Bie liao, shifu (last part)
It was obvious what happened in the next few days. It was something
that they simply couldn't stop; fortunately Zhae's warning had given
them enough time to prepare for it. So, when the time came the three
of them stood ready to face him.
Coldfire's appearance was still heart-rending, though.
Zhaodi just couldn't _believe_ how much he resembled her Lael-
chan. He was like a twisted, arrogant version of the foreign boy.
Strong, immensely powerful... and yet he was only as skilled as Lael.
That was a good thing to know, as they found out by their first real
encounter.
Zhaodi, as always, was the first to attack. Even though he
was identical to Lael, it was easy for her to strike -his aura, his
demeanor were completely different. However, one devastating blast
that sent her flying several yards let her know he had grown in power
since last time.
After seeing what Coldfire had done to Zhaodi, Lael rushed
in with his staff. He knew Coldfire's fighting styles; the two of them
were soon locked in a tug-of-war of chi waves. Bird of Prey met
Blue Fire Bird, but in the end it was a well-placed Red Fire Bird
which caused serious damage. Seizing the chance, the twins joined in
a White and Gray Palm barrage, with Zhaodi pushing against
Coldfire's chi while Pandi slowly drained it. But even then they were
outmatched. Coldfire was just... overflowing with energy. He seemed
like he would never run out of it. When they realized that it was his
hatred towards them which fueled it, they began to take him for the
real enemy that he was. And the following encounters were only
increasingly deadlier.
Ironically, it was the demon who forced Lael and Zhaodi
even closer. His constant attacks, the unexpected strikes that he
always used to catch them unawares, all helped the couple realize the
danger they were in. Hardly ever did they leave each other's sight
since then, and they looked out for each other whenever they got the
chance. And also because of the constant tension, Lael inadvertently
reached the next level of his chi training:
He developed the aura shield.
It was almost by accident, really. It happened when Coldfire
had him cornered at the bottom of a cliff, threatening him with the
sharp chi claws on his arm. Zhaodi, appearing from thin air, dropped
on Coldfire's head with a dropkick spike. She knocked him off
balance, but when she tried to blast him away with the White Touch
he simply pressed his own palm against hers and chanted, "Red
Palm."
She felt as if a lightning bolt had struck her very soul. The
hateful chi of the dark-robed monster filled her and crushed from the
inside, as if driving her spirit out of her body. And what was worse,
she couldn't detach her hand from him. She was lucky that Pandi,
who had followed her, had the presence of mind to grab Lael's
monkey stick and stab Coldfire's gut with it. But it didn't end there.
Enraged, Coldfire just aimed his hands at them and engulfed both
twins in a great Bird of Prey. The girls were tossed into the wall, next
to Lael, who was barely recovering from previous injuries.
Desperate, seeing Coldfire stride towards them with more than
murder in his eyes, all that Lael could think of doing was use his
recently-mastered White Palm and mix it with the three Fire Birds he
already controlled. The result: a steel-like barrier that effectively
blocked out all of Coldfire's following attacks. With renewed
confidence, Lael maintained the shield long enough for the twins to
recover. And, as Coldfire found out, the shield was only one-way: he
was quickly blasted into the horizon by the girls' combined White
Palms.
But as exhausting as that battle had been, it paled in
comparison to the last two times when Coldfire caught the three of
them by surprise -in the middle of the Joketsuzoku village.
Coldfire had developed his own aura shields, and the first
thing he did was encase himself and his enemies inside a circular
barrier to keep all others from attacking. It was frustrating, especially
for Zhae and Tangbei, to be unable to attack the one who was
virtually manhandling the two young Amazons and their companion.
However, it was the same shield what helped Zhaodi summon the
first Flying Dragon in Joketsuzoku history.
Since a shield of that magnitude was draining Coldfire
enough to cut him down to size, Lael could tell Zhaodi about how
enraged -and less focused-Coldfire could become when taunted
about his power. With that in consideration, Zhaodi dashed in to
deliver an unceasing barrage of insults and jokes about how "weak"
Coldfire was, although she had to keep moving in a circle to avoid
getting hit by the occasional chi blast. Lael followed, while Pandi
made sure Coldfire didn't escape from within the circle.
Slowly, Lael and Zhaodi began to close in on Coldfire, who
was shedding an intense aura of sheer rage. But as the twin spirals
reached Coldfire, Zhae's eyes widened. She noticed the large swirl of
hot chi clashing against the cool aura from Zhaodi and Lael, and
realized that the discharge of energies would devastate the village
unless it was released. She quickly commanded her pupil to stop the
spiral and just send her strongest punch at Coldfire, then ordered
Lael to create the hottest aura possible and get out of the way
immediately. Using all of her might, she breached the shield and had
Tangbei pull Pandi out of the circle before...
"HYAAAA!" Zhaodi closed in on Coldfire, ducked his
shimmering claws, then rose back up with a massive uppercut.
The entire valley roared as the wind itself was torn apart by
a giant tornado.
Lael was forcefully tossed towards a nearby house, and was
knocked out of commission instantly. Coldfire was not so lucky. The
force of the blast tossed him up through the tornado's funnel, several
hundred meters over the ground. He vanished into the distance. Most
people even believed he had met his end.
When the tornado finally receded, Zhae and Pandi rushed
towards Zhaodi. The poor girl was down on her knees, clutching her
throat with her left hand as she tried desperately to breathe. Her
clothes were torn apart, and her right arm was swollen, her fist
almost purple with blood. Zhae instantly regretted telling her to
release the punch.
"Zhaodi-chan..." Pandi kneeled by her, once the redhead had
managed to breathe more or less normally again.
When she looked at her sister, Zhaodi unconsciously
reverted to Japanese language. Her voice trembled as she said, "K-ko
no waza..."
"What about that technique?" Zhae asked.
All of a sudden Zhaodi beamed widely.
"SUGOI!"
Everyone facefaulted.
It took her a couple more weeks to truly master the technique, which
Pandi christened "the Flying Dragon that Ascends to Heaven" -after
listening to how Lael said that the last thing he had seen before being
knocked out was a roaring dragon on its way up. Fortunately, Zhae
was close by to experiment with several ways to summon it, and it
was the old warrior who realized that it was a conflict of hot and cold
currents what made it possible. Since Coldfire did not reappear
anytime during those weeks, though, Lael had to be the guinea pig of
Zhaodi's new technique because of his hot aura and Fire Birds. Not
that he didn't like to help her, after all -he loved the way Zhaodi's
eyes shone every time she succeeded at the technique-but he wasn't
too keen about being tossed way up into the air every ten minutes or
so.
So, the next time Coldfire showed up at the village, they
were ready for him. Apparently, although he had learned of the
Hiryuushoutenha, his rage still captured him within Zhaodi's "Dragon
Spiral Dance." Only this time, he was more or less prepared for it. He
never let up with the attacks, Zhaodi was almost killed when he got
fed up and flung a razor-sharp blade of chi at her. Seeing her in
trouble, Lael rushed in to help her. Since Coldfire's blasts were
dissipating the hot aura, Lael relied on his own chi to bolster it. What
resulted was a glowing field of red chi that whirled around Coldfire.
Surprised, the demon had to concentrate on dispersing the aura,
relenting on his attack of Zhaodi. Thus, he was perfectly open when
the redhead and Lael converged on Coldfire's position, both
punching upwards simultaneously at the cry of, "Flying Dragon
Flame Winds!"
That was the last time the Joketsuzoku ever saw Coldfire.
But that was also the last time the Dragon rose at the
village. When Zhaodi and Lael released the Hiryuu Honoo Kaze, all
of the houses in a fifty-meter radius were flattened and incinerated.
Luckily, there was no one inside them at the time, since they knew
that battles with Coldfire resulted in major property damage. Not so
luckily, though, the twins and Lael were fated to banishment from the
village.
Zhae and her two great-great granddaughters spoke in
behalf of the trio, demanding that they should be allowed to remain
on Joketsuzoku grounds. But the truth is, the populace was in an
uproar. They had had enough of the constant battles with an enemy
they didn't even care about, and it was pretty clear that if the twins
and Lael were out of the village, Coldfire would not attack the
Joketsuzoku. Zhae argued that the women warriors had always
helped and protected each other, and that the twins needed their help
now more than ever. But in the end, even the twins themselves had to
agree the battle had gone too far this time...
"It's for the good of the village," Zhaodi said, as she took
the few possessions she had and placed them in a sack over her
shoulder.
"We'll keep in touch," Pandi said, her eyes welling with
tears.
Xingyi hugged her two honorary stepsisters tightly, hoping
that her embrace would protect them until they could come back.
Muttering, Tangbei also held them in her arms, saying something
about how, once she became the leader of the Joketsuzoku, she
would call them back immediately.
