Chapter 40: Volcanoes and Oceans

I tried to keep Chase and Guan's battle as accurately and as awesome as it is in the show, but you have to remember, the Xiaolin monks are bystanders in this part of the episode. They were watching the fight instead of partaking in it. Some parts were cut out because Valerie and the others wouldn't have been able to see them happen. Just keep that in mind when you get to that part.

On with the chapter!

Apparently, the reason why Chase didn't take any Wu was because "true strength comes from within."

…At least they wouldn't have to worry about another contender for the mystical artifacts.

Valerie was still damp after her bath in the ocean. She had already wrung the seawater from her hair and clothes, but she was still wet and drippy, and the scent of salt clung to her skin uncomfortably.

Kimiko plucked something from her hair. "You've got seaweed on you," she noted disgustedly.

"Wonderful," Valerie grumbled.

Riding in the Silver Manta Ray wasn't any fun; the others were sullen and worried about Dojo. Omi had stopped defending Master Monk Guan for the time being, instead opting to look out the window for his hero. Raimundo had an angry, determined look on his face as he drove the aircraft.

Wait, did Rai even know how to pilot a plane? Valerie was surprised they hadn't crashed yet.

Omi was the first to spot Guan, naturally. "There he is," he said, pointing to the walking figure of the master. "It's time we got to the top of this."

"The bottom of this," Rai corrected him.

"That too!"

One explanation later

Omi couldn't believe it. "But…how is it possible that you would do such a thing?" He slumped his shoulders. "You are a great warrior."

"Even great warriors aren't infallible, Omi," Valerie told him gently.

"Your friend is right," Guan agreed. "I am afraid I am not the great warrior you think I once was." He looked up at the blue sky and told them his tale. "Years ago, I fought Chase Young. The battle went on for days, severely testing our wills to win. I made the first error, and lost my Spear of Guan." Valerie eyed the spear the ancient monk was holding. "Without it, I was nothing. I had lost my courage. And then…."

"And then?" Clay parroted back.

"Chase Young offered me a chance to get it back."

"If you gave him Dojo," Kimiko snarled. She and the others glared at him.

"Master Fung says, 'What makes a warrior strong is not the weapon, but the warrior holding the weapon,'" Omi told him.

Guan sighed. "I'm sorry." He held out a book. "I will show you how to find his palace, but I'm afraid that is all I can do." They all crowded around him to look at the pages.

"What does he want with Dojo?" Raimundo asked worriedly.

The pages told the story. "Chase Young was once on the side of good. However, he traded his soul for a potion that keeps him forever young." The page depicted Chase accepting a bowl from a satyr, or the Christian form of the devil.

Kimiko read the ingredients of the potion out loud. "One cup of wheatgrass, one tablespoon of salt, a pinch of dried frog, and…" she trailed off fearfully.

"Please tell me I'm reading this wrong," Valerie said, sweat beading at her temples.

"…One whole dragon?" Kimiko finished, her voice high-pitched.

The graphic on the can of soup. It hadn't been a snake at all. Valerie had been too far away to see that it was a dragon.

…Holy shit, Dojo was about to get eaten.

Hovering over smoky clouds

Chase Young lived on top of a volcano. Seriously.

Jagged black rocks jutted out of the gray clouds. The volcano was active, or appeared to be, since there was smoke coming out of the top. A demonic face had been carved into the side of the mountain, with a landing platform erupting from the mouth.

"Oh yeah, this doesn't scream evil lair at all," Valerie muttered sarcastically as the Silver Manta Ray landed in front of the cave.

Landing on the platform proved to be a cinch, though it was ominous that they were landing in front of a mouth of all things. Omi paid it no mind. He said cheerily, "We are in luck! Chase Young must have forgotten to close the door behind him." He walked into the mouth of the beast, the others trailing behind him.

"Is that luck, or a trap?" Raimundo asked darkly.

"Same difference!" Omi cried out. "We shall use our superior fighting skills to protect us!" He struck a fighting pose, his six dots glowing.

