Bai Tza stared curiously at Valmont and Xanatos as they sat across from each other at the table, simply staring and smiling. The initial meeting and discussion between the pair had been interesting to say the least, confusing to say the most. Xanatos had asked Valmont a few business questions, Valmont had given in depth non-answers, and the most specific discussion that never actually said anything that Bai Tza had ever heard occurred. The discussion eventually ended, and both seemed satisfied with the result. She had made a mental note to ask Tso Lan later if he could explain what had happened to her.
As for now, Xanatos was ready to head back to New York and inform 'Big O' - whoever that was - that there was nothing here to be concerned about, but first he wanted to face Valmont once more in their own special brand of chess. This apparently involved setting up the chess board, sitting to either side...and then staring at each other for anywhere from half an hour to two hours with a smile until one or the other reached out and tipped their king over and declared a good game. They seemed to enjoy it, but she wasn't entirely certain what they were doing.
As such, she was rather pleased for the distraction when she felt the air around her shift, an old signal Hsi Wu had developed for when he wanted to talk privately with her without getting the attention of their other siblings. She was surprised that Valmont didn't even take his eyes off Xanatos as she got up to leave, but he did wave happily in her direction without looking away from his 'game', so she wasn't too put out. Instead, she made her way to the nearest balcony where she knew she'd find her Brother of Sky waiting for her.
When she saw the form he'd taken, however, she nearly lost her composure. "...you're adorable!" she finally squeaked out.
"Can you please not make this any more awkward for me than it already is?" Hsi Wu demanded as he braced his human form on the balcony railing, preferring to perch like a demon even if he was human at the moment.
"I hope you didn't fly up here," Bai warned. "Valmont has a guest, and he brought a Gargoyle as backup."
"European or Oriental?" Hsi asked incisively.
"European."
Hsi shivered. "Most of the world's forgotten they came into existence as Wild Magic's answer to creatures like us. I wonder if Valmont's guest remembers?"
"He hasn't said anything, but I'd bet he knows," Bai confirmed. "Now, why did you call me out here, anyway? Somehow I doubt it was to talk about Gargoyles..." She grinned impishly. "Even if you did base your demon form off them out of a strange respect for the threat they posed."
Hsi Wu glanced down off the edge of the balcony and murmured something under his breath.
"What was that?" Bai asked, leaning in closer. "I couldn't hear you."
"I need you to teach me how to dance, okay?" Hsi snapped out, his human cheeks flushed. "...and curse this human form for not hiding my emotional state well!"
Bai burst into a wicked giggle. "Dance lessons? Hsi, just what are you playing at? Between staying human and asking me privately, I'd almost think you had a date..." Her voice trailed off as her eyes locked on the Yin pendant he was wearing. "...oh my gosh, you do, don't you?"
"Shut up!" Hsi snapped angrily, his cheeks burning. "I'm only going through with it because the blasted ponies have my tail trapped and invoked The Promise to bind me to get it back. I don't want War's Child haunting my dreams or worse!"
Bai Tza shivered violently. "No one does," she murmured worriedly. "Why did you agree?"
"It was either that or get fed to their plant for Sarlacc-style digestion."
"...huh?"
Hsi Wu frowned up at Bai in irritation. "You of all of us should remember those movies. I went to a lot of effort to hold a wall breach long enough for us to watch the whole thing."
"Oh, sorry," Bai apologized. "I was too busy drooling over Harrison Ford to pay attention to fake magic."
Hsi Wu groaned and rubbed his head. "Look, can you just teach me to dance? The Spring Dance is only in a few days, and I still need to figure out a good plan to make sure Jade has a good time."
"Maybe I could help with that?" Bai suggested. "I'm sure Valmont would love to set some things up to create a huge gaffe for Section 13 and the Chans while giving Jade a good laugh-"
"No!" Hsi Wu snapped out. "Definitely not! The whole reason those girls wanted me to do this was to give Jade some normal! How is that anywhere even close to normal?"
"...for her?" Bai offered helpfully.
"I'm trying to give her a fun night away from that!" Hsi growled, throwing his hands into the air angrily.
Bai stared at Hsi Wu for several moments. "...you actually care about her, don't you?"
Hsi Wu said nothing, turning away and mentally cursing his flaming cheeks.
Bai let out a happy squeal. "Oh my gosh! My little brother has his first crush!"
"Little brother?" Hsi snapped out angrily. "I'm a century older than you!"
"Not like this you aren't," Bai teased, ruffling his hair.
