Disclaimer: I don't own Xiaolin Showdown or make any profit from this fanfic. Thanks for reading!

It had been five hours since the monks had destroyed Jack's lab and everything in it. They, Jo, and Jack were still busy sorting through the mess. The monks had initially thought that the cleanup would be quick since there were six people helping out. They quickly learned that was not the case. None of them wanted to admit it, but they were starting to have an appreciation of just how much destruction they had been doing to Jack's lab over the years. Omi, in particular, was feeling a lot of guilt. He stared at his dirty hands. There were numerous small cuts and the grime stung at his flesh. Was this what Jack had to go through every time?

"Omi." The small monk looked up at Jo. The soldier walked over to him with a clean, wet rag and wiped his hands. Omi winced at the pain but was thankful for the small act of kindness. "You should be using gloves when moving stuff like this. It's very easy to cut yourself."

Omi puffed out his chest. "Thank you for your concern, Jo, but I am a Xiaolin monk and…"

"Pride makes you stupid." Jo cut him off flatly. She grabbed a few pairs of gloves and handed them out to Omi and the rest of the monks. "Why do you think I told Jack to pull these out? For show? You all should know better than anyone else how important it is to take care of your body and to use precautions when handling dangerous materials. Don't think you're immune to anything just because you control the elements."

Rai rolled his eyes. Who knew how bossy Jo could be? He wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible so that he and the other monks could leave. He held his tongue, however, and put on the gloves when he noticed that the other monks were already wearing theirs.

Jo wiped the sweat from her forehead and stretched. She looked around the lab and held back a groan. They were halfway done with the cleanup. All of the bigger items had been put to one side for later disposal or recycling (depending on what Jack planned to do), and the smaller items were on another side (again for later sorting.) She was about to suggest that they take a break when something suddenly put her on edge.

Something's not right…

The monks glanced at each other with a knowing look. There was another presence lingering around. It was one that they hadn't encountered before. It was hard to pinpoint the source of their uneasiness. Jack showed no indication of any knowledge of this presence, but Jo was giving them a warning look from where she was. The five were tense as the redhead continued to whine pitifully about having to clean up.

Jo was certain that she knew who this was, but she made no attempt to identify the person to the monks.

"Do you ever shut your trap?" Jack whirled around to see a young man seem to emerge from the wall. Jack gulped and looked at Jo. Who the hell was that? The stranger started walking lazily in the redhead's direction. His tousled, blond hair seemed to glow unnaturally in the light, and his dark brown eyes were full of derision. "You're the one that everyone's lives depends on?" The blond man's clothes were ragged as if he had recently undergone harsh conditions. He paused by Jack for a moment to inspect him before stopping in front of Jo. He smirked at her look of disdain. "My apologies, my Captain, for showing up unannounced and in such… filthy attire."

Jo rolled her eyes. Smug little ass. "What are you doing here, Theos?"

Theos clasped his hands together and gave her the biggest smile he could muster. "Why, I'm here to check up on your progress, my Captain." He surveyed the destroyed room. "We were all just wondering what the hold up was. Although, I can see that shit went down in here and…" He nodded towards the monks, "It's all their fault." The monks glared at him but were ignored. "Y'know, my Captain, I thought you were going to bring that…. genius back to us. Y'know... so that we wouldn't run into trouble like this?"

"That's enough, Theos. You already know why I haven't taken Jack back to the king yet." Damn him. He had been watching them this whole time, and she didn't even realize it. Was she going soft? "If you saw them, why didn't you stop them?" Jo growled.

Theos frowned. "I want you back, and what better way to make that happen than to force your hand?" He touched Jo's cheek gently. "Since you left, the men have been dropping left and right. We need you back there." He winced as Jo grabbed his wrist and forced him down to the ground.

"You do not touch me without permission. Is that clear?" She hissed. "While we're at it, stop calling me 'my Captain.' What is wrong with you?"

"But you are my captain!" Theos' protest earned him a harsh twist of the wrist. Intense pain shot up his arm to his shoulder. "Ah! Ok! Fine. I'm sorry!" Jo let go and stood up. The blond man sat up and rubbed his aching arm. "Touchy." He muttered. He noticed Jack looking at him nervously and smirked. "You and Jo are nothing alike. What's wrong little rabbit? You scared?"