Zhae didn't say anything. As the twins said their good-byes,
she remained silently perched on her halberd. She just watched as her
two youngest students prepared to depart, forced out of the same
village that had taken them under its wing. But when Zhaodi finally
approached her, she had only one thing to do.
"Here," she took the redhead's hand and placed a small gem
inside it.
"What's this?" Zhaodi looked at the irregular stone that
shone red in her palm. A ruby.
"It has been the legacy of the Joketsuzoku for generations.
My family has kept it ever since the village was founded." She looked
up at Zhaodi, "I give it to you. If you must use it, then use it only for
something very special."
"Th-thanks...." Zhaodi stuttered, blushing out of gratitude.
Her eyes trembled slightly, and all of a sudden she kneeled and
hugged Zhae tightly, tears coming freely from her eyes, "Zhae-sama!"
"I know, Zhaodi..." Zhae gently stroked her student's head,
"I know..."
She slowly looked at Lael, whose face was expressionless.
He noticed her gaze, and instantly turned to face her. She never said
anything, she didn't even grimaced, but after she was done Lael
bowed deeply and said, "I will." He closed his eyes, as it hurt him to
see Zhaodi cry, and thought, "I will... I'll always take care of them."
And then, on that gray April morning, the twins and Lael left
the village of the Joketsuzoku. Never again would they return to it,
never would Zhae get to see the twins' smile; the images of Pandi
contentedly helping other people, of Zhaodi gleefully sparring with
Tangbei... these would be gone forever. And never would the ancient
village of Amazons encounter anyone with such vitality, with such a
young and unbridled spirit --until the day a girl by the name Ranma
Saotome were to arrive and challenge its champion.
* * *
Ranko shivered as she remembered that day. Even as she rode on
Phoenix' back on the way back to her house, she couldn't help but
hang her head in sorrow at what had happened. Sure, she liked to
remember about what had happened in China, especially because it
reminded her of how she first fell in love with Lael. But as much as
she enjoyed recalling every little detail of how their relationship grew,
she would always gloss over her memories of Coldfire, and only skim
through them if possible.
Phoenix had fallen silent a few moments earlier. He felt
troubled, sensing Ranko's apprehension even though he could do
nothing to help her. He knew how much Ranko adored Zhae; the
small, old woman had been her role model for years, she had taken
her into her house and turned the aspiring martial artist into a
formidable warrior. But more than that, Zhae had become the
redhead's grandmother in many ways. She had loved Zhaodi very
dearly, and always pushed her to do her best. Then, Zhae was also
very kind with everyone she met, never taking advantage of others or
forcing them to do things against their will. As for himself, he had
always respected and admired Zhae for that. But he knew Zhaodi had
loved and looked up at the little old troll.
"Ranko-chan..." he finally said, breaking the silence.
"What?"
"I'm sure... if she's seeing you know... she must be very
proud of you."
His words brought a smile to her face, "Thanks, Phaeron-
kun..." she looked up at the starry sky, "I like to hear that."
Riding the wind, the Esper Phoenix and his passenger
silently headed back to their home, back to their friends and family. It
had been a week since Yang started training Ranma, and tomorrow
morning they would have another match to test the latter's progress;
if they wanted to witness the fight, they needed to rest.
Flying beside them, hidden from view, their Guardian could
only sigh, joining in the sour-sweet memories of the following days...
* * *
"White... Fire... BIRD!"
A strong flash of white light illuminated the night, just as the
side of a cliff was blasted to rubble. Many birds were even startled
enough to take flight and leave to quieter regions. Sighing, Lael
looked around and shook his head.
"Calm down, Lael-chan," Zhaodi said, sitting by the
campfire. They had settled on a clearing in a forest, close to
Jusenkyo, also next to a tall cliff that overlooked the springs. They
had arrived by luck, actually, since they didn't have any set direction
in mind when they left the village.
"There's no use in getting all worked up like that.
Besides..." Zhaodi reached for a stick near the fire and took a bite
from the roasted meat, "Coldfire hasn't even shown up since that last
time at the village."
"Zhaodi-chan is right, Lael-kun," Pandi said, trying to use
the same calm voice that always worked wonders on her sister, "We
haven't seen him in over two weeks. Maybe that Fire Dragon really
made him learn his lesson." She failed to hear the thunder rumbling in
the distance.
Lael's shoulders slumped, and he continued to face the
cliffside, "I not know. I... I guess I still tense." He looked forward, at
the hole he had made in the rock, "I need vent out steam. Even if
Coldfire no show up for two weeks, I still worry he show up any
second."
"Lael-chan, it'll be okay," Zhaodi said, gently taking his
wrist. He was surprised for a second -he hadn't even felt her come
near. Closing his eyes, he placed his other hand over her fingers an let
her slowly pull him back to the fire.
He sat down sheepishly, while she sat across the campfire
and recovered her dinner. However, he just stared at his untouched
meal with little interest. He just couldn't shake off the feeling that
they shouldn't take their situation so lightly. True, it _had_ been two
weeks since they had to leave the village, and Coldfire hadn't even
hinted he would return, but... He _had_ to worry. They had to be
prepared to face him at any moment; for all they knew, he could be
lurking among the bushes, waiting for them to fall asleep before
attacking. And the twins didn't even care about...
"What? Not hungry?"
He absently looked up at Zhaodi. She was smiling at him,
her face glowing across the hot embers. Her dark eyes, barely
halfway open, glimmered like crystal, while her hair was one with the
fire. He gulped involuntarily and blushed, as a part of his mind was
glad the firelight hid his color.
"Lael-chan," she said, while Pandi silently stood up and
headed for her tent. "Believe me, we're worried about Coldfire too.
In fact, I can't believe we're taking it so well. He tried to kill us, after
all, and... well, he hurt you so much back then..." She slowly looked
down, "He's very strong. He almost managed to beat Zhae-sama and
Tangbei... But..." she looked up at him, still smiling, "But we _can_
defeat him. Maybe we didn't beat him last time, and maybe we won't
do it the next time he shows up, but someday we will. Do you know
why?"
He meekly shook his head.
"Because he can't beat us if we're together," she clenched a
fist and took it to her chest, "Who cares if he's strong and powerful.
As long as the three of us fight him, he _can't_ beat us." She fell
silent for a moment, then said, "I don't know why we have to fight
him in the first place, but I know one thing," she stood up and sat
down beside him, "I guess I should apologize for saying it, since he
hurt you for so long, but in a way I'm... glad he picked you."
He looked up at her, dubious.
She sent him a warm, happy smile, "Because otherwise I
wouldn't have met you." She gulped, "Lael-chan, I... I..."
It was coming.
"I..."
Coming.
She flustered slightly, "I... I don't know what we would've
done... what we _could_ do... if you weren't around to help us."
It was gone.
"I'm sorry," she quickly said, realizing what he had expected
to hear, "I don't know why I couldn't... I mean..."
"It okay, Zhaodi-chan," he gently squeezed her hand. "I
guess I glad too."
Her eyes lit up, "You are?"
He nodded, smiling at her. Closing her eyes for a second,
she leaned back. She didn't know why, but she suddenly felt like she
could just smile forever. Slowly, she moved her other hand up to
Lael's face, softly tracing his jaw. Opening her eyes again, she slowly
leaned towards him and parted her lips a little.
He felt just about ready to burst into flames. But the funny
thing is, he didn't even move. Zhaodi's behavior had suddenly left
him frozen in place. But then, as she closed her eyes again, he barely
even felt the gentle kiss she placed on his cheek.
"Arigato," she sang out, just like she did when he first
complimented her pigtail.
"H-huh?" he blinked several times, oblivious to how she
pulled back and got on her knees.
"For worrying about us," she said, "and for being there for
us."
He felt his cheek tingle strangely, but he managed to look up
when Zhaodi stood and walked around him. She placed a hand on his
shoulder and said, "If you wanna keep training, go ahead. But don't
stay up too late, 'kay?"
He looked down at the ground as she lightly stepped around
the fire and headed for her tent. The contrast of the firelight and the
darkness of the night hid her wide smile from Lael's view, although
she had to walk quickly so her nervousness wouldn't show. But just
as she was about to reach her tent, she heard a voice calling her,
"Zhaodi-chan?"
"What is it?" she turned back to Lael.
"I..." he stammered, "I... Good... night."
She nodded and smiled as she spoke, "Good night, Lael-
chan. See you tomorrow." Then she left him out by the fire, as she
crawled into her tent to let peaceful slumber claim her.
That night, a young shepherd from the West realized that
maybe being possessed for over a year might have been for the best
after all...
The morning after, the trio woke up with a start. Thunder roared all
around, making the forest tremble in agitation. A soft drizzle bathed
the valley, though, its constant patter soothing the nerves after the
sudden crash.
