Charisma has always been something that I have prided myself on, a trait that is expressed by my ability to talk to anyone and everyone at any given time and regardless of all contexts that existed and to all this while cracking jokes. The silver tongue granted to me by charisma had been a gift that saved my life on numerous occasions and at other times made my life worth living as well as being a source of constant amusement and a means of getting various things, not the least of which is the attention of my grandchildren. As the years have passed I have changed so much that the rogue I was is a different man then the one that currently exists. Age has lessened my prowess, I am now merely an average fighter instead of the skilled one I once was, I have gray hair, wrinkles and grandchildren who think the son sets and falls on me.
The change never ceases to amaze me, earlier in my life I was concerned with looking out for myself, but after having that little adventure that saved the Empire I was forced to admit that all my rationalizations and quaint philosophies on life which revolved around me were quaint semantics, that their was more to life than wine, jokes, women and thievery. Granted it was the Water Dragon that taught me that wine, jokes and thievery were not the center of the universe, though they were still important. It was Jen Zi who taught me that women are not the center of the universe because she is the center of the universe.
It all began after she brought Gao the Greater to a wretched end where she proceeded to invite me into joining her little party of adventurers. I thought "A gorgeous woman who is strong as she is beautiful! Get in their stupid!" I so joined without a moments hesitation. In any event our next stop was the Imperial City, a place I found incredibly rejuvenating. In my life I had seen the cream of society and the dregs of the underclass and among all that was wrong with this little journey we call life, the Imperial City reminded me why we were alive and that even to fence-sitters like me their was a higher purpose out their that involved us. It was this intoxicating optimism coupled with Jen Zi's intoxicating beauty and the knowledge that she could give me the beating of my life that proved a powerful aphrodisiac, I couldn't resist, I had to flirt with her! That I did and I did so shamelessly. It's not like I think women are commodities but truly the Great Dragon broke the mold when it made this woman, the pinnacle of female perfection.
I was no rookie when it came to women and in terms of charm I hit this one with everything I had, nothing was held back and much to my delight she was buying into it, she was buying the lines until she said the words I would never forget. "What if I said I just wanted to be your friend?" I took in what she said, their was no hint of sarcasm or humor, in fact it was spoken in a straight forward and friendly tone. Now I fancy myself a good judge of character and instinctively and against my wishes I acknowledged for all that she may have hinted at Jen Zi had no desire to be with me. It was not the first time I had been rejected and it certainly was not the last but I knew I would get over it. I told her so, it might take a good thirty years but I could do it.
Or so I thought. It has been thirty years and their have been other women since Jen Zi to be sure, how else would I have those grandchildren I am so found of? Yet nobody has even come close to her in sparking something inside of me, what that something is I don't know but the closely thing I can think of is chi, as if it were my life-force by which I am connected to the universe and Jen Zi was that connection. Every time I was with someone else at the end of the night after they had fallen asleep Jen Zi was always the one that was on my mind, the one that I wish was next to me the one I wanted to build my life with. The best anyone else could be was a fun diversion, but never the love of my life.
Oh, in the course of time I had other loves my children and eventual grandchildren, but fathering my children always made me feel dirty (I know that means a lot coming from me) as if I were buying and selling in commodities instead of making love. This set up a change reaction that induced a falling out between me and my children's mother yet thankfully I had enough charm remaining to stay in the fold with my children until the day come I was forced to admit my own mortality by becoming a grandfather. Actually now that I'm older I am actually enjoying my life more than ever and this is due in no small part to my grandchildren. They love my stories especially about hearing the ones when for that time all those years ago I traveled with Tiger Lifts the Mountain and saved the Jade Empire from the tyranny of the Sun Hai and Li. I love telling these stories as much as they love hearing them because in them I truly am the man I want to be.
Yet despite all the satisfaction I have gleaned from my life Jen Zi has always remained the path not taken, what if I had ended up with her, how would have my life changed for the better? Don't get me wrong I do enjoy my life and truthfully have very few regrets, yet it is also the truth that Jen Zi were to come to me this very day and tell me to leave my life now and come join her I would follow her without a moment's hesitation. As far as I am concerned she is a chi font and all that is good, beneficial and whatever other positive adjectives you want to add on flow from her. I guess that is the way of things, but really who cares about the musings of an old man? Old man, just drink your wine and go to bed.