We Could Have Been Happy

Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown/Chronicles

Characters: Kimiko Tohomiko, Good!Chase Young, short appearances and mentions of the rest of the cast, plus mentions of a few backstory OCs

Summary: By a series of events involving an unnamed Shen Gong Wu, the once mighty enemy of the Xiaolin, Chase Young, has been split into two. His Good self, who takes his human form. And his Evil self, who takes his dragon form.

Note: This fic is based on a picture by LayaliNamit

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How strange to wear these robes once again...

Chase looked in the only full-length mirror of the Xiaolin Temple, pulling on his sleeves, on his collar, on the waistband of his pants. Even tapping his shoe-clad feet to ensure those were the right size too. Of course, he knew that everything fit him properly, he had summoned the outfit himself with the magic he still had. But that didn't stop the feeling of not fitting in his clothes. He smoothed down his hair, brushed it until it lied flat, then stared at his image some more.

For a while, it was just him, and the mirror. He would stare, and a little voice in his head, that sounded vaguely like himself, whispered that it was all a lie. Because of that voice, he made quick checks. Were his ears pointed or rounded? Were his teeth fangs or human? Was his tongue forked or not? Was his skin sallow or warm? Were his pupils slit?

He was so busy checking to make sure that he was human again, that he didn't notice there was someone at the door until the door opened.

He blinked and looked, through the mirror, at the young lady that entered.

"Hey, uhh, Chase, if you're done in here, I'd like my room back." Kimiko said, not looking at him, and seeming just as fidgety as he was.

"...Sorry, I was just... making sure." He mumbled, and his mind was chaotic. Since when did he mumble? Did the change to the Xiaolin Ways, once again, really cause all his confidence to dwindle? He had to fix that, immediately.

She blinked and finally turned to Chase, quietly examining him as a light blush appeared on her face that she didn't even notice. "You look human to me. No claws, fangs, or tail. Is it... difficult?"

He turned to face her properly and was silent for a moment as he thought, then waved for her to come close as he made room in front of the mirror. "Look, Kimiko. Barely 5 months ago, would we ever be here? Standing in the same room, without even thinking to fight other?"

She crossed to him and looked in the mirror, the sight of them standing side by side did something to her that she couldn't explain. So she filed the image, and the feelings, down into her mind for later perusal.

"Once I was your enemy, the enemy of all that was good. I once tried to kill your friends, yet I'm here, welcomed. Now, I would teach you all, everything I learned over my long life. But I look in here... I see everything I could ever want... but I feel like I'm missing a great friend. My other form... he had another mind too, and I spent centuries with him, knowing he would have my back if things got too rough. And now we're split up. And I know, that everything I did as him, was terrible, but I miss him. Does that make sense?"

"I think so... did, uhh, dragon you have his own name?" Her eyebrows furrowed as she thought about it.

"We were both Chase. He's always been Chase... but I was thinking about going back to my old name. To make things easier for you all." And he really had, that was part of the reason he spent so long in the mirror. He didn't feel like Chase Young anymore. Chase Young was a murderer and self-proclaimed emperor of darkness and all things evil. But long ago... before he even met Dashi, he was Chao, bastard son of the noble Yang family.

He could go back to that. Back to the innocent boy that was too stubborn for his own good. Whose only goal in life was to make his mother happy until the end of her days. Of course, those days ended when he was still a boy. It was after his mother's death that he changed his name and forsook the Yang name as well. Then he met Dashi and began to train under him. That's how Chase was born from Chao.

"You had another name? Dojo never mentioned..." Kimiko trailed off as she realized why Dojo might have never mentioned an alternate name for Chase. He had been evil at the time, with excellent spies and even better ears. Who knows what he would have done if he heard Dojo mention his old name?

Chase nodded solemnly. "1500 years ago, I was born to a family that would one day become the imperial family of China."

Is that why he called himself an emperor? Kimiko couldn't help but wonder.

"But I was a bastard, my actual father was some Japanese merchant, so my mother's husband never acknowledged me as his son. In those days, under Yang Gui's harsh and strict rule, I was Chao. I realize the pronunciation is still close to Chase, but would it be easier for you and your friends to call me Chao instead of Chase? Considering we're also going up against Chase?" He frowned as he thought about how confusing it might be, to discuss plans to defeat his dragon self when he was in the room.

Kimiko made a face, somewhere between sympathy for his past, and disgust for the realization there were two Chases now. "Yeeeaaahh... I don't know, Chao might be too close, too easy to mess up... wait did you say you were Japanese?"

A nod.

"Then why not give yourself a new name with that? Like, I dunno... Kohaku?" If she would admit it to herself, she would say that she thought of the name while staring at his amber eyes.

"Kohaku... That might work." He sounded out the name, he knew what it meant, and he had to admit it suited him. He blinked, and gave her a sly smile as he remembered something, "Wasn't Kohaku the name of a dragon boy in one of Studio Ghibli's films?"

She flushed bright red, having not realized that when she said it, even though she's seen each of those movies many times. "I-- I didn't mean it like that... wait, how did you know about that studio?"

