I hope everyone who has read this story has enjoyed it. This is the end of this story hopefully one day I'll write a sequel but for now I am moving forward with other content. I hope you enjoy the story feel free to read, review, complain about the cliffhanger ending, etc. But like I said, I am ready to move forward with new content and new stories plus the direction I envison this story going forward might be a bit more mature and well not fit in with the current content but like I said that should hopefully be a future continuation fic for now I hope you enjoy the ending and I'll see you all around in my new stories. Cheers! C:
Chapter 24 End of the Road
Bodhi Tree, India
Now all alone Falkia sighed. The moment she longed for was now creeping up with anxiety. How would her father react? How would she? Was she ready? These thoughts and more crept into her mind chaining down with a nervousness that she couldn't contain but she steeled her nerves. Now wasn't the time to hide and cower; now was the time for action.
"Oh Wand of the dead, summon the spirit of the deceased so we may speak with them!" she called out loud.
The wind grew cold and this time another spirit entered near the great tree of Buddha. This spirit stood with a military aura straight and narrow seeming to glare at her. The shape soon took of her father short cropped hair of auburn brown, dark cameo colored clothes adorned his tall body with a stocky build that begets a strong persona. His aura sharpened the air and made her stand straighter almost unnaturally as though she were his little private once again and he the drill sergeant sending her off for training to battle.
"Hello father," she stated nervously.
"Why have you called me back daughter? Speak briefly and consciously."
She sighed at this statement. "You never enjoy conversations do you?"
"And why should I? Ideal chat is for the weak," he spoke harshly. "And you have more important things to do than waste your time."
"Says who?" Falkia asked testily. "You or me? Maybe spending the time to communicate with others to show yourself for who you are is what I want? Did you ever ask? Did you even care?"
"Duty is duty. You have yours and they have theirs. Who should ever deny their part to play in life?"
"And if your part is not the one handed down for generations? What if it is somewhere else?"
"Why have you called me back?" he repeated and Falkia grew frustrated.
"There you go again. You always focus on the big picture never on the details. What's life without the details? To listen to one's own voice and learn who you are?"
"And that matters to me how?"
"Does anything matter to you?" she shouted now in frustration. "Do I mean anything to you or am I just a tool to continue on your honor crusade? Am I anything like a daughter or am I some kind of gun to be used at your discretion."
"I raised you all by myself," he spoke utter calmly.
"And when did I make a decision for myself? You told me what to wear who to be and how to act! When was I ever allowed to be myself? Never because you were always looming to yell at my mistakes."
"It is not my fault you couldn't handle the rigor that's your fault."
"No it's yours." now the calm face twisted into anger. "You were too weak to accept me for who I am. Too weak to allow your own daughter to be free to choose for herself."
"How dare you speak that way to your father! You were raised better than that," he yelled in anger.
"Then it's your fault for raising me to be a docile constantly obedient slave. It's because of you that people I might have considered friends got betrayed because of loyalty and honor. It's because you controlled my entire life that I made a mess of my own and yet whenever I try to talk to you it's either complete shut-down or you blame me and I took it. I took all that and it just built and built and built and I can't take it anymore." she took a deep gulp of breath glaring at her father.
"I'm not the same daughter I was years ago father. I am tired of others deciding my life for me and I want to decide for myself where I am going from now on." then took one final heavy sigh as though all this weight got off her chest. "And that's why I ask for your blessing to abdicate as the current head of the Thursday line and renounce my titles to do with my life as I so wish for however long it remains."
Silence as Sir Thursday stared at his daughter. "It seems for once you've made me proud my dear daughter. But are you sure? The consequences of this choice will be severe? Are you prepared not knowing just what the price is to throw away your old life?" he asked a rare sign of tenderness taking hold of his face.
Falkia hesitated wondering what her father meant by that. Wasn't is a simple release?
"I meet someone father so long as I remain where I am we'll never truly be together. I'm sorry but this is my choice I choose my heart over my mind even if the price is too much for me to bear I choose to bear it even if my mind worries over this choice," she replied after a moment's reprieve.
"Very well my daughter then I renounce your title as Lady Thursday in favor of your sister Fiona. May you enjoy our newfound life even though the challenges it will pose will be far greater than you have ever known." he smiled sadly. "Fare thee well my daughter."
She blinked in confusion as all of a sudden the wind picked up and the earth cracked soon seeped out water that gushed out above circling her in a cyclone. It billowed around her seriously and she gasped in shock.
"Father what's going on?"
"Those who are neutral are privy to information that which neither side should ever know. As you choose to reject your old life it will fade away to rebirth you a new one," he stated as he began to fade back to the netherworld. "May you find peace in the new life you shall live."