"Our superior fighting skills lost to Chase Young," Valerie pointed out.

"Superior. Fighting. Skills."

"Well, okay then," she said, shrugging.

Suddenly a rumbling noise could be heard from behind them. They all turned in time to see the mouth close, and dust and darkness descended upon them. Even Omi's six dots faded.

And then light appeared on the walls. Torches they didn't notice before suddenly demanded for their attention, directing them through the tunnel. Or perhaps through the throat of the monster would be more precise.

Valerie took a look at her leather bracelet. She eyed the metal words "Fearless" and sighed. And then she ran with the others, right into the trap.

Suddenly they could hear chains winding down. A heavy wooden door was falling in front of them, spikes at the bottom. It was going to cut them off!

They all ran under it just in time for it to close, barely making it. They all fell to the ground, grabbing the wall as they caught their breath. Valerie fell to the ground, her back against the warm wall of the tunnel. She sighed deeply, thinking. Chase Young was trying to frighten them; the demonic shape of the mountain, the creepy tunnel, closing off sections of their path so they couldn't go back.

Or, perhaps, if they had been caught in the sectioned off parts, he come there, ready to pick them off. It was an unnerving thought.

"Guys, over here!" Kimiko called out. She led them into a circular room with a white floor, which was shaped into a spiral. A simmering cauldron was in the middle of it, and in it, their dragon.

"Dojo!" Omi cried out happily, racing to him. "Are you all right?" He took the apple out of Dojo's mouth.

"I'M SITTING IN A POT OF SOUP! WHAT DO YOU THINK?!"

"Guy's got a point," Valerie said dryly. And then they heard the sounds of chains winding up, and the door that had cut them off earlier slid up. Chase Young appeared before them, giving them an apathetic look. The door closed behind him, closing off their escape.

Snickering could be heard from the side. Jack Spicer was there, trying to look evil and despicable in front of his evil hero. Naturally, he failed.

The good guys all slid into martial arts poses, ending up side by side and creating a protective wall between Young and Dojo. Chase, who had his eyes closed, suddenly opened them. And then he began to change.

It was unimaginably quick. With a terrifying roar, his skin turned green and scaly, his face contorted into an ugly serpentine mask, and his hair turned into a black spikes that trailed down his back. Black and red markings covered parts of his scales and tail. His armor fell to pieces, and there he stood, the true form of Chase Young in all his horrid dragon glory.

Valerie's mouth dropped open, her eyes wide. She could tell her friends had similar looks of shock. Hell, even Jack looked blown away.

Chase Young roared again, the sound echoing throughout the chamber. They all backed away fearfully. Well, except Jack, who just said, "Wow, you're even more hideous than Wuya! I love it!"

"You see before you my true form, without the benefit of my potion," Young said, his voice a strange mix between his normal one and hissing. He started to walk over to them.

"I can see why you're so faithful to it," Dojo quipped from the cauldron.

Kimiko, the first to snap out of it, shouted, "Star Hanabi: Fire!" and set a fire blast at the giant lizard. Chase stood on his hands and flicked the attack back towards her with his tail. Kimiko crossed her arms in front of her face, but the blast was too strong; she was sent back against the wall.

"Ruby of Ramses!" Raimundo pointed the ray at Chase, but he ran away. Instead, Jack was hit, sending him up the wall.

"Hey, put me down!" Jack protested.

Chase Young suddenly appeared at Rai's side and punched him against the wall. Jack went with him, and both boys crashed painfully.

"Lasso Boa-Boa!" Clay shouted, sending the rope at the lizard.

"Thorn of Thunderbolt!" Omi sent the lightning towards the Lasso, combining the two attacks. Chase jumped through the hoop and grabbed the rope, sending both boys flying throughout the room. They joined the others against the wall soon enough.

Valerie sighed. "I'm in way over my head."

"Right you are," Chase Young said, slithering up to her. She went for her Wu, but the lizard man punched her in the face, sending her straight towards her friends. She crashed into the wall, limbs outstretched, before flopping straight to the floor.

