by R S Holloway
As the sun set, the foursome collected themselves back at the van, which Billy had ended up leaving next to the temple. "So, what's your opinion, Joy? This is your story, after all."
Joy shook her head. "I don't know, Billy. To be honest, I'd love to stay and just observe for a while, but I don't think there's a real story here. Maybe a human interest piece, but anything on Triads? No."
"So what's your plan?"
Joy sighed, and stirred her ration packet, dipping her plastic spoon into a foil envelope to scoop out what was supposedly beef stew. "I think I'm going to stay a while, but you should probably head back. Maybe if it was just me, and I went organic and just low key, I might be able to see something that will give me a clue."
"You sure? You get in trouble out here, there's not exactly a lot of help available."
"Yeah, I'm sure. How about you head back to Hefei, or take Uncle back to his home, and if I need help I'll try and call."
"Cell phones don't work well out here, Joy. The only spot I got a signal was two kilometers north of here, on the main road."
"I know. Billy, relax. I'm a big girl, and was raised in some of the worst neighborhoods of Washington. I can take care of myself."
*****
After Billy left, Joy's confidence started to fade. Night was coming on, and while the full moon overhead seemed to cast the village in a soft white light, she realized for the first time how much light she had come to expect from things like streetlamps, building signs, and other artificial means. Other than the moon, the night was black. Joy looked back at the sight of her small one person tent, a parting gift from Billy, along with the rest of the military rations and an extra battery pack for her phone. It felt weird, knowing the thin nylon shelter was all she had, but she felt like she could deal with it.
Deciding to take a walk, Joy made her way along the outside of the temple. The monks who had talked to her that morning had seemed distant but polite, although she felt like they had wanted her to leave quickly. She decided to see just how big the temple grounds were, having only seen the main atrium building that morning.
As she made her way towards the west side of the temple walls, a hint of motion got her attention. Off in the distance, perhaps a few hundred meters away, she could see two figures making their way through the edge of the forest surrounding the village. Joy crept along, curious.
When Joy got within a hundred meters, her eyes opened wide, and her chin dropped into her chest. In front was a man, walking like any normal person would in the moonlit darkness, arms behind his back, glancing up at the sky. What caused her reaction however was the creature behind him. Maybe twenty feet long, with a snake like body but a face that looked something like a short snouted dog, the creature looked to Joy just like the drawings of a Chinese dragon she had seen in books. The dragon was obviously stalking the strolling man, and was maybe ten feet behind him. When the dragon reared up, Joy knew she had to do something. "No! Behind you!" she shouted.
Both the dragon and the walking man's heads whipped towards hers. The fiery gaze of the dragon scared the hell out of her, and she took off running, scampering as best she could through the trees and grass that surrounded the temple. As she ran, she kept looking back, afraid the dragon would be on her heels at any second. Unfortunately for her, her lack of attention to where she was going caused her to miss a low hanging tree branch, which caught her in the forehead, right above her hairline, sending her crashing to the ground, stunned.
Joy lay there for a moment, until the fear of the dragon cleared her fogged mind, and she tried scrambling up. As soon as she did, she saw the dragon, less than twenty feet away, its small front legs in the air as the creature reared up on its belly and rear legs. It didn't roar, but instead hissed, a snakelike sound that turned her knees to jelly and caused her bladder to release. She was too afraid to feel shame about peeing her pants through, as she fell back down, covering her head with her arms, only praying that the dragon would leave her alone.
After a few moments, when she hadn't been eaten or torn apart, Joy dared to look out from behind the shield of her arms. The dragon was gone, in its place one of the monks from the temple she had seen that morning. "You should not be here," the monk said, before turning and walking away. Before disappearing into the night, Joy could hear the monk's voice again. "Go back to your tent, and go back to your life in the city. You cannot understand what you saw tonight."
The surreal situation finally overtook Joy, and she fainted, her last thought was thankfulness that she was at least already lying down.
Chapter 2
Joy woke up, and the first thing she noticed was that she was in a bed. The soft texture of the cotton sheets under her made her sit up with a start. Where was the forest? Where was the man? More importantly, where was the dragon?
Panic gripped her legs and Joy scrambled to get out of the bed, when a calm, sonorous baritone spoke from behind her. "Please be calm. You are safe."
Joy looked around, and realized the voice had come from the same man she had seen last night. He was sitting on the floor next to the head of the bed, which was pushed against the wall. She hadn't seen him at first because of the bed posts, and his sitting so low. "Who are you?"
"My name is Longwei. I am the leader of this village."
Joy cocked her head. There was no way that Longwei could be the leader of a whole village, in her opinion. In a culture that lent a premium to experience and longevity, Longwei looked to be her age, definitely no older than thirty five. He was actually a bit larger than most of the Chinese men she had met, maybe about five foot ten or eleven, and about a hundred and seventy pounds. "No offense, but aren't you a bit young to be running this village?"
"It is a.... hereditary position," Longwei replied. "My father passed away two years ago, when I was thirty. While I am young for the job, the villagers have confidence in the work I have done so far."
