HEEEY all my Xiaolin and Heylin buddies! How have you all been? Me? Well, I've been working my socks off with my graphics coursework because I suck and I quite clearly hate myself since I left everything to the week before I have to submit my work :D ... D,,,: Why did I do that?

Anyway, since I don't have the programming at home to continue working, I decided to write instead and came up with a new character and a currently simple story plan.

Enjoy~ :)

*~The Darkness Inside ~*

*~ Chapter 1 ~*

My name is Rae Wood and ever since I could remember I've had these strange abilities that I've never really understood. My father didn't like it and pretended that I was another normal child with no extraordinary powers whatsoever. If I so much as utter a single word about it, he would send me a look of warning and swiftly change the subject.

I didn't like the powers that much either, to be honest, they caused me a lot of bother throughout my life so far. They even frightened me at one point, as they had become a little uncontrollable. It had taken a lot of concentration and focus to keep them in check – and believe me, when you don't know what it is you're trying to do exactly, it's difficult as hell!

Coming up to the age of nineteen and I was just beginning to understand what kind of power I possessed. I had sent a letter, describing my situation and expressing my request and need for help and assistance to a temple called the Xiaolin Temple.

I didn't know if they could really help me…but if they could…I wanted the chance to expand my grasp of this magic. I wanted to chance to experiment the limits. I wanted to learn what they were and why I, of all people, possessed them. I wanted answers and power over the power, so to speak. I just needed the guidance to help me achieve those goals.

And the Xiaolin Temple was my first and only lead! Fingers Crossed.

The alarm clock buzzed loudly on my bedside table and as it continued its torture on my ears, I slowly sat up in bed groaning the whole way up to sitting. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and saw, when I took my hands away, that I had forgotten to remove my make up again last night as I had dark smudges on my hands. I sighed heavily and reached over to the alarm, flicking the off switch. I yawned.

"I hope you didn't hit that snooze button again, Rae!" my father's voice called up from the lower level of the house. He must have been in the kitchen eating his breakfast and reading the morning newspaper as usual. The early bird gets the worm, was one of his favourite mottos. It was not one of mine.

"Yeah, yeah," I grumbled and clumsily rose from the bed. I picked up a pile of crumpled clothes from the floor and walked towards the bathroom while calling down to him, "I'm up already!"

"Good, because those jobs aren't going to come looking for you now, are they?" his voice replied and I rolled my eyes as I could quite clearly imagine the smug face in which he said it. He knew full well that I was doing my best to find a job but everything available was taken and everything else required experience of some kind.

If only I had tried harder at school, I thought sadly staring at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. But I shook my head and decided to push those thoughts to the back of my mind. That was in the past, I couldn't do anything but move forward and keep trying – and keep trying, I shall!

I showered quickly and threw on the clothes I had scrambled from my bedroom floor. It consisted of black leggings that straightened out when I pulled them on, a plain black t-shirt (which didn't straighten out when I pulled it over my head), a pair of black socks and a white hoodie with a red and black flowery design all over it (it wasn't all that crumpled thankfully, maybe the material was too heavy to crease in one night). I then re-applied my makeup, which was of black eyeliner inside the lid and black liquid eyeliner along the top eyelash line. Returning to my room, I swept up my green converse and laced them up on my feet. I suppose I was something of a goth but I wasn't hard-core or anything.

Bobbing down the stairs and in to the kitchen I passed my father who, like I said, was getting up to date with the latest news at the table.

I threw some bread in the toast and while waiting for my breakfast to cook, turned to my father, "Anything interesting happen?"

His eyes flicked up to my face over his reading glasses, which were perched on the end of his nose, and over his paper. His face scrunched up a little before straightening out again as he returned his gaze to the paper in hand and asked lazily, all the while ignoring my question, "Are you really going to wear those clothes today?"

I looked down at my attire and asked confused, "What's wrong with this outfit?"

"They don't exactly make you look sophisticated and ready to get in to the work place, love," he commented, turning a page.

I sighed heavily and frowned at him. A few moments of silence later and my toast popped up behind me alerting me that they were cooked and ready to eat. I turned and placed them on a plate that was already waiting on the side board. I then reached over to retrieve the knife and butter from the table beside my father and spread it all over my toast, right to the edges. Once done, I dropped the knife in to the washing up bowl and returned the butter to the fridge before it began to melt.

I ate my breakfast standing up, staring out of the kitchen window, watching the clouds go by. I watched some birds fly past and, as I had done since I was little, wondered what it was like up there and what we looked like all the way down here.

"Right," I turned to my father who had risen from the table and folded the newspaper under his arm. He reached down and picked up at his bag which held some papers and his work laptop. He came over and kissed my cheek, "I shall see you when I get home, Rae. Remember to do the washing up and clean the bedrooms."

"Yes, father," I agreed after I kissed his cheek goodbye in return.

He smiled, "Good girl," then he swiftly took his leave.

I waited until I heard the front door close loudly behind him. "ARRRGGGH!" I groaned loudly. Ugh! The frustration of trying so hard to look for a job and not finding one yet being spoken to as if I was sat lazing around all day, plus the frustration of being reminded of my chores even though I've been doing the same chores every day for the past – I don't know – twelve years, maybe? It was just so bloody annoying and unnecessary!

Ugh! I felt like I could just punch right through the wall!

That was when I saw them move in the corner of my eyes. I sucked in a breath and sent the anger away instantly. The emotion simply evaporated in to concern as I kept my gaze transfixed on the darkness that had most definitely moved just then.

"No," I spoke to it calmly and pointed a finger at the shadow, "Not today. Stay."

Just then there was a clang and I jumped just before realising that it was the postman delivering today's mail. I laughed a little at my own expanse, for being so easily frightened. But the smile did not remain as I noticed that the shape had moved again, but back to where it had been before the anger.

"Good," I said aloud as if it were a creature capable of understanding – maybe it was, I wasn't sure.

I retrieved the mail and skimmed through the letters all addressed to my father, as usual…except for one.

My eyes widened. Maybe it was a job offer or a letter of acceptance! You got the job! It would say! I ripped the envelope open eager to see if I could make my father proud at last and make him stop his constant nagging of the subject.

I was wrong, it wasn't a job offer but I was far from disappointed. It was a reply from the temple and they had invited me to join them and learn with them! I was ecstatic! I jumped up and down excitedly and quite literally hugged the letter close to my chest, creasing the paper.

"I should start packing!" I reminded myself out loud and quickly dashed upstairs to begin. I really hope Dad doesn't change his mind about this, I prayed inwardly as I reached my room and dragged the suitcase out from under my bed.

Hazzard - Apologies for any misspellings or grammatically incorrect...err...wordings? Yeah...well you know what I mean ;)

Jack - Oh, not you again! Why do you always have to drag me back to your house? Just when I think I'm free, you show up and kidnap me again! You keep on and I'll...I'll tell my mom!

Hazzard - You keep on and I'll cut your tongue out! :D

Jack - What! D:

Hazzard - Nah! I'm just kidding, I wouldn't do that! I love you too much, buddy! ^_^ *hugs*

Jack - o_e Please get off of me

Remember to Read & Review! ^_^

Lv Lv Hazzard ^_^ x x