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I don't have a clock on me, but I can gauge that it's around eight in the morning. I'm still waking up, dressing after sleeping in this shack they gave me. It was probably meant to be an insult or to show power over me, but I didn't care. Sleeping enough times on the road meant this was good enough for me.

All my clothes but my jacket and hat on, I pull out my lighter and light a cigarette. “Oh, is that one of your magic tricks, summoning fire?" I turn to see that one girl who held me at death's point with her knife.

“Do you usually introduce yourself like this? Suddenly appearing out of nowhere?" She grins and leans on the wooden wall, full of herself. “What do you want?"

“Many things from you, thug. Your skills, your magic, and your story." All the same with these people, isn't it?

“The first you'll find out. I'm no fighter by any means, but I've had enough brawls to keep myself going. The second is not for you to decide, and I see no reason to give you my third."

Her face scrunches, and her hands ball up. “Is that so? Well, Kurt, if that even is your name, I'll find everything about you, don't you worry." She walks off, arrogance in her steps, and Mai walks to me, seemingly replacing her.

“Hiya Kurt! Would you be able to come with me? I'll show you the sparring field, and I'll get somebody to battle you!" Huh?

“Battle? What is this, some duel to the death?" She giggles and grabs my arm, pulling me with her as she runs through the courtyard, tramping too much of the perfectly maintained grass.

“No silly, we'll just have a spirit-dummy fight you! Nothing serious!" Spirit dummy? I don't need the cigarette, I need a drink.

“Well, am I going to be getting my stuff back? My knife, and my… 'magic weapon?'" Mai is too lost with excitement to even comprehend what I said. “Mai? Hello?" She is lost in her own mind.

I'm soon brought to a field right behind the main building, with a small circle of stone tile making some arena where seats are gathered around. A straw scarecrow sits in the middle, while almost all of the women here stare at me as I enter the circle. “Kurt. We know that you are certainly not many of great evils, but what I've heard about you, fighting isn't rare, is that correct?" Hsiu, the tall one that creeped me out.

“I suppose you could say that. Occasionally there's the odd bandit on the road, but it's easy to scare them off. Still, when they get too brave for their own good, I find it much easier, and practical to just get away from them as fast as possible." The arrogant girl with the knife stands up, her face smug as can be.

“You mean to say you run from a fight?"

“Yes. I have an obligation to ensure my deliveries arrive as fast as possible and in good condition. Fighting only puts the packages at risk." She crosses her arms and nods her head to the dummy.

“Well then, I'll see how you fare." Everybody sits down, and I am left without a word as to what will happen. Suddenly, the straw dummy starts to move. Is that actually… magic? I stare at the figure before it lunges at me.

“What the hell?!" I slide out of the way, to see a bundle of straw shaped like a person actually acting like one, yup, magic is real, and it's a bitch. “Ah… alrighty then fella, you really want to do this?" It pushes itself up and walks towards me, slow as can be. It seems odd. Not normal in its stance, how it moves. It jumps up, swinging its right leg at my head. A quick duck gets me out of the way, and in position to provide a few jabs to the side of the straw.

It recoils back as if it could feel pain. Sweet, now it's not just me hurting. Raising its head, I see what its goal is. It rushes forwards, hoping to hit me hard and quick, a knockout blow. I just improvised. Throwing my cigarette into what I hoped was its face, it slowed down and grabbed at it, the embers burning at its straw. Too preoccupied with the slowly developing fire in its face, I walk up and pull my hand back, then push with all my might, landing a singular blow to its head, where it falls down, silent. “What? Hey, he cheated! He wasn't supposed to have anything but his clothes to fight with!" The sisters look at the rather pissed-off arrogant red panda, standing as she points at me.

“Rong. Did I permit this outburst?" The arrogant girl, who I now knew as Rong, sat down looking at the floor, silent. Hsiu was in no mood for yelling today, was she? “Kurt, I do apologize for the… sudden nature of this, but we always try to surprise people in their first test." Mai tapped her fingers together, giving me a look all too similar to that of a puppy in trouble. I don't think I could be mad with her, “You performed well, and I must say, that trick of yours… was interesting. Is that what those 'fire sticks' are supposed to be? Something to distract and bother your opponents?"

I pull out the pack from my pocket and hold it up. “These? No, but improvisation is the mother of invention, but the father of survival." It was just something to keep me going on the trail, but now it's just to get by the days. Can't go on without a few now and then.

“Ah, well then, very creative. If I could have a word with you about your technique, that would be appreciated. It is quite peculiar and foreign to me, so understanding it would be a massive boon to our ability as warrior monks.

“A word? I supposed I could talk, sure." Hsiu stands and leaves the rest as I follow her. “So, warrior-monks? I can't say I'm familiar with the term. What do I need to do?" She stops suddenly, throwing me off.

