Last time, if your recall, Team Nevins was in the midst of a battle with a stag beetle, the Stag of Ruin. Heather, using her swift ice attacks, was able to squish the bug into oblivion. However, as they celebrated, the pilot and co-pilot were killed in the cockpit, before the battle began. Michelle, despite inexperience in planes, landed the plane gently in the water, saving the passengers.
But… they were still far away in the Asian waters, away from Egypt.

Episode XXIII – Chapter 2: Hong Kong!
Team Nevins' Next Stop on the Road to Egypt!

A helicopter hovered over the plane, as many people were floating in life rafts. The plane landed 35 kilometers off the coast of Hong Kong. With the plane grounded, Team Nevins had no choice but to head to the city.

At New York, Steven and Farra watched the news, as Scarlet said, "Team A has made it safely. I got intel from Peter and Rook. Another Spirit User… Now we know what we're up against, and what MIO will try next."

Mundy said, "That is why we have to mind ourselves, before we travel off. Flying to Egypt is a problem, but not a problem for Farra."

Farra said, "But still… The news said that an old man was responsible for the deaths of the pilots onboard. Great to hear that Michelle has landed the plane, in an emergency landing."

Mundy replied, "We have a long way to go. Keep your arses in line, and watch over the cities."

Farra and Asahi saluted, as Scarlet sighed, "I grow worried… This is our biggest adventure, yet… But still…"

She growled, as she cried, "THEY BETTER NOT BUY SOUVENIRS, ON THE WAY!"

After three seconds of silence, Asahi asked, "Wait… If they're going to Egypt from New York, why are they at Hong Kong? Egypt's east from here. They're moving west."

Farra replied, "Don't ask us. We're not the ones who flew a commercial airplane to Asian waters."

Hong Kong – Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories. With more than 235 individual islands in the area, its breathtaking nightscape is known the world over as "The Million Dollar View".

Michelle was in a payphone, phoning Percival. She said, "Yes, Agent Gaynes, have someone watch over us, during our travels. Also, make sure that the only ones aboard were us and the crew! Right… There has been enough collateral damage, because of us. By the way…"

The others were waiting, as a shopkeeper called to Peter, "Hey, Big Guy! You guys aren't from around here. Want some rice porridge? Finest cuisine in Hong Kong, and you can't go wrong with rice porridge and dim sum~! We have some hot cola, too!"

Heather said, "I was kinda hungry. But rice porridge?"

She told Chazz, "Did you know, Mr. Princeton, unlike in Japan, rice porridge is a staple feed in Hong Kong. And to some, it's quite a delicacy."

She called out, "One bowl – with pork and century egg, if you have it."

The clerk said, "Coming up, ma'am!"

Michelle roared, "HEY! WHAT? You blokes think you have time to eat? We're going to my favorite place in Hong Kong! You can stuff your faces there!"

The clerk called, "HEY! You dandy girl over there! I know you're interested in some Hong Kong hot cola!"

Michelle gasped, "HOT COLA?! What the hell is that shit? Everyone knows it's supposed to be cold!"

Peter asked, "Hey, Michelle… Who were you calling?"

Michelle said, "Oh, that. I'll explain, when we get to the restaurant. For now, we need to think of a plan to get to Egypt. More users are bound to come after us, and that can cost lives."

Heather nodded, "So, flying a plane is out of the question, not after last time."

Rook said, "We can't let any more innocent lives get hurt, because of our failure. Heather's right. We can't go back on a plane."

Michelle said, "Indeed. It's now become quickly impossible for us to fly to Egypt."

XXXXX

At the restaurant in Hong Kong, Michelle explained to the others, "Anyways, if we go back to the air, more Spirit Users may stop us leading to disastrous results… Percival and I talked it over, and our best bet to make it to Egypt is by land and sea."

Rook said, "But… If we don't make it to Egypt, by 50 days…"

The others were upset, as Heather said, "An airplane would've helped us. If we'd stay on that plane, we'd be at Cairo, within the day, and this would be over. Eastward was the shortest route to take, but we made an emergency landing in Asia."

Michelle said, as she felt worried over Peter, "I'm well aware of that. However, it's too soon to worry about it!"

