Chang was caught off guard. "Who is Jack Skellington?"
So, for the rest of the car ride, Dakota explained
"The Nightmare Before Christmas"
to Chang. He understood most of the references, and wanted to see the movie. We were going to get him hooked on pop culture. That was so cool.
We arrived at the restaurant. By Dakota's dashboard clock it was 10:30. I wasn't sure what time the place opened, but couldn't imagine it would be much before 11:00. Per the hours on the door, that's when they opened. Since Chang pulled open the door I gathered they were expecting us. I was mortified at the idea that they opened early just for us. Even if Qiang had been an ass, this seemed to me to be kind of petty in return. I stole a glance over to Dakota, who also looked concerned. Only Chang didn't appear to have a problem. He politely greeted the wait staff, and went where they lead. I did my best to follow his lead and hide my discomfort.
We were taken to the back, where there was a private banquet room. The two back walls were hardwood with decorative wall hangings suspended on them. Some had what I assumed to be Chinese writing, but most were illustrations, many featuring dragons. The two walls facing the dining room section of the restaurant were frosted glass. There was a long table against the back wall with two large and gorgeous dragon statues situated in such a way that they appeared to be standing guard at either end of the table. Both had their bodies curled around themselves, one was leaping upwards; the other was more facing downwards, as if landing. They were brightly colored cloisonnΓ©.
The table itself was draped with a beautiful red silk cloth embroidered with gold. It was positively laden with food and had flower arrangements set amongst the plates. Some of it I could recognize, like dumplings, egg rolls, dim sum, fried won-ton, and ribs. There were also several rice dishes, sweet and sour with different kinds of meat, egg foo young, and fried rice, as well as noodle dishes, such as lo-mein, and several soups. Those were just the foods I recognized. There were more that I couldn't, but all of it smelled great.
We were shown to a table with pitchers of both soda and water, and pots of tea. The place settings included chop sticks and silverware. The host turned to us.
"If there is anything else that is required, please let us know. We will be placing additional items on the buffet very shortly, so please partake of that also." He gave a small bow that Chang returned, and Dakota and I followed suit. He left, and closed the doors behind him.
Chang went to the food table and made himself a plate. Dakota looked at me, I just shrugged, planning once again to follow suit. I smiled at Dakota, and gestured for her to go ahead of me. Working towards that sensitivity award.
Once we filled our plates we took our seats at the table; Dakota and I facing each other, Chang at the head. While drinks were poured into the glasses Chang remarked on my discomfort, which I though I'd been hiding pretty well.
"You are uncomfortable." He deftly used his chopsticks to take a bite of his food. "Why?"
I fidgeted a bit before answering. "I guess this is kinda conspicuous. Regardless of what I may think of Qiang, I don't want to yank the guy's chain. I get that this was arranged, and I'm guessing he's got to be aware of it. But I don't want to come off as the asshole he seems to think I am." Have you ever realized how bad something you said sounds the second after you say it? I have that all the time. I did a face-palm over my eyes and leaned my head back. "Not that I'm saying you're an asshole for arranging this, or even thinking it until I heard myself say it."
Chang laughed. "Are you sure English is your first language?" he asked, gently teasing.
I looked over to him. "Yes, it is. But making sense in English continually eludes me."
"I can attest to that." Dakota smiled at me. I stuck my tongue out.
"I'm sure you can," Chang agreed, taking another bite. "Which brings me to why we are here. The situation you find yourselves in was, to be honest, not unanticipated by me. The swiftness of it, however, took me by surprise."
I began eating as he talked. I considered using the chopsticks, but decided to admit I couldn't by using the silverware. I dropped my fork when I heard what he had to say. "You
knew
this was coming?"
Chang shrugged. "'Knew' is not the correct word. No one knows the future," he explained, then clarified. "Certain sign posts were in place indicating a possible future. When I examined your pearl, and consequently you, I realized Dakota was very important to you." He turned his attention to Dakota. "And when I met you, Dakota, I realized there was a distinct possibility of you two coming together. Hoped it, rather, as a friend on unknown paths can be invaluable. As I'm sure you're both aware." He paused as he took another bite of food. Dakota and I hung on his words.
