Another fic! I originally planned this as a full-length story, but then quickly lost interest, and realized that I was never going to finish it. So instead, I've converted this into a oneshot. And I think it works out rather well this way too.
Anyways, so that's that. I based this storyline on a movie that I'd watched and fallen in love with. A cookie to anyone who reviews and two cookies to anyone who guesses correctly!
And just another note: This fic won't be based on the series at all - that's why it's a AU. It's a story based on a movie with characters that I thought fit the characters of Xiaolin Showdown really well, which is why I'm posting this up here in the Xiaolin Showdown catergory. I think that's all I want to say...
So without further ado, on with the story!
Prologue
1900s, Japan
Kimiko Tohomiko, eight years old and ecstatic, breathed deeply and tilted her head, peering outside her bedroom window and into the gorgeous view outside. The night was still young and glittered and shined with a thousand diamonds as a cool wind blew north. Beneath the radiant moon the ground was blanketed in a gorgeous, almost glowing snow as horse-drawn carriages drove up to the entrance of the palace in which a grand ball was taking place. A ball in honor of my family, the young girl thought dreamily to herself as she pulled the curtains of the window shut, blocking the view she had just taken of the scenery outside.
"Princess Kimiko, your highness! Are you not ready yet? We are already late to the ball!"
The young girl sighed and turned to face the servant who had just entered her room. Rolling her eyes playfully, she said, "Yes, Sonya, I know, and I will be down soon!"
"You are not even dressed! And please, do fix your hair, 'tis quite messy."
"Yes, Sonya," Kimiko answered and skipped to her closet to take out the beautiful ballroom gown her mother had picked out just for her for this special occasion – the 300th year of Tohomiko rule in Japan. Giggling to herself, she fingered the fine silk and held it to her face, a smile gracing her lips.
Sonya left the room and Kimiko slipped into the fiery, red, sleeveless dress. The luxurious silk was cool and soothing against her skin and it emphasized the curves she was just beginning to develop. She twirled around playfully and the glittery skirts swished around beautifully. Skipping over to her dresser, she brushed her long, black hair until it shined and then tied a red ribbon into her hair, pulling it back so that her sapphire blue eyes dancing with excitement could be seen clearly on her soft, porcelain skin.
"Kimiko! We must leave now!" Sonya said, opening the door slightly so that her head peered into Kimiko's room.
Turning to her servant, Kimiko bowed extravagantly and grinned. "How to I look?"
Sonya's breath caught and she smiled. "You look just like your mother, bold and dashing, and utterly beautiful."
Kimiko giggled and hurried out her room, darting over to the staircase that would lead her to the grand ballroom where the party was about to take place. As she bounded down the steps the trumpets and horns sounded, signaling the guests to be quiet. She reached the bottom and joined her family just in time.
"Late, are we not?" her father, Toshiro Tohomiko and emperor of Japan, asked his daughter as the family began their procession into the ballroom to join their many guests.
Kimiko blushed as her mother and siblings laughed merrily.
"I am not late," Kimiko answered instead, giggling. "I am just on time!"
"Full of excuses as usual," came another voice and Kimiko looked up into her grandfather's laughing eyes.
"Master Fung!" she cried in joy.
"Not now, dear," he answered. "The procession is over and I must take my place at the throne. Perhaps you shall visit later tonight?" His eyes twinkled as he asked her the question.
"Of course," she answered before the he left and the entire ballroom swung into a glorious, sweeping, waltz.
Kimiko watched in fascination as beautiful couples swirled around the floor in full swing. Outside the room, elegant royalists mingled around the main hall and the orchestra played its lyrical songs. Inside the ballroom, couples danced gracefully beneath a sparkling chandelier as the elegant music floated around the room.
Then she felt herself being lifted off her feet as her father, Toshiro, swung her into the waltz. Kimiko laughed happily. "Oh Papa!"
"How do you like the ball, my dear?" he asked as they danced gracefully together.
