When lighting strikes
Underneath the forget-me-not blue skies, which were dabbled with cotton white clouds, was a beautiful Oriental temple hidden away in the jade-green hills of China. In the courtyard the breeze lifted the sound of kid's voices into the air.
As the sun glowed brightly from the heavens another golden sphere blocked it warm rays of life. In the center of the sphere a cluster of dots lit up as a voice rang out echoing over the rolling hill of jade silk.
"Orb of Tornomei, Water!" as a blue orb let loose a mighty flood of raging water heading straight for a young Japanese girl with pigtails. She remained crouching silently with her eyes closed. When the flood was almost on top of her she opened her blue eyes little by little and smiled wickedly.
She jumped up in the air and did a fancy maneuver and held out a star shape trinket and yelled. 'Star of Honabie, Fire!" causing the flood to evaporated into thin air.
"Sword of the Storm, Wind!" yelled a voice from behind and a gust of wind blew out the flames. Turning slowly she saw a hot Brazilian boy blowing nonchalant on his fingers. He smiled devilishly at her at. She just rolled her eyes in annoyed.
"Fist of Tepigong Earth!" yelled a cowboy as he caused an explosion of soil that swallowed up the cyclone.
Then all four dropped their trinkets and yelled together. "Dragon X Kuma Formation!" finishing the drill.
One person could be heard clapping softly at the display.
"Excellent my Xiaolin Apprentices. Now that our last member has joined the rank of Apprentice, your powers have increased exponentially. The forces of evil are one step closer to being vanquished. Now why don't you take a break? I think you been working hard enough," spoke an elder monk in a blue vest.
"Thank you, Master Fung. We are most thankful for of your words of encouragement. Even if it took some of us longer to get up higher on the stairs then others," comment the yellow skinned, hairless monk to his teacher.
"Omi first off it higher on the ladder and second everyone take their own time in doing things. I've worked my butt so hard to make up for the past mistakes I made, and I've rightful earned the sash of a Xiaolin Apprentice because I defeated Pandabubba." Raimundo snapped at the egotistically slang challenged monk.
'Guys! Could we not fight? Please? It way too hot! My PDA says its 104 degrees! I mean we been working hard nonstop since last Saturday when Rai received his sash. But it just too hot to fight! I'm fire and it even too hot for me to handle it! So no fighting okay?" said the girl as she got sandwiched between the two boys.
"Kimiko is right. It's hotter then a house on the Texas prairie after six mouths of no rain. Boy I'm sweating so much look what its done to my favorite hat!" whined Clay as he rung out a small puddle of sweat from his ten gallon.
'Why don't you go get a snack and relax inside for a while? Dojo just made a large pitcher of ice-cold lemonade and I'm sure we have some ice cream somewhere. After all your hard work you deserve the rest of the day off." Master Fung said sympathetically to his young pupils.
"Lets go! I'm so parched I could drink a lake!" cried Rai as he bolt to the kitchen jumping over Omi bowling ball shaped head.
"Yeah lets just hope Dojo didn't drink the whole pitcher after he made it!" exclaimed Kimiko as she did some flips down the hall as well as laughing happily.
"That for sure! That little dragon can pack more away then a bear! It's a wonder he keeps his girlish figure!" joked Clay.
"Oh most amusing Clay! Hey wait up!" said Omi as he tried to catch up to his friends who had left him eating their dust.
"Hey my figure is just fine! You rotten kids! Honestly I thought it was bad enough when it was just Omi! I mean his ego was enough to fill up the other bedrooms! Kids! Especially teenagers! I wonder so often how the humans species every makes it past babyhood and all the way through puberty to adulthood!" grumbled the diminutive bottle green dragon into the master monk's left ear.
"Oh Dojo. All things in creation must go through different parts of the cycle of life to reach their full potential and find their rightful place in life. I'm sure you had a difficulty time growing up. Growing up is never easy for anyone. It's different for everyone," replied Fung to his small friend as the pair walked slowly to the kitchen.
"I guess but still teen…. Ooh huh!" he start to say as a shiver ran down his four-foot snake like body.
"Dojo did you feel that?" asked Fung as he examined the goose bumps on his pale skin. Gazing to his left they notice they were just outside the scroll room.
