Days had passed. Kaioshin had never in his life worked as hard as he had been now. Master Tym, which Kaioshin was to call him, had him going from doing simple pushups, to flying and fighting in the air, to running miles with heavy bags filled with sand. His speed and agility had increased dramatically from what he had been going through.
Tym had seen how strong Nishi was and even could become, therefore he allowed her to train alongside Kaioshin if she chose too. Nishi thought that it would be easier for Kaioshin if he weren’t doing it all alone. However, Nishi wasn’t acquiring all the scrapes and bruises Kaioshin had. His wounds from Queen Zenika’s attack on him had healed. A few of them were still visible, such as the one under his left eye, but in time that would disappear.
Nishi had been taught how to fly and at the moment, she and Kaioshin were battling the other in the air. Kaioshin was much stronger than she was now, but he still needed her to perfect his skills. Nishi was aware of his newly found techniques and that she could be severely hurt; but for Kaioshin she did it anyway.
“Kaioshin, you are going too easy on her! You’ll never defeat your opponent if you’re trying not to severely injure them!” Tym called from the ground. He had been pushing and pushing Kaioshin to do more than his best. He knew the prince had slacked off his entire childhood; but now, it was time for the young prince to become a man. As much as he hated too, he had to be strict with him. It was the only way. And he knew that by doing so, Kaioshin would change into a pure hearted individual.
Kaioshin and Nishi moved their fight to the ground. Tym watched and waited until he clearly saw that Nishi had had enough. He knew that it wasn’t her that he had to train, so he wouldn’t let her go any farther than needed.
Finally that time came. “Stop!” He held up a hand and walked over to the two. He handed Nishi a glass of water that was waiting for her. She thanked him and took a seat on the ground, panting ever so slightly.
Kaioshin wanted water probably even more than Nishi did. He had been up before sunrise, running five miles uphill with two sand bags over his shoulders. Then he had to do two hundred pushups with Master Tym sitting on his back; and if he paused for the slightest moment, Tym was whacking his behind with a stick. Now he just spent the past three hours fighting the air and then Nishi. His body had had it, and all he wanted to do was fall down and sleep.
“Alright,” Master Tym said. Kaioshin slumped his shoulders, thinking that his sensei was letting him have a break for once. It had to have been about 95 degrees outside. However, he was greatly mistaken. “Stand up straight, boy!” Tym hit his arm with his cane. “You’re far from done. There’s still another five hours of sunlight.”
Kaioshin moaned and felt as if was going to cry. “Please, Master Tym. Couldn’t I just take a little break?”
Tym slapped Kaioshin across his face. “Will you ask Queen Zenika for a moment’s rest so you could take the time to collect your strength and then kill her? No. Don’t ever ask me such a question again.”
Kaioshin’s face, neck and chest were shinning from sweat. He had already removed his shirt long ago, the fabric of it making him feel like he was in a sauna. He panted, as the sun’s rays seemed to hit only him. Tym chuckled to himself and picked up another glass and filled it with water from the pitcher. “I can’t deny you this though. Don’t need you to pass out on me.” Kaioshin took the glass greedily and drank it quickly. That little bit was just enough to refresh his dry mouth.
“Nishi, you don’t have to do anything for the rest of the night. Kaioshin will take care of dinner.”
If Kaioshin had still had water in his mouth, he would’ve probably just spit it out. “Me?!” he asked.
Tym smiled as he removed his vest. “Yes, you.”
“Uncle Tym, what are you doing?” Nishi questioned.
Tym started to stretch a bit, his bones cracking in the process. He slowly reached down to touch his toes, but didn’t quite make it. “I think its time to test out Kaioshin’s strength, don’t you think?”
“Please don’t find me rude, but are you able to handle it?”
Tym laughed. “The question you must ask, Nishi, is if Kaioshin can handle it.”
Kaioshin looked at him with a tired look. No way is he thinking of fighting me now. He’ll probably break his back! Tym lunged at him and threw a punch into Kaioshin’s face. He is…Kaioshin thought has he rubbed his cheek.
“Always be ready for an attack. Never take your eye off your enemy because you’re tuckered out.” Tym attacked him again, this time Kaioshin deflecting it and jumping into the air. He hovered there for a few moments, thinking that Tym wouldn’t try to get him. Once again, he was wrong.
Kaioshin’s body screamed in pain as he fought the 90 year-old man. He never knew just how strong Tym really was. “Fight me!” Tym yelled out, knowing well that Kaioshin was afraid of breaking him into two pieces.
Kaioshin had no other choice to obey. He threw a ton of different types of kicks and punches towards his opponent. Suddenly, Tym went crashing to the ground and looked as if he was unconscious.
“Uncle Tym!” Nishi yelled out.
