AnimeWriterTycoonGirl: Okay, so last time we left off there had been a surprising standoff between Chase Young and Master Fung. I'm sure a lot of you have ideas of what it is about, but just wait. We are going to get there. I just wanted to thank you all for being so patient with me and for all of your wonderful comments. This story has dramatically changed in amounts of follows and favorites. I really love it, as it shows the improvement in my writing skills.
That being said, I need to make something clear that has been pissing me off for a while now. There has been this one person reviewing under the generic name Guest (oh so original) that says: 'Cool/Wicked, is there another chapter?' Every. Single. Time. While it gets the review count up, I do not appreciate it. I posted five chapters at once that one time in order to make up for the ones that I had deleted. It is not going to be a reoccurring thing. If you are that person please read this next line carefully:
DO NOT KEEP ASKING ME FOR NEW CHAPTERS.
I am a working woman who has a life outside of writing fanfiction. I have classes that I need to get established for the fall and spring. I write original stories that I intend to get published one day. So quit asking for new chapters immediately after one has been posted. It's rude and irritating. I would rather you not say anything at all if you do not have constructive criticism or at the very least an opinion of the chapter that had been posted last (and no…saying 'cool' or 'wicked' does not count). In fact, I am deleting your reviews since they are that irritating. If I see one more review like that under the generic name Guest, I will make it so that you have to log in every time in order to put in a review. I'm so sorry to other reviewers and readers who do use a guest name or forgot to sign in, I just hate getting my hopes up when I check my email and it's only some person demanding more chapters without any real consideration of how difficult it is to come up with these plots and keeping characters mostly cannon.
Please forgive me for that rather harsh AN, but it needed to be said. Please enjoy this chapter to the fullest and have a wonderful day.
Chapter Warnings: Fluff and slight Language.
Quick pronunciation reminder: Dàgē [dah-goo]; Bǎomǔ [Bow-moo]
Chapter Seven
…
The tension could be cut with a butter knife as the Heylin overlord and Xiao Lin guardian monk quietly walked away from the temple, heading down towards the river and thus taking them both out of Xiao Lin territory. It was mutually understood by the two men that neither wanted to continue any sort of conversation within such grounds. Just as Master Fung did not want Chase Young near the temple, the immortal would not want the old monk near his palace. Yet as not as a threat to his power; the guardian monk was far too weak, old, and slow to be any sort of threat to him now. No, the sheer amount of good chi that emanated from him was enough to keep Chase on edge.
Once the two men reached the river the chronologically older of the two spoke. "I take it the Dragon of Fire has informed you of my message to her?" Chase asked smoothly, having paid enough attention (i.e. spied on the woman) to see that she had written the list of instructions down before returning to his sister's side until she fell asleep. That was fine; that meant there was less work on his part to have to deal with. Getting the master of the temple's approval would be the only thing left to do. Regardless of his own mannerisms, Senna would not be happy to feel as though she was intruding onto someone else's property. The physically older man nodded. "Then I should be correct to assume you have your own stipulations as well?" he asked, not in the slightest concerned.
Master Fung nodded once again. "I only ask two things in return to your own demands. The other monks and myself shall not tolerate a powerful force of the Heylin walking in and out of our Temple, even if the intentions are as harmless as transporting an innocent woman from one place to another. Senna shall be brought here and one of the Dragon Warriors shall escort her to and from the Temple." He said simply. Chase scowled, an ugly, terrible sight to behold
"Absolutely not; there is far too great a risk that another member of the Heylin could spot her. I shall not tolerate such disrespect." He snarled, his eyes flashing yellow for a moment. The old man showed no sign of fear though, and the draconic warlord forced himself to relax. "Senna is not a fighter like the younger monks or myself. I will not put her in potential danger just because you and I have….opposing associations." He snapped, still rather irritated at the old monk.
Still, the old man remained maddeningly calm. "Senna Young will have no reason to feel like she is in danger should she be transported here. I understand your concerns for her safety, but I assure you, no Heylin other than yourself would be able to see her." He insisted, his eyes flickering towards several larger boulders before returning back to Chase. The immortal relaxed further; so there were secret entrances into the Temple that led from the river now? Things certainly have changed since his stay in the sanctuary. "There are far more entrances and exits into the Temple than merely walking through the front door, far more than even you might know. There are even safe houses buried underneath the temple in case of emergencies. Your sister would remain safe in any situation." He insisted once more.
