Chapter 10: A Good Idea? Really?

The boys' good spirits and the girls' conversations about sports from a historical perspective, continued on the drive home. The boys were drawn into the girls' conversations. Following the trend of interactions between guys and gals everywhere, the conversation deteriorated. Of course, the guys were simply too juvenile to have a serious conversation, in the girls' view. The girls were too uptight to enjoy life, in the guys' views. However, the boys' good mood provided the tide for raising the mood of the girls. They were all laughing by the time they arrived at the Gordian Ranch.

Their good mood didn't survive the explanation of their plans for the rest of the week to Lian. The Chinese Sorceress's scream of rage rang through the house! It brought Udit, Martha, Seth, and Cory running. Laoshin and Pappy weren't far behind. It took Pappy a moment longer, because he had stopped to grab a shotgun. He had developed the habit of having a shotgun close by, years ago. He hadn't seen a reason to break the habit.

"What's wrong?" Udit yelled, frantically, looking for the threat to Lian as he ran into the room. Nothing would hurt Lian if he was close by.

Lian was standing in the middle of the room, and the six teens were sitting on the couch and love seats. All the teens looked chagrined by Lian's reaction.

"They have been poisoned!" Lian declared angrily, waving her hands to include all the teens.

"What?" Martha yelped, peering intently at the teens, looking for any sign of ill health.

"Who did it?" Seth demanded. "Do you know the antidote?" he followed up.

"What kind of poison?" Cory demanded. "There are some that I've learned to counteract with healing."

"They have been poisoned by their hormones," Lian announced in a thundering voice.

Most people would have been shocked to hear such a powerful voice from such a small woman. To those present, understanding that she was using air to 'enhance' her words reduced the shock. What was more shocking to them was Lian losing control. The frail looking Chinese woman was the picture of decorum and etiquette. She just didn't lose control of herself.

"What?" Martha squawked as she peered at the teens closer.

"Their hormones have addled their minds and they can no longer think," Lian continued, with the same thundering voice. "It has driven them completely insane," she declared.

{Okay. This has gone on long enough, } Sean thought to Megan.

{Do you think she really believes we've gone nuts?} Megan asked in disbelief.

{Oh, yeah, } Sean replied, tinting his thoughts with some anger of his own. {She hasn't even asked for our reasons. That's what makes me angry. Her reaction is unacceptable.}

"Lian," Sean's voice cracked through the room.

Sean's voice wasn't loud, but it did include the command tone that he had learned from Seth. He paused for a moment to let the command settle into Lian's consciousness, as Seth had taught him.

"What have you taught me?" Sean's voice cracked again. "How have you instructed me to handle issues that are not talent related?" he asked.

His tone demanded an answer ... a calm and reasoned answer.

Lian hesitated. Her glare, that had previously included all six teens, focused on Sean. It would have been intimidating, if not for her training of the boy ... the young man, she corrected herself. Lian smothered the ember of pride she felt, so that she could focus on her outrage.

"You have remained hidden for seventeen years!" Lian told him, calmer but still angry. "You are ready to throw all that effort away, after three days in that ... that ... that babysitting facility they call a school!" she sputtered angrily.

Maybe she wasn't all that calm.

"I'm not throwing anything away, Lian!" Sean said sharply. "Half the reason we decided on this path was to prevent losing that anonymity. Yes, it will bring us to the attention of more people. Yes, we will expose that we know some martial arts. What we will not do, is to go beyond the extent of what we know of as normal skills. A lot of kids know martial arts. Most importantly, though, is that it will reduce Megan from 'superhero' status to 'normal girl' status, with some special training. That is important!"

Lian stopped quivering in anger at Sean's words. It took her a moment, but finally she ordered, "Explain yourself."

Sean explained the reasons for planning the demonstration at the Friday pep rally and the after school classes that Lian would be involved in. Megan's description of how she was being treated confirmed Sean's reasoning. It was clear that Megan needed to be taken out of the spotlight. Lian reluctantly agreed that they couldn't allow evil to fester if they had to means to oppose it. She also agreed that their only other options were direct intervention, which would draw even more attention.

"So, you have determined that you have three choices," Lian summarized. "You can do nothing. This leaves Megan exposed, and allows evil to run rampant."

{She's a little more theatrical today than normal, } Megan thought to Sean. Her smile could be felt in her thoughts but her face maintained her somber expression.

{She and Udit rode the horses out to Turkey Creek today, } Sean replied. {Alone. She always gets a little theatrical and dramatic after one of their ... um ... rides.}

His face maintained his somber expression, too, but the grin in his thoughts was a mile wide.

Megan coughed to smother her snort of laughter and hide her smile.

"Or you can take direct action, which exposes everyone even more," Lian continued her summarization, while glaring at Megan for her interruption, "or, you can take indirect action, which will draw more attention, but in a normalized way. It will lessen the attention Megan is receiving now. Is that about right?" Lian demanded.

