Fon had little patience for braggarts and even less for idiots. So the fact that the gatekeeper was being difficult on purpose and insulting their home village was not something he would idly ignore.

"Xiao San, do you mind if I?"

Tang San nodded and stepped back. Lichi made a point to jump onto his brother's shoulder to allow Fon free range of moment...there was no need to use his dragon on this idiot.

A wicked smirk appeared on Fon's face. It had taken some doing, but he had been able to track down the ingredients for Gyoza-kempo.

Nothing scared the hell out of braggarts like this fool than being 'mysteriously' paralyzed and knocked back by some unknown force. Tang San had given him an odd look when he first used it on him...mostly to see if he had gotten the recipe right...but had quickly accepted the idea of such a style with good humor.

Even if his brother did complain that Fon liked his food far too spicy.

Fon's hands were a blur, and the man was sent flying into the gate.

"Only fools judge those by appearance, rather than by their skills," said Fon calmly, keeping his usual serene smile on his face. "Even a child knows that sometimes hidden gems can be found in a pig's feeding trough."

Fortunately for the gatekeeper, one of the teachers happened to be coming in before Fon humiliated him further.

"Enough."

"Grandmaster, you're back!" said the gatekeeper. While he 'sounded' respectful, there was an undercurrent in his tone that said it wasn't full respect.

Was it possible the man was a pure scholar? That might account for it.

"May I see the paper?" he asked calmly.

Lichi returned to Fon's shoulder as he handed over the pass for both of them.

"Twins?" he said after a moment in surprise. "And with full innate spirit ability. This pass is genuine."

The gatekeeper looked very surprised to hear that, but reluctantly let him through.

Fon's respect for this 'grandmaster' went up when he heard the older man dismiss the idiot who caused the ruckus because he was too stupid to do such a simple job correctly. Clearly the teacher didn't like the way he had disrespected them simply because they came from a rather rural village.

The man the twins would call 'master' set the tone for his competence when...after he busted Tang San for having twin spirits simply based off the fact he had full innate spirit power despite only being a Blue Silver Grass according to the records... he looked to Fon confused.

"Why do you have a four-hundred year old monkey on your shoulder?"

Fon blinked.

"He's four hundred years old? Exactly how long have you been here?" he turned to ask Lichi. The monkey chittered, but didn't 'reply' back.

"My brother decided it was less hassle to pretend Lichi is his beast spirit, rather than allow his actual one to be known."

"That and I heard something about how Spirit Masters use creatures like Lichi to increase their power, and I didn't want some idiot getting ideas," scowled Fon.

"A wise move. So long as none of the other students pick up on the fact the monkey is your 'friend' rather than your spirit, there should be no issue," he admitted. "That being said you should consider carefully what sort of spirit beast you wish to use for your first spirit ring," he replied. "There are variant spirits, though you may wish to come up with a way to 'hide' your friend so the students do not catch on right away."

Fon bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement.

"I had a feeling that it might work, though father made no mention of variant spirits."

"It it not something that is studied often, as variants are often weaker than the norm. Occasionally one is born that is stronger or has a unique attribute, but for the most part they tend to be considered 'weak'," said the man. There was a hint of bitterness in his tone when he said that.

Fon hid a frown. Somehow he had the distinct feeling the man was speaking from personal experience.

"Then it is up to the human to overcome such 'weakness' and to learn not to rely so much on the spirit. Perhaps once that is accomplished the flaw that created the problem can be fixed."

There was a certain hint of respect in the Grandmaster's eyes when Fon said that.

"There are no 'junk spirits' only junk people," agreed Tang San without hesitation. "Everyone keeps saying Blue Silver grass is useless, but then again there are plenty of plants in nature that appear harmless only to contain deadly poisons."

"Or turn out to be unique healing ingredients that can save lives," added Fon.

There was a definite respect in his eyes now.

Fon had no issue acknowledging the man known as the 'Grandmaster' as his teacher, or that he would be sharing him with Tang San. It was clear that where the man lacked ability in the practical (through no fault of his own), he made up for it in valuable knowledge.

And above all else, the twins knew how much power there was to be had in knowledge and diligent studying.

"What are your names?"

"I am Tang San."

