The Travels Of Xiang, Episode 17

It had been a few days since Xiang started her journey to the next town or village.  The town was in sight.  It was business as usual, except for the fact that Chika was in tow.

As Xiang was staying at Chika's house in the last town, Chika made it known she was going on an adventure.  Xiang told her she was going to resume her own adventure, so Chika decided to tag along for a few days.  Part of the reason was to have some friendly conversation, but for the most part, they just happened to be headed in the same direction.

"My, my, this has been a rather exciting two days, has it not?" Chika asked.

It was nice to not be walking alone for a change.  "I guess it was," Xiang answered.

"Shall we spend some time together in town before parting ways?" Chika asked.

"That would be nice."

After about an hour or so, they entered the town.  What should they do now?  What would Chika want to do?

"We should go to the bathhouse and wash off all the grime of our long journey before we do anything else?" Chika suggested.

Xiang lifted her arms and took a quick sniff of each armpit.  "Yeah.  Good Idea."

They made there way to the bathhouse for a bath.  It was anything but relaxing as women swarmed Chika, trying to touch her and asking questions about her skin.  It got so bad, Xiang had to stand in between her and the handsy crowd.  Eventually, everyone left and they were able to get some quiet time in the bath.

Once they finished bathing and getting dressed, Chika suggested they get something to eat.  They wound up going to a food booth and getting beef skewers.  Xiang rarely ate meat, so she savored the taste.

After that, Chika wanted to go see a play.  So they went to a theatre to take in a show called The Dragon And Her Bodyguard.  The characters seemed familiar to them.

They did various things after that to cram the day with fun.  Eventually, night fell.  They knew what time it was.

"I must say, it has been a while since I have had so much fun," Chika said.  She bowed.  "I am glad I met you, Xiang Wenling."

Xiang bowed as well.  "Maybe we'll meet again someday."  Then, as she returned to an upright position, she saw a familiar person drunkenly staggering past about ten feet behind Chika.

It was a middle-aged man of Tzezhange origin, like Xiang herself.  He was average height, dressed in the loose, light blue garment of a Tzezhange monk.  He had graying facial hair, but despite not having any last time she saw him, there couldn't be any denying who he was.  "Master?"

"Hey now, there is no need to call me that," Chika said.  "We are friends and equals."

Xiang called out as if she hadn't heard her.  "Master!"

The man shook his head as if recovering from a strike to the head and looked her way.  If he was drunk, he immediately sobered up upon seeing her.

She hopped up and down, waving.  "It's me, master!  Xiang Wenling!"

He looked away and bolted.

"Huh?"  She hadn't expected that.

"Do you know that man?" Chika asked.

"He's my defense arts instructor, Master Tsu," Xiang answered.  "I haven't seen him in four years.  He clearly recognized me.  I wonder why he ran away."

Chika took a guess.  "Knowing what I know of you, I find it hard to believe, but perhaps he thought you were a bad student."

That couldn't be true.  Could it?  Xiang gave chase.  "Master!  Wait!"

They weaved their way through crowds.  Tsu would occasionally look back, a look of fear on his face each time he did.  What had she done to receive such looks from him.  "Why are you running away, master?"

Xiang was fast, but she couldn't catch up with him.  Despite this, he started throwing down obstacles.  A broom here, a trash can there, nothing that would cause damage to anything.  "Why are you acting like this?  Can you hear me?  Master?"

Apparently still feeling the effects of whatever he may or may not have been drinking, he would up tumbling head over heels, crashing to the ground.  Not wanting to let this opportunity pass her, she quickly caught up and pinned him to the ground.  "You're dead!" she shouted.  Tears started to well up in her eyes.  "You mysteriously vanish four years ago, leaving me with nothing but worries and a broken technique.  Then, you ran from me when I tried to greet you.  You are so dead."

"Get off of me, you stupid girl!" he said with slurred speech.

"No, because you're going to run," she said.  "I want answers..."  She softened.  "So please...promise you won't run.  That's the only way I'll let you up."

Some patrolmen came.  "Is everything alright over here?"

"It's okay," Xiang answered.  "We know each other."

"I don't know this trollop," Tsu barked, trying to wriggle free.

Xiang gasped.  "Master..."

Chika finally caught up.  Hunched over, she panted, "My nose does not lie...but that man does.  I do not know the cause of this disturbance...but it is true that they know each other."

"A dragon lady," one of the patrolmen said.  "A dragon of knowledge hybrid if I'm not mistaken.  If your nose is the one speaking, we can trust you.  Still, we can't let people get into brawls in the street."

"I just want to talk to him," Xiang said.  "I have so many questions I want to ask.  I'm just making sure he doesn't run."

"I smell no lies coming from her," Chika said.

"Well...isn't this quite the predicament I find myself in?" Tsu said.  "Pinned to the ground by a crying girl and exposed by a dragon girl.  Fine, we can talk.  Just give me a chance to sober up.  I won't run."

Xiang looked to Chika, who nodded her confirmation.

"It seems we're not needed, then," a patrolman said.  "Carry on."

Xiang got off of Tsu.

He got up and dusted himself off.  "Let's go somewhere a little more private.  From there, I'll answer any questions you have."

"That's fine," Xiang said.  "I'd like you to come along for obvious reasons, Chika."

Chika nodded.  "Yes.  I'll do it."

The Travels Of Xiang, Episode 16

After Xiang dropped off her clothes at the cloth cleaner, she and Chika went to a restaurant for a meal.  All eyes were on them as soon as they stepped in.  Perhaps because of who Chika was, they did not have to wait to be seated as a greeter welcomed them the moment they stepped in and guided them to a table.

A waiter arrived within seconds.  "Welcome back, milady," the waiter said to Chika.  "Will you have your usual?"

Chika nodded.  "I would like that very much."

"And you, young lady?" he asked her.

Xiang flipped through the menu until she saw it.  "Vegetable soup and a biscuit, please."

"Very well."  Then off he went.

Looking at Chika, she saw her giving her the biggest smile.  "Seeing me must really make your day.  Am I someone important and haven't realized it yet?"

"No," Chika answered.  "I would not say you're important or special, per se.  If I had to use a word to describe you, it would be...refreshing."

"Refreshing?"

Chika nodded.  "You see, I have been on a number of adventures.  No matter where I went or who I talked to, there was always...a smell.  The stench of lies.  Merchants lied while attempting to sell me products.  Adventurers lied while talking about their exploits.  People lied to their spouses about what they had been doing on a particular.  There was always at least a faint smell.  But you are different.  You smell nice."

Xiang was curious.  "Can you really smell lies?"

"You doubt me?" Chika asked.  "Surely you do not think this purple skin is just for show, do you?  In my veins pumps the blood of a dragon.  A dragon of knowledge, to be precise."

She had heard of those.  They were docile dragons with vast knowledge and the abiltity to speak the human language.  It's said that they're fiery breath doesn't burn, but fill the target with knowledge instead.  They are rare, but easily identified by they're purple scales.  "I see.  So you know all kinds of stuff."

Chika shook her head.  "Not necessarily.  I do have the experience of many adventure and have acquired a vast amount of knowledge through books, but I am no more intelligent than a well-educated human.  The only things I have inherited from my dragon parent is my skin and my sense of smell.  My ability to smell is quite a bit more limited than that of a dragon of knowledge, however.  I cannot tell exactly what a person is lying about without doing a little prying.  Depending on the strength of the smell, though, I can judge how great the atrocity they are lying about, how recently the lie was told, and whether or not the person feels regret for the lie."  She clasped her hands and flashed Xiang that same smile from earlier.  "That is where you come in.  You smell so pure, it is almost as if you have never told a lie.  As I said before, your smell is refreshing."

Xiang was starting to get embarrassed.  "It's not like I've never lied.  I'm only human, after all.  But growing up, the only thing lying got me was a good whuppin'.  I guess I learned to just stop doing it.  I think it's been...maybe ten years since I've told a lie.  My legs twitch in anticipation of being hit with a switch every time I even think about it."

Chika sighed.  "The sweet, sweet smell of the truth.  What a wonderful thing."  There was a brief silence before she continued.  "You seem to be new in town.  If you are just passing through, I would be glad to provide you with lodgings at my home for a night or two.  No charge, of course."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because you're a good person," Chika answered.  "Good people deserve to be rewarded.  At least that's what I think.  Having been on a number of adventures, I can say that not enough people have that mindset.  I am striving to be one of them."

She could live with that.  "Thank you."

Then, the waiter brought their food.

"Now, shall we enjoy our meal?" Chika asked.

The Travels Of Xiang, Episode 15

It had been a few days since she left had left Jerik's village.  She would always remember the fond memories and friendships she had built during her time there.  They even sent her off with food and a spare set of clothes.  There were plenty of tears on both sides.

Now, those memories seemed so far away as she ran through the gates of a large city, soaked with rain.  It started coming hard and heavy a mere half hour from town, forcing her to run for what felt like her life.  She could handle cold and even a little rain.  But when it came down in buckets, she felt disgusting.

She look to the patrolmen on either side of the gate.  "Bathhouse please."

One of them pointed down the road.  "Go down fifteen buildings, then turn left.  It's eight buildings down that road, on the left."

She thanked him and made her way there.  It was right where he said it would be.  She couldn't wait to get out of the rain, out of those wet clothes, and into a warm bath.  She bolted in quickly.

There stood a smiling greeter just on the other side of the door.  Bowing, she asked, "Enjoying sunshine today?"

Xiang half-laughed to hide the fact that she wasn't really in a joking mood.  "Very much so," she said, playing along to keep up appearances.  "Anyway, what are your rates?"

