Ship In A Bottle (A Monkie Kid Reader Insert)

Chapter 18: Phthalo Green

"You don't mind waiting here, yes?" asked the russet-haired boy, facing back to your once-again glamoured self. "I've agreed to accompany someone on our way."

"That someone a fighter, by any chance?" You quizzed back, standing in front of some sort of dojo. It didn't stand out as much as the other surrounding buildings, but your focus was more on the happenings inside.

Rasmus' hum of confirmation fell on deaf ears as you watched the instructor guide each child. One child in particular, the same little girl with the pink headband, seemed to have earned the instructor's praise the most.

Gibby on the other hand, she was staring at the instructor himself. It wasn't a gut feeling, but...it felt like there was something more to this person. Grabbing her focus away from the black and red wearing man, was a sudden movement.

Behind him, his shadow. Gibby squinted her eyes and leaned closer, much to your confusion with her mane falling on your face. Only then, did the shadow catch her staring, displaying its six ears the way a peacock would with its tail feathers.

Gibby flinched, mane raising into spikes before hiding behind you, clinging on your back. You tried to hide your wince as her nails dug deeper than usual, looking at whatever she was looking at to see what could've scared her so much.

...Only to see nothing out of the ordinary.

'Did I...miss something, Gibby?'

"Uhhh- nope! Nuh-uh, It's nothing. It's-"

If it was really nothing, Gibby wouldn't suddenly shift into a bee to hide in your hair. Not convinced, you did a double check on the dojo for anything out of place. But before you could, Rasmus brought your focus back to the girl as she exited through the door.

"Lily, this is Blue. Blue..."

He gestured to the girl, back to her normal clothes; training clothes now inside her backpack.

"This is Bai He, but you may call her Lily."

Lily waved, smiling chipperly. "Hi hi!"

You waved back, wondering where you heard her surname from. Surnames come first in China, right?

"You're the kid Rasmus babysits, yeah?"

As all three of you started to walk, Lily stuck her tongue out with an exaggerated noise. "That makes me sound like I'm in preschool."

"I do look after her, yes. But that is because her father is still unsure about her navigating the city on her own." Rasmus filled in with his usual calm mood. "In reality, she is thirteen."

You winced. "Middle school? yeesh. Good luck, kid."

Lily slouched. "I-is it really that bad?"

"If it calms you to hear, my collège experience wasn't that bad." Rasmus patted the top of her head, not noticing Lily's annoyance. "Nor was my lycée experience-"

"You don't count, mister 'I got in a cool elite arts school!'" Lily shot back, swatting off Rasmus' hand. He didn't seem to be fazed either, giving you the impression that this was just what a normal interaction between them look like.

They were pretty much siblings at this point.

As you all continued walking, you watched your surroundings. Inspectors instructing workers to patch up the blue cracks for the incoming race, reporting crews readying themselves in and out of their vans, and people from all provinces of China, here to watch their racer on the road.

It didn't take long until Rasmus and Lily lead you to another road, passing by each gate before finally stopping on one. After the former took out the keys and unlocked the gate, you all finally went inside.