Chapter 5
Upon arriving in Gongmen City, I was met by some Emperial Guards.
"The Emperor sent us to see you brought to your staying quarters in the palace" they said
I didn't bother to argue and jumped into the rickshaw they brought, pulled by a goat. They brought me to a large tower that was apparently the main tower of the palace. The brought me past it into the palace, and it was much bigger than the Jade Palace. They then took me to the entrance, where I was surprised to find the emperor himself waiting with a box. I got off the rickshaw and kneeled to the ground respectfully.
"Rise, Fisk. Formalities are for formal occasions. I welcome you as a quest" he said
I rose from the ground and took note of his features. He was a Komodo Dragon wearing large royal garments. He had a smile on his face as he presented the box to me.
"Master Shifu sent these for you. A few presents from your friends" He said as I took the box, "You may view them in the quarters we've prepared for you"
He then led me into a large building which was what he called the guest quarters. A big house which held a bedroom, washroom, and kitchen. The floors seemed made of marble and the walls of a beautiful wood.
"This will be your home until you leave for America" he said, then left me to get settled in
I went into the bedroom and sat on the cushioned mattress, setting the box down beside me and taking off my pack and bow. I then opened the box and on top found a letter.
Dear Fisk,
We've sent you some items to make sure you never forget us in your travels. On top, is from Niki. She painted you a picture of you and her together from pure memory, very detailed.
I took a break from reading to take out the painting. It was like it was copied from life. I shed a tear as I saw her. I then continued reading.
Next is your old mentor. He's sent you his old Kung Fu vest, and says that you can use your Xing Energy to change the colors to match your pants.
I took out the vest and gave it a good look. It was light blue with bamboo designs on the front. I snapped my fingers and changed the colors. The bamboo turned gold along with anything else on it that used to be black. The blue I turned black then put it on. It fit perfectly.
And finally, we give you our best. We'll miss you while you're gone, and safe travels young one.
Yours truly,
Master Shifu-
I nearly started crying as I hugged the letter. I put the letter and picture on the table by the bed and lay down on the silk blankets. The sun was now going down as I had arrived late in the day, so I went to bed early. I dreamt of home…eating Mr. Pings noodle soup and hearing Tigress beat up Po for making a smug remark. But I woke from that dream in the middle of the night to the sound of something in the other room. I heard a quick patting, and then it quickly moved into the kitchen. How's it so fast? No…there's more than one. Judging by the speed and location, I presumed there were three. I quickly grabbed my bow and readied myself for anything. I then heard a female voice.
"So the rumors are true. A visitor…sisters, aren't we always so pleased to meet visiting royals?" she asked, her voice very close
"Yes indeed, sister. We should discover just who this royal is" another female voice spoke
"Show yourselves!" I yelled forcefully
"Oh, it's a male I see" a third voice spoke
I then saw three figures walk into the dim moonlight. I used my Xing Powers to allow me to see them. They were three female snow leopards, all wearing the same outfit. The one in the center had a blind eye, and I was ready to defend as she raised a hand, but I saw she was holding something…my bow! I checked my hand, but saw it was gone.
"How did you-" I was interrupted
"This is quite an interesting weapon you've got here, kitty cat. Where'd you come across it?" she asked, seeming actually curious
"It was a present, now give it back!" I lied
"I like you, kid," the one on the left said, "You don't seem scared of us. Do you know who we are?" She asked
"Not a clue" I said as I quickly swiped my bow from the hands of the center leopard
"He's fast, and he didn't even think about the consequences of such actions. He really doesn't know who we are" the one on the right confirmed
"Kid doesn't get around, does he?" the middle one asked, earning a snicker from the other two
"I think they're in the guest house!" I heard a guard yell as they ran in this direction
"We're the Wu Sisters" the middle one said, then jumped out the window
"Gotta run. See you around, kitty" the one on the left said as she turned and ran her tail under my chin before following her sisters out the window, just in time to escape the guards who ran in
"Mr. Fisk, the Wu Sisters have escaped the dungeon. Have you seen them go by anywhere?" he asked
I was silent for a moment, still thinking about what happened.