"That wasn't a Shen Gong Wu feeling this one is different. This is something else of equal importance. Huh?" Dojo said quietly to himself till a scrapping noise caught their attention.
They watched in shock as an old scroll from the top shelf little by little pushed itself off the dusty wooden bookshelf. It fell and stopped in midair shimmering vibrantly. It went from being up and down to sideways reveal the Xiaolin Dragon Insignia stamped on the end of the scroll. It slowly rolled itself out. They could see as it unwounded its brief flashes of the other Chosen Ones and their symbols till it came to a stop suddenly at the Chinese symbol of lightning. Only then did the glow tone down a bit.
The pair slowly approached the hovering scroll and looked at it. Then Fung began to read it.
"This is the Scroll of the 12 Chosen Ones. It tells all there is too know of each and everyone of the twelve chosen individuals of the twelve Chinese Elements. It only actives when a chosen one has been revealed," explained Fung as he examined the scroll further.
"It looks like the Dragon of Lightning has been revealed and it seems where going to find her in Spain. Look, here comes the basic info on her. "Name, birthday, home, and some cliff notes on her. Her name is Luiza Alvaro, she 16 years old and lives in Madrid, Spain. We better go alone to get her. Remember what happen when Omi first met the gang? He was out cold for like three days!" remarked Dojo as he put away his reading eyeglasses.
"I think you are right, Dojo. We better do this alone. I'm sure our Chosen Ones will be fine on their own for a few days. I don't think we have to worry about any Shen Gong Wu. They don't active for quite sometime after a chosen one's been revealed. It takes awhile for the cosmic balance to be restored so they can active again." Fung said with a quick sigh.
As the pair left the scroll at a snail's pace closed itself but paused for moment before closing on the living picture of a young girl. In the picture stood a girl with long ebony hair with vibrate red streaks in a high ponytail. Her intense jade eyes seem to flicker with countless unidentified feelings. She was smiling wickedly with the tips of her lips accented her beauty mark underneath her right eye.
In reality she was far from it. The girl in question was looking out a private hospital room window thinking angrily to herself what happened a month ago to land her here. Outside her private room she could hear her parents having a conversation with two people she never heard before. Looking at the light rainwater she closed her eyes and started to remember.
One-Month Ago
"Yes. I understand Headmaster Ravencroft. Yes, we will talk to her. Yes I promise will get this sort out. Have a lovely day. Thank you for telling us of your concerns Headmaster Ravencroft. Thank you," said an unmistakably exasperated woman as she hung up the touchtone phone and groan.
Her attractive features scrunched up in fury as she rubbed her temples. Her cheeks flushed red in angry that they matched the rest of her quite well. She quickly walked down the long passage only to pause for a moment to examine herself in a full-length mirror. She smoothed out her up-to-the-minute short scarlet locks as well as her red business suit. Taking three deep breaths she continue on the path to the living room.
She paused outside twin doors with sophisticated design. She waited for a few moments to till she heard someone running up the stairs.
"So sorry for being not on time. I had an unanticipated long meeting with so many promising partners. I'm so sorry I couldn't be here sooner darling," said her husband his longish dark hair was so messy do to the running up two flights of stairs. There was much concern reflected in his dark eyes.
"I won't have called you out of your meetings in less it was important. I know running four different enterprises are a bit challenging every now and then even for you. But you seem to make it work," Mrs. Alvaro said to her husband as she straight his suit out.
"Me busy? I'm just a very talented entrepreneur and philanthropist. You my lovely woman work just hard running your world wide charity foundations "The Spirit of Humanity" and each day you look so beautiful." Laughed Mr. Alvaro as he kissed her.
"Enough. We don't need your sense of humor right now. The Headmaster Ravencroft called for the third time this month. She cut school yet again. And her GPA has gone from being A+ student to barely holding a D average. He wants to know why is he forced to having such a poor student in his highly respect institution. She has fallen so far from what she used to be. He says I quote"
"Either she straightens up that attitude of hers and fast or she won't be welcome back next semester. This is a private school for those who wish to exceed their potential in life. Not waste it."
"That bad huh?" cringed her husband at the news.
"Oh it gets better. He liked to be acquainted with why when she is in class she is constantly falling asleep. Badmouthing everyone. Showing her superiors no respect and why she thinks it entertaining to bungee jump off the school building and break everything that she can."
