(Hello all! Got another chapter for you. Hope you all like it, and thank all of you who reviewed last time. You're awesome people and I love you! Let me know what you think of the chapter, and I'll love you even more!)
CHAPTER TWELVE: EXPLAINING THE UNKNOWN
Kimiko had been practicing the use of her element on a few targets that Chase had arranged to be set up for her in his private room. It was tiring but rewarding work. And her mood had improved greatly since they were getting along just fine once again. In a matter of hours, things had gone from icy to friendly, and she was pleased with the difference. She knew it would take more than a few hours for Chase to trust her once again, and it would take more than simply doing as she was told to regain his favour, but it was a good start to mending the relationship. She wanted to please him for the time being; life was a lot less stressful while they were getting along.
"Impressive." He mused appreciatively as she reduced one of the sack dummies to cinders, sending ash fluttering to the floor like lifeless butterflies and smoke stretching into the air like eager hands clamouring towards the ceiling. He was sitting on his chair, watching Kimiko practise, giving her feedback and suggestions for improvement; not that it was needed much. Her form was impeccable, as per usual.
"Perhaps I could arrange for you to practise on human targets." He paused for a second, as Kimiko took a moment to sit and take a much needed drink of water. "Well, that's a better use for captured rebels than just simple execution. Plus, I'm sure they'd look rather fetching whilst they burnt." Chase Young suggested, but Kimiko grimaced, apparently not fond of that idea.
Chase Young managed an amused chuckle as he caught Kimiko's expression of distaste.
"Calm down, young Dragon, it was a joke, although a poor one, judging from the look on your face." Chase Young smiled a little; a rare thing these days. Kimiko wondered if he really had been joking. She would not have been too surprised if he hadn't been. Getting to her feet, she quickly wiped her sweating forehead with a cloth to cool herself down, and then prepared for further training. Her element was hot, naturally, but working with it continuously after more than a few minutes made her unbearably hot, and she often had to strip down to a simple vest top and her monk trousers to keep herself cool. The use of her element was the only time that Chase's palace ever seemed to be remotely warm. She wasn't sure how he could stand it. Perhaps it was something to do with his beast-form being a reptile. Reptiles were cold-blooded, maybe he was too.
Chase continued with his speech, bringing Kimiko out of her ponderings.
"Rebels are much more useful to me than for your target practise. If I wanted human candles, I could have it arranged, but it seems highly unproductive. Did you know that there was once a roman emperor named Nero who would turn Christians into human candles and burn them at his parties for celebration? I admire his style. Although, that being said, this place could use a little light. I regret I never got to meet him, I was five-hundred years late unfortunately." He gestured towards the darkened room, only lit by two candelabra's standing either side of his chair. The flickering lights made the room perfect for Chase to meditate in. He often came in here when he wanted to be alone to meditate on his thoughts.
There was a small patterned sofa in the corner next to a tall bookshelf, and a tiny coffee table next to them both. Although Kimiko couldn't imagine that he got much chance to relax with everything that happened. However, Chase needed very little sleep to keep his body in peak physical condition. He found it to be a useful perk that came with not having a soul.
She simply smiled in response, and he returned the favour. Chase Young was so knowledgeable, she was sure that he must know everything.
"Please continue. You are quite talented when you focus." His voice was praising and appreciative, and it drove Kimiko's desire to please him; to be rewarded for all she did, despite the wrong that she had done him. Yes, she had freed Spicer, but that did not matter now, it seemed to have been forgotten, and Chase appeared to be a good mood, for the first time in a while. Things seemed to be back to how they were before all the problems with Jimmy, Spicer and the mysterious Dragons. Her hunger for the truth was still just as strong, but she knew better than to push her luck with Chase any further than it had already gone.
The doors to the room creaked open, and both Chase and Kimiko turned to stare in surprise at the intrusion. Chase had ordered them not to be disturbed, but one warrior had dared to walk inside. He was shaking with fear, and then collapsed to his knees, whispering news that caused Chase Young body to stiffen in anger.
The tension in the main hall became almost unbearable; it was so overpowering and thick that Kimiko could have cut through it with a knife -not that she dared to make a move. She was holding her breath with anticipation, waiting for the inevitable reaction that was going destroy everything around it. She backed away from both men slightly, wishing to stay well out of the way.
She was horrified, and for good reason.
Her every move at this time was crucial, a single false movement and Chase would have her head in a matter of milliseconds.
Chase Young rose to his feet, glaring down upon the trembling warrior. The warrior was well-built, muscular, covered in scars, and over six feet tall. He himself was a frightful sight, but nothing could compare to how utterly fearsome Chase Young looked. Kimiko had never seen him look so furious in his life. His whole body was trembling, shaking furiously as if he was about to burst. His expression was so terrible to behold that Kimiko was not surprised that the warrior was cowering away. She had never seen him so enraged before. He was dangerous at the best of times, but at that moment, he was downright scary. Kimiko was eternally grateful that she was not on the end of Chase's murderous glare.
"You mean to tell me that the Xiaolin Dragon of the Wind... has escaped?" His voice was soft – a deadly whisper. The warrior was flinching at the words, almost as if each single word was a torturous blow to the cowering wreck at Chase Young's feet. His voice made the hairs on Kimiko's neck stand on end.
"Y-yes sir... We believe he had help from someone on the inside..." The warrior was wincing, wishing he could melt into the stones beneath him, vanishing from the glare of his leader.
There was a long pause before anything else happened. Kimiko held her breath again. Even the slightest movement could encourage a reaction from Chase. The silence was better than nothing.
He was still glaring furiously down at the warrior, but not for much longer.
With a deafening roar that seemed to shake the very foundations of the palace, Chase's body began to twist and turn. His skin stretched and ripped in the most grotesque way, darkening into a sickening green. His face contorted into one of utter pain as the transformation continued. There was a tearing sound as the full monstrous form burst from Chase's frame. His eyes were almost gleaming with hatred at he approached the warrior like a lion with its prey, shining with a desire to kill that was more animal than man. That was when he pounced.
His razor sharp teeth tore through the helpless warriors' skin easily, slicing through the flesh as if he was biting through nothing more than butter. Blood splattered across the room as if someone had just turned on a sprinkler. The warrior gave a terrified cry as his life was cut short by Chase Young's true and terrible form. The broken body was cast aside as if it was an unwanted piece of rubbish.
Kimiko stood, unable to move her feet. Every instinct in her body was telling her to run. This monster was unpredictable at the best of times, let alone when something as devastating as losing a Dragon had happened.
Her legs weighed tonnes, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not even lift her feet.
