A Xiaolin Showdown Story
Maxine Spicer's Xiaolin Adventures
The Black Vipers
Chapter 11
~Maxine's POV/Somewhere underground in a prison cell~
Today has been full of surprises. Hunting a new Wu, getting ambushed by a biker gang, meeting Clay's sister, and now hanging by our ankles and wrists like a dead pig in a small prison cell. Our only hope of getting out was if Clay fought against his sister, Jessie but he wouldn't do it. As bad as she was he could never fight his little sister. So now all five of us are hanging upside down in a cave as if we were pieces of meat hanging on hooks at a butcher shop. How did it come to this? Its a long story but since I've got nothing better to do then to hang around, I might as well replay the whole scenario from the beginning.
It began one night in the temple gardens. Master Fung had blindfolded each of us saying we'd be trying something new in today's lesson. I was a little skeptical about the idea. Especially since I wasn't on the same level as the others in training. True I have skills but I don't use those skills; least not as often as I'd like. Why don't I use my fighting skills more often? For starters I was taught by my old sensei to never fight outside of the ring. Secondly, I actually broke that rule when I was helping Jackie against some bullies when we were little. All I can say is things got ugly and I felt guilty for what happened after. Finally, I'm slightly afraid I may lose focus and hurt someone. Jackie's robots are an exception but other then that. Maybe that's what's holding me back? Perhaps Chase Young knew what he was talking about? Wait why am I even thinking about him?
Focus Maxine, focus. Your about to do a training technique so focus. Still unsure why we're blindfolded but I may as well go along and try my best. What do I have to lose? I stood in wait for Master Fung's instructions. Hearing Raimundo hit a tree and nearly fumble and trip.
"In order to be a team each must learn to trust the others fully." Master Fung spoke up.
"And the blindfolds?" Asked Kimiko.
"Sometimes what you think you see is merely a distraction." Master Fung replied. "Using only instinct, pass this lite torch and trust that your teammates will not allow you to be burned."
Now I'm blindfolded, can't see anything but I could hear everything. Can't say I could make out what was happening exactly but from what I was hearing it sounded like everyone was moving around. Possible jumps were made. Felt Kimiko jump into the air next to me. She must have jumped pretty high up cause I couldn't hear her. Exactly how high she jumped was anyone's guess. Wasn't sure if I should move or wait. A loud clap snapped me back to reality. Sounds to me like Clay was ready to take the lead and grab the torch.
Hearing what sounded like a meteorite falling from the sky followed by the sound of a snatch/grab. Clay must have gotten the torch meaning it was my turn. Taking a deep breathe I readied myself. Listening carefully, I could hear Clay running towards me. I kept my hands out to grab the torch. Wasn't long till I heard Clay's footsteps getting closer. Just as I was ready, Clay's footsteps took off in another direction.
Followed by the sound of Raimundo screaming. His feet could be heard running around on the grass and then the sound of water. Taking off the blindfold I saw Clay drooling over a hearty plate of food while Rai had his arm dipped in the fountain. My guess, got caught by the torches flames, forcing him to find somewhere to put out the flame.
"I'm sorry Rai, Maxine. I couldn't help myself. I smelled my favorite meal and uh..." Clay was saying then stopped. Must had stuffed food in his mouth.
"Every meal is your favorite meal Clay." Kimiko complained.
I removed my blindfold to see Rai freaking out over the fire of the torch Clay carried over. Almost falling into the fountain had Master Fung not grabbed him.
"I can't believe your first loyalty is to a porkchop." Said Rai.
"Hey what about me? I can't believe you left me hanging. I was ready to grab the torch and you take off for the food." I added in, walking over to Clay.
"Hey kids we've got a three alarm Shen Gong Wu alert." Dojo said knocking Rai into the fountain. Then he started drooling when he smelled the porkchops.
"Dojo, where exactly is this new Wu?" Kimiko asked clearly still annoyed with Clay. As Rai popped out of the water. Spitting out what was in his mouth.
