For a four day work week, it has been surprisingly long. However, it is now been down pouring in my city for a day straight and everyone has vacated the house except me and the dog. Nothing gets me motivated like thunderstorms and my control of the netflix in the background.

Enjoy.

By the time Chase Young had arrived at the scene, both parties had erupted into chaos. Jack Spicer had entered a showdown with the large earth dragon, one that was apparently being fought unfairly, as Jack seemed to have hidden his robots until now, and was using them to gain and advantage. Chase watched as the boys raced across the battlefield, jumping from pillar to pillar towards the Shen Gong Wu situated at the top.

The dragon emperor turned his attention to the two remaining monk as they fought against Wuya's magical attacks. The witch seemed to be taking advantage of the fact that the monks were down in their numbers and was going at them with all she had.

Chase was beginning to lose interest, wondering if he was wasting his time, when the cocky wind dragon said something that provoked him.

" This is your fault, Wuya! I don't know what you did or how you did it, but I know that you took her and you are going to give. Her. Back!"

Upon a closer look, Chase noticed the tiredness that rimmed both the wind and water dragons' eyes. They looked like that they have had no rest for days.

How curious.

Wuya just cackled in response.

" Maybe she had finally grown tired of keeping company of you simple creatures and moved along."

Another hit landed on the Brazilian boy, winding him while knocking Omi unconscious.

Wuya stood over the supposed leader, her expression not the usual mocking smirk, but one of deadly seriousness.

" I have done nothing, but will take the opportunity given to crush every part of you."

She leaned in closer, and as Chase made his way silently over to the unconscious yellow monk, he heard her whisper.

" You have already begun to lose everything you love. First her, then everything else. One. By. One."

It stopped the Heylin in his tracks.

Thinking back, he had always found the female presence in the temple odd, if not a huge distraction. In his days as a monk, it was unheard of to have a female there, let alone one training to be a Xiaolin dragon. He expected that the male monks would have found any female to be a distraction, but to discover that the leader had actually felt love for the fire dragon?

Chase did not know weather to be amused at the antics, or disappointed that the monk that Wuya claimed to be the next great Heylin warrior was so easily swayed.

He settled for the annoyance that had settled deep in his stomach and continued his trek over to Omi, staring down at him upon reaching the body.

Once, he had fought hard to convince the little monk to fight on his side. Bribes, threats, trick, nothing had worked to obtain his alliance. Chase had mourned the fact that he would lose such an ally.

However, now that he had felt the power of his newest pupil, he felt confident that she would rise to become more powerful than Omi could ever hope to be.

And she was all his to mold and shape to be his perfect tool.

Chase bent down to get the answers he had come for.

" Omi. Awaken. "

When the commanded did not work, Chase picked the boy up and simply shook him until he let out a groan.

" Omi"

The water dragon's eyes slowly came into focus and widened at the sight before him.

" Chase Young?"

Said man rolled his eyes.

" Pay attention. Tell me what has happened to weaken you so."

A pained expression overtook his face, to tired to put up a mask in front of the Heylin warrior.

" Kimiko is gone. We . . . don't know where. Wuya..." Omi's eyes shifted to the witch, who had continued her fight with Raimundo.

" Focus Omi. Wuya has done nothing. Where is your dragon of fire?" he asked, becoming more and more annoyed by the second.

The exhaustion was starting to really take it effect, as Omi began to lose his focus. Still, he seemed to gain some fraction of his sense back.

" We went to get the Wu. The . . . fang. Kimi got hurt. I fixed her," he said with a smile, " Went home. Attacked in the morning. Kimi was gone. . . "

Chase shook the monk with urgency. Something was wrong with this story. Kimiko went to find the fang and got hurt?

A slow heat clawed itself at Chase's whole body. A suspicion that had been nagging at him since hearing of the fire dragon's disappearance began to come to the forefront of his mind.

" Attacked by what, Omi?" he said with an inhuman growl.

The answer set his skin on fire.

" Scales so blue, reminded me of the ocean . . . "

Meanwhile, Lan-Ying had followed the lion through the long corridors.