After some talking with the staff, she was able to get in the bath.  She was alone completely alone.  It was relaxing.

She spent an hour in the bath before heading to the locker room.  Her regular clothes were still quite wet.  She'd have to take them to a cloth washer to make them wearable again.  This was a great opportunity for her to see the outfit Gwen gave her.  She reached into her bag and pulled out another bag which contained the clothes.  It would be her first time laying eyes on it.  With that in mind, she reached in grabbed some cloth, and carefully pulled it out.  Then, she unfolded it.

It was a white pair of pants with a dark blue dragon design stitched into the right leg.  The design wrapped around the leg like a snake and rose from the ankle all the way to the hip.  "It must have taken forever to make this."  It almost brought her to tears thinking about the effort Gwen must have put in.

It felt like there was still more.  It must have been a shirt to go with the pants.  Reaching in and pulling it out, she saw it was, in fact, a shirt.  Like the pants, it was white with a dragon motif.  This time it was a pair of dragons, starting at the back of the hip on each side and wrapping around, stopping at the top of the shoulder.  Gwen really was talented with a sewing needle.

When she finally put the outfit on, she was even more impressed.  It was a perfect fit.  She didn't remember being measured at any point during her stay in the village.  Had Gwen been able to tailor her an outfit using only her eyes?  She should open her own business.

After looking herself over in the mirror, she packed up her usual outfit, stepped into her boots, and headed out.  The rain had let up a great deal, but it was still falling at a steady clip.  "No.  Gwen's outfit could get dirty."  She whipped out the bag the outfit came in, ripped out some holes for her head and arms, and put it on.  Then, she rolled up her pant legs to just below the knees.  Now she was ready to head out.

She walked a few blocked before she came across a man in tatters sitting in front of a shop.  He was holding out a cup, possibly begging for change without actually begging.  She couldn't look away from him, but not because she felt sympathy.  It was because she couldn't shake the fact that he looked familiar.  Where had she seen him before?

Then, he looked up at her and squinted, almost as if he knew her, too.  He stood and leaned in, giving her a closer look.  A look of anger gradually came across his face as he reared back the arm with the cup.  "You!  You ruined my life!"  He flung the cup at her.

She dodged the cup with a side step.  She then blocked an incoming punched from the man, grabbed his arm, and flipped him to the ground.  She sat on his chest, keeping his arms down by kneeling on them, and threatened to rain down punches.  "Explain yourself.  What is this madness?"

"Don't pretend like you don't remember me, you piece of crap!" he exclaimed.  "I lost everything because of you!  Musciani kicked me out of the gang and I had to leave town!"

Musciani?  She knew that name.  Rosalie's parents kept talking about him when she rescued her.  She remembered who he was now.  "You're that thug who dragged that girl into the ally.  It seems as if you've fallen on hard times.  It serves you right.  She was just a kid.  She didn't deserve the things you were going to do to her."

"Get off me, turd!" he grumbled.

"Not until you give me one good reason I shouldn't punch your face in," she shot back.  "I still owe you the thrashing of a lifetime."

A couple of patrolmen wandered over.  "Okay, what's the problem here?"

"This maggot ruined my life!" the thug shouted.

She wasn't going to take responsibility for that.  "When you do bad things, these are the results you get.  You made the decision to get involved with that shady character.  You also made the decision to take advantage of that little girl.  You deserve at least this much, scum."

The patrolmen looked at each other, confused.  "Okay, young lady, get off him," one of them said.  "We're going to settle this with facts, logic, intellect, and common sense."

She grumbled, but complied.

Once the thug got to his feet he started for her, but calmed down when one of the patrolmen stood between them.

"Are there any witnesses to this dispute?" one of the patrolmen asked out loud to no one in particular.

A person came forward.  "I don't know what led up to it, but that man stood up, shouted at that young lady, and threw a cup at her.  Then she turn the tables on him and took him to the ground.  That's all I know."  Other people corroborated the story.

"So what's all this about ruining someone's life," a patrolmen asked, looking at the thug.  Then, looking at Xiang, he asked, "And what a little girl and a shady character have to do with it?"

"It's quite simple, Xiang said.  "I was in another city when I caught him abusing a little girl, so I did what any sane person would and made him stop.  Apparently his boss didn't like it and chased him out of town."

The thug grumbled but couldn't come up with a good rebuttal.  Eventually, he decided to say, "You and your lies!  Shut up!"

"No," she retorted.  "You shut up."

Suddenly, a soothing female voice said, "Silence, everyone."

The patrolmen turn to where the voice came from and stood at attention.  "Milady," the both said.

Xiang looked to see who it was.  Sauntering toward them was a woman wearing a cloak with a hood covering her head.  Aside from that cloak, the woman was almost stark naked, with an outfit that amounted to little more than a bra, panties, and knee-high boots, all made of leather.  Despite her near-nudity, she had an air of dignity about her, like royalty.

Her most striking feature, however, was her light purple skin.  It didn't appear to be paint or some other trick.  It was alluring.  Xiang couldn't take her eyes off of her.

It wasn't just her.  Everyone was entranced by her.

The woman met her eyes with a smile.  "Do you see something you like?"

Was she talking to her?  Xiang shook her head to pull herself out of whatever came over her.  "No..."

The woman turned to the patrolmen.  "I take it there is a dispute of some kind."

"Yes, milady," they said.

"I figured as much," she said.  Then she sniffed the air.  "The foul stench of lies is in the air."  She looked at the thug.  "It's coming from you.  The odor is so foul...what atrocities are you trying to hide to generate such a smell?"

Xiang raised her hand.  "He's an idiot who tried to abuse a little girl."

"That's crud!" the thug barked.

"Ugh..." the woman moaned, dropping to her knees.  "The stench is so strong.  Please, stop lying.  Try as you might, you can't fool my nose.  And my nose does not lie."

He raised his fist and walked toward the lady.  "This is a load of-"

The patrolmen blocked his path with their spears.  "If you think you're going to get away with that, you're sorely mistake, insect," one of them said.

"Take him away," the woman said with a dismissive wave, not looking at him.

"Yes, milady," the patrolmen said.

After a short scuffle, they dragged him away and disappeared into an alley as he swore the whole time.  Cursing turned to screams of pain and pleas for mercy as Xiang could only assume he was taking a thrashing.  She didn't feel sorry for him.  Judging from what she knew of him, he had it coming.

The woman shook her head as if recovering from a devastating blow.  Then she stood and looked at Xiang.  "You there, young lady."

She didn't know what to expect.  "Yes?"

"You interest me.  I'd like you to join me for a meal."

This probably wasn't the time for a joke, but she couldn't resist.  "I'm not going to get dragged into an alley and beaten if I refuse, am I?"

The woman laughed.  "Of course not.  I suppose it would put you at ease if I introduced myself."  She bowed.  "My name is Chika Tsukihara, daughter of this city's mayor.  And you are?"

Xiang decided to bow as well.  "Xiang Wenling of Shao Village."

"Now that introductions are over, shall we go enjoy that meal?"

The Travels Of Xiang, Episode 14

It had been a seven weeks since Xiang liberated the village.  The village as it was when she arrived was a distant memory.  Dead bodies and blood-soaked roads had been replaced by freshly painted houses and children playing.  Families that had once been filled with fear were now filled with hope.  Just knowing she had a hand in the restoration made her feel good inside.

Unfortunately, it would be ending in about another.  That's when she had planned to continue her journey to see the world.  She had let everyone know in advance, so it would be a surprise to none.

Now, she stood in the home the villagers had given her in preparation to lie down after a hard day's work.  Upon getting to her bed, she plopped down, pulled an apple out of her bag, and got her journal ready to be written in.

Someone knocked on her door.  "You may enter."

It was the boy who first lead her to the village.  She learned his name was Venith and he was 12 years old.  He kept going on about how he would get strong and marry her one day.  At first, she thought he was a stupid kid with a cute crush, but he trained to exhaustion in the fields every day with a stick, pretending it was a sword.  He was dead serious.

"Yes, Venith?"

He was still fidgety around her.  "Did you see me training?"

"I did."

"I've gotten pretty strong, haven't I?"

She climbed off the bed and walked over to him.  Then, she knelt to his level and ruffled his hair.  "You have.  I can practically see the muscles bulging under your shirt."

"Hey, I'm twelve, not five," he said, pushing her had aside.  "You ain't got to treat me like some kid."

Xiang laughed a little.  "Fair enough."

"So this is your last week here, huh?" he asked, looking down at the ground.  "Why..."

She put a hand under his chin and gently lifted his head to look at her.  "There's no need to be sad about it.  Keep your head up and keep on training.  I'm sure you'll become a strong warrior who will be the subject of many stories.  If you get that strong, we will see each other again.  I may even come back to check in on your training every now and then."

The boy's face brightened up.  "You will?"

"I can't make any promises," she said, "but I can make the attempt.  So, train every day and don't forget to eat your fruits and vegetables."

"Okay," he said.  Then he scampered off.

As soon as he left, there was another knock on her door.  "Enter."

It was the man who eventually became the mob leader during the liberation of the village.  His name was Jerik.  The previous village elder was killed by the bandits and the villagers elected him as their new leader after the liberation.  It was a role he took reluctantly and he was still unsure if he was the right person for the job.  "Hey, there, young lady."

She stood.  "What brings you in Jerik?"

"I know this is your last week here, so I just wanted to thank you," he said.  "The recovery wouldn't have gone nearly as smoothly without you."

"I'm happy to hear it."

