Setting: Chase Young's citadel. Present day. Early one morning."
Light blue eyes slowly opened to take in the new day.
The owner of them sat up and lifted a hand to her forehead.
Her blue eyes blinked while she sighed.
She knew that it would be another uneventful day…for her at least.
Not seeing any point in getting up, she lay back down, rolled over, and went back to sleep.
Around the same time, Chase Young began to awaken as well.
Unlike her, he immediately rose to start then new day. Over time, he had grown accustomed to her presence…or lack there of.
Previously, she had played a bigger part in his life, but now he rarely saw her.
Perhaps she thought he would forget when they first met…But Chase hardly ever forgot.
Setting: The Xiaolin temple. Many years ago. One evening.
It had been a peaceful day for Dashi, Guan and Chase.
The three of them were outside- Chase watched as Dashi and Guan sparred- when she arrived.
Taking them by surprise, she ran into their courtyard.
"Please help me." She begged- a pleading look in her eyes.
Dashi and Guan stopped- Chase approached her.
"Tell us what you need."
Her breathing interfered with her ability to speak.
Guan led her over to the steps of the temple, where she sat down and caught her breath.
"There isn't a lot of time to explain." She told them "I've finally escaped from my father, who's been holding me prisoner for eighteen years."
The matter at hand became more serious.
"How far behind you was he?" Dashi asked, surveying the horizon.
She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. He'll catch up to me soon enough."
"Until then, you should tell us the whole story." Guan suggested.
She took a few more deep breaths before starting.
"For centuries, my family has been cursed with a mutated gene. It's found in every member of my father's father's family, and the side effects of the mutation vary greatly."
"Would you mind going into greater detail on the family specifics?" Chase asked.
"Only blood relatives of the original member cursed are affected. For instance, my mother doesn't have the gene, but my brother, my sisters and I all do, because of our father who is a blood relative of the original member…Understand?"
The three nodded.
"What about this…side effect?" Guan wondered about.
"Some call it magic…but it's not. The gene triggers a nerve that taps into the 90 of the brain that people don't use. Depending on which part of the brain, the side effects are either a superhuman ability, or gradual insanity as the brain develops."
"So what does any of this have to do with you and your father?" Chase asked.
"He's trying to gather everyone still living with the gene together so that he can try his own experiment. He wants to unlock the whole 90 for himself…so that he will become powerful enough o take over the world."
Chase lifted an eyebrow. Interesting...
"Hold on a sec," Dashi said. "Go back to the part about the side effects. Did you say superhuman abilities? Like what?"
"Well…my cousin can stop time, my sister can control other people's bodies, my aunt is telekinetic…and so on." She explained for him.
"And what about yourself?" Chase asked.
"I have the same ability as my oldest sister. We can repel, attract, and manipulate all things metal…essentially the two of us are giant magnets."
"And what about your father? What makes him so dangerous?" Guan questioned.
"He has the same as the two of us…But has acquired my brother's power of teleportation. Once he figures out where I am-which I have discovered is incredibly easy for him to do-it will only be seconds until…" She trailed off and glanced downward.
"Hmm…" Dashi put a finger to his chin thoughtfully. "Alright, that makes sense. But why would he need to keep you prisoner? If he has the same ability as you?"
"Unlike the rest of us, my power is fueled by emotion. He's made me angry enough to the point where I became a threat. Before, it wasn't that big of a deal, but-"
She was interrupted by a flash of dim light. It shimmered before brightening, and in its place, stood a man.
He looked to be in his late fifties, with colorless eyes and locks of hair, white with age.
Her eyes widened in horror as she took a couple of cautious steps backwards.
Chase, Guan and Dashi stayed in front of her, just in case.
"If you are wise, you will leave here and this young girl alone." Chase informed him in a low, threatening voice.
He smirked. "Did you think that dragging these warriors into your problem would solve it?" He asked her.
She responded by taking a few more backward steps.
"Please help me." She whispered.
"If she's any threat to him, why does she seem so helpless?" Chase asked himself.
"I will say it again." He addressed the man. "Leave the temple and this girl alone."
He chuckled darkly.
"In this stage, you are of no threat to me." He sneered. "So I will grant you this freedom…Assuming that you can survive in this world knowing your fate."
With another laugh, he vanished just as he had come.
"Thank you…" She breathed a sigh of relief…but didn't seem as relieved as she had let on.
Chase stared at this girl.
Sad blue eyes looked down at the ground, not matching the small smile on her face. Dark blue hair messily swept her earlobes, accompanied by bangs hanging in her eyes. She was clothed in a light purple shirt with long sleeves…and dark pants- unusual for a girl during that period of time.
"You are welcome to stay at the temple here with the three of us." Guan offered, introducing himself, Chase and Dashi.
"…And what is your name?" Dashi asked.
She looked each one directly in the eye, before taking a deep breath.
"Serena."
