Myth
-noun
a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or event, esp. one that is concerned with deities and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature.
Disclaimer: Black Lagoon and its characters © Rei Hiroe
I: THE LITTLE DRAGON
Legend. It is a single word that brings about the thought of a grand tale of a grander character, a story of arduous endeavors and epic journeys. It is a word that invokes the deepest memories of a culture, of a person, and the greatness of such a tale, if told over time, can gain the status of a myth. Yet not every grand tale is about a hero or a god, for not every legend exudes the coveted glory of its namesake. Some myths are forged in filth, and they are damned to be confined to the underworld.
- 0 - 0 - 0 -
The small child wiped at the scuff on her cheek and adjusted the short sleeves of her shirt. She shuffled lightly in place, waiting patiently by the short, shack-like building. She didn't seem to mind standing in the sun.
"So you're looking for a good time in Kaohsiung? There are some brothels we know of."
She looked down at the cracked concrete and nudged her foot against the wall, overhearing the nearby conversation, but not showing much interest. There was oncoming chatter switching between English and Mandarin.
"How about we take him to that new place? Those Thai girls are pretty good. Or perhaps the Vietnamese..."
"You useless dumbass. This guilao is in Taiwan. Give him an authentic taste, pure Taiwanese."
"Like it matters. I doubt a guilao could tell the difference anyway."
"Excuse me, you two, but the guilao can understand everything you're saying."
"Oh, you speak our language? Why didn't you say so earlier? You made my brother look like an idiot with all that 'please and thank you' bullshit. So, what are you looking for exactly...?"
They were closer now, still talking amongst themselves. For a second, the girl looked up. There were three of them. She recognized the first two, Asian men in their late teens wearing standard T-shirts and shorts, Di and Lung. She had seen them many times in the past, third tier gangsters who weren't even fit for the lowest ranks of the local Triad. Lung was currently sporting a pair of sunglasses while Di's short black hair was styled into a mat of tiny spikes. Trailing behind them looked to be a stocky Caucasian man in his late thirties, dressed in a casual buttoned shirt and jeans.
She looked back down and saw shadows stop in front of her.
The men took in her appearance. A poor looking child wearing a faded red shirt and shorts with cheap flip-flop sandals, short black strands rising above the shoulders with a small tail of hair hanging off to the left side of her head, held up by a band with two red beads. Lung leaned down, putting a hand on the wall.
"Well, well, this is a treat. You again? Shouldn't you be in school?" he teased. His brother laughed as their tourist friend looked on in curiosity and discomfort, not quite understanding the situation. The girl kept her focus on the ground, saying nothing.
"Come on, don't be so cross." He tried to lift her chin so he could see her eyes, but she jerked her head away before his fingers could make contact. She still didn't speak.
Lung's eyes lit up when he suddenly understood.
"I see, I see! Business as always with you. I get it," he chuckled. He reached into his pocket and took out a couple of New Taiwan Dollars. The tourist recoiled in horror.
"This is what you want, right?" The gangster waved it in front of her face. "We'll take the usual. Oh, and something extra for our new friend over there." Without a second thought, the girl took the money and made a sharp turn into the alley next to the building.
"W-wait! Stop this! She's just a child!" the foreigner gasped. The gangsters shot him perplexed glances.
"The hell are you yelling about?" Di asked. "She's just getting some fruit."
She came out of the alleyway with a small basket before handing three bell apples to Lung. Seeing this, the tourist relaxed visibly.
"Xie xie," thanked Lung. Still, she said nothing. He moved his sunglasses up onto his forehead and grinned, standing up straight and tossing an apple to his brother.
"Still not talking to us?" Di piqued. "Lung, what's with this rude girl?"
"Oh, oh! I get it!" Lung snapped. "It's her mother! She must be honoring her wishes! Who knew this cocky little bitch could be so obedient?" The brothers broke out in hysterics.
Her nose wrinkled and she curled her lip at the remark, shooting both of them a dirty look before taking the basket and walking away.
"Hoon hoon," she muttered.
Di and Lung squeaked in high pitched voices.
"'Stay away from the bad boys, Shenhua! You'll end up being a very sick woman!' I guess she would know! AH HAHAHAHA!" The obnoxious laughter seemed to go on forever. She paid them no mind and kept walking, eventually falling out of their view.
- 0 - 0 - 0 -
"Just you wait, I'm going to be a Triad!"
