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Chapter Text

Callie and Marie had just finished their concert, it was for a Splatfest and the two cousins had gotten to the break rooms when Calie had spotted an unknown object.
"Hey Marie!" Callie called out.
Marie sighed "What is it Cal?"

"I found this weird remote looking thingy, oooh!!!! A big Pink button!!!" Callie exclaimed.
Marie gave Callie a annoyed look "Do not tou-".
"I'ma press it! I mean, it's pink, right?" Callie reached her hand towards the button.
"CALLIE! NO!" Marie yelled out but it was too late, Callie had pressed the button and a vortex started sucking them in from the ground.
"AHHHHH" Callie and Marie screamed in unison, it was the last noise they made before blacking out and being sucked through the vortex/portal.

Chapter Text

"Uuuuugh" Callie mumbled tiredly as she got up

"This is why you don't touch weird pink buttons" Replied Marie

Callie pouted "Hmmph! It was worth it!"

Marie sighed in response "Where even are we..?"

Callie and Marie looked around

"Hey, this isn't Inkopolis" Callie commented
"Or Splatsville" Marie looked around a bit more

"In fact, This doesn't even look like our world!" Callie exclaimed

As Callie spoke they heard something rushing behind them

"What is-" Callie got cut off by the monster's roaring, the monster was actually a Yao beast and was rushing towards the two.

"Eek!" Callie yelled, Marie and Callie tried to run away, but to no avail, the monster was too fast, its jaws were revealing its long, sharp teeth.

Chapter Text

Right as the beast was about to devour Callie and Marie, a sudden burst of light erupted and the beast was instantly cut in two. After the light had faded, a white-robed cultivator sheathing his sword stood there, relieved that he hadn't been too late. "Are the two of you alright?" The white-robed cultivator asked softly.

”WE’RE SAVED” Callie exclaimed
"Huh? Oh yeah" Marie responded

"Is your friend okay, she’s awfully loud. Oh right, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Xie Lian, and I'm a scrap collector!" Xie Lian said nervously.

"HOW IS A SCRAP COLLECTOR SO STRONG MARIE?!"
Marie facepalms.

"Oh um, I'm also a cultivator um yeah, totally...." Xie Lian's voice started trailing off.

Marie sighed "No, no, sorry about my sister, well cousin, actually" Marie's voice started trailing off too

Callie interrupted "Okay, since none of you are, I'm going to be the one to break the silence... WHERE ARE YOU FROM"

"Callie!!!" Marie yelled at Callie

"No, no, it's alright. I'm from the kingdom of XianLe. I was also once the crown prince too" Xie Lian sighed as he remembered the past with Feng Xin and Mu Qing with his eyes lightly closed.

"Ooooooh" Callie looked at him.

Xie Lian didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Anyways, do you two have anywhere to stay? You don't seem to be from around here" Xie Lian said, changing the subject.

Marie looked around nervously "I'm sure we could make something wo-"
"No, we don't and we can't!" Callie interrupted Marie and told him without hesitation

"Well you two can stay with us if you'd like, I'm sure San Lang wouldn't mind!" Xie Lian then glanced at them and realized that they didn't know who he was talking about.

"I mean, if it's not a bother, we could use somewhere to stay..." Marie said timidly
"Who San Lang?" Callie asked him, curiosly

"Oh um he's my um..." Xie Lian looked away, embarrassed as a faint, light pink started spreading across his face "He's my um h-h-h-husband." Xie Lian didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Okay" Callie said back

"Thanks for letting us stay" Marie added on

"Alright let's go!" Xie Lian announced (Still embarrassed as fu-, but refusing to show it)

Chapter Text

At PuQi Shrine

Xie Lian opened the shrine doors and said cheerfully "San Lang, I'm back!!!"

Hua Cheng grinned widely at him but then noticed the Squid Sisters behind him so he put on his signature fake smile while glaring at them.

"This man seems very nice!" Callie said to Marie
Marie sighed

"Gege, who are these guests of yours?" Hua Cheng said although it seemed like he was forcing the "polite" words out of his mouth.
Xie Lian didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "San Lang be nice. This is Callie and this is Marie, they will be staying with us for now." Xie Lian chirped, trying to make things less tense.