"I kinda wish you would stay," he said.  "But I suppose you have to do what you must.  We'll make sure to keep the house ready for you if you ever decide to come back."

She nodded.  "I would appreciate that."

He shook his head.  "To think, just two months ago I was a regular fieldworker.  Now here I am, charged with running the village.  Everyone's livelihood and lives depend on the decisions I do or don't make.  I guess it still hasn't sunk in yet.  And I don't know what I'll do when times get tough.  I'd be a little more confident if my wife was still around, but she..."  A tear ran down his cheek.

She took his hand, walked him over to the bed, and they both sat.  Then, she put her hands around his and said, "It'll all work out.  The people picked you because they thought you were the most capable person.  In this short time I've spent here, I can see the qualities that everyone else sees.  And while I can't understand what it's like to have a mate and lose them, I do know how it feels to have an entire village behind you.  Make your decisions with confidence because the people want you to succeed."

"Heh, I'm pretty pathetic, huh?" he laughed.  "Here I am being comforted by a person young enough to be the daughter I never had.  If I was any kind of elder, it'd be the other way around.  If the people were smart, they'd have picked you to lead them."

"Nonsense," she said.  "Deep down inside, you know you'll do a good job.  All you have to do is overcome your fear, just like I did when I first made the decision to leave home."

He sniffled, then wiped away a few tears.  "I don't know where you came from, young lady, but your village must be in pain from having lost a gem like you.  This village will feel the same way when you leave here."  He stood and shook her hand before leaving.

Afterwards, Xiang went back to writing in her journal while eating a piece of celery.  Once that was done, she got in back to contemplate things.  Eventually, she went to dream land.

The Travels Of Xiang, Episode 13

It had been a week since Xiang liberated the village and what a week it had been.  The villagers buried their dead and had a short grievance period.  Then it was right back to work, rebuilding houses and hitting the fields.

Xiang's schedule had been packed.  Hours in the fields, fishing, and being visited by villagers made up the bulk of her days.  The young males of the village were particularly fond of her, for reasons that had become all too obvious to her.  It all wound up being logged in her journal.

Now, she stood alone outside of town, getting in the training session she'd been meaning to do for a while.  She'd already done the necessary stretches.  Now came the training.

She got into her stance.  "Feel the energy.  Absorb the energy.  Channel the energy.  Release  the energy."  These were the principles of the Burst Fist technique.  She still had a long way to going to master it, but at the very least, she could use it effectively.

She felt the energy surge from the world, up her legs, through her torso, and into her arms, where it settled into her fists.  From here, Xiang needed to decide what to do with the energy before she released it, using her intentions and her target as her guide.  If the was target was weapons or armor, she would concentrate some energy to shield her fist at the last possible moment, then overload the opponent's armaments with the remainder, causing them to splitter and shatter.  If the opponent themselves was the target, she would simply use a portion of the energy to augment her natural punch power to repel them, sending them flying.  In a real fight, she had to make this decision in an instant to keep from killing her opponent or suffering an injury herself.

After practicing for a while, she saw the woman she'd rescued coming her way.  Over the past week, Xiang and the woman had become friends.  She learned that her name was Gwen and she was a few years older than Xiang herself.

"Hey, Xiang."  She held out the pot as if making an offering to a goddess.  "It's vegetable stew, your favorite.  Please accept it."

Now that she thought about it, she was hungry.  Perhaps a break was in order.  "Thank you," Xiang said as she took the pot.  It was still warm.  And it looked like more than she could eat.  "Why not join me as we eat this stew and enjoy the wilderness?"

Gwen looked surprised as she reached into a pocket on her apron and pulled out a spoon.  "I only brought the one spoon."

"Then let's go to your home and enjoy it."

"I meant for you to have it all," Gwen said.  "I'm not worthy enough to share a meal with you."

"I won't hear of it," Xiang said.  "We will share this meal you have brought me."

Gwen couldn't hide a smile.  "O-okay.  Just let me go back and get some bowls."  She scampered off excitedly.

Xiang did cooldown stretches until Gwen returned.  Then, they partook in a stew dinner together.  As they ate, Xiang noticed Gwen looking at her like a lovestruck teenager.  "You realize we're both female, do you not?"

Gwen shook her head.  "It's nothing like that.  It's just that you're so amazing.  To think, just one week ago I was looking at my dead parents and about to be killed myself."  She cracked, but didn't cry.  After regaining her composure, she continued.  "But then you came and saved me and my fellow villagers.  Strong, caring, just, beautiful...you're younger than me, but you're the type of woman I want to be."

Xiang was starting to feel embarrassed.  "There's no need to lay it on so thick.  I'm just a human being, like you."

"And humble, too," Gwen added.

"Stop!" Xiang said, half-shouting.

"Sorry, sorry." Gwen said meekly.  After about a minute eating in silence, she asked, "Can you teach me how to fight like that?"

"Not right away and not in the period of time I intend to stay," Xiang answered.  "It took me almost fifteen years to get to this level and I'm still not as good as I could be or should be.  Even barring the Burst Fist technique, martial arts isn't something that can be learned or mastered in a month or even a decade."

Gwen looked at the ground.  "Oh...that's right.  You're not staying, huh?"

Xiang nodded.  "When I left home, my goal was to travel the world.  While some of what I've already seen has been heartbreaking, I haven't met that goal yet.  I have to see what's out there.  The cultures, the foods, the people, I want to see as much as I can.  I can't do that if I stay in one place.  I know in my heart of hearts I'll never see it all and that everything I see won't always be good, but that's better than just being a farm girl who never sees or experiences anything."

"And a philosopher, too?"  Gwen ate another spoonful of stew.  "What a woman," she sighed.

Xiang sighed.  They ate stew until the sunset, watching a few animals pass by as they did.

The Travels Of Xiang, Episode 12

Xiang watched as a villager opened the door to one of the houses.  "This is what we have available," the villager said.  "As you can see, it's still in good condition.  There was a family staying here...but unfortunately they won't be needing it anymore."

She knew what that meant.  "Oh...is this really okay?"

"If you ask me, it's not enough," the villager said.  "You saved us all from oppression and, quite possibly, brutal deaths.  If you plan on staying a while, please accept it."

Xiang entered and looked around.  From the way things appeared, you'd never know the village had been terrorized for a week by bandits.  The beds were clean.  There wasn't even a sign of a struggle.  This was too good.  "One of the other families could use this."

"We all got together and decided you should have it," the villager said.

Well, she couldn't refuse now.  She turned and bowed.  "I humbly accept.  Thank you."

The villager smiled.  "Okay, I'll leave to you get settled.  You've had a long night, don't be in a rush to help us out."

It really had been a long night.  Hiking to the village, fighting bandits, footing it back to the camp, then marching all the way back to the village with her belongings in tow.  Maybe she would kick up her heels for the night.  She started to thank the villager, but they had already left.

She closed the door, slipped out of her boots, then collapsed on the bed.  Then, she pulled a carrot out of her food bag and stared at the ceiling as she ate, contemplating the day's events.  She whipped out her journal to log everything before she forgot.

Suddenly, there was a knock on her door.  "Come in."  The door opened and in came the boy who lead her to the village.  "Oh.  What brings you here at this time of night?"

"I just wanted to thank you," he said.  "I didn't think anyone could beat all those guys, but you did it.  You saved our village."  He was fidgety, as if he was hiding something.

"Whatever it is, you don't have to be afraid," she said in a comforting tone.  "Just say it."

"I'm sorry," he said.  "It's just that you're so pretty, and strong, and...pretty.  Would you marry me when I grow up?"

She laughed a little.  It was too cute.  "I'm not going to be around that long.  But I'm sure that you when grow up, you'll find a woman as pretty and strong as me.  I have no doubt she will marry you, so make sure you grow up to be nice and strong yourself."

"Okay," he said.  "I'll make sure to grow up nice and strong so I can marry you."  With that, he left.

Almost immediately, there was another knock on the door.  "Come in."

It was the first woman she rescued.  She'd cleaned herself up, but the bruises from the beating she received still showed.  There was a package in her hand.  "If it weren't for you, I'd be...I don't want to think about it.  Anyway, I wanted to thank you formally."  She held out the package.  "It's fish.  The bandits forced me to catch some earlier, but I hid a few from them.  I was going to have them for myself, but I want you to have them instead."

It was almost embarrassing.  "You caught it, so you should eat it."

"But I owe you my life.  It's the least I can do.  Oh...maybe you'd like a fresher catch.  I'll head out right now."

"I'll tell you what," Xiang said.  "We can go out fishing together tomorrow.  We can enjoy each other's company as we stare out at...wherever your fishing spot is."

"Okay," she said, looking at the ground sadly.  Then, she perked up and said, "Your feet must be tired after all that running around.  Maybe you'd like a foot massage."

"My feet are fine," Xiang said.  "Just make sure you're ready to fish tomorrow and you'll have paid me back in full."

After she left, Xiang went back to eat her carrot and writing in her journal.  Once she finished her carrot, she pulled out an apple and ate that.

Then, someone else wrapped on her door.  "Come in."

It was the man who lead the mob.  "How is everything?"

"Just fine.  Everyone is so friendly and inviting."

He nodded.  "Good.  Our previous village elder was killed back the bandits, so I've been made the new elder.  If you need anything, don't be afraid to look me up."  With that, he left.

"What an interesting village."  She wondered what it was like before it had been raided.  She intended to find out, because she would help restore it with her own two hands.

The Travels Of Xiang, Episode 11

Everything had been going so well up until now.  She had saved a several citizens from terrible fates at the hands of the bandits.  She was almost done beating them all.

