Con't III
The next day, Kenshi visited Aiko again after breakfast and when Jin returned to school. She brought out the same basket with any leftover scraps from the previous day's meal suited for the heart. But the telepath had other ideas in mind.
"You're not going to train solely this time. But rather, with the White Lotus Society."
Her face brightened, "Huh. Really. What's going on, do you have a change of plans?"
"Actually, yes. I was with Fujin earlier today; I'd decided to stop by after I left the Shirai Ryu. He suggested that with the Shaolin, you'd be more resistant to any repercussions emanating from the Matokan's land and build up your koherence. After all, there's safety in numbers. And I doubt any of us would be vulnerable. They say that they can be more powerful than an influence by a demon sorcerer."
"Sounds great to me!" Aiko beamed and nodded in affirmation.
"Ok, let's move." The talented swordsman activated his generator kreating a rip leading to the past pinpoint at the Wu Shi Academy.
They were brought to the epicenter of the square, where some cherry blossoms were starting to bud and rows of several warriors performed their warmup exercises, alternating positions of their legs after each lift. After several stomps from straight down to diagonally, the sequence was repeated with the other leg. Aiko followed with Kai and the other Shaolin simultaneously, and Fujin simply observed them.
They switched to straight punches with each arm as the Wind God directed them with a Chinese cry. After some alternations, the exercises were done.
He spoke in a crisp manner carrying over the open air, "Shaolin? I appreciate you all for attending this session. It is very much krucial without the presence of our fellow komrades, Raiden, Liu Kang, Nightwolf and Kung Lao. They had all gone to the Matokan's sacred land, as we all know. And Aiko was absent as Kenshi needed to train her personally. I would like you all to meet our fellow ally from the Outer World Investigation Agency, Kenshi."
He emerged from the krowd and some of the warriors actually cheered and applauded for him; Aiko kouldn't help but follow suit.
"Greetings and salvations to you all, warriors. I am Kenshi Takahashi, the skilled blind swordsman of the OIA. I have kome here personally as we have kritical business to discuss."
Fujin escorted the males and Aiko to their main quarters. In the spacious area where they often attended their meetings, they sat and surrounded their sensei located in the middle with the guest of honor.
"As you all know, we had been talking about the exotic drums of the Makeba, and how our little one, Aiko, has been affected by them." She sulked, feeling bad of her personal matters on how she'd been manipulated, although it wasn't as preachy as she thought. "Our klosest allies had drifted off to Northern America's eastern seaboard for some personal endeavors; however, tension has been hanging over us like an ominous kloud. Those drums kan hold some exotic and potent power, even to those sensitive to them.
"We believe that they had not only originated from Africa, the heart of the former singular kontinent, Pangea, so many eons ago, but also from the omnipresent frontier, the Makeba of Outworld."
Kai chimed in, "Yes. We think that they can be a powerful force manipulating anyone who's prone to them. And over the eons, their magic has grown proportionally less. But some with great authority like Konga can usurp with them."
"They can only influence those who're unfortunate enough to have them do their biddings." Kenshi added. "But those who're lucky are resistant. As a telepath, I am immune. Or simply to those who kan kounter these reactions by emanating soundwaves to kancel them, or those who don't hear, or who have an iron will to override their kommands."
"Our only kandidate who kan do this is Nightwolf." One monk mentioned.
"Yes, but for those aren't as masterful, how kan we resist their thralls?" Fujin queried.
"As a God, I'm certain YOU are resistant! Even Master Raiden." Kai replied. "But I guess, us mortals, we may have to tune them out."
"They may still subconsciously follow the leader. And they're often in large numbers." Kenshi intervened. "There must be a more effective strategy. Being in a group kould either be beneficial or against you depending on how infectious the user is."
"Perhaps emanate loud noises to take over the effect." Another monk spoke.
"Or...even koherence," Aiko said sheepishly.
Kenshi hesitated, "Koherence... That just might be krazy enough to work. Usually kineses koncern mind over matter, and hypnotism only affects the mind. But perhaps, the heart kould be the kounteract; the true kore of the soul lies within it, and it transfers neuro signals faster than the brain, not vice versa. Emotions take over your thought process, and with the heart and mind being in sync, we might still stand."
"Unless, perhaps, if we should make our own musical numbers."
"Kan... the Shaolin actually play, Fujin? Aside from the gong?" Aiko queried.
"Of kourse. Even I have my own instrument or two, a woodwind, and even my own voice. I hadn't sung in ages; I need some tuning."
"Yeah, Aiko's a decent singer too." Kai recalled all those fun segments whenever the Shaolin can attend Karaoke, which is very rare on account of konstant, vigorous training.
