Battle High - Herbs

"Ehm, I don't disturb you in anything Lanfen?" James looked a bit worried at Lanfen that was moving quickly around in the kitchen. It was at blinding speed knives, pots, frying pans, ingrediens and more flew around with the short chubby girl  in the storm.
It felt like he would be shredded if he made one wrong step.
"Oh, hey James! You like meatballs right?" Lanfen let out a big smile, that always looked natural on her as he nodded. "Yes, I do--- Wait, I'm  not here about food, I need to ask you something important."
"Just ask, I gladly help if I can."
James flickered with his eyes a bit. "Ehm, it's so that Masuyo been hit by that nasty flu that is around." Evem if he was mostly dragged inbetween her and Envy, was he still a guy that was concearn about others, and seeing how sick Masuyo gotten made him a bit worried.
"Oh, I heard that, many are sick now. That is why I help in the kitchen. And the school council." She laughed a bit. "So much to do for sudden!"
"Ah, yes. But I wondered if you have, you know, like some chinese medicines? Remedy of herbs or something that could help her a bit?" His question made her suddenly stop, and instantly he felt it was wrong thing to say.
"You mean, just because I'm chinese, do I know about herbs? You take me for a stereotype?" she looked at him with complaining eyes. It made him feel stupid and blushed a bit. "Ah, sorry, I didn't mean to take you for a stereotype, really sorry if I upset you Lanfen."
Suddenly she laughed and pat him on the shoulder. "I'm just kidding, sorry about it. I know a lot of herbs, my grandmother tought me much."
For a moment he was struck, taking a few seconds before he grasped the situation. "Oh... I see."
"I'm chinese, I know Kung-Fu, I know lot about herbs and natural medicine, I like noodles and rice. Guess I can't be more of a stereotype." Lanfen lauged again as started to work, picking the pace instantly. "I know a few herbs, although we must get to mainland and to the mountain. Back and forth it would take about two days."
"I see. But think it would be worth it, as well can we bring to some others." He smiled a bit as Lanfen nodded. "Of course. I like it, a good and nice plan."
Quickly she looked at the clock. "A boat is leaving in two hours, so guess we should catch that one. So pack your bags and we will meet at the dock."
"Thanks Lanfen, I appreciate it really." He smiled a bit as he left, and felt at ease; both that Lanfen would help him, but also being out of the kitchen so he wouldn't get hit by a knife or something.

"What is she doing here?" Lanfen wrinkled her forehead as she saw Envy standing beside James, more or less glued to his arm. "Of course I can't let James go with chubby, on a romantic trip. Don't think you will take him from me Lanfen."
Lanfen rolled her eyes as she picked up her backpack and walked on to the boat. "Be nice Envy." James muttered a bit, felt uncomfortable with Envy hanging from his arm like a leech. Cute surely, but more then enough crazy for two people. "Never ~"
Soon the boat had left the dock, slowly moving over dark waves to mainland. Shortly Lanfen described about the herbs, what they did and some old ancients beliefs about them. James listened with idle ears, it was always a surprise that Lanfen knew so much, and she was rather good at learning it to others as well.
Although Envy mostly jawned, and had forgotten most of what Lanfen said; herbs are boring.  As soon they hit land, did they use the bus to get out of town, and as they jumped off the bus, were they in the forest. "I hope both of you know about camping." Lanfen said and looked at both of them. How they looked at each other, the nervous laughter from James and Envy shrugging shoulder, made her sigh. "Have you never been camping before?"
"Well, it was a long time." James sighed. "Sorry, I... didn't think that far."
"Don't worry, I'm used to it, so it's fine." Lanfen grinned while Envy pouted a bit. Looked like the chubby girl was about to steal the show. Also, did she have her own sinister plans, to stop Lanfen from finding herbs, so Masuyo would continue to be sick so she could have James for her own. "HAHAHAHAHA!!!----" She turned qiuet as they both looked at her. "Sorry."
"Well, the herbs wont collect themselves, so let's move." The chubby chinese girl took the lead, and quickly they started to move through the forest and up the mountain.

