Chapter 13: A Date Between Mutants

Ben and his uncle walked up to the latter's apartment above the restaurant. The Blue Dragon waited at the dinner table while Lei was getting some tea for them. Ben tapped the table, lost in thought. He was thinking about his girlfriend Maggie. How at first he wasn't sure it was her when they reunited at Casey and April's apartment yet he felt something familiar about her. It wasn't the first time Ben found Maggie in such a way. Ben was broken out of his trance when his sifu and uncle placed the teacup in front of him on the table.

"Here is your drink, nephew." Said Lei.

"Thank you, uncle." Thanked Ben.

Lei sat down across Ben at the table and sipped his tea. Ben spoke first.

"What is it you wanted to talk to me about, sifu?" Asked Ben.

"I had a vision, my student. I saw a white tiger, breaking out of a pale white rock." Explained Lei. "I think you know what that means, nephew."

Ben's eyes widened in shock.

"The White Tiger is here, somewhere in the city!" Said Ben.

"Perhaps. Remember to stay vigilant for him when you go out, my student. He may not greet you in a friendly manner when you find him, unlike your beloved." Lei smiled as he said that, making Ben blush. "I told you, nephew. I have my ways. You are very lucky to have her back."

"Indeed, uncle." Said Ben as he took a sip of his tea. "I was overjoyed to be reunited with her."

"I bet you were." Said Lei. "If I recall, you two have been close since you were children."

"Yes, we have. And we are supposed to go out together tonight. To catch up on the years since my death and rebirth, and hers as well." Replied Ben.

Lei looked out the window.

"Speaking of which, she is already waiting on the roof." Lei said.

Ben finished his tea and got up from the table and walked to the window to the fire escape.

"Then I best get going. She can be a bit impatient." Said Ben as he climbed out the window.

"Remember to be careful out there, you two! Especially if you encounter large groups of triads!" Lei called out. "And stay vigilant for the White Tiger!"

"I will, uncle! We'll be ok." Ben called back as he made his way to the roof.

Lei smirked and shook his head.

"Some things don't change." Chuckled the master.

When Ben reached the roof, he finds Maggie standing there with her arms crossed. Ben frowned at that sight. He always hated making his girlfriend wait, as Maggie could be a little impatient sometimes.

"Sorry I took so long." Said Ben.

"I only got here a couple minutes ago." Said Maggie. "You're fine."

The two mystical mutants turned and looked out into the city. Then they looked back at each other smiling.

"Ready for some fun?" Asked Ben.

"Ready as I'll ever be, dragon boy." Maggie smirked.

The Phoenix stepped onto the edge of the building and spread her wings. She then jumped off and started flying out to the city. Ben smirked.

"Dragon boy. Some things don't change." Said Ben before he leapt off the building and jumped from rooftop to rooftop after the Phoenix.

As the blue dragon and red phoenix jumped and flew over rooftops, Ben had one question for Maggie.

"So how long have you been hunting triads?" Asked Ben.

"Only for a couple weeks." Responded Maggie. "And since I mutated a few years ago, I've been training intensively to get my revenge."

Ben grimaced.

"Me too. Vengeance was all I had in mind for the men who killed my father." Said the dragon.

Maggie's eyed suddenly widened.

"Ben, stop!" Shouted Maggie.

Both the dragon and phoenix halted to a stop at a large open alley. The Phoenix landed on the roof next to Ben. Below them were a bunch of gangsters with a black car that had its trunk opened. Inside were bags of drugs and money. Both Ben and Maggie narrowed their eyes.

"Looks like a drug deal alright." Ben said.

"Yup. Let's hear what they're saying before we bust them." Replied Maggie.

"Agreed." Said Ben.

Both mutants looked closer to the meeting.

"Ok, let's get this over with. You got the money?" Asked one of the gangsters.

"Yeah, man. It's all here." Said another as he took out a large bundle of money and gave it to the first thug.

"Ok. I'll accept this." Said the thug.

The gangster then took out a packet of drugs from the trunk and gave it to the other thug.

"Here's your drugs. By the way, making deals with fellow gangs of New York is much easier than making deals with the triads." Said the dealer as he took out a lighter and cigarettes to smoke. "God those guys are a pain in the ass. Good thing I quit working for them a few days ago. I'd rather stick with making deals with the Purple Dragons."

Ben and Maggie glared at the mere mention of the triads.

"Time to fight." Said Ben.

" I agree. And I know just how to start it." Replied Maggie.

The dealer finished his cigar and took out a second one. But moments after lighting it, the cigarette suddenly exploded in the dealer's face disfiguring him and making him fall to the ground in agony, shocking the other gangsters.

"Holy shit!"

"How the fuck did that happen?!"

It was then the Azure dragon and red Phoenix dropped down from the building, surprising the thugs even more. Maggie looked at the dealer lying on the ground in pain.

"Didn't your mother ever told you that smoking kills?" Maggie asked mockingly.