~Later, somewhere in Texas~
Dojo landed somewhere in the middle of an open desert surrounded by nothing but Sand, dirt, cactus, and nothing. Reminds me of a wasteland scene from a video game. Pretty sure video game characters don't have to deal with the heat. Glad I went for a ponytail and a cowboy hat. Kimiko had an extra she lent me. It was a little bigger compared to what she was wearing but I'm not picky.
"I can't believe we're back in Texas." Said a cheerful Clay. "Isn't she beautiful?"
Not sure if beautiful would be the word I'd use to describe the scene before me. There are so many word to describe this place, but I'm not saying anything to Clay. Best keep my thoughts to myself less I upset Clay.
"She's a big flat desert prairie." Kimiko said.
That's one way to describe this place.
"Yeah, but the cactus all look like kin to me." Said Clay hugging a cactus.
Got to give the guy credit. Hugging a cactus, ignoring the prickles, Clay's a strong one. Guess pricks don't bother him as much as they would someone else. I'll bet Clay would have kept hugging that cactus had a large dust cloud not come into view. Clay must have sensed something was coming, something big.
He told Dojo to hide the Wu as a trio of motorcycles came to view. But according to Clay these weren't your average motorcyclists. This was infamous Black Viper gang. They were notorious and bad to the bone. Causing mischief and trouble wherever they went, to whoever got in their way. We learned the hard way just how bad these girl's could be when they encircled and chased us. They mostly chased Dojo down but still.
Raimundo, Kimiko, and Omi tried to fight back but before they could they were hog tied and their Wu was taken. Leaving Clay and myself to the Vipers. One of the girl's tried to lasso Clay but he jumped over avoiding it. In fact, he avoided every lasso that came at him. They tried to lasso me a few time but I leaped and jumped out of the way like Clay. Wasn't sure how long this would go on for but I soon got my answer when they got hold of Clay by his wrists. One lasso on each side for both of his hands. Obviously these girl's had no idea how strong Clay was. He pulled both bikers off their bikes, into the air right at each other.
"Nice move cowboy but too little too late." Said one of the Vipers readying a lasso.
Clay was soon overpowered and tied up. I ran over to help but immediately fell to the ground when I felt a tight rope tightening on my ankles.
"We're the Black Vipers and you have just been snaked."
So here's the deal. The Viper's blindfolded us, took us for a long ride on their bikes to where exactly remains the question. I could feel the wind against my face and smell the exhaust fumes coming from the bikes. Now I wish I had brought that Swiss Army Knife my Uncle had gotten for me last summer while on one of his hunting outings. The knife feature would have helped me cut the ropes. Freeing myself then I could have freed the others. Didn't matter now, the bikes soon slowed down coming to a complete stop. I felt myself pulled from the bike then dragged somewhere straight ahead. Wasn't long before I was thrown into something wooden along with the others. I tried to feel my around to get an idea what we were in but the sound of wheels rolling captured my attention.
Next thing I know we're rolling down a track. Making me think we were probably in a mine cart but just where would the cart end had my stomach churning. Kimiko made a comment about the blindfolds as the cart rolled further down the tracks until it finally stopped and we were tossed out of the cart.
"Well, well what have we here?" Came a voice.
Our blindfolds were removed and bright lights came into our view.
"Leaping lizards, Clay?"
"Um do I know you?" Asked Clay.
"Oh now I'm hurt. Don't you recognize your own sister?" Said the voice revealing a chubby girl with blonde hair in a ponytail, wearing a black leather jacket and blue jeans and boots. Her eyes were as blue as the sky and having a closer look I started to see a resemblance to Clay.
"Sister?" Rai, Kimiko, Omi and myself said together.
Clay let out a gasp of shock. "Jessie?" He aid is disbelief.
"Clay you never mentioned you have a sister." I told him.
"Would you want people knowing you were related to a no good varmint?" He said starring at Jessie.
"You think I'm a varmint?" Asked Jessie.
"Well I think you sooner pick a cow then milk it." He replied.
"You never understood what it was like growing up in the shadow of such a perfect older sibling." Said Jessie.
"Oh not this old song again." Said Clay shaking his head. Obviously this wasn't something he hadn't heard before.
