CHAPTER TWO

HEADING TO OLD DESTINATIONS

KAI DOESN'T LIKE WATER

AND OLD ENEMIES COME BACK

In wake of recent events the Emperor and Kai set out to find Sky and Dawn Star. Not knowing how Tien's Landing will look after 5 years the heroes set foot in familiar but strange turf.

Tien's Landing was visible off in the distance. The crisp purple sky of the night covered the earth like a blanket from the heavens. It had been over 5 years since Ming had been there, and Kai had never left the Imperial City. The dragonfly loudly roared through the peaceful sky.

"I thought it would be bigger," Kai said looking out to the dam which Ming closed 5 years prior. "Don't you think it to be wise to disguise yourself, like your name?"

"Good thinking Kai."

There was an awkward silence following that awkward conversation. Which seemed to take a hour to be broken by Kai's voice once more.

"Hey, do you ever think that the hardest things in life are just the gods' way of testing us to see if we can handle more difficult things to come."

"Kai, you should have been a scholar. And yes, yes I do."

"Then our life is nothing but a test. Depending on what you get on it determines your position on the great wheel."

"You think to much. Thinking can sometimes be bad you know. A good friend once told me a story about rats blowing up a monastery and monks going crazy because the thought to much. Or I think that's how it went. I could barely understand the drunken lummox."

"Black Whirlwind?"

"Who else." They joined together in laughter which quickly faded to silence. Nobody talked as the Dragonfly quickly was losing altitude. The craft shook violently flipping over as Ming attempted the landing. There was nothing he could do. The craft plummeted into the earth like a great meteor, shaking the town alive. The ejected duo lay motionless on the ground.

"You there wake up."

Ming and Kai's eyes fluttered open. There was a woman. No two women. Two beautiful women. It had been a while since Kai had last seen a beautiful woman. At the school there were mostly boys; the girls there were too, well fierce. One of Kai's best women students name was Xahio Ji. A beauty we would compare to a princess. But, she had the attitude of an elephant demon. He always kidded she was actually an elephant demon in disguise. She had earned the position of fourth sister(instead of brother) in twenty-seven months. It had taken Kai four years to reach that position. Their eyes fluttered again. They felt weightless. They went to sleep.

Ming woke up inside a wooden hut, naked. The smell of seafood filled the house. All kinds of fish and sea spices. It smelled better than incense to someone who hadn't eaten in a day. Ming curiously searched the vacant house in vain. Nobody was there.

"Kai!" the Emperor shouted. "Kai. Where are my clothes Kai?" there was now worry in his voice. "Kai, stop playing your little games. Your not at your little preschool anymore." Ming would get no response but a small creak sounding from rats pushing wood bards together. Ming ran to the door, the door swung open. Making Ming run into the door.

"Come on boy get up!"

Ming rose to his feet and covered himself up to the women.

"Your friend over there" the women pointed to Kai. "He got you these." the lady shut the door behind her, leaving a light hard-red, uniform. No matter what it looked like it was better then being naked.

Ming looked into the mirror, taking a double-take to realize who he looked like. Silk Fox, but a red Silk Fox. He reached for the straps to take it off, but suddenly stopped, and walked to the door.

The door swung open to the right granting the sun a moment to write itself on the floor of the house. Quickly ending by doors slam into frame.

"Kai, come here." Ming made his presence known. With his strong voice., and chiseled body.

Kai immediately left his table, leaving the two women behind.

"How long have I been asleep." Ming Inquired

"You've slept for a over five days."

"What have you been doing, Kai? What have you been doing for five days?" the emperors face was still unpleased.

"Well I have been talking to these girls mostly. They've been a bit lonely lately, so I've basically done nothing for our mission at all." Kai laughed sarcastically.

"Your lucky you were lying about that." they laughed together.

"I have found us a boat and you some new clothes." Kai finally got serious.

"Who's boat?"

"Those two women seem to have one. Their husbands died and left them a boat. The one sitting down name is Lyn. The other is Zhen."

Lyn came up and greeted the two men then went to her seat on the fountain. As all the others' eyes followed, and in turn there bodies. Kai sat to the left on the recently add fox fountain. The fox fountain was a gift from the Forest Shadow to the land which lead her hero to her. The epic battle between demons versus fox spirits in the heavens, and cannibals versus man in the caves, to the last battle between the hero and the mother. All of the battle scenes were engraved into the circular base of the fountain. Ming new those battles well, perhaps to well. Ming also knew this spot. It was Minister Sheng's office. Who had long been demoted to Tien's Landing. Sheng had supposedly vanished into thin air.

"Can you take us to the boats now?" Ming said desperately trying to make up time he loss due to his two day sleep.

"Do you not want to get better acquainted?" Lyn asked politely.

"There will be time for that on the boat."

"Follow us." Lyn commanded

The females lead the males down the steep hills of Tien's Landing. If not for the rocky hillside, traveling these hills would be impossible to accomplish, let alone they had a full day of sailing ahead of them. Kai and Ming headed straight to their cabins while Lyn and Zhen sailed the ship.

