A/N: Alright, it's time for me to close this story out. I'll comment on the cast we all got acquainted with throughout this story. That will take place toward the end.
For now, let's tune in to the finale of the World Warrior Arc.
This Senjutsu Scroll has unearthed many secrets, though this was a clear example of learning too much at once. It broke down every Chinese Martial Art's offensive and defensive secrets documented: Xinyi Liu He Quan, Xing Yi, Baji, Pi Gua, Mi Zong Yi, Wing Chun, Ba Gua, and any other form of Long Fist or Wushu that I didn't mention was here. Even the Animal Styles were decoded in horrifying detail. How I approached everything in a combat sense felt attacked through reading this scroll. You're never too old, young, or anything in between to learn. Yet, this scroll was the first time in my whole life where I regret learning anything.
What added to my lament was how I immediately knew how to apply what I learned to everyone who practiced a conventional martial art. And may Buddha help if you practice Wushu like me. On top of already beginning to apply what the Scroll showed me in my own fighting ability. I haven't left the hospital yet.
"Did you learn anything from the scroll, Da-ge?" Jian asked.
"Honestly, I think I learned too much. I have a feeling my fight with Fei will go a lot smoother than if I didn't read it," I answered honestly. "But I'm just happy I'm going back home. Even if it won't be for long since I'm probably going to leave after the round if I beat him."
Suppose it wasn't for Vega cutting me open and losing so much blood where I needed a transfusion. In that case, I'd be confident in my ability to beat Fei without the Scroll. But it isn't, and we can't turn the clock back.
Juri dealt with the paperwork to get me out of here since none of us liked being in a hospital. Plus, it'll be good to go back to Aberdeen. I missed Uncle and Ren as we quickly caught up on lost time, and Jian enjoyed being around them. Closing the scroll, I sat up a bit since the sun was in my direct line of sight.
As I did so, Juri came into the room. "Alright, Jagiya. I'm done. We'll be out of here in ten, so get your shit ready." She then left the room just as quickly as she came in.
I started moving to get out of bed as Jian helped me out. "Easy, Da-ge. You can walk but probably shouldn't push yourself too hard."
I stood up for the first time in days and pretended like I was about to fall but caught myself as I started laughing.
"That's not funny, Da-ge!" she pouted. "C'mon. I'm looking forward to going back to Hong Kong."
After grabbing my belongings, we left the hospital and boarded the plane to take us back home.
"So am I. As well as a ton of a lot of other things, Ren's cooking is one of them. Seeing Uncle again and sleeping in my own bed."
"Absolutely. Hopefully, you can get a change of clothes too," Jian said as she examined my outfit.
The fight with Vega left my attire damaged and not in a cool way. The ripped fabric was scattered, especially in the spot where he gave me three new scars. Both sleeves were torn with so much dirt, I'm convinced that washing this won't do me any good.
"Yeah, that too. These were my favorite robes."
"And your only ones," Jian added sarcastically said as we settled into the cabin.
We were in the sky a few minutes later. I wonder if Fei's already there. Knowing him, he'll find a way to be late, like in the qualifying tournament. I also wondered where we were going to fight. I don't think the Grandmasters would like the match to occur in their Schools. Especially Grandmaster Lee since neither us are part of the Lee family or school. And I won't bother asking Grandmaster Long after the last time we spoke. I still haven't forgiven him for what his students did to Jian.
The flight was relatively quiet since Laura wasn't here to interrogate me about my personal life or ask my opinion on the area we were going to. I took this time to get some extra sleep after not getting as much in that uncomfortable hospital bed, short as it was.
What felt like moments later, Jian was shaking me awake. "Da-ge, wake up. We're here." I sat up to rub my eyes. "We need to get off the plane because Juri went on ahead."
Jian got out of the plane seat. Per routine, I followed her as we made our way through baggage claim and customs. Juri was waiting for us outside.
"About time you woke up, Jagiya. I've been waiting for twenty minutes."
"Relax, Juri. The lines in customs were longer than normal. At least we're out now."
"Uh-huh. Now that you're here, we can go back to Aberdeen. Fei Long isn't even in Hong Kong yet, so we can chill. C'mon."
We packed our stuff in our rental car's trunk before driving down and ferrying to District 1, where Aberdeen is. The ride itself remained quiet as the plane ride did. When we finally arrived, it looked like nothing had changed since we left. Not much to say about the place since I live here and Jian started living here before we left.
But then...
"Erzhi? Is that you?" Mama's voice called out for us.
We all turned around to see Mama wave at us before closing the distance.
"Mama?"
"Mama Jie?"
"Is my timing amazing or what? Guai kept track of your tournament run and told me Fei Long was your next opponent. I booked the next flight to Hong Kong so I could see your fight, as well as catch up with everyone else. It seems that I'm right on time." Mama then hugged Jian and me. "It's so good to see you both again."
"The feeling's mutual, Mama. How's Caine?" I inquired with a mutter.
"Oh, fine as he can be after having his pride hurt repeatedly. Where's Guai?"
"Probably running the store since I wasn't here for the past month or so."
"That would make sense." She replied as she noticed someone a bit farther away than us. She squinted her eyes, and her expression brightened after recognizing who it was. "Fu? Fu Long?" I turned to see my ex, two paper bags full of groceries walking in our direction. She looked past us and saw Mama, her eyes widening.
"Jie… Jie Sifu?" She called out as she reached us. "Oh, my God... It is you!"
"Wow, you have grown very nicely. It's nice to see my first pupil still up and about. Though Ren told me that you don't practice Martial Arts as much as you used to while I was your teacher."
"N-no, I'm a chef now since that's what I always wanted to do. But I still do the exercises to not grow rusty. I got second in the tournament to determine the second Hong Kong representative. Yao was there and can vouch for me." Fu answered.
"She's right. She lost to Fei."
"Speaking of Fei Long, where is he?" Mama asked.
"Putting together a film set in Kowloon. Said that the final part of his latest film will be in the Tiger Balm Gardens. I finished the catering for his crew yesterday since they all eat like they have Type 2 Diabetes." Fu answered. "Ren Sifu asked me to get some ingredients from the market, so I'm about to give them to her."