Chase let out a quiet huff of frustration. "Very well, I can accept that term with the additional information included. Anything else?" he asked sharply, not enjoying how he was almost playing into his enemy's hands. But he loved his sister, and having more companions would benefit her, even if it was only temporary. He could withhold his pride for less than a decade; after all, that amount of time would pass in a blink of an eye compared to their lifetimes.
Mast Fung inwardly sighed in relief, the agreement to his first rule reliving him of a lot of the initial stress, making him feel five years younger. "There is only one more thing I wish to add. I forbid Senna from entering our Shen Gong Wu Vault. Should she be curious about their mechanisms she may have one of the monks explain and demonstrate for her, but to enter the Vault is strictly forbidden." He instructed. Chase didn't even blink at that request. He couldn't care less if Senna wandered into their Vault, she wouldn't remember how to use any of their Wu anyways, let alone even think about stealing them. She was just too kind a person to even consider such a deed. The monks were paranoid if they thought he would use his own sister to steal Wu from them; how laughable seeing as only a handful of the trinkets were valuable to him, and none of which were currently in the monks' care.
"I sincerely doubt you shall have an issue with such, but I accept the terms. I will bring her tomorrow afternoon a quarter from six. Spicer will have completed her bracelet's upgrades by then. I will allow her to stay for two nights every month. Am I perfectly understood?" he demanded.
He had every right to be intimidating. This was his sister, the last innocent part of his existence, and he would never forgive himself if she ended up hurt. It frustrated him even moreso as he was struggling to allow her a little more freedom. Whether he liked it or not, he had considered Kimiko's words. Rather, he had considered her father's words about trust. He knew he needed to give his sister a little more space, despite that she never asked for it. Even if she would never remember any events like this come a year from now, she deserved the chance to spread her wings a little more. So long as she was safe, of course.
Master Fung nodded once again. "Twice a month is perfectly acceptable. However, should I be concerned about the possibilities of the situation being reversed? Will there be times that Senna requests their presence in your home?" he asked. Chase frowned; yes, he had considered the possibility. Senna would surely protest to the idea of merely visiting the monks only twice a month, and insist on inviting at the very least Kimiko (whom he was slightly annoyed to find out needed not to be spoken of; Senna was capable of remembering her with complete ease) into their home. "I understand the discomfort you must feel to relinquish your sister, even if only for a short time, in the hands of another. I sensed no ill intent from the girl. I would not be able to stop the monks from wishing to…train by themselves in the woods for a day or two of their own if they so asked." He added subtly. Chase narrowed his eyes. Even if the offer was meant to be kind, it was nothing more than an insult.
"You expect me to allow your students into my home willingly? How hypocritical of you, as you insist I maintain a sixty meter [roughly 200 feet] distance from your temple? If I may recall, your students attempted to steal the Fountain of Hui from me. Their intention to take Senna was unfortunately with good in mind, but as for the former I cannot forgive. The current Xiao Lin generation is hardly as good as you would wish that it were." He snapped, crossing his arms over his chest.
The old man winced. "I am quite aware of their most recent blunder. But you are forgetting one important fact; they are still children. They were forced into the positions that they hold, and it is often confusing and trying. I can only teach them so long as they listen to me. Teenagers are prone to bad decisions, yet that does not make them bad people." He wisely insisted. Chase growled in frustration; yes he was more than aware of that last tidbit. Senna has done horribly things merely on accident, and she certainly wasn't a bad person. Even worse, she never remembered those events. He wished it had been easy to forget that Senna was the same age as most of the monks, and the monks had done what they had done in their own righteous belief that it was for the sake of good that they stole from the evil warlord. But even if the Robin Hood wannabes had the right intentions, it did not change the fact that what they were doing was essentially a wicked thing that left guilt to stain their hearts. If guilt did not linger, it meant they were less good than they once thought.
"You are right. They are children, which is the only saving grace they have and the primary reason I am even humoring the option of letting Senna out of my sight." Here he allowed himself to soften just slightly. The old man would never judge him for the momentary weakness. "You guard these monks with your life do you not?" he asked, actually looking for an answer this time instead of demanding one. At the tentative nod he continued. "I am the same with my sister. I would be a far greater monster if she were not in my life. You should all people should appreciate that fact." It was true, for had Senna died that horrible night instead of merely losing her memories and freedom to walk on dry land, he would have been far worse menace to the world.
Master Fung felt rather odd considering he had a slight connection with Chase Young of all people, but he had never been one to judge too quickly or too strongly. Kimiko might have been right; Chase Young really wasn't as terrible as they all once thought he was. "Then I supposed we cannot help but be honored to host your sister within our grounds once more, for she is certainly a special young lady. I shall inform the monks of our transgressions. Thank you for taking the time to discuss the terms so conveniently for both sides." The old man bowed low. Chase bowed as well, though his eyes never left the monk's, never truly trusting of anyone outside of his warriors and Senna.