"Perhaps you will join me in a bowl of Dojo," Young said, looming over them.

"I wouldn't celebrate your victory just yet." Everyone looked up to see Guan standing over them from one of the room's arches.

"Master Monk Guan!" Omi cheered. "I knew you would come!"

"How could I resist joining you in fighting the dark forces of evil? Chase Young," Guan said dramatically, "I challenge you to…a showdown."

"A plain old….regular Showdown?" Dojo asked, mystified. "We haven't had one of those in a long time." He had a point; Valerie couldn't remember a time where a Showdown happened without any Shen Gong Wu involved.

Chase Young glared at the smaller reptile. He quickly put the apple back in his mouth. Chase said to Guan, "No Shen Gong Wu. We use only our martial arts skills."

"The wager will be the freedom of Dojo, and the monks." Guan hopped down to the ground and landed like a panther, his Spear fitting naturally with his pose.

"And should I prevail, you will forever pledge your loyalty to me, and join the other fallen warriors who are enslaved in the beasts that serve me." Chase pointed to the different species of wild cats that suddenly appeared on top of the arches.

"You'll turn him into a big cat?" Jack Spicer piped up. "Oh, you are so cutting edge!" he gushed.

Chase Young snarled and his bladed weapon elongated, revealing spikes hidden within. Jack took the apple out of Dojo's mouth and put it in his own.

Chase, now prepared to fight, twirled his weapon around and around and took on a martial arts stance. Guan did the same with his Spear. A moment's hesitation, the two fighters sizing each other up, and then they said:

"GONG YE TAN PAI!"

Blade met blade-tail met with thin air when it should have struck flesh-a spearhead should have pierced scales, but instead met with nothing. The giant lizard flew through the air to try and hit Guan, but the monk dodged before fighting back.

And then Chase appeared behind Guan and hit him in the back, sending the monk skidding across the floor. Guan took a look at the young kids huddled against the wall-the same kids he was trying to save. Before he could stand up though, a part of the floor gave way, revealing a ring of bubbling magma. Flames licked the sides of the wall, and Guan rolled away before he was burnt.

Guan stood up, but Chase didn't give him a chance to catch his bearings. The lizard man flew through the air and landed on him, one foot keeping him down. He slowly slid the master monk headfirst towards the ring of lava- pebbles fell down the cut through walls and into the boiling magma.

"Loser Guan!" Jack taunted childishly. "Loser Guan! Loser Guan!"

Valerie would have told him to shut up, or sent a lightning bolt his way, but right now she was too scared. Guan might actually lose, either dying or becoming a feline slave to Chase Young. She ran her fingers through her hair, steadily tearing out pieces of it.

The flames leaped higher into the air, nearly hitting Guan's bald head. And then he sent his spearhead flying at Chase, hitting him in the face.

Valerie didn't see what happened next; the flames erupted, and smoke clouded over the ring. She was forced to cover her face. When she was able to look up, she smiled.

Guan sucked his spearhead back into his staff, and loomed over Chase determinedly. The lizard man was on the ground, hissing slightly, before he took a stance. "You cannot defeat me," Chase growled out. "Even the Spear of Guan won't save you."

"What makes a warrior is not the weapon." Guan flipped over and, upside down, tried to rapidly slice at Chase's face. When he landed, he finished with a triumphant realization: "But the warrior holding the weapon."

Omi cheered and gave two thumbs up.

Chase gave an animalistic growl as Guan stuck his Spear into the ground. Chase did the same. "Your theatrics are quite amusing." He went on all fours. "As are your skills in combat." He leaped at Guan.

Guan jumped into the air, meeting Young high over the battlefield. Fists flew at each other, dodging and hitting in rapid, easy to miss succession. When they landed, Chase tried to rapidly strike Guan down with his tail, only Guan dodged them all. And then they went back to punching each other and deflecting their fists in the same swift manner.

