Disclaimer: If I owned Kickin' It, Eddie wouldn't have disappeared inexplicably, Kim wouldn't have bopped off to the Otai Academy, Leo Howard would not have been allowed to grow his hair out like he did for Season 4, and Kai would have been dropped over the Great Wall of China in the first season.
A/N: This story takes place in season three after the episode Win, Lose, or Ty.
It was entirely unlike Kim to sneak out at night to meet a guy, even if that guy happened to be her boyfriend. It was really unlike her to sneak out at night to meet a guy and go all the way to the mall to do so. But, Jack figured that she really wanted to see him, especially since they'd both been busy all week and didn't have time to get together, and she probably thought the mall was the safest place to meet. It would be long closed at eleven thirty, and they could easily hide from Joan. (Or whoever happened to be on patrol that night.)
At least, that's what her text message had said.
Accordingly, at eleven twenty, Jack was skulking around outside Circus Burgers, waiting for his girlfriend to show up, and wondering if this was such a good idea. They could have just as easily arranged to go see a late movie together, or something. Heck, they could have just had an at-home date at one of their houses and watched a late movie there, or maybe practiced their Karate or something.
He shrugged it off. If this was what Kim wanted, he'd better go along with it. He was still the best in class, but Kim could get...how to put it...terrifying when she was mad.
Jack paced around a little, blowing on his hands to warm them up. It was now almost midnight, and that region of California was getting an uncommon cold front; the temperature was probably knocking around the forties somewhere. The young black belt was beginning to wish he'd put on a heavier jacket, (or maybe that he hadn't agreed to this at all,) when he heard approaching footsteps.
"Well, it's about time-" he began, turning to face Kim - only it wasn't Kim. It was his cousin. "Kai? What are you doing here?"
"Unfortunately, Kim couldn't make it," Kai said, grinning maliciously. "So you get a date with me instead."
Hot rage boiled in Jack's veins. (Actually, it was just his blood, but he really couldn't tell, and really didn't care.) "What did you do to Kim?"
"Relax, punk, I didn't do anything to her." Kai crossed his arms, smirking. "But someone should tell her not to leave her phone unattended on the table at Falafel Phil's when she goes to the bathroom." His cousin's eyes narrowed as he put two and two together.
"You set me up," he said quietly. Somehow, he wasn't surprised. It wasn't at all unlike Kai to pull something like this. "You're late," he said sarcastically, steeling himself for a fight. Kai grinned.
"I'm also warm," he pointed out smugly.
He was right, Jack realized with a terrible sinking feeling. Kai had probably been at home or in the Black Dragon dojo, stretching and warming up for this confrontation, whereas Jack had been standing outside in the cold for nearly forty minutes. His cousin's muscles would cool pretty rapidly, but he still had a distinct advantage over the Wasabi student. Jack's only hope was to stall him and keep him talking 'til he was just as cold and stiff.
He knew it was never going to happen. Kai clearly wasn't that stupid.
"I can't believe you're coming back for seconds," he said scathingly. "Don't you prefer to send out your lackeys and stay safely at home? Or are you worried that I can take them down this time? My abilities have doubled since we last met."
"So have mine," Kai returned evenly. "But you're half right; I do like to have backup." He jerked his head at the shadows up against the building, and three more Black Dragon students emerged from the concealing darkness. Two of them were carrying bo staffs.
"Hope you don't mind that I brought a few friends to our family reunion," Kai said snidely, and attacked.
The four Dragons encircled Jack, who was already moving. He took down one of the staff-wielders with a well-directed back kick, punching another guy in the face at the same time. His cousin caught the staff as his downed friend dropped it, and he redoubled his attack on the Wasabi Warrior. Now Jack was down to two adversaries, but both of them were warmer and more supple than he, and both were wielding bo staffs.
He managed to land a tornado kick on Kai's friend, but Kai, who was just as good as his cousin, saw an opening and took advantage of it. Jack gave a strangled cry as the staff connected with first his side, then his jaw. There was an ominous cracking noise, and he went down.
Really?! he thought distantly. He's got a weighted bo staff too? Are they just becoming standard issue, or something?
He paid for his moment of distraction; the two Dragons swooped in on their prey. Jack managed to deflect Kai's staff, but the other one caught him on his upper arm, sending a wave of numbing pain all the way to his fingertips.
Stiff, cold, dizzy, aching, and shamefully exhausted, Jack couldn't summon the energy to get to his feet. He leaned against the side of Circus Burgers, silently panting for breath as all four of his enemies closed in.
Kai's voice drifted out of the semicircle. "Finish him, Greg." One of his cronies raised a staff and brought it swishing down towards the fallen black belt.
There was a solid thwack as the blow was deflected by an open hand.
"You probably shouldn't have done that."
Jack's head jerked up at the sound of his catchphrase, and his mouth fell open in blank astonishment - an expression that was mirrored on the faces of his attackers.
The shadowy figure of Frank loomed over him, firmly planted between him and the other Black Dragon students. The curly haired boy wrenched the bo out of Greg's loosened grasp and twirled it threateningly.
"Frank?" Kai exclaimed. "What are you doing?"
"I heard you talking at the dojo earlier," Frank replied. "About your clever plan to take out your cousin tonight. But there's something you should know." He struck a ready stance, (Jack obligingly scooted his foot out the way,) and gripped the staff firmly. "Jack stood up for me against everyone at Seaford High one time, and nobody," he twirled the bo again, "nobody takes him out on my watch."
"Why, you stinkin' traitor...!" Kai moved forward angrily, but Frank rapped him smartly under the chin with the weighted bo staff, whirling a kick at one of the others as he moved in. He spun the staff so fast it was nothing but a blur, and Jack's jaw dropped in shock. He'd had no idea Frank was this good.
In a surprisingly short amount of time, Kai and his friends decided they'd had enough, and beat a hasty retreat into the darkness. Frank tucked the bo under his arm and grabbed Jack by the hand, hauling him to his feet.
"Thanks man," the Wasabi Warrior said. "I owe you - big time." Frank shook his curly head.
"Nah, I was just repaying my debt. You stood up for me, I stood up for you. We're even."
"Not quite." Jack clapped him on the shoulder. "All I did was save you from expulsion. I'm pretty sure you just saved my life." He held out his hand, and the Black Dragon shook it firmly - then gave it a funny squeeze and twist, forcing the other boy to his knees.
The battered black belt managed a tight smile. "Shall we call it square, then?" Frank grinned and helped him up again.
"I'm not gonna lie, that felt reeaaally good," he admitted enthusiastically. Jack grimaced, massaging his hand.
"I obviously need to spend more time at the dojo if I can be beaten by a bunch of Black Dragons," he remarked ruefully. Then he frowned as something occurred to him. "Frank, how were you able to beat Kai? Even I can't consistently do that, and you took out him and three others. When did you get so good?" Frank grinned again.
"Can't tell you that," he said smugly. "It's my secret." He paused. "But if you ever see me standing outside the Bobby Wasabi dojo peering in the windows while you're training, it's not because I'm spying on you to pick up moves. Because I'm not. That would be totally lame, and it would imply that I think you 'Wasabi Warriors' are better than the Black Dragons. Which I don't."
Jack cut him a sideways look. "Right," he agreed sarcastically.
Frank was going to be in the seventh grade for a long time.
Abrupt little ending, I know, but I couldn't seem to make it come out right. :/ (And it's quarter after three in the morning. 0_0) If anybody got the little nod to Star Wars, you get a mini lightsaber! :D (That probably wouldn't cut through soft butter. XD)