"You have taught me how to parse and solve problems," Sean replied. His voice was stern, demanding that she listen. "I was faced with a problem. I solved it as you have taught me. If you have a better solution, please tell us."

"It seems to be an acceptable solution," Lian eventually conceded, reluctantly. "Acceptable, but still marginal. We will drive you to school tomorrow," she continued. "Before school, we will speak with your babysitter..."

Lian had to pause at Megan's choking laughter.

"We will speak with your Principal," Lian said, fixing a baleful glare on Megan, "and I will establish some ground rules. After, when you go to class, one of your other babysitters may show me where these classes will be held. Then ... if I am satisfied," she held up one finger to emphasize her point, "and only then, will I agree to this insanity."

Clarence Stanwood was surprised when Sean Flynn asked for a moment of his time, soon after arriving at his office. He agreed, of course, and Sean escorted three other people into his office. He knew Sean and Megan, but the other two were probably the oddest pair to ever grace his office.

One of his guests was a diminutive Chinese lady. She was wearing an odd garment that nearly looked like a sarong at first glance. Closer examination revealed that her garment bore a closer resemblance to trousers or even a loose jump suit. Mr. Stanwood dimly remembered seeing similar dress before, in very old Chinese pictographs. Her bald head was startling. He had never seen a bald woman, except a friend that had undergone chemo therapy. She seemed to be in her mid to late twenties, or possibly mid twenties if she had led a hard life.

The other guest was an older man. He was tall, and obviously a Native American. His clothes were worn, and his boots were scuffed. His face was weathered like old granite, but the eyes peering from that face were intelligent and shrewd. His hair was pulled back in what some would call a pony tail. Mr. Stanwood, having spent many years in the south-west around Native Americans, recognized it as a very old form of a warrior's knot.

"Good morning," Mr. Stanwood greeted his visitors. "What is the occasion of this visit?" he asked.

Sean cleared his throat before answering. "Umm, sir," Sean said, "I'd like to introduce to you one of our teachers, and our mentor."

His tone of voice had a formality to it that was unusual in most of the teens that Mr. Stanwood met. It certainly focused his attention.

"Lian has been one of my teachers since I was five years old," Sean continued. "Lian is from China, and is in this country on a permanent visa. Udit has been my mentor, for even longer."

Mr. Stanwood couldn't help wondering why a five year old needed a teacher. In his mind he subtracted twelve years from the woman's apparent age, and wondered why she would be given such a job at such a young age. His mind skittered around the thought of the mentor. Having a mentor even before he was five, was ... perplexing. How much longer could he have had a mentor. The twists and turns his mind was taking, trying to follow the logic of the conversation, gave him a headache. He forlornly wondered if today was going to be like the last two days. He pushed the thought to the back of his mind, much the same as had been needed for many other thoughts about these two new students.

"It is my pleasure," Mr. Stanwood said in greeting to his guests. He had unconsciously adopted a formal tone, following the lead of his student. "Please, have a seat," he directed, indicating chairs with a gesture. "How can I help you, this morning?"

"You should read these first," Udit said in a deep voice as he handed a folder of papers to the principal.

Mr. Stanwood nodded after intently studying the legal documents. They were power-of-attorney documents that allowed Udit Begay, Lian Chin, and Cory Haney to make decisions and give directions concerning Sean's and Megan's education and activities.

"Who is Cory Haney?" Mr. Stanwood wondered aloud.

"He has been my teacher since I was four years old," Megan answered. "He wasn't needed today, so only Lian and Udit came with us."

"Um, yes. Well. These are most unusual," Mr. Stanwood said, indicating the papers, and struggling to gain some footing and a sense of normalcy in the conversation. "Normally, the kind of authorization in these documents, are restricted to parents or legal guardians."

His statement was clearly a request for clarification. He didn't get one.

"It was necessary," Lian said brusquely.

"May I ask why?" Mr. Stanwood asked, hesitantly.

"No," Lian said flatly. "It is sufficient that their parents trust us with the authority stated in these documents."

"I see. Would you mind if I made copies of these for the school's records?" Mr. Stanwood asked slowly, sitting back in his chair. At their nod of approval, he asked, "So, what can I do for you?"

"Sean has explained what has been planned for Friday, and the self defense classes for the rest of this school year," Lian said sternly. "I would like to hear your understanding of what will happen, and why this course of action is being taken," Lian ordered. It was obviously a command that she expected to be obeyed.

"There was a fight. Miss Cavalla sent two boys to the hospital," Mr. Stanwood began.

"She did not kill them though," Lian interrupted.

"Umm, no, she didn't," Mr. Stanwood agreed.

He couldn't figure out if Lian's statement was to present a point in the girls favor for showing restraint, or disappointment in a student's failing. It sounded like a bit of both.