Hsi made a very rude sound in the back of his throat. "A pox on all females," he growled irritably.
"Already exists," Bai responded curtly. "It's called PMS these days."
"And here I thought that was a pox on men for having to deal with that?" Hsi offered teasingly.
"Turn human for a month and try it, then see what you have to say."
Hsi Wu visibly recoiled. "Lord Maou forbid!"
"Do you want those dance lessons or not?" Bai demanded curtly.
"...yes please," Hsi Wu offered apologetically.
Bai nodded, pulling her brother onto the balcony. "You're lucky this balcony's big enough. Otherwise, I'd have to bring you inside for lessons, and then Xiao and Tso would hear about this. Now, follow my lead..."
Yay, references!
... Y'know, I did wonder how he knew what a Sarlacc is.
I mean even without being an adopted child of a War aspected Outsider (not sure if Deity or Rider) The Pink One is a force to be reckoned with.
Well that answers a few questions and raises only one. Just how connected are these universes beyond what we know?
This chapter brought out so much Yay for me. Star Wars reference, ship confirmation, and Bai Tza's.....delicious behavior (best word I could think of).
Can't spell Slaughter without Laughter
The Pink One is like a class 3 entity that often can pull a Santa if needed.
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Pinkie is Pinkie is Pinkie.
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Technically, as a demigod, she's Class 2, since she has a divine nature.
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While Technically class 2 we all know she truly is a class 0 when it comes to a Pinkie Promise
Seems Bai can easily catch wind of some things.
One could think his promise has him perched in a precarious position.
I'm betting that conversation specifically discussed nothing out of depth.
And GoW Pinkie gets another mention... though THIS one seems more than just "it's Pinkie, don't question it".
...dang. The Pinkie Promise is strong stuff.
Looks like we're up for DDDR: Demon Dance Dance Revolution.
breach
Okay, THAT is a pretty cool "origin" to Gargoyles. Nice one Tats.
Okay, that both does AND does NOT answer how The Pinkie Promise is known in this reality. I'm just not going to question it. Probably better for my sanity this way.
THAT would explain how he knew about Star Wars and the Sarlacc reference.
I think she has a better option with Valmont right now. I'm really hoping that one of the Demon Lords, one of the stupid ones, get killed off and Valmont becomes a new Demon Lord to replace the dead one and become part of the Brotherhood (Keep the balance and all) and Bai Tsa can keep Valmont as her beau and be able to be married to him forever. Win Win all around.
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-shudder- No kidding! ESPECIALLY combined with the fact that she was raised by KRATOS THE FREAKING GHOST OF SPARTA AND THE GOD OF WAR! THAT is a whole new level of hurt right there.
Good chap-
Dammit, now I need to binge watch that series. Again. Tats whyyyyy
Jesus Christ. I mean, knew you made Valmont more competent, but not that competent. Unlike the show, he'll never stop being relevant now.
And OH. MY. GOD. Hsi Wu, this really did get competent for you, didn't it? This arc has actually been pretty interesting, and I honestly wonder how drastically the Earth Demon is going to be from it.
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Good thought but wrong reference. The big o in question is Oberon a fae king.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
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And you can't forget her blessings from the Titans either
Let's see, Valmont in a meeting? Check.
Meeting with Demons? Not check. Playing Chess with Xanatos instead.
Hsi arrive at the Dark Hand Hideout slightly agitated? Check.
Hsi causes a ruckus to in his state to get someone's attention? Not check. Signaled specifically to Bai to come see him.
Bai dotes on him like a little brother once she finds out about his crush? Triple check!
Valmont hatches a plan to help Hsi? Not check, BUT Bai points out that Valmont would have been more than happy do so.
I was actually pretty close with where I thought this was heading. Can't wait for the next chapter. :)
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DAH! COMPLETELY forgot about that.
And now I wonder how could Hsi Wu look as a little girl instead...
Wait a sec, how does Bai, a person whose standard form doesn't have any legs.....Know how to dance?
Lord Maou ?
You mean the one from maou yuusha?
What.
Wait, this is the same Earth as that story? With the same mythology/magical history?
OH MY GOD! The good times and laughs that are to be gotten from this chapter!
I SO see some magic something or other crashing the dance, the adults FINALLY show up ALL ADULTS, that includes Xanatos and Goliath only to find the girls pulling Hsi Wu off the poor, poor SoBs as he’s raging about them ruining Jade’s good time. A bloody good time no matter.
Oh my god this chapter was hilarious! XD
This chapter was funny and cute.
