They rode the sunset

 

Cheng sprang into the air and followed Fu over the tops of the cherry blossom trees. It snowed pink petals from one tree top to another. Soon Cheng caught up to Fu and tapped him on the shoulder. Immediately, Fu took to his sword and almost slit Cheng's throat.

"Don't be an ass," Cheng looked him in the eye as he quickly moved away from the sword. Fu's teeth nashed as if he'd have none of it so they clanked their heavy swords in mid-air, spinning from time to time to keep their balance.

"How did you learn to do that?" Cheng's eyes lit up as if he'd be Fu's best friend yet.

Fu tensed. He wasn't a man of words. 

They went at it again with their swords, dancing from one tree top to another, shaking the petals like a heavy snow. It was amazing there were any left by the time they were done and drifted to the ground.

"Look, Kiddo," Fu's frown was in a pout as he looked at Cheng whom he had pinned to the ground with his mighty sword.

"Don't call me kiddo," Cheng fought back even if he was tired of all the gallant swordplay. 

"You're a kid," Fu's lopsided grin grew into a laugh. 

"I'm old enough," Cheng got to his feet. He told Fu he'd seen a lot of war. He knew the trenches. He'd ridden the plains and lived in enough teepees to last him a lifetime. "I don't recall my mother's face. I couldn't tell you my brother's name."

Fu said nothing but looked at him so angry.

"Look, I know you need us just as much as we need you," Cheng was serious. 

"What would you need me for?" 

Fu glared at Cheng. 

"Milo knows your master to. We just want to save him from the beggars."

Cheng said ever so brightly as he did his best to smile.

Fu was only sullen.

"Oh, and there is that other thing," Cheng shrugged.

"What other thing?"

A cool breeze came from the west. There were showers in the distance. If they hurried back, they could beat the rain.

"Kiss Qing for me." 

Cheng nodded.

"Kiss Qing?" Fu squinted as strand of long hair caught in his lip. Still, he stood taller and more handsome than Cheng. 

Cheng cleared his throat. He could only hope Qing might be her old self if Fu did him this favor.

Only just a dream

 "So it's you," the guard Fu put Qing on the spot as soon as she showed up with Cheng at Milo's.

Qing only frowned. She couldn't even look Fu in the eye. It frightened her and Cheng put his arm around her as if he'd protect her, somehow.

"Wait a minute," Cheng gave him the eye. "She didn't know this would even happen."

"What are you telling me!" Fu's voice was like thunder. "She has no control over herself?" He winced hard and pushed Cheng away from Qing as he had a good look at her. His rough right hand grabbed under her chin and he pulled her face practically up to his face. Qing struggled in his grasp. She squinted in disgust.

"You're just as I remembered," it was as if he wanted Qing to contact the girl he'd known as a youngster.

Qing winced. "I don't know anything," she wailed. "Why were  you even thinking of her?"

"I think of Mai all the time," Fu looked hurt that Qing would even mention it, as he pushed her away. "You think I'm having any fun being a slave to the morons?" His sizzling dark eyes seized her.

Fu told them the only reason he was there was to protect the master that Milo spoke so highly of.  "They always pressure him, expecting miracles. You don't know how many have tried to kill him." 

Fu began to pace as if he had no business even coming here. He needed to get back.

"Her name is Mai, you say?" Qing felt she really needed to put a name on the face. 

Fu nodded. "We met on the prairie. She grew up on the border but she was from the north. Her people are the wolf pack, but most of her life she spent  it with bandits and thieves." Fu was even lipped. "You wouldn't think that if you knew her. She was like a bright star. Her smile was cheerful. No matter what."

Qing nodded. Fu sighed as he geared up to leave. He put his hand on his sword as if he would dance his way back in a fight to the Beggar's Sect. "Don't come around anymore," he told them and swiftly left by the top of the roof.

Do you have the time

 "How do you know me?" He said, and Milo wasn't sure what he should answer as he looked at the stranger.

"What do you mean?"

"I know you've been watching me," he said he was there to protect someone at the Beggar's Sect. They'd been there since his youth. "But we have always been outsiders."

"How so?" Milo's eyes lit as if he couldn't help to think of the young doctor he'd helped once when he was small. He'd always known of him as barely a man himself. Quite youthful as Milo  recalled. But he had to be old now. Still, this stranger looked as if he must have been of his tribe, from the border where they knew horses and were taller than many Milo knew of.

"I know I shouldn't be here," it was kind of funny to think the guard might be worried. Milo only smiled back.

"I knew of a master quite good with what he forged in the forest. Could it be the same person?"

"You have something I want to," the stranger swelled a frown.

"Oh, really?" Milo couldn't help but smile. "Like what?"

"It's a person," the guard told him. Milo nodded.

"Who is she to you?"

"Someone, I have not seen in forever," the guard clutched his sword. Milo sighed.

"Who are you?"

"Fu."

"Really?" Milo grinned. He couldn't quite believe him.

"Well, that's what they call me anyway," Fu sighed. "I can't even remember my real name, but I know her and I can't forget her." He'd been indentured that long.

Milo nodded. 

"I don't want to deceive you, but can you at least tell me who you're protecting?" Milo thought he might know, but he couldn't be sure. He hoped it was the master of medicines.

"What do you mean?" Oh, he had a smart mouth. He looked too young to be just a guard. But his robe was a royal blue and he looked to know what he was doing.

"I'm just looking for an old friend," Milo said he hadn't seen him in ages. Milo was a youngster when he knew him. But he'd heard about how the Beggars weren't really made up of beggars anymore. "Is that true?"

"They needed backing," Fu said. "It might look artificial...but they haven't let go of everyone."

Milo invited him for tea then and ChaCha did her best to remain the orphan girl she was. Setting out the hot tea for Milo to pour.

"We mean you no harm, I'm sorry we have had a testy group at your door," Milo tucked the big sleeve of his silk robe and poured the tea for the stranger named Fu.

"I gathered that, really they are quite foolish, what do those two mean to achieve," Fu was dead serious. It only made Milo chuckle.

"Just youngsters at play," Milo finally sighed about Qing and Ching.

"But she looks so much like the girl I loved growing up," Fu said as he sipped the steaming tea.

"So that's it," Milo was even-lipped.

"She was taken away by the Wolf pack," Fu told him.

"The wolf pack?" Milo winced. He didn't want to hear of that barbaric group.

"I'm sure she's long gone, but the imposter made me remember my days with her," Fu looked quite sad.

"Sorry, my friend," Milo wasn't certain they would ever be friends, "But what can you tell me about the doctor?