I don't know how, but somehow I managed to upload the next chapter, rather than this one. I am Not Smart.
Anyway, I hope you like it!
Chapter 9: Big as Texas
There was a thud, followed by a groaning 'oof', as Rory landed on her back and the air was forced from her lungs.
"Ow…" she managed as Kimiko stood over her, blocking the sun as she looked up at the sky.
"You okay?" the dainty girl asked, offering her hand. Rory grinned up at her, taking her hand to get back to her feet.
"I'm grand," she said, dusting herself off. "Nice hit," Rory complimented her, having been taken down by Kimiko's fast moves.
"Thanks," Kimiko smiled back, proud of herself. In the months they'd been at the temple, they'd all improved in their fighting skills, and it was showing. She grabbed her water, taking a long gulp.
"Are you alright?" Rory asked, lifting her own bottle. Kimiko seemed more flushed than usual, even as she caught her breath and emptied her water bottle.
"I dunno," Kimiko admitted, and Rory handed over her bottle for the girl to down. "I just feel super hot, like it's summer back home," she complained, taking a long gulp. Rory tilted her head.
"Didn't stop you from kicking my butt," Rory grinned, and Kimiko laughed. Despite feeling so hot, she felt more energised than she'd done in a long time, and she loved it. She hoped for another Shen Gong Wu to reveal itself; itching for some kind of fight where she could go all out, which was unlike her.
"Raimundo!" the two looked around in surprise, hearing Clay's yell.
"Was that…Clay?" Kimiko wondered, never having heard the boy so furious. Rory nodded slowly.
"Only one thing I can think of that'd annoy the big guy so much," she considered as she turned back to Kimiko. "His hat," Rory pointed out. Kimiko groaned.
"Ah, Kimiko, Aurora," the two turned at Master Fung's voice, and found him approaching with a taller man. He was imposing, and taller than even Master Fung, making both girls have to crane their necks to look up at him. His eyes were hidden, and he had a thick brown handlebar moustache, but his attire was a dead giveaway as to who he was. "Do you know where we can find Clay?" Master Fung asked as they looked away from Clay's father.
"That way," the two chorused together, pointing over their shoulders in the direction that they'd heard Clay's shout.
"Thank you both," Master Fung smiled at the two before leading the man away. As they did, Kimiko and Rory exchanged looks, and followed them.
After Master Fung had saved Raimundo from being torn apart by Clay, the five warriors walked through the temple grounds as he gave Clay's father a tour.
"We are most honoured to have such a famous cattle rancher visit the Xiaolin Temple," Master Fung spoke to the man who walked with him.
"He's famous?" Rory whispered to Kimiko, who lifted her phone.
"I guess so," she showed the search results, and Rory whistled, seeing how many results showed up for the Bailey family ranch.
"It's a mighty perdy temple, Clay, but it don't look like the training I had in mind when I let you come here," the man was saying, glancing to the monks nearby who were practicing stances.
"Daddy, there's more to it than-"
"I think it's time Clay came on home back to the ranch," their eyes widened at Mr. Bailey's words.
"But the quest for the Shen Gong Wu is important!" Clay protested. The man turned to him, hands on his hips as one dark eye peered down at his son.
"More important than listening to your daddy?" he asked in a low voice. Clay sighed, giving in instantly.
"No, sir," Clay lowered his head. Kimiko and Rory exchanged worried looks. Not only would it put them down a member of their team in their search, but they'd be losing their friend.
"The Xiaolin have always taught respect for the ways of the elders," Master Fung spoke to gain the man's attention again. "If you wish for your son to return, we will-"
"Heads up folks!" to their relief, Dojo's shout reached them. "Brand new Shen Gong Wu coming through!" he declared, slithering over with the scroll. "Say, nice thing-a-ma-bob!" he pointed at the Star pinned to Clay's father's shirt collar.
"That's the Lone Star of Texas," Clay explained. "It's been in the family for generations," he declared.
"It gets passed from daddy to son," Mr. Bailey nodded.
"What happens if they only have a girl?" Rory whispered to Kimiko, who hid her smile.
"Viking funeral for their lost family name," she whispered back, and the two fought their giggles as Dojo peered closer at the Star.
"You know...it looks kinda familiar…I think I've seen one just like it," he considered.
