Chapter 3- An Unlikely Pairing Part 1

"Great, so after hours of searching I could only find a rabbit to eat. I hate rabbits. I'll be glad when I never have to see another soddin' rabbit again." Dick Turpin, the quintessential English highwayman, grumbled as he started skinning his dinner. He was on the road to Yorkshire, on the run from the authorities for a crime or two, or three, he couldn't remember everything he'd done. To him, all the stealing and the killing was just a means to get by in 18th century England, if you weren't the son of an aristocrat, or you weren't foolhardy enough to join the navy, your best bet of striking it rich was to rob the rich a la Robin Hood, except the poor in this situation In need of gold, silver and all manner of jewellery was Turpin.

He was the best there was at what he did, unfortunately for him he couldn't avoid the law forever. After he had accidently killed one of his accomplices, some brave fool attempted to apprehend him, only to get a bullet between the eyes. Ever since then he had been on the run. Turpin had a good idea of what he would do, he would assume a new identity, the name John Palmer had always appealed to him, and he'd lay low for a few years, before attempting one last gig that would be sure to set him up for life. Until then, it would be the dales of Yorkshire for him, or so he thought. Tonight however he'd decided to spend a night in a cave just outside London, which would later aptly be named Turpin's cave.

After he had skinned the rabbit, he started a fire, using a piece of flint he carried around to set alight a few twigs. Turpin thought the cave was out of the way enough, especially as it was hidden away in the wild brush of the untamed English countryside, to avoid detection, besides; he had lost his pursuers miles back, there was not chance they'd find him. Once he'd cooked and eaten it, he stamped out the flames, before seeing to it that his horse, Black Bess, got some sleep. Just like her name, the horse was a black as the night sky, with a strong body that allowed her to carry her master for as long as he needed. Bess was like an extension of his own body, he couldn't bear to think of losing her. There was only one creature alive he cared about other than himself, and that was his horse. She'd saved him from many a precarious situation, though he hoped she wouldn't need to in the future.

And so, with night already upon him, Turpin laid down to get some sleep having made a makeshift bed out of decomposing leaves underneath him. It wasn't fancy, but for a man in his position it would have to do. He hadn't had a good night's sleep in weeks, compared to some of the other places he had rested for the night the cave he had found seemed heaven sent. Unfortunately for Turpin, he wouldn't be getting that good night's sleep he had been longing for.

As he was about to drift off, he could hear the unmistakable sound of footsteps outside the cave. Not wanting to take any chances, he cocked his gun that he always kept by his side, though he remained silent so he didn't draw attention to himself. As it was night-time, Turpin wasn't able to make out the figure entering the cave, though the intruder too hadn't realised that someone else was there. That was until they heard the grunt of Turpin's sleeping horse. Knowing that he was as good as found, he decided to take the initiative. Although feeling groggy form a lack of sleep, Turpin tried his best to search out for the trespasser, making sure his gun was in a position to fire if necessary. He could hear the person was getting closer, and so he readied his trigger finger, he thought to himself it was better to shoot and ask questions later than to wind up dead.

Now, unlike the person he was trying to get a shot on, he didn't have the luck of having vulpine eyes, and at the range they were at now, they could make out Turpin's figure in the dark. "Well well, what do we have here?" They said, deciding they would make first contact.

"I've got a gun, I'll shoot ya head off if ya not carefull!" he shouted back, although his attempt at intimidation would not work on who was now standing before him. Before he had a chance to react, the gun in his hand was knocked away by what looked like a giant sphere. The force of the hit was enough to knock him off his feet, though surprisingly Bess hadn't been awoken yet.

"Well, aren't you cute, thinking a mortal weapon could actually harm me." the intruder, who Turpin had identified as having a females voice, said.

"Look dear, I'm too tired for this crap right now. If you're gonna' take me in, then do it. If you gonna' kill me, do it already. I'm kinda' tired of all this running around anyway." Turpin replied, now massaging a bruise on his hand. He had quickly realised his gun would be useless against this foe, so he didn't attempt to search around for it. That didn't mean he had given up however, he was merely trying to buy some time to think of an escape route.