"Fu? Oh, I was wondering what was taking you so long." Speaking of Ren. My aunt-in-law saw Mama, and she couldn't hide a big smile. "J.J.J.!" She greeted her stepsister with a big hug.
"Ren, I thought I told you to stop calling me that?" Mama greeted Ren with a slightly annoyed tone.
"Sorry, sister. Old Habits die hard."
"We've been stepsiblings for nearly three and a half years. That's plenty of time. Though it is good to see you." Ren laughed sheepishly before hugging her sister-in-law again before noticing us.
"Oh, Yao! Jianyu! I didn't know you two were back in Aberdeen."
"Hello, Ms. Ren," Jian greeted.
"Ren, it's good to see you're just as bright as you were before we left. We're actually here because Fei Long's my next opponent in the World Warrior Tournament."
"Oh, that would make sense since Fu did say he was at the Tiger Balm Gardens. You all must be hungry, come inside and get something to eat." Ren ushered us inside her restaurant.
"Jeez, Yao. What happened to your robes?" Fu asked me, addressing the elephant in the room.
"I was about to ask the same thing, Erzhi. As well as the disappearance of Ms. Matsuda."
"Oh, boy. Let's head inside. For one, I'm starving. And I can explain what happened since we last saw each other in Japan."
At our table, I explained everything after leaving Japan.
"Wow, Erzhi. It never dawned on me that you were a former member of the Mad Gear Gang. Jianyu, a brainwashed soldier for Shadaloo. And you're marked for death by the organization. But I'm not surprised you've outlasted them all and are still in the tournament. Even if it meant scaring Laura away."
"It's for the best. We were kind of getting fed up with her behavior after Da-ge's run in with Damnd at The Lemony. Especially Juri."
"You were happy too, kid," Juri immediately countered. "She was distracting Jagiya anyway with her flirting. I, for one, am glad she booked it for Brazil. Though I admit that what caused it was too much for even her."
"And this Vega character assaulted you while you were in Chun Li's apartment?"
"Yes, Mama. I fought him off and punched him through the brick wall. He fell at least three stories. But from what everyone who brought me to the hospital, Vega's body was gone by the time they got there. His claw's the reason why my clothes are torn up," I finished explaining.
"Which would explain those new scars on your abdomen. Meanwhile, Fei was doubling on filming and dealing with his opponents. If he wasn't talking about his job, it was about his rematch with you. I didn't think anything of it then, but now that I see you like this and after everything you told me, I gotta ask," Fu mentioned. "Are you even in decent condition to fight Fei? Let alone beat him?"
"Have faith in Yao, Fu. If he's still this adamant in fighting your brother, I have the utmost confidence that he'll give him the fight he wants and then some," Mama defended me.
"Don't worry, Fu. I still got some tricks up my sleeve. I haven't forgotten your request," I reassured. "So, Mama. It seems that you're still the celebrity here."
Mama laughed lightly. "You can't scar 95% of the Martial Artists in the city and have them forget what you've done, even if you leave for thirteen years. The remaining five percent either being family or my own pupils. I ran into Old Timer Lee's grandsons, and they both challenged me. After earning two of my easiest victories since I left, they told me they challenged and were utterly destroyed by you, Erzhi. You're developing your own legend, it seems."
"Yeah, Mama. The way you had people recognize you as we were talking made me wonder if our family reunions are anything like that," Jian replied.
"It's very similar on a grander and arguably more insane degree. Ask your uncle; he's a regular at the family reunions. Just think of the men and women of various ages who are all ridiculously knowledgeable in Wushu gathering in one place. They fight each other all day. Then they reconvene at their parents' or grandparents' home in Xi'an and eat together." Mama briefly explained what the Wuming Family Reunions entail.
"Mind you, nephew. That's a very abridged synopsis."
We all turned to the entrance and saw Uncle Guai and Xiayu.
"Guai!"
"Xia!"
Mama and Jian got up and gave deep hugs to their respective siblings. Walking up, I do the proper introductions. "Mama, this is Xiayu. Your other adopted daughter. Xiayu, this is Jie, your adopted mother."
"Truly? Yes, you and Jianyu look extremely similar. Makes sense since you are twins." Mama then hugged them both. "I always wanted a daughter, and I have two, thanks to my son."
"It's good to see you, Uncle," I greeted him.
"Likewise, nephew. You're here to battle Fei Long?" I nodded. "As I expected, you've done well. I'm proud of you."
"Thanks, Uncle. But I'm not out yet. Until my fight with Fei, I need to get out of these clothes since these are ruined."
"I can sew you some new clothes," Fu offered.
"Oh, you don't have to do that, Fu."
"I know I don't. But I'm getting sick of seeing you in green and brown. C'mon, I need your measurements." Fu all but dragged me out of Ren's restaurant. "We'll catch up later, Jie Sifu."
Fu brought me to my store upstairs and left for a few minutes before coming back with a tape measure. She then requested me to take off my robes, to which I was skeptical.
"I need to measure your arms, chest, and waist. The robes will make the measurements harder to accurately record. But having a peek at your chest is also a plus," Fu explained.
"Should I even ask what you're going to make me?"
"Nope. I'm not going to answer, but I think I know you well enough to make an outfit you'll like. Like you have much of a choice anyway since it's either what I make for you or the ruined mess you got back home in," Fu shut me down. "I have everything I need and have a general idea of your new outfit's direction. All I need to do now is make it. I'll be back in an hour or so."
"Aren't you supposed to be working at Ren's?"
"I just came back from catering for Fei and his crew. Ren Sifu and I agreed that I'll have two days off every time I come back to Aberdeen. I came back a couple of hours before you did. So I got nothin' but time these days. And so do you since Fei won't come looking for you until he's done filming. We both know how much of a perfectionist he is. So sit tight."
Fu took her tape, the measurements and left the store. Grabbing my bag, I found a t-shirt I purchased from The Lemony (one of the few fond memories I have of Jamaica) and put it on before brewing some water on the stove. I sat down at the table, leaning back in the chair as I heard footsteps coming from the stairs. Did Fu forget something? I wasn't going to get an answer since it wasn't Fu.
