Chapter 42: A nature

4 days later.

Zet : come on John.....higher and faster.

John was breathing heavily and he was feeling the coldness in his body, Kipo and Zet were training him in the wild, John was fighting Zet.

Kipo : alright stop.

John and Zet looked at Kipo.

Kipo : John....you need to dodge faster than this.

John : well don't you think it's not fair that I'm fighting a wonderkid and probably the best warrior of you all ?

Zet : you're not fighting me.....If we fought you'd be dead in less than 2 seconds...we're just training.

Kipo : ok look....how about we try another way....Zet....switch with me....I'll try.

Zet then switched places with Kipo, John took his position and the sai was in his hands.

Zet : John remember.....the sai is not a sharp weapon.....it's for stabbing.....you have to be fast.

Kipo : ready ?

John nodded.

Zet : alright.....left !

John moved his arms to the left to block Kipo's hit, John was faster.

Zet : not bad....faster.....you have the option to block or dodge....but be wise with your choice....you won't be able to block any hit....it depends on who's stronger.....left !

John dodged Kipo's hit.

Zet : right !

John was still dodging.

Zet : now John....attack.....middle !

Kipo dodged his attack.

Zet : right !

Kipo then blocked it.

Zet : Kipo attack....right !

John blocked it, but his sai fell off his hands.

Zet : this is what I told you....you can't block who's stronger than you....dodge more than block....be smart about it.

John picked his sai and took his position.

Zet : now I won't say who defends and who attacks.....the faster one hits first...left !

Kipo then hit him before he did, he blocked it.

Zet : middle !

John attacked Kipo, she dodged it, but the sai made a cut in her arm, she started bleeding.

Zet : Kipo....you ok ?

Kipo : yeah it's just a cut.

Zet : left !

John was able to attack before Kipo was, she blocked his attack.

Zet : good pace John.....now we change....John....drop your sai.

John : what are.....

Zet : drop....your sai John.....just listen.

Kipo : come on....this is getting harder.

John then dropped his sai on the ground.

Zet : now...Kipo.....attack him....all you have to do John is dodge.....and Kipo use your strength.....so if you try to block....she'll break it and you'll take the hit.

Kipo then came closer to Zet away from John.

Kipo : don't you think your pushing him a bit too hard ?

Zet : yeah....I know...I'm showing how hard it is.....don't go easy on him....I want him to experience the pain from the beginning....trust me...I know what I'm doing.

Kipo nodded and came back to John.

Kipo : ready ?

John was breathing heavily, he slowly nodded, Kipo saw him looking tired.

Zet : left !

Kipo hit him to the left, he was able to move his head before she hit him.

Zet : right !

he dodged her hit again, but she did it slower on purpose.

Zet : middle !

Just before Kipo moved, John's eyes closed slowly as he collapsed on the ground.

Kipo : and he's down.....I told you're pushing him too far.

Zet then came closer, John was still awake and breathing heavily, Zet looked at him.

Zet : pitiful....maybe I was wrong....a king will never fall with his soul still in his body.....maybe he's fine with watching Mikayla die in front of him because he couldn't stand up on 2 feet.....maybe he's not good enough.....not going to lie.....I simply saw it coming....and just like I said.....pitiful.

Zet then walked away, John heard every word he said, he got mad, he instantly picked his sai and attacked Zet from the back.

Zet then turned around with his knife blocking John's hit, but John didn't stop, he kept attacking Zet, and Zet was blocking every hit, John's hit's were fast, Zet was liking it.

After moments of fighting, Zet grabbed the sai from John and melted them, and as John was watching his weapon slowly melting, Zet pushed him on the ground, John got up again and attacked Zet with his bare hands, he was not going to give up.

Zet grabbed his hands and stopped him.

Zet : enough !

John was still struggling trying to break out, Zet then threw back on the ground, John was about to get up, but Zet's eyes started glowing, he got angry.

Zet : get up again and you'll die in your spot.

John didn't move, he stayed on the ground, Kipo then jumped between them.

Kipo : stop.....both of you.

Zet then left.

Kipo stayed with John, she went to him.

Kipo : are you ok ?

John was tired, he couldn't speak.

John : my....my sai....

Kipo then looked at his weapon, they were completely melted, she got mad at Zet.

Kipo : come on.....we need to go back.

She then turned into her wolf form and put John on her back, they headed back to the village.

Later....

Zet was in his tent when Kipo came in, she was mad.

Zet : hey Kipo.

Kipo : hey Kipo ?!.....you can't be serious.

she pushed him.

Kipo : what the hell is wrong with you ?!

