Chapter 5 - The Witch
But, how? How could this happen? Why would she do all of this? Ray's head swarmed with questions. His heart cinched in his chest and made it hard to breathe.
"I-I do not understand. She just said, "No." And then she mentioned something about bringing order to a chaotic world. Does that mean she is really good? Or does it mean…" The young monk put his face in his hands and fell to his knees before finishing his sentence.
Omi rushed up to his young disciple and knelt down, "Raymundo! What is wrong? Are you all right?" He received no response and his head jolted up to look at Dojo, "Dojo! What happened to Raymundo? Was he injured?"
The little dragon's mind scrambled for a way to respond, "Y-yeah! I'm pretty sure he's under some kind of spell! He needs to rest. Let's take him to his room and let him lay down."
Omi carefully lifted the motionless boy and carried him to his room.
Laying Ray down on his mat, the master noticed a red line on one side of his face.
What could that be? It looks like a burn. Omi put his hand on Ray's face and the boy flinched, but still did not speak.
Dojo slithered up to the two monks and peered over the young student's face, his attention also being drawn to the wound. Oh man, Ray. What did that girl do to you?
"Don't worry about Ray, Omi. I'll watch over him. You go take care of the rest of the temple," the dragon waved his hand to dismiss the elder monk.
Omi nodded and rose to his feet, "All right Dojo. I will make certain that this villain is not still at large," he ran off, leaving the other two alone.
Ray lay motionless on his mat. He was fully aware of the world around him, but ignored it to focus on the questions pounding in his head. He could not comprehend why Jacki would deny his request, kiss him and then run away.
Maybe she is being forced to do evil and she really wants to change sides! Or maybe she likes me too and I can convince her to be good if I just talk to her more!
He refused to give up hope on the young girl. He believed that she had a strong sense of justice, especially after what she had told him about bringing order to the world. Ray did not agree with her idea that the world needed to be drastically altered. However, he assumed that her energy could be redirected from trying to take over the world to helping protect it.
There is no way that she can be completely evil. Such an amazing and beautiful woman cannot be all bad. He attempted to rationalize his infatuation.
While Ray was tossing ideas around his head, Dojo was trying to snap him back into reality. The dragon took the young monk by his collar and shook him violently, "Ray! Snap out of it, kid!"
A sharp pain in his neck finally dragged Ray back to the real world, "Ok, ok! Dojo, please stop! I'm all right now!"
The dragon stopped shaking Ray and let go of his shirt. Leaping off of his lap, Dojo turned back and inquired, "What did she do to you, Ray? What's with that mark on your face?"
Ray remembered the burn on his cheek and rubbed it gently with one finger, sending a sting to the area. The burn was still fresh and felt moist, as if it had gone a few layers deep into his skin. He hoped that it would not scar and got up to grab something to treat it with, "Come with me Dojo, I'll tell you everything."
As the two walked through the hallway, Ray explained the situation to his friend. He revealed everything that Jacki had said, and all that she had done. Ray hoped that, since Dojo was older and wiser than he, that the little dragon might have some insight as to what her reaction had meant.
Unfortunately, Dojo was clueless as to why she had behaved in such a manner. As old as he was, the female mind was something that he still could not comprehend in the slightest. His only idea was that the witch was toying with Raymundo, perhaps even trying to manipulate and use the boy to her advantage.
The pair soon arrived in the kitchen. Ray took a dish rag from the under sink, dampened it with cold water and held it to his injured cheek. He winced, but, after the short second of pain, the coolness of the towel began to sooth his wound. He was glad that the red mark from the slap on his other cheek had faded and hoped that his burn would heal quickly as well.
"Well Ray, I'm not sure what to tell you," Dojo hopped up onto his friend's shoulder, "I think she was just messing with you. Girls will do that a lot. You should just forget about it."
Ray's heart pounded in his chest as his mind drifted back to thinking about Jacki, "But how can I? You did not see her Dojo. She is just so beautiful and graceful. How can someone so amazing be evil?"