Mama's face showed itself with a warm smile when we made eye contact as she sat across from me. "I was looking for you, Erzhi."
"Jian and Xiayu were chewing your ear off?" I jokingly inquired.
"They were, admittedly. Not that I wasn't enjoying myself. It's always a pleasure to bond with your children, but I only conceived one. Every time I choose to spend time with you, one of us must leave, or someone challenges one of us. Is it such a crime for me to want to talk to my oldest child?"
There was evident anger present in her tone. Mama was rightfully upset as last time we talked, I had to leave before we got anywhere. She gave me her scroll and vice versa, and I was off to Jamaica with Jian, Juri, and Laura.
"No, Mama. It isn't. What do you want to talk about?"
"Did you read the Senjutsu Scroll yet?"
I nodded. "I kinda wish I didn't after finishing. That was too much information even for me in such a short period."
"Huh, that's how I felt after I read the Scroll you gave me. If I could rewind the clock, I'd tell my past self to not read it. But it's too late for regrets. What inside the scroll made you regret reading it?"
"Besides a near-encyclopedic breakdown of Wushu and Long Fist and its many derivatives? The extreme basics of all Martial Arts and how to battle against them? I would've been scarred had it taught me anything. The scroll essentially told me that everything I've learned was wrong. I never felt so attacked before."
"The Instinctive Evolution Scroll never went into detail when I read it. Just every mistake Wing Chun and Ba Ji Quan practitioners make and how to fix them. However, Ki Control taught me about the seven chakras in gross detail and how I'm too relaxed and not training enough. I ended up meditating for an hour longer than usual and went to practice before my students came. I pointed flaws in my form that I overlooked before and solved quickly. The process repeated for another hour. I was so deep into it that I forgot I had students to teach. They just observed me for 30 minutes."
"This is surreal. The scroll told me to streamline what I already knew. But how in Naraka am I going to streamline Xin Yi Liu He Quan?"
"Well, the Scroll showed you about the strengths and weaknesses of various forms of Wushu, right? That sounds like quánfǎ, Erzhi."
"Kenpo? Isn't Kenpo Japanese?"
"That's why I said quánfǎ. What can be more streamlined than the one and only Fist Method? You're already well-versed in the roots of Long Fist. If the scroll says to dig deeper into quánfǎ's roots, I think that's what you should do. I can see you becoming a complete master of Shorinji Kempo. Shaolin Temple Fist Method seems right up your alley. But with what the Senjutsu Scrolls taught you, all you need to do now is add some divine flavor to be yours only. You can't unlearn what the scroll showed you. Might as well make the best of it."
Shorinji Kempo? Just imagining it, I felt like I've been practicing that instead of all the Wushu I learned from my travels. It just combined with what I already knew instead of that taking precedent. I don't know how to feel about the scroll's teachings, but Mama's perspective certainly eased my paranoia. The water started to boil, so I took the pot off and poured some tea for us.
"Thank you, Mama. You've eased some of the pressure I got from reading that scroll this morning."
"Of course, anything for my son. At least your fight with Fei will be easy if what you're telling me is true."
"I wouldn't say easy. I only got to see his Hitenryu a few times before the tournament began."
"Fei Long doesn't fight with Wing Chun?"
"No, Hitenryu is a style completely unique to him. Wing Chun is a heavy influence, if I were to guess. Fu says one of his techniques was conceived because he can't do proper chain punches."
Mama scoffed at the fact. "His grandfather must've had influence in that. He never liked the fact that I was teaching him or Fu. He probably reverted some of the things I taught him. Maybe I should invade his school and beat him up for old time's sake? I can convince Guai to do it before heading back to Japan."
"Don't tell Fu I said that. Who am I kidding? I can probably convince her too."
"Convince me of what?" My ex interjected with some folded clothes in her hands.
My new outfit if I were a gambling man. I noticed black, gold, and blue.
"Oh, nothing Fu. Are those Yao's new clothes?"
"Yup. I finished them faster than I anticipated. Guess I wanted to get them to you as soon as I could." Fu handed me my new set of clothes. "Here you go."
I accepted my new attire. "You really didn't have to do this, Fu."
"I know I didn't. But I think after your battle with a King, a new outfit will give you a fresh mindset for the battles to come. At least until the taint of your old fit is washed off."
That's why she made me this. "Thanks, Fu. You're always looking out for me."
"Someone has to since Jie Sifu isn't here most times. So, what are you waiting for? Put it on!"
"Alright, relax. I'll be a minute."
I got out of my seat and moved toward my room before closing the door. Giving my last outfit a final look, I began undressing. Little did I know it would be the last time I'd be wearing these colors. Putting it aside, I started putting the new outfit on. I gave myself a look in the mirror to see what Fu made for me.
A black tank top with gold marks at the hem. Squinting, I noticed it's a Chinese Character. The same character was found on the top's back. A sash of the same color scheme was wrapped around my now solid blue pants. I had to wrap it tightly to keep them secured. I guess that's to show off my slim waist, slim for me, anyway. My black wristbands complimented my new top well. But Fu's design came with spare white wristbands too. Realizing that my brown shoes would match with only my hair, I ditched them for the traditional black slip on shoes. It's a nice outfit. Fu outdid herself with these. Content, I exited my room so Fu and Mama could see. They turned to see me and were both pleased with the new look.
"So, how do I look?"
"Really good. I knew you were going to look nice, but this is way better than I could've imagined."
"I'd say, Fu. You have an untapped talent in fashion design if this is any indication." I pointed at the character on my top. "What's this say?"
"'Nameless.' On the way to my house, I ran into Jie Sifu, and she asked me to put the character on your shirt."
Mama laughed cheekily. "Sorry, but now that you know your bloodline, you should... Ah, what do the kids in America say? Uh, rep your set? It's only right."
"Mama, I'll give you 100 dollars if you never say that again."
Mama laughed even harder. "No need, I'll do it for free. But I do like this new outfit, Erzhi. It gives you more character as much as you like your old outfit. I'll gather the others."
She went downstairs.
"That's a lot of scars on your chest and arms," Fu broke the silence.