Zet : I told you.....I know what I'm doing.....you just need to trust me.

Kipo : you destroyed his weapon and his morale.....he's literally lying tired on a bed right now with Mikayla.....he was actually starting to like you.

Zet : look....I need you to relax....this is all supposed to happen....just wait.

Kipo : no....I won't.....you'll go to him and apologize....now.

Zet : no....not yet.....just please....listen to me and wait.

Kipo left the tent, she was still angry, Niora was waiting outside.

Niora : what did he say ?

Kipo left without saying a word.

Niora then got back to the main building.

Later....

Mikayla : so what did he do ?

Niora : he told him some things that made him angry....and apparently they fought.

John : he melted my weapon.

Niora : oh yeah....and he destroyed his weapon.

Niora : but why ?

Niora : I don't know.

Kipo : when I asked him....he kept telling me to wait.....I don't understand why he acts like this.

Niora : what did he say exactly to him to break him like this ?

Kipo : you don't want to know.

Kipo sighed.

Kipo : sometimes I don't understand what's wrong with him....he can be the best person ever....he proved to me that he can treat others nicely.....but he also keeps proving to all of us that he's just the worst when he's angry.

She then put her hands on her face.

Kipo : I don't how to deal with him.....he's just too complicated.

Zet silently came through the window, Niora saw him, he hinted to her to not say anything.

He came closer to her, he put his hands on her shoulders, he then put his head near hers and Kissed her on her head.

Zet : hey beautiful.

Kipo didn't reply, she was still mad at him, she didn't look.

Mikayla : what are you doing here ?

John saw him.

John : what.....haven't you done enough ?

Zet then saw John and started chuckling.

Zet : you look like someone destroyed you.

John : you think ?...what the hell do you want ?

Zet : let me ask you a question.....do you have any idea why I said all of this ?

John : no...and I don't think anyone else does.

Zet : so how long have we been outside training ?

Niora : about 4 hours.

Zet : you were tired right ?

John : I literally collapsed on the ground.

Zet : but then I said some words and you just got up and started fighting me.....why ?

John didn't say anything, he doesn't know.

Zet : you don't know huh ?.....well let me tell you.....that's because you were angry....you remembered why are you fighting...this is when fear is no longer a part of you and this is why you were able to get up.

John's eyes widened in realization.

Zet : I knocked you over and over....but you still got up....this is what many don't do....this is how you know how strong you are.....at your lowest.....when I reminded you why are you training.....you jumped and started attacking like a real warrior.....and when you became dangerous.....I had to use my powers to stop you.

Niora : but why did you destroy his sai ?

Zet : to show you to never be attached to anything in a war.....no matter how much you love it....you never stop fighting.....and also for this.

Zet then gave a box to John, when John opened it, he saw a new fancy looking sai.

John : a new sai !.....but how did you get that ?!

Zet : well....when I was younger.....I had this sai as my weapon of choice...I found out that Karen had it.....so I got it.....and I think you deserve it....my Elektra sai.....and yes....this is its name.

John was speechless, he was happy about it.

Zet then headed to the window.

Zet : you remind me a lot of my young self...you'll do good as a king.

Zet jumped through the window and left.

Everyone was surprised, no one was expecting this or thought about it.

Kipo was shocked, but then she remembered.

Kipo : he did this to me.

Niora : huh ?

Kipo : he trained me like this.....he made me angry to fight him better....and it worked.

Niora : he uses other people's minds against themselves....and it never fails.

Niora chuckled.

Niora : this guy is was more dangerous than we all think.....it's impressive.

Mikayla : Kipo ?

Kipo : hm ?

Mikayla : I think you need to apologize to him.

Kipo nodded and left.

After couple of minutes.....

Zet was walking in the village as he was listening to music, Kipo saw him, she walked up to him, he saw her.

Zet : hey.

Kipo didn't reply, she immediately hugged him tight.

Zet chuckled.

Zet : alright alright....easy now.....Jesus you're strong.

Kipo : I'm so sorry I didn't trust you before.

Zet : it's ok....you didn't know what I was doing....and I know that it looked bad.

Zet hugged her back.

Zet : don't worry about it....we all make mistakes.....I even did one while doing my own plan.

Kipo : huh ?

Zet : I didn't mean to get angry at him....but he really was getting annoying.

Kipo : I remembered that this is the way you trained me.

Zet : honestly.....I hoped you remembered sooner.....you wouldn't have acted that way.

Kipo : from now on...I won't question your acts.

Zet : no no.....I need you to question them.....I wasn't going to come to him today...I wanted him to come to me.....but you looked too cute when you were mad at me...I couldn't resist not listening to you.