Ben looked at the thug with the packet of drugs.

"And didn't your parents ever told you to never do drugs?" Ben asked the thug before the latter dropped the drugs and took out a gun.

The gangsters took out their guns, knives and blunt weapons.

"Get these freaks!" Yelled one thug.

The gunmen opened fire on the pair and the mutant couple leapt into action. Ben jumped from place to place while Maggie zigzagged in the air avoiding the bullets.

Two thugs with bats came at Ben from the sides but the latter easily countered them with a reverse punch to the stomach to the first one followed by grabbing the bat of the second and hit the thug unconscious with his own weapon. Ben then noticed a gunman about to shoot him but with quick reflexes he dodged the bullet and dashed at the gangster. Before the thug could fire another round, Ben froze the gun and broke off the barrel. The surprised thug didn't have time to react before being punched in the face by the dragon. Maggie looked over and her eyes widened in alarm.

"Ben, look out!" Yelled Maggie.

Ben looked and saw three more gunmen appeared and began firing at the dragon. Ben dodged the bullets and noticed a case of beer. And it gave him an idea. He leapt next to the beer and in the blink of an eye, broke all the beer bottles with one roundhouse kick and stretched out his arms at the liquid. The alcohol levitated and Ben snapped his arms at the gunmen, launching the beverage into their faces, knocking them down.

Maggie faced half a dozen men with knives and lead pipes. One thug with a knife lunged at the bird but the latter caught his arms with her taloned hands in a claw like position, digging into his flesh and making him scream in pain and drop his weapon. Maggie followed with a palm strike to the face. Two gangsters with lead pipes tried to take her down by swinging at her legs and midsection, but the Phoenix jumped up and did a spinning tornado kick at their faces, taking them down. Two more thugs tried to strike Maggie from behind, but she flapped her wings in their faces, forcing them back and allowing Ben to jump double kick them down. A gangster with two knives lunged at Maggie, raising his weapons, but the bird punctured certain areas in the arms and torso paralyzing him. Maggie gently pushed him down on the forehead.

"Nice moves, love!" Said Ben.

"Thanks, Ben." Replied Maggie.

The gangsters were almost all taken care of. Many were knocked out or groaning in pain. But then a final thug suddenly appeared in front of the mutants with a gun.

"You won't get away with this!" Said the gunman as he aimed his weapon.

"I got him." Said Maggie.

The phoenix formed a ball of fire on her right palm and launched it at the gunman's chest, taking him down. Ben was astonished at what he saw.

"I see you've been studying the scroll of Fire, hon." Said Ben.

"Yeah. It's the only move I've learned from it so far." Replied Maggie. "You're pretty badass yourself with the beer."

"Well I had to improvise since there was no water nearby." Ben chuckled.

The pair looked at the defeated gangsters.

"We should take some cash from their pockets before we leave. They won't be needing them anymore." Said Ben.

"Agreed." Replied Maggie.

The dragon and phoenix collected some cash from the fallen gangsters before leaving the scene right before the police showed up. They made it back to Lei's apartment.

"That was one hell of a date, huh, Ben?" Asked Maggie.

"It sure was, Maggie." Answered Ben. "We should do this again tomorrow night, bring the turtles. Especially if we are to hunt triads."

"I agree." Replied Maggie.

The phoenix stroked Ben's face with her taloned hand.

"You don't know how much I've missed you since you were taken from this world, from me." Said Maggie.

"I felt the same way about you, love. My heart broke when I first heard of your death." Ben said stroking his lover's cheek.

"But now after our rebirth, we're finally together again." Said a teary Maggie, her eyes welling.

"And I swear to you, babe, nothing, not even death, will split us up again." Ben vowed.

The two then embraced and planted their mouths together in a deep, passionate kiss. After a few moments they broke the kiss and looked out into the approaching dawn.

"I better get back inside. My uncle opens his shop soon." Said Ben.

"I better fly home too." Said Maggie before perching on the edge of the roof. "I'll see you tomorrow night Ben. Bring our new friends too."

"Will do, hun." Said Ben as he climbed inside the apartment.

However, unbeknownst to the pair, a mysterious large and broad figure in a silver hooded sweater was watching them from the pavement below. His face was obscured and his mouth was hidden by a white face mask. Only his eyes were visible. They were shining silver. The figure smirked as he walked away.

"Finally found you. It's been so long since we fought. And I can't wait for a rematch. Soon the day will come, Benny boy. Our battle will be legendary. And I will finally prove that I'm the greatest." The person thought.

That was some date huh, guys? Heck of a fight too.

Loved writing the part where Maggie made the cigarette explode in the gangster's face.

I also loved writing the romance scene at the end. I thought it was sweet.

But who was that guy in the silver hoodie and silver eyes? And what beef does he have with Ben?

That's for me to know and you to find out. Check back later!

And I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day. And I know it's late but I finally managed to finished this Valentine's chapter.

This is MergingEmperor7, bowing out.