"Oh you were the best at everything. Chopping wood. Shoeing horses. Chasing pigs. Ma and pa always thought you were the pick of the litter." Jessie explained.
"You chased pigs?" Kimiko asked Clay.
"That's not important right now Kimiko." I told her.
"And whatever I w anted you got." Jessie said pointing a finger at Clay.
"Well I only got things first cause I was the oldest." Said Clay standing up as he spoke.
"And then when it came to going to monk school guess who they picked?" Said Jessie.
"Who?" Asked Omi.
"The big hero, it was like I didn't even exist. No matter how much I tried I could never beat him." Jessie finished starring at Clay.
"So instead of trying to be the best of the best you joined the Vipers to be the best of the worst." Clay spoke while hopping around to make a point.
"I'm the best period. Hey I say we settle this right now like men. You and me." Said Jessie.
"Hey I've done somethings I'm not proud of but Ii ain't getting into a fist fight with my baby sister." Clay told Jessie who was hopping around him throwing punches in the air.
"Your just jealous cause you know I'll whoop your butt." She said giving Clay a good kick across the room. He slid on the dirt similar to a baseball player sliding to land on base. In Clay's case he slid towards us.
"Oh brother and sister should not be fighting." Omi used his fingers to walk while talking. Till Jessie grabbed him by the head and rolled him into the mine cart.
Before long we were tied and hung upside down in a prison cell. I felt like a dead animal hanging in a large freezer just waiting to be picked and chopped for my meat.
"So what do you wanna do with them?" Asked one of the Viper girl's to Jessie.
"I'll make you a deal." Jessie told Clay pushing him against the rest of us. Creating a pendulum affect. "If you scrap with me and win you and your monkey friends are free to go look for your Shen Gong Warts."
"Wu." Omi corrected as he swung back and forth.
"And if he loses?" Piped Kimiko.
"Well then, you all are gonna be buzzard bait!" Jessie walked up to a large object removing a large drape from it. Revealing two large, angry look buzzard.
We were in shock while the Viper's laughed and the birds made some squawking sounds.
"What do you say big brother? We gonna throw down or what?" Jessie was determined to fight Clay. Clearly wanting to settle the score between the two of them.
"You keep asking me I'm gonna keep saying the same thing." Began Clay. "I'm not fighting you it just ain't right."
"Well it looks like our uninvited guests have decided on an extended stay in the hospitality suite." Jessie was telling one of the Viper's as the pair walked away leaving the rest of us hanging around. I don't mean that as joke and I'm not speaking metaphorically.
"Uh why thank you! That sounds most inviting! Where do we go?!" Omi cried out to Jessie.
"Omi, we're already in the hospitality suite." Rai told him.
"Oh I see. Perhaps I am misunderstanding the meaning of hospitality?" He replied.
"Or the meaning of sarcasm." I chimed in.
"Oh darn this sarcasm. It always seems to grab my goat." Omi said to himself.
"Come on Clay, just accept the challenge and beat the tar out of your sister so we can get out of here." Rai said to Clay.
"Nope, sorry but I can't hit a girl." Clay replied looking away from Rai.
"She doesn't even look like a girl. She looks like you with lipstick." Said Rai.
"Rai, that's like saying I look like my brother with lipstick." I said taking that as a slight insult.
"Hey ya'll there's no need for arguing. Besides, I know another way out of here. We've got a secret skeleton key." Clay told us.
"Or dragon key." Came a familiar voice from under Clay's hat.
"Dojo!" I cried with glee.
"Where have you been?" Asked Omi.
"Laying low since things started getting ugly." He replied, releasing us using one of his sharp claws.
It didn't take long to free ourselves from our bondage, but we still had a slight problem. We may have gotten out of the ropes but we were still trapped behind bars. Luckily, Omi had hidden the Changing Chopsticks away and used them to shrink himself so he could get in the keyhole and bust us out.
There was the sound of banging coming from within the keyhole as Omi was breaking anything and everything inside. Pretty soon he popped out, change back to his regular size and opened the door. Now we were officially free but not out of the woods. We still had to find a way out and recover our stolen Wu.