"I didn't know about the bungee jumping, that a new one. God you think seeing a therapist three times a week would help, guess not huh?" he said he fell into a chair. In the distant a grandfather clock struck 6 chimes.
"No, I don't believe Dr. Julian Gates is helping our Luiza. We have to talk to her tonight. She is in the living room for now. Come on. Why is it that we can talk to business men and other clients but we fail to have a discussion with our own daughter?" commented Mrs. Alvaro
"May the lord give us strength now," said Mr. Alvaro as the walk into the room Sitting on the couch was their daughter Luiza. She was in her school uniform but it was obviously she wanted out of it.
Glancing up she saw who it was. "Hmph!" Looking away from her parents who took seats opposing her.
"Luiza we need to talk. We have been receiving some disturbing news that you are acting less then adequate. Come on sweetheart just talk to us. Please," asked her mother with an outstretched hand.
She growled and bated it away. "Leave me alone, Maria. You and Carlos don't give a damn about me!" she yelled at them.
"Young lady! You will address us properly and give us respect!" exclaimed her mom who name was apparently Maria.
"Just leave me the hell alone! Go back to what you love the most your work! And my name isn't Luiza! Its Lu!" she screamed at them angrily as she made a run for her room.
"Luiza! Come back here! We can talk about this! Luiza!" cried Carlos as he watched his only child run away once more.
She ran to her room and locked the door. She screamed into her pillow then looked around her room. It was fit for a princess of Spain but she didn't want it. She hated her life.
Going to the right end bedpost she undid the top and pulled out a large glass jar of jalapeno peppers and then undid the other one and got out the finest melted chocolate and sat down on her queen size bed and turned on her laptop.
She began to dunk the peppers into the chocolate as she entered her password. Spending fifteen minutes writing on her diary then type in the search engine "Lonely Souls" In a few moments she was in a happily nibbling on her favorite food listen to Liken Park "Numb" and talking to her online best friend.
"Hello? Gothgenuis? You hoo! It's me Lightning Lady. Are you there?"
"Hey LL nice to hear at least one good friend! Man it has been a long day! And it's only getting worse"
"Let me guess your creepy auntie wu being yelling at you again? Maria and Carlos are giving me the 3rd degree here. They don't understand at all! So how your long term projects coming along. I mean studying and finding primordial trinkets can't be that exhilarating but you must be contented?"
"I really like this one called the Monkey Staff. I think it is cool!"
"GG you must really love monkeys. You still sleep with that ratty toy monkey your mama made you! What was his name?"
"His name is Jaxon. He like my only friend."
"Hey! I though I was your best friend! That really hurts!"
"Well you are my best friend LL you live such a thrilling life! I mean you do what you want whenever you want! You get such a rush. You are so strong and fearless! I wish I could be like that."
'Well know this will be true till the end of time GG anytime you need a friend I will be there. Those annoying pests still bug you?"
"Yes! This one head is the shape of a basketball, I just so love to slam dunk it just to get him to shut up!"
"LOL well I got to cut this short. It dark and I got to go meet the Gang. We are going to party hard all night. Soon so soon I will be out of this dump. C U Lat8 SWAK!"
"You are defiantly like lighting always on the move. Well see you later my friend. I got global plans and robots to tend to. H5 and evil laugh to the right exit."
"He is such a sweet guy! Little nutty but then what teenage boy isn't? Still I wish I knew him in reality! Still he sounds handsome. Tall, rip with fiery red locks. Goths are cool. Better get going or I'll miss the rave. Oh so can't wear this!" she exclaimed as she quickly shed the geeky uniform and changed into her favorite outfit.
Black body-hugging leather ankle boots jeans and a strapless top with gold trim and a lightning bolt insignia. It showed off her awesome curves and perfect hourglass body. She wore her trademark azure lightning bolt hair tie and then opened her jewelry box and took out her other trademark. A black leather strap bracelet with twelve almond shaped jewels on it. Strapping it onto her right wrist she open the glass doors to her balcony and balanced herself.
She was on the fifth floor of her mansion. Not even hesitating she jumped backwards gripped a tree branch and continued to reckless make her way down till she was over the high fence and then ran till she found the black and gold Yamana motorbike she had concealed. She quickly strapped her helmet on then took off laughing into the night.
