Blue Dragon

back.
    ‘John’s finished with the demons at the dojo,’ I said. ‘We’ll go back and move on to Bright Mansions.’
    When we reached the dojo, Roland Pak was in his office with John, beaming with delight.
    ‘Where’s Leo and Michael?’ I said.
    ‘In one of the training rooms,’ John said. ‘Leo’s teaching a group of youngsters. Michael’s assisting.’
    ‘Come in, come in,’ Roland said to my parents. ‘Come. Sit.’
    He rose and gave his seat to my mother, and gestured towards an empty chair for my father. The tiny office was a squeeze with all of us in there. Simone climbed into her father’s lap.
    ‘You can throw chi too, Emma?’ Roland said, leaning one hip on the desk.
    ‘Yep,’ I said, standing behind my father and resting my hands on his shoulders. ‘I’m about ten times as good as Michael.’
    ‘And that’s just in human form,’ John said. ‘In Serpent form she’s another ten times better than that.’
    My parents stiffened and I glared at John, but Roland’s grin didn’t shift.
    ‘Where did you put them all?’ I said.
    ‘I sent them up to the Mountain. Construction will move three times more quickly with so many extra hands, even if they are unskilled. I may have some of them taught to use heavy equipment; we’re short on bulldozer operators to clear the rubble.’
    ‘One Two Two’s really done us a huge favour then,’ I said. ‘On to Happy Valley.’
    ‘How about I drop you at the Jockey Club clubhouse in the Valley on the way?’ John said. ‘You can have lunch there while I sort the demons out.’
    ‘Uh,’ Roland began. ‘Before you go…’
    ‘Yes, Roland?’ John said.
    ‘You want me to show you some stuff, don’t you,’ I said.
    Roland nodded.
    ‘Oh, of course,’ John said, leaning back. ‘Least we can do for you, Roland, after putting you through all of this. Imagine having a hundred demons turn up at your front door like that. I’ll get someone to set seals on the studio early next week.’ John rose and slid Simone off his lap. ‘Do you have a free room we can use?’
    ‘Come this way,’ Roland said, his grin even wider.
    ‘You guys can stay here and wait for me, if you like,’ I said to my parents.
    ‘I’d like to see, Emma,’ my father said. ‘Barbie?’
    My mother nodded, silent.
    Your mother’s not talking much, Simone said into my ear. Is she okay?
    ‘If it’s all too much for you, just say so, Mum,’ I said, linking my arm into my mother’s and giving her a squeeze as I led her out into the hall. ‘I’ll take you home and let you rest.’
    ‘I’m okay,’ my mother said softly. ‘I want to see.’
    Roland took us down the hall, past the room where Leo had resumed his lesson, to another training room.It was only about three metres square and didn’t have any mirrors. One wall was windows overlooking the busy Causeway Bay street. I jammed my foot into the mats on the floor to test them: not as good as the ones up on the Peak, just cotton wadding. But they would do.
    ‘What would you like to see, Roland?’ I said.
    ‘Siu Lim Tao,’ Roland said.
    ‘You’re joking. The basic Wing Chun set?’
    ‘I’m impressed, Roland,’ John said. ‘Good thing to ask for. If Emma performs the set for you, you will see it done by a true Grand Master, in perfection. You should take a video.’
    ‘I can’t do it perfectly,’ I said, annoyed. ‘Nobody can.’
    ‘Not even me?’ John said with a grin.
    I glared at him. He could see that I wanted to thump him and his grin widened. ‘Do it, Emma. If Roland can find any imperfection in your performance of the set, I will be very impressed indeed.’
    ‘I’m going to do the basic set of moves for one of the more lethal types of Chinese kung fu,’ I said to my parents. ‘But the most effective styles are the least impressive to look at. Don’t expect too much, okay? After I’ve done this for Roland I’ll do some pretty stuff for you. And I’m not a Grand Master, Roland. Call me sigung and I’ll be very cross indeed.’
    ‘ Sigung ,’ John said loudly. He dropped to the floor to sit cross-legged and pulled Simone into his lap, holding her around the waist.
    ‘When I am able to touch you again,’ I said, moving into position, ‘old man,’ I flipped my fists and moved into Wing Chun stance, ‘I really am going to beat,’ I punched with my left fist and then my right, ‘the living crap out of you.’
    ‘Stop,’ Roland said, and I froze. ‘Sorry. Apologies. But you