The lizard slithered towards her, moving along the floor as fluently as if he were swimming. She had seen him in this form only a few times, but never noticed how truly and utterly dangerous he was until this very moment. He towered over her, glaring down at her with a fire burning brightly behind his eyes. Kimiko knew perfectly well that Chase Young was capable of killing her while he was this furious. In a fit of rage, she could easily become as unwanted as the dead warrior, slumped against the wall on the other side of the room. His scaly and giant claw slammed against her body, smashing her into the floor with intense force, holding her firmly in his grip, using his weight to keep her from moving.
But even if she could, she would not have attempted to move. She was not an idiot. Even the slightest movement could cause her to become his next victim.
She gasped, feeling her body sitting between two of his giant fingers. In comparison to him, she was just a toy; a potential plaything to be tossed around like a ragdoll, and with his huge size and glaring eyes, she found herself without breath once more.
Never before had she trembled this way.
She was, for the first time, truly and undoubtedly scared of Chase Young.
His teeth were inches from her face, and his hot breath was blowing strongly against her face. Blood was dripping from his teeth, trickling down his scaled chin and spilling onto the powerless victim beneath him.
"Did you have anything to do with this?" Chase's voice was a snarling hiss as he stared her straight in the eyes, looking at her with little but contempt. His reptilian tongue slithered after every word, adding a slight pause that struck fear into Kimiko's very heart.
She tried to speak in response quickly, but her throat had dried up so much that only a small rasping sound was made. She quickly swallowed, and then tried again. The panic in her voice wall all too obvious.
"Chase... I swear-" She began, but the snarling lizard pinning her to the rock floor gave a furious snarl, interrupting her shaking voice. Chase did not want her to swear, he wanted a straight answer.
"No!" Kimiko blurted desperately, "How could I have done? I've been here with you! I couldn't have done anything... You'd know..." Her eyes were shut by the time she had stopped speaking, mainly for fear. She could smell the stench of rotting flesh and death on his breath, and it was making her stomach turn. Her life could end, right here. He could crush her skull in his jaws like a walnut, and think nothing of it.
He growled again, but then seemed to accept this as a reasonable answer, and bolted through the doors, leaving Kimiko to catch a glimpse of his spiked tail disappearing overhead. His deafening roar shook the palace again and there was a pained female cry that rang out seconds later.
The massacre of whoever Chase could sink his teeth into would last until his anger calmed, but Kimiko didn't see that happening any time soon.
He was furious, more furious than he had ever been before. Catching even a single Dragon had been so important to him for so long, and now he had escaped, leaving Chase with the horror of explaining to his followers how the negligence of his soldiers had managed to allow one of the most important people on the planet to escape.
Kimiko couldn't help but remember what the warrior had said as she shakily got to her feet.
He had said that he thought that the Dragon had had help from the inside; this meant that someone here was pretending to be loyal to Chase and had secretly betrayed him.
Someone had been inside the castle today who had somehow managed to help the Xiaolin Dragon escape. Who was this person? How had they done it? They had done the most dangerous thing on the planet, and succeeded. This person was certain a worthy foe. Maybe another Dragon? She knew very little about them, but enough to know that Chase wanted them dead for a reason – they must have been very formidable indeed for him to want them gone.
After she had managed to steady her racing heart and shaking legs, she was glad that she was not the only one that wanted to defy Chase.
Someone out there wanted things to be different, and that person was not the only one who desired this – Kimiko did too.
There was another distant but distinct roar from elsewhere in the palace. No doubt there was some kind of massacre going on at the moment. Hundreds of people probably – all the servants and warriors unlucky enough to be in the corridors Chase travelled down – gone with a snap of his jaws or a deadly slash of claws.
She wasn't sure what she was waiting to happen, but the time wasn't right to act against Chase Young yet. She hadn't made any immediate plans, but the thoughts were present in her head constantly.
She didn't know how she knew, but she just did.
Chase Young's reign would soon be coming to an end.
And as much as she tried to deny it, she couldn't help but feel that she wanted a part in it.
It had been more than three minutes before anyone could find their voice to speak again.
"What- How-?" Tattoo began, but the sentences had been lost as soon as she had spoken the first word.
"Do not worry, my young monks." Master Fung said lightly, to which Wulf gave the tiniest snort – He was in his thirties, the only man older than him was Master Fung, and Dashi, obviously, who was over fifteen hundred years old.
"Grand Master Dashi will explain everything later, but first, Raimundo needs to get some rest. And I'm sure you monks would like to celebrate our small victory over the forces of evil." The old man gave a proud smile as he glanced towards Crysta, who, up until now had been forgotten because of Dashi's appearance. It had left everyone so stunned that no one could quite believe it was true, let alone remember what they were supposed to be celebrating.
The rest of the group turned to face her. No one seemed able to express their feelings towards her. She had done the impossible, broken into Chase Young's Palace, snatched one of the most wanted people on the planet from under his nose, and escaped. It had been a stupid idea, and in truth, there was a small part of her that believed that she would not make it out alive.
Grand Master Dashi was the first to speak. He stepped forwards, placing his hands on Crysta's shoulders, speaking in a calm voice and a smile as he looked at her proudly. "You have done one of the most honourable and courageous things I have ever seen, young one. You certainly deserve a celebration. When Chase Young has been stopped and all this is over, the whole world will know what you did for us all. I am proud to work here alongside you, and I'm sure everyone else is here too." His eyes bored into hers as he spoke, and she looked back, staring into the eyes of a man she thought that was long dead. He was proud of her... Grand Master Dashi... She was unable to speak, overcome with emotion, as everything sank in. She could feel the tears beginning to build in her eyes. Omi was still staring with an open mouth. He sank to his knees, tears brimming in his eyes and bowed down before him.
"Grand Master Dashi..." He said, his voice full of respect and admiration.
"Kid... I thought we went through this last time. You're embarrassing yourself, and me." Dashi threw him a friendly smile, and Omi returned it, beaming from ear to ear.
"Good to see you again, kid. I'm glad you haven't changed." Dashi said with another smile, and Omi looked ready to burst into tears.
Raimundo rolled his eyes at Omi's worshipping and then gave a small nod to Clay, and with a little help from his taller friend, Raimundo managed to limp to Crysta and gave her a warm and heartfelt smile.
"That was awesome. I thought I wasn't gonna get out of there... You really saved me. Thanks, I owe you, big time." He said, laughing slightly. He would have hugged her if he could have, but his body felt like it weighed a ton. His arms were like lead weights.
"You can pay me back by teaching me some moves when you're feeling up to it." She joked with a smile back. Her voice was shaky and uneven due to her emotions getting the better of her.
"Deal." He replied with a grin.
"Very well, let us allow Raimundo some rest for now. It is much needed." Master Fung instructed, and everyone nodded in agreement.
The rebels knew it would be some time before Raimundo was back to his usual self. His close encounter with Chase Young would leave him with physical and mental scars that needed time to heal, but Master Fung was certain that with time, care and dedication, Raimundo would return to his former glory.
