The Bearer of Bad News

[yinyangwizard]

Lan Zhan has had his injuries treated, and after some protest, has been convinced to take some time to recover. Or perhaps it's more accurate to say he was guilted into taking the time.

In any case, Lan Zhan and Lan Yuan are now asleep on adjacent futons in Seimei's room. Seimei has left his retainer Shizuka, the seven-tailed fox, to wait in attendance in case they should need anything. Someone needs to deliver the bad news to Zenigata, and in Seimei's view, giving Rae Seddon this task - when she is already so weary from her own grief and the other burdens she has to bear - would be selfish and unkind. So he takes it upon himself.

Seimei goes up to Inspector Zenigata's door, takes a deep breath, and knocks.

Comments

[zenigatcha]

Zenigata is in this strange, liminal space -- strange, even for Milliway's. He's technically between jobs (but God only knows how long that'll last) and he's stuck dealing with Lupin in a non-cop way (which isn't so bad, thuough he'd never admit it.)

Cigarette butt smolder in the ashtray on the dresser, when he opens his door -- his suitcoat is hung up, his shirt-sleeves rolled up and his tie off -- he blinks, and then smiles.

"Abe-san! Please, come in," he steps aside to allow the man to enter.

[yinyangwizard]

Seimei bows, and takes the invitation to step inside.

"Lan Wangji has returned. He was badly injured, and is currently resting - otherwise he would have come to see you himself."

If he could have been convinced to do so before rushing back to his people to get Lan Yuan settled. Which is not at all a certain thing.

[zenigatcha]

Lan Wangji has returned! Oh, that's good news. If he's arrived, but injured, surely that means good things.

"I'm glad he made it back," Zenigata says, as he pulls over the one chair in the room and then sits on the edge of his bed. "Please, have a seat."

[yinyangwizard]

Seimei sits down, cautiously. "He said that Wei Wuxian is dead. Rae-san and I...we do not know any more than that."

[zenigatcha]

Zenigata blinks for a moment, noncomprehending. It just arrived so bluntly, delivered simply. Facts matter. The fact is that Wei Wuxian is dead. There's no time to think about anything else, to prepare, to brace. He just gets it dumped in his lap, just like that.

There's a long silence as he processes for a moment, before he finally replies. His voice is gruff, but it always has been. "I see. There's-- he told you nothing?"

[yinyangwizard]

There really is no way to break news like that

"We were in the middle of treating his wounds, which are quite serious. It was not a good time to press him for details."

To be honest, getting any kind of details about anything from Lan Zhan is difficult even under optimal circumstances.

"It was not Wei Wuxian who injured Lan Wangji. He was flogged. I suspect that he attempted to save Wei Wuxian in defiance of his sect, and they punished him for it."

[zenigatcha]

Zenigata swallows something thick in his throat. He chokes it down to keep it together, folding his hands in his lap as he composes himself.

"Wei Wuxian always spoke highly of him," Zenigata says, voice still kept that flat, even tone. "He... I don't doubt for a second that he was a good and strong young man, and would not have let his friend down."

There's an irony he doesn't know exists there, but he'll laugh bitterly about it later, once he knows more.

[yinyangwizard]

"I am reminded of stories where a samurai, caught in a dilemma, does the right thing and accepts the consequences."

Although it is not quite that tragic, as Lan Zhan is still alive.

"He is adopting A-Yuan. The child is Lan Yuan now. He has accepted this development without trouble. But he does not yet know of Wei Wuxian's fate."

[zenigatcha]

A-Yuan, who lost his family, all of them! Now has a new one. When a dry, mirthless laugh escapes him, he can't even be upset. Just cynical.

"He's three, it won't be easy for him to comprehend," Zenigata says, again staying to the facts of the matter. "Especially after such illness. He's had struggles since he woke and started to recover. I haven't heard him ask for his family. His fever was severe -- there made be complications."

[yinyangwizard]

"That is a good point. It is possible that he remembers very little of his life before - which, honestly, would be better for him. The little hagi frond cannot endure the same storms as the tall pines."

[zenigatcha]

"Yes, right," Zenigata says, not feeling like a tall pine himself. "I'm-- I'm sure it will be a difficult time, but Lan Wangji seems a very decent man, and I have no doubt he'll do his best. A-Yuan belongs in his own world."

