The Beginning

Chapter Seven: Search and you shall find

During the days that Harmony was in the shelter's clinic, Serenity had a few more visions, all about the two women she saw in the first. but in the last vision she saw a name, Pouncing Tiger, it was a martial arts dojo where one of the women worked. When Serenity saw this name she knew instinctively that she had to go there, that she had to meet this woman.

4 days later

Serenity and Harmony where back on the streets again, this time with a mission in mind. Serenity had looked up the address of the Pouncing Tiger Dojo in the phone book at the shelter and was now on her way to find it.
As Serenity came to a street corner she looked up and read the street sign. "Halliwell Street" was written smartly on the side of the sign, and Serenity turned left and continued down that street. "302.....304.....Ah! 306! Here it is!" Serenity said with a happy grin on her face. "Treee ooh sis!" Harmony repeated in her 2 year old babble as Serenity opened the door that had the words "Pouncing Tiger Martial Arts" Written on it.

Serenity looked around, the area looked like a gym, but had hints of oriental designs here and there, there was a shrine in one corner that had inscents burning, the smell was confusing her animal senses.
Serenity stepped out on the the dojo, looking for somebody to help her, the place seemed completely empty. "Hello...?" Serenity's voice softly echoed around the room "is anyone here?" No one answered.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Onça watched critically as Chrissy performed a short jump ending with a kick, two punches and a second kick. Meric erupted in applause as Onça nodded.
"You're ready."

The Pouncing Tiger was closed for the day, as it was every Tuesday. Tuesday was the day for training.
Onça knocked gently on the owner of Pouncing Tiger, Master Yam's door. On hearing the call to enter she stepped into the softly lighted room, gesturing for Chrissy and Meric to stay outside.
Master Yam was an elderly gentleman, but continued exercise and training had kept him lean and muscled, even in his advanced years. He had long since given up teaching or competing himself, leaving it to his four teachers and their chosen assistants to teach and to pick out those students ready to compete.
He had originally only intended to take on three teachers, but his fourth had fallen into his hands, leaving him no other sensible choice. And fallen rather more literally than most, Onça had dropped to his side from a four story building, leaving him to try and explain the unexplainable as she fought off two attackers. Offering the girl sanctuary he had hidden her away in his dojo until the other men had moved on. It seemed only decent that he would offer this girl training and, when she was old enough, a teaching place at the dojo. And she had proved worth the investment, although finding her an assistant was proving a chore.
"Onça, what happened to Thomas?" He asked as she entered.
"He was unsuitable. He was arrogant and he disturbed the classes." He sighed loudly.
"The others all have perfectly good assistants. They are all in training all over the city. And you are still here, training alone or with 'unsuitable' companions. Why can't you find someone to last at least more than a month?"
"I believe I have found someone now."
"So quickly? Who?"
"She is not in our classes."
"Really?" The eyebrow went up. "Will you allow me to test her?"
"I thought you might like to." Stepping outside to call Chrissy in, asking Meric to wait outside a little longer, Onça offered Chrissy a reassuring smile as she moved to stand before the master.
"Your name miss?"
"Chrissy, sir."
"I assume Onça has prepared you for what I'm going to ask you to do?"
"Yes."
"Good. I will be calling out a sequence of actions. I will expect them carried out in the right style with the right inflections and with the appropriate linking movements. Understood?" A nod. "Very well. Take your stance."

Several minutes later Yam nodded his approval. "You are fast, good reflexes, sharp clean movements. I approve Onça. She is much Thomas' superior. I see the fire that burns in you present in her eyes. I would see you train together in the dojo, when you are ready. Tomorrow, Chrissy, you will join Onça's classes." Grinning, Onça thanked the master and headed out into the main dojo, taking the other two with her. Flicking on the lights for the large room, Onça frowned as an unfamiliar figure carrying a child was revealed in the doorway.