"I got them during my travels, except the new ones on my stomach," I answered before sitting down, Fu mirroring me.
"They give your new threads some punch, so there's that. I hope the scars were worth it."
"Received them from protecting others. I wouldn't in that case. Even if it also meant I wouldn't have had to go to Metro City."
"You shouldn't have left. You should've stayed with us here."
"But so many things wouldn't have happened if I stayed with you."
"I didn't say that."
"That's what you meant, Fu. Come on, I'm not that oblivious to subtext. We were better off apart."
"But you wouldn't have had to go through the anguish you endured."
"The scars and what I've gone through built character. I wouldn't have changed if I didn't leave. Thanks to them, I got two younger sisters who have normal lives. My time in Metro City set me up to do a large burst of good. I have no regrets, Fu. And neither should you."
Fu seemed somber, thinking of a good enough counter to my answer. "You're right. You left to find yourself. Your leaving motivated me to do something with myself since I now have discovered my love of cooking. Even Fei wanted to be a movie star since we were young. I was the only one who had no direction."
"Exactly. Plus, I came back, even if it wasn't for long."
"Yeah, I guess so. Did you have to dye your hair to that shade of brown? I liked it better when it was darker."
"It was to give me an identity. Who knows, maybe I'll wash the dye off after I get eliminated."
"That would be nice," Fu said before pausing. "Yao, do you still love me?"
"Oh, we're just cutting the shit, are we?"
"I'm serious. You could've just refused to let me make you new clothes or not put them on. We still talk like we never split up, so I wanna know."
"Fu, I'll always love you. But the romantic attachment is gone, and I have no intentions of reviving them. You're more like the little sister I never had, and I'll always think of you in that way."
"I guess that's the best I can do now. Are you and Juri-"
"No." I stopped that thought right there. "And honestly? I don't think I see us being together. Though she's leading me on, I get the feeling Juri's afraid of committing."
"I can see that. Juri looks visibly uncomfortable when there's no one to beat up. If she waited around any longer, she might've instigated a fight with someone."
"That sounds like her. But she's eased up since we started traveling together. She's getting comfortable, albeit slowly."
"Good for her. If anyone can change her, it's you. But I'll kick her ass if she oversteps."
I chuckled. "You know, Fu. You're not the first person to tell me that."
"I probably won't be the last one either. Juri's been walkin' on thin ice after outing herself as a Shadaloo employee."
We both stood and hugged each other as I rubbed her back. "Can I make a promise, though?"
"What kind of promise?"
"If we're both single by 35..."
I laughed genuinely at where this was going.
"We'll get hitched if we're both single by 35. Though I doubt that'll happen," I promised.
"Maybe not, but still a reassurance plan is nice, though," she said as we walked downstairs.
"Fu, you're such an idiot," I joked as we stopped when he arrived.
Fei Long.
Everyone else was in the store, but Fei noticed me first. He immediately started for my direction, even barging Jian and Juri to push them aside. They both held contentious looks as he passed them by.
Fei got in my face. "I was wondering when you were going to show up. I was starting to think that you didn't make it."
"I've been here for a few hours. Meanwhile, you were in Kowloon working on your film. I'm surprised you advanced here since you clearly have been treating your run like an afterthought."
Fei genuinely looked offended by my comment, his already angry scowl growing. How he has no gray hair now astounds me.
"So you've been telling everyone of my business, Fu!?"
"No, you little idiot. I've been telling everyone my business, which so happens to be embroiled with yours. Who do you think you are? Mama?"
"Watch who you speak to, Jie Jie. I beat you last time we fought."
"Because you wouldn't let me rest after I beat up that little kid. You know I would've beaten your ass if you let me catch my breath."
Fei Long scoffed. "Whatever. Are you two dating again?"
"NO!" We both said simultaneously.
Fu patted my back a few times. "You deal with him. I'm going to go check on Ren Sifu. We'll talk later."
"Thanks again for the outfit, Fu." She waved before walking out of the store. "So you want to do this now, Fei? Or are you still filming?"
"We should be done tonight, so we can have our fight tomorrow. You pick the location."
"We'll do it at the gardens after hours."
"The Tiger Balm Gardens?"
"That's where your filming, right? Might as well save you the hassle of traveling all the way here, Mr. Big-Shot. Or is that a problem?"
"Fine by me. Though I wanted it in front of people so everyone can see me embarrass you."
"Always the showman, huh? Always ready to put on a spectacle but never focus when you're in an actual fight."
"Like you?"
"Unlike you who does Martial Arts for films, I follow the path of a Martial Arts for selfless purposes. Improving myself and helping others is why I take Wushu seriously. And if you think this is an afterthought to me, I'll take it as a genuine offense. I don't play when it comes to Wushu, Fei. That's why I was better than you back then and now. As you'll see tomorrow."
"Hmph. Don't be late." That was all Fei said before leaving, bumping into Juri again.
"Watch where you walk, Bowlcut!" Juri threatened, but Fei just ignored her.
"He certainly hasn't changed much since I left Hong Kong."
"Da-ge, how come you never told me that you and Fei Long were friends?" Xiayu asked.
"The term friend is used very loosely with him. A better way of describing our relationship is that I've known him for a long time. I used to date his older sister. Mama taught them when she lived here."
"He's correct," Mama interjected. "While Guai was teaching him, the Long siblings were my first two pupils. Their parents insisted that I teach them instead of their grandfather. Fei was always full of himself and cocky even when they were younger; Fei was always full of himself and confident. Fu was similar but quickly humbled herself."
"How come you never taught Yao, Mama?"
"It's tradition in our family to have a relative that isn't the parent of a child to teach the children Wushu. Guai and I lived together running the store when Shu and I conceived Yao. When he was born, and after Shu passed away, Guai started to teach him."
"Make sure you fuck him up, Jagiya. I see why your ex wanted you to beat him up," Juri said before scanning my outfit. "I'm liking the new digs." She felt on my arms, biting her lip with whatever lewd thoughts were going through her mind.
"Juri, save the googly eyes until after Da-ge is out of the tournament," Jian voiced.
That annoyed Juri. "Whatever, kid. I can restrain myself. Your ex probably got to see you topless, so I'm just gettin' my fix."