"But, it has been my experience that hearts take time to discover what they're feeling. While it was clear you were friends, I was thinking it would take several months or a year to really determine how far this might go. Not a week." He gave us a droll smile. Actually, the smile looked a lot like the one the other elder, Zongxian, gave me.
"The other elder figured it out too, didn't he? That's what that smile meant," I said.
Chang nodded. "He did, as did Qiang. He actually used the term favorite, as you pointed out. But that's not terribly surprising. I have also found that the people in the situation are usually the last to discover it."
"Favorite." I swallowed the bite I had taken. "What, exactly, does that mean?"
"That is the term used by dragons for a human lover. It wasn't entirely applicable, until last night. But the events of the day precipitated that."
Dakota jumped in at this point, setting down her fork. "What exactly did happen? Or how?"
Chang took a long sip of his tea before speaking. "As is obvious, a pearl is a vital, but separable, part of a dragon. It is not very commonly done because it is vulnerable outside the dragon. In this most particular situation it was a desperate but well-played gambit. One Qiang never considered. However, the pearl is normally kept within the dragon, brought out under only certain circumstances. Impending battle isn't one of them. The pearl sought refuge. And as you are trusted implicitly by Sebastian, it took refuge within you." He paused again, thinking over his words as he twisted the tea cup in his hands. "It is considered a complement, though I would understand finding that a bit intrusive."
"Yeah." She kept her eyes on the tablecloth as she digested his words. "That's one word for it. But to be honest, it's not entirely the correct word."
Chang regarded her with something that struck me as optimistic curiosity. "If I may be so bold, what would be more correct?"
Dakota gathered her thoughts while pushing the food around on her plate. "It was a shock, certainly, but after that faded, it was...well...." She trailed off and it was her turn to fidget in her chair. I remembered what she had said the night before, and realized she might feel a little put on the spot to explain some of it to Chang. "Really not bad. Kind of nice, actually."
Chang's smile indicated he understood her position. "Good," he said. "I'm glad you weren't further troubled."
"I do have a question." She looked up and met his eyes.
"Please." He gestured for her to continue.
"I still feel a faint echo of Sebastian's pearl in me. What does that mean?"
Chang looked to me. "You also?" he asked, though I suspected he already knew the answer. I nodded. He poured another cup of tea before continuing.
"Not surprising. Encasement in flesh gives the illusion of self-containment. But it is only that, an illusion. We leave parts of ourselves, and our influences, in everything we touch. Normally, it only becomes noticeable with time and passing encounters leave little impact. But sometimes, due to the nature of the contact, the impact of even passing encounters can be much more obvious," he took another sip of his tea. "Such is the case here. When the pearl was removed from you, Dakota, it took a piece of you with it and left a piece of Sebastian behind. When Sebastian took his pearl back in, the piece of you entered with it." He paused, letting us absorb what he'd just said. "Now, this bond is quite weak. Left untended, it will fade and in time be as if it were never there. But if it is nurtured, it will strengthen over time."
Dakota fell silent and both Chang and I waited to see what else she might say. She appeared to be gathering her courage. "What happens now?" she asked.
Chang was surprised by her question. "Whatever you two chose. Two weeks is a little soon to be taking a favorite, but it is not unheard of when the dragon had been human. Some of those that had been chosen to be dragons already had lovers or spouses. These things are to be allowed for. You may continue on the way you are. However, sometimes the passions of the night can feel unseemly by the light of day. That is perfectly legitimate, also. However you two chose to proceed should be acceptable." He looked archly at me, my reluctance of the night before clearly not forgotten. "As long as no one is intentionally hurt."
I briefly considered arguing that I never
intended
to hurt Dakota, but decided the point would be academic at best. Chang was right. I had wussed out that night and I had hurt her. I promised myself then and there I would be as honest as I could with Dakota.
Chang pardoned himself and rose to fill another plate. I took this lull to do the same. Dakota was still working on her first plate. I was secretly, and maybe a little shallowly, pleased Dakota wasn't using chopsticks. At least there was something she couldn't do. OK, it wasn't very nice of me, but I couldn't help myself. Once returning to the table, Chang opened the floor to any other questions we might have. I blurted out my question before thinking. Yeah, like I haven't done that before.