Master Fung had arranged for Raimundo to have his own room and the most comfortable bed to sleep on while he was recovering. The small room was little alcove that Jack Spicer seemed to have build years ago for emergency purposes, but it had easily been discovered by Krod, who knew his way around a computer like he was looking at the back of his hand and had discovered some information about the emergency room while he was hacking into Jack's former computer systems. The rest of the rebels slept in a room that led off from the computer room. It was much larger but there were only two real beds. Up until now, Jermaine and Master Fung had used the beds, but Jermaine gave his up for Raimundo. The rebels simply slept on blankets and sleeping mats. It was uncomfortable and often cold, but there was little that could be done about it in the current state of the world. It wasn't as if furniture could be easily transported these days; not unless one lived in the bustling streets of the Heylin cities. The original plan for the room was as a safe room, just in case Warriors ever came knocking and they were overpowered. The room was activated by computer, and could only be unlocked by a complicated code. This would buy them enough time to activate the escape tunnel, and the defence mechanisms buried inside the walls of the basement. There were laser guns, built from old Jackbot metal that would shoot at intruders if activated, and there was also something else that Krod had been toying with. He was confident that if he needed to, he would be able to actually blow the place up as a last resort, once they were clear of the building of course. It was simply an idea, just in case. Master Fung had often commented that it never hurt to be prepared. No one could argue with it.
After a week, Raimundo found himself well on the way to recovery. He had been getting to know the others better, and his wounds were healing well. Master Fung was confident that in another week's time he would be well enough to resume training with the rest of them. Grand Master Dashi had spent most of his time alone, and no one dared to bother him, despite their immense curiosity about his appearance. Even Omi managed to restrain himself from pestering Dashi. He was desperate for answers and to commence training, but even the little monk could tell that Dashi would tell his story when he was ready, and that training would begin as soon as Raimundo was able to participate. Master Fung had been bombarded with questions from Hope and Tattoo about Dashi, but he conveniently always had to attend to Raimundo whenever they tried to question the matter.
Crysta had spent most of her time absent, leaving very little room for the celebration of her feat. The security was getting tighter by the day, and Chase Young's warriors were swarming across the land like flies, searching for any signs of life. A few had ventured close to the house from time to time, but never got close enough for there to be any real concern. Wulf and Hope had spent most of their time in Heylin cities, trying to found out what rumours were circulating about Chase, and collecting supplies with the traders at the market stalls there.
They had heard rumours that hundreds of people inside Chase Young's palace had been slaughtered as a result of Raimundo's escape. Raimundo could not help but blame himself, it was his nature, no matter what the others said to try and comfort him.
"I know it's harsh, but you're more important than those people. Don't look at me like that, it's true. It's the way of the world. They were just unlucky. I'd be willing to bet that we couldn't take the palace by ourselves. People might've died kid, but think of how many you're going to save. It'll be worth it, and when everything is done and dusted, people will know that you're a hero. You can't make an omelette without cracking a few eggs. It's tough, but that's just the way it is." Tattoo said comfortingly. She had taken a liking to the boy, commenting that finally she could see that she was going to have some competition around here. The two were getting along like two peas in a pod.
He gave her a weak smile that he did not truly mean, but she honed it on it instantly.
"Don't sit there feeling sorry for yourself. If you do that, you're no good to any of us. Besides, if those people knew they'd died because you escaped and you weren't going to avenge them, I think they'd be pretty damned mad, don't you?"
Raimundo couldn't argue with that one, and gave a short nod, but still managed to find a way to turn it around again.
"If I hadn't gotten caught in the first place, they wouldn't have died." His voice was filled with sadness. He felt ashamed of himself. He was supposed to be a Dragon. It was his duty to protect people, and instead he had managed to get people killed.
Tattoo rolled her eyes, running her colourful fingers through her messy red hair.
"Take my word for it, kid. You didn't kill those people, Chase did. You're the hero. People will understand that. No one can say it was your fault. I know it's your duty to protect the innocent, and it's in your nature to blame yourself, but kid, it's not your fault, and it never will be."
He was sitting at the table in the room with the computers. Krod was getting a few hours sleep, and the others were elsewhere doing other things. Clay and Omi were practising the use of their elements to try and hone their skills again. They had had so little practise that it was dearly needed in order for them to regain their strength. Raimundo had tried to join in, but he was only able to conjure weak gusts of wind before he felt exhausted. Master Fung had prescribed him more rest and said that soon he would be able to join in with the other two.
At that moment, Grand Master Dashi walked into the room. He sat at the table with a cup of what appeared to be coffee and a newspaper. He threw it down in front of Tattoo and Raimundo. Neither of them questioned where he'd managed to get coffee from; everything was rare these days. They were too busy staring at the newspaper he'd thrown down in front of them and the article it held.
"Look at that." He said gently; his voice was soft and calm, which was surprising considering the headline on the newspaper.
The front page was printed with large bold letters:
'CHASE YOUNG CLOSES IN ON REBELS'
The picture underneath showed three dangling bodies, hanging from a tree, burnt and broken.
"Like a trophy in a display case. He's proud." Tattoo spat with disgust. "He sickens me."
Grand Master Dashi nodded, and then began to read the article to them.
"Chase Young has suffered a considerable loss after his captive, The Xiaolin Dragon of the Wind, Raimundo Pedrosa escaped from his palace last week, but the Great Conqueror-"
"Great Conqueror?" Raimundo asked, interrupting him with a snort of derision. "How is he great?"
"It's what they call him now." Tattoo said, "The press has become cruder now. A picture like that would have never been published a few years ago, but it's a warning. He's using his influence to spread fear throughout the world. Fear is like a disease, it spreads from person to person, and it's the perfect way to get people to do what you want."
Grand Master Dashi nodded and then continued to read, as if he hadn't been interrupted. "But the Great Conqueror has spent the past week assuring his followers that he is cracking down on his cities, trying to root out any traitors. As shown above, the penalty for disloyalty is death, and Chase Young has also commented that "any rebel caught from now on will be executed. Up until now I have been merciful; I have given captives a quick death, but no more. I will not be made to look a fool by my own followers. I believe I am getting closer to discovering who was responsible for Raimundo's escape. I can only urge that person or people to turn themselves in now, otherwise I can promise a slow and painful death will befall them all. I am so very close to finding out who did this. I am confident that by the end of the week, I will have the person responsible, and they will suffer a well deserved death for their disloyalty."
Grand Master Dashi threw the newspaper back down on the table, and it burst into flames, reducing itself to cinders.
There was a long pause as Tattoo and Raimundo let what they had just heard sink in.
"He won't get Crysta. We'll hide her here if we have to." Tattoo said, determination ringing in her voice.
"I fear that won't help." Grand Master Dashi sighed. "He can search into the very soul of a person, read their thoughts, bend their minds, and control their emotions, as you well know." He cast a glance at Raimundo, who raised an eyebrow.