He began to dance an airheaded jig, "And she kissed me! She must love me too. I know I can bring her to our side. And then we can be a couple and fight for justice together!" He ended his dance in a dramatic stance, holding his fist in the air as if he were some kind of superhero.
Dojo sighed and slapped his face with his scaly palm. Oh, this kid. He's got a lot to learn.
He searched his mind for a gentle way to convince Ray that his plan was probably hopeless, "You know something, Ray? I really don't think this girl will ever turn to our side. She sounds like some kind of Templar if you ask me."
Ray came out of his majestic pose and stared at Dojo with confusion drawn across his face, "Huh? What are you talking about?"
Dojo scratched his head, "Oh yeah. You haven't learned much about European history yet. Sorry, I forgot.
"Well, I won't confuse you with a random lesson right now. But, basically what I'm saying is that your plan might not work. I mean, I'm not saying that she's completely evil. It's great that she has a sense of order and everything, but that doesn't mean that she can be a heroine. It could mean that she'll never join us because she wants to forcibly change-"
The dragon was cut off by Ray shoving him, quite forcefully, to the floor, "You're wrong! She is good, I know it! She has to be! You don't know anything! She will join us someday! Just you wait and see!" The boy screamed, heartbroken by Dojo's words.
Ray was in complete denial that the woman he felt such a strong attraction to could be entirely evil. His stubborn male mind could not grasp that he was wrong about Jacki and he did not want to admit that the truth was anything other than what he wanted to believe. Dojo is wrong! Jacki has to have a good side. I will change her. I bet if I just went to her house and talked to her…
His eyes shot open as wide as a pair of ping pong balls and he grinned impishly as a new plan began to form in his mind. He dashed off, confident that his new strategy was certain to work.
Meanwhile, Dojo rubbed his tail, which was rather sore from being hitting the hard, wooden floor when he fell.
Noticing that Ray had run off at top speed with a conspicuously cheeky grin, he sighed and shook his head. What is that crazy kid thinking now? He's going to get hurt. I can't let him put himself in danger.
The little dragon lifted himself up and slithered off, his mind scrambling for a plan to help his friend.
Ray spent the rest of the day dashing around to some surrounding towns, asking if anyone had seen or heard of Jacki. He was lucky to find a group of villagers nearby that had seen her approaching the temple and they were able to give him directions as to where she had come from. The hopeless romantic convinced himself that fate would bring them together and immediately began planning a trip to visit her.
As he gathered food and supplies for his journey, he was completely unaware that Dojo had watched him the whole time that he had visited their neighbors. The little dragon understood what Ray was planning and knew that it could only end in disaster.
Ray's hasty actions made him unaware of one fact which had not escaped the rest of the Xiaolin. This was that Jacki had caused the deaths of a few monks from the temple.
A group had been meditating in the first building that she set fire to and had not come out of their trance in time to escape. They were crushed by collapsing supports and she had been aware of this. The monks also inferred that she knew, since there was little chance that she had not seen the victims. The group had been in the back of the building, which was the first to collapse. This meant that the source of the flames had to have been from that location. The monks learned this from studying the remains of the building.
Because Raymundo had run off immediately after the assault, he had not gotten a chance to hear the news.
However, Dojo had.
Thus, the little dragon knew that he had to keep track of Ray to ensure the boy's safety. They were dealing with a murderer. Not the sweet, kind woman that the love-struck youth had created an image of.
Dojo decided to spy on Ray and follow him wherever he went for the next few days, as it was clear that he had big plans since he was gathering supplies and told no one why.
It took Ray until the next evening to prepare himself for his journey.
He spent all day avoiding everyone else at the temple to keep from arousing too much suspicion. He made sure to leave before dinner, knowing that everyone would have tried to stick their faces into his business if he did not escape. The evening meal made people extra social.
As he crept away, the young monk felt an odd twisting in his gut and feared that he was being followed. Still, he passed it off as nervousness. He was certain that no one knew of his plans, and could not see anyone following him.
Dojo had easily escaped his sight.
The journey to Jacki's house was a rather long one and Ray began to doubt that the note which he had left in excuse for his absence would sustain his cover for a long enough time. Nevertheless, he assumed that no one would have a clue as to where he was, so he did not worry about it.
