Chapter Text
Performs up to six consecutive spear strikes.
Hu Tao could recall fondly the day she first learned spearwork.
It was dawn, the sun’s early rays gently sifting through the musky indigo clouds of the night. As the rays broke through, they left behind trails of lilac and rose, which added to the warming tones of the sky. The cotton candy-colored swirls reflected in the drying puddles from the rainstorm a few days before. The leaves rustled in tune with the gentle breeze, the birds beginning to chirp their song.
Although she was only seven, Hu Tao could tell that it was going to be a beautiful day.
“Hurry up, my little butterfly. We have places to be.”
Hu Tao snapped out of her trance then and after hearing the words, a petulant pout formed on her lips. She remembered puffing her cheeks and protesting.
“The sky though, Gramps! And the clouds! They’re like cotton candy! I wanna keep looking!”
Her grandfather chuckled gently at her response.
“We can look at the clouds as we walk. How does that sound, Tao?”
She remembered huffing out the air that filled her cheeks at his response. “Okay…”
Suddenly, an idea popped into her head.
“…but! You gotta carry me the who~le way!”
Hu Tao’s grandfather sighed dramatically before bending down, back facing her. “Alright, alright. Get on, my little butterfly. I’ll carry you on my shoulders the way there.”
She definitely dropped her pouty facade then, a happy grin spreading across her face as she went on. Hu Tao cheered as she settled onto her new perch, pointing forwards with glee. “Let’s go, let’s go!”
“My little butterfly is so very demanding, hm?” Her grandfather jokingly sighed. She had protested, her voice slightly rising in pitch.
“I just wanna look at the sky, Gramps! The really cool, cotton candy sky!”
Another chuckle was heard, Hu Tao feeling the slight vibrations under her legs from her perch on her grandfather’s shoulders.
“C’mon Gramps, let’s go, let’s go!”
He hummed in reply. “Let us go then. Don’t fall off my shoulders now, my dear Tao.”
The sun peered through those cotton candy clouds as she rode on her grandfather’s shoulders, hands either resting on the hexagonal hat that adorned his head or pointing at the sky. With the birds chirping and her grandfather’s playful responses to her words as they went through the forest…
…it truly was the beginning of a beautiful day.
FWOOSH!
“Less force, Tao-Tao. You’re swinging too hard and that makes you go off balance. Try again.”
FWISH!
“Too little force that time. Try again.”
WHOOSH!
“Too rigid. Again.”
SWISH!
“Again.”
FW—BAM!
“Tao!”
Hu Tao pushed herself up with her forearms, albeit shakily. Her forehead throbbed, a reminder to how she gracelessly face-planted onto the ground after losing her balance.
“My little butterfly, can you sit up?”
The girl continued her struggle to separate herself from the ground, dirt smudging along her limbs as she did. Her body ached, her palms and knees stinging, bringing tears to her eyes.
“Don’t…d-don’t wanna do it anymore…” she sniffed, feeling the traitorous tears beginning to burn behind her eyes.
Her grandfather knelt down, gently reaching out to help her up. “Oh my little Tao, I’m so sorry. Come now, let me help you.”
The brief warmth his hands brought gave Hu Tao immediate comfort, the girl’s sniffles slightly dying away.
“How are you feeling, Tao?”
She sniffed again. “Hurts.”
“I see. I have some first aid supplies, but most of the better ones are at home. I’ll treat them as best as I can for now, okay? We can go to Bubu Pharmacy after.”
Hu Tao felt relief wash over her with those words, only for a small hiss of conflict to stir in her chest. “But…”
She can feel her grandfather looking at her. “But?”
“My training…” she murmured, casting her gaze downwards.
“Can you repeat that, my little butterfly?”
She did once more. “My training…”
“What about it?”
“…wanna keep going.” She muttered softly, suddenly feeling very small.
Her grandfather frowned. “It can wait for another day, Tao. You’re hurt.”
Hu Tao knew, truly, that he’s right. She wouldn’t be able to do much when her body aches as it does. However, the little conflicting spark in her chest grew, flickering tentatively.
“One more try?”
“Tao…”
She hesitantly looked up, her eyes glistening in a plea. “Please?”
He sighs. “One more. Then we’ll go.”
Hu Tao brightened, and pushed herself up, her injuries aching in response. She scrunched her face up, attempting not to burst into tears as she picked up her training polearm from the dirt.
She looked at the smooth, dusty brown wood in her hand and gripped it firmly. In the back of her mind, she reached for those memories of her grandfather telling her the steps, once more.
Then she takes a breath, and slashes forward.
“Grandpa! I did it, did you see?”
“Yes, I did Tao.”
“It went fwoosh! Then fwish! Then wa-bam!”
Hu Tao gestured wildly as she spoke, hands waving through the air.
“Indeed it did. Amazing spearwork Tao, I’m very proud of you. Now, hold still. I need to put the bandages on.”
She pouted a tad but acquiesced. “Okay…”
A few stings and bandages later, her grandfather tucked away his supplies. “There, much better. Stand for me, Tao?”
She did, grinning brightly. “Ta da!”
“Good, good. Let’s be off.”
Hu Tao cheerily hummed and sang the whole way back, her grandfather listening in amusement.
“Grandpa, y’know how I managed to hit that dummy?”
“Yes?”
“Well it means something ve~ry important!”
A soft laugh is heard. “What does it mean then?”
Hu Tao grins. “It means that I can do any~thing, as long as grandpa is there to help!”
He chuckled. “Soon, you’ll be able to do anything and everything by yourself, without your grandfather’s help.”
She hummed. “Maybe! Probably. I don’t know.”
She turns to her grandfather, eyes shining. “But! You’ll always be there for me, right?”
Her grandfather smiles, a note of something hidden in his expression. “Of course.”
The sky was brighter than before by the time they headed back. The horizon gleamed a spotless azure, the sun shining unabashedly in the sky. The breeze still lingered behind, drifting amongst the branches along with the sun rays.
A beautiful day indeed.