Neither James or Envy had bad endurance, it was actually very good. Especially Envy was like a energized bunny with energy. However, caring heavy backpacks and climbing hard and uneven ground that they weren't used to, quickly drained them both.
While Envy was like a energized bunny, was Lanfen like a juggernaut from hell that just continued to walk. "What are you two doing?"
"Sorry Lanfen, I need a break, my legs..." James panted for air and sat down on a rock, letting his backpack down. Quickly Envy joined the ground as well, letting out a sigh of relief. "My feet is killing meeeeee---"
Lanfen sighed a bit. "At this pace, it will take like a week up and down."
"Really?" James and Envy looked up at her as she giggled. "Not really, but like one, two days longer."
"I'm sorry, I was the one that got this idea, I can't give up now." James bit his lip, and picked up his backpack again, showing greater determination then before; he would make it, even if his legs fell off!
Envy looked at him, and for a moment, was he really damn cool. No wonder she was so in love with him! He had like this, hidden coolness within the cuteness!
"That's the spirit. Although you still seem to be shaky." Lanfen grinned a bit as James truly was shaking, his leg was so damn tired. "Guess there is nothing else to do."
James whelped surprised as Lanfen suddenly took his backpack and hooked it to her own, as well took Envy's to balance it out. "So, let's continue."
Before they could even say something about it, had Lanfen like a trained continued to climb the rough earth. "Oi, she is like a mule!" Envy laughed as she got help up from James that looked a bit worried at Lanfen. "Yes, but still, that much weight, and walking this terrain..."
"Eh, let her do that, if she think its fun."

They walked for a couple of hours. Now where Envy and James more able to move and adjust to the train, without the extra weight, as well as Lanfen moved slower.
"How does the herb look like?" James looked at Lanfen, whos face was red and sweaty by now. "Ah, didn't I show you a picture of it? Going to show it later, have it in my pack."
"Okey, but are you alright? Need to rest?" He asked, a bit worried as she shook her head. "I'm just fund Jems."
"What?"
"I mean, Im just fine Jim... Ah, James. Sorry." She laughed quietly and wobbled a bit. "Oh, think I need a break now."
James quickly helped her off with the backpacks as Envy peered on Lanfen's face and touched her forehead with a finger. "Yikes, your are like an oven, you have a fever." she exclaimed as Lanfen breathed heavy. "It's... nothing. Just give me a few minutes and I'm fine to continue."
"No, we can't continue like this! We set camp now, you need to rest." Envy was surprised how serious James was, and Lanfen seemed to notice it as well. "Okey James."
He nodded and turned to the backpacks and started to look through the bags, quickly unpacking the things needed; a tent to set up and some sleeping bags and eqiupment to make food.
It was a struggle to see how James and Envy fought with the tent. James barely remembered how to put one up, Envy had never done it before. As they struggled, did Lanfen in the end, even with her fever, help them setting it up. "Wow, this was hard. I rather fight Masuyo then setting up a tent." Envy growled a bit, feeling stupid because that chubby fever-girl was still more of use then her. "Now rest Lanfen, I will fix anything!"
"I'm glad for that Envy." Lanfen smiled sincerely, before she slowly crawled into the tent, to take of her shirt and just fade away in a sleeping bag. "Oi, close it!" Envy covered the opening and quickly zipped it with a sigh. "That fever have hit her hard."
James sat on a rock and clenched her fist. First Masuyo, now Lanfen. His will to help them just turned things to the worse. Even Lanfen, that was sick, did so much more. If he wanted to be satisfied with himself, did he need to step up a little. A thought Envy shared with him as she called out. "Okey, now let set up a camp-fire!"

It took a moment until they had fixed a basic campfire, with rocks and sticks, as James had remembered seeing a long time ago. And it was logical so it was probably right thing they did. Soon a fire was burning, after Envy's struggle to try and lit it with two sticks (until she found a lighter in Lanfen's backpack), and soon they were boiling warm water from the stream nearby.
With the food they had, did James try to make a soup, mixing the ingridiens in the warm water. "It's kind of cool to see a guy cooking food ~" Envy smirked as she sat down on a rock and followed his movement with her eyes. He let off a smile, before it dropped a bit. "I don't know much about cooking, not like Lanfen."
"Hmpf, can't compare yourself to her, she is weird." she replied, tapping a finger on her lips. "But still, full of surprised. Stubborn and hardworking like an ox."
"Yes, I never thought of it, was just natural to see her working around all the time, that I never thought of her getting sick." The young male sighed a bit. "Just realize how much we depend on her, especially now."
Envy grimaced. "Well, guess she have her good qualites, that chubby girl. She is just so much in the background that you never think of her." She said and shrugged and smelled the food. "And I'm starving! Done soon?"
With a tap from the spoon against the rim did he nod. "Yes, I guess so. But don't expect anything as good as Lanfen's cooking." Even before he had filled her bowl, had Lanfen crawled out from the tent with a blanket around her. The dark eyes were tired and her face still red of fever as she seemingly was shaking. She smelled a bit, before picking up some spices and threw them in the pot and lastly a little bottle she put a few drops in. "Think you will survive it." she said quietly, as James frowned and filled her a bowl and saw her crawl back into the tent. "What was that bottle?"
"Maybe some secret chinese medicine?" Envy grinned a bit and ate of the bowl he had filled for her. It was a bit tastless, missing some spices, but she refused to say anything and ate it. Anyway was she hungry and easy ate it all.
"Oh, tasted great!" She grinned as he smiled a bit. "Thanks, though I guess I missed a few things." The smell was more intense then before, and made his stomach grumble more as he filled his own bowl with the soup. One spoon and it felt heave; hunger was the best spice after all.
After eating half the bowl did his face suddenly turn red, dropped the bowl and rushed to the stream to drench his mouth. "It burns like acid." James panted, drenched by the water. "What? Can't be that bad." Envy frowned as she ate of it as well. First it was nothing, but soon he saw her fly down the stream. "WATER!!!"