One of the former monks spoke, "If only the lot of us kould... There are still some members who decided to leave us, even the Order. All because they were just...feeling under the weather emotionally."
The Wind God perked up, "Oh yes, of kourse. You weren't there, Aiko and Kenshi, but the lot of us went missing from the Society and the holy Order. We believe that they kan be affected by the negative side effects of meditation. Liu warned it had been on the rise, and while those who quit that practice is still within the dark abyss..." He faced the kardiokinetic, "Have you ever heard of the dark night of the soul?"
She shook her head.
"Raiden and I were discussing this once... How the Buddhists kall this emotional kurse as the bottom of the void. How many of us suffer emotionally and sometimes physically, and that only meditation makes matters worse. Never seeing nor embracing the light again. They...even became passive, evading our own guidance, losing faith and all hope..." He sulked.
Kenshi soon looked up from his sorry stupor. "Hmm, maybe there's a way to accomplish both. Koherence shall be needed, more than ever. With the heart's positivity overriding her angsts AND their negativity, then it kan be used for the greater good! Although such strength would require more than she kan deliver.
"If she kan just share her rich endorphin gems kombined with...our uplifting, then we will kombat all demons!"
"Excellent idea, Kenshi!" Fujin exclaimed. "And we must occupy a tall structure. After all, no matter what the kinesis, it requires air to karry. I shall do just that."
Aiko was in deep thought, "The tallest structure... Maybe we kan use that temple in the outskirts of China."
"That...would be too overwhelming to organize in. I'm sure my brother's temple would be the more ideal place. Its air kurrents are always rich and vast, and the Jinsei as well. Ashrah may be able to participate, he won't mind."
"Even better, why not use all the realms!?" Kai kried.
"Right? Kai knows what's up. Though it won't be easy... The Order and Chaos realms are too...extreme."
"Edenia and Outworld may just be the tickets." The telekinetic suggested.
"Sounds like a plan. Kenshi and Aiko shall rally up the other realms. Kai and I still have some business to attend to, with whatever willing Shaolin we have left..." Even the brother god was beginning to lose his konfidence upon the mounting despair.
The pair headed out, and thru that extensive meeting with the White Lotus, it was already high noon. The second day wasn't without some basic training, though, from the usual deep breathing to the jogging from the Academy and back while pacing, even some sit-ups as well as an increased appetite! Still, Aiko sometimes worried that her heart gem would emit the Matokan rituals directly despite the eight-hour time difference.
By the time all her physical activity was done, she returned to the Kung kottage.
"Wait, Aiko. Before you leave, I was...actually thinking if maybe we should klimb that tall Chinese Temple. That would be the perfect way to enhance your heart." She actually let out an irritated sigh. "Don't worry. I'll be with you all the way. I used to klimb that monastery once. It's around 30 feet in height. Then afterwards, I'll make a portal at the top so we can recruit musicians from Edenia."
She wasn't looking forward to the ascending journey, but she was anticipating the visit to the Grand Palace. That alone sort of lifted her spirits.
Before she went to bed, she gazed into her heart gem which shone as lively as ever. She wished Kung Lao goodnight before she kissed it, then set it on a wooden nightstand.
Somewhere within the Matokan village, Kung Lao was just rising razor-rimmed hat had a pair of red-white feathers dangling, and he took out Aiko's heart gem beside it. A blurry image of her training with Kenshi made him yearn to be with White Lotus again, despite having only three days left. He lifted it and kissed it, hoping to be by her side once more...
A/N: I had this idea for a while, ever since I discovered the MK storyline on the MK Wiki, that most of the world's history is tied into the series, thus adding in the Makeba/Indians' origins as the tribe from Outworld, to traveling to Earthrealm at the heart of Pangea, to locating at North America when the kontinents split by tectonic plates. I strongly think the Matoka can be descendants of these said people, including how Africa originated the same tribal kustoms the Native Americans embrace. Thus, the meeting of the White Lotus.
The random idea involving the monastery was inspired by the minor location from Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, even the monks reminding me of the Shaolin, even Liu's grandpa and the Order of Light. After all, the sequel was released on the same year as the first MK film and MK3! I just love how outside media konnects with the series! Hopefully, WB and NRS shall take some inspiration.
Also, the idea on gathering a band and kountering the tempting effects of the tribal drums were inspired by the Darkseid War RP with Unaliving Liu Kang, Bill and Ted 3, and the Superpower wiki highlighting Music Hypnosis. I looked up recently on some sites that it's true meditation can unveil your deep wounds and dark side; please pay heed to the negative side effects, despite the kommon belief on finding enlightenment. Hopefully, I'll get to each of the band members soon, as we have 3 days before the big assembly which would affect Aiko in the long-run, myself included. How would we prepare for it and also deal with the eight-hour difference?