Jack was fed up with the insults this guy was throwing at him. He hasn't said anything earlier because he thought that Theos was a friend of Jo. Seeing how she reacted to the blond man made Jack bold. He was about to hurl an insult at him when his cousin knocked Theos on the back of the head.

"Leave him alone." Jo growled. "How the hell did you even get here?" The blond man swallowed thickly and looked away. Jo's eyes narrowed. "Theos, what did you do?" He would not meet her eyes. "What the hell did you do?!" She shouted.

"I did what had to be done!" The young man shot up to his feet angrily. "I didn't have a fucking choice!We need you back there! We saw you in the Juntar territory with those four children, but you didn't come back! Why did you leave again with that man? Were you worried that we would judge you for what you did? You know better than that!"

The monks looked back and forth between Jo and Theos quietly. They occasionally glanced at each other and would merely shrug. They were confused by what the two were saying, but an understanding of just how important Jo's job and the medi-bots was beginning to form in their minds.

Jo waved her hand at Theos dismissively. "I'll explain later. You shouldn't be here."

"But-"

"Theos, I have tolerated your unwelcome presence for long enough. You dare to disobey me?" Jo's tone was dangerously low. The blond man took a step backwards.

"Anyone care to tell me what exactly is transpiring?" Shivers ran down the spines of the monks and Jack as Chase's silky voice echoed through the lab. The man had been watching the whole scene unfold back at his citadel and decided that now would be the perfect time to drop in. So cliche.

"You!" Theos pointed at Chase. "You're the one that led the attack on the Juntar and took Jo away!"

Chase smirked. "It's rude to point, little boy, and I didn't take Jo away. She came with me willingly."

This asshole! The blond man gritted his teeth. "Bull shit. I don't know what sweet lies you've been spinning, but Jo is honorable and would never abandon her people!"

"You don't know what you're talking about. Don't you realize that we're not even on the same page?" Chase replied smoothly. He glanced at Jo. "Why don't you speak up and put your little minion back in his place?" Jo rolled her eyes and shook her head. Not worth her time.

Oh that was it. "Bastard! I'll kill you!" Theos charged at the dark warlord. For some reason, the monks also took this as a hint to start fighting Chase as well. The room came alive with the sounds of battle. Broken pieces of machinery, chunks of earth, bursts of fire, gusts of wind, and waves of water flew through the room.

Jack dove behind his cousin. This was not a fight he wanted to be part of - not without his Jackbots anyways. The boy cried in disappointment as all of the time and work they had spent cleaning up his lab was wasted. He noticed then that his cousin's shoulders was shaking. "Jo?" Jack called out nervously. "Are you ok?"

Her voice was low as she muttered to herself, "I swear I'm going to kill someone. Not sure yet who it will be but I swear I am going to…." No one seemed to notice as Jo took Jack's wrist, led him up the stairs, and out of the basement. "You are going to make me a stiff drink. I assume that you know how to do that so don't you even dare to object."

Jack blanched. He hadn't even said a word of protest! Jo must've been as angry as she claimed to be. She never spoke to him that way unless he had actually done something wrong, and he was fairly sure that he hadn't done anything to deserve her wrath. Not to mention, her grip was like death, and it hurt a great deal. "O-ok Jo."

While the others were blind to the departure, Chase naturally noticed the moment the woman led the boy upstairs. He would have had to been blind to not see the frustration in her body language and the fear on Jack's face. Sure, he could have quickly ended this five-on-one battle with a snap of his fingers, but he was just having too much damn fun. Perhaps fun wasn't the correct word, but he was pleasantly surprised to see how bored he wasn't. For all of the childish emotion that loudmouth Theos had, the blond man was actually a decent fighter. He was nothing compared to Chase, of course, but no one was. The monks had also gained more control over their elements and were depending less on the shen gong wu. It could almost be said that Chase was impressed… if it weren't for the fact that none of his opponents had yet to connect a single attack on him. They were still centuries away from being able to best him.