"There's nothing romantic between us, Juri. Relax." I said matter-of-factly before facing my sisters. "You two ever been to the Tiger Balm Gardens?"
They both shake their heads. "I'll take you. They should still be open by the time we get there. You coming with us, Mama?"
"Of course! I haven't been to the Tiger Balm Gardens since I was your age. Should we get Ren and Fu?"
"What about Uncle?"
"Guai never liked large crowds back to when he was still deaf. Trust me, he'd sit this one out if we asked. I'll go get Ren and Fu. Be right back." Mama left to retrieve them.
"Jagiya, what the hell are the Tiger Balm Gardens?"
"You've never heard of it? They're also called the Haw Par Villa Gardens. It's essentially East Asia's version of Disney Land. However, the tourist attraction part of the Gardens in Hong Kong is closed. The garden itself is still open to the public."
"There are more of them?"
"Yes, Jian. There's one in the Fujian Province in China built in 1946 and is the only one to not have a garden," Xiayu answered.
"The other one is in Singapore, which took the original's spot as the tourist attraction. The one here is now preserved as a museum alongside the Haw Par Mansion where the Aw family, who built the original Tiger Balm Garden, resided," I explained. "It's not considered a world wonder, but it helps give Hong Kong its identity since we broke off from China."
"South Korea's much the same there. Thankfully, Hong Kong isn't to the same extreme as South Korea is to North Korea."
Soon after Juri answered, Ren and Fu appeared, with Mama not far behind. "Yao! Catch!"
She threw something airborne, which I caught with ease. It was a coat or jacket.
"It's a jacket fashioned in the style of Kung Fu Robes. I forgot to give it to you along with the rest of your outfit. But since we're heading to the Tiger Balm Gardens, I might as well give it to you now before I forget again."
Ren was drinking something from a flask. What it was, I had no idea. "Ren, what are you drinking?"
"It's not alcohol, sweetie. It's soup since I have a cold. But like I'll miss going to the Tiger Balm Gardens. Last time I was there, I was a little girl."
"Put on your coat, Yao. Let's go before it gets dark."
And so me, Jian, Xiayu, Ren, Fu, Mama, and Juri were off to District 18, where the gardens were located. It wasn't a long trip since Aberdeen is in District 17, and we arrived within the hour. Paying our tuition, we went inside the garden and took in the sights. Jian and Xiayu were really enjoying themselves. We even ran into the Lee Twins and their respective girlfriends who decided to stick with us. (Much to my, Fu, and Juri's chagrin)
But while we were looking over some of the statues... "Yao!" Fei Long's voice called for me.
Oh, no. "Fei. What's wrong with you?"
"You came here seeking me out, have you?"
"Not everything is about you. My little sisters have never been to the Tiger Balm Gardens, so we decided to take them," I threw his ego aside while answering.
"Since when did you have little sisters?"
"Since you became a B List Celebrity," I sarcastically answered, fed up with his contention.
Jian and Xiayu both responded in kind. "Ooooooo."
Yun and Yang jumped to Fei's defense. Sellouts. "Whoa, Yao. Watch what you say. Mr. Long won't let you be a part of his films if you keep bad mouthing him."
"Baseball, shut up." Xiayu fired back. "Aren't you a Lee? Your family would disown you if they saw you defending Fei Long."
That got both of the twins to back off, and Fei was at his wit's end. "Do you want to do this now?"
"I don't since I was serious about Jian and Xiayu never coming here before. But since you won't let it rest, I suppose I have to indulge you," I said with much contempt.
"Fine. Follow me."
Everyone followed Fei to the top of the Villa, where a sizeable octangular shape with the characters of Tiger Balm Garden is on the floor in red and yellow. Fei took off his jacket, showing his bare upper torso. "I wanted my crew to watch this for a bonus feature in our film, but they went home. I guess embarrassing you in front of your family and peers will be good enough. You have underestimated me for the last time!"
I sighed dejectedly before removing my jacket. "Lord Yama, grant me the strength to deal with his verbal antics for just a few more moments."
"Here, Da-ge. I'll hold on to your jacket for you."
"Thank you, Jian. Now give us some space."
She nodded after taking my jacket.
"Ready, Fei?"
"Yes. The time has come."
I made a challenging gesture at Fei out of respect. He ignored my gesture and immediately flicked his nose before stiffening into his Hitenryu. Disrespectful ingrate.
Easing into my regular stance felt grossly unnatural. It must be the scroll I read this morning. Relaxing my posture, I allowed it to show me my new stances. I placed my left hand perpendicular to my chin while my right simply turned, so the palm faced my stomach while straightening my spine. Everyone gasped at my stance change. Fei looked thrown off but hid it well, refusing to break his stride.
We slowly close the distance, only our footsteps echoing throughout the rooftop. I gave his stance a more detailed look. Similar to mine, his chest exposed with uppity in his movements. Fei's also unorthodox, whereas I'm in southpaw. His left hand is lower to make faster snap jabs instead ofo palms.
Fei will check me with a snap jab; I could feel it.
Predicting the future, I effortlessly parried his jab, but Fei retaliated with a gut punch that I blocked again. He's going for a Rekkaken, my prediction accurate once again as Fei unleashed a furious backfist that I dodged to my right. At the same time, I landed a vicious side kick on his kidney, pushing him back as he bent on one knee. Fei quickly rose up and filled the space I cleared with my kick.
You could hear a pin drop as we silently thought of our next move.
Not wanting to wait anymore, I closed the distance by attacking Fei with an aggressive downward claw. He blocked it, but the follow through threw him off balance. Taking advantage, I kicked his back chin, causing him to fall forward before landing a clean elbow against his cheek. Fei spilled on the floor but got up quickly with a visible bruise. Angry, he rushed again as we were locked in a fast exchange. Fei attempted another Rekkaken, but I intercepted with a backfist of my own, which he also blocked. I went for a gut punch with the block's momentum as Fei barely managed to intercept before retaliating with another backfist. I parried it with more precision than him. He tried to kick my shin, but my leg blocked it before using a kick of my own, which he also blocked.