Now, here she stood, staring down a bandit with a crossbow aimed at her.  She was so close.  Is this where it would end?

"Hands up, you stinking piece of garbage," he growled.

She reluctantly complied.  "You don't want to do this."

"Shut up, garbage!" he barked.  "I don't know who you are, but apparently you're pretty tough."  He gave her a sick smile.  "Ain't bad on the eyes, either.  Not letting that body go to waste.  You'll still be good for a few minutes after you're dead."

She realized he was going to shoot her anyway.  It was all or nothing.  The fate of an entire village rested on her shoulders.  She could let herself be killed here.  She had to close the gap and give him the beating of his life.  She dashed toward him.

He took the shot.

Trying to shatter it with the Burst Fist would be too risky.  It was going too fast and there wasn't enough time to get set, generate the necessary energy, then throw the punch.  It would end with an arrow through her arm...if she was lucky.  No, she had to, "Duck."  She forced herself into a crouching run.

She watched the arrow pass safely over her head.  Then, she hurried in before he could reload and gave him a beating he would never forget.  After tying him up, she headed for the Village Hall, where the bandit leader was holed up.  She needed to use caution, though.  There was still another crossbowman out there somewhere.

Eventually, she did make it to the Village Hall.  She was about to walk up and punch down the door, but the door opened.  She scampered behind the nearest building and observed.

Out came a man with a crossbow, looking confused.  "Is someone out here?"

"What's going on?" a coarse voice asked from inside.

"I thought I heard someone creeping around out here," the crossbowman answered.

"Find whoever it is, but don't kill 'em," the voice inside ordered.  "Bring 'em to me so I can kill 'em.  Stupid villagers are gonna learn not to defy us."

Suddenly, a scream came from the distance and pierced her ears.  It was male.  One of the villagers must have been torturing one of the bandits.

The crossbowman set off running in the direction of the scream.  If he saw any villagers roaming free, it wouldn't be good.  She used the alleyway between buildings to follow him and stay out of sight.

It wasn't long before she heard him say, "Not sure how you managed to pull this off, but the boss is gonna have fun with you."

Xiang peered around the corner and saw him pointing his crossbow at someone she couldn't see yet.  She hurried back around the building, came out from behind him, and sent him flying with a Burst Fist.  With him out of the way, she saw the first woman she saved and a group of kids with sticks, clubs, and rocks had surrounded one of the bandits.  He was naked, badly beaten, and looking quite scared.  She wouldn't stop them.  This was their justice.  "As you were."  She turned away to the sound of the bandit's screams and pleas for mercy.

She saw the bandit leader run back into the Village Hall and close the door.  He must have known there was a beating in his future.  He was probably barricading the right now.  She headed toward the building, but did not punch down the door, for as easy as it would have been.  He was expecting her and would probably have an ambush set up.

She walked around and looked through a window to see him standing on the other side of the door, sword raised over his head and laughing maniacally.  Unfortunately for him, she would be the one getting the drop on him.  She climbed through the window, snuck up behind him, kicked him down, then wrestled his sword away and threw it aside.  She could see the fear in his eyes as he looked up at her.  "What's the matter?  Things didn't go as you planned?"

"Please, let us go," he begged.  "We won't do it no more."

She shook her head.  "I'm not the one who's going to decide your fate."  She opened the door, where they could see the mob still beating the bandit.  The group had gotten noticeably bigger, roughly three times the size it was before.  Apparently, some citizens gathered some courage and decided to join in.  There were even a few men in the group.   She dragged him out by the hair kicking and screaming.  "Hey, everybody!  Look who it is!"

Everyone looked their way.  "Look!  She got him!"

"No!" the bandit leader screamed.  He jerked his head, ripping out his own hair to escape her grip.

She kicked him down, then performed a heel drop on the small of his back, resulting in cracking sounds.

"No," he cried.  "I can't move my legs!  Help!"

She looked down at him coldly.  "You're going to face the people you've wronged.  They will be the judge, jury, and executioner.  They will decide your fate."

One of the men reached her first and offered a handshake.  "We have you to thank, young lady.  If not for you, we all may have eventually been killed.  All that's left now is to deal with these pieces of garbage and start over."

She shook his hand.  "I'm always willing to offer my services to those in need.  If you need help rebuilding, I'd be happy to stay a while."

He shook his head.  "You've already done so much..."

"It wouldn't be a problem," she said.  "I want to do it.  And from my understanding, you're going to need some more able bodies.  I'm volunteering mine.  I simply need to go back to my camp and gather my belongings.  I'll return shortly."

He smile.  "Alright.  We'll get a place ready for you.  Feel free to stay as long as you'd like."  He turned his attention to the bandit.  "And you...you killed our men, beat our children, and raped our women.  We can't in good conscience just let you all go so you can victimize someone else, can we?"

"No!" the bandit begged.  "We promise not to do it no more!  You'll never see us again!  No!"

"It's time for you the learn what happens when you treat people wrong," the man growled.

Xiang walked away to the sound of the bandit's bloodcurdling scream as the mob surrounded him.  He was right about one thing.  They would never be seen again.

The Travels Of Xiang, Episode 10

Xiang and the boy were situated on a hill overlooking the village.  From here, she could see everything.  After an hour of observing, she managed to get an accurate count on the number of bandits.  There were seventeen total, three of them armed with crossbows.

She also good a general idea of their patrol routes and places to hide.  Brute force wouldn't cut it here, especially with those crossbows floating around.  And if she sent people flying with her Burst Fist, that would draw too much attention.  She couldn't beat seventeen armed men in straight combat.  Even if she could, they might start killing villagers to try to get her to give up.  Stealth and intellect would be the key here.

After a few minutes more of observation, she stood.  "Stay here.  If anything happens to me, run."

"This is crazy," the boy said.  "How are you going to beat all those people?"

"Where there's a will, there's a way.  Anyway, remember what I said.  Don't leave this spot unless something happens to me.  And please don't charge in trying to play the hero."  With that, she headed toward the village.

She wouldn't use the main gate at the south.  There were two people there, including a crossbowman.  She would get to them eventually, but she wasn't just going to enter their line of sight and walk up to them.  No, she would hop the wall and enter from the west.  The wall was more like a tall fence, raising to just slightly above her head.  It was just tall enough to keep creatures out, but worthless against human being with even the slightest bit of athleticism.

After climbing, she leapt down and landed behind a house.  She found herself looking through a window to see a terrified family looking at the door.  The son and daughter were clinging to their mother, whose clothes were in tatters.

"Where did those men take daddy?" the daughter asked the mother.  "Is he coming back?"

The mother answered both questions with one answer and a cracking voice.  "I don't know."

Xiang balled up a fist, trying control her anger.  She whispered to herself, "They will pay."  She would make it so with her own two hands.

Before the family could see her, she crept to the edge of the house and peered around the corner.  It was here that saw how bad things really were.  The fly-covered corpses of humans and animals lined the street.  The stench was horrid and her urge to vomit was strong.  She resisted that urge, though, because someone had to be strong for these people.  Seeing as the coast was clear, she headed down the road, sticking close the houses in case she had to get out of sight.

Suddenly, she heard a gruff voice come from one of the houses.  "Take it all off before you end up like your mother and father!  Do it now!"

Xiang ran to the side of the house and peered through a window.  Four people were inside.  There was a bandit and a scared woman about her age.  On the floor, both of her parents lay dead.  The bandit was facing the door, making for a difficult situation.  If she simply burst in, he might take the woman hostage or even panic and kill her.  As much as she hated it, she had to wait for an opening.

"Strip," the bandit barked at the woman.  "Pants first."

Tears in her eyes, the woman did as she was told.

The bandit face broken into a sick, sleazy smile.  "Heh, heh!  Yeah..."

"Please," the woman cried.  "I don't want to do this."

The bandit slapped her down and said, "Shut up and strip unless you want to join your parents in the afterlife."

The woman cried.  "Somebody...help me..."

The bandit mounted her and started beating her.  "What part of what I said don't you understand?  I won't say it again!"

This was Xiang's chance.  The bandit was looking away from the window because he was preoccupied with the woman.  She quietly slipped through the window and kick him in the side of the head, knocking him off the woman.  Before he could respond, she pummeled him unconscious.

"You..." the woman started.

"I'm going to save your village," Xiang said.  "Let's tie him up.  He's all yours after that.  Have fun ."

An evil smile came across the woman's bloody face.  Revenge was coming.  "Thank you.  I'll have plenty of fun with him, heh heh."

After helping her secure the bandit, Xiang peeked out the door, saw it was clear, and continued down the road.  She didn't get far before an old man came tumbling out of a house.  She quickly took cover behind a house and watched.

Two bandits came out of the house and beat and stomped the old man.  "We'll teach you to cheat us," one of the bandits said.  "We'll beat you in the middle of the street and make an example of you to anyone watching."

Xiang found a rock a her feet.  She picked it up, took aim, hurled it, then hurried back behind the house before it made contact.

"Argh!" one of the bandits cried.

"What happened?" the other one asked.

"Someone threw a rock at me."

"Must be one of the kids trying to be a hero."

"I'm gonna find that turd and teach him a lesson."

"Drag him out here so I can get in on the beating, too."

She heard the footsteps getting closer.  Then, just as he appeared, she whipped him behind the house and pummeled him out.

"Hey, what's going on?" the other bandit said.

She heard him running over.  When he rounded the corner, she tackled him and knocked him out with a good pummeling.  She then stripped them and tied them up with their own clothes.