She drove till she came to an abandon area of town that had suffered a gas explosion two weeks ago. No one was supposed to be in this dangers place. She completely ignored the sign "Danger! Keep Out!" she just cranked up the speed and jumped a massive hole and skidded to a stop.
"Nice one, Lu. You are becoming more like us everyday. Though I must point out your late again. Did you bring the drinks? This party won't be much fun without them," spoke a ghostly tone of voice from the darkness.
Lu quickly turned around trying to find the source of the voice. She couldn't see the long reddish black nails getting ready to grab her neck along with two catlike eyes watching her, one blue and one green came up behind her.
Just before the hands close around she grabbed them and flipped the person over her shoulder into a pile of rubble.
"Wow! Watch it girl! You messed up my hair! Nice technique though. Lu you're defiantly are a strong woman," spoke the woman she had flipped. She got up and rung out her long blood red hair.
Lu cringe a little at the woman who was body was more covered up by her tattoos then clothes.
"Come on, Lu didn't you bring the drinks or not? Or you just a goody goody who doesn't live for the thrill?" asked the woman as she narrowed her catlike eyes on the girl.
"Uh no. I don't have the drinks, Thorn. I'm sorry for being behind schedule. I'll be on time to tomorrow party. Promise." Lu apologized to her.
"Your lucky. At least Carnage until the end of time brings the most excellent drinks. But if you want to join this gang your going to have to give a little more. I've shown you for month with what its like to live devoid of regulations or restrictions. To live on nothing but the most pure and potent, adrenaline rush. To be totally and completely free"
"I had my boys Mayhem and Chaos teach you the ways of street racing that you're practically a prodigy of. You can hotwire better then anyone else. I'm the one busting my ass to make sure my man Carnage doesn't toss you out like trash the rest of you kiddies are. So think of this as your last chance either bring the goods tomorrow or let say you'll be dancing with the devil in the pale moonlight, got that Lightning Lu?" snapped the red head.
"Yes! Lets go and party!" Lu said as she jumped on the rumble and climbed and started to jump around.
"You are such a wannabe daredevil. Still you can still possibly get out of this dump. Party vibe is almost tapped dry as a bone. Not many hazardous and ominous locations left in this hellhole. Come we better get our parties start prior to the cops bust yet again." Thorn said as she popped a cigarette into her mouth and lit up.
Blowing smoke rings into Lu face " You better hope Carnage is in a civilized mood. He has been gnashing his teeth since we stopped sleeping together. I told him I need least one to two nights off. Still is he wonderful. He rescued me like he rescued his best friends from meaningless and ugh ordinary lives. Nice ride but I think you want the Twins up-to-the-minute creation. We're racing against a few do gooders tonight. You sure you don't want a smoke? They always bring me luck." She said blowing smoke again.
"Actually I'm not in such a good mood. Thorn my babe why throw away our precious time with this loser? She doesn't have what it takes to be one of us. I brought the beers. But you little one. You defiantly live dangerously Lightning Babe but you still don't have what it takes to hang with this crew," shouted an ominous tone of voice as a chopper blazed over their heads.
A young man in similar costume to Thorn began to rev his bike. "Come on my bloody Thorn the party just starting and I want to have some fun." Carnage said as yanked her on the bike.
"Woo I love this bike. Which Twin made it? Mayhem or Chaos?" she purred.
"Both. Now lets go. And remember we need something to happen tonight!" he yelled.
They in next to no time were at the rave and Lu was doing everything she could to try and to fit into this cluster of runaway thrill junkies. At the same time as this was going on the four member of Storm Pain talked about her.
"No way is she joining our crew. I'm telling you she just a stupid insignificant child who has a few decent moves but she still not anything special. She not joining us and that finally," argued Carnage irritably as he guzzled down a bottle of tequila.
"Oh come on! She is such a natural. She won every race and she doesn't hesitant when we do a bit of "remodeling" She is so just what the doctor ordered for the gang. I don't want to be the only female, Carnage hon.," disputed Thorn at the same time as she fooled around with her hair.
"She the best one to test-drive our babies out. She untamed and passionate and she has no fear of death. She brings the riches, excitement and hilarity to the party. She also got one breathtaking rack on her even awe-inspiring body," the twins said in unison as they always did.