And then Young landed a punch into Guan's middle, sending him flying backwards into a wall. He bounced off and, instead of landing on the floor, fell towards the magma. The five children gasped and stood up in shock. Guan continued to spiral down towards the lava, until his body jerked and he landed feet first on the piece of floor next to the ring.

Instead of dying, Guan spiraled like a top and flew towards Chase, smacking him in the face so many times Valerie lost count. By the time the attack was over, Chase Young, in lizard form, was on the floor, Master Monk Guan standing over him triumphantly. When Chase tried to get back up, Guan sent him skidding towards the lava with a powerful kick.

Chase Young kicked a spike attached to the floor, and mirrors suddenly popped up. It was like a carnival attraction, except it went in a spiral shape and felt like a maze. The lizard man ran into the mirror path, Guan right behind him.

No one could really see what the two opponents were doing. The reflections didn't show outward, only inward. Valerie huffed, frustrated. Her life was on the line, she wanted to know how this battle would end! She felt jittery, like her soul wanted to jump out of her body and run around. It was an odd, uncomfortable feeling, and she just wanted this day to end already!

Suddenly Guan leaped on top of the mirrors, trying to find Chase Young -though it couldn't be hard to find him, he was a freaking giant lizard. But then the mirrors suddenly shifted, moving to a different angle. Caught off guard, Guan fell off. A large shadow darted towards him- Chase!

No one could see what was happening, but they could hear glass breaking, and the sounds of animalistic snarling. Valerie felt a hand grab hers and squeeze it in a death grip. Valerie squeezed back, her fear mounting. The mirrors shifted again, this time turning into a straight wall and completely cutting both combatants off from the outside world.

There was a yellow light in the middle of the spiral, and Guan's voice resonated throughout the room. "I see you now for what you are, and not what you pretend to be! REPEL THE BEAST!"

All the mirrors shattered, the sounds echoing throughout the chamber tenfold. Amongst that there was the sound of something bodily hitting a cauldron. All the mirrors suddenly slid back towards the ground, and the ring of magma was closed off.

Raimundo slid his hand out of Valerie's as everyone ran up to Guan, who was going over to his Spear and grabbing it from the ground. They all turned to Chase Young, now in human form, with his posse of jungle cats and Jack Spicer.

The cats suddenly cut the good guys off from their entrance, and circled around them menacingly. "Yes, we can still stop them!" Jack crowed victoriously.

"No!" Chase suddenly called out. "I accepted their challenge and lost."

"WHAAAAA-!" was Jack's reply.

"They're free to go." The animals backed off. Chase Young then bowed deeply. "I'm certain that our paths will cross again."

Valerie's eyes narrowed. "If you have anything to say about it, then yes, they will," she said as she bowed.

In front of Chase's lair (which didn't look so ominous anymore; weird)

"I gotta admit partner, you came through for us when the chips were down," Clay told the master monk approvingly. Guan smiled.

"Yeah, you really saved our butts dude," Raimundo agreed.

"Even though you almost had mine cooked in the first place," Dojo reminded them all. His lips then quivered, and then he leaped up and threw his arms around Guan's neck. "Thanks for saving my life! Wait, is physical contact appropriate?" He then slid to the ground.

"And thank you, Omi, for restoring the courage I had lost," Guan told the little guy.

"It was never really lost," Omi told him. "Just…misplaced."

Guan, showing off, twirled his staff around his neck and put it in the little monk's hands. "I want you to have this, Omi. I have a feeling I will not be needing it anymore." He put a hand over his heart and bowed.

Valerie touched the pointy end of the Spear as Omi gasped, "The Spear of Guan! I could not accept something so valuable!" They looked up in time to see that Guan was gone, as if he had vanished into thin air.

And then Omi said, "You need not twist my foot. I will make an exception this once." He hugged the Spear happily.

Later that day

"This first episode is incredibly misleading," Valerie pointed out.

Kimiko rolled her eyes. "Tell me about it."

"If I didn't know the basic synopsis for the storyline, I would be making such huge assumptions right now."