Having finished that, she went to check on the old man.  "Are you okay?" she asked, kneeling at his side.

"No," he answered.  "Those young'uns gave me a good whuppin'.  I can't move my body."

She pointed to the house he'd been ejected from.  "Is that your house?"

A young boy ran out of the house.  "Grandpa!"

She hated to seem cold, but there was still business to take care of.  She couldn't afford to dawdle around.  "Get your grandfather back into the house.  Also, there are some goons tied up around the corner.  Get your mother or father to keep an eye on them."

"Who are you?" the boy asked.

"I'm the one who's going to thrash these bandits and free your village."  With that, she continued down the road.

She stealthily took down bandits when she saw them and tied them up with their own clothes.  She hadn't come across the crossbow users, which was troubling.  But here she stood, hidden around the corner of a house behind the men stationed at the main gate, one of them with crossbow in hand.  She knew what she had to.  That crossbow had to go first.  Beating the other guy would be like stepping on a cockroach after that.

"I gotta take a piss," the crossbowman said.  "I'll be back soon."  He then turned and started heading in her direction.  This would make things easier.  She'd simply drag him around the corner and give him a thrashing.  Then, she could run out and take out the other guy before he had a clue what was going on.

She executed her plan flawlessly, tying them up with their own clothes after the beatings.  "Good.  Only three more left."  As she stood, she saw a bandit roughly twenty feet away with a crossbow pointed right at her.  There was no way she could close the gap before he fired off his shot.

"Hands up," he growled.  "Don't try anything funny."

Uh oh.  Not good.

The Travels Of Xiang, Episode 9

It had been a few days since Xiang parted ways with Rosalie.  The girl looked so happy to be leaving that city and Xiang could blame her.  She had a feeling the she would be just fine.

Now Xiang was back on her own journey, walking to the next village, town, or city.  That last place sucked.  The only good that came from it is that she was able to rescue Rosalie from her desperate situation.

When dusk arrived, she strayed off the road to set up camp under a tree that wasn't far off.  There were plenty of sticks and twigs to start a fire with, so she wouldn't have to walk around looking for them.  Once that was taken care, she sat, kicked off her boots, and started logging her day in her journal.

Suddenly, she heard a sound getting closer.  Footsteps, closing in fast.  Someone or something had it's sights set on her.  That's the last mistake the person or creature would ever make.  She quickly hopped to her feet and got into her stance, facing the direction the footsteps were coming from.  "Who goes there?"

While she didn't receive an vocal answer, she did receive a shock when a boy came stumbling out of the darkness and into her camp.  "Thank the gods and goddesses.  I thought I'd never find anyone out here."

"Why are you walking around in the dark?" she asked.  "Are you trying to get killed?"

The boy pointed in the direction he came from.  "Bandits...they raided my village.  They crippled or killed the men and use the women and children for..."  He seemed to hold back tears, then continued.  "They've been there for about a week and won't leave.  I managed to get away to look for help.  I can't go back now.  I'll be killed...just like my pa."  He could no long hold back his tears.

Crying children is one thing Xiang couldn't stand.  Was there anything she could do?  "What's the situation?"

"Huh?" the boy asked.

"The bandits.  How many are there?  Where are they stationed?  What are their armaments?"

"There's about fifteen, maybe twenty of them.  Most of them have swords and knives but a few of them have crossbows."

The crossbows would be a problem.  She still hadn't perfected the art of countering projectiles.  The timing was difficult to get down because of the speed at which they could fly in.  Maybe she could come up with a feasible plan if she knew the lay of the land.  "Take me to your village."

The boy looked surprised.  "By yourself?  They're too tough.  You can't beat them alone."

"I'll be the judge of that," she said as she knelt down to put on her boots.  "Lead the way."

The boy's stomach growled.  "Can we eat first?  I haven't had food in days."

She reached into one of her bags and pulled out an apple.  "Try not to take too much time.  Let me know when you're ready."

The Travels Of Xiang, Episode 8

It was a chilly night.  Xiang sat outside the city gate reflecting on the days events.  First, her undergarments were stolen, then rescued a child from a thug, then her own family.  She sighed and said, "What a day."

Then, the girl came out of the city and plopped down next to her.  She was clad in a new dress Xiang had bought her to replace the tatters she was wearing earlier.  At ten coins, it wasn't cheap, but it made the girl happy and she needed new clothes.

"You should be back at the inn," Xiang said.  "It's too dangerous for you to be out alone."

"I got bored," the girl said.  There was a brief silence before the girl asked, "Are you cold?"

"I take it you're referring to how I'm dressed," Xiang said.  "I'm fine.  I'm a farm girl and a martial artist, so a little cold doesn't bother me.  I never really wear more than this."

"But you're so pretty," the girl said.  "Don't you want to wear nice dresses sometimes?"

Xiang shook her head.  "Like I said, I'm a farm girl.  Where I come from, extravagant clothes are far too expensive and impractical.  They would just get torn or dirty, so it really wasn't worth the expense.  Most people out there just wear whatever is comfortable.  Also, a pretty dress or flash clothing doesn't really help me as a martial artist.  If an opponent were to grab it or if it got snagged on something, the consequences could be quite dire."

"Oh, I see," the girl said.  "So what was that thing you did with your hands earlier.  The way you sent that man flying back in the alley...or the way you broke that broom my father attacked you with.  I've never seen anything like it."

"Oh, that?  It's called the Burst Fist technique.  It was created to by the monks of Tzezhange Island as a skill that disarms by breaking weapons.  While it's not meant to be used on people, you  great control to avoid killing them."

"Oh, I've read about Tzezhange Island in books," the girl said, her face lighting up.  "Is that where you're from?"

"No, but that's where my descendants are from," Xiang said.  "I'm from Shao, a village founded by Tzezhange settlers.  It's to the east, about a week on foot."

"Whoa, you walked a whole week to get here?" the girl asked.  "Aren't your legs tired?"

Xiang nodded.  "Very much so.  I don't even want to stand up right now."  She wasn't lying.  Her calves were on fire.  If she hadn't paid for the room at the inn, she probably wouldn't have bothered going back in.

"It's not good for a pretty woman to be alone in or near this city," the girl said.

Xiang started to wonder.  "Where were you planning on going?"

The girl looked confused.  "What do you mean?"

"When you ran out of the alley.  Assuming you had gotten away, where would you have gone?  You don't seem to keen on this city and based on what I know about your parents, I doubt you would have gone back home.  What was your next move?"

"I...don't know," the girl said, lowering her head.  "I just want to get away.  I don't know where.  Just...away."

"It's a dangerous world out here.  The elements, monsters, and crappy human beings are all seeking their next victim.  A little girl would have no chance against all that."

"I don't care!" the girl screeched.  "I don't want to live here anymore!  If I can't leave, then...I don't want to live."  She started to cry.

What had this poor girl been through?  Xiang remembered what she was doing at her age and it didn't resemble this.  How did a girl this young get to this point?  It almost made her want to cry.  "You really don't care where you go?  You don't even care if you get there?"

The girl shook her head.  "No..."

Maybe it was possible.  "Perhaps you might like Shao Village."

"The place you came from?" the girl asked.  "But it's a week away.  How will I get there?"

"I'll pay a cargo transporter to take you there.  It's not going to be like living in a big city.  If you don't like fresh air, open fields, or animals, let me know right now."

"Animal?" the girl asked.  "Will there be horses?  How about cats?"  She continued on, asking about assorted animals.

That was her answer right there.  She wouldn't miss this place and Xiang could understand why.  "Okay, I'll set things up tonight.  Your new life begins tomorrow.  And when you arrive, tell them Xiang Wenling sent you."

"Yay!" the girl cheered.  Then, she stood and bowed.  "Thank you!  Well, I'm going back to the inn.I want to make sure I'm up nice and early for the trip."  She started to walk away, then stopped and looked back over her shoulder.  "By the way, my name's Rosalie."

Xiang smiled.  "Rosalie, huh?  A beautiful name for a beautiful girl headed to a beautiful village.  I'm sure you'll do fine."  She could help but shake from the good feelings she felt.  She actually helped someone.

The Travels Of Xiang, Episode 7

Xiang followed the girl to the edge of town, where buildings were more spread out.  Eventually, they came to a small house.  "This is the place?"

The girl nodded.

"Very well."  Xiang walked up and knocked on the door.

A middle-aged woman answered.  "Hello, young lady.  What can I..."  Then, looked past her to see the little girl and went pale.  "No.  Why are you here?"

"Huh?" Xiang said.  That didn't seem right.  "This girl says she's your daughter.  She was getting roughed up in an alley by a man, but I rescued her."

The woman looked horrified.  "No!  You fool!  What have you done?  Take that girl back where you found her.  If you don't, it'll be the death of me and my husband."

"That girl?" Xiang asked.  "She's your daughter!"

Then, a man came to the door.  "What's going on, honey?"  He noticed the little girl.  "Fiddlesticks!"

Was this really happening?  A mother and father were reunited with their daughter, but neither of them seemed happy.  No matter how Xiang tried to put it together, she couldn't make it add up.  "I...don't understand."

"We're going to die because you brought that darned child back here!" the mother said.

"I...I thought I was helping..."

"Thanks a lot, you stupid girl!" the father shouted.  "I've always wanted to live a shorter life."

"I'm sorry..." Xiang said, on the verge of tears.

The mother looked at the father.  "If we leave now, maybe we can escape."

"There's no escaping Musciani," the father said.  "We may as well just accept our deaths."

The mother looked at the girl again.  "Maybe if we take her there personally, we'll be spared."

