Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown

Chapter 10

Pain, Fear And Maternal Instincts

It took perhaps half an hour for both the dragon presently engaged in the agonising process of childbirth and the attending Xiaolin monks to come to the conclusion that although the actual final birth would have to take place with Chase in his dragon form – since the necessary birth canal had formed correctly in the reptilian form only – the contractions were easier for him to deal with while in his human form. It was a relief to the monks; he was less intimidating as a human any day. Although he couldn't really be called intimidating now, while lying on the bed, writhing in pain.

The room was filled to the brim with an uncomfortable silence, periodically broken by Chase's gasps and occasional moans of sheer agony. None of the monks had any idea what to do or what to expect, and only Omi was genuinely concerned for the dragon warlord. Technically, the other three were there for the sole reason that they were bound by their Xiaolin word and none of them were willing to dishonour themselves by breaking it.

Omi, however, seemed honestly eager to be there. He did feel that his moral debts to Chase – that he should be repaid for teaching Omi so many useful techniques – could all be paid back in this single act of staying with the man in his time of need.

Particularly since his weak lover, Jack Spicer, self proclaimed evil boy genius, was currently lying in the main chamber, unconscious. Dojo had been set to watch over him and keep an eye on him while the monks all stayed with Chase.

Now, Chase scrunched up his eyes in a futile attempt to stand strong against the overwhelming pain of the birth, as another fierce contraction wracked his damaged frame. A rough gasp left his throat, but there was no other noise to signify that he was in pain, even though it was so obvious.

Chase angrily batted away Kimiko's hand as the only female warrior attempted to use a wet cloth to dab away the crusted blood on his cheek, left over from Wuya's bite. The girl frowned at him but continued to try anyway, holding his arm down with one hand and using her other to scrape the blood away with the cloth. Chase snarled at her.

"Chill, dragon dude, she's only trying to help!" Raimundo protested, frowning as he leant against the wall adjacent to the bed. He was answered only by another snarl.

The Xiaolin monks had, much to Chase's annoyance, already fallen into a routine. Raimundo and Clay were leaning against the wall, getting new rags or water for Kimiko whenever she called for them, but otherwise not doing anything. It seemed that the whole process of childbirth was somewhat terrifying to them. Kimiko, on the other hand, had unexpectedly revealed that she actually had a maternal side to her, and the girl sat next to Chase and tried to clean up his cuts while she whispered encouraging or soothing words to him, barely batting an eyelid whenever he yelled at her. The other monks, and Chase, wondered how she was getting rid of her temper so easily. Surely she'd go mad later and destroy a few obstacle courses to vent off her rage.

It was Omi, though, who surprised them most. They had almost expected him to have fainted, or at least to be joining Clay and Raimundo in being terrified. But he was actually almost as calm as Kimiko appeared to be. Omi was standing on the bed next to Chase, encouraging him through it and not reacting when he was told to shut up and go away.

To Chase, it was all the same: just one big annoyance.

/

Under different circumstances, Chase Young, fearless master of tai chi, would have been chasing the monks out of his home and kicking their butts just for good measure. Now, though, he was humiliated with himself for how he was acting.

Time was passing, all too slowly, and by his count he was about three and half – three and three quarters, maybe? – hours into the labour. Judging by what information the monks had been able to obtain from Dojo – back now in the front chamber cowering away from the jungle cats as he watched over the still unconscious Jack Spicer – male dragons who actually managed to conceive and carry to term a child, which was an extremely rare thing for most, usually stayed in labour for around four or five hours before the child actually passed through the birth canal. Chase found that part the most humiliating part of all about this process, that there was such a thing in his body right now, though formed and visible only in his reptilian form; it was impossible for the human male to actually give birth, but not for a dragon.

But then again, perhaps the part of this that was truly humiliating was the fact that he was now coming to terms with new emotions that were brewing inside him, emotions he didn't recognise or like. There was this strong urge to give birth to the child, not just to get rid of the pain but so that the child could be beside him. He had feelings inside now that were telling him to get the monks out of the room before they could cause the child any harm or try to take it over to the side of good.

Chase Young was angry with himself for having these feelings at all, even though he was aware they were almost certainly developed from hormones awakened by the pregnancy that he didn't even know he possessed.