It was upon these terms the two men departed, one back to the Temple, and the other to his palace to do some light training. Gods above knew he wouldn't be sleeping tonight.
….
The three monks awoke to a quiet morning, feeling far more refreshed considering Kimiko's news about Chase. They headed towards the kitchen in order to prepare their breakfast only to find Master Fung already there, Dojo calmly pouring the old guardian a cup of fragrant tea. Master Fung smiled kindly at his students.
"Good morning young ones. I trust you had a restful night?" he asked pleasantly after he thanked Dojo for his tea. Omi yawned loudly.
"Oh yes Master Fung, I feel as though I could grasp the morning!" he remarked happily, as the others rolled their eyes at yet another butchered idiom.
"You mean seize the day." Raimundo muttered, not feeling nearly as relaxed as the others were. He didn't like the idea that Chase was able to send messages to the monks in their hometowns, especially since that meant he knew where they were at all times. "What's up? You're up earlier than usual." He pointed out. Indeed, as the old man was getting older, he had taken to waking up at eight instead of seven now. He trusted his students to do their morning chores before he awoke in order to give them their training tasks for the day.
The older man nodded. "Indeed, as I have important news to share with all of you." He admitted, before taking a long sip of his tea as his students sat at the table waiting for his announcement. "Chase Young visited the temple last night. He has granted us consent to allow his sister into our care twice a month." He revealed. Omi and Kimiko whooped with glee and Raimundo felt his jaw drop. "He and I discussed our rules to one another, and both agreed that they were acceptable. Senna Young's first stay shall begin tonight." He added.
Kimiko felt like jumping up and down in her excitement. Another girl at the temple, and as soon as tonight! Oh, she couldn't wait! Omi grinned as he thought about all the amazing techniques he would demonstrate to the younger immortal (proving how skilled as a warrior he was). Raimundo was conflicted. Wasn't anyone concerned about how Chase kept popping up whenever he felt like it? Sure, he couldn't wait to see the beautiful immortal again, but that didn't stop him from worrying about her dangerous elder brother.
The Brazilian teen scowled. "Whoa wait a second! You mean to tell me that none of you are freaked out by how easily Chase Young just pops in and out whenever he feels like?" he finally asked, killing the mood instantly. Omi and Kimiko winced, yet Master Fung was not perturbed in the slightest.
"Raimundo, I understand your concern, especially given you were the one most critically injured by his hand." He remarked calmly, looking over Raimundo's wrist. It had healed since a week's passing, but it still needed time before it would be useful again. "However, you fail to see the opportunities that come from this situation. Chase Young has entrusted us with something very valuable, and his trust implies lingering rewards in the future. I would have never considered his trust worthy before, yet I can see Kimiko was right to assume he is not all evil. There will be a time when we might need his assistance. Holding his trust will come in handy in such a time. Until then, we shall wisely keep our distance and ensure Senna Young's safety." He insisted gently. Raimundo relaxed. Well…it made a lot of sense, and unfortunately, Chase has helped them before with no strings attached, so it was not a stretch to assume they would need it again.
Kimiko gasped. "Oh no! Clay's already in Texas by now!" she remembered. Everyone felt bad for the blonde cowboy; he had liked Senna just as much as the rest of them. "I'll call him and let him know. After all, I wouldn't want to be left in the dark about something like this." She reasoned, pulling out her phone.
Master Fung tutted softly at the young woman, causing her to pause in between dialing Clay's number. "That shall not be necessary Kimiko; I shall call Clay myself to inform him of the situation. What I want from the three of you is to make sure this temple is spotless for her stay here. There shall be no training today and before anyone asks, yes, I am allowing the use of Wu to speed up the cleaning process." He added with a smile, much to everyone's relief. The temple could be very dusty in several places, and it would take them a week to clean it up without the use of Wu. "But first, breakfast is in order." He instructed, as Dojo (who had been surprisingly calm throughout the entire conversation) brought out steaming bowls of rice and eggs for everyone. The three monks grinned and hurriedly ate their food in order to get started. They couldn't wait for tonight!
Once they finished they all started to head off. "Ah, Kimiko, a moment if you would?" the old master asked before she could run to the Vault. She nodded and stayed behind, the boys rushing off to grab their Wu of choice. "I wish to show you the location you shall be awaiting Senna Young's arrival. You shall be the first to deliver her to the Temple through one of our many secret entrances." He decided.
