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 Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 5:48 pm
November 30, 2015 He’d been to Taiwan once as a child, a vacation for his family, and it was while there that he’d had his first soup dumplings at Din Tai Fung, a famous place for them. When they’d returned from Taiwan he’d asked his mother to look for the place, see if they were in the United States as well, sadly they weren’t. He had found places in China town which served really good soup dumplings though, some were too big for a single bite so he hadn’t found a favorite place till he’d found one where he could do that, eat the dumpling in a single bite. The place was one of those restaurants which had carts going about filled with foods you could grab for your table.
That was what he was eating on the cold November evening as he sat inside the restaurant, on his own. It was odd to eat on his own, everyone else here seemed to be eating with other people, but he had a zhēng long on his table filled with soup dumplings, three levels so three kinds. Maybe he should have called his cousin or someone else from his family to come and join him? He hadn’t planned on going for food though! He’d been doing some shopping, they needed some things restocked in the kitchen, and on the way home he’d decided to get some xiao long bao. It wasn’t his favorite food but it was a close second, though some soup dumplings ranked a bit low they ranked second place for him on a general whole. Most being very good.
As he looked at the remaining dumplings he had in each basket he sighed and considered calling home and having someone come and join him for a meal, a sibling or his parents. Not wanting to waste food, and the idea of eating alone bothering him, he finally pulled out his phone and called home. When his sister answered he filled her in on where he was and that he would cover the food but he didn’t want to continue eating on his own and he had a good amount on his table already and he did want to have other things, which would mean wasting other things and he simply couldn’t do that, it would be a lack of manner son his part.
Ignoring the squeals he heard she took note of her saying that she was getting their other siblings and they’d all be down for a big dinner together – oh no…he’d just offered to cover…but not for everyone. He wanted he protest and say something but instead he shut his mouth and once he’d hung up the phone he waited the short while it would take for them to arrive.
It was his younger sister, Jiao, who came in first followed by their elder sister and two elder brothers. The four siblings finding Fai soon enough and joining him at his formerly lonesome table. Chairs were pulled out and the siblings seated themselves and went for the dumplings already at the table and as a cart came about, filled with baskets of food, they started grabbing things. Soup and dumplings, wantons, and noodle dishes as well. The table soon found itself covered in plates, zhēng long and glasses of various drinks. One of his elder siblings, his elder sister, asking for confirmation that dinner was on him to which he did reluctantly nod his head.
They were going to eat enough, between the five of them, to feed a small army and he knew it…there went what money he had been saving. He didn’t say anything though and he didn’t stop anyone from eating what they wanted. Instead he joined in on conversation and eating as they enjoyed their time together. It turns out his siblings had been home for a while, they had been going to return to their dorms for the night, but were home at the time his call came in. They’d been helping their mother who had suddenly decided she wanted the Christmas decorations down from the attic and didn’t want to interrupt his martial arts practice or wait till he got home, after all she’d already asked him via text message to pick up some items they needed to restock the kitchen. She hadn’t wanted to burden him further by having him help.
Hearing all that he’d wanted to roll his eyes, so typical of his mother, but he refrained and just nodded his head and said as much to his siblings who laughed and agreed with him. Finally, after what felt like forever, they were stuffed and ready to leave and Fai was left asking for the bill for everything.
Ready to face the music, sort to speak, he was surprised when his eldest brother snatched the bill and both Xiang and Dong looked it over before offering to chip in and help cover it with him, they couldn’t let their little brother pay for the whole meal, did he really think they were going to do that to him? Shaking his head he snatched it back and insisted he cover it – he’d said he would and he meant it. He might be conscious of what he spent and not like spending really but he had said he would! He would keep his word and when he elder brothers tried to grab the check back he kept it from them both as he went for his wallet in order to fish out the necessary money to cover it.
With the money in hand he hurried to pay it, before his brothers could stop him, and when they arrived he was done with paying and motioned that they should head out and head home. They did complain for part of the walk home but soon it turned to other things, how practice went and the classes they were all taking.
The five arrived home to their mother hugging them, asking how dinner was, and being pointed to the living room to help with decorating. They didn’t have a tree yet, wouldn’t for a week or two still, but everything else needed to be done tonight according to their mother. Not one to argue his mother, or even refuse her anything, he went right to work despite being stuffed to the point of wanting to curl up and sleep somewhere. He set to helping with the decorations. Word count: 1,072
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Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2015 1:15 am
December 30, 2015 (Back dating to Christmas) Christmas was spent as usual in the Leung household. Gift giving was done, with each person only getting one gift from a person; meaning his mother only got one gift from each person ect. The holidays were more about family than lavishing people in gifts that were material, as each gift was in some way useful to the person receiving it.