Rai asked Dojo where our Wu was just as Dojo started getting twitchy. He ran or slithered up ahead. He was sensing the latest Wu. The Wu we had come out here for in the first place. The Sphere of Yun.
"It creates an invisible impenetrable prison around an enemy. Its also good when traveling in bad neighborhoods." Dojo explained with the help of a scroll.
"Speaking of bad neighborhoods maybe we should keep moving?" Rai suggested.
We took a path and walked forward. We didn't know where we were going but we did know we had to get far away from the Viper's. The minute they realize we're gone they'll be hunting us down. The further down this old mine we go the better. It was a good thing Clay found a lantern hanging around or we'd be lost in the dark. What am I saying? Kimiko could create a flame in the palm of her hands and we'd use that as our light source. I think being underground is affecting my way of thinking. We better hurry finding the Wu then get out of here.
"The Wu scent is strong." Said Dojo taking a good big sniff of the air and his armpit. "Or something. All I know is its right over here."
Dojo walked right into a rock wall when he wasn't looking and somehow that was enough to break the wall down. Revealing a large open area where a ray of sunlight peaked out aiming right at the Sphere of Yun.
"The Shen Gong Wu is ours!" Cried Omi with glee but our victory was cut short when we were tied up, again. Except for Dojo, he was grabbed and stuffed in a sack.
Jessie and her Viper's appeared with a surprise attack.
"Well I'll be a day old biscuit, you let us lead you right to it." Said Clay.
"Well you ain't as slow as dripping tar after all." Said Jessie marching up to Clay. "But your still thicker than a country Texas prime rib."
"Well at least I ain't as slippery as goat droll on an oil slick." Said Clay slipping the lasso off of him.
"Yeah and I'm not the one yella then a slice of Auntie Clair's lemon silk custard pie." Said Jessie.
"Will you two please stop abusing the English language!" Shouted Kimiko.
"But that pie does sound most delicious." Omi chimed in.
"I second that." I said.
Soon Clay was enraged and similar to a cartoon character he blew steam from his ears creating this loud whistling sound. If I had to guess, things were about to get serious. Serious enough that it took all three Viper's to hold Clay back.
"I got an even better idea." Began Jessie. "See I know enough about these Sheng Gong Warts."
"Wu." Chimed Omi.
"That if we both grab this here deal you have to fight me brother."
Clay broke free of the Viper's and walked up to meet Jessie in the middle.
"So Clay, you ready to be a man and lose to a girl?"
Before the siblings could throw down the cave roof started to crumble and shake. Thought it was an earthquake but then a familiar looking machine started to reveal itself from the roof. Of all the worst times to make an appearance my idiot brother decided now was the time to pop out with his drill machine. Not to mention he wore a helmet with the word genius spelled wrong.
"Jack Spicer." Said Omi.
"That's right Jack Spicer, evil boy genius is in the house." Jack said as a swarm of Jackbots appeared from the cave opening he'd just made.
The Viper's removed their lassos from us and started destroying the robots. I have to say these girl's don't play around when it comes to fighting. But Jack used the Silk Spinner to get rid of the lassos and snatch the Golden Tiger Claws. Then if that wasn't bad enough, the bots overpowered and tied our hands behind our backs. Are we going to go the whole day being tied up or is this someone's idea of a sick joke? Then the bots held the Viper's while Jack claimed the Wu.
"Wow, that's it, I did it." He said grabbing the Sphere of Yun.
"I can't believe it for once you are actually the victor." Said Wuya.
"Its about time." Said Jack holding the Sphere in his hand. "I almost forgot what this feels like. Which by the way is sweet."
Taking a good look at his captives it suddenly dawned on Jack.
"Say who are all these people?"
"We're the Black Viper's, the most elite all girl gang that ever roamed these wild plains." Said Jessie stepping up, walking over to her gang.
"And since you have defeated us our law demands that you inherit leadership of the Black Viper's." The red head girl said.
