AN. So we've skipped again and Tien is now 18. Almost in Canon! Yay! Enjoy! :D

Chapter Nineteen

It was the middle of the night. The sky was dark and moonless outside the window, as it had been for years now it seemed. Tien was sleeping in the bed, curled up on his side and snoring softly. Chiaotzu lay awake in a makeshift nest of blankets on the floor, his head pillowed on one hand as he stared up at the ceiling. He couldn't sleep, he wasn't sure why. He felt like he was on edge, some deep instinct jolting him awake whenever he managed to drift off.

He lifted his other hand and held it in front of his face. Even in the almost total darkness of the room his skin was visible, a faint white glimmer in the gloom. He was not built for stealth, that was for sure.

He heard footsteps outside and shot out of the blankets, moving backwards and floating above the bed. The door flew open, sweeping his blankets aside, and Tien jolted upright in bed. His head connected with Chiaotzu's foot hard and he fell back onto the mattress, one hand over his third eye as he cursed.

Chiaotzu flinched and murmured an apology as he flew slightly further away, allowing Tien enough space to sit up. The triclops did so and looked at the door, his third eye watering from the impact. Shen was standing there, his hands behind his back, his eyes covered as always with his dark glasses.

"How can we help, Master?" Tien asked. His voice showed no trace of the deep sleep he had been in just a moment before. Chiaotzu wasn't sure if this was a result of Shen coming through the door or accidentally being kicked in his third eye. Either one could have done it.

"I've been looking over other tournaments and I came across something…disturbing."

Tien and Chiaotzu exchanged the briefest of glances. They didn't know what that meant. Shen had never said anything so vague to them before, particularly not so early in the morning.

"Master?" Chiaotzu ventured cautiously. Shen didn't seem to be paying them any attention, despite having woken them specifically to tell them this information.

"That damned Turtle Hermit." Shen's hand lifted and then curled into a tight fist. "He's gone too far this time!"

"Turtle?" Tien asked quietly. He and Chiaotzu exchanged a slightly longer glance. They had never heard of a turtle hermit before.

"He is my oldest rival! Emphasis on the oldest." Shen smirked, then realising that his two students didn't get the joke, coughed into his hand and lifted his head. "His students did quite well in the last Tenkaichi Budokai, which is clearly some kind of joke! I will be entering you two as my prize pupils to the next Tenkaichi Budokai, that'll teach that damned Kame fool."

"Uh… Yes, Master?" Chiaotzu said.

"Whatever you want, Master," Tien added.

"Wonderful." Shen nodded once, then turned on his heel and left. The door swung shut behind him, the pile of blankets shoved to the side of the room the only sign it had been open at all.

There was a long silence, then Chiaotzu pressed his hands hard over his mouth and flew up into the corner of the room, trying to control a sudden burst of giggling. Tien looked up at him, rubbing his forehead again, his third eye closed.

You okay?

Chiaotzu tried to calm himself, but just erupted into giggles again, curling up into a ball in mid-air and shaking his head. Tien stretched up one hand and caught the telepath's ankle, pulling him down so he was sitting on the bed.

I don't get it. Tien's voice echoed in Chiaotzu's head and he tried to stop laughing long enough to explain.

He managed, but only just, his voice hitching with giggles that warped his words. "You kicked yourself in the face with my foot!" Tien blinked a couple of times, then an uncertain smile touched his lips. "And Master Shen coming in here at some ungodly hour to rant about turtles? I mean, have I gone mad?"

"Uh…Maybe?"

Chiaotzu looked at Tien and started laughing again, falling backwards and leaning against the wall, kicking his feet and holding his stomach as he laughed. Tien had not witnessed an outburst like this before; Chiaotzu was usually so good at keeping his emotions dampened, and blinked at the telepath blankly.

"I-it's n-not a…it's no…not a…" Chiaotzu's voice was overcome with giggles and he continued telepathically, It's not a real question, nii-san!

"Oh." Tien flushed a little, looking down. "Sorry."

Chiaotzu's laughter tapered off a little bit and he straightened, vaguely aware of a sore spot in his back where the corner of the window-sill had dug in.

"S'okay, Tien, it was just so bizarre. What was he going on about? Turtles and tournaments and rivals? He's never spoken of any rivals before?"

"Maybe it was a secret?" Tien offered, though he clearly didn't believe his own suggestion. "Or we're too lowly to know about it?"

Chiaotzu sent an incredulous look towards the triclops. "We're his best students," he said. "If we're too lowly than it really is a secret!"

Tien nodded thoughtfully. He rubbed the back of his head and shrugged.

"Dunno. It doesn't make any sense."

"Maybe he forgot until he saw the turtle hermit's name," Chiaotzu suggested. "Is that possible?"

"I thought a rival would be something you kept track of," Tien said, frowning. "You know, so if the chance comes up to beat them you don't miss it."

"Yeah that makes sense." There was a prolonged silence as they both tried to figure it out. Eventually Chiaotzu shrugged and leaned back against the wall again, shifting over so the windowsill wasn't digging into him. "Ah well, doesn't really matter. I guess we'll meet him at the next tournament, if he shows up."

"Why wouldn't he? If his students did so well last time then he's sure to enter them again." Tien lay back down, now rubbing at his left eye with his hand. "We'll see him there for sure. And then we'll crush their crappy Turtle school into dust."

Chiaotzu's smile fell away as he looked at Tien's smirking face. Any urge to laugh was squashed under the nervous energy which suddenly filled him. It itched at his skin, making him tremble and hug himself tightly, his arms wrapping tight around his own chest, his hands gripping the opposite shoulders. Tien clearly felt the movement because he lifted his head slightly, his eyes meeting Chiaotzu's in the dark.

"You okay?"

"Y-yes, nii-san," Chiaotzu said, offering a shaky smile. "Just tired, is all. G'night."

He lifted up and flew off the bed. Tien grabbed his arm at the last second and pulled him back, wrapping his other arm around so he was hugging Chiaotzu gently.

It's okay, little brother, he sent, his telepathic voice gentle. We can easily defeat any student of this 'Turtle School'.

Chiaotzu clenched his eyes shut, wrapping his arms tight around Tien's neck and trying to banish the trepidation filling him. How could he possibly tell his best friend that this was exactly what he was afraid of? How could he ever say that it was Tien's actions that made his nerves so frayed, his heart beat so fast, his mind shudder and quake with anxiety? He didn't think he could. There was no way to put that fear into words, at least not with his vocabulary. Instead he clung tight to Tien, hoping that the comfort the triclops bestowed would overcome the fear instilled by his words.

AN. Oh dearie me. Tien is not great at soothing Chiaotzu's fears because at this point he's still chaotic evil while Chiaotzu is more neutral-evil? I guess? Chaotic-neutral? I haven't played much DnD so forgive me for not getting that 100%. I hope you enjoyed. Anyway, please leave a review, seriously, it makes me so happy you have no idea! Even if you don't, I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you next chapter :)