"Mr. Fisk?" they asked
"Sorry, yes I saw them. They came in and out the window, but from there I can't help you" I said
They thanked me then ran out the door to follow them. I shrugged off what just happened and went back to sleep, this time dreamless. When I woke it was to the sound of a goat walking in with a tray of food and tea.
"Morning, Mr. Fisk. I've brought you breakfast and a list of areas in the city to check for people to teach you Karate" she said, placing the tray on the table by the painting and letter
"Morning, and what's with the Mr. Fisk stuff? I'm still a young teen, just call me Fisk" I replied, grinning
She let out a giggle and gave me a plate full of various breakfast items. She was somewhere in her low twenties by my guess. I ate the food and drank the tea, then took the list of places from her.
"Thank you for the food, I'll be heading out now" I said, grabbing my bow and pack and heading out
I started in the areas closer to the palace, but had no luck. They were all either dead or false rumor. I then moved to the common area, where the normal people lived. I found one person there, but he was unwilling to train me, so I moved on to the lower areas, where people were poor and criminals ran wild everywhere. The sun was mid-was across the sky, so I thought it was mid-day. As I walked through town, I saw people wearing ripped rags, if anything, and wolves were running around taking what little they had. The sight angered me. I saw a couple wolves robbing an old bunny and sprang into action. I jogged over unseen, and snuck up behind him.
"Come on, old man. Even you people gotta have more than three Yuan!" the wolf yelled, holding a sword aimed to impale the old bunny
"Please, sir, that's all I have!" he begged
"Not enough to save a lepers life!" the wolf said and prepared to run him through
"HEY!" I yelled
This got the wolves attention, causing him to turn around and look at me. He looked me up and down, and then grinned.
"This guy's dressed like royalty! Silk clothes, nice bow, leather pack, gold mine! Hold him, boys!" he said, and sent his two wolf counterparts to hold me still
I allowed them to grab me just for laughs, and even let them search my stuff.
"What's he got?" the wolf asked
"Just a bow a pack and a piece of paper with some weird symbols written on it" the wolf said, sounding exasperated
The leader's eyes went wide at what he heard, making me smirk.
"Are you kidding me?" he asked
"Sorry Wan-Lu, kids just a fancy dresser" he said
Wan-Lu…he's the one I'm looking for! Never thought I'd do this I thought.
"Wan-Lu, huh? I've been looking for you" I said, pulling my arms free from his goons. They tried to grab me again but I tossed them aside, and then walked toward the wolf
"You see, I need someone to train me in Karate, and rumor has it you are a master" I said
"Well, rumors might be true. But if I do, what would be in it for me?" he asked, crossing his arms
I was about to answer when a look of fear overtook his face.
"Wan Wu" he said, then stumbled backwards
I turned around and saw the Wu Sister who seemed to have a crush on me.
"Hey kitty, what's a royal stud like yourself doing out here in the scrubs?" she asked
"To tell you the truth, I'm not royalty. Just a guest of honor. I'm out here looking for him, so he can teach me Karate" I replied, looking at Wan-Lu, who's name I just now discovered rhymed with hers
"Oh really? I hope he isn't giving you any trouble…" she said, taking a step towards him
I then pondered his last question, and came up with an answer.
"I pay you 100 Yuan for every good 12 hours of training and stop her from killing you. Sound good?" I asked
He nodded, so I grabbed onto her shoulder and told her he wasn't giving trouble at all. She nodded turned her attention on me.
"So where you from, Kitty?" she asked
"The valley of peace, and its Fisk, not Kitty" I replied, grabbing my stuff from off the ground
"Well then, Fisk, I've gotta run. See you later" she said, and then leapt onto a roof and out of sight
"So, when do we start?" I asked
"Wait, we checked your stuff, you don't have any money, so how will you pay me?" he asked
I then in reply took my bow and aimed it at the ground. I closed my eyes and focused on the symbol Sky taught me and pulled the string back. When I was ready, I focused a small amount of Xing Energy into the bow and released the string. When the Xing Arrow hit the ground, a small pouch of gold coins was left. Five coins to be exact. I picked it up and tossed it to him.