Lael hurriedly ran among the trees, holding a package in his
arms. As he headed back to the camp, he smiled to himself. He was
glad he had kept his brother's cloak after all these years. True, it was
made of a very thick and heavy fabric, but in days like this it was
perfect because of its heat --not to mention, it was virtually
waterproof. Without it, he wouldn't have been able to go find
something to eat for breakfast.
He reached the site and quickly stepped around the
extinguished campfire. Then, careful enough not to let any water
follow him, he opened the flap of the twins' tent and got inside.
"Here," he said, spreading his arms to let go of his cargo,
"Sorry I take so long."
"Thank you, Lael-kun," Pandi said, bowing slightly, while
her sister looked at the smoked fish that he had brought from a
nearby river.
"How'd you manage to cook those?" she asked.
"Oh, it still no rain by the river," he explained, "I had little
time before rain got there, that why I only smoke fish."
Pandi smiled, "It's all right, Lael-kun. Thank you for going
all the way out there to bring them to us."
"I..." he tried to say, but then he noticed how Zhaodi was
smiling at him and he couldn't help but nod a little in reply. It took
him a few moments to realize that the girls were politely waiting for
him, so he smiled and said, "Okay, pick what you want."
He had barely finished speaking when Zhaodi lunged for the
food, tightly grasping the stick which went through the fish as if
someone were going to take it from her; Pandi, a bit more calm, just
reached for her share and quietly began to take small bites from it.
Lael chuckled to himself when he saw Zhaodi eating like there was
no tomorrow, then sat down to join them in the meal.
"You know," Zhaodi said, between bites, "Maybe it was a
good idea to come here after all. Since we're close to Jusenkyo,
there's no way Coldfire's gonna come _near_ this place."
Thunder rumbled in the distance.
"That is, _if_ he is going to come back," Pandi added. "I still
think he got the hint with that dragon of yours," she snickered a little
while another thunder shook the region.
"I still would like train today," Lael said, "Just in case."
"It would be nice to train out there," Zhaodi looked at the
rain, "I've always liked to practice while it's raining." She smiled, "I
love rain."
"I don't mind it," Pandi said, "But this time it woke me up
too early..." she yawned, "I wanna sleep a little more..."
That said, she put down what was left of her fish and sat
back, stretching her arms a little. But when she looked around, she
noticed that her sister and Lael were already conversing with each
other abut other things. Shrugging, she looked for a soft place in the
floor of the tent and set herself down on it.
"So, that's how you make those birds, huh?" Zhaodi said,
since Lael had just explained how he first created the Blue Fire Bird.
"Yes. You have feel something strong, then just... let go,"
he opened his palms and moved them as if he were pushing
something. "See?"
"Like this?" she smirked, pushing with her hands so her
palms met Lael's. He was caught off guard by what she did, so he
blushed and dropped his gaze a little. Zhaodi smiled at him and
meshed her fingers with his, then pulled back and released a faint
White Touch aura. Lael's hands were pushed away a bit, so he let go
of Zhaodi, but then he caught on to the game and pushed back with
his own White Touch. They moved their hands around, trying to
push each other away; Zhaodi was already giggling at the contest.
She was about to use the Gray Touch to pull Lael close to her when
she was hit by a small droplet on her nose.
"Huh?" she and Lael stopped playing and looked up.
"Kyaa!" Pandi shrieked slightly when another droplet fell on
her face and surprised her.
"Uh-oh," Zhaodi said, looking at the fabric that made the
top of the tent, "The rain's getting through."
"I guess my tent is same," Lael grimaced at the thought of
his tent being soaked through. "Maybe we lucky and it stop raining
soon."
"I hope-- hey!" Zhaodi was hit again, and then the droplets
became more constant. Pandi quickly scooted over to her and Lael,
but then she was splashed by five more raindrops.
"Here, I have idea," Lael said, then reached around to grab
the corners of his cloak. Sitting between the girls, with Zhaodi to his
right, he spread his arms and lifted the cloak, like a bird opening its
wings, to protect them from the water.
"Thanks," Zhaodi smiled, and cuddled up to him. Pandi did
the same. When they settled down, Lael slowly, _nervously_ lowered
his arms, so that his hands could rest on the girls' shoulders while the
cloak covered their heads like hoods. Pandi smiled and closed her
eyes, trying to catch up on her interrupted sleep. Blushing, Zhaodi
also took the chance to lean back and rest on his chest. She couldn't
help noticing how warm it was in there, with his arm placed around
her shoulders. She smiled a little, then decided to follow her sister's
example and closed her eyes. After several minutes, she was already
breathing slowly as she drifted off to sleep.
Lael was in a very strange predicament. First, he was
already hugging Zhaodi very close to him, even if her sister was in a
similar position. That in itself would have made his mind take a
vacation, more so after what had happened last night. Second, Pandi
was already sleeping, resting on his chest, and apparently Zhaodi was
headed the same way.
He wondered which arm would go numb first.
Sighing, he looked around, and when he was sure that both
girls were asleep he slowly leaned back on the floor. He thought that
once they were lying down, he could squirm out from between them,
then cover them both with his cloak. But he could only _think_ he
could do that --the second his shoulders touched the floor, Zhaodi's
right hand reached out and latched onto his shoulder. Pandi just
snuggled up to him, sound asleep.
"Uh-oh," he thought. "Now what?"
He spent the following minutes trying to find a way out of
the mess he had gotten himself into. Fortunately, it had already
stopped raining, and the clouds in the sky had moved away to let a
silver ray of light bathe the forest. However, he didn't think about
that. Despite his awkward situation, he could only think about what
had happened last night.
Zhaodi had kissed him. Okay, it was only a friendly peck on
the cheek, but it meant the world to him. And she had done it
because... because she knew what he felt for her. Oh, god, she
knew... Even if he hadn't said the words yet. And it was pretty clear
she cared for him too, and she cared deeply. He didn't know _how_
deeply, as she still kept a bit of her feelings to herself, but what he
knew was enough to make him feel happy.
He had to do something for her. Something nice... Maybe
give her a present? Yes, Zhaodi loved presents. But what would she
like... Why not... of course!
Lael smiled. She would love that. He could already imagine
her wearing it. And best of all, it wouldn't interfere with her training,
so she could wear it all the time. Yes, he would make her that
present. Besides, all it would take would be some of the gold coins
he had left, a few hours of solitude, and a lot of hard work. Why,
even working carefully he could have it finished by tomorrow
morning, for her birthday!
That is, if he could get out of the tent.
He looked at Pandi, then, lifting his left shoulder for a
moment, he managed to remove his arm from under her. There, she
was still asleep. No problem. Now, Zhaodi. He turned to his right to
face her.
Oh, god...
He didn't know how long he stayed like that, but he just
stared at her for a few minutes. Why was it that every time that he
saw her sleep she looked even _more_ cute? And she was sleeping in
his arms now, too...
Shaking himself out of the reverie, Lael slowly took
Zhaodi's hand and lifted it from his shoulder. With even greater care
than what he took with Pandi, he slowly lifted her by her shoulders,
then he kneeled on the floor and deposited her on the floor of the
tent. Smiling, he paused for a moment, brushing a stray lock of hair
from Zhaodi's forehead, then he silently crawled out of the tent and
into the fresh air of the forest. Filling his lungs with the moisture, he
sighed and headed for his tent. He had a lot of work to do.
As soon as she heard him run into his tent, Zhaodi sat up
and snickered to herself. He was still _so_ innocent with her! She
could really feel him quivering when she leaned against him. And the
way he had quietly left her to sleep...
Zhaodi felt that soothing warmth in her chest all over again.
He must really love her, she thought, and that made her feel
wonderful inside. But she didn't understand _how_ she had managed
not to blush when he touched her forehead --if he could still melt at
some of the things she did, then she felt even _more_ nervous. And
what she did last night! She couldn't believe she had kissed him just
like that, on the cheek! Especially, when she wanted to kiss him on--
Whoa, hold on. Let's take this a step at a time, she reminded
herself. Besides, there's no use in wasting time. First things first.
Concentrating on more practical things, Zhaodi quickly
rummaged through her belongings. She finally stopped when her
fingers closed around a solid, irregular object. A ruby.
"Zhae-sama..." Zhaodi thought, carefully holding the gem in
her fingertips.
"It has been the legacy of the Joketsuzoku for generations.
My family has kept it ever since the village was founded." That was
what Zhae-sama had told her when they left the village, "I give it to
you. If you must use it, then use it only for something very special."
Zhaodi sat on her calves, wistfully looking at the rough
jewel. "Something very special..." Sending a brief glance at Lael's
tent, she smiled and got out of the tent, then ran out through the
forest.
"Now..." she thought, "Where did the guys from the Musk
Dynasty build their village?"
When Pandi awoke, it was to find herself alone in the tent she shared
with her sister. It had stopped raining, and the bright sunlight filled
everything outside. Yawning, she stretched her limbs and sat up, then
groggily made her way out of the tent.