Her stomach grumbled with every step she took and she was beginning to wondering if this was a trick and that they were going down the same way over and over.

Turning towards the large feline, she had to look up to be able to see his face, his ruby eyes set straight ahead and sparing her no glace.

She had never really felt her size until then.

Sure, Chase was larger than her, but he was a human, sort of. But to have this lion towering over her, she was beginning to think that she was in some sort of danger if Chase was not around. Not that she was sure that Chase would stop any kind of mauling.

Apparently, her staring was noticed and the lion looked at her with narrow eyes.

" Yes, little dragon?"

Lan-Ying never gave any thought whether the cats around the palace could speak, and somewhere in her foggy mind, she didn't think animals ever spoke.

Therefore, she jumped slightly at the scratchy voice from above her.

" I was just wondering . . . . " she trailed off, unsure if she was okay to ask him anything.

The white lion stopped walking, causing her to pause also.

" Complete your thoughts, young one. Hesitation will lead to your downfall.," he advised.

" Yes. Right. Are we going the right way?"

A sound erupted from the lion's throat and Lan-Ying tensed herself encase it was a warning of a fight. It wasn't until the white feline turned to her, baring his sharp teeth in what she then realized was a smile, that it occurred to her that the terrifying noise was apparently a laugh.

" The palace is large and complex to trick and keep out intruders. But have faith, little dragon, that I have been here for a long while and know my way."

With that they continued their silent walk.

Finally, they arrived at a large room with a long black table encompassing most of it. It was low to the ground, with golden, flat cushions surrounding it.

Following a the nod from her companion, who sat down across from her, she took her place at the table, which she now saw was being laid with large bowls filled with warm broth and meat.

She noticed, for the first time, that the servants placing down the food looked human, except for their distinct, cat-like eyes.

Turning to ask the lion about the previously unseen servants, she was once again take back by the sight in front of her. A large man, covered in various animal skins and metal armor, mix-match together, was now in place of the lion. His white hair in a lose braid down his back and a well-trimmed beard looked at her with a gentle smile that did not fit in with his barbaric appearance.

" You are new to our world, little dragon. Everyone here is not as they seem, not even you. Do not fret or despair, and rest assure that you will adapt quickly."

The so-called little dragon did not have a reply, and so began eating with her companion.

Once they finished eating, the man stood and stretched, giving a shy smile as his bones made loud cracks.

" Apologies. After all these years, my body is not yet over the changes it undergoes."

" You said something before. About your time here. How long have you been with Chase?" she asked, still seated as she watched him.

The man stroked his beard in contemplation.

" Time passes differently for us. I would guess around nine hundred years, give or take a century. "

Lan-Ying's eyes widen at the number.

" N-nine hundred? How is that possible?" she stammered in surprise.

The man gestured vaguely.

" Magic, in some way or another. Do not question it, just embrace it. After all, you are part of our family now."

The term family shook the dragon to her core. It brought up the feeling of longing that cause her to make her deal in the first place.

" I am family? I will live as long as you?" she asked, rising from her position. She strode towards the man, a glimmer of something- maybe hope or astonishment- in her silted turquoise eyes.

The man nodded, before gesturing for her to once again follow him outside the room.

" You are family, but I cannot guarantee your life span. No one has a say in how long they survive in this world. Still, with Master's help, I feel confident that you will become strong. Now than, let us tour the palace while we wait Lord Chase's return. After all, you will need the break before your real training begins." he said with a wink.

With that, Lan-Ying was shown how large her new home really was.

Four dining rooms, each themed after a different culture's traditional dining ways (She was lead to the Japanese one because it was where her companion believed that she would feel most comfortable), 7 bedrooms, a couple of natural hot springs to bath in, and a whole host of training rooms, plus a throne room. By the time they were reaching the end of their tour, Lan-Ying was feeling a bit disoriented.

" Where do you sleep?" she asked suddenly.

The lion, for he had turned back to make her feel more at ease, chuckled.

" There is a sleeping areas for most of the servants. Those who have high positions, like Mao or I, have larger, more private rooms, but we come and go so often on Master's errands, that we rarely use them."