Falkia soon shaped as the water enclosed around her. The water gushed into her very skin and soon she lost consciousness and knew no more. Her clothes changed by magic became the ones given to her by someone close to her but she no longer had any recollection of who…..
Chase Young's Lair:
Raimundo cautiously peered around the corner of nearby rock camouflaging him from Chase Young's lair. The lesser villains who clearly wanted to get on Chase's good side after his world takeover was fiercely guarding the area. He sighed realizing there wasn't much choice but to charge in if he wanted any chance to reach the guys inside. He could barely hear it but it sounded like they were acting as Chase's maids right about now.
"Here goes something," he muttered to himself charging out and calling the wind to his aid. The fat ninja tumbled without much a fight right down into the mind both of whom fell right down to the chasm.
Cyclops hurried to blast him with his eye but Rai moved faster than he ever did before blasting him back with a bright ball of light that blinded the poor thing and crashed on top of the Bubba trio who groaned in annoyance.
Seizing the opportunity he jumped up and through a hole in the wall right into Chase's garden spotting Kimiko and Clay cleaning the floors and walls without much success talking funny
"Hey guys stop and take a chi break," he stated casually hurriedly draining the bottles with their chi down their gullets.
Clay soon burped and his eye swirls disappeared. "You know that right there has a funny taste to it."
Meanwhile, Kimiko seemed disgusted as she tried to retch up the taste of her chi. "Rai what happened?" she asked panicked.
"Well, you guys got your chi stolen. Wuya has just been revived oh and Falkia helped me save all your butts despite being a traitor." he listed off the last one heatedly.
"Rai I'm sorry it's just-" Kimko tried to apologize.
"I guess if I was in your shoes then I'd also be constantly suspicious of someone but that should all change hopefully we found the spirit wand," he explained making the two's eyes widen.
"Pardner are you saying-" Clay began.
"It seems as though the balance has shifted backward such a shame." Chase's voice rang out as jungle cats swarmed the 4 warriors and him along with an evil Omi, Wuya, Katnappe and Jack surrounded the four of them. "But no matter if the lady Thursday were to abduct it would be of little consequence because now I'm going to finish you all off once and for all. Omi kill them!" he barked and the 5 of the warriors charged planning to end the other three once and for all.
"Guys we need to give Omi back his chi," Rai yelled as the fighting began Wuya gunning straight for him.
"Yeah, but how partner?" Clay asked as metallic spikes shot up trying to crush the Texan as Jack started throwing deadly projectiles across the field towards him.
"We just got to push ourselves thru that's all," Kimiko muttered as Katnappe shot a barrage of ice arrows that froze the ground around them while Omi charged in with a powerful blast of water.
Chase meanwhile drifted between the warriors causing them all problems as they dealt with each blow. He observed each unamused seeing them as nothing but insects, a waste of his time. Wuya meanwhile was blasting Raimundo with fields of darkness left and right shattered the peaceful ground in her rage to take him down.
"Sit still why don't you? You were never this fast even when you worked for me, have you been holding out me?" she purred causing him to gag.
"You wish you old hag," he yelled blasting her with a whirlwind that sent her flying.
"If that's how you want to play fine then." and a massive beam of darkness whistled through the air and Rai to everyone's surprise rebutted with a blast of light that shined with a multitude of colors. "What?!" she cried out in surprise her beam wavering before she was blasted away from the brilliant rays.
"What the-" Chase too was surprised as Rai hurriedly concentrated the light into a whip-like move that somehow he instinctively knew.
"Whip-wielding strike Light!" he shouted as the light burned the dark warrior as he was blasted right into Katnappe and they, in turn, rammed into the distracted Jack.
"Alright!" yelled the cowboy thawing.
"Way to go rai! Where'd you learn that?" Kimiko asked but was subsequently struck by Omi.
"Later right now we need to take down Omi before he kills us," Rai yelled. "Let's try using a formation."
"But Rai we need Omi to perform them," Kimiko yelled back.
"Trust me okay?" he yelled back.
They quickly got together and yelled out their signature combo move but this time Rai concentrated on both his chi and an ethereal Rai appeared beneath Kimiko to hold her up and they set out to take down Omi. Kimiko's fire burned a circle around Omi to slow him down while Clay used the rock to imprison the little dude and then Rai called his wind to dive down towards the guy. Unfortunately, the light Rai exploded before being helpful and Rai felt a bit weak as he tried to shove Omi's chi bottle down his throat.
"Whoa," he muttered weakly barely dumping the stuff down Omi's throat as he felt some sort of vertigo from his chi acting up. He felt as though he was about to be ill.
