I do not own anything besides characters you do not recognize.
AN: Ages: Kenan (Shang Phoenix) 40, Alexandra 17, Liam 22
Characters from Tortall will appear in the 4th chapter, after the initiation in the 3rd, maybe in the 3rd if your lucky.
The Shang dormitories were located in a circular tower. The building was a modern marvel, virtually impenetrable to attack, not that many would be foolhardy enough to attack the shang school. The Tower was split in half with boys on one side and girls on another, each side had 30 rooms and a bathhouse on the second floor. At the very bottom of the tower, was the common room, which was covered in furniture from all over the world. It was in one of these big imported chairs that Alexandra sat it, staring at the fire for hours.
"Al! When did you get back?" "Well look what the cat dragged in." "I can't wait to see Liam's face when he sees her back." A group of bedraggled Trainees exclaimed at once.
Laughing openly, Al, went to give each of the boys a hug. They had all changed so much since she had last seen them. Especially her brunette friend Rudy, who had commented about the cat. The Rudy she remembered had been a scrawny beanpole with a big mouth, and legs that were too long for his body. Now the man that stood in front of her was a proud, well defined twenty year old with big sapphire eyes and a voice that was almost godly. The male that spoke first was probably the most similar to what she remembered. Adrian still had mouse brown hair and dreamers eyes. He was attractive when he was 16 and he was even more so at 19. But you could tell that though the years had been kind to him physically, he no more had the boyish innocence he once possessed. Finally Alexandra inspected the shortest boy. The blonde was maybe around 5'7 if that, but he could fly over the tallest men if he so desired. His acrobatics teachers had exclaimed that he must have springs in his feet or be part kangaroo to get as high as he does. Silently Al greeted all of her male friends except for one, Liam, who was out with his training master but was due back any day.
The foursome traded tales and adventures for the rest of the afternoon and through dinner until more trainees wandered into the common room greeting Al, and either claiming a chair or a lap. The group was small and the room could have easily accommodated 50 more people, but Shang was getting picky on who they let in to train. Alexandra looked around the room and could see friends that she had made over the past decade she'd lived in the tower. These people were her family, more so then her parents who sent her to Shang as an infant so they could care solely for their fief. A familiar voice pierced her thoughts and she was violently brought back to reality. Liam was home.
With a muffled yell she thrust herself from the chair and ran to hug her best friend. Wrapping her arms around the boy's neck she looked up into his face, and shivered when his cool green eyes met her fierce gray ones. She knew she didn't love him, but it felt damn good to be back in his arms. He was her best friend, he knew more about her then she did. Al stepped up on her tiptoes and began to whisper, "It's good to see you again Li... ymph," but was cut off by him pulling her down towards him, and then again by his mouth covering hers. Al put everything she had in that kiss; it was a homecoming, grounding, and a reconnection that made her veins sing in harmony. Al softly pulled away to breathe, "Well if all your kisses are going to be like that I may have to go away more often."
"Nice to see you to Al," Liam laughed. "Come on the others are staring at us." The two friends made their way back into the group, both red from the catcalls and hoots from their friends.
Smirking Liam sat down and pulled Al onto his lap, joining in on the conversation about training schedules and which sword types were the best. When in Shang, you live and breathe fighting and weaponry, nothing else. As the topic veered to Shang initiations Liam began to tense. Lifting Al up off of his lap he stood and silenced the room with a look.
"I have an announcement, well two actually. As the Shang Fox and I returned from training, he brought me to the council. He proposed that I be judged for initiation into Shang, and the elders approved that I could be tested." At this statement the room erupted into cheers, and whistles. It wasn't often that a trainee was recommended for initiation. Liam once again brought up his hand for silence, and paled slightly. "While I was there, another Shang master was also nominating a student, and the council also approved. The Shang Phoenix was the master and he asked me to tell Alexandra, that she has been approved to advance into initiation." This announcement was met with silence. It wasn't that Alexandra wasn't a good fighter or didn't deserve the honor, but it was unheard of for a trainee her age to be approved for initiation. The only other trainee approved at 17 had been Liam's older brother, Jon, and he had been killed within the year of receiving a Shan title.