Wow…I'm soooo out of it. Um, it's a rather short chapter this time, hehe, I just wanted to post it because I haven't posted in LONG time and with applications I know I won't have time till January to do this. So…sorry if it's not as funny as the last chapters, but it does get a little dark…BUT! I MUST tell you of this funny incident that happened at the Cal State LA field trip. We went into the food court and saw a sign that said: Master Fung's Fresh BBQ! LMFAO! I took a pic of it and if I ever get a deviant art I'll make sure to post it.

Disclaimer: the usual, don't own Xiaolin Showdown, too poor to buy the rights to it:pokes money purse: I'm gonna be in the hole by the time application fee's of $50 bucks each are done…

Why did he always call me sister? We weren't blood related. But I suppose I was the closest thing he could call family, after his mother…I must confess, I miss those early days of ignorance and innocence. Neither of knew what was going to happen…

"Chase, why do you love making me these figurines?" the girl inquisitively asked. She knew he would merely smile and say, "because I like to," but there was always a mischievous twinkle in his eyes as he would say it.

"Because I like to!" he said and then, with an odd strength, he quickly pulled her up from the ground. "Hurry! We'll miss the concert!"

Chase happily ran in front of Ying Min. He was especially excited today because his mother had given him money to spend at the harvest festival. He was in such a good mood, that he didn't notice Ying Min trailing behind him. She seemed to be in her own world, sometimes looking at the laughing boy in front of her, sometimes seeming to daze off, as if in some deep thought or meditation. Finally, Chase looked behind him and noticed she wasn't right behind him. "Ying!" he cried out. Maybe it was a trick of the light, but from far away, her face looked sorrowful. He quickly ran up to her. "What's wrong Ying?" he asked. He knew she wouldn't mind such a bold question. Everyone else always looked at him oddly when he asked such bold questions, and his mother would often scold him and make him apologize to the person. Instead, Ying gave a weak smile before saying "Nothing is wrong my dear, nothing at all."

Any other time, Chase would have kept questioning. He had a keen sense at a young age of when he was being lied to. A bit too good for someone his age many of the elders of the village thought. But he was in too good of spirits because of the festival.

As the two neared closer to the town square, music floated to them over the gurgling of the stream. The festival that Chase so adored was here. Vendors happily displayed their food ranging from simple snow peas to exotic fruits and vegetables. Some farmers showed off their new drinks made from their fresh fruits, or maybe a new perfume. On another side, vendors sold medicines. The air was ripe with sweet smelling scents and the chatter of people. Not only were the villagers here, but foreigners as well. Chase's hometown was right by the ocean, and it was one of the most powerful seaports in Eastern China. The Japanese, usually unwelcome anywhere else in China at the moment, were more than glad to trade at this time of year.

Ying tried to keep up her happy appearance for Chase's sake. She couldn't bear having to spoil his happy mood. He waited all year, and began anticipating the festival 3 months before it arrived. She tried not to think about her sixteenth birthday coming up. Her grandmother was merely trying to scare her with those stories she told before going to bed. A firecracker startled her and broke her from her reverie. She jumped and then slipped on a stone. She fell and to her embarrassment, a man came to help her up.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," a man she recognized from the butchers apologized. He mistook the confusion in her face to be from the firecracker and helped her off the ground. "I was trying to see which one was a dud. Heh, I guess I found out."

Ying thanked the man and then looked around for Chase. She didn't have to look far; he was standing a few feet away. The man followed her gaze and then flinched. His eyes turned cold and then he muttered a "good day" before tending to his shop again.

Turning back from the man, Ying tried to start up a conversation to distract Chase. "What are you going to buy with your money?" she asked. But it was too late. Chase wasn't responding. "Ying…why…why do they always…"

Ying sighed. Every time she tried to explain, it felt like someone was tearing her heartstrings. "They still aren't used to you, that's all," she lied. They'll never be used to him, she thought inside. His mother's past was gossip for all the villagers to enjoy for the past 13 years. When Ying first agreed to take care of Chase, she made a vow to also take care of his mother. The poor woman had been through enough hardship.

"It's because of my dad, isn't it?" he asked.

Ying was startled. Who told him about his father? She inadvertently looked for the old women who usually took delight in glaring at Chase and making snide remarks.

"My dad…he wasn't….a good man, was he, Ying?" Chase continued.

She shuddered. Who was telling him these things? The women knew certain things, but this was new. She looked around and hugged her arms. Was it her imagination, or did the air become chillier. Strong gusts of wind came through and whipped the tops of the tents. Pots and pans clanged and the villagers were caught off guard as non-stationary items were toppled. Even the music stopped as the musicians had to hold on to the sheet music. A loud cry of surprise rose up from everyone, and then as suddenly as the wind came, it stopped. The musicians quickly started up again, but Ying didn't feel the happy melody anymore. The stories from her grandmother, the villagers' stares, Ying could feel her world crumble around her.

The pair kept on walking down until they stopped at a stall with a young woman selling flowers. "Chase!" the woman cried. "What have you bought with the money I gave you?"

Immediately his sorrowful face lifted. He ran up and gave his mother a hug. "Nothing yet, Ying and I barely got here."

Ying shook her head, hoping to remove all bad thoughts from her mind. I am here to enjoy the festival and I'm going to enjoy it, dammit, she thought. No more villager stares to bug me, no more strange women stories from my grandmother to bug me.

The rest of the night was actually quite fun. Chase won a few games and his classmates from school cheered him on for all of them. Only the elders in the town hated him. Ying breathed a sigh of relief when Chase ignored the stare of a man and instead started telling a joke she told him yesterday to his friends. After the last of the music concerts, everyone began packing up until the next day, when the festival would continue it's third day. "Jing-Mei," Ying called to Chase's mother. "I'll see you tomorrow!" She shook Jing-Mei's hand and then gave Chase a hug. "Sissy, you're going to love your birthday present!" Chase told her as she let go of him. His mother laughed. "Chase has been working on something for the past two weeks. Every time I come in he hides it, but I'm sure it's something wonderful."

They all said their goodbyes and then Ying began the journey home. After ten minutes of walking she came to her home. The warm cozy inside was such a relief after the harsh cold outside. Her grandmother was sleeping and her parents were just getting into bed.

"Had fun dear?" her mother asked. "Yes," she half-truthfully answered. "Don't forget," her mother said, "you still need to tell us what you want for your birthday."

Ying inadvertently looked at her grandmother, but she was still silently sleeping. "I won't forget, Ma", she answered.

"You should ask for hope and salvation," a voice spoke behind her. Ying nearly screamed out loud. When she wasn't looking, her grandmother had gotten up and stood behind her. "You should enjoy it now, while you still have it."

Ying felt so confused and scared. "Enjoy what, grandmother, what! Tell me!"

Her grandmother merely shook her head and laid back down in her bed. "Enjoy life," she murmured before drifting off again.

Outside, two figures looked down on the seaside town from a hill nearby.

"Is it time now, Master?" one asked the other.

"Not yet…but it is soon," the other answered. "Very soon."

I have this bittersweet song "Yi Dance" by Xuefei Yang stuck in my head now…kudos' and a Chase plushie to anyone who knows who she is. Moo!