The Bride of Chase Young Chapter 15
"No way! So then what happened?"
"She decided to move in with Tom again. Better than living with those bible beaters."
Marie and Wuya were sitting in Wuya's room. Wuya was painting Marie's toenails while Marie told her about her Christmas visit.
"So I heard Jack came to visit too. Is it true?" Asked Wuya, dipping the brush into the bottle.
"Yeah and you should have seen the way Tom flirted with him too. It was hilarious." said Marie. They chatted for a while longer as Marie typed away on her new laptop, a present from Tom.
"What are you writing anyway?" asked Wuya.
"Well, Tom gave me this computer so I can keep up with the world, so I'm gonna use it." replied Marie. "Oh, whaddaya know? A black guy became the U.S. President. Killer." suddenly, Wuya stiffened.
"I'm sensing a Shen Gong Wu! It's the Phoenix Tears!" she gasped. "it allows any wound to be healed." Marie leapt off the bed.
"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go!" she said. "I have to make up for the one I lost."
Twenty minutes later she, Chase and Wuya were in a rocky desert, on the trail of the Phoenix Tears. Marie was scanning the skies, looking for Dojo or Jack. Luckily, they were nowhere in sight. Wuya shuddered violently.
"Dang! It's close. Really close." she said. "But where?!"
"Chill Wuya." said Marie, climbing up a tall rock. "We'll find it." Suddenly, there was a rush of wind as Dojo flew low overhead.
"Aw hell!" cried Marie. "The Xiaolin dweebs! Let's go Chase!" she took off running, Chase grabbing her as he ran past. She saw the cowboy leap off the dragon and hit the ground running towards the Phoenix Tears.
"Curses!" screamed Chase. "We aren't going to make it!" Marie had a flash of inspiration.
"Chase, throw me!" she roared over the wind.
"What?!"
"Just do it! I'll go into a Xiaolin Showdown and get us that Wu!"
"I hope you know what you're doing!" said Chase as he threw her hard towards the Wu. She managed to grab a hold of the Wu just as Clay's hand touched it. Clay looked at her in shock.
"M-miss Marie!" he stammered. Marie smirked evilly.
"Clay, I challenge you to a Xiaolin showdown! It's my first so I'll make it easy for us both. A simple race across that sand patch, over the crags and up the mountain. My Jet Bootsu against your Fist of Tebigong. First one to the Wu wins." Clay hesitated a moment before sighing.
"It pains me to say it, but I accept your challenge Marie."
"Alright! Let's go! Xiaolin Showdown!" The landscape changed in a flash of light. The rocks and mountains grew higher and the sand began to shift restlessly.
"Okay, so much for this being easy." Said Marie quietly. Clay smiled kindly at her.
"Yeah, it gets pretty crazy ma'am." he said, tipping his hat to her politely. "But just so you know, I may not hit girls, but I won't go easy on ya."
"I don't need anyone to go easy on me." Marie snarled. "You fight to your fullest cowboy and so will I." Clays smile dropped and they shouted the traditional starting phrase. As soon as she could, Marie took off like a shot. Her first obstacle came when she stepped onto the shifting sands. The moment she set foot on it, it tried to grab her. She pulled her foot away with an almighty wrench, crying out.
"Jet Bootsu!" Her feet lifted just above the sands and hovered there. Whooping happily, she floated across the sand patch and deactivated the Wu once she was safely across. She ran to the tall crags, and leapt onto one, turning to see what Clay would do. She snickered when she saw him floundering in the sands, but her snickers turned to growls of rage when he used his Fist of Tebigong to smash a path through the sands. Marie snarled furiously and leapt up and over the crags she heard Clay racing behind her, smashing the rocks away.
"Give it up Missie!" he called. "I was raised on a farm! I've chased cattle faster than you!" he suddenly leaped ahead, leaving Marie in the dust.
"NO!!!" Marie screamed. She had to find a way to get back in the lead! She had to!
She was so involved in her thoughts, she wasn't watching her step. Her foot caught on a rock and she tripped, falling head over tail. She lay stunned for a moment before looking up. Clay was far ahead, he was nearly to the Phoenix tears!
Suddenly, inspiration struck her again! She began to sob brokenly, threw her head back and let out a howl of pain and sorrow.