Hua Cheng’s eye narrowed.
“If Gege says so.” Hua Cheng replied, still glaring at Callie and Marie.

"T-Thank you for letting us stay!" Marie awkwardly thanked them

"No worries!" replied Xie Lian, cheerfully with a big smile.
"Mhm" Said Hua Cheng, gritting his teeth. *Damn it, these two will definitely prevent me from simpin- I mean spending time with MY Gege.*

"Hey- Cal, do you think Four, Three, Eight and Neo 3 will be worried about us?" Marie asked Callie
"I'm sure they won't worry too much, Four will though" Callie responded

*I wonder when we'll get home..." Marie thought to herself

"I'll start making dinner, you three wait at the dinner table." Xie Lian said softly.

"Oh- Thank yo-"
"Dinner? Yay!" Callie exclaimed (And interrupted Marie)

Xie Lian proceeds to start making dinner while Hua Cheng sits at the table and stares at him lovingly (like a simp-).

"He looks at Xie Lian like Three looks at Ei-"
"Not now" Marie interrupted Callie

Hua Cheng suddenly stands up and embraces Xie Lian from behind.
"Does Gege need any help?"

"San Lang, not now we have guests." Xie Lian said, embarrassed as a deep shade of pink stained his face.

"Diffentely Like Eight and Three" Callie told Marie
Marie bapped Callie's face in response.

"DINNER'S READY" Xie Lian announced trying to forget what just happened.

Xie Lian passed out bowls of unidentifiable purple slop with weird greenish-grey cubes in them happily.
"There's also more in the pot if anyone wants seconds!" Xie Lian announced.
"Gege's cooking just keeps getting better." Hua Cheng said, immediately digging in.

"I'm not hungry, really, got a figure to keep up! After all, I am a pop star..." Marie commented
"Well I am!" Callie said and took a bite of Xie Lian's cooking.

Xie Lian smiled when Callie took a bite, Xie Lian smiled when Callie's face turned pale, and Xie Lian smiled when Callie collapsed onto the ground.

"CALLIE!" Marie exclaimed, checking for a heartbeat, looked up at Xie Lian and Hua Cheng said "Is she going to be okay!?!"

"Meh, she's just weak." Hua Cheng said, not concerned in the slightest.
"Oh no, not again! She just needs to drink a lot of water, sorry about this. I tried my best to cook better!" Xie Lian said, alarmed.

"I-It's okay" Marie said sadly, lifting Callie up into a sitting position

"Just leave her." said Hua Cheng coldly.

"I- What?" Marie asked, not understanding what he meant.

Xie Lian lays out multiple sleeping mats for everyone
"We should head to bed now, it's quite late."
Xie Lian then gently picked up the unconscious Callie and laid her onto the mat before heading to his own little mat.

Marie sat down on the mat placed down for her and watched Callie, Marie eventually fell asleep too.

Chapter Text

The Next Morning

Xie Lian was startled awake by sudden shouting in his ear, he realized that someone was yelling into the upper court communication array.
"Jeez, who's yelling!" One official screamed.
"It's so early in the morning!" Another official complained.
"THAT GOD DAMN CRIMSON RAIN SOUGHT FLOWER!" Feng Xin yelled.
"What are you blaming San Lang for?" Xie Lian asked.
"HE BURNED DOWN MY TEMPLES, AGAIN!" Feng Xin yelled, infuriated.
"Then stop making him mad." Xie Lian said, trying to calm everything down.
"Anyways, Your Highness I don't mean to trouble you but can you go down to the West with His Highness Qi Ying to help with a Yao beast?" Ling Wen's voice rang through the entire array.

"Of course Ling Wen, I'll be there soon." Xie Lian replied before leaving the communication array.

Back at the shrine

"I have to leave and unfortunately won't be back until the evening. So you two can be with San Lang for the day, I'll be back soon!" Xie Lian said before exiting the shrine.

"Uh- okay?" Marie responded.
"Have fun doing whatever you do!" Callie yelled out to him as he left.

After seeing off Xie Lian, Hua Cheng sat back down and said coldly.
"I have to go do business in Ghost City, come or don't."

