Disclaimer: I do not own Jing. I do own Maeris.
A/N: Welcome to the FIFTH chapter of Becoming a Bandit where Maeris, Jing, and Kir head to the city of Adonis in search of a delectable treasure. So, without further ado, I turn it over to my bandit girl. Enjoy!
"I never knew jungles could be so big," muttered Maeris as they plodded along. "How much longer until we reach Adonis?"
"You're in an awfully big hurry," Jing noted, glancing over his shoulder at her. "I thought you'd like to take your time since this is your first jungle."
"I would if I could stop and soak my feet for a few minutes," admitted Mae.
"It's your lucky day then," Jing told her. "I can see a hot spring up ahead. You'll be able to soak your sore feet there."
"A hot spring? In a jungle?" said Mae, raising a golden eyebrow in disbelief as they made their way into a clearing where there was indeed a hot spring. The only problem was… "Hold on. There's only one bath."
"Yeah, there is," agreed Jing. "And all of its current inhabitants appear to be male."
Maeris groaned. "Perfect. Looks like I won't be soaking my feet, after all."
"Not necessarily," argued Jing, thoughtfully. "If we can get the others to cover themselves down there, would you be alright?"
That doesn't sound too bad, mused Maeris. I'd keep my bra and underwear on for a bathing suit too. "That works for me."
Jing grinned. "Awesome. Let me go talk to the others first."
Mae grinned back as the Bandit King and Kir headed over to the hot spring. The preteen girl then went behind a nearby tree and took off her gloves, jacket, tank top, shorts, boots, whip, and sunglasses. Now that I'm doing this, I'm feeling a little self-conscious. Mom would freak if she could see me now.
"Come on, Maeris," called Jing. "The water's amazing!"
Don't chicken out now, Maeris. It's not like you're completely naked. Go join the boys and relax your aching feet, Maeris told herself. The girl took a deep breath and walked over to the bath. She got in next to Jing and sighed contentedly as the water encircled her. "So good!"
"Right?" agreed Jing, staring at her out of the corner of his eye. Mae had tilted her head back. Her long golden hair floated around her and her blue eyes were closed. She's something else. It's almost as if I found a treasure I didn't know I'd been looking for.
"Thank goodness you are here, beautiful Maeris!" declared Kir. "Otherwise there would only be ugly men."
"I didn't get in here for you bird," Mae responded without opening her eyes. "But man am I glad I did."
"Excuse me," interjected an older gentleman with a mustache, wading over to them. "But do you have any dried plums?"
Kir grumbled and disappeared under the water.
"Oh, don't be so dramatic," murmured Maeris.
"By the way, I haven't seen you guys around here before," said the man. "Where are you headed?"
"Adonis," Jing informed him.
"Don't kid around," the man advised. "That town is under the control of the Demon of Time."
"'The Demon of Time'?" echoed Mae, opening her eyes.
The man nodded. "Anyone who enters that town is forced to adhere to an extremely strict time code. They are under the constant pressure and restraint of time, and never allowed even a second to relax or complain."
"Can you take us there?" asked Jing. The man agreed and the Bandit King turned to Maeris with a meaningful look.
Mae sighed. "I know. My soak time is over."
"Maybe we'll find another hot spring in the next jungle we go through," Jing teased her with shining dark eyes as they got out of the water and dressed. The trio then followed the man to a ledge overlooking the city of Adonis which laid near a humongous hourglass and had an eye-catching red clock tower.
"Is that the Demon of Time?" inquired Maeris, standing on the edge of the ledge with Jing and pointing at the tower.
"The Demon of Time is just a myth used to describe their horrible situation," explained the man. "That is the Clock Tower."
"Interesting," remarked Jing as he and Mae made their way down to the city. "This should be fun."
"Sounds like it," concurred Mae.
"Wait a minute!" called the man. "I must warn you against going to that town!"
"That town holds the legendary Grapes of Time, doesn't it?" said Jing, staring back at the man. "We want to taste their sweet nectar."
"You can't be serious!" retorted the man. "That's not something they walk around selling in the streets!"
"We know," Mae assured him.
Jing nodded. "We wouldn't expect anything less."
The bandits proceeded on their way and reached the city's gate where a familiar face was stuck outside.
"Hey, I didn't know you made deliveries all the way out here," Jing greeted Postino.
"I never did before," Postino informed them. "I've been trying to get through, but they're always closed up. I guess I'll have to try again tomorrow. Oh, that's right. I should tell you not to approach the hourglass. In that area, the flow of time is incredibly fast."
Jing and Mae stared at the hourglass then at each other. The Bandit King returned his attention to Postino and inclined his head. "We understand."
Postino smiled and rode away. The trio watched him go before they strode up to the gate.
"Well, here we are," remarked Jing.
"I'm going to scope it out first," declared Kir.
