Little Richard

"More and more reports about lost people are being submitted to the police stations around the country. Officials say, there has been a sudden 200% rise in disappearances and a 400% rise in presumed kidnappings in recent days. If your children walk to or from school by themselves, we recommend monitoring them closely.

Three more terroristic acts were conducted yesterday in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Three explosions combined resulted in over a dozen injured. Luckily, there were no casualties. The police and the FBI are still trying to locate the bombs, so far to no avail.

In Alabama, a dangerous criminal has escaped from prison, you can see his picture on the screen. Reportedly, he mixed something into the guards' food to make them fall asleep. Considered armed and dangerous, if you notice him, please do not approach and report it to the police immediately."

…

The duo took a bus to the town center. They weren't old enough to drive, and keeping a personal driver and a car on the ready was too extravagant for Michael.

"I need you to keep my 'internal energy' a secret. You have to understand, if this gets out, I might have to sit in a room and heal people for the rest of my life."

"Got it."

Anna's view of the world wasn't as bitter as Michael's, but the worst-case scenario he described was daunting. If she had something to say about it, nobody would take him away!

But this was only one of the two things that alarmed Michael. During their heart-to-heart, Anna also stated she had seen his healing process. How noticeable was it, and had anyone seen it before? Were there people who knew what he was capable of? If so, there would be dark times ahead.

Michael and Anna got off at the market district and looked for a pet shop. A few minutes later, a bright sign of "Mr. and Mrs. Cuddles' Pet Shop" caught their eye. Intrigued by the owners' surname, they went inside.

There was a couple dozen large, roomy cages set against a wall like a block of flats. Most of the dogs and cats were asleep or yawning. A few cages had two or three puppies, and those were merrily tussling about.

When the door opened, several animals came forward to see the potential owners. They tried to stick their snouts between their cages' bars and looked terribly cute.

One puppy barked with enthusiasm, looking Anna right in the eye.

"Oww," the girl melted, "I love them!" She ran to hold the pup.

"Remember what we're here for, please," helplessly sighed Michael, but he knew the moment that puppy barked, the battle had been lost. By the time he caught up to Anna, she was hugging the doggy, and they were rubbing their noses together like a pair of lovebirds.

"Please be careful, children," said a middle-aged woman from behind the counter.

"Why, is it sick?" the girl asked, not removing the puppy from her face.

The owner broke out in cold sweat, "No! All our animals are healthy. But the dogs' mouths contain bacteria that ours don't. In general, it's not good to kiss dogs."

Anna blushed a little. She knew that, but her first reaction when being told to stop was to question others' motives. That was the terrifying power of the puppy's cuteness.

It was a black and white husky. Many dogs of that breed have white snouts and black heads, and the two colors usually create a pattern on their foreheads where they meet.

This pup had white "eyebrows" and a stripe going upwards from between the eyes, but the regions around the eyes were black. That created a ferocious frowny look, but its antics were too adorable to take it seriously.

"You're holding a Siberian husky, he is three months old. We got him a week ago and haven't named him yet."

"I want him!" Anna pouted, begging Michael to allow her to take the dog. Over the last months, even though her feelings for the young man remained strong, he always took care of her, so she treated him like an older brother.

"Nope," Michael refused his "little sister".

The girl and the puppy whined in unison.

"May we spend some time with it?"

"Sure," the owner agreed and sat down.

"He's not an 'it', but a 'him'!" protested Anna. "His name is Richard. I heard once that dogs like the letter R in their names. I can keep him at home and move away from the dorms to be with him!"

Michael rubbed his forehead. This seemed less and less like a good idea.

"First of all, it's Russian thing, because our 'rrr' sound is more pronounced. Second, can we test your powers already? This is for your own good, remember?"

"I can't! What if something happens to little Richard?!"

"Don't call him that! Just… just do your thing, and I'll stop you if anything happens."

Anna nodded and turned to the puppy with an apologetic look. Richard showed curiosity by lowering one ear and inclining its head. The gesture was so innocent, even Michael felt his heart skip a beat. The doggy was dangerous! It was so sweet it could give people high blood sugar!

