"The crispy edges, the precise folding, the perfect blankness... why, I must say that I've outdone myself, Lady Fu Xuan. In fact, my success is surely deserving of a review from an esteemed one such as yourself—"
The clearly annoyed Master Diviner, who had been pinching the ridge of her nose for the past few minutes as more and more useless words spilled from Sunny's mouth, raised her hand with authority, cutting him off.
"Don't try to distract me. Just explain what it does and where you got it."
Sunny, who had been rudely interrupted, sighed. If she was listening properly, she would have heard him explaining the enchantments somewhere between his blatant advertisement of Sunny's Brilliant Emporium and his very incoherent ramblings of how he made the Memory in the first place.
"...It's a contract. I made it, so there's no reason to worry about a third party."
Fu Xuan, who was now properly dressed in her usual robes, crossed her arms, leering at him with deep golden eyes.
"You made it? How... it doesn't matter. I wouldn't use it anyways. Who knows if you rigged it in your favor?"
Flapping the sheet of paper around for a moment, Sunny frowned. Honestly, Fu Xuan's behavior was quite refreshing — most people he knew either had little to no caution, or had just enough to prove that they weren't idiots who survived so long using nothing but luck.
Whether it was Noble Creatures spawned by Paths, Nightmare Creatures invading from the Dream Realm, or even their fellow humans, danger was always lingering around the corner. With a nigh-infinite amount of strange powers, some precaution was simply not enough.
He recalled Jing Yuan stating that due to a certain Memory, both he and Fu Xuan were able to be unpossessed by Heliobi. Even Phantylia, a Supreme Titan wielding the authority of two opposing Paths, would have been unable to get through those defenses. And yet, the General still ended up being possessed by Cirrus, likely believing that the Heliobus could do nothing.
Meanwhile, Fu Xuan had used the chaos to her own advantage, never lowering her guard as she twisted the situation to gain more contributions, thus increasing her political authority as well as her competence in the eyes of her peers.
Not that it was unsurprising. One was a Diviner, while the other was a warlord. Fu Xuan needed to scheme around and get Sunny's assistance for her plot to unfurl the way she wanted. She didn't have the strength to fight Jing Yuan alone, after all. The General wasn't a Fool, either, but arrogance — even if only a drop — could be all the difference between victory and death.
So, her suspicion of Sunny was only natural. He would feel the same, if she asked him to sign a contract that she supposedly made herself. It was why IPC contracts ordered from the Bonajade Exchange — which was ran by one of the Ten Stonehearts, Jade — were so valued. Their effectiveness had been proven over the span of centuries, so there was little distrust regarding them.
...Unless you were Fu Xuan, of course. Her paranoia seemed to account for the possibility that, even if the contracts worked properly and without bias, those who signed the contracts may be vulnerable to Jade herself, somehow.
Sunny didn't really buy it, but he couldn't dismiss the possibility. So, he went out of his way to create a Memory that worked in a similar manner to the Bonajade Exchange's contracts, which he had used himself when negotiating with Aventurine.
The contracts sold by the IPC, however, were not Memories. There was no Spellweave to base his creation on. Rather, they were made by Jade's Aspect.
He didn't know the specifics of her Aspect, nor did he know what a Spirit was. All he knew was that violating the conditions set would end up destroying the Spirit, leading to instantaneous death.
Instead, by using his lacking knowledge of different enchantments, Sunny barely managed to create a new one — the second enchantment, on the other hand, was a drastic alteration to another enchantment he knew.
Dismissing the contract back into darkness, an odd effect that caught Fu Xuan's eye, Sunny held out his hand.
"I'll make you the owner of it so that you can, uh... analyze it, or whatever."
The Saint harrumphed, expressing her displeasure at... something? In any case, she did take his hand, and did summon the Memory, so that had to count for something, right?
Fu Xuan flipped the paper around, her aureate eyes peering at the subject of her scrutiny with utmost intensity. Then, she looked to the side, eyes squinting as she read something out of the air.
"...The Spell has a sense of humor, it seems."
Her statement brought confusion to Sunny.
"What do you mean?"
She sighed.
"Did you even read the name of this Memory? Or the description? Not a single hint of tact."
Sunny furrowed his brows in further bafflement.