" Mao?" she asked, unfamiliar with any names.

The lion stopped with such suddenness, the dragon crashed into him and fell onto her back.

" I must apologies, little dragon. I have yet to introduce myself. I am General Njord Stein. But, seeing as that is a formal title and we are to see each other often, I request you call me Jor." He gave a flourished bow, which made Lan-Ying smile.

" Happy to know you, Jor."

As they continued to walk, chattering about nothing and everything, Njord gave a small warning.

" I was not joking when I said that intruders were an issue. Some are harmless idiots, like the painted flying boy, some are powerful Heylins and some are dangerous thieves and assassins. Please use caution and do not go unescorted unless you know your exact steps. Traps are hidden for a reason. "

Lan-Ying would laugh later about the irony of her next movement, as her tail flickered against the wall as they turned, hitting a stone that triggered the floor underneath her to open.

As the world around her froze as she descended into a dark abyss, the only thing she saw was Njord reaching for in her panic, an image that faded in the distance, until she saw nothing and felt a cold hard floor knock the breath from her body and the consciousness from her mind.

Chase left the battle in hurry. He vaguely heard the gloating voice of Jack Spicer ring through the air at his triumph in the showdown, but it was not something that concerned him at that moment.

He should have known better than to assume that a rare creature, showing up at his doorstep and pledging loyalty at a simple promise of a place to stay and belong, was nothing but an odd twist of fate.

Still, he could not believe that he would not notice a Xiaolin dragon harboring herself in his home.

Especially the dragon that had been haunting his heat-induced dreams and causing his body to act on it own.

He had to get home immediately and confirm his suspicions before he could undertake a plan of action.

What would his plan even be?

Kill her and make a fresh pot of soup?

Ransom her to the monks?

Or possibly . . . . . not take any action at all?

Had he not been laminating his displeasure over not obtaining her loyalty?

Now he had it, through a blood contract no less, she had place herself at his mercy, and there was no sides to choose. She had no memories of her Xiaolin fidelities. She was a Heylin now, whether she knew it or not.

The dragon emperor slowed his pace as he approached his home. His feline servants flanked him as he entered through his doors.

General Mao was the first to come to him. He looked in a panic.

" My lord. Lan-Ying has fallen into the dungeon through one of the hidden doors. We have been looking, but cannot locate which section she has fallen into." He said quickly.

Chase gave a sneer at the news and headed into the dark dungeons that housed some of the traitors and thieves that he had encountered in his reign.

When he arrived, he saw that his servants, some in human and some in feline form, were rushing about, giving out noises to indicate that they have not found her yet.

He noted with interest that General Stein looked particularly panicked, and he gave him a glance to insure that they would be discussing why his charge was in this situation.

Chase closed his eyes to concentrate. Slowly but surly, he could feel a faint heat coming from a small, enclosed space located in the deepest part of the dungeon.

He gave no indication to his servants where he was going.

Winding through the dripping, cold halls, he began his final decent to her location.

Suddenly, he felt a change in the air. As he went closer, it became warmer until a heat engulfed him.

Located in a corner, there was his dragon apprentice. She was standing shakily on all fours, and from her mouth erupted flames with every breath she took.

Finally noticing the other person in the room, she looked up at him with blurry, confused eyes.

Eyes that blazed with a blue fire that he recognized from many a showdown with the Xiaolins.

There was no doubt now. Lan-Ying was Kimiko Tohomiko and his new apprentice.

A chilling smile creped over his face and he laughed sincerely, for the first time in centuries.

So, I have been contemplating this for a while. I stated before, the rating might change, and as you may have guessed, this is bound to be a tale of romantic ( if I ever stop getting such delight of writing evil, in heat Chase). As of yesterday, I actually wrote a lemon scene. It is going to get published, mind you, but I am debating whether to publish all mature scenes in a separate fic, or just throwing them in, and posting warning before and after, so you can skip it if you want to.

What do you think?

Review and let me know if you are enjoying this too :)

And to anyone experience these late-spring storms, stay dry my friends.