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Chapter 96: Back to School

Liam woke feeling much refreshed. He still had very minor lingering effects from both the cold that plagued him yesterday and the chi-boosting medication he had taken on Friday. Perhaps he could conserve his chi for treating Mrs. Davis and his other patients, or, dare he hope, perhaps he would have a chance to tend to his own health and business. He snorted derisively and went to tend to his morning routine, though his paw lingered over his Mi'kmaq choker for a second before he donned it.

He ran to school on his own; he required some extra time to see Mrs. Davis, and there was no purpose in running twice the distance merely to drag Faelen and his friends along with him. He entered the school to see nearly empty halls and slipped into the main office.

The Hyena secretary, Jonathan Drake, was sitting at his desk sorting through a large stack of papers; the reddish mane between his ears was ruffled and sticking up at odd angles as if he had been rubbing it in frustration numerous times already. The Spirit barely glanced up when the door clicked closed behind Liam, though his posture immediately shifted to one of wariness. Drake was exhibiting his characteristic caution of him, a reaction Liam found both understandable and confusing.

Liam bowed shallowly and greeted him. "Good morning, Mr. Drake. I trust Mrs. Davis is in her office?"

"No. She called not too long ago to say she'll be late; the medication you gave her is helping, but she's having trouble with the side effects. Jordan hopes to get here by first period. Is there a problem?" As soon as he finished talking the secretary turned back to his papers.

Liam felt a small twinge of annoyance. Protocol dictated some manner of greeting upon first speaking to someone after a notable time apart -- which the weekend most certainly qualified as. "Not in an academic sense, no. I wished to examine her to see how things have changed over the weekend. On another topic, have you heard any further news from Mr. Gomeche?"

Drake did not even glance up. "No, nothing yet. He's on leave until next Monday; there's no reason to hear from him before Friday."

Liam took that body language as a cue that Drake did not desire his presence. "Very well, I will let you resume your work. Thank you for your time." He left the office after a second of continued silence; he could tell the Spirit was most discomfited with him there. It was perplexing. Why would he seek to deny his nature? It was, or should be, obvious that Liam was not prejudiced against Spirits -- he was friends with two. Drake should be able to tell by scent that Faelen and Geoff were Spirits; even those of average senses could identify another of their kind when they were close...typically within arms' reach. It was a rare Spirit whose sense of smell was poor enough to be unable to do so.

The quiet hissing of scale sliding over tile drew his attention to Ahjeet Jhansi, the Cobra who was the editor of the school newspaper. Liam had met few Serpents in his lives, such that the sight of one was still intriguing. Most Serpents lived on the Indian subcontinent, though some very small populations appeared elsewhere -- like Egypt. Jhansi's brownish-bronze scales were beautifully polished this morning; it was unfortunate that the colour did not go well with the school uniform, for he would be a most stunning specimen in the proper clothing.

"Good morning, Jhansi. I trust today finds you well?"

The Cobra bowed his head in greeting, his tongue flicking in and out rapidly a few times. "Good morning, Smith. The chill doesn't agree with me, but I'm in good health. I'm glad the school building is kept warm, however. How are you today? You seem a little upset."

Hmm, he was most perceptive. Liam knew his nose was still a little dry and raw, his eyes were also a little glassy, but there was no visible sign of grief as far as he knew. "I am recovering from a cold; it is of little concern, though I thank you for asking. My distraction was due to the absence of our principal. I stopped in to see how Mrs. Davis was faring and was informed she will be late. While we are on this subject, may I ask how your meeting with the newspaper club went? Did you fashion a bulletin pertaining to the event?"

Jhansi swayed back and forth in an almost imperceptible manner; his hood flickered slightly, too, revealing glimpses of the brilliant orange within. "Yes, the bulletin will be finalized before class, or during lunch at the latest. I'm actually on my way to the office right now to meet with the layout designer. I have to ssay, you've certainly become the talk of the school. You even replaced Geoff McDougal and Nathanial Marks as the most talked-about person. My Fur interest columnist promised to write some storiess about you."

Liam felt his face tighten up and focused on keeping his expression bland. "Indeed? I cannot say I have had any good experiences when dealing with the media. Please remind your staff that there is a line between free speech, whether it be of an individual or the press, and slander. If he or she seeks to spread unfounded or malicious rumours, be warned that I will respond accordingly. There is already one student who is under police investigation for crossing such a line. Do not add to that number."