His elder siblings had gotten things to help them in university as well as their professions, or what they were studying to become. He had gotten things to aid him in university as well but also things he needed for martial arts. Everything had been more than appreciated and brought a smile to his face.
As the gifts were done being opened and the wrapping paper was thrown out they each drifted off to their rooms, to put their gifts away so nothing happened to them. The slippers he had, since his old ones needed replacing, were put into his gym bag while the old ones were brought into the kitchen and tossed out – right before he was tossed out of the kitchen by his younger sister. The women were going to be cooking and he wasn’t appreciated in the kitchen.
He, his brothers, and their father were relegated to the living room where various games were played. The tv was not put on, as it was distracting, and Chinese games were played, traditional things, as slowly the smells of food filled the house and the chatter of the ladies could be heard as they worked. This was nothing new, it was how Christmas was always celebrated.
For the Lunar New Year they’d be going to visit family, plans and transportation already been arranged, and while he considered telling his family then, or even now, about him being a senshi he kept it to himself as he remembered the cats words about not telling anyone. This was his family and he really did want to tell them but he would follow what the cat said, even if he seemed to not be the most informative creature, by keeping the secret to himself.
When dinner was served, several hours later, he sat with his family and ate. Chop sticks moving from dish to dish as he brought food from a dish in the center of the table to his own little plate before eating it. He considered it throughout the meal, wondering what would happen if he told, but not once did the words pass his lips or even begin to. This was a secret he had to keep especially as it may keep them safe since it seemed like he’d been brought into something pretty important and just as dangerous. He wasn’t about to bring anyone else into this if he could help it, his family was too important to him.
Eating till he was full, but not full to bursting like some people did, he set his chop sticks down and bowing once excused himself before standing and going to take his dishes and utensials to the kitchen to wash them himself, rather than having his mother or one of his sisters do it for him. He had, while excusing himself, thanked them for the meal. While washing his dishes he was joined by his brother but soon left him to continue clean up as he went to his room to rest a bit, tired from the busy day they’d had yesterday – decorating last minute as everyone had been busy previous to the day before. With work, school, and studying for the finals and such no one had much time to decorate and so it had been done all last night. It would stay up, thankfully, till the day after New Years (not the Lunar New Year) so it hadn’t been put up only to be taken down later today or tomorrow.
Shifting to lay on his side he pulled his pillow under his head and closed his eyes as he drifted off into a comfortable sleep that was needed. Word count: 672
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Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2016 1:14 am
January 1, 2016 Pushing the chair back he stood up and bowing once more to the computer, or rather to the camera mounted on the top of the screen, he said something in Chinese before he turned to leave the living room. Letting someone else take his place in the chair to talk with their family who were back in China. He had said his part, having spoken after his father, mother and younger sister. He had told his family a little bit of what had happened recently, leaving out the whole senshi thing, and let them know how much he couldn’t wait for the trip back to China to see them all, which was true. He honestly couldn’t wait to go and see his family. It was rare that they got to go but for the Lunar New year they’d be going in order to spend time with their family as was proper.
He would be able to spend time with his grandfather and perhaps go to the open bird market, if only to look and listen to his grandfather speak with some of his friends. He enjoyed the time he got to spend with his family, there was always a lot of stories to be told. Whether the stories were of things which had happened during the past year or other stories they were always interesting. It was also just calming, especially now since he had just been brought into some sort of a war. He really did need to learn more – that would be his new years resolution.
It wasn’t a Chinese thing to do, making new years resolutions, but he’d been born and raised in America and it was an American thing to do; even if most people broke them or never even started them. It was still something he could do and follow through with. He had no intention of going back on it and not learning more.
Pulling his cell phone from his pocket as he closed his bedroom door behind himself, he pulled up his cousins contact information and sent her a text. Quote: Only a few hours to go – how are you doing? Quote: I think my parents are planning to go out for dinner. Any word if you are going out to dinner tonight? Might be a family thing. Quote: Everyone is in the living room talking to grandfather and grandmother over skype.
Maybe the trip back home in February would give him time to properly think about this whole senshi of kappa’s thing. He knew that was a long time off, six weeks, and people would wonder he couldn’t think it over now. But the distance away from this city, away from the war, he thought would help him in thinking and sorting things out. He might have a lot more than that to think about by than even, he knew he needed to power up and try and…help against whatever was happening in this city – the youma. So by the lunar new year he might have fights and other things to think about also. Yes, he might have a lot to do then and the time away would be a good thing.
