End of Summer Vacation

"What time is it?"

Kai groaned, as his head pounded away he struggled to sit at the edge of the bed. Looking around the room he realized he was still at Oscar's bar. He noticed the clothes he had worn for training yesterday were cleaned and folded, resting on the nightstand.

Forcing himself out of bed he got dressed slowly, unsure of exactly what had happened after he finished working the night before.

"Where is he!" Eve's voice sounded from outside the door, startling Kai out of thoughts. Kai poked his head into the hallway but was unable to see her.

'They must be downstairs' Kai thought, making his down to the bar. Upon entering he saw his master and Oscar arguing.

"He's fine Evelynn, just a bit tired from the training is all!" Oscar was sitting at one of the tables, a nasty black eye covering one side of his face.

"Lance said he didn't come home last night!" Evelynn yelled, unaware that Kai had entered the room. "Meaning YOU did something! And if you don't tell me what I'll even out that disgusting mug of yours!"

"Master, I'm fine" Kai decided to step in before Oscar got another black eye. "I've just got a small headache."

Oscar smiled and gave a thumbs up to Kai, earning him a glare form Evelynn. She then approached him, observing Kai for a moment. Cracking her knuckles, she turned around and began to approach Oscar.

"You gave him alcohol?"

"Eve, babe, it's not what you think!"

She threw a punch, Oscar barely dodging in time as he backed away.

"Don't call me babe you scum!"

Oscar dodged once again, Evelynn's punch creating a hole in the wall.

"If I had known he was such a lightweight I wouldn't have given it to him!"

"He's 6 years old!" She kicked towards his midsection. "Who in their right mind would give a child alcohol!"

Oscar was unable to dodge in time, but just before he was about to get hit a golden staff appeared in his hands blocking the blow and sending him back a couple meters.

"I just gave him one of the pills I made, you know what they're like!" Oscar complained. "Kai tell her I just gave you a pill!"

Kai nodded slowly, he remembered taking the pill from Oscar but nothing after it. Eve, however, didn't stop and threw another punch at the unprepared Oscar.

"Wait! Don't you want to know how I got my black eye?" Oscar yelled out in desperation. Eve's fist froze inches away from his fist before he grabbed him by the collar.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Eve asked. Kai also paid more attention, curious as to how

"Kai did this to me! He's a natural" Oscar hastily explained only for Evelynn to bring her free hand back, preparing to punch him. Seeing she didn't believe him Oscar spoke out again, pulling a pill out from is pocket. "How about a bet, huh?"

"What kind of bet" Eve didn't lower her fist though, ready to punch him into the afterlife at any time. Oscar swallowed loudly before continuing.

"If you win, I promise to do any one thing for you, no matter what it is!" Oscar said. "If I win, though, you have to go on a date with me. The pill is quite weak, the effects should only last for about a minute or two."

Evelynn thought in silence for a moment, looking at the pill then Kai, then back at the pill again. Evelynn had fought Kai many times, no matter how much of a 'natural' he was there was no way it'd be as good as Oscar made it seem.

"Fine" she said coldly, dropping Oscar to the ground. Grabbing the pill from his hands she tossed it to Kai. "You missed our morning spar; eat the pill and we'll make up for it right now. Come when you're ready."

Kai nodded before downing the pill without hesitating. His body instantly heated up, his face flushing red. The same numb feeling spread to his limbs as he staggered slightly, unable to keep his balance. His vision blurred slightly, only able to make out the general shapes around him.

Kai rushed stumbled forward, sending a punch towards her chest. Evelynn dodged to the left, raising her fist to send a quick counter. But she was forced to raise her arms to protect her face as Kai spun on one leg, sending his right heel straight at her head.

Evelynn frowned before jumping back, creating some distance between the two.

"Master - Hic! – are you going easy one me?" Kai's said drunkenly. "You're so slow today."

Eve decided to switch to the offensive for the first time, so far throughout training she always counterattacked. Evelynn wanted to see just how far she could push him. Rushing forward she sent one punch after another, however Kai always seemed to stumble or lose balance at the last moment, dodging her strikes. In fact, sometimes after Kai would send a sudden counterattack, catching her off guard.

As they fought, she finally realized why Kai seemed to be able to avoid everything she threw at him. Evelynn noticed how Kai's eyes were unfocused, not even looking at her as they fought. He seemed to be subconsciously using his spirit ears to fight, something he'd been unable to do so far in their normal training.

Noticing that the minute was almost up, Evelynn decided to end it in the next couple moves. She rushed forward send a kick towards Kai's head. Kai simply leaned back, Eve's foot barely missing his chin, as he did a backward hand flip. Eve didn't relent though, sending a punch forward and striking him in the chest before he could land.

Kai flew back, landing unconscious on the ground. Evelynn frowned though, at the end of the fight she was forced to use a Spirit Power of 16, five whole levels above Kai's.

Oscar snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"So, when are you free for our dat-" Halfway through his sentence Eve threw her head back, striking Oscar directly on the nose. He let go, stumbling back a couple steps as his nose began to bleed.

