Description: May Lee finally returns to the Kaphawn home after traveling post war. A little lecture is in order as well as a request that the pupil wishes to ask of her teacher.
And so, the day was saved, thanks to...!
Well in the end it had been quite the group effort. May Lee had been there, of course. Giving it her all as she always does. She hadn't been the one to give Vega the final boot to the head that the dictator sorely needs, but, she'd done her part. The true measure of a Hero is not that they are the ones who get the glory... it is that they do what is Right. Whilst May Lee would dearly have loved to be the one credited with ending Vega's reign of terror... she will settle for the knowledge she has done her job well.
Now she needs to see that everyone else is okay. Her mobile phone had not survived the nuke, and so after touching down in Korea again, her first job is to take herself back to the Kaphwan dojo, to let Kim know that she is okay, and make sure everyone else pulled through too.
May is still smiling; she may never stop. It has been a fantastic victory. But she is also tired. So very tired.
Tired is a nice way of putting it. Most of those caught in the war are far more than that. There have been many sleepless nights during that period and for even Kim Kaphwan there have been a few of those even once everything has settled down. Mostly for the fact there has been so much training. Thankfully Jae Hoon and Jhun have both been around to help teach the many people that signed up to learn the style of Tae Kwon Do after seeing the power Kim and his friends wield as well as many captured soldiers that are in need of reforming.
He has probably gone two days without a rest at this point. Somehow the man still seems to be all smiles despite the obvious bags under his eyes. He isn't as young as he once was and as much as he tries to hide it he can really feel himself in need of rest. At least he has had some tea to help him keep alert at the moment as he finally dismisses a group of new trainees. There is a smile and he closes his eyes as he takes a deep breath. He will take these kind of sleepless days far more than the ones he was having when the war was going on.
It is when he reopens his eyes and he starts to get moving himself he catches sight of May Lee. "MAY LEE!" comes the rather loud shout. It actually makes some of the exiting trainees jump in surprise and they actually scurry out faster now. Was he mad? They weren't really wanting to stick around to find out.
May Lee perks up at the loud shout. Despite the volume, it is a voice that she could not be more happy to hear. The War has taken its toll all over, but despite the fact that there is going to be a long, slow period of rehabilitation and reconstruction, May Lee feels like the future is bright. They had faced the very worst that could have happened, and they've come through it alive. Uninjured, even. May Lee had her spirit tested, and to know with absolute certainty that she is not afraid to put her life on the line for what she believes in... it is a lesson that you cannot learn until you are faced with it.
May moves with more of a spring in her step, towards her teacher. It is good to see that he has been keeping busy! And that the dojo is going from strength to strength. She doesn't return the shout, instead, she waits until she is nice and close. Both hands come together, and she bows in the traditional manner, closing her eyes and smiling as she does.
"Master Kim!" She replies, apparently completely unconcerned about whether the volume meant she was in trouble. "It is good to see you. I hope you weren't... too worried. JUSTICE..." And, she smiles... with, teeth that seem very white indeed. "Has won!"
He isn't really known to be one that is easy to anger. Even so his face is more serious than usual as he returns the bow and just seems to eye his student a bit as she speaks. "I was wondering if I would see you again." he admits as he taps a bare foot a few times. "I thought we had discussed things about you going off on your own!" The tone isn't really anger. It is more of someone that is very concerned. Running off to go fight Vega wasn't exactly a great plan to him. Even someone like Kim who can be so gung ho about things wanted to think things over.
He reaches out and puts a hand on the young woman's shoulder as that stern expression softens. "You had everyone worried. You should have at least brought someone along with you. We may have never known what happened to you if something bad had occurred." It is probably a good thing he doesn't know about the nuke. She seems to be getting off easy so maybe he just thinks that she ran off and nothing really came from her search for the evil overlord known as Vega.
He motions over to a bench as he moves there to take a seat. He is still a bit worn out from the constant classes and can finally use a bit of a rest, even if it means just having a seat for a few moments. "You heard about Chun-li?" he asks and that rather infection smile of his returns full on. "Justice truely won on all sides!"
"Master Kim..."
May Lee actually seems to hesitate. Not known for being one to think things through overmuch herself, the scolding - mild as it was - does seem to have given her pause for thought. An awful lot had happened in her pursuit for Vega! She was blown up, of course... but she'd also traded blows with one of the top Shadaloo lieutenants! She hadn't managed to lay a foot on Vega, that is true, but in her own way... she had contributed to his downfall. She might be tired, but there is some new confidence in her. She has to speak up!
"Thank you for saving her, that... is fantastic."
And then she straightens, and brushes her hand through her hair. She still hasn't replaced her goggles, and the whole mess is... rather tangled.
"But I... had to follow my heart! I couldn't stand to wait, and in the end... Master Kim, I faced Mike Bison, and I won!" Which is technically true, even! "And... I survived a nuclear weapon!"
Her hands move to her hips, and she straightens up tall. "Master Kim, I'm ready to stop training and go out in the world, to do some good!"
