It was a beautiful sunny day in Mumbai India. The entire city was a bustle of activity and movements. In the Bombay Art Society building a celebration was going on to honor the introduction of a young new member to the fold.
At the podium the spokeswoman Madame Hussa was speaking to the entire assembly. "Honor members and guests I'm glad to welcome you to this prestigious event. Our country especially this city has always produced fantastic and talented artist. Our newest member is quite talented as her work demonstrates. Not only has she mastered our techniques, but also her work combines styles and different media types from all over the world. All the pieces you see displayed here and in the gallery belong to this young seventeen-year-old girl. After the reception we will have an auction to sell some of the pieces, but most will remain in our gallery for all to see. Now to say a few words about her work I'm proud to introduce the youngest female member ever offered membership to the Bombay Art Society, Ms. Anastasia Hindi," Madame Hussa said clapping her hands together.
Stacey stood up walked from the table where her family was sitting and to the stage. She was wearing a brand new orange and gold sari, her hair and nails were done in a traditional style, and she was quite nervous as she took the stage. "Thank you Madame Hussa for those kind words. It is an honor and a privileged. It has been a dream of mine to become a member of this society since I was a small child. Who knew my dream would come true as teenager? I was asked earlier what inspires me and what are the subjects of my collection. The answer to that would be my friends and our adventures. Without them believing and accepting me for who I am I would never have completed this collection. I would like to dedicate this gallery to them and my family as well for always being there for me. I hope that you enjoy the show and purchase your favorite pieces. Thank you."
A little while later after the lunch was over and the guests were allowed to look around Stacey watched them nervously. "I really hope they like my work. What if they don't want to buy my work? All the pieces I submitted were from my time at the Xiaolin Temple. Maybe I should have donated a couple of my earlier pieces instead."
"Anastasia, Stacey you have to relax child. The Society is displaying your collection here because they believe it's your best work ever. Judging from the reaction your art is getting I think they like it. I've never been prouder of you," Chandra told her daughter.
"This is a real step up for you Stacey. I think this could really launch your career. As for buying your work I'm certain that won't be a problem. I overhead some gentlemen saying he would pay nine hundred rubies for your water color rendition of the Xiaolin Temple," Anil responded. He was very pleased by the success of his youngest child.
"Oh and before you ask mother and father already purchased your battle between Heylin and Xiaolin painting. Its going to be the center piece in the restaurant," Rajah added.
"It's a good thing you inherited Mother's eye for beauty and detail. You never would be able to pull off running the family business as well as we do," Jahil joked earning a light slap from his wife Neelia.
"Anastasia your work is quite good and you should be proud of your talents. I only wish your betrothed was here as well to see your success. Where is young Jermaine? Why didn't he accompany you home?" Neelia asked concerned. Between watching the kids and assisting Chandra with her interior design business she was exhausted.
"Jermaine is spending the weekend with his mother and stepfather celebrating her birthday. It's been rough for her and he knew it meant a lot to her if she could see him for the weekend. I completely understand the need to put family first and he's already seen my work. I'll call him once we get back home."
"I'm sure you could use the rest after such a big day. I know Opal, Krishna, and Lotus would love to see you again. I have a suggestion. Why don't we all go to the restaurant and see how the portrait looks?" Vitiate suggested.
The family agreed and left the gallery knowing that there were people there who truly appreciated Stacey's work and would cherish it always. They were walking down the streets happily talking with one another about what had been going on in their lives recently they didn't notice a car was trailing them with men inside who had ill attentions.
They were only four blocks away from the restaurant and Stacey was trying to figure out how to respond to Rajah question if she was going to accept the Society's offer to send her to India's most prestigious art school. "I'm not sure brother. I mean it's a fantastic once in a lifetime opportunity and I would love to study the masters styles, but I have to take into consideration a lot of factors. My destiny as a Xiaolin Dragon of Flare for one thing and then what about Jermaine? I love him so much and would it be fair to make him wait for years until I've achieved my dream? Oh Shiva help me what is the right choice?"
"You know what your dharma is Stacey, but at the same time I urge you to strive for what you want. In our country very few females have achieved the rank you seek and our society needs more artists now then ever," Chandra urged her daughter.
"Whatever your choice daughter know that you have made us proud. Nothing you do could ever make us cast you out of the family," Anil assured her.
"That's right little sister. We love you for who you are and nothing going to change that," Rajah assured her.
"So let's stop moping and have some fun shall we? The restaurant is just around the corner. Wait until you see how mother has redesigned the interior its magnificent!" Jahil told her excitedly.
Suddenly the entire family found themselves in thick, chocking, colored smoke. Their eyes were burning and their lungs were on fire. There was a lot of shouting and yelling. There were sounds of a struggle and they heard the sound of fabric ripping. When the gas finally dissipated they found Neelia and Vitiate lying on the ground bleeding. Rajah and Jahil raced to check on their wives while Chandra and Anil searched frantically for some sign of their precious daughter, but all they saw was a torn piece of sari lying on the sidewalk.