Looking around her at the beautiful party and decoration, she smiled with joy. "It is wonderful," she sighed, her eyes flashing with delight. "Truly amazing."
Under one of the long buffet tables, a boy of nine with messy dark brown hair and mischievous green eyes peeked out from beneath the red tablecloth, watching the guests dance along the ballroom, their magnificent dresses and clothes sparkly and silky.
His hair fell into his eyes yet again as they always do and he flipped it out of his face unconsciously, an action that had become natural to him, his eyes never wandering astray from the view before him.
He looked down at his own servant clothes and them back at the luxurious clothes of the guests and sighed enviously. Then his eyes fell on the confident form of the princess and he smiled to himself as she continued to waltz around with her father. He couldn't help admiring her for her confidence and poise.
Her eyes suddenly met his and he jerked back, startled and ashamed for staring at her, but she only laughed merrily. As servants walked past her with dishes of scrumptious tropical fruit piled high, she grabbed an apple off the tray and tossed it at him without missing a beat of the dance.
He caught it and smiled broadly at her as she grinned back before waltzing away. But before he could eat the apple a big, meaty hand clamped down on his shoulder and he was pulled out from under the table. He whirled around to face Ivar, the head servant, and his angry eyes.
"Raimundo! You are a servant! Never forget your place," Ivar whispered furiously at him.
"Someday my place will be out there with everyone else," Raimundo said back defiantly.
Ivar's face was a mask of fury. "Never! You are a peasant, boy. Now, back to the kitchen!" With that, Ivar had opened a panel in the wall and had walked through. But Raimundo stayed back for a split second, his eyes on the orange in his hand. Then, remembering the princess's smile, he grinned to himself and slipped into the wall panel.
Kimiko laughed with delight and enjoyment as Toshiro picked her up in his arms and swung her around gracefully, her red dress and raven black hair swirling and twirling. Then, landing on the floor once more she bowed to her father before dashing up to the throne where the father of the emperor sat regally.
"Master Fung!" she trilled, bouncing up to him and kneeling down next to him. She cuddled up next to him and asked, "Oh Master Fung, why must you go back to China so soon?"
He smiled down at her and said, "It's where I've made my home. But I do have something for you."
He reached behind the chair and pulled out a beautiful music box. Then, taking the necklace that hung from his neck, he used it as the key to open to music box where two figurines stood and began to twirl around slowly as soon as he had wound it up. The music began to play and Kimiko gasped with recognition.
"It plays that lullaby you used to sing me when I was young," she cried. Then, humming along, she sang, "On the wind, cross the sea…"
Master Fung then joined in, "Hear this song and remember…" In unison, they sang, "Soon you'll be, home with me, once upon a December."
Master Fung smiled and said, "Now whenever you wind this music box you will remember me and know that I will always be with you." With that, he took the necklace and placed it around her neck, its golden chain sparkling in the light.
Kimiko took the pendant in her hands and looked at the inscription on the emerald stone. "Together in China," she read. Her eyes dancing with desire, she looked up at him and asked, "Oh Master Fung! When can we be together in China?"
He only smiled at her. "Someday when you are older."
Kimiko made a disgruntled face and he laughed gaily. "Until then, whenever you hear this song, think of me and know that I am waiting for you in China."
Smiling again, Kimiko leaned against Master Fung's arm and closed her eyes in serenity.
All of a sudden, the lights on the grand chandelier flickered before dying completely. Kimiko's eyes snapped open in surprise as she looked around, bewildered. The music stopped and people were whispering to one another in puzzlement. She looked up to see Master Fung's face a guise of infuriation.
"Master Fung," she asked in confusion. "What is happening?"
He didn't answer and as Kimiko looked on, a whirlwind began to form in the middle of the room while people screamed and started to clear the dance floor. Soon, the small whirlwind had become a full-scale tornado.
How was that possible?
Kimiko's eyes widened in horror as a raven with feathers black as midnight sprung out of the funnel. He screeched loudly and swooped over the crowd, causing everyone to duck and cover their heads in fear.