The group of teenage boys loitering underneath the fire escapes all shot unimpressed glances at the foolish, husky teen.
"They start recruiting at ten years. You're fifteen. The hell have you been waiting so long for? The United Bamboo Gang can't be that picky," said one boy. The group muttered in agreement.
"Not the United Bamboo Gang!" The husky teen pointed west. "I wanna get off this island and go for the Wo Triad in Hong Kong, become a Red Pole."
"A Red Pole? Why waste so much talent when you could try here for White Wolf, Zugen." The group turned towards the source of the sarcastic remark. A twelve year old girl emerged from one of the nearby alleys. Zugen sneered and stepped forward.
"Go fuck yourself, Shenhua," Zugen spat. "Get out of here. No girls allowed."
The girl named Shenhua grinned cruelly.
"Really, only boys can come here? I did not know this place was a brothel for gay perverts."
"Tch, cocky bitch," Zugen muttered. The group shared the disdain of their leader.
"What are you doing here, Shenhua? Shouldn't you be out on your corner?"
"I'm done working for today. I was just on my way home." She turned on her heel, but Zugen stepped in her way.
"You're done? But you still have some food left," he noted, looking in the small basket she held. "Unless you came here to give us the leftovers. What a nice girl, coming all this way. You'll make a good wife someday." He reached into the basket and Shenhua slapped the top of his hand before pulling away from him.
"Get away from me, Zugen! This food isn't yours to have."
"Oh yeah? Then maybe you can pay our toll."
Shenhua growled and her eyes flickered back and forth, noticing Zugen's posse forming a circle around her. What a wonderful decision she had made. She knew she should have taken the long way home.
Zugen reached out towards her.
"Today's earnings should cover it."
She dropped the basket and reached into her pocket. There was a flash of motion and Zugen screamed, holding onto his hand.
"Shit! She has a knife!"
- 0 - 0 - 0 -
Di and Lung strolled down the sidewalk, their tourist friend trailing behind them.
"Really, what a terrible girl. She keeps up with that attitude, she really will become a sick woman." Lung said, handing an apple to the tourist.
"Won't be too bad looking, though," Di commented. "She's looks pretty hard up right now, but she'll grow nicely."
"You better not let her catch you talking like that," Lung cautioned, taking a slow bite from his apple. All the humor had suddenly disappeared. Di shook his head.
"You think I'm that much of an idiot? It's fine to talk when we're alone like this, but not around that bitch. No way."
"Her? Who are you talking about? That girl?" the tourist interjected. Di and Lung looked at each other, sharing a grin.
"That brings us back to our original topic," Lung mused. "You're looking for a whore, yes? Well, that girl happens to be the daughter—"
"A child of a prostitute?" The foreigner almost dropped his apple.
"Don't act so surprised. There are plenty of them running around," Di dismissed, taking a bite out of his own apple. "The kid is only the beginning of your troubles. Her mother, now, that's a bigger story."
"How do you say it? In a nutshell," Lung paused, "if you come across a woman named Jin Long, turn away or prepare for a... memorable night."
The tourist seemed confused.
"Jin Long? What kind of name is that for a woman?"
"You'll understand if you ever meet her," Di explained. "Don't get us wrong, she's crazy in bed. Well worth the money, but she's insane in other ways, too..."
"Don't touch the little dragon," Lung warned, "or you'll get more than you bargained for. One of her customers saw the child and patted her on the head. Jin Long didn't like it. The next morning, he woke up in the street with one less appendage." Lung pointed down, and the tourist cringed.
"As long as you don't mess around with the kid, you're safe," Di reassured. "But, what we're telling you is, Jin Long is dangerous. It would be wise for you, for anyone, to stay away. However, if dangerous is your thing, I can only recommend you wear kevlar." He snickered.
"And beware of a knife wielding hunter," Di added. "She is Liuyedao's girl, isn't she?"
"Yes and no," Lung confirmed. "It depends. Oh, hey, guilao, don't get that uneasy look. Liuyedao's not possessive, and I heard he's been retired for a couple years now. Been spending all his time in the Philippines. You'll never meet the guy. Now, where were we? That brothel I was talking about..."
- 0 - 0 - 0 -
Shenhua lunged forward, but the movement was a second too slow. Zugen avoided the blade and grabbed both of her wrists. He used sheer force to overpower her and slammed her into the wall, pinning her against it. He grinned when he looked up from her contorted face and saw the butterfly knife gripped tightly in her right hand.
