Mei

The Power Within

Uncle, Jackie, Mei, and Jade are dining at a Chinese restaurant near the shop called 'House of Wu.'

"Chinese food? I just moved here from Hong Kong. Can we get some Tex-Mex?" Jade asked.

"Jackie, Mei, the rooster talisman possess enormous power," Uncle told them.

Jade reaches over and picks up the talisman, "What's it do?"

"Manners, Jade," Jackie told her as he took the talisman from her and placed it next to his bowl.

"Ancient legend speaks of twelve talismans," Uncle said. He held up his placemat which had the Chinese zodiac on it," One for each animal of the Chinese zodiac. Each possessing a different magic."

"What kind of magic?" Jade asked him close to his face.

"Jade," Jackie said as he pushed Jade back into her seat.

"Legend also says that the talismans were scattered to the four corners of the globe," Uncle continued.

"The monks who raised me had told me of this legend when I was a child, but I had always thought of it as just a bedtime story they would tell me. But I guess that there is often truth in the stories we are told as children," Mei voiced.

"If this or any talisman should fall into evil hands..."

"Jackie and Mei will give them smacking with their lighting fists of steel," Jade does some kung fu punches and accidentally hits the table causing the teapot and cups to shake, making a noise and gaining the attention of a couple in the restaurant.

"Hello," Jackie waved at them and they went back to their meal.

"Hey, when are you going to teach me some of your moves?" Jade asked him.

"Later, Jade," Jackie told her. He picks up the talisman, "Uncle, do you really believe in such a myth?"

Uncle hits Jackie on the head with his chopsticks," Does that answer your question?"

"Hey, Jackie over here," Jade said. The three saw that Jade wasn't in her seat and looked over to see her standing in an open space in the restaurant, "I got the moves."

Jade begins to imitate the martial art skills she saw Jackie use causing Jackie's eyes to open wide, "Jade, not indoors."

While trying to imitate them, she accidentally kicks a waiter, which causes a chain of accidents and wreckage. The bowl of soup lands on Uncle's face, causing him to knock over a lamp on the table next to him and setting the table cloth on fire.

"Fire!" Jackie exclaimed. He and Mei went into action, Jackie grabbed a table cloth and threw it to Mei, who used it to smother the fire. And Uncle managed to get the bowl of soup that was stuck off his head.

Jackie goes over and apologizes to the waiter that Jade had kicked, "My niece is very sorry," he picks up Jade and holds her in front of the waiter, "Aren't you, niece?"

"I am such a dork," Jade said. The waiter walks away and Jackie puts Jade down before they joined Uncle and Mei back at their table, "I was just trying to get you to teach me, Jackie," She explained.

"The wise seek power within themselves. The foolish seek it within others. Until you harness the power within yourself, I cannot teach you," Jackie advised her.

"Huh?"

"It means you must have the discipline to behave yourself," Jackie explained. A waiter arrives with their food, "Now eat your food."

"Power within got it," Jade said as her soup was placed in front of her and begins to eat it at a fast pace.

"Don't eat like a baboon. You should chew your food," Jackie told her.