Disclaimer: I don't own Xiaolin Showdown. I don't own any of the characters, nor the Shen Gong Wu. I only own the Wu I invented as well as my characters. I wished I own Xiaolin Showdown, but it's no the same.
Chapter 7: The Darkness in the Earth's heart.
The light of the sun was just reaching over the hills that guarded the valley with in. Only the large grassy plains lay the Xiaolin Temple. Only two figures were up at this twilight light time. One stood at a tree eyes closed and unmoving. The other was doing some exercises. As the light crawled it way of the temple grounds, the large and bulky one who exercised stopped and walked over to the other. The larger one was Clay, the Dragon of Earth, and his friend was Mercurius, the Dragon of Lighting. Mercurius opened his eyes as Clay closed in on him, and as Clay opened his mouth to speak, "COCK A DOODLE DO!" Clay closed his mouth and the two chuckled. Mercurius opened just in time for the familiar voice of Raimundo, "OH SHUT UP!" another chuckle and a new figure emerged from the temple building where the two sets of sleeping quarters where. Sapphire went and joined the other two, her red hair blowing in the breeze that started to play. "Howdy." Greeted Clay as Mercurius just nodded, "Hey guys! How's it going?" She said as she waved. "Meh," answered Mercurius, "been better, been up for at least two hours." Clay took a bit longer to answer, but he did. "I'm ok." Sapphire smiled at Clay and he almost melted there and then. But saved by the Mercurius. "How about we go in and get Breakfast? Sophie? Clay?" and he looked in to they faces find out the answer. "Sure" was the answer. Sapphire walked off in front as the two boys followed slowly, in a world of their own. "So can you help me?" pleaded Clay as they faced and walked on towards the temple door. "Sure, but when do you want to do it?" Replied Mercurius. "I ….don't know." Conceded Clay looking down. Mercurius smiled a bit and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "We'll talk more after the next Shen Gong Wu quest." And they continued into the temple.
At the table at which the breakfast was served, and almost every was asleep. Clay, Master Fung, Mercurius and Sapphire were the only ones who weren't about an inch from the table top. Sapphire and Mercurius were making bets under the table over who will be the first to collapse. Mercurius won, when Master Fung sighed as Raimundo hit the table first, then Omi with the rest following. Sapphire won who would hit their own food, which happened to be Diamond, much to Mercurius's amusement and un shown embarrassment. When every had finished their breakfast, the two teams of dragons went to train their different ways. First for the Mercurius lot was to run the obstacle course blind. Not the easiest thing to do, while Clay and his friends were having to spar together. Raimundo verse Kimiko and Clay against Omi. An hour past. Mercurius finished the course fastest, even faster then Omi, and he watched the other train. He was a little jealous of Raimundo as he swung at Kimiko. But he let the felling fade as Kimiko knocked Raimundo down. The other In-training finished slowly and joined him as he stared into space. Another hour pasted, and the training session was over. All of the Dragons stretched and relaxed. Omi and Diamond lay together, while Silver and Raimundo sat with their backs to a tree. Clay and Mercurius were talking together again, while Kimiko and Sapphire sat together. Sapphire watched the two talking boys with interest. "Clay, I said we will talk about it after the next Shen Gong Wu hunt. It gives you time to think it over." Said Mercurius and the conversation ended. The two then walked over to the girls. Mercurius sat next to Kimiko who played with her P.D.A but smiled as he sat down. Clay sat near Sapphire, and they both smiled at each other. All of the dragons were happy; they all sat on the ground in their worlds. The world was at peace for the moment that nothing moved, not the wind nor the grass dared to disturb this moment. But it wasn't to be forever.
Mercurius got up and ran to Master Fung and they walked off together to talk. The others got up and went they own ways. Omi and Diamond went to spar a bit. Raimundo and Silver were going to have a football game together, but for some reason never seemed to finish one. The last three were together in a small group, but they weren't interacting much. Clay seemed a bit scared and soon walked off, sweating like a pig. Sapphire sighed and turned to Kimiko who looked a little skeptic. "Just ask him." She said to Sapphire who in return, looked at the ground. "I'm a little scared." She replied in a little more then a whisper. "Oh come on. It's Clay." And she almost screeched his name, making Sapphire go a light shade of red. "But, IT is him." And with that she lay down on the grass while Kimiko sighed and stared in to space.
