The boat, as it turned out, was the biggest one Reina had ever seen. She couldn’t quite process it wasnt one of those gigantic vacation Cruises but a private yacht. The vessel was so large it couldn’t quite park by the pier, so they had to go in small speedboats. Kara offered to take Reina in hers, which she was immensely grateful for, she couldn't have stood being alone with Dim Mak right now.

Neither of them spoke duing the brief bit of traveling, Reina was still processing Kara was Dim Mak’s actual daughter, and the beating she gave me, thought Reina. Admitedly, they did look similar enough, and she wasn’t exactly shocked nor lacking in sympathy towards Kara’s disdain for her mother.

“Does it still hurt?” Kara asked suddenly, arms folded as she stood like a statue in front of Reina; looking out towards the ocean ahead of them.

“The emotional backstabbing or you kicking me?”

“The latter.”

“Yeah, nothing broken,” Reina said, grateful that was the case. 

“Good,” Kara said, going into that same brief response mode Dim Mak sometimes would.

“Are we gonna talk about any of…you know?” Reina asked, not expecting much.

Kara relented a bit and softened her posture, but kept facing away. “Tell me a bit about yourself?”

“Well, your mother raised me in the mountains in a small house,” Reina began, “we didn't have much, but it was a happy life. I loved learning from her. It was painful, and she was strict but kind in her way.”

When Kara said nothing, Reina dared to ask, “Did she raise you the same way?”

“Let’s just say you and I have very different outlooks on Wu Dai Yu.”

“That’s her actual name?”

“The fact that she never even told you that…” Kara sighed. “ Ever since I could walk, she pushed me to the limits. She was strict…unyielding…cold, away from any basic comfort so as to not ‘spoil me’.”

“That sounds about right,” Reina said, grudgingly. “But she did open up to me in time. Thinking back on it now, I wonder if she didn't take me in because she missed you.”

Kara scoffed, “You give her too much credit. That woman has never softened up about anything. How did you even end up with her?”

Here, Reina looked down; whatever argument she was trying to make wasn't helped by her origins. “Well, it sounds bad, but her last assassination was my father.”

“Oh god, are you telling me she kidnapped you?”

“No! I mean…technically yes, but it’s more complicated than that. My dad basically begged her to before she killed him, WHICH!” She quickly yelled, seeing Kara’s reaction, “...was a duel between assassins, my dad was one too, and, you know, it wasn’t like I had many options in that particular moment.”

“That’s the point,” Kara retorted. “You were just a child, how could you even understand what she did! She just does what she wants! And even if she did treat you a little nicer, it doesn’t make it any less wrong!"

To that, Reina had no defense or argument. She looked down, sad, and fully feeling more alone than she ever had in her life.

“For what it’s worth, I am sorry I attacked you. When I heard about you, I feared she had succeeded, gotten her prized assassin heir, and…well, I’m happy to see you are not that. Certainly not wth those moves,” Kara added critically, and rather unnecessary, Reina felt.

“Ok, a little cocky, but sure, let’s not take into account the mental stress of the whole situation.”

“Your punches are decent, but your kicks could use work,” Kara said.

“At least I do both,” Reina countered, “that whole legs-only style you got going leaves you pretty open sometimes.”

“Only if you don't break under them,” Kara said, and this time she turned to look at Reina, with that same smirk as before.

“Oh, it’s like that? Well, I think–”

“Later,” Kara cut her off, “we’re arriving. You should tell your shadow to lie low when we get to the boat.”

Reina was confused. “My what?

“In storage, under the seats. I felt her wiggle.”

Reina just started, and then suddenly understanding hit her and she jumped out of her seat, pulling out the cushion to reveal the container underneath. She opened the cover and swore. “How?!”

“I can dislocate my limbs at will,” Tala replied, currently looking like a broken ragdoll squished in a tiny space; her arms clearly out of their sockets.

“That’s just terrible,” Reina said, a bit grossed out by the image.

“But useful,” Tala replied, seemingly in no pain somehow. “I am, however,  ashamed that the woman who dared hit you would sense my presence. I was going to wait until she stood to come out and break her neck”.

Ok, first of all, none of that!” Reina said angrily, wagging a finger at Tala in her little box. “Second of all…sorry, I’m still processing you all crammed in there.”

“Talk later, we’re docking now,” Kara said, as they lined up with the back of the gigantic vessel, Dim Mak and Le Gall’s boat already parked, and both standing in wait for them atop the stairs.

“Just…hide somewhere, keep an eye out, and don’t break your limbs.” 

Tala nodded solemnly, and Reina closed the lid, hoping that was the strangest thing of the night.

***

Walking into the deck of the Drakon was like walking into a slightly smaller version of Kara’s hotel in terms of size and splendor. It had three levels, plus a helipad at the top, with an Olympic-size swimming pool at the front of the ship. 

The rooms would be the bottom floor, with each guest getting their own apartment size one, and the main center of the whole thing was clearly where the most attention had been paid. A large fighting ring had been erected in the center of the dinning hall, with a jumbotron with four screens mounted on top of it; the kind you might see above a basketball court showing closeups of the game.

The rest of the place resembled something like an imperial drawing room. Everything was red velvet, white marble, and snug rugs; with old-timey-looking furniture of the finest craftsmanship possible, and even a giant fireplace somehow at the end of it, adorned with a large painting of Le Gall himself in what he probably thought was a dramatic look. Reina rather thought this must have been how emperors lived, and she looked at Le Gall as he waved them inside, looking all too pleased to show off his wealth to them. 

What caught Reina’s immediate attention, however, were the people standing around the large table filled with every kind of food imaginable. They all stood out incredibly in their own right. First was the same man who had warned Reina back at the bar, now sipping from a martini glass, still looking incredibly dapper in his spotless white tuxedo. He noticed Reina entering the room, ignored her bewildered face at seeing him there, and raised his glass at her as if to say congrats on still being alive.