<“I can’t wait for the new year.”> He said to himself in Chinese. Word count: 650
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Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2016 6:44 pm
January 9, 2016 Cetus might be new to this whole senshi thing, and he’d be the first to admit to it, but even he knew when something felt wrong. He was in tune with himself and what felt…well right, or perhaps normal was a more appropriate term to use, and as he powered up and went to start his patrol for the night he felt it. Something was undeniably wrong but what? That was the question and it had no answer, in fact the wrongness seemed to be slipping away even as he grasped for it trying to take hold of it and figure it out. He didn’t like it, it felt wrong and not in a good way. It felt bad, really bad, whatever it was and he needed to know. As he continued to gasp for the echoes of that one single solitary moment of wrongness the echoes were fading away to nothing, leaving him drowning in questions.
As he continued on his night, planning to continue with his patrol in the hopes of finding someone to question, the questions mounted in his mind as did the worry and nervousness. Something was going on, something was going to happen, and it wasn’t going to be good – he was sure of it. It wasn’t just him being negative, and pessimistic, as he was known to be. No, he had felt it! He’d felt the wrongness of something. It didn’t matter that he didn’t know what.
Shaking his head, he glanced about the sidewalk as he decided which way to head off in, he decided to go left, and off he went into the night to try and find answers and perhaps ease his mind over the course of the night. He doubted he’d ease his mind; it wasn’t normal he figured to get pinged with such a feeling the moment you power up. That cat would have told him…right?
Figuring this wasn’t normal he was unable to fully shake his nervousness over the feeling he’d gotten. Even as he walked through the city, keeping to shadows and alleyways, he wasn’t about to try and roof top walk as he’d have to jump from one roof top to another. Landing in the pair of geta he had would be nearly impossible and was a big risk for him to break an ankle, or something else, so he was stuck walking around where he could be seen or happened upon by any civilian. The geta scuffled on the ground as he walked down the length of a back alley and suddenly the sound stopped, as he came to a stop.
He could feel something…something dark but not like earlier. It wasn’t the same sort of dark and uncomfortable feeling. This was like a youma, like the one he’d dealt with a few evenings back. Well, at least this was something he could distract himself with, if only for a short while. Going after the youma, moving as quickly as he could in the geta, he turned a corner and stepped out onto the sidewalk just in time to see a youma ******** with a mail box. Pausing, to stare at it fighting with the mail box, he shook his head before deciding to handle the geta problem.
Bending down he untied his geta and yanked them both off, leaving himself barefoot, and threw one and then the other at the youma while shouting at it to gain its attention. As it turned on him, glowing red eyes staring at him, the bear like youma charged at him. Glad for his martial arts training he lashed out with a quick strike before moving out of the way and taking another swing at it, as he let it pass by him as he side stepped it.
Watching as it stumbled he pointed his middle finger to his forehead and then toward the youma. “Kappa illusion!” He didn’t know just what his magic did, though he had a damn good idea of it, he watched the youma react and flail about. Taking advantage of the youma’s vulnerability he lashed out with a kick and proceeded to beat on the youma, putting his own skills, to good use as he brought the youma to the ground and soon there was just a pile of dust on the ground and Cetus was tying his geta back on. “I hate these things.” He understood that they were traditional but how could people walk in them and why? They kept shoes out of mud, and a person’s feet, he could see them used in like rice patties but why walk around in them otherwise? Not only that but these were Japanese shoes so not something native to his home country.
With the geta properly tied and secured he headed back into the alleyway he’d been in, not wanting to risk someone showing up to investigate all the noise which had gone hand in hand with the fight. He was sure someone had heard something, and he didn’t want to risk someone being curious and deciding to investigate. Scuffling his way back into hiding, back down the alleyway, he continued on his way patrolling the cities back streets and alleys as he pondered what he had felt earlier and its meaning. No matter how much he wished to not think about it he knew he couldn’t shake it, that it would cling to him like a leech. It might face, for a short while as it had with the little fight just before, but he knew it would surface slowly as soon as he was free to think.
As the patrol continued, and nothing else happened, his mind and more importantly his thoughts and imagination did wander. He hadn’t been a senshi long but he understood magic was real, somehow or other, and with it so many things were now brought to the table. The idea of something not good going down and combined with magic really was starting to rattle his nerves as he was sure that whatever it was it couldn’t be good at all, not when you took a bad feeling which he felt and add in magic. This magic thing just made bad guys, the sort who belonged in jail, that much scarier. At least he had magic as well though, even if it was weak, he could at least try and defend himself against whatever was happening when it finally went down.