"Stacey! No Anil she's gone! We have to do something!"
"We will Chandra, I swear to you we'll get our daughter back don't you worry. Great Brahma if you can hear me please protect my child from harm."
Meanwhile in the back of a car Stacey found herself bound, blindfolded, and gagged. She struggled to free herself as two men laughed at her efforts. "We really scored a prize this time Rama. This exotic beauty should fetch a handsome price with Lashema don't you agree," one of the men said. He smelled of ash and cigars and was laughing his head off.
"Don't get cocky Sanjaya. Check her over and make sure she's not damaged in anyway. We can't afford to give Lashema damaged property again if we want to increase our sale's margin for the month," Rama called from the front of the car.
"Don't try anything funny girl or I'll have to shoot you. Believe me no ones going to care one way or another about a girl with a bullet hole in her if her hair is missing," Sanjaya hissed as she started touching Stacey.
Stacey buckled and struggled and fought back. She screamed silently as Sanjaya ran his hands over her breast and she wanted to kill him as he moved towards her privates. Suddenly the romping stopped as her Elemental Wu, Mei Xing Knife, and Kazoo Atom fell onto the front seat.
"Oh lookie here Rama this girl has teeth. What's a pretty little thing like you doing with a man's weapon? I think I'll just relieve you of these items OWWWWWWWWWW!" Sanjaya screamed loudly as the Elemental Wu and Mei Xing Knife created a small explosion in the car. The explosion nearly took Sanjaya hands and caused Rama to drive them straight into a brick wall.
Freeing herself of the ropes Stacey threw away the gag and snatched her things back. After kicking Sanjaya in the groin and punching Rama she took off running. The two men pulled themselves from the wreck and started chasing her with guns firing.
Stacey raced into an old warehouse and hid behind some boxes. Quickly she slipped on her Bomber Plate and held the Knife tightly. Those men had picked the wrong girl to mess with. "Come and get me you "
"She ran in here! Come on Rama we can't lose her not after what she cost us already!"
"You just had to pick the girl who had a bomb on her didn't you? When I see her I'm going to be the first one to have his way with that tramp!"
"I don't think so boys. Bomber Plate, Mei Xing Knife Flare!" Stacey shouted as she leapt from the top of the crates and landing between the two kidnappers. A powerful energy blast darted across the sky surging through the men, but they stand standing. The started shooting again and Stacey soon found herself pinned to a wall with a gun aimed at her head.
"You are far more trouble then your worth girl. Any last words?" Rama asked cocking the gun. Suddenly he and Sanjaya were on the ground screaming bloody murder as a pack of spectral wolves ravished their bodies. Stacey looked up in time to see a bright green light engulf the men. Their bodies fell to the ground with the eyes blank. Stacey knew only one person with that kind of power and that person was strolling over to her with two of her guards. "Empress Valonia, imagine my surprise to see you here."
"I'm surprised to see you here as well Stacey. When Bik and Sen alerted me that these Ouza had kidnapped another girl I wasn't expecting you. Still this could work to my advantage seeing as how you're in my debt. I after all did save your life and according to the Ancient's Laws you owe me a favor."
"Why should I do anything to help you? Look at what you did to those men! I have to get back to my family right now so thanks for the save, but I have to go," Stacey said getting to her feet and starting for the door.
"I didn't think a Xiaolin Dragon would be so dishonorable or a coward."
"Coward? Dishonorable? Excuse me you just killed those men what am I suppose to think?"
"There not dead child merely they are reliving the pain they've wrought others. If you give me a chance to explain all will be clear. Bik, Sen alert the authorities about these men and then rendvous with the others. One of my wolves will tell your family your safe. Stacey walk with me and you will learn the real reason I'm in India," Valonia instructed. Having no choice Stacey followed her.
"You have the wrong impression of me child. I admit I have killed in the past and I took the youth of children to counter my curse, but take this into consideration. I've only killed in honorable combat and the children I took were on death door. I freed their souls and buried their bodies, as is custom to their countries. I may be your enemy, but I am honorable, honest, and loyal. I treat all my subjects' female and male honorably and I've never crossed the line. I'm a lot better then Hannibal was you must admit? Now then what I'm doing here is fighting an evil I don't accept. To the Heylin Side there is no greater insult to evil then the desecration of a human body or sole. While imprisoned my wolves gathered news about what was going on in the world. Tell me do you know what human trafficking is?"
"Yes, we learned about in school. It made me sick to think children and adults are sold as property and then forced to do work or be sex toys. It's positively disgusting. Wait are you saying those men are part of trafficking ring?"
"Yes, they are their associates kidnap or smuggle children from Nepal or other countries into India to work in brothels. Those animals never feed them, they live in horrible conditions and our killed if they get an STD because the brothel managers don't like them wearing protection. Your governments work to slow for my taste. For weeks now I've been stopping the flow of traffic from Nepal and neighboring countries. My men have taken out the smugglers path and my women have returned the girls and boys home. Now all that remains is to destroy the brothels once and for all. I could use your help with this."
