Looking for that special...something.[open]

The run-down building had caught Fulong's eye on his first day in town several weeks ago. There had been something about it that piqued his natural sense of curiosity--he had always liked the idea of abandoned places; one never knew what one might find in them, and so much of a town's history could be found in the dust of the floorboards and the creak of well-worn stairs. So much could be learned from the ghosts of a town like this one that could never be gleaned from the minds and mouths of its living inhabitants.

Circumstances had prevented his return to the store that week, and the week after that, and so on until over a month had passed. It wasn't as if he was displeased with being able to find employment so quickly, but the clinic was small and injuries were common in a town as populated with Hunters and Innocents as this one, and work kept him busy far oftener than he liked. His plan to explore the Kingfisher more thoroughly was relegated quickly to the back of his to-do list, where it lurked just out of sight and out of mind.

Today, though, was one of those rare days that had gone according to plan so well he could almost have heard the click of everything falling into place. It seemed everyone in town had avoided serious injuries for the day, and half the paperwork he had been slated to do had mysteriously vanished into thin air, with the end result being that Dr. Pushkarov, who had been on duty, had simply waved him off and told him to enjoy his afternoon. And that command could only have led him to one spot.

Fulong stepped back slightly as he surveyed the Kingfisher. It had looked a lot more impressive when he first saw it, but by then it had been nightfall and old buildings always had that sort of impressive aura at night. Now it looked more dilapidated than haunted; it was just as well it wasn't the ghosts he was interested in.

The door was tightly locked and appeared to have been welded shut a long time ago, which ruled it out as a point of entrance. But the window next to it showed signs of recent activity, and Fulong's ever-present smile widened slightly. Someone had been here today--perhaps they were still here even now. He wasn't the only one who'd felt curious about this place.

Swinging himself onto the ledge was a little difficult, but his slim frame fit easily through the window, and he slipped into the abandoned store without further trouble. Here, there were further signs of the dust having been disturbed, and fairly recently by the looks of it. His talisman ruffled its feathers uneasily and Fulong quieted his own movements in response as he moved into the shadows.

It was just as well he did; there was a girl there, about his age, tucking what looked like a dagger into her belt. He was no expert on weapons, but the make looked impressive even from this distance. The crane hissed softly at the sight, but he quieted it quickly. He didn't know whether or not the dagger belonged to the girl, or whether or not she was well-versed in its use. But it seemed to him that there was little point in taking unnecessary risks here, and even less in making unnecessary enemies. That much was patently obvious. Fulong stepped forward, this time not bothering to hide the sound of his footsteps.

"Hello," he said aloud, faint surprise showing on his face. "I didn't expect anyone else to be in here."

Fulong looked bemused for a moment. She was certainly acting strangely, though he supposed it was only natural in a situation like this. After all, the front door was locked; anyone else who had found their way inside had had to have done so with a method of dubious legality. Besides, it wasn't as if Noatak was a particularly friendly place when it came to strangers.

She was probably affiliated with a side; that would further explain her tenseness. This would be a perfect place for an ambush, if he'd decided to plan one. Fulong stood his ground; he had no intention of harming anyone, but he certainly wanted a conversation, and that would be prevented somewhat if she ran for it. In any case, it might be interesting to see things from another perspective.

He spread his arms wide, showing that he was unarmed, a sheepish grin appearing on his mild features. "Sorry if I startled you," he said, taking a few steps back. "I'm Fulong Li, and I came in through the window." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "I've seen this place a few times, and I guess I just got curious."

He tilted his head slightly, watching the girl. "Like I said, though, I didn't expect anyone else to be here. Are you just exploring, too?"

"Nice to meet you." Fulong smiled back. On closer inspection, she was quite pretty, he supposed, now that he didn't have to consider the fact that she might try and run him through at any moment. That had been interesting.

"Most people call me Fulong," he added after a moment, "but Li is fine, too. Whatever suits you best, I suppose." It wasn't even his real name, just a slightly pretentious affectation meant for someone whom he could only aspire to be, and he was as likely to respond to it as to any other name. That didn't mean he didn't like it, though.