Kimiko's large blue eyes grew wide in surprise. "You want me to do that?" she asked, nerves betraying her in her voice. "I-I-I'm flattered, but why me, Master Fung?" she asked, curious and nervous at the same time. Did Master Fung realize that she had lied about the note? No, he would be punishing her instead. The old man grinned.
"I am not blind to the fact that you quickly attached yourself to the young girl. Being the only girl in the temple can be vexing. I believe that is also why Chase Young sent a message out to you first, as Senna must be rather lonely by herself in his palace. Especially since he is asking a rather large task of you personally to transfer any possible memory relapses his sister might have. Which is another thing I would like to talk about." He explained. Kimiko felt so relieved that her master had not seen the deceit. "I am not fully comfortable with the idea of you meeting with him alone. I am aware you are just as strong as the boys, but this is still a Heylin immortal. Should Senna Young have any such occurrences, you are to write them down, place them in an envelope, and give it to Senna when she is to return to her brother's palace." He instructed, looking rather stern.
Kimiko wanted to open her mouth in protest, as she was more than capable of being left alone but quickly stopped herself. If she argued, it would only lead to the inevitable discovery of her willingly visiting the overlord in secret. So she pouted and nodded her head. "Yes Master Fung, I understand." She finally relented under his unwavering stare.
The temple keeper smiled softly and stood up. "Well then, I suppose I should begin by showing you the location you shall await the girl and where the hidden entrance is." He decided, the young Dragon of Fire quickly following him out of the kitchen.
….
Chase dreaded the morning as he stepped into Senna's lake, disrupting the spell and levitating his sister above water level so that she would not accidentally breathe in the liquid. As the girl awoke he inwardly sighed and reminded himself that this was all for her happiness. He knew Senna could go at least a week without him before certain memories began to fade. Yet he wasn't so sure about himself. Nonsense, it was a mere two days; he was more than capable of finding something to do in that time to take away from the emptiness that would take place after her departure. The minions had been noticeably upset, and they walked with a visible slump in their steps; he would not be the only one missing her despite the brevity of her leave. Perhaps this was how she felt on the rare days he would leave her by herself, though for completely different reasons. In that case, this was more than necessary for her sake. Being alone in a large palace such as his would be immensely lonely, even moreso when one considered she only recently gained the freedom to wander the expansive citadel only a few months ago.
Senna's quiet yawn broke him out of his musing, and he looked down to see her rubbing her eyes drowsily and look up and him with an equally sleepy smile. "Good morning Dàgē." She muttered softly, as she did every morning. Chase forced a small smile onto his face as well.
"Good morning Mèimei." He responded back just as gently as he carefully removed one particularly stubborn bang out of her eye. "I have some news for you." He said, waiting patiently for her fully recover from the sleeping spell he placed on her. When golden orbs so similar to his looked more focused he continued. "You recall the monks I've been telling you about?" he asked, knowing she would, as every night he fed her a little information about all four of the monks, even he disliked it.
Senna's smile widened slightly. "Yes, the three boys Clay, Omi, and Raimundo, as well as Kimiko!" she beamed, feeling very proud of herself for remembering them so well. A twang of jealousy surged through the overlord momentarily, as he had struggle long and hard to find ways for her to always recall him if nothing else, yet she had been able to recall the monks very well despite it being more than a week since first meeting them. "Do you have news from them?" she asked politely, hope clear in her innocent eyes.
Chase maintained the small smile he had on his face. "I do." He admitted, nodding softly. "They…wish to invite you over to their Temple tonight and the day after. I…accepted on your behalf." He managed without sounding too strained. Senna's eyes lit up and her grin broadened until it reached ear to ear.
"They do? I can? Oh dàgē this is wonderful! We shall have so much fun I am sure of it!" she declared, wrapping her arms around her brother's waist. Lucky for her, as Chase's expression crumbled as soon as his face was obscured from her line of sight. He truly wasn't comfortable with letting her go. Should even the slightest incident occur, he'd destroy the monks and never let her out of his sight again. Yet for now, he would have to trust the teenagers. They were not without honor, and they would never intentionally attempt to harm his sister. No…they were all far too smitten by her sweet demeanor. "We need to prepare right away!" the girl announced, oblivious to the sudden tension in her brother's body.
Chase cleared his throat, schooling his features once more to look only slightly uncomfortable. "About that Senna…I am not joining you. The invitation was offered solely to you. I am not in the monks' good graces yet to enter their grounds." He answered partially honest. It hurt to see her face fall at the news. "It will only be for two nights." He insisted, moreso for himself than for his sister. Senna still looked concerned.
