Well….It doesn't look like I'll get the third chapter of Masks up before Christmas so I wanted to give you guys something to read so you wouldn't be sad. This is how Omi got his powers and it also includes my theory on Omi's past. Yeah. I've heard this kind of thing in others stories and I wanted to try it for myself. Enjoy! ~Z
A young woman walked quickly through the streets, shielding her baby from the strong wind and rain. Under her arm she held a large woven basket that carried the groceries she recently bought from the market. She left the small village and hiked up a hill to her home. It wasn't very large but it was enough. She lived there with her brother, who moved in when her husband died during her pregnancy. She reached the door and adjusted her grip on the basket. Before she could open the door it opened and revealed her brother, smiling as usual.
"I really wish you'd let me take care of Xiang while you shopped." He said as he stepped out of the way. The woman laughed as she walked inside.
"I know Dashi. It's not that I don't trust you. I just love being with him." Dashi took the basket and set it on the table while the woman sat in a rocking chair. The little baby squirmed and moaned.
"Who wouldn't want to be with him? He's a cutie." The slim warrior took the fish out and began preparing it to cook.
"Did you ready the bath?" The woman asked.
"Yes Song. I heated the water just like you asked." Dashi replied. Song stood up and kissed her brother's cheek as she walked past him. She brought Xiang into the bathroom and gently placed him beside the washbasin. She stripped him of his clothes and carefully held him in the water. He gave a toothless smile and started to kick. The black haired woman smiled and stroked her child's bald head.
"You like the water don't you Xiang?" She cooed. He laughed in response and started splashing with his hands. Song chuckled and reached for the bar of soap. A happy shriek sounded from Xiang. The soap slipped from her delicate hands. As she stretched for it her precious bundle of joy slipped from her grip. She gasped and snatched him out from the water. The color drained from her face as she held her baby boy above the washbasin.
Floating above his outstretched hands was a ball of water.
"Dashi! Dashi!" She tried to find the right tone so as not to scare Xiang but to hurry her brother. He was in the doorway instantaneously. He gasped as he watched his nephew stare fixatedly at the ball of water.
"N-no…He can't be…" Dashi said aghast. Song was rendered speechless. She was no stranger to her brother's abilities. She knew all about the Dragons and Wuya. She also knew that the Dragon of Water had yet to be located. The Dragons of Wind and Metal had recently perished in battle.
"What are we going to do?" Song asked.
"We need to take him to the temple. The other Dragons can help us decide what to do."
Chase and Guan were dumbfounded when Dashi brought the child.
"How is it possible that one so young is the Dragon of Water?" Guan asked.
"Who knows? All I know is we have to hide him. Wuya would stop at nothing to get her hands on this child." Dashi said.
"Yes. That is the top priority." Chase agreed. The Dragons and Song were gathered in the meditation hall at the temple. Song sat in a chair feeding the young Dragon of Water.
"Where can we hide him? Wuya is a Heylin witch. She could easily find him wherever he is hidden." Guan, Dragon of Earth said. He had a point. As soon as Wuya realized the Dragon of Water was revealed she would most certainly come to kill him.
"I have an idea. It's risky but it just might work." Chase, Dragon of Fire said apprehensively.
"What is it?" Dashi, Dragon of Lightning asked fearfully.
"We could use the Sands of-"
"No! Absolutely not! Not going to happen!" Dashi shouted. Guan put a hand on his shoulder.
"Dashi, calm down! You have to consider that this may be the only option if we want to keep him safe!" He growled.
"What? What option?" Song asked. Nobody answered. "Will somebody please talk to me!"
"Chase and Guan think it's best to send Xiang into the future to avoid Wuya's clutches." Dashi sighed.
"WHAT! No! Never!" Chase walked over to her and kneeled beside her. Xiang started to cry.
"Song, I know this is difficult but it may be the only way to keep your child safe." Song shook her head.
"I-I-I can't. I can't just send my baby into some strange future." Tears started to flow from her eyes.
"I know. I'd feel the same way if it were my child, but it might be best."
"Perhaps she should sleep on it." Guan suggested.
"Yes. They both need their rest." Dashi said. The three elder Dragons lead Song and Xiang to the sleeping chamber. Xiang fell asleep quickly with the help of a change and some warm milk but Song hardly slept at all. She kept tossing and turning, thinking about her child's fate and what she should do. He needed to be kept safe and warm and this time just wasn't safe but, she loved him so much! She couldn't bear to be without him. When dawn spread her rose colored fingers across the sky Song knew exactly what she would do. She swaddled Xiang in a warm blanket and set out to find Dashi and the others. She searched the temple but found no sign of them. She walked into the garden but still found nothing. She sighed heavily and sat down on a small stone bench. Xiang was beginning to stir. She gently rocked him and hummed a little tune.
"Maybe if I wait here one of them will come along." She murmured.
"Yes and while you're waiting allow me to take that child off your hands." Song jumped up and whirled around. A woman with curly red hair, tan skin and green eyes. Two large rock monsters stood loyally by her side. "Hand over the boy and I may spare your life." Song tightened her grip on Xiang.
"Never." The red haired woman frowned.