"Pretty cool knife," Zugen mocked, "but all you've got is cheap parlor tricks."
The surrounding group of boys chuckled in amusement.
"You don't think I can be a White Wolf or a Red Pole, but I'll let it slide. I know you're just jealous." Zugen leaned forward and pressed his forehead against hers.
Suddenly, a tall shadow emerged and the gang of street boys turned around, their eyes growing to the size of saucers. They all whimpered before they scattered like cockroaches, flailing their arms and running away. Zugen noticed none of this. All of his attention was focused on Shenhua, and he didn't see the immense shadow looming over him.
"You think my chances of gaining rank in the Triads are slim, but you've got nothing going for you. Girls can't be Triads, Shenhua, and you're a crappy knife fighter. But, hey, if you want to get out of this dump, you can always tag along and be my girl."
A choking sound emanated from Zugen as sharp claws gripped his throat from behind, digging into his neck with beastly strength. He let go of Shenhua as he was picked up off the ground and forcibly turned, staring into the eyes of a dragon.
A woman wearing immodest attire, a simple red top and short skirt revealing sensuous curves and slightly tanned skin, her long hair drifting several inches past her waist. She was much taller than the average benshengren woman, and her dark high-heels only added to her height. But that wasn't what was on Zugen's mind. All he could see was a beautiful, but wrathful, face, harsh lines underneath the eyes, evidence of a hard life and signs of aging. The steel-like glare and blood red lips around the clenched teeth nearly made him piss himself. He showed a shaky smile in panic.
"H-hello, Miss Jin Long. I-I was just talking with Shenhua..."
The woman exhaled and Zugen coughed. Her breath reeked of smoke. She leaned in closely and displayed a disgusted smile.
"Talk like that with my daughter again and I promise you, the Triads won't be the ones who will slice you apart when you step out of line," she hissed. With that being said, she stiffly set him down on the ground and let go of his neck. He stared up at her, shaking like a leaf. Jin Long sneered at the stupid boy and slapped him with the back of her hand.
"Go! Get the hell out of here!"
Zugen did as he was told and ran away, crying for his mother. Jin Long held a tense stance as she looked down at her daughter.
"Mama..." Shenhua whispered.
"I thought I told you not to take this way home. Too many punks."
"I'm sorry," she apologized. Jin Long nodded, before her eyes narrowed as she noticed Shenhua hiding one of her hands behind her back.
"What do you have there?"
"Nothing." Shenhua tried to shift away, but Jin Long grabbed her wrist and yanked the knife out of her hand. She looked at the blade and shook her head.
"A Balisong. Shenhua, how many times have I told you? No more knives," she sighed exasperatedly, her steel gaze never wavering. "Do I need to spank you again?"
"No," Shenhua said quickly, her hands instinctively covering her rear end. A scowl appeared across Jin Long's face before she sighed again, shrugging.
"I'll take this for now," Jin Long said, moving her fingers deftly and closing the butterfly knife. Shenhua breathed out, thankful she wouldn't have another spanking, but saddened that her newest knife was taken away. She walked over to the basket she dropped and started putting the remaining fruit that had fallen out back inside.
"How much did you make today?" Jin Long asked. Shenhua stood up and pulled the money out of her pocket, handing it over to her mother.
"Hmm," Jin Long hummed, counting. "We've seen better days, but with my earnings, this will do." She gave the money back to her daughter and put her hand on her shoulder, pulling her close to her side.
"Let's go home and clean ourselves up. We're going to the temple today."
- 0 - 0 - 0 -
The scent of sandalwood wafted through the air, thin lines of smoke rising and twirling. There was a faint glow within the temple, the interior tinted a shade of cinnamon. Among the Taoist symbols, young Shenhua noticed a familiar statue of a deity alongside a ba gua, Guan Yu. For a moment, she questioned his presence in the temple and turned towards her mother, now in more modest dress. But upon seeing her in deep concentration, Shenhua stayed silent. It wouldn't be wise to break the iron dragon out of her peaceful trance. The young one would have to wait.
It was nightfall by the time they left the holy sanctuary, and the iron dragon held her offspring close. The streets were lit with several lanterns, not for the sake of celebration, but for the purpose of necessity. Only then did the young one ask her question.
"Mama, why is it that the patron god of the Triads is in the temple?"
