“What!” Gabriel was more surprised than confused by the question. For it was so far removed from the topic of discuss.

  Shi Ming was already removing his outer robe and inner shirt, a purple outer robe with a purple belt even the inner cloth was purple but of a lighter shade. It was their official robe, every student in the institute had the same purple-colored robes just in different styles for different groups. Shi Ming jumped into the lake and swarm to the tree, Gabriel watched in quiet awe as he climbed the tree from the water. Before Gabriel could sense the problem with the scene, Shi Ming had reached within the branches of the great tree and was plucking a fruit.

  "What are you doing!” Gabriel hissed “Your uncle said we shouldn’t touch anything." Gabriel whispered even though he knew no one but the two of them were there.

  "It is okay; he won't notice" Shi Ming said carefree as he began swimming back like he hadn’t just committed a big mistake. The lake wasn't big, so Gabriel hadn’t even begun to contemplate the consequences of his actions-still reeling in the shock-when Shi Ming came over.

  "I’m going to eat the fruit, come share it with me" Shi Ming deftly climbed out of the water.

  "No, thanks. And how won’t he notice? It was like the only fruit on that tree."

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Shi Ming had already broken the fruit in half and had one half in a hand stretched out towards Gabriel.

  "It is only a fruit, come on.” Gabriel subconsciously took the half that was being offered.

  "It's not ripe" Gabriel mind was drawing a blank on what to say, so he blurted out the first words that came to mind.

  Shi Ming frowned "Just eat the fruit, Gabriel."

  Gabriel couldn’t understand it; one moment Shi Ming was his usual playful self and now he was like totally serious. It was like confused was becoming his default state for today and he did not like it.

  “If this is your idea of a prank, it is terrible” Gabriel said as he ate the fruit.

  Shi Ming sighed “I promise; someday, you will come to understand why I have done what I have done today.”

  “What did you do?”

  “I promised, in time you will understand, just trust me for now. There is a possibility my father has sensed that the fruit is gone, if so, we must hurry.”

  Shi Ming’s tone and words brought Gabriel no end of trouble, contemplating what disaster he had brought upon them, the lack of even a hint or clue left Gabriel imagination to run far and wide in search of answers. He kept expecting Shi Ming to stop do something; maybe start laughing and say this was a joke but no Shi Ming stayed focused in front of him, the pace he set made it so, they were all but going at full sprint, which was brutally inefficient for making any type of conversation,

  ..........

  “Young master Gabriel, tell me, how was our Sacred oasis?”

  They had reached the entrance before long, their pace meant that it wasn’t so long after they left the actual oasis. Not long after they had arrived Shi Ming left Gabriel’s side to go and speak privately with his uncle and so, he was left with scholar Mu.