"I didn't really think about it until now, but if he could read my mind, why did he try and torture the information out of me?"
"I'm quite confident he did read your mind, Raimundo. He simply wanted to break you, to crumble you down like an old brick wall. He wanted every rebel in the world to know that he'd managed to capture you, and that you were going to suffer for your actions. It was all for show, to make himself look fierce."
Raimundo bit his lip. "So you mean to say that Chase Young doesn't need to interrogate anyone? He can just get the information he wants straight away?"
"That's true." Dashi sipped his coffee, staring Raimundo straight in the eyes, who ran his fingers through his messy hair.
He sighed heavily, and then met Dashi's stare with one of his own. "We can't win this war, can we?"
Dashi seemed surprised at this.
"There are people all over the world fighting for your cause. Just a few weeks ago there was a small group of rebels who killed one of Chase's jungle cats with nothing but a few rocks. They're dedicated to you. You and the other Dragons are like heroes to them. You must fuel their strength. The rebels want to help you, Raimundo."
"But it's not like they've got a Grand Master dragon, or anyone to teach them to fight with Chase Young's warriors and jungle cats. Us dragons were some of the most trained and skilled fighters in the world and even we struggled against them. When we storm the palace, most of them are going to die because they won't be any match for the warriors and cats." He countered.
"That is why you must lead them, Raimundo." Grand Master Dashi got to his feet, and placed his hand on Raimundo's shoulder. "You must do your duty to yourself, your fellow dragons, and the people of this world. They're relying on you to lead them through this time of trouble. They're looking to you for support. You must be their strength."
"What if I don't have any strength?" Raimundo threw back. He knew he was talking to someone who commanded much more respect than what he was offering, but at that moment, he didn't care. He just wished that he wasn't facing the prospect of thousands of people potentially dying for his cause. It wasn't just that, already he'd managed to make a few friends here; he didn't want to see any of them get hurt. What if Clay or Omi got hurt, or worse, were killed? Anything could happen to any one of them.
Grand Master Dashi gripped Raimundo's shoulder tightly.
"You do have strength, Dragon of the Wind. You must take your strength from those around you. They are loyal to you, they are fighting for you. And you must also take your strength from your hope. You must find it within yourself to be strong."
There was another pause as the Grand Master Dragon released Raimundo, and walked towards the door. As he was leaving, he uttered a single sentence that would say with the Dragon of the Wind for as long as he lived. He vowed to never forget it.
"If you do not have hope, Raimundo, then there is no hope for any of us."
He stirred gently. He could strongly smell disinfectant, and hear the hushed voices of those around him. They made soft noises as they moved, like the muffle of clothing. There was a steady beeping sound that seemed far away and distant, but he was pleased that he felt at peace, at least for the moment. His injuries were not causing him pain.
Perhaps he was in heaven.
He gently opened his eyes, waking up to a blurry image of nothing but white. Nothing seemed to be solid; it all looked very soft but bright.
Yes, it must be heaven. Everything seemed so peaceful.
His vision took a few moments to slide into focus, and when it did, he realised that this place wasn't heaven. It was a hospital.
He was lying in a bed, with tubes and wires attached to his body in various different places. He was hooked up to bag of liquid on a stand, which was putting fluid into his system through a needle connected to the vein in his arm, and the steady beeping sound was the sound of a heart monitor. The beeping increased as he gently sat upright, grimacing at how stiff he felt. He felt like he hadn't moved in years. The curtains that had been closed around his bed flew open, and a familiar smiling face greeted him.
"Glad to see you're still with us, Spicer." A strong Texan accent greeted him.
"Clay's sister?" Jack said in surprise. His voice was so hoarse and raspy that he was surprised she understood him, but she clearly did, because she winked.
"That's right, Spicer. It's Jessie, remember? We heard you'd escaped from Chase's Palace."
"Yeah... I remember now. Sorry." He managed to breathe in response.
"We were hopin' you could help us out. We sure could use someone who knows how to build and control technology 'round here. We got a lot, be we ain't experts."
Jack was stunned. Years ago, they had been acquainted, and now here she was, still alive. So was he, for that matter. But still, what was she doing here? How was she still alive?
"Where am I?" His soft voice crackled his throat, sending stinging pains shooting through it.
"Why, you're at Master Monk Guan's Temple! Chase and Kimiko burned it to the ground years ago. But we're hidin' in the ruins. Chase doesn't seem to know we're up here, so we've got the perfect base to train the new recruits up for the war."
"The war? Who's 'we'?" Jack asked, rubbing his neck tenderly as he stretched his stiff muscles.
"We're rebels, and there's a big fight comin' between us and Chase, Spicer. Only question is which side you wanna be on?" She shot him a fierce look, and Spicer would have seriously considered swapping sides if he was with Chase.
"I'm with you." He said hurriedly. He didn't need to deliberate on that one. Chase Young had too much power. He didn't want to rule the world anymore, if this was how it had to be done. He needed to be stopped, and he would help these rebels and anyone else who wanted to see the day dawn when Chase Young no longer ruled the world.
"How did I end up here?" He asked quietly. He felt very weak, but he wasn't going to let it stop him. He had been in much worse conditions before, and he knew that he would soon be feeling better. His body would heal, as all things would, with time.
Jessie smiled at his quick response, and then began to explain. "I knew you'd say that. Well, we heard you'd got out of Chase's Palace from one of our guys on the inside. You're just lucky it was us that found you lying in the dirt and not one of Chase's patrols. He's tightened them up somethin' fierce since Raimundo escaped. So we brought you here. You gotta tell us how you made it outta there. That's not an easy thing to do. As far as we know, no one's ever done it before."
Jack rubbed his stiff neck, groaning lightly. Everywhere ached, it was a dull kind of pain that made him feel utterly lifeless. "Kimiko helped me. Did you just say Raimundo escaped? What happened?" He hadn't even known that he'd been captured. How long had he been out cold exactly? He felt so tired that he didn't even have the energy to get worked up about Raimundo's capture. It was pointless anyway, the boy had escaped. All was well in Jack's eyes.
Jessie's draw dropped a few inches, "Kimiko? The real Kimiko? Jack, you gotta tell me everything. Then I'll explain."
Jack knew that she would be curious, and so he stiffly began to retell the events of his escape. He included everything that he could remember, but some parts were a little blurry. His hoarse voice croaked on for what felt like hours as he spoke. He had not realised how much had happened between him and Kimiko. He told Jessie what had happened, right up until where he had collapsed in the dirt. The car had run out of fuel, and he'd continued on foot, only to succumb to exhaustion and dehydration somewhere along the way.
Jessie stared, open-mouthed as Jack finished his story. She was stunned, she couldn't believe her ears. Could that really be true?
