The Awakening of the Awakener

Past Resurfaces

Lu Ping felt frozen where he sat. He crouched down further in his seat, seeming to shrink into himself upon seeing the two that were before him. His voice failed him, and he could barely think, let along actually speak. His eyes could only carefully track their movements, waiting in tense anticipation, hoping against all hopes that they would not notice him, and would not see him. He waited, watching as they finally moved away from his site, leaving the building. He slumped from where he was, his eyes closing, breath shaking as he exhaled, relief palpable. They had not seen him. At least not this time. He could not believe that he thought that this was a good idea. What in the world had possessed him of that thought? He was a complete and total idiot, though the only thing that he could truly think other then the fact of how idiotic that it was he thought this was a wise choice was that he had thought to loose the senior disciple and Su Tang before he actually came and started wandering about.

If they had followed him? He had no idea how they would react. They would probably do one of two things, and both of them were extremes. Best case scenario, they would just run. Lu Ping would probably have to convince them to do it, and he doubted that they would truly listen to him, even if he wanted to tell himself otherwise. They would not be able to bring themselves to do that, because should the Mountain and Sea gang be here that meant that they had an objective. One which Lu Ping intended to find out, but of course they would not know that. the only other reason, and the more likely one for them to take, would be trying to follow them and confront them if necessary. 

Lu Ping could not allow them to do that. If he confronted them then he at least had a strong chance of defeating them, but if they did...Lu Ping hated to think about what could happen to them should they fail to defeat them. They at least wanted him alive. They would not care much about killing senior or Su Tang. He would never try to put them in a position where they had to choose between their own life or saving someone else. Mostly because he knew exactly what they would choose. They were simply too self sacrificing for their own good. The Mountain and Sea Gang, however, was definitely not some to be trifled with. He knew how they thought, knew what they could do. Su Tang, she had seen, but she never felt anything. Something that Lu Ping was eternally grateful for. 

Still, his own reaction would do enough to raise hundreds of suspicions in the Senior Disciple as well. While of course he should be able to blame it on the stories that he had heard previously, he was not entirely certain that it would really...last as much as he wished. He did not need them suspecting anything more then what he had already begun to suspect. Which was a lot. Lu Ping was not an idiot. he knew that other knew something was up, and he knew that he was following him, and watching him closely.

He knew it was because he was acting different, he just...He could not help it. With everything that he had suffered from the Mountain and Sea gang...there was not many things that he was fearful of, but they were definitely...definitely one. However, he was not scared of everyone from the gang themselves, necessarily. It was more the idea that he could...he could end up being dragged back...back to HIM. Something which he...he did not...he did not want to think about. Pain was something that horrified him. He had felt so much in so little, and it would never, ever, leave him. He knew that, and yet...he had hoped.

Something which he should really be learning not to do by now. After all, how many times has his hopes and desires truly been recognized, been understood, or even really thought of? Anytime he dares to hope he realizes that there is something there as ever to simply dash them into pieces. 

He knew that he would never truly be free from the Mountain and Sea gang. After all, that was why he pretended not to have any power. What else could he do? It was the only thing that he could possibly think of at the time. Nobody should try and come to kill him, or worst, kidnap him, if they thought that he was useless. So while sure, he definitely had issues with the other Windtakers tormenting him mercilessly at times when the Senior Disciple was not around, he could bear that. 

What he could not stand was the possibility of being forced to return. Lu Ping knew, he knew fully, that should he leave? Should the Mountain and Sea gang regain his person, he would ever be able to leave again. The first time alone was a miracle. He had not truly expected to ever be capable of leaving the torturous gang, and when he had managed to finally escape their  gates, he had thought for sure he would die along the way, upon trying to leave again. Yet...he had survived. Su Tang had survived. It had been the one thing that he had dreamed of doing for years. 

He slumped over the table, putting his head in his hands, hands clutching at his hair, trying to think things through logically. If he could do that...If he could do that then there would be no problem. The issues was that logic never applied to emotions. Lu Ping was churning in emotions at the moment, and he could not really sort through just how much he was feeling. 

What should he do? He knew what was the right thing to do. To go after them. Lu Ping glanced where they had left the building, contemplating what he should do. What he would do rather, as he knew what it was that he should do, he just did not want to do that. He did not want to follow hem, the likelihood that they would see him...

He did not truly know why they were here. Sure, he had figured that they were in the city, but...those were relatively high ranking members of the Mountain and Sea gang. Powerful as well, and Lu Ping was not entirely sure how to handle such a thing. Why were they in such a pitiful town?

Lu Ping was not stupid, this town had very little to offer the members of the Mountain and Sea gang, and they were most certainly looking for something...or someone.