"That all is true but has she taken the pleasure cruise like the rest of us? Has she allowed pain to stab her beating heart and then laugh at like we have? Thorn you do it with the smokes, you two experiment a bit. Me I drink it straight up. In less she got a personal choice for pain. I don't think she'll cut it. End of story," said the leader as he opened an additional bottle.
"How about we make her take the initiation test? I say she ready for it. Beside we're leaving this hellhole tomorrow anyhow. Might as well have one last thrill. You can see what she made of," offered Thorn as she ran her long fingers down her lover chest.
"Fine only if she wins will she gets membership. Only! Let's tell her. Midnight is in one hour," he grumbled.
Lu soon found herself on her custom-built motorbike getting ready to win this race. Thorn had told her it was a dangers route. It went through the whole gas zone through a construction site down the busiest streets and backs alleys and end by jumping that pit again.
"Who gonna be the loser gonna eat my dust?" Lu asked in a valiant tone of voice.
"Your gonna race this guy called Blood. He is the best of the best. Never lost a race yet. Good Luck, Lightning Lu!" hissed Thorn as she got to the sidelines.
Lu got her bike revved up. She was smiling confidently. Thorn was right she was the best damn street racer ever. She beat this loser in a flash.
"Ok before the race begins I like to announce a twist. The contestants have to race under the influence. That is to make it a totally thrill. Here kid. I got you some beers. You and your opponent each drink two beers then go. First one back wins. If you win kid you get to join the gang. If not. Well see yah!" laughed Carnage as he gave her and Blood both beers.
She hesitant a moment then ingests the tainted fluid up in one quick guzzle. For the life her she couldn't understand the pleasure people got from this sorry excuse for a beverage. 'Ugh! Ok I'm ready! Let go!" she still confident as she threw the cans into the monstrous fissure.
"Ready set go!" yelled Thorn as she lit up the night. As a small fire flared up and with a quick vroom the bikers were off.
"Carnage I thought for this test only the initiate is drunk and the other sober. Why get both drunk?" asked the Twins confused.
"Only one is abstemious. Lu is under the influence. I gave her a really strong beers and I gave Blood diet cola! She will crash and burn! She is just a waste. At least this way we get a thrill out of it," Carnage insanely.
Lu was having a lot of trouble. She made it through the gas zone and construction site just fine but it when she came to the sleek busy streets things got wobbly.
She kept dodging oncoming traffic and did something that one way or another led her closer to spilling. One way or another she mange to keep it together longs enough to maintain her lead then on the homestretch it happened. She was nearly in the triple digits and took a wet corner too sharply and she then crashed into a store.
"Ahh!" she screamed as her life flashed before her eyes then oblivion. She didn't hear the sirens or the radio call out for help. She just laid their batter and broken unconsciousness for hours.
Slowly her jade eyes opened and she looked around. She was in an unfamiliar room. It was soft pastel colors with inspiration word pictures on the walls. The door was closed but she could hear voices outside.
She tried to sit up but was so excruciating. She moved her arm to help herself. That is when she realized she was hooked up to an IV and then realized all the electronic equipment in the room and she was in a bed. A hospital bed.
Just then a nurse walked into the room. "Ahh well you finally woke up. Nice to see you're still amongst the land of the living. We were wondering if you ever wake up. I'm sure you want some sun," said the peppy nurse as she open the curtains and the window a bit.
"Ah! Yo Nurse Lady? Can you give me any info on what's going on? Or are brunettes as dumb as blonds?" Lu said as she struggled to get up.
The peppy nurse looked at her in surprise. She seems to wonder if she was being insulated. She hadn't thought changing her hair color was that noticeable but this girl found out.
"Well you were involved in an accident. You have been in a coma for about a week. You have various injuries that Dr. Raul will inform you about later when your parents come. You are in good hands. At St. Maria del Consuelo we are as loving and warm to our patients as the Virgin Mary was to her son Jesus Christ," the nurse informed her while holding onto her silver crucifix choker.
"Don't tell me you believe all that religion crap? My parents put me in a private hospital not for love and healing power of the Lord. It cause they don't want to face the shame of the media catching wind of that the only child of the most wealthiest and famous couple in Spain was caught street racing drunk. That is the truth. Maria and Carlos don't care about anything but their perfect image!" she said as she clutched her fist together tightly. They seem to tingling with her anger.