After about three days of travel, he finally arrived at the house which sources had told him was where Jacki lived.
He was grateful to all of the people that had helped him find her and silently thanked them as he approached the door.
The residence looked no different from any other on the block. The house's white walls, yellow roof and three windows on front mirrored those of the surrounding homes.
This way of life was not completely new to Ray. Omi and Dojo had not wanted him to grow up in total isolation like many monks before him, and had flown him around to see towns and cities before. It was during these trips that the two had explained to him that his way of life was very unique compared to the vast majority of people.
Because he had this understanding, Ray was not overwhelmed by his adventure.
He also thought it safe to assume that, because Jacki's house looked so much like any other, she could not be as evil as she made herself out to be. If an evil Heylin witch could grow up in this kind of environment, then there would certainly be a lot more of them, since this kind of life is so common. He rationalized as he knocked on the door gently.
Jeff heard the knocking and was quite surprised to have a visitor. His wife had warned him that she would be working late tonight, so he knew it could not be her.
He put down the bowl of pancake batter that he had been mixing and hurried to the door without bothering to take off his dirty apron.
"Yes? Who is it?" He asked as he opened the door carefully, not knowing what to expect.
The man had no reason to worry, as he was greeted by a kind-looking young man dressed in a monk's garments.
"Hello, Sir. My name is Fong Zhe Raymundo," the boy bowed deeply out of respect, "Is Jacklyn home?"
Jeff smiled at the thought of his daughter having a friend as humble as this young man.
He was slightly worried that this visitor may be more than just Jacki's friend, as nearly any father of a teenage girl would be. But, he decided not to assume anything indefinite and responded politely, "Yes, she is. She's downstairs in the basement working on something right now."
Ray lifted out of his bow, "May I please speak with her about something? Do you think she would be upset if I distracted her?" He hoped that she was not too busy to talk.
Jeff waved his hand to dismiss the young man's worries, "Oh, not at all. She's always working on something or another down there, so I'm sure you wouldn't be a bother at all.
"But, would you like to stay for dinner? I was just preparing some pancakes. Fridays are breakfast-for-dinner nights in our house. Jacki's mother won't be home in time for the meal, so we will have an extra serving."
"Really? That would be wonderful. I would love to stay. Thank you very much," Ray was happy to accept the offer, as his supplies were slightly low from the long journey. Besides that, he would get to have dinner with the girl of his dreams! How could he turn down an offer like that? He bowed very deeply once again.
"You don't need to bow, young man. Your thanks in words will do," Jeff smiled and welcomed the boy in.
Ray shot up from his bow and nodded, "Okay. Thank you," he repeated as he entered the house and knelt down to remove his shoes, placing them next to the others that he saw near the door.
Jeff showed Raymundo into the kitchen, which coincidentally contained the staircase that led down to the basement.
"Jacki is down there," Jeff motioned to a door, "You're more than welcome to speak with her while I finish dinner."
He then picked his bowl of batter back up, continued stirring and glanced over to check his recipe book.
"Thank you, Mr. Spicer," Ray opened the door, took a deep breath and headed down the stairs.
Jeff chuckled to himself as the boy closed the door. Mr. Spicer. Why does that make me feel so old?
The walk down the stairs was a dark and ominous one. The only light to guide Raymundo's steps came from the cracks around the door frames at either end of the staircase, creating an even more frightening experience.
Even though both doors were visible, marching down the stairs seemed to take an eternity. The air felt thick and sticky in Ray's lungs. With the constant fear of being attacked by a cobweb, the young monk guarded his face with his hands until arriving at the bottom of the staircase.
Without turning back, Ray hesitantly tapped on the door before him.
Meanwhile, Jacki had been studying a matter-manipulation spell, but paused when she heard the knock on the door, "Ugh. I'm busy, Jeff," she mumbled to herself.
Still, this is a good time to practice this new spell. She figured as she checked her spell book one more time.