She explained, "In 1873, there was a story called "Around the World in 80 Days", written by Jules Verne. It's a story about a man who travels 40,000 kilometers in eleven weeks, using nothing but trains and steamboats. We may not have a plane, but we still have fifty days. We'll be able to make it to Egypt, within the time. As for the route we'll take…"

She held out a world map and said, "Here. Study this map carefully."

They looked at the map, for a full 45 seconds, as Michelle pointed at Hong Kong, "I say… We go by sea. We'll charter a suitably sized boat, go around the Malay Peninsula, and cross the Indian Ocean."

Rook agreed, "That is a wonderful idea. But going by land would be troubling. If we walk towards the Himalayas and the desert, it'll be hard to muster. There are too many dangers."

Heather said, "I haven't been in any of the routes, in any of those places, before. So, I don't know. I'll leave it up to the two of you."

Peter nodded, "Same with me."

Chazz huffed, "Ditto."

Michelle said, "Then, it's decided. The greatest dangers that we'll face, other than weather and hard travels, are the Jewel Users and Spirit Callers that MIO send at us. We'll have to do our best to get to Egypt, without being spotted."

As they talked, a girl in dark blue hair, done in low pigtails, wearing an orange tied top and a yellow bra, and denim shorts, was eavesdropping in their conversation, from another table.

At the table, Heather placed the lid tilted on the teapot. She said, "Don't be so jumpy. This will let us know that we want more tea. If you do this, in Hong Kong, they'll give you more, in a few seconds."

A waitress appeared with another teapot, and poured tea into Heather's cup. She added, "Also, anytime the server pours tea into your cup…" and then taps on the table, twice. "Tap the table. It's a way of saying "Thank you."."

The waitress smiled, as Chazz is disgusted, "Jesus…"

A female voice called, just as the waitress left, "Excuse me! Sorry to be a bother to you…"

She revealed herself to be the same girl that overheard their conversation. She said in a smile, "I'm a tourist from Japan. Could you help me out? I'm having a bit of a rusty luck in Chinese. Could you help me out, please?"

Chazz huffed, "You're annoying… Go away!"

Michelle smiled, "Come now, Chazz, it's fine. Try to be nice, for once!"

She took the menu and said, "Well, none of us are from China, but I happen to learn a little Chinese, myself. I've been to Hong Kong, many times, over the years, away from England. Why don't you join us?"

She opened the menu, as the girl sat down, "So, what do you want to order? Dish with shrimp… duck… Shark fin with mushrooms?"

She called to the waiter, and said, "We'll have this, this, and this. And… might as well get some of these…"

She kept ordering, as the others were a bit annoyed, with Michelle ordering like a BOSS.

They got their orders, as they have roasted frog, rice porridge, stewed fish, and clam dish.

Rook said, "These look like dishes with beef, fish, clams, and frog!"

Heather added, "Yes… This is quite different from our order."

Peter groaned, "I knew this would happen… Damn it…"

The girl was overjoyed, "OHHH!"

Michelle cheered, "AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Well, it makes no difference! It's all on me, lads! Besides, it doesn't matter what you order! It's all delicious! Hey, maybe soon, I can take you blokes to Italy! They got pasta di seppia, that's squid ink spaghetti! Beth loves that stuff!"

They started to eat, as they were enjoying the food. Heather had a clam, while Rook tried out the stew. Michelle grinned, as Chazz was eating, "You see that? And you were worried!"

The girl said, "Well, they certainly taken a long time to prepare this. It's so artistic."

She held a star-shaped carrot with her chopsticks and said, "Take these carrots, for instance. They are so well-cut. This one is the shape of a star~! In fact, it reminds me of something…"

The others gasped, as the girl said, in an ominous dark glow and a sultry grin, "Well, for the record, I've seen it in an anime once… Some badass boy has a mark… A birthmark in the shape of a star, like his mother and grandfather… right above the shoulder. But that's all fiction. No one has this sort of coincidental birthmark. Any guesses on who this anime character is?"

Michelle, Peter, & Rook growled, as Heather asked, "Wait… Are you… another enemy?"