The hood ceased flicking open and shut and instead unfurled halfway. The trace of a sibilant hiss in Jhansi's voice became more pronounced. "Iss that a threat?"

"A reminder for your club to do its job -- uncover and report on truth, not rumour, hearsay, or blatant falsehoods. If your club conducts itself with integrity, I shall have nothing with which to threaten anyone. There have been some unfounded and highly slanderous rumours going around about my friends, and even some about me. I do not wish to see them taken up by your people and put into print. I have learned, just last week, that a student in this school committed suicide after being the victim of rumour and the bullying that followed. While I believe that the press has a very valuable role to play in society, I find gossip magazines cause only harm."

The Cobra's hood partially closed; he was not entirely mollified. "I insisst on fact checking and properly sourcing all material when anyone on my staff writes a story. That doesn't mean to say that people we interview can't lie to us, so there is only so much we can do."

"I understand; however, should a 'sensational' story arise about someone it is only logical to allow the subject to answer the allegations, if only to avoid charges of libel and slander. Some stories are also irrelevant and are invasions of privacy; we are students and not public officials; we are entitled to a measure of privacy. That said, you were on your way to a club meeting?"

Jhansi answered with a fierce glare that was quickly, if imperfectly, concealed. "Yes, I was. I'll see you at our meeting during lunch, SSmith."

"Until then." They parted ways, with Liam going to his locker.

Liam had just retrieved his material for his first two classes when he smelt Betty Chan approaching. She really did not require such copious amounts of fragrances, particularly when her fur products did not blend well with her perfume. Either on their own would be rather pleasant, but they were cloying when taken together. In her defence, his sense of smell was superior to that of almost every Fur; she may have not put on excessive amounts according to those with average senses.

He pulled out the sheaf of papers Conor had provided for him and stepped into her path. "Chan, a word, if I may?"

The Pekinese looked less than pleased to be addressed by him. She was likely still annoyed by how he spoke to her on several occasions. He'd been less than flattering to her. Her wrinkled face became even more creased as she scowled at him. "What now, runt?"

Liam kept his own face smooth and his tone even. "I may require your musical talents for an upcoming event. I wished to inform you that an auction will be conducted in a month and there will be some entertainment between each item. Auditions will be held soon and your presence there is required; it appears you have a reputation as an exemplary musician."

She smirked at him and crossed her arms. "I am exemplary and I won't do anything to help you, no matter what it's for. You didn't need to bother wasting your time asking."

Liam allowed a small smile to cross his face. "I was not asking. I was telling. You will audition, and if I judge your talents such that I will not be disgraced by allowing you to perform with me, you will participate."

Chan's expression was delightful. Her jaw dropped, her arms swung limply by her sides, and her protruding eyes bugged even further. It was several seconds before she composed herself -- rather, before she exploded. "I'll what!? Why would I listen to you--!?" She cut off when Liam handed her the papers. "What are these?"

"Transcripts of your Facebook posts, tweets, and other online communications under three of your profiles. Please note that these are sufficient, when taken together, to press several charges: harassment, blackmail, slander, incitement to commit crimes, counselling to commit suicide, and more. You have been a very naughty girl, Chan. However, the material I am concerned with are the highlighted lines, the ones in which you spread malicious rumours about my friends...and about me, it appears. Charges have already been filed, but they may be dropped should you voluntarily perform some community service. Otherwise, this material will be provided to the police to expedite their investigation, and Hao Chan will hear from me. I have recently spoken to your father and it appears he does not know what you get up to on your new Macbook, nor how little you are deserving of the gift he is planning on purchasing for your seventeenth birthday."

The uncertainty on her face was gratifying, as was the hesitancy in her voice. "You...you're blackmailing me? How do you know Daddy?" She put on her best puppy-dog expression and attempted to charm him. "Come on, Liam, you don't need to be like that. I'm sure we can just forget the whole thing ever happened and be friends. Why don't you sit with me at lunch and we can talk about it there."

"When the pope sits on the throne of England, Chan. I do quite a lot of business with your father; in fact I frequently see him several times a month, on top of exercising with him at my kwoon. I may know him better than you do; when was the last time you have actually spoken to him? Furthermore, I have no interest in being your friend; I have my own and they are the ones you have been spreading rumours about. I have given you my terms, and -- while you may call it blackmail if you wish -- I am only doing this to spare your father...as well as give the best possible showing to support Mrs. Davis. I would greatly prefer to see you face justice for your crimes. You may even come out ahead if you participate; I am expecting many influential people from several countries to attend, including from China."