She knew Kimiko had been fighting against Chase, but she could never have imagined that she would then go so far as to defy him completely. To help Spicer escape... Surely she must have faced horrific consequences for defying him in such a way?
"That girls got some guts, I'll tell you that." Jessie said admirably as Spicer slowly swung his feet off the bed, planting them on the floor. He ached like hell, but he just wanted to exercise the freedom of being able to walk around freely now. Jessie was lost in her own thoughts, too deep inside her own head to truly realise what he was doing. When she did realise that the pale boy was attempting to leave his bed, she rushed forwards, waving one chubby finger at him as a warning.
"Spicer, if you dare to get out of that bed, I'll really injure you. You're supposed to be healin', so get to it." She threatened, and he recoiled quickly. She was one of the scariest looking girls he had ever seen in his life, even more so when she was threatening to hurt him. Still a coward, even after everything, he thought glumly to himself.
"Fine, I'll stay." He croaked in response, forcing himself back into his bed. "What's all this about Raimundo escaping?"
"He managed to catch him just over a week ago. Chase rounded up all his followers for a big celebration, and then tortured the poor kid for information. When he didn't give up, Chase sent him to the prison so he could pick it up again the next day, but right in the middle of the night, Raimundo somehow managed to break out. They're sayin' that he had help from a rebel, but they don't know who did it, how they did it, or where they've taken him. But Chase is pretty pissed about it. Massacred about a hundred of his warriors and servants, and then there've been more executions lately too. He's clamping down real tight now, more surveillance and patrols about these days. I'm surprised we haven't been found out yet. Luckily, we know that a rebel from Omi and Clay's group went to get him out. Obviously she succeeded."
Jack rubbed his temples softly, and then looked up at the chubby cowgirl standing over him.
"Jessie, we need to help Kimiko." Jack said quietly. He'd been thinking of a plan as he escaped from Chase Young and seemed to have perfected it. He only hoped that Jessie would see what a genius he was for thinking of it.
"Darn right we do, but we can't do it with Chase still alive." She said very matter-of-factly, giving Jack the perfect opportunity to contradict her.
"Yes, we can." He said certainly, and then he raised an eyebrow. "All we need is to smuggle one Shen Gong Wu inside Chase Young's palace. If we can get it to Kimiko... she'll unlock who she really is."
"Spicer, what are you talkin' about?" She threw him a look of confusion.
"She needs the Sphere of Yun, Jessie." He said flatly, as if it was obvious.
"We don't have it, and even if we did, how would it help?" She doubted him now. She thought he was supposed to be a smart boy, but this did not make any sense.
"Because it gives the user control of the captured person's possessions, don't you see? That means that Kimiko would be able to take back her memories from Chase Young!" Jack replied, trying to emphasise how brilliant his plan was.
"Yeah, that may be so, but then what Spicer? Chase Young ain't gonna stay in that little glass ball for too long, and he'll be gunnin' for Kimiko when he gets out. Not to mention he'll just take the memories right back when he does. That won't help at all."
Jack Spicer hadn't thought of that. He wasn't going to be stumped that easily, and the plan was altered in a few seconds. He managed a smile. "That's why we give it to her right before the fight. If she knows the rebels are coming when she gets it, she'll want to use the Sphere right there and then so she doesn't risk the chance of Chase being killed first. That way, Kimiko will go back to being herself and it'll give the rebels a chance to storm the palace without Chase helping them. His warriors will be scattered without a leader to command them, and it gives the Dragons a chance to get ahead and take care of Chase Young themselves, if Kimiko hasn't already done it." He finished proudly, but Jessie shook her head.
"And what if that lil lady don't want Chase dead? What if she knows who she really was but still chooses him?"
"I'm certain that it wouldn't happen. Kimiko has always been true to herself. This whole evil thing is a facade. I can vouch for that. I've spoken with her, she wants to defy him, she just doesn't know why. The moment she unlocks her memories, she'll know exactly what he's done, and she'll want vengeance for it." Jack spoke with such a certainty that Jessie couldn't help but be drawn into his plan. It seemed far too easy, and it probably was. She threw him another factor that needed to be taken into consideration.
"You forget that she won't remember how to even use a Wu, or what the Sphere does. Plus, getting it inside would be impossible."
"They said escaping was impossible, yet me and Raimundo have done it now." He countered, and she seemed taken aback.
"Do you even know for sure it'll work?"
Jack gave a nervous look. "Well... No, not for sure. But once we get Kimiko on our side, Chase Young will be that much weaker, and he'll have Kimiko pissed to high heaven. That girl terrifying when she's angry and she will be more than angry with him. She'll want him dead, and that makes our job so much easier. She will kill him, I know she will. I don't doubt her at all."
Jessie folded her arms, apparently finally impressed with his work. "You're a great thinker, Spicer. It's a shame you weren't on our side when the world started fallin' apart. We could've used you." She praised him.
He gave an uneasy grin. "I'm making up for it now."
Jessie smiled slightly. "Get some rest, Spicer. When you're feeling better, there's a group of rebels we're in touch with that are working with Omi and my brother, Clay. I haven't managed to speak to them yet to know if Raimundo is with them, but I know one of their girls managed to get into Chase's palace. We lost signal as she got inside, and most of us thought she was dead, and then we heard Raimundo had escaped. I wouldn't doubt that he's with the other Dragons. I want you to talk with them Spicer, you've got some good idea's, and Raimundo will want to speak with you."
"Why?" His question came quickly. The last time he and Raimundo had came into contact had been a long time ago. They were not exactly on the best of terms back then, and he wasn't sure if time would have changed anything. Raimundo was a stubborn boy with a hot-head to match. He'd probably hold a grudge forever, and Jack was not sure that he would be excused from what he had done in the past. Because of his aid, Kimiko had fallen into the grips of Chase Young. He had been involved in the downfall of the world; in fact, he had started it. With his army of robots, Chase set his plan in motion. Jack had merely been the tool used to start the trouble, and now he wanted to fix his mistake, no matter what the cost.
"Because you spoke to Kimiko. Anybody could tell he loves that girl more than anythin' in this world. He'll be happy to know that she's rebellin' against Chase Young. Plus, it'd be good for you to see what you've been fightin' for. Those guys are givin' so much hope to the rest of the world, sometimes I wonder if they ever keep any for themselves."
Kimiko sighed. She had just woken up again. For the third time in the night, her dreams had disturbed her rest.
Kimiko could only remember one of the people in her dreams, a small Chinese boy dressed in red robes with black trim, as if he was a monk. He was smiling profusely throughout most of the dream. Kimiko could recall him speaking, but now what his voice sounded like. He was in a stone courtyard, standing next to a water fountain with rose bushes planted around the pathway. She must've met him before, perhaps he was at that Temple she had torched once. Master Monk Guan, yes that was it, it must've been his temple, and the boy was just a memory from it.