She wasn't surprised to find her sister missing. Last night,
before falling asleep, Zhaodi had told her about her plans for the
ruby. "So, she's gonna go through with it after all..."she thought,
smiling as she headed for Lael's tent, "I really hope she knows what
she's doing."
She opened the tent's flap.
"Huh... YAAAH!" Lael jumped back a good two feet,
hiding something behind his back. When he realized that the red-
haired girl _wasn't_ Zhaodi, he sighed in relief and slumped his
shoulders.
"What are you doing, Lael-kun?" Pandi asked, sitting before
him.
"I..." he stammered, not sure about showing it to Zhaodi's
sister. "Oh, okay, I show you. But you promise you no tell Zhaodi-
chan about this, okay?"
"Why? What is it?"
"I ah... It present, okay?"
Pandi smiled mischievously, "Oh, I see. Then I better not tell
Zhaodi-chan until it's ready, hm?" Lael nodded nervously. "Can I see
it?"
"Uh, uh-huh..." Lael slowly brought it up to her view. He
was holding what seemed to be a golden plate on a thick wool rag;
said plate being about two inches wide and half a foot long. Curious,
Pandi reached out to touch it.
"No, no touch," Lael quickly moved it away, "It still hot.
You get hurt."
"What is that, Lael-kun?" Pandi asked.
"It... it, uh... it bracelet."
"A bracelet?" Pandi smiled, "You're making her a bracelet?"
"Hm-hm," Lael nodded, "I guess it way of telling her--"
"That you love her?" Pandi ventured. Lael was startled for a
second, but then nodded meekly.
"I also want thank her..." he smiled, "She help me a lot... I...
I feel I ungrateful to her, sometimes..."
Pandi shook her head, "Lael-kun, if that's the case, you don't
have to do it. Believe me, you've helped _us_ too." She snickered,
"Lately, Zhaodi-chan has been acting very strange. She... she's been
really happy since we met you, you know? It had been a while since I
saw her like that." She put a hand on his arm, "You _have_ made her
happy, Lael-kun. If you want to thank her for what she's done, just...
just show her you _love_ her. All right?"
Lael was silent for a moment. Pandi was right. He was going
about this the wrong way; or, at least, he hadn't realized why he was
really making the present. Perhaps... perhaps he _was_ making it just
because he loved her. What other reason could he want, could he
need, to give her the bracelet?
He looked down at it. It was still a plain piece of gold,
which he would later curl into a ring shape. It was wide enough to
resemble a tiny armlet; he could even write on it...
"I..." he began, "Okay... But can I give bracelet anyway?"
Pandi snickered, "Of course, Lael-kun. Wouldn't want all
that hard work to go to waste, right?"
He smiled, turning red, "Right."
She scooted over to him, "So, what do you have in mind for
that bracelet...?"
Zhaodi sat on a rock by the road, resting her chin on her hands. Now
what would she do? She thought there would be someone at the
Musk village that could help her polish the ruby, but... How was she
supposed to know that nobody but the "elders" had ever seen a
woman before?
Now she understood Zhae's stories about the Musk visiting
the Joketsuzoku once a decade in search for brides. Ugh. But
anyway, she had to think about her situation. She _wanted_ to make
a present for Lael, and she would use the ruby for that. However, she
needed someone who could polish it. Where would she find such a
person, especially now that she couldn't come close to the Amazon
village?
She looked up. She could hear the sound of a pull-cart
approaching. Indeed, she saw an old man, whose beard reached
down to his chest, pulling a small carriage behind him. It was filled
with strange artifacts, but what caught her attention was the
collection of gems that shone in a small mesh net.
"Yes!" Zhaodi thought to herself, grateful for the godsend.
Smiling, she stood up an fluttered over to the Chinese man.
"Hm?" he stopped when noticed someone was walking
towards him. "Hi there, little one!"
"Excuse me," Zhaodi asked, "You work with jewels and
stuff like that?"
The man smiled, "Why, certainly. Do you see something that
catches your attention?"
She sent a brief glance at the items he was carrying, "Uh,
actually, I need some help with this..." she showed him the ruby.
"You think you could polish it for me?"
The man took the gemstone in his wrinkled fingers, "Hmm,
a very special thing you have here, little one. Do you really want to
make jewelry with this? While the red of the ruby fits you, I'd say an
emerald would suit you better."
"Uh, no, it's not for me," she stammered, "It's a present."
"Oh, I see. Then let me prepare my tools, little one," he
chuckled. She didn't know why, but Zhaodi just found herself smiling
at the old man's behavior. It was as if he irradiated life around his
decrepit figure. Shrugging, she sat down to join him as he examined
the jewel with his equipment.
"What shape would you want me to give it?" he asked,
lifting the ruby to his eyes.
"Hm, I hadn't thought about that..." she said. Looking
around she noticed a medallion that was loosely hanging from the old
man's cart, "Hey, how about that?" she pointed at the medallion,
"Could you make one of those?"
"Oh, but that is to be worn by a man, little one. It's a medal,
after all." He began to take his polishing instruments, "Is the present
for a man?"
"Uh, yeah..." Zhaodi said, blushing slightly.
"All right, then let's make a man's medallion," the old man
smiled at her, then began to polish the ruby. Trying to make some
conversation, he said, "Too bad you can't go to the village of the
Musk people. They have very good craftsmen that could have this
finished in minutes."
"I already went there," Zhaodi grimaced, "Darn guys had
never seen a girl their whole life."
"O-ho," the man chuckled, "Strange fellows, no?" Zhaodi
snickered and nodded.
After a while, and much to Zhaodi's amazement, the ruby
was almost finished. The old man had polished it in a cabochon
shape, with a flat underside. He extended his hand to show his
progress to the pigtailed girl. Smiling happily, she nodded in
satisfaction.
"Now, to make the medal," he said, then stood up and
rummaged through his artifacts. "Gold, gold, gold... where did I
leave that gold?"
"Huh?"
"I need gold to make the rest of the medallion," he
explained. "Do you have some gold I could use, little one?"
"No, I..." she started, but then she remembered something.
She placed her hand on her chest for a second, and reached into her
clothes. When her hand came out, it was holding a small golden bell,
which was attached to a string around her neck.
"Oh, that's a beautiful thing you have," the old one said,
"Sure you want me to use it?"
Zhaodi remained silent for a second. She still remembered
the moment when her mother, that kind person whose face she
couldn't even remember, gave her and Pandi those gold bells as a
birthday present. She had said that they would bring good luck or...
something like that. The point is they would make something good
happen. But still... she loved Lael. She was already using the ruby to
make him a present, a present to show him _how_ she loved him.
And...
"Mother..." she thought, holding the bell in her hand a few
more instants. "I hope this is okay with you, it's just... I guess I really
do love him..."
She closed her eyes for a second, and when she opened
them she handed the bell to the old man. She saw him take a hammer,
and immediately turned away, not wanting to see the bell being
flattened. She kept looking away for a long time, as the craftsman
worked on the medallion. When the sounds finally ended, he called
her so she would look at the finished work. Her eyes widened in
surprise.
"Ki... kirei..." she let the word come out of her mouth. And
the medallion was indeed beautiful, considering it was meant for a
man to wear. The size, the shape, everything was just... perfect.
"I knew you'd like it," the man said, "Now, to complete the
medallion, this," he took out a thin strip of sturdy leather, barely half
a centimeter wide, and attached it to the disk of gold. He held it out
for Zhaodi to take, and then she placed it around her neck, making
sure the thread was long enough. Smiling, she removed it and held it
tight in her hand.
"Thank you very much," she bowed politely to the old man,
"I... I don't know how I can..."
"Don't feel the need to repay me, little one. It's not
necessary." He smiled, "All I did was give shape to the present you
want to make. A little hard work is good for your health, after all."
"But..." she insisted, and then realized that she would be
rude if she didn't accept his generosity, "All right. Thank you," she
bowed again, and stood up.
"Hurry back, little one," the old one said, "They're probably
waiting for you."
"Uh... I guess, " she smiled, and noticed how he was
beginning to drag his cart once more, "Um, don't you need any help
with that?"
"It's no problem," he said, "And don't worry about an old
man pulling that weight, dear. My age doesn't matter anymore." He
chuckled, "Why, I guess I _am_ ageless!"
Laughing, he pulled his cart down the road while Zhaodi
walked in the opposite direction. She smiled at the old man's antics.
Ageless, eh? He would've gotten along great with Zhae-sama. But
then... that's right, she forgot to ask what his name was.
"Hey, I..." she turned around, but the old man was nowhere
in sight. Even his cart had vanished. That was weird. Ageless or not,
old men don't walk _that_ fast, much less while pulling a small
wagon full of items.
Shrugging, she smiled to herself and hurried back to the
camp. She still had to add some details to the medallion.