"I'm sorry mother! I've failed! I've lost!" she cried, tears falling down her face. Clay stopped and looked back at her. She attempted to stand, but fell with a cry of pain, clutching her ankle.
"I'll never win with this! It's broken! I'm sorry mother! I'm sorry I've failed!" she sobbed. Clay turned back and walked to her.
"Hey now, why the tears Lil' lady?" he said as he knelt next to her on one knee. Marie sobbed and wiped at her tears.
"M-my mother is very ill!" she cried. "I g-got the news yesterday. Chase told me the only thing that would help her was the Shen Gong Wu we're fighting for! But he said if I wanted it, I had to fight for it. And with my ankle broken like this, I can't run! Now my mother will die! And it's all my fault! She'll die because I was so stupid!" she dissolved into sobs. Clay's heart melted at the sight of this young woman bawling.
"Aw come on, It ain't that bad." Clay soothed. "We could let ya use the Wu to heal your ma and you could just give it back to us." Marie shook her head.
"I asked Chase if we could try it, but he refused. It's all or nothing! I'm so sorry mother!" she cried. Clay untied the hankie around his neck and dabbed at her eyes gently.
"There there." he said softly. "Dry them tears Missie. Here, I'll help ya up and let ya have the Wu this time. I know how tough it is to lose yer ma. C'mon, up ya get!" he lifted her into a standing position. Marie slumped against him weakly.
"Thank you young man." she whispered. "You're so kind, so gentle...so gullible!" she snapped, pulling Clay's hat over his head and dashing away towards the mountain.
"And my mom's already dead moron!" she called over her shoulder as she clambered up the side of the mountain. She heard Chase and Wuya cheering and the Xiaolin warriors calling advice to Clay. But it was too late, Clay would never catch her! She could see the Wu on top of the mountain, She was almost there!
Suddenly, the rock began to crumble beneath her. She scrabbled for a hold, but she was falling. She managed to grab onto the Wu, just before she felt a blinding pain in the back of her skull and her vision went black.
Marie awoke quietly, opening her eyes slowly to find a mini sized Dojo sitting on her chest.
"Hey! Welcome back to the world of the living kid!" he said. Marie's head throbbed and she groaned.
"Where...where am I?" she muttered.
"You're in the Xiaolin temple kid. You got a nasty gash on your head from when you fell."
"Fell?" It began coming back to her. "Oh yeah. The mountain must have been weak or something."
"It wasn't the mountain." said a thick voice from the door. It was Clay. His eyes were red and bloodshot. Had he been crying? "It was my fault ya fell. I smashed the mountain when I saw you were gonna get the Wu. I've never hurt a girl before! I'm so sorry!" he covered his eyes with a hand and his shoulders shook.
"Wow, he's really shook up about this." Thought Marie. She motioned for Clay to sit next to her. "Hey, come here Clay sit down." Clay obeyed without a sound.
"Now you listen to me cowboy." Marie said sternly. "If I got hurt it was due to my own foolishness. I didn't activate the Jet Bootsu, and I suffered for it. And that's that." Clay sniffled a bit and gave a weak smile.
"I gotta admit, you were pretty convincing. Ya even had Raimundo fooled and he's good at sniffin' out lies." he said hoarsely. Marie smiled, then winced at the action.
"Hey, how did I get here anyway? And where's Chase?" An older man with a small beard entered the room with a bowl of water in his hands and a washcloth.
"Chase Young is meditating in the garden. How is our patient feeling Dojo?"
"Her head hurts a bit, but otherwise she's fine Master Fung." Master Fung knelt next to Marie, setting the bowl down and dipping the cloth into the water.
"As you are aware, you were injured in the showdown. We were the closest place with medical services, so you were brought here by Clay. That was two days ago." he said as he helped her into a sitting position and bathed her wound with warm water. "We wanted to use the Phoenix Tears on this wound, but Wuya made off with it after the showdown."
"Whatever. So, when can I go home?"
"Not until you're fully healed kid." said Dojo, curling up on Marie's lap. "We know Chase has a healer cat servant, but he agrees they don't have the skill to deal with a head wound like that."
"So how long until my head heals?" asked Marie, wincing as Master Fung applied a bandage.
