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Author's note
In this story, Mei does time travel to the past - instead she starts in the past and time travels to the future - present day.
Long black hair streaming behind her, Mei sprinted barefoot across the rough terrain. The hare was in reaching distance, its powerful hind legs kicking against the dirt, spraying soil on her ankles. She persevered, swinging over a log and catapulting forwards round, turning the corner so the hare was cornered and throwing a net on top.
She’d caught it.
The hare gazed back at her, nose twitching, eyes blinking solemnly.
Mei couldn’t capture it.
It was alive, just like her.
Staring into its muddy eyes a final time, she lifted the net, releasing the hare which bounded away into the undergrowth.
She watched it go, hoping it would find a better life, far-away from these hunting grounds.
A nearly imperceptible movement in the leaves in the corner of eye was out of place amongst the common rustling. She turned with practiced ease, guilt warming her face. Her ears reddened.
“Sensei, I-“
A woman with sleek black hair curled into a bun and red robes swung down out of the tree. Herface was stern, the lines of her face sharp.
“You had the chance to capture the rabbit.” She spoke in a clipped voice. “Why did you not?”
Mei looked down, hanging her head. “I’m sorry, Sensei. But it was alive too. How could I capture it knowing it would be killed?”
Sensei Zhen softened. “I appreciate your kindness towards animals - yet that only gets you so far. We need to eat - all animals do. That is the circle of life.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Yes. But-“
Loud caws sounded, and a flock of noisy birds erupted out of a group of trees.
They both looked up in alarm.
“The monastery.”
Mei and Zhen raced through the forest, darting the path they knew well.
At last they reached a clearing. A resplendent monastery sat, spherical crimson domes and towering spires, with the walls marble and shining so polished you could see your reflection. Mei had spent all her childhood there.
Mei skidded to a stop.
In a moment, it exploded.
Her ears rang, her eyes burned. She was knocked back against a tree.
Wiping her eyes, she squinted at the monastery. It was ruined. Her friends, senseis, all inside - there was no hope for them.
Ninjas - Wéixiân ninjas from the enemy clan in black suits swung in from the trees.
Mei reared back in terror, heart thudding. She looked to Zhen for guidance, knowing the Sensei never lost her calm demeanor. But to her horror, Zhen’s blue eyes sparkled with tears, and her mouth was set in a thin line.
“Go. Keep running. Don’t stop. Get away from here. Keep going till you reach the sacred tree, then turn straight right, understand? You can come back when it’s safe. I know you can do this.”
“You said I wasn’t ready for the sacred tree! Not for years!”
Zhen shook her head. “There’s no time to explain. Now go!”
Mei turned to sprint, then turned around. “Why aren’t you moving?”
“I have to fend them off!”
“You’ll get hurt! I can’t leave you.”
“I’ll be fine. I can look after myself, Mei.” Sensei Zhen glanced behind as ninjas advanced, swords outstretched.
“Now go!”
“I’m not leaving you.” Mei sobbed.
“I’ll be right behind you, Mei. Go, now!”
Tears streaming down her cheeks, Mei ran. She ran as fast as the wind at her ankles, black hair streaming behind her in waves.
Boom!
Another explosion rocked the woods, sending Mei to the ground. She looked up, winded, slowly turning around. Fires danced in her eyes as her last hope of reaching Sensei was lost. The thicket of trees where she’d been running through just seconds earlier erupted into the flames, blocking the path.
“No!” Mei cried. Tears shook her body and she collapsed.
She didn’t notice the roots upon which she lay, entwining together at the base of the sacred tree.
She didn’t care how long she lay there, exhausted, weeping.
She didn’t think about anything other than the aching pain in her heart.
Exhausted, she fell unconscious, the last thing she saw was a figure, dressed in red and yellow.
Then all went black.
Chapter 1
Mei woke up to bright lights.
She shot up, delirious. Another explosion?
No, this was different. This came from small rectangles in the ceiling.
Strange.
Mei rubbed her head, trying to recall what had happened.
Zhen.. She choked back a sob.
She missed her so much. Sensei Zhen had been her teacher all her life.
Wiping tears from her eyes, Mei sat up, suddenly alert to the constant beeping to her right.
