Certain things about Halloween and the season that came with it was surprisingly new for many Animalians that came from cultures that didn't quite look at October 31 in the same way that many European and American cultures did. Some might pick up on the idea for costumes and trick or treating, as that sort of thing was rather fun, but in those cases it was something that was more of an extra to the cultures that they followed. And for Liao, that was one of those things. The idea on costumes snacks was interesting and fun to observe, and privately she enjoyed the show that the Dodo Animalian put on as some 1800s monster hunter, though Liao couldn't remember his name, though at the same time she wasn't quite as keen on the fact that this holiday seemed to be one where people actually wanted to be scared, at least a little bit.
She understood that none of the "scares" were serious or truly threatening, just something that would get someone to jump a little as something spooky happened. However, at the same time there was much of it that reminded her too much of what had pained her past and put her so heavily on the defensive, to an extent that went beyond what the Five Elements had gone through. Those things in her past were REAL scares and things that she felt no one should have to endure. She remembered people trying to do the "right" thing, but often either backed away for fear of the criminal group or out of corruption. It frightened her and wasn't something that America's political atmosphere seemed to help.
Liao had been placed with the Five Elements for their own past and what they had gone through, which wasn't too terribly different from Liao's ordeal. Especially with how mature that Tuxing had been as their informal "leader." Liao got along reasonably well with Tuxing, and she did look up to the double dosed Tiger Animalian, who had even given her the milk that allowed Liao to become a Bengal Tiger Animalian as well. However, Liao couldn't be as stoically calm as Tuxing was with regard to the potential for threats. She'd seen too much and until recently had kept a lot of that bottled up inside. Though the one who'd helped her open up wasn't quite the one that many of the Elements actually expected to help her open up. It wasn't Tuxing but Muxing, and Liao quietly thought back on that conversation that helped her start opening up...
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Liao was quietly packing some things for the Five Element's planned trip to the new Asian colony that was getting ready open. It was mostly some essentials, clothing, toothbrush, toothpaste, and other essentials that would be needed, particularly if the Elements decided to live at the colony full time. She had noticed that there had been some friendly banter and interaction with many of the people in Animalia and Lyre, and not just with those who were originally from Asia, or had Asian ancestry. She'd found that many of the people in Lyre were surprisingly open to Animalia and those who were different. Though, she'd seen that sort of thing before.
She was just getting ready to figure out a place to pack her preferred weapon of choice when she heard a knock on her door. She expected it to be Tuxing, who Liao found to be kind and almost like a replacement mother. She gave a call of "come in" and looked up to find that it wasn't Tuxing, but Muxing. The Chinese Tree Viper Animalian came in slowly and looked over Liao's packing settled into a position on the opposite side of the bed from Liao.
"So... packing for a trip to the island, I see," Muxing said slowly and softly. It sounded like she was a bit hesitant and was being careful as to not say anything hurtful.
"Tuxing offered to take me along with you when you go to see this new colony," Liao commented.
"Of course she would... to an extent all of us would love to have you come along," Muxing answered, "we all went through a lot in our lives... between cults, pirates, and other criminals. We'd all wish to be supportive of each other."
"That's good," Liao sad quietly and resumed looking for some way to improve her packing.
"And we do wish to be there for you... to help you," Muxing commented, "and..."
"Tuxing asked you to talk with me, didn't she?" Liao asked, remembering some of Tuxing's comments from earlier while she'd been practicing. How Tuxing seemed so calm and secure with regard to some things to a point where Liao couldn't fully understand as to why Tuxing was so calm on things. In some ways, Liao actually identified more with Muxing over an overall outlook on the world and where there could be bad people, and how the phrase "never again" seemed to ring heavily in the back of her mind. In this she figured that Muxing had been sent in the hopes of Liao opening up to her.
"She is worried for you, Liao," Muxing spoke with a nod and looked down for a moment, "and for us... Tuxing was really the center that held us all together. She helped us get through the worst of what the cult that my sisters and I through... and really, I don't think we would have gotten through it without her."
"I am fine," Liao answered, "Just keeping in shape for when they turn on us, just as they always do."
