The rights to Xiaolin Showdown belong to their original creators and animators, not to me. The only thing I own is My character and the plot.
Chapter 1
Ya know, Astral Projection doesn't always go as planned. Sometimes you end up in a completely different universe. Which in itself, is only mildly annoying. Others you don't know enough about said universe your jumping into and end up hurt, or in my case killed that one time. Seriously always do your research beforehand or at least have a guide that knows that universe or dimension.
Or in this certain case I'm in some sort of animals' body running for my life from poachers. Although I seem to be in the correct dimension according to how the surroundings look, I just hope I'm on the correct continent or this could get even more difficult.
I seemed to have lost them for the moment, so I ducked under some tree roots that looks like it used to be a den of some sort and take in my situation. Checking myself over, I seem to be some sort of large feline. Proportional paws and limbs mean I must be of at least or close to mature age, although how old I am in this form would differ to what my actual age is. Fur that seems to be getting thicker, and the orange and reds of the trees around me lead to the Autumn season so I'm not a lion or tiger as they don't really need thicker coats. My next bet would be cheetah with how lean I feel but that's definitely out due to my fur. Perhaps I'm some sort of leopard.
Crack. I snap out of my musing to pay attention to my surroundings. Apparently, they're getting close.
"She couldn't have gone far. Keep looking."
"Look to the tree branches. She's in her element. Much better challenge." I hear the second leader say. There's a group of about 5 men, all armed with enough ammunition to put down a buffalo. Jesus talk about overkill, but 'in my element'? I must be a leopard then. Not many Big Cats take to the trees.
I wait until they pass and double back around them going in the opposite direction trying to find my way out of this mess. Thankfully I see a break in the trees with a large stone wall surrounding what looks like a mansion.
I quickly pad over the grass to the wall crouching and watching the tree line incase any of the poachers saw me. My ear closest to the wall flicks at a whirring mechanical sound as it passes by. I jump up onto the wall crouching as flat as I can peering into the back of the now as I'm closer very large mansion.
Ya know how I said Astral Projection doesn't always go as planned? That's true but unless they're trying to teach you something you do end up where you need to be, and right now I'm staring at Jack-Bots patrolling the backyard. I have arrived at the Spicer Mansion in China.
"Perfect." I rumble, then startle slightly at my own voice that is now tinged with a growl. I scan the area and see a window close to the ground that might lead to the basement and more than likely Jacks "secret" Lab.
"There she is!" I jump at the sound of one of the men and fall into the backyard. The Jack-bots around me immediately go defensive and start coming toward the back wall where I am. I carefully move around them as fast as I can and book it to the window smashing it open and falling inside. I hear a squeal and duck under one of the closest desks. Covered in scrapes as my fur is now tinged with blood from the sharp glass of the window broke my fall. One of the Jack-bots flies over to a crouched figure near the main work desk that has parts and metal pieces all over it.
"Sir, 5 men are requesting access to the grounds saying one of their assets had escaped and is now within the perimeter," The machine says.
"Asset?" I'm assuming Jack squeaks. Both the machine and Jack look over to the desk I crawled under in my efforts to get away. They find me huddled under the desk and Jack gets wide eyes.
"Ask for the papers they need to have to own one of these creatures. I'm quite sure it's illegal anyways with how she's on the Critically Endangered list. When they don't, throw them off the property and if they try to come back dispose of them," he growled slightly at the end. I relax at his words as the machine floats away and Jack goes over to a wall and opens the panel to reveal his Shen Gong Wu. I wasn't surprised to see the monkey staff among them but was at the fact that he only had two others. Looks like he hasn't been very successful at the Showdowns recently. He plucked one up and activated it.
"Tongue of Saiping. Hello there, are you alright?" He asks me.
"Not really, I cut myself on the glass trying to get through your window. Sorry about that," I reply.
"Its alright I'll have my Jack-bots fix it, as for you why don't you come up onto my workbench and we can see what to do about your cuts." He walks over to the bench and shoves the metal bits to the side patting it for me to come up. I pad over to it and get a better look at myself as I jump up under the lights and lay down. He gets to work getting the glass out of my cuts and putting some antiseptic on the wounds.
"Try not to lick this off, it might feel weird, but it'll help in the long run." I stare at how well he has fixed me up.
"You're quite good at this, I barely felt thing." He didn't answer, must be because of how much he needs to patch himself up after a showdown. I know in my world it's a cartoon, but the Xiaolin Monks always do throw actual fire, rocks and other elements at the kid. I'd like to see you get out unscathed by that crap.
"By the way are you one of Chase Youngs warriors, you seem pretty lucid for just an animal?" he asks me.