She blinked in surprise. A flat black board had a green line somehow weaving itself across it.
A woman walked in, with brown hair and dressed completely in white.
“Hi,”
Mei ran the language through her mind. She’d been taught multiple languages at a young age.
“Hi..” She finally croaked.
“That was a nasty fire, there. You’re lucky a fireman was there to save you or-“
“Fire… man?” Mei interrupted.
“The fireman. He rescued you, remember?”
Mei straightened, shaking her head in confusion.
“I’m so tired…”
The nurse nodded. “That’ll be the anaesthesia drip we put you on.” She waved to her arm.
Mei glanced at her arm.
A tube stuck out of it, connected to a bag.
She squealed, ripping it out.
“Woah, woah, woah. Easy, now, girlie. It’s to help you. It numbs the pain.”
She walked slowly towards Mei, her face consoling.
“Let me go.” Mei spoke through gritted teeth. She needed to get back to her Sensei. She needed her!
“Sorry, but we need you to stay here until we can find your parents. What’s your name, dear?”
Mei growled. She clutched her foot, feigning pain. The woman glanced down. “Are you okay?’
It was a split second, but it was enough. She lunged, aiming a kick for the woman’s shins and feeling a touch of regret as the woman recoiled, rubbing her injured leg. Still. She had to if she were to escape, didn’t she?
This was no time for weakness. She shook her head and skidded out the door. The lights were bright and many people in white costumes walked past. People pointed and she made a run for it. “Get her!”
She raced for the exit, wherever it was. Through white corridors she ran, until finally she broke into daylight.
Her jaw dropped.
Chapter 2
Mei stared at the environment. It was covered in tall prisms many metres high. Everything was strange - rectangular and smooth with perfect lines. Beneath her bare feet was no soft grass but hard white blocks that burned her toes beneath the sunlight. And the people. They were dressed in clothing of all colour and fabric - from fluffy to glittery to thick, like leather. This place was like nothing that she’d ever seen before. Suddenly she became very self conscious of her usual red ropes fringed with pale pink.
Where was she?
In this story, Mei does time travel to the past - instead she starts in the past and time travels to the future - present day.
Long black hair streaming behind her, Mei sprinted barefoot across the rough terrain. The hare was in reaching distance, its powerful hind legs kicking against the dirt, spraying soil on her ankles. She persevered, swinging over a log and catapulting forwards round, turning the corner so the hare was cornered and throwing a net on top.
She’d caught it.
The hare gazed back at her, nose twitching, eyes blinking solemnly.
Mei couldn’t capture it.
It was alive, just like her.
Staring into its muddy eyes a final time, she lifted the net, releasing the hare which bounded away into the undergrowth.
She watched it go, hoping it would find a better life, far-away from these hunting grounds.
A nearly imperceptible movement in the leaves in the corner of eye was out of place amongst the common rustling. She turned with practiced ease, guilt warming her face. Her ears reddened.
“Sensei, I-“
A woman with sleek black hair curled into a bun and red robes swung down out of the tree. Herface was stern, the lines of her face sharp.
“You had the chance to capture the rabbit.” She spoke in a clipped voice. “Why did you not?”
Mei looked down, hanging her head. “I’m sorry, Sensei. But it was alive too. How could I capture it knowing it would be killed?”
Sensei Zhen softened. “I appreciate your kindness towards animals - yet that only gets you so far. We need to eat - all animals do. That is the circle of life.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Yes. But-“
Loud caws sounded, and a flock of noisy birds erupted out of a group of trees.
They both looked up in alarm.
“The monastery.”
Mei and Zhen raced through the forest, darting the path they knew well.
At last they reached a clearing. A resplendent monastery sat, spherical crimson domes and towering spires, with the walls marble and shining so polished you could see your reflection. Mei had spent all her childhood there.
Mei skidded to a stop.
In a moment, it exploded.
Her ears rang, her eyes burned. She was knocked back against a tree.
Wiping her eyes, she squinted at the monastery. It was ruined. Her friends, senseis, all inside - there was no hope for them.
Ninjas - Wéixiân ninjas from the enemy clan in black suits swung in from the trees.