"Michael says it's all right, so don't worry," the girl whispered and pushed her green Qi into the puppy's body.

The cultivator observed the energy's behavior. Unlike when it was in him, this time it scoured about until it found Richard's bloodstream and began circulating there. It strengthened the puppy a little, enriching its muscles and flesh, until there was nothing left.

"He didn't grow!" Anna exhaled with relief.

"No, but I can tell its body is stronger now," Michael made a show of touching the pup's muscles.

"Really?"

"Not much, less than one percent. But it's there."

"Why didn't yours change?"

Michael bit his tongue. Did Anna's Qi not affect him because of his Cultivator Body? Or because he was a human?

"Come to think of it, my ability is strength," he twisted the truth again, "What if my ability restricts yours? We'll have to use it on somebody else to make sure."

"Mm." Anna looked at Richard who was trying to lick the hands that held him. "I changed him, so I feel like I'm responsible for him now. We have to take him."

"That's the opposite of being responsible. Mrs. Cuddles, can you tell us more about the husky?"

The middle-aged woman explained that huskies needed a lot of affection and discipline. They were cute and friendly, but the lack of oversight made them naughty and aggressive. It was a breed of sled dogs, so the owner would have to walk it and play with it a lot to help the dog expend energy.

"See?"

"I have an army of old men and women who love cute things. We'll take care of him together!"

The girl's mind was made up. She didn't bring enough money, so she asked Michael to lend her some. If he didn't, she'd have to make a trip to her apartment and back.

Twenty minutes later, the cultivator with superhuman strength was reduced to a porter. He carried bags full of dog food, toys, grooming supplies, a doggy bed and a set of colorful leashes and collars. The corners of Michael's lips turned downward, and he was grumpy as can be.

Anna, on the other hand, was clutching little Richard with both her hands. The pup had white paws and a black back, and the colors intersected on its belly. It was professing its love for Anna with tender whines and gentle bites, and its tail was wagging like mad, not stopping for a second.

When the three of them left the shop, Richard's eyes widened in wonder. He had never seen so many different things. He barked at cars, fiercely twisting out of Anna's grip, and the girl's laugh was contagious.

They made for a pretty picture. A beautiful youthful girl with an energetic puppy leading the way, and a gloomy-looking young man loaded with bags following behind. The passers-by laughed with Anna and then snickered when they noticed Michael.

With Richard in her arms, Anna was unwilling to go back, so they spent the day in the town. Michael skipped school to hang out with his friend without hesitation. After all, which teacher wouldn't let him do it? Mr. Hwan hadn't even asked a question.

Especially Jimmy Carter. Jones had gotten him the cushy job teaching history at EIS. After Jimmy found out that Michael was friends with Jones, he treated the teenager like another benefactor, just short of calling him "boss".

The two friends went to an amusement park, ate at a café, let Richard try ice cream, walked him on a leash, and when it was time to return, it was already getting dark.

"Are you thirsty?" Anna inquired. They were at a bus station, and another one wouldn't come for ten more minutes according to the schedule.

Michael shook his head. With Cultivator Body, the only reason he still ate and drank was to enjoy the taste. It wasn't easy, shaking the habit of eating after many years!

"I'll run to the store."

Michael watched her go, when goosebumps appeared on the back of his neck. It wasn't the familiar Danger Sense, but Intuition signaling him. He looked left and right, but nothing presented a threat. Worried, he hurried into the store which Anna had entered.

He eased up when he found her inside, choosing between brands of mineral water, Richard sleepy in her arms.

"Did I miss the bus?"

"No, I decided I wanted one, too."

Michael kept vigilance because his neck told him the danger was present.

Over the last four months, he didn't fight in the dreamscape. His Tai Chi skills were at their peak, and he couldn't improve without further guidance. However, he learned how useful the Intuition ability was after several hours of training the night before. Its scope was broader, and it was more susceptible than Danger Sense.

Michael's worries came true when a low voice ordered the cashier to hand the money over.

.