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It was still so strange to look to his left and see Fanglan, though he’d gotten his mind wrapped around the idea, it was just such an unexpected thing and he hoped Caleb was ok with it. He knew the other had been out when he’d left to pick up his sister, he hadn’t even had time to leave a note. He’d had Fanglan call Caleb, and let him know what was going on, since he’d been busy driving. But that didn’t mean Caleb would be ok with the sudden arrival of his half sister. Not only was she here but she was moving in - as in permanently staying with them.

“To be honest I’m glad father sent you to live here. I’ve seen the news...things in China don’t look so good.” He worried for his family there, how could he not? He wasn’t able to lay hands on them and keep them safe or see them, talk to them, make sure they were ok. He worried for them all and now his sister was at least safe, or as safe as anyone in this city was.

Turning into the underground garage, thankfully they’d be dry while getting everything out of his car, Xi-Wang found his usual parking spot and pulled in slowly. “Everyone else was doing well? He didn’t send anyone else away...so I assume so.” But why not send his grandparents, and Fanglan’s, out of the country as well? They were older and should be kept safe as well.





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In every respect, the ground beneath Fanglan’s feet was the same ground that lay beneath it back home in China. It was the same earth and soil and rock. Asphalt couldn’t be much different between the two places. Nor could the blades of grass that poked up between less-well-kept slabs. And yet, it all seemed so foreign to Fanglan in that moment. Everything did. The hum of the vehicle she rode in. The stars that twinkled above her. The moon which shone down. They couldn’t have been that different and yet… and yet they were.

Now and again, she reached over and rested slender fingers on her brother -- his arm, his hand, his leg -- if only to reassure herself that he was really there. That she was really there with him. That they were here together.

“Yeah, that’s why he sent me over. He was supposed to call, but I guess he got busy again. He’s always busy now.” Fanglan drew her knees unconsciously to her chest as she spoke. The home had become quite cold and lonely in the last few months. And Fanglan wasn’t totally convinced that it was with his day job, as she was not calling it. Not that she was about to worry Xi-Wang with their father’s suspected mafia connections.

“Things are heating up in China, so he sent me here with you to keep me safe! Maybe he should have tied a note around my wrist.” The laugh was forced, but it was there. “Everyone else is fine and far enough away from the center of the issues that they don’t need to leave. They all send their love though.”

Fanglan hugged the bags of fast food to her chest, trying to focus on the scent of the food and the rumbles in her stomach rather than the sudden bout of home sickness that she suddenly felt as she followed Xi-Wang into the apartment.





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The first time his sister had reached out, to touch him, he smiled over to her. “I’m not going to vanish, it’s real.” As if he seemed to understand her, especially when she continued to touch him every so often. He understood her, it was still hard for him to believe it was real as well.

“I’m glad he sent you here.” But he didn’t know how safe she’d be here. It wasn’t like the war was all that active, at least not right now, but mirrorspace was unpredictable and so was the war. He’d do his best though - he was the big brother.

Reaching over to touch his sisters knee he sent a smile her way, hoping to reassure her. “Father is busy but it’s to make things safer for you and our family.” He was sure of that. He might not be in the Negaverse himself, and not about to join, but he knew no matter what his father did for the Negaverse and chaos he would make sure his family was safe and well off. He knew his father was busy, that much he knew from the man, but with what he didn’t know. They didn’t talk business like that, because while they both served chaos it was on different sides.

“A bow about your neck or in your hair would have been nice.” Teasing right back as he nudged her gently. “It’s good to know everyone is safe...I’ve seen how things are going back home.” The news here said more than the news in China, he knew that, and if his sister knew things were heating up he wondered what she’d do when if she saw the news here about China.

Wheeling a few of his sisters bags behind him, knowing he’d need to make a few trips, he chanced a glance over to her. “You know you can call home whenever...and we have plenty of Chinese food in the kitchen….we also have a lot of places here - we have a China Town. You can find any Chinese food you might want….even Hunanese.” Which wasn’t as easy to get.

Opening the door to the apartment he called out, to see if Caleb was home.