"From the sounds of it you're in the same position I'm in, what a coincidence. Tell me, where are we? And what year is this?"

"What kinda question is..."

"I'd appreciate if you answered the question, I'm not well known for my patience." she interrupted.

"It's seventeen-thirty-seven, and this is England. That good enough for ya?"

"Ohh, I've never been to England before, or the eighteenth century, though I can't say I've ever wanted to." She paused for a moment, trying to take in her current situation, before continuing. "I haven't introduced myself yet, my name is Da Ji. And you are?"

"Turpin, Dick Turpin. I would have said I'm sure you've heard of me, but you don't even seem to know where the hell you are."

"Yes well, it's been a long day. Now if you'll excuse me I'll be spending the night here, this should be a good enough hiding place, I doubt that boy will find me here." Turpin didn't understand her cryptic words, but he wasn't going to complain. If she truly wished to spend the night, at least it would give him an extra pair of eyes and ears to look out for trouble. And hell, he might even get to release some pent up some tension, after all it had been a long time, he thought.

"Well, go right ahead. I'm afraid this ain't no five star inn, but I'm sure it'll do for a fellow fugitive."

"Humph, what's that meant to mean. You think I'm not a lady of class, of elegance, of sty…" Da Ji stopped mid-sentence, thinking that she had heard something. "Human, did you hear anything?"

"Human, who ya calling… ah never mind, no I didn't hear anything. Your more jumpy than I am, and that's sayin' somethin' lady.

Not only were Da Ji's eyes better than Turpin's, but so were her ears. Although Turpin couldn't hear anything, Da Ji could make out the sounds of people talking, one of which sounded an awful lot like a mystic she knew. "How, how was he able to track me down all the way here. I travelled through time and space, and yet he's still been able to follow me." she whispered.

"Lady, are you on opium or something, cause if you are I want some." If he had been able to see her features, he most likely wouldn't have been asking that question, however his human eyes were too weak to make out much in the darkness.

"Shush! Do you always make this kind of racket when someone's looking for you?" Da Ji replied, despite her hushed tone Turpin could sense the irritation in her voice.

"Da Ji, I know you're in there, why don't you just come out and make this easier on the both of us. You know full well I have the power to extract you from this cave myself." A voice came from outside, and although Turipin had no idea who it belonged to, by the tone he thought the owner must have been an arrogant bastard, for the lack of a better term.

"Damn it." Da Ji whispered. "I don't think I have enough energy to teleport again."

"Telewha? I have no idea what you're saying half the time." Turpin said, sighing as he did.

"And who's that in there with you Da Ji, have you made another human friend already. As expected from a lesser demon like yourself, you always have to use a human."

"Who are you calling a lesser demon you little brat!" Da Ji blurted out, before covering her mouth with her hands. She had said to herself that she would not let Taigong Wang rile her up again the day before, she was more than annoyed that she had already broken her promise to herself.

"Oh, so you are in there after all. Men, stay out here, I'll apprehend Da Ji myself." It being finally confirmed that Da Ji was indeed hiding out in the cave, Taigong Wang, fishing rod in hand, walked in by himself, fully confident that he could capture Da Ji by himself.

"Damn, I don't have a choice. Turpin darling, let's go."

"Wait, what?" Turpin replied, quite confused as to what was going on.

"You're not going anywhere Da Ji!" Taigong Wang shouted down the cave, now running to catch her before she had a chance to teleport again. Before he could get to them, Da Ji had grabbed Turpin's hand, created a quite unstable portal behind them, and jumped through, it closing just before Taigong Wang could get there.

"Sigh, so she escaped again." Taigong muttered to himself. "Mensa, would you track Da Ji's trail again for me, we must catch up to her as soon as possible." he shouted towards the entrance, Mensa hurriedly coming to his master's side, preparing a quick spell to help them locate Da Ji's whereabouts. She does not know it, but the fate of the world rests in her hands once more. It is a shame really, Taigong thought to himself.