China Doll and the Forbidden Kingdom
by Tyval


tyval@webtv.net


A Silent Monk appears. Is he friend or foe? And love continues to grow
between 3 hot women.


Some chapters rated NC-17 for F/F/F sex, this chapter PG-13



Chapter 5:


They ate well on chicken that night. Mei was lost in thought as she
thought of her past working in her father's restaurant. She had gotten
many compliments on her culinary skills in those days. China Dragon and
Questar had gotten many laughs comparing how good a cook she was
compared to Princess Tara, who still couldn't boil water. 


" What are you thinking of?," Sparrow asked joining her.


" Just thinking of some herbs and spices I used to use when I'd cook
chicken," Mei smiled," I could have shown the Colonel a few things.
Don't ask. And so many ways, sweet and sour, broccoli, Thai style, BBQ." 


" Maybe you should have cooked instead of Mr. Lu," Ni said also joining
them," I had to clean them." 


" You used magic," Sparrow stuck out her tongue," Took you a minute."


" I know better places for that tongue," Ni smiled at her.


The three women huddled in a blanket together by the fire when Lu Yan
returned from taking his bath. 


" What are you doing?," Lu asked.


" It's still cold at night," Mei answered," We're only helpless girls
trying to stay warm."


" Helpless? Ha!," Lu said," Any one of you is worth at least a score of
men!" 


With that he had a drink, curled up in his own blankets and was soon
fast asleep. Mei looked up, the stars were really out. It had been so
long since she had really just looked at the stars. Somehow, being to
some of them had taken away some of the magic. Mei thought maybe she
should share her knowledge with her new lovers.


" Do you see those 4 stars over there?," Mei asked pointing.


" Yes," Ni and Sparrow both answered.


" I've been there," Mei smiled," Really, I'm not kidding, I'm not lying.
There are 5 inhabitable planets there; Altair 5, Wor 6, Gelatia, Torion,
and Rondar. All of them are inhabited  only by women."


" Only women?," Ni asked, not believing a word.


" Yes, really," Mei smiled," And over there, that's Stalerion, they are
addicted to Earth culture in my time. And that star over there is home
to Mechas 4. Robots and humans live together in peace there."


" What's a robot," Sparrow asked.


" You'll find out if we live through this and I get to keep you 2," Mei
smiled," Now over there is a new planet that we've named 'New Terra'.
Tina and I are going there soon. Or we were."


" Tina?," Sparrow asked with a jealous pout," Who's she?"


" Tina Sanlemoto, she's from Japan," Mei giggled," You'll love her. So
don't be jealous."


The 3 women snuggled up and went to sleep in each others arms.


...............................


Mei spent the next 2 days hacking at the tall grass as part of her
'training'. Lu Yan was laying on his stomach as Ni Chang walked barefoot
on his back massaging him and Sparrow played music beside him pouring
him wine.


" Swing soft, cut hard," Lu Yan ordered all day.  


As the second day was coming to a close Mei had finally had enough.


" You know, I'm a hell of a lot advanced for 'wax on, wax off' you
know," Mei said," And how come they aren't training?"


" Sparrow's music is good for my ears," Lu smiled," And as usual I have
no idea what you are talking about."


" What if I beat both of them?," Mei asked," Would that convince you
just how good my kung fu is?"


" We'll see," Lu smiled.


Sparrow and Ni did their best, but Mei was sitting on them both in less
than 3 minutes.


" She gives up," Sparrow gasped on the bottom," Get off me, please!"


" Me too," Ni groaned in the middle.


" Now, what about my kung fu?," Mei asked smugly.


" Your kung fu is terrible," Lu said," The worst I've ever seen."


" I just took 2 excellent fighter's and you still say my kung fu is
terrible?," Mei said," What movie are you watching?"


" Movie?," Lu asked.


" Never mind," Mei threw up her hands," If you're really immortal you'll
find out in a couple thousand years."


" We're almost out of chicken's," Lu said," We'll push on tomorrow. We
have a long way to go."


Night fell. Mei had watered the horses, Sparrow had gathered firewood,
and Ni had cooked. Sparrow and Ni Chang had left to wash up. Mei was
retuning to the camp where Lu had built a good fire. He offered Mei a
cup.
  

" Thank you Master Lu," Mei respectfully bowed.

 
Lu began filling it with wine, and beyond when it overflowed.


" Master Lu," Mei said," Stop, the cup is full."