"Don't touch me!" Eve said, walking towards her unconscious disciple. "And we never agreed on what the bet actually was. Since I won the fight, we'll say I won the bet, you owe me one."

Oscar kept one hand over his bloody nose and opened his mouth wanting to refute, but after thinking a moment he realized he never really did clarify what the bet actually was, just the terms for if they won or lost.

Evelynn picked up Kai from the floor and sat down in a nearby seat, placing kai in her lap and wrapping her arms around him like a stuffed toy.

"Now that that's over with" Eve looked towards Oscar. "Why don't we talk about his training?"

"What do you mean?" Oscar sat down a safe distance away, a hand pinched against his nose.

"Just because I don't want to go on a date with you doesn't mean I don't want you training him."

Oscar's eyes brightened; training Kai would not only help make him more money but it would also give him more chances to get closer with Eve. Two birds with one stone. Oscar nodded and began explaining what training they had done.

…

Kai shifted comfortably in his sleep, dreaming of back when his mother was sill with him. They were cuddling up together in bed, she was reading a bedtime story to him. It was his favorite, Kai remembered asking her to read it to him every night. His mom always told him that her parents would tell her this story when she was younger.

"And so, they were trapped, sealed in their own home by their own kind" Kai's mom said, her voice soft as she told the story. Kai simply pressed himself against her, wishing this moment would last forever.

"In a desperate bid to escape they did something drastic" She continued. Kai had heard the story who knows how many times, but it was always so interesting. "They tore open a hole, creating a portal to an unknown space. The realm between realms, the world between worlds."

"They watched the gate warily, it looked like a swirling galaxy. They knew it was dangerous, but what other choice did they have? They had been betrayed by the people they trusted, only by braving the unknown would they have a chance of seeing the world once again. They steeled their resolve and stepped through the portal, disappearing from their prison without a trace."

She stopped, causing Kai to turn his head to look towards her pleadingly. Kai had inherited most his looks from her, she had the same purple eyes and black hair. She smiled warmly before pinching his nose.

"It's getting late, you should go to sleep" She said, getting up from the bed. "We can finish the story tomorrow."

Watching her leave he bed Kai reached out his hand, not wanting to her to leave.

"Mom don't go!"

Kai yelled out, opening his eyes. His room had disappeared, replaced by Oscar's bar. His master was holding him in her lap, across from him was Oscar. His shirt was covered with blood, but he seemed quite happy despite that.

"So you're finally awake?" he said. "Perfect timing, Evelynn and I just finished discussing your training schedule."

Eve sent Oscar a glare before looking down at Kai.

"Are you okay Kai?" she asked worriedly. "Did you have a bad dream?"

Kai shook his head.

"No, so good I didn't want it to end."

"That's good" Evelynn ruffled his hair. "I know you were just getting used to your training schedule, but with Oscar's help I promise you'll get stronger!"

Kai nodded; he'd experienced the training the night before. While it was tough he knew it had helped tremendously, and that was only one night!

"Good!" Seeing his resolve, both Evelynn and Oscar were pleased. Evelynn began to explain his new schedule.

"You'll still spar with me from 9am to 12pm every day, that doesn't change. You'll also continue doing the Ball-training from 1pm to 3pm. The only difference being that instead of training your spirit ring at the pagoda, you'll come here and work for Oscar from 6pm to 8pm every day. Don't worry though, Oscar will pay you when you work in his bar!"

"I never agreed to-!" Oscar spoke up, only to stop partway through after receiving a glare from Evelynn. Once he quieted down she continued.

"Furthermore, from 4pm to 5pm Oscar will teach you some martial arts."

"Martial arts?" Kai asked. He was confused, Evelynn had always told him that it was best to develop his own style that fit with his Martial Spirit and Spirit rings.

"You have a natural talent for Drunken Martial Arts" She explained, looking at Oscar she continued. "Which this bum just so happens to be a master of."

This prompted Oscar to get up from his seat, taking a step forward he did a quick bow before releasing his Spirit Power. An aura more powerful than Kai had every felt before engulfed the bar, so strong the air seemed to be vibrating around him.

Around him one ring after another appeared. 5 black rings, 4 red. A titled Douluo! To think this bar owner was so strong! But this confused Kai, why would someone like him hide away in a bar like this?

"Allow me to introduce myself properly" Oscar began to speak proudly, pleased by the look of surprise on Kai's face. "My name is Oscar Reed, otherwise known as the Drunken Monkey Douluo."

Oscar raised his hand, a golden staff appearing. Slamming it down on the ground Kai felt a wave of air hit him, ruffling his clothes and hair. The rings and suppressive aura suddenly disappeared, leaving the bloodied and black-eyed Oscar standing in the center of the bar silently.

"Why don't we get to training?"

And so began Kai's training. Every day returning home exhausted from a full day of training, and before he knew it a couple months had passed. Summer had ended and in just a couple hours he'd be taking his first steps into Heaven Dou Primary Academy.