"Guanshengdijun is revered by many people," the iron dragon explained, never breaking her stride. "Triads are not the only few who find significance in the deity. Guan Yu has been a noted entity for many centuries and he holds a deep meaning to many, Triad and Taoist alike."
"But what does Guan Yu have to do with it?"
"Foolish girl, what have I taught you? He was given the title of an immortal long ago, introduced into the Taoist pantheon."
"I still don't understand, mama." The young one's confusion was visible. "How can an immortal associated with Taoism also be important to gangsters? Guan Yu is supposed to represent righteousness and honor, right? How could the Triads have interest in something like that?"
"The Triads have their own idea of righteousness and honor," said the iron dragon dryly. "And Guan Yu is also seen as a deity of war. Listen to me, Shenhua. I've told you he holds a deep meaning to many, and those meanings can vary. But if you're asking about his importance to Taoism..." Jin Long tilted her head up and stared at her daughter through the corner of her eye.
"In my own opinion? His presence, the existence of the immortals, it doesn't matter," she said sternly. "The point of Taoism is harmony, balance, realizing your relationship with yourself and the world. Deities like Guan Yu are simply there as representations of the Tao, examples. There's no god you can pray to to help you come to a realization. You need to find your own balance, your own personal harmony within yourself."
The young one looked down, vexed. Now she had more questions, but she felt if she delved deeper into the matter with the iron dragon, she would only find more confusion.
They continued the walk in silence, paying no attention to the street vendors and occasional heckler. They were almost home until something caught the corner of young Shenhua's eye.
A glimmer, a shine. Something beautiful. She stopped in awe.
Jin Long halted as well and looked down.
"Shenhua, what is...?" It was then that she saw what entranced her daughter so.
A shop, or rather, what was inside of it. A myriad of blades, a personal arsenal if need be. Swords and knives, axes and daggers. The quality was impressive, but the iron dragon knew this type of shop was more a novelty than anything else. If a person wanted a weapon, a gun was the item of choice. Rarely anyone appreciated a well crafted blade. A bullet took priority over a sword.
She took note that her young Shenhua took particular interest in a pair of curved blades, khukris. Then, Jin Long saw it. There was a sparkle, a shine that reflected that of the weapons her daughter admired in those deep blue eyes. Passion, zeal, ardor. There was a bond.
The steel gaze in her dark eyes hardened and she jerked her daughter's hand.
"Come on, stop gawking. We need to go home now." The tone was harsh, cold. Young Shenhua repressed a whine as she was dragged away from the objects of her fascination.
Jin Long's steps were firm, precise. She was deep in thought. That look on Shenhua's face, she had seen it elsewhere before.
It was at that moment the iron dragon knew. She had an epiphany.
- 0 - 0 - 0 -
Liuyedao was a strange man.
A tall, lithe figure in his late-forties with balanced proportions of muscle and short dark hair. His tanned flesh had a leather-like property from spending too much time in the sun, some telltale scars across his body. He had a dark blue traditional Chinese top with the high curved collar and cloth buttons down the front, tiny threads sticking out on the edges around his arms; he had ripped off the sleeves. The knees on the light blue jeans were split from much use, but it was a still a good pair. The black boots her wore were scuffed, but he hardly seemed to care.
And then there were his eyes. There was a zen-like aura to the blue orbs, calm, collected, but the deep lines around them and the jaded look of his face reminded her that he was the type of man who could easily cut your throat without a second thought. Calculating, cold, like that of a serpent.
A perfect match for the iron dragon.
Young Shenhua looked at the both of them standing across from each other, staring. It was like clockwork. The serpent would always arrive at their cramped apartment, twice a year at most, and he and her mother would share a silent conversation with a glance and a nod before she invited him inside and led him into her bedroom to spend the night, then he'd leave in the morning and that was the end of it. Little to no words were exchanged, but the dragon and serpent seemed to have an understanding between them. He wasn't like the other men that came to her mother, for Jin Long never gave Liuyedao a contemptuous glare when he would head out the door. Shenhua would never fully understand their relationship.
But either way, the child knew Liuyedao's presence meant she would have to spend the remainder of the time in her room with a pillow clamped over her ears.
As Shenhua retreated to her room, Jin Long curled her finger in a come hither motion, and Liuyedao followed without protest.
"It's been a while, Liuyedao. We have much to discuss. Let's make up for lost time, shall we?"
The serpent didn't seem to think too much of the words, unaware that his unorthodox mate had more in mind for him than their usual routine.