"And you know what they say about assuming things," Kimiko sang.

"They make an ass out of you and me," Valerie sang back. The two girls dissolved into giggles as the show on the computer screen continued to play.

As Kimiko nibbled at a custard tart (courtesy of Eric), Valerie said, "I gotta admit, this anime has a pretty original twist to vampire lore."

Kimiko smirked triumphantly. "I know."

"Though I'm surprised the other characters fall under vampiric stereotypes."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the main character-Karin, was it- has to bite people to give blood instead of drinking it. That's completely unheard of as far as I know. But her other powers, like walking in daytime and not being able to use any powers came straight from Bram Stoker's Dracula."

"Dracula could walk in sunlight?" Kimiko asked, mystified.

Valerie nodded. "He could, but he lost all of his powers. He also couldn't consume human food or anything. In fact, no vampire can. The rest of the vampires in Chibi Vampire all exhibit a weird mix of original folklore and what's in the movies. Vampires in the anime burn in sunlight and live in haunted mansions and have lots of money. Dracula lived in a castle and had lots of money as well, but he could drink blood from whoever, and he did so quite evilly. Karin's family can only drink blood that's been infused with jealousy and anxiety and other negative traits."

"I bet drinking people's emotions wasn't a part of Bram Stoker's book," Kimiko noted.

"It's been a while since I've read the book, but yeah, I don't think so," Valerie agreed. "Though there are stories of vampires taking life force instead of blood-though blood is one of the reasons why the human body is even alive, so arguably it's interchangeable. In any case, the idea of emotion eater vampires isn't all that far-fetched."

Kimiko blinked. "…You put a lot of thought into things like this."

"In this case, I'm honestly just running my mouth and saying anything that pops into my head."

"Still, it's definitely food for thought."

They lapsed into silence as the two girls continued to watch the first few episodes of the series. They were dressed in sleepwear, this being something of a subdued, impromptu sleepover. The volume wasn't very loud, and the boys were still up, doing whatever it was they were doing.

Suddenly Kimiko piped up: "I just remembered: what'd you get this morning?"

It took Valerie a minute to figure out what she was talking about. "You mean my package?" Kim nodded. "No idea, I forgot to open it."

"Who's it from, anyway?"

"No clue. There was no return address or anything. It's creepy."

"Is it, like, a secret admirer or something?"

"That's what the note said."

"Bring it here."

With difficulty-she had become lazy in the last hour or so- Valerie went to her room and found the parcel. Once in her hands, Kimiko went to translating the message using her PDA. "'A gift for a mermaid, from me to you.' Okay, yeah, that sounds weird."

"Tell me about it," Valerie groaned. "Wanna bet the gift is ocean-themed?"

"Want me to open it?"

"No, I'll do it." She held out her hand. Once Kimiko had plopped the parcel onto her palm, Valerie slowly undid the ribbons and lifted the box. Her eyes widened once she saw the gift. Picking it up, all she could say was a whispery, "I knew it."

"It's so pretty," Kimiko breathed.

The gift was a hairpin, a thin black thing in the shape of a bobby pin. Tiny diamante crystals went up and down the flat end, leading up to a delicate nautilus shell. The nautilus was small with numerous chambers, and painted a dusty gold color. Against the light, Valerie could see shadows seeping through the shell and onto her fingernails.

"Your secret admirer has good taste," Kimiko commented as Valerie put the pin back in the box.

"I'm not saying they don't, but just because this person gave me a gift doesn't mean I'll wear it," she pointed out.

"It'll look good, especially with your complexion."

Valerie raised an eyebrow. "Being pasty has its benefits."

"Don't be mean," Kimiko chided. "Whoever this person is bought this for you. You could wear it every now and then."

"…I suppose," Valerie murmured, setting the box as far away from her as possible.

Like I said, hoping I did the Chase and Guan fight scene justice. There was only so much I could do, and I didn't want to change too much to it. I mean, this episode is already golden in the show; how can I possibly change it?

So, thoughts anyone?