Lola's POV

I was anxious about our trip to see the Panda King, we were sent to fetch explosives, although I was hoping to run into Jing King again and see how's she's doing.

When we arrived something seemed off it wasn't as bright or cheerful as I remembered and I noticed a few buried villages on the way here, no doubt involving the Panda King.

I know he's a criminal but he was like a mentor to me at some point and at the time I worked hard to gain his trust and respect and it's sad when someone you respect takes a wrong turn in their life.

But nevertheless I needed to retrieve those explosives. I wandered through the temples; I came across some monkeys standing on short posts practising with nunchucks.

Watching them reminded me of when I was practicing my balance and the Panda King had me stand on a small post over a freezing cold river.

I couldn't find any explosives or usable fireworks around although I was told there would be some set up that I could take, so I guess I have to find him or Jing King.

After climbing over a small wall I saw a few more places but my eyes were drawn to the giant statue, I used to sit out here with Jing King and we' share girl talk and things, it helped us both since there was no one around to talk to but each other.

I walked towards it and knocked on the door, I heard someone approach and start unbolting the door and fortunately it was Jing King.

"Lola, what are you doing here I haven't seen you in ages." She said greeting me with a hug.

"I missed you too, but I need to speak with the Panda King I was asked to collect some explosives from him." I said.

"Ah he mentioned someone collecting fireworks but I didn't know it was you, although sadly something has happened before you got here and father is injured, you see someone was sneaking round earlier and fought with father and the Panda King lost." She replied sadly.

"No, do you know who it was?" I asked.

"No but father does I'll take you to him but you'll have to keep your voice down he has a headache." She led the way.

We reached a small dojo style room where the Panda King was laying. I walked over to him and sat down beside him.

"Hi." I waved.

"Lola, what are you doing here?" He asked.

"I came to collect some explosives, by the way if you don't mind me asking, what happened?"

"I got into a fight with a member of that blasted Cooper clan; he came to collect his family's pages." He replied.

"Sly did this?" I asked surprised.

I knew Sly fought guards when he needed but I didn't think he'd do this to the Panda King.

"You know him?" the Panda king asked.

"He was that boyfriend I was always talking about, now ex-boyfriend. I'm sorry he did this." I said.

"Not your fault, anyway the explosives you are looking for are in the room down the hall, Jing King will take you, and it was nice seeing one of my students again." He said.

"Good seeing you too although something has been bothering me and I need answers, why are you doing this, I knew you were a thief and criminal but I never thought I would see you destroy homes out of revenge. You always taught me that there was a better way and whenever I became enraged you always told me the surest path was peace. I don't understand how this happened to you."

"Greed, power I became greater than those who shunned me and I withheld from this but the desire to show them what they missed became too strong." He replied.

"Well maybe you should try and get over it again use this new found power for a better cause than revenge, you should find your other self again." I replied as I got up to leave.

"It is a tempting offer." The panda King replied before becoming drowsy.

We left him to sleep and went down the hall.

We sat in the Panda King's office for a while I collected the explosives but I still wanted to catch up with Jing King before I left, she was telling me about her studies and how she plans to learn more about other cultures and their history and her training was going well. However there was a question hanging over her head and I was waiting for it.

"So Sly was the boyfriend you had, the one that fought father?" she asked.

"Yes but it's over now I haven't seen him since, now heard from him, although this isn't the first person I've met that ran into Cooper. I was in Mesa City and this criminal Muggshot was wounded from a fight with Sly. It's weird, I don't know what Sly's up to but I have a feeling our break up was involved."

"Do you still care for him?" She asked.

Jing King was a very sheltered person and she never loved anyone other than family and close friends which she had very little of. So she was always curious as to how other people deal in these situations.

"I don't know, I mean I still love him but I'm not sure if I'm still in love with him, Sly was a big part of my life, my first love, and you never forget your first love. But I don't know if there's anything worth holding onto past that."

"Well I'm sure in time you'll figure it out and if you still think of him by then, maybe that means there's something worth holding onto. But before you go I want to give you this, it was made for me a while ago and I was told it brings people joy but only when passed onto someone they care about, so I'd like you to have it as a gift." Jing King said.

She took off a very nice looking bracelet, it wasn't made of metal or diamonds it was handmade from small pieces of string all meshed together in a pretty pattern. I did feel pleased that I was chosen to have it and hugged Jing King Goodbye before I left.

I was going to miss China, so Bess and Penelope said we could hang around as they've never been before. We stopped in a few markets and wondered around looking at all the unique items.

Even in the snow the markets were packed and it made me think of another id been with Sly but a more meaningful one.

There was a special event in Paris during Christmas, my favourite time of the year, everything was bright and the lights contrasting with the dark sky looked amazing.

I also loved the atmosphere everyone gets in the Christmas spirit and it's the time where people start selling more on the markets and bringing in homemade cakes and pies for your Christmas dinner.

I was always excited during this time and as I was walking with Sly through the town I forced him to stop and look at everything festive.

We made the most of the festive season, but it always made me a little sad as Sly, Bentley and Murray were orphans, I may have no parents but at least I had a grandmother. I invited them to spend Christmas with me as everyone deserves to spend Christmas with family and people they love.

I was super excited as Christmas was fast approaching and wed be sitting by the tree in just a few days unwrapping gifts and having fun.

It ended like every date we had where we said goodbye at my door, Christmas was a busy year for the orphanage as many people decided to adopt children due to the generosity of this holiday so curfews were cut shorter.

Sly was always annoyed as him and the gang were nearly adults and nobody adopts teenagers, so he saw no reason to be needed back. But still at 9pm he dropped me off before returning home.

My house and the orphanage weren't far and during one of my local jobs near the orphanage that's when we met.

It started to get late and my grandmother was out visiting some of her friends that had been put in a home, she always liked to see them a few days before Christmas and give them gifts.

So I was stuck in the house alone, I figured I'd go to sleep but I was too excite for so I just lay awake in bed, that is until I heard a noise at my window.

I turned and jumped when I saw a figure at my window but soon I realised it was Sly I rushed to the window to open it and pulled him in.

He was cold from the snow and his face held a sheepish grin.

"What are you doing here shouldn't you be at the orphanage?" I asked.

"Its fine everyone's in bed and Bentley and Murray are covering for me. Besides I knew you'd be up it's nearly Christmas and you get all excited during the holidays" Sly said now shivering.

I pulled him towards the bed and wrapped cuddled him under the duvet to keep him warm.

"Where's your grandma?" Sly asked.

"Visiting her friends, god your freezing, you should have just stayed home." I said.

"But it's Christmas. Besides I'd rather be here with you." He said.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well I can't kiss and cuddle Bentley and Murray but I can to you." He replied.

He pulled me closer and we started kissing, he was still freezing but I didn't mind this time, I always felt like I needed Sly even when he was gone for a little while I missed him and I've never felt like this with anyone else.

Eventually we pulled away and realised it was getting late and Sly decided it was time to leave, but I didn't want him to go I wanted to stay close, I needed him.

I grabbed his arm.

"Don't go. Stay with me." I pleaded.

"But I have to go sometime." Sly said.

"Well go in the morning but I need you to stay, please don't leave." I cuddled his arm.

"Lola I'll come see you in the morning but I have to get back the guys are probably wondering where I am."

"Sly I need you to stay." I gave him a stern puppy dog look.

"Wait do you mean…"

I nodded meekly and pulled him back. That was the first night we spent together.

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at Jing King's bracelet while I moved through the crowds. Maybe I just needed time.

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