"No tact?! I wrote it myself, thank you very much! I was writing a poem..."
Memory: [Short And Shady].
Memory Description: [Madam Fu Xuan is very untrustworthy. Her height matches her temper, and her breast size matches her tiny heart. But that's alright, because big things come in small packages. Ask Sunny.]
Suddenly, Sunny paled.
'O—Oh, I did write something like that.'
Fu Xuan's glare threatened to pierce through his skull and blast out of the other end. The paper in her hand crumpled as her fist tightened.
"And where, exactly, did you learn poetry?"
"Learning is a bit of a strong word. I have a poetic soul, you see—"
"Your soul is worth nothing, then?"
"...I apologize for my insensitive descriptions of the great Lady Fu Xuan, and vow on my honor to never bring up anything regarding size in front of her, even if I did not mean it as an insult."
She grimaced, flicking her fingers and sending the piece of paper back down to the table between them.
"Forget it. I checked this, and it seems trustworthy."
Sunny smiled in self-satisfaction for a moment, before blinking.
"Actually, if you could have done that from the beginning, then we could have just ordered a contract from the Bonajade Exchange."
She waved her hand dismissively.
"There's an anti-divination effect placed on them. Last time I held one, I couldn't comprehend its effects whatsoever. Even the Matrix of Prescience didn't work."
That was... actually very impressive. The Matrix of Prescience had been able to pry plenty of secrets from Kafka's mind; granted, they were only what she was allowed to reveal. In any case, the real negotiations could finally begin.
Circling around the long table so that he could seat himself next to Fu Xuan, making it easier for them to pass the contract between each other as they added clauses, he paused.
His gaze lingered on the corner of the table, locating a liquidy substance...
'That wasn't there before.'
It had only been an hour since he left Fu Xuan's estate, and he clearly remembered there not being anything on the corner. Then again, his recollection of things weren't very reliable recently.
Out of curiosity, he dabbed a finger into the liquid, before bringing it to his mouth. The taste was a little odd — vaguely bitter, but not really?
...This wasn't another drug, was it?
Seating himself next to Fu Xuan, Sunny sent her a weird look. For whatever reason, she was covering her face with her hands, the tips of her ears reddened.
"What's up with you?"
"...Nothing. We'll take turns writing out our conditions, so you start."
She lowered her hands, revealing her warm face. He knew that he was missing something crucial, but what?
Shrugging, Sunny turned towards the paper, grabbing a pen he had brought with him. He noticed Fu Xuan wiping the corner of the table with a napkin, but he didn't worry about it.
Giving him the initiative might seem like a concession from Fu Xuan's end, but that wasn't the case. Rather, it gave her insight on his following moves, allowing her to make predictions and try to work around them. If he came off too strong, she'd assume his following demands would be weaker, and vice versa. So, he needed to find a middle ground.
First, he started by noting himself down as Party 1 and Fu Xuan as Party 2. There was no need for him to do so... but why not?
[Party 2 will serve as an informant to Party 1. Party 2 must, by any means necessary, provide Party 1 with any information requested. Party 2 may refuse as long as Party 2 is placed in significant danger by Party 1's request. Significant danger implies that Party 2 has a high likelihood of death (30% or higher, which is a conclusion that must be reached by Party 2). Otherwise, Party 2 may still refuse, but must provide both a proper and acceptable reason as to why Party 2 is unable to gather or distribute the requested information. Party 2 must then compensate Party 1 through Soul Shards, Memories, Echoes, or other means if agreed upon by both Parties. Any information provided by Party 2 must be be truthful, and Party 1's requests must not carry the intent to harm Party 2 in any and all ways.]
Fu Xuan hummed as her eyes scanned the first clause.
"Not too unreasonable... but don't you think thirty percent is a little low?"
He tilted his head.
"You're the Master Diviner, aren't you? With how high your information gathering skills are, something as high as a thirty percent death rate is way too alarming."
Moreover, as a Diviner, she could simply sit down next to the Matrix of Prescience and waste away. Sending her into danger as a spy was far too risky when there were alternatives.
Fu Xuan's eyes shimmered with impression, perhaps.
"Hm... Echoes are quite rare. Don't expect me to give those away. I'm somewhat surprised that you didn't start off with a non-aggression agreement."