Using the momentum, Fei did a frontflip and attempted to kick me that would've slammed my head against the floor. Yet, I Flash Stepped out of the way. We momentarily stopped as he looked absolutely shocked. Our audience collectively gasped.
Fei was bewildered. "What the hell was that?"
"What was what?"
He pointed an accusatory finger at me. "Don't play dumb with me, Yao! That dodge you just did! What was that?"
"You're asking too many questions, Fei. I learned that from a near-death experience in Beijing, all you need to know. That's not the only party trick I picked up since the last time we fought," I answered before getting back into my stance.
Deciding to change it up, I stood up straight before taking a deep breath. Breathing out, I slowly kneel down while my hands move on their own. My left arm stretched and slightly turned right while my right hand moved to its former position. I then stiffened as my left arm jerked in the opposite direction to form a fist while my right arm reverted to its former position. The audience gasped again.
Now uncomfortable, Fei went back to his Hitenryu stance. We closed the distance, my face holding a fierce expression of focus to match his natural scowl. He went for a snap jab again, but knowing it's going to be a feint, I didn't flinch. Instead, I swiftly palmed his cheek so fast, Fei probably thought I was psyching him out. He moved backward, and I could hear whispers from the small crowd. Feeling his face and noticing another bruise, he angrily rushed me, and we began another heated lockup.
I didn't want to play around anymore, so I forced the issue by attacking faster with more aggression. Fei was struggling to keep up before I sandwiched his face. He threw my hands while trying to punch me in the nose. Throwing a wrench in the exchange, I kicked Fei's knee, which I correctly predicted he wouldn't block. I kneed him in the chin and hammer fist the back of his head. He used his movement to try and initiate another Rekkaken but kicked my shin, throwing me off balance before a leg sweep took me down. He used the momentum of that sweep to immolate his foot.
"Shienkyaku!"
Fei tried to hit me as I ascended. I caught myself and moved out of the way before he could make contact and used the momentum from my kip up to slingshot off the floor and hit him with the Gekiro - Grandpa Gen's technique. I did it masterfully despite never learning the technique myself. Catching Fei off guard, I landed a blow cleanly on his chin and repeatedly kicked his exposed torso. After five kicks with the same foot, I launched him downward with a frontflip kick of my own. As he crashed down, I thrust my hands towards the ground, causing an explosion to hit him should he land in the same spot. Fei moved out of the way, but I landed before he could retaliate.
"Was that the Gekiro, Erzhi? I didn't know Gen taught you his techniques."
"He didn't. I just did that instinctively," I answered as my opponent slowly got off the floor. "You alright, Fei?"
"Spare me your sarcasm, Yao. I'm not finished yet."
"Then let's end this. You don't look like you got a lot left in the tank."
I went into the second stance I performed as Fei weakly got back into his Hitenryu stance. Closing the distance, he went for a desperate Rekkaken. I cut him off from the first punch, kicked him in the knee socket before kneeing him just as hard in the abdomen, and landed a backfist on his fresh bruise. The force spun him around, allowing me to grab his arm and lock it behind his back. Another fierce palm to the back of his head was followed by my Nameless Shot in the same area. Fei flew in front of me as he spilled on the floor, passing out.
The battle was over.
I'm in the semi-finals. Sheesh, if I knew the match would go like this, I wouldn't have read that scroll. I took a breath to collect myself while everyone approached me.
"Wow, Erzhi. I thought I was impressive. You just taught a masterclass how to dismantle an adversary's entire fighting style. And you did it so effortlessly too. Fantastic job!" Mama complimented.
"Thank you, Mama. Some of those maneuvers were done off sheer instinct. The Gekiro was one of them."
"A shame Grandpa Gen wasn't here to see it. I would update the bracket, but I didn't bring the tablet," Jian said.
"No worries, you can update it when we get back."
"Wow, that fight was certainly inspirational. Guai's going to be angry that he missed it after I tell him what transpired," Ren commented. "Come, Fu. We should head back to Aberdeen. I'm afraid some of the Junior Chefs might have burned the restaurant down."
"Yes, Ren Sifu," Fu answered as she gave me a hug. "Thanks for teaching Fei a lesson. I don't think he'll forget this anytime soon. Catch you later. Wait, Ren Sifu. Should we bring Fei's body with us?"
"It would be smart to do so. Quickly now, Fu."
"Boys, help me with him."
The Lee twins were still awestruck by what they had just watched. They nonetheless complied with the older Long sibling as they picked Fei up and hauled him with Fu in tow. That left just Juri, the girls, Mama, and myself.
"How long are you staying in Hong Kong, Mama?" I asked my mother.
"Two more days. I enjoy not dealing with Caine and his antics whenever I get the opportunity. I'll be around for a couple more days until I go back to Japan and intensify my training regimen. That fight inspired me to up the ante of my own exercises."
"And you, Xiayu? When are you heading back to Beijing?"
"Tomorrow night."
"You and should Jian should have the day for yourselves tomorrow."
"And what about you, Da-ge?"
"I'm sleeping in tomorrow. Easy as Fei was, I'm still tired from the flight," I answered honestly.
We then heard cheeky laughter. "And despite all that, you still bested your opponent easily. I'm very impressed, young man!"
Oro's voice spoke, but we couldn't find him anywhere. He then jumped down on the rooftop, startling us all. "That was quite the spectacle. The stance changes, the correct movement prediction, and the vicious punishment you dealt that poor boy. It was a wonderful sight. You read the scrolls, didn't you? Both of you."
His question was directed toward Mama and me.
"Yes, though I don't think I needed it to best Fei."
"I too read the scroll, though I lightly regret doing so."
"No need to worry. The second scroll always details its contents on a level of discomfort. You two are the first to read those scrolls in the order you did. I've never met Sennins who read the scrolls in those orders that are alive." Oro then kneeled down and formed a fist with his left hand. "I request that you indulge me. Show me what the scrolls taught you both."
"Can't we do this later, Oro? I'm still tired, you know."
"That's why I am letting your mother duel alongside you. Now prepare yourselves."
Before I could voice my disapproval, Mama walked next to me and rolled up her sleeves. "Are you serious, Mama?"