"But, dàgē, what about you if you were not invited? You shall be all alone." She pointed out softly, pulling away slightly. Chase sighed and pulled her back into the embrace. She placed her head onto his shoulder. "Are you certain you were not extended an invitation?" she asked just as quietly.
Chase stroked her back slowly. "Yes, I am certain I was not extended the same offer. I had no expectations for it, seeing as I had caused the monks quite a bit of trouble over the years." He admitted, fully telling the truth in that one sentence. "You need not worry about me being alone Senna. I shall be keeping my hands full with Spicer training under me as my new apprentice." He added. That was certainly a possible outlet to kill some time while she was gone, and Spicer unquestionably needed the training as he was only skilled in the mechanical field. He pushed her away gently and offered a sincere smile. "I wish for you to enjoy yourself, so you need not worry about me." He insisted.
Her troubled expression melted away and she smiled earnestly. "I shall, that is for certain! I do not believe I have ever spent the night at another's home before! It is very exciting." She admitted sheepishly. She was not wrong, even if she wasn't completely aware of it. Even before Chase and she had turned immortals, the young woman never had friends her age to spend the night with, as she had moved into the temple with her brother and thus it did not count that she slept in the same room with the other women (and they were definitely older than she) of the temple.
Chase could only chuckle at his sister's expression of guilty delight. "I am glad to hear it. Now come, we could choose the clothing you wish to bring with you. Nothing too heavy or extravagant." He ordered as she scooped water into a bowl and exited the lake, Chase deciding to relax in the cool water a little longer, before coming up to one of the several secret stone walls within the room. Chase had placed a spell on the room to move under only his or Senna's command, and the girl generally placed her journals, puzzles, and clothing within the many hidden passages. Should Senna ever forget where she put something, Chase used a summoning spell to have the item in question appear right in front of them.
Senna pouted yet she relented; it was the summer season after all. "It is a temple though, shouldn't I bring clothing that is respectful of their customs?" she asked. Chase snorted at her question as she held up a few colorful summer cheongsams [Chinese version of kimonos] and summer kimonos as though literally weighing her choices.
"It is not that type of temple Senna. They prioritize good chi, yet they are more of a dojo if anything else." He explained. The younger Young nodded thoughtfully, and folded away the kimonos. She would bring one summer cheongsam just in case of a more formal affair, but otherwise, she began picking out more casual outfits that were still rather modest. Chase never bought her clothing that revealed too much of her chest or legs, and he never let her wear makeup. She was beautiful without the products, and he had heard more than enough about women who obsessed over cosmetics in desperate attempts to achieve an impossible concept of beauty. He would never let his sister believe herself to be unattractive without the use of such frivolous products.
It was during this time that a panther minion stalked into the room, nodding respectfully to the siblings before telepathically relaying a message to the Heylin overlord. Chase felt his eyebrows pinch together as the warrior-turned-jungle-cat explained that Jack Spicer was here, several hours early. He sighed, pulling himself out of the water. "Forgive me Senna, but I have a quick matter to attend to. I will be back with a trunk for you to pack your things into within thirty minutes." He announced, reattaching his armor. It might just be Spicer, but only Senna and his jungle warriors were allowed to see him without his armor on. The younger immortal nodded happily, and the elder immortal teleported to his stairway to look aloofly at the redheaded albino. "Spicer, you are certainly early." He remarked, not sounded enthused yet not sounding disappointed either.
The gothic teen grinned. "I know! I was able to upgrade the Anti-Gills super quickly once I stole the Eye of Dashi from the monks!" he boasted. Chase raised an eyebrow in surprise, the only thing betraying his otherwise stoic expression. Spicer had been able to steal from the monks without any issues whatsoever? The Prince of Darkness wasn't sure what had gotten into the teen, but he was impressed at his sudden change in performance. "So I was able to expand the amount of water it holds without completely changing the size of the bracelet, and it can now last for nearly a month without needed to be refilled if Senna doesn't overexert herself or stay too long in harsh sunlight." He explained, pulling out the device in question (protected in an airtight container with a seven digit code) from his helipack, as well as a black plastic bag. He grinned as he waved the bag in front of his face. "These are Snap-On decorations. Once I found out it was a girl wearing the bracelet I figured she would want to disguise it as a chunky fashion bracelet, since it's not really all that pretty. There's all sorts of colors and designs. My cousin Megan picked out the more girly colors and designs." He explained, handing both items to the overlord, barely brushing fingers with the immortal (much to the teen's delight).
