The bustling street was chaotic and messy in her mind. She was so used to the calm quiet of Vancouver than this; not that Vancouver wasn't a typical city but it was more quiet than here. Yet she had grown to enjoy the Capital quite well as she made her way through Tiananmen Square. She remembered learning of this square and the history before her, the one that most remembered was the Tank Man. The man that stood in front of the column of tanks, standing in front of them as they did whatever they could to get pass him, yet he never faltered his determination. Most don't remember the protest and the massacre of the day, just the man.

"Xiǎoxīn!" someone yelled at her.

Nora dodged out of the way from bicyclist coming her way, "Yíhàn."

The rush was coming faster as she tried to escape it. The whispers were yelling at her once more for her to hurry, that there was much for her to learn yet. For the last couple of months, she has survived the place, most it seemed took pity on her for being the lonely, quiet Canadian working in the country. She was lucky for her one neighbor, the sweet old woman she was. There wasn't a moment when Mrs. Li was at her door offering tea and company. She enjoyed her really, the retired English teacher that made her smile and helped her get around the city and her Chinese.

She finally walked through the doors, leaving the growing crowd behind as she went to her apartment. Pulling down the mask and her hoodie, she let out a sigh of relief as the voices slowed their chatter. It wasn't a bad place where she was, just little and a bit far from her office, but her neighbor made up for that. Opening her door, she threw her coat off, kicking her shoes away and plopped herself on the bed, letting out a tired sigh. She knew it was coming, their whispers practically in sync with one another as she laid there. Rolling to her back, she stared up at the ceiling, waiting for them.

"Alright Ng Mui, Wing Chun, Wu Zhao, I'm ready." she said as she closed her eyes.

She felt herself become submerged in the memories as the two women within her guided her through time and space, making her see what she needed to. Visions of ancient China flew by as they slowed everything down to the beautiful home she had grown so used to seeing. The siheyuan stood tall and strong as he walked the courtyard within, taking the sights of his home. It was things like this that Nora enjoyed when they showed her the past. His adoration, his strength, his knowledge, everything about it was amazing. Yet something about this seemed off.

A young man in white came up to him, his sword close to his side as he approached the man. As usual, he was happy to see him. The smile upon his face as he gestured to the other man to walk with him, yet he did not follow. He stood there, glaring at him, his hand slowly moving to his sword.

"No." Nora whispered as she watched them.

The man stopped and turn to see what was going on only to look at him in fearful curiosity, his own mind wondering if he was implying what his hand was attempting. In a flash, the long blade was released and pointed at him.

"Remember who your teacher is?" he told the man in white.

"Hai, I do, Sensei." with that he charged after him, Japanese coaxing his voice.

With skill and pose, he dodged the blade; catching the Japanese man's arm in a crooked manner as he twisted it. He gave him jabs and hits to his chest yet the Japanese one seemed unfazed. He delivered the same amount of fight as he did. Neither tiring or missing a step. Nora was nearly panicking as she watched as they fought, the rain coming down on them harder and harder. Yelling within the home echoed the yard as four others came forth, watching the chaos ensue.

"Don't do this!" the woman in the green ao dai yelled, "You are brothers, not enemies!"

She tried to grab them but the man in the hanbok stopped her as they continued to fight. It seemed he had finally enough as he grabbed a jian and held little back to him. Finally, it seemed that he overpowered the man as he slouched over his own katana, with it he raised the jian only to pause. His face full of guilt and pain as he looked at the man. The other four stood waiting in wonder to what would happen, but to their own horror and Nora's own, it turned.

With a thrash of his leg, the Japanese man took out his leg, knocking him to the ground as the jian dropped beside him. He tried to gather it back only to have the katana slash down his shoulder and back, the piercing pained cry that left him echoed Nora's mind as she saw his red mandarin jacket open, the blood pouring out of his wound. He looked back at the man, hurt and anger rolling through him.

"What did I do to deserve this?" he asked him.

As angry as the other man was, his face was laced with resentment. His mind trying to figure out what he had just done and why. He tried to reach for him but he pulled back when the jian was facing him once more.

"If this is what you want, then so be it." he told him, "Leave my home, and never return."

The man in white bowed to him, leaving him bleeding in the pouring rain as the others came to his aid.

Nora's eyes flew open and back to the boring ceiling above her. She stifled a cry as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Damn that was harsh as they whispered to her about it.

"He loved him, like a brother eh?" she said sitting up in her bed, clutching her knees to her chest. "I can feel it. He was so heartbroken."

They continued whispering to her, telling her what else to think and to do as she was in Beijing. Then they were suddenly quiet, "Oh now you choose to shut up."

The sudden knocking to her door was her reply of why they were. Wiping her face and adjusting herself, she looked out the door to find Mrs. Li standing outside her door, basket in hand.

She couldn't let the woman in fast enough, "Nǐ hǎo Mrs. Li."

"Nǐ hǎo Nora." she made her way in, setting the basket on her small table. "I have brought many dishes over today for you to try, plus a good spirit and tea."

"You know how to spoil me." Nora laughed as she helped her.

"You work so hard on those things; your poor eyes and hands must ache and your back should be a mess too."

"Nah, I've been around them for years. No harm done to me."

"Yet you wear glasses and constantly crack your fingers and back, don't tell me you are fine." she scolded, handing her a cup, "Here drink this, it will help your bones."

Nora gave in and let the woman pamper her as her mind floated over the latest historical visit. They spoke of the day and what was happening around the area and yet Mrs. Li always had Nora describe Vancouver in detail. All the animals she saw and the beautiful forest that surrounded her as they did their nails together.

"You are stressed. Look at your fingers, they curl. Shame." Mrs. Li said as she painted them.

"It's not that bad, I've had worse."

"We will not speak of worse. I heard that story I'd rather not hear again."

She nodded her head, knowing the woman was right. Her past wasn't a great one and with the accident added to it, it just made it down right sad.

"Have they spoken to you yet?" she changed the subject, making Nora jump. "Yíhàn."

"It's ok and yea right before you got in here actually."

Mrs. Li was one of the only people that knew of the women within her head and never questioned her. In fact, the woman loved hearing her talk about them and what they showed her. The woman nodded as she added a charm to her nail.

"He was at his home, enjoying the evening before the rain. A man in white came, he didn't seem threatening at first until he drew his katana. It was then and when he spoke I realized he was Japanese. They fought hard with one another as others came forth. Not sure where they are from but they were all worried. Telling to stop fighting, to be the brothers they are. Yet it was null. He could've stopped the man in white, yet he couldn't. So, in that moment of hesitant, the Japanese man took him out, leaving a gash upon his back." Nora explained.

"Sounds like Nanjing Massacre." Mrs. Li said.

"The war between China and Japan where the Japanese murdered all those people?"

"Shì de, that one exactly. It was a brutal point between the two countries."

Nora thought about what the woman once said to her as she finished her nailed, "Mrs. Li, you said before that the countries are among us, is he?"

"With what you have told me Nora and what the spirits within have said, I more than believe so. Just like you have the martial arts warriors and the empress within you, I believe that the real China walks among us, yet we have no idea what he looked like." she spoke gently as she held her hands, "And you at least have an idea what he looks like my dear."

"Yes, looks yet no name. They won't give it to me." she sighed.

"Then you have to keep doing what you need to. Work your way around Beijing, learn more of China and the origins that they show you, you'll be surprised of what you may find."

"And that would be?"

"Him."