ALWAYS, ABIDE WITH ME

Chapter 16: The Council of Elders - 2

Dedicated to @chocolatewithtea: You continue to inspire!

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Lan Qiren : "See here, why talk of ghosts and evil spirits to young children?"

Matron Beaver : "Aren't these your best Disciples? Why would they fear ghosts? Aren't they going to learn how to destroy them?"

Beavers, Otters and SaMi: "What! Destroy ghosts? But why? Are you at war with them?"

Lan Qiren: "What is this irrelevant fandangling?"

Jiang Cheng: "Shifu is requested to refrain from language that can be construed as demeaning and hurtful to other races and cultures."

Matron Beaver: "To continue; aren't Lan Disciples being trained to fight ghosts?"

Lan Qiren: "Indeed they are!"

Matron Beaver pounced; "Then why not talk about ghosts?"

Lan Qiren: "We at Cloud Recesses stand for Righteousness and are against Evil."

Matron Beaver: "Commendable indeed, but, I repeat, why not talk about ghosts?"

Lan Qiren, shouting: "Because ghosts are Evil!"

There was a stunned silence and then the younger Lankans began whispering first softly, then they got louder and finally, they spoke up, with Pranith leading them. "Evil ghosts...? We don't see many of those in Lanka. All ghosts are not evil. Most ghosts that we know are decent, friendly souls from the Ghost Realm. Why, the Librarian at our own school is a ghost!"

Lan Qiren's mouth opened and closed but the words wouldn't come. The audience broke into exclamations at the Lankans' revelations.

Jiang Cheng, banging his gavel once: "Order!"

In the silence that ensued, Zidian slithered across to SaMi's cushion and coiled comfortably against the teen's knees. Though alarmed at first, she was smart enough to recognise approval and she extended a cautious paw to stroke Zidian's back. A shower of purple sparks erupted, and the disciples broke into grins and giggles.

Matron Beaver to his Excellency: "I would like to point out that there seems to exist in Cloud Recesses a preconceived belief that ghosts are evil and must be destroyed; and that this belief is being instilled into impressionable young minds without sufficient evidence to prove this. His Excellency has had personal experience with ghosts."

Jiang Cheng: "Elders, please note this point."

Elders: "Noted."

Matron Beaver: "To continue with my questions. One of the disciples is grabbed by a Ghost and taken into a burial ground, what will you do?"

Jiang Lianhua: "I request that we be given a quarter of a shichen to discuss this and present our solution as a group."

Elders: "Agreed."

Jiang Cheng: "The Council of Elders is adjourned for a quarter of a shichen. We will reconvene here." He turned over an hour glass and rose. Everyone rose with him and he led the procession of Elders out of the Hall and headed for the Mess Hall.

The Lan Disciples, the Lankans, SaMi and Pranith went into an excited huddle.

Matron Beaver and Lan Qiren remained standing at their posts, glaring at each other. One of the youngest otter pups tugged hopefully at Matron Beaver's leg and managed to get her to break off the staring match. Still unblinking, Matron Beaver scooped up the youngster and settled him on her hip, exactly like a human mom would, and walked out upright, still staring at Lan Qiren.