Gwen: "Now, back to Hawk Moth."
(Gwen said, crossing her legs.)
Gwen: "Who is he?"
Master Fu: "Ah, yes. Hawk Moth. How did he come to be? Yao Lin created the miraculouses to protect and defend the people, and those who were chosen to be their holders did indeed uphold their mission. The initial holders carried the miraculous with honor and pride, always bearing in mind the ideals that Yao Lin professed since the day he passed them on. But as time went by, like all people, Yao Lin grew old, and though he had used his magic to extend his own life, he knew that he would eventually die. That meant that he needed someone to pass on his knowledge... an heir, or an apprentice if you prefer. And he found one, in a young man named Lee Zhou."
Kevin: "Am I correct to assume that he betrayed him?"
(Kevin asked with a glare.)
Becky: "You're one to talk."
(Becky muttered.)
Becky: "Evil isn't born, Kevin. It's made."
Master Fu: "Rebecca is correct."
(Master Fu said.)
Master Fu: "Lee Zhou wasn't always the wicked man you know and hate. He was born into a family of five. His parents were humble farmers, who lived off the land. Being the oldest, he took care of his brothers. Of course, things did not stay that way for long. One winter, death claimed the lives of his mother and his brothers. After that, his father started to drink to appease the constant pain of losing his wife and children, and when drunk, he used to beat up his only remaining son, sometimes because he believed that he had done something wrong, others, just because he felt like it. The poor young man became a prisoner of cruelty in its bitterest form. Eventually, his father also died and he saw himself alone in the world. The now street rat became a pickpocket in order to survive, until one day, when he had the misfortune of stealing the wallet of a stranger."
(Allison sighed as she hung her head down, her lovely raven locks dangling down in front of her face, this story resonating with her and her brother the most.)
Allison: "I know the feeling. Me and Kevin here lost our dad at an early age."
(Allison said.)
Allison: "We were homeless and lived in the abandoned subways in New York until these guys came along. He stole as well while I worked all the jobs I could to get money."
Ben: "The stranger that he stole from had to have been this Yao Lin guy, didn't he?"
(Ben asked.)
Master Fu: "Correct. When Lee Zhou stole his wallet, and saw that it was empty, he cursed his luck, for he had not eaten in many days and was certain that he would starve to death. That's when Yao Lin shows up, and Lee Zhou, thinking that he was mad at him for stealing his wallet, tried to run away. But Yao Lin instead, talked with him and asked him if he would join him for supper. And at said supper, he explained everything that I just finished telling you. Who he was, where he had come from, how he ended up on the streets, everything. And the more he heard, the more pity he felt for him, not only because he sympathized with him, but because he could see that he was quite smart; smarter than most people he had met over the years. He believed that one would not rise to its full potential, if not given the opportunity. With that in mind, he decided to make him his apprentice."
Jen: "That was the biggest mistake that he had ever made in his life."
(Jen surmised.)
Ivan: "Yao Lin did not know it at the time, but you are right."
(Ivan said.)
Ivan: "Even the opportunity. With that in mind, he decided to make him his apprentice."
Master Fu: "Lee was a quick learner, and soon, Yao Lin felt that he had found the one who would succeed him. He taught him just about everything he could, happy to know that his knowledge would survive him and would be passed onto a newer generation after he was gone."
(Master Fu went on.)
Master Fu: "But, as you predicted, things did not go as Yao Lin expected them. When it came the time for Lee Zhou to know about the miraculouses and their kwamis, Yao Lin taught him how one was chosen by them to use its power for good, while respecting the rules of its use. At first, the young man assimilated the knowledge, without questioning his master. But, later, as he studied the subject, he began questioning his master's teachings, asking him why could not the miraculouses be used to wage on war against those who treated the weak badly, or exact a revenge. But most of all, he asked, why should the holders of such amazing power worry themselves in fighting for people who never cared about them in the first place. He began to believe that being the strongest, they should be the ones ruling, ensuring that justice was uphold by everyone, forcing their will. Yao Lin, of course, dismissed these questions, as being questions done by someone who was still young and who would eventually attend a higher comprehension of his teachings."
Ben: "I don't know how experienced you French are with that kind of stuff."
(Ben said.)
Ben: "But we Americans are stubborn enough to know that that kind of stuff never happens, even at that age."
Master Fu: "Indeed. Lee Zhou kept questioning his master, and soon became arrogant, believing Yao Lin could not teach him anything else. But he himself, believed that he had something to teach his master. He would take one of the miraculous and use it to prove that he was right, when saying that a miraculous holder could use its power to enforce its will, and thus, establish justice. One night, when he thought that his master was asleep, we went to the room where the Book of Prophecies and the Miraculous were, with the sole intent of claiming one of the miraculous for himself."
Kevin: "How?"
(Kevin asked.)
Kevin: "We already established that the animal spirits decide who is worthy to hold the miraculouses."
Master Fu: "Well, he thought he had found a spell that would enable him to write his name on one of the miraculous pages. From the ones that were not activated, he decided that he was going to claim the Raven miraculous. But, when he opened the Book of Prophecies to write down his name, he was surprised to see a page with an illustration of himself being caught by Yao Lin. Obviously, he did not care for it. Flipping the pages, he found the one he needed. Casting the spell, he was about to write down his name on the page, when the door opened and Yao Lin caught him on the act. Asking him what he was doing, Lee Zhou answered back, by attacking his master. A fierce fight broke out, destroying numerous things in the old wu's house, but in the end, Yao Lin was victorious. And then, Yao Lin faced a terrible dilemma. Should he kill his apprentice, or should he spare his life? For attempting to both steal a miraculous and defile the Book of Prophecies with dark magic, along with attempting to murder him, Lee Zhou should be killed. But, if he did that, Yao Lin would betray his own teachings. Instead, he decided to banish him, ordering him to never return to that place. But Lee Zhou swore revenge, and told Yao Lin that he would come back one day, to finish what he had started."
[To Be Continued...]