Chase opened the black bag and sure enough, there were at least twenty disguises for the bracelet crammed inside, with all sorts of colors (including one that looked suspiciously like his personal color scheme) and styles just as Spicer had said. He made a noncommittal noise before grinning as he handed the black bag to a nearby puma. "Very creative Spicer, I shall give you that. I am certainly pleased at your rapid improvements as of late. However, clarify what would be possibilities for Senna to exert herself?" he asked, having not forgotten that tidbit of information.
Jack shrugged. "Well, you know, like if her heart rate goes crazy high and causes need for more moisture. That usually comes from extreme workouts or really long periods of training, which is like ninety percent of what you probably do on a daily basis. But, since Senna isn't really a fighter nor is she training for stuff like that, it shouldn't be a problem." He explained. Chase relaxed, as Spicer was right. Senna was not a fighter, she simply couldn't be, and therefore the likelihood of any possible overexertion would be extremely slim. She certainly received a lot of exercise from swimming constantly, but it wasn't as though she tried to swim against a current or up a waterfall. And considering the exercise itself, it was redundant to worry about in the first place.
The Heylin warlord nodded in understanding. "I see. Excellent results Spicer. I trust you have already filled the gauge to maximum capacity?" he asked. He received a dopey grin and thumbs up in response. He really would have to work on that, no apprentice of his shall remain so…..careless with their emotions like Spicer was. Although, he was just as much a teenager as the monks, so he would likely have to be patient. "Very well then, we shall resume your training tomorrow at seven thirty. Yes Spicer, in the morning." He cut in before the teen could protest.
Jack inwardly pouted; he didn't sleep well to begin with, and seven thirty in the morning was way too early for a person like him. Instead he raised an eyebrow. "Uh…..don't you normally spend the morning with your sister though?" he asked. Once he had regained status as apprentice, Chase had informed him of not interrupting him before eight in the morning and after seven in the evening, as that was the time he spent with Senna unless it was a critical emergency. Like, Hannibal or Wuya sized emergency. This time had been different since, you know, Chase would want the bracelet back as soon as possible in order for Senna to regain freedom.
Chase's eyes dimmed slightly. "She is traveling to the monk's temple. Unfortunately she has taken a liking to the monks. I do not hold her prisoner here, and she is going to spend two days with them before returning." He remarked quietly. Jack's eyes shot up in surprise and he glared. "You are not to bother the monks within this two day period Spicer. Am I perfectly clear?" he snapped. The youth gulped and nodded quickly, and he eased the tension from his body once more. "Excellent. Return home for now. I shall add payment to your personal account for the additions you created for Senna. That is all." He announced, not turning towards the steps until Spicer had forced out a quick bow and scampered out the door. He let out a soft clicking noise and one of his two raven familiars landed on his outstretched right arm. "I will have a message for you to deliver to the monks. Be sure to avoid any detection from any Heylin associates outside of Spicer." He ordered. The loyal companion cawed in response, and flew away.
The Heylin immortal returned to his sister's soon to be former room (another possible method of killing time; preparing a room next to his without doing much actual decoration) to find her standing over the reflective water, pulling her hair back. He smiled softly as he set the medium sized trunk, as he knew she would want to bring her journals and possibly a puzzle or two, down by the stone with her clothes neatly folded and ready to be packed. Senna looked lost, as though she couldn't decide whether to keep her hair down or style it differently. It appeared that Senna was nervous, as she never changed her hairstyle (who was she to impress, the jungle warriors?) unless she was bored. The elder immortal cleared his throat and she dropped her hair to look up at him.
Chase knelt next to her and chuckled. "A little nervous are we?" he asked, punching in the code to unlock the container holding his sister's bracelet (it had been inside the bag of Snap-On covers). She nodded and looked down at the water, her feet shifting slightly in the water, breaking the reflection. "I assure you that you shall enjoy yourself. You have been talking about the monk of Fire for quite some time now." He remarked, easily clasping the bulky bracelet onto his sister's left wrist. It hadn't changed much in design, the gauge itself looking only slightly larger than before, yet it promised to last for nearly thirty days without needing to be refilled. "Would you like Anaxilea to style your hair?" he asked, his eyes already flashing yellow to summon the once great Amazonian warrior queen to his current location.
Senna smiled softly. "Yes, that would be helpful." She agreed, just as the regal looking lioness walked in before Chase returned her to her humanoid form. Chase stepped back and allowed the warrior female to settle behind the younger immortal, gently twisting her chin length lock of hair into a small braid. "What time are we to depart Dàgē?" the girl asked, tilting her head down as the former queen took the newly braided hair and pinned it to the back of her head before creating a similar braid to lock the two together (the longer braid twisted to wrap around the smaller one), creating a braided crown for the younger girl. "Thank you, Anaxilea, it looks wonderful." She gushed softly while the warrior woman smiled.