"Here's a bonus for being so generous. Answer your question?" I asked
"Clearly. But just so I can be sure of your loyalty to my training, let me see that bow" he said, so I tossed it to him
He looked it over, and told me how remarkable it was. He gave me another glance before aiming at the ground, pulling and releasing the string.
"Why won't it work?" he asked
"Oh, the bow itself is useless as anything but a catalyst for increasing my power. The power itself is something I have" I said, creating a ball of energy in my hand to demonstrate, and tossed it high into the sky, then making it explode into something of a firework
He grunted and tossed the bow to me, which I caught and strapped around my shoulder.
"We start tomorrow. Meet me here first thing in the morning" he replied, then walked away
I took that as a yes and walked over to the old bunny, giving him some gold coins I took from the pouch secretly. Without another word, I took to flight back toward the palace. The sun was beginning to go down now, and my stomach was growling like Tigress when she was angry. I was about to speed up when a familiar Leopard landed on my back and forced me to land in an alley.
"Couldn't keep away, could you?" I asked
"I saw what you did, and it was something I've seen done before. Seven years ago, some weird black monster attacked here, and two cats managed to destroy it with some weird energy. Tell me what you are before I rip you to shreds!" she commanded, grappling my throat
I stood there with my arms crossed, a smirk on my face.
"Do you really think that's a good idea?" I asked
Her grip tightened for a full second before she let go and sighed in frustration.
"I know I can't beat you, but please tell me! I've been trying to figure out who those two were and what that thing was all these years!" she pleaded
"Those two cats were Sky and Biyu, two Xing Masters. I'm a Xing Warrior, a master in training. That thing was a Phantom General" I replied
"Little more detail than that" she said
I sighed and placed my hand on her head, telling her to hold still. I then focused the memory of my dreams and the story Tigress told me all those years ago. I played it out like a movie in her head. It took about three minutes before it was done. She looked at me in amazement, and then her expression changed.
"So, that makes you one of the good guys?" she asked
I nodded.
"Why haven't you arrested me, or my sisters?" she asked
"Until such time as you show me reason to, I'll not take the word of the government. I judge for myself" I replied
"Wow…that's a first" she said, looking down and considering my words
"So, you got plans for later? I'm only avoiding the Emperial Guards. They caught my sisters until I break them out" she asked
"I WAS heading back to the palace for dinner, but in my travels across the globe I'm planning on making some friends. Why not start here" I replied
"Great. I know a joint nearby that doesn't mind criminals or strangers" She said, walking out of the alley and across the street to a small building. We walked in and I instantly saw people being punched and thrown all over the place. Oh, one of these places, I thought.
"There's an empty table over there, let's go sit" She said, leading me to an empty table
Once there, we waited in silence for a hog to walk by and ask if we'd like anything. I told her I would eat anything, so she ordered fried rice. When it got there is when she really started to interview me. She asked me the same question I was asked my first time eating dinner at the Jade Palace.
"Tell me about yourself, Fisky. What goes on in that head of yours?" She asked, leaning over the table slightly
"It's Fisk, and there's not much to tell. I was an orphan before some crocs burned down the orphanage. All my life I've only ever thought of protecting the people I care about. I don't even know my own birthday, let alone have a favorite color. I have a sister back at the valley named Lucy, and my best friends name is Niki. That's all there really is to me" I replied, then began eating my rice
She just sat there, mouth agape. I laughed at the sight.
"What's up with you?" I asked
"You're so pure…not a thought beyond protecting your loved ones?" she asked
"Not really…other than training so I have a better chance of protecting them, which is what brought me here" I replied
"Wow…if my sisters knew I was talking to someone like you they'd probably kill me" she said, eating her own rice
After we finished eating, we were about to leave, until a big Ox slammed a wanted poster down on the table.
"You're Wan Wu, aren't you? There's quite a price on your head…a price that would do me nicely" he said, grabbing her upper arm and lifting her up off the ground
"Dude…that really isn't a great idea" I said, but too late
Wan had already escaped his grip and thrown him out the door.