"I am Tang Fon, though I do not mind being addressed purely as Fon," said the younger twin, bowing his head in polite respect. "And this is Lichi."

"Call me Grandmaster. It's what everyone else calls me around here. He looked at Fon directly though. "Why are you claiming that your friend is actually your spirit though?"

Fon looked him in the eye.

"Because the last thing I want to deal with is the sycophants that would bother me the second it gets out that my spirit is a dragon," he said flatly. "Far easier to hide behind Lichi's presence than to deal with fools who assume that I would allow them to leech off me like parasites simply because of my spirit or the fact I was born with full innate power like my brother."

"A dragon?" said the grandmaster in shock. Once he made sure there was no one to witness what Fon was about to do, the younger of the twins unleashed his spirit. "Are you by any chance from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Clan?"

Fon and Tang San shook their heads.

"As far as we know, our father is nothing more than the village blacksmith. Our mother died shortly after we were born, and father never mentions her. He was very shocked when he saw what my spirit was however...apparently she had Blue Silver grass as well," said Fon.

"Besides, if we really were part of an established clan then the elders wouldn't have had to sacrifice their pass for the next two years so both of us could attend," said Tang San.

That seemed to calm the Grandmaster down, though there was still shock evident in his features.

Fon suspected the man knew a bit more about the clan than he let on.

"For now let's get you two registered and settled in. We'll work on getting your first spirit halo before the month is out."

"Yes, teacher," said the twins in unison.

In the dorms...

Fon immediately knew Xiao Wu was not human the second he met her. Her "Qi" felt entirely different from any other human girl he had been around. In fact she felt more like Lichi than a human, though he suspected her to be some form of rabbit spirit beast considering her features.

It was not his problem to deal with. So long as she did not prove a threat to his twin he had no issue with her training with them as a fellow student.

"Ah, a monkey!" said Xiao Wu.

Lichi chittered happily and jumped on the girl's shoulder, looking very content around her. Fon smiled.

"Lichi seems to like you. That usually means you're a good person," he said calmly.

"Is this your spirit beast?" asked Xiao Wu with interest.

"He's my friend," corrected Fon. He then added in a low tone so only she heard what he said next. "I wasn't about to leave a friend behind when everyone would mistake him for my Martial Soul. Besides, this way no one would hunt him for his spirit ring later."

It took her a few moments to process this, before Xiao Wu beamed at him. Clearly she liked the fact Fon was willing to befriend a spirit beast and protect him from spirit masters who just wanted his ring to add to their own power.

"I'm actually rather curious. Where did you learn that particular style of martial arts? You wouldn't believe how often I hear people ask whether or not my braid gets in the way of a fight."

Xiao Wu eyed Fon's slightly long hair which was done up in a braid the same way her own was, just without the decorations.

"I could show you how to use it offensively, if you want," she offered.

Fon smiled at her.

"How about we exchange pointers. I can think of several styles that would suit your natural flexibility and make your own attacks even more effective," he said in return.

Tang San snickered.

"You are such a fanboy when it comes to fighting styles brother. I haven't seen you this enthusiastic since we started exchanging pointers together," said Tang San.

"I like to learn how to improve myself, something you have as well brother," said Fon hiding a grin. At least he wouldn't be bored... Xiao Wu had already proven tricky enough to defeat even his brother, and her style was unique enough that it had even his jaded interest in it.

Besides...she had found a way to successfully incorporate her braid into her fighting style. There was no way in hell Fon was passing that up, if only so people would quit making comments about the fact he had one of his own!

Fon and Tang San were in the grandmaster's personal office.

"Tang San, for your training I want you to focus on adding 'poison' and 'toughness' to your grass spirit. While Blue Silver grass is indeed a 'weak' spirit, it is also flexible enough that it will not easily reject spirit rings from beasts so long as there is enough compatibility. I believe you have the natural abilities of a 'control' specialist," said Grandmaster.

He fully intended to have Tang San be the one to prove his theories were right. He could tell the boy had the ability to do it, and to finally give him some vindication for all the years he spent researching.

"As for you, Tang Fon... I believe you are a 'battle' or 'agility' type. You are the sort who would do well in powerful blows that strike at a moment's notice without retreating until your allies are prepared to back you up. Like a storm that pounds upon the glass without relenting until it's energy is spent and it dissipates."