By next morning, both gifts were ready. The only thing left for them
to be complete was to be worn by those who would receive them.
Such was the excitement that Zhaodi and Lael had, that it was a
wonder they could sleep at all the previous night.
At the moment, though, everything was peaceful in the
forest near Jusenkyo. And the girls that lay in one of the tents were
still contentedly dozing through the morning, even though it was
their birthday. Their fifteenth birthday, to be precise.
All of a sudden, there was a loud noise, like a boom.
Whatever caused it was strong enough to cause the trees to tremble
an swing their branches wildly. What could _that_ have been?
In his tent, Lael was shocked awake by the noise. Almost by
reflex, he sat up and stood, then reached for his monkey stick.
"What the heck was _that_?" he wondered. He didn't like to
be paranoid, but after facing Coldfire he had learned to pay attention
to little details. And a loud boom was a little detail that definitely
deserved attention. On the other hand, if Coldfire _had_ made such a
noise then he would have noticed by now.
"It sure didn't feel like him, but I better make sure."
Covering himself with his cloak, he got out of his tent and
looked all around. He smiled when he saw that the girls' tent was
undisturbed --a light snoring came from it. However, he returned to
the subject at hand and carefully scanned the area with his eyes.
Something moved among the trees. Narrowing his eyes,
Lael quickly dashed in pursuit of whoever was there. However, as he
followed the strange figure he couldn't help noticing that he was
being lead _around_ the camp, as if the shadow wanted him to keep
watching the campsite. What was going on?
All of a sudden the figure hopped up, and disappeared. Lael
stopped instantly, looking all around to find the spy. "That wasn't
Coldfire..." he thought, still looking around, "I felt a very powerful
aura from that guy... A little weaker than what we felt when Cordis
arrived..."
"I'm not nearly as strong as Cordis..." a voice came directly
into his mind. His eyes widened as he couldn't tell where it was
coming from. Whipping his head upwards, he saw the figure.
It was a little taller than he, standing about 1.72 meters tall.
But in its old, tattered cloak it seemed even more imposing, coupled
with the fact that it was standing on top of a branch, nearly ten feet
above him. Although the cloak's hood couldn't let him see the figure's
face, the broad shoulders let him know it was a man.
"You don't know who I am... At least, not yet. But you have
to listen, and listen well."
"Who are you?" Lael grasped his staff tightly, "Are you
another demon?"
The figure flinched, "No. I simply seek to help you."
"What do you mean?" Lael narrowed his eyes.
"I know all about you." The figure smirked, "And I know
about your feelings."
Lael was surprised. What... what in the world was _that_
supposed to mean?! Only those from the Joketsuzoku had a _clue_
about his feelings, and the figure before him didn't resemble any of
them. And, judging from his aura, he couldn't be Hidama either. All
right, try to stall him until you figure out who he is. "Y-you do, eh?"
"I do. And I must warn you. Today you shall face one of the
most painful events in your life. But whatever happens, do not lose
hope," he smiled, "And remember: everything will be all right."
Lael felt a strange apprehension get a hold of him, "Painful
event? What... Who _are_ you???"
"You'll find out... in fifteen hundred years..." the figure
spread his arms and hopped backwards, landing from the tree. Fifteen
hundred years, huh? Very funny. And how the idiot was going to get
away! "Wait!!" Lael called.
"Hm?" the figure turned to him.
"If you want to help, then prove it! Help me stop Coldfire!"
he released a fist from the staff, "He wants to kill... someone very
close to me..."
The figure winced, "I... know." He turned to the boy. But
instead of using telepathy, he spoke plainly. "But still, you will see
her shortly. Before you leave you must do something." He stepped
forward, "You must _tell_ her."
"T-tell her?" Lael was taken aback. That guy's voice was... it
was just like his _own_! And he knew about Zhaodi-chan! What was
happening?!
"You mean..."
"You know what I mean." The figure walked away, "Tell
her... before it's too late. You might never have another chance." And
he faded away.
"Who was that...? What did he mean by that?" Lael blinked
in confusion. "Tell her?" he looked down at his hand, at the bracelet
he had made for Zhaodi. He turned around when he heard a low
rustle behind him.
"Lael-chan, what's wrong?"
He was surprised to find Zhaodi walking towards him, clad
in a long sleepgown, and for once wearing her hair loose. She
groggily walked between the bushes and reached him, greeting him
with a sleepy smile.
Lael smiled back, recalling the words of the mysterious
cloaked figure. He didn't know who that was, but... Yes, he was
right. Pandi had also told him about it. He _had_ to let Zhaodi know
how much he cared for her, at least... But no... he didn't _have_ to
tell her... he _needed_ to tell her. Just her presence here, as she had
interrupted her slumber to come see what he was doing, let him
know that she really _did_ care for her.
"There nothing wrong, Zhaodi-chan," he replied,
strengthening his voice, "But I have tell you something."
"Y-you too?" Zhaodi blushed mightily. Behind her back, she
tightened her grip on the medallion she was about to offer.
"Zhaodi-chan, I..." he began.
"L-Lael-chan..."
"You... you help so much, I..." he stuttered, but then took a
deep breath and said, in the other language, "Could we speak in
Chinese for a moment? I want to say the right words this time."
Zhaodi was suddenly surprised by his outburst, she barely
caught the meaning of what he said. Nervous for a moment, she
nodded and stepped a little closer, waiting for him to speak.
"Zh-Zhaodi-chan, listen..." he said, "I... I don't know how to
tell you this, but..." he took another deep breath, "When I first met
you... you remember that, right? When that happened, I... I just saw
you and... and the only thing I could think about was how beautiful
you were..."
"L-Lael-chan..." Zhaodi swallowed hard. Why was he
talking like this? Wh-why was he so nervous all of a sudden?
"When I saw you at the village... Zhaodi-chan... You...
you're so kind to me, I... I think that everything can be all right as
long... as long as you _are_ with me. But there's more. I..."
Her eyes began to tremble. He wasn't going to say that he...
"I..." he continued, but then deflated slightly and extended
his hand, "Here. I want you to have this."
She looked at the bracelet of pure gold.
Gulping, she reached out for it with her free hand, keeping
the medallion hidden behind her back. It... it was beautiful. The
glistening gold was perfectly molded, and it even had an inscription
on the interior surface.
"What... what does it say here?" she asked, nervous. She
could tell that it was Lael's native language, because of the symbols
he used, but she couldn't interpret the message. But just touching the
gift made her feel a warm ball of light in her chest; she couldn't
believe what was happening with her emotions --and yet she liked the
sensation. It was something very strange, and very pleasant. Could it
mean that Lael-chan really did...?
"It says..." he blushed, and took her wrist in his hands. "It
says the same thing I'm thinking right now."
"L-L-Lael-ch-chan..." Zhaodi's face lit up, her eyes
shimmering in the morning light.
"Zhaodi-chan..." he took a deep breath, the last one he
would need before saying, "I... I love you."
Complete silence was made in the forest.
All of a sudden, the warm ball exploded inside her. Her body
suddenly stood still, threatening to fall, and even her voice deserted
her. What... what had he just said? It... it had to be a dream. The best
dream she had had in her whole life, but it was _still_ just an illusion.
Wasn't it? _Wasn't_ it? But... but it was all so _real_! The air, the
ground under her bare feet, the gold bracelet she was being offered...
It _was_ real! Lael... her Lael-chan had said that he loved
her! He _loved_ her! Then... then it was all true after all! The hints he
dropped, the way he treated her, how concerned he was about her
welfare, the way they... the way they had hugged after the accident at
the waterfall... she _knew_ they all meant he loved her, but now she
was sure!
"L-Lael-chan!" she couldn't stop herself as she quickly
stepped towards him and engulfed him in her small arms, holding him
tight to make sure he was no dream. It took her only a second to
realize he was hugging her back, and it only worked to make her grip
on him stronger, closer. She could notice she was crying, and for
once she didn't give a damn if anyone saw her like that. She was
crying because... because.. She just _had_ to! She was too happy not
to cry!
"I.. I really do... Zhaodi-chan," Lael said, and all of a sudden
his voice was the only sound that mattered to her. However, she
could vaguely feel something hard and rounded inside her hand. Still
sniffling a bit, she forced herself to let go. As she did, though, she
made sure her arms were still around his neck. When she saw Lael's
confused face, she could only smile a little and tie the knot behind his
head.
"La-Lael-chan, I... also..." she couldn't go on. She knew she
was too shy to say those words. Ironic: the same Amazon that could
laugh at deadly adversaries and tear the wind open with her hands
was too shy to say those words. She didn't care; she would make
sure he KNEW how she felt. She wanted to make him as happy as he
had just made her. Relaxing her arms, she gently placed the gold and
ruby medallion on his chest. It glistened brightly.