Chase sighed as Senna thanked the infamous warrior before returning the warrior back into a lioness. 'Too soon for my taste.' He thought to himself before looking back at Senna. "Within a few hours Mèimei, I would not want to rush you or the monks." He stated simply. Senna nodded in understanding, and she calmly began packing her clothes into the trunk. "Remember Senna, once you have returned from the monks, you shall no longer reside in this room." He informed the younger immortal. He promised her a room, and while she was gone he would remove all remaining belongings of his sister and have them await storage as he carved a room out for her. His personal chamber had very few rooms in it outside of a lavatory and his actual bedroom. It would not take long to create a decent sized room for Senna; after all, it had taken less than three days to create the palace in general.
Senna grinned happily. "I know. I cannot wait! Perhaps I shall ask Kimiko how I should design it once I am at the temple." She suggested, gathering her latest journal and writing utensils and placing them inside the trunk, which was still far from full. Chase's eye twitched at the idea, though the rest of his face did not portray his irritation.
How was it she had been able to recall such instances so easily? She clearly still forgot information (she had ran into Jack once and hadn't remembered him, so she called for her brother in a panic), and yet the overlord barely needed to bring up the monks in order for her to recall them. It was oh so very vexing, especially since he had no idea what had caused her sudden increase in memory recollection. "I….suppose that is possible, however, I insist you ask her in private. Recall that men such as myself are not skilled in this subject and the male monks will likely only distract you." He advised. In truth he really didn't want the other monks to know just how close Senna (and by default, himself) was getting with the Dragon of Fire. It would lead to such an unnecessary headache, and he had enough on his mind at the moment to deal with overprotective male monks.
Senna nodded once again in understanding, finished packing once she had placed two different puzzles inside the trunk. It was her favorite pastime, and he doubted the monks would protest over letting her continue to do so in their home. "I will Dàgē." She promised, closing the trunk and grinning at him. "We should eat, it is getting late into the morning." She suggested. Indeed, it was nearly eight. He nodded and followed the energetic girl towards their personal dining room, deciding he could alter his routine for one day.
…..
Kimiko sighed in exhaustion, taking a quick break after cleaning the tea room, where the monks would spend the two nights with Senna seeing as it was larger than their sleeping quarters, and the large fountain out front. The boys were tending and cleaning the gardens and the training grounds, their tasks made easier with a sword that blew the unneeded foliage away and a blue orb that washed muck and moss away. Kimiko had decided to use the third arm sash, since it helped complete her tasks in a far quicker time than with just two hands. Idly she wondered why Rai hadn't chosen the sash given he was lacking a working arm, but she digressed.
It was nearly noon, and the temple was looking pretty good. The only thing they had left was to add wards to the temple in order to drive away wicked spirits and deter overprotective Heylin overlords from spying on them. It wasn't as though they were going to try and lure secrets about Chase out of the girl. Heck, she probably wouldn't even recall anything given her condition. Master Fung sent Dojo out to get a larger variety of food supplies; they had no idea what the girl would want to eat, so they assumed it was safe to buy vegetables, pasta, and seafood just in case. It would be nice to eat more than just rice all the time. The Japanese woman snorted at herself, seeing as that was a staple to not only China, but her home island as well.
Her good humor faded as a large black crow squawked from above her and landed in front of the startled female monk, a scroll tied to one of its legs. Kimiko let out a quiet eep of surprise and took a step back from the bird. That was one of Chase Young's minions, and she gulped. Had the warlord changed his mind? No, even he wouldn't be so cruel as to let down his own sister, who he had promised to allow over. Hesitantly, she leaned down and carefully untied the scroll from the bird's leg. The raven stared at her, clearly waiting for her to read the message before returning to his master. So she opened the scroll.
'Dragon of Fire,' it began, the words elegant and written in ink, likely done by a feather pen if she was to guess. 'As you were the one to persuade me about allowing my sister into your home, I decided this letter was best for your eyes and your eyes alone. Solas shall repossess this message once you no longer need it and dispose of it after causing a scene near the rest of your teammates.'
'There is a reason for this abrupt note. Spicer had unexpectedly completed the upgrades required for Senna's bracelet and presented me with the finished device early this morning. Therefore, I am bringing Senna slightly earlier than anticipated. There is no need to delay any longer than necessary, and my sister is fairly excited to journey to your temple. I shall bring her to the destined area at three. Do not be late.' The note ordered.