The robots released the girl's who bowed before my big brother. My eyes went wide and my jaw dropped. How in the world did this happen?
"Yes, I guess this makes me queen!" Said Jack earning silence and confusing from the lot of us before correcting himself. "King, anyway sweet."
We were soon moved to a different area where the robots held me and the others by our wrists while Jackie was talking.
"Now let me see if I've got this straight. Xiaolin Dragons defeated. Sen Gong Wu mine. Outlaw cow chicks bonus. Between my Jackbots and the Black Viper's there's no way I can lose." Jack explained.
"Yes it would seem that way. Then again there is a way." Said Wuya.
"Yeehaw! This calls for a hoedown victory dance! Yeehaw!" Jack cried out doing these ridiculous dance moves all the way over to the Viper's. Pulling Jessie into his arms as the two of them did what I think was square dancing.
"So aren't you a pretty little thing, you got a name?" Jack asked Jessie.
"Is a cow pen full of sog?" Jessie replied.
"I like that though disrespectful it smacks on a deep sea inner evil." Jack told her.
"Keep it up snake and I'll be introducing your butt to my boot." Jessie aid in a calm though threatening manner.
"Yes another girl falls prey to the elite charms of Jack Spicer." Said Kimiko.
"But he..."Began Omi when Rai cut him.
"Sarcasm."
"Oh."
"So obvious." I said rolling my eyes.
"Man this Spicer fella over here he's about as appealing as a..." Began Jessie when Kimiko chimed in.
"Pillowcase full of pull cats?" Making both girl's and myself laugh.
"Yeah and what's with his girlish eyeliner?"
"Oh I know hello so not working."
"Hey I'm still in the room over here!" Jack cried out.
"Oh why don't you take you fancy hair do and jump into Old man Hickory's lake." Jessie and Clay said at the same time.
"I can't believe it. We actually do have something in common. We both can't stomach Spicer." Clay told Jessie.
"What am I invisible?" Jack asked nobody in particular.
"No Jackie, people just can't always stand you for various reasons." I told him.
"Hey stay out of it Maxine!"
"Come join us Jessie and find out what real evil power is like." Wuya said to Jessie who looked unsure about whether or not she should actually consider it. She took the time to look at myself and my friends when Clay spoke up.
"This would be a new low, even for you." Which wasn't the best choice of words.
"Ma'am, you have got yourself a deal. Put it there." The pair shook on it or attempted to since Wuya's a ghost. Jack danced and hollared for joy while Wuya gave an satisfied evil smirk.
"This is most discouraging." Said an unhappy Omi.
"I say we send these losers where they can't cause any trouble." Jack said putting on the Golden Tiger Claws.
"Like a few thousand feet below the Earth's crust?" Wuya suggested till Jessie chimed in.
"No!"
"Loyalty issues?" Jack asked.
"Or maybe she's actually thinking with her heart and knows this ain't right dummy." I told Jack.
"Hey you can't talk to me like that. I'm your big brother, you don't ever call me that." Said Jackie.
"Brother? Wait a minute that there's your sister?" Said Jessie pointing at me.
"Maxine? Yeah she's my little sister, who for some reason joined the loser monks and now fights against me." Replied Jack.
"The only one being a loser here is you Jackie." I said.
"I'm not a loser! And you need a time out!" Jack said when Jessie took the Golden Tiger Claws from him.
"I'd rather have the privilege's of doing this here myself. Golden Tiger Claws!"
Next thing I know a tear in the fabric of space is opened and the Jackbot's fly towards it then throw us through it.
"Bye bye big bro."
"See you later sis."
And here we are, trapped underneath the Earth's crust with no way out. Dojo, who revealed himself from under Clay's hat looked around while Clay beat himself up over the situation.
"This is my fault, if I had just fought Jessie when I had the chance none of this would have happened."
"Hey but then we'd miss our chance of suffocating in a hole together." Said Rai earning an elbow punch from me to shut him up.
"I will never again be so foolish as to believe her." Said Omi when suddenly Jessie appeared through a gaping tear.
"Come on, this here's a jail break."
