw when they got to the last image with the Mystifier. "That is Jade Chan. The person you have the power to become."
"What?! I can become a princess?!" Jade looked shocked to hear that.
Laughing, she shook her head and rephrased. "No, not necessarily a princess. But the one whose life is full of riches beyond what satisfies you now. A true princess. One not of riches or gowns, but one with all the heart needs. She is a beautiful, strong young woman who doesn't just need the thrill of adventure to get her by. However, it can have what makes the happy ending worthwhile.
To have true friends and a family that loves you. And, more importantly, someone who loves you in return. You have the power to become the princess of your own story and have all that we seek to make our lives complete."
"Wow, I didn't get this far in my adventures with Jackie to know there isn't a catch."
"That is, again, the vision of the person you have the power to become, child. But, while you can still walk the path, you do one of the adventures now, and fighting an evil path doesn't mean you'll get what makes life worth living."
"So you're saying I can live a life of nonstop adventures, fight the bad guys, and kick evil butt? But in the end, I'll still have nothing to show for it?" she was confused.
"You will not have a legacy to leave behind, no. And remember, all adventures eventually end. So what will be waiting for you when you finally reach the end of your adventures?"
"So what else can this doohickey do?" she questioned.
"It can reveal your true thoughts and feelings. Right now, you are thinking about them. About what you want out of life. Look inside yourself and see what is made bare for you."
She saw the image she wanted most. Seymour and she were at the dance. She saw other pictures of them growing up and eventually dating. So she was almost shocked when she heard wedding bells and the cries of a newborn.
But then those thoughts also changed. Dark thoughts overshadowed the happy ones. Storm clouds rained down on all the content images. Her secret thoughts were that she'd be betrayed. She would always be alone, picking up pieces of a broken heart. Of being stabbed in the back.
"Stop it! I don't want to see or hear anymore!"
"Fine enough." She took back her sphere from the young Chinese girl. She didn't speak for a few moments, giving her a chance to calm down. She said it again in her mystical, musical voice.
"You should know this, Jade Chan, the truth. You won't find true love. Instead, it finds you when you least expect it. I'm sure you've heard of the red strings of fate, correct? That they connect with soulmates? Is it best to start as friends and then grow into lovers to make it last?"
"No, I wasn't aware of that. Maybe my parents read silly bedtime stories about it when I was three. But what does that have to do with anything?"
"It has everything to do with you coming to your Crossroads tomorrow. The choices you make tomorrow in the presence of someone who is also reaching his crossroads."
Tomorrow?" she asked, confused.
"You are going to choose your own. But what you do tomorrow will help determine the fate of another. The one who linked at your Crossroads," Mingyun again emphasized, seeing that the child still hadn't figured out. But that was for the best in some ways.
"But your saying, even with everything you told me, it's all my choice? Even if I don't know what choice I'm making tomorrow?"
She nodded her majestic head, reminding her again of her role. "I'm merely extending the truth and a glimpse of what is one possibility. I've not changed you in the slightest. Your mind, memories, and instincts are the same as they have been your whole life, Jade Chan.
I can't change what you are. I only offer you the choice to determine who you CHOOSE TO BE. You're split between the heart and mind, hence the crossroads. That's why what will determine your fate tomorrow? Choose wisely." With that, Jade woke up from her strange dream, trying to decide whether it was an ordinary dream.
The next day, as she was walking home from school with Seymour. She was nervous, thinking about her dream from last night and the choice she had to make today.
She saw him holding his head as if his head had split in two. Then, growing very content, she rose and called out to him. Um, Seymour? You alright?"
"Huh? Oh, sorry, Jade. I had a headache. You were saying something?" He acted like it was no big deal, but she was still worried.
"You sure your okay? You look like you might be getting sick," she inquired in a concerned voice as she put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly.
"I'll be fine in a few moments. Is there something you want to ask me?" he said dismissively.
"Um, yes," she apprehensively fiddled with her hair. Then, I took out two necklaces."I got these for you and me, as a symbol of our friendship and how we make each other whole. Do you know anything about Yin and Yang?