Kimiko would have been annoyed at how even in a letter Chase was demanding and rude, but she was just too excited. She let out a squeal of happiness at the paragraph, startling Solas (apparently Chase named his minions) and causing the bird to glare at her. She ignored it and continued reading.
'You have already it clear that you shall not reveal my allegiance with the Heylin, which is satisfactory. However, I shall warn you now as it shall be the only warning you will have. Should any sort of harm befall upon Senna, you shall regret the day you accepted the Xiao Lin robes. I expect that you shall be as polite and courteous to her as you would be to any high ranking monk or guest. I will know if anything she received anything less.'
'Take care of her, and you can expect more visits. Failure to do so will terminate any contact with her for the rest of your career as a Xiao Lin monk. That shall be the nature of this agreement. It shall only take one time to change my mind forever, Kimiko Tohomiko, and you best not forget that.'
~C.Y
The Japanese woman licked her lips, suddenly her throat felt very dry. She knew Chase was overprotective, but geez; the letter all but threatened death if she and the others failed to keep Senna happy and safe. It was doubtful that anything would happen once the talisman were up; these spiritual wards were crafted to prevent demons as powerful as Hannibal (which likely meant that Chase would be repelled as well if he tried to barge in) from sneaking in and possibly spy on them. The talismans were not crafted by the monks of this temple, but from a neighboring one who dedicated themselves to the purification of evil. Therefore, they were guaranteed to work.
She looked back at the expectant raven and sighed. "I shall be at the meeting point at three, and I understand the extent of his second message." She announced out loud to the bird, which went to take the note into his mouth, probably to tear it into pieces or even eat it. "Hold on, aren't you thirsty?" she asked, noting his feathers were slightly ruffled and he didn't look completely healthy. Demon's henchman or not, she wasn't going to let an animal suffer if she could prevent it. The raven blinked at her in surprise and she gave him a pointed look. "Oh don't give me that look. It takes at least two hours to fly from the Land of Nowhere to here, let alone to return, and it's eighty degrees outside. I just cleaned the fountain behind me. I won't judge you for taking a drink." She reasoned, and simply dropped the letter to the ground and walked away, seemingly distracted by a stubborn weed that did not exist. She smiled as she heard hesitant sips of water and then Solas was off, screeching loudly enough to draw the attention of the other Dragon Warriors, and was gone with the letter devoured and thus destroyed.
Raimundo and Omi rushed over to watch the raven disappear into the trees of the forest surrounding the temple. "Great Dashi, was that Chase's bird minion?" Raimundo panted, having sprinted for fear that Kimiko had been in danger. Kimiko rolled her eyes.
"His name is Solas, and yes it was. Chase sent me another message. Senna's coming earlier than the evening. I'll be heading down to pick her up at two-forty." She explained to her comrades. Raimundo still didn't love the fact that Chase was sending messages to Kimiko (no, there was not lingering feelings for the Japanese woman, he just didn't trust that overgrown lizard), but he was pleased to hear the younger immortal was coming earlier.
The Brazilian groaned. "Crap, that means we need to hurry the hell up and get this place spotless!" he announced, and soon enough the monks rushed around to finish last minute touches. If the girl was going to be here in three hours, they wanted the temple to look good.
…..
AWTG: Whelp, that's enough for this chapter. Trust me when I say that this story is going to be much longer than the original one was. It ended at thirteen chapters, but I think this time around it will be near or over twenty. I've got a lot of work to do in order to make this story right.
Also, I think I am going to have to clarify something here. Chase and Senna do not have an unhealthy relationship with one another. No one has said anything about it yet, but I just wanted to nip that idea right in the bud before someone can start thinking about it. Chase and Senna have only had each other for a millennia and a half, bar two or three dozen jungle warriors that accumulated over the years. So, they maintain their bond through familiar and comfortable interaction, like hugging or simply spending a lot of time together. In the show, Chase acts like he's above basic human needs, but in my story, he loves the time he spends with his sister in private because she reminds him of better memories. Senna is already so dependent on him due to her lack of memory recall, and even though she knows they are siblings, they have more of a father-daughter relationship. This is why Chase is hell bent on keeping her safe and she relies on his opinion so much. So the threatening letter was the more paternal side of Chase wanting only the best for his sister, though his objectives are warped by his allegiance to the Heylin.
I hope this makes a lot of sense to you guys, and I'll write again very soon. Happy Fourth of July to my fellow Americans, and have a wonderful day to the rest of my readers from all over the globe.
~Ciao!