"I knew I could believe you! You've come to the side of goodness!" Omi cried out giving Jessie an arm hug.
"Well let's say I had to pretend to be with them so they trust me." Said Jessie.
Course Clay wasn't buying it after everything that just happened. He wasn't trusting his sister. Even Kimiko and myself were questioning Jessie who replied Clay was her kin and my own brother was a creep. Can't argue with those facts but Clay was still unsure about trusting Jessie. He had good reason not to trust her. Once we escaped Dojo lead us back to the open desert prairie where he pulled tried to pull out the hidden shrunken Wu from within a cactus. Till Omi gave him the chopsticks revealing the Wu earning us another surprise lasso attack.
Jessie revealed how she made a deal with Jack to regain her leadership over the Viper's by leading him to the hidden Wu. But wait there's more, she double crossed my gullible brother and her Viper's sabotaged his robot's. Leaving my brother helpless as he took off into the sky.
"I'm telling mom what you did when I get back to the temple!" I shouted at Jack.
Having had enough, Clay broke free and ran towards the Wu. Touching it the same time as Jessie. Guess now Clay's got no other choice but to fight his baby sister. Clay would use the Changing Chopsticks against Jessie's Silk Spinner. The game was a motorbike derby. First to make it out alive would win all the Wu.
"Let's go, Xiaolin Showdown!" Clay cried out as a dust ball rolled by.
Lightning stuck the sky as the Earth began to come alive. Creating new shapes out of massive rocky structures that formed a long road that took the form of what reminded me of roller-coaster tracks. Soon the siblings were on bikes racing down the track.
"Gong Ye Tem Pi!"
We watched from on top of some high rock pillars as did the Viper girl's as the siblings drove at high speed down the track. Jumping large gaps and making sharp turns. Jessie almost got Clay with the Silk Spinner web had he not shrunken down with the Changing Chopsticks. Taking the lead in the race till Jessie made a wrong turn and fell off the track. Being a good older brother, Clay sped off down various tracks till he was close enough to lasso Jessie to safety. Just when I thought things were looking up Jessie kicked Clay off his bike and reached the bridge-like pillar gap. Ending the Showdown signaling Jessie the winner. She and her biker gang rode off into the sunset.
"Clay are you hurt?" I asked checking up on him.
"Just my pride, but the worst part is I really thought she had changed." Said a disappointed Clay.
"I know but sometimes you are just too trustworthy." Said Omi earning him a back slap to the head by me to shut him up.
"Come on, nothing we can do now except return to the temple."
~Normal POV~
Meanwhile, Jessie and the Viper's were driving down the plains of Texas. Having finally beaten her big brother and proving she was the best Jessie should have been feeling great, but this wasn't such a great victory as she'd thought it would be. You'd think she'd be satisfied but no. Guilt was churning in her stomach along with a wave of sadness. She'd beaten her brother but at what cost?
~Back at the Temple~
Clay was alone in his room looking at an old family photo of him as a youngin' on top of the family pig. A memory of that day flashed in his head. He was all giddy on the oinker when it ran off scared making Clay backflip belly flop into the mud. Then baby Jessie came walking up and jumped on top of him riding him like a horsie. The siblings shared a laugh together as the memory faded away.
Just then, Master Fung appeared with a large package addressed to Clay. He gathered everyone around as he opened the box pulling out a letter, from Jessie.
Dear Big Brother,
It took a while but I finally did beat you. Only it didn't feel as satisfying as I imagined. Anyway just so there's no hard feelings I'm returning all your warts. Uh except for one Ii was hoping to borrow. See you around.
Your Baby Sis,
Jessie.
Sure enough all the Wu that was taken had been returned.
"See, I knew she had changed her ways!" Said Omi with glee.
"I wonder which Wu she kept." Said Kimiko.
"I have a pretty good idea." Said Clay
Cutting to Texas we see Jessie on her back, on top of a cliff overlooking the land. She pulls out and cries Wings of Tanami and rides through the skies up to the moon on a ray of rainbow power.
End of chapter
Took a while but it was worth it
Don't forget to read and comment if you like
