Chapter 25 - Laws of Nature

Chapter Twenty-five: Laws of Nature
(Push and Pull)

“Faster!” barked Sun Park as she supervised over Haley's training. “Harder!” she continued, as she knew her student could put more power behind her strikes.

Lao Shi walked into the training room quietly, with Fu Dog by his side. He said nothing, at first, as he watched his youngest grandchild work through the obstacle course set up for her by her teacher. Haley, though still not as powerful as the one who preceded her, moved with a grace that only came from years of dance. She was able to maneuver in ways that Jake could only dream about.

The current American Dragon was slowly coming into her own. She was no longer the small, pink, and fragile dragon she had once been. Her scales were slowly growing darker, making her appear more purple than she once was. Her wings, which were once barely able to keep her in the air, had expanded. They were now longer than her body measured from head to toe.

Haley, jumped, flipped, ran, and flew through the course she was given. At random times a cardboard figure would jump out, either revealing an enemy or a friend. Her precision and aim were remarkable . . . and she knew it. She smiled to herself as she came close to the end, knowing her time would make record, but then one last figure sprung up and Haley couldn't help but pause in front of it.

“No hesitation!” Sun Park ordered and so, snapping back into what she was doing, Haley took a deep breath before the flames rose from her throat and ignited the figure in front of her. Haley found she could do nothing as she watched the image of her brother slowly burn to the ground. She went to turn away, unable to look at it any longer, before Sun Park told her to stand her ground. So Haley turned back to the figure, her body shaking, as the fact that her brother was a fugitive was concreted into her mind.

“That was unnecessary.” Lao Shi gave his critique to Sun Park as he heard his granddaughter stifle tears.

“Hello, Lao Shi,” Sun greeted the man beside her. “And I'm sorry, but I must sadly disagree.” Her tone was melancholy. She hated seeing her student in pain. “There may come a day when she has to face Jake. She must be prepared.”

“Jake would never attack Haley,” Loa Shi pointed out confidently.

“Just like a dragon could never go bad,” she countered.

Lao Shi's head snapped towards her immediately. “My grandson is nothing like the Dark Dragon.” He hoped his voice did not give away his anger. “He is not evil,” he pointed out. Lao Shi then lowered his head and continued softly. “He has just lost his way, but soon he will see his mistake and return home. I'm sure of it.”

“You have too much faith in your grandson,” Sun responded. “We can not turn a blind eye, we made that mistake before.”

As Lao Shi and Sun Park continued to speak, Fu Dog excused himself before making his way over to Haley, who had changed back into her human form. “I hate when they argue,” she whispered, as Fu Dog came into listening range.

“Come on, kid,” Fu Dog indicated that he wanted her to follow him. “We have your potion lesson.”

Haley sighed as she fell into step behind him. “I don't remember Jake ever having to do so many potions,” she pointed out.

Fu Dog only smiled. “Jake didn't have the brains nor the patience for potions. He only attempted them when they benefited him. He was selfish like that, I suppose.” His eyes then grew a bit sad. “It was the only time he ever was.”

“Let's not talk about Jake, okay?” Haley asked, and Fu Dog complied.

Before long Fu Dog and Haley were in the back of the shop gathering ingredients. “It's okay to be afraid,” Fu Dog whispered as he handed her the next ingredient for a transformation potion.

Haley looked to him curiously. “Afraid of what?” she began. “About this blowing up on me?” She smiled. “Believe me, after last month, I won't make that mistake again.”

Fu Dog shook his head. “You know that's not what I meant.” He sighed as he paused in his actions and looked over to his youngest charge. “I meant, when it comes to facing Jake.”

Haley's brow furrowed deeply. “I thought I said I didn't want to talk about him.” She angrily grabbed the jar labeled 'Spider Webs' and hastily threw it into her cauldron.

“Sun Park is right you know, there will be a day when you have to face him.” Haley went for another ingredient, but Fu Dog pulled it from her reach, causing her to look at him as he sat on his stool. “You're more like him than you know.”

“What do you all want from me?” she asked, clearly upset. “I'm doing the best I can here, okay? I understand that Jake did this job better than I could ever wish to, but I'm trying!” She pushed back the tears that threaten to fall.

“No one said you weren't, but you're having to face something none of us have before.” Fu Dog left it at that and as he predicted, Haley finally spoke.

“He's my brother,” she concluded. “And though I would have never admitted to it when he was around, I admired him. Even when he did stupid things, like he's doing now.” Haley pulled up a stool next to Fu Dog. “How could he just leave like that?” she wondered out loud. “Why would he willingly do something like this? What could have been so important?”

“I've spoken to Gregory,” Fu Dog began before he heard a scoff like sound leave Haley's mouth. “He said-”

“Whatever Gregory said, I don't care,” the young girl informed her canine friend. It wasn't long after Jake had left that she learned that Trixie was pregnant and it wasn't with her husband's child. Haley half wondered, if Jake had left from the shame of that alone. Raising one child that wasn't yours was honorable, but raising two? Well, that was just down right foolish. “So can we just get back to the potion, please,” she asked, her expression tired, but willing to push on.

“Yeah,” Fu Dog nodded and so the two went back to work.

“Fu,” came a voice so soft that Fu Dog thought he had imagined it. He looked up from his book and the potion, which was now coming to a boil. He looked to Haley curiously, but it was clear by the expression of concentration of her face, that she had not said anything. So Fu Dog shrugged it off, chalking it up to it being a long day and that his mind was playing tricks on him, before going back to his book for precise measurements.

“Fu,” the sound was strong, and there was so mistaking it this time.

Fu Dog's head slightly jerked up and he gasped. “La,” he whispered to himself. He then swiftly turned around, his fangs on full display as he growled. “Yan Yan!” Haley aware of the two's relationship quickly turned into her dragon form and took a fighting stance, a stance her brother had taught her.

