Hey all! YusukesLover here! I hope you are all enjoying this story. I enjoy writing it very much. I have received reviews asking when the action will begin. Next chapter. You still need to know the rest of Xan's story. Be patient all, and enjoy this week's update.
Chapter 10: Leading Up to Meeting You
Chiro woke the next morning to the smell of something wonderful cooking. 'I wonder what Antauri is cooking' he thought to himself, smiling as his stomach began to agree with his assessment of the wondrous smells coming from the kitchen. With that thought, he got out of bed and dressed. As he left his room, he noticed the other monkeys coming out and sniffing the air.
"Hey, something smells good" remarked Otto, always ready for a good meal.
"Mmmmm" sighed Nova in bliss. "Whatever it is, it smells really good. Antauri has really outdone himself."
"I'm not the one cooking" said Antauri.
"Antauri? If you're not cooking, then who…" Chiro stopped his thought as he entered the kitchen and his jaw dropped at the sight in front of him. Xan was standing in front of the stove flipping something that resembled a pancake, but didn't smell like one. Around him were various skillets, from which marvelous smells were wafting into the team's noses; tantalizing them with their scent and causing their salivary glands to work double time.
"Ah, you're awake" commented Xan. "Please come in, the main dish is almost done."
Chiro found his voice again and asked "What's all this Xan?"
Xan turned and smirked his friendly smirk responding, "On my planet, it is customary to thank someone by making them a meal. This is to thank you for your lessons in trust and for taking me in." He bowed and then went back to cooking.
"It wasn't like we were going to leave you out there" mumbled Chiro, embarrassed at the splendor of the food that Xan had begun plating for them.
"It's no trouble. Please, sit, eat" said Xan gesturing to Chiro's chair, even going as far as to pull out his chair for him.
"Um, Xan? What is all this?" asked Sprx, a little hesitant to dig into food that he had never seen before.
"All of these foods come from my home planet. The flat main dish is called Shmin. It is made with cornflower, milk, and bits of fresh fruit. The hot side dish is called Clarva. It is made with a root called Va and spiced with some of the most common spices on my home planet. Since you didn't have any Va or any spices from my home planet, I made it using potatoes, cumin, garlic powder, and salt.
These resembled the foods on my planet enough that it tastes about the same. The cold side is called Viste. It is a mixed of pureed fruit and some cinnamon. The drink is merely some orange juice."
"Why isn't there any meat?" asked Otto, a little put out by the lack of his favorite food in the breakfast.
"On my planet we hardly have any animals. Also, Xenites are forbidden from eating meat due to our belief that Xen runs through all life" answered Xan.
"I see" said Chiro. The food began to tempt him and so he took the first bite. "Wow! This is so good!"
Xan inclined his head and gave his thanks. At this remark from Chiro the rest of the team began sampling the delicacies from Shadari.
"Mmmmmmmmmmm" was the general consensus. So the team spent the rest of the meal, this time Xan partaking of the food before him, laughing and joking around.
"So Xan" began Chiro as the meal began to end. Xan looked up at him. "I've been wondering about this for awhile. How did you get off that asteroid and come to be where we were?"
Xan paused for a moment, this time not out of hesitation, but out of ponderous thought. "I got off the asteroid easily. I flew."
"Where's your ship then?" asked Sprx, ever the pilot.
Xan smirked and responded "Not that type of flight. I just forced Xen through my feet and flew." The team's mouths dropped open and Xan chuckled at the rather ridiculous look on even Antauri and Gibson. "As for how I got to where you were, well that's a long story." The team closed their mouths, nodded their heads, and settled into a more comfortable position. "I have been in space for a very long time, twenty years to be exact. After I left the asteroid, I tried to go back to my home planet and resume life there. However, someone recognized me and I had to escape before the police tried to capture for the 'murder' of two different Magistrates. I realized I could never go back there. Murder is not a crime that has a statute of limitations. They would always look for me and it wasn't home anymore. So I decided to find a new planet to live on. I traveled from planet to planet, trying to find a place I could live comfortably. Every time I landed though, there was some evil that needed to be fought. I promised my Master that I would fight evil for those that couldn't fight for themselves. But once I fought, all anybody ever wanted me to do was be their hero. I didn't care to be their hero, as I said, they weren't my friends. The only reason I helped them was because of my promise to Master. So, when the pressure became too much, I would leave. The fact that nobody wanted to listen to me about Xen wasn't helping their case either." Xan huffed and then continued saying "The process just kept repeating and so I stayed out in space, free and alone. I just traveled from one vacant planet or asteroid to another. One day, I found the ancient temple of the Xenites. I finally thought I could belong there, since everyone would have the same if not stronger capabilities than myself. But as I entered, I noticed everything in disrepair. Nobody was around. I looked in the great library and found a book that was
magically created to keep record of all the Xenites in existence. As I read the book, every name but mine was in red. Red meant that that particular Xenite was dead. Every other Xenite died."
"How did they die?" asked Chiro, confused as to how so many powerful people could just be dead.
"Some from old age, others from wounds obtained in battle, others from sickness, it was a long list. At first I was shocked and then I was sad. This meant that if I didn't find a pupil, then I was the only one with my capabilities and the last Xenite. Once I died, the power would remain unused until someone taught it to themselves and that is nearly impossible. Without knowing the basics, it is nearly impossible to teach yourself. I would fail my Master. So I left and began spreading the word of Xen more faithfully and often. I was chased off some planets for being insane. I was heading to another world when I felt the presence of this 'Skeleton King'. It was the most evil presence I have ever felt, so in keeping with the promise I made with my Master, I followed it hoping for an opportunity to get in and attack it."
"And that's when we hit you" deduced Gibson.
"Indeed. I was hoping from one asteroid to another, hoping to get out of your way, but you came in faster than I estimated. And now you all know my full story. The only people in the entire universe to ever know it in its entirety."
"Thank you for trusting us with your story" said Antauri, smiling kindly.
"It is I who should be thanking you" replied Xan bowing low. "You have taught me how to trust, a feat thought impossible by me. "
"No problem" said Chiro with a happy smile. Xan finally trusted them!
Xan looked up and smirked.