The dark expression that had crossed Chan's face lifted at the thought of how her planned career, whatever that may be, could benefit from acquiring influential contacts. She smiled at him. "Well, now. You could have just started with that, Liam. I'll be there, just tell me when it is."

"I will." Liam grinned evilly. "Just remember the entirety of the reason you are there; you are under my command. I dictate the music to be played, I determine how it is played, where you sit, what you wear, and every little detail is my choice, not yours. If you complain or prove yourself to be more trouble than I judge you to be worth, I will cancel the deal then and there. Be on your best behaviour and we will get along...as best we can. First off, you will address me as Smith, Si Fu Smith, or si fu, not by my first name."

She frowned. "Si fu? That means 'master,' doesn't it? Like hell. Why do you think I'd call you that, even if I agreed to your 'deal'?"

"It is a title in kung fu. I do not claim you as a student, nor as a slave; it is merely a title you would less likely oppose than calling me 'Mr. Smith.' Now, I wish to speak to Ms. Paul, so I will bid you good day." He did not wait for an answer, but spun about and strode off.

---

Geoff sat in the student council office waiting for...the Cow. Gertrude, if he remembered correctly. Everyone else was there: Lucio Bonilla, the student council president (a Tree Frog); Ahjeet Jhansi, the editor of the school paper (a Cobra), and Amanda MacPhee, the council's vice president (a Gopher). Liam was another person who was absent; the Rottweiler was checking in on Mrs. Davis and asked him to go to the meeting in his place. Geoff let his mind wander while they waited for Gertrude.

He had really liked yesterday evening and this morning, and it wasn't just because he'd spent them with Nathanial. He enjoyed spending time at the Markses' house; he liked the place a lot -- well, the parts they spent time in, since he hadn't seen over half of it yet. The pups' living area felt cosy, the gym was awesome, and the kitchen... well, that's where Nathanial cooked those incredible meals. Nicholas and Micah pounced on him and Faelen when they arrived; they were still pumped from their trip and they proceeded to regale them -- and Nathanial, who'd been soaking in a hot tub with his father until they got there -- with details of the trip. Garret looked absolutely knackered, and no wonder, considering all the things the two Akita brothers said they did. After that, they made sure to get all of their homework done and even spent an hour exercising and practicing kung fu. Garret seemed to perk up after their kung fu practice, which helped Nathanial relax. And then after everyone went to their own rooms--

He was jolted out of his daydream just as it was getting to the good part; his time in bed with Nathanial when he didn't have to worry about keeping quiet. 'Right, the meeting.' Gertrude walked in and gave him one of those smiles that bugged the hells out of him -- 'simpering', Gwen called it. Girls who liked him seemed to get this really dumb-looking smile on their faces and thought it was supposed to be attractive or flirtatious. He just smiled back and nodded his head, echoed by Nathanial and Faelen.

Lucio stood up; his throat sac quivered and made a quiet chirping noise. "Good afternoon, Gertrude. If you'll take your seat we can begin. Smith is talking with Principal Davis, so Geoff will speak on his behalf."

The Bovine took her seat, the pink bow on her tail bobbing about as her tail slowly swished behind her. "Hi, everyone." Her eyes barely moved from the white Wolf as she spoke. "I'm sorry I'm a little late, I needed to get an update from my club before I came up here."

Lucio nodded and sat down. "Very well, why don't you give us the latest news?"

"Our unofficial poll says that we could anticipate a large group of volunteers from the grade eleven and twelve students, giving us the people to pull off anything we plan. We're having trouble picking a format for the fundraiser -- anything we normally do would be too festive for the reason behind it, or it'd conflict with what Liam...um, Smith, has planned. Considering the popularity of the principal we want something a large number of students could participate in."

