A/N: Hello, fellow fanfics, and welcome to a brand-new chapter, so sit back and enjoy.
Disclaimer: Check the sign: I do not own Killer Instinct or Carrie.
The nightly veil draped over the sleeping world until a thin line of light peeked from the horizon. Near a cottage in the hills, Jago sat on top of a boulder, conducting his morning prayer. The cool summer breeze swept by him, but he remained in his position. He opened his eyes, viewing the sun bathing the wooded mountains. Wispy clouds emitted a crisp outline as they drifted. He sensed Pemba approaching him but did not glance in her direction.
*"Śubha - prabhāta. Kē tapā'īṁ cisō hunuhunna jaba tapā'īṁ āphnō prārthanā sanskārakō lāgi bāhira ā'um̐nuhuncha? (Good morning. Aren't you cold when you come out for your prayer rite?)" Pemba said.
*"Ma pahāḍamā dhērai samayasam'ma basēṁ, tyasailē mailē chām̐ṭakām̐ṭa garēm̐. Kērī jāgr̥ta cha? (I've lived in the mountains for a long time, so I adapted. Is Carrie awake?)" Jago asked.
*"Hō, tara āmā prakr̥ti uhām̐lā'ī bhēṭna galata samaya chānnubhayō. (Yes, but Mother Nature picked the wrong time to visit her.)"
*"Prakr̥ti mātā? Tapā'īṁ kē hunuhuncha... Ōha, tyō.(Mother Nature? What are you...oh, that.)"
*"Yō bēkāra cha, tara yasalē tapā'īnlā'ī kyārīkō lāgi praśikṣaṇa praṇālīkō yōjanā banā'una samaya kinnubhayō. Bihānakō khājā pachi hāmī tātō spri tomā ga'irahēkā chauṁ. Tapā'īṁ pani ā'unu parcha. Yasalē tapā'īṅkō dimāga khālī garna maddata gardacha. (It sucks, but it bought you time to plan a training regime for Carrie. We're going to the hot springs after breakfast. You should come too. It might help clear your mind.)"
Carrie, Pemba, and Jago trekked a small path in the forest, heading to the warm springs. Taking the form of a bay Tibetan pony, Pemba carried an ill Carrie on her back. Carrie groaned as the cramps wreaked havoc inside her body. She gripped so hard on the pony's mane that Pemba gritted her teeth.
"Easy. You'll rip out my hair," Pemba said.
"Sorry. These cramps hurt so much," Carrie said.
Jago stroked Carrie's back. "Don't worry. You'll feel better once we arrive at the springs."
Reaching their stop, Jago hoisted Carrie from Pemba, who reverted to human form. They crossed a bridge and arrived at a series of buildings with steam lingering in large ponds. Pemba and Carrie headed to a bathhouse while Jago departed to the outside lakes.
The two women approached a pool with sunlight piercing through the windows. Pemba removed her clothing and set them neatly in a corner. Carrie shifted away from her.
"What's wrong?" Pemba asked.
"I'm not supposed to look at a woman's body, for it evokes lust-filled images."
Pemba furrowed her brows. Jago had informed her how Carrie's mother swayed the girl into believing the world was a place of sin. "You shouldn't be ashamed. We're women."
Carrie remained unsure until a slight yelp escaped her and clutched her stomach. She stripped away from her clothes. They dipped into the pool, wading until they were chest-deep. As the minutes passed, the water's healing effects tamed the menstrual convulsions.
"Are you feeling better?" Pemba asked.
"Yes." Carrie sighed as she got into a calm position. "Thanks for bringing me here. I needed this."
"I couldn't stand to let you suffer from Mother Nature."
"Why did my period have to come?"
"Us women cannot stop the cycle. Besides, Jago hasn't planned a training schedule for you yet."
Jago bathed in one of the outside hot springs, reflecting on finding more information behind telekinesis until a shout grabbed his attention. Children jogged towards a traveling bookseller driving a horse-drawn cart. The man pulled on the reins, bringing the dust-colored pony to a halt. While the bookseller served his patrons, the pony strolled towards Jago, who extended his arm. The pony placed its narrow snout against his hand.
*"Malā'ī māpha garnuhōs yadi mērō pōnīlē timīlā'ī vicalita tulyāyō bhanē. (Forgive me if my pony disturbed you)," the bookseller said.
*"Ṭhika cha. Tapā'īlē bēcirahanu bha'ēkō kitābakā bārē ma utsuka chu. (It's okay. I'm curious about the books you're selling)," Jago said.
*"Aha, ra jasamā yasalē tapā'īṅkō muṭu sāmagrī banā'um̐cha?(Ah, and to which that makes your heart content?)"
*"Tapā'īṁ malā'ī cakita pārna saknuhuncha. (You can surprise me.)"