"Well, your skull was cracked, and you have a couple broken ribs, but it's healing nicely. I'd say about two more days and you can leave." said Fung, finishing his work. "You must be hungry. You haven't eaten in a few days, so I'll bring you a bit of food. Please lie back and rest." He left Marie alone with Dojo and Clay, but was soon replaced by Omi, Raimundo and Kimiko.
"Oh! It seems that the girl has awoken. How are you?" Omi burbled happily.
"How many times are you guys gonna ask me that? Here's a blanket notice: I'm fine!" Marie barked, then groaned and clutched her head. "Mental note, no shouting with a cracked skull." Kimiko snickered vindictively.
"Serves you right for pulling a stunt like that." she smirked. Marie scowled at her.
"Oh yeah, like you've never tried the same thing?" she growled. "Don't get all high and mighty with me girl, I'm not in the mood."
"Please friends!" said Omi. "We mustn't fight! Our guest is sick and needs her rest." Kimiko snorted, turned on her heel and left.
"Spoiled little brat." Marie muttered under her breath.
"Hey, that's my girlfriend you're talking about!" snapped Raimundo.
"Then get her to back off! It's been months since you flirted with me that first time and I've done nothing to her!" Marie shot back furiously.
"Marie is right Raimundo." said Omi. "She has done nothing to warrant such behavior from Kimiko." Raimundo glared at the little monk angrily but silently admitted that he was right.
"Look, I'm not searching for a fight here, so let's just cool it." Marie soothed. "Omi, can you go and get Chase for me?" Omi nodded and took off. Raimundo sat next to Marie.
"So...you don't intend to leave Chase and cross over to the good side at any time?" he asked carefully.
"No. And if you ask me, the side of 'good' isn't all it's cracked up to be. You people, with the exception of Omi and Clay of course, are some of the most conniving people on earth. You are vicious and cruel and you can't help but gloat." she said, calmly at first but gaining in anger as she spoke. "You crash into Jacks place at least twice a week to steal his Wu that he won. Do you have any idea how many times he's gotten shocked because of your 'visits'?! Hundreds! He'll just be sitting in his lab, fixing his Jack bots, and you come crashing in and pillage the place like a bunch of savages. You can shove that side of 'good' where the sun don't shine."
"Marie, calm yourself."
Marie looked towards the door, her face lighting up like the fourth of July. Chase was standing there, his face calm but concerned and Omi right behind him. He walked over and knelt next to her.
"It's good to see you awake." he said. "How do you feel?"
"Not bad. As long as I don't breathe or move my head too much." Marie giggled weakly.
"Oh yeah, If we ask you get snippy, but if Chase asks you spill your guts." scoffed Raimundo. Marie growled at him.
"Omi, could you please take Raimundo and Dojo outside? I'd like to be with Chase without the sarcasm." she said. Omi nodded and shepherded Raimundo out. Dojo followed without complaint.
Chase tucked a loose lock of hair behind Marie's ear.
"You could have been killed." He said quietly. "It was touch and go for the first night. I thought I would lose you." Marie smiled.
"Nah, I'm too stubborn to die. Not to mention you'd be helpless without me." Chase didn't reply. He stared into her eyes, his own burning.
"That's not funny." he said after several tense moments. Marie nodded.
"Okay...sorry about that." she said, hugging him lightly. "I'll be more careful next time." Chase wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her hair. There was a small 'ahem' from the door. It was Master Fung with a tray of soup. Chase removed himself from Marie's embrace quickly.
"Pardon my intrusion." said Fung politely. "But I've prepared a soup for Marie. It has special herbs to help her sleep." Chase nodded.
"Good. She needs her rest." he stood to leave, but Marie grabbed his glove.
"Stay? At least until I'm asleep? Please?" she whispered. Chase nodded and sat back down. The herbs took effect almost immediately, and Marie fell asleep with Chases face fresh in her mind.
Marie came awake hours later. The temple was dark and Marie wasn't sure what had woken her up.
"Well well. This is a fine problem my son's gotten you into." said a voice from the corner. Marie gasped as the moon came out from behind a cloud, revealing Feng Young. She grasped her blankets, covering herself, demanding.
"What are you doing here?! What do you want?!"
"I heard you had been injured." said Feng. "Now this is something I would have never allowed. You would have been at home, safe." he stood up and walked to Marie's side. She tried to roll away, but a blast of pain from her ribs stopped her. Feng sat down, reaching out an arm and rolling Marie onto her back again.
