Xiang, Chika, and Tsu had gathered in a room at the inn that Xiang decided to stay the night in. Tsu slept on the floor, while Chika read a book, and Xiang ate some fruits and vegetables from her bag.
Xiang was surprised she could keep anything down. Here he was, the man who taught her how to fight, just laying on the floor. He left without warning four years ago. She had a lot of questions and that made her nervous. Would he answer all of them? Perhaps more importantly, would she like all the answers she received.
Tsu begin to stir, then gradually sat up and rubbed sleep from his eyes. "Ah, Xiang. It's been quite some time since we last met. You're in good shape. It seems as if you've been keeping up with your workouts."
"Master Tsu," she said in a stern voice. "You promised you would answer any questions I had. It's time to start answering them."
He nodded. "Yes, I suppose it is time. I assume the dragon girl is here to check the sincerity of my answers? Her presence won't be necessary, but if you feel you need her, I won't disapprove. Just be aware that depending on what questions you ask, you may not like the answers."
She was almost afraid to ask now. There could be no backing out, though. Whether or not she liked what she would hear, she needed the answers for herself. But where would she start? There was so much she wanted to ask. "W...where have you been all time this?"
"Journeying," he answered. "Trying to come to terms with who and what I am. How to come to terms with it and move forward."
"By drinking heavily?" Xiang asked. "How is that going to help you figure that stuff out?"
"Because I'm also trying to escape it. I didn't like what I had become and didn't know any other way to change it."
What had this man been through? Was it because of her? Reluctantly, she asked, "Was I that bad of a student? Did I push you to running away from me and becoming a drunk?"
He shook his head and half-laughed. "Of course it wasn't because of you, dumb girl. I stayed in your village for as long as I did because you were such a good student. I had never met someone so willing to learn the defense arts. Even after the other children said it was too hard and gave up, there you were, training like a true student. You were so committed. As an instructor, it gave me a sense of pride I'd never had before."
Xiang remembered. Six was six-years old when she'd stumbled into one of Tsu's training sessions with the other village kids. She had been intrigued by what she'd seen. She pleaded desperately with her parents for permission to join. They hesitated because she was so young, but she got them to cave in eventually. The other kids gave up fairly quickly. Only one student besides her lasted at least a year. Other students came and went, but for nine years, it was usually just her and Tsu.
But this only confused Xiang more. "Then, what did I do? You never explained. You just...left. If I was really that good, then why did you leave?"
"Because I was no longer a suitable instructor," he said. "As I said, I didn't like what I had become. I became a piece of garbage, filth that had no business teaching anyone anything."
"But you were a good instructor," she said. She looked at her fist. "The only reason I made this far is because of your defense arts lessons." She unclenched her fist, but felt herself starting to shake. "Then, when I needed you the most, you left. I was never able to go further than the Burst Fist because you abandoned me."
"I had my reasons," he said. "I had seen the immediate future and it wasn't good. I just wanted to protect you from what I knew was coming. I couldn't do that if you were near."
What could it have been? "Were the lessons really that dangerous? I could have handled it with you as my instructor. I knew in my heart you would never let any harm come to me."
"It wasn't the lessons," he said.
"Then what was it?" Xiang demanded, almost yelling.
"It...was a monster," he said, hanging his head low.
"A monster?" she asked.
There was silence for a moment. Then, Chika gasped. "Gods and goddesses..."
Xiang looked to see tears running down Chika's cheeks. "What's wrong?"
"T-that man…" Chika stammered.
"What is it?" Xiang asked.
"You have been listening to how that man has been speaking, have you not?" Chika asked. "The lessons were not the problem. And I do not believe the monster he is speaking of is an exterior enemy. The monster he is speaking of...it is him."
Still confused, Xiang looked at Tsu. "What's going on, Master?"
"The dragon girl speaks the truth," he said. "I am the monster. That's why I had to leave. I didn't want you to have to face that monster. I had to protect you from it."
She was starting to understand. She hoped. "You still look human to me. So you managed to overcome it, right?"
He shook his head. "No. I spent four years running from it while trying to come to terms with it. I still haven't made any progress. That's why I had to run when I saw you. The monster is still there. I had to try to protect you from it."
"I can accept that maybe I couldn't have handled it when I was still a child," Xiang said. "But in these for years, I've grown strong. Not as strong as I could have if you'd been there, but surely strong enough to help. Let me assist you, Master. Then, we can continue my training together."
"You don't get it, do you?" Chika asked.
What did Chika know that she didn't? "What am I missing?"
Chika sniffled. "You cannot help him overcome it. You are the reason he is the way he is. You are not necessarily the one to blame, but you are the source of his situation. You are the last person in the world he needs to be around."
Xiang was even more confused. They were talking over her head. A monster? An enemy within?Master Tsu needed to keep his distance to protect her? Master Tsu's heavy drinking? Chika's tears? She was the cause, but not the one to blame? What did it all mean?
Then, she put it all together and felt her heart break. "No...Master Tsu...it's not true, is it?"
"It seems you've finally figured it out," he said sadly. "Now you know why you can't help me defeat this enemy. This is the answer you've been searching for. Are you satisfied?"
Xiang stood. "I can't believe this! I can't believe...you! You...maggot!" She ran out of the room, out of the inn, and out of the city. She was able to get about a half mile from the city until her legs finally gave up and she fell down. She managed to get up to her knees before vomiting.
When she was done doing that, she felt the tears well up in her eyes. In an attempt the hold them in, she let out a primal scream. "This is crap! Why is this happening! This can't be real!" No amount of screaming helped as she wound up sobbing uncontrollably.
Eventually, she couldn't cry anymore. All she could do was curl up in fear. "This world...what's wrong with this world? Somebody...please, help me..."
