Alphonse sat alone in the spot that he'd found. The grounds of Castle Refuge were busy and often crowded, but at night he was able to sit by the large radar array, focusing his senses on the mass of electronic sensors and circuitry, feeling their workings and relaxing his mind into a meditative state. Here, time itself seemed to vanish, with memories and speculations dancing through the peripherals of his focus, occasionally taking the spotlight of his mind. Master Jian had taught him this style of meditation during his training as a Cyber-Knight, and now Alphonse practiced it frequently to ease his mind and show him the paths ahead. It was only yesterday that he had arrived at Castle Refuge, and his mind still reeled with the events of the week. His older brother Edward had appeared on the travel to the Ozarks, after having been so long gone fighting for various mercenary groups and doing heaven-knows-what to acquire a small personal fortune. None of this sat particularly well by Alphonse; though he loved his brother, he himself had chosen a path of restraint and poverty, an open-palmed lifestyle that stood in stark contrast to Ed's closed-fisted way of violence and avarice. Yet this was not even the thing he found most concerning about his oddly-timed meeting with Edward...
The woods were dark and Ed had gone off to have a piss while Phonse stoked the fire. He couldn't help but cast another doubtful glance at the large scaly red egg sitting amongst the burning embers.Just a few days prior, his brother had found him wandering eastward, bound for the Ozarks, and joined him. Yet neither of them yet knew what would hatch from the enormous egg Ed had found. And what was more, how were they to care for such a creature? Al feared it would be a monster of massive strength, one whose tender mind would need nurturing and love. And those two resources were in very short supply in this part of the world. Truly, whatever... child... this egg contained would have quite heavy influences on it, especially if it was coming to Castle Refuge with the quick flex brothers. Alphonse glanced up, hearing his brother returning through the woods. If Ed was going to be raising this child, then so would Al, providing a voice of reason and harmony to balance his brother's voice of strength and assertion. Phonse smiled at this thought as Edward entered the clearing.
His reverie was suddenly broken by Ed's excited shout.
"Al, look!! What's going on in there?"
Alphonse glanced down at the fire, where the egg was now shaking intensely, and glowing from the inside as if lit by some inner fire...
His reverie was suddenly broken by Ed's excited shout.
"Al, look!! What's going on in there?"
Alphonse glanced down at the fire, where the egg was now shaking intensely, and glowing from the inside as if lit by some inner fire...
It all happens so fast, Al thought. His enhanced senses felt the hum of the radar's high-powered energy source turning off and on, doing its routine sweeps. Now it was only days later and they were at Castle Refuge, and with a hatchling Dragon no less. In fact, they had just been briefed on their new assignment, as members of a special expeditionary team. This team also consisted of a squad of Dogboys, a mind-melting psionic master, Al's own gun-loving robot pilot of a brother, and this dragon, still massive and powerful even in its infancy. It was doubtless that they would face enemies and adversity of every variety. Al looked down at his hand, forming an open palm. Suddenly, growing outward from the center of his palm appeared a bright-purple staff of glowing psionic energy, approximately 6 feet in length. Phonse looked at it before allowing it to dwindle and fade from existence. How will I follow this path and still honor The Code? Alphonse inhaled deeply through his nostrils.
The morning air was crisp, especially this high in the mountains. But Master Jian's hand was no weaker for it, his bamboo switch whistling through the air as it cracked Alphonse's heels. "Spread your feet wider! Your Horse Stance must be strong and rooted, like a great oak."
"I am trying, Master. Why must you strike me?"
Master Jian was silent a moment. His Cyber-Knight name had been "Sir Iron Fist", but he was known throughout the order for his mercy and wisdom as much as for his skill in martial arts. He stroked his long wispy white beard before he spoke.
"There, see? That stance is impeccable. Come with me."
Al relaxed, standing up straight, and followed his master from the practice yard into his humble hut. Jian gestured for Al to sit, and poured two cups of tea for them before sitting.
"You see, my pupil, there are two paths that can be followed. One path is the path of strength!" He clenched his fist, shattering the cup he held. "Strength allows us to change the world around us, to make things as we see fit. Yet a closed fist cannot hold the teacup."
Alphonse nodded, not entirely sure what his Master was talking about.
"This path will get you many things. Yet to truly influence others, you must show mercy and compassion," Jian said, opening his hand to display his unhurt palm. "Yet do not mistake the open palm as being any weaker!" At this, he delivered a swift slap to Al's face.
"Yet the greatest path of all is one forged by your own choices, striking a perfect balance, a harmony between the two paths." At this he placed his fist into his palm.
"Do you understand?"
Again Alphonse nodded, his cheek still stinging but his mind elated as he grasped the lesson taught here.
"Good! Now back to the practice yard, we must practice your Tiger Lifts Mountain stance!"
"I am trying, Master. Why must you strike me?"
Master Jian was silent a moment. His Cyber-Knight name had been "Sir Iron Fist", but he was known throughout the order for his mercy and wisdom as much as for his skill in martial arts. He stroked his long wispy white beard before he spoke.
"There, see? That stance is impeccable. Come with me."
Al relaxed, standing up straight, and followed his master from the practice yard into his humble hut. Jian gestured for Al to sit, and poured two cups of tea for them before sitting.
"You see, my pupil, there are two paths that can be followed. One path is the path of strength!" He clenched his fist, shattering the cup he held. "Strength allows us to change the world around us, to make things as we see fit. Yet a closed fist cannot hold the teacup."
Alphonse nodded, not entirely sure what his Master was talking about.
"This path will get you many things. Yet to truly influence others, you must show mercy and compassion," Jian said, opening his hand to display his unhurt palm. "Yet do not mistake the open palm as being any weaker!" At this, he delivered a swift slap to Al's face.
"Yet the greatest path of all is one forged by your own choices, striking a perfect balance, a harmony between the two paths." At this he placed his fist into his palm.
"Do you understand?"
Again Alphonse nodded, his cheek still stinging but his mind elated as he grasped the lesson taught here.
"Good! Now back to the practice yard, we must practice your Tiger Lifts Mountain stance!"
Al felt the power levels from the electronics array drop as the array's active scanning session ended. His hour of free time was nearly up, it was time to return to the briefing room and depart with the team. He opened his eyes and slowly returned to awareness of the field he was in, letting go of his cybernetic focus and looking around at the stone walls that formed Castle Refuge. I will follow the path of harmony, Master.
Alphonse stood and slowly walked back to meet the others.
Alphonse stood and slowly walked back to meet the others.