"Two weeks?"

Shen kicked Wai's desk in frustration. "I brought back your son and now you tell me the repairs will take two weeks?"

Wai shrugged as he pulled Shen's lance off of a rack in the back of the room. "I'm sorry Shen, but there are other projects I must attend to. Tools break all the time, and I need to fix them. Weapons are the last things on my to-do list."

Shen tried to lower his talon, but it hooked onto a leg of the desk. He tried to pull it off with his wing to no avail. Wai looked over at the desk and cocked his head. "Why do you wear those?" Shen's talon finally separated from the desk, which sent him tumbling backwards.

"That," he said as he re-arranged his crest, "is none of your concern."

Wai brought Shen's lance over and laid it on a nearby table. "Come here, Shen." Shen twisted his head around and saw that his train was covered in dirt. He gasped and tried to tuck as much of it into his robe as possible before arriving at the table. "Now Shen," Wai said as he gestured to the bent spearhead. "I am going to have to build an entirely new spearhead. There are several des—"

"Unacceptable."

Wai's eyes widened with disbelief. "Shen, it just can't be done in two weeks! I would need at least three weeks to repair this alone, not even counting your other weapons."

Shen snaked around the table with lightning speed. Wai backed away several steps, unsure as to what the white peacock was doing.

Shen rushed up to Wai and whispered in his ear "How many of your fellow villagers offered to find your son?"

Wai looked down and took a deep breath. "None."

Shen looked out the window and slowly shook his head. "It sickens me, Wai, it truly does. That they are too busy going about their day-to-day lives to help find your son just pierces what's left of my heart."

Wai raised his hand. "Now just wait one minute. I have lived in this village my entire life, and I have never been wronged by anyone here."

Shen started laughing and closed the window. "Sometimes I feel as though you commoners don't understand subtlety. You may feel as though you haven't been wronged, but in reality you are being played for a fool." He picked up one of his throwing knives and threw it at the wall, cutting a string that was holding a painting on the wall. "Hmm. Superb shot, if I do say so myself."

Wai pulled the knife out of the wall and put it back on the table. "Shen, how am I being fooled?"

Shen smiled and put his wings together. "They are parasites, Wai."

Wai scratched his head. "What's a parasite?"

Shen looked down and sighed. "A parasite is a creature that feeds off of someone, takes advantage of them," He grabbed another knife and threw it. "And they do nothing in return. These villagers want to keep you alive for as long as possible, as they feed off of you." Shen drew his sword and thrust it into the table. "And these are the ones you are putting ahead of me? I saved your son, not them!"

Wai leaned against the wall and sighed. "Shen, I just . . . I just don't know. I gotta think about."

Shen's pleasant expression quickly changed to an angry scowl. "I can see that this rather simple problem will time take for you to solve. I will leave you to your pondering; come to me when you reach a decision." He pulled his sword out of the table. "Let us hope it is the right one."

Shen stomped out the door and into the center of the village. "There is a reason why wolves do not rule China," he muttered to himself. Shen started to walk towards Buwei's house but he stopped and looked over at a nearby shop. Inside was a small counter and display case. The sign was bland and the paint was unremarkable, but something in the shop caught Shen's eye. Hanging in the window was a very well-made white robe. Shen rushed over and felt the silk with his wings. He looked around before slowly pulling the robe off its hanger.

"Can I help you?"

Shen jumped and quickly put the robe back on its hanger. "It was falling!" he said. He looked to his left and saw a sheep. "Is this your shop?"

The sheep nodded her head. Shen relaxed himself and finished arranging the robe. "I was wondering if this was for sale."

The sheep pulled the robe off the hanger and examined it. "Yes, it is. It costs forty Yuan." Shen's beak hung open in shock. "F-f-f-forty Yuan? That's ridiculous!"

The sheep shrugged and put the robe back on the hanger. "You have to understand; that robe is made wi—"

"With the finest silk in all the land?"

"Yes."

Shen clasped his wings together and looked at the village. "I was simply surprised at the price of the robe." He reached inside his robe, pulled out five coins, and placed them on a nearby table. "Consider this an investment. I must return to my house and collect the remaining funds."

The sheep took the coins and placed them in a small box sitting on a desk. "I will hold the robe until you get back."

Shen walked out into the village and stood next to a small building. He peered around the corner and saw a rabbit coming. Shen pulled his head back and extended his metal talons. When the rabbit turned the corner, he quickly stuck out his talon and tripped him.

Shen rushed over to the rabbit and held his wing out. "Oh my! I am sooo sorry! Let me help you up."

The rabbit grabbed the wing and Shen pulled him up. He quickly dusted the rabbit off. "Uh…thanks?" the rabbit said.

Shen laughed and put on a cheery smile. "Oh, think nothing of it! I'm only trying to help." The rabbit stared at Shen for a minute before moving on. Shen moved into the shadow of the building and counted the coins he now held in his wing. "Perfect!" He put the coins in his robe and headed back towards the clothing shop.

Shen walked out of the shop with a devious smile. "I could have stolen one of these buildings and they wouldn't have noticed, unaware fools."

He traveled through the market area and towards the river. He almost made it to Buwei's house when he heard someone yelling. Shen turned to his left and started shaking. He saw his cousin Lu shoving a white peacock into the mud and this time he was determined to take action.

Shen drew his sword and ran towards him. He jumped over the white peacock and thrust the sword within an inch of Lu's face. "Listen to me you fool," Shen hissed. "If you ever try to harm me again, I will cut off your legs and dump you in the Babylonian desert where the vultures will feast upon your still beating heart. Is that clear?"

Lu stood there for several seconds before splitting in half to form two small pigs, who ran away crying. Shen looked around in disbelief. "But I…he was right here…"

He turned around to face his young self, but instead he saw Xin. "Thanks, Shen," she said.

Shen let his wings hang down. "Little peahen, why are you covered in mud?"

Xin started wiping the mud off of her robe. "Those kids like to bully me all the time! My dad always says to ignore them, but it doesn't work!"

Shen put his sword back into his robe. "Well, it sounds like your father is—"

"Please don't tell me you agree with him," Xin interrupted.

"I was going to say your father is a fool." Shen looked towards the mountain. The sun was disappearing behind it. "It is getting late, so I must return to your—"

Shen stopped abruptly and looked down at his robe. It was getting covered in mud from Xin shaking the mud off her wings. He looked at Xin with a blank expression. He looked at his robe again and started wobbling. "That…c-c-cost…f-f-f-forty…Yuan…oh my." Shen started to lose his balance and he fell to the ground. Xin looked for anyone who may have seen Shen fall. She started to drag him back to the house.

"Dad is going to kill me."

Insert babbling author's note here

Those berries must've really done a number on Shen. That's why you don't pick random berries when in a forest.

Remember, only YOU can prevent hallucinations.

I hope to have chapter 7 done by sunday. It'll probably be the longest, most dialogue-filled chapter yet. I'm exited!

Hope you enjoyed it!