"My tongue is burning." James grimaced a bit while Envy dried her face with a small towel. "Be glad for that, I don't even HAVE a tongue anymore! Crap that stuff was strong, felt like a punch in the face and stomach!"
"Yes, that was intense. But was still good and I.... feel much better now, rejuvinated."
"Now when you mention it, feels like I could fight a bear!" Envy laughed as she changed to dry clothes behind the tent. Even if she first had teased him with her wet clothes, had she given in to change to dry clothes. And it of course felt much better to do so.
"Guess that flask was ment for that. A painful but quick cure." He smiled a bit, if Lanfen ate things like that, no wonder she was able to stay up and work so much. Mean while Envy changed her clothes, had James looked through the backpacks to find the book and after a quick search he had found a picture of the herb they looked for.
"Think we should look for the herb around her. Not to far away if Lanfen need helps, meanwhile we still wait." He looked up as he heard Envy came out done and nodded. "Sure, I can't sit still now anyways."
With the knowledge about how the herb was looking like, did they start to search around. Even when the sun was setting down did they search with flashlights. Their labour bare fruit as they found some herbs, even if it wasn't to much.
"Guess this is it for now." James dried the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, it had been hard work but he felt a bit more proud of himself now. As he heard steps behind him did he turn around to look for Envy. "Envy, how much---"
He froze as he stood face to face with a big brown bear that looked back. At first he just stood there, couldn't comprehend that he stood against a real bear, until he slowly started to move backwards.
The bear didn't look afraid, but was seemingly not interested by him. Not until he feel on his back and accidently blinded the bear with his flashlight, which made it let out a belowing growl and stood up on it hind legs.  
Before it attacked, was a warcry like from an amazon heard, as Envy flew down from a tree to knee the bear between the neck and shoulder. "Take that Teddy, no one put my baby in the corner!" she shouted, her fear was put away by her adrenaline. Although the bear barely flinched, and surprised by it's speed had it smacked her down hard in the ground. The pain rushed through her body, but quickly she rolled to the side to avoid claws ripping her open. Like a monkey had she gotten up on her feet and jumped up in the tree. "Damn, thought my move was a killer!" she hissed a bit as James backed a bit. "Envy, don't fight it! It's a bear!"
"So what! Not gonna let some damn bear harm you!" she growled back at the bear that suddenly jumped up in the air and turned the tree into chips with a spinning kick. "What the fuck is that!? Did the bear just use martial arts?!" Envy tumbled around on the ground as the bear, standing in a martial art pose, growled at her.
"It's a wild Kung-fu bear!" James realized instantly how silly that sounded, but that was facts, it was a wild bear, using Kung-fu.
And it knew damn well Kung-fu, as it surprisingly agile followed Envy in her movement, even more dangerous as the bear just destroyed any tree and rock in it's way. With clever tactics and usage if it's enviroment, had it soon corned them both. "Shit, this isn't good." Envy panted, bleeding from cuts and felt her body bruised like from a fight with a nasty Masuyo. As the bear slowly walked towards them, did Envy grab James shaking hand. "Don't worry, you aren't alone." She said, trying to sound secure, but felt hopeless as the bear apparently was loading for a finisher.
"I'm sorry for putting you through this. As well Lanfen and Masuyo, all of you." He said quietly and looked at the bear. "In the end, I couldn't do the right thing." And the massive claws was slashing against their heads.