Xiang didn't know who Musciani was.  She didn't even know the girl's name.  But she knew one thing.  "I wont let that happen."

The parents looked surprised.  "You wont let what happen?" the father asked.

"I won't let you use your daughter as a bargaining chip," Xiang said.  "She's your daughter and barring that, she's a child.  No child deserves that."

"She's our darned child!" the mother shot.  "We'll use her however we want!"

Xiang gasped as a dull pain stabbed her chest and a wave of shock coursed through her body.  Hearing them talk like that actually caused her physical pain.  These people weren't parents.  At this point, she doubted they were human.  A single tear ran down her cheek and she turned away, grabbing the girl by the hand.  "Forget you."  She started walking away with the girl in tow.

"Hey!" the father shouted.  "Where are you taking her?"

"Away from you."

"We need to give her to Musciani to live," the mother shouted.

"I don't care," Xiang said.  "Unlike you, she still has value as a person."

"Get back here!" the father roared, giving chase with a broom.

Xiang let go of the girl and got into her stance.  Then, she waited for him to swing the broom at her.  That's when she let a punch fly, destroying the broom.

The father stumbled to a stop and fell.

"Give back our daughter, you trollop!" the mother shouted.

Xiang grabbed the girl's hand and went back to walking.  She looked back over her shoulder at the parents and said, "Screw off."  As she turned to face forward again, tears ran down her cheek.

"You didn't believe me," the girl said.  "You just had to see them, didn't you?"

Xiang didn't answer.  All she could do was sniffle and cry.  She thought she was helping.

The Travels Of Xiang, Episode 6

Xiang collapsed down on the bed in her room back at the inn.  She'd made it back safely.  As she lay there, she looked up at the ceiling and asked, "How could this happen?"  Was this really how things worked in the world?

She wrote down the experience in her journal.  She struggled to write the words because it was too embarrassing.  Afterwards, she got up and restock her food supply.

She walked around, going from merchant to merchant picking the freshest fruits and vegetables she could find.  She briefly though about getting some meat, but chose not to.  Meat or not, she wouldn't starve.  She wound up getting carried away, ending up with two heaping bags of food.  Satisfied, she headed back to the inn with a smile on her face.

Then, not far from the inn, she saw a young girl run out of an alley, then get snatched back in by a big, hairy arm.  "Huh?"  That didn't look right.  Also, she couldn't have been the only one who saw that.  How come no one else reacted?

She shook her head.  It didn't matter who else saw it, she definitely did.  And if no one else would do anything, she would.  Determined, she rushed to the entrance to the alley and heard a man talking harshly, possibly to the girl.  She listened in.

"You can't run," he said.  "Your parents couldn't pay up, so the boss decided to accept you as payment.  If it was me, I would have taken you from the beginning and let them keep the money.  Matter of fact, the boss won't mind if I take my cut right now, heh heh."

Xiang could not let this continue.  She entered the alley, set down her bags, and said, "Let her go!"

The man and the girl looked her way, both of them startled.  "Who the heck are you?" the man growled.

Xiang looked at them both.  The girl, who looked no older than twelve, was small, her clothes torn.  The bruises on her face indicated she'd clearly been hit.  The man was just an ordinary goon.  She could tell his muscles were just for show.  He was unskilled and, had his victim not been a little girl, he'd be lying in the alley knocked out.  "Why not let go of the girl and try out a grown woman?"

"Why not stay outta affairs that ain't none of your business?" he shot back.

"Because I can't turn my back on a child in need," she said, getting into her fighting stance.  "Step away from the child or endure a beating."

He shove the girl down and turned to Xiang, cracking his knuckles.  "Think yer tough, huh?  How about I put you in your place and have both of ya right here in this alley?"  He started walking toward her with a sick laugh.

Xiang ran in and sent him flying twenty feet with a single punch, where he crashed to the ground and skidded to a stop.  "Get up, maggot."

The man tried to sit up but failed, coughing up blood.

"Fighting someone who's skilled is different, isn't it?" she asked as she walked and stood over him, then looked down.  "It's not so much fun when your opponents can actually hurt you, is it?"  She knelt down and grabbed him by his shirt collar.  "Idiots like you just don't get it, though."

"P-please..." he begged.

Xiang raised her fist in preparation to strike him.  "Don't cry now.  It doesn't hurt yet.  This beating has just begun and I'll introduce you to a world of pain you never knew existed."  Then, she looked back at the little girl, who was sitting there looking terrified.

The man was no threat, so she let him go and headed for her slowly.  "Don't worry.  He can't hurt you anymore.  Now then, let's get you back to your parents."

"No!" the girl shouted.

"Huh?"  Maybe the girl misheard her.  "I'm going to take you home.  Lead the way.  I'll protect you."

"No!" the girl shouted again.  "I won't go back!  They can die for all I care!"

Xiang was thoroughly confused.  She'd never seen or heard of something like this before.  Things like this didn't happen back in Shao Village.  "Why don't you want to go back home?"

"They gave me away to be...used...to pay off their debt," the girl said.  "They don't love me.  They're probably glad to be rid of me."

"That can't be true," Xiang said.  "They're your parents.  They wouldn't do that."

"Heh," the girl laughed.  "What a load of crap."

Xiang slapped the girl.  "Stop talking like that."

The girl felt her cheek.  "Oh...I see.  You're one of those types.  Fine.  I'll prove it to you.  Let's go."

The Travels Of Xiang, Episode 5

Xiang exited the locker room out to the reception area, still wearing the robe.  She felt defeated as she lumbered over to the desk.

The receptionist looked over at her and said, "Did you enjoy your...what's wrong?  Why the sad look?"

Xiang held out her cloth sack.  "Your cleaners...they didn't happen to hold on to some undergarments, did they?"

The reception gasped.  "What?  Your undergarments are missing.  Hold on  I'll ask them."  She hurried off into the cleaning room.

Xiang plopped down in a chair, grabbed a magazine started reading.  She came across a map of the world and looked for Shao Village.  Sadly, it wasn't marked, but she knew where it should have been.  It was about thirty miles from the ocean and a river ran through it.  She looked at the map for quite some time.

Then, the woman came out of the cleaning and walked over to her.  "I'm sorry, young lady?  None of them have your undergarments.  I don't know who or where..."  Then, she looked as if she had some sort of revelation.  "That boy..."

"What boy?" Xiang asked.

"I left my station for a quick rest break.  Then, just as I was returning, a boy ran out of the women's changing room giggling.  He ran down the street and vanished into the crowd. It must have been him who took your undergarments."

"What!  Oh no!"  Xiang slumped down and looked at the floor.  "What am I going to do?"

The receptionist looked down.  "I'm sorry."  Then, she perked up.  "I know.  I'll give you double...no, triple your money back.  And you next visit will be free."

"Are you sure?"

"The fault is entirely mine," the receptionist said.  "I can't just let things sit this way.  That's my way of making them right."

"T-thank you."

Xiang returned to the changing room and got dressed.  Somehow, she still felt naked.  This was concept was totally foreign to her.  Would anybody else notice?  She felt conscious about it as a group of women entered the changing room, gave her the once over, and snickered.

She looked down at herself.  Everything that needed to be covered was.  What did they see?  She couldn't see it.  This wasn't good.  She needed to find some new undergarments and fast.

After leaving the changing room, she got her coin sack and the promised refund from the receptionist, as well as a voucher for her next visit.  She then asked for directions to the nearest clothing store and was informed that it was around the corner and a few blocks away.  With that, she hurried out.

She felt even more self-conscious as soon as she got outside and it didn't help when several people looked at her.  She didn't know whether to pull down her shorts or wrap her arms around her chest.  What were they staring at?  Why couldn't she see it?

It got to be too much and she ran down an alley to hide.  Then, she slumped against one of the building and started crying.  She thought she was ready to face the world when she left Shao Village.  "If only I had know things would turn out like this, I'd have stayed home."

She cried for a bit before regaining her composure.  Yes, she would have stayed home if she had known the world was going to be like this.  But, she chose to leave home to see the world.  She was an adult.  It was time to handle her business like one.  "Get it together, Xiang.  It's not going to be the death of you."

She took a few deep breaths and stepped out of the alley.  Staying there wouldn't make her undergarments come back.  Getting to the clothing store would, though.  "To the clothing store."

The Travels Of Xiang, Episode 4

Xiang exited the inn and looked down the road.  Somewhere in the middle of all those crowds and merchants lied the bathhouse.  It wasn't going to just walk over to her, so she made her way down the road.

As she navigated the crowds, she was bumped into a lot and almost knocked down a few times.  She could have sworn somebody felt her up but identifying the perpetrator would have been impossible in this crowd.  There were too many potential suspects.  All she could do is hope that person's day was made and that it wouldn't happen again.

It seemed to take forever, but she finally emerged from the crowd.  She looked both ways and there it was.  The bathhouse was to her left.  "Thank goodness."  She hurried in.

Upon setting foot inside, she noticed an immediate difference.  The air was crisper and smelled fresher.  A smiling woman stood behind a desk with a door on either side of her.  The one had a picture of a woman hanging above it, the other had a picture of a man.  Through another door to the far right she saw people hard at work cleaning clothes.

"Welcome to Izuna's Bathhouse and Cloth Cleaner," the woman said.  "We charge twenty coins per hour in the bath and ten coins per outfit to be wash."

Xiang walked over, fishing out thirty coins from her coin sack as she did, and paid the woman.