“This isn’t going to be good. I know it.” He whispered into the cold night air as he stood staring up at space. He just had to hope it all ended well. Fingers ruffled the back of his hair as he continued on. He’d be out another hour or two before he decided to power down and call it a night, time well spent in his mind. Word count: 1,142
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Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 11:21 pm
February 8, 2016 (Back dating a bit.) He still couldn’t believe it – a war. His cousin was involved in a war and now so was he. What was worse was that she had been involved for well over a year and hadn’t said a thing. He could, to a point, understand it but she should have told him at least! He’d have kept the secret but she’d have been learning to fight from him or joining him at his dojo. She needed to learn to defend herself and fight, magic was not the end all be all in a fight. It would not win the day every time and he knew it and he was sure she did…and she hadn’t come to him.
Stabbing at a piece of food with his chopstick he shoved the dumpling into his mouth. Chewing and swallowing he shook his head viciously. He would need to find a time to talk to her about it, get her into martial arts – any form. While he would prefer white crane, so he could help her, he wasn’t going to be picky so long as it was something. He couldn’t let her continue on without lessons in something – anything.
Feeling a headache coming on Fai pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out. Would she ever have told him about being a senshi? He doubted it and that…was a bit insulting to be honest. She should have trusted him with the secret and known he’d help her, in some manner. They obviously needed a serious talk, beyond the whole senshi thing and the information dump which had followed it. They were family and they’d work it out, get beyond the issues, but not without talking about them.
Some rice was picked up and taken into his mouth as he tried to calm himself, it would do no good trying to think while worked up. He needed to think of what they’d need to talk about, other than martial arts lessons for her. There was perhaps the whole not coming to him and telling him, or even just asking him randomly for lessons or joining his dojo or any dojo in the city. That was one big thing they needed to discuss. Another, which needed to be discussed as much as she may dislike it, was what would they each want done and said if either of them dies or were injured seriously. This was a war and either thing was possible. He needed to know what to do, and say, if she got hurt or was killed and she would need to know the same for him. Should the cat be let out of the bag? Should they still keep their families in the dark? What would be the best options, or at least the preferred one?
He knew he’d want his family kept in the dark about him being a senshi but let them know who killed him, let him be buried with them at least knowing the who and some of the how. If he was injured there would need to be a place for him to go, her home if need be, to recover without his family knowing. At least in the case it was something he couldn’t explain away as being from training or an attempt at a mugging.
Pulling out his phone he set his chop sticks down across his rice bowl and started to text Mei, telling her they needed to talk. He didn’t say it was urgent, it wasn’t. Setting his phone back on the counter top he glanced about the kitchen before he continued eating his late dinner. Word count: 608
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Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 9:04 pm
September 3, 2016 (Back dating a few days.) He was getting better at the senshi thing, he had been patrolling more and trying to socialize, but there was one thing he had not done so far and he really should have by now. It wasn’t something he had to do, in fact he was sure some senshi never did it, but going to his home world simply felt like something he should have done long before now, months ago at least, but he hadn’t and the more active he got the more he’d been thinking about it.
While laying in his room, or working on school work in his room, with his birds twittering away his thoughts would wander and questions would form. He wondered what it looked like, what shape it was in, what sort of things would be there - aside from kappa. The thought that they were real, or at least could be, had him feeling various things. Though hadn’t his cousin mentioned no life on their home worlds...so the kappa, if ever there had been any, would be dead….how tragic. To think a creature of myth and folktale, in Japan anyway, could have once been real but was no more - couldn’t be again, at least from what he gathered. It was truly tragic.
He may not find any kappa, if in fact they were all dead, but perhaps he could find bones? As morbid as it sounded the idea of bringing part of a kappa back was one he was entertaining. To have a part of a folklore like that in his room - with him...he liked the idea.He knew it sounded morbid, it was why he hadn’t told his cousin the idea, but there were cultures that had pieces of what they thought were yeti and other forms of bigfoot - so how was this any different?
Tonight he would remedy the situation though - answer the questions. He would find out tonight what was at his homeworld, what was left, and take stock of whatever he could. He wanted to see it, even though it did make him nervous as well.
Taking out his senshi phone the senshi of kappa’s settled and focused himself, taking a deep calming breath, as he focused on himself...seeking something deeper - a feeling. It was, for him, a meditative thing and without thought his finger hit the home key on the phone.
It was a moment later, or so it felt like it anyway, that the air was denser, heavy with moisture and the smell of rain couldn’t be ignored. Opening his eyes, taking in a deep breath, he let himself look around and for a moment he wondered just where he was. He knew where he was, in the sense that he was on Cetus, but the building he was inside of was small, round, and tall. There were steps spiraling upward and there was just the one small round room. There was a wooden pedestal on either side of a closed door, which he presumed led outside, and on each pedestal was a wooden lamp of a oriental nature. He couldn’t say from which culture but it looked like something taken from there.