- 0 - 0 - 0 -
The serpent and dragon shared a lurid dance, twisting and intertwining, almost every movement matched or accompanied by a well placed bite or scratch, both finding pleasure and amusement in their bawdy game for dominance. It was a long ritual, well into the break of dawn, but they were both sated by the end.
"You remember all those years ago?" Jin Long asked. She had finally caught her breath.
"A lot of things have happened to us over the years. Refresh my memory," Liuyedao said, absentmindedly twirling several of her black strands loosely around his finger.
"Yuan," she said simply, placing a hand on his chest. The serpent sighed in understanding.
"Oh, that. What of it? Did he find you after all this time?"
"Don't be stupid. Yuan was, still is, an idiot. He's probably forgotten about me and found a new mistress anyhow." There was no trace of jealousy or regret in her tone. "The only good that came from my relationship with him was that we crossed paths when you were hired for a kill. Too bad you ruined any future prospects with Yuan when you decided to run off with his mistress after you finished your job." She grinned.
"I couldn't leave you there with that idiot," he said simply. "But if I remember correctly, you took advantage of me and ran away after three months."
"Don't act so sore. You tracked me down here in Kaohsiung, didn't you?" she drawled. She rested her cheek against his collar. "You weren't that surprised when I ran away, were you? You knew it would happen sooner or later."
The serpent hissed, not in anger, but a bitter agreement. It was true. He was upset, but not surprised. That was simply the nature of the iron dragon.
"If it comforts you," Jin Long went on, "take solace in the knowledge I've always saved a special place for you in my bed."
Liuyedao nodded tightly. Their current social arrangement was odd, but it was more healthy for the both of them in the long run. The serpent knew he could only stay with the dragon for so long until he was devoured completely.
"But what I am saying is that you saved me all those years ago, and even after I betrayed you, you still come back to me every year."
"If you're calling me a fool, you're telling me something I'm well aware of, Jin Long."
There was no malicious intent between them, only empty banter.
"Do I hold any value to you, Liuyedao?"
"It depends. How much do you earn these days?"
She took no offense to the joke, but her grin disappeared.
"No, that's not it." She exhaled slowly and looked into his eyes. "Sentimental value."
"I'm here after all these years, aren't I?" he said evenly, shrugging.
The iron dragon hummed and laid her head against his chest again, staying silent for a minute. She had her answer. Now she had to execute her true intent...
"I pulled a butterfly knife off of Shenhua last month," Jin Long said suddenly. A flash of nostalgia washed over Liuyedao's face.
"A Balisong! That takes me back." He paused for a moment, thinking about what she had said. "You pulled it off of her? Did she try to stab you?"
"No, of course not!" said the iron dragon. "She used it against a street punk."
"Now that really takes me back," Liuyedao said thoughtfully. "But why did she have it to begin with? I thought you didn't approve of her playing with knives."
"I didn't give it to her. She has a habit of obtaining them herself. I don't know where she keeps getting them," she sighed. "She thinks I'm not aware of the collection she keeps under her bed. When she thinks I'm not paying attention, she goes up on the roof of the building to train herself, too."
"Self-taught?" Liuyedao mused. "And risking a spanking from you, I assume? Ha! That's determination. You have a special girl there, Jin Long."
"I know..." said the iron dragon solemnly. "... I know, which is why I want you to train her."
The serpent guffawed and threw his head back, thinking her words to be humor for his sake. Noticing her lack of response, he looked down and his smile vanished when he looked at her face.
"... You're serious?" he asked. The iron dragon nodded slowly. Immediately, Liuyedao shook his head.
"No, no, a million times, no."
"Why not?" the iron dragon hissed violently. "I know full well you are capable of teaching her. You have the experience, the skill."
"I'm a retired freelancer, Jin Long." He tried to get up, but she sank her nails into his chest and dug her knees into his stomach.
"Don't try to tell me you're rusty," she growled. "I know you spend all your time in the southern islands training with the knife fighters in the Philippines. She can train there in private."
"Why can't you raise her yourself?" the serpent countered.
"I've raised her to the fullest of my abilities. I've taught all I can teach her at this point. You are the only one I can trust to lead her down the right path!"
"The right path?" Liuyedao scoffed. "Woman, are you insane? Need I remind you what I am, what I've done? Think of what you're saying, Jin Long. Do you honestly want your daughter to be taken down a path paved in blood?"
"Yes."