"No? So be it. I'll simply kill you and take him." She snapped her fingers and the monster on her left sprang to life. It gave gravelly roar and charged. Song turned her back on the enormous creature and ran for the temples gate. She had to find Dashi or Guan or Chase before this monster caught her. She spotted the three men standing at the gate. She opened her mouth to yell for them but never got the chance.
The rock monster slammed his hand into her side. She screamed as Xiang flew from her hands. The three Dragons were on the case. Chase ran up and grabbed Xiang before he could hit the ground. Guan attacked the rock monster, easily destroying it with strong kick to the head. Dashi grabbed Song and rushed her inside. Her injury was bad. Very bad. Her ribs on the left side had been obliterated. She was bleeding too much and Dashi was afraid his little sister had punctured her lung. Chase left Guan to handle Wuya on his own and followed Dashi inside. Xiang was screaming at this point.
"We need to get him to the vault now!" The cat eyed man yelled over the infants wails. Dashi nodded.
"Song. We need to send him away. It's the only safe place!" Song looked him in the eyes as she quietly spoke her next words.
"Send me with him." Her older brother was shocked.
"What! No!"
"Dashi…please…I'm not…I'm not going to live much longer. If you send me with him they may have better medicine. Th-the two of us can…can live together…in…peace." Tears stung at the normally fun loving mans eyes. This was his baby sisters dying wish. It was his duty to honor it. He picked her up as gently as he could and walked carefully to the vault with Chase and Xiang. The poor boy was no longer screeching, just whimpering as tears flowed down his round face. Chase rang the bells and the vault slid open. Just as Dashi took a step down the stairs there was an explosion from behind. Wuya had created more rock monsters to distract Guan and snuck away.
"Take them." Chase said as he handed Xiang to Dashi. "I'll take her." He uttered a fierce battle cry and charged at the Heylin witch. Dashi struggled to carry his nephew and sister but managed to carry them to the drawer that held the Sands of Time. He set the mother and child down on the steps and retrieved the Shen Gong Wu. He bent down and stroked his sister's cheek.
"Here we go Song. Into the future. Everything will be alright now." He held her hand and she weakly took Xiang's hand. "Sand of-"
"Hold it Dashi." A feminine voice hissed. He dropped the Sands of Time in surprise.
"Wuya!" He stood up and struck a fighting pose. " I won't let you lay a hand on them."
"Really? Is that a promise?" Dashi looked over his shoulder and smiled at his sister.
"Yes. It is." Song knew that smile. It was the smile he used when things seemed hopeless. It was the smile he used everyday after their parents died and they were left to fend for themselves. This time was different. It really was hopeless. He couldn't defend himself and the two of them. She stared at the hour glass like Shen Gong Wu. There was only one thing she could do. She gave Xiang's hand a gentle squeeze and grabbed the handle.
"Sands of Time…" She whispered. There was a flash and she and Xiang were gone.
Song chose a time far away where Wuya couldn't possibly be alive. She went 1500 years into the future. Song opened her eyes and found herself on the steps of a temple much like the one she had been in. She gave a weak smile. 'I did it. Dashi…we did it.' She was almost there. All she had to do was climb the stairs and call for help.
"Easier said than done…" She muttered. This pain in her side was crippling. She couldn't breathe right. Forget standing. That was impossible. She'd have to crawl. With Xiang in one arm and the Sands of Time in the other it was going to be all leg work. She took a deep, painful breath and started the agonizing task of climbing up the stairs. Every breath brought pain. Each step brought a stinging ache. After what seemed like an eternity she finally made it to the gate. A drop of cold water hit her nose. The raven haired woman looked up at the dark February sky. At least it had been February when she had left. Was it still February now? Maybe. It was certainly cold enough. She shivered violently and started coughing. She dropped the Sands of Time and coughed into her hand. Xiang started to cry.
"It's okay baby." Song said when she finished hacking. "Mommy's okay." She looked into her hand. It didn't surprise her that her palm was covered in blood. "We're going to find some nice monks and get some help." At this rate the two of them would freeze to death before they found anyone. She needed to walk. She put one hand on the pillar of the gate and slowly stood. Her lungs felt like they were on fire. She couldn't do it. She dropped to her knees and started to cry. She and Xiang were going to die weren't they? Seeing his mother's distress Xiang let out an earsplitting wail. Her mind began to get fuzzy. She'd lost too much blood. She thought she heard footsteps. She couldn't tell. Everything felt muffled.
"Oh my gosh! Miss! Are you alright!" She looked up. A Chinese man with a black goatee and a bald head approached her with a look of genuine concern. She smiled weakly.
"Please…please kind monk…take my son. He…he is the Drag-Dragon of Water." The monk looked shocked.
"The Dragon of Water! Are you sure?"
"Yes. Please…Take care of my son…" The monk took Xiang from her.
"Miss, you need a doctor. Please just hold on. I'll be right back." He hurried with Xiang inside. When he returned the young woman was gone. He looked all over the temple but would not find her. She had taken the Sands of Time and gone back 1500 years. Dashi needed the Sands of Time.
Dashi found her body the same day she left.
Master Fung decided not to tell Omi about his mother.