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Hehe, I see you got into a fight with my shidi, mister fox!

He's always like that, if you're a fan of consistency. [ wei wuxian gravitates between thinking it's cute and being utterly infuriated by it ]

If you're still looking for help regarding 'being human', I'm good at that! I trained all of my children to have proper manners and function in human society, after all!

I see you're just as obnoxious as he is.

Don't insult me, human. I've spent five centuries catering to gods; my manners are impeccable, when they're deserved. It's your petty mortality I can't wrap my head around.

Eh? Hm? We're cultivators, however many years of mortality we have left are numbered in the single digits.

If you don't need manners, why did you bother asking for help? You don't eat human flesh, right? If so, my advice is to keep that on the down-low. You don't have physical traits like ears and a tail to hide, right? We could get you beautiful hats or hair accessories and fancy skirts, to hide those, if so!

[ there are so many words here. ]

I don't know what that means, but if you're mortal now, then you think like a mortal.

I asked because I don't know how to imitate human behaviour, not manners. We come from two entirely different worlds.

No, I don't eat humans. I'm not that kind of youkai.

Of course I have ears and a tail. I'm a fox. But I'm not keen on the idea of covering my ears at all times. Aside from being uncomfortable, it makes it incredibly difficult to hear.

I don't think that's how it works when you're trained to think like an immortal for the sake of becoming one.

Okay, we can work on all of that, then. You could call me a specialist on human behavior!

As for the rest - what about earrings! There are pretty clip-on ones like bundles of flowers, we could get you those so we don't have to pierce them, and they can sit and make your ears look like a fashion piece instead - a body modification, so that you don't have to hide your ears ever.

You may not be the same as an ordinary human, but I have no doubt that there is still a difference. I have always had the leisure of time. My kind do not change because we have no need to. But if you're striving for immortality, then you are already rushing, and you are already trying to change. You see?

If you are a specialist on human behaviour, you may be of some help. I've found that the problem with asking humans about this is that they aren't aware of their own nature. So I'm not opposed to hearing your thoughts on the matter, as an expert.

Well. I wouldn't mind that so much. The decoration, I mean. I had quite a lot of fashionable kimono and haori in the shrine at home, collected over centuries, and I am annoyed to be reduced to such plain clothes now.

Just because you haven't had a need for change doesn't mean it's impossible - change is invisible, most of the time. Who you began as... it's impossible to be them forever. That's my first lesson on human behavior! Embrace change! Time will flow slowly for you, mister fox, but it still flows. Even the slowest trickle of water will wear down the mountain.

[ wow what is this wisdom ]

I got most of my clothes from gambling with sex workers! Oh, not the accessories though! I made some of them and bought some from vendors, including a very pretty búyào accessory I think would suit you far better than me. See?

[ he links an image of what he means ]

You misunderstand. It is impossible. A youkai cannot change from its nature no matter how much time passes, nor can a god. We exist to fulfil a purpose. I am only able to be a familiar because of the contract with my master, which changes my existence and binds me.

Ah, we call that design a hirauchi. I don't typically wear hair pins myself, since they're more suited to women, but that's quite a lovely one.

So - you traded the yolk of your previous nature for a new one? That kinda sucks.

I mean, if it makes you happy... I can't say it's wrong. But, going on about things being 'impossible' just makes me want to sink my fingers into it and rip it apart. I've done it before, not to brag, but I have. If it's impossible for you - I guess that'd mean you'd just need someone on the outside to make it work.

Why'd you become a heavenly servant anyways? I think you'd have been fun to meet as a youkai.

It only seems strange to you because you're thinking of it as some arbitrary rule I must follow. Does an animal seem trapped to you, for behaving as its nature dictates?

I... Actually, I believe I may be more youkai now than I have been in centuries. My contract is broken, so there is nothing to truly make me a shinshi but my own desire to return. I've already felt that it's harder to control myself. There is an ache for violence.

As for why I became Mikage's servant,

... I

Hm. You know, I actually can't recall? It was a long time ago, I suppose. The memory must have faded.

I remember being very, very tired. Mikage's hands were gentle and there... I believe there was blood? Perhaps I grew bored of violence against those that posed no challenge to me... Why can't I remember?

That makes two of us with bad memories, I guess.

[ not memories that are bad, just the inability to keep memories where they properly belong!! ]

Anyways, you look nothing like an animal - it's hard to treat you like one. You have such a forceful personality and a cute face!