Joy shook her head. "Wait a second. How is it you speak such fluent English? Yesterday almost everyone my team and I talked to barely made sense in Chinese, and only a few of the little kids tried any English at all. I mean, you have a slight accent, but your words are perfect."
Longwei smiled softly as he climbed to his feet. As he did, Joy was impressed at the cat-like grace and strength evident in his body. He was wearing typical peasant garb, a form fitting pair of pants and simple t-shirt, both of which rippled with lean muscles as he moved. "The children have unfortunately not taken to their lessons in English as much as I had hoped, but I am happy they tried. As for myself, my father felt it was important that I get a well rounded international education in order to be the best leader for my people possible. So, when I was a high school student, he sent me to New Zealand for international high schooling, and later I attended the University of Oregon. I graduated with a Master's Degree in International Relations, with a minor in Business."
"Wow. I'm impressed."
Longwei smiled, and Joy felt a pleasant warmth in her chest at the sight. She suddenly noticed one other thing about Longwei. His eyes were a light hazel gold. Every other Chinese person she had met so far had naturally brown eyes, most being so dark they almost seemed black. The image was both sexy and unsettling at the same time. "Now that I have introduced myself, I would like to know more about you."
"Well, my name's Joy Roberts, and I'm twenty six. I'm a reporter for the Asian Economic Review, and for the past six months I've been working in Shanghai."
"I see. So what brings you to my village? And who were the other three people with you yesterday?"
Joy's reporter instincts kicked in. She knew when she was getting probed for information, she had done it enough over the years of study. "How about you tell me just what the hell it was I saw last night instead?"
Longwei tilted his head, and Joy couldn't tell if he was pleased or angry at her response. "A trade, then. You tell me, and then I tell you."
Joy thought it over. "Okay. I came to your vill
age because my main assignment for AER concerns trying to track down and investigate the connections between the government and the Triad. One of the people with me is a missionary who heard a story from one of his newer converts that this village is a big no-go zone for the Triads, and even the central government seems to tread very softly around these parts. I came with the missionary and two of his members who were acting as translators. In case you didn't know, your village dialect is very difficult to understand."
"It is," Longwei replied. "Another thing I would modernize, but these sorts of changes take time. Besides, there are advantages to not being understood by outsiders."
"Of which I am one," Joy replied. "Now, I told you what I'm doing. Your turn. What was it I saw?"
"What did you think you saw?" Longwei asked.
"What I saw was something that shouldn't exist. Perhaps it was the moonlight, maybe I had some bad food, but I swore I saw a dragon, straight out of a wall painting or ancient scroll, tracking a man through a field. When I yelled, the dragon turned to come after me, and I took off running. I fell, and I saw you last night. I woke up here."
"Yes, after you passed out I decided that perhaps I had been a bit too harsh, and scared you too much," Longwei said regretfully. "I brought you inside the temple and set you in the bed you are in now. I apologize that the sheets are now dirty, but I did not think you would appreciate me undressing you."
The image of Longwei undressing her flashed through Joy's mind, and with it came another wave of pleasant warmth. She shook her head, it had been far too long since she'd had a date. "Thank you for the consideration. But you still didn't answer my question."
"You're right, I haven't," Longwei said. "To give you the answer you want would take a long time. Would you care for some breakfast, and perhaps a walk? I would like to introduce you properly to my village. Along the way, I will tell you what I can."
Breakfast was very simple, and in the Chinese style, but Joy found it tasty. There was a simple rice porridge, along with some grilled vegetables and tea. "I know it is not as filling as you are used to," Longwei said, "but it is all grown here in the village."
"No, I thank you, it's delicious," Joy replied. "After reporter food, street food, and MRE's for two nights, I'm happy to have something fresh."
"Thank you. Shall we look at the village?"
As they walked around, Joy noticed a marked difference from yesterday. Today, everyone she met seemed smiling and happy to see her. Perhaps it was because she was with Longwei, but it still made the village a much nicer place to be. Around noon, they returned to the temple, where Longwei had lunch waiting for them. "What did you think of this morning?" he asked as he poured her a cup of green tea.
Joy thought for a few moments before replying. "I'll be honest, it's much different than yesterday. And it was interesting to see how all the people acted towards you."
"They are a very kind group of people."
"It wasn't just that," Joy retorted. "They really looked like they respected you. More than just as a village politician."
"Well, in a village this size, politics are a simple matter. I hope I am not just a politician."
Joy nodded. "Speaking of which, you never did get around to answering my questions about what I saw last night. Longwei, what did I see?"
Longwei looked at her levelly, and Joy had the distinct feeling she was being evaluated for something. It was a strange feeling, and one she hadn't felt since her days at Georgetown. Finally, Longwei set his tea aside, and looked her in the eyes. "You saw me training."
"Excuse me?"
Longwei sighed and stood up. He paced the room, his hands clasped behind his back before answering. "I know this will sound insane, but what you saw was real. I come from a long line of men who have been able to transform their bodies into a dragon. According to family legend, at one time those of my bloodline numbered in the thousands."