As per the book's directions, Jacki lifted her right hand and focused all of her energy into her palm. Then, she extended her fingers, shifting her focus into each one at a time. Once her fingers were completely spread out, she felt a chain of power connecting her to the door. Using the strength of this magical bond, Jacki was able to shift the latch with a twitch of her thumb and open the door by pulling her hand back slowly. Any fast motions could have severed the chain.
The instant she saw Raymundo's face at the door however, her focus collapsed and she gasped in shock. What the hell is he doing here? How did he find my house?
Ray simply waved meekly at the stunned girl, "H-hi there, Jacki. May I come down and talk to you?" He requested timidly.
At first, she was at a loss for words, but shook it off and decided that she could spare him a few minutes. It would have been rude not to and she figured that it wouldn't do her any harm. She nodded and beckoned with her hand, "Yeah, sure. Come on down."
Ray's heart felt a jolt of glee and he scrambled down the stairs.
The feeling of being in such a personal environment with his crush was surreal to the young monk. As he stared into her eyes, he almost forgot why he had journeyed all the way to her house. Just being with her in such an intimate setting was more than he could handle.
However, an irritated look on Jacki's face brought him back to reality, "Well, are you going to say something, or just stand there staring at me like a lost puppy?"
As his brain started to function again, Ray shook his head to erase his dumbfounded reaction and prepared himself to speak.
"S-sorry. Um, I really do not know the best way to say this," he chuckled, making a sad attempt to lighten the atmosphere and calm himself down.
Dang it! I played this scene in my head over and over! I thought of thousands of ways to present this. Why can't I think of one? He wrestled through the jumbled mess of thoughts in his brain, searching for a way to avoid seeming foolish.
Jacki was slightly amused by the boy's frantic and sheepish reaction. Yet, something inside of her hated to see him suffer and fight with himself.
She figured she might as well help him out, "If you have something to say, just say it. I don't care what words you use. Don't worry about making a fool of yourself or anything. Just speak what's on your mind."
Although her speech was harsher than what Ray was accustomed to hearing, he took her advice to heart. He bolstered his confidence and took a deep breath to calm himself down before speaking.
"Well," he let out his breath and allowed words to flow out along with it, "I want to renew my offer to you about joining our side.
"But, before that, I would like you to explain to me why you are on the Heylin side in the first place. Why do you not wish to join the side of justice?"
Ray's prepared himself to be trampled on by Jacki's response. He felt relief for getting things off his chest, but knew to expect resistance from her.
"Justice?" Jacki shot a puff of air through her teeth, "Pft! That's what you call it? Letting people live like idiots and do whatever they please is not justice. It's anarchy."
"We do not let people do whatever they please! We punish criminals. Bad people are put into jail every day to keep them from hurting others," he did his best to defend all of what he knew about the modern justice system, remembering that the temple supported crime-fighters of all sorts.
"That may be true," Jacki conceded, flipping one palm up to the side, "But on the other hand," she mimicked her previous gesture on the opposite side, "A justice system that lets a prisoner out early (which happens quite often, in case you didn't know) under any circumstances is completely corrupt.
"And what about all the little kids that are bullied on the playground at school? What about people who get into fights over stupid, trivial things? What about so-called 'lovers' who abuse one another in their relationships? What about people who face discrimination everyday of their lives just because they are different from the norm? You and your 'justice system' are never there to help those who really need it. People suffer in silence every day and are shot down when they reach out for help.
"And don't even tell me that they don't really need help. People that develop mental disorders and go through pain every moment of their lives on account of abuse need help more than anyone. We live in a world where hate and discrimination are normal. I can't let that go unchecked. Controlling everyone in this world is the only way to truly bring justice. Order must defeat chaos, and I'll gladly be the one to represent it."
Ray was flabbergasted by her logic. Everything that she said made sense. He did not doubt that it was wrong, but he could not find any flaws in it. He concentrated for a moment, trying to think of some way to retaliate.
"But if people were to have no freedom at all, what would be the point in living? That would be an awfully boring world, if you ask me. Sure, we can't stop all of the bad things that happen in the world, but that doesn't mean that we need to control everything.
"I know that there are bad people out there, but there are good ones as well. Maybe if you just met a few of them, then you would understand."