Geoff raised his paw and spoke when Lucio nodded to him. "I don't think 'festive' will be a problem. Smith--" He intentionally used Liam's last name to reinforce his friend's preference for formality. "--will be doing a more subdued event focusing on the cause of the fundraiser. I think we should go all out in showing our support for Mrs. Davis, to let her know how much the school appreciates everything she does. I haven't known her long, but I think she prefers being active and seeing people have fun over the serious stuff. If we have a lot of people who want to help, why not make this a fair of some sort? The leaves are almost all fallen, so it seems too late for an autumn one, and too early for winter. Halloween will be over and the solstice too far away." He paused for a moment, thinking. "So, let's make it relevant. Health. Winter is approaching, a time when people have bad diets and don't get out and exercise. We can highlight the activities people can do indoors, the ones outside, booths on how to eat great food that's still good for you, and so on. To make it less...preachy we can put booths around the edge of a central area where people can demonstrate different things. We can get the school band to play and have some people show different styles of dance, like waltzing. The martial arts clubs can do some demonstrations. Really, anyone that can show off an activity that everyone could do can take the 'stage.' That'll allow us to get the most people who want to take part involved, it'll showcase the talent in the school, and add some excitement to the booths. For the fundraising portion, we can have a 50/50 draw, we can sell cookbooks with healthy meal plans, and we can even sell ad space for companies and stores who deal in fitness equipment or run athletic centres."

Ahjeet raised himself up on his tail and waited a second before he received permission to talk. "I don't see how that will generate much revenue. This is to be a fundraiser, not an information session. 50/50 draws typically net us a few thousand dollars. Cookbooks require a lot of work and resources; we'd be lucky to get a few hundred from them, ignoring the fact that it's easy to find any recipe you want online. The advertising portion is...uncertain. We typically do quite well in that department, but it's hard to say how we'd do trying to focus on a target advertiser for a recipient other than our school."

Geoff smiled. "This doesn't need to be the entirety of the day. We can do other things, too. Besides, wouldn't this count as a charitable donation? We're raising this money for a registered charity; we can ask if this would allow people to get tax deductible receipts."

Nathanial shook his head, drawing everyone's attention. He blushed and ducked his head shyly. "U-Um, no, it wouldn't. We'd have to file paperwork to become a charity, and that'd require us to have a board of directors and everything. It would take too long. We could get someone from the hospital's charity department to come down to give receipts, but it'd only apply to donations, not to stuff purchased."

Gertrude nodded in agreement. "He's right. My uncle volunteers in a charity and he'd said the same thing. What else could we do, keeping in the theme? The standard fundraising events are pancake breakfasts, dances, and bake sales. Silent auctions with the standard items donated by stores don't work well for our school; our families are rich, we have everything we want. Only something unique, like, um, Smith's type of auction would hold any sort of draw. Even then...art from a student? I asked around; no one tied to my family seems to know of him as an artist. When I told them about his claims, they were shocked. I think that will bring a lot of people in, if only to see his art, not necessarily to bid."

Faelen raised his paw before responding. "He seems to be well-known in the East Asian community, the Chinese community in particular. I've seen his work, and it's almost exclusively traditional ink paintings; he has some on display in a Chinese restaurant downtown, the 'Phoenix Monk.'"

Ahjeet nodded. "I've seen them. I spoke to Dr. Miller after our last meeting."

Geoff was surprised. 'He's been checking into things Liam said? Is he going to be nosing around from now on?' Geoff hoped that wasn't going to be the case; perhaps once the Cobra verified what Liam said that would be the end of it.

The Wolf wasn't so sure as Ahjeet kept talking. "The good doctor directed me to the restaurant and the proprietor was more than happy to show them off. She seemed to be extremely pleased to have them and mentioned several times that 'the honoured Smith' ate at her establishment and even had his first date there. Quote -- 'In my restaurant! I couldn't believe it! He called up and asked me to prepare a good meal for him, so of course I had to do my best. He chose my restaurant!' End quote. She said a lot more on the subject, but that was the main gist. He was like a celebrity to her. She went on for a while about the paintings, too, especially the new one." Ahjeet paused and sounded very reluctant when he continued. "It...was impressive. I've seen many paintings in that style when I visited Japan and a few when I visited some old monasteries in southern China. He...would compare favourably to them. They actually reminded me of some paintings attributed to a legendary smith, Song Xun." His hood flickered partially open several times, barely revealing the orange scales each time. "He probably was telling the truth about the expected profits. I don't know how to compete with that."

Lucio scowled momentarily, but the other people around the table either looked impressed or, in Faelen and Nathanial's case, pleased. The Frog chirped as he drummed his fingers on the table.

Amanda glanced at his fingers irritably before shrugging. "I wasn't aware this was a competition. I was actually under the impression that we were supporting his auction, acting as a prelude to it and raising its profile, if not just giving a venue for the rest of us to show Mrs. Davis that we care, too."

