Morning arose quicker than anyone could have imagined or wanted, only Uncle truly awake with his revived anger for the situation at hand. After a hasty breakfast in the guest lounge downstairs, a pot of hot coffee spilled on Jackie and Sef and Jade getting lost attempting to find their rooms once again, they began to walk towards their destination, the museum only a few city blocks from the hotel Jackie had picked out. Their luggage had been gathered and tallied in case they moved out that night, hoping to find a better place for the rest of their stay.

"Uncle, please promise me you won't be disrespectful to Li Rong. She is still young and did not have the honor of witnessing what her grandfather commenced in his days as a chi wizard," Jackie said, but Uncle simply crossed his arms and pouted a bit, annoyed that he was being treated like an immature child all while scowling a bit childishly under his breath.

Jackie held both Sef and Jade's hands in his own, a fact that left them both feeling humiliated and upset, but he would always point out in a matter-of-factly fashion that every time they were allowed on their own something happened. They couldn't help but notice he was right, and this served to annoy them even further.

"You're treating us like babies! We know not to wander around a strange city by ourselves Jackie. Look at that!" Jade suddenly shouted, instinctively about to leap from Jackie's side if not for the firm hold he had on her hand. She nearly toppled to the pavement below and growled back up at him as a smiled knowingly and Sef laughed softly, attempting to repress the urge.

"Have you been to this museum before Jackie? You seem to know this city rather well," Tohru noted, and Jackie nodded with a smile as he glanced at what Jade had been so anxious to escape to. It seemed to be a part of whatever was being celebrated in the city; a large auditorium was being erected in the heart of the city as they passed, beautiful and exquisite ornaments hung everywhere around the area.

"Yes, I've come here on a few occasions from Hong Kong to deliver shipments to this museum. Li Rong has run this place since she was only eighteen and her parents both passed away from a traffic accident. She is a very intelligent girl; Uncle just speaks poorly of her because she chose not to carry on with the heritage of chi wizardry her grandfather Master Fong was famous for," Jackie said, and Uncle scuffed at him and looked away defiantly. It didn't seem anything Jackie said was going to change his mind, though the young man was growing tired of his relative's attitude.

Nearly all of them stood in awe of the building, all except for Jackie since he's already seen it several times before, and Uncle of course who was still acting out of disapproval. Sef and Jade couldn't believe the artistry put into the building alone. The front entrance into the marvelous building was composed entirely of roseate marble, polished to perfection and gleaming in the maturing sunlight. A few handful of exhibits greeted them on their way in, dustless and ageless in their individual display glasses with a long story behind the item itself posted before it. Sef and Jade had to be yanked several times to keep from looking at some of the fascinating things they passed, but Jackie promised them he would take them around later so they could see all that they wished to. They managed to settle down; it wasn't as though they had a choice considering they were all but shackled to their guardian.

They entered into the main chamber of the museum where people were presenting their tickets and purchasing them, and now the two children were stunned into silence. The room was so vast it seemed to outreach eternity, with ivory columns holding up the balconies overhead for onlookers to see below, as well as several double-doors leading off into other marked divisions of the museum and the theatre they hosted here. What shocked them the most was how everything was kept so vivid and pristine; an almost divine glow seemed to radiate off of everything in the dawning light streaming in through the skylights far above, creating the illusions of many suns shining down upon them.

Jackie managed to catch the attention of one of the employees and asked them if they could locate Li Rong for him, revealing his own museum pass that allowed him into designated sites free of charge for work and leisure when it was possible. The employee checked this first and then went off to find her for him, and they waited in the center of the thoroughfare crisscrossing around the enormous stone fountain they came to rest at.

"Wow, this place is like heaven compared to the dinky museum back in San Francisco," Jade summed it up rather crudely, and Sef nodded as the adults found countless other ways to describe the building that were a bit more eloquent.

"I wonder if we'll have time to go and see a play today; I'd love to see some Chinese theatre while we're here," Sef said, watching as people filed in for the next showing, some clenching binoculars and other viewing tools for those sitting high in the balconies.

"We'll see how the day pans out; if we have time I'll take you to see whatever's showing later on," Jackie promised yet again, and Jade mentally made a note to herself to make sure he followed through on these oaths of his.

"Jackie? Oh it's so good to see you again!" came a voice to their right, and all their eyes turned to see a young woman passing through a path made for her by the guests progressing into the museum.

Jackie stood and was instantly pulled into a friendly embrace from the woman while Jade and Sef took their time memorizing her appearance. The elaborate kimono and hairstyle she was raveled in enhanced the subtle beauty that all Chinese women carried with them, robes of silver and pink primarily with lots of ribbon and embroidery to lavish it further. She wore heavy layers of the traditional make-up as well, her face painted in a very pale shade of apricot and smearing slightly as she embraced Jackie for a moment before moving on to greet the others. Sef liked her eyes; they were a soft cobalt color and still held a great deal of innocence within them, a sure sign she was truthful and virtuous from what he had learned back in Egypt.

"And who are these lovely children? Oh they're so sweet," Li Rong said, rustling both their hair gently as they did their best not to cringe. Neither of them liked very much the attention they got for being 'cute' or 'sweet' as many women appeared to think they were, but considering she was Jackie's friend they made due with this.

"This is Jade, my niece from Hong Kong who was visiting Uncle's residence in San Francisco as well. And this is Sef Artaxerxes; he's a foreign exchange student from Egypt staying with us as well," Jackie introduced them as Li Rong observed them both as they had her.

"You look so much like your charming uncle Jade," Li Rong commented first, then turning to Sef, "And what an honor to have a guest from so far around the world. We actually just opened a new wing of the museum dedicated to art and culture of the Middle East. Maybe you can tour it later and tell me if I did your society justice."