She opened her eyes, and went to scream. A bolt of panic shot through her entire body as there was a face only inches from hers. She managed to halt her scream, but was still gasping for her breaths and was trying to steady her racing heart. She had never known anything to surprise her so much in all her life.
"CHASE!" She gasped loudly as she said his name, her voice full of annoyance.
"Did I scare you?" His voice was amused, and even in the darkness, Kimiko could see the smirk and raised eyebrow on his face. He had been leaning over from standing at the side of her bed, peering at her closely. He stood straight, and she sat upright, rubbing her eyes. She couldn't believe what she'd just been woken to. What the hell was he doing in her room? What the hell was he doing watching her in her sleep? Was this some kind of sick hobby of his? Did he always do it? Another bolt of horror shot through her as she realised that he could have been doing this every night and she had never noticed.
When she stared at him with an open mouth and couldn't manage a response, Chase Young's smirk grew, and he made a snide comment, "I wasn't aware you were so easily scared." He was only joking with her, trying to wind her up, and judging from the look on her face, it was working.
"I wasn't scared." She answered quickly, an instant reaction. Great warriors did not feel fear, and neither did she. Well, that was what she liked to tell herself, but if she was honest with herself, she was scared of Chase Young. He was very mysterious; he never gave too much away, and in all her years of knowing him, she had never known him to be predictable – this was exactly what made him so frightening. She never could tell how he was going to react or what he was going to do. "I was just surprised." Kimiko defended herself. No matter what, she would never admit that she was scared.
"Oh really?" His voice stayed amused, but there was a taunting element to the tone of his voice "You were about to scream."
She paused for a second, but soon found another defensive reply. "Anyone would if they woke up and saw your face inches from theirs. It would be scary enough to find anyone's there, let alone someone who has considerably the most shocking eyes on the planet. What the hell were you doing?"
His voice fell to a quiet murmur, as if he was embarrassed to really admit it. "You were dreaming. I was curious."
Kimiko scowled. "You're lucky I didn't burn you to death Chase, I was this close to burning you to a crisp. What's so fascinating about me dreaming?"
"My apologies. I was merely interested. I traded my soul long ago for eternal youth. Since that day, I have never experienced a dream. After more than 1500 years, one tends to forget these kinds of experiences." His tone surprised her. Barely more than a whisper, yet there was a sadness in his voice that she had never heard before. Chase Young rarely showed any emotion other than anger or passiveness. But this was new. She had never, in all her years, known him to ever be sad about anything. He'd been disappointed, but that was not sad.
Kimiko stayed silent, she still wasn't sure quite what he was doing here. He hadn't provided her with a reason that was valid enough to satisfy her want for answers and provide her with the sufficient reasons to forgive him, both for invading her privacy by watching her sleep, and also almost giving her a heart attack.
"I heard you muttering in your sleep. I realised you were dreaming, and I wanted to listen to what you were saying." Chase said softly. "You were quite restless. Since I have not dreamt for so long, dreams are simply interesting to me. I enjoy seeing what people dream about. I have never had the opportunity to see what you were dreaming about before, and this time seemed particularly tempting when you were muttering so much."
"What was I saying?" Kimiko asked, a bolt of curiosity shooting through her.
"Most of it was incoherent gibberish, but I caught a few words of nonsense, and my name a number of times." He said matter-of-factly. He seemed to enjoy the fact that she had been speaking his name in her sleep, because he gave a tiny smile.
Kimiko was speechless once again, and when she didn't talk, he continued.
"Do you recall my part in the dream?" He asked curiously. "Most people forget their dreams almost as soon as they wake. It's such a shame. It's fascinating to see what people dream about. It's full of nonsense, but it is still fascinating nonetheless."
"No, nothing much really. I don't remember a lot of it, I don't even remember you being in it. Just some Chinese kid." She said passively as he sat down at the edge of the bed. Kimiko knew that he didn't need to sit down to save his feet from aching; she knew him well enough to know that he was sitting down because he wanted to talk, and she would prolong their talking for as long as possible. Up until now, their conversations over the past week had been rather icy once again, and Kimiko was eager to build bridges so that they could repair what was left of their strange relationship. They were still in total darkness, so Kimiko waved her hand and the candles around the room because instantly lit, burning brightly and filling the room with a dim flickering light.
"Your powers become ever more impressive, Kimiko. When the time comes, we will use them to crush the rebel alliance. I realise that they are mounting for an attack, I can feel it in the air. Especially since now they have their beloved Dragon of the Wind back." His voice had become a jealous snarl and he almost seemed to spit the words out rather than speak them. His tone was one full of hatred.
"Do you think they're strong enough to take you down?" She asked curiously, trying to press the matter as far as she could. Chase rarely discussed anything with her anymore, and it was an excellent opportunity to ask questions, even if they were the ones that Chase didn't want to her to ask.
There was a pause, and Chase Young's eyes seemed to flash with an emotion that Kimiko couldn't recognise, maybe anger, she could not tell.
"Perhaps..." He said slowly, as if he was not sure if he should answer. "The three Dragons together are more powerful than just the two. I'm furious that they've managed to retrieve him. After all these years, I finally manage to catch one of those insects in my net, only for it to fly back out again."
"Chase, may I ask a question?" Chase Young had just answered a question relating to the Dragons, and she wanted to get as much information as possible. The Dragons were more important to her than she could know, but somewhere deep down inside her, she knew that. She knew that they were the most important people on the planet to her, and she wanted to know why.
He sighed and closed his eyes, but then nodded, speaking in a defeated tone. "Yes, very well. You wish to know about the dragons, don't you?" His eyes flickered towards her, and she nodded honestly.
"There were four once. Omi: dragon of water, Clay: earth, and Raimundo: wind." Chase said briefly, but Kimiko's brain was working fast, and pieces were beginning to slot together and finally make sense.
It all made sense. The four elements. Earth, Wind, Fire and Water. But there was no dragon of fire with them, because she was it. That's why they were important to her, because she had once been one of them. The information sunk in like a stone, and she could feel herself beginning to remember flashes of the past. They were never detailed enough for her to collect any real information from them, just brief glimpses into memories that she might one day recover.
She spotted Chase's fist tighten lightly as the flashes stop in an instant. A sharp shooting pain ran from one temple to the other, and she knew that Chase Young was reading her mind, holding her back so that she could never see more than he wanted her to.
"And the dragon of fire was me." She stated slowly, not giving Chase Young the satisfaction of watching her reaction. Kimiko did not despise him for what he was doing, even though she could have. She simply wanted what was rightfully hers. The lack of knowledge she held told her that he did not trust her. He'd just entrusted her with vital information to her past, but never too much. That seemed to be just the way he was. He never revealed too much.
Chase Young nodded.