Both Ahjeet and Lucio seemed miffed by that; Geoff bet they weren't used to playing second fiddle. He could easily understand how they felt; he often felt that way around Liam. Faelen was quiet but Geoff could tell he was hiding how much this amused him.

Amanda shook her head and sounded annoyed. "Boys. You try to turn everything into a fight. When we graduate and start working, whether for our parents or on our own, we're going to have to do a lot of tasks just like this in order to advance our goals. Look at this event as practice."

Gertrude nodded emphatically. "Yes! Yes, please. He seems like a sweet child; it's probably hard being so young and the scholarship student here. Let's instead focus on our part and make it the best we can."

Lucio's throat sac quivered and his large eyes fixed on a point above Geoff's head. "Right. Gertrude, you're the chair of the event committee so I'll leave you to figure out what will be done. Maybe talk to cooking club and see if they could pull off a dinner before the auction. We could look at having a five course supper as a prelude to the auction."

Ahjeet's quiet laughter sounded like a vibrating hiss, drawing the Frog's eyes back down. Ahjeet kept chuckling as he said, "You've never had their food before I take it, Lucio. Only one or two could pull anything like that off, the rest would struggle to pass as kitchen assistants or dishwashers. I regret the time I had to do an article acting as a food critic."

Geoff grinned evilly as he looked at his Akita. He teasingly said, "Then maybe Nathanial should take charge of that. He's an excellent chef and he has prepared meals for large groups of people before." He regretted saying anything when Nathanial looked at him with a horrified expression. His boyfriend seemed close to a panic attack. "I'm sorry, pup! I was joking! No one will make you cook if you don't want to." He leaned over and pulled the stricken Akita over into a sideways hug and rubbed his far arm. "Calm down, please." He was answered with a whimper.

Faelen glared at Geoff accusingly before turning his attention to everyone else. "I don't think it'd be a good idea. Nathanial would do a great job and I'd be happy to help him, but you probably all know he's had a rough month; adding that much stress to him wouldn't be healthy."

The girls and Lucio looked sympathetically at the Dog while Ahjeet just seemed confused. Gertrude leaned over and placed her hand on the Cobra's and whispered, "I'll tell you later." She sat back up and smiled kindly across the table at Nathanial. "No one expects you to take that big of a job on after everything you've been through, Nathanial. Don't worry about it." She gave Geoff a dirty look.

"I said I was sorry!"

Amanda rapped her pencil on her clipboard. "The bell is going to ring in a few minutes. We're not here to do the planning committee's work. Ahjeet, what's the status of the bulletin?"

"Finished. We sent it to the printers this morning and we should have copies ready for distribution by the sstart of school tomorrow. We've also got some of the work started on the flyers and posterss; we just need to get the schedule of events before we can continue. I'd like to get some photos of the paintings Smith will be auctioning off, esspecially the one that should serve as the highlight of the auction."

Nathanial pulled away from Geoff, but he was still shivering a little. His ears were flat back and his gaze fixed on the table. "H-He's painting most of them s-specifically for this. I-I don't think they're a-all done."

Geoff sat up straight and took on a more dominant posture. "I'll pass on your request, Ahjeet. I can't say what his answer will be, but I'll stress the importance of having at least one photo on the advertisements. I think a letter from the council president about how the school loves Mrs. Davis would be a great addition, too. It could remind everyone why it's important to show our support for her and, really, this isn't just for her; it's for everyone we care about that needs the services of the Halifax hospitals."

Lucio nodded, pleased. He placed his brilliant green hands palm down on the table and stood. "I'd be happy to write an open letter for this. Now, we've run out of time, so let's reconvene on Wednesday, at lunch. We should have more to go over, then. I call this meeting adjourned." Everyone stood up and began filing out.

Geoff's ears perked up when Gertrude pulled Ahjeet aside and said, "Someone hijacked the car Nathanial was in on the second day of school; three thugs were killed -- by Liam -- in a fight right in front of him, and a cop gunned two more down right there in the middle of the street. And then someone murdered his mother in his kitchen a few days later while he was there. Rumour has it she was the one who hired the goons to kidnap him, but the deal went sour and they killed her."

"Shit! I can't believe he's back to school so quickly. I don't know if I could handle it. His mom!?" Ahjeet sounded genuinely sorry for the pup, but Geoff couldn't hear anything else after the bell rang.