The Green Monkey was the ships name. Never the less the ship was not green. It was brown, boring, old, rickety, brown. It smelled worse than Black Whirlwind after coming back from one of his month long, bloodthirsty excursions.

They had their own little cabin to sleep or live in until they arrived at Sky's, then no more boat. Turns out that Kai is not one to travel with on water. Kai hadn't got much sleep but on the other hand, Ming just did slip into a two day coma.

"Kai what should I call myself?" Ming asked, breaking the silence.

"Huh?" Kai said with confusion which he plainly wore on his face

"Look at the scholar now. What good is a disguise if I use my name with it."

"O, how about…" Kai paused, "I got nothing. Sorry"

Kai laid down. Covering himself from the bitter autumn sea breeze that hummed through the holes on the ship. Hours passed but with the combined light of the full moon and the second sun, there would be no true night for a while.

"Kai I got it." Ming said with great excitement.

"What now?" Kai sleepily rose from his makeshift bed.

"A name. An alias."

"What?" yelled an angry Kai.

"I was just kidding go back to sleep." Ming said jokingly.

"Here, I got a name. Asshole who wakes people up before they are supposed to be waken up." Kai got back into his bed and tried to close his eyes. Ming mumbled ideas to himself keeping Kai awake. After close to an hour of this torture. Kai spoke up. "What's your favorite animal?"

"Animal?"

"Animal or creature" Kai confirmed

"Well the dragon."

"Where did you train?"

"Don't you know all this already?"

"Probably, now answer it.

"Well Dragon of Two River, let me sleep."

"Dragon of Two Rivers." Ming laughed. "That name sucks."

"It is far better then half the names you came up with while keeping me awake. How about Red Dragon?"

"I guess."

"Now let me sleep." Kai didn't look back as his head slammed against a rock on the ground. Gritting his teeth, Kai hid the pain, slowly falling back to sleep.

Ming pondered his new name in his head. 'Sounds like the name i took up at the Arena in the Imperial city. Silver Phoenix. Red Dragon was a decent name but might intimidate an old baker or a skinny bun master. There is still time to change my mind. Having three or four names never hurt anybody. The Red Dragon. Not bad but I don't like it. Maybe a more gentle name. Sasuka. Yes, the name of a ambassador I met from across the Glass sea. With what title though. Master perhaps. Why not. Master Sasuka was to be my name from now on.'

The first sun takes place of the full moon

There was still two suns burning in the sky. One to the east and the palace to the north. The crisp blue sky with a yellow sun and a red sun. Each day was another reminder of Ming's failure to rescue his wife. When Kai finally woke up, he walked past the brooms and canons, dragon powder too, and greeted the Emperor with a bow.

"Beautiful isn't it? This was all dry the first time I came through here." Ming continued looking out to the water but still acknowledging Kai's presence.

"It is." Kai responded looking out to the waters reflection of the landside. "Trees, clouds, hills, they all are perfectly clear. It is like staring into a mirror. It's reflecting the majesty of the heavens."

"Kai, from now on in public you will address me as Master Sasuka." Changing the tone of the conversation.

"Uh, ok." Kai said confused again. "If that's the name you want. I still like Red Dragon."

The wood creaked as he feet of Lyn and Zhen approached the men on the port side.

"Ming," Lyn said charmingly. "You don't remember ol' Sweet Poison Lyn? I am disappointed"

It had been five years but she did bare a resemblance to the Lyn, Ming met briefly in his time at the Arena.

"I have orders from the ones you seek to apprehend you." Lyn said

Lyn's hand shot forward making Ming retaliate. Ming's hand flew forward connecting with her neck, sending the poisoner flying back. Ming felt the wrath of Zhen's foot as she connect with his back twice. Ming rolled to the side.

"Kai, fight!" he ordered

Ming's hands and feet were nothing but blurs showing off his ability to mix styles. Kai put out his hand and summoned forth the power of the earth. Sending a wave towards zhen. Now petrified. Kai connected with her stomach several times before the spell wore off knocking her out.

"Lyn you are by yourself you can't win." Kai tried to prevent the fight.

Lyn unsheathed her poison blade, diving through the air. Ming easily side stepped the foolish attacks by Lyn. Lyn was struck by another palm, another hand, another foot. There was no defense to Ming's style. The boat rocked furiously with the movement of Ming. Kai summoned the power of fire sending an inferno towards the almost beaten Lyn. The rocking boat knocked Ming into the path of the incoming fire. The fireball sent Ming through the wood into the cabin. Zhen's found enough energy to kick the fool Kai down, pinning him with her powerful legs. Lyn walked through the burning hole in the wall to Ming. Ming's charred body lay motionless. Lyn turned and looked at the already restrained Kai.

Lyn crouched over Ming's body. She slapped Ming in the mouth to make it open. Dropping a pill into Ming's mouth.

AN: theres chapter two. how exciting! right haha. well i wrote it at 4am so yea.. review please