The bookseller hopped on the wagon, picked several books, and lay them at the edge of the hot spring.
Jago scanned at each book until he spotted one involving yoga. *"Ma yō kinchu. (I'll buy this one.)"
*"Utkr̥ṣṭa chanauṭa. Kēhi arū juna tapā'īlā'ī rūci cha? (Excellent choice. Anything else that interests you?)"
*"Kē tapā'īnsam̐ga samāvēśa pustakaharū chan... Tapā'īṅkō dimāgamā cījaharū sārnē?(Do you have books involving...moving things with your mind?)"
*"Ṭēlikinēsisamā jastai? Ham'ma, malā'ī jām̐ca garnuhōs. (As in telekinesis? Hm, let me check.)" The bookseller sprang on the cart and searched. "Kuna kurālē tapā'īnlā'ī tyasatarpha ākarṣita garyō?(What drew you to that?)"*
*"Mērō kāraṇa mērō āphnai hō. (My reasons are my own.)"
*"N'yāyasaṅgata. Ēka advitīya śakti juna ēka hō. Mam̐ gardina... Pratīkṣā garnuhōs. (Fair enough. A unique power that one is. I don't...wait.)" The bookseller reached into his robe and revealed a maroon book. *"Yō tapā'im̐ cāsō garnu parcha. (This should interest you.)"
Jago opened the book and flipped through a few pages. *"Hō, yasalē garcha. Yō yōga pustakakō sāthamā kati cha? (Yes, this will do. How much is it, along with the yoga book?)"
*"Tinīharū maham̐gō chan, tara kinabhanē tapā'īṁ mānisa hunuhuncha ki pustakaharū cincha, ma mūlyakō 50% khōlchu. (They're expensive, but because you're a man that knows books, I'll knock off 50% of the price.)"
*"Tapā'īnsam̐ga ē'uṭā samjhautā cha. (You have a deal.)"
Refreshed from the springs, Pemba, Carrie, and Jago returned to the cabin. In his guest room, Jago wrote notes in his journal from the maroon book. He flipped to the next page, where a lotus symbol etched below the writing. He traced the lotus design, reminding him of a fellow competitor from the tournament.
Orchid...
He recalled when Orchid mentioned she could summon a fiery beast at will. He was unsure if telekinesis and Orchid's ability connected through emotions, but it sparked ideas and wrote them on paper.
Darkness ruled the land with an iron fist but would soon retreat from the sun's arrival. Jago stepped outside, sat on the boulder, and conducted his morning service until he sensed a presence. Carrie sat next to him, doing a morning prayer of her own. It was unusual for Carrie to be outside with him, but he did not mind and resumed.
With night ending, the line of light grew-a signal for Jago to finish his prayer. He placed his hand on Carrie's shoulder. She opened her eyes, observing the coming dawn.
"Are you ready?" Jago asked.
Carrie breathed in the morning air before she replied, "Yes, I am."
After breakfast, Carrie, Jago, and Pemba arrived at a clearing far from the town, with a flowing river. Carrie and Jago were on opposite sides while Pemba perched on a flat rock. Butterflies fluttered inside her stomach.
"You referred to your power as a curse, but with training, we'll make it something greater. The first thing we'll do is warmup workouts, and after that, we start with basic fighting skills," Jago said.
"You're teaching me to fight?" Carrie said. "How will it help me control my powers?"
"For you to embrace your powers, you must be more robust-both in mind and body. With it, you can create endless options in terms of attack or defense, and having fighting skills can act as a backup if you cannot access your gift. I understand you don't want to hurt another being, but you might not have a choice. I'm sure you can attest to that when I told you what happened to my opponent at the Tiger Shrine."
Carrie fell silent, recalling that story. She figured Jago hated killing or hurting others as much as she did.
"Apart from basic fighting skills, I'll also set you into a series of tasks-both physical and mental-and how to conquer them," Jago continued. "We'll start slow, and as time goes by, you'll learn to do things yourself. Let's begin."
The first ten minutes started with warmup stretches. Then, Jago showed Carrie how to use one's hands and feet as part of physical combat. He did it slowly so Carrie could observe and do the same. Over the next several hours, Jago set Carrie on tasks to challenge her from scaling a steep hill to sensing the environment until they stopped for a break.
"This could be a while," Pemba said. "She'll be complaining, not to mention sore too."
"I expected it, but I have faith in her," Jago said.
ARIA sat in her office at the Pinnacle, surveying Carrie's training through the drone. With Cinder's warning of Jago bringing Carrie to Orchid echoing in her cloud-mind, she typed the directives for the Stalkers:
"ATTACK ENEMIES OF ULTRATECH. SECURE CARRIE WHITE."
A/N: Through training, Carrie gets stronger, but will it be enough when Ultratech makes its move? Time to let my brain rest, so I'll see you later.
*Translations in Nepalese