Mei reared back in terror, heart thudding. She looked to Zhen for guidance, knowing the Sensei never lost her calm demeanor. But to her horror, Zhen’s blue eyes sparkled with tears, and her mouth was set in a thin line.
“Go. Keep running. Don’t stop. Get away from here. Keep going till you reach the sacred tree, then turn straight right, understand? You can come back when it’s safe. I know you can do this.”
“You said I wasn’t ready for the sacred tree! Not for years!”
Zhen shook her head. “There’s no time to explain. Now go!”
Mei turned to sprint, then turned around. “Why aren’t you moving?”
“I have to fend them off!”
“You’ll get hurt! I can’t leave you.”
“I’ll be fine. I can look after myself, Mei.” Sensei Zhen glanced behind as ninjas advanced, swords outstretched.
“Now go!”
“I’m not leaving you.” Mei sobbed.
“I’ll be right behind you, Mei. Go, now!”
Tears streaming down her cheeks, Mei ran. She ran as fast as the wind at her ankles, black hair streaming behind her in waves.
Boom!
Another explosion rocked the woods, sending Mei to the ground. She looked up, winded, slowly turning around. Fires danced in her eyes as her last hope of reaching Sensei was lost. The thicket of trees where she’d been running through just seconds earlier erupted into the flames, blocking the path.
“No!” Mei cried. Tears shook her body and she collapsed.
She didn’t notice the roots upon which she lay, entwining together at the base of the sacred tree.
She didn’t care how long she lay there, exhausted, weeping.
She didn’t think about anything other than the aching pain in her heart.
Exhausted, she fell unconscious, the last thing she saw was a figure, dressed in red and yellow.
Then all went black.
Chapter 1
Mei woke up to bright lights.
She shot up, delirious. Another explosion?
No, this was different. This came from small rectangles in the ceiling.
Strange.
Mei rubbed her head, trying to recall what had happened.
Zhen.. She choked back a sob.
She missed her so much. Sensei Zhen had been her teacher all her life.
Wiping tears from her eyes, Mei sat up, suddenly alert to the constant beeping to her right.
She blinked in surprise. A flat black board had a green line somehow weaving itself across it.
A woman walked in, with brown hair and dressed completely in white.
“Hi,”
Mei ran the language through her mind. She’d been taught multiple languages at a young age.
“Hi..” She finally croaked.
“That was a nasty fire, there. You’re lucky a fireman was there to save you or-“
“Fire… man?” Mei interrupted.
“The fireman. He rescued you, remember?”
Mei straightened, shaking her head in confusion.
“I’m so tired…”
The nurse nodded. “That’ll be the anaesthesia drip we put you on.” She waved to her arm.
Mei glanced at her arm.
A tube stuck out of it, connected to a bag.
She squealed, ripping it out.
“Woah, woah, woah. Easy, now, girlie. It’s to help you. It numbs the pain.”
She walked slowly towards Mei, her face consoling.
“Let me go.” Mei spoke through gritted teeth. She needed to get back to her Sensei. She needed her!
“Sorry, but we need you to stay here until we can find your parents. What’s your name, dear?”
Mei growled. She clutched her foot, feigning pain. The woman glanced down. “Are you okay?’
It was a split second, but it was enough. She lunged, aiming a kick for the woman’s shins and feeling a touch of regret as the woman recoiled, rubbing her injured leg. Still. She had to if she were to escape, didn’t she?
This was no time for weakness. She shook her head and skidded out the door. The lights were bright and many people in white costumes walked past. People pointed and she made a run for it. “Get her!”
She raced for the exit, wherever it was. Through white corridors she ran, until finally she broke into daylight.
Her jaw dropped.
Chapter 2
Mei stared at the environment. It was covered in tall prisms many metres high. Everything was strange - rectangular and smooth with perfect lines. Beneath her bare feet was no soft grass but hard white blocks that burned her toes beneath the sunlight. And the people. They were dressed in clothing of all colour and fabric - from fluffy to glittery to thick, like leather. This place was like nothing that she’d ever seen before. Suddenly she became very self conscious of her usual red ropes fringed with pale pink.
Where was she?