Chapter 2: The Healer and The Fallen
LATER THAT AFTERNOON
"I never mentioned that Mara was the Dragon of Healing?" Master Fung said, trying to remember when he had introduced his niece and nephew.
"Uhh, no. We wouldn't be asking if you had." Raimundo snapped, arms crossed.
"It is habit I suppose. I promised never to tell anyone without her permission because of something that happened with her many years ago. I will not reveal what happened, but all you need to know is that it scared her a lot and caused her to become afraid of her birthright. Only recently has she begun to use her powers again." Master Fung told them.
"It obviously still haunts her." Kimiko observed.
"Yes it does, but she truly is a good soul. If people are in need, she'll jump up and help them. When you are in trouble, you could never ask for a more steadfast friend. She will do everything she can to save you."
"I have to admit I'd been wondering how an ordinary girl would be able to---- uhhh, do that thing. I understand now." Kimiko remarked.
The monks nodded, realizing what Kimiko had. "We will go back to our training then, Master." Omi said. When Master Fung nodded, the other three monks groaned and sighed. Trudging after Omi, they made their way out to the training field again. Mara, Michael, and Teran were waiting for them outside.
"So what was that about?" Teran asked. "I hope I didn't cause any problems."
"It was just something that we had to ask Master Fung about. Don't worry, it wasn't important." Raimundo said.
Omi looked at him confusedly. "Raimundo, it was of the utmost importance."
Kimiko and Clay picked up on Raimundo's meaning and attempted to shut Omi up. "Ignore him. He thinks that everything we say to Master Fung is important. Let's get back to our respective activities." she said, while Clay clapped a hand over Omi's mouth.
"I dunno. I'm kinda hungry." Teran said.
"Oh yeah. I forgot to mention that Teran cleaned out the kitchen. An' he still didn' gain any weight." Clay said.
Kimiko and Raimundo groaned. "Now we have another Clay. It's going to cost a fortune to feed all of us now. Speaking of which, how does Master Fung manage that? Where does he get the money from?"
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TEMPLE...
Master Fung was locking the front door to the Temple and heading into the city. As he reached the city, he realized that it was a little louder than usual and people were waving banners and shouting out the name of a military leader. Seeing a thin man leaning against the wall, he walked over.
"What is going on friend?" he asked.
"Where have you been, friend? Cloistered in a temple?" the man replied.
"Actually yes. I run a temple."
The man straightened up. "Honorable Master Monk. I had no idea. It's one big free for all out there in the world and everyone's been going crazy over this guy because they believe that he will save the country from the rest of the world. That's about all I know Honorable Master Monk."
Master Fung put a hand on the man's should. "Do not worry. You have told me all I need to know." Without another word, he headed off in the direction of a large bank.
Upon entering, he was ushered to the top floor, where all the high business transactions took place.
"Ah, the Honorable Master Fung. Come for another withdrawal?" said the fat bank manager.
"Yes. I wish to withdraw all of Fung Industries International's assets. Immediately." Master Fung snapped. Yes, Master Fung was the owner of Fung Industries International, a rather large and profitable company. When he had gotten into the corporation, he realized he did not really want to be a businessman, but instead, he wished to be a monk, and could afford to be.
A little while later, Master Fung exited the bank, followed by a huge armored truck, which he entered. The truck drove to the temple and parked out front. Master Fung quickly unloaded all the contents of the truck and stashed them somewhere. (I won't say where, all I'll say is that he made me swear I'd never tell where it was. I'm on thin ice now, telling you guys that he owns a huge corporation. The monks don't know...so don't tell them, or I'll have to hunt you down for getting me into trouble with this Master Monk).
MEANWHILE...WITH THE ONCE AGAIN IGNORANT MONKS (they're not so blissful this time)
Teran's and Clay's stomachs rumbled in unison as they were sparring. They both dropped the staffs they were holding, at the same time a clutched their stomachs in agony. It was quite hilarious to the onlookers.
"Need...food!" Teran gasped comically.
"Must have...somethin'...to...eat" Clay mumbled.
Michael, coming up with a brilliant idea on the spot, whistled a note so high no one else could hear it, except for Mara, and held it. The Golden Tiger Claws zoomed out of nowhere and smacked Teran on the head.
"Ow!" he muttered, rubbing his head.
Mara shot her brother a vicious glance and he shrugged.
Clay picked up the Golden Tiger Claws and looked at them extremely puzzled. Shen Gong Wu had never come flying out of the vault like that before. Teran straightened up and took them from Clay. "Golden Tiger Claws!" he shouted, destination in mind. He leapt in and the rest of them followed.
They arrived in an enormous all-you-can-eat buffet with food from all around the world. Nobody paid any attention to them, assuming they had already paid for the food. Teran and Clay heaped their plates full of food, earning them disapproving stares from a few of the richer customers. They were still in their practice robes, which were full of sweat, resulting in several disgusted looks from the diners.
Teran and Clay didn't care; they just dove in. Shoveling the food in just as fast as they could. The others were a little more delicate in their consumption. Clay cut out about the fifth heaping plate full, but Teran just kept on going. It took him almost an hour and a half to clean out most of the buffet. Then, before anyone realized that they hadn't paid and ate nearly all the food, they dragged Teran back to the Temple.
Just in time too, because at the exact moment they resumed practicing, Master Fung entered the training field. "Monks, it is time for meditation. Follow me."