"Zh-Zhaodi-chan... I..." he looked absently at the present.
"A... arigatou."
"Thank you too, Lael-chan," she said, still smiling, even
though a few tears continued to fall. Sending an absent glance at her
new bracelet, she slowly slid her hand into it. "Look," she said,
turning to Lael, "It fits perfectly."
He had to smile, "I... I know..." He looked down at the
medallion, "This is the same..." He sighed, softly stroking the gem.
"You know--" they both said, then stopped and laughed at
themselves.
"You first," Zhaodi said.
"N-no, Zhaodi-chan, go on."
"O-okay... Lael-chan, I just want to say that... No matter
what happens... I... I'll always... I... You know."
"Thank you, Zhaodi-chan," he placed his hands on her
shoulders and gently pulled her into an embrace. "I... I guess... Since
the day I first saw you... I knew that you'd be very important to
me..." He held her tight, "Looks like I was right after all."
"Lael... chan..." was all she could say, as the couple began
to rock gently to the sides. Feeling lighter than a feather, all they
could do was close their eyes and smile.
And Zhaodi thought it was the best birthday present in her
whole life.
Pandi was confused. Ever since she woke up, she had seen Lael and
her sister acting _quite_ oddly. They just kept smiling at each other in
a strange way, all through their sparring and even during breakfast.
Although she liked to see them relating to each other, she would
have liked to know why they were acting like that.
"Ah, that was great, Zhaodi-chan," she said, once they
finished eating.
"Pandi right, it very good," Lael smiled at Zhaodi.
"Um, thanks," the redhead blushed a little. "But... maybe
you should know that we just ran out of supplies."
Pandi snickered amusedly, "Gee, Zhaodi-chan, with that
stomach of yours that's no surprise."
"No worry, we just catch fish."
"Actually, that's the problem..." Zhaodi said, "It's not just
food. We're also running out of other things we need."
"Why not just go to that Musk village?" Pandi shrugged.
"I don't think so," Zhaodi said, "Remember those stories
that Zhae-sama told us about them? Where she said that the guys
who lived there had never seen a women in their lives?" Pandi
nodded. "Well, they're true."
"And how do you know?"
"I... uh... I went there yesterday..." she said, "To get
something that was necessary." Blinking, Pandi shrugged and
believed her. Zhaodi sighed in relief.
"Then it better if I go," Lael said, "There no problem if I go,
right?"
Zhaodi nodded half-heartedly, "I guess not. You need
money?"
"No, thanks, I still have," he stood up, "Well, I better go
now. Sky look like it rain soon." He slowly began to head out of the
camp when he looked back to the twins. Pandi was picking up the
items of the meal, her long hair cascading around her face. Opposite
to her was Zhaodi, lazily stretching her arms over her head while
letting out a long yawn. When she noticed he was looking at her, she
quickly lowered her arms and shut her mouth, blushing slightly, and
smiled back at him. Her tight pigtail fell down her shoulder as she
bent over to help her sister.
Smiling at the twins, he headed out of the camp. Out of
instinct, he decided to keep that image in his mind --an image of what
he valued most in this world.
"So... it was this morning?" Pandi asked, seeing that Lael had walked
out of earshot.
Zhaodi was taken aback for a moment, "W-what was this
morning?"
"That," Pandi smiled, pointing at the golden band around
Zhaodi's wrist. "I take it he gave it to you this morning, right?"
"Uh, no, actually, I found it on the road yesterday..."
"Oneechan."
Zhaodi sighed, "Okay, okay, yeah, he gave it to me. Happy
now?" She blushed fiercely as she imagined Pandi's amused grin.
However, when she looked up, she could see that the smile on her
sister's face was very faint, as if showing just a tinge of satisfaction.
Sighing, Zhaodi decided to continue and sat back, smiling as well.
"He gave it to me this morning, long before you woke up. I had
found him out here, like he was talking to himself or something, and
then... he... he just gave it to me." She sighed, "And he... he said... he
said that he..."
"He _said_ it...?" Pandi thought, slowly catching her sister's
meaning. Was it possible? Had Lael actually told her sister that he...
"Pandi-chan..." Zhaodi looked up at her, her eyes already
watering, "He said... I... I still can't believe it... He... He said that he
loves me."
"Oh, Zhaodi-chan..." Pandi sat down by her sister and
hugged her tight, even though Zhaodi was too elated to return the
embrace. So, he had finally said it, then. The three words. Pandi
didn't know what to think; of course she was happy, and she had
hoped that some day her sister and Lael would come to terms and
admit their feelings. However, she hadn't expected it to happen so...
soon. Something must have made him realize how much he loved
Zhaodi --for a moment, Pandi thought that it had been because of the
conversation she had had with him the previous day, and was glad.
And what was more: even with all their troubles, the couple had
managed to make way for the emotions that bloomed for it.
"I'm so happy for you, Zhaodi-chan," she said, detaching
herself from her sister, "But... how do you feel?"
Zhaodi chuckled, "You know, that's the funny part. I... I
guess I still feel like I'm dreaming or something. I..." she took a deep
breath, "I don't know how long I've wanted to hear that, and now... I
can barely believe it's happening."
Pandi said nothing, too satisfied with her sister's happiness
to spoil the moment. She looked down at the bracelet, "It's beautiful.
He must've spent all night working on it."
"Yeah, right," Zhaodi smirked, "Don't pretend you didn't
know about this, Pandi-chan. I know you were there talking to him
while he made this."
"I, uh..." Pandi smiled nervously.
There was a rustle among the bushes. The twins took no
notice of it, or of the cold wind that suddenly blew into the clearing.
"Hey, it's okay," Zhaodi grinned, "After all, it gave me time
to get his present."
"So you really did look for a present?" Pandi's eyes were
wide with excitement, "Wow, what was it?"
"Didn't you see that lump under his clothes?" Zhaodi said,
"It was a medallion."
The cold breeze became stronger.
"A medallion?" Pandi asked.
"Uh-huh," Zhaodi nodded, "That's why I went to the Musk
village yesterday. It really took a long time to get it ready for him."
"But... but how much did it cost you?"
"Not much," Zhaodi said, "All I--"
"'Not much,' eh?" a dreadfully familiar voice came from
behind them, stabbing their hearts with its chilling tone, "The old
ghoul's ruby and your mother's bell... You almost sold your own soul
for it!"
The twins' eyes went wide with shock. The older twin
immediately turned back to see...
"Coldfire?!"
Zhaodi's eyes settled on the dark, tall figure that stepped out
into the clearing. His face was already locked in a scowl as he
prepared to strike.
"What a coincidence that I should find you here..." he
mocked, "You know, I didn't exactly appreciate what you did to me
last time, so I'll show you how much I've improved!"
As soon as the words left his mouth he joined his hands to
release a massive Bird of Prey towards them. Zhaodi quickly grabbed
her sister and leapt out of the way as the dark blast broke through the
tent behind them. Just as she landed, she placed Pandi behind her and
faced Coldfire, who was already dashing at them. Zhaodi stood her
ground, then, just as the demon slashed at her with his claws, she
ducked and planted his palms on his chest at the shout of, "White
Touch!" He was blasted away into a tree.
Coldfire staggered to his feet. Swearing at his luck, he
glared at the twins and growled.
"Enough of this stupid game," he said, slowly striding
towards them as he flared his fearsome aura, "Daughters of Pax...
today your end will come."
"Huh? Did something happen?"
"N-no, it's all right," Lael said, "Just felt a sudden chill, that's
all."
The store's clerk shrugged, and went back to gathering the
items Lael had come to buy. He was still intrigued by the young
man's demeanor, though. The Musk was a tribe of powerful warriors,
their fighting styles based utterly upon the combat instincts of many
beasts. Thus, its members had learned to develop their senses as
thoroughly as the animal they took after. Being only humans, that
was all they could do.
However, the aura that the clerk could discern around Lael
was special. It was as if the soul of a mythical bird lived within him,
hidden from everyone's view. While many legendary fighters of the
Musk were known for having the soul of a dragon, a tiger or even a
phoenix, none of them projected the spirit of the latter as strongly as
this young stranger that was in his store. In a way, it was similar to
what he felt when the small... female... walked into his store
yesterday --only her aura was immensely stronger.
"So," Lael said, snickering, "I heard there were some
problems here yesterday? When a friend of mine came to this
village?"
"Problems?" the clerk wondered, "Oh, then you must be
talking about the... girl... with red hair, right?"
Lael chuckled, "Yeah, that's right. Then it's true you people
have never seen women in your lives?"
The man frowned, "Don't make light of it, boy. There is a
reason why the Musk remain isolated from... women." Glaring
slightly at his customer's wide grin, he lifted the bag that held the
items and thrust it at Lael. "There, go join your... female... friend."
The boy couldn't help beaming, "I can think of nothing else
to do right now."