In the kitchen, Jo was downing another Irish Car Bomb. Around her were numerous empty shot glasses that had been filled with various drinks. Jack sat across the table and stared at her in awe. There was no way a normal person could drink so much alcohol and still ask for more. Jo didn't even look fazed as she finished her latest drink. She crossed her arms and rested her head against the table. "Things have gotten worse, Jack."

"What do you mean?"

"Theos shouldn't have been able to come here." Jack's silence prompted her to continue. "He's... one of the soldiers in my country." Jo had never wanted Jack to know about the curse and had kept it from him in the past. There was no point in hiding it anymore though. In fact, Jo wouldn't have been surprised if Jack knew everything already what with his knack of figuring things out and Chase's constant interference. "I'm the only one with permission to leave the kingdom because I'm an outsider. Theos can't leave without sacrificing something first."

Jack tilted his head slightly. "What does he have to give up?"

The soldier's face looked troubled. Why was this so hard? "He… Jack, I haven't been completely honest with you in my letters." Jack wasn't surprised, but he remained silent. "I'm cursed. Everyone in my kingdom is cursed. I'm fairly sure that all of the women on my side of the family have been cursed, and maybe the men too, but it's mostly the women who have the worst of it."

Jack had figured that out a long time ago but had never mentioned it. He had assumed that she knew. "Uhh.. ok.. and…?"

"You already knew." Jo wasn't sure whether to cry or be relieved.

"Uh duh. Evil genius remember?" Jack tapped his head and grinned cheekily. Any anxiety he may have felt from that display disappeared when she chuckled. "So what does that guy have to give up?"

Jo's face fell. "If I'm correct in my assumptions, Theos has lost his soul… and for no damn good reason."

"Really?" Jack's jaw dropped. He hadn't thought that leaving the country would have been that big of a deal.

"He's been alive long enough to know consequences. Fucking idiot. He should have trusted me." Maybe that was what was irritating her the most about this development. If Theos, the one who had always followed her faithfully, was here, how were the others faring? She thought back to his words earlier. "Dropping left and right, huh? Shit. Looks like I'm starting all over again."

Jack's eyebrow rose. What was Jo talking about?

The woman sighed deeply and rubbed her tired eyes. "We'll worry about it later. Pour yourself a drink, Jackie. By the end of the night, no one here will be sober. I can promise you that."

Jack frowned. "Do I have to fix drinks for everyone?"

"Yes, Jack. So, I suggest you quit bitching, make yourself something to drink, and then fix something for everyone else. The evening will be more bearable that way." Jo pointed at him shakily. The alcohol was finally starting to take effect. "But for fuck's sake, don't let Theos tuck you into bed. You're too old for that, and he's a pervert."

Jack nodded uncertainly. "Riiiiiight. Ok Jo. You just rest now." The redhead snickered quietly as his cousin laid her head down. Jack looked at the clock. It was almost 1 am, and everyone else was still in his lab - presumably fighting. He sighed, poured himself a drink, and began to make a few more for his "guests."

An hour passed before the door to the basement swung open and an exhausted group of fighters passed through. Ever the smug one, Chase calmly passed the tired group and went into the kitchen where the sounds of tinkling glasses could be heard. His brows raised at the sight of a passed out Jo and a giggling Jack concocting who knows what into a hundred shot glasses. "Spicer?"

Jack blinked slowly. "Hu- Wha?" He broke out into a large grin when he saw Chase. "Oh hey Chase! You guys finally done with all your hooraha and kung pow k'chow?" He gestured towards the drinks. "Go on. Drink up. It was Jo's idea, you should know. I don't know what the drinking age for her country is, but we're seriously underage for this! You went.. won't believe the stuff she told me to pick out. You should've seen her drink!" Jack laughed. His face suddenly became serious. "But hey, hey. She was pretty pissed off… Um… Can't really remember why. Ah, but look, look." Jack showed Chase his wrist and the ugly bruise that had formed. "Lookit. She was pissed… before she got pissed!" The redhead roared with laughter and fell over. "Ow. Fuck!"