"In other words I must become the 'eye' of the storm that fights off the more powerful fighters, allowing my brother to direct where the next blows will hit and when," said Fon.

There was a certain level of irony in the idea. Fortunately he already had the mindset to remain calm in the face of adversity, which was one of the flaws all Storms had.

He nodded.

Tang San looked at his twin and tried not to laugh.

"Is there something funny?" asked the Grandmaster.

"It's just... Fon already embodies that idea. He used to drive the other children in the village to anger with his comments and blunt observations because of the way they spoke about our father, and yet he would always maintain that smile of his while they got into trouble for trying to start a fight with the adults. If anyone fits the image of the 'eye of the storm', it's Fon."

The Grandmaster had to smile at that.

"No starting fights here," he said firmly.

"I don't start fights, but I certainly intend to finish them," said Fon. He wasn't an actual child, after all. "That being said I would suggest that you get Xiao San's ring first, considering the fools here would believe his spirit is 'weak'. I can handle waiting a few days," said Fon.

The Grandmaster nodded. It would be easier to hunt their spirit rings one at a time and this allowed him to focus on getting the perfect one for Tang San on the first try. And if he was really lucky, prove his theories once and for all.

Besides, it would be rather difficult to find a good ring for a dragon. It was better not to rush their development, especially when Fon could focus on theory until they found something suitable.

Fon's hand lashed out and grabbed the arrogant fool who tried to take Xiao Wu's comb. It was clearly something precious, likely a momento of her dead mother (she had a habit of crying in her sleep) and he had no tolerance for bullies.

"Let go, you pathetic twit! You're just a low-level monkey spirit!" sneered the boy.

Fon gave him a level Look.

"All students are equal in the Academy. Besides, I don't need to rely on my spirit to defeat you," said Fon evenly.

Seeing the sneer of the students able to pay their way into the academy, Fon maintained his serene smile. This would be a good test of his skills, and since Tang San was off getting his first spirit ring it meant he could have a bit of fun.

"What are you doing!" hissed Xiao Wu.

"He was trying to steal that comb of yours. I think he intended to break it because you defied him so openly despite being a working student," said Fon in a low voice. "Besides, if I beat him without my spirit abilities then he'll be forced to acknowledge our dorm as his equals or lose face."

Xiao Wu had a strange expression on her face. Especially when Fon took Lichi and put him on her shoulder.

"Keep him company, will you?"

Xiao Wu held Lichi in her arms, that odd expression still prevelant.

Though she wasn't the only one to stare in shock when Fon proceeded to beat the crap out of the other students who made fun of them for needing jobs to help pay for minor expenses at the academy...all without once releasing his spirit abilities. The boy used pure martial arts and skill to defeat supposedly stronger students.

Xiao Wu blinked a little when she felt a gentle hand ruffle her hair.

"Don't worry little sister... Tang San and I will look after you," he said fondly.

Xiao Wu stared after Fon who took the 'congratulations' of the other students with aplomb. He barely looked fazed by the fact he had displayed so much strength and wasn't even remotely trying to brag about it. And the way he patted her head...it had the same 'feel' as her mother when she did it.

A few days later, Tang San returned.

"I heard you got into a fight without me."

"To be fair, they were planning to break Xiao Wu's comb," said Fon.

"...Were they any good?" asked Tang San.

Fon gave him a flat look.

"Really? I didn't even have to break out my more advanced moves, much less my abilities. They're children... I just informed them who is at the top of the pecking order. Though they might require a reminder not to mess with the working students regardless," said Fon.

Tang San snorted at that.

Fon's words prove true when less than a week later, while he was out with the Grandmaster getting his first spirit ring, Tang San and Xiao Wu had to reinforce the fact that the working class students were not weak. On an unrelated note, Xiao Wu managed to get the entire Academy to call her "Big Sister Xiao Wu" in less than a day after the incident. Tang San and Fon were happy to let her deal with that headache.

(Even if Fon was quietly cackling at the fact Xiao Wu and Tang San were clearly tied by the 'red string of fate'. While the bunny didn't mind treating him like an older brother, there was clearly some potential interest that could develop into something more between her and Tang San.)