Rescue Me, My Love

Dragons love Water

     Mo Yuan had briefed Bai Xue and Mo JinDe on his plan to rescue Lui Zhong Wang's family.  "I need you both to go for some training.  I'll send you to the Western Sea.  You both need underwater training.  Dragons can swim very fast underwater, so  I will need you both to familiarize yourselves with the sensation of it.  Those mermen will be underwater and our rescue will occur accordingly.  I have instructed Die Feng on how to go about your training with you.  I would go alone, but I don't want the Southern Sea King to get suspicious by my absence.  You two should be able to handle the situation.  I also need for you to spend the day with your mother learning a barrier spell.  You will need the spell she will teach you.  It is fox magic, but you are half fox after all.  I'm depending on you to be able to carry out this mission."  "Fuqin, we will do our best.  We both have been working on our dragon power and senses.  Everything you taught us," JinDe said with conviction.  "Fuqin, JinDe is right.  You taught us.  If we fail, it's our fault, not yours.  What more could you show us?"  "How to be invisible underwater!"  They looked at each other and at their father.  "Invisible?  With a barrier?"  "Yes.  You will displace water, but you can't be seen.  Here's the plan.  For one week you will go to train at the Western Sea.  You come back here and train with your mother.  Then you will be ready.  Any questions?"  "No, Fuqin!" "Good.  Die Feng is expecting you.  You leave tonight."  Mo Yuan walked around his desk and stood before them.  "Remember, a woman and child are depending on you.  I'm depending on you."  He grabbed them both to embrace them.  Bai Xue looked at his father's eyes.  He liked what he saw there.  It was a confidence that they could get the job done.  "Fuqin, we won't let you down.  You can have full confidence in us to carry out your plan as ordered."  "I have all faith in you both.  Now go tell Baohu and Jinzi bye and your mother.  I'll see you back in a week!"
     Bai Xue and Mo JinDe met Die Feng at the entrance to the Western Sea kingdom.  "Shifu, informed me of your arrival.  I prepared one chamber for you to share so you can compare notes.  Don't worry, there are two beds!"  Their look of aggravation told him they didn't want to share a bed.  "You start training in the morning."   Die Feng was in his own element.  He treated them like honored guests, and introduced them to his father.  The conversation was light so they de used to go to bed early.  "Xue Xue, have you ever been in water as a dragon?"  "No, JinDe, I haven't.  I must admit I'm really looking forward to a new experience.  What about you?"  "Same here.  I'm thinking we will be able to go really fast under water.  I'm wondering what Fuqin has planned.  We can't fail!  We must succeed at all costs."  "Let's get some sleep.  If I know Fuqin, he will work us until we drop.  Even if he isn't here!"
     Bai Xue was correct.  Die Feng worked them like plow horses.  The first thing they had to learn was how to hold their breath.  Die Feng had them transform.  "You have to learn how to close your nose off and hold your breath for long periods of time.  I need you to practice that today.  You must be able to stay submerged for hours, and I do mean hours.  Maybe even a whole day.  Once your dragon can do that, then we learn some stealth techniques.  Alright then.  Dive!"  They both flew up and dove into the water.  After fifteen minutes JinDe surfaced sputtering.  He flew up and dove in again.  Bai Xue came up.  Back he went.  This went on all day.  Finally Die Feng called a halt.  "We stop for today.  We pick up again in the morning."  They both went straight to their room and went straight to bed.  They were dead tired.  The next morning they ate breakfast and hit the water.  They could now stay underwater an hour.  "You're not doing it right or you could stay longer.  Try harder."  They both were hovering under the surface together when something very large swam around them and left in a hurry.  They looked at each other and looked around them.  Again they were circled and the object left.  They decided to give chase.  There was no trail or even a swirl of water.  They were swimming fast together when they were both knocked up out of the water by an unseen object.  They both flew into the air.  Once more they dove in.  Once again they were savaged from underneath.  JinDe left the water and transformed back to human form on his knees.  Bai Xue was slung out of the water.  He fell flat beside JinDe and was gasping for breath.  "Is this some kind of cruel joke, Die Feng?  We were attacked!  I don't know what's there, but it large and we couldn't see it!"  Suddenly a huge geyser of water spewed forth a a large golden dragon flew up and landed by them feet planted apart, arms crossed over his chest.  "Fuqin!  You tricked us!"  Mo Yuan laughed.  "No, Die Feng messaged me and told me you two were having trouble breathing.  Didn't see me, did you?  Didn't hear me either!  By the end of this week if you can't do what I just did, you stay home and I go with Ye Hua.  Understood?"  "Yes, Fuqin!"  "Now get back in the water and follow me!"  He made them swim all over the Western Sea.  Faster and faster and longer and longer until they had been in the water all day.  He taught them how to slow surface, how to blow bubbles to force something to surface, how to deep dive and how to transform but stay underwater using their dragon senses.  By the end of day three, they had mastered every technique he taught  them.  Now they only needed to learn one more thing.  The barrier.  That night they went to bed early.  The next morning their father threw the cover off of them.  "Wake up!  It's time to work!"  They both groaned and got up.  "Fuqin, how often do you swim?"  "Every time Chang Shan wants to cook fish for dinner.  I catch the fish!  Breakfast is ready!"