Nathanial cringed and curled his tail between his legs as he walked beside Geoff, whimpering softly until Geoff put his arm around his shoulders.

---

Liam placed his bag on the bench in the kwoon before stripping naked. He was joined today only by Nathanial, since Geoff and Faelen had soccer practice -- the last before their next match on Wednesday. He, too, quickly began changing his clothes in the otherwise empty room in preparation for kung fu practice. The changing room was illuminated with the typical soft light from the paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling (using compact florescent bulbs, not fire), and the grey tile floor gleamed with its highly polished finish. Bao ensured the entire facility was kept in immaculate condition.

School had been quite mundane, apart from the early morning and lunch. He was not terribly pleased with the effects of the medication on the tumours in Mrs. Davis's brain; it had slowed their growth and reduced the swelling of surrounding tissue, but it had not caused them to shrink as he had hoped. He would speak to Dr. Solmes and Dr. Ping tomorrow and seek to come up with some form of plan for treatment. He feared surgery was the best option unless he was willing to gamble on Nathanial's assistance. It truly would be a gamble: he did not know how the Dark energy would react with the medication, how the modified medication would affect Mrs. Davis, or if it would work at killing -- or even shrinking -- the tumours.

He was pulling on his jockstrap when Si Fu DeKou entered, his duffel bag tossed over one shoulder. Nathanial looked up at him and bowed. The large Polar Bear paused momentarily when he saw them, his eyes flicking over the two naked teens before he bowed.

Liam bowed in return. "Good afternoon, DeKou. It is good to see you again."

The Bear tore his eyes from Nathanial's delectable backside -- the Akita had just bent over to pull on his jockstrap -- and managed to look Liam in the eyes. "Hi, Honoured Teacher. I'm, uh, glad to see you...and Nathanial, too. Will you be training with us at all, today?"

"Perhaps. There is much I would like to speak to Bao about, first. Would you consent to starting lessons for my student?"

DeKou looked as if he'd been given a million dollars. "Of course! I'd be honoured to help you, Ancient One! Anything at all, you just need to ask."

It crossed Liam's mind then that he knew exactly how Geoff felt whenever Faelen called him 'sir.' It was a most unwelcome reminder of a difference in status that only one party recognised. Liam was a higher rank than DeKou, without a doubt, but that was not why the Bear was...elated by the opportunity to assist him. It was not even as if DeKou hoped to bed him. However, Liam knew that a complete ban on honorifics was futile; he could only seek to limit them to the least objectionable. 'Sir' was mild and one Geoff should just tolerate, for it could be much worse -- 'my lord' came to mind immediately.

He pulled on his shirt and began buttoning it up as he spoke. "'Ancient One' is what I am, Si Fu; it is neither my title nor my name. It is like calling Faelen 'Spirit,' Nathanial 'Mage,' or you 'Fur.' It is not insulting, yet neither is it entirely polite. Please refer to me as 'Si Jo' while I am in the kwoon. It is something I have said before and will periodically be forced to remind...all of the masters, for you are hardly the only one who addresses me in such a manner. However, I do thank you for consenting to my request."

DeKou looked shamed. "I'm sorry, Anc...Si Jo. But, really, I'm very honoured to help you however I can."

Nathanial grinned shyly and teased the much larger Bear. "Careful, Si Fu, I might have to tell Faelen you're hitting on his boyfriend."

DeKou looked mortified and ready to sink into the floor. He began to stammer out protestations when Liam sharply raised a paw, silencing him immediately. Liam glanced at his nearly naked friend. "Student, get dressed. Si Fu DeKou, you are still in your street clothes. You should change into appropriate attire and begin the lessons." He pulled on his pants and addressed both of them. "I will see you before long." He bowed, waited for the return bows, and left the changing room.

Bao, as usual, was sitting on a chair at the intersection of the halls. The women's changing room was to his left, with an office and the men's changing room to the right, the entrance ahead of him, and the hall leading to the rest of the kwoon behind him. He was just about finished polishing a niuweidao -- an 'oxtail sabre.' This was a larger form of Chinese sabre, with a flared tip at the end, and this particular one had a series of rings set into the back edge. Bao primarily used this sword for performing, but it was still a potent weapon; the rings could be charged with chi and the noise they produced served to disrupt the senses of Oni and weaker Demons.

The elderly Panda looked up with a kind smile. "Greetings, Honoured Teacher; I was hoping you'd stop by to let me know how your trip to Ireland went."