"Oh…okay," Sef said, blushing a bit as she continued to smile at him and then turned away. Jade found herself hating this for some reason, though she quickly quenched her anger when Sef's bashfulness subsided and his tanned skin stopped being quite so cherry-red.

"This is Tohru; he's the apprentice who helps keep Uncle's shop running and successful," Jackie said, and Tohru bowed respectfully to the young woman.

"It is an honor to meet you," he said politely.

"The honor is mine. It's such a treat that you brought friends and family with you Jackie. But where is…one, I think I see him now!" Li Rong said, looking around Tohru to where Uncle was attempting to hide himself, hoping to be left unnoticed until his time of proclamation came. "I thought I saw you hiding back there." She suddenly embraced Uncle as she had Jackie, though the old man looked as though he were being pulled into the deathly hold of a boa constrictor.

"Let go of me at once! I did not come here to exchange gestures of friendship!" Uncle shouted, but Li Rong continued to hug him for another moment before pulling away, the old chi master looking ill as though the embrace had been venomous.

"I would have thought you had forgiven me by now Shaiming, you always were someone to carry out a grudge against someone," Li Rong commented as she brushed away a few loose strands of hair that had fallen, continuing to look at him like an old friend regardless of his reaction.

"Who's Shaiming?" Sef murmured to Jade, who seemed as baffled as himself, but Jackie quickly explained.

"Shaiming is Uncle's real name, we've just become so accustomed to calling him 'Uncle' that his real name is rarely ever used anymore," Jackie said, turning back with humility and concern as he waited for Uncle's fit to take hold.

"Shaiming is not necessary, Uncle is only called Uncle now," the old man said as though she should already know this. "And he has come here now to retrieve something you were simply going to toss into some museum across the seas: the old abacus that your grandfather used during his days of weaving the chi's energy."

Li Rong took a moment to translate what he was saying, and then she nodded gently when she realized what he was speaking of. "I remember now, yes I was going to have it shipped there because we're running a bit out of room here for anymore displays. But I'm afraid that it's all but buried in the backrooms with the other artifacts waited to be shipped or exhibited. If you're willing to stay a few days I'll have my crew try and find it for you," she offered pleasantly, and Uncle seemed to calm.

"Oh, we could never take it from you…" Jackie said, but Li Rong continued to smile with that almost sickeningly sweet grin.

"It's all right; after all Uncle was a disciple of my grandfather and I understand the great respect he has for him. Besides, I know it will be in good hands by presenting it to him," Li Rong said, and though his immature displays earlier had been for nothing, Uncle continued to act as though he were justified in not liking her.

"Well, since we've gotten that taken care of I might as well call around and see if I can find us a hotel to stay in," Jackie said, about to head towards the payphones to the immediate right when Li Rong halted him.

"Don't be ridiculous Jackie, you're my guests here and I'd be honored to have you come to my estate and stay with me. Besides, you'll be lucky finding anything at all at this time," she added with a bit of a blush, though none of them understood why.

"Oh, you're speaking of the festival going on right now correct?" Jackie asked, and Li Rong only served to turn a deeper shade of crimson, glimmering through even the dried paints on her face.

"Well, it isn't a festival in all truth. The people of the city are holding a celebration in the name of my upcoming wedding," she announced, and finally they realized why she had been acting shy towards the sudden change in conversation.

"That's wonderful, congratulations Li Rong!" Jackie exclaimed, this time embracing her as Sef and Jade perked up a bit more. They were already both contriving plans on how they would convince Jackie to allow them to stay and witness the wedding for themselves, considering Li Rong was being so kind to them.

"And who is the lucky groom who will be taking your hand in marriage," Tohru asked with a pleased smile himself, though Uncle was still unrelenting in his crusade to be unhappy throughout this entire trip. Sef swore he saw the old man look congratulatory for a brief moment, but it faded quickly before anyone else could notice.

"His name is Jin-Shing Song, but unfortunately he's away taking care of some business today. You can meet him later when you come to stay at our home. It's just a few miles from here. In fact," she said, turning to size up the crowd in the museum for a moment. "I think I might be able to slip away for a moment and take you there so you can get settled in. We can stop by whatever hotel you stayed in and get your belongings."

"We don't want to intrude upon you, especially with this joyous occasion approaching…" Jackie began, but the young woman wouldn't hear of it.

"I insist; I would be dishonoring my grandfather by turning away one of his faithful pupils, as well as a dear friend of mine. You've been a great help to this museum Jackie, even back before it flourished into what we see today. Please let me repay you with this favor," she said with a respectful bow that Sef absentmindedly returned. Jade elbowed him lightly in the ribs to tell him it wasn't the appropriate time.

Jackie wasn't about to argue any further since he always seemed to lose, and before they knew it they were once again journeying down the street, this time with their luggage in tow, mostly thanks to Tohru, walking towards the Fong estate.

"Normally I take a taxi but it's such a short distance and a nice day outside," Li Rong said, and the others agreed. Besides that, it was usually hard getting Tohru from place to place because of his size; they had needed to take two different taxies in order to get from the airport to the capsule hotel the previous evening.

Sef looked towards Jade with a serious expression, which baffled her considering the renewed excitement in the air. It seemed just as her own worries dispersed they instead entered into Sef since he was always close by.

"What's gotten into you now?"

"I just have a bad feeling about this…something about this place. I can't put my finger on it right now…but then again maybe it's just the aftermath still bothering me…" Sef said, and Jade nodded wordlessly though she could sense something potentially amiss as well.

But with the festivities still be constructed and perfected all around them, these feelings of worry and suspicion were quickly dispensed and they entered the Fong estate with a refreshed sense of amazement.