Ray took a step closer to her and extended his hand as he had before, "The monks at the temple are very kind, trust me. We will help you find a better life. If you just come back with me, I promise you that-"
He was cut off by Jacki shoving his hand away and glaring at him, her eyes laced with fury, "You just think the Xiaolin are all that, don't you? You must think that you're all just so perfect, huh?
"Well, you're not. I can tell you're just trying to get me to switch sides because you're afraid that I'll defeat you!"
She paused for a moment and brought a finger to her lips thoughtfully, "Or is it something else? Is it because you can't deny my logic, but you don't want to be punished for opposing your masters? Or, maybe, it's because you like me, don't you? You want to have a pretty girl on your side for some eye candy every now and then, huh?"
She leaned in closer to him and the sweet, floral smell of her perfume assaulted his nostrils, clouding his thoughts once again.
It was a combination of all her suggestions at this point. However, Ray knew that if she found that out, then his chances of recruiting her would be greatly diminished.
He struggled to collect his thoughts, "N-no! I simply wish to protect the world and keep you from throwing your life away. I wish to see you fight for true justice. I know that you would make a wonderful ally."
She glared straight into his soft, handsome eyes, but refused to get lost in them as she had before, "That was a lie. I know that you were lying. A person's pupils dilate when they lie."
Ray's mind became a jumbled mess once again. Oh no, really? I didn't know that. Why did she have to know something like that? He began to feel sweat dripping down his forehead as he scrambled for a way to defend himself.
"Well, maybe I do like you. So what? You like me too, so why shouldn't we be on the same team?"
Even though they had not been moving, it felt as though everything in the world came to a screeching halt at that moment.
Jacki's eyes popped open in shock, "Waaaaaait a second! Back up!" She spun her hands in circles to simulate a reverse-spinning motion as she leaned away from him, "What did you just say? I like you? I've got news for you Mister-"
Just as she lifted her finger to make a point, her father pranced into the room, "Hey, you two, dinner is ready!" He smiled, completely unaware as to the gravity of what he was interrupting.
Both the teens heard their stomachs gargle simultaneously. Neither could resist the temptation of food.
"We'll continue this conversation later," Jacki shook her finger in Ray's face, intent on keeping control over the situation.
The atmosphere at the dining table was less than pleasant.
Jacki glared menacingly at Ray from across the table. Don't say a word. If you say anything stupid with my dad in the room you will never know the meaning of peace again.
She did not need to speak her thoughts. Ray could gather everything from the spiteful look in her eyes.
Still, he worried that the silence would make her father uncomfortable enough to inquire, so he decided to make small talk, "These pancakes are quite delicious, Mr. Spicer. What kind of fruit is in them?"
Jeff smiled, grateful to finally receive a compliment on his cooking, "Some have bananas and others have blueberries and raspberries. I got the berries at the farmer's market yesterday. Don't they taste wonderful?"
Ray nodded and swallowed his mouthful, "Absolutely. They are very fresh. We rarely find berries this sweet at my home."
"Is that so? Where do you live?"
The young monk froze as he dipped his forkful of pancake in a puddle of syrup on his plate. The dough began to absorb the syrup, turning into a saturated, sugary mush as he searched for some kind of answer to Jeff's question.
At the other side of the table, Jacki stared him down even more intently and lead him to believe that telling her father the truth was not a good plan, "W-well, I'm not from around here. I-it is kind of a small town, you probably would not be familiar with it," he stuffed the goopy pancakes into his mouth, hoping that the conversation would change direction before he got into any trouble.
Jacki decided to bring up a new subject, "So, Father, this syrup is quite tasty. Where did you get it?"
Jeff was surprised at his daughter's inquiry, as she was not usually one to initiate a conversation. He took it as a sign that she wanted to prevent him from finding out the truth about Ray's home, which made him slightly uneasy. Yet, he did not want to upset his daughter or seem rude to his guest, so he followed along with Jacki's topic.
"I got that at the farmer's market as well. It's real, fresh-pressed maple syrup from an orchard not too far from here. I know that you and your mother love real maple syrup, so I bought it, even though it was a bit more expensive."