"Shall we-"
"There she is! That's Wan Wu!" a guard said
Not wanting to be seen, I used my Xing energy to turn the entire room pitch black for everyone save for Wan and I. she seemed very confused as nobody seemed to know what was happening or where they were. They were all tripping over tables, chairs, and each other.
"What's wrong with them?" she asked
"I basically blocked all light from their vision, so they can't see anything" I replied, grabbing her wrist and leading her out of the building
When we were clear, I gave them their vision back and then took off running with Wan in tow. We ran all the way to the other side of the lower part of the city.
"I've got to be getting back to the palace. I'll see you later" I said, then took to flight
As I looked back, she was just watching me leave, her gaze seeming locked yet distant. When I reached the palace, I somehow triggered an intruder alert. Bells started ringing and Emperial Guards were coming at me from all sides. They stopped with no time to spare, mere centimeters from me.
"Fisk, what are you doing arriving so late? Stop the alarms!" the general yelled out
"My apologies general, but being a Xing isn't about going to bed early. I'm quite busy" I replied
"Well, I bid you goodnight, sir" he said, then ordered his guards away
I went into the guest house, closing the front door behind me. I then went into the bedroom and closed that door also, then took off my vest and lay down in bed, slowly drifting off to sleep. I dreamt once again of home. I saw an older version of Niki welcoming me home with open arms, and fresh made soup from Mr. Pings ready to eat, which he generously gave us a 10% discount on. But I was drug out of my sleep by the sound of a door closing. I quickly sat up and grabbed my bow, ready to defend myself, when I heard a familiar voice.
"Easy Kitty, just thought I'd give you a wake-up call. Almost time to be heading out" She said, sitting on the bed beside me
"You shouldn't be here" I said, rubbing my eyes
"You know, in the fortress we sleep on rocks. We don't have cushioned beds and silk blankets. I could take offense of that" she said
"Honestly they aren't that comfy. Not when you aren't used to them" I replied, putting on my vest
After I was dressed, I went out the door, followed closely by Wan. I strapped my pack on my back along with my bow before leaving. We casually walked out of the palace, unnoticed by the guards. On the walk she began to talk on odd subjects that I didn't entirely understand. Stuff about wars and conquest and stuff. I didn't really talk back, just listened until she asked me an unexpected question.
"Hey, this has been bugging me for a while. Is there anyone special in your life from back in the valley?" she asked
The question stumped me. I hadn't a clue if I did or didn't. Niki was definitely a special person in my life, but what did that make her? Was she a really good friend or…something more? I thought in silence for a while, just walking along.
"I…I really don't know the answer to that question" I replied blankly, continuing the walk
The walk from there was silent until we arrived at our destination. From there she left, and I waited for a long while. Eventually he showed up, almost a half hour late. When he arrived, he got straight to business. He brought me to some secluded area and instructed me on what to do. He had me punch trees and kick falling leaves. At first it seemed pointless, but I then noticed that I slowly became more accurate with my kicks and my punches became stronger. By the end of the day I could punch down small trees and I could hit a bee as it flew by. I went home really sore, taking a long warm bath to relax. I then went to sleep. I woke the next morning and followed the same basic routine, a different task to perform every day. Over a year passed, not a day when I didn't train. Wan and I became good friends, which Wan-Lu grew weary of. He was afraid of disappointing me, because I could have a Wu Sister beat the crap out of him at will. I was impressed by how well he trained me. I managed to master everything he had to teach me, and prepared to move on. I planned to stay a couple days just to relax. As I entered the guest house, I put my bow and pack on the bed. I was about to walk out when I saw Wan enter in a silk robe, her fur matted to her skin.
"Hope you didn't need a bath. Waters draining" she said, then walked into the kitchen
"You're getting a bit too comfortable being around me, don't you think?" I asked, lying down in my bed
"It's just nice knowing I can be like this around someone without being abused in three seconds" I heard from the kitchen
I couldn't help but laugh a little at the thought of someone as powerful as her being so helpless.
