{Very impressive work, Jiaoshu,} Kueng said after the last class had been seen.

{The children are in rare form,} replied Jiaoshu with an amused grin. He wished his students would always work this hard.

Po Sin spoke up. {You said you had a special sparring to show us?}

Jiaoshu stood and nodded. {I have not placed these two against each other. I wish for you to see the reason for your visit today. No more will be said until you tell me your opinions in private.} With that he clapped his hands and two students came forward, both dressed in proper garb for the sparring match.

"Jiaoshu! You want me to fight her?!" Feng shouted, pointing at Xiaohu.

Slowly Kueng stood and bowed good-naturedly to each girl. "Please amuse an old man, children. It has come around slowly that women are now joining the ranks of the Triad openly. I would like to see what kind of students the girls are, compared to the boys. As you can see," he waved his walking stick around, "you are outnumbered by a good number. Besides, I wish to see what two highly rated students can give us for entertainment."

Kueng's speech had been given to put each girl at ease. Everyone noted the way the words, spoken in English for her benefit, caused Feng to bristle. Stepping into the sparring arena, Dee awaited her opponent with an obvious outward calm. In her hand she held her bo staff. Seeing this, Feng walked to the wall and took a bo staff as well, discarding her tonfa.

"I won't fight you if you use a bo staff, Feng," Dee said, shaking her head.

"Are you afraid?" the girl spat.

"No, Feng. You have no training with it. It wouldn't be fair. How about we just go hand to hand. First one to pin wins." Dee gestured to the closest student who took her staff and placed it back on the wall.

Feng narrowed her eyes at Dee. "You think I'm weak, is that it?"

Dee let out a long sigh. Her impromptu interview with the Elders had left her somewhat drained emotionally. She wasn't in the mood for this. "You are making yourself appear weak by continuing this useless talk, Feng. Put the staff down and come and have a fair fight."

Carelessly Feng tossed the bo staff to the side and into the onlookers. Reaching the center of the ring, they gave the traditional bow and took a step back. The girls moved around each other in a slow circle, sizing one another up before making the first move. Feng had already won this match in her mind, so she didn't see any reason why she shouldn't strike first. Dropping quickly, she made a low round kick, attempting to sweep Dee off her feet. Dee knew the trick all too well and easily avoided it, moving out of range with a back flip.

Landing in a half crouch, balancing herself forward on one hand, Dee smiled at Feng. From the second the girl set foot on the mats, Dee knew this would not be a fair fight. She knew exactly what Feng thought about her and had therefore been treating the girl as nicely as she treated anyone else. All of that irked Feng to no end and now it was all coming out. A few of the younger students she had been assigned to tutor on a few points had come to her telling her of the "training sessions" Feng was holding at the boarding house.

In a rush, Dee barreled toward the girl who was just getting her balance back. As Dee launched herself for the attack, Feng flattened her body to the mat, letting Dee sail right over her. Which was exactly to Dee's plan. Jack knifing in the air, Dee came down kicking her foot out and catching the girl across the collarbone as she rose from the mats. It was a move that sent Feng flying across and down to the mat. Dee landed in a tiger crouch and then stood, her body ready to move should Feng rise.

Feng did rise, if only for a moment. The girl, chest puffing up and down in anger, stood, took one step forward, and fell on her face. The whole fight had taken less than forty seconds. Dee stood where she was for an additional ten seconds before turning and bowing to the Elders and Jiaoshu. Turning on the balls of her feet, she walked off the mat and into the silent students where she found Manchu. The boy took her hand, squeezing it in reassurance and congratulations.

A dead quiet had settled over the gathered audience. Jiaoshu gestured to two of the guards who had been watching to take Feng out of the room. The moment the door closed behind the girl and the guards, a cheer rose from the students, old and young. The Elders stood, joining in the applause. Dee hid herself behind Manchu, gripping his arm as her face went beet red with embarrassment.

"Go forward!" urged Manchu and a few of her other classmates.

She bit her lip and looked at them. All of them were smiling and giving her pats on the back. When she still didn't move, the boys all took hold of her and carried her back into the ring, placing her in front of the Elders and holding her there.

{That was very impressive, Xiaohu. Where did you learn that move?} asked Jiaoshu. {It certainly isn't one I have taught you.}

{No, Sir. I saw it, or something like it, done on television. I've been practicing it. First with Manchu as a spotter, and then alone.}

All four men nodded. Po Sin spoke next. {Just what were you watching on television that you saw this maneuver?}

Dee's blush deepened and she went quiet until Manchu nudged her with his shoulder. {A nature show, Elder Po Sin. It was on cats and hunting behavior. I altered it to something I could use.}

The men had to force themselves not to grin at that. When she had been given her Chinese name, they had indeed named her correctly. It made them wonder if Feng would live up to her own name.

Kueng leaned on his walking stick and looked up at the curious faces, all straining to hear what was being said and what would be said next. {I fear I have had quite enough excitement for one day. Thank you, Xiaohu for a spectacular end to my day out.} Without another word, the man turned and took the arm of his assistant who gave Dee a long look before waving the students aside to lead the old man out.

~ ~ ~

Unbeknownst to anyone, the Elders filtered out and into Jiaoshu's private meeting room, where they were served a light snack as they gave opinions of the fight. By the end of the meeting, the Elders all agreed to send Feng back to Metropolis to finish her training. They all agreed that while the child was far wilder than Dee had ever been, if her energy could be focused, she could be a great addition to the Triad. However, after the easy defeat she had suffered at the hands of Xiaohu, none thought it would be wise to allow Feng to stay to finish her training.

The only opinion voiced on Dee was that the girl was an excellent fighter.
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