Celebration

[uncommon-sensei.livejournal.com]

Most don't know the significance of the day - and of the few that do, fewer still see it as cause for celebration.

Shiva Wusan's birthday.

Richard Dragon's a little different than most people in that regard. There's an ornately carved wooden case tucked under his arm as he knocks on the door of the apartment that she sometimes occupies.

Comments

[shiva-wusan.livejournal.com]

The door is answered.

Shiva looks toward Dragon.

She is always a little different on her birthday. As if one day a year she joins the rest of the human race.

"Dragon." She manages to sound happy to see him.

[uncommon-sensei.livejournal.com]

Shiva in a pleasant mood? He's seen it before, but it's rare enough that his own smile broadens.

"Hello, Shiva. I thought I might mark the anniversary of your birth with a little momento. May I come in?"

[shiva-wusan.livejournal.com]

She turns to the side to allow him in. The apartment smells of ... something. Jasmine and something underneath it.

[uncommon-sensei.livejournal.com]

For Shiva, this is almost 'girly'. But no wisecracks, today. He sets the carved box on a countertop. "Seems to me like the last time we celebrated your birthday, Ben was still around.."

[shiva-wusan.livejournal.com]

"Quite so."

Shiva pauses.

"Maybe things were different."

[uncommon-sensei.livejournal.com]

"Things change. Constantly. Doesn't mean they're better, or worse - just different."

Dragon smiles, and taps the box. "I brought a present, and I think you'll like it."

[shiva-wusan.livejournal.com]

"There is some wistfulness."

Shiva looks toward the box, a brow arching. "Oh?"

[uncommon-sensei.livejournal.com]

"I need to track down Ben - last I heard, he landed himself a government job.."

Dragon grins, sliding the box towards Shiva. "Open it."

[shiva-wusan.livejournal.com]

Shiva takes the box and opens it carefully, looking at the contents.

[uncommon-sensei.livejournal.com]

Inside, there's a well-preserved scroll that appears to be centuries old, covered with intricate illustrations and detailed Chinese script.

"The name of the maneuver it describes translates loosely as 'Flooded River Fist'. Supposed to be a powerful technique for those with properly balanced chi."

Which might inspire her to seek that balance, if I'm lucky. We'll see. he adds, inwardly.

[shiva-wusan.livejournal.com]

"Truly?"

Shiva carefully pulls the scroll out carefully, looking at it thoughtfully.

[uncommon-sensei.livejournal.com]

"I haven't had time to study it thoroughly.." but he's committed it to memory, of course, so he can do that later.

"The sect who developed the strike ceased to exist almost two hundred years ago. Thoughtfully, they preserved a few pieces of their knowledge for others."

[shiva-wusan.livejournal.com]

Shiva spends time, minutes, looking at the scroll in silence.

Delicately, she rolls it back up and tucks it away.

"Thank you."

[shiva-wusan.livejournal.com]

Why?

[uncommon-sensei.livejournal.com]

"Because I didn't stay around to help you. Ben was brainwashed by the League of Assassins, I became a hermit, and you're the most infamous woman in the world. Maybe I couldn't have prevented all that, but I damn sure could've tried a little harder."

[shiva-wusan.livejournal.com]

Closing her eyes, Shiva takes a moment.

When she speaks it might well seem a topic change.

"You should train my daughter."

[uncommon-sensei.livejournal.com]

".. come again? Your what?"

For once, she gets to catch him offguard in a verbal exchange.

[shiva-wusan.livejournal.com]

"Daughter."

[uncommon-sensei.livejournal.com]

"When did you have a daughter?"

[shiva-wusan.livejournal.com]

"About two decades ago."

[uncommon-sensei.livejournal.com]

"Who is she? Who's the father?" There's no jealousy in the words - even at their closest, they weren't that possessive of one another. Instead, Dragon is expressing genuine, unbridled curiosity.

[shiva-wusan.livejournal.com]

"Cain."

There is a pause, "She is magnificent." There is a degree of pride there even if she has had little to do with the girl's training or upbringing.

"Emotional and confused now." Meaning she baffles Shiva beyond belief.

[uncommon-sensei.livejournal.com]

"David Cain? That poor girl.. " This raises a lot of other questions he'd like to ask, and it takes him a moment to settle on one. "Why have a daughter with Cain?"

The choice of father is surprising, but not as surprising as Shiva taking the time out to have a daughter.

Of course, Dragon's already decided he'd train the girl.

[shiva-wusan.livejournal.com]

"To learn."

And she did. She learned everything he had to teach. She was not yet the dispassionate woman in front of Dragon now. The shell was still forming - some out of need, out of heartache, out of emotions long left behind.

[uncommon-sensei.livejournal.com]

"And he wanted an empty vessel to shape into a weapon. Quite the devil's bargain. Does she know?"