"Dojo, the Shen Gong Wu?" Master Fung asked patiently. Dojo quickly turned to him.
"Huh?" he blinked, momentarily confused. He then remembered, nodding and lifting the Scroll again. "Right!" he opened it for them to reveal the new Shen Gong Wu that had activated.
"Ah, the Orb of Tornami," Master Fung spoke as he saw the details. "Its small mouth holds back a mighty flood," he said as they watched the animation of the orb flooding the area with water.
"How do you make the little cartoon fella move like that?" Mr. Bailey wondered.
"This is perfect!" Clay breathed. "Daddy can come along for a Shen Gong Wu roundup! Then you'll see why I gotta stay here," he told his father.
"You okay, Kimi? You're still looking pretty warm," Rory commented as Dojo grew much larger, allowing them onto his back.
"I'm great," Kimiko assured her with a smile. "Trust me, this is gonna be great," she declared.
Arriving in a dusty market in Morocco, the team found it oddly quiet for the time of the day.
"Now what?" Clay's father asked, somewhat impatiently, as he looked around.
"Now we have Dojo lead us to the Shen Gong Wu," Clay said as he lifted the now much smaller dragon into his arms. His father hummed, still not impressed, but didn't speak.
"I don't like how quiet it is here," Raimundo said quietly as they started to walk.
"Then you're really not gonna like what I'm gonna say next," Rory gave a weak laugh. He sighed.
"Let me guess. You got a feeling?" he guessed. Rory nodded, offering a small smile.
"Right in the direction that Dojo's leading us," she pointed ahead, and they quickly moved to cover, moving carefully so they wouldn't be noticed.
"What's with the girl's 'feeling'?" Mr. Bailey asked Clay.
"Uh…" Clay looked at Rory, who shrugged at him and kept moving. "Rory can uh...sorta sense...evil," he said weakly, knowing how ridiculous it sounded, even with what they were currently doing. The man hummed again, looking dubious, before a voice rang out.
"The Orb of Tornami is mine!" Jack declared, laughing loudly. They got close, and Omi peeked out from behind the building.
"Jack Spicer already has the Shen Gong Wu, but we can still surprise him. I have a very good plan," Omi told them quietly.
"What are you, some kinda ladies knitting club?" Mr. Bailey spoke up, sounding impatient. "Just get in there and hogtie that runt!" he told Clay.
"Yessir!" Clay responded obediently.
"Hey!" Omi protested.
"So much for the element of surprise," Rory groaned as Clay strode out from their cover. They looked out, just in time to see Clay tackle Jack from behind, dropping the Orb of Tornami. The Shen Gong Wu bounced along the ground as Jack managed to get free from the attack.
"Get the Shen Gong Wu, you fool!" Wuya shrieked as the other four ran to try and grab it. However, a robot flew over and grabbed it first, dropping it into Jack's hands.
"Lookie, lookie, the gang's all here," Jack laughed.
"Drop the Shen Gong Wu, Jack," Clay warned.
"Well Clay, since you asked so nicely, I'll...laugh in your sorry bumpkin face!" Jack shouted, starting to laugh despite being cornered by them.
"Boy! Get in there and punch him in the chops!" Clay tensed at his father's orders, before nodding. He ran at Jack with a yell, only for the other boy to take to the sky using his helipack.
"Orb of Tornami!" Jack activated the Shen Gong Wu, releasing a flood of water that caused Clay to slip, and with a yelp he crashed into the other four. "A perfect strike!" Jack cheered from the air. "I'd love to stay and gloat, but I've been told I do too much of that," he shot Wuya a glare.
"So true," she growled.
"So I'll just say my patented exit line: so long, losers!" with another loud laugh, Jack took off with his robots.
"What were you thinking, Clay?" Raimundo asked from the ground.
"Yes! I had a very, very good plan!" Omi shouted. "Lots of kicking and flipping and-"
"Omi," Rory groaned, interrupting him.
"I'm sorry...but I had to prove myself to my daddy," Clay sighed.
"The only thing you proved is what a mistake I made, letting you join this...Xiao-Pow...Ring-a-Ding quest in the first place!" he looked up at his father as he stood over them, looking disappointed. He then hauled Clay back to his feet. "Say goodbye to your pals, Clay. Cause you're going home to Texas!" he declared. "And you ain't coming back!" he said as the others gasped.
