The Red Prince: Hua Ying

4

The four have been wondering Dafan for a few hours now. So far, not much has been found or confirmed either. Hua Ying could feel eyes on him from time to time, which, he could only assume it was Lan Wangji. He did not mind really.

"Hua Ying?" Nan Feng asked.

"Hmm?"

"What if you used some of your butterflies?" Nan Feng asked, "they can help scope the area a bit."

"Butterflies?" Wangji asked.

"They are spirit butterflies," Hua Ying told him, "my A-Die gifted me some for my most recent birthday," Hua Ying let a few of his Crimson Red butterflies fly about. Several of them going every which way.

"What do they do?" Xichen asked.

"Many things," Hua Ying answered, "they can protect me if I am in danger, and cause great damage, they can illuminate their surroundings, they have healing abilities, they can indicate illusions, they can spy and record things, and then I can use them to disperse and teleport...for example..."

Hua Ying dispersed into dozens of wraith butterflies (also known as Deadly Spirit Butterflies). Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji were stunned by the sudden discovery and the amount of power Hua Ying has. Nan Feng, was of course, not even phased, as always. Hua Ying reappeared right behind Lan Wangji and tapped his shoulder.

"Hi," He greeted, "You are really cute...has anyone told you that?"

Lan Wangji blinked. His ears turning red, "Shameless," He said and looked away from him.

"Aiyo, Lan Zhan, don't be like that," Hua Ying said...he realized he might have just given himself away a bit. Wei Wuxian was trying to push himself out.

"What did you say?" Lan Wangji asked, "how did you know my birth name?"

"Ugh...isn't that your name? Lan Zhan?" Hua Ying asked, "I have heard a lot about you and your brother. Read a lot of your history."

Lan Xichen smirked, "Hua Ying, how old are you?" He asked.

"Sixteen, why?"

Lan Xichen and Wangji looked stunned, "you're sixteen and you have such strong spiritual powers?" Lan Xichen questioned, "how?"

"I have powerful parents...though I cannot talk about them openly," Hua Ying said.

"Okay," Xichen said.

"Call me Wangji or Hanguang Jun. Lan Zhan is for someone else," Wangji said.

"For someone else?" Hua Ying asked.

"Just, do not call me by my birth name," Lan Wangji said.

"Very well," Hua Ying said.

"Hua Ying, anything yet?" Nan Feng asked.

"No, give the butterflies time to look around," Hua Ying said.

"Hua Yung, may I ask you a question?" Lan Xichen asked.

"Sure," he said moving to stand beside Lan Xichen.

"How are you able to harness so much spiritual energy at such a young age?" Lan Xichen asked, "I know you said you have strong parents but I feel like that isn't just it."

"I want to answer that, but I cannot," Hua Ying said, "I told my parents that I would be careful about my identity. Especially their identity."

"Where are you and your family from?" Lan Xichen asked, "do you have siblings?"

"My family lives very far from here. And as for siblings, no, I am an only child. I have a lot of uncles though," Hua Ying said.

"Must be lonely," Lan Xichen said.

"Not really. I have plenty of friends around me," Hua Ying said, "I had a happy childhood. Plus my Baba and A-Die are the best parents."

"You have to fathers?" Lan Wangji asked.

"Yes," Hua Ying answered looking at him, "is there anything wrong with that?"

"No...it's just not common to have two parents of the same gender...are you adopted then?" Xichen said.

"No, my Baba was blessed to conceive me," Hua Ying answered, "so, I am biologically theirs."

"The gentleness of his Baba and the mischief habits of his A-Die," Nan Feng mumbled.

"Great," Wangji said, "more mischief I guess."

Hua Ying stood in front of Wangji and got extremely close to him, "do you hate mischievous people?" He asked, "meaning, do you hate me?"

"Did not say that," Wangji said.

"Seems like it was implied," Hua Ying said, "are you always this judgmental?"

Lan Xichen looked at Hua Ying then his brother, "If I offended you, I apologize," Wangji said.

"No need," Hua Ying said, "I do not care what others think of me."

Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen did not know how to handle being around Hua Ying. He was a very confident person and spoke what ever came to mind. They had never met someone so unrestrained before. Lan Wangji even though he was even more unruly than Wei Wuxian. As they walked, Hua Ying started humming a tune he heard from one of Wei Wuxian's memories. Lan Wangji froze in his steps after he heard it. He heard Hua Ying humming. It was a song only he knew and he played it for Wei Wuxian.

So how did Hua Ying know it?

"Wangji, are you okay?" Lan Xichen asked.

"Where did you hear that tune?" Wangji asked Hua Ying.

"In a dream," He answered.

"You are lying to me aren't you?" Wangji asked,

Hua Ying stopped walking and looked at Wangji, "why would I lie to you? I heard it in a dream. It is on you to believe me or not I suppose though."

"The only person who knows that song aside from me is supposed to be dead," Wangji said, "so are you really Hua Ying?"

"Yes," Hua Ying answered confidently, "you do not have to believe me but it is the truth. I heard the tune in a dream."

"You are right, I do not believe you," Wangji said, "and I demand you come to Gusu with me so we can sort this out."

"You demand me?" Hua Ying asked, and looked at Nan Feng, "he demands me. Did you hear that right?"

"I did," Nan Feng said, "Hanguang Jun, you do not have the authority to make demands such as this."

"Maybe that is why people always said he and the Yiling Patriarch always hated each other. Who would have thought the people from the Gusu Lan Sect would be so bossy," Hua Ying said.

"Take. It. Back." Wangji demanded.

"Why? It is the truth, can't handle it?" Hua Ying asked.

Lan Xichen stepped in and held off his brother before he did anything he would later regret, "Wangji, Hua Ying, I think we should just let this go. Okay. Hua Ying does not have to come back to Gusu Wangji."

"Feng Shushu, do you want to bounce?" Hua Ying asked.

"Yes please," Nan Feng said.

With a snap of his fingers, Hua Ying and Nan Feng dispersed within a few hundred crimson butterflies. Lan Xichen sighed, "Wangji, whether it was him or not, did you really expect him to just go with you? His trust in anyone was lost a long time ago."

"I know," Wangji said, "I am sorry. I will take a punishment when we return home."

"I think you should lighten up on yourself, Wangji," Xichen said, "You have been hurting for a long time. I know you wish you could have done more, but you did what you could at the time. I also have my regrets, Wangji."

"Mnn," Wangji nodded. He was done with this conversation. Lan Xichen sighed and walked in silence through the Dafan woods.