"I don't think he's going to let us go unless we indulge him, Erzhi. Ladies, move back and give us some space."
Mama and I made challenging gestures toward the Sennin. He nodded in respect as each got in our respective stances.
We both moved in for a punch and palm, and Oro dodged both attacks masterfully, attempting to sweep us. We both avoided but barely had time to block the additional kicks he did. Oro knocked Mama backward while kicking me stiffly in the abdomen, forcing me to a knee. Mama helped me back up.
I chucked a nameless shot quickly at Oro, and using his own projectile, a small explosion occurred. Mama quickly closed the distance and began a fierce exchange. And she was keeping up, Oro failing to find any faults in her offense.
"This is very impressive, Master Jie. I can't find an opening," Oro complimented her though he was on the defensive.
Mama failed to land any blows of her own. Joining in by intercept, I attacked Oro with my own onslaught. And though he blocked my attacks perfectly, Oro complimented my unpredictability. "You are truly a master of varied offense, Yao. It's as if you using the motion of a ring in your attack choices."
I noticed a slip, landed a quick knee to his chin, channeled some chi inside my body, and unleashed a vicious flurry similar to what I did to Vega in Beijing. With a final punch, Oro slid but didn't fall over. Fatigue caught up to me as I kneeled again, heaving heavily.
"Erzhi, well done! You landed a ton of clean strikes on him. If you weren't tired, they would've hurt a lot more, I'd wager." Mama helped me back to my feet again as I regulated my breathing.
"Your mother is right, young man. Had you been fresh, then I would be in trouble. You two are very impressive. Continue to walk down this path; the title of Sennin is in your future. I think it's time I involve myself more personally in your journeys on mastering what the scrolls taught you both. But first..."
Oro revealed his right arm. We readied ourselves for whatever was next, but it was futile. Closing the distance instantly, Oro fiercely landed a double fist on Mama, her eyes widening from the pain.
"What in the world..." She weakly muttered before losing consciousness.
"Mama!" I yelled before trying to counter.
Oro intercepted by grabbing and chucking me in the sky. Before I could even begin to process what was happening, I felt a sharp pain in my back, then...
Black.
I woke up to the natural moonlight through the window. Moving brought that same sharp pain in my back as well as in my stomach and chest. Then I noticed half the scars on my torso have been reopened. I slowly move to look at what I was sleeping on and saw three large blood marks. My back scars were reopened too? I thought the ass beating I received in Metro City was bad. This was multiple times worse.
"You're finally awake," Juri's voice sounded.
"Juri? How long was I out for?"
"A few hours. It's 10:30 at night. Both of your sisters are sleeping in the guest room. Your mom's back at your uncle's. Asleep too, if I had to guess."
I laid back down and noticed her hand rubbing my scars. She must be applying ointments. "You shouldn't use those. They're from the spare closet, right?"
"Your uncle gave me the okay. None of us were expecting that to happen."
"What did happen? One thing I was in the sky, next thing I was seeing black."
"The Old Timer threw you in the sky and jumped after you. After planting his head on your stomach, he slammed you on the rooftop," Juri answered in a deadpan, continuing to apply ointment in silence. "I'm serious, Jagiya."
"I realize that now. Is Mama fine?"
"You got the worst of it. The Old Man said he didn't mean to hit you with that technique but got overexcited. He apologized to your sisters before instructing us to get you both back here as soon as possible. Turn around."
I did what she requested, and that's when the ointment really stung. Pained groans left me from my back scars being treated.
"I knew you were tough, but to the point where you and your mom would attract a Sennin? What the hell, Jagiya?"
"I met him weeks before we did. Oro must know Mama longer than me since she had a scroll when we ran into her in Japan. I had a feeling if I read both scrolls, something like this would happen. Yet everyone around me insisted I read them. Uncle, Ren, Jian. Little did I know it would end like this."
I thought about my next fight. If I had to guess, Ken or Ryu would be my next opponent, and I need to be in top shape if I want to take them on. In my condition? I don't stand a chance against either of them.
"I think I'll forfeit my next match," I said aloud.
"What? Why? After all the shit you did, you're going to back out now?"
"You never fought my potential opponents, Juri. They smell faults and mistakes like sharks smell blood. If I fight them as I am now, I'll lose for sure. I think what's best for me is to let the wounds properly reclose."
"Well shit, Jagiya. It was a fun ride while it lasted if you think that's best. There, done."
Juri finished applying ointment to my back wounds. I sat up slowly with her assistance.
"Thanks, Juri. I know you didn't want to do any of this." I gave my thanks while looking at her full lips.
"It's nothin', Jagiya. No one else was around to do it since your uncle probably did the same for your mom," she answered with a smirk.
Then, something took hold of me. Something carnal that reeked...
Reeked of desire.
Without hesitation, I took the ointment out of Juri's hands and placed it on the bedside table before moving in and hungrily kissing her mouth. Her moans were of confusion and arousal despite not resisting. Naraka, I'm already topless. What's the rest of my clothes? And Juri had been teasing me throughout my entire run.
"Jagiya, what... what are you doing?"
"What? You thought you were going to tease, prod, promise, and not expect me to act on your actions? I don't want to think about Oro right now. I see a woman whom I have been pursuing since we first met, a beautiful one I want. And I want her now."
My convicted answer followed me pushing Juri down on the bed, locking our hands together. She didn't lock them back as eagerly.
"But your wounds-"
"Shhh, Juri," I whispered in her ear before kissing her cheek with lustful intentions. "They won't reopen, I promise. I don't care if you don't want to pursue me romantically. I'm over it at this point. The least you can do is fulfill my needs after all those sweet nothings you spoke and all the flirting. And you thought I didn't notice."
I took Juri's hand before kissing the palm repeatedly, doing the same to her exposed arm that caused her to gasp. Before I could start peppering her neck, Juri returned my lust in kind with a greedy kiss. I felt her legs wrap around my waist, both hands entwined with mine. We both collectively moaned with pleasure.
"Fuck, Jagiya. Do you know how much I wanted to do this? But I wanted to wait until after you were out. But I can't take it anymore either." Juri accepted my proposal by removing her tank top, exposing her tits and a delicious looking six-pack.