Kimiko looked wildly around for any hint of what might be happening, but was only met with puzzled faces. Raimundo, one of her favorite servants, her father and family, Master Fung, they were all as confused and frightened as she was.
She returned her gaze to the center of the room where the tornado had reached its peak before exploding to smoke. When the dust cleared, a man was left standing there. Kimiko's brows furrowed as she scrutinized the young looking man. She was sure she had seen him before, but now her mind was blank as to who he was.
The man was young and towered above all others in the room. Kimiko shrank back in fear as she gazed into his eyes, which were a fiery, inhuman yellow, the pupils slit like a lizard's. He was dressed in a green and golden armor that covered most of his body and wore black boots and gloves, with his greenish black hair hanging down almost to his waist. The strangest thing was the green, tube-like lantern that hung form the belt around his waist. It seemed to give off an aura of evil, and Kimiko cuddled closer to Master Fung, her mind whirring with questions.
"Master Fung, I'm scared," she whispered.
"Shush, darling," he answered. "It will be all right."
But she didn't fell any better. The whole room quivered with fright, including the emperor.
She closed her eyes. It's all a dream, she thought. And when I open my eyes, everything will be all right again. The orchestra will be playing its alluring music, and the ballroom will be full of happy and candid faces once more.
Only everything was the same when she opened her eyes after waiting for a minute. Everyone was still staring open-mouthed at the frightfully evil-looking man under the chandelier, unsure of what to do. Why doesn't anyone do something? Her mind shrieked.
As though on cue, Toshiro stepped up and demanded, "Who are you? What sort of sorcery do you bring to my grand ball?"
The man snickered evilly and replied, "Oh Toshiro, have you forgotten who I am already?"
Toshiro's eyes narrowed and after a moment of silence, he gasped and stepped back, a look of horror on his face.
"It seems like you recognize me now," the man stated, beginning to laugh manically. The raven that had flown out of the tornado now settled on his shoulder, cawing, an ominous sound that invaded everyone's ears.
"No," Toshiro whispered. "Chase Young… You're alive…"
The man's face hardened. "Yes," he glared. "Despite being shot, poisoned, and thrown into an icy river, yes, I am alive." He advanced dangerously, and Toshiro backed up another step in fear.
"I was once a trusted sorcerer of the imperial family, but now? I am reduced to this. A banished man. And all for what? Practicing a couple of what you call, 'inapt' spells?" Chase's eyes were glowing furiously now. "After all I've done for your family… You tried to kill me!"
"You were trailed and found guilty of practicing the dark arts! Of evil spells!" Toshiro protested. "I had now choice! It was against the law!"
"Don't you give me any of that nonsense!" Chase shouted angrily. "You gave the orders! You accepted my punishment!"
"I had no choice!" Toshiro cried, his eyes clearly showing his fear.
Kimiko shuddered. She had a bad feeling something much worse was to come. She was right.
Chase held up the reliquary from his waist high above his head as eerie noises came form within. "So strong my thirst for revenge," he declared. Pausing dramatically, he added, "I sold my soul to the devil in exchange for this phial, for ultimate power, for the ability to destroy all the Tohomikos!" He smiled at the gasps that reverberated around the room and smirked.
"The Tohomiko Dynasty ends here!" Chase turned to face Toshiro with a look of pure hatred. "You, your wife, and children… All will die within the fortnight!"
"No!" Kimiko screamed. This isn't happening! Her brain shrieked over and over again. She rushed up to her father from her place beside the emperor and stood defiantly in front of him, still clutching onto her music box. "We're not afraid of you!" she shouted, her voice ringing loud and clear. But her shaking hands gave away her fear.
Chase's eyes narrowed as he spun around to face her, his face a mask of fury. "You," he hissed. "You'll be so much fun to kill…" he laughed evilly. "I think I'll save you for last!"
He twirled the reliquary again and the moans from within grew louder. The raven circled his head as smoke began to pour form the lantern. "This is the end of the Tohomiko line! Forever!" he screamed.
