Autumn's Final Dynasty

Bon Bao's Warakirikoban muffin squirmed and wiggled into a more comfortable position on his back. The poor thing's legs were too short to connect comfortably in front, however, so he climbed all the way up onto Bon Bao's enormous shoulders. Seeing the world from that perspective amazed him so much, he likened it to flying.

"It must be amazing to fly every day!" said Renjie. "Do you hit your head a lot?"

"Yes," replied Bon Bao. "I trip over things that are too small to see a lot, too."

"I haven't spent much time in Little Gargogryeo," said Renjie. "What's the nightlife like?"

"Bruising."

"How is that friendlier?" cried Renjie.

"It's friendlier for me. Now be quiet. Your voice is cute and will attract predators."

"You're already planning to get jumped by two aggrieved parties!"

"Let's not make it three."

"Fine."

Bon Bao navigated Tianming Town's Right Bank Central Riverfront District. It was mostly industrial. Heavily polluting enterprises, like those processing raw materials like iron and timber, had been moved out of Tianming Town long ago. Thousands of workshops remained in the capital to produce finished goods, however. Barges on the Feng River were always loading and unloading something.

Gargogryeons settled near the river to work the docks. The pay was good and Gargogryeons had the strongest backs in the world. Strong backs were good for loading and unloading. When not working, the dock workers were too tired to do more than eat and sleep. Because eating was their primary form of entertainment, they ate well. Most space near the docks went to warehouses, however, so the food was prepared and served by cart vendors tucked into side streets.

Bon Bao walked up to a cart, pulled out a stool, and sat at the counter.

Renjie remained on his back. Bon Bao sighed, stood up, pulled out another stool, set his muffin down on that, and returned to his own seat. Then he ordered spicy rice cakes and blackened fish skewers. The vendor went to work. Renjie watched flames char fish like it was the first time he'd ever seen cooking. Big eyes followed the charred fish to an earthenware plate – and then followed the plate to the counter. There, Renjie stared at his food in amazement.

Bon Bao poked the top of Renjie's head and nodded toward the vendor.

"Oh!" said Renjie. "Right! Of course!"

He paid too much and refused change. Change was inconvenient.

"What kind of books do they have in Warakirikobu?" asked Bon Bao.

"Our boys and girls are always pretending to be one another or cats," said Renjie, "so most of our stories are about girl-and-or-boy ninjas who fall in love with girl-and-or-boy pirates over the stern objections of their cat clans. Hilarity ensues."

"Are you a pirate?" asked Bon Bao. "Or a ninja?"

"Hmmm," said Renjie. "I've never been on a boat. I must be a ninja!"

"Or perhaps a cat," said Bon Bao.

Renjie scooted closer.

"Muscular Benefactor?" he asked.

"Yes?"

"In Tianming Town," said Renjie, "the most popular stories are about hulking gangsters and cute magistrates."

"Is that so?" asked Bon Bao.

"It is," agreed the cart vendor. "My granddaughter loves them."

"That's interesting," said Bon Bao. "It should be about gangster o'clock."

"I'm sure you'll be victorious!" said Renjie.

"I will be," agreed Bon Bao. "But why have you become so confident?"

"Snowblind Tigress would have picked me up by now if you were going to lose."

Bon Bao snorted.

"Enough," he said. "A peerless general has better things to do than babysit some twink."

"Snowblind Tigress leads a life free of distractions," said Renjie, "and enjoys babysitting me."

"Who exactly are you supposed to be, then?"

"Fourth Prince of Great Yao," said a muscular Gargogryeon woman, "and a naughty boy."

Bon Bao leapt off his stool, spun around, kneeled on the ground, and bowed his head.

"Bon Bao greets Goddess of Glaives," he said urgently.

"Goddess of Glaives?" asked Renjie. "Sister-in-Law, you never told me that!"

"I may not be the Second Consort," said Esmaralde, wife of the Crown Prince, "but being killed by me should also be a pretty good high."

The Goddess of Glaives advanced.

"Sister-in-Law!" protested Renjie. "Don't hurt my Muscular Benefactor!"

Bon Bao could cross "a ninety-pound twink pleads for mercy on my behalf" off the list of things he would never have imagined putting on a list. Reaching forward with one hand, Esmaralde grabbed the back of Renjie's fluffy Warakirikoban chemise, bunched the finest silk in the world up behind the red panda kitten's neck, lifted him off his seat, tossed him over her shoulder – and stabilized the load with a firm hand.

Well, thought Bon Bao, no wonder the twink was so used to it.

The Goddess of Glaives leapt straight into the air – and vanished.

Bon Bao ground his teeth. From the start, he suspected his catch was island nobility of some kind (and probably a pirate). That would have been a great gig. Serving as muscle for a member of Great Yao's imperial family, however, would be as great a gig as great gigs got – and a long way from a salt mine in Gargogryeo or an underground boxing ring.

The cart vendor walked up and lowered a shot of whiskey.

"Too bad," said the old man. "That twink was cute. Is he really a prince?"

"That was really Esmaralde," said Bon Bao.

"Is she a big deal?"

"In addition to being the Goddess of Glaives, she's your future Empress."

"I don't pay attention to politics," said the old man.

Bon Bao knocked back the shot and stood.

"It will get lively," he said. "My apologies if that's bad for business."

"A bad fight's no good," said the vendor. "A good fight will add cachet to the neighborhood."

"Cachet?" asked Bon Bao.

"Yes."

"Is that a word?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

A hammer flew toward Bon Bao's back. Foolishness! Gargogryeons had the strongest backs in the world! Furthermore, Bon Bao could call on more than fearsome muscles in a fight. He wasn't a god yet, but his mhoddim component was no joke. The Gargogryeon muscle hunk materialized a turtle shell of pure force and reflected the hammer back to its sender. The hammer thrower was a big man. Although he managed to catch the weapon, both hammer and master continued along the rebounding trajectory into the river.

"Dragon Turtle Society," said the cart vendor. "That will definitely bring cachet!"

"Don't jump to conclusions," Bon Bao admonished.

A dozen opponents – including four young heroes – jumped onto the field.