Kipo laughed.

Kipo : you're so bad at flirting.

Zet : hey.....I learned from the best.

Kipo : oh wow....good comeback.

They both laughed.

Zet : the point of what I'm trying to say here is.....I need you sometimes to stop me.....I don't always make the best choices....when I do.....they happen to have really good results.....and when they're not...I have you to prevent them.....so I basically won't live long without you.

Kipo then looked at his eyes and smiled.

Kipo : you know what I'm going to do right now right ?

Zet : is it my reward time ?

Kipo then kissed him.

Kipo : yes....it is.

Zet : I'm really liking this reward.

Kipo : oh yeah right....why didn't you tell me about your sai ?

Zet : I actually forgot about it myself...it was my very first weapon I ever held...Karen reminded me of it when I visited her.

Kipo : do you always go to her ?

Zet : she's my mother....so yeah...I really missed her.....I thought I killed her before.

Kipo : this actually makes me concerned...I'm afraid if anyone else escaped...Karen said that she didn't see anyone.

Zet : well....whoever it is...I'm pretty sure we can kill them.....I don't think it's a big deal.

John, Mikayla and Niora then showed up, John was being helped by Niora to walk, he was still very tired.

Kipo : what are you doing out of bed John ?

John : I came to say sorry.....I guess I was just being too impulsive.....I didn't listen to you and probably could've killed myself.

Zet : well I mean.....this is exactly what I wanted you to do....you're just like everyone.....gets angry....and doesn't get that experience always wins...I never taught anything I didn't learn before.....all what I do happened to me first.....and this is what led me here.

John then let Niora and hugged Zet.

John : thank you....I finally understand your lessons.

Zet : sure.....but I just want one thing from you.

John : hm ?

Zet then looked him straight in the eyes with a serious face.

Zet : see all these people around you ?...they can't protect themselves.....they need you to save them....I want you to promise me to become the person everyone will trust their life with....be the person you're meant to be.

John looked back at him.

John : I promise.

Zet then smiled at him and patted his shoulder.

Zet : good.....now you're done with me.....our classes are done.....congrats.

John then came back to Niora.

Zet : oh yeah....just a quick tip.....the Elektra sai is sharp from the sides.....so you can cut too and not just stab.....have fun with it....you deserved it.

John smiled and nodded.

Zet : who knows.....maybe one day I'll come back to see you again....and you better be good with the sai and the crossbow.

Kipo : OH !....I just remembered something !

Zet : Jesus Christ you scared me.

Kipo chuckled.

Kipo : sorry....but we need to go.....we have something important to do.

Niora : do you need me in it ?

Kipo : no no it's not dangerous....bye !

Kipo then grabbed Zet's hand and ran through the village.

Zet : Kipo ?

Kipo : just keep up.

Zet then kept following her.

Kipo then stopped at the doll shop she visited before, she forgot about it.

Kipo : hi Mark.

Mark : Kipo.....you came !

Kipo : I'm so sorry....I forgot.

Mark : it's ok....we all forget sometimes....anyway...they are ready.....but I didn't finish them in the first day....I had something else to do.

Kipo : no no it's ok....you still will get triple the price....I just told you that because I wanted to have them at the right time for him.

Mark then looked behind her as she took her money out.

Mark : lightning guy.....it's an honor.

Zet nodded to him with a small smile.

Kipo : here....triple the price.....as promised.

Mark : thank you....that is very generous of you....here they are.

Mark showed them the dolls.

Zet saw them, his eyes widened in surprise.

Kipo : thank you.

Kipo then took the dolls and left.

She gave him his doll as they were walking.

Kipo : here....I bought you a gift.....hope you like it.

Zet was surprised.

Zet : you're unbelievable.

Kipo : what do you mean ?

Zet then smiled from happiness.

Zet : you bought me a gift !.....and just gave that man triple the money he deserves.

He then hugged her tight.

Zet : thank you....I love it.

Kipo : you're welcome.

Zet then kissed her.

Zet : I love you so much.

Kipo chuckled.

Kipo : I really love seeing you happy.....it's rare.

Zet : I may not show it.....but as long as you're with me....I'll be always happy.

Kipo's hair started glowing.

Kipo : and here you go.....you made me glow again.

Zet : um....can I ask you something ?

Kipo : sure.

Zet : can we switch ?.....you gave me my own self.....I want to have you.

Kipo smiled in happiness.

Kipo : of course....here.

They switched dolls, Zet then hung his doll to his pants on the belt loop.

Zet : now....where ever I go...I will always have you with me.