Survived a nuclear weapon? Fought Mike Bison? Mentioning both of those kind of subdue the smile as he seems to look at May Lee in a bit of a critical manner. It does seem she has had quite an adventure in comparison to his own. He crosses his arms over his chest as he hears the declaration and seems to mull things over. If she is talking about that massive explosion in China he is not too happy to hear she was around that. At the same time there were rumors of capable fighters there so at least she maybe had help?
The fact he is silent for so long might be a bad thing. "You think you are ready?" he asks finally while raising a hand to his chin to lightly stroke at the small bit of stubble that has grown there from where he hasn't been shaving. May Lee may not be of his blood, but the few years he has been training her he feels almost like he has a daughter, even two when he counts Chae Lim. "Where do you plan to go? Just wander the world?" he asks as he stands back up. "How do you plan to pay for it all?"
It looks like he is grilling her a bit, but wouldn't an concerned teacher? He steps back over to his student. His eyes narrow a bit and he just stares at her for a few long moments. If she was looking for his blessing was she going to get it? It is hard to tell.
May Lee squirms uncomfortably through the silence. It had all been very risky! Although she had indeed had help - Terry and Sagat had practically fought Vega on their own, and she hadn't been fighting Bison on her own - she hadn't been prepared to take a nuclear explosion, OR to fight a man who can punch almost as hard as one. But she'd done it, and she's still standing. That has to count for something, whether or not Kim is disapproving!
"I want to go to America." She says, seriously. "I've used up most of my savings running around trying to keep up with all the war stuff... but I've been to America before! I was trying to get Ken to get ready for all this before it happened!" Which... might have been another minor diversion from training which she didn't exactly get approval for beforehand, but she's soon moving on.
"I've got enough money left for a one way ticket, and I'll work! Maybe... do a few exhibition matches, or work in kitchens, that sort of thing!" She's smiling bright and cheerful again. "I heard there were all sorts of gangs that tried to help out Shadaloo in the States... and that there were others who tried to fight them! Which means... there's tons of gangs, and some of them might even be perfect candidates for some Kaphwan Rehabilitation!" She clasps her hands together tightly behind her back.
"Master Kim... Korea needs you to be there as an example, whilst everyone is, you know, rebuilding. But... I can do more good, elsewhere. Don't you think?"
It is very hard for him to try to keep that serious look. Even as she speaks she can see bits of his smile cracking through the attempted stone expression. He was never good at playing the tough guy when it comes to certain people. He just closes his eyes and nods a bit to himself as his lips quirk into that smile. "I see. Well if you wish to have my approval...." he trails off trying to keep the young fighter on edge, but she knows Kim all too well. He is going to say yes.
He reaches out to ruffle the already mussed up hair of May Lee as he reopens his eyes. "Just be sure to keep in contact with us!" She is old enough to handle herself. Kim was never one to hold someone back from their desires either.......well.....maybe Chang and Choi. He will always keep a close eye on those two. "And if you ever want a ticket back all you have to do is call!" It is something he is fine with offering. He knows she won't take him up on the offer. She will make due and he will be interested to see just really what happens to the young woman. She has the spirit to go far and really there is little more he can teach her at this point. He will just hope she swims instead of sinks.
"But first...." he trails off again and he rests his hands on his hips as he straightens up. "We will have a going away party!" he declares and those teeth shine brightly. "One fitting for a warrior of JUSTICE!"
May Lee fidgets on the spot even though she is sure that Kim is going to agree to her plan. It just isn't easy waiting for the decision to be made. When he finally says yes, she gives a happy squeal, and jumps into the air. It is though her fatigue has been suddenly and completely evaporated. When she lands again she is smiling brighter than ever... and actually comes forwards to give Kim an enthusiastic hug.
It doesn't last long of course. Whilst neither Kim nor May Lee are particularly normal examples of the mentor/student relationship, she does feel a little embarrassed to hug him in the middle of the dojo. Ahem.
"I... need to talk to my parents as well, of course." She says, scratching behind the back of her head. "It'll, be a few weeks I imagine. They've been worrying about everything... but I'm sure they'll be proud, and, after they've had me around a little while, they'll probably be happy to get rid of me again!"
There's more laughter, cheerful and honest. A party! An exciting trip! After all the life-threatening stress and danger, the lingering fear that everything *wouldn't* be okay... it is as though the clouds are finally parting, and the weight of the world is falling from her shoulders.
There is an understanding nod as she explains that she hasn't even cleared this by her parents. Kim just chuckles lightly and slaps the young woman on the back. "Doesn't mean we can't celebrate tonight! We will have fun then I will also call your parents and help talk them into it if you need it!" Not only that he might just fail to mention he will find ways to keep tabs on her. May Lee may be growing up, but he will still always worry. He has enough connections almost anywhere to get someone to at least check on her if Kim feels like it needs to happen.
Even as tired as he is he finds himself full of energy once more. Maybe it is because finally for the first time in a long while May Lee looks like she is back to her old self. The war really had taken a toll on her and the fact Chun-Li was rescued on top of Vega being defeated it finally seems she will have time to just be a young adult once more instead of worrying about such dire matters. Hopefully it will be a nice, long time before she will have to worry about such things again. "Come now! We should go tell everyone!"
Log created on 13:25:57 04/03/2012 by Kim, and last modified on 14:41:46 05/08/2012.