"So um, like, where do you live? I mean like...well. Oh wow look at this." Fulong raised a mild eyebrow in faint amusement. Jo was certainly direct, or nervous, or embarrassed, or a combination of all three. He was usually wary of strangers who seemed tense, but this was almost endearing.

"I live in an apartment near the clinic," he said as he followed her gaze to an old, cracked book. There wasn't any harm in answering her questions. "It's not really the classiest place in the world, but it's convenient. How about you--oh, hang on--"

He leaned over quickly, stretching an arm out and catching the falling page. Straightening, he tilted the page toward the still-open window, peering at it thoughtfully.

Fulong took the book, gently blowing the last of the dust off of the cover. It was simply bound, and while there were characters etched onto the spine, age had all but worn the gold etching off. He peered at it, edging closer to the window so the light struck the faded characters directly.

"I wish I'd paid more attention in Chinese school," he confessed lightly. He paused and traced one of the characters lightly with a finger before moving on to the one below it. "But these two look familiar--"

The rest of what he had been about to say was lost as something suddenly fell against him. Fulong was slightly built even at the best of times, and the fact that he'd been caught off guard was just another reason why he found himself traveling toward the floor, the book following at an equal velocity. He reached out in an attempt to catch it as he hit the ground in a cloud of dust and found himself, rather abruptly, with an armful of Jo instead.

She pushed herself off of him, apologizing profusely, but he waved it off with a slight smile as he reached for the book again, raising an eyebrow as he turned the cover. Faint surprise showed on his face. "You have a talisman, then? Isn't that potentially risky information? I'm surprised you told me that."

Another smile lit Fulong's face at that, and he inclined his head at her words. "In that case, I'm honored. I thought everyone here was suspicious of strangers, and rightly so. Perhaps I was wrong." He looked up a little as he turned a page, a half-smile still there. "I have a talisman, too, but I'm not on any particular side right now. There--I guess that's my secret information for you."

He watched Jo wander about the room, every now and then glancing back down at the dusty, yellowed pages, scanning them for something he might recognize. "That sounds a little like my life, really--always being a little bit on edge, always wondering when the next mistake will happen." He hesitated for a moment, then added, softer, his perpetual smile flickering for a moment, "People died because of mistakes I've made in the past. I don't want that to happen again, but alliances get in the way of everything."

Silence for a moment as he looked down at the pages before he started slightly and peered closer. "I think I've got it. I thought it was a book of classic poetry when I opened it, but I recognize this one!"

Fulong smiled with her as he scanned the rest of the page, but his eyes were a little troubled. "It doesn't sound as if there is a side without death or torture these days. I suppose it wouldn't be a war otherwise." Then the light in his eyes was back, and he smiled a little. "But thanks for telling me. I'll certainly keep it in mind."

So..not poetry? Maybe, like their own bible type thing?

He laughed despite himself at that, though it wasn't an unfriendly laugh by any stretch of the imagination. "No, it's definitely still a book of classical poetry." He tapped the page lightly with a finger. "This one just confirms it, because I've read it before. It was written by Cao Cao, a Prime Minister from around 200 AD." He peered at it a moment longer. "It'll take a moment for me to translate it into English, though."

Fulong accepted it graciously, tucking it into his wallet and producing a pen and scrap of paper of his own. "Here's my number in return, if you ever need anything. Some things are easier to obtain when one has no allegiances."

He was a little surprised at the sheer amount of apparently Asian merchandise to be found in the store, especially considering the Asian population here seemed to consist entirely of people his age. Clearly there had been families who had come to Noatak before, but if that were the case, then why had they left? He was inclined to attribute it to the talismans, but then everything was attributed to the talismans these days. Taking the weapon from Jo, he inspected it briefly, then offered it back.

"I call them shuāng jié gùn," he laughed, picking the book back up again, "but I believe the Japanese word is nunchaku."

It was apparent that Jo wasn't particularly interested in poetry, but Fulong was, and the one he'd found had always been a favorite of his. He traced a few of the characters, murmuring the words quietly.

Driving a rainbow,
Riding crimson clouds,
I ascend the Nine Peaks to the Gates of Jade.

Crossing Heaven’s River,
Reaching Mount Kunlun,
I meet the Western Goddess, pay my respects to the Sun...