Disclaimer: I don't own the show.

In this chapter, Chase doesn't hold back when it comes to fighting.

Kitty got claws

With a loud ripping sound, a small portal ripped open at the top of Chase Young's home. Music screamed from inside it. A very loud guitar riff followed by the following lyrics:

I'm a slave, and I am a master
No restraints and, unchecked collectors
I exist through my name, to self oblige
She is something in me, the darkness finds

I won't let this build up inside of me
I won't let this build up inside of me
I won't let this build up in-

But then it was interrupted by…

"TURN IT OFF! …I DON'T CARE! …AT LEAST TURN IT DOWN ASSHOLE!"

A loud groan and then Blaise appeared through the portal, still looking behind her, shouting into it's swirling depths, the music still blaring.

Without noticing how far up she was, she stepped out of the portal into the air and tumbled downwards with a loud scream. She tried desperately to stop, grabbing at the air as if she was trying to climb up a ladder. The portal closed and the music stopped.

Omi gasped and stopped fighting. Chase looked up and darted forwards, catching her before she hit the stone floor. She clung to him, shivering. He put her down and she composed herself, regaining whatever dignity she may have lost. Blowing very hard upwards so her fringe fluttered, she placed one elegant hand on her hip and with the other she fixed the strap of her top. Her hand was shaking.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Omi," she glared at Chase, "just fine."

They looked at each other for a few seconds, Blaise had taken on a sour face, and her round lips set in a deep frown. Chase looked passive, almost sorry. Usually his eyes would be lowered, indicating annoyance, but now they were wider than usual. In his confusion, Omi very politely asked, "I mean no intrusion, but have I missed something?" He tugged gently on Blaise's arm. She noticed that he had been sweating, and also that he had a black eye. She snapped her fingers and his black eye had healed.

"I hope you were training."

"Oooh yes! Chase Young has been teaching me how to use a most useful move."

"Really? Had you managed to hit him with it yet?"

He looked at the floor and shook his head. Blaise sighed.

"You'll get there."

Chase still looked at her. She looked back, her stare still hard and cross.

Omi didn't like her like this. Where did the happy, bouncy and constantly smiling Blaise go?

"It's not what you think, Chase. I would ra-"

But he interrupted her by waving his hand and said, "I overreacted, and I apologise for it. It was not my place. But I also want you to know that what I was thinking about wasn't what you think. I had no intention to give that idea across. Such thoughts are un-becoming of me."

She still looked at him, but there was less fire in her eyes. Lowering her head, she gave him a small smile and wrapped her arms around his neck while kissing him on the cheek. Looking like he didn't know what to do really, he just stood still for a second and then returned her embrace. Her hair smelled like summer fruits and passionflowers. Chase closed his eyes, taking in the gentle curves of her back to her spine. Her chin rested on his broad shoulders.

They contrasted even more so now. Colourful, happy and good and then dark, brooding and evil: this contrast made Omi smile at the thought that two people so different could embrace each other.

"We were both at fault." She said slowly. "I forgive you, but do you forgive me?"

"You have nothing to be sorry for, but if you really do feel that you are at fault then I forgive you."

She squeezed him, her bright smile returning to her face. Letting him go, beaming she turned to Omi.

"Don't feel bad. Chase is one of the best fighters I know. I would be really surprised if you did beat him, or even get a chance to strike." Blaise was back. She was happy again and now everything seemed brighter. She had this wonderful aura of love and goodness that radiated from her and made everything warmer around her. Even Chase seemed that slightest bit pleased that she was around.

Omi nodded. There was a time when he thought Master Fung was the best fighter ever known, but he had been so cut off from the rest of the world until his friends had joined the Xiaolin temple and now he had only realised that there were incredibly powerful fighters out there. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. Fighting Chase was very hard.

"So come one, Chase," Blaise punched the air in front of her playfully, "you and me, a one-on-one match. And quit holding back! I can't stand all that sexist crap!"

"Who said I hold back?"

"Oh, come on. I may be old but I'm no fool. You are way stronger than this. You might not be as fast, but you are much stronger than I am." Omi could see what she was up to; she was trying to coax him into fighting her.