"Wait just a-"
"Leave it, Rory. Please," Clay spoke quietly, stopping the girl. Her fists were clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white, and she was too angry to see reason.
"But-" Rory's attempt to speak was interrupted again by a burst of heat.
"Whoa!" Raimundo rolled away from Kimiko, who was shaking her hands quickly. They all stared at the flames that had erupted from the girl's hands, as they slowly climbed up her sleeves but didn't seem to do anything to her. Finally she dropped and pressed her hands to the water that was still sloshing around them, and the flames died with a loud hiss.
"Dragon of Fire, huh?" Rory murmured.
The mood for the Xiaolin Dragons couldn't be lower as they cleaned the dishes after dinner. Not only had they lost the Orb of Tornami, but Clay had returned to Texas with his father, leaving them a team-mate and friend down. Not even Kimiko unlocking her own Dragon ability was enough to bring a smile to their faces.
"I miss Clay…" Omi admitted after Raimundo broke another plate.
"It's not really the same, is it?" Kimiko asked.
"You can say that again," Raimundo agreed with a nod. "I still get to make fun of Omi but...half the time he doesn't even know I'm doing it," he complained. Rory rolled her eyes as Omi sat on the ground, head in his hands.
"I wonder what Clay is doing right - you make fun of me?!" Omi demanded.
"I miss Clay," Rory sighed as Omi glared at Raimundo.
"Too bad his dad's such a stubborn cowboy," Kimiko complained.
"Yeah, not even you going all Human Torch was enough to convince him of anything," Raimundo said, and groaned when Kimiko punched him. That morning she'd felt great, and while she could still feel heat lingering under her skin - something that Master Fung had told her was normal as the Dragon of Fire - her misery overrode any excitement about it.
"Yeah, but you gotta dig the man's sense of style," they looked at Dojo, who was sitting on the counter. "That tie slide thing really - whoa!" he yelped, starting to shiver.
"What is it, Dojo?" Omi asked, getting back to his feet.
"Either you really liked that Star thing, or it's another Shen Gong Wu," Rory figured.
"Both!" Dojo yelped, and they frowned at him. "I just realised why the Lone Star looks so familiar! It's the Star Hanabi!" he exclaimed.
"Yep, Shen Gong Wu," Rory nodded.
"Yeah, it must be inactive, that's why I didn't notice before," Dojo considered, scratching his chin.
"But if it activates, we know who's gonna go straight for it," Rory looked at the others, who nodded. "We better go," she said.
"Sounds good to me," Kimiko nodded.
"Ah, nothing like the open range, huh?" Dojo called over his shoulder as he flew over Texas. "Looks like they even got a cattle drive going," he said, looking down at the cows below.
"A lot different to the cow fields back home," Rory considered as they watched the cows. "You reckon he's gonna give up the Star Hanabi? He said it's been in his family for generations," she pointed out, looking at the other three.
"The same dude who won't let his son fight with us? Unlikely," Raimundo said, not filled with much hope either as they made their way to Clay's home.
While Clay had been overjoyed to see his friends, his father hadn't been so happy. Especially after they told him why they'd come.
"I never heard such hogwash!" he scoffed, dismissing their words.
"But they wouldn't lie to you, daddy," Clay argued for his friends, earning the man's glare.
"The Lone Star has been in this family since the first settler dug it up right here, in 1849," Mr. Bailey said sternly. He then took a seat, lifting his drink as if this settled the argument.
"Yeah, but who do you think buried it in 549?" Dojo asked him. The man looked down at him, before taking another drink and looking away, choosing to ignore him.
"This is important," Rory spoke up as he put his feet up on a crate. "It's dangerous for the Star H- the Lone Star to be left here. If it activates, the same people who took the Orb of Tornami will come after it," she explained.
"That runt? Please. I've grappled with bulls since I was in diapers," Mr. Bailey scoffed dismissively.
"It's for your own safety, daddy," Clay pleaded as Rory put a hand to her face.
"The only one who can take the Star from me, is Clay," Mr. Bailey decided firmly. "And that's only after he proves he's a man. A real Texas man," he declared. Rory resisted her groan of frustration.
"But daddy-" Clay stopped as his father slammed down his drink hard and stood.
"Tell you what. You wanna show me what you got? You move that herd down to the river," Mr. Bailey ordered. "You lot can help," he said to the other four. "You start tomorrow. Crack of dawn," he told them.