Shaking his head he moved to check out each lamp, or lantern he supposed, and went to see if there was by any chance oil in them or a wick. Finding nothing, no surprise really, Cetus closed them both before going to exit the building. He knew what his building was, if it was following the same theme as the lanterns were, going by the inside. He was inside of a pagoda, but why?
Stepping outside he was greeted with rain filled clouds, no rain though, but the ground was wet. The grass, long and wild, was wet and brushed his bare lower legs leaving moisture behind as he stepped out into the grass to get a look around. The first hundred or so feet, ahead, to the right and to the left was nothing but high grass that was unkempt, obviously, beyond the grass was woods - lots of woods it seemed.
In the distance was hills, or maybe mountains, he really wasn’t sure but either way he looked to be in the middle of nowhere, or at least a good distance from where any civilization had been as there were no other buildings here.
He really hated these geta...but they would keep his feet dry, damn it, cursing to himself he headed out across the grass in the geta. The woods was where he wanted to be, where he might see things, he knew there shouldn’t be any life on his planet but he was curious about whatever might be in those woods anyway. There would, if was lucky, be the normal things expected of a wooded area, aside from the wildlife.
The woods were as most were, nothing unexpected, as he walked through the overgrown grass. Rocks on the ground, some protruding enough that he could see them, he heard a river, or stream, not far off in the distance and headed that way. He supposed with no animals to make noise it was easier to hear the sounds of water rushing and lapping at its edges.
Through the grass and bushes, around trees, he ducked under low hanging branches until he stepped out right at the water's edge, almost stepping onto the slippery rocks edging this part of the river. The water was clear, as expected, and moving quick. When he bent to place his hands into the water he found it nice, cool, and refreshing. It was all that he expected so far and nothing stood out, not remains, no anything...a shame. A planet that seemed like a ghost town and was creepy in that sort of way - like you expected something to show up, a voice, a sight, a spirit, a demon - anything! But there was nothing.
Sitting there he let his hands move in the water, ignoring that the a** of his uniform was getting dirty and wet, he supposed he shouldn’t be surprised by this. Before he got lost he would head back to the pagoda. He’d return soon, when he could next, with a compass, food, drink, and more so he could explore and not get lost. He didn’t need to lose his way here and he felt like that would be a very easy to do thing.
Standing up Cetus dusted himself off, though he knew it was a futile gesture, there was no way whatever mud or dirt had gotten onto his uniform would come out when combined with the moisture from the grass and ground. Thankfully uniforms seemed to clean themselves after each wearing, could you imagine is they didn’t repair and clean themselves? He figured there would be some people running around with barely anything clothing on at all, and what they did have would be so dirty it wouldn’t be worth wearing.
Turning he picked his way back through the woods, being even more mindful of the rocks he didn’t see. He could ill afford to twist an ankle on a rock, with geta on, it would make returning to the pagoda and tedious effort and he wouldn’t be able to participate in his kung fu lessons. It would also keep him from doing anything as Cetus, not to mention he’d likely have to explain it to his cousin and deal with her. Yeah, nope, he did not need to get injured.
As he carefully made his way through the woods he was glad, letting out a breath of air, when he came out and entered the field. The pagoda off in the distance was…weathered and worn. It had track marks down it’s sides, much like tear marks, from rain and there was moss as well…it needed work but how? He couldn’t build what likely took many people to build, not that he had to rebuild the pagoda, but cleaning and maintaining it likely took several people and he was just one person. There was no way he could get that high up to clean and pain, if paint was even a good idea for it, it just wasn’t possible.
It wasn’t that it wasn’t grand to look at as it stood now, it just looked…sad and lonely. He wanted to make it look brighter again and full of splendor – even if he would be the only person to ever see it. He wanted to see it but he knew he wouldn’t.
Reaching the open door, he stepped inside, just as the drizzle which had started at some point decided to turn to rain, closing the door behind himself he let himself listen for several moments. Letting out a content breath of air he took out of his phone. “Time to go back to Destiny City.” He would have to tell Seung about this, not his cousin…she would want to see and he didn’t want to show her just yet. Seung would understand.
Pressing the home button, as he had earlier, he found himself back in Destiny City moments, or less, later and pocketing his phone he decided to go on a walk and patrol – he was in a good mood. Word count: 1,537
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 7:17 pm
April 14, 2017 He should have done it sooner, he really should have, but school had been important and so the idea of visiting his home world, again, had taken a backseat until now. With Easter vacation being a thing Fai had decided to take advantage of it and had packed enough for the day so he could spend as long as he wanted up on Cetus.
It wasn’t that he had planned out how long he’d spend up there but he had a feeling he’d lose track of time, as was common for him to do, so thought it best to prepare for the whole day - just incase.