"Well, it was worth the money. This is some of the best syrup I've ever had!" She took another bite and gave Ray a pleasant, yet oddly threatening smile, "Wouldn't you agree, Ray?"
The young monk nodded, perhaps too frantically to avoid arousing suspicion, "You bet! I love it, even though I have never even had syrup before…" He scratched the back of his head, slightly embarrassed to say so.
Jeff chuckled, "Well, I'm glad to have made your first maple syrup experience a good one!"
Both men laughed and Jacki smiled, happy to see that they were getting along. Even though it might complicate things later, the fact that they all were having a good conversation gave her a warm feeling inside her chest.
She hypothetically slapped herself to snap her mind out of its sentimental lapse. Crap! Not the warm, fuzzy feeling! Go away! I'm evil, evil, evil! Conquerors of the world don't get melodramatic. I've got to stay focused.
The fear that she would lose control and let her emotions get the better of her judgment was one of the few things that Jacki truly feared. Feelings were what led people to do stupid things and she refused to let herself become just another foolish member of the human race.
Even though she knew that her father would give her hell later, she had to get Ray out of her house, and out of her life.
She placed her utensils on her plate calmly, "Say, Ray. Would you like to go talk outside when you're finished eating?"
Her tranquil temperament confused the young monk, but he figured that it would be a great opportunity for them to finish what they had started in the basement. Fresh air always helped him relax as well, and he could use that after such an awkward dinner.
"That sounds great."
His smile was met by a cold reaction from Jacki, who stood up and began to walk away. Without even looking back at him, she responded in a flat, emotionless tone, "I'll be waiting for you in the front yard. Come out whenever you're ready."
As she walked out of the room, both Ray and Jeff were silent. Neither of them knew what to say. There really was nothing to say at that point. Jeff got the feeling that his daughter had something very important to say to their visitor, and that it was nothing good. Likewise, Ray had the suspicion that another battle was on the horizon between the two of them. These understandings made the end of the meal no less awkward than the beginning, with most of it being drawn out by silence.
Ray ate the majority of the pancakes and sausage on his plate. He was still slightly hungry, but did not ask for more. His upbringing had led him to believe that asking for seconds was rude and he wanted nothing less than to seem unappreciative to his kind host.
"Thank you very much for the meal. Where should I put my dishes?" He placed his utensils on his plate in a similar fashion that Jacki had.
Jeff noticed the few bites that the young man had left on his plate and was slightly puzzled by his somewhat meager appetite, "Are you sure you wouldn't like more? There's plenty left. Didn't you like it? You didn't even clear your plate. Most boys your age can eat twice what you did!" He chuckled a bit, in an attempt to lighten the mood.
Ray shook his head, "No, I mean, yes. I enjoyed the meal very much! It is just customary in my home to leave a bit of food even after you finish. On the contrary, it shows that one is quite satisfied with their meal and that they do not need more," he figured it best to explain his manors, knowing that many people were not familiar with them. In the modern age, many old traditions and mannerisms had been lost. This was something that Omi and Dojo had let him know in the past.
Jeff did not completely understand, as these ways were new to him. Still, he figured it best not to question them. The young man's actions appeared to be well-meant and polite, which he very much appreciated from a boy of that age.
"I see. You can just leave them there then."
"All right," Ray shifted the remaining bits of food to the edge of his plate with his knife, "Thank you again. The meal was delicious."
"You are very welcome. Now, go ahead outside. It's best not to keep my daughter waiting," Jeff chuckled slightly.
Ray joined in, his laugh revealing a considerable amount of nervousness, "Yes, you are probably right."
Jacki was sitting patiently among the branches of a ginkgo tree when Ray came out to meet her.
"Hey! May I climb up there with you?" The young monk called up to her from below.
She shook her head, "No, that's fine. You can stay down there," her words seemed to be more of a command than a suggestion.
Ray assumed it best to remain where he was, "So, um, have you given any more thought to my offer?"
There was a heavy amount of sarcasm in her response, "Well duh. It's all that I could think about. Why else would I have been sitting there glaring at you the whole time?"