"And are there others like you in the village?" Joy asked, not believing but playing along. Longwei noticed her tone, but decided not to react to her disbelief.
"No," he said, smiling his mysterious smile again. "I'm the only one. In fact, I may be the last of my kind left in the world. Again, tales my father told me say there is another blood line of the dragon, but our family lost contact with them centuries ago. From what my father said, they may be different than us anyway."
"How so?"
"Well, just as there are different mythological forms of the dragon, I think the other bloodline may resemble the European myth style more. Considering what I've seen in my travels, the chances are great."
"What do you mean?"
"I am not the only shape shifter I have met," Longwei said. "I've met others. Some types are more prevalent than others."
"And just what have you met?"
Longwei shook his head. "Sorry, but that would violate their privacy."
Joy nodded. "You must realize Longwei, as nice as you are, it's a lot to believe that you are some sort of were-dragon shape shifter."
"I know," Longwei said. "Would you like to see, then?"
"You won't try and eat me?"
Longwei laughed. "No. Unlike what the movies might say about werewolves, I retain my mind when I change. I am in control of my actions fully."
"Well, I guess the proof is in the pudding, as they say."
"Speaking of which, would you like some pudding for dessert tonight? We can have rice pudding made."
Joy shook her head. "You're stalling, Longwei."
Longwei sighed, and started taking off his clothes. Joy stood up, shocked. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. What are you doing?"
Longwei chuckled. "You did not think my clothes changed with me, did you?"
"But, you were wearing something last night."
"Yes, a long robe. I keep one by the corner of the temple. If you had been able to see clearly, you would have seen me wearing what looks something like a long poncho. It wasn't even belted."
"And you can't wear one now because?"
"Because it's dirty and in the wash," Longwei said. "Come now, you've never seen a man naked before?"
Joy blushed. Longwei had already removed his shirt, and she could see how fit he was. He wasn't bulky muscular, but still very lean, with cleanly defined muscles that lined his torso. She had seen more defined men in her life, but never in person, and most of the pictures she had seen were bodybuilders or fitness models. Longwei's muscles and definition was natural, and much more graceful. Part of her mind wondered how the rest of him would look.
"If you are uncomfortable, I can turn around," Longwei said playfully, reaching for the cord tying his pants.
Part of Joy wanted him to drop his trousers right there, curious as to what she might find. But another part of her was shy, and didn't want to look so slutty. "Please do," she said with a tinge of regret, covering her eyes. "And perhaps I should do this until you begin to change?"
Longwei laughed, and turned around. Joy kept her eyes covered, but curiosity got the best of her, and she peeked between her fingers to see. While Longwei kept his word and kept his back turned, the parts she did see warmed more than just her blood, as a surge of heat went through her body that she hadn't felt in a while. Longwei's back and legs were just as attractive as his chest and arms, and she could feel herself wanting to touch and see what those muscles would feel like under her fingers.
"I'm ready to change now," Longwei said quietly, "give me a few seconds, and you can open your eyes."
Through her fingers, Joy watched as Longwei's body started to darken in tone, the pale yellow caramel of his skin turning darker, his legs and back becoming a dark forest green before his body seemed to ripple. "Look now," Longwei said, his voice turning gravelly.
Joy dropped her hands as Longwei turned around. The rest of the transformation was difficult for her to see, it happened so quickly. His arms and legs shortened, and his back seemed to lengthen, until he was almost fifteen feet long, w
ith his legs and arms being not much more than short stumps, ending in four toed claws. His face also changed, his hair becoming the fringe of his head, which also stretched to look like a mythological dragon's. The only thing that didn't change on him was his eyes, which were the same intelligent yellow hazel they had been before.
Joy stood up, amazed at the sight before her. She had expected to feel fear, but instead she was left with a sense of wonder at the dragon before her. Longwei exuded a sense of majestic peace and power, and she felt herself drawn to him as he looked down at her from his head which was now eight feet off the ground. "Is that really you in there?" she asked. Longwei nodded his head. "Can you speak in this form?"
No, but in certain instances I can use my mind to communicate, Longwei said in her mind, causing Joy to gasp. I am surprised however at how quickly I am able to do so with you.
"Why is that?"
Because normally it takes a long amount of time. The nature of my powers is not fully understood to me, sadly my father died before I knew everything. Let me transform back, and I will explain.
"I'll wait outside," Joy said, walking out of the room. While she was curious, she was more flustered by the feelings inside her. She had never felt such an intense attraction to a man so quickly before. Sure, she had her club days, when she had played the scene, but she was never a one night stand type. She had always wanted to form a relationship, to find out more about a guy before she let her feelings get physical. But with Longwei, ever since he had taken off his shirt all she could think about was how attractive he was. It scared her, honestly.
Longwei came out about a minute later, his t-shirt and pants back on, although he hadn't yet put his socks back on. "Sorry if I surprised you," Longwei said. "It surprised me, and it came so naturally. I do not know why."