The part with Bai Tza mentioning Harrison Ford
Really liking how Gargoyles are depicted here as well.
Goddess of War Pinkie Pie? When, and in what story, did this happen?
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Check other Tatsurou stories. It is a complete one. You will find it.
With the spring dance getting closer, I figured I'd take a look back at the Pinkie Promise Hsi and Sweetie Belle made.
Sweetie Belle, you clever little filly. You got Hsi Wu to make a Pinkie Promise with no indefinite end date, by listing four separate but related actions.
1) Be Jade's friend.
2) Spend time with Jade.
3) Take Jade to the dance.
4) Make sure Jade has a good time.
Only one of those items has a specific deadline, but it gets better. "Take no hostile action against us or the world until then." I love vague pronouns. Us could mean the CMC and Audrey or the entire Chan Family, and the world is simple enough. But it gives the illusion that Hsi has a way out of this promise. He doesn't because of tasks 1, 2, and 4. I have a feeling Sweetie Belle is going to drop this little nugget of information on Hsi after he gets back his tail, and right before he does something rather foolish to call upon the ire of War's Child.
Hsi doesn't realize it yet, but the CMC beat him, and more importantly bound him by his own words to their cause! Which might not be a situation Hsi finds unpleasant.
Or I could be reading into the Pinkie Promise too much. Either way, this is going to be fun. :)
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I doubt it. Pinkie Pie, and that one in particular, enjoys breaking all laws of science, nature, and magic. I'm sure he's referring to Kratos's Pinkie Pie, and I'm sure she can dimension hop at will… should someone break a Pinkie Promise. :P
V-dog and Xany's game was quite the spectacle.
Poor Seymour. Dealing with these pesky infections of emotion. I hope they turn out to be chronic.
Dang. I thought Sarlaccs actually existed in the new magical world. Maybe they do. Hopefully they do.
That whole conversation at the end is exactly how I hope my conversation with my own little sister goes, if and when I ever ask her for help dating.
This chapter, man. I couldn't get enough!
so then... ( puts on a military helmet ) when do the shipping wars start?
Another enjoyable chapter.
You know, when I read "Big O" ,for a second I thought about Oprah. Just Imagine what 90's-to-early-2000s Oprah could be in this magic world.
Wait who's the gargoyle
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Goliath.
8249992 ok hrmmm is he the purple one from France used in a film and tv show
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This is Goliath. http://gargoyles.wikia.com/wiki/Goliath
He is purple, but he is from Scottland (as is the rest of his clan). The castle Xanatos was referring to is Castle Wyvern, and was located on Wyvern Hill before it was moved—brick by brick—to the top of the Eyrie Building in New York City. The building was built and is owned by David Xanatos, and is most likely the location where Xanatos and Goliath started their trip from NYC to San Francisco.
Nice by-play between Hsi and Bai, and the situation was enough to make me chuckle as I read. As for dancing, I'm guessing Bai's gonna teach him how to waltz or some other 'proper ballroom' dance, many of which I know myself. I'm hoping it's a waltz.
That said, I like the reference to Pinkie here, even if I haven't yet read the relevant story. I'll get around to it one of these days, but for now, let the dancing begin.
In the words of TFS Gaming... "TEE! TER! DANCE!"
Chapter One Hundred Twenty Five
"Aiyah!"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 46
"One More Thing!"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 80
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ONE MORE THING! as far as we know until these crossovers collapse back onto each other Pinkie is still fighting with a Dead Pool Chrysi
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The story was "You Can't Spell Slaughter Without Laughter." really good story it, the dead pool, and Wreck-it Ralph stories are three of my favorites with villianous(Counting Kratos as a villian) Stories in this series, Though you have to read "Order & Chaos" to understand the displacement in full context
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It was actually your comment that inspired that part of this chapter, where Bai suggests the plan to help and Hsi shoots it down, leading Bai to realize his feelings for Jade are genuine.
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Because dancing is traditionally part of seduction, and that's part of her Siren magic.
Just look at her daughters, after all.
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Actually, that was meant to be used as just the generic term often used in Japanese to refer to the Demon Lord (ruler of all Demons/evil/etc). Which in this case means the Dark Magic equivalent to Oberon and the Jade Emperor on the Jade Council.
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But siren's originally used seduction purely by their voices, sure Adagio and the others know how to seduce now, but mostly relied on their voices.
Also so with Dai Gui, is he related to Minotaurs or something? Cause of his appearance and he's from Spain which is famous for Bulls so would make sense.
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Oh okay gotcha
Do the demons have multidimensional connections?