Kaioshin dropped to the ground and knelt down next to the elderly man. Just as he was about to ask if he was all right, a hand popped up and grabbed his neck, throwing him into a tree. Kaioshin slide to the ground and coughed up a little bit of blood.
“Always be ready for an attack,” Tym said again. “I win for today. Go to town and get fresh bread and some milk. And I want you to run or jog the entire way. You have an hour.” Kaioshin let out a large sigh. “Feel happy. I’m being generous and giving you an hour because it’s hot out. Now get going.”
Kaioshin went over to the rock where Nishi was sitting and put his shirt back on. He tucked it in his pants and gave her a disgusted smile as he jogged off to town.
Nishi smiled and kept her sight on Kaioshin until he was out of sight. She quickly put her smile away when Uncle Tym walked up to her. He was putting on his vest as he noticed Nishi hide her expression.
“So, have you two decided to make it official?” He asked picking up the pitcher of water and sipping from it.
Nishi raised an eyebrow and laughed. “What are you talking about?”
Uncle Tym smiled as he sipped again. “You like him, he likes you. I’m just curious to see if you two have decided to be together.”
Nishi looked down in disappointment. “No. He doesn’t like me.”
“Nonsense, child!” Tym argued.
“He’s still got the mind of a prince. I’m not good enough for him. He even told me that when I wasn’t around he never gave me a second thought.”
“And you believed him?”
“I had to.”
They walked back into the cabin. Nishi started to clean the pitcher and glasses as Tym took a seat at the table. “Kaioshin has come a long way from his heartless past of being a royal pain,” Tym said.
“Yes, he has,” she agreed. She finished washing and put the objects aside to dry on their own. She took a seat at the table as well, waiting for Kaioshin to return.
---
Kaioshin had returned in an hour, right on the dot. He was lucky, for if he were a second late, he probably would’ve gotten some sort of punishment. He had made a stew for them to eat, which was surprisingly good. He had helped Nishi cook ever since Tym had come, so he had started to learn the basics.
The air had cooled off, and the sun had set revealing the shining stars in a deep purple sky. Tym had taken up reading in bed (which he now slept in, kicking Kaioshin onto the floor). Kaioshin had finished clearing, washing, drying, and putting everything away from the dinner. He sighed as he looked around, making sure he didn’t forget anything.
Kaioshin put the drying towel down and went outside to join Nishi. He found her sitting on the ground, looking up at the sky. He sat down next to her and looked up as well.
“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” she asked, not really expecting any response.
“Not as beautiful as you…” Kaioshin said, louder than he had intended.
Nishi looked at him with a concerned look. “Kaioshin…” she started.
“I’m sorry,” he interrupted. “I didn’t mean to say that. I know how you feel…”
She smiled. “Actually, you don’t know.” He gave her a puzzled face. “I do like you Kaioshin…I was just scared that if we were to fall in love…you’d be distracted from your work.”
Kaioshin chuckled and stood up. He held his hand out, Nishi taking it, and pulled her to her feet. “I wouldn’t have been distracted. If anything, I would’ve been more determined because if I didn’t destroy Zenika, something terrible would happen to you.”
Nishi blushed as he placed his hands on her hips. “I didn’t mean to be so rude to you before,” he said. “And just to let you know…I never loved Koura.”
“Really? You had said that your life had been completely ruined and you would be married now.”
“It had been ruined, and I would be married. But not happy.” He brought his right hand up and placed it on the side of her face. “The past week or more has been the best time of my life. You saw how bored I was when you worked at the castle. And when I found out you left, I didn’t know what was to become of me. Koura kept me busy in the fact that I tried to avoid her at all costs.”
Nishi laughed and closed her eyes, leaning her head against his hand. “Kaioshin…I’m so happy that you’ve become the prince I always knew you could be.”
Kaioshin smiled and leaned towards her. He waited to see if she’d oppose this time, but was delighted to see she didn’t. Her eyes were still closed as his lips started to brush up against hers. Slowly, he deepened the kiss, Nishi’s hands wondering up to his shoulders. She could feel his hair brushing against her forehead, and his other hand moving to the other side of her face as he held her head and continued to kiss her.
---
Jaki smiled as he watched from his spot. He was sitting on the highest branch in a tree not far from where the couple stood as they showed their affections towards one another. He started to feel sick as they embraced the other. He decided it was time to retreat and he returned back to Zenika’s castle.
Jaki jumped on a chair in his room, looking down at a pillow that sat on the floor. He imagined that Kaioshin was on the ground, scared as hell at the thought of what could be done to him. “Don’t worry, Prince of the Kais…I’ll take care of you.” The impish dwarf let out a high-pitched laugh. “Queen Zenika will see that I’m the only one she needs to help with the ruling of the universe. Who needs a small purple elf? I’m better!” He jumped off the chair and onto the pillow, feathers bursting out from the seams.