"Uh...I'm really more of a crack of noon guy myself," Raimundo said, earning a stoic glare from the burly man. "Dawn is cool too," he gave in with a shrug as Kimiko raised an eyebrow at him.
"Time zones...this is gonna be great," Rory muttered to herself.
Mr. Bailey wasn't joking about being awake at the crack of dawn, to Raimundo's disgust.
"I should have some outfits that you can wear," Kimiko and Rory were swept along by Clay's mother, who was already up and ready to go for the day. "Here we go, these should fit you both nicely," she passed them piles of clothing.
"Thanks, Mrs. Bailey," Rory said politely as Kimiko looked at the blue dress she'd been given. The tall blonde woman smiled at them.
"Anything to help out my boy's friends. I know my husband can be tough, but he wants the best for Clay," she told them. "He's been particularly tough since Jessie…" the woman trailed off, and the two exchanged curious looks.
"Jessie?" Kimiko repeated.
"Clay's baby sister. She's...not around much, at the moment," Mrs. Bailey told them, only heightening their curiosity. "But that's of no matter. I'll fix you up a quick breakfast before you go. You'll need your strength if you're to help bring the cattle to the river," she said, quickly excusing herself from the room.
"She's nice," Rory commented as she studied the shorts and red flannel shirt she'd been given. "Clay definitely takes after her more," she considered, and Kimiko nodded her agreement.
"Did you know he had a sister?" she asked as she pulled the dress on and studied it for a moment.
"Nope. Never mentioned her before, not to me at least," Rory shook her head, a little surprised. Clay had talked to her a lot about his home and his family, but he'd never mentioned having a sister.
"Me neither. Wonder what that's about," Kimiko said, pulling on the pink waistcoat that complimented the outfit nicely.
"If he wants to, he'll tell us, I guess," Rory sighed. "How are you feeling? Any more fire?" she asked as she buttoned up the shirt.
"No, but I was kinda mad when it happened. Master Fung says I should learn how to use it in time," Kimiko shrugged. Rory then grinned a little.
"Bet Omi's raging that he wasn't the first to get his powers," she said, making Kimiko giggle.
"He'll just say he doesn't need powers because he's already so much better than us," she pointed out, and Rory joined in with her laughter.
"Woo-ee, those are right perdy outfits, Kimiko, Rory!" Clay complimented as they stepped out of the house and onto the porch where he was waiting for them.
"Not my usual thing, but anything with sequins can't be all bad," Kimiko laughed, pulling on her pale pink gloves.
"She was super excited by the boots," Rory told him, and laughed when Kimiko hit her lightly.
"Hey, you're all about the hat," she pointed out, reaching up to knock off the tan hat Rory was wearing. Rory caught it and fixed it, sticking out her tongue.
"I feel silly," Raimundo complained as he stepped out, wearing a black shirt and spurs. He then yawned widely. "And sleepy," he added.
"Well, that's the life of a cowboy," Clay grinned. "Except the silly part," he amended.
"Nice hat," Rory said to Raimundo, who took it off and hit her with it.
"Clay, Clay!" Omi's shout reached them, muffled, and they looked around to see him stumbling around with his head hidden by a massive hat. "I may need a smaller hat," he admitted as they laughed. "Perhaps a six gallon?" he suggested, and Clay lifted the hat off him.
"I'll work on that, Omi," Clay laughed, setting the hat aside. Omi nodded, appeased.
"Very well! Have fun on the ranch!" he declared.
"Why, what are you doing?" Rory asked, tilting her head.
"He's trying to milk Ol' Bessie," Clay sighed, pointing to a barn nearby. Rory shot him a baffled look.
"He's only ever had goat milk. As soon as he found out it comes from cows too…" Kimiko trailed off, shaking her head.
"Yes, this was brand new to me too!" Omi nodded, missing what she meant. Raimundo yawned, too tired to make fun. "Return hungry for milk, my friends! I will be making buckets of it!" he declared, lifting up a pail.
"Has he ever even milked a goat?" Rory asked as they watched him run off towards the barn.
"Don't you know how to do it?" Raimundo asked, and Rory shot him a glare.
"Oi, not all Irish are farmers, y'know. I didn't grow up on a farm," she said, insulted as he grinned.