Muxing didn't need too much to understand the reference to what "they" meant. To a certain extent she felt the same way with regard to how the cult that had kidnapped the Five Elements and essentially had them in some form of sexual slavery and that payback that had been a big part of why she chose to become a venomous snake, even if it wasn't the most lethal when she converted. And to a certain extent she didn't fully understand how or why her sisters had so openly accepted so many of the aspects of Animalia that seemed to have reminders of their own past confinement and enslavement. But with some talks with Ping and with some sessions with Doctor Jones' clinic, Muxing was getting a bit better adapted to it and was getting over what had happened to her. Things might not be completely healed, but Muxing was doing better. And Muxing could see and hear a lot of her past pain and anger in Liao.
"Trust me... I can understand being angry over what was done to you," Muxing answered, "and there are times when I'd wish for a shot to give the cult members that held my sisters and I hostage enough venom that would kill them... but that doesn't necessarily make it right."
"I'm not looking for revenge," Liao answered with a small huff of irritation, "I'm just looking for what will be REAL protection."
"I'd think we're safe here in Animalia," Muxing answered.
"Are we? Are we really?" Liao answered frustrated that even Muxing didn't see it.
"I would think so," Muxing answered and paused to take a deep breath, letting her tongue slide out and then in, "and from my own experience... I would think that what your concerned over has little truly to do what the American President and his fans try to do. It has to do with what has happened to you in the past."
"But you... all of you... you're the same as me!" Liao protested, "Kidnapped... abused... beaten... powerless..."
"We aren't powerless any more," Muxing answered with a small flexing of her biceps, "and we want to help you... Tuxing especially..." Muxing paused and raised on finger to her mouth as she thought over some of the therapy sessions she'd had and then continued, "but we cannot help you if you don't open up to us. You can't just bottle everything inside yourself. It'll only hurt you."
Liao was shocked and silent for a moment. She slowly went down to her knees with her arms wrapped around her sides and soon let out a rather soft sniffle. Muxing saw this and came around the bed, and wrapped her arms around Liao's shoulders. Even as a double dosed Chinese Green Tree Viper, it was a bit of a stretch to hold Liao to her. Liao wasn't as big as Tuxing, as she was only a single dosed Animalian, but tigers were still bigger than most snakes. Muxing, did however, manage and simply held Liao to her, and even managed to nuzzle the tip her triangular head to the back of Liao's.
"We only want to help, Liao, if you let us," Muxing said, "Please, let us help."
"My family always tried to run a good business, selling fruits in our local market," Liao spoke, breaking down and having to open up as a result. She returned Muxing's hug as well. She wouldn't go too deep in detail as that would be too painful, but she would at least give Muxing some sense of what she was dealing with, "but these crooks... gangsters... pirates... they wanted money, more money than my parents made. The would send thugs to upset his stand and then send someone else to promise to protect the stand if they payed a "small" fee."
Muxing remained silent and softly let one hand rub Liao's back and trying to provide as much motherly type comfort that she could manage. Muxing wasn't fully sure on how she could do that, but something told Muxing that that was also what Liao needed.
"But my father was proud and hard working and refused and reported the gangster's actions to the local police and their leader promised to catch them," Liao continued, "but it was all a lie. They came to where we lived, hacked my parents to death with machetes in front of me. I screamed and was afraid... They eventually knocked me out. When I came to... I was on a ship, far from home, and the man who would brutalize me... was none other than the "officer" of the law that had promised to catch the gangsters... when he was in fact the leader of the gangsters themselves!"
"This sounds worse than I thought... worse than what Tuxing even guessed at," Muxing thought to herself.
"That's why I've felt that the only one who can keep us safe from liars who promise good things... is us," Liao finished with a sniffle.
"Being strong and disciplined is a good thing," Muxing told her, "but some times we must trust and get along with others... and have faith that people will listen to "the better angels of our nature" as one leader once put it. For not everyone is corrupt and not everyone is bad. And all of us in the Elements have learned that."
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And that talk with Muxing did help a bit. In a way it broke the ice and none of the Five Elements held anything against her. They in fact even shared bits and pieces of what had helped them get through their own ordeal. In a way it felt good, which Liao did welcome...
Now if only should figure out why people thought carving faces into pumpkins was a great idea...