Next to him was the largest woman Reina had ever laid eyes on, easily above six feet tall, and incredibly muscular, with arms that could crush a watermelon if she flexed them. Her short neon red hair was striking, as were the tattoos of a wolf head, the French flag, the grim reaper, and a barbed wire heart with "Loup-Garou Dans L'ame" written on it. She was even more underdressed than Reina, wearing only gym shorts and a matching top of red and black, and was even barefoot like Kara, with only the kind of wrapping MMA fighters would bandage their feet with.

She was talking loudly to a much smaller young man, who, when Reina laid eyes on him, her jaw dropped. She had seen him before many times, in some of her favorite movies, and in my dreams, thought Reina. It was Mi-Reu, the Korean action star himself. Looking handsome, and arguably the most low-key out of everyone. He wore black pants and a nice blue shirt with a stylish red scarf around his neck. His jet back hair was slightly longer than she remembered, but it suited him. He seemed overwhelmed by the woman, but nodded politely.

“Go on, little garçon, you can touch my waffle abs!” the large woman declared, her accent a very strong French one.

Mi-Reu bowed his head apologetically and smiled nervously, “It is quite all right, madame, I believe your pancakes are as strong as you say.”

“Non, see, waffles are pancakes with muscles. So it makes more sense,” the woman laughed loudly, and Mi-Reu turned away, only to finally notice the arriving party. His eyes went as wide when she saw Reina as hers had, only she couldn’t guess why.

“Oh...너무 아름다워요," Mi-Reu uttered softly.

“Hi!” Reina shouted back at him for some reason. Oh my god!  I’m sorry, I just…You’re Mi-Reu!” 

“Yes? I mean, yes! I am, miss…um?” Mi Reu began, nervously, offering his hand even though they were a full room away

Reina practically ran the entire distance in two seconds to shake Mi-Reu’s hand with both of hers, and couldnt help but smile as she did.

“Reina! I love your movies! It’s such an honor to meet you! You’re so cute!” She immediately let go of his hands to cover her mouth before she embarrassed herself any further. Mi-Reu blushed and bowed down to hide his beet-red face.

“I-It’s my pleasure! Delighted to meet you, Miss Reina!”

“Ha-Ha-Ha! I think the young girl has a crush on you, amie!” the loud woman said

Reina looked away, her own face blushing furiously. She had never been one to watch her words,

 “If I might have your attention,” Le Gall spoke, his voice booming. “I believe introductions are in order. You are all here because, like me, you were once a student of Dim Mak here.”

He graciously nodded towards her, but Dim Mak ignored him. “Our latest additions are her very daughters, and technically speaking, her longest-lasting pupils,” continued Le Gall.

“Miss Reina, Miss Kara…it is our honor to have you here tonight, though you will find the rest of us equally worthy to be here. I see you already know the young Mi-Reu; his skills have been apparent for everyone in the world to see since he was twelve. A genius in Taekwondo, and holding more world records and trophies than I care to list.”

Mi-Reu again bowed, less in gratitude for the acknowledgement, but again to hide his mortified face. He was a far shyer boy than Reina would have thought, being a celebrity and all.

“And speaking of titles, let’s not forget the Wolf of Paris herself, Amelie Beaufoy, or as she’s known in the MMA Cage…Calamity.” Le Gall uttered the name with a slight chuckle, which Reina found insulting, but Calamity just flexed her arms in response, firing her guns, so to speak.

“And one none of you will know, for that is the very nature of his job. A former MI6 agent, a world class spy and killer. Mr. Bullion.” The man in the white tux said nothing, if anything, he looked uncomfortable being there, in the open.

Now, Dim Mak stepped forward, her arms folded, and Le Gall knew immediately to shut up and give way to her. She approached her 3 former students, slowly examining them up close, like a fastidious butler examining fine china for dust. None of the three resisted in any way, and probably knew better than to try. 

Dim Mak prodded Calamity’s muscles, testing their density. She slapped her thighs with her hand, letting her hand there for a second, before nodding and proceeding towards Mi-Reu. She raised her right hand at him, and he immediately answered with a lightning-fast kick to it. The kick looked like it would have hurt, but Dim Mak didnt even blink as she received it with the back of her hand.

“Good, you both are in good shape. I didnt expect as much, if I'm honest.”

“Ah, that seems harsh, Sifu,” Calamity said.

“You both lead superfluous lifestyles, putting your faces on screens and social media to make names out of yourself. As students, you were by far the most disappointing in terms of what I hoped.” Dim Mak spared no kindness to them, she was a brutally honest as ever.

“That does not mean we were not good students,” Mi-Reu replied, not defiantly, but as if this had been an old joke between.

Dim Mak flashes the smallest of smiles at them. “No, I suppose not.”

“Not going to check on me, lǎotàipó?” asked Bullion.

“Who are you calling and old lady, you are even older than I am,” Dim Mak replied, her tone as friendly as she ever heard it. They sounded more like old school friends than master and student. “I was expecting to find you full of gray hair and broken down, but I see you have persevered.”

“I thought about getting out of the game like you did, but I don't deny myself the pleasures of like like you do.” 

“That’s why I never considered you a serious candidate, but Le Gall insisted that all that remain be here. And you were happy enough to come for money, I see.”

Bullion’s smile faltered slightly, but he didnt seem genuinely offended. “Well, you got me there, Sifu.”

Satisfied, Dim Mak turned to look at Reina and Kara. “We are expecting two more of my former students, they’ll be here by tomorrow…then we will begin.”

“Begin what?” Reina asked.

“The tournament to decide who gets to be called Dim Mak next.”