Grumbling slightly, the monks followed him. They settled down in the scroll room, staring at the shelves alarmed before realizing that Master Fung did not want them to study. "You will meditate until I come and get you." Master Fung informed them.
He left the room. Teran was wishing he hadn't eaten that much because now he was tired. As a result, he fell asleep, pretending to be meditating. No one noticed or really cared.
After about an hour, Master Fung returned and Mara elbowed Teran, noticing he didn't react to Master Fung's voice. "Wha?" he asked, still half asleep. Master Fung raised and eyebrow at this, but did not otherwise appear to care.
Outside, night had fallen. The monks headed off to bed, unnaturally weary. Unbeknownst to them, a figure with bright red hair was standing outside. Jack Spicer, of course. He planned to make a raid on the temple. Now his job would be made a little easier.
Except that Michael was still awake. He was making notes in his notebook once again. He heard a crash come from the vault. Ever curious, he leapt out the window and sprinted toward the sound.
Jack had dropped the Two Ton Tunic, after he had activated it. "Stupid!" he muttered to himself. He turned to quickly escape through the door. A boy blocked his way. Jack knew that the temple had gotten two new students temporarily. He figured that this boy did not know who he was. "Get out of my way loser. Dare you trifle with Jack Spicer, Evil Boy Genius and Prince of Darkness?!"
Michael's eyebrow twitched up. "I guess that 'genius' in your language must translate to 'stupid idiot' in English." he laughed. Jack's face slowly grew red with rage. Michael continued, ignoring him. "I mean, come on, what genius would drop a Shen Gong Wu after he had activated it?"
By this time, Jack's face had turned the same color as his hair. "phtwahhoshpht!" he sputtered.
Michael laughed scathingly. "Now the 'genius' can't even speak." Jack darted to the side in an attempt to escape. "Oh no, you don't." Michael muttered and started humming a little tuneless song.
Jack found himself unable to move. He caught sight of Michael's glowing gray eyes. "Oh, not you too!" he groaned.
Michael smiled and changed the song a little. Jack felt his feet swept out from under him. He found himself hanging by his ankles. "Hey! What's the big idea?"
Michael smile grew wider. The song changed once again. This time Jack was mercilessly shaken up and down, emptying his pockets on the vault floor. Out fell several random items, the most hilarious, though, being a fuzzy hot pink diary, belonging to him. How Michael knew that; the lock broke open when it crashed to the ground. Michael began to toy with Jack.
MEANWHILE, BACK IN THE TEMPLE
Mara was dreaming. She had to be. This handsome guy was standing in front of her, coming from nowhere. "How would you like to be treated like the royalty you are? It's not everyone that can heal, after all."
He offered a tempting proposition. "You always knew you were better than Michael, but no one could see it. I am offering you a chance to be the greatest in the entire world."
If you haven't guessed it by now, the guy was none other than Chase Young himself. Mara didn't know that. Besides, he sounded so persuasive. "Will you step up and accept your destiny?" He held out a delicate and tiny tiara, made from silver with diamonds sparkling in the light of the full moon.
"I accept." she said, as he placed the crown upon her head.
THE NEXT MORNING
The four monks were awake before Mara, Michael, and Teran. The slipped silently into the kitchen for breakfast. There, on the table was the Oracle's mouth. They exchanged glances; none of them had taken it out of the vault.
Master Fung soon arrived as well. He noticed it and the confused looks on the monks faces. "Ah, the next to stanzas must have become relevant."
Sure enough, at that moment, the Oracle's Mouth spoke.
Yet if into the darkness
One of the two slips
The connected mind,
The delicate soul rips
The Fallen returns
Evil plan in mind
The serpent wears a
Guise, outwardly kind
With that also came the remembering of the previous verse. This verse was blatantly obvious, not at all vague. "I propose we search their stuff to figure out which of them is most prone to ---- the, um, action." Raimundo suggested. Master Fung was about to protest, but changed his mind for reasons only known to himself. It could have been because he realized necessity comes before privacy.
They snuck into Raimundo's room and took out the only thing that would reveal Michael's personality: his mysterious notebook. They read it. It was lots of battle plans, ways to take over the world, plots, and general stuff like that.
"Holy smokes! This kid is psycho!" Raimundo commented.
"So that's what he's always making notes on." Kimiko mused.
In Mara's stuff, they found nothing out of the ordinary, just normal girl stuff. They missed the tiny tiara clutched in her hand as she slept sweetly. They did notice that any trace of color their hair had had the night before, was gone. Mara's hair had gone totally white again and Michael's was black.
"One thing's been bugging me. In order for this new part to come of the prophecy, everything from the other must have been revealed. If so, just who is Michael then?" Kimiko mentioned after they were back in the kitchen.
Calmly, Master Fung explained. "Did you think that Mara would have powers and her twin not. Michael is the Dragon of Music. The extent of his abilities is not fully known. He can use songs to manipulate anything as well as add power to the words of already created songs. Neither of them are elemental dragons, music and healing not being elements, but are more like supplementary dragons."
An awkward silence followed his words.
"So, it is decided then. We shall watch Michael most closely to make sure he does not fall to the Heylin side." Omi said and received nods of agreement from all but Master Fung, who, incidentally, remained neutral about the whole thing.
Now, I have to warn you, Chapter 3 is going to be very long and I am still working on it. So, it might be a while till I can update...probably not until January 8. So I give you this as a Christmas present. Okay? Okay...