"I would have to kill wouldn't I? Those men had no qualms about killing me, but I can't do the same. The Xiaolin code forbids killing except in self-defense, my own religion is against the idea of homicide. You want me to do my dharma as a Ksatriya and not expect repercussions from my karma to harm my soul? Are you crazy!"
"Tell me child have you ever read the Bhagavad-Gita? It's one of your countries most famous works of literature. Didn't Lord Krishna explain to Arjuna that it was the actions that were affected by karma and not his soul? That he was right in his duty? You were nearly made a victim to this crime, but your Gods have given you a chance to put an end to this injustice once and for all. You need not kill merely disable or destroy the building. You owe me Dragon that you cannot deny. You have a choice to make so choose."
"It appears I have no choice. I shall accompany you on this mission, but don't expect me to end a life. That is a line I will not cross," Stacey informed the Empress.
A few minutes later they were in the slums of Mumbai. The streets were mad of mud and several of the buildings had fallen into disrepair. The smell was wretched and everywhere you looked you saw men of all ages with lust on their faces. "Shiva be praised why would anyone in his or her right mind come here?"
"You'd be surprised what men with lust will do to get a fix. They are the bane of woman's existence, my reason for fighting them. The men in my city are more respectful and honorable. To them the greatest honor is protecting a female not demeaning her. If you think the outside is bad watch what happens when I melt away the brothel's skin and show you its heart," Valonia replied tightly. With a wave of her hands the Heylin Flame melted the walls away and Stacey nearly lost her lunch at what she saw inside.
Children were chained up to walls in rooms with no sun, no food or water, and no toilet. Many of them looked like they'd been whipped, beat up, or burned. Most of the older girls were being forced to dress up in awful clothes and having sex with multiple partners. There was an old, fat, ugly woman who must have been Lashema taking the girls wages so they could never be free. Stacey was glad when the walls reappeared. "Those men were going to sell me and force me to work here? Even if I was reunited with my family I don't know if they would take me back."
"Give your family more credit then that. They love you and after allowing you to enter into an arraigned marriage with a boy from another country and ethnic background you shouldn't doubt them ever. My people are in position. Remember once they've brought the girls to safety and detained the clients for questioning, you and I shall move in to deal with this Lashema. If you have any qualms speak now. None? Then let's get this show on the road!"
The brothel didn't know what hit it. Fast as lightening the girls and children found themselves being spirited away to safety while their rescues battled against the staff and clients trying to keep them in line. Guns fired and knives flashed, several people were injured, but the Heylin side continued to fight on.
Stacey found herself fighting along Valonia using every move she had ever learned to disarm men and woman who were drunk or crazy. She tried to keep the use of the Kazoo Atom to a minimum. She elbowed a guy when a shot rang near her head. Whipping around she spied Lashema holding a gun and aiming it at her. "So you're the monster who tried to have me kidnapped. How dare you treat these children like their nothing, but property?"
"Girly you have a lot to learn about business. To bad you're not going to have time to learn it!" Lashema shouted firing several rounds. Stacey flipped, dodged, and smashed her heel into the woman's hand crushing the gun. Grabbing her fat arms she flipped the woman over her shoulders and pinned her to the ground. With a quick right and left jab she completely disarmed Lashema. Stacey looked at her with such loathing and was ready to increate her with her powers.
"Go ahead kill me! You can't stop all of us!" Lashema growled at her. She closed her eyes expecting to be killed, but found a hole in the floor near her head. "What to soft hearted and weak?"
"No, I just happen to believe in mercy. I hope the Gods have mercy on your soul, because when you're reborn you're going to be really low on the totem," Stacey said standing. Her robes changed to that of a Shoku Warrior. She started to walk away not knowing Lashema had grabbed a knife and was intent on plunging it into her back.
Valonia however did and used the full force of the Heylin Flame on the woman. The flame consumed Lashema's greed, malice, and darkness and the woman was left catatonic. "I didn't kill her on your request. The authorities will be arriving soon still Lashema had a point. More brothels exist out there and there's no way to stop them all."
"Maybe you can't but I can with my new power. Stand back. Shoku Stellar Supernova Flare!" Stacey shouted as the controlled and non-lethal nuclear explosion was released. All over India for a few seconds these explosions consumed the brothels and anything related to the trafficking network. For that moment in India all that evil was gone and from the ashes treatment centers and refugees would be built thus ensure that the flaring energy had served its purpose. "I think you'll find your mission a bit easier from now on. Thank you Valonia for saving my life. Now that my debt has been repaid I'm going to go rejoin my family."
"I understand Dragon and I thank you. Never forget your family loves you," Valonia told her. She smiled at seeing Stacey reunited with her family and with a flick of the wrist she was back in the Nilyeh City to continue with life.