"Raimundo you okay there pardner?" Clay caught him as he began to violently shake.
Omi meanwhile shook himself clear of his evil thoughts and realizing where he was and what he did. "Oh, my head. My friends, I am so sorry for what I've done," he stated noticing Rai. "Rai you look in of it."
"That's out of it." Rai weakly stated. "I guess that chi I borrowed isn't agreeing with me so much anymore."
"Borrowed?" the three asked confused.
"Well, Falkia and I used the Spirit Wand to summon the spirit of the fallen dragon of light and then I used the sun chi lantern to borrow their chi." Omi had a troubled face at that. "What?!"
"Raimundo that was most foolish of you. Too much chi can be harmful to the body and even cause you to spontaneously combust." Rai's eyes widened in surprise. "Or your body will adjust and absorb the chi but during that process, your chi acts all wild and crazy for a few weeks."
"Well, I hope this is the latter no offense dude but I'd rather not combust right now." Rai joked but then realized something. "Wait for a second, how come the world hasn't fixed itself shouldn't you getting back your chi have you know done something."
"Fools." Chase laughed evilly now in his lizard form stalking forth with his cats and his entourage of villains. "Omi here swore allegiance to me so regardless of his chi state he belongs to the Heylin side through his bond of loyalty."
Omi shamefully looked down. Rai understood now just like Falkia had been bound by her honor Omi had been wrapped up in his own need to follow an honorable path.
"Not exactly." another voice rang out surprising the various people as a woman showed up out of nowhere.
Unlike the various Lady's he had seen before, this one was majestic with pure white and pastel pink draping across her body almost seductively. The shawl wrapped around her sparkled like diamonds while her shockingly dark hair with reddish streaks running down her hair that shimmered from a rich crimson to a brilliant scarlet. He could see her thin legs showing tanned to perfection reaching down to obscenely short white stockings inside elegant glass-like slippers while she held a starlike object that shone like the sun in her right hand.
"Who are you?" Chase growled sending a tiger to kill the woman only to be blasted into nothing before coming within 5 feet of her.
"Really Chase you've met my dear old friend and yet you can't recognize another guardian of the seven sacred Shen Gong Wu? Ah well, that's to be expected, you can call me lady Friday. I just came to see how the lovely tug-of-war between good and evil was going." she smiled sweetly. "But of course now is when things become interesting after all A Xiaolin Showdown doesn't necessarily have to bet a Shen Gong Wu now does it?"
Rai blinked up at the mysterious woman still feeling weak as he shakily stood up. "Huh?"
"Oh come on did Falkia really not mention that you can bet other things like freedom, food, clothing, sex." she began listening things off. "Then again she probably forgot…" she muttered more to herself than the others. "Anyway, you have the right to challenge for Omi's freedom from Chase's little honorary contract."
The three warriors faced Chase who was glaring at the woman but he then smirked, "Fine then, why not? I can always use more warriors and once you fail my domination of the world will be complete."
"Bring it on lizard breath. I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown wagering our freedom in exchange for Omi's freedom. " Rai began hearing Omi protest that this was a bad idea. "The game is Xiaolin soccer. The first team to get 5 points wins and Omi will be playing with us."
"Fine then but I think this is a bit too weighted in your favor considering my underlings." he glared at Jack in particular and Katnappe as well. "Might be a bit unmatched so let's make things a little more even." he snapped his fingers and Omi transformed into a yellow ball of fur.
Rai groaned as another wave of nauseous from the new chi passed through him but he fought through it. Now was the time for action; he'd deal with the side effects later at least till he could hopefully get the chi out. It never occurred to Raimundo that the chi might be settling down into its host permanently….
"Let's go Xiaolin Showdown!" the 8 warriors yelled as they were spirited away into a soccer field with Katnappe, Chase in lizard form, Wuya, and Jack all flanking the western field which had a spider web soccer net in the center and the 4 warriors dominated the eastern side while Dojo came into the center.
"Gong Yi Tempi!" they all shouted followed by Dojo yelling, "Hey, where's the ball?"
Then pure realization and terror hit him when he realized he was the ball. The 8 warriors collided into the center as the game began with each of them fighting for the ball. Kimiko soon found herself dethawing herself from a blast of ice of Katnappe's as the cat-like villain on all fours shot the ball past the 4 warriors purring all the while. Omi tried to save it but Chase bashed him away while Rai was distracted by Wuya who was flirting away and messing up his head.
Goal! The first shot was won for the Heylin and then Wuya managed to pound her way through the three monks since Rai was still feeling side-effects of the excess chi causing him to be woozy scoring their second win. Jack using his helipad soon followed her example and scored a third goal.