It was early to mid morning when Fai got out of the apartment he and his family lived in. Heading a few blocks away he figured it safe to powered up so did just that. Once he was powered up he was shouldering his bag, the one he’d brought with him full of supplies for the day.
One hand holding the strap of his bag tightly, as if somehow there would be time while traveling to let it go and lose it, and teleported himself up to his homeworld. Even if it was only his second time it wasn’t that hard actually, it just took focus and just...something more.
That however wasn’t on his mind as he landed, again, in the same pagoda as last time. This time when he stepped out of the pagoda and into the same grassy field it seemed...warmer out - almost hot. Last time it seemed more like spring whereas now it felt like summer. It was bright out -too bright, and he set a pace for the forest as he figured the trees would offer a good amount of shade from the sun, so he wouldn’t burn and his eyes wouldn’t suffer so much.
Once he cleared the tree line and entered the forest it was nicer, just a bit cooler due to the shade, and he continued on his way. Every so often he’d adjust the bag he was carrying, as it would dig into places or get too heavy at times. Passing the same stream as last time he continued on, moving beyond it. He wanted to take his time and explore and see what else was here. There had to be more...a city or village a town - something!
Stopping for a drink break every so often, and just to rest, the senshi was pacing himself well so he didn’t exhausted himself. He didn’t want to go home or remain seated for too long, he wanted to see more, so in order to do that he needed to rest every so often for short periods of time. If he winded himself he’d need to stop for longer, too long, and he didn’t want that. That wasn’t the point of this trip today.
As he made his way deeper into the forest he found himself having to stop in order to change out of the geta he had and pulling on sneakers which were better suited for the terrain and all around walking, as geta really were a balancing act as far as he was concerned. The change in footwear made a big difference, it allowed him to move a bit faster as he didn’t have to be so delicate with where or how he walked. It helped cover more distance and he was glad for that. He really didn’t want to return home having only been inside a damn forest, though he did have a feeling that might just be what would happen to him - damn it.
Cursing to himself he continued on and noted the trees getting thinner and slowly he noted bamboo turning up and becoming thicker and they seemed to be over taking the trees as he continued on in his trek.
Watching as the bamboo became thicker and denser till there were no more trees, which he was just fine with, Cetus continued on his walk as he moved amongst the bamboo. His uniform, in his opinion, blended in nicely though the shade of green could be a little different. He liked it though. It was peaceful and, in his opinion, perfect for medication here and even just working on his own martial arts training. Actually...that was a good idea. He might just put his planet to use for that.
It was after some more walking that he sat down to take a breather, drink, eat and check his senshi phone for the first time to check the time. As he sipped from the water bottle he had brought with himself, he had brought several in fact, he pulled out his phone to check the time. Finding it to be almost two in the afternoon, at least by the time back on Earth, he sighed. Well, he’d been out here for nearly five hours - damn. It hadn’t felt like he’d been out that long, though close to it he supposed. Oh well, it was all worth it.
After his break and packing up the container for his lunch, which was empty now, and his finished water bottle he moved to relieve himself before continuing on his way, using some water from a bottle to wash his hands off first.
Back to walking he kept his phone out so he could keep track of how long he went between breaks, starting to become mildly curious with this. It seemed every forty five minutes - give or take. It was nearing four in the afternoon, or was that considered evening, when the bamboo ended and he almost right off a dead drop off as the ground ended abruptly.
Across a large, more long than wide, valley was more bamboo forest but no bridge over to that side. No….but he saw that the rock face had steps carved into it. Following them down his eyes landed on buildings - lots of them. They were in a style similar to the pagoda and as he followed them, eyes trailing up and down them each he noted that the further right he looked the denser and bigger they got. It was against a stone wall that what he figured was either a massive temple or palace stood. It was certainly grand either way - and massive.
From here, looking down on much of the buildings, he could see were roof tiles were missing and holes in the roofs were. They were damaged but not beyond repair...it was just time which looked like it had inflicted it’s damage. It didn’t look like any fire damage or anything else that would seriously ruin things...not that he trusted the structures, unmaintained for how long, to be sturdy enough to walk about in much less run around or train in...or even sleep in - the idea of not waking up due to a roof collapse was a bit terrifying and off putting.
It was something though - he’d found what he was hoping he would...what he knew had to be here. If people had lived here, which they once had, than there had needed to be homes. It wasn’t surprising the style he found, given the pagoda he arrived in this time and the last as well as his sphere, but he was pleased to find something after all this walking.
Looking around further, without really moving from his spot, he really did wonder how many had been residental and how many businesses? Was there an area for the shops and such? It would make sense but then again...who knows, this was another planet and society so things didn’t have to follow normal rules. The best way, as he figured it, was to go down and explore and that was what led him to looking for the steps down on this side. As the other side of the valley seemed to have steps, weathered he was sure, that were pronounced and well carved he was sure this side had to have them as well; he just had to find them.