"Now now. Not of that or you'll get worse." he whispered, waggling a finger at her. Marie curled her hand into a fist beneath her blankets.
"What do want?" she hissed. Feng gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind he ear and looked her in the eyes. His eyes had that sad haunted look in them again.
"You'll understand why I do this someday." he whispered before leaning down to kiss her neck. Marie gasped and tried to shove him away.
"You sick bastard!" She snapped. "Get off of me!" she tried to land a blow to his head with her fist, but he caught her hand before it could connect.
"Please...don't fight. I won't hurt you, but you have to be still." he whispered hurriedly. Marie thrashed wildly.
"Yeah right! I bet you tell all your rape victims that!!" She filled her lungs to scream, ignoring the pain it caused her broken ribs. Feng clamped a hand down over her mouth. He looked into her eyes again.
"Stop fighting!" he hissed. His eyes flashed angrily before returning to normal. "I have my reasons for this, So stop fighting! I'm not going to hurt you." Marie glared at him furiously as he stroked the side of her face.
Suddenly, Feng was blasted off of Marie by a huge jet of water. It was Omi and the others! Chase was glaring at his father with a look of sheer hatred, while the other warriors looked on in confusion.
"Prepare for humiliating defeat...ummm...who are you?" said Omi. Feng peeled himself off the opposite wall and stood up. Normally, his dripping wet appearance would have been comical, but for some reason, Feng made it look all the more evil.
"I am Feng." he said simply, his voice low and menacing. "I am Chase Young's father. Who are you children?"
"We are the Xiaolin dragons. Keep away from Marie!" snapped Omi, as Feng began inching towards her again. "She is wounded and in no shape for whatever it was that you were planning." fang made a quick move to try and snatch Marie, but Clay beat him to the punch. Literally. He clubbed Feng hard with one arm and grabbed Marie with the other. He handed her to Chase quickly before turning back to Feng.
"You low down dirty snake!" he thundered. "Didn't your ma ever teach ya how to treat a lady?!" Feng sneered at him.
"Like you can talk. You're the one who injured Marie." Clay fell back in shock, the truth of Feng's words hitting hard. Raimundo leaped forward, aiming a kick for Feng's head.
"At least he didn't do it on purpose!" he shouted. Feng blocked Raimundo's kick easily, throwing him across the room.
"Don't even try to stop me boy." Feng snarled. "You can't catch the wind!" There was a burst of wind and Feng was gone. Chase looked down at Marie in concern.
"Are you okay?" he asked. "Did he hurt you?" Marie shook her head quietly.
"No." she whispered. "I'm okay. My ribs are killing me though." she rested her head on Chase's shoulder tiredly. Dojo curled himself around her shoulders.
"Leave her with me for the night Chase. I'll keep her safe." he said. Chase glared at him.
"Why would I entrust her to you?" he growled. Dojo shrugged.
"She can't have any better guardian than a purebred dragon."
"Fine." said Chase. "But if she gets hurt on your watch, you WILL be my next meal. Clear?" Dojo gulped and nodded.
Twenty minutes later Marie was lying on her bedroll again, Dojo curled on her chest.
"Hey kid." Dojo said quietly. "Can I ask you something?"
"You just did, but sure. " Marie replied.
"You got any idea why Feng keeps coming after you?"
"Chase says he wants to steal me away from him." Marie sighed. "But I think he has a different reason." She then proceeded to tell Dojo about her previous encounter with Feng. He went rather quiet when she was done.
"How long did you say he's been around?" he asked.
"Since Chase was ten. I'm not sure yet, but I don't think Feng wants to hurt anyone..."
"What do you mean?"
"Every time I look at him his eyes are so sad. I can't even describe how sad they look. And he keeps saying he has his reasons. What does that mean? What reasons could he have for killing his wife, torturing his son, and trying to steal his son's girlfriend?"
"I don't know, but it's best to think once you've had a good nights sleep. See you in the morning kid."
"Night Dojo." said Marie quietly, allowing her mind to fall into the dark shroud of sleep.
Not far away, perched high in a tree over looking the temple, Feng looked down on the building for a moment before disappearing in a gust of wind.