A/N: This story revolves around the Chase/Omi pairing and the Wuya/Raimundo pairing in the chapters to come. Therefore, this story contains underaged characters in implied adult situations. This story will also revolve around themes of abuse, coercion, and non-consensual sexual situations. It also contains child marriages and uncomfortable themes of the same cloth. Proceed knowing you've been warned.
A/N 2: Updated early because it's a short and boring chapter.
Chapter 2: Musings and Meditation
Omi sat cross legged on the mat in the common room. The open room looked out towards the courtyard. It also faced the building Chase Young and Master Fung had gone into to discuss the terms of the declaration of intent.
His friends had finally left him alone after he had asked multiple times. He knew they were worried for him after how he had acted when he saw the crest. He was too unskilled in controlling his emotions being far too young to uphold the vows taken by his masters. His friends knew this and wanted to help comfort him, but he needed to be alone to get his tangled mind together.
He stroked the phoenix's feathers, careful to not go against the grain. The phoenix had liked him and had settled quietly against him. He waited patiently for Master Fung and Chase Young to finish their discussion. He feared what the terms of Chase Young's declaration would entail.
Did he threaten a complete subjugation of the Xiaolin temple?
Who was this intent directed at?
Is he going to lose another member of his family?
These questions swam around in his head, making him more and more confused as different questions popped up. He needed to calm down. He decided to meditate on them.
Even though Chase Young had enough power to overtake the temple, the man had come with a symbol of peace. And the symbol he brought was one that lasted for eternity as they know it. A symbol of peace that was living usually represented peace that lasts as long as the lifespan of the symbol.
Chase Young had basically offered eternal peace between himself and the Xiaolin monks. And being a man of honour, he would never go against his word.
The fact that he is doing this for his own personal gain chills him to the bone.
What was this intent he so wishes to declare? Why was it trained on the residents of the Xiaolin temple?
He meditates on this next.
Declarations of intent traditionally involve another party. However, it would also be fair for him to want something in the Xiaolin temple's possession.
Shen Gong Wu are out of the question. Chase Young had oftentimes made clear his distaste for the Shen Gong Wu, believing that their use is a crutch to a warrior's true skill.
He remembers fights with the man free from Shen Gong Wu. Of how the man would teach him to not rely so much on the Sheng Gong Wu as well as the times he would give him advice veiled in a riddle.
The man would have been a good master, had he not succumbed to the Heylin side.
Omi shook himself out of his memories. He needed to get back on track.
If it wasn't an object he sought for, it would be a person.
The terms of a declaration of intent should usually be discussed with the person it was directed at. If they were of age, that is.
Discussing the terms with Master Fung could mean one of two things; Chase Young has business with Master Fung himself, or that he sought one of the three children still in his guardianship. Omi stills at the thought that Chase could be after a member of his family.
He remembers Raimundo before he disappeared. The boy was there one day, gone the next. A presence that blended in with them so well that they never realised they were standing on scales until his absence left them all unbalanced.
Will this declaration result in the same? It was all too easy to imagine each member of his self-made family disappearing before his eyes.
He shook his head, he can't let himself get lost in his feelings. He took a deep breath, and let it all out. The key to proper meditation was a clear mind.
He continued to breathe deeply as he let his mind focus on his question. His hands still stroked the cooing phoenix. He decided to look at the possibilities and cross them off one by one.
All the objects that Omi knew were of value were all Sheng Gong Wu. There could possibly be something else that he knew nothing about, but because it all wasn't clear he decided to look over it.
That left people.
Omi couldn't help the pause in his stroking. All the possible people were from his little family.
It took the phoenix nuzzling his cheek for him to realise the stillness of his hands. He continued stroking the phoenix absently. He didn't want to think about this.
If it was Master Fung that Chase Young had business with, it was hard to know why. Did Master Fung have possession of something Chase Young desired? Perhaps he sought to convert the Master to the Heylin side in hopes of it influencing the young Dragons under his teaching and care.
The next person to come to mind was Clay. Would Chase be interested in the cowboy's slow and steady approach in everything? Maybe he was interested in Clay's family's bovine farm? The more Omi thought of it, the more ridiculous it sounded. In a weird way, it gave him comfort.
The next would be Kimiko. Here Omi paused.
Kimiko was the Dragon of Fire. The phoenix was a bird known for its association with fire.
Omi came across the realisation with wide eyes and a hammering heart.
Kimiko was a beautiful girl. It wasn't uncommon for Declarations of Intent to mean asking for one's hand in marriage. Omi took in a shuddering breath. Asking was a nice way to put it.
A declaration of intent was literally that, a scroll with detailed terms declaring their intention towards a certain individual. It is not only near impossible to turn down a declaration of intent, but it was also seen as dishonouring the declarer's crest. When marked with a centuries old crest like Chase Young's, a declaration would be unthinkable to turn down.
Kimiko was from a fairly wealthy family as well. There would be plenty of reasons for a girl like her to be well sought after.
Omi didn't want for this to be true. But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense for him.
He didn't like this realisation one bit.
Omi's hands couldn't stop shaking, even when he went back to stroking the phoenix. He could see his family growing smaller already.
He didn't want that to happen. He would do whatever it takes to stop it from happening.
Omi made up his mind, brows set in a determined frown.
The fact that he overlooked himself while trying to figure things out never once crossed his mind.
A/N: The subject of The Symbol of Peace and Declaration of Intent are works of the writer's imagination. If the names and functions of said items resemble rituals still practiced or still held in memory, it is only mere coincidence.
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