Besides the final line of the first clause, which was specifically designed to restrict Sunny from attempting anything underhanded, the rest was only about getting what he wanted, not ensuring they didn't stab each other in the back. He passed her the pen and paper.
"I wanted to see what you'd come up with."
She smiled as she accepted what he gave her.
[Both Parties are allied with the other. Both Parties must not purposefully harm each other, whether through physical means or otherwise. This alliance must be treated as a greater agreement than any factional allegiances (e.g., Astral Express, Xianzhou Alliance and related Flagships). This does not include relations with individuals, whether platonic or otherwise, which may be prioritized above this alliance agreement, which includes every clause written into this contract. Both Parties must not knowingly deceive each other. Both Parties must inform the other before attempting political or non-political maneuvers that may negatively affect the other Party. The maneuvers in question may only be proceeded with if the negatively effected Party agrees. This alliance must remain secret between both Parties, and may only be revealed with both Parties' permission.]
'Huh.'
Fu Xuan's clause wasn't particularly demanding and was to be expected, considering their paranoia. Rather, his attention was focused on:
[This alliance must be treated as a greater agreement than any factional allegiances (e.g., Astral Express, Xianzhou Alliance and related Flagships). This does not include relations with individuals, whether platonic or otherwise, which may be prioritized above this alliance agreement, which includes every clause written into this contract.]
Interestingly enough, the clause specifically implies that this contract is more important than either of their occupations. That wasn't too unexpected, but what followed was what really intrigued him.
Personal relations with others... had more power than the contract itself?
"You'll need to change that."
As Fu Xuan's eyes followed his finger, she ended up raising a delicate brow.
"And why is that?"
He scowled.
"It's a loophole. You're basically saying that if a friend needed you to, that you're allowed to go against me."
She sent him an odd glance.
"...It's a necessary loophole. We aren't allowed to harm each other, and the statement is broad enough to imply that threatening people is also banned, but what would you do if, to help a friend, you needed to commit a minor betrayal?"
He went silent for a few moments, before scoffing.
"I'm not too sure what a minor betrayal is... but sure, maybe I would. Not if it means I could be on the receiving end of it, though."
He sent her a sidelong glance.
"But that was just bait. You were... testing something, weren't you?"
Fu Xuan's mask fell, and a sly smile graced her face.
"I was. Though, the fact that you don't seem to know what it was is a little... sad, in a way."
She paused, before shrugging.
"Not that I have any right to speak on that. I'll remove it, then."
Frankly, Sunny had no idea what she was talking about, and it kind of unnerved him. As the clause was edited to remove the loophole, which involved some pen eraser, the contract was handed back to him. He didn't waste time.
[Upon both Parties' agreement, this contract can be invalidated completely. Once invalidated, both Parties must commit to non-aggression for one year (Universal time).]
The clause was accepted without issue.
[Party 1 must achieve Transcendence within a century (Universal time). Party 2 will disclose all information known regarding Transcendence, and will provide a moderate amount of resources to assist Party 1 in pursuing Sainthood.]
...Fu Xuan's following clause was not too difficult to understand. She simply wanted him to become a Saint — and soon, from her perspective of time. It wasn't particularly difficult, but it did put Sunny under a time limit of sorts.
He did plan to become a Saint at some point, however, so he wasn't displeased when reading that he'd be assisted along the way.
[Party 1 has authority second only to Party 2 regarding manners involving Party 2's house — which includes assets and the managing of servants. Party 1 cannot attempt to sabotage Party 2 through these means.]
Fu Xuan squinted at the clause.
"So, it's my money you're after."
Sunny coughed.
"I mean, it's not like I can steal it or anything... without your permission, that is?"
Technically, taking her money just to have it was considered sabotage. The main point of this clause was to simply be able to use her assets on projects that could benefit them both without having to go through her each and every time. Who knew what could happen to her?
As she began writing her next clause, Fu Xuan suddenly spoke out.
"Sunny."
He tilted his head. It was a little odd, how she decided to actually start referring to him by his preferred name after he threatened her servants in her own home. He was absolutely sure there was something wrong with her head. A screw loose. Perhaps a major component.
"What is it?"
"Earlier, there was something you wanted to ask of me, yes? What is it?"
Sunny straightened.