"Precisely. Before my reign, you and they thwarted my every plan. You were quite powerful. I made you my apprentice, and after a few months, I realised that you were much more valuable, dedicated and hard-working when you weren't weighted down with the guilt of leaving the Dragons behind. I have hidden this from you to spare you pain. Kimiko, I hope you realise that." Chase Young said, speaking with such emotion that Kimiko believed him. Maybe he really did do it to spare her the pain. She couldn't imagine being attached to a group of people in such a way. She was supposed to be loyal to Chase Young, but she could not even do that.
There was a long pause before either of them spoke again, but it was Kimiko that spoke first.
"I dream about them, don't I? The kid in my dream... He was Omi."
"Indeed. I assume there's some part of you that does recall that time, but it truly is better left unattended. I've been trying not to let you remember too much. I do not want you to be in pain, or for the rebels to believe that you are still on their side. You seemed to have a very strong emotional attachment to them, but that bond was severed the day you joined me. You were weighed down with guilt because you were once contentious, but a part of you have learned to enjoy evil, despite what you might think." He was smiling now, and Kimiko could not argue with him. A few months ago, she had enjoyed taking orders from Chase, before she found Jimmy, she was happy to kill anyone that Chase told her to.
"I understand..." Kimiko said back. "Are you worried I'll change sides again then?"
Chase Young laughed gently. "You will not get a chance to, young one. All returning your memories would do is cause you pain. I hope you trust me enough to believe me on this matter." He raised an eyebrow, as if he expected her to confirm it.
"Of course." She answered quickly, knowing that it could be dangerous if she did not.
"There are whispers through the rebels that I have heard. Some rebels believe you are the one that helped the Dragon of the Wind escape." Chase Young spoke, his voice seemed so low and dangerous right now.
"I swear-" Kimiko began, but Chase interrupted her.
"I believe you, Dragon, but I believe the rebels do not. I would like you to issue a statement to the press, so the rebels will see that you had nothing to do with this. If they believe you have helped the Dragon of the Wind escape, their hearts will burn with a fire for your return to their side. I want to crush out any notion that this might happen. Rebels are fools enough, without believing that you might turn to them and aid them. It's not an order, I'm merely asking you." Despite what he said, this was an order. Chase didn't ask for anything.
"Of course, I suppose that we were fighting before that doesn't help that. The rebels must be desperate... I'll speak tomorrow in the centre of the city so that it can be heard." Kimiko answered loyally.
A grin split across Chase Young's face, which looked highly unnatural. Anything bigger than a smirk seemed to make him look like he was trying too hard.
"Thank you, Kimiko. My shadow is vast and the rebels and dragons will yet die under it. I will leave you to sleep again now. I trust that this information will help you to understand. I feel you frustration with the situation, and I want to help you."
"It does help, thank you. I understand now." She smiled again.
"Goodnight Kimiko, pleasant dreams." He got up, extinguishing the burning candle flames with a lazy wave of his hand.
"Goodnight Chase, sleep well." She answered, and then lay back down stunned. After all this time, now she knew why everything had happened. The tanned boy, Raimundo, she remembered him vaguely now, and the boy in the cowboy hat, Clay. Images were flashing in her head of her previous life.
The echo of Chase's words were resounding in her head: My shadow is vast, and the rebels' dragons will yet die under it.
"I hereby swear on my life that I had nothing to do with the escape of the Xiaolin Dragon of the Wind, Raimundo Pedrosa. I do not know how he managed to do it, or anyone who may have assisted him. I did not aid him in anyway and had absolutely no contact with him at all. I was in Chase Young's company when the escape happened, and I would not betray him this way. I eagerly hope that the Dragon and the rebels are brought to justice as soon as possible, and I will work with Chase Young to make this happen. I hope the day when the rebels are taught the consequences of their actions is not too far away and I will work to bring it as close as possible. I urge all rebels to turn themselves in, but especially for the rebels responsible for the Dragon's escape to turn themselves in. Simple rebels who confess will be spared, rebels found to have aided the dragon escaping or who do not confess will find themselves befalling the same fate as the others have. We have all seen the consequences of defying the Great Conqueror, and I urge anyone who defies Chase to turn themselves in to escape the same fate. Thank you."
The cameras flashed as she spoke, flooding her with light for split seconds as hundreds of reporters clamoured to record what she was saying. Cameramen were eagerly scrambling, fighting silently for the best shot. This was an opportunity that could not be missed. All were straining, trying to capture every moment of this. Kimiko had never made a public appearance before, and it was being broadcast to every television, computer, phone, and device in the world.
"It is no coincidence." Grand Master Dashi said as Kimiko stood down. All of the occupants of Jack Spicer's former home were gathered, watching the broadcast on the large computer screen, even Crysta had managed to pay a visit today. "Chase Young knows that his followers are beginning to question Kimiko's allegiance, particularly as Raimundo escaped with unknown help." Dashi continued, and the others murmured to each other.
The only rebels who were absent were Hope and Wulf. The two liked to go to the local markets together to pick up more supplies that were dearly needed. It was dangerous work, but Hope seemed the least likely of the bunch to be a rebel because she was so sweet and innocent-looking. Wulf was only there just in case things went sour and someone should work out Hope was a rebel. Things always went off without a hitch, but as Master Fung often said, it never hurt to be prepared.
Raimundo was transfixed. He had not even laid eyes on the girl for longer than he cared to recall. She was exactly the same, yet completely different. Still as beautiful as ever, but even more sinister looking. She still had her sleek black hair, which she had kept shoulder length, as before. She was taller than the last time he had seen her, that was for sure. Skinnier too, her cheekbones were more prominent than before. Her voice was sleek and smooth, yet clear and defined at the same time. Her eyes were still much like Chase Young's, like pale orange slits rather than pupils, but other than that, she was just Kimiko. He could not take his eyes off her. This was what had become of her. His heart was racing and he felt the blood rushing around his body like never before.
He was so lost in the computer and the girls face on it that he did not notice Tattoo, Clay and Dojo staring at him with huge grins on their faces. Omi was soon as his side, poking his cheeks, which were burning hot and then felt his forehead.
"Raimundo, are you sick? You are burning hot and your cheeks are red!" Omi exclaimed, as if it was important. Dojo sniggered.
"Get off me." Raimundo said quickly, snapping a little as he pushed Omi off him. "I'm fine; it's just warm in here."
"Leave poor Raimundo alone, Omi." Clay teased, "He can't help it if he's in lurrrve."
Raimundo shot him a glare, and with nothing to counter it, he felt his face burning even hotter. He sank back into his seat a little, wishing he could melt back into the floor and disappear as those surrounding him burst into fits of laughter.
"Dragon of the Wind." Dashi's voice cut across the laughter, and it ended abruptly. Omi looked positively aglow with love and adoration for Grand Master Dashi, and it showed as he bowed respectfully to him.