He felt stupid for asking, but was determined not to let it mess with his head. He retaliated in complete earnest, being careful not to play the fool, "So, then…What do you say?"
Even though she had denied him so indecisively at first, Ray still clung to the hope that she would change her mind. People were fickle creatures. She could realize her mistakes at any time. What better time than after getting to know one another better and having a nice dinner? He felt that spending time together had built a bond between them, one that they could possibly call 'friendship.'
Jacki, however, did not feel this connection, "My answer is still no."
The words ripped a hole in Ray's heart. The world fell to pieces around him and all he could hear was her voice, repeating the word 'no' over and over again. She sounded so absolute in her response. He began to doubt whether she would ever change her mind. He wanted to fall to his knees and beg, but knew that it would not impress her.
"Why?" He could not think of anything better to say. He was nearly out of ideas.
She sighed, "I've told you why. I want to fix this corrupted hell-hole," she took a pause and hopped down from the tree. There was no longer a need for physical distance to symbolize the gap in their morals.
Jacki felt that getting in Ray's face would put more impact on the next topic she wanted to bring up, "But anyway, let's get back to what we started earlier."
The young man's mind was so trapped in the moment that he could not even recall what she was referencing, "A-and what was that?" He stammered weakly, hardly able to speak from the pain clawing at his chest.
"You know…" she leaned in, bringing her nose nearly an inch from his, "The whole thing about me 'liking' you."
His heart jumped, sewing itself together again. That's right! Maybe she will agree to be with me. We could enter a relationship, and then I could convince her.
The devastation of her complete rejection blinded him to the faults in his logic. His entire thought had made no sense, but he did not care. He only wanted to cling to his last shreds of hope. Hope was the only thing that gave his life purpose. He had felt all throughout his life that if he lost hope, then his life would become meaningless. He refused to give up on the one he cared for.
"Y-yeah"
After this first word, Ray felt the lock in his throat break and his mouth began to spill out every thought that was in his head, "We could go out sometime and become boyfriend and girlfriend. Then we would have time to talk more and get to know each other better. Maybe we would learn to agree and work together. What do you say? Would you like to go out with me sometime?"
His smile was so pure and innocent that it made Jacki want to spit in his face.
She was growing sick of his immaturity. This boy knew nothing. He was so foolish and oblivious of the horrors that existed in the world. It nearly hurt her to look at him. His delusion exemplified yet another flaw in the human race.
Her eyes narrowed and a few pieces of hair fell in front of her face, making Ray aware that what he had said did not have the effect that he had hoped it would, "Don't make me puke, boy. You are the biggest idiot I have ever met. What makes you think that I like you?"
At first, Ray tried to convince himself that it was a joke. She must be kidding. This must be some sort of test. I know so little about women. Heck, I have never even spoken to a girl before! He made an attempt to rationalize his cluelessness.
"You, you kissed me. That usually means that someone has feelings you, right? Why would you kiss me if you did not like me?" The boy had little understanding as to what these 'feelings' were, but something in his heart assured him that he was not entirely wrong in what he said.
Jacki sighed and averted her gaze, finally becoming too disgusted to look at him.
He attempted to stop her and save his argument, "A-and we had such a nice dinner together. I really enjoyed spending time with you. Did you not feel the same? We could have so many more of those great moments together. Please, just listen to me!"
His legs became unable to support his weight. The gravity of his emotions forced him to fall to his knees.
Everything in the world began to fade away as he let go of his hope, finally realizing that she was utterly denying his requests. Life became a black pit, with everything around him drifting away into nothing. What had given him the will to live was now crumbling and disappearing before his eyes. The grass beneath him, the trees before him and even Jacki herself faded away into blackness.
The young witch had seen more than enough of the hopeless boy.
There was neither pity nor kindness left towards him in her heart. Only pure disgust remained. His very existence revolted her, so she decided to end it.
She recalled a deadly spell that she had been studying a few days before and began to summon a mass of dark energy into the palm of her hand. A swirling, purple and green disk appeared above her open hand. The weapon had one purpose; slicing Raymundo in two.