"That's what turned my sisters and I so bitter. Nobody ever wanted to show us any kindness, or respect. We were just young girl ripe for the picking in everyone's eyes" she said, walking in with a couple cups of tea
"Must have sucked…hey, what do you think would happen if your sisters and you were shown an act of extreme kindness. What would that do to you?" I asked
"I'm not sure. If you're suggesting it turn us to good girls, it'd take a majorly huge act of kindness" she replied
Over the next few days, I packed up all my things and spent some side time with Wan, exploring the city. She told me in detail about Lord Shen's attack of the city and obsession with explosives. Quite a psycho in my opinion. When it came to my final day in Gongmen City, I blindfolded Wan and took her somewhere she didn't know. I'd set up a meeting with the emperor to discuss some important matters. I had all my items with me. I walked her blindfolded into the main building all the way to the top floor, where the emperor was waiting.
"Your majesty, I present to you Wan Wu" I said, taking off the blind fold
She looked at me with sadness, and pleading eyes.
"You're turning me in?" she asked
Without confirming, nor denying her suspicions, I took a few steps toward the emperor.
"Your majesty, I come before you presenting Wan to make a humble request. Set her and her sisters free, and see what happens" I said, smiling
"Are you crazy?! They are three of the most evil and dangerous criminals in the province, why would I set them free?" he asked
"Ask yourself this: have you or anyone else ever shown these three a simple act of kindness? Have you ever given them any reason to respect your laws?" I asked
His expression turned to one of thought, and it stayed that way for several minutes.
"If you wish, I can pay a handsome price for their release" I said
"No, that won't be necessary. Captain!" he called, followed by the entry of a rhino, "Take these two down to the dungeon. We're releasing the Wu Sisters"
The rhino looked surprised, but nodded and led us back down the stairs and into an underground dungeon, where we found the two Wu Sisters in a cell. They seemed surprised to see me as the door to the cell opened. Wan ran over and hugged her two sisters.
"What's going on?" Su asked
"Call it an act of kindness" I replied, walking up to them
"I've convinced the emperor to let you go free. I made him believe that if you were treated kindly," I paused as I reached out and controlled the light to make her blind eye able to see again, "the kindness will be returned"
"Why are you doing this for us?" Wing asked, followed by a nod from the other two
"Because I know that no matter how evil anyone is, they can always find the good within. You may not be young girls ripe for the picking, but that doesn't mean you have to be criminals" I replied
They then all wrapped me in a group hug, thanking me.
"We'll do our best to find the good within ourselves" Wan said
"But don't expect us not to rob once in a while" Su said, followed by the giggling of her sisters
"I won't, but I fear I won't be able to be here to see you change for the better. My journeys now must take me far away, to America" I said
Together we all walked to the very front of the city and onto a bridge that overlooked a lake on one side and a river on the other. We stood there for a while, just watching the sun move across the sky. It wasn't until mid-day that I began saying my goodbyes.
"I've got to be off. I'm gonna need a boat, cuz I can't fly that far. Goodbye" I said as I hugged them all one last time before flying off in the direction my instincts told me America was in
As I flew, I could only think about what America would be like. So many things to try. Exotic foods, auto-mobiles, moving pictures, the thoughts made me excited. When I finally reached the docks that led out to sea, I looked for the correct boat. Some people were fishermen who barely went far at all, while others were long distance travelers going in the wrong direction. I finally found a trade boat going to America and paid the captain 500 Yuan for the trip. I only really ate, slept and worked on the ship. Raising sails and tying knots and stuff. I spent most my time on deck making sure that we didn't wreck. I was able to use my Xing powers to guide us through storms. The trip was long, but I got to know the crew who turned out to be American. There was Bobby, the navigator. He was a plain old German shepherd. Then there was Jack, who was an otter. Quite the storyteller I might say, and finally, the captain's name was John. He was a big monitor lizard, of which bread I wasn't sure. They taught me English and over the few months over sea's, I learned to speak it fluently.
When we finally reached the American beaches, the sight amazed me. So many people and large towns everywhere! For miles all I saw was civilization, and I marveled at the sight. I said my goodbyes to the crew and jumped onto the dock. It took me a moment to readjust to the still ground, but was soon on my way into the city they called New York. The place was HUGE! I was going crazy, just marveling at the sight. And the people were all so different! Instead of goats, geese, rabbits and things, they were all dogs, cats, hairs, some really big mice. It was completely, mind bogglingly, AMAZING! After taking it all in, I read some signs that directed me to places they called parkways and drives. I walked out onto a strange black path, and was almost run over by and automobile. I decided to follow the paths other people were walking on, when I heard someone scream.