     They were rather surprised to find a special guest for breakfast.  It was their mother.  They knew for a fact that she was not an early riser, so whatever their father promised her must be good.  After breakfast they went to the beach.  Their mother hit them hard.  "Today you will learn something that only the fox tribe knows.  When Baohu and Jinzi get just a little older they will learn it too.  Our barrier magic is the most powerful in the realms.  You already know this because of the barriers around Qing Qui.  You will have to learn to cast this barrier while in dragon form.  That means you must use your mind.  I will teach you the spell, the rest you learn from your father.  Are you ready?"  They both nodded and prepared to pay attention.  Twice she taught them the intricacies of the spell.  "Now try it."  JinDe tried first.  He disappeared.  Bai Xue was next.  He disappeared.  So far so good.  "Very good!  Now do it without using your hands.  Just do the spell in your mind as if you were using your hands.  Bai Xue took a minute, but he succeeded.  JinDe struggled.  After a few tries he finally got it.  " You must do it much faster.  Now your father promised me a lazy day on the beach with no children."  She transformed and went to lay under a small bush.  In no time she was snoring.  They both transformed and dove into the water.  JinDe heard it first. A ha, ha, ha in dragon grunts.  He couldn't see a thing.  He tried to work the spell in his mind quickly but it was too late.  His father butted him right in his gut.  "Dang Fuqin!  That hurt!"  He let out a huff.  Now he couldn't see Bai Xue either.  "Concentrate, JinDe, concentrate!"  Finally his barrier was up!  He swam around for a while in total silence.  He surfaced and transformed on the beach.  His mother was curled up under the bush.  His father transformed just in time to see JinDe tickle her nose with a piece grass.  He said nothing but he crossed his arms over his chest, looked at his fingers, looked up at the sky and waited.  JinDe flew backwards and hit the water.  Bai Qian sat up and licked her paw.  She turned her back and looked over her shoulder at Mo Yuan.  "Lesson over for today, boys."  With that he picked her up and cloud jumped. 
   For one day they practiced their barrier and returned to the nine heavens.  They went to their parents rooms but they weren't there.  Ye Hua was entertaining Lui Lie at the lotus pond.  JinDe interrupted them.  "Excuse me, Shushu, but have you seen Fuqin?  He's not in his room and neither is mother!"  "I believe they returned to Kunlun for the afternoon.  He said be ready when he returns."  Ye Hua grinned at them and turned to walk Lui Lie towards his own garden.  Bai Xue and Mo JinDe looked at each other and grinned.  They knew it was "fox tails and dragon scales" time!  They both turned to go to their own rooms.  Mo JinDe fell on his bed and smiled.  After all these millennia, his father still had a deep physical loving relationship with his mother.  He wouldn't be surprised if she had another baby.  He wouldn't mind another sibling or two!  He really loved his little fox brothers!  Bai Xue was thinking the same thing.  He wanted a love like his father and mother had.  He remembered what his father said about letting his dragon scent out his mate.  He thought next time there was a festival, he would do just that.  Maybe at Shushu's wedding.  There would be a lot of people there!  Yes, he would do that!  He closed his eyes to sleep.  JinDe closed his eyes with the same thought.
     The next morning their father joined them for breakfast.  They both made eye contact and grinned at each other.  "Do you two sons of mine know something I don't?  Mo JinDe smiled.  " No, Fuqin, it's just something I heard a long time ago.  You know, 'fox tails and dragon scales'.  I'm sure you know what I'm talking about!"  Mo Yuan blushed and took a drink of his tea.  Bai Xue laughed and elbowed his brother.  "Since you boys want to have fun at mine and your mothers expense, it seems our plan is now ready to put into action.  The details are simple.  Get in, rescue the mother and child, get out.  I'm depending on you boys to get your part done.  Your Shushu Ye Hua and I are going to pay a visit to the Southern Sea King.  While we are negotiating with the mermen, you will carry out your part of the plan.  Whatever you do, don't get captured.  We will be leaving in three days.  I'm afraid war is imminent.  Neither you two nor Ye Hua have ever been to war.  There's only one thing that concerns me here and that is the mermen King's sword.  It's called the soul slayer.  If hit hard enough with it, you can have your soul scattered.  Trust me, you don't want that to happen."
     Ye Hua was walking Lie Lie in his garden again.  He was watching her closely.  "In three days, Mo Yuan and I will be coming to visit your kingdom.  I'm hoping to negotiate our betrothal.  We will also be investigating the situation with the mermen.  If it seems that war is imminent, I will have you brought here.  Do you agree?  Would you feel safer here?"  "Why can't I just stay here now?  I already know your terms and I accept them."  "Very well!  I'll tell your father you want to stay here.  That way he can't use you against me."  He pulled her close and kissed her.  She fell into his soft kiss.  The sexual tension between them was high but he pushed her away gently.  A moment's pleasure versus a lifetime was important to him.  "Soon we will be together forever!"