The woman gestured to her left and handed her a tablet with a number on it.  "You may go through there and change into a robe if you wish.  The bath is down the hall from there.  Make sure to remove the robe before entering the bath.  And naturally, there is to be no clothing of any kind in the water.  Leave any clothing you want washed in the sack conveniently located at the foot of your changing station.  Don't forget to grab a wash cloth.  And feel free to leave your belongings with us for safe keeping.  Enjoy."

Xiang handed over her coin sack, then stepped through the door.  There were numbered booths with robes and sacks lined along the walls off to the left.  There were a few women changing, but it was empty for the most part.  She walked over to the booth with her number and shed her clothes and slipping on her robe.  She then put her clothes in the sack.  She also put her boots in as well because she didn't like the smell coming from them.  After that, she proceeded to the bath.

The bath was large, circular pool that smelled of jasmine.  Xiang could sense the water was enchanted with a combination of magics.  At the far side of the pool, she saw two women; one wearing a white robe and the other wearing a black robe.  From that, she could deduce what magic the were using.  The one in the white robe was a likely a light wizard who probably had cast Cleanse to give the water a cleaning properties without the use of soap, and Purity, to keep the water clean and clear.  The woman in the black robe was a standard wizard, probably casting extremely low-level elemental spells to regulate the temperature.

The bath was quite active, with a number of women conversing, washing themselves, wading around, and just sitting there doing nothing.  She shed her robe and stepped in so she could do the same.  The water was warm and had a refreshing feel to it.  It was like chocolate for the body.

She noticed a few of the women look her way.  She could from their muscular physiques that they were warriors.  They waded on over and talked about workout regiments.

Xiang's own workout back in Shao village was an intense one.  50 chin ups and pull ups.  100 pushups.  100 crunches.  200 squats.  Then, there was all the farm work.  She'd round it round by getting knocked around by her martial arts instructor.  She'd do this at least three times a week.  She wondered if she'd be able to make time to do all that during her travels.  She could do without being knocked around by an instructor, though.

She talked to the warriors for a while, washing herself as she did.  Eventually, she got out and went to her stall.  There was a brand new cloth sack there, which she assumed meant the clothes were clothes.  She looked inside saw all her all her clothes neatly folded.  She pulled out a boot and gave it a test smell.  "Like new."  Satisfied, she started pulling out her clothes to get dressed.

Then, something made her gasp.  "My undergarments...where are they?"

The Travels Of Xiang, Episode 3

Xiang felt weary as she approached the next town.  She'd burned through the last of her food this morning, but hunger wasn't a big issue, thanks to her martial arts training.  What was an issue was the pain in her legs from all the walking she'd done.  A week without being able to bathe made her desperate to get to the nearest bathhouse.

Upon entering the city walls, she was greeted by the sight of shops, heavy foot traffic, horses pulling carts and carriages, and the murmur of multiple conversations going on at once.  She'd never seen anything like it.  It put her little farming village to shame.  "So this is what a big city is like."

Then, she realized she had a problem.  Where was the bathhouse?  Where was anything?  Where would she even begin to look?  It appeared she had to do some more walking.

Eventually, she came to an inn.  Perhaps she could get her lodgings squared away before continuing to look for the bathhouse.  Maybe someone inside could even tell her where it was.  It was a plan.  She'd had enough of walking and hoping to just come across it.

She entered and was immediately greeted by a women at the service desk.  "Welcome.  It's ten coins a night."

Xiang reached into her bag of belongings and pulled out her coin sack, which contained three hundred coins.  She pulled out a fistful and plopped them down on the counter.  "Three nights, please."  She needed some down time after all that walking.

After counting the coins and confirming there were thirty, the clerk handed her a key with a number on it.  "That number is your room.  Enjoy your stay."

Xiang started to walk away, but stopped herself.  "Is there a bathhouse in town.  I'd also like to know where I can wash my clothes."

"There bathhouse and clothes washer are right up the road," the clerk said.  "They are conveniently located in the same building."

"Thank you."

She wandered down the hall, up a flight of stairs, and down another hall before she came to her room.  She entered and saw the room.  There was a bed, a dresser, a table, a cushioned chair, and a mirror.  The table had a number of publications spread out on it.  One in particular, Martial Artist Monthly, caught her attention.  She was a martial artist.  What was she missing?  Her legs needed some rest, so she sat in the chair popped the magazine open.

The was a lot of philosophical stuff therein.  Some dietary suggestions, some exercise routines, and even a few moves for aspiring martial artists to start off with.  It was all fairly standard.

Then, she got to a section called "Martial Arts Woman Of The Month" and her jaw dropped.  It was ten-page interview with a martial artist called Akiko accompanied by pictures of Akiko being scantily-clad.  "What's that got to do with martial arts?" she exclaimed.

She threw the magazine on the table.  Then, she started to wonder.  She stood and walked in front of the mirror.  Staring back at her was a young woman with black pigtails down to shoulders.  She had toned arms and legs.  She lifted her tank top just enough to see her well-defined abs.  She was in peak physical condition.  Years of farming and martial arts training ensured it would be so.

She lowered her shirt and turned to the side.  The first thing she noticed was her shorts were.  They were very short and split all the way up to the hip.  She walked a few steps in place and couldn't help but be impressed by what she saw.  "Huh...I guess I am sexy."  She hadn't thought about it before because the people in Shao Village didn't look at her or speak about her in such a way.  It simply wasn't the way things worked there.

Perhaps she could do an interview in that magazine with sexy pictures on the side.  "Nah!"  She set down her belongings and pulled out her coin sack.  The bathhouse was waiting for her and her armpits were waiting for it.

The Travels Of Xiang, Episode 2

It had been about a week since Xiang had left home.  In that time, she hadn't seen a single person.  It had been just trees, grass, and the occasional animal.  Some of those animals even got close and allowed her to pet them.  For the most part, though, it was just her and the journal she used to log her days.

Just when it seemed like she'd never see another person, she saw what appeared to be a group of people headed in the direction she was coming from.  After a little more walking, she got closer enough to confirm they were, in fact, human beings.  A group of four males wearing villager clothes, armed with swords.  This was a good opportunity to asked where the next village was.  Her food supply was running low and she needed to restock.

Once they were close enough, she waved them down.  "Excuse me," she said.  "I don't mean to inconvenience you, but might you direct me to the nearest village?"

The men stopped and looked her up and down, each giving her a look she wasn't very fond of.  "Well, hello, milady," one of them said.  "Surely, a pretty lass like you ain't out here all alone."

She heard one of the men whisper to another one, "Get a load of those legs."

Perhaps this wasn't a good idea.  She didn't like the energy they were putting out.  She looked away and sped up her walk.  "I'm sorry to have disturbed you."

Two of the men ran in front of her while one wrapped his arm around her shoulder.  "S'no trouble at all, lass.  What did you need?  To find the next village?"  He pointed down the road.  "S'bout a day and a half that way.  You can't miss it."

She took his arm off her shoulder and bowed.  "Thank you."  As she turned to walk away, she felt him grab her arm.  "Please let go."

"Why are you in such a hurry, lass?" he said.  "We did you a favor.  That means you owe us."  He toyed around with the hem of her shorts with his other hand.  "You got a lot of assets we'd be willing to accept as payment."

She elbowed him in the face and said, "Stop that!"

He let go of her shorts and her arm, checking his nose as he stumbled back.  Upon coming to a stop and seeing blood from his nose on his hand, he exclaimed, "You dirty wench!"

"Please," she said.  "I don't want any trouble."

One of the two men blocking the road reached out to grab her.  "We'll teach you a lesson."

She floored him with a roundhouse kick.

The other drew his sword and laughed.  "Whatcha gonna do now?"

She ran in and punched him in the chest, sending him flying thirty feet back, where he hit the ground a skidded another twenty feet, and lied unconscious.

"Please stop this madness," she pleaded.  "You're supposed to be human beings."

The fourth man drew his sword and said, "Take of your darned clothes or I'll cut 'em off!"

"So this is what it's like out in the world," Xiang said.  She felt her heart break.  She expected better.  And it looked like she wasn't getting away without a fight, so she got into her stance.  "Then come at me and be crushed."

He charged her sword first.  He intended to run her through.

She took a deep breath and time slowed down.  Then, she stepped forward, rearing back for a punch.  When he was within two sword lengths, she punched at the sword, stopping just short of the tip.

The sword broke and the man tripped and fell with a useless stump of a weapon.

"What the heck?" one of the men asked.

Xiang got back into her stance.  "Your swords are useless against my Burst Fist technique.  I doubt your bones would fare much better.  But, if you wish to continue, come at me."

The men ran away, crying, "It's not worth it!"

She relaxed when they were a safe distance away.  She hadn't been prepared for such individuals.  A woman of lesser skill would have been...used.  It was hard to believe people like this existed.

Her gaze shifted to the man she punched out.  He was starting to stir.  She walked over to him and knocked him out again with a kick.  "Pig."  Satisfied, she continued on her way.

The Travels Of Xiang, Episode 1

There was nothing but open fields as far as the eye could see.  The air was warm, the grass was green, and wild animals were going about their daily routines.  She breathed deep, taking in the fresh, clean air of nature.

A cool breeze swept over her, massaging her body with refreshing energy.  First, over her face, arms, and, legs.  Then, through every strand of her black pigtails, penetrating through to her scalp.  Finally, down her shirt, up her shorts, and into her boots.  It was as if nature was making love to her.

She looked back at hometown, Shao Village.  From where she stood, it looked like nothing but a collection of toy model buildings.  She held in a few tears.  She was leaving the place she'd spent all nineteen of her years up till this point.  How could she not get a little emotional?