"Help! He stole my purse!" I heard and turned around just in time to grab a guy running away with a pink leather bag. I stopped him and took the bag back, then tossed him aside
I then realized that everyone had a hairdo like me. Then a white cat with long black hair ran up to me.
"Thank you, sir. I thought I'd never see this again" she said
"You are welcome" I replied, doing my best not to break my streak of good English
"I'm Beth" she said, extending a hand
Having studied American culture, I knew to shake her hand instead of bowing.
"Fisk, pleased to meet you. Might I ask where to find a place where I can learn MMA?" I asked
She laughed and said I was asking the wrong person.
"Where you coming from?" she asked, looking at my cloths and how they differed from the blue pants she was wearing and her white shirt
"The Valley Of Piece in China" I replied
"Wow, you get around, don't you? If you still need an answer to that question, you could come to my place and look it up on the web" she said
"Yes, that would be great. Thank you" I said
"No problem. My cars parked just over here" she said, leading me across the black path and towards a small auto-mobile, or Car
I got in and buckled my seat belt as she instructed, and she drove out onto what she called the road. After a few minutes, she parked in an area full of cars and let me into what she called her apartment. She led me over to a weird metal box which she made light up and then started hitting buttons on a black board. After about a minute, she exclaimed that she found it. She told me that signups for training cost 100 dollars a month. I told her money wasn't an issue, but the thought about my cloths and asked if there was somewhere I could purchase some American clothes. I watched as a smile swept over her face.
"You are like…every girls dream! No guy wants to go cloths shopping! The mall is just down the road, come on!" she almost yelled as she dragged me back out to her car
She then drove us to a large building filled with multiple small stores, two large ones, and a "food court" from which I smelled something very sweet. She drug me into a store called Sears and brought me over to the Men's section, where she instantly picked out a pair of blue pants, black shorts, and a plain black shirt. She gave them to me and forced me into a small room, closed the door, and told me to try them on from outside. I took off my vest, bow and pack and put on the black shirt. The lengths were fine, but my muscular build made the shirt cling tightly to my body. I then took off my silk pants and put on the blue ones, which felt heavier but still fit well. Only now did I notice that the fur on my arms was all black, but both my hands were completely white. The pants fit well, and I was about to walk out when she knocked on the door. I opened it and she walked in with some weird metal thing. She put it on the ground and told me to put my foot inside. She moved a couple items on it and then walked out, soon walking back in with another box. She opened it and showed me two flat bottom black shoes with a V on them. She put them on my feet and tied the laces, then stood up to admire her work.
"You look like a sexy hunk. I knew you were the same size as my dad!" she exclaimed
"Interesting choice of words" I said
"We'll just grab a couple more shirts and pairs of jeans, then some socks, boxers, and then you'll be on your way!" she said
She left, closing the door behind her, so I took the time to create 1000 American dollars. I put the money in my pack, then took the cloths off and put mine back on. I then grabbed all the items and walked out, meeting her by a counter that had a female dog behind it.
"Your total comes to $123.75. Will that be cash or credit?" She asked
I thought about it for a little while and remembered what the crew taught me about US currency, then took out the money. I pulled out $125.
"Cash" I replied
When we had all the items, Beth led me to the food court, where I got my first Cinnabon. It was alien to what flavors I was used to, but good all the same. We sat at an empty table and just talked.