Chase shook his head and checked on the woman to make sure that she was still breathing. Satisfied that she was in no immediate danger, he debated whether or not he should have a drink. It was highly doubtful that he would even feel any effects of the alcohol. Perhaps just a taste. Just to see if Spicer had any other skills than running his mouth.

"What in tarnation is going on here?" Clay asked as he and the others finally made their way to the kitchen.

Chase was sitting next to the still passed out Jo. He was sipping on one of the many random shot glasses that Jack had prepared. It was surprisingly delicious.

"Oh ho!" Rai exclaimed. His eyes lit up when he saw the shot glasses. "Is this for us?" He strolled over to the table and picked one up. "Don't mind if I do!"

"For shame, Raimundo!" Omi chastised. "We are monks and underage! We do not drink alcohol! Raimundo!" The little monk cried as the tan monk completely ignored him and downed the shot.

Kimiko patted Omi on the shoulder. "It's ok, Omi. You don't have to drink." She picked up a glass. "But this girl sure is! Whoo! Party!"

Omi sighed dejectedly. "Clay, are you too going to partake in this party?"

Clay chuckled. "Nah partner. I don't do so good with alcohol. I'll forgo it with ya." Omi beamed with happiness. "Let's just watch out over these two. Make sure they don't get themselves into anymore trouble."

Theos was aghast to see his beloved Jo in her current state. He glowered at Chase. "What did you do to her?"

"I did nothing." Chase replied. He was getting annoyed with Theos' constant baseless accusations. "It was you and the monks over there who drove her to drink."

Theos fumed. How dare he say that! "I did not!"

"Oh really? Tell me, when did you first notice that Jo was gone?" Chase smirked as the other man didn't answer. "I noticed it the moment she grabbed hold of Spicer. You should see the bruise she gave him. Ugly thing and something I'm sure that she'll be ashamed of in the morning."

"Shut up!" Theos growled. "She'd never do anything like that on purpose."

Chase gestured to the giggling boy who was still on the floor. "Take a look at his wrist. Even if it wasn't done on purpose, it happened. Stop idolizing the woman. She's only human."

"But she-" Theos abruptly stopped and opted to walk over to Jack instead. He stared down at the redhead for a moment before chuckling. "You can't drink for shit." He helped the boy up to his feet. "Come on, kid. Let's get you to bed."

Jack squinted at Theos. Jo had said something about him. What was it...?

"Why are you looking at me like that, kid? Come on. Where's your room?"

Ah! That was it! Jack pushed the blond man away. "Oh, uh uh! No way! Jo warned me about you! You're a perv!"

Theos blushed as words flew from his mouth. "That was one time, and I thought she was a man!" Everyone stared at him. Becoming even more flustered, the blond man added, "I just thought it would have been funny to tease the new guy, y'know? Like an initiation." He was met with looks of uncertainty. "You can't tell me you people have never gone through or done that before! Anyways if I'd known that Jo was a woman, I wouldn't have done anything!"

"And just what did you do?" Clay asked. He was starting to really dislike this Theos.

"...Nothing." The man ground out. He quickly walked out of the kitchen to collect himself.

Kimiko snorted. "He's totally lying!"

"Well, duh, Kim! He already admitted it!" Rai downed his fifth shot. He had no idea what was in these glasses, but it was really good. "Hey Jack. Why don't you give up stinking at being evil and become a bartender or something? There's something you're actually decent at!"

Jack responded with a middle finger raised high into the air. "Stick it where it don't shine, Pedrosa!"

"Don't ignore me!" Kim growled. She kept her eyes on him as best as she could while sipping another glass. "I'll teach you to sass me! Now drink!"

"I'm already doing that! Don't tell me what to do, lightweight!"

"I bet I could drink more than you!"

"Hah! Prove it! You're only on your third drink, and you're already redder than a tomato!" The Brazilian monk taunted.

Clay got between the drunk duo. "Whoa! Hey now, you two. Don't be egging each other on like that!"

Tired of listening to the trivial argument between the monks, Chase set down his glass, got up, and followed Theos. He found the man standing in the hallway. Theos had taken off his ratty jacket and was rubbing his left arm. Chase could see black tendrils snaking down the other man's arm.

Well now. What did he have here?