A cold, horrid silence clung to the air. The iron dragon's glare had reached a dangerous extreme.
"... She was born in the underbelly of society, Liuyedao. The underworld is all she knows. I don't want her to follow in my footsteps."
"You're not making any sense," Liuyedao barked. "If depravity is your concern, take a second look. So what if she's on the underbelly society? Taiwan isn't that bad compared to the rest of the world, Jin Long. The Kaohsiung Incident happened well over two years ago; Taiwan will improve eventually. This is a fine place to raise your child."
"Need I remind you there's a brothel right next door?" Jin Long said sternly. "Need I remind you what my profession is? General society doesn't apply here. Look around this area, look at what I do for survival, what so many other women do for survival. You think Shenhua will think about being a doctor or a lawyer after seeing all this filth? I don't want her to be a common whore, Liuyedao."
She leaned in further to the serpent's face, sinking her nails deeper into his flesh.
"I know her fate. She is going to remain in the underworld for as long as lives, but so long as she is here, I want her to thrive. She still has a chance to be something great."
"You think becoming a killer is a greater calling?" Liuyedao asked cynically.
"Compared to a whore who has to lay on her back and be a toy for some pervert every night? Liuyedao, I want her to have a sense of control, a sense of power. I want my daughter to have pride. Don't lie and tell me you don't feel anything after all you've endured as a freelance hunter. Don't you enjoy it?"
The serpent grit his teeth painfully, tilting his head back. He couldn't lie. He did enjoy it.
"See?" she said.
"Jin Long, even if I was crazy enough to accept this, you're missing something important. Training is only one part of the person. It takes a special breed to be a freelancer. There has to be a desire there, some sort of instinct."
"I assure you, Liuyedao, she has it," she whispered sharply. "She has this look in her eyes whenever she sees a blade. She's entranced by it. Even as a toddler, whenever I told The Legend of Sun-Moon Lake, her eyes would light up the moment it came to the part where Da Jian Ge and Shui She Jie take the golden blades and slash the dragons to pieces. I've seen it, Liuyedao. I know it's there. She has what it takes to be a hunter."
"... Alright, say I believe you," the serpent began, "but what then? I warn you, the path of a hunter is not easy. It was hard enough for me in the beginning, but the underworld is particularly harder on women. Skill alone won't be enough. You say you don't want her to be a whore, but the sad truth is that she may have to use her body to lure others to their death long before she can prove what she can do with blades. Your wishes will have been in vain."
"No," Jin Long started. "My wish is that she will not have to use her flesh as her only tool. I know she will grow into a woman, and she may deceive others with her body, but when the chance comes for her to wield a sword she will have the pride of knowing that her profession lies in the business of blood, not of flesh."
"... Your daughter will despise you if you send her down this path, Jin Long," he whispered softly, a final plea for her to reconsider.
"She will despise me even more if I don't." The iron dragon loosened her grip, knowing she had Liuyedao right where she wanted him. There was a toothy smile and she raised a hand to his face, caressing side of his jaw. "And I don't think it would be proper for a father not to get acquainted with his daughter."
Liuyedao nearly choked.
"Agh! You lie!"
"Don't act so shocked," she teased. "You really don't see the resemblance? The instinct, the love of blades... and tell me, Liuyedao, how many benshengrendo you know that have blue eyes?"
"A coincidence," Liuyedao defended. "That's all. You cruel woman, you expect me to believe she's mine? Blue eyes may be rare, but I know I'm not the only man who's shared your bed."
There was a throaty growl and Jin Long leaned forward to kiss him.
"Fine, don't believe me. But you will take her under your wing, won't you?"
"... I'm not sure." He looked off to the side contemplatively.
"Please Liuyedao," she pleaded, "Train her, take care of her. It's my sole wish for her." Jin Long frowned, and for one terrible moment, the steel gaze melted away and she bowed her head. It was then that the serpent realized just how badly she wanted this. It was not in the nature of the iron dragon to beg, to humble herself before anyone, and such a gesture could only be driven by pure desperation.
He sighed, defeated.
"Very well."
The iron dragon breathed slowly and looked at his eyes once more.
"And so long as you're respecting my wishes, I have another favor to ask of you."
He opened his mouth to protest, but she put her finger to his lips to cut him off.
"When you leave with Shenhua tomorrow, I never want you, or her, to come back to me."
"What?" he asked, dumbfounded. "But why...?"