"And besides," She raised her eyebrows, dropping hints, "it'll be good to teach Omi. He's just a kid and he can learn a lot."

Tutting, folding his arms and rolling his eyes he stared at her for a few seconds. The plan was coming together. A slight smirk played on his lips, his sharp fangs just showing over his teeth. He then nodded and cracked his neck and shoulders. Blaise flinched.

"That's disgusting!"

He smirked again. Blaise stood in a battle stance and punched the air. Chase was opening the straps of his armour on his left arm. It dropped to the floor with a faint clang and he began on the other arm.

"You say I'm not as fast as you." He began. The armour on his right arm fell off and he pulled his breastplate over his head. He braced himself, battle ready and held his fists up in front of his chest. His yellow eyes glinted. Omi knew he was up to something.

"Let's go then." He inclined his head, taunting her. She just laughed.

"You think the armour slowed you down? Hah, fool. You'll never-"

She was cut off when he high kicked her in the face, flipped backwards, swung his right leg around and tripped her up. Omi moved back. He hadn't even see Chase move. He blinked and missed it. All he heard was a thump and then Blaise was on her back.

"Owie." She groaned, rubbing her backside. She flipped up and urged him on with her hand. "Okay, let's go A-hole!"

They ran at each other. Omi sat down far away and watched. How am I supposed to learn anything if they are moving so fast? He thought dimly to himself. They were moving at incredible speeds. They were fighting between walls and were hurling themselves at each other, trying to knock the other over. From what Omi could tell, Chase was winning so far. Blaise was landing on her back a lot, but after what Omi could tell was the fourth time she had been flung to the ground, she got up and hurled a ball of fire at Chase, which he easily dodged by jumping over it. He landed on all fours, his back arched in a high curve. Omi noticed the sharp spines on his back had ripped his shirt. Blaise growled and jumped at him, punching and kicking as fast as she could, Chase also doing his best to block her.

Parts of Chase's shirt were falling off. Omi noticed in attempt to catch him, Blaise ripped off the sleeves and the back until it was completely destroyed. The fabric just fell to the floor but Chase didn't seem to notice it.

The fighting lasted for a good hour, non-stop. After getting used to the speed of them, Omi could clearly make out what they were doing and the different fighting styles they used. They said nothing while fighting, just kicking and flipping and punching and using many different forms of Xiaolin techniques. He saw karate, kung fu, and Tai chi. near the end of their match, Chase introduced Judo into the battle by pinning Blaise to the floor on her stomach. Her legs were caught between Chase's knees, the back of her neck was pushed down by his left arm, her right arm beneath her and her left arm being held behind her back on the verge of being dislocated.

"Come on," he whispered in her ear, "tap out, just do it." He pulled her left arm back. She let out a high-pitched squeal of agony. She struggled, but it wasn't enough to break free. She spun around and pinned Chase down by his neck with her elbow and wrapped her legs around his.

"YOU tap out!"

Chase, using the same move spun around and pinned her to the floor again. Omi watched them wrestle for a while, both using very complicated techniques to stop each other from moving. This went on for ten minutes before Chase had a strong hold on Blaise again. It was the same move he used first, except he held her head down hand held her arm in a lock. He was pulling back hard on her arm. The more she struggled, the more he pulled back.

"Ugh… yo' ghunnah brheak muh harm!" Blaise cried into the ground.

"What was that?" Chase pulled harder and bent his head to hear what she said. He had a wicked smile on his face, enjoying the fact that Blaise could do nothing to stop him. Omi was mesmerised. He could see no way that Blaise could escape this time.

Chase laughed a little, a small snicker that chilled the air designed to taunt Blaise. "Just tap out, you know you have to."

Blaise was breathing heavily and still struggling, her face was contorted into a very painful grimace. She bit down hard on her lip and Chase pushed her face back into the ground.

"Tap out!"

Omi stood up. Now it was getting to far. He expected some pain, some bumps, scratches and even broken bones, but for enjoyment? That's not right. Blaise still struggled, but that just meant that Chase pulled back her arm even further. Her shoulder socket would pop any second.

"Chase Young," Omi rounded him on, "I order you to cease and let Blaise go!"

