I had to focus on recovery first and foremost. There wasn't much for me to do, Mimi was busy basically being everyone's Mum. She did the housework, changed bandages, and made food, She would also work the field with Lu every day making sure their harvest was good. I had not seen her as happy as she was at this time before.

Mimi had always been kind of an air-head friendly and happy-go-lucky, but I could always sense some underlying sadness in her, a darkness I did not understand and that she did not wish to share with me. Which was fine. I had a rough understanding of what her work was like and... I didn't wanna know more.

Still, here she seemed to have bloomed, she was happy her eyes sparkling and she seemed to relish in taking care of us. It was lost on me how someone could enjoy caring so much for others. Still, it was nice seeing her so happy and calm. No screeching mistress or rude customers. She just had peace and I was happy about that.

It would take another couple of weeks for me to actually get out of bed, I felt antsy, while I was fond of sleeping I did not care too much about lying around all day and reading, I wanted to move and do things, explore, but for now this was my life, and currently I found myself in a terrifying position.

That was Mimi taking care of me. It made me so anxious I wanted to jump up and run. She was so nice, did everything for me, everything even the embarrassing things. It made me lose all hope and self-respect in a way. It was horrifying being so reliant on someone else, and she happily went along with it too, no complaining just being super nice about it.

I was not used to that at all. Somewhere inside of me, I thought that this is probably what a proper Mother would be like, I had seen Mothers treat their Children like this, just full of support and love. But for me.. it made me nervous, I wasn't used to it and it was foreign and kinda scary.

"Stop struggliiing!" Mimi was wrestling with me at this point as I was just feeling suffocated and wanted to be alone, she was trying to feed me some well.. arguably pretty tasty soup, but it was such an odd feeling being fed that it made me be unreasonable. I knew I was but I couldn't help it, my mindset and body were simply trained to be on my own to be strong to never show weakness if I could. But now I was stuck in a situation where I was vulnerable and had to rely on someone else.

I knew this was silly to fight against but at the same time.. I felt scared, so it took Mimi some time to calm me down, she continued to feed me and I just gave up. "Mimi is too much.." it was a weak mumble barely audible but Mimi still bonked me on the head with the spoon, not that it hurt. She looked at me with an exasperated expression

"You stay still and let me take care of you! You are still a small child! Now that we have a stable environment I will need to teach you how to behave and not act like an adult when you ain't even ... I don't actually know how old you are, but the point still stands!" Ignoring the point that I didn't even know how old I really was but .. it didn't really matter to me, at least I had a rough idea... Maybe 7? 8? Something around that I was just small for my age, I promise.

Moving on!

There was still this dreadful soft and friendly girl trying to feed me... munch munch munch. At least it was pretty tasty.. thinking among those lines made my eyes wander while I tried to turn off the warm fuzzy feeling that the whole situation created in my chest, It scared me and made me feel difficult. My gaze wandered to Lu, he had found some old Daoist robes here and put them on, not going to lie he kinda looked really good in them, they somehow fit even though he was just a big monkey. He was currently hovering over a mortar and pestle, a book about alchemy next to him as he tried to make "Pills" From the medical herbs they found outside.

If these pills were like the spirit fruits and water.. and from what I understood from his mumbling they kind of were - it might be worth the effort... I myself.. was not very interested it seemed complicated and there was Math. I hate Math.

This brings me to the second terror I had to sit through my weeks of recovery, Lu. Lu with his hands crossed behind his back walked back and forth in front of me, a few books in his hands as he recited things to me. Common knowledge he called it, important bits and bops he called it. I called it boring. He was also teaching me how to properly write and read and more importantly teaching me Math, I hated Math. I picked up reading and letters very quickly - but math was hard, I knew if I put my mind to it I could easily solve the problems he offered me but...

I just didn't feel like it, I didn't see the reason to know, as long as I could count to 20 and do math up to that number I thought it was enough, when am I ever going to have more than 20 of one thing, right? And even If I had why would I need to do math with it? But Lu was not having it at all. He would stand there for a few hours each day and drill the contents of his books into my head. Apparently, the magic bag had a large variety of books in it, and there were even children's books for some reason.

What was a lot more interesting to me was when there was a math book with pictures you could draw in, that seemed a lot more fun to me and made it easier somehow, I couldn't explain why but it just did.