"Come on, I'll show you the horses," Clay led them away.
Arriving at the pen where the herd of cows had been gathered, Clay led the other three along on his horse.
"Okay, buckaroos!" Clay pulled the gate open. "Let's get this cattle drive moving!" he cheered as the cows started to make their way out of the pen.
"Yeah…" Raimundo slumped against his horse with a groan. Immediately he began to drift off, and slipped from his horse. "What...did I just land in?" he asked, sitting on the ground and refusing to open his eyes.
"That'd be a cow pie," Clay grinned.
"Gross," Rory giggled, wrinkling her nose.
"No! I know pies!" Raimundo shouted from the ground. "Pies have cherry...or apple, or rhubarb!" he exclaimed. "This is no pie!" he yelled.
"Come on Rai, let's get this done and then you can get clean," Rory told him as they nudged their horses to follow the cows.
"Till then...stay downwind of us," Kimiko laughed as he glared at them.
The trek from the ranch pen to the river took a while, and most of it was the same dusty brown, with only a few patches of grass. However, the cows proved easy enough to lead with Clay in charge. At least, most of them did.
"Oh boy, we got a stray," Clay spotted one of the cows wandering off to a patch of grass. "Hey Kim, you go round him up, we'll get the rest moving for the river," Clay told the girl.
"Try not to barbeque it," Rory called as Kimiko nodded and turned her horse towards the cow.
"Shut up," she called over her shoulder. Clay continued to lead the massive herd of cows, calling out to them as Raimundo and Rory mostly watched and prevented any others from wandering off.
"Seems you can do this by yourself," Rory commented as she pushed her horse over to him.
"Nah, it's a two man job at least. I've been helping my daddy for years," Clay shook his head, but his smile was a little sad. Rory bit her lip as she watched him, seeing clearly that he wanted to go back with them.
"You-"
"Howdy!" they looked around to see a cow go by, trailing Kimiko by the rope tied to one of its horns.
"Kimiko?" Clay stared at her.
"Come on in! The dirt's fine!" she laughed, embarrassed as she was dragged past them. Laughing to himself, Clay went after her, rescuing her from the cow and tracking down her horse. "Thanks," she mumbled as Raimundo continued to laugh at her, until she kicked him off his horse.
"Come on guys, the sooner we get these cows to the river, the sooner we can convince Clay's dad to hand over the Star Hanabi," Rory told the two, but was laughing as Raimundo grumbled, getting back up.
Once they reached the river, the cows all lined up along it to drink the water. They moved along the herd, making sure they were all there.
"Heck of a good day's work, compadres," Clay praised as he counted them.
"Tell that to my saddle sores," Raimundo complained. "Where's Omi with my milk?" he wondered.
"He has to figure out where the milk comes from, for starters," Rory laughed.
"Come on, let's get back," Clay chuckled.
Omi's scream echoed through the air as he crashed through the doors of the barn, and landed on the rough dirt ground.
"You will be milked tomorrow!" Omi declared, covered in bruises and dirt. "Oh, hello," he greeted, looking up at the four. "I was just saying...goodnight, to my new friend Old Bessie," he offered. "How are the cows?" he asked, hoping to quickly move on.
"All at the river, just like daddy wanted," Clay answered.
"Then the Star Hanabi is ours!" Omi cheered, energised as he got back to his feet. Clay sighed, shaking his head.
"Well, I hope so. Daddy don't impress that easily," he considered.
"He didn't exactly say he'd hand it over if we got the cows to the river," Rory considered, folding her arms. The others frowned, realising that she was right. The man was stubborn and had already dragged Clay away from the temple.
"Guys!" Dojo's shout reached them before he did. "I've been looking all over the ranch for you. The Star Hanabi went active!" he warned, frantic.
"Oh no," Clay breathed, realising what that meant. "Daddy!" he pushed his horse forward and took off back to find his father. The others followed as quickly as they could, with Rory pulling Omi up behind her.
"Any sign of Jack and Wuya?" Omi asked her, and Rory nodded, expression grim. When they got close to the house, they spotted the two with robots holding onto Mr. Bailey, holding him in place as they took the Star Hanabi.
"Daddy!" Clay shouted as he led them over.
"Nice place you have here Clay," Jack glanced over his shoulder at the five. "Too bad about the sudden change in weather. Orb of Tornami!" he held up the large blue orb, and water began to spill from it. The waves splashed out, knocking Mr. Bailey away, and the horses squealed, unable to stand up to the force.