"Now that a little unfair. They're your parents. I may not know what your relationship is like with them. But I can tell you they been here everyday from 9 to 5 praying that you wake from your coma. They should be here soon. God has big plans for you. Don't knock him. Have faith little one. He will help you find your path again," said the curly haired nurse as held the girl right hand tightly. While holding her hand her hair stood on ends for a moment.
"I guess you believe a lot in the Lord, seeing how he helped you, Isabel. He was with you when you were born two months premature and were in the NICU. When your family couldn't touch or hold you, HE was there singing to you as he massage you and hugged and kissed good morning and good night." Lu said as she looked out the window at the playful birds.
"How… How did you know that? I never even told my parents? Ow! Wow you sure have a lot of static," stuttered Isabel in shock as she looked at the child in confusion.
"Sometimes I just know things. Spooky huh? Isabel you really should be natural. You change your hair at least four times. It not good for the locks, just go back to curly ebony locks ok?"
Isabel smiled and walked out as soon as she left through something freaky happened.
"Why dear God did you do this do me? I hate you I hate you! I hate my life! I should I've died! Why didn't you take me!" she screamed as she watched from the corner of her eye as a spark danced off her left pinkie and for a few short moments all the electrical energy in the area flicker as if a power surge had happened.
"Whoa! What happening to me?" she cried out loud as lightning danced at her fingertips. It only last twenty seconds but it seemed to be an eternity for her.
She tried to settle her breathing when she heard someone at the door. It slowly opened and a young man in a white coat came in with her parents. They looked like they hadn't slept in weeks and had been crying a lot for their eyes were red and puffy.
"Well Luiza its nice to see you awake. With the concussion you suffered I would guessed it be at least another week before you came out of you coma. I'm Dr. Peyo Raul. You were in an accident. Tell me what do you last remember before waking up?" he as staring at her from behind his thick eyeglasses.
"I was in a race. It was a test. If I could beat a drunken guy in the ultimate street race I would be in this gang. But I wiped out. The last thing I recalling seeing before oblivion was I being thrown from the bike into a coffee shop front window. Then I woke up here. That all." Lu said as she stared at her feet.
"Well the law enforcement would like to have a discussion with you but I recommend you should have a few days rest first. You are if truth were told are incredibly lucky. You should've been killed. You were just about dead when they brought you here. You suffered a concussion, multiple lacerations, your right arm is broken in two places and your entire rib cage is bruised and sprained your right foot. We had to stitch you up all over the place. I will be back in a moment Luiza I have to go have a talk with Nurse Tajo about your case. I'll be back in a moment. Excuse me," said Dr. Raul pardon himself.
"Well go ahead tear me apart. Yell scream just get out. I screw up. I nearly die! Just say it. I'm a pathetic loser and nothing-worthless blob of flesh! Just say it." Lu screamed at them as she fell back on the bed with a sigh
"Luiza you make things really, really, tough at times," Maria told her daughter as she adjusted the bed so it was more upright. Then hit the heated massage to relax her.
"Luiza…"
"Its Lu! All right! I will only talk with you if you call me Lu! That my name! Not Luiza!"
"Ok Lu. We don't know how to reach you. You used to be this a happy young girl with such promise. You showed respect and understood responibitly. You were an excellent student. Y. I mean you were such a good athlete. You were the best in gymnastics, martial arts, and track and field. You were such a good girl. But lately we can't recognize you anymore your like a stranger to us," Maria said gripping her skirt so tight her knuckles were white.
"You are out at all hours of the night at raves doing who knows what with total strangers. You are beyond rude and have no respect for anyone that includes you. Your schoolwork is in the toilet cause you cut so much school. You are doing thoughtless and hazardous stunts. Driving in a street race while intoxicated. You have vandalized properties. What is next?" asked Carlos.
"Yes are you going to do drugs, getting pregnant, develop an eating disorders, or another suicide attempt? How much are you going to punish yourself or us? You are getting more full of rage and depression. We don't know how to help you. You are scaring us. We are at our wits end Lu honey." Maria said as she ran her fingers through Lu hair.
"The police are going to be here soon. I know the doctor said take it easy but we have to know what the punishment is now." Carlos said as he kissed her forehead.
"Just leave me." Lu said. She rolled her head to one side closed her eyes sealing them shut with tears.