"What's wrong? Are you all right?" a white-haired Amazon asked,
seeing her great great-grandmother grasp her chest tightly, as if she
were in pain.
"N-no... something... something's wrong..." Zhae muttered.
She had suddenly felt as if a frozen dagger had stabbed her spirit.
Something awful was going to happen, but... to whom? Where?
A flash of realization. Zhae's eyes became large as saucers.
"By the gods... the twins!"
"What..." Xingyi began to speak.
"Xingyi!" Zhae suddenly called, "Go find your sister and
rally the strongest women in the village, now!" Almost instantly, her
descendant ran out of the house to look for Tangbei and the others.
Meanwhile, Zhae grasped her spear tightly and leapt out the window.
Cold sweat began to gather on her forehead.
"Please, don't let it be..." she pleaded, "My girls... Pandi!
Zhaodi...!"
There was a burst of light, and all of a sudden two small bodies were
flung out of the forest, only to land in a heap a few meters away from
the large spring. Staggering to her feet, Zhaodi coughed a couple of
times and adopted a fighting stance, her sister rising to her knees and
clutching the pigtailed girl's clothes like a frightened child.
Coldfire slowly stepped out of the forest; his dark violet
aura swirled around his body, like a hole that sucked all light that
dared approach it. His eyes were blank and glowing, and his face was
locked in a vicious scowl that the twins had never seen before. There
was a fresh wound on his cheek, but the girls didn't know where he
had gotten it. They honestly didn't care, though, as the beast they
were facing was much stronger than what they had fought two weeks
ago.
"So..." he muttered, "Jusenkyo... How fitting that you
should die here."
"Hmph," Zhaodi snorted, all too aware that the dreadful
cursed springs lay behind them. "I don't think so! We've beaten you
before and we'll do it again!"
Coldfire snickered, "Oh, you mean like last time? The Flying
Dragon Flame Wind, I seem to recall..." he clenched his fists,
summoning the blades on both arms. "Too bad I won't fall for that
again!" He quickly rushed towards the girls, who immediately aimed
their hands at him to push him with the White Touch. He was forced
back, but only slightly. "Oh, no, not this time!" he yelled, creating an
aura shield with his left hand. "And now..." he set his eyes on one of
the twins, "Burrow Blast!"
He punched the ground with his right fist. A purple line
stretched from the point of impact and towards the girls.
"Kyaaaaaa!" Pandi screamed as she was suddenly blasted up
into the air by a wide column of light.
"PANDI-CHAN!" Zhaodi had been thrown to the ground by
the blast; she immediately looked up to see her sister. She was
distracted, though, and Coldfire took advantage immediately. He
joined his palms and discharged the largest Bird of Prey he had ever
used. She was caught off guard --the shot knocked her away and
towards a bamboo shoot that sprouted from a spring. With a grunt,
she was pushed back towards the ground and she crashed into it,
nearly knocked out.
The world began to move very slowly for Pandi. As she was
lifted into the air, she had time to see Coldfire attack his sister with a
large bird-shaped blast. Then Zhaodi crashed into the bamboo, and
the recoil sent her straight into the ground. The ground... it... it was
beginning to come closer. It was already rushing up to meet her,
but... wait! At this angle, she wouldn't hit the ground! She w--
Pandi could think no more. She crashed headfirst into the
edge of the largest spring. Then, as the world became gradually
colder, she lazily slipped into the pond, and her feet never touched
the bottom...
Dizzy, drained of all her energy, Pandi could barely manage
to flail her arms wildly in the air. She tried to get out, she really tried!
But the blow to her head... she was so far from the edge... she
couldn't even swim to begin with...
"Zhaodi-chaaaan...!" was the faint scream she could manage
to let out.
Zhaodi slowly shook her head, trying to clear it of the thick
clouds left by Coldfire's attack. She could hear someone calling her...
who? What was... going on? Where was Coldfire?
She wobbled to her feet, holding her head in her hands. She
remembered... being hit by a Bird of Prey... but before that, Pandi-
chan had...
"Pandi-chan?" she wondered aloud. The panic broke
through her stupor and she looked around. She felt her heart freeze
when she saw her sister trashing about in the spring --she
immediately dashed to her help and--
Coldfire. He stood right before her.
"Out of my way, you bastard!" Zhaodi used her momentum
to release a lightning-fast kick to his head. He ducked, and spun
beneath her to smash his palm on Zhaodi's nape. Capturing her, he
flung her down face-first into the hard ground and pressed his knee
on her back, effectively pinning her down.
"Let me go! Pandi-chaaan!" Zhaodi yelled, trying to kick
back or grab his hand, but the position she was placed in made that
impossible.
"Watch very carefully," Coldfire said plainly, grasping
Zhaodi's nape and twisting her head so she could see right towards
the spring.
Pandi didn't know where her sister was; she barely knew
what was happening. All she knew was that her arms were becoming
very heavy... all she wanted was to rest; for someone show up and
stop the nightmare, for Zhaodi to fight Coldfire and take her out of
the water, for Lael to come back and save her... She just wanted it to
end... and she... she was so... so tired... And the water... she felt it
coming into her nose... her mouth... and... it...
It was so cold... all she wanted... was to... sleep...
It would be so nice to... to get some... sleep...
...she was so...
...tired...
She wanted everything to...
...end...
...after all... wasn't this just...
...an awful...
...dream...?
The water slowly settled down, its surface calm like a silver
mirror. A few more moments passed, but not a single bubble rippled
to the exterior.
"Zhaodi-oneechan..." came a last, peaceful thought.
And her sister had watched it all.
"N-NOOOOOO!" Zhaodi let out a heart-rending scream
that echoed throughout the valley, her voice shattering while she shut
her eyes as hard as she could despite the rivers that flowed down her
cheeks. "Pandi-chan! PANDI-CHAAAAAN!"
Coldfire slowly lifted his free hand, summoning his blades. It
was all over now.
"Get OFF!!" Zhaodi shrieked, and Coldfire was blasted
away as her aura exploded in a blinding flash, her whole body
projecting a White Touch field. After crashing into a tree, he got to
his feet and growled at his prey.
"COLDFIRE!" the small girl's shout was filled with sadness,
despair, and most of all an incredible rage aimed at the one who had
killed her sister. She yelled to the sky and spread her arms, fists
clenched tight. Coldfire would have attacked instantly hadn't it been
for the powerful glow that engulfed the redhead.
A shower of glimmers covered her as a beam of white
descended from above. Her clothes became the purest white, and
large feathery limbs began to grow out of her back. All of a sudden
her aura became much brighter; the light of her halo was so strong
that only her dark blue eyes could be seen.
And yet, it was obviously different from the other times
Cordis had possessed Zhaodi. This time, the Guardian of the twin
sisters was taking over Zhaodi's body completely, adjusting it to fit
her own needs. When the change was complete, both Cordis and
Zhaodi were awake and in control of their body.
"So..." Coldfire said, "I finally meet you, Guardian."
"Coldfire..." she spoke, "No... no matter what happens,
what you've done..." she lowered her head, and when she looked up
again it was with a long blade in her hands and incessant fire in her
eyes, "...you _will_ be punished for it!"
With that she raced towards the demon, a force of light
completely bent on destroying him. Coldfire smirked and stood still,
waiting for Cordis to come close. Then, just as she prepared to
cleave him down, he blasted himself off the ground and landed
several yards away from her.
"This will be very interesting..." Coldfire smiled, "Let me
show you what my master had intended for you, Guardian!"
He spread his arms, and a dark blue mist rose from the
ground in the shape of tendrils, which snaked around Coldfire's body
and engulfed him completely. Then he spread his arms violently,
repulsing the mist, and revealing the dark suit of armor he now wore.
"Meet Raven, Cordis Fortitudo!" he mocked, running
towards her with his aura flaring around him. She glared at him for
an instant, then aimed her hand at him and released a blast of light.
Smirking, Coldfire pulled back and used Raven's wings to protect
himself, then spread them again and shot out a hail of steel feathers to
distract her. Then he moved in for the kill.
Cordis had never expected this. Even as an angel she was
hard pressed to defend herself from Coldfire's relentless assault. She
knew he was powerful, but somehow he seemed to be drawing his
energy from a greater source. Then, the aura he possessed, his very
attitude soon reminded her of the demon that now was in charge of
her real body --the Heart of Weakness, Debilitatis Cor.
But... but she had defeated him long ago! It couldn't be
possible for him to send his spirit through Coldfire! Or... or...
The voice of the demon ringed in her ears:
"Run... if you can... stupid angel... But I swear this! I will
ALWAYS follow you! You won't ever escape from me! And when I
find you... You will DIE!"
Cordis glanced at Coldfire's blank eyes. She couldn't help
but feel a chill travel down her spine.