"I want you to dedicate every moment of your time to turning her into hunter, no distractions and no interruptions." She then chuckled with a sad smile. "And when she finally earns the title of a killer, I doubt she'd want to associate herself with the likes of myself. Like you said, when I send her down this path, she'll despise me. It's a price I'm willing to pay."
There was a moment of silence. With an agonizing smile, the serpent leaned down to kiss his mate.
"You're a twisted woman, Jin Long," he stated. "And don't think I believe for a second she's my child."
The iron dragon returned the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Of course you don't, fool."
- 0 - 0 - 0 -
"B-but I don't wanna leave with him!" Shenhua sobbed, digging her head into her mother's lap and clinging to her skirt. Jin Long placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders and lightly pushed her away, kneeling down to wipe the tears from her eyes.
"Shenhua, stop making a scene."
"But I don't want to go! I want to stay here with you!" She wrapped her arms around Jin Long's neck in a death grip.
"Shenhua, stop it!" she hissed. Frowning, she reached back and grabbed young Shenhua's hands, firmly placing them at her sides.
"Here, this is yours," Jin Long said, quickly pulling out the butterfly knife she had taken away from her exactly one month ago. Her small mouth slightly agape, Shenhua tentatively took it.
"I thought you told me 'No more knives,'" Shenhua sniffled, wiping at one eye.
"I changed my mind."
Shenhua looked down at the weapon, unsure of what to say.
"Shenhua," Jin Long said softly, putting a hand on her daughter's cheek, "I know you don't understand now, but I am only doing what is best for you. This is for your future." Jin Long looked over Shenhua's shoulder and saw Liuyedao waiting by the docks with crossed arms, moving his head in a gesture.
"You should go now. The boat is leaving soon," said Jin Long. Shenhua looked back and forth between her mother and Liuyedao.
"Is he really my father?"
"That's not what matters. What matters is that he thinks he is... mostly." The woman cleared her throat. Shenhua shifted uneasily.
"Mama, can I come visit you?"
Jin Long faked a smile.
"Perhaps when you're older. You can come see me then, if you feel like it. Now go." The cool steadiness of the words betrayed Jin Long's true feelings. She sighed as Shenhua walked over to Liuyedao and they got onto the boat, successfully fighting back the tears and maintaining a steel-like gaze.
The iron dragon never did see her child again.
- 0 - 0 - 0 -
Mindanao was hot, unbearably hot.
She was in a small, remote village on the island, a far cry from modern civilization. Liuyedao had set her up in a tiny shack, only giving her a single bunk and a grimy restroom. She had thought the apartment she shared with her mother in Kaohsiung was small, but her current accommodations made her think otherwise.
When she put her things away, Liuyedao took her to a neighboring building, somewhat larger than the shack she would reside in. It was there Liuyedao introduced her to a group of men, his fellow fighters. Most of them were Pinoy, but there was also a blend of Japanese, Malaysian, Thai, and Chinese. They had all seemed shocked at Shenhua's presence, some of them amused, most of them vexed as to what Liuyedao was doing bringing in a cheap girl from Kaohsiung to Mindanao.
He had gone inside of the building to talk with them, leaving her outside with a bored looking stray dog and a fighting rooster with a tether around its foot. Shenhua pressed her ear against the door, eavesdropping. The first half of the conversation sounded like a heated argument, but once the initial confusion was vented, it sounded as though Liuyedao calmed them down enough to get a word in and give them all a sound explanation.
At least, that's what she thought they were doing. They were all speaking in Tagalog, couldn't understand a single word of it.
After more discussion, there was a lull.
"Oh, malabo ito, pero kung may tiwala si Liuyedao sa sarili niya ay wala akong dahilan para mangatwiran."
The words sounded calm and even. The men seemed to mutter in agreement.
"ANO?" There was a sudden outburst.
"OK ito sa 'yo? Akala ko ay si Liuyedao lamang ang naloloko! O sige, payag na ako, at habang ginagawa na natin ito, lahat ng nawawala o lahat ng ulila ay tangkilikin natin! Impiyerno, turuan natin ng Kung Fu ang aso! Wala akong pakialam!"
The voice wasn't necessarily angry, but there was definitely a presence of frustration.
A minute passed and she pulled away from the door when she heard the knob turn. Liuyedao looked down at her, unamused.
"You know, it's impolite to listen to other people's conversations." He had switched to Mandarin for her sake.