Master Fung and Mercurius walked along the hallways of the temple side by side. Nothing was said as they moved to get out of the sight of the other dragons. Master Fung turned to his right slightly to make saw that no one was following them and at look at Mercurius's face. "So, how is the training?" Asked Master Fung as they entered the hall that led to the Ancient Scroll of the Shen Gong Wu. "Meh, can't complain. Had harder." "You're correct, Gr.…." Started Fung, but cut off by a much faster Dragon of Lighting. "I'm just a normal Dragon in Training. Well for the moment anyway." Master Fung half closed his eyes and looked at the child now opposite him. "You shouldn't do this?" said Master Fung in a wise tone. He knew the real Mercurius, but was asked not to tell. Mercurius chuckled but didn't notice Dojo enter, "I shouldn't because it's means I have to lie to people. But I do because I want to help them. I don't want to be treated like you are by them." Said Mercurius in plain tone. "Yes, master." Said Fung instantly. They laughed, "Shouldn't that be the other way around?" "Yes, Mercurius, Yes." Mercurius smiled and turned to an almost silent noise coming from a small dragon, who was shaking a lot and seemed very distracted. "Mercurius, get the Scroll. I and Dojo will find the others." And with that statement they left leave Mercurius to gather his thoughts. He smiled and grabbed the scroll and left to find the others. He was still smiling as he left the doorway nearest to the others. He stopped and walked over to them.
"So which Shen Gong Wu is it today Merc?" asked Diamond as he approached. He unrolled the scroll and read what he saw. "It is the Horn of plenty. It allows a person to clone anything they put in. You can have as many as you want but each one is slightly different." He looked up and added his own person opinion, "But I don't think putting a person in would be a good idea." Omi's face changed, as he wants to be able to lots of things at once. He was smiling and then a little sad until he was comforted by Diamond. "I see." Said Master Fung as Mercurius finished describing the Shen Gong Wu that they were to find, "Mercurius, Omi, Clay, Raimundo and Sapphire. You will go." And with that they were off, they sailed into the sky in search of the Wu. They approached the Country of Australia As they descended slowly to the ground, they approached Devil's Rock. They landed on the red rock formation. Each and every one of the Dragons searched and scanned the red rock surface. Half an hour past and Mercurius looked into the sky; I wonder what the other girls are doing?
Interlude: Girls.
As the Boys and Sapphire flew off to the sky. Master Fung walked to the temple when the dragon was out of view. The three girls were left, and each of them looked sad. There other halves were gone. They were starting to retreat and then Diamond smiled. She turned and grabbed the other two by theirs arms and pulled them back. "What is it Diamond?" asked a slightly annoyed Kimiko and Silver just looked a little Bored. Diamond's evil grin enlarged. "So," she started in a creepy sort of voice, "do you're boys have any secrets?" And then Kimiko understood, but Silver spoke first, "Oh come on Dia. I'm got nothing to do." But Kimiko asked before Diamond could respond, "So Raimundo doesn't have any secrets?" and then Silver understood. She looked up, "It's a boy's night out sort of thing, so…" and then the other two finished her sentence for her. "So Girl's night IN." all of them smiled and walked away to find somewhere to sit. "So, now that you two are Raimundo's and Omi's lovers," she said in a sly tone, "you have got to tell me all the secrets. I mean I know a bit about them, but you two have got to know tons more." And with all three looking happy and they walked out of sight with one last heard remark, "Raimundo sleeps with a teddy bear." Was said by Silver and got a "NO WAY?" by the now evil smiling Kimiko.