"No way that's cheating!" Kimiko yelled in anger.
"All's fair in love and war kids might as well give up." Wuya snidely remarked as she and Katnappe soon enough where dancing circles around Omi who distracted missed Chase coming through pounding the ball right from under him straight into the goal post making four points for the Heylin.
The monks hurriedly got together to talk about strategy.
"How are we gonna win? If they get one more, we lose and I'm feeling too sick to really help and Omi's at a disadvantage as a cat." Rai muttered
"Omi you know Chase how do we beat him?" Kimiko asked.
"Chase taught me everything I know; he is a most formidable opponent." Omi sighed.
"Then how about we shake things up," Rai stated an idea popping into his head. "If we use made-up moves, we might be able to get past him."
"And if we can distract those no-good varmints Jack and Katnappe we might be able to win."
"Let's do this thing!" Kimiko cheered as they got back into the showdown.
Kimiko soon blasted the cat-themed villain with fire as she hissed and tried to chase after her. Meanwhile, Chase and Omi were in a heated battle of martial arts while Clay was busy using his earth skills to ensnare Jack who naturally was cheating by flying high above dodging the boulders. However, this gave Raimundo the opportunity to sneak under Wuya who while distracted found a rock in her head and Chase momentarily distracted by something about a sparrow eating a hotdog weren't able to stop Omi passing the ball to Rai who with a skilled kick unlike anything they'd seen sent the ball straight into the goal while Dojo groaned in annoyance.
The second time around Raimundo proceeded to use his wind abilities to the max he could handle pressuring the entire team out of the way as the ball at lightning speeds rammed straight into the spider net.
Kimiko was next to score a goal as her fire literally heated up the ball and forced the 4 Heylin out of the way lest they catch on fire while Dojo tried to cool himself off by stop dropping and rolling as soon as she won a point.
Clay's seismic kick shook the earth so hard that boulders popped up everywhere giving Omi who with his enhanced cat speed the advantage to outmaneuver all the Heylin except Chase who was tripped up again by Omi's new move as he shoots the ball into the net one last time.
Needless to say, Chase was furious and in his anger, a large amount of lightning rang down and he zapped Clay to the point the monk went flying off the entire area in his rage not caring that he also disabled Jack's helipad and knocked him into the stands.
"There's no WAY I am losing after coming so far!" he screamed before grabbing Katnappe by the tail yelling. "Freeze her and get her out of the way now or I'll destroy you for this."
Katnappe was flung so fast and tried so hard to freeze Kimiko who she was barrelling towards that she accidentally froze the two of them and the cat-icle and human-icle went flying off into various directions from the momentum transforming the stage into a dangerous ice hockey ring as the ice made everything super slick.
Rai dodged out of the way feeling his chi begin to act out as Wuya tried to take him out and without meaning to accidentally sent a bolt of pure light energy ramming right into the Heylin witch who went tripping over Omi who had the ball as the two of them flew up into the stands crashing into each other.
"Hmph." Chase started grinning evilly as he got hold of the ball and forced his way forward past the spinning projectile of ice zeroing on his final victory over the earth. Raimundo groaned as he tried to stop him as a vicious wave of energy pulsed through him as he tried to move causing him to grasp his stomach as he fell down shaking uncontrollably.
"Raimundo you have to stop him!" Omi called to Raimundo who was feeling a ringing in his ears trying to get the excess chi under control.
It's all over this was such a bad idea. How am I supposed to fight off evil if I can't handle this? God this chi is too much for my system to handle.
He groaned before his thoughts returned to Falkia. Beautiful and intelligent eyes seemed to look down at him with worry.
"If the chi seems too much, control it with your own. The image of the purple-clad lady seemed to say. Remember there's more than one gate to your chi. Try and use your wind to open the gate of Light. Light is weak but faster and more chaotic than the wind itself. You can do this Rai stop fighting the flow and make it your own. She's waiting for you now that she's sleeping. Please show her how much you care and take care of her…. Good-bye Rai perhaps this time things will be better."
"Huh?" he asked his brain trying to concentrate what the vision said as the image of Falkia disappeared in a puff of light and he became aware of his friends yelling at him. Chase was ready to strike the ball into the goal.
She said to control the chi with my own to make it my own. Okay, let's give it a try.
He concentrated on his inner self-willing to let the chi float there as though his own opening his mind and body breathing in and out slowly even as the world was about to end. The meditative state let his wind ability pick up and Chase could feel it rolling across the field in slow but strong waves before Rai began bending the light similarly although at a much quicker seemingly different pace. Something inside him seemed to gush forth and with that, Rai felt less fatigued and out of it as he called upon his inner chi.