"Send us a postcard when you get there, okay?" said Jing as the albatross flew away but was struck by flying clock parts and fell to the ground in front of them. "What happened? They don't sell stamps over there?"
"Though they seem to have plenty of clock pieces. Guess we're going to have to find another way in," figured Mae.
"You are exactly two hours, thirty-seven minutes, and twenty-nine seconds past the time we stopped allowing visitors for the day," proclaimed a large man with gigantic clock gears attached to his arms as he leapt down from the top of the gate, making the ground shake. The giant grinned and crossed his arms over his chest.
"I thought you were just a statue," stated Jing, calmly.
Mae nodded. "You blended right in with the rest of the gaudy architecture."
"I was simply posing as a statue in order to secretly observe you," the guard informed them.
"We can make no exceptions!" added an identical guard. "If you are even one second late, we cannot allow you to enter!"
"That doesn't pertain to us though," argued Jing. "We're going to go ahead if you don't mind."
The guards held two thorny vines between them and swung them up and down to create a barrier. "Please, be our guest."
"Well, aren't you two gracious gentlemen?" said Mae, glancing at Jing. "See, this is how you treat a lady."
The Bandit King smirked. "Thanks for your permission, fellas."
"You'll soon be caught in our web," one guard warned as the trio slipped through unharmed. "How the hell?!"
"Did the Clock of Adonis never predict this intrusion?" wondered the other while the bandits passed through the gate.
"Hey guys, I'd hurry and close up if I were you," advised Jing. "You don't want just anyone walking through those gates, do you?"
"Five seconds!" growled the first guard. "No, I'll rip them apart in three seconds!"
"What was that you said about them knowing how to treat a lady?" inquired Jing as they dodged out of the way of the stampeding guards.
"What? You're not having fun?" responded Mae, smiling. The Bandit King smiled in return as the idiots crashed head-first into a building.
"You guys are too worried about time," opined Jing. "Go ahead and take as long as you need to rest after that one."
"Bye, boys. We should do this again sometime," said Mae.
"Now, what do you say we take a tour of this place?" proposed Jing as the sky began to darken.
"Gotta locate the grapes somehow," she agreed, and they moved about the city. "It sure is quiet around here."
"Yeah," replied Jing. "You did really well at the gate, by the way."
"Thanks," murmured Mae. "You're a good teacher."
"I know," Jing responded, grinning at her. Mae rolled her eyes and punched him in the arm. "Ow, you are dangerous."
"Oh, shut up," she muttered as they stopped in front of the Clock Tower.
"That's it," declared Jing. "They're in there."
"That does make the most sense," concurred Maeris.
"I wonder if it's the proper time to eat the special grapes," mused Jing.
"What's that?" said Kir suddenly as he looked down at a group of people who were gathered around a young girl laying beneath a swinging blade which gradually dropped closer to her exposed neck.
"I think it's a public execution," whispered Mae, staring at Jing with wide blue eyes. "We should go help her."
"Everyone! Don't close your eyes!" ordered a man wearing a black mask giving him the appearance of a bird.
"Mr. Executioner," interjected the girl. She had long purplish hair and light eyes which she opened to glare at the man. "Be careful not to cut my braids. Didn't Master Gear tell you not to cut my braids?"
"If you're not careful, I'll cut that busy tongue of yours into a thousand pieces!" the executioner promised
"She isn't afraid?" demanded Maeris. "What the hell is wrong with this city?!"
"Come on," said Jing as Kir destroyed the blade and the contraption it had been attached to. "Let's go find out."
They jumped down to the ground behind the shocked crowd.
"Is her crime being too beautiful?" inquired Kir from where he hovered next to the girl.
"You've got it all wrong," proclaimed the executioner. "She is being punished for the crime of tardiness."
"By tardiness, do you mean like being late to work or class?" asked Kir, striking the man on the head. "You must be joking! I don't have time for stupid jokes like this. Not even for one second!"
Kir looked around at the stone-faced crowd. "This is for real?"
"In this town, tardiness is the most serious of…," began a woman with brown hair before gasping and covering her mouth.
"Most serious of what?" demanded Kir.
"The most serious of crimes," answered an older man who had a long beard and wore glasses. "And this is what happens to those who…"
"Many hundreds have already been punished…," revealed another, younger man.
"Just for being late," completed a third man.
"But don't you see how ridiculous that is?" asked Mae as she and Jing pushed their way through the crowd. "No one should be punished with death because they were tardy!"
"That's…," started the woman.
"The rule here," finished the older man.
"Why are you guys trailing off?" inquired Jing. "Can't you complete a sentence?"
"It's the law," the third man explained. "We're not allowed to discuss it with any strangers."
"We're punished if we're more than five seconds late," said the second man.
"Why don't you protest the law?" suggested Jing.
"That is the worst crime in town and is always punished," the older man informed them.
"That's absurd!" exclaimed Mae.
Kir nodded. "It means I only have five seconds left to hit on this girl."
