Sunday Six: Guardian + plotbunny farm

The Guardian Plot Bunny Farm has officially moved to brush_and_lantern so check it out if you're in need of inspiration (or want to throw some out there!)

There's also a new monthly theme up: Aliens, Demons, Superpowers

Meanwhile, being blocked on my other fic, I started a new one, in the grand old tradition of tossing the characters into a cliche and hoping they'll figure it out. I'm still sulky with my writing atm but I'm having fun with the story, so I'll take it...

The figure started to step forward, and Zhao Yunlan cocked the pistol, the metallic click loud enough to be heard over the kids' whimpering. "You get one more warning," he said. "Stay back."

The figure didn't move closer, but it brought down its hand in a sharp gesture--Zhao Yunlan braced, but it wasn't calling back its weapon. Instead the black cloak and mask dissolved around it, to reveal a man--a man in glasses and a neatly tailored blue suit. And yeah, of course Dixingren could look as human as anyone if they tried, and most of them did; but still, this guy didn't look like he'd crawled up from any hellish underworld. More like he'd stepped out of an accounting office, or a university classroom.

"Zhao Yunlan, are you all right?" the man asked.

Zhao Yunlan didn't lower the gun, kept his elbows locked so his arms wouldn't shake too hard and his eyes narrowed against the vise of pain closed around his skull. "I'm just dandy," he said. "So who the fuck are you?"