Yan Yan seem to float in mid-air as she peered at them through a tear in time and space. “Fu, I am not here to fight you.” There was something in her voice; it was so foreign that Fu Dog could not hold his anger. His expression softened towards her as he realized it was sadness. “I need your help. Please, this won't stay long,” she said, referring to her already shrinking window.

“What is it?” Fu Dog asked, still not convinced this wasn't some kind of trap.

“It's Fred,” her voice shook. “He's dead.”

It was all she had to say before Fu Dog strung for his stool and jumped through the portal that lead him to her. “Fu!” Haley yelled. “Wait up!”

“Stay there!” Fu Dog ordered, but it was too late, Haley jumped into portal after him. She crashed onto the floor on the other side and sat up just in time to see the portal close and disappear. “Oh, that's probably not good,” she concluded, as she reverted back to a fourteen year old girl.

“You shouldn't have come,” Fu Dog warned her.

“Where are we?” Haley asked, still sitting on the floor, as she took a look at her surroundings. It was a burnt down cabin in the middle of the woods, which seemed to be magically rebuilding itself at a slow rate.

“Welcome to the land down under,” Yan Yan greeted the teenager. She then turned to Fu Dog. “I have business to discuss with you and I would prefer not to do it in front of the child.”

“Of course,” he agreed, before asking Haley to give them a minute. Haley nodded before finally standing, watching her step as she made her out of the cabin and into the woods. Fu Dog then turned to Yan Yan when he felt Haley was out of ear shot. “What happened?” he asked.

Yan Yan closed her eyes and Fu Dog was amazed to see an actual tear escape down her cheek. It had been so long since he had been reminded of how vulnerable she could be. “It was the Huntsclan,” she began. “Fred was captured and he had escaped, but not without help or injury. They came for him, and the other. They took the other with them, and left my boy to die.” She looked back up at Fu Dog, her eyes no longer sad, but enraged. “I want them dead,” she told him, before her bottom lip began to quiver, “but most of all. . . I want my boy back,” she confessed.

Fu Dog slowly began to shake his head; he knew where this was leading. “No,” was his answer.

“Please,” she stepped forward, her desperation clear. “You're they only one powerful enough. You know I can't do it alone.”

“No!” Fu Dog barked loudly, looking at her like she was out of her mind.

“Fu Dog?” Haley had yelled over when she couldn't help but hear him. He told her everything was fine before going back to his conversation with his feline companion. Unconvinced, Haley whispered softly, “Ear of the Dragon.” She listened closely as her ears were now able to pick the two up.

“I won't do it,” Fu Dog continued. “You don't realize the sacrifice it calls for?”

“Yes, I do,” she confirmed. “And the sacrifice is my own. You know that.” She watched as Fu Dog continued to shake his head. “I'm not asking for the boy, but for me,” she tried to explain. “He's the only charge, I have ever had a connection with. He's the only one, who has ever treated me like an equal, and not just a pet or a guardian. He was my boy. He was my friend.” She paused for a moment. “I have never been able to say that about a charge before,” she admitted. “And I want him back.” It was more of a demand than a request, and she knew it. “Please,” she added for good measure.

“You want me to bring back the dead for you,” Fu whispered, causing Haley to gasp where she stood. “You know the cost, La.”

“La?” She stepped closer to him. “It's been so long since you've called me that.”

“Don't change the subject,” Fu Dog asked of her.

“Fine,” she agreed. “And you're right, I know the cost and I'll gladly pay it. I can spare them, Fu,” she assured him. “I am a cat, as you can see.”

Fu Dog looked straight at her as he gave his reply. “The answer is still no,” he whispered.

“Why?” she demanded.

“You know why!” He was growing weary with this conversation. “We two are so much older than we have let everyone believe,” he began. “You know I'll follow, I always have, but I can't right now. My own charges need me.”

“I told you I can spare them. I would never ask you to leave your own for mine,” she made clear. “I mean, did you really think I was that selfish?” she asked. Fu Dog only looked away, causing Yan Yan to scoff. “You and I are older than time itself,” she began. “You have faithfully followed me in death and I, you in birth, no matter what the form. Whether it be the sun and the moon, koi fish in a pond, or a cat and a dog, playing an endless game of tag.”

Fu Dog looked defeated. “I'll bring him back,” he finally agreed, Yan Yan's face lit up. “But under one condition.”

“Name it.” She sat up tall.

“I know you're lying to me,” he told her. “So tell me the true reason you want him back and he is yours.”

“Tui,” she whispered his true name, but he would not be deterred. Yan Yan sighed before telling him what he wanted to hear, knowing it would hurt him. “His soul,” she referred to Fred. “It's the soul she left behind. The boy is his reincarnate.”

“So you finally found him, after all this time?”

“Not me, her,” she corrected.

“You're one in the same. You gave her life and she gave it back to you. Her thoughts and feelings are your own. You've allowed them to dominate.” As they spoke the cabin finally finished rebuilding itself. Fu Dog stood on all four before walking pass Yan Yan to the room where he knew Fred's lifeless body would be resting.

“Fu,” she called after him, causing him to stop where he stood. “Are you angry?” she asked.

He didn't turn around as he answered her. “Compared to us, he loved you mere seconds. Seconds!” His bark was so ferocious that it caused Haley, who was still eavesdropping, to nearly jump out of her skin. “Yet, it was enough to make you search for him, century after century, lifetime after lifetime.” There was then a long pause. “No,” he finally said softly. “I'm not angry,” he lied. “Now, if you'll excuse me, it takes concentration . . . defying the Laws of Nature.”

To Be Continued. . .

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