"I thought you were never going to say yes. Let's make this a night to remember," I said before giving her a final kiss as our bodies melded together.
Five hours later:
Juri passed out on top of me, hugging me as she drifted away. We went seven rounds, neither of us slowing down until round six. That Feng Shui Engine in her eye helped intensify the session. Sleep was starting to take me too, but before I passed out again, I gave Juri a long kiss on the cheek. I was out moments later.
When I woke up, there was no considerable weight on me. My vision cleared as Juri was nowhere to be seen, her clothes also gone. Sitting up, I noticed a note on the bedside table underneath the ointment used yesterday. Picking it up, I saw it's from Juri.
'I'm afraid of ruining what peace you had for me, so I'm leaving. Best of luck in life.'
Heavy paraphrasing, but that was the message I got. I'm not surprised at all. Every time I showed Juri affection, she shut down completely. Yet I did not expect this. Somewhat bitter, I crumpled the note up and chucked it in the garbage before getting dressed.
I headed to the rooftop to begin meditating before telling Jian I was dropping out of the tournament. I sat down and collected myself. The scars, while closed, are still throbbing. If I jerk my torso, the pain will double.
"Already up and about? You continue to impress."
Oro's voice. I'm not in the mood for this.
I looked up for his little hammock and found him.
"You're still here? I expected you to be back wherever the Naraka you crash at," I said with malice.
"I have some things I want to tie up before heading back home. And that includes you and your mother."
"Well, what do you want?"
"First, I wish to apologize for hitting you with one of my techniques. I got overzealous when you hit me with those punches. So, I'm sorry. Truly."
"Apologies don't take the pain away. You opened not only half of my torso scars but the ones on my back too. I'm so damn hurt, I can't compete in the rest of the tournament. So thanks for that, Oro."
"I'm truly sorry about that. But I have an offer to make up for it. When I said that I wish to take a more personal role in your journey to become a Sennin, I meant it."
"And how are you going to do that?"
"You read the scrolls and absorbed what they had to teach you. That includes some techniques of your own. So I offer you the chance to train with me in Brazil to help you acclimate your body with the scrolls' teachings as well as further master your newly acquired techniques."
"Won't that take a long time, though?"
"I doubt it for your case. Like I said, you are one of the strongest warriors in the world right now. The final stages of becoming a Sennin take so long because you have to further hone what you learned until you truly master them. With me watching over your training, it will take significantly less time."
"How long?"
"A year. Two at the most."
I really didn't want to accept, but Oro would probably give me time to think about it if I said no. Then everyone will tell me to accept. Though I had a feeling Juri was going to bail, her staying was one of the only reasons to actually say no. Yet... she's gone. I can't help Jian anymore since I'm no longer in the tournament, so I cannot do anything for her now. And Uncle would either want me to rest or accept the offer alongside Ren. My back is against the wall.
I sighed defeatedly. "Fine, Oro. I accept your offer. When do we begin?"
"I'll give you a week for you to say your goodbyes before we head for Brazil. I live in a cave in the Amazon. That's where we'll meet and conduct our training. I'm looking forward to our time together."
Oro bid his farewells before disappearing.
*Sigh* "Oh, boy. What did I just sign up for? Better tell everyone what just happened since I can no longer focus enough to meditate."
I stood back up and headed downstairs to tell my little sisters the news.
A/N: And so, Yao's story is over! For now...
The World Warrior Arc is in the books!
I'll slap a completed tag over the story, but I have a few more chapters to write starring Jian and Tongku at Curse of Kings request. Those won't nearly be as long, thankfully. Next time, we'll have a story with Yao as our main narrator after completing his training with Oro. Before I go, I want to do a quick commentary on a few cast members.
First is Yao.
Yao started off as a concept since I originally wanted to do a story with another Street Fighter OC I had on the back burner. However, Yao eventually won out. He's a callback/shoutout to various fighting game characters. Gato from Garou: MOTW, Long from Bloody Roar, to name a couple. His appearance, choice of clothing, learned techniques, and fighting style are based on those two. As well as Serious Mr. Karate with his Nameless Shot and Flash Step at the forefront. His first outfit was basically Gato's green outfit. The second attire is based on Long's Special Color in console versions of Bloody Roar 2 if the player presses start after clearing Arcade Mode with him. Yao's grown a lot since the start, and I'm looking forward to using him in future stories.
Jianyu is an underground character despite existing in official lore as a Doll alongside her sister, Xiayu. Both have had little development, only having what the SF Wiki detailed about them personally. The decision to make Xiayu a training opera singer referred to the mask she wears in SFV, a Chinese Opera Mask. Jianyu has nothing of the sort, but I have an idea of where she'll end up. Hell, we're going to see in those bonus chapters. Yao's story may be done, but Jian's is just starting to wrap up.
Jie is a character that only made a few appearances, but she stole the show with each one. I immensely enjoyed writing for her, and I'm looking forward to using her as well. Maybe in a prequel story with her and a deaf Guai as the stars? Maybe we'll get to see Shu and Ren before they all were wed? Hmmm, only time will tell.
Juri...
Boy, did my editor and I have some minor conflicts about her place in the story. (AD: Tell me about it) She and Laura were picked to be Yao's potential woman, and we couldn't bring ourselves to double down on either one. I initially planned on pairing Yao with one of them by the story's end but decided against it before finishing the China Chapter. I eventually saw what my editor was talking about and axed the Juri pairing. He also realized what I saw in Laura and agreed to let me axe her in return. Sorry to those looking forward to seeing who would get paired with Yao. No one won in the end. (AD: It was for the best as neither woman was a good fit for Yao personality wise despite being sharp contrasts)
Guai and Ren were two characters I wished I had used more. I at least wanted to write a scene with either of them fighting. Especially Ren since she uses Drunken Fist. I can take a lot of liberties with the style. Writing for them was never a hassle, and I enjoyed doing so, especially the step-aunt in Ren. Here's to more of them in the future.
And that's all! Stay tuned for the bonus chapters since I shouldn't hold off on doing those. I took long enough with the main story as is, so don't expect them to be as grand.
Later!