But Yin and Yang go beyond dark and light. They um.., They also mean female and male. So Yin is female, and Yang is male, and though they are opposite in every way, they complete each other."
"You think I complete you?" he sounded stunned.
"Well, Seymour, fate seemed to have caused us to meet. I've never felt more content or had someone who genuinely liked me for who I am. I was hoping you felt the same. So if you did and want to be my friend, I'd like that."
"Yes, fate seems to have caused us to collide. But, truthfully, I never had a friend before either," he acknowledged honestly as he looked back at her while holding the necklace.
"So we can be friends with each other? And if the answer is yes, do you also want to go to the dance together this Friday?" she pleaded with him.
She waited for what felt like an eternity for him to answer. But he seemed spaced out. She feared she had made the wrong choice in asking him and blown her crossroads. So, trying to salvage the situation, she quickly spoke. "Seymour? Um, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I mean, it's a silly dance. So if you don't want to go with me. I understand," she was trying to hold back the tears in her eyes.
Then, to her complete surprise, he answered her question. "I'd love to go to the dance with you, Jade. But we need to get some clothes first. I'm new in town and don't have anything for a dance. And if I'm taking the prettiest girl in class, she must look her best."
"Really?! Thank you! And you think I'm pretty?"
"The prettiest girl I've ever seen. Could you get your Uncle Jackie to take us clothes shopping? My parents aren't around much to do anything with me, and my siblings are the worst."
"Are your parents neglectful?" she asked sympathetically.
"More accurately, my parents are gone. Moreover, my siblings don't care for me. So I'm left on my own most of the time. So yeah."
"I'm sorry to hear that. No wonder you're lonely. Let's get Uncle Jackie and go shopping for clothes for the dance!" She took his hand and led him to the shop. They're both startled by what Uncle led out.
Unknown to everyone else, Hsi Wu was panicking. His missing tail was in a poor disguise. Then, however, something unexpected happened. The tail started to spasm and gave a dying shriek before it withered up and died right in front of them.
"Okay, what the heck just happened?" Jade asked as they looked at the remains of Hsi Wu's tail.
"Yes, Sensei, what just happened?"
"Uncle doesn't know! It must be unknown demon magic! Must do research! Come Tohru. We must think of another way to find and banish Sky Demon."
"What is he talking about, Jade?" Seymour asked in genuine surprise.
"Um, that's what was in the box. The tail of a demon. But it's now dead, and none of us know why. I don't know. Maybe the demon died? And we've nothing to worry about now? Like if the tail is dead, the rest of him has to be dead too, right?"
"I guess that makes sense. If the demon is no more, then there is no reason for the tail to exist either if it has nothing to reattach to," theorized Seymour, looking genuinely stumped by what just happened.
"Let's forget about it. Um, Uncle Jackie?"
"Yes, Jade? Oh, hello, Seymour. Nice to see you again."
"You too, Sir."
"Jackie Seymour and I are going to the dance this Friday. We will need some new clothes for the dance. Can you help us locate and purchase them? Seeing how two 11-year-olds really can't afford anything?"
"No problem. It is nice to do something normal for once. Let me get my wallet, and we can go to the mall. Give me five minutes."
The two young kids were smiling happily at the thought of the dance. Then Jade suddenly found herself back in that garden and realized she hadn't been dreaming last night.
Mingyun's face had a glowing smile, and she seemed rather happy. "Okay, did I pass the test, or did I doom the world?" Jade wanted to know impatiently.
"You've helped change the fate and thus changed your own. You made the right choice. Good job. The road ahead for both you and the destined one will be challenging of you. But stick together and follow the wisdom of your teachers, and you'll be fine.
Additionally, I'll be keeping a close eye on both of you. You two intrigue me, and not everyone catches' fate's eye. So you and your new boyfriend should know fate will keep her all-seeing eyes on the two of you."
"Wait? Did I change Seymour's Fate? How?"
"That's up for him to tell you. When the time is right, but that is on another day. For now, enjoy the dance. And learning to waltz would be very helpful. See you both in the future." And with that, Jade, Jackie, and Seymour started a new adventure that would lead, whose outcome was anyone's guess, but it would be engaging to watch them.