"No, I'm not. Although I am something of a Witch. I was trying out a new spell and I just kind of got stuck like this. I assume the poachers caught me somewhere, I don't really remember much before they made me start running. Probably from whatever they drugged me with," I make up a semi-lie on the spot, not like I can tell him what's really going on. Maybe later.
"Oh, I see." Jack deflates, and I take in a sour smell that permeates the air when I open my mouth slightly.
"You seem disappointed." I said trying to calm my ruffled fur, smoothing it out and getting any dirt with my tongue. I seem to be an Amur Leopard, makes sense with where we are at least, and the Critically Endangered comment.
"Pshhh, nah. I-I'm not…" he continued to stutter over his words as I stopped grooming myself and stretched out along the table, placing one of my paws over the other.
"Yes, you are Spicer. I can smell it on you. Listen to me if you want him to acknowledge you why not prove him wrong. Be the very thing he doesn't believe you can be, Heylin."
"And how exactly do you expect me to do that? As a matter of fact, how can you teach me?" he looked at me skeptically, which I didn't blame him for.
"I'm a practicing Witch remember? I'll need to regain my original body first, there might be a Shen Gong Wu to help. Once I have it and change back the first time everything else should come easier," I say sitting up onto all four paws.
"This is looking a little too familiar to me. Ive been burned by a witch before. How do you expect me to trust you?" His eyes narrowed in distrust. I guess this does sound a lot like Wuya.
"Let me guess, Wuya right? Look not all Witches are like her, Heylin, Xiaolin or otherwise. But if it really means that much to you I have a book back home on these types of situations. Books that would bind us from hurting one another outside of training. Backstabbing would be included in said bindings. Would you consent to them if it meant peace of mind?" He thought for a moment before his eyes went wide.
"So, you'll be taking me on as an apprentice?"
"Not necessarily it will be more of a partnership between the two of us. I'm not technically Heylin, I just bend whatever rules I like to get my way. Listen to my advice and Chase Young will be forced to see what you can actually do, what you actually are. I can tell you right now just from looking at your lab you have a lot of potential, In the Xiaolin-Heylin world and out of it." I snorted. "If you play your cards right you wouldn't be just his apprentice, you could be his equal."
"You-you really think I can do this?"
"You already have much going for you, however some of your other traits leave much to be desired. Like that godawful disloyalty of yours. But hopefully we can fix that by the Apprentice Spell in one of my books," I stood and jumped from the bench thinking of how we could go about this.
"Would the spell even work right now? You're stuck in the body of one of the most endangered species on the planet. How are you going to cast this spell?" he said turning to face me as I paced the floor.
"The spell has two components the binding works and small tattoo like markings that can really go anywhere. Most like them around the wrist unless they're trying to hide them to fool enemies. Others like the places to symbolize something like across the knuckles to symbolize never raising a hand toward each other, but it's really their own choice." He looked thoughtful for a moment, bringing his hand to his chin before holding it out to me.
"I believe we have a deal." I put a paw into his hand.
"I believe we do. First, I need my old body back, can't do bonding markings on fur. The Shen Gon Wu we are waiting for would be the 'Zhuan Animal'. It changes anyone into their spirit animals. Or in my case back to human."
"Hmm, good thing I've been working on how to tell which Shen Gong Wu is activated when its activated. Be the perfect time to test it out." Jack says as he walks over to his vault and turns on the machine hooking it up to his Wu tracker.
"Very resourceful," I say padding over to where he is.
"So once you have your body back, how is this partnership going to work? Where do you even live?" he sys turning to me when he's done hooking up his machines
"I live in Massachusetts. Went to Salem State and never left, much easier to get supplies when living in a witch town," I reasoned
"Yeah that's a bit too far for you to live if the action and I am over here. How about you move in with me, I've got the room. Its not like my parents are ever here enough to notice I've got someone else living here," he says this with a hand rubbing the back of his neck. I part my mouth slightly tasting his embarrassment in the air.
"Aww Jackie are you asking me a girl? To move in with you? So scandalous we haven't even gone on a date yet," I teased playing around, before walking off towards the entrance of his lab.
"N-no that's not what I meant! Hey where are you going?" he chases after me opening the door.
"The kitchen, I'm hungry and you are going to feed me," I part my mouth again letting the smell of food lead me to the kitchen.
"Fine, but after this I need to work more on my Jack-Bots before the next showdown. The monks may destroy them but they're good distractions while I go for the Wu." I nod my understanding as I sit near the counter while he has a Jack-Bot make us some food fit for his and my own diet for the moment. This is going to be the start of something incredible. God that was tacky.