It was only after another half an hour going up and down the open area along side the valley, glancing down every so often, that he found the stairs and headed down them. The stop step was overgrown with grass so had been well hidden from his golden eyes. Now though, as he stepped down into the city, he was able to make his way around. Grass, and other things, grew between the cobblestones which made up the streets of the city but he was able to pick his way around slowly.
Peeking in through open door ways, or nudging doors open, he took note of many which seemed residential due to the furniture that was found there, though it was mostly rotting or just broken to pieces and eaten up. It was as he got closer to that massive structure that he came across what he dubbed main street, as he found a lot of stores and shops there. Some of the shops it was easy, or at least somewhat easier, to figure out what they’d dealt in. Finding brushes in one store and what seemed to be ink stones told him what one store was. While another store seemed to be empty save for a counter and shelves, making it impossible to tell.
There was just a lot of hit and miss on judging but that was ok, he expected it. As he continued on his way he did stop for his second meal, and found a place to again relieve himself. He’d stopped a few times during his walk to do that as well, considering how much he’d been drinking. The cool breeze down in the valley helped handle some of the heat from the sun above that was beating down on him.
It was sometime around six, a little after, that Cetus decided to cut his trip off. He had to get home, he wanted a proper dinner and the heat was really starting to bother him. He hadn’t gotten to check everything out, he wished he had the time, but he knew he’d have to come back and continue his search. He knew that most of the time spent though would be getting here...and very little actually exploring. If he could arrive here it would be much easier. Maybe he could? He’d have to find a senshi with much more experience in home world travel and ask them if it was at all possible, he didn’t want to try and have something go wrong. He knew he could leave from here though...that shouldn’t matter at all.
Glancing about once more he let himself focus on the pull of Earth and returning there- going back home. He’d return...especially knowing this was here. Word count: 1,802
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Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2017 12:07 am
December 17, 2017 Looking out the front window of the families apartment complex he shook his head one more time. Slippered feet than moved across the living room and down the hall to his own room. Somehow the wires outside had iced up enough that the power lines that went to the apartment complex had come down from the weight of the ice, they were on the ground now with cops keeping people away from them.
The wires, spread across the street, would be put back in place as soon as the power company got here. They’d been told by the cops that this was a high priority as they were the high up wires - the high voltage ones...which was why the cops were keeping people away from them and hadn’t moved them out of the street. They were still ive and still hot...they’d kill.
That wasn’t Fai’s problem though, and he did have a problem. His problem was that they had no damn heat and his birds couldn’t handle the cold in their apartment. He’d already put a heavy blanket over the cages his birds were kept in and had taken them down from their hooks, which kept them in the air.
He’d already called a few friends, and he really did only have a few friends, in order to find someone who would let him keep the birds at their place so they didn’t freeze to death. Having found someone he was waiting for his father to come back into the apartment and let him know that the ice was off the car and the car was warm enough for him to transport his birds.
When his father returned, opening the door to the apartment, Fai was already waiting in the living room with the three cages filled with twittering birds. Lifting two of the cages he let his father get the third as they headed out. A quick good bye called over his shoulder to his mother, and one of his siblings who was busy in the kitchen.
The drive was, thankfully, fairly short as it seemed a lot of people didn’t want to go out and deal with the cold today. It made things easier, though the roads were still wet and slippery, the trip wasn’t as bad as it could have been...not that it was perfect either. When Fai arrived at his friends home, a nice two story home, he hurried his way to the door and knocked once and waited for the door to open. At hearing footsteps he motioned to his father, waiting in the car, to bring the cages so he could hurry his poor birds inside so they could be get settled.
Once the first two cages, which his father brought to the door, were grabbed by Fai he passed them to his friend and went to get the last cage himself so his father could leave and head home. Fai was planning to stay a while, if not till the power was back, so he didn’t burden his friend with taking care of his birds. It was a favor his friend was doing letting him bring them all here and he didn’t want to ask for the added favor of the other to take care of him, and he wouldn’t just assume the other would do such.
Closing, and locking, the front door behind himself he trailed after his friend towards the others second floor bedroom. His dark hair falling into his eyes, in need of a trim, Fai went to finding a place to settle the cages, for now they’d have to do with not being hung, as he found desk space to settle them each he lifted the covers to check on his poor birds. Seeing them all well, and chirping, the golden eyes male went to refill their water and change the bottoms of the cages, water had spilled during the car ride.