Maeris sighed. "That is not the issue here."
"For me it is," argued Kir as the crowd behind him parted and the albatross got zapped.
"Kir!" yelled Jing and Maeris as they spotted a man with long silver hair wearing black and purple armor riding a chariot where the crowd had broken apart.
"It's Master Gear," whispered one of the citizens.
"'Master Gear'?" repeated Jing.
"Time is money," stated Master Gear, stepping down from his ride whose puller had shocked Kir. "Who has committed this heinous crime and caused me to come all the way out here?!"
"If you don't want to exert yourself then don't create ridiculous rules," retorted Mae, bending down to check on Kir.
Master Gear glared at her with cold eyes before turning his attention to Jing. "For interrupting, you, your girlfriend, and your pet shall suffer the same fate."
Master Gear shot projectiles at Jing who blocked them with his hidden blade. "I see. That's enough for now. It shall read 'Killed for Being Late' on your tombstones, brats! Even if you are only a second late!"
"Go ahead and try," challenged Maeris, beginning to stand back up but was stopped by Kir. The bird placed his wing on her arm and shook his head.
"You got it wrong," Kir told Master Gear, rising into the air. "They're my pets! I'm the one in charge here."
"Kir," murmured Mae as the albatross attached himself to Jing's arm. The preteen girl smirked. "Guess you're not as bad as I thought."
"Well, let's go, Boss," said Jing to his partner. "Kir Royale!"
Maeris covered her head as the blast hit Master Gear who emerged unharmed and sneered at them. "No way. It didn't work?"
"These foolish games are a waste of time for me," proclaimed Master Gear. "Got it?! Sherry!"
A white light appeared from the tower and headed straight for them.
"I'm not sure what that is," admitted Kir as Mae stood and grabbed her whip. "But it sure is fast."
"Yeah," agreed Jing, glancing at Maeris. "Hold back for a second. I'm going to try and hit him with the Kir Royale again."
Mae nodded and stepped back.
Jing fired another royale, but the light got in front of Master Gear and blocked the blast. It then breathed fire from a head like a fox at them. The force of the creature's attack knocked Jing and Kir into the wall of a nearby building.
"Jing!" shouted Maeris, running over to him. "Are you okay?"
"She deflected the Kir Royale attack?!" The Bandit King noted in disbelief before gasping and hitting the ground face first.
"Jing!" cried Mae, dropping down next to him. "Hey! Wake up! Jing!"
"Hey, hey, you need a break already?" mocked Master Gear.
Mae leapt to her feet and spun around, whip in hand. "You want to pick on someone? How about me?"
"Mae, don't," said Jing from where he laid.
Master Gear laughed. "I have no desire to fight little girls. Step aside."
"No," refused Maeris. "I won't let you keep hurting him. Not while I'm here."
"Mae," murmured Jing. "He's too strong."
"I know," Maeris confirmed, keeping her eyes on Master Gear. "But I won't stand by and do nothing."
Master Gear stared at her silently for a few moments. "I suppose I can let you both walk out like that. I will have mercy on you, so I don't have to waste any more of my time. Never forget my benevolence!"
Sherry shone with a brilliant light and shot a blast at the trio who appeared to have vanished when the smoke cleared.
"Did we kill them?" wondered Master Gear.
"No, they simply ran away," one of his soldiers told him. "Master Gear, whoever they are, they defeated the gate guards earlier and forced their way into the city."
"I know," acknowledged Master Gear.
"We will begin a search, and capture them right away, sir!" announced the soldier, saluting him.
Meanwhile Jing, Maeris, and Kir were striving to remain undetected.
"Thank you, Jing, for saving me," whispered Mae as soldiers ran by them. "Even though you're hurt, and I was the one who was supposed to be protecting you."
"Don't worry about it, Mae," he assured her, flashing the girl a quick smile. "Besides, you helped distract him so we could get away."
"Still," insisted Mae as soldiers continued to charge by. The young bandit stared worriedly at Jing. "We need to find somewhere safe for you to recover."
"I'm fine, Maeris," he replied.
"Jing, you got blasted into a wall," Mae reminded him unnecessarily. She raised a gloved hand and touched the right side of the Bandit King's face. "At least let me take a look at it."
"You're relentless, you know that?" remarked Jing, gazing at her with shining dark eyes that made her heart race. "You could have gotten hurt yourself, standing up to Master Gear like that."
"Yeah, well, it was either try to fight him or watch you get killed," responded Mae as she once again felt a force pulling her towards him like it had when they stood in the golden shower. "And there was no way I was going to let that happen."
"You truly are something else, Mae," murmured Jing as they drew closer and closer to each other until-
A searchlight suddenly illuminated them. The bandits jumped apart and broke out in a run with Master Gear not far behind.
Damn, he's persistent, thought Maeris. There must be some way we can beat him and get those grapes, but what?
A/N: And there you have it! Until next time, read review and show the love!