“In here, quickly." She pulls me through a doorway, and into a massive room. “This. This is what we do." There's a giant mural. These women on the mountain, with an odd figure seemingly in the clouds, with an angelic glow. “We are the daughters of our golden goddess, Yaochi Jinmu. We have been blessed by her, to act as her servants, tethering this mountain between earth, and the realm of the gods." Realm of the gods? Lady, moving strawmen is one thing, you need a lotta proof to tell me you chat with some goddess.

“Is that so? Where am I supposed to fall in?" Hsiu stares at the mural. I know she hears me but doesn't answer. “Am I here to give training? To help you fight better, to serve your goddess?"

“Yes! I, eh, yes. You are needed for this." Folding my arms, I turn to her and cock my head, unbelieving of her.

“So why not get a professional soldier instead? Surely, that would be better for you, no?" I wait in wonder for what excuse she comes up with. I've been turned into a glorified gladiator for these women, and I wanted to get to the end of this. Truly, I'm stuck up on a mountain with these animal women I wouldn't have believed to exist, and one of them is telling me of her goddess. I am the world's unluckiest man to date.

“Well… you see… we… excuse me, Kurt, I-I forgot something!" Hsiu walks off suddenly, leaving me alone in the room with the mural, to leave soon also. I still have my jacket and hat in the shack, and I didn't feel like looking like some bum all day long. I need to have some decency left in me, despite what I feel from my travels.

When I reach 'my' shack, I find that my belongings have been nicely laid out. First on is the jacket and hat. My knife isn't there, but paradoxically, my revolver is. Of course, they didn't think it was anything important. They thought I 'cast' some spell, or whatever their mystic stuff was. Pocketing it, I search through my bag, hoping to find something more than extra food and cigs. No dice. I can't help but feel the growing annoyance at myself, the blood growing warmer in my head. Of course, I didn't bring more.

Still, with my gun, I could probably run the hell out of here and get to Kunming in a week or so. It seems like the best plan, so I grab the bag and walk outside, hoping to be able to sneak out. Still, I couldn't just leave yet, I didn't have my knife. Damn. I had one guess as to where it was, and I didn't like it. This tall building is at least four stories tall. Probably in there, considering the few girls standing around it with staffs.

Well, I know what I need to do. Walking over as inconspicuously as possible, I stand next to some stone walls, short enough to be considered fencing. Just before I go climbing, I feel a pair of arms wrap around me. “Hiya, Kurt! What 'cha doing?" Damn it.

“Oh, hi Mai. Just eh, going for a walk, getting bored and all." She chuckles and turns me around, her face evident that she didn't believe a second of it.

“Yeah… a walk, huh? What're you doing by the storehouse? Looking to rob us, Mr. Badguy?"

“No! I… shit. Well, I was looking to get something of mine back, it wasn't with my bag." A face of pure smugness turns to confusion as I try to explain myself. “It's my knife. I know the whole no weapons thing because I'm an outsider and all, but that knife has sentimental value. It saved my skin more than a few times, and I'm sure as hell not just going to lose it."

“What's hell?" What?

“What? That's not important, can you help me get it back?" She smirks and stands tall, hands on her hips.

“What, you think I don't want to have some fun sneaking around? Come on, let's go!" Almost in a blur, Mai is climbing up upon the edges of the first floor's curved roofing, reaching a hand out to me. “Hey, you coming, or not?" I grab on and get pulled up. She only used one arm, what the hell? “Now's the time to be real sneaky. Be quiet, and do what I do."

She wasn't a great teacher. I followed her into the first floor, and we looked around, hoping that it'd be easy to see. Not a chance, everything was in chests. “I… I know this won't be good for my reputation, but I can pick these if they're locked." Mai looked disappointed before she just lifted the lid to one. “Guess that's a 'No thank you, Kurt.' Find anything?"

Mai has one hand keeping the lid from falling on her head, and one rummaging around. “Just some scrolls. You know, old sister stuff, not something that I really care for. I doubt anything like this is here, we should check the rest of the floors." I follow her as she climbs some stairs, just as she suddenly stops and I end up face into her tail. “Oh, Kurt, don't worry, this is how you'll repay me later."

“W-huh?" She lowers her tail to show her face with a sinister smile.

“Actually, that could be soon. I just remembered, hehehehehe… big sister took the knife with her. It's in her room. Still, before she has anything to do with you, shouldn't I get a chance?" Her grin grows, and those eyes of hers fill with greed. Am I seriously going to get fucked by… this? “So, tell me, are we going to do th-“

Quicker than I could say 'goddamn', Mai drops her confident appearance, letting her jaw drop as her eyes widen in fear.

“Little sister, do you seriously think you're taking my catch away from me?"

Oh fuck.

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