It wasn’t until they were settled that he thanked his friend and their family before offering to help with dinner, as a thank you for allowing him to bring his birds here for safety. Word count: 690
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Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2018 1:43 am
June 30, 2018 The heat that had hit the city was intense, the sun was as well, and Fai wondered if the rain and cool, almost chilly, last few weeks had been some sort of a dream. But no, it hadn’t been. The past few weeks, since spring started really, had lacked the usual heat which came with June. Instead there had been little more than rain and mist and chilly temperatures. Today though it was hot - almost 95 degrees. It was a sudden, and rather unwanted, change in things and his birds were not happy.
It wasn’t the first time, nor would it be the last time, that he was changing the water so it was cool and pleasing for his feathered pets who pecked at their food, and treats, as they chirped and groomed their feathers. The birds didn’t even seem to like the heat and Fai was making sure they kept as cool as they could. He had them near an open window in his room, yet kept them out of the sun's direct path.
Changing out the water was a bit tedious, as a few of his birds wanted to land on his hand or decided that the moment he went to remove the water dish was the perfect time for a drink, but he did manage to get new water into each cage.
“This heat is sudden. I don’t like it.” Staring out his window, as if somehow some sort of higher power was behind this and he could give it a dirty look. He didn’t think this heat was some sort of chaos thing, far from it, he just didn’t like how sudden and unexpected it was - it was no good.
“I don’t feel like going out today.” Not in this heat, he disliked heat and the sun wasn’t kind to his skin either as he tended to burn with a fair amount of ease. His skin wasn’t pale per say but he wasn’t that dark either, he’d seen darker asians than himself, so being out in the sun did lead to sunburns from time to time. He should, when it was cooler and less bright out, go out for some sunblock in case this weather continued...though he almost hoped it wouldn’t.
“Time to get myself a drink.” That said, to his birds of course, Fai headed out of his room and down the hall to the kitchen to grab a glass and some ice before filling it with some fruit flavored water. He didn’t want actual juice, not in the mood for it, and tea was simply too warm and he didn’t care for coffee really. It seemed, as he was passing the living room, that he wasn’t the only person suffering from the heat...one of his elder siblings was crashed out on the living room couch with just their feet in view for him to see. He couldn’t tell who it was, not by their feet alone, but he didn’t go over to see who it was. He’d rather get back to his room so he could enjoy his drink and listen to his birds sing.
Maybe he’d fall asleep to their singing and when he woke up it would be cooler out. He could hope... Word count: 543
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 8:52 pm
February 28th, 2019 Flowers weren’t normally something he’d purchase, even a single flower, it wasn’t something he had a purpose for purchasing. It would be odd to gift a flower, or flowers, to his sisters and his mother..he bought her plants. She liked living plants better than cut flowers that would eventually die, he understood her logic to it. She’d rather something she could keep, and she did keep the plants she got. She had a plant he’d gotten her when he was six, during a trip back to China, it was still healthy - maybe healthier than he was.
But it was different this time. He had seen it, all over campus, booths set up and run by one of the university clubs. The roses for sale were nice, someone had picked a good florist to get them from, and the money went to the club. It was one which he saw a point in, most he didn’t see a point in other than feeling wanted. Deciding to support the club...and gift someone a flower, at first he didn’t know who, Fai had picked out a lovely rose and headed off to class to think about who to give it to.
His sister would get flowers, as they typically did for this holiday, and his mother wouldn’t want it. So who to give it to? It was, while heading towards his last class for the day, half way across campus, that he realized just who he could give it to! He would give the rose to Abby. She had made so much progress since he’d met her and he was proud of her. She deserved it and he was sure it would bring a smile to her face. She was one person who should be happy on a day like today.
Maybe he should see how she was doing, if that female neighbor of hers was bothering her father. It seemed like a day that the woman would decide to pester Abby’s father. Yeah, he might as well drop by and see how she was doing and if he was needed, not to keep the woman from Abby’s father but to keep Abby from the woman.
Smiling at the thought he found himself laughing as he entered the building for his last class of the day. Yes, he would drop by and visit Abby right after this. Maybe take her out, if she had indeed had to deal with that woman. It would no doubt leave her in a bad mood. Perhaps the flower and a bit of time out would help her calm down. He just hoped no one got the wrong idea about today. She was a friend...someone he thought of as a little sister….someone for him to train and help.
Pulling out his phone, as he stopped outside of his classroom door, he sent her a text message letting her know he would be stopping over in a little over an hour from now. He did also ask how her day was going, knowing she would answer him as honestly as she always spoke to him. He’d know if that woman had been snooping about as soon as Abby responded. He didn’t mention the flower, he would surprise her with it, but he did mention taking her out if she’d had a bad day. Once his text message was sent he headed into his classroom, sniffing the flower as he entered the room.  Word count: 577
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