Chapter 12: Hunt

Mornings had never been Rhea's strong point; she'd never got use to it even when training at the temple and after a night out drinking in Shibuya didn't make things any easier. Kimiko had sent her a message at five, to brag about the team's new Wudai weapon. Rhea had simply tossed the phone aside to address it when she was fully awake and snuggled back into her blankets. It wasn't much later when Yuki woke up and awoke Rhea with a routine deafening roar. Grumbling incoherently Rhea swung her legs out of bed standing on her discarded cell phone, slowly replying to Kimiko before throwing the phone on her bed. She exchanged her sleep attire for one of many heavy kung-fu jackets and capri pants before heading out to her morning training session.

Thanks to Yuki's intervention each morning Rhea hadn't been late for training and for once she had also arrived before her Master.

"Well that's rare, maybe he over slept for a change." Rhea did some stretches then sat down in the centre of the room to meditate; going at her own pace was rather refreshing for once. Ten minutes passed and Rhea got bored of waiting. "Come on Yuki, let's go for a run. I've been here a few weeks now and not even explored the area."

The leopard watched the girl march out the room and decided to follow.

The barren wasteland around Chase's layer wasn't the adventure she had been hoping for; as she used the dragon wing fan Shen gong Wu to fly down the side of the mountain Rhea could see everything. To the north was a spooky looking forest and to the west and east were more mountains.

"Wow Chase certainly rules a lively area." Rhea joked, she felt like Aladdin riding on this giant fan.

Yuki transformed into her human form since it was the only form she could talk in, "Well this is the land of Nowhere."

The pink haired woman sniggered "You're joking right?"

"I've never joked in my whole life." Yuki stated seriously, "That forest over there is the Jungle of Neither Here nor There and if you go west you'll come to the Valley of Somewhere."

"Whoever thought of those needs a medal for creativity?" Rhea remembered something important, she checked her phone and re-read the message from Kimiko, and she had mentioned something called the treasure of the blind swordsman, which could supposedly make any wish come true. "Hey Yuki I've got an idea, I'll need your help."

The fallen warrior looked at Rhea quizzically "Well I suppose I can help."

The younger girl grinned turning the flying Shen Gong Wu back towards the layer "I need to get something first."

"Just what have I got myself into?" Yuki sighed.

"Why exactly are we here?" the pair were hiding at the edge of the forest near to the monk's temple.

"I have business, which requires you to distract them."

"You're being very secretive about this Rhea-san."

"You'll see afterwards. So go forth and bug the hell out of them." Yuki simply shrugged and headed up the stone staircase with her bow in hand. "Right I wonder how this'll go down." Rhea placed a blue and white mask on her face "Mask of Rio." Rhea's body took on the properties of a chameleon and blended in with her surroundings.

Even on her own, Yuki was more than a challenge for the five young monks. She managed to keep them at bay with her archery skills. Her movements were swift and none were wasted; if she dodged she let loose a rain of arrows at the same time.

"Careful kids I can smell Chase Young and also cat fur." Dojo warned poking his head out from underneath Clay's hat, where he usually took cover during fights.
-

Rhea peered over the temple wall watching Yuki fight with the monks who weren't doing so well. She slipped over the wall and headed off to the vault. Creeping down the spiral stone stairs and pushed each draw open on her way down looking for a particular Shen Gong Wu.

"Why the hell can't people label things?" grumbling she soon came across the one she wanted, though its appearance didn't fit the name, "Sapphire dragon? More like sooty dragon." She mused and left with the item.
-

Yuki dodged the clumsy attacks; the monks were still not use to using their Wudai weapons. The fallen warrior used her bow as a staff and swept Omi off his feet before leaping onto the temple walls. She had transformed back into her leopard form mid-jump. The monks were caught off guard an exploding arrow of intervention from an unseen source assisted Yuki's escape.

"What the hell just happened?" Raimundo cursed loudly, throwing his Wudai weapon at the ground.

"Watch your language Raimundo." Master Fung warned Dojo relocated himself to the old Master's shoulders now that the fighting was over with.

"I do not understand, she came to fight and then left." The monks were deeply puzzled by the pointless battle.

"I do not believe she was acting alone."

"What makes you say that?" Clay questioned,

"Someone has stolen the Sapphire Dragon from the vault."

"Why would anyone steal that? No one can control it."

Omi managed to put the string of events in some form of order "But we all saw that lady turn into a cat so she must be working for Chase Young." The bald monk jumped on Jermaine "You worked for Chase Young you must know what he is planning!"

The older monk pried Omi off him "What's that suppose to mean?"

"For all we know you could still be working for him! You lost my orb of Tornami and conveniently things to happen after you returned to the temple!"

"O so you instantly blame me? And here I thought we were friends." Jermaine snapped back, the monks were up in each other's face ready to break out into another fight.

The wise old master stepped in between them and handed them both a staff "Young monks, perhaps a little sparring might be in order."

Kimiko objected instantly "They're ready to rip each other to shreds, and you want to arm them?"

Pleased with her productive day, Rhea returned to Chase's layer eagerly wanting her bed. She pondered as she walked up the massive staircase: where had Chase been all day. Rhea was brought back to her senses by a high pitch screeching noise.

"What hell is that?" Rhea and Yuki investigated the commotion.

As she entered the dining room where the noise was coming from, a red haired monkey shaped monstrosity hurtled towards her.

A loud yelp passed Rhea's lips before she stepped in to meet her opponent with a swift kick to the ribcage.

"What did I do?" the thing that attacked her sat snivelling on the titled floor.

"Jack-chan?" even though she realised who it was, Rhea stood her ground not assisting the teen.

Jack groaned as he clambered to his feet, still cradling his chest "That hurt."

"I didn't recognise you….why do you look and smell like monkey?"

Monkey Jack held up a long staff with a monkey totem on one end "The Monkey staff."

"Well isn't this interesting, scared of monkeys are we?" Wuya sneered, watching Rhea dodge Jack who only wanted a hug.

"I'm not scared of anything." Rhea snarled back tripping Jack over "I just hate them." She turned round to face Wuya but didn't see the ghost. "Where's Wuya? I heard her but I don't see her."

"I'm right here you insolent brat."

Rhea stared at the red haired woman who had been sat at the large table "Not what I expected."

"And what were you expecting?" the women glared at each other even in human form it seemed Wuya was going to annoy her.

"I thought you'd be purple….and a zombie for some reason." Rhea finally acknowledged that Chase had been sat there ignoring the banter reading his evil newspaper, "AH! While I remember, where the hell were you this morning? I actually got there before you." Rhea exclaimed loudly pointing at the man.

"I had business to attend to." He stated coolly not giving Rhea any more information than needed.

Clicking her tongue Rhea walked over to the door "Leave a note next time. I'm going to bed I've had a busy day myself." She huffed and stormed off Yuki trotted quietly beside. "I hate his smug attitude sometimes."