There was a reason he needed to talk to a Diviner. A reason why he had to make this deal with Fu Xuan, and not just anybody. He looked at the far end of the table.
"What do you know about Fate?"
Out of the corner of her eye, he saw Fu Xuan suddenly recoil. She paused her writing, sending him a careful glance.
"...Why Fate?"
"Because I need to break it."
The pen suddenly snapped. Ink dripped down Fu Xuan's hand, which she cautiously moved away from the contract. He couldn't see her face, but she seemed to be inspecting the contract to ensure nothing was spilled on it.
Her breaths were shallower than usual.
"Why?"
Sunny answered calmly:
"Freedom. That's all."
It was... both true and untrue. The main reason was Shadow Bond, which, according to the chain he saw when he used Weaver's Mask in the Chained Isles, was something that was connected to the Tapestry of Fate.
If those strings were cut...
Would his chains break?
He had to try. Gaining absolute control over his own life was just a bonus.
"Foolish."
He shifted at her reply, about to retort, before suddenly:
"Don't speak. Listen closely."
Fu Xuan's expression was indecipherable as she turned to him, hints of tension and sternness woven into her delicate face. Using the ink that was spilt upon her hand, she began drawing on the table. She drew two circles near each other.
"The Waking World and the Dream Realm lay parallel to each other. There is an invisible boundary separating them that could only be crossed by either sleeping as an Awakened or pulling on your tether at higher Ranks. You are traversing a plane."
She marked one circle as the Waking World and the other as the Dream Realm. Then, she drew a line above both circles. The part of the line that was above the Dream Realm was smudged.
"Then, there is Path Space, where the Aeons and all the power from THEIR Paths exist. THEIR influence is unable to spread in the Dream Realm, for whatever reason. In any case, mortals don't belong in this plane. To change a concept, you must become a concept."
She pressed her hand flat against the drawings... and smeared it all over the place. Sunny stared at Fu Xuan for a moment, paling at the haunted look on her face.
"And that is Fate. It exists on a higher plane than... than everything. The Gods, the Aeons, the Daemons, even the Imaginary Tree and the Sea of Quanta. The multiverse is made up of countless branches and isolated bubbles... but Fate reaches all. It's not different things that all fall under the name of Fate. No, it's all one interconnected web. Nobody can escape it, because it spreads infinitely in all directions, in the past, the present, the future, and even outside of our own space-time."
Fu Xuan's gaze was infinitely deep.
"Fate is the ultimate existence, because it exists outside of our world. It exists outside of every world, every timeline, and every existential construct. The Gods fell to Fate. The Daemons — Weaver, fell to Fate. The Aeons will one day fall to Fate. And so will every being across the Imaginary Tree, Sunny. Because Fate is synonymous with Death, and Shadow only created Death because Fate said so."
Her voice lowered:
"Think long and hard about what it would take to fight against inevitability, Sunny. Because only a vast error in reality can hope to even scratch that thing."
There was a long silence. There was also the realization that there was something deeply wrong with Fu Xuan's reaction — obsessive and scornful of the very idea of Fate. It was, frankly, something that chilled Sunny's bones.
So much hate oozing out of such a tiny body.
'...What an alliance, huh?'
Sunny scratched the back of his head.
"Yeah, that's cool and all, but... I'll figure it out when I get to it. It's not much of a choice."
"There is always a choice."
"A bit contradictory, don't you think?"
Fu Xuan sent him an unimpressed look.
"Fate doesn't care about how something happens. Only that it happens. Cheating Fate is not an impossibility, but rejecting it, completely escaping it, and even breaking it?! You'll drive yourself mad, and die like a clown."
'A clown, huh?'
Sunny liked the sound of that.
"Better than a slave."
No words were spoken between them for a short while. Then, Fu Xuan calmly said:
"I'll fetch a new pen."
Sunny watched as she moved towards the door, leaving the fragmented pen on the table. Eventually, she stopped before it, hand resting on the handle.
"My Flaw shrinks me in proportion to my ambition. But the increments are small, so even if I wanted to do something as ridiculous as world domination, I would have likely only shrunk to about your height."
She paused.
"I'll let you consider that for a moment."
She left.
Sunny stared unblinkingly at the door for a few moments, before leaning back.
"What are we, a circus?"