The Gift(1)

Yes, in the end, I did nothing. They were too many variables and I couldn't risk it.

"It's no problem young man. Lieutenant Wu here spoke a great deal about your fighting skills and it's good to know those words were true. I'm a fighter myself and my instincts saved me more than once so you shouldn't feel ashamed by the way you acted."

"Thank you, sir!" I say while bowing again deeper this time.

He puts his hand on my shoulder.

"Such a respectful young man, you don't see them often those days. Sigh. Anyway, I have a gift for you, for all of you. Bring them here."

The people behind Amon came in with 4 crates. I look at them and my excitement shoots through the roof.

'Finally, finally, I wanted those for god knows how long. Now they are within my grasp.'

"Open them."

He says to us then his henchman giving us crowbars to open the boxes. I don't see them and go to the box in front of me and hit on the edge hard causing a small hole to appear. I put my hand in it and push the lid I see an equalist suit. I look up and see the others looking amazed at me, I can even see Amon's eyes being wider than when I first spoke with him. Then it hits me.

"I'm terribly sorry for my lack of manners." I bow again for the nth time tonight.

"Haha, you impress me more and more kid, from all the persons that I saw opening the suit you are by far the most impressive and the only one who didn't use a crowbar. Seems that all that training helped you grow in a dragon."

"It's all thanks to master."

"And he's even humble. You trained him well Wu."

'I don't remember master looking so proudly at me before. It's kind of sad if I think about it.'

While the other didn't know Aman was a fraud I knew and it made me see things differently. While I came to only learn martial arts, Master Wu became truly my teacher and I respected him a lot so it pained me to see him get deceived but what could I do, even if I say the truth he won't believe me.

"Those suits can be yours, you just need to join us, join the Equalists."

All of my friends looked at me asking for the answer.

'Here we go further down the rabbit hole.'

"It would be an honor for me to join the Equalists. To fight for the weak, for the powerless, for those that are oppressed by others."

I take the suit in my hands and bend the knee in front of Amon and the others copy my moves and words.

"Will the Equalists receive me?"

"Rise, from now on you are our brother and sisters."

After that Amon said a few words, shaking our hands and leaving. We remain as before, the four of us and master. He takes a bottle and a few cups from his bag and puts them on the table. Opening the bottle a sweet fragrant smell could be felt. It smells like rice wine and most probably is. Wu puts wine in the five cups.

"Drink."

And so we do. I put the cup to my mouth and take a sip to verify my hypothesis.

'Ya, it's rice wine.'

Then I drink it in one go and look at master.

"From now on we are brothers and sisters, from now on when we are alone you can me brother Wu, but in missions, you have to call lieutenant."

"Yes, master!" I say.

"What did I tell you."

"You'll always be our master, it doesn't matter if a decade passes or if I become someone important, you'll always be master in my heart."

We all got to our feet and we did a 90-degree bow and said.

"Master"

It nearly made him cry, but he managed to keep it in, well most of it, two tears could be seen going down his face.

"Hahaha kids, teaching you has been one of my greatest achievements and I'm so happy about the kind of men and woman you became."

"Master I think this is a good time to say that I'm not even fourteen yet."

He looked at me, his eyes getting bigger.

"Wait you were eight when you first came here."

"Yes, why is there a problem master?"

"You little rascal you should have told me?!"

"Well, master I was scared that you wouldn't have let me train if I said my actual age."

"God damn right, the rest of you how old are you."

"We're all eighteen sir."

"And how did you get this rascal on your hands."

"Well, master... It's not like that... It's more like we're in his." said Nya.

"Didn't you tell me master that I'm more mature and smart the most people?"

"Hmph... Indeed you are."

We continued to drink almost till morning sharing stories and aspirations with Master Wu. Nya said she wants to become an engineer which surprised us all. Zane wants to become a librarian like Kai's father and Kai being Kai wants to become the first president of Republic City. When Wu asked about what that is we explain to him how democracy works and when Wu asked where did we hear that from all of them looked at. Master Wu was very impressed by this mode to rule and praised me for it. When it came to my turn I told the others what I told Wu all those years ago. They were pretty moved by what I said, but I think the alcohol played a big part in that.

When we finally realize that we need to go home we said our goodbyes to Master. It was almost daybreak so we ran to our houses in order to not raise suspicion.

All in all, it was a wonderful night for us.