Back at the rock formation and the Mercurius looked down and sighed heavily. Most likely their gossiping about us, yay. Thought Mercurius as he looked around for the golden horn. "Found it!" cried an excited Clay as he lifted the Shen Gong Wu in the air in triumph. BIG mistake. When Clay had the Wu in the air, the Wannabe World Conquer, Jack Spicer grabbed it and the battle was on. "Howdy Clay," said a sarcastic Jack, "I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown." And with a nod of Clay's hated head, Jack thought of the challenge that he could do. "The challenge is fight; first one to be knocked to the floor and pinned loses. My Serpent's Tail against your Third Arm Sash." Clay didn't think about it, he needed this horn and he wasn't going to let Jack ruin the planning he and Mercurius had done. "Fine Jack, LET'S GO, XIAOLIN SHOWDOWN!" The arena for this showdown was large square ring, its floor tiled and its edges leading off a large cliff to the ground along way down. The other dragons were standing on a large section of red rock. Mercurius, Sapphire, Raimundo and Omi stood awaiting the fight to begin and they didn't wait long. The combatants yelled in to the sky a "GONG YE TAN PI" and the first move was by Clay. He lunged with out thinking at Jack, who just used his Serpent's Tail to fade through him. Clay landed with a thud upon the white tiles. He soon got up and turned to look at Spicer, on his face was a look of anger. He charged like a bull that just saw red. Another miss, and yet Clay hadn't learnt. For a few more minutes this happened. Clay lay face down on the floor panting cause of his rage. Jack, being the cheating villain he is, called for his "Jackbots" to trap Clay. As Clay struggled with his fury but couldn't move, almost ready to give up as the count started at one. "Clay, you're fighting like animal. Use the WU!" cane the ever wise voice of Mercurius to Clay's Texas ears. "THIRD ARM SASH!" and with that he pushed himself and the bundle on top of him into the air. The robots fell from him and he put him self on the ground ready to face his opponent. Jack closed his eyes a bit and stared at the Cowboy. With a blink of an eye, the Third Arm Sash whipped around and grabbed the Shen Gong Wu from Jack's left hand, leaving him defenseless. When the moment to pounce and win came, Clay screamed the Wu's name and then his element, forming a large rock arm. His new weapon ready, Clay used the arm and threw it at Jack. As Jack was hit by the ten ton palm, he screamed his trade mark girly scream. With a sickening thud of one Jack Spicer hitting the ground and with a count of three the fight was over. The scenery went back to normal, and there stood Clay holding three Shen Gong Wu and the other dragons smiling. Jack stayed on the floor a little and then flew off shaking slightly. Clay and Mercurius started to talk in a low conversation, as they others went over to the now full length dragon. They flew off into the sky as Clay and Mercurius climbed on Dojo's back.
Kimiko, Silver and Diamond laughed at the memories. She never knew Omi Slept like a cat, all rolled up in a ball, and even better was that he purred if you ran your hand over his head. She was going to have to try that. Kimiko lay back on the grass as her sides hurt from the laughing. When she was finally able to stop her self an opened her eyes to look into the sky. She silently watched the clouds float effortlessly across her view. She hadn't been able to find out anything about Mercurius. She focused on a little dot in the sky and watched as it got large and soon had a form. It was Dojo, returning with the boys and Sapphire. The three got up and meet the others. All together the two couples of Omi and Diamond, Raimundo and Silver walked off to have some time together. Kimiko and Sapphire started to talk while Clay and Mercurius stood silent. When there was now one in sight, Mercurius turned to look Clay in the eyes, "Tonight then, you get the Horn and then we can set every thing up." And with the nod of Clay he walked off towards his room/sleeping place. Mercurius turned around to see Kimiko walk towards him. "So, you told Sapphire what to do, Kim?" asked Mercurius as she approached, but only answered when she was close enough to hear his heart beat. "Yep, but why are we doing this? And I want the truth." Said Kimiko in a stern voice as she hugged the boy before her. Mercurius smiled inwardly as he answered in an all knowing voice. "You'll see." His reward for such an answer was a little jab by Kimiko. The two walked off to the spot that they usually sat and talked. Mercurius knew what he had to do, and he had every little thing planned from telling Clay and Sapphire what to do, down to the obstacles that would suddenly appear that night. The day past on and the dragons all went to where they slept, as Master Fung didn't allow them to sleep together yet, and the might fell over the temple with no resistance as the dragons fell to sleep. Mercurius opened one eye sharply as he heard a noise. His eye darted to the wall opposite him to see a female figure creep to the door and opened it silently and closing it again. The night's events had begun, and he smiled.
Sapphire tip toed her way out of the hall way from the door that she had just left through.