One day a few weeks into my recovery Lu started another Lecture.

"Math is very important." Lu continued. "You are on the path to becoming a true immortal after all, your life will last far longer than normal ordinary people you will most certainly see and live through many things that you can not even imagine now. So a solid foundation on your problem solving and intelligence is more than needed."

I got it. I followed along with his speech and I started solving the problems he handed me, it wasn't super hard but it was so unbelievably boring and my brain felt numb and sluggish as the numbers danced in front of my eyes as if to ridicule me for struggling at all finishing about half of the work that he called an exam I had it... my patience had been thinning day after day for months so my mind suddenly snapped and a scream left my lips.

Grabbing the little desk with books and paper I threw it over and away from me, I kicked up my legs and started to wiggle away from Lu and this horrible bed and dashed outside, I was only in minor pain so this was more than good enough, nothing would keep me holding still and thinking for even a second longer. Lu was left speechless, there was a dent in the freshly fixed-up wall and the desk had shattered. But I didn't even care enough to listen to anyone talking, I simply dashed into the woods under everyone's calls.

"Finally..." I came to a stop surrounded by bamboo trees I was out of breath as I went at my current top speed.. my side hurt but it was fine, I've hurt more than this before and always healed up just fine. Now it was time to explore, to move, and for the first time in what felt like forever was I free... Nobody around to tell me what to do, nothing to restrain my movement, and no damn numbers.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

I could hear the others in the distance looking for me and felt resentful for it, why wouldn't they just let me be for a moment, just some peace and quiet no pity and no voices...

As these thoughts whirled in my head there was another side as well, the side that was warm and comfortable whenever Mimi fed me, or made sure I was as comfortable as I could, the side that saw how Li was worriedly looking at me and making sure I was okay all the time... and Lu that spend so much time preparing and reading things so he could teach me properly..

This was so weird. It felt like I should be happy.. but I .. just could not be it was draining me somehow I did not want to get too involved I did not want to deal with so much...and so I ran, I ran as quickly as I could, I left the valley and entered into the misty barrier around it, before arriving outside... gasping as my feet sunk into the snow.

I had left the barrier and felt spooked for a moment trying to turn around but the Mist just turned me in circles... Apparently going out was just fine but going back in was not. So I was stuck outside now. "I guess I just need to find the entrance again..." Taking a deep breath I felt the pain in my side sting and grumbled.

"Huh.."

I had no idea where I actually was so I slowly wandered around..my naked feet sinking into the deep snow. Any other child would probably be in a very bad situation right now but for me? The Snow calmed me down and made me feel warm... Thinking about it it did sound silly but that is how I felt so that was how it was! Clearly.

After a bit of time, I found myself no longer searching for the way back but rather just wandering around aimlessly in the snow before I simply fell down face-first into the snow feeling the cold envelop my body I felt peaceful and my mind was calm, allowing me to objectively think for the first time in weeks.

Why was I scared? Why did I want to run away? Why did I resent them for being around me so much? Why would I close away that warm feeling in my chest every time I felt it? These questions popped into my mind... the snow's embrace like that of a Mother cradling her child... explaining the world to them..

I was scared. That's why...I knew that but I never knew why It was scary just that it was... but at this moment in the embrace of the snow that gently held me, I knew why I was scared. I was starting to get attached to them to a degree I'd never felt with anyone before. I was starting to see them as more than just friends or acquaintances.

I had friends before, other street children, and whatnot. But it was always a relationship I could comfortably walk away from. I would not be to upset when one of them was run over by a cart, or caught by the guards... I could move on and still be calm and happy.

Mimi was like that for a time, but I had grown so much closer to her over time I never realized. Thinking back on it the way I saved her ... I wouldn't have ever done that normally... but she was already too important to me.

Li and Lu and grown on me in the same way.. slowly creeping their way into my shell... to the point where I was comfortable with them being around, I didn't feel the need to be constantly on guard with either of them.. but now I was terrified ... but terrified of what.

"You already know why, I said so yourself.." A soft and gentle voice rang in my head, and it shook me. There was nobody around and it felt like the snow itself was talking to me."Calm my beloved child~" I heard these words and instantly calmed down much to my own internal confusion but then the voice continued to speak.