A tornado of smoke began once again, whipping into a frenzy before exploding. When the dust cleared, Chase was gone.
Kimiko stood where she was, seething in anger and fear. What Chase said couldn't be true, she thought to herself. We couldn't all possibly die within two weeks! He couldn't be capable of a curse like that! But the words he had last uttered stayed in her mind as the lights turned on once more, and she shuddered.
This is the end of the Tohomiko family line. Forever…
The past week had been hectic. It seemed as though the whole country was in turmoil. Kimiko sighed as she fell tried to fall asleep in her warm and cozy bed. She didn't know if it because of the curse Chase had inflicted last week, but what she did know was that now, the entire country of Japan was in chaos. It was as if the people had gone crazy. She closed her eyes and drifted off into a troubled sleep…
…Only to bolt out of bed at around midnight at the sound of shouts and rifle shots just outside her palace.
"No!" she gasped. She leapt out of bed and ran out her door, knowing immediately what was going on, her heart hammering beneath her chest. It was the mob – the mob that was all over the news – attacking villages and burning everything to the ground and killing everyone. She closed her eyes in horror. And now they were just outside the palace, ready to kill her and everyone inside.
No, she suddenly realized. They weren't outside. Now they were inside the palace! She could tell by the shouts of confusion on the first floor as servants tried to suppress the mob from entering.
Still in her nightclothes, she found her grandfather as she ran and cried, "Oh Master Fung! I am so scared! And where is the rest of the family? What shall we do?"
He didn't bother trying to comfort her as it would be of no use. Instead, he said, "Quick, we must leave immediately!"
The started down the stairs when Kimiko stopped dead in her tracks. "My music box!" she shouted in horror. Before he could stop her, she was rushing back up the stairs and into her room.
"Kimiko! No! There is no time!" he shouted desperately, but Kimiko would not listen, leaving him with no choice but to run after her.
Kimiko slammed her door open and ran over to her dresser where the music box sat. She grabbed it just as Master Fung ran in.
"Quickly, child! We must leave!" he shouted.
Tears coursed down Kimiko's cheeks as more rifle shots were heard; and they were getting closer. Her temples throbbed and her head felt like bursting. There was too much happening at once. She clutched the music box to her chest as they started for the door.
"No! Do not go down the stairs! That's where the mob is coming up!" she heard a familiar voice shout from the doorway.
Her head snapped up and she stared into a boy's face, Raimundo, the kitchen boy's face. He was standing at the door, blocking their way out.
She couldn't help but yell at him, "Then how shall we get out? Jump out the window? We are on the third floor!"
Raimundo leapt inside and shut the door behind him. "Here, this way," he said, ignoring Kimiko's sarcasm. He ran over to a wall panel and threw his weight against it, forcing the door open and revealing a secret passageway.
"Go! Run! Out the servant's quarters!" he shouted as Master Fung led Kimiko inside.
Master Fung gave the kitchen boy an enormously grateful look as Raimundo flipped his hair out of his face unconsciously. "Thank you," Master Fung whispered.
"Go!" Raimundo shouted. The voices were right outside now.
Master Fung slipped in but there was no time. The mob was right outside the room. Desperate, he pushed Kimiko inside without her consent. But as he did so, the music box slipped out of her hands and clattered to the ground three feet away.
"My music box!" she shouted, tears streaming down her face. "No!"
"Go!" Raimundo shouted for the third time. Knowing there was no time to retrieve the music box for her, he pushed her inside without it and closed the wall panel, spinning around to face the mob just as the they burst into the room.
"Where are they, boy?" one of them snarled.
Instead of answering, Raimundo took the vase of flowers on the cabinet closest to him and flung it at the guards.
Letting out a yell of anger one guard whacked him in the stomach with his rifle. Groaning, Raimundo slumped to the ground as the mob inspected the room. Seeing no one and not knowing about the secret passage, they left, leaving the brown haired boy on unconscious on the ground.