He felt his confidence coming back, full force, as he smiled and began to leave the room. "Besides the fact that you have a plush toy of him over there in your closet, I'll admit, I've watched a lot of anime shows and movies ever since they came out. Though I've never watched that swimming anime you have on your shelf, I've heard it's about as homosexual as they come. Who would have thought... the dragon of fire is a yaoi fangirl."

He quickly ducked out of the room to avoid the book she threw as she yelled, "Jerk! Shut up!"

He continued his day with a much lighter step than he had started with. That chat with Kimiko seemed to have helped his mood considerably, so he decided to chat with her and tease her from now on.

The months continued in relative peace. The Chase with the monks had asked to be called Kohaku, to further differentiate himself from the evil Chase that stormed the countryside of China and caused trouble for the Xiaolin Monks. The evil Chase Young had Jack Spicer by his side, handling anything that required human hands and not dragon claws.

The Monks, and Kohaku, spent so much time fighting and training, they barely had time to relax, but they found the time. And slowly, yet surely, Kohaku and Kimiko began to gravitate toward each other, spending more time with each other, and sometimes being caught by the stream, just resting in the sun.

Kohaku had so many memories of sunbathing to keep his dragon blood warm, that he couldn't even break the habit now. And Kimiko loved to simply sit in the sun and be one with her element. It often started out as Kimiko meditating, and Kohaku doing tai chi forms. But always, by sunset, his head would end up in her lap as she smoothed his hair. They would quietly talk about anything, but often Kohaku would ask for silence, since their days had been so chaotic.

It was after particularly chaotic and stressful day that they could be found there again.

"He's ruthless... why? You're nothing like that, even when you were together." Kimiko broke the silence as the sunset turned a particular shade of red.

"He's all animal instincts. The ability to change forms was what helped to keep him in line, along with the soup. If I ever missed a week of the soup, I would have been like that too. Be glad I was so honorable whenever I was the active personality." His eyes were closed, and he spoke very matter-of-fact.

"The soup... kept you sane?" She questioned.

"The soup kept me in control, instead of him..." Kohaku trailed off, getting a sudden idea about how to stop this war. He sat up, and stared at the sunset while thinking. Could it work? He could go to Chase, he could try to recombine with him. Of course, then a mental war would be raged as both parts of him fought. And the winner of the fight would be the one in control. The real question was... could he win?

"Kohaku? Is something wrong?" Kimiko put a hand on his shoulder.

"I think I know how to stop him..." He found himself saying before he could stop the words from leaving his mouth

"How?" In that single word, was so much hope.

He mentally debated about telling her, then he decided to tell her the plan. When he finished, she quietly looked at her clasped hands on her lap. He took her hands firmly in his own, "We could be happy like this, but if I didn't try, I would always feel guilty about it. I'm going to do this, my little mouse."

"What if you don't win?"

"Then you have to destroy him. He'll be able to shift to look like me if I don't win, he'll use my voice, but he'll have my weaknesses too. Use those weaknesses and defeat him. Then destroy him." He knew it was a lot to ask for, but he also knew she would do it, no matter how she cried through it. And her friends would be there to cheer her up. Raimundo would be there to make her feel anything but sorrow, he was good at that. Clay could hold her while she cried. And Omi would let her hold him until she was ready to let go again. If worse came to worst, they would fix her so she could live a normal life again.

He brushed the hair from her forehead, and kissed her there. A soft, gentle kiss. "Don't worry, things will turn out alright in the end... we could go for ice cream afterward."

Even with her down mood, she managed a small smile and giggle. "You and your sweets... what am I supposed to do with you?"

They leaned on each other and watched the rest of the sunset. Only one more thing was said that night before they went to bed.

"When will you go?"

"The longer I wait, the stronger he'll become. I'll say goodbye in the morning."

Come morning, everyone was told the plan. And everyone was ordered to hold the fort until he came back. And if he didn't come back within a few days, to assume he lost the battle. Before he left, he made sure Raimundo knew to have the Kazuzu Atom ready, to give it to someone that wouldn't be afraid to activate it if it was needed. Rai gave him a solemn nod and promised it would be done. With a pat on the Shoku Warrior's shoulder, Kohaku wished him well, and went on his way.

Two days passed before he came back, silent as the wind he had power over. Everyone was understandably hesitant to get close. Even as Kohaku walked towards them with no cat army; and still clad in the blue robes he wore when he left, though torn they were.

With a gulp, and hopeful look in her eyes, Kimiko stepped in his way. "Kohaku?"

The dragon man's blank look slowly twisted into a vile smirk and dark eyes. When he spoke, it was with a smooth voice dripping with honey and venom. "Aa, hello Little Mouse."

"Chase..." The hope in her eyes died as fear grew, and she took a step back. She struggled to raise her voice, to proclaim Chase Young was here, not her Kohaku. But her eyes stung with unshed tears.

"Oh, you've always been such a clever girl, haven't you, pet? Just a few words and you know I'm not your beloved. How sweet." Chase said with a haughty tone.

That seemed to do it, as Kimiko took a deep breath, turned around, and ran towards her friends. "It's Chase Young!"