She placed the carrot on her neck and giggled, "Yare Yare daze!"

The rice porridge began to bubble, and out popped a chrome arm with a katana in hand. Rook cried out, "MISS NEVINS! LOOK OUT!"

Peter yelled, "THAT'S NO SPIRIT!"

Michelle yelled, "IT'S A STAND!"

The katana chopped down, but Michelle blocked it. Rook threw the table over and shouted, "HUMMING MAGICIAN, come forth!"

His Humming Magician spirit returned, in a fiery purple aura. It slashed a stream of dark flames onto the arm, but the katana caught it. Rook gasped, "What the hell?"

The girl laughed, as a chrome ninja appeared in front of her, turning to Rook.

"You were right." Rook said, "This is not a Spirit Caller. This girl… She uses a Stand!"

The ninja swung its katana onto the table. The flames produced numbers on a clock, as the girl laughed evilly, "My gemstone is the orange gem, the Spessartine! My ninja is called "Ninja Garnet!"

She called out, "Reginald Hadigan the 3rd! It seems that I will be disposing of you, first! The burning clock I carve will count down your fate! By the time it hits 12… You will be a dead man!"

Rook huffed, "WRONG! If you think your ego is the size of your boobs, I will not lose to the likes of you rubes!"

The girl giggled, "I'm a D-cup…"

Rook said, "With that being said… Your pride will be your undoing, my dear… … …"

He asked, "uh… … …Who are you?"

The girl smirked, "Oh, right… We never made introductions~! My name is Yamabuki Suou! Yamabuki, as in the "mountain breeze"! Call me Bookie, for short, if you please!"

Rook said, "Well met, Yamabuki… It's good to know the name of one's opponent. However!"

He slashed the table and destroyed the burning clock. He called out, "Back to the task at hand, my dearie. If you're up to the assumption that my flames will burn upward, let me assure you that they do not. My power is not of fire and flames. It's merely the hellfire that I received from the Netherrealms below. My powers are that of a murky horrifying experience, one of which that you can never escape. Humming Magician, my powers, can wield fire, like it's using by magic. I have NO Precious Stones of Control, as does a friend of mine, but it's rather amazing."

Yamabuki huffed, "Fire is what began life itself in this world. I should've accepted that from a fiery Stand, such as Humming Magician, who represents beginnings. However, you dare to speak of pride and ego? I assure you that my pride… IS WELL DESERVED!"

She threw up five 100 Yen coins and called out, "COME ON, NINJA GARNET!"

The coins suddenly drop, and Yamabuki lunged her katana onto the five coins, impaling them, all at once, dead in the center.

"In the fraction of a second that the coins lined up," Michelle explained, "She skewers all five of them, in a single shot!"

Peter said, "And yet they're still burning. Look at the blade."

They all gasped, as Rook cried, "There, stuck up the blade of the sword! She's cut a bit of flame for every coin she hit!"

Yamabuki said, "Now, you see why I am every bit of powerful as I said. This is NOT mere ego! My Stand is able to cut ordinary fire into ribbons. It can create a vacuum in the air, and guide the fire. Your dark powers are useless. Face it! Your darkness inside you is no match for me. Humming Magician may be powerful, but it's far too weak to withstand my Ninja Garnet!"

She vanished, as she went past the others. She went to the exit and said, "I'll take my leave, elsewhere. Victory and conquest, that represents the Chariot Card, once held by Jean Pierre Polnareff. My gemstone, the orange spessartine, stimulates creative abilities and energies. And I am an artist! I can beat you in this cramp little place, but why bother? I'd rather not cause any dangers, here in Hong Kong. So, I figured let's take it outside. The outside air does a favor for me. Beating you is an apex of your powers, my friend, but the only way you can best my Stand is to best me, in an outdoor arena. It's the only victory worthy of my Stand!"

She left the restaurant, as she called, "Follow me, Reginald! THAT GOES FOR ALL OF YOU, AS WELL!"

Yamabuki Suou… one of MIO's henchmen… Will Rook stop Yamabuki, or has Yamabuki have his number, foiling The Gang's mission?

To be continued…