"Grab my hand!" Raimundo caught Kimiko's hand and pulled her into a tree as Jack continued to flood the area with water, causing the levels to rise.
"Bessie!" Omi gasped as he heard a loud moo from the barn nearby. Without thinking, he leapt from the water and jumped along it as if it were a small puddle, headed for the barn.
"Now this really isn't something you'd see every day," Mrs. Bailey considered as she climbed up onto the roof of her home with Rory. "Nor is that," she added as Omi leapt past.
"Not really, no," Rory agreed, not too surprised that Omi had managed to unlock his control over water. Hearing a splash nearby, she looked down. "Clay!" Rory called to the cowboy as she spotted him fishing his father from the water. She climbed down from her perch with Mrs. Bailey, and the two helped them up onto the roof of the house.
"You alright, daddy?" Clay asked as he crouched beside his father.
"Heh, yeah," Mr. Bailey nodded. "Now get that no-good rustler!" he exclaimed. Clay nodded, standing and looking over to where Jack was hovering over the water.
"I got an idea," he told Rory with a smile. "But I don't reckon you'll like it much," he considered, making Rory raise an eyebrow.
"Is it just me, or are they making this easier every time?" Jack asked Wuya, holding both the Orb of Tornami, and the Star Hanabi.
"Don't get cocky, boy. Just get to safety!" Wuya shouted as he returned the Orb of Tornami to his pocket.
"Safety from what?" he asked, before Rory collided with him, causing him to shriek and drop the Star Hanabi into the water. "Hey! Get off me!" Jack pushed at Rory as she held on around his waist, dragging him down.
"Trust me, I'd love to!" she shot back as Clay leapt into the water with a loud splash.
"No, that's cheating!" Jack yelled, moving quickly and causing Rory's grip to slip. She fell into the water with a cry, and Jack dove underwater to follow Clay to the Star Hanabi.
"Rory!" Kimiko shouted, offering her hand to help her up onto Dojo's back as he flew by. Jackbots swarmed them, and Kimiko leapt up onto one, covering its eyes as Raimundo did the same, causing the two to ram into each other.
"Nice moves," Rory praised, as she leapt up and grabbed hold of one of the robots. Nearby, Omi crashed into one, smashing through it.
"Not as nice as Omi's," Raimundo laughed as he caught the boy and helped right him.
"Thank you," Omi grinned.
"Jack, I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown!" they looked down as Clay burst from the water. A moment later, Jack broke the surface as well, coughing loudly.
"Clay, I chall-crap," he realised he was too late. "Alright, you pick," Jack grumbled.
"My Serpent's Tail against your Orb of Tornami," Clay decided.
"The Orb's getting old," Jack shook his head, and pulled a soaked piece of paper from his pocket. "How about…" he squinted at it, trying to make sense of the running ink. "The Sword of the Storm! I haven't used that to kick your butt," he smirked.
"That's because he stole it from us," Rory grumbled.
"And you ain't gonna this time neither!" Clay shot back, scowling. "The Star goes into a haystack, and whoever finds it, wins," he decided. Jack rolled his eyes.
"What is this? Xiaolin Hoedown? Could you be any more of a hick?" he complained. When Clay glared at him, he sighed. "Whatever, I accept," he agreed, and Clay threw the Star Hanabi. It spun through the air and into the barn.
"Let's go, Xiaolin Showdown!" the two chorused. Light exploded from the barn, and when it stopped, the four other Xiaolin Warriors, along with Clay's parents, stood on a hay bale floating in the sky. Below, Clay and Jack stood on another one each.
"Bessie, you've been remodeling!" Mr. Bailey exclaimed as two saddles flew through the air.
"What are these for?" Jack frowned.
"Reckon we're supposed to ride em," Clay jumped onto the one closer to him.
"Uh-uh, I don't do saddles," Jack refused, before shrieking as it flew behind him and caught his legs, lifting him into the air. "Fine…" he allowed as they flew up.
"That looks...disorientating," Rory considered, arms folded.
"This whole thing is disorientating," Mrs. Bailey said, trying not to look down.
"Gong Yi Tanpai!" Clay and Jack's voices echoed, and they disappeared into the massive hay bale.