"Lu honey. We want to help you, but we can't help if you won't help yourself. We'll be back in a little bit," said her mom with a quick kiss.
"This is terrible, Carlos. She could die. I mean she almost did. What are we going to do? This is way out of our hands. Money won't save us this time."
"Maria? We have blown a small fortune to keep this under warps. Well get through this. We been together since we were eleven years old and we have face everything thrown our way together and we will face this one together too," Carlos told his beloved wife as held her close.
"She may not think it. But I have loved her since I first held her in my arms. I don't want to lose her. Hold me Carlos," she said as she fell into his arms.
"Its gonna be ok."
"Excuse me sir, I don't mean to interrupt by I'm Detective Esteban Roman. I like to question your daughter about the people she been associating herself with," said a tall man in dark attire.
"If it be all the same to you Detective Roman but she just woke up from a coma can't this wait. Couldn't you tell us something?" asked Mrs. Alvaro patiently as she got herself some coffee.
"I'm sorry but the people are wanted on accounts of illegal racing, used of controlled substance, DUI grand theft and vandalism. She could tell us the whereabouts of this criminals, we might be a little leniency about her punishment," the detective told them.
They let him go in but he soon ran out for his life when a bedpan was thrown at his head. "I told you everything! Now get out! Leave me be! I need to rest!" yelled Lu furiously.
"Well I think all we need. You can send your lawyer to the courthouse tomorrow and they'll hammer out what her punishment should be. I advise though you put her in restrains," he said as he bolt down the hallway.
The next day they found out the results of her case. It was an ultimatum. Either she go to a juvenile detention facility for 18 months or she does a year of community service. Neither though felt very feasible.
That is what had happen a month ago. Now she could hear her parent talking two strangers outside her room. She was talking to Gothgenuis online to ease her trouble mind given that they let her keep her laptop to pass the time in the boring and lonely hospital room. It was the only joy she still had.
He was telling her how he had no friends and everyone thought of him as a loser. And how he wished this girl would notice him.
"She super cool. She has a great sense of style and has all the latest video games. Her dad is really rich. I have a digital picture for every outfit she every worn. I even have a secret shrine dedicated to her. It has statues and holograms and it's so beautiful. I think she wicked, breathtaking, and awe-inspiring. But she most likely thinks I am a sissy boy."
"Don't give up. She just needs to see your more sensitive side. You can be so hilarious and compassionate. Just be nice and try to make her laugh. Be her friend. I think you have great potential. Girls and boys speak totally different languages but we both need to be understood. Don't think we are weak and helpless. Girls can kick ass. If you need more advise just ask me."
"I guess. I don't have a lot of luck with people. I only have one goal in life but everyday it just slips further away. My parents don't talk to me at all. It actual makes me very sad. You know I just want once for them to say that they are proud of me, that I'm not the weirdo loser they think I am. Auntie Wu is throwing another hissy fit! Ahh! I hate it when she lays a hand on me. So you getting out of the hospital soon?"
"I'm getting out tonight. But what going to happen to me I don't know. I just feel like I don't belong. I hear them talking to strangers. Guess I'm going to the penal colony. Well I hope to see you soon. Kiss."
'Thanks! See you ASAP. Bye"
"Bye GG," she closed her laptop and looked out the window.
Twenty Minutes Ago.
"Carlos what are we going to do? She can't go to jail. She will die. One way or the other if she goes in she not coming out. This we both know is true. She is going to die if she goes into that place." Maria told him as her hands trembled as she poured herself some black coffee.
"Honey you really need to switch to decaf. Coffee isn't doing you any good right now. It's just making you more of a wreck. I have the same opinion; Lu can't go to juvenile hall. But we also are on familiar terms with the fact that she would be unsuccessful in completing her community service here in the city. She already has been kicked out of Ravencroft Intuition for the remanded of the school year," he told her honestly.
Setting her cup down on the table she looked at him and said. "You were always the smart one. She is not just an heir to a vast wealth she a child. A child whom is in a lot of pain and confused. But we both know we can't help her. We need to find someone who can," as she reached back for coffee only to drop the hot liquid in fright.
"Ahh! Who are you? You should know better then to sneak up on a person," she exclaimed.
"A thousand apologies Mrs. Alvaro I didn't mean to cause you such a scare," replied the bald man in the blue vest.
