Chapter Text
~ Unknown ~ December 2, 274 AG; 9:12 am
"That's it?" I looked up at Master Fu. "It's over?"
"What about the stolen pieces?" Kid asked. "And the broken ones left behind?"
"And what about the stone pieces?" I leaned forward over the Pai Sho board. "The game isn't over yet . . . is it?"
Fu chuckled softly, stroking his beard as always. "Of course not, child. There is still much work to be done before we can implant our strategy, even for you two."
"What do you mean?" Kid's brows pinched together.
Fu nodded at the board, gathering the tiles in his hands. "I'm turning the pieces over to you for now." He dropped five tiles into a small sack, offering it to me over the board. "Perhaps you will know where to move them."
My eyebrows raised for a moment as I took the sack, feeling the weight of the pieces. "You want us," I wagged a finger between Kid and I. "to take over?"
"You're ready." Fu shrugged.
"Well," Kid leaned forward on his knees. "What about you? What are you gonna do now that you're not behind the wheel anymore?"
Fu's eyes lowered for a split second. "I have some old friends I need to meet."
Kid and I risked a glance at each other. That never meant anything good.
"But," Fu's tone lifted. "you have some new friends to meet, do you not?"
"Wait," Kid spread his hands. "We're doing this now? Like, right now? I haven't even packed my toothbrush!"
"Chill, Kid." I rested the sack in my lap. "We can always come back for it."
"Not this time, I'm afraid." Fu interrupted, his eyes trained at the board. "Republic City is no longer safe. You must be prepared to evacuate with whomever you can."
I sighed, swallowing my nerves as I nodded. "Right. We know where to go."
"And you do." Fu agreed. "You have trained for this all your lives. Trust yourselves." He pushed one last tile across the board to me. The white lotus tile. "This is your calling to answer."