Hear ye, hear ye for the Jade x Peony fic Pale and Lusterless!Characters by teh namcobandai D-=
It's been a long time since I started writing---namely because, as most have heard, I am moving, and the computer with all the writing material and such moved to the new house. But I was so desperate to write this fic that I actually just took to the traditional pen and paper and wrote this anyway, and then just poasted it.
This is the first chapter, by the way. Expect more. =) Aaaalso...Jade isn't really in this chapter. At least, not the Jade Jade.
By the way, in the past month, I've been forced to write essays like ******** crazy, so I'm sorry if it sounds like a term paper, because it does in some parts. I whip essays up in two seconds, but unfortunately, it has caught up in my writing like fat in cells. And whenever I write in paper and not on the computer, for some reason my writing gets really rushed. So, if it wasn't written on the computer, it's not going to flow as smoothly, unfortunately. I'm going back and editing some stuff to make it run smoother.
Also, I know it's somewhat angsty, and that's what I was aiming at, because everyone's like "oh, Peony's a steroid-bound emperor who watches Abyssman (it's like power rangers, and he does watch it) and plays with his rappigs on his free time."
So, I wanted to go to some detail to explain exactly why, as TotA doesn't really go into it. I added some theoretical context that might explain his overly childish behavior yet serious demeanor when sitting on the throne, as well as why in hell he's got so much muscle. But most of you probably know the answer to the muscle question anyway, and no, it's not steroids.
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It was a rainy day that hung over the skies of Grand Chokmah, and as Peony sat in his bedroom with his disgruntled rappigs (they were clearly not fond of thunder), Jade's "death" left Peony's complexion a deathly pallor as he sat in worry. It had been days since the events at Akzeriuth had come to pass, and if were his decision, Peony would never have allowed Jade to join the military in the first place. He always felt as angsty as those war-torn wives who would helplessly watch their husbands go to war.
Oh, but how silly---he was the emperor---why did he feel like his power was restrained to a limit?
It must have been the rumors going around. Ever since Peony had decided to get a tattoo of his cute lil' Jade on the untanned line of his swimming trunks (which was supposed to be a complete secret), the Grand Chokmah palace was buzzing with rumors about him and the colonel being an item. For Lorelei's sake, it was a RAPPIG.
Regardless, Peony knew that rumors like that were sure to remain that way. The fact that Jade reminded Peony so painfully of Nephry didn't change the fact that Jade wouldn't approve of either relationship. He was into very young girls, anyway, as far as Peony could see. As of before Jade had left for his previous duties before being reported at Baticul, the emperor recalled him fraternizing with a very bubbly girl who owned a strange plushie named Tokunaga, which Jade showed fair interest in. Jade wouldn't have the patience to even breathe next to a child that energetic unless there was something going on.
A sudden burst of jealousy overcame him then, and with little warning, Peony reached up to grab Jade's namesake rappig, which squealed loudly in genuine shock. Peony ignored this, however, and only held the squirming rappig tighter and let out a tired sigh into it's thick hide.
I've never felt so lonely since I lost Nephry.
And yet, Nephry wasn't the initial thought in his mind. he knew that if Nephry was beside him now, he would be overjoyed, but not content.
He wanted...Jade. He wanted the silver-tongued colonel whose words and thoughts were unpermeable except to him. Peony felt almost exclusive when he was the only one who could understand Jade's thoughts so perfectly and manipulate them to his will.
As he pictured Jade's face in his mind, it was difficult to imagine his death---Jade, still? That was impossible---fathoming the idea that he could sleep was already a phenomenon of its own. Yet everyone from Sesseman to Nephry seemed to believe it. If even Jade's sister, who was of his blood and flesh, could accept it, then surely...his hopes were as silly and futile as his desperate attempts to...?
He didn't want to go there. It was for the sake of Malkuth. Who would have thought---rappigs. The rappigs were everything.
Peony let out a small smile and let the pig loose from his grasp, which wiggled out of his lap and snorted excitedly as he joined his companions.
He watched the fat little creatures just frolic across his bedroom, and that simply seemed to dispel all his troubles, despite the mess they left.
The emperor wasn't a naturally messy person, as he led other people to believe. Most of the mess was due to the rappigs and what they left behind, but Peony, in fact, did very little to his room. He remembered this namely because the rappigs were now working together to bring down his drapes.
Peony's eyes widened as the pigs began to pull at it, and the bar holding the drapes above began to slowly teeter to the end. Instantly, he got on his feet and tried to herd the rappigs away from the window, but once the rappigs got in a herd movement, there was no stopping them.
As it started to teeter to the brink more, Peony finally just picked up the giant pigs and started carrying them away. Starting at random, he grabbed at Saphir's leg and effortlessly pulled the rappig into his arms. As the pig began to squeal, its nose started to run. How typical.
He knew better than to put Saphir down, as it was very likely that the rappig would just run back to the drape. And he had no snacks to keep them busy with.
Damn it, I'm going to have to do this the hard way.
Peony grabbed onto Gelda next, which was pulling quite more forcefully than the other rappigs. It may have been a difficult task in his childhood---those rappigs weighed a near ton, but now, keeping one giant rappig tucked beneath his arm as he pulled at the collar of a second giant rappig with the other was more of a hindrance rather than a difficult task. And Gelda wouldn't let go, so carrying her away wasn't going to work.
He began to seethe in frustration as he pulled harder at Gelda's collar. As he looked at all the rappigs below him, he noted that the newest one, Luke, was also included in the group.
Peony let go of Gelda and yanked Luke into his arms, which was fairly easy, seeing as to how Luke was much lighter and a lot less tenacious.
So now, he had one and a half pigs. He had enough strength to pull out another, and maybe by then, he could herd the rest out of the way.
The squealing from all the rappigs was becoming unbearable now. Luke was squirming in his arms, and Saphir's nose was making a puddle on the floor. He spotted Jade pulling towards the wrong side of the drape, and at this Peony silently chuckled at. Jade might be able to help him for a while.
Peony focused on Aslan now, and was about to grab him by the collar as well before a screech emanated from the ceiling, and the bar finally gave way.
It fell on Nephry. Peony gasped instantly, put Luke and Saphir down without a second thought, and ran to his favorite rappig.
And then suddenly, his door swung open, and as he looked towards the direction of the door, he saw Frings, taking big breaths as he stumbled into his room---maids scurrying after him.
"Emperor Peony---Colonel Jade...he's back. He's survived Akzeriuth."
He's home.
