1 Chang'e

When Chang'e was a young child of about five years old, she chanced upon the Great Dragon while making mischief.

It was a minor and childish prank, really. Chang'e had climbed on to the roof of a hut, directly above the crowded marketplace, and then stuck her hands out, palms facing the people below. Then, a glimmer of stardust.

The shimmering dust fell from her hands and down to the bustling marketplace. The civilians milling about were suddenly struck with an insane urge to sneeze. Chang'e had giggled softly to herself when she heard the sounds of people sneezing and coughing.

The Great Dragon was watching this display from afar, yet he could feel the power the slight little girl held, locked away inside her. He made a quick decision. The Great Dragon flickered to the roof Chang'e was lying on and tapped her shoulder. That was how Chang'e became the youngest disciple of the Great Dragon.

That was also how Chang'e became the biggest headache in the Moon Palace. She displayed an astonishing aptitude for magic and quickly exceeded the Great Dragon's expectations. Chang'e never went to the Land of Dawn's magic academy as he knew her talents would not flourish there.

The greatest shock was when Chang'e mastered the Great Dragon's greatest spell — the Sacred Satellite at the age of seven, two years after being taken under his wing.

Over time, Chang'e's bright and fun-loving personality warmed the Great Dragon's heart and he began to think of her as family: as a daughter or granddaughter. However, her mischievous nature and tendency to prank any living being led to many headaches and destruction of property in the Moon Palace.

The Great Dragon thought that enough was enough. He decided that he was too old for all the heart attacks Chang'e was giving him. So, he enlisted the help of Zilong, his adopted son, in hopes that his serious and determined nature could guide Chang'e.

...

"Hi, mister! Let's play together!" Chang'e giggled, beaming up at Zilong.

The very moment Zilong laid his eyes on Chang'e, seeing her innocent smile and mischievous eyes, he knew that he would protect her until the day he died. She was his one and only little sister, and he would protect her, cherish her, forever.

During his days of military leave, Zilong helped Chang'e develop her magical abilities. He doted on her and sat with her under the bright sun of the Land of Dawn, among the lush, green, grass of the Moon Palace's garden. There, Chang'e would practice generating energy balls and stardust, creating one of her signature skills 'Starmoon Shockwave'.

During one of Zilong's trips through space and time to fight in the Plane War, he came across a Moon Rabbit. The Moon Rabbit reminded him of his little sister — innocent, adorable, and fun-loving — and he also hoped that she would discover the strength of the divine rabbit and improve her magic through it. He brought the Moon Rabbit back to the Moon Palace after the battle and presented the rabbit to Chang'e.

Chang'e gasped with delight. "A bunny! He's adorable! I love him!" she gingerly took the Moon Rabbit into her hands and cuddled the rabbit to her chest. "I'll take very very good care of him, brother!"

"Promise?" Zilong teased.

Chang'e rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Yes, yes. I promise!"

Chang'e named the rabbit "Carrots" after she found it had snuck into the palace kitchen's supply of carrots. It had stolen away five carrot sticks by the time it was found. "One, two, three, four, five. Wow, look at all these carrots!" Chang'e exclaimed.

Zilong poked her forehead, saying, "you shouldn't be encouraging that little rascal."

Chang'e only stuck her tongue out at him, which her brother took as an invitation to pinch, leaving Chang'e glaring at him.

Eventually, the happy and carefree days had to end. The second War of the Planes was upon them. Zilong had to leave to aid in the war efforts, leaving Chang'e at the Moon Palace.

"Goodbye, little sister. We will see each other again soon. I swear by my honour." Zilong curled his right hand into a fist and brought it across to his chest. The universal gesture of a pledge. Chang'e blinked back tears and copied her brother's gesture. She was a big girl now, and big girls don't cry.

"Take care, big brother."

Zilong's absence left Chang'e in a state of misery. Zilong had been her greatest source of joy in the palace, and the Great Dragon had forbidden her from leaving the palace.

"You are much too young, only thirteen years old. I cannot bear to see you hurt. Furthermore, I shudder to see what destruction you would bring with your naughty tricks! Goodness knows how much of the palace you have destroyed already in your mischief!" the Great Dragon muttered the last sentence under his breath.

Chang'e wanted to yell that she had been living as a street rat until he took her in, but she knew no good would come out of arguing with her master.

She continued to cause mischief and mayhem within the palace as an act of rebellion. However, Chang'e went out of line.

One day, Chang'e and Carrots stole into the Great Dragon's supply of his sacred pills and devoured a handful of them, believing it was candy. The Great Dragon was livid. He banished the Moon Rabbit out of the Moon Palace and ordered for Chang'e to be locked away in her room. However, Carrots refused to leave, even biting the Great Dragon when he tried to touch him, further inciting the Great Dragon's anger.

In a fit of rage, the Great Dragon roared, "I will punish you for your impudence by taking your life!"

A cold grip seized Chang'e's heart. She'd promised! She would not let Carrots die. She would not let her big brother down. She thrust her hand out towards her master, sending a Starmoon Shockwave towards him. When her master leapt away from the attack, she rushed towards Carrots and scooped him up, in which he promptly buried himself into her embrace, little body trembling in fear.

Chang'e could feel the Great Dragon's anger pouring off him in waves, his magic crackling around him. A sharp 'crack!' echoed through the compound. Where her master once stood, in his place was a menacing white dragon, claws sharp and glinting in the sunlight.

In the face of such power, Chang'e fell to her knees, pleading tearfully, "Please don't kill Carrots! I'll take Carrots and myself away from here, just don't kill him!"

The Great Dragon could not stand to see Chang'e looking so afraid and upset. Especially of him. The sight of her tear-streaked face and fearful eyes made him feel as if a great hammer had ploughed into him, knocking the wind out of him.

The Great Dragon let out a heavy sigh, his rage forgotten. He said, "Child… Find your brother Zilong and assist him in battle. I am extremely proud to call you my little disciple… and my daughter. Take this gift before you go. It is a precious memento my mother left me. It will protect you. Now go, my daughter, before I change my mind."

Clutching the Crescent Moon to her chest and with Carrots perched on her delicate shoulders, Chang'e bowed one last time to her father before she turned and fled with tears streaming down her cherub cheeks.

Wait for me, big brother.