And with that seemingly broken bond, he pushed out and just as Dojo began to fly towards their goal a powerful beam of light like a rubber band held him back, stopping him a second before the goal and with a whiplash whipped him straight into the dragonlord. The powerful blast sent the two shooting straight and fast as the others gasped as Chase and Dojo rammed straight into the Heylin goalpost winning the showdown for the Xiaolin.
The scene returned to normal with Raimundo and the other monks cheering in glee.
"Haha looks like someone else knows how it feels to lose!"
"Yeah finally nice to see you taken down a peg." Katnappe agreed with Jack before the Heylin warlord glared at the two.
"Okay we'll be going now!" the yelped scrambling away.
The earth trembled once more as the sky cleared up into normal somber grey clouds and the cracks in the earth quickly resealed themselves as flowers and life returned to the land. Birds were singing above once more and everything seemed to clear up.
"It seems as though I've lost. No matter." Chase stated not the least bit worried while the now restored Omi stared on. "The evil seeds in you will sprout in time I'm sure; you are far closer to being evil than you know."
"And the good in you may be stronger in you than you think." Omi counted. "Otherwise you wouldn't have allowed Raimundo to win so easily."
"I underestimated the dragon of wind for now." he countered glaring at the now standing Brazillian. "But as the dragon of light, he is much more vulnerable than you think."
"Come Wuya, let us leave these pests. We have far more important evil things to deal with for our next plan to conquer this world," he stated stalking off.
"Hmph thinks he can boss me around. He's lucky I'm not at full strength or he'd be the one being bossed around," she stated irritatedly to herself before following him.
"Way to go Rai. that was a mighty fine job partner! You were most excellent friend." the three monks cheered their friend as he moved up shakily.
"Thanks, guys. Don't mention it."
"I am most sorry for my actions." Omi shamefully admitted bowing down.
"Like I said don't mention it. Looks like there's been three of us now who've been traitors." he tried to lighten the mood with that bad joke.
"Three?" Kimiko questioned the air slightly tensing up.
"Yeah, Falkia found the Spirit Wand so she should have abdicated now. I was hoping she might be allowed to come back," he mentioned noticing the other three contemplating.
"I dunno Rai she did kinda betray us even if she is good inside," Clay responded.
"Yeah, how do we know that she won't do it again?" Kimiko asked warily.
Omi, however, looked up and stated. "Is that not we already thought when Raimundo came back? We gave him a second chance and everyone here is giving me one so why not her?"
Rai smiled at Omi realizing he was giving permission for her to return.
"I reckon we can give her a second chance partner just have to keep an eye on her," Clay responded once more thinking about it in more detail.
Kimiko finally stated after everyone stared at her hoping for answer. "Okay okay I see I'm outnumbered. If the elders say she can come back, she can come back but she's on probation no Shen gong wu access." she consented to make Rai grin widely.
"Thanks, guys!" he muttered happily. "You mind if we go pick her up?" and with their nods, they got onto dojo and rode out into the sky.
Lady Friday, however, giggled slightly at the scene. "Oh run along dear monks to your old friend but she won't be the same person you saw before. How might this act move forward if the player's role has just changed? Let's see how the dice roll will they find love or will they find tragedy at the end of the line?' she smirked at that statement. "Ah well, I look forward to seeing what the second act will bring this love story."
And with those words, light shone from the mirror in her hand and she was gone without a trace.
Bohdi Tree, India:
Raimundo and the other monks soared straight down to the Bodhi tree where he last saw Falkia.
"Falkia, we're back!" Rai excitedly began before noticing a strange sight.
Falkia was resting peacefully next to the large tree branches not moving an inch. Her outfit as if by magic had shifted from her traditional outfit to something different. The costume he bought her a while ago was now upon her but twisted in some ways. The skirt while black as before now had two bands of deep violet and the shoes were not as bland but now black heels with distinct amethysts adorning both of them. Her upper body had the jacket more or less the same but the blouse lost it's ribbon and was now a vibrant shade of purple and simple glass framed reading glasses framed her sleeping grey eyes. It was strange Raimundo never knew she needed reading glasses then again when had he ever seen her read something?
"Hey, Falkia are you sleeping? Did you talk to your father?" he gently pushed her trying to wake her up then noticed the Spirit Wand resting at her side.
After shaking her a bit too much, she jumped up and Rai felt something wet hit him as he jumped back as Falkia confusedly looked about.
"Huh? Where am I?" she asked looking about bewildered before her eyes caught sight of a handsome Brazillian she didn't recognize. "And who are you?"