" Exactly," Lu said stopping," Now, empty your cup."


" Ah Master Lu, another test," Mei smiled and drank the wine.


" So, you do understand what I have been teaching you," Lu smiled," I
have never seen anyone with skill in kung fu greater than you. I wonder
if I actually could teach you anything skill wise. But you lack both
focus and patience. This is not a game we are playing."


" I am no stranger to war Master," Mei said," I fought to keep Lung Ki
free, I fought on Mechas 4, I..."


" Yes, you know battle," Lu interrupted," I will grant that you know
war, but you seem to think that this is a dream, that you will wake up
and everything will be the way you left it. If we don't win, you will
have nothing to go back to. You will die here, your future will not
exist."


" So why me?," Mei asked," I don't have any powers. Why not Questar, or
Lady Blue? Why not China Dragon? No one can beat him."


" You were born in China, this is your home, you are part of this land,"
Lu said," Despite his name I suspect this China Dragon you speak of is
not. As for your lack of powers, I suspect you were chosen because of
that reason. You have a humanity that they lack. There is little, if any
kung fu I can teach you, perhaps at best I can shape up some of your
weaker styles, but I can teach you how to win this war." 


" Thank you Master Lu," Mei politely bowed.


They rode for all of the next day, the grasslands thinned. Following Ni
Chang's map, they turned north early the next day into a smaller bamboo
forest where they made camp.


" We must be cautious," Ni Chang  said," A trail runs through here. We
could encounter bounty hunters or one of the Jade Warlord's patrols."


" We don't have much choice," Lu said," The river and the falls are just
beyond. That will be our last chance to fill up on water before we hit
the wasteland, then the desert."


" The horses will not make it across," Sparrow said," We will have to
cross on foot. If we are lucky, 2 days for the barren, a week on the
desert."


" Hmmmm, they should have chosen Willow and Star," Mei smiled.


" More girls you know?," Sparrow pouted. 


" Uh huh," Mei nodded," Willow Twoswords and Star Bearclaw. They are
Native American's, and I will have to apologize to them for thinking a
stereotype. They are very spiritual people, one with the Earth, with
many beautiful rituals and dances. I fear I was just guilty of racism as
I pictured them doing a 'rain dance'."


" You have many friend's,' Ni said," I envy you. Because of, well, what
my mother's were, I was shunned by so many."


" She was always on the move," Sparrow said," She would learn what she
could then move on. An orphan beggar girl."     


" Well, we have each other now," Mei smiled.


" Oh, I should be tied up," Ni nervously said," If we come across a
patrol they will report back to the Jade Warlord my betrayal." 


" That's a good point," Mei said," As long as the Jade Warlord thinks
you are doing his bidding there might come a point where that works to
our advantage. Say that you show up with me as a prisoner or something.
A single moment of his guard being down could make all the difference."  

" I think some techniques on teamwork should be in order," Lu said. 


" Now that is a good idea," Mei agreed," We have several things we work
on in G.O.L.D. When it's group against group you have to keep track of
your team and try to help if one of them gets in trouble or is about to
get blindsided. And then if it's a dogpile on 1 really tough opponent
you have to do things different, hold back to keep from getting in each
other's way. Pick your shot."


" She thinks this could go either way," Sparrow said," Depends on how
many we will face when we get there."


They turned in for the night. Mei woke at first light. There was a very
thick fog. Mei didn't like it. Lu Yan didn't either as he was coming to
wake her then saw she was awake. Lu Yan gave her a shhhh motion to let
Ni and Sparrow sleep a little longer.


" What's going on," Mei whispered.


" There's someone out there," Lu whispered back," I don't know who.
Could be soldier's, could just be a farmer. I'm going to check it out." 
 

" Should I wake them up?," Mei asked.


" No, let them sleep a bit longer," Lu whispered," We have a long day
ahead and it could be nothing. Keep your eyes open though."


Mei could feel it herself as Lu Yan led his horse out of camp. She still
had her knives and the single shuriken on her. The staff was wrapped up
and tied on the horse. 


' Going against a mad god with an army of thousands,' Mei thought,'
Well, no one ever told me this would be easy. I do wish Tina was here
though.'  


She looked at the 2 sleeping women. Mei wanted to protect them, bring
them back with her. Considering the odds she knew that was unlikely.
Chances were they would all die. Then she heard it! Hooves. A single
horse, coming in hard. A shadowy figure could now be seen. Barely.