For the love of Dashi, he would develop a motherly side if he didn't quickly quieten these ridiculously embarrassing emotions! The very thought made his blood boil!

/

Kimiko smiled sympathetically – suppressing her own rage was turning out to be much easier than she had initially expected, considering her quick temper – as she rubbed an anaesthetic wipe over Chase's neck, getting rid of the blood that was caked on a cut there, and hopefully lowering the chances of infection. This was the best that they could do for the time being, until the ordeal was over.

Chase didn't even appear to care any longer whether or not they saw him in this state; the pain was obviously too much. He now let out louder, longer moans of pain, managing to stop himself less frequently, under the pressure of the intense pain he was feeling throughout his body.

Kimiko's heart clenched and, observing his pains, she made a vow to never, ever have children herself. Chase looked likely to die any moment now and to know all too well that the pain was only going to get worse before it actually began to get better was a terrifying mental image. Could he even survive that?

Kimiko did not like Chase Young. She never had, and she was here because she bound by her Xiaolin word, not because she actually wanted to take care of the dragon. However, that didn't mean that she had no heart. She did feel sorry for him – watching his normally placid face twist and contort with sheer agony was enough to make her want to look after him, even though she knew elsewhere in her mind that as soon as this was all over, they'd be back to being enemies who would meet only to fight.

She already knew that it would be too much to ask for that they might be friendly afterwards. It just wasn't going to happen.

But for whatever reason – part of it mainly being that they were bound by their word – the Xiaolin monks all stayed regardless of this knowledge.

/

Breathing heavily, Chase Young fell back against the pillows, closing his eyes. He was panting heavily even though he had stopped moving.

I can't do this, he thought, though he didn't say a word aloud.

The four monks in the room – he wished they would leave – all looked at him strangely. It was almost like they could tell that he had given up and was just about ready to let the pain have him.

Kimiko looked at him with pity in her eyes, and at that moment he loathed her over the over three, because he didn't want, or need, anyone's pity. To want or need the pity of another was, in the eyes of Chase Young, truly pathetic and a sign of definite weakness.

Even Raimundo and Clay were now standing much closer than they had been, Clay hovering awkwardly and Raimundo leaning over Kimiko's shoulder to look at the dragon with worried eyes.

Omi, though, took it a step further. Ignoring the odd glances his friends gave him at the action, Omi grabbed Chase's hand and held onto it, tightening his grip slightly when the dragon subconsciously tried to pull his hand free.

"Chase Young, you once told me that it is not strongest warrior who wins, but the one with the strongest will" he said sincerely, looking Chase right in the eye and holding his hand tightly. "You are one of the greatest warriors of all time, and I know that your will is stronger still. You will not give in, Chase Young!"

A silence fell over the room, and everyone stared at Omi, who didn't look away from Chase.

Then, something extraordinary happened, making Raimundo wish that he had a camera.

Chase smiled. His features softened and he smiled at Omi, before the pain took over him again and he gasped in pain. A relieved smile crossed Omi's face as he fell back into his routine of encouraging the warlord.

Kimiko remained frozen momentarily before she too regained her composure and began dabbing at the cuts and bruises that were visible on Chase's neck and face, and wherever his clothes had been torn and his armour ripped off. Clay backed off to lean against the wall again.

Raimundo, however, sat down on the bed and offered Chase a smile as genuine as he could make it, as he whispered softly, "you can do it, Chase."

Despite the pain, Chase smirked a little at the leader of the Xiaolin monks. It must have taken a lot of courage, and most likely a dent to his ego, for Raimundo to say that.

Nobody commented about how, throughout the next stage of the labour, Omi was holding Chase's hand between both of his, and the dragon's grip was becoming ever tighter with each new wave of pain that he experienced.

And for the first time since he had met them, Chase Young felt that he might have, in some ways, been wrong about the Xiaolin monks. None of them were the brainless idiots he had once classified them as, and he was only now realising just how strong their potential as a team was.

He began to work with them as they coached him through the labour. His definition of 'work with them' amounted to shouting at them a little less and striking out at them less often, but at least he was making an effort.

His grip on Omi's hand tightened as he felt a stronger, new type of contraction, and Chase realised, grudgingly, that it was almost time.

Please R&R