"Miss Cavalla was not in the wrong," Mr. Stanwood continued after mentally shaking himself. "I hadn't intended this incident to go any further. A school board member, a friend of the father of one of the boys that went to the hospital, didn't think we were following district policy. However, my Assistant Principal, Mr. Casey, agreed with me. The Senior Class Counselor felt that Miss Cavalla had provided a service for the school by getting rid of some bad elements. That is the 'why' of this situation."

"Very well," Lian said. "So, this situation is because you don't have control of the children in your care ... umm, your students."

Mr. Stanwood felt sure the little Oriental woman had been about to use a less flattering term for the student body at his school. He had to restrain himself from lashing out verbally. He was proud of his high school and the progress that had been made since he became Principal.

"That could be how it appears," Mr. Stanwood agreed. His voice was tight with restraint. "I assure you that we have very good control of our students. As good as that control is, however, we cannot stop every questionable action of every student. It just isn't possible."

Lian waved off his defense with a hand as if she were clearing cobwebs out of her way.

She glared at Sean and muttered, "It seems that all students display a lack of judgment at times." She shook herself and asked, "What is your solution to this situation?"

"Actually, I was prepared to drop the whole thing. I have placed the subject on the school board agenda. The board member in question, was wrong, but seemed to have school policy on his side. Mr. Flynn," Mr. Stanwood continued, waving a hand at Sean, "suggested a solution that would satisfy everyone, at least to some degree. Community Service for Miss Cavalla. This would be in the form of conducting classes for students in self-defense, to minimize the effectiveness of the bullies. He also suggested that you may be available as a proctor. I have learned, since yesterday, that having a trained, and responsible party at the classes will be a prerequisite. The demonstration, tomorrow, is simply a way to let students know that classes will be available. Hopefully, it will generate some interest."

Lian nodded noncommittally, and seemed to be brooding about something. She was, in fact, mentally wrestling with the idea of publicly demonstrating skills that she had kept hidden for nearly two hundred years. The skills that she would be teaching had been passed down, from teacher to student, for over three thousand years. The thought of allowing even a small subset of these skills to be taught was unnerving. That emotion was foreign to her and she was struggling to deal with it.

"I need to ask," Mr. Stanwood said, hesitating for a moment, and eying Lian warily before continuing. "Will you be available to proctor the self-defense classes? If you can't then we need to drop the idea of these classes. We won't need the demonstration."

Lian hesitated, gave Sean and Megan an angry glare, and turned to Udit.

"What is your counsel?" Lian asked.

Udit looked troubled, but he didn't look angry, as Lian had.

"Often, a truly good choice is not available," Udit said slowly, focusing his attention on Lian. "I believe this is one of those times. We must seek the least damaging and least dangerous path. Sean and Megan are more aware of the dynamics within the school than we are. I trust their judgment. However, the decision must be yours, and I support your decision completely."

Mr. Stanwood was startled at the look that passed between the old Indian and the pretty Chinese woman. That look contained more than respect and appreciation. Much, much more.

Lian frowned in concentration for another moment. She weighed options, and possible results of selecting each option. Then, she realized that Sean would have followed the same decision process, with more information available. Her tension evaporated as her decision was reached. She glanced at the Principal and saw all the emotions and questions in his expression and posture as if she were reading a book. She cringed, internally, because she had caused a bad situation to worsen due to her lack of trust in her student.

"Mr. Stanwood," Lian began. "I must explain my concern to you. The skills that I have taught Sean and Megan, are traditional skills that can be directly traced back for over three thousand years. Each, umm ... each Master in my discipline, trains a handful of students, intensely. Seldom are there more than three or four. One of those students will excel, and train their own handful of students. I have trained seven students. Three are primary students. One is my assistant, and the other two are Sean and Megan. One of these two children will be my successor. The other four have been trained, to a lesser degree, and will assist these two. They are also students in your facility. The idea of teaching these skills to a school full of students is ... ah ... unsettling, in the extreme. Sean has explained that we will only be teaching a small subset of the defensive skills to prevent bullies from attacking your students. I will agree with that."

"Thank you, Miss Chin," Mr. Stanwood replied, bowing his head to her. He didn't know why he responded like that. It just seemed like the right response.

Lian bowed her head in acknowledgment, and continued, "However, we must change the demonstration that is planned for tomorrow."

"Okay. In what way?" Mr. Stanwood asked curiously.

"I cannot allow my students to be attacked by your students," Lian said sternly.

Mr. Stanwood briefly wondered about the wisdom of pointing out that technically, they were all his students. Only very briefly before dismissing the idea.

"Megan may demonstrate some defensive drills. Sean, AJ, Scott, Lilly, and Bell will participate in that portion of the demonstration," Lian said, wondering what the brief expression meant that had flashed across his face. "Then we will have a full contact demonstration between Sean and Megan, and then between Sean and myself."