"How did you know are name was Alvaro? Who are you and why are you here?" asked her husband.
"My name is Master Fung, I'm a teacher and head of the council at the Xiaolin Temple in China. I'm here with a proposition for you. It might help with your current problem."
"Temple? China? What is exactly your reasoning for being here?" asked Maria confused by the man.
"At the Xiaolin Temple I instructed Chosen Ones, the Xiaolin Warriors in the ways of the ancient Xiaolin Dragons. It has come to my attention that your daughter is the Xiaolin Dragon of Lightning. She is destined to fight the evils of the Heylin and to restore balance to the world," Master Fung explained patiently.
"I see. Are you on any medications sir?" asked Carlos.
"No he isn't on any meds. He sharp as a tack! Look here the jest. Your daughter can control and manipulate the element of lightning. We can help her learn to control it. We have other kids who help save the world that she could hang out with. So what do you say?" said Dojo as he slithers up to them.
"Ahh talking snake!" they screamed.
"I'm a dragon," he corrected them.
"Here look at this scroll and all will be explained," said Fung as he handed them a small scroll.
They watched in astonishment as the history and adventures of the monks was played before them.
Taking in it back he smiled and continued. " I know your daughter had it rough but I want to help. I'm offering you a third option. Allow her to come to the temple for a while to hone her abilities and if in a set time she hasn't improved you can chose her fate. Maybe all she needs is a place for a fresh start. You know a second chance at life," he told them kindly.
"Well it does look beautiful and it would be the best thing. Sure we will tell her that she is going. Come," said Carlos.
Lu was a little surprised when she saw who just come into her room. "Eww you let a icky snake into this hospital? I thought this place was sanitary! Eww!"
"I AM A DRAGON GOT IT KID!" he shouted angrily at that steam blew out of his ears.
"OK Touchy! Maria, Carlos what's going on?" she asked them annoyed.
"Lu, we thought about this a long time. You know that all the things you did have serious consequences correct?" asked her father.
"Yeah so what? I thought I do some lame community service, or are you shipping me of to lockup for the rest of my life?" she said crossly.
"Actually it's neither," her mom started to say when Lu interrupt. "You mean I'm off the hook? Just go back to normal life?" she asked confused.
"No, you're going to go away for a little while. For about six months," Maria started to say till she was cut off again.
"You shipping me? Like I trash that just needs to be thrown out? Were you sending me to boot camp?" she said raising her voice in anxiety
"No you are going with this nice man to his temple in China. It will be a place where you can have a fresh start a second chance. You can make a difference," Maria said kindly to her as she explained.
"I don't believe this instead of boot camp I going to some crazy cult in the middle of nowhere! This is so low!"
"Lu honey listen. You haven't given us many options to work with. Like we said before we don't want to lose you. You are special. You know it. You know you can do things no one else can. This is the finally straw your last chance. Don't blow it, Lu" said Carlos as he handed her a suitcase and a duffle bag.
So they climbed to the roof of the hospital and the diminutive chatting gecko grew from four foot to four hundred foot long.
She reluctantly hugged her parent's good-bye but didn't say anything to them when they said, "We love you."
She just swung her leather cladded leg over the undulating beast and stared angrily at the moon. Soon they were flying off to the unknown.
"Are we there yet? This flight is so boring there not even a movie for god sakes!" she whined after an hour.
"Patience young one, it isn't the destination that is important rather the journey we take to get there," said the meditating monk.
"Right. What did you do order ten thousand boxes of fortune cookies?" She asked hearing her stomach growl. "Speaking of which. Where are they Ahh! My babies," she sighed as she unscrewed the jar of chocolate covered jalapeno peppers and began happily munching on them.
Dojo super sensitive nose picked up the scent of food and his stomach sound like thunder.
"Could I please, please have some? I'm nothing but scale and bones!" he whined.
"Here have three big ones," she said as she tossed them into his wide-open trap.
He greedily at them and licked his teeth.
"Well how are they? Good huh?" she asked him.
"They are..." he started to say then belched fire into Master Fung face. He slowly opened his blue eyes in surprise, "Great," he said with a sheepish giggle.
"This is why I seldom leave the Xiaolin Temple," he said quietly.
Lu just cracked up and laughed the rest of the way to China and her destiny.