" Incoming!," Mei shouted, throwing her star.


The rider knocked it aside, Mei heard a thunk, meaning it was embedded
in a tree. Whoever he was, he was good. He didn't try to take Mei on,
instead he reined his horse in, the hooves forcing Mei back, wheeled his
horse around, grabbed the staff and rode off.


" Damnit! I wasn't expecting that," Mei cursed," C'mon ladies, let's get
after him!"


Sparrow and Ni didn't hesitate. Despite the sudden wake up they were
quick to the saddle. The trio were hot on the thief's trail. Lu Yan had
still been close enough to hear the commotion and soon caught up with
them.   


" What's going on!," Lu yelled over the din of horses.


" Bastard stole the staff!," Mei yelled.


The theif had a fast horse that wasn't tired from many days of travel.
He was way ahead, but the sun was burning the fog off and they got a
good look at his horse. a white horse, easy to track.


" Pull up!," Lu ordered," We're not going to catch him! We'll track
him!" 


They slowed to save their horses. Ni Chang whistiled calling several
birds of differant species to her. Mei was thinking that that would be a
very useful ability even in her time. The white haired witch spoke to
them in chirps and whistles for several minutes before they flew off.


" She is glad you are on our side," Sparrow smiled at her.


The smile and acceptance caused Ni Chang to tear up in happiness. No one
had ever loved her, and now for there to be two, it filled her with a
joy she had never known. They proceeded slower, the theif made no effort
to hide his tracks, unconcerned about pursut. The fousome soon learned
why. 


At least a hundred of the Jade Warlord's men, and other armed men,
bounty hunters most likely, impaled on sprung trap, after sprung trap.
Pits, bamboo spears, sharpened stakes, and other guerilla tactics had
wiped them out. The bodies couldn't have been there more than a few
days. The smell was bad, but not overwelming yet.


The horses balked at one point, the reason being numerous cobra's and
vipers slitherng on dead soldiers, their venom most likely exhausted,
but no one was going to get closer to find out.     


" Okay, she does have a weakness," Sparrow said nervously," She doesn't
like snakes."


" Join the club," Mei agreed.


" Don't look at me either," Ni said," I can talk to them, but that
doesn't mean I want to."


" We just need to follow his tracks," Lu sighed," If there was anything
where he rode it's been de-activated. He hasn't had time to set new
ones."


It took a couple of hours, but they found a very old crumbling temple
with the white horse grazing outside. They dismounted and approached
carefully, mindful of possible traps. Peeking in they saw what looked
like a monk in meditation. The cudgel was in front of him. Mei started
forward, but Lu stopped her.


" I'm the Seeker," Mei softly said," This is my job."


" I'm your master," Lu Yan smiled," Let me do it."
 

Lu Yan tried to talk first, the monk was silent. Lu Yan tried again, the
monk didn't stir or speak.


" You know, that staff doesn't belong to you," Lu said taking a drink,"
So I'll just get it back where it belongs."


The fight was on. Mei had seen Lu Yan fight twice, knew she hadn't seen
his best, now she did. But the monk seemed equally skilled and matched
him. They fought to a standstill, each one landing a blow here and
there, but they were so evenly matched neither could gain the upper hand
for more than a few seconds. 


" This is like watching China Dragon fighting his clone," Mei said,"
Don't ask."


" Master Lu is really good," Ni said," But the monk is matching him."


During the fight the cudgel got imbedded into a pillar. This caused a
short lull in the battle. The monk took a stance.

 
" Ah, preying mantis, very good," Lu said sarcastically," For catching
bugs, but not tigers!"


Lu launched a new offensive, a switch to crane that gave him a moments
advantage. That evened out causing him to revert back to tiger.

 
" She thinks this needs to stop," Sparrow said.


" I agree," Mei said," Time for some girl power!"


A tug of war was now in progress for the staff. The stone pillar
crumbled sending the staff flying. Right into Mei's hands. Mei twirled
and spun the cudgel expertly as the monks eyes grew wide.


" Why did you steal the staff," Lu asked.


" I didn't," the monk finally spoke," I was trying to return it to it's
rightful owner!"


" Well, you found her," Lu laughed pulling out a flask and taking a
drink.


" The Heavens have a strange sense of humor," the monk joined him in a
drink and they both laughed.


...............................


End of Chapter 5:

....................