Outside, Kimiko and Master Fung were running across the frozen lake when she slipped and fell, the ice cracking beneath her weight.
"Master Fung! Help me!" she cried.
He turned around to help but stopped in horror as an all too familiar tornado took form behind her. Kimiko saw his aghast face and turned back only to scream in terror.
Chase Young stood less than three feet from her.
"Chase!" she screamed in horror. He ignored her and lunged forward, grabbing onto her foot. Kimiko screamed again and started kicking wildly but Chase refused to let go.
"You're family is dead," he shouted triumphantly. "And like I promised, you are the last to die."
"No!" she screamed. "Stop lying you monster and get off me!"
His eyes glowed yellow. "They are dead! And now it's your turn!"
"No!"
But as he pulled at Kimiko, the ice began to crack beneath his weight. Suddenly snapping out of his trance, Master Fung lunged forward and grabbed onto Kimiko's hands as he tried to pull her away. The raven that followed Chase everywhere circled above them, cawing ominously.
Chase's eyes suddenly widened in horror as the ice below him completely gave way. "No!" he shouted furiously, still clutching onto Kimiko's foot.
Desperate, Kimiko kicked him in the face with her other foot. The heel connected to his face with a sickening crunch as his nose broke, and in a moment of surprise, he let go, and Kimiko was pulled away by Master Fung.
"No!" he yelled again in rage, but the merciless icy cold water engulfed him before he could utter another word. Kimiko and Master Fung watched on with dread as Chase sank below the surface and disappeared.
"Hurry, Kimiko!" Master Fung shouted as they pushed their way through the crowded train station. It was crowded with so many people – royalists who were trying desperately to board the train to Paris, and mobs who were trying to stop them and cause chaos.
Holding onto each other's hands, they pushed through the hordes of people, frantically trying to reach the train.
When the train was in sight, she broke away from Master Fung and dashed up to it. She turned around and shouted, "Hurry Master Fung!"
"Get on, Kimiko, get on!" he shouted back.
Kimiko refused to move. She was not leaving without him.
The train began to move slowly and Kimiko screamed, "Hurry! Hurry!"
Master Fung caught up a split second later and Kimiko pushed him up the stairs and onto the caboose of the train, placing her a few steps behind as the train sped up.
Master Fung was gripped by the other passengers as he reached out for Kimiko, who was running beside the train, trying to catch up and get on.
"Grab my hand!" he shouted anxiously.
Kimiko reached out to grab his hand and caught it. "Don't let go!" she yelled, her voice tight with fear.
But the train sped faster and her small hand was ripped from Master Fung's.
"Kimiko!" he shouted tearfully.
"Master Fung!" she shrieked, tears forming at her eyes. Then she stumbled. No! Her mind chanted. This couldn't be happening to her!
Tripping, she stumbled and fell to ground head first – hard. It connected with a sickening crack and she felt herself losing touch with the real world.
"Kimiko!" Master Fung screamed in horror. He tried to leap out of the train but was held tight by the other passengers as the train ran faster and faster.
Kimiko couldn't function as a black inkiness slowly started across her brain, blocking out everything that she knew. She felt a warm, sticky, wetness seeping below her hair but she couldn't lift her head at all. It suddenly felt so heavy. Her eyelids fluttered and she tried to keep them open. "Master Fung," she murmured. The inkiness finished its journey across her brain and she faded into oblivion, clutching onto the necklace around her neck that Master Fung had given to her less than a week ago, when everything had been perfect.
end prologue
Author's Note:
Well, that song Kimiko and Master Fung sang in the middle of this fic was a dead giveaway as to what movie this is based on... oh well. There was no way I couldn't NOT put it in, so...
But anyways, that's it! I was originally going to continue, but I think the ambiguity of the ending works out just fine too. Then it's left up the reader to decide what will happen. :)
Anyways, reviews are greatly appreciated! Thanks again for reading. :D
xxFireWarriorxx