Liam did not return the smile and sat on the floor by Bao's hindpaws. He switched to the Min Nan dialect of Chinese to prevent anyone from eavesdropping; Cheng Bao was not overly comfortable with the dialect from the region around Taiwan, but he could understand what was said as long as Liam took his time. <I...> Liam was suddenly at a loss for words.

Bao put the sword aside. <They refused to accept you?>

<Muireann refused. She...could not accept that she would be unable to spend eternity with me in the Underworld. She took much time to even acknowledge that I was Lowell, and...> His breath caught in his throat. It was still a very difficult matter to discuss. <I was making limited progress with her, but Ciaran had orders from the alpha to silence her if it was determined that she was intransigent. He could hear most of what was said and heard her damn the clan. She said she wished to see it torn apart and hoped it would take all of Ireland with it. He heard her anger but not her pain and despair.>

The Panda's face fell. Sympathetic grief warred with incredulous and righteous anger. <Your son...killed his own sister? Your daughter!? How could...!? The Cork Alpha ordered one of his own clan members to death without some sort of trial? What did you do?>

Liam grimaced. He knew his voice dripped with venomous self-loathing, but he could not stop it. <Nothing. There is nothing, was nothing to be done. The alpha is lord of the clan. The people within, including my children, are sworn -- from birth unto death -- to serve the rightful alpha. The O'Conalls are the most bound; I am still bound by who I am, who I was, and my oaths. I cannot act against him, nor can I say he was wrong in his orders. Ciaran was hasty in his actions, but he was doing what he honestly believed was just and was in the best interests of the clan and his alpha. Family comes second to one's duty.> Liam meant what he said, yet it was no small part of him that hated himself for that belief.

Nathanial and DeKou slowed down as they walked by, but they hurried on when the two high ranking masters looked at them sharply.

Bao rubbed his large paws over the black spots on his face. <I know that was, and is, a key part of who you are, Li.> Bao called him 'Li' due to his life as Song Li, as well as a short form of Liam -- an homage to the way Lowell would have truncated the name. <It features prominently in all the stories of the lives I know to be yours, though I know you've kept many things hidden. I still can't believe you'd allow this to happen.>

<No? I killed my lover with my own paws in one life because I could not disobey a flawed order. I knew the order was flawed before I left; it was most obviously drawn up in haste and ill thought out, but it was an order. I loved no one more than my Kaoru before that or since, until Faelen came into my life, yet I still took his life to fulfil my duty and keep my honour. If I could have I would have stopped Ciaran from killing my beautiful Muiry; I could have satisfied the clan's need for stability and her silence as well Muireann's need to be free. Yet, once it was done...> He trailed off with a shrug.

His old friend growled and grabbed the niuweidao. He began angrily polishing the blade. <I couldn't take that as calmly as you are, Li. There's no way I could let the death of one of my children go unanswered.>

<You betray your youth, Bao; you must learn to let go. Answer this: who must pay? My son? Would the death of another of my children bring me peace? The lord who ordered her death to save his people from civil war? That would create a civil war and cause my family to turn on me. Many people would die, including my family...and it would almost be guaranteed that they would die at my own paws, or I would die at theirs. It would cost me my love, Faelen. I wager I would be forced to fight Conor, Geoff's father, and Dirk, Faelen's father. I would likely end up fighting Geoff and Faelen himself. Possibly even Nathanial. No, answering her death in haste would compound the mistakes that were caused by hasty actions. I would have lost everything.>

Bao had slowed his furious polishing while Liam spoke and was now completely still; his eyes were downcast, his posture almost subservient. <I apologize for my rash words, Honoured Grandfather. You're right; I spoke as a young man would, one who thinks only with his heart and without the wisdom I should have earned by now. There's nothing you could have done that would bring her back, and vengeance accomplishes nothing. There's nothing to be done.>

Liam looked down at his hindpaws, silent for a moment. <I am doing something, Bao. I am doing what should be done at the death of my child -- grieving her loss and remembering the joy she brought into my life.>

He was answered by a kind voice full of sympathy and tinged with amusement. <You speak with the wisdom I often lack. Come. Let's join the masters and centre ourselves in the forms.>

The Rottweiler smiled wanly. <You may often be rash, but at times you almost sound like you have earned what a Fur of your few years should have.> They stood and made their way to the masters' training room.