Project Shikon

Chapter 5

Dick felt Shi tense up in his lap and he looked down at her in concern, "What's wrong Shi?"

Shi wiggled her way off of Dick's lap and made her way over to Jason. She clung to his leg as she stared at the closed kitchen door. Jason looked down at the child that was now clinging to his leg. He put a hand on her head, petting her ears slightly trying to calm her down.

"It would appear that Master Bruce and Master Damian have arrived home early," Alfred said.

Jason narrowed his eyes in anger towards Dick as he got up off the chair, "I thought they weren't supposed to be back until later Dickhead. Come on Shi let's get out of here."

"I didn't know he was coming back so soon Jay I promise. He could possibly help though. Just talk to him." Dick pleaded.

"Shi is not ready to meet them, Dick."

Alfred stood up and made his way to the small child, "Would you like some tea Miss Shi?" he had seen her eyeing his cup during the meal. She looked up at him with wide eyes before glancing at Jason, most likely asking for permission.

"If you do that's fine Shi," Jason said.

Shi looked back to Alfred and nodded slightly. Alfred held out a hand for her to grab onto and Shi looked up at it with wide eyes.

"Go on with Alfred Shi, I'll be around. Got to deal with something quick." Jason said, glaring at Dick slightly.

Shi very hesitantly let go of Jason's leg and reached up to grab the outstretched hand. She looked back and gave sad eyes at Jason before following Alfred as he led her. "I shall bring her back to you when we have finished our cup of tea. I suggest you finish up your disagreement with Master Bruce in a quick manner."

Without further ado he left the room holding onto Shi's hand, leading her to where they kept their tea tins. They had a wide variety of teas. He had gotten a wider selection when Master Damian had moved in. He was the only other one in the family that liked tea, the rest of them all preferred coffee. As he stopped in front of the tea tins he watched her look at them all, a look of wonder in her eyes.

Shi looked at all of the different types of tea around her. They smelled very pleasant to her nose, an almost calming scent. The nice doctor had shared his tea with her all the time when she got to visit him. She had come to love the different types of warm beverages. Most of the time all she got was water, milk every once in a while. Only if the mean doctors were feeling generous though.

"Which kind would you like to have Shi?" the old man asked her.

She looked at the writing on the fronts of all the tins, did he expect her to be able to read? She guessed that most kids her age were able to read somewhat at this point. She never had time to learn how to read however and that hadn't been something they taught her in her initial programming. She knew what kind she wanted, she knew herbs very well and tea leaves happened to fall under that category of knowledge. Types of herbs and plants were one of the few things that she simply knew for some reason. She was never taught them, and it hadn't been part of the programmed learning session when she was made. She assumed that it was something that her original simply knew by heart and it had transferred to her somehow. She knew that she wanted either slippery elm tea or chamomile tea. She knew that slippery elm was not a very common type of tea however so she doubted that he would have it. Chamomile tea would work just as well to help her sore throat. Maybe if she refrained from trying to talk at all, drank chamomile tea daily, and took it pretty easy her throat could heal in a month or two. If she was lucky that was. She had no idea if her throat was even able to heal, she didn't know the long-term effects of being under the effects of the miasma. She didn't think it was good though. She was just holding onto the hope that she would be able to talk again one day. She really did miss being able to speak and she kinda hoped that she would be able to talk to Jason one day.