She had planned this might with Kimiko, and knew what to do down to the last detail. As she turned the corner, she didn't notice the shadow that had appeared and disappeared down the other end. The temple was silent and still apart from the two shadows moving. On different sides of the temple grounds they never meet. Sapphire approached the Temple's vault, and listened to see if there was any one near. All she heard was the whispering of the wind in the night. She smiled and entered the vault, and another shadow showed it head around the corner and it slowly moved towards the vault as well. Sapphire knocked the bells to the tune that made the vault open. She tip toed down the stairs that formed and went down two at a time. She reached the draw of the Shen Gong Wu she wanted. As she reached for the draw she heard the tune she had played a few minutes before. In panic she hid in the shadows waiting to see if the person came down. No sound came and she sighed deeply. She went and pushed the draw open. As she reached in she didn't find the Wu but meet the hands of someone else. The two people looked into each others face and gazed into the other person's eyes. Sapphire and Clay stayed like that for a while. A red Clay spoke first, "H…H….H… howdy." But he never got a reply. Forever and a day seemed to past when they embraced. Sapphire confessed first, "Clay, I…I love you." She stumbled, but Clay kissed her full on the lips to show his. As reality slipped back to the two they turned their head to the draw. Where the Wu go? Thought the now formed couple.
Mercurius got up and went out of the sleeping quarters in a way that would make a ghost jealous. He walked over the wood floor and out of the building. He had an hour to set everything up. First he ran like the wind, and just as quiet to the vault and entered. He grabbed the Horn of Plenty from where is was and headed back out. First phase done. He looked around to see if he could see anyone, but only formless shadows where around. He walked over to the path that he and Clay had talked about. He saw Dojo on his usual pillow near the scroll of the Shen Gong Wu. He knew that Clay had the shorter route of the two and so he need to create distractions, one of them being Dojo himself. Mercurius grabbed a corner of the pillow and gently pulled it to the door way, blocking it completely. He tip toed off to find at least one more, which was around the corner. As Mercurius's view went around the corner he saw it. It was perfect for the job. There was a bull. And actual bull in the middle of the court yard in its little pen. There was also a story to this, as it was a present from Clay father, and there was also a milking cow some where for Omi. Mercurius scanned around and went to the gate and got the bull to leave it. He got a rope and placed it hear the door of the building. Mercurius smiled and knew the timing would be perfect, but to be sure he went to the route Sapphire was to take, thanks to his partner in crime Kimiko. He made sure there was nothing to stop her. After his check, and with ten minutes left, he made his way back to bed, but only closed his eyes awaiting the movement to confirm the event was to happen. Ten minutes later and there she was. Mercurius watched as Sapphire walked past his sleeping place and then he slept for real, knowing he had done what he need to do, like any man.
"Mercurius." Said Clay lightly as he smiled and the two started to leave. They climbed the stairs and watched the stairs turn back into the floor. The left the building but in stead of going to bed the two walked out to sit underneath the tree where they talked and learnt about each other. The couple sat there for an hour before talking. Mercurius was still half awake and wondered why Sapphire hadn't come back but let the thought flow out of his mind as the dream he was in was just too inviting. The sun was still down when Mercurius got up. His daily routine of being up at about 4 in the morning, or at least two hours before sun rise. He walked out of the building yawning, he was always careful not to wake any one. He walked to his training spot where he practiced his technique s he wouldn't be bothered by Omi, nor be asked about it by any one. He usually had an hour for this, but not this morning. As he approached the tree he always passed, he saw the two missing people that had got out last night. They sat underneath the tree, each was resting their head on the other. Such a sweet scene as the stars could still be seen. Mercurius continued past them, as he smiled at the knowledge that he had done it again, that he had helped people. He walked to the vault instead today and opened it. Mercurius went a certain draw and opened it. The draw of the Horn Of Plenty was empty, but Mercurius reached into his red tunic he was wearing and pulled out the horn. He placed it back and closed the draw then so the vault itself. He smiled at the thought that had entered his mind, and would most likely never leave. I guess me and the horn have something in common. We both gave a lot today, a lot of love. With that he expected the rest of the day to be good.
A/N: another LONG chapter. Hope you enjoy reading it. If you think something is good or bad, please tell me and I might do something with it or change something. The power of the review button is strong and mighty.