The young monk could not see his doom approaching and had no instinct to run. He could only stare vacantly at the ground, feeling no desire to continue living anyway.
Just as Jacki drew back her hand to deliver the final blow, a yellow blur dashed in front of her and snatched her prey away.
She panicked, afraid that she was under attack.
After tossing her energy-saucer aside and leaping into a cypress tree to hide, she surveyed the yard for some sign of an ambush. She was relieved to see nothing more than one old monk, holding Ray in his arms, with a small dragon on his shoulder.
She giggled, but did not let down her guard, "Is it just you? Didn't bring any reinforcements, I see. Who are you two?"
The elder monk placed the motionless boy on the ground, "Yes, it is just the two of us."
The man turned to face her. His round face glared defensively, "I am Omi, this young man's teacher. And this is Dojo, our dragon friend."
Omi knelt down to get a better look at the young man's face. Ray's eyes were completely glazed over, showing no signs of consciousness.
His self-induced trance would not be an easy one to break. The human mind was a powerful thing and Omi knew that Ray's had utterly immobilized itself.
"Dojo, watch over Ray for a moment," he commanded, leading the little dragon to hop down from his shoulder so that he could confront Jacki independently.
The young witch was not intimidated by her new adversary. She leapt down from her perch in the tree, landing gracefully on her feet. The height of the fall sent an intense pain trembling up her legs. However, she ignored it, hoping to seem more frightening by her sturdiness.
"So, are you going to give me a lecture about 'justice' and everything like he did?" She directed an accusing finger at the lifeless Raymundo.
Omi only shook his head in a silent 'no.'
Jacki had much more to say and did not give him an opportunity to speak, "Your boy really is an idiot. Were you the one that made him so foolish? Didn't you teach him anything about how filthy and corrupt this planet is? He'll never make it in the real world."
The master responded to her rant calmly and maturely, "He may not be my son, but I have raised Raymundo his entire life. I have taught him what is right and what is truly just. He has a strong soul, full of hope and courage.
"You could never understand the joy that he has. You are a heartless witch idolizing a madman.
"Your grandfather was a fool. Though, if you wish to follow in his footsteps, then I cannot stop you.
"However, I refuse to allow you to harm my student in such a shameful way. His model in life is far beyond yours. His grandfather was a magnificent man and Raymundo himself is no different. He may not be as strong a fighter as his forefather yet (and he may never be), but his spirit is perhaps the most powerful that I have ever seen. Your words cannot break him."
Omi's wisdom was cut short by Jacki's evil cackling, "Is that so? He looks pretty broken to me! Should I do the same to your face that I've done to his heart?"
She focused her energy into another disk and felt a sensation course through her that she had never felt before. This was evil; a pure, heartless bloodlust. She wanted nothing more than to see her enemies lying dead before her. Nothing else mattered. A red hot fury pulsed through her, living in the very blood that fueled her muscles. Her heart rate began to quicken and her head felt swollen with rage. A pressure between her ears blurred her vision and a bloody pigment seeped into her peripherals. This was the feeling of unadulterated hatred, and she loved it.
Omi saw the young woman's eyes become bloodshot and knew that she was ready to battle.
However, he did not want to fight with her. There were more pressing matters at hand. Thinking of what would be best for Raymundo, he acted quickly.
"Wudai Neptune: water!" He summoned his elemental powers to call upon a thick cloud of mist to block Jacki's vision and stifle her breathing, giving him time to escape with Dojo and Ray.
Jacki felt the haze descend upon her and her lungs choked on the saturated air.
She could no longer see Omi, but still fought through the cloud and struggled to find him, "No! I'm not finished with you yet! Where are you?"
Nevertheless, by the time the fog had faded, there was no one left to answer her calls.
The bloodthirsty hunter screamed in fury at her lost prey, "NO! Damn you! Get back here, you cowards! Come back and fight!
"You haven't seen the last of me, I swear it! Know this, Xiaolin monks: you will all bow to me one day! You will worship the name of Jacki Spicer, evil Heylin witch!"
Her maniacal laughter filled the evening air.