There's a guilty sense of relief: without Lan Zhan, there would have been questions about where to take him to raise him. Abe was a wizard, and would be the most likely choice. Rae has no ability to take care of a child long term with how her life is. Zenigata would have likely had to quit his job to dedicate the time needed to properly raise a young child again, and the shadow of his guardian's death would have hung over both of them.

Better that Lan Zhan be here to take care of him. To have a piece of someone who he loved. He is certain now that Wei Wuxian's feelings were returned, even if he was ignorant of it. Nobody decides to raise the child of someone you don't like... certain families in a popular fantasy series not withstanding.

[yinyangwizard]

"His own world has not been kind to him thus far, but even so..." Seimei trails off. "I wanted to ask if you will help me arrange funeral rites. Not just for Wei Wuxian, but also for the Wens."

Seimei never really got the opportunity to know Wei Wuxian, which is partly his own fault and a terrible shame. But he was quite fond of Wen Ning.

"We do not have a proper temple with an abbot and monks. But all the people who would care to arrange the rites are here."

[zenigatcha]

"I spent some time as a monk," Zenigata says with complete honesty. There are things one does when one's life purpose goes away, and for Zenigata, it was to take himself completely out of normal living and simply let go of everything else. What else did he need, when the singular attachment that drove him was gone. "So I can help."

(The singular attachment showed a little over a year later, and there went the time at the temple.)

[yinyangwizard]

In Seimei's day, going back on one's monastic vows would be a big scandal. But, like many things, that has changed.

"Indeed, that will help. Which sect did you belong to?"

[zenigatcha]

"Jod Shinshu," Zenigata says, not really focused on the time he spent in the temple (mostly praying for Lupin to be reborn a good man on a lawful path.)

[yinyangwizard]

“From what I have read, the Lans follow Chan Buddhism - the forerunner of our own Zen. The practice of Yin-Yang magic absorbed much of its influence.” Seimei sighs. “But I was never very familiar with Chan funeral rites: I will have to do some research.”

Of course what they do is ultimately up to Lan Zhan, but Seimei does not want him to be troubled over every detail.

[zenigatcha]

"Let me know if you need any help," Zenigata says, always looking for work to do. If there's something constructive to do, it'll quiet his mind. (He knows it will not.)

[yinyangwizard]

Seimei knows that having work to do does not always put one’s mind at ease, but one’s troubles may seem multiplied if one is not able to feel useful.

“If you can find the liturgy, I would appreciate it. I can take care of the incense and offerings and other materials.”

And memorial tablets will need to be prepared, probably.

[zenigatcha]

Zenigata nods, filing it away in his mind. Liturgy is easy. A few reference books and he can find that. The library here should have everything they need (and then some.)

"I'll see to it," Zenigata says.

[yinyangwizard]

“Thank you,” Seimei says. He stands up from the chair. “We may want to give Lan Zhan a little time before asking him what exactly happened - although I, also, want to know.”

Seimei thought it would end with either Lan Zhan or Wei Wuxian dead at the other’s hands, but what actually occurred seems to have been stranger and more complicated than that.

[zenigatcha]

"Of course," Zenigata says. He's running on autopilot at this point -- his own numbness settling in. "They were -- they were very good friends, at the least. I would not intrude."

[yinyangwizard]

"When the time comes, I shall not be the one to ask. It should be you, Zenigata-keibu, or Rae-san. Someone who knew Wei Wuxian better than I."

[zenigatcha]

Zenigata opens his mouth, then closes it again. He wants to know. The detective, the cop he is to his bones, he wants an answer. He wants to know who did it, why, what happened that everything went so wrong.

Despite all that, his tongue turns to sandpaper in his mouth at the very idea of asking.

"I'll--- I'll discuss that with Sunshine," he finally replies.

[yinyangwizard]

Seimei nods. It's quite awkward. How could it not be, though?

"Lan Wangji is staying in my room for the time being, until he is a little better. Lan Yuan is with him. I have a retainer keeping an eye on them, but I should go back."

[zenigatcha]

"Y-yes, of course. Thank you for-- for coming to tell me," Zenigata says, as he rose to see Abe out. Awkward as the rest of it, but still, it must be done.

All of it must be done.

But...does that really have to be the end of it?

Thoughts starting to grind together, Zenigata goes through the platitudes on autopilot. He's got to think. There are so many things that he can think about, right now. Not all of them good, but...

...maybe one of them might yield a solution for a problem he didn't have a few minutes ago.