Hua Cheng then fished out a dice and rolled a six (like always). He opened the door which led to Ghost City and started walking through.

"We should stay he-"
"No! Let's go!!!!!" Callie exclaimed while dragging Marie

Hua Cheng rolled his eye when he saw Callie and Marie tag along.
"You two better not fool around or else Gege will get mad at me." Hua Cheng said.

"Understood...." Marie murmured
"Okay!!!" Callie responded

Many ghosts swarmed around the trio all muttering to each other as to why those two got to walk with their Chengzhu.

"Beat it." Hua Cheng said coldly not even turning to look at the other ghosts.

"Yes of course!"
"We will beat it!"
The ghosts all exclaimed.

"Wow...This Hua Cheng guy is cool" Callie told Marie
"Uh...yeah..." Marie said, being a bit cautious

They walked and walked until some ghosts at a food stand were yelling
"FRESH HUMAN LIMBS!"
"FRESHLY FRIED!"

"This racket is murderous." Hua Cheng muttered to himself.

"Ooooooh! Marie! Human limbs! I wonder what those are like!" Callie exclaimed, "I've never seen anything human except for seeing the NILS statue at Inkopolis Bay!!" "Don't even bother" Hua Cheng said, his voice cold as ice.

*Where is Gege? is Gege ok? Those stupid officials making Gege do their bidding. I'm going to burn those officials temples. GEGE! Why did Gege leave these two with me? WHAT IF GEGE'S HURT!!! GEGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!* Hua Cheng thought.

"Uh- Callie, I don't think we should be uhm...shopping arou- ugh"
By the time Marie had finished her sentence, Callie had already ran into the gambler's den.

"Well looks like she got to our destination before us" Hua Cheng said, uninterested but still walked in.

"Chengzhu's here!"
"Everyone be respectful"
"EVERYONE BE QUIET"
All the ghosts clamoured.

"Looks like your partner is gambling." Hua Cheng said, his eyes flickered with amusement but it faded away before anyone could tell.

"Oh cod, oh cod, oh cod" Marie muttered anxiously "Callie has sort of good luck...maybe she'll be fine, oh cod....Callieeeeee"

Hua Cheng walked up the stairs to his chair (AKA throne) where he sat down and crossed his legs.
"Who shall bet against me today?" Hua Cheng said.

"I wi-" Callie was about to say
"Hey Cal? How about we bet against someone else or better yet.....not bet at all" Marie interrupted strictly yet nervously

"Hmmph! Fine..." Callie pouted

"Very well, what will you be betting then?" Hua Cheng said, amused by Callie's spirit.

"Uh- well...hmmm, what should I bet, Marie!?!" Callie asked Marie excitedly
"How about not betting?" Marie hoped Callie would heed her warning, well advice anyway.

"No! I'll figure something out! How about.... 10 Crusty Sean's tickets?" Callie inquired
"Uh, Cal, I don't think the people here can use those" Marie told her

"Oh..yeah. How about 50,000 G?" Callie asked again
"Again, most likely not a used currency here" Marie responded before Hua Cheng could.

"Alright." agreed Hua Cheng
"If I win, you will give me 50,000 G. Now what would you like if you win?" Hua Cheng's eye glimmered.

"Food!" Callie exclaimed
"Callie I don't think- ugh whatever" Marie sighed
Callie brightly smiled
"Besides, Cal, you're fat enough~" Marie teased

"That's- Hey! Marie! I'm not fat!" Callie said back
Marie laughed in response, Callie pouted

"So, what will it be?" Hua Cheng said, leisurely.

"Will our lord go to Paradise Manor after?" a random ghost asked.

"What's that? ...Hmm...If I win, you take me AND Marie there!" Callie exclaimed

Marie pinched her nose and sighed "Always go for the big prizes, don't you Cal?"

"Alright, sounds good." Hua Cheng replied.
"Will we bet on the biggest roll or the smallest roll?"

"Big! Go big or go home!" Callie eventually called out

"Alright, I'll go first." Hua Cheng (intentionally) rolls two fives instead of two sixes.