"So, what brings you to the US?" she asked
"Learning how to do MMA" I replied, eating my food and drinking the thing she called Pepsi
"Well, duh! Why do you want to learn MMA?" she asked
"So I can protect the ones I care about from the Phantoms should they ever return" I replied, causing her to go wide eyed and frozen
"What the hell does that mean? What's a Phantom?" she asked, and I forgot that America hasn't seen anything of the sort
"Oh, sorry, I'm what's known in China as a Xing Warrior. My mentor could no longer teach me, so I've come here in search of training. Phantoms are dark beings that invaded china long ago, and are always at risk of returning" I said, smiling as I took another sip of my fizzy drink
"And I'm supposed to believe that how?" she asked
"I'll prove it when we're somewhere not so public. Don't want to start a panic, do we?" I asked in reply
"Alright, whatever…if you're done, we can go. Need to get you back into those American cloths" She said, grabbing the wrappers and things from her food and throwing them in a plastic bin
"Alright" I replied, copying what she did
We then grabbed the various clothing items and walked back to her car. She drove us back to her apartment and put me in another small room, where she had me put on the black shirt, "boxers", socks, the pants, and the shoes. All the heavy clothing definitely felt different from my normal silk wear. When I was dressed I slung my bow over my shoulder again and walked out, hearing a gasp.
"Ok, with that bow you look like a sexy archer now!" she said, seeming very excited
"The cloths are heavy" I replied
"You'll get used to it," she stated, then placed her hands on her hips, "Now about proving to me that you are this Xing Warrior thing and that Phantoms are real…" she trailed off
"What would you like to see?" I asked
"I don't know, just make me believe" she replied
"Alright, come outside with me" I said, walking out the front door
When we were outside, I picked her up in my arms, causing her to yelp.
"What are you doing?! Put me down!" she yelled
"You wanted proof, so hold on" I replied, getting ready to fly
"Yeah proof, not rape! Put me AAAAAAHHHH!" she screamed as we took flight
I flew her high enough to be able to see over the buildings, while she held on very tight. She wasn't going to be dropped, I knew that much. Once I found a good spot to just hover, I did and began to speak.
"You see, Xing possess amazing abilities that allow them to do amazing things. Apparently, I'm a very special Xing. I can control light, color, and when mastered my mentor told me I'd be able to bend time and space, but I think that's an exaggeration" I said
"Ok, that's cool, can we please go back to solid ground?" she asked
I laughed and flew us back down to the entrance of her apartment, then put her down. We walked back inside and sat on her couch.
"So, now I'm scared…you say these phantoms can't be killed by anything but a Xing, and you and your mentor are the only two left?" she asked for clarification
"That about covers it, yeah. And in case you were wondering, Phantoms are actually people who were too strong to stay dead, so they come back as beings of darkness" I replied
"Well, in that case you can crash here if you like. Hotels won't let you take a bow in" she offered, sounding more like she was asking me to stay
"That would be nice, but are you sure? I don't want to intrude…" I replied
"No, it's fine, I could use the company. Most my friends are off at college and can't hang out" she said, talking rather quickly in the beginning
"Well alright, I'll stay. I hope you realize that I could be here for well over a year depending on how training goes" I said
"All the better, I could teach you a few American skills to show your friends back home" she said enthusiastically
"Alright, if you're sure about this" I replied, then thought about all the things I wanted to try
"What you thinking about?" she asked
"All the things I want to try while I'm here. Cheeseburgers and moving pictures and amusement parks. From what I've heard, they're all quite amazing" I replied
"Well, I've got tons of movies here, and there're restaurants all over that sell burgers. Why don't you wait here, and I'll go grab some to-go burgers" she said, grabbing her purse
I thought about it and told her to wait a minute, then took out some money from my bag, handing it to her.
"My treat" I said
"Well, you're quite the gentlemen. Wait here, I'll go get the burgers" she said, and then walked out the door
I took the spare time to take out the painting Niki made and just look at it. After a few minutes I decided to take inventory. I took out all the items I had, which included the painting, the letter, all my new cloths, my old ones, my bow, the money, and another piece of paper that I hadn't yet looked at. It only had one symbol, plus Chinese writing that read: this is a Xing Messenger symbol. Whenever you miss us, just use it. I decided not to for the moment, for fear of it being a one-time usage. Beth arrived back just as I finished putting my stuff away, bringing in two bags, both with a big yellow M on them, along with some clown dog. After we got settled with the food, she put on a movie she called The Forbidden City and after watching it, I went to bed on her couch, drifting into a peaceful sleep.