"It is not your place Omi. This is between Blaise and I, and I intend to settle the score."

"No, you are merely training. The purpose is not to try and hurt your opponent."

"Well…" Chase laughed again and pulled fiercely back on her arm. Blaise screamed down into the ground. "Looks like you're not at the Xiaolin temple anymore."

There was a crack like a gunshot and Chase let Blaise go. He stood up, sweat rolled down his forehead. His stance faltered a little, obviously tired from the match.

Blaise rose to her feet very slowly, her left arm hung at a very odd angle and the left side of her shoulder looked much broader that the right. Omi gasped and pointed at her arm.

"You see what you have done?" he said incredulously to Chase.

Blaise looked down at her arm and looked a little shocked. She then looked from Chase to Omi.

"Don't worry about it, Omi, Chase knows what he's doing. Be a sweetie, Chase and shove my arm back into place, will you?"

Quick as a flash, Chase violently kicked her shoulder and with a loud snap her arm re-hinged itself. Blaise shook her arm a few times. Omi noticed a small tear fall from her eye but she quickly rubbed it away.

"Not so hard." She gave him that silly little push. "Nice match anyway. Looks like you've been holding back for a few centuries now." Chase looked down.

"Why do you hold back?" Blaise placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I held back because I was afraid that if I had beaten you that you would become a slave. I don't want that for you. I didn't now because I knew that you would be fine. I have to beat someone in battle, not just training."

Blaise beamed. "Awwww, I never knew you cared!" She wrapped his arms around his naked torso. At first he seemed to realise that the top of him was bare. He shivered slightly, noticing that Blaise's bare stomach was pressed against his. Very gently, he pushed her away, a slight smirk played on his face again.

"I think one embrace is enough for one day."

Blaise just laughed and flexed her left arm a little. She sighed wearily and fell backwards onto the ground, sitting cross-legged.

"It's getting late Omi, I think it's time for you to go." Chase turned to Omi.

Omi nodded, but asked "Could you just show me how to do one thing before I leave. The last move was most confusing, just to be on the side of safe, could you possibly show me how to do it again?"

"Of course."

Chase walked towards a less confined space, Omi following in his wake. Blaise just sat and watched. Her eyes following Chase's back, his muscles tapered around his shoulder blades. He had an awful lot of scars, but then that was the price for living so long. You get the scars that stay for years and years. She could still point out when he had fallen off a cliff crevice in Ireland when he was six hundred and twelve. The scar was about 35cm long just on his lower back going diagonally to the right side.

He talked to Omi for a few seconds but Blaise couldn't make out what he was saying. She liked the patience that he had. The soothing lull of his voice was encouraging. She knew that Omi would learn a lot when he was not being viciously pulled along as he would at a temple.

He was showing Omi how to use the Gull of Water, a complicated Xiaolin move. Chase had mastered it when he was just a kid. Blaise remembered he was the very first to get it right at the temple. She smiled, remembering that he spent four and a half hours straight trying to teach her when she was threatened that if she didn't get it right she would be thrown out of the temple. She got it in the end, and Chase was much more patient with her than their sensei. She wondered if Chase would remember…

Omi had achieved a perfect Gull of Water. Blaise clapped. His form was flawless. Chase looked pleased. Omi bowed in gratitude, a wide smile full of self-pride stretched from ear-to-ear.

"I am most grateful for your help." Omi bowed again. Blaise was surprised to see Chase bow back. He never exposed the back of his neck to anyone he did not respect, other than Blaise.

"Feel free to come back should you need any more teaching. You know you will always have a place here."

Omi nodded and ran off through the cave doors. Blaise stood up and approached Chase. She gave a slight smile when she noticed how really fit he was; his tapered muscles gave him a very sharp look. He had very good upper-body structure, not extremely muscular to the point when there were veins popping out everywhere, but he was no skinny little stick either.

"He has a lot of potential, don't you think?" She sounded impressed. Chase nodded. He was very quiet, obviously thinking.

"Something wrong?" She asked.

He looked at her for a few seconds, his eyes moving down to her left arm, then her wrist. "I want to know what it is."