Li-Wei's uplifting brought about things that changed a fair amount of change for Muxing on Heiya Island. In many ways she remembered everything that had been done to her and her sisters and that made her fairly untrusting of many of the male advances that had always been there. Animalian males hadn't been rude, and in many ways Muxing was very happy to see Shuixing find love with Nate and that Huoxing and Tuxing had their own hopes for romantic happiness if that was what they wanted. But she'd never expected that for herself, until she'd first met Li-Wei, the first Chinese Tree Viper Animalian that she'd met beside herself. He was broad shouldered, and while he dressed respectively, it was something that let Muxing see his muscle mass and the light reflected off his scales. It was something that then left her a bit weak in the tail and let her give Li-Wei a tour of Heiya Island.
"It is amazing on how much has been built here," Li-Wei commented they slowly moved along one path, looking through to the buildings and some of the decorative cherry trees that had been planted, and then to the farmland that had been set up on the island.
"In many ways, Animalians are a lot like Humans," Muxing commented, "we have many animal features but think like Humans."
"I can understand that," Li commented while looking to the north from the airport runway and toward the Pacific Ocean while Wei then picked, "and you need not worry about attack?"
"Not much," Muxing said slowly and looked back to the male snake as they crossed the runway and toward one of the paths that lead to dead volcano at the southern end of the island, "I mean, Animalians have a whole set of edicts that forbid us from essentially hunting each other and so on. So it's not like you'll need to worry about birds of prey or big cats or mongooses hunting you."
"Well, that's good," Li-Wei commented as they moved along, "that's something to relax at."
"You worry about being attacked?" Muxing wondered, "wouldn't your venom be a deterrent?"
"Well... yes," Li commented, "but... my presence... kind of... well... slowed Wei down. It even made hunting more difficult."
That made Muxing blink for a moment. Like most converted Humans, she retained her eyelids after becoming a Snake Animalian, though many uplifted Snake Animalians did not gain them, and allowed her the ability to show that element of surprise. Though it did remind her that Li-Wei was not an ordinary Snake Animalian, but rather he had two heads and had been found in the wild. The condition was rare and one that didn't allow them to survive well in the wild. The two heads often had differing opinions and that could leave them vulnerable when eating, which could leave them vulnerable. In this, it was lucky that Li-Wei managed to live into adulthood in the wild. Though, Muxing was surprised that Li was less dominant of the two heads.
"So... much of your life was more an internal conflict for dominance?" Muxing asked.
"In a way," Wei admitted, "it's not that Li and I hate each other."
"Quite the contrary," Li answered, "Wei and I get along quite well. And I remember that I always seemed to let him lead... but I'd always know that I'd slow us down that made things... and at times it also added for luck."
"Luck?" Muxing wanted asl they moved along the path that lead up to the mountain and passing to the orchard of cherry trees that Nate had been able to set up after his marriage to Shuixing.
"I'd be eating," Wei answered, "and Li spotted a hawk or falcon. His move would alert me to it and we'd manage to escape... though barely. I'm still grateful though. As I wouldn't want to drain all my venom or lose Li. Though... I'm sure you don't want to hear about my worries as an unuplifted animal."
"Some of it is rather intriguing," Muxing admitted carefully, noting that Li's lips raised into a smile while Wei was more neutral. She wondered that meant that only one of the two heads was actually interested in her, though she also thought to herself in a way that would come off more as though she was trying to convince herself, "not that I really care." Though eventually she composed herself enough to continue out loud, "though... some of that may just be because I was only born with one head and as a Human. I converted to become what I am."
"Yes... one of the "five elements" so I've been told," Li-Wei commented, "a martial arts master..."
"I'm not sure if it would be a true master when compared to some of the great masters before me," Muxing said modestly and glancing between Li-Wei and the path that took them up toward the observation post at the top of the dead volcano, "but I've learned a lot and enough to provide some lessons... particularly with those might also wish to adapt things to a more serpentine body."
The last part was a reference to the young woman that had followed her practices and became a Water Snake to learn them from her. It was something that made for an interesting comparison, given that Muxing and Li-Wei's species was a venomous species from southern Asia and largely arboreal while her "student" was from a non-venomous and more aquatic species from North America. But it worked and Muxing was even pleased with the progress both had made. Herself as a teacher and her new friend as a student. She'd heard some of the rumors about her "swearing off men" and that they would spend time in private in girl-on-girl fun, but Muxing ignored that. In some ways, she didn't necessarily mind males or females. Both had things that she could consider nice. What she wanted was more to make sure that any partner would have to be mentally worthy of her, though sometimes Li-Wei got her thinking of other things, which got her a bit embarrassed and why she snapped a bit at the Quasi-Raccoon Cuties and their broadcast over the course of "Spring Break."
"So maybe you could help," Li said eagerly, which alerted Muxing and she raised her head to see Wei shaking his head like he was thinking "you're desperate."
"With what, may I ask?" Muxing asked.
"Well... I was reading something that said that martial arts can help with mental discipline and stuff like that," Li commented.
"With regard to controlling oneself and one's focus, yes," Muxing nodded.
"Well... Wei and I... we do get along well," Li began, "but there's still the occasion where we can disagree on things. Nothing big or something we'd try to kill each other over... but something that could represent conflict."
Muxing recognized that to a degree. That was all part of the fact that Li-Wei's condition with two heads was likely something that came while Li-Wei's egg was forming, and he was forming in it. This was part of what made Li-Wei different, in that to a degree Li and Wei could be considered different snakes, but sharing the same body.
"But you do get along, right?" Muxing asked.
"Yes, but Li is more concerned over how to coordinate things," Wei answered, "who controls which set of arms, upper or lower, right or left and so on. And to a degree... he's a little too into you and is looking for more reasons to hang out with you."
"Not to be hurtful or oppressive or anything like what you had to deal with in the past," Li said looking down, "and I would at least hope for friendship..."
"Friendship and teaching, I can handle," Muxing then spoke, "as for anything more... you two will have to agree on what you want and you'll have to earn my interest." Though a part of her mind soon flashed images of Li-Wei's arms all over her and hers all over him.