James had waited for darkness and pain, probably instantly being killed. Yet, he didn't feel it, and as he opened his eyes, was the claws inches from their faces. The bear was standing still shaking as it whimpered in pain, and it took a moment before he saw Lanfen standing beside it. The chubby girl was wearing her pants and only a sport bra while the blanket was taken by the wind, while her fingers was struck right through the bears side. It had immobilized it enough and James quickly took the chance and pulled away himself and Envy from the danger. "Lanfen!" He shouted but didn't get any reply from the girl that backed from the bear and took her pose. "Lanfen?"
"She won't hear you." Envy bit her swollen lip and grimaced. "She is unconscious, probably from the fever."
"But how can she fight then?" James eyes followed Lanfen as she moved, avoiding claws and kicks from a style she herself was using, striking with her knuckles that soon became red by blood. "There are those that can do that, fight while asleep, unconscious, even fight a while when died. It take insane amount of training to program your body for that, and I don't want to know what hellish training Lanfen did for be able to do this."
Envy clenched her fist, guessed she needed to step her level up a bit, she couldn't let Lanfen be to awesome!
But something was clearly off, Lanfen didn't fight as she used to. Usually it was something jolly and fun in how she fought, now she was not wasting her movement, and each strike was powerful that even the bear was crying out in pain and tried to run. But she didn't let it go.
Soon energy was burning around her, and they both saw a change in the chubby girl; how her speed and power seemed to increase as she kicked the bear up in the air, a move that should be impossible. Quickly she vanished and with powerful burst of energy, her ki, had the bear been struck down into the ground, now unconscious in a crater.
"L-Lanfen?" James trembled a bit as Lanfen landed, her aura was completely different from before. Empty, with a lingering threat. As well had her body become thinner, as she burned her calories to pure energy, ki, that had been used to strike down the bear.
Although now she stood still, staring with empty eyes forward. "Lanfen?" Envy slowly walked towards her, but didn't dare to get to close.
"Better not get near her for a while, she might kill you." An old woman's voice was heard, as James and Envy turned around to see, not a old woman, but more a fossilized woman, appear from the woods. "Look what she did with Fish." The old female complained as she patted the bear on the head, that slowly woke up. "Good boy, good boy."
"Who are you? And is that your bear lady?" James looked worried as the lady nodded. "Of course, I needed company so I found a bear and thought him some tricks."
"Tricks?" Envy raised an eyebrow as the bear grumbled in pain, licking its palm. "This is must be a dream, all of it."

It wasn't. The old lady walked towards Lanfen, even when James and Envy didn't dare, and as they had feared did Lanfen move to strike the old lady. But before they had been able to do anything, had the woman struck Lanfen first, so quick that they weren't sure if she actually had done it.
Though Lanfen suddenly stopped, and blinked a bit. First she seemed confused. "What happened?"
"You pounded a bear, while unconscious." Envy grinned a bit. "Even I admit, that was pretty cool."
"Oh, hope it's okay." James was surprised that Lanfen was worried about the bear, and even more as Lanfen suddenly let out a shriek and hugged the old lady. "Grandma! What are you doing here?"
"Oh, you are as stupid and silly as ever Lanfen. I told you, that I would watch over my granddaughters." She chuckled, smacking a bit with wrinkled lips. "You still lack discipline."
"I'm sorry grandma." Lanfen hanged her head a bit.
"And not decent dressed in front of people either."
"What?" Lanfen turned red, both that she was just having her bra on, and lost a lot of weight. "S-sorry, nothing to see!"
Quickly had she jumped away to hid in the forest while the old lady sighed. "Silly girl, never grow up. Here are some herbs, know you are looking for some." She held a bag to a surprised Envy. "You are a good fighter, agile and swift. Especially clever usage of the terrain, smart.  And you boy, not the strongest fighter but used good strategies, and born under a lucky star. If you two train more, you might beat Fish soon."
"I... you saw it all?" James mumbled bit while Envy snorted. "Typical mysterious old hags." she said and looked at James. "Guess we could easy outsmart that bear really---" As they looked for the old woman, was she gone, as well the bear Fish.
"That was... weird.
"You name it."

"What? Is it true? You fought a bear?" Jo shook her head a bit in disbelief, while Kirei laughed. "Awesome, guess we need to find a bear and beat it as well, Team KAJS (Kirei, Andrew, Jo and Sauria) can't lose to Envy and James!"
"Bah, you can try. Now I just want to be lazy again, missed that ~" Envy grinned at them as Andrew chewed on his burger. "It sounds fishy though."
Envy looked at James over that sentence, before they both laughed over something that completely went over the others head. They had kept some things out of their stories, especially the part of Lanfen going insane and kicked the shit out of the bear, as well about her conversion ability. She didn't want to freak people out by it and James understood that, and promised to not talk about it, as well made Envy agree on it too.
"Oi, what are you doing Kirei?" The one armed Jo looked after the red head that suddenly moved out from the dinner hall. "Gonna find a bear!"
"She is energetic as ever." Andrew let out a laugh as Jo grimaced. "With our luck I bet she will find a bear that fights with kung-fu or something. And what are you two laughing about?"
"Nothing." replied Envy and James in a choir. At least was it a happy ending, as Masuyo got better, as well Lanfen and many others.
It had been a interesting few days for sure.