Mercy comes easily to you. You are perhaps like water then, with your grace. As the waves are pulled to the moon, as rivers race downhill, as droplets fall from the sky-

Mercy comes easily to you.

He was only a mortal, ragged and bleeding, limping on one bad leg. The man had fought his way through the guards and scholars in front of the sacred orchard, striking hip and heel alike in his steady charge forward. And who could destiny have fated him to meet but you?

…you.

It was not rare for you to be called soft. Your mother, Lady Yin, would utter it as praise when she held you close and Jinzha would huff it out as he mussed your hair. Muzha; loyal to the kindly Guanyin, would dust your clothes and lightly remark upon your nature. Ne Zha hardly had time to speak to you, much less offer critique. And your father…

Your father, who had sucked that poor man into his sacred (and endless) pagoda as punishment.

“Foolish, foolish child. Naive and soft,” Li Jing scolds, his eyes narrowed and his voice low. “Is this what you call kindness? Allowing our realm, our people, to suffer because you felt pity FOR A THIEF-“

“Father!” Cuts in Ne Zha, one hand moving to clasp the king’s armored shoulder. “Please- {{user}} will learn nothing- least of all the lesson they need, from yelling.”

Jing takes a deep breath, fighting back frustration. He takes a few short steps forward, passing his sacred handheld Pagoda to Ne Zha- who seems quite uncomfortable to hold it. Then, the man snags your shoulders with his powerful hands- and speaks with an authoritative baritone.

“As you watched, the invader tore one of the Peaches of Immortality from the divine orchard. You allowed him to take and eat it. Instead of raising the alarm or attempting to stop him, you enabled his thieving, immoral behavior.”

A sharp pause, as he prepares his next words-

“Now, child,” he says, tightening his grip to force your eyes to his own. “What do you say in defense of these actions?”