"What happened?" Shenhua asked. Liuyedao looked back inside the shack before turning his attention to her once more.
"Mercado just lost his mind. No big deal. He'll come around eventually. Everyone else accepts you staying here." Closing the door behind him, he put a hand on Shenhua's back and led her away from the building, seating her at a crudely made bench at the end of village. There was a chilling calm in his eyes. He knelt down to level his view with hers. There was a flash of movement and Shenhua saw him pointing her Balisong at her eye, the sunlight glinting off of the blade. She suddenly stopped breathing.
"I want you listen to me carefully, child. I just stuck my neck out for you in there, and you'd better not disappoint me. I took you here solely to honor your mother's wishes. She was adamant about your potential and for your sake, you'd better hope she's right. Myself and those men in there are dedicated to our art, and if you don't take it seriously, I'll have no problem passing you off to them as company for the night. You understand me so far?"
She nodded tightly, a bead of sweat dripping down the side of her head. It wasn't because of the heat.
"Good. Now, blades: Do you have a passion for them?"
A nod.
"Do you want to learn how to wield one properly?"
Another nod.
"Do you want to master the art form of wielding a blade?"
She opened her mouth to speak, but he raised his hand to silence her. His eyes narrowed.
"Think this over carefully. When I am done with you, you are going to be real killer, not a common gangster waving around a cheap gun. You will be a top predator, and you will be a master of your craft. But," he paused, "keep in mind the intent of your fate. You'll be trained in martial arts, but there will be nothing spiritual about your future occupation. If you have any moral scruples, throw them away now. You will be a killer for hire. Your only companion will be your weapon, and you will only pledge alliance to the almighty dollar. However...
"Let me make this clear to you," the serpent warned. "The path of a professional killer is not an easy one. As long as you are here, you will spend every waking moment training. Everything you do will be dedicated to honing your skills. There will be no distractions, and there will be no excuses. You will train as long as I tell you to train. If you do not get something right, you will keep trying until you do, even if it will take weeks, months, years. If you fall down, you will pick yourself back up. If you break your leg, you will limp during the lesson until I say you are done. If you are cut, you will not stop until I say your session is over. If you bleed and pass out, I will wake you up and make you finish what you've started. And trust me, child, you will bleed plenty. Everything you do in your life from here on will be for this."
He brandished the Balisong.
"Now, let me ask you again: Do you want to master the art form of wielding a blade?"
"Yes."
There was no hesitation in her answer.
A/N: Part Two will be posted next week.
I've been meaning to write this thing since I posted Fantasy. Yeah, that long ago. Also, this was done as a small party favor for Amigodude. If any of his avid readers remember, he had a cool Shenhua story of his own not too long ago and got me all excited about it— until he told me he couldn't pull it off and took it down, and in doing so, HE BETRAYED ME AND CRUSHED MY DREAMS! (Relax, he knows I'm kidding).
Hey, did you guys know that "Jin Long" and "Liuyedao" is Chinese for "JAS is unimaginative and you'll find proof of it when you type these words into a Mandarin-English translation tool,"? Really, if you are fluent in Chinese, feel free to slam me for the sickeningly unoriginal usage of any Mandarin. I'm well aware of my ignorance.
Why the Philippines? The khukri isn't the average Taiwanese weapon, but they are adopted by the knife fighters in the Philippines, and it's a nice little theory that Shenhua could have been trained there in kali and other martial arts when she was younger.
I figured the Tagalog was explained enough in context to not really need a translation in the long run, but for those of you who are curious enough:
Oh, malabo ito, pero kung may tiwala si Liuyedao sa sarili niya ay wala akong dahilan para mangatwiran. - Well, I am skeptical about this, but if Liuyedao thinks she has potential, I see no reason to argue.
ANO? OK ito sa 'yo? Akala ko ay si Liuyedao lamang ang naloloko! O sige, payag na ako, at habang ginagawa na natin ito, lahat ng nawawala o lahat ng ulila ay tangkilikin natin! Impiyerno, turuan natin ng Kung Fu ang aso! Wala akong pakialam! - WHAT? You're all okay with this? Oh, I thought it was only Liuyedao who lost his mind! Well, fine, then! I'm all for it! Hey, while we're at it, let's take in every stray we find from now on! Hell, let's teach the dog Kung Fu! I don't care!
All Tagalog was generously translated by my mother, who is probably now wondering what went wrong when she was raising me.
Cheers.