Raimundo turned his attention to the tall man before him, "Yes?"
"Master Fung assures me that you are all but fully healed. Do you think you will be able to train now? I would like to begin as soon as possible." Dashi was a very serious man, Omi found him to be very little like he had met him when he had travelled back in the past. He had simply put it down to the fact that Dashi was very dedicated and focused on bringing Chase down. There was little time for jokes and teasing when the future of the world was at stake.
Raimundo gave a short nod, and a smile broke across Grand Master Dashi's face. "Excellent. We will begin tomorrow."
Omi gave an excited grin and was beaming from ear to ear. He couldn't wait to start. The idea of it was immensely thrilling. To be trained by a Grand Master Dragon, there was no greater honour for Omi.
"I am most excited to being training properly, Grand Master Dashi!" Omi squeaked excitedly, and Dashi threw him a smile.
"That's good Omi, I'm glad you're enthusiastic. You've got a lot of work to do, but the right attitude is a start."
Omi's chest puffed up proudly. A compliment from a Grand Master Dragon, the greatest who had ever lived. It was almost too good to be true. This day could not get any better.
"But first," Dashi said, sitting down at the head of the table to face them all, "I'm sure that you are all wondering where I have been for the last fifteen hundred years, and I am aware that most of you would like to know the tale?" He looked around for confirmation of this, and received a nod from everyone who was present; Tattoo, Bling, Dojo, the three Dragons, Crysta and Krod.
"Very well." Grand Master Dashi gave the smallest of smiles. "After my encounter with Omi fifteen hundred years ago, I realised that if Wuya had taken over the world, it would only be so long before Chase Young would start to make plans. He had not long traded his soul before Omi visited, but I knew Chase was very ambitious, he always once. Once Wuya had risen to power, I knew he would seek the same for himself once she was defeated. After all, Wuya would be small fry compared to him when he was in full power." He paused, looking rather pleased with himself. "I made a plan with Dojo, who agreed that we should part ways. He would guard the ancient scroll, as he did so dutifully." He paused again as Dojo beamed widely.
"I swore him to secrecy, made him swear to never speak of where I went, and entrusted him to Master Monk Guan, who founded the Xiaolin Temple, and all the monks that followed. His training and guidance taught the first of the official Xiaolin Dragons what being on the side of good meant, and the power of the Shen Gong Wu. I travelled the world, reading ancient scrolls and manuscripts. In all this time, I have been desperately searching for a way to trade back Chase Young's soul so that it might be returned. Chase Young can be killed, like any other man, but without his soul, he will never truly be dead. His soul is his very essence, and I fear that once he dies, his contract will be broken. His soul may be released from wherever it is being held and manifest itself elsewhere. This would be an unspeakable evil..." He said seriously.
Jaws were hitting the floor, one by one, all but Dojo's, who knew all of this already.
"Unfortunately, I have not found any way to return his soul to him, it seems that the only way to break the contract is to kill Chase Young, but this is more serious than you would believe..." Grand Master Dashi gave a look of frustration.
"Kimiko and Chase Young share a bond with each other. The two are connected, and I am sure that sometimes, Kimiko can access his thoughts, catch glimpses of his emotions, etcetera. It is quite accidental of course. He did not intend this, but a part of Chase Young's power now resides within Kimiko, and hers in him. They are connected on spiritual level." Grand Master Dashi was speaking in a low tone, and slowly his audience was beginning to look more and more horrified, they sense what Dashi was leading to, and they knew it couldn't be good news.
"The reason I have not been able to help you Dragons until now is because this was of paramount importance. You would not have understood until this day, but now I believe you will. I have failed in my task, and for that I apologise, because this means something terrible could happen." Dashi said, focusing mainly on Raimundo's face, who had grown very pale indeed. He looked ready to vomit, and Dashi gave a sigh. It was worse than they could possibly comprehend.
"If this connection is not broken between Kimiko and Chase," He said, closing his eyes like he was stressed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and his forefinger. "If Kimiko does not retrieve her memories before Chase Young is killed... I believe there is a chance that she may absorb his power. It is likely that she will gain all his abilities, and her soul will take his place. She will remain forever young, and she will suffer the same curse as him. But worse than that, there will be no hope of retaining her good side. You Dragons have all seen the effects of the Lao Mang Lone soup, she will never be the same again."
Everyone looked much like Raimundo now. Every face was pale, and Raimundo was actually shaking. He couldn't let it happen, he wouldn't.
"Are you... saying that if Chase dies before this connection is broken, Kimiko will become him?" Crysta asked. She and Tattoo were the ones who seemed the calmest out of all of them. Even Master Fung looked horrified.
Grand Master Dashi nodded grimly.
"Yes, young one. It is likely that she will inherit his ambitions too, and she will seek to take Chase Young's place. If Chase Young dies before the connection is broken, for example, if she was to kill him, she would then desire to take his place as ruler of the world."
The room was deadly silent. No one could find their tongues to speak. Mouths and throats had grown instantly dry, and stomachs were turning at the very thought of it all.
Master Fung seemed to find his voice, but it was shaky and nervous. They had never seen him look so uncomfortable before, nor indeed so pale. His icy blue eyes were boring into Dashi's small black eyes.
"Dashi, do you know of a way to break this connection? I had not even considered... I did not know..." Master Fung had assumed that with Chase Young's defeat, Kimiko would become herself, but now he understood the importance of Dashi's work.
"No..." Dashi answered honestly.
Everyone's stomach seemed to hit the floor. They were facing up to the reality that things were even more difficult than they had originally anticipated. It was a grim prospect, and nobody wanted to face it. The Dragons were facing a task that was impossible itself, and now they had to consider the idea that they would have to stop Kimiko from becoming Chase Young too. Even Master Fung had not anticipated it. The idea alone was enough to bring tears to the eyes of the Dragons. To think that their once trusted and valued friend could turn against them for good, it was almost unbearable. They were already praying that Kimiko would simply return to herself as soon as Chase Young was dead, but now it seemed like their task was even more impossible. They had not considered the idea that Kimiko could become just as formidable as her master. Even if they defeated Chase Young, they could still have to fight to get Kimiko back, and if Dashi did not know how to do it, then surely all hope was lost? Maybe they would be sat here in a few years time plotting Kimiko's downfall instead of Chase's. It was unbearable to consider the idea.
"What I am trying to tell you all, my friends," Dashi bowed his head lowly as he stared at his lap, "is that if the connection holds strong, and Kimiko becomes Chase Young, then there is no other way after that happens. There is only one thing that can be done to stop evil...
Kimiko must die."
(Well, there you go! Hope you liked that. The plot thickens, eh? Drop me a review please? I'm curious as to what you guys will think of the ending of this chapter. Thanks in advance. :D)