Tibbers and Annie: Two Swords Become One (One)
Afternoon, around the hour of the Monkey.
Since Yue Lingshan had woken her up once before noon, Annie had treated herself to an extra nap. By the time the sun was slanting west, the troublesome little girl had finally gotten out of bed—just as everyone else was about to call it a day. She was nothing if not different!
And then, just as you might expect, Yue Lingshan, who had been waiting with growing impatience and excitement, hurried over. She carried everything she'd prepared—the roast goose and osmanthus cakes she'd brought back from the foot of the mountain, the wild goat stew the kitchen had made, a pot of rich mutton-bone soup that had simmered all day, and a few side dishes—and set it all out in the courtyard. Then she warmly invited the bleary-eyed little girl to eat with her.
"..."
(_)
Annie knew Yue Lingshan had gone to all that trouble with a purpose in mind, but...well, the roast goose she'd brought back from the foot of the mountain really was delicious!
It could hold its own against the roast duck Annie had eaten in that world near the end of the Sui dynasty. And the osmanthus cakes Yue Lingshan had brought back were something special, too—sweet but not cloying, soft and tasty, and wonderfully fragrant.
So, now that she'd accepted the food and enjoyed it, Annie decided she might as well grant Yue Lingshan's wish. After eating her fill, she would teach her a couple of moves right there in the courtyard.
"..."
(˙o˙)
She just had to think about what to teach her.
After all, Annie the Great Immortal knew all sorts of techniques, but in her view, even the best technique was useless if Yue Lingshan couldn't