Zhaodi, for her part, was still in a trance. She couldn't even
think straight, much less notice what Cordis was feeling. All she
cared about was seeing Coldfire _dead_.
Cordis tried to talk to her, to make her realize that raw
anger would not defeat Coldfire this time. But Zhaodi didn't listen.
She was still seeing her sister desperately trying to get out of the
spring while she did nothing. Hatred. Hatred was all that drove her to
attack Coldfire so blindly. The obvious result was soon to come:
She made a mistake. And he took advantage.
Spotting an opening, Coldfire shot his hand towards her
neck and clutched it tightly, then slammed her hard into the ground
and yelled, "Red Touch!"
Cordis and Zhaodi screamed as one as the demon's dark soul
flooded their body. It felt as if they were being pulled apart, and since
they were already sharing the same body the attack hurt them even
more. But it was stronger this time. Coldfire was putting the real
might of Debilitatis Cor into the Red Touch. Cordis was shocked
when she realized it: if it continued, Zhaodi's very soul would be
shattered.
She had to defend her little sister. Determined, even as the
Red Touch filled the small figure, Cordis' soul surrounded Zhaodi's,
serving as a shield to protect the human girl's spirit --and receiving
the full blast of Coldfire's attack. Weakened, Cordis slumped down
while Zhaodi was left to command her body completely once more.
"Gyaaah!" Zhaodi quickly grabbed a rock and smashed it
across Coldfire's face. Although it had barely bothered him, it served
as a distraction while she wriggled out of his hold and stood away
from him. When he noticed, he simply stood up and snickered at her.
"Do you still think you have a chance?" he asked, "Look at
yourself. Cordis' essence barely has an influence on you, and your
body will give out soon. Why not let me destroy both of you now
and get it over with?"
Zhaodi just grimaced. She knew he was right: Cordis' halo
and wings were beginning to fade away, and she was feeling pretty
tired herself. If only her Lael-chan were here... together, they would
defeat Coldfire... as they always did.
"I will not... I'll never..." she stammered, "I'll kill you!" And
she dashed towards him, trying to catch him with her skills now that
Cordis' blade was gone. Coldfire just smiled.
She released a punch right at him. He grabbed her fist and
twisted it; Zhaodi's body turned around to avoid having its elbow
dislocated. Capturing her back, Coldfire simply sent a hard chop to
her nape. Zhaodi stopped struggled after that.
She suddenly felt her body as a dead weight. Something was
definitely wrong. Coldfire had... her neck... No...
Zhaodi was paralyzed, she had evidently lost all control of
her body below the neck. No matter how hard she tried, she just...
couldn't move!
Coldfire chuckled to himself. "So..." he grabbed her sash
and lifted her off the ground. "Ready to join your sister...?"
A look of pure shock was locked on Lael's face as he stood before
what was left of their camp. The tents were flattened, several trees
had been blasted to splinters. Everything he saw yelled out loud only
one thing.
"C-Coldfire?!" he stammered, still aghast by the sight. He
hurriedly looked all around, trying to find something, _anything_ that
would let him know that the girls were all right. But his hopes
plummeted when he realized the place was deserted. In a panic, he
quickly found a path of destruction leading away from the camp...
...and towards Jusenkyo.
His mind was a jumble as he grasped his monkey stick and
dashed in that direction. He hoped to God that the girls were okay. If
Coldfire had come back, what would he do? How would the girls
face him now? What if...
No, don't think about that! The girls were safe. They _had_
to be safe! Even if they fought at Jusenkyo they would never lose to
Coldfire, right?
Right?!
The answer came when he stepped out of the forest.
Coldfire stood proudly at the edge of the spring. Although his
master's powerful essence had already left his body, the pure thrill of
victory was sending chills down his spine. At last, the task that he
had been sent out to complete was over!
Well, almost over, anyway. He kneeled by the spring to
watch the red-haired girl's useless attempts to breathe. She was
floating face-down in the water, but since he had crippled her all she
could do was try to move her face up and down, desperately trying to
get even a slight gulp of air each time. But she never succeeded. The
position she was in made it impossible for her to get her face out of
the water, no matter how much she struggled.
It was so exhilarating. Coldfire had never felt so complete
before, as he watched the girl slowly drown to death.
Oh, great. Coldfire grimaced when he sensed another
presence approaching. He didn't want anyone to fish the girl out of
the spring while she was still alive. Muttering, he shot a hard punch
at the back of her head. She fell unconscious instantly, even as her
lungs were slowly filled with water. Standing up, he turned around
and scowled towards the forest.
It was then that Lael burst into scene.
"Coldfire..." he said under his breath. Half an instant later he
noticed the spring behind him --the spring that hadn't been cursed
yet-- and realized that there was somebody floating inside it.
The cold hand of desperation gripped his heart and crushed
it.
"ZHAODI-CHAAN!" he just ran towards the spring, blind
and oblivious to everything else. Coldfire stood before him, but
before the demon could fire a shot Lael just batted him away
violently. Breathing heavily, he tossed his monkey stick aside and
leapt for the spring--
A Bird of Prey knocked him away, back to the ground. Lael
wasn't fazed. He just ran back to the spring. Coldfire didn't matter to
him anymore, all he wanted was to get Zhaodi out of the spring!
There was no time to waste on that stupid copycat!
"Oh, no, you won't!" Coldfire encased the spring in a
hemispherical aura shield. Lael bellowed and smashed his chi-charged
fists on it, but it was useless! Stepping back, he began to summon his
Red Fire Bird when he was suddenly tackled by Coldfire.
"Red Tou--"
"GAAAAAH!" Lael released a potent blast that blew
Coldfire several feet away. Almost instantly he dove for his monkey
stick and filled it with all the chi he could muster.
"You idiot!" Coldfire spread Raven's wings to release a
storm of feathers.
"...aaaAAAAH!" Lael spun his staff before his body,
shielding himself from the barrage. The force of the spin sent the chi
to the ends of his staff, shaping a pair of curved blades. Lifting the
spinning weapon over his head, Lael pulled back before letting go
towards Coldfire, shouting, "Whirling Scythe Cut!"
"Agh!" Coldfire grimaced as Raven's left wing was cleaved
off by the weapon. In his state, he couldn't see Lael rush towards him
with a _massive_ red spark in his hands.
"RED FIRE BIRD!" he bellowed, blasting Coldfire into the
ground and pushing him through it. When he was done, he ran
towards the spring and flared his aura, releasing another Bird.
The shield cracked.
"Zhaodi-chaaaan!" Lael yelled, but even after cracking the
shield he could see her small body sinking out of his view. It was as if
the spring were pulling her down!
"Why, you..." Coldfire stepped beside him--
"YOU DEMON!" Lael grabbed him by the neck and
smashed him into --and through-- the shield with such force that
Coldfire was sent flying towards the other side of the spring. He hit
the edge with his head, the angle snapped his neck at the same time.
With a grunt, the demon fell unconscious and splashed into the
spring.
"Zhaodi-chan...!" Lael dove into the water, hoping with all
of his heart that there was still time. But as soon as the cold engulfed
him everything became incredibly dark... The spring itself was barely
visible through the magic water. He felt as if he were submerging into
a large, vertical pipe with dark blue walls.
A light. There! He could see her! Zhaodi was still slowly
descending to the bottom --if the pool had a bottom-- but now she
was facing upwards, right towards him. Her eyes were barely open,
and they seemed to be aiming at him. With a spark of hope in his
heart, Lael swam downwards and reached towards her hand...
"AAAGH!" a sudden current pulled him away. Everything
was spinning! He could still see Zhaodi and Coldfire and... Pandi?!
Pandi was also here?! It was all so confusing! The spring... was
glowing from the inside! And now there was a light behind him,
distant, pulling him and Coldfire away from the girls!
"No! NO!" Lael tried to swim against the current. "I won't
leave her! No! Zhaodi-chan! Zhaodi-chaaaan!"
But it was useless. The light itself advanced and swallowed
Lael and Coldfire. The last thing he saw before passing out was a pair
of deep blue eyes, sadly staring back, while a small golden bracelet
slowly slipped off of a drowned girl's wrist. And then, it was all
darkness.
Thus it happened. No one was there to record it. But when
the Joketsuzoku arrived, barely five minutes later, they could only
realize one thing when they saw the spring.
It was to be called Nyannichuan.
* * *
"Tokkan Ryuusei-kyaku!" came a loud shout from the dojo, followed
by a small blast of wind.
Ranma shot straight like an arrow towards the target. He
struck once, and the dummy glowed bright white. Then Ranma
bounced from the wall and delivered a second jumpkick, bringing the
straw figure to the ground.
"Guess this means I'm ready..." he smirked evilly. Nodding
in agreement, Master Yang smiled.
--To be continued in "Fight! Wind Dragon Vs. Tiger Streak"
The Zephyr
al709382@campus.ccm.itesm.mx