"Well, this is fun," Raimundo rolled his eyes as most of the Showdown seemed to be hidden from them. Eventually the two burst out, covered in hay.
"Check the bottom, Clay! It's gotta be near the bottom!" Mr. Bailey shouted, and Clay veered downwards. He burst out again, shaking his head.
"It ain't down there!" Clay told him, and his father continued to shout directions and orders at him as the others sighed.
"You're doing it all wrong!" Dojo sighed at the shout, grumbling as Jack slammed into Clay, knocking him off his saddle. He landed on hay bale, coughing from the dust that kicked up.
"Sword of the Storm!" Jack conjured up a storm, and Rory jumped as thunder boomed loudly. Clay barely managed to get back to his saddle and avoid the tornado coming after him.
"The Star!" Raimundo spotted the glowing golden Star as it was blown from the haystack.
"No time to dilly-dally boy! Get in there!" Mr. Bailey shouted as Jack flew towards it.
"For the love of - enough!" Rory shouted, making everyone look at her. "Clay, stop listening to your dad barking orders and do what we know you can do. Win this feckin' showdown and shut Spicer up!" she yelled.
"Why you…" Mr. Bailey scowled at her as his wife laughed into her hand.
"I like this girl," she considered as Clay flew over to be face-to-face with his father.
"Daddy, I love you, but if you don't mind…" he scowled at his father. "Zip your yap and let me get it done my way!" Clay shouted, and his dad inhaled sharply, taken aback by Clay's sudden backbone.
"Clay, I know this is a big daddy-son moment, but…" Kimiko pointed to the Star Hanabi, and they saw Jack reaching out towards it.
Without waiting, Clay raced towards them, grabbing his rope and throwing it. It wrapped around Jack, who struggled against it until he heard a low noise. Looking around, his eyes widened as he saw Bessie flying towards him. The cow slammed into him, and he crashed into the side of the barn as Bessie landed in the hay, allowing Clay to grab the Star Hanabi.
"That's how we take care of business, kung-fu-cowboy style!" he declared, holding it up as the others cheered loudly. It started to glow, and everything returned to normal, and the water from earlier vanished. Before they could run over to congratulate him, Mr. Bailey approached him instead. "The way I figure it, this still belongs to you, daddy," Clay held out the Star Hanabi.
"Whoa, time-out there cowboy!" Dojo protested.
"If we leave it here, Spicer is just gonna try and take it," Rory pointed out. "It's dangerous for your family, and for the world," she said, and Clay shrugged.
"Maybe so but...it ain't mine. Least not till I'm a man," he reminded them, holding it out for his father to take. Mr. Bailey had been oddly quiet, watching his son. He took it, staring at the Star.
"Clay, I reckon you've been a man longer than I've realised," he handed it back, making Clay smile. "Gonna be a shame to lose such fine ranch-hands, but I guess y'all got a bigger job to do," Mr. Bailey looked at the others, and back at Clay, whose smile widened. "What with saving the world and all," he shrugged.
"Thanks daddy," Clay gave an embarrassed smile.
"Don't thank me. Just do me proud," his father patted his shoulder, before shaking his hand and hugging him.
"Now don't be strangers, any of you," Mrs. Bailey told them, patting Rory on the head as they prepared to leave, with Clay bringing back his belongings. "And keep the clothes. They suit y'all," she grinned.
"It was nice to meet you both," Kimiko said as she climbed up.
"Come visit us sometime so we can work you like a dog," Raimundo told them, and Kimiko punched him hard in the shoulder. "I'm just saying!" he whined.
"Please don't fight the whole way home," Rory pleaded, exhausted.
"Pleasure meeting you all. Where's the little fella?" Mr. Bailey asked as his wife laughed.
"Something about defeating his greatest nemesis," Rory said, and Omi's screams reached them before he did, and he landed heavily in front of Clay's parents, still holding a pail full of milk. Some splashed out, and Omi groaned.
"My work here is done…" he declared, slumping back into the dirt.
"Now that's a cowboy," Mr. Bailey nodded his approval.
"You got that right daddy," Clay laughed.
I hope you liked it! Considering the four Dragons suddenly were able to control their elements without explanation when they became Apprentices, I decided to give them a little more to it. Especially since Rory has her own abilities as the Dragon of Light.
Let me know what you think, please review!