There was no turning back now, though.  She could have stayed and been a humble farm girl, raise humble children, and live a humble life.  But that wouldn't have made her happy.  She knew she had to leave.  She needed to know to see what was out in the world.  She was starting her own journey.

She was not unprepared to step into the great unknown of the world.  Mental fortitude and strong principles were among the things her friends and family gave her.  But perhaps the most important thing she was given was her martial arts training.

She remembers the training.  Constant falling and being hit was a way of life for her.  If her body hadn't been made strong through years of farming, she'd probably be crippled and unable to make the journey she was about to embark on.  After enduring all of that, there was nothing this world could throw at her that she wasn't prepared for.

She would use everything she was given to find her path through this world.  Even though she'd already thanked everyone many times over on her way out, she gave the village one last bow of thanks.

Would should return one day?  Perhaps.  It's not as if she was chased out.  She was beloved by everyone and leaving on good terms.  There was nothing and no one she was running from.  But the world was a big place.  There was no telling when or if she would find her way back.

What she did is that her name was Xiang Wenling of Shao Village.  She turned away from the place that used to be home and started off into the frontier.  She would proudly represent her people.  This would be the beginning of her legend.

The House Of Ellis, Lady Katya Episode 4

Lady Katya frowned as she looked out of a window on the second floor of the Artemis Knights guild hall.  The influence of sexy armor was increasing, along with the number of women wearing it.  "I don't understand," she muttered to herself.  "I just don't understand."

"What is it, milady?" the guild secretary asked.

She turned to face her. "How long have you been there?"

"I was just walking by," the secretary answered.  "I couldn't help but notice you seem distressed.  Is there anything I can do, milady?"

Lady Katya looked back out the window.  "How much of an impact do you think this guild has?"

"Milady?"

"When I founded the Artemis Knights twelve years ago, I did so with the future in mind.  I wanted to create a place where female warriors could be taken seriously.  A place where sexy armor wouldn't exist.  I wanted people to look at us and say, 'now those are strong women.'  Then they would follow suit and sexy armor would become obsolete.  But as I look outside, I can't help but wonder if I've accomplished anything at all."

The secretary came over to the window and wrapped her arm around her shoulder.  "The world is full of all types.  It can be discouraging when you look out at the world and see that there are still women who wear sexy armor.  But every time I walk into the guild hall, I see twelve women you have touched.  They look up to you and maybe even love you.  So while the impact may not be as big as you'd like, you are, in fact, having an impact.  There are ambitious individuals who go their whole lives and haven't done as much as you.  Never forget that, milady."

Lady Katya appreciated the secretary.  She always knew what to say.  In many ways, she was a counselor, as well.  "Thank you.  I needed to hear that."  She stepped away from the window and headed downstairs to the tavern area, where the Artemis Knights would hold meetings or hang out during down time.

She observed the jovial atmosphere.  There was laughing, drinking, roughhousing, and the simple enjoyment of the company of comrades.  These were her Artemis Knights.  This was family she built.  Sisters-in-arms and in armor.  "Okay, everybody shut up!" she barked.

They did so, lining up and saluting.  "Yes, milday?" they all asked in unison with eager looks on their faces.

"I just want you all to know that a am proud of all of you," she said.  "Throughout the years, many women have come and gone from this place.  Some was killed in action.  Some were injured to the point they could no longer fight, living on as honorary Artemis Knights.  Some couldn't handle the training and preparation that goes into being an Artemis Knight and parted ways.  The women gathered here are not the same ones who started this journey with me.  But I am just as happy to have all of you as I was all those who are no longer here."  She bowed.  "From the bottom of my heart, I thank you.  I hope that we all will wage war against sexy armor for the rest of our lives.  I hope that we can grow the Artemis Knights and strengthen our proud legacy together."

"Yeah!" the Artemis Knights all roared.  "Down with sexy armor!"

She smiled while holding back tears.  They were strong, loyal, and proud.  That's what it meant to be an Artemis Knight.  These twelve women embodied all of these thinngs.  She turned away and headed for the stairs.  "As you were."

When Lady Katya got to the top of the stairs, the secretary was standing there.  "See, milady?  The Artemis Knights love you.  And those who have parted ways because of injury or ideology still sing your praises.  The only woman in the entire empire who receives more praise is Lady Madison."

Lady Katya grumbled.  "And she's wearing sexy armor now.  I will not be second to someone who wears sexy armor.  I will become the mightiest woman in all of Empora.  The Artemis Knight will become the standard-bearer of female warriors everywhere!"

The House Of Ellis, Lady Katya Episode 3

It was a bright and sunny day.  Lady Katya was enjoying a stroll down the street, a smile on her face.  Why was she so happy?  It was almost dusk and she had yet to see a single woman in sexy armor.  "What a beautiful day."

And just like that, a woman in sexy armor walked out of a pub she just happened to be walking past.  She looked up at the sky and asked, "Why do you do this to me?"  It got worse.  The woman had seen her and started coming her way.

"Hey, nice armor," the woman said.  "It goes well with your blue hair."

Lady Katya responded by saying, "back off, worm."

The woman gave her a puzzled look and said, "have I done something wrong?"

"I don't acknowledge women in sexy armor," Lady Katya said.  "You people are nothing more than maggots, worms, and whores.  Cover up, then we can talk."

"Huhn?" the woman asked.  "Oh, wait.  You're just screwing with me.  No woman your age could possibly be that infantile."

"Respect your elders, child," Lady Katya hissed.  Then, she realized the opportunity that had just presented itself.  She would play nice for now.  "Normally, I don't like sexy armor, but yours is a rare exception.  Giving it another look, it's cute."  It hurt to say it, but that's how she'd get what she wanted.  "Might you tell me where you got it from?"

"Oh, sure.  There's a place in town called The Novelty Armor Shop.  Have you heard of it?"

"No."

The woman pointed down the street.  "It's not far from here.  Just go down that way a few blocks.  You can't miss it."

Lady Katya thanked her and headed there.  The woman was right as she saw a group of coming out with in sexy armor they apparently had just bought.  "It's time to bring an end to sexy armor in this city once and for all."

Upon setting foot inside, she saw her worst nightmare come true.  Sexy armor was hanging everywhere.  Chainmail bras, iron thongs, steel miniskirts, and other assorted sexy armors assaulted her eyes.  She felt herself stomach turn.  "No!"

She ran back out of the store and violently vomited in the road.  "Urrp!  Hurruh!"

An Emporan soldier came over.  "Do you need assistance, milady?"

"I'm fine.  I just saw a horrific sight.  That's all."  She looked back at the store.  It was truly an establishment of horrors.  She wasn't ready to endure the sights within.

Then, she shook head.  This wasn't the time for fear.  For the sake of female warriors everywhere, she had to go in a slay the monster that was sexy armor.  She took a deep breath, exhaled, stood talk, and approached the store once again.

She entered and saw a man standing there.  "You okay, young lady?  You just sort screamed and bolted out of here."

"I am not okay, because your establishment sucks."

"It suck?" he asked.  "How so?"

She made a sweeping gesture across the whole store.  "Just look around.  There's not a decent piece of armor anywhere.  Everything in here is pathetic.  Where's the good armor?"

"At regular armor stores," he answered.  "I used to work at another armor store and people constantly came in complaining there wasn't enough sexy armor available.  I saw that as an opportunity to make a living, so I opened a shop that sells nothing but sexy armor."

"There's no way a warrior worth her salt would buy any of these," Lady Katya complained.

"Is that so," he asked.  "Because the one and only Lady Madison came in a few days ago and bought several armors..."

"Lady Madison is a fraud and a charlatan," Lady Katya said.  "The same goes for anyone who would wear any of these...embarrassments you call armor."

"Umm...are you going to buy something or not?" the clerk asked.

"No, I don't want to buy anything."  She looked around, then drew her sword.  "I want to destroy it."

He blocked her path everywhere she turned.  "Hey!  Calm down!  This is my business here!  This is how I feed my wife and kids!  I can't let you destroy everything!  I'd be ruined!"

"Oh well, it sucks to be your wife and kids," she said.

He tackled her down.  "Are you crazy?  What's wrong with you?"

She pushed him off and stood.  "Sexy armor has no right to exist.  I've made it my life mission to show everyone how pointless it is.  I've also decided to destroy it when I see it being sold."

He blocked her way again.  "Sexy armor isn't that bad.  I guarantee you'd see it differently if you wore it sometime."

"Ha!  And why would I do that?"

He grabbed her hand and took her over to a mirror.  "Because underneath all those plates and chainmail is a sexy warrior waiting to be unleashed.  You're a beautiful young woman.  Like most female warriors, you're still at an age where you want to show you can be strong and still be sexy.  Sexy armor can make that happen.  As a matter of fact, I have just the thing for you.  Wait here."

She watched him grab a blue armored dress and bring it over.  It was very short and provided no coverage of the shoulders or neck.  "Oh, hell no," she protested.

"But it matches your hair," he said.  "It comes with matching shoulder-length sleeves and thigh-high boots for more coverage.  There's also a metal collar to protect your neck.  I'll give it to you free of charge."  He held it in front of her and pointed to the mirror.  "What do you think?"

It did look flattering.  And if the boots and sleeves provided enough coverage, it would make for a decent set of armor.  It could be both cute and functional.

Wait.  What was she thinking?  "I won't give in.  I won't wear sexy armor!"  And with that, she hurried out of the store.

She looked back, fist shaking.  Sexy armor may have won today, but she would have the last laugh.  Sexy armor would meet its end and she would be the one to bring about that end.