Callie rolls one five and one six "I won? I won!" Callie's eyes sparkle with joy, Marie breaths a sigh of relief

"Alright, then let us head to Paradise Manor." Hua Cheng said, amused by Callie and Marie's reaction.

"HOW COULD THOSE LOWLY BEINGS BEAT CHENGZHU?!"
"Chengzhu obviously let them win."
"I wonder why." The ghosts clamoured.

"Shut up." Hua Cheng said coldly.

"YES WE WILL ALL SHUT UP NOW!" The ghosts said as they became quiet and ran away.

"Wow! I'm so excited, let's go Marie!!!!" Callie started running, following Hua Cheng walked to Paradise Mannor, Marie reluctantly followed

Chapter Text

Hua Cheng led the way until he stopped in front of a palace-looking building.
"Well, here we are," Hua Cheng announced.

"Oooooooooooooooh" Callie looked up at it
"It's a very nice building, is this where you live?" Marie inquired

"Nope, I live with Gege. Although we do sometimes come here if we want to." Hua Cheng said leisurely as he led them in.
The silver chains on Hua Cheng's black leather boots jingled as he walked on the snow white rug covering Paradise Manor hall's floors.

Callie and Marie followed him in, Callie looking around while Marie made sure Callie didn't run off and snoop around.
"Wow! This place is soooooooo cool!" Callie told Marie

"Meh, it's not nearly as good as Gege's PuQi Shrine." Hua Cheng stated.

"What do you mean? This place is soooooo cool and big!" Callie replied

"Well, size isn't everything." Hua Cheng said.
"I miss Gege..." Hua Cheng muttered to himself.

"I guess so" Callie responded
"I miss Four....." Marie muttered to herself

Callie didn't notice Hua Cheng and Marie being sad and happily skipped behind Hua Cheng

Hua Cheng and Marie both sulked together in a corner.
"Gege......"

"Gay" Callie commented

Hua Cheng sighed, but then instantly lit up as Xie Lian called him on their private communication array.

"San Lang, are you here?" Xie Lian asked.
"I'm always here, even if I was in the deepest depths of hell, I would always be with you." Hua Cheng replied.
Xie Lian sighed.
"We need to talk about how you respond to my questions"
"Why is Gege being so mean to this San Lang, you know how much I miss you." Hua Cheng pouted.
"..."
Hua Cheng could sense that Xie Lian was flustered on the other side of the array and smiled in victory.
"Anyways, when will Gege return?" Hua Cheng asked.
"*Ahem* I will probably be back by midnight." Xie Lian replied.
"They're really making you work that hard, I should burn down those trash officials' temples." Hua Cheng commented.
"Feng Xin's already mad at you for burning down his temples, just... try to lay low for now." Xie Lian said.
"Only since Gege said so." Hua Cheng said.
"San Lang you shou- HIS HIGHNESE QI YING DID WHAT?! Sorry San Lang, I really have to go now, it's an emergency. I'll see you tonight!" Xie Lian then exited the array.

Hua Cheng pouted in response.

"Uh- Hellooooooo, watcha doing?" Callie asked Hua Cheng
"Leave him alone for at least 5 seconds!" Marie scolded Callie
Callie pouted in response

"I was just chatting with Gege" Hua Cheng replied.

Callie's look of excitement turned to confusion "How? I don't see him"
Marie sighed yet again "Here we go with the thousand questions again.."

"It's just a communication array, oh right you mortal like beings don't know about those." Hua Cheng answered.

Callie pouted "Rude much?"
Marie elbowed Callie "Cal! We're guests here, shut up"

Hua Cheng rolled his eye "You remind me of those useless Heavenly Officials."

Marie gave Callie a quick death stare before speaking "Sorry about my...cousin...she's...not well mannered..."

“I can see that, though I've dealt with worse before.” Hua Cheng commented leisurely.

Callie looks at Marie smugly "Seeeeee?" Marie facepalmed "That's not what he meant- Cal, never mind..."

Hua Cheng raised an eyebrow
"I see your cousin is quite the bold one. No one other than Gege's lackeys have ever dared speak to me in that manner."

Marie nervously glances at Callie "You could....say that."