"Finally you have awoken your powers... finally you have found those that cherish you and a place you belong~ Do not wallow in the fear of losing what you have but relish in what you have and the time you can enjoy it, otherwise your time on this world will be filled with nothing but regret and anxiety my beloved child." The voice came from the snow around her, and flakes of it seemed to form into a vaguely humanoid form, a hand of snow and ice gently caressed her cheek.

"Live.. Live a full and colorful life, find the things you enjoy and love and keep them close, take what is yours, and let nobody step over you.. my child...this place will help you grow up strong, and when the time comes you will soar over the could and reach even the heavens... my dear child." The whisper became weaker as it spoke and the roughly humanoid shape embraced her tightly.

"Eat well...Play well... and sleep well. Focus on cultivation but do not oversee your connection with those you love...you have all the time in the world. And if you lack time you simply have to claw it away from the heavens."

Kou nodded .. she understood and her heart felt full, she hugged the snow figure back gently and closed her eyes feeling this wonderful feeling blooming in her chest, no longer caged inside of her chest it filled her entire being for a moment.

"My time is over, beloved child... there are those out there that.. love you more than you could ever know... never forget that."

Kou blinked and the figure pulled back, she reached out to hold her back but stopped herself. She could feel that this being that was talking to her was weak, and could barely muster the strength to talk to her like this..she did not want her to go... but then the image of this being overlapped with something else...Mimi was there, her face red from exertion her clothes wet from the snow and her expression panicked as she carefully hugged me just like the figure had before.

"Take care.." I whispered quietly as Mimi squeezed me without touching my wounds and lifted me up into the air. She didn't scold me at all, only pulling me close to her chest, and.. for once I hugged her back, as strong as I could I clung to Mimi, and then I could just no longer hold back as the dam of tears broke and I hid my face in her shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably.

Loss, sorrow, and the entire mass of emotions I had been suppressing for the last few years all suddenly came out of me and I cried the entire way back as Mimi carried me, supporting my body against her while she whispered gently into my ear.

"It's all good... nothing bad has happened... you are fine... Just let it out, we are here for you..."

Halfway down into the Valley, I fell asleep, it was as if all of these tears sapped all strength away from me... or perhaps my strength was just a facade anyway.. as I felt weak at this moment. But... this weakness was comforting.

...

It took a few more weeks after this for me to finally recover fully.

And in these few weeks, my life changed quite a bit. I took the other's kindness for what it was and cherished it instead of fearing it. It took some work and I certainly would never be very expressive in these kinds of things... but I tried.

Li and Lu seemed happy with my change.

I would listen to Lu's lectures more intently and work hard on learning the things he had prepared for me. And whenever I could I started playing with Li - or rather play fighting. Combat was the way we bounded, be it friendly competitions or just little brawls, neither of us was very talkative so we could bond more through that.

The most happy out of all of us however was Mimi. Every day she seemed to shine like the Sun, her gentle and loving eyes always watching out for us, and I became more comfortable with the affection she had to give, I would let her cut my hair a little, brush it, and my tail... she taught me things about skincare, and how to properly wash up. And once my wild messy mane was somewhat subdued she gifted me a Ribbon. She only had a few given how hasty our escape was.. so this present meant a lot.

So from that day on I used this Ribbon to bind my hair into a simple Pony-tail.

Sometime later~

I had grown a little! I could tell. I was also no longer that scrawny! My face was round and I had gained some weight and Mimi called me cute about once every few hours. I guess I was cute. It felt kind of nice to think about it. I wasn't terribly vain but with what Mimi had taught me I did not see why I should not take care of myself, it was no trouble, and time... didn't feel like it was limited anymore.

I had left my fight and flight mentality that day ... had left it in the snow. I was sure I could pick it up at a moment's notice, go back to the suspicious girl that would not let anyone get too close to her, and first and foremost fight for herself. But.. right now at this time, it was not necessary, I would never ever stop being weary of others... but closing my heart to anything clearly was not working for me. I turned away from the River where I had looked at my image to face Li and Lu standing in the large field they had made next to the house, while Mimi was watering the plants.

She waved at me and I smiled and waved back, which made her beam back at me.

My smile twitched a little and I quickly ran over towards them. I guess they were my chosen family for now.