Chapter 12

Last chapter a lot of people were wondering what Jack's second reason for letting Akuma stick around. My answer is; it's a secret for now ;) you'll find out in a future chapter. Don't know when however, but you'll know. n_n. anyhow Katnappe is in the picture. What's the deal? Haha. Well let's get on with it. ONWARD TO THE BATTLE FIELD!

"I thought you were leaving." Jack grumbled working on his latest robot project. Akuma hugged Oni close to her and sat on his table.

"I forgot that you're parents are up there throwing a party…" she mumbled looking away, "I hate crowds."

"Talk about a scaredy cat. What's wrong can't deal with crowds?" Katnappe asked, "loser."

"Piss off…catnap." Akuma hissed. Katnappe glared at her when suddenly Wuya's eyes began to glow as a new Wu revealed itself. Katnappe let out a bored sighed.

"Ugh, it's about time! I was getting tired of hanging out in this place." She growled.

"The Cat's Eye Draco has revealed itself!" Wuya shouted. Akuma and Jack cocked an eyebrow at the ghostly witch.

"Cat's eye Draco? What the heck is that supposed to do?" Jack asked. Wuya narrowed her eyes.

"It allows one possess the ability to control fire." She hissed, "Now quit stalling at get moving. Otherwise the monks will get to it first!"

Jack groaned as he walked upstairs, Akuma not far behind him, staying extremely close. Since going upstairs meant facing a whole crowd of people. Katnappe looked to the girl and snickered, as she walked past her.

"Loser." She said with a smirk. Akuma glared at the cat-dressed girl until Oni purred next to her ear.

"Ignore her. We can deal with her later." He mewed. Akuma nodded and followed until they were out of the large house.

"Hurry it up!" Wuya shouted.

~0~

Meanwhile not far ahead of the group, the Monks had sensed the same Shen Gong Wu and were in hot pursuit of the mystical artifact. Of course this was a double mission, the Shen Gong Wu, and the mission of getting Akuma back, though two of the monks didn't see why they should bother. After all she had left of her own free will. As far as they were concerned Akuma could stay with Spicer. She wasn't really much of any kind of threat. Even with Onigafuchi the demon cat, the most she possed as a threat was whatever spell she had over Clay. He was still in bad spirits ever since Spicer had managed to pick her up back in Byoki Village, he hadn't spoken to any of them since.

"Cheer up already Clay." Raimundo said, turning to look back at him. Clay looked back at the brown haired boy through his bangs. He didn't feel like talking to him. Not after all the things he had said about her, he had been talking smack about the young girl during the whole silence.

"I'm not talkin to you. You've been nothing but a jackass since the whole situation started." He growled. Raimundo glared.

"What was that? Hey it's not my fault the chick's got issues!" He shouted. Kimiko jumped between the two and pushed them both back.

"Alright break it up! We don't have time to fight about this!" She shouted, "We can deal with this when we get to it got it?"

"Kimiko is right, we must recover the Shen Gong Wu most hastily. And with every moment we waste quarreling, the more likely Jack Spicer and Akuma will retrieve the Cats Eye Draco." Omi said calmly.

"Exactly. Omi's right. So you two get over it!" Kimiko hissed.

"Besides, it is not Clay's fault. The girl has simply seduced him into thinking like an idiot." Omi continued in his usual 'nothing was wrong' tone of voice. Clay's face turned red from embarrassment and anger. Kimko glared at Omi.

"Omi!"

"What? Have I said something wrong? It is true isn't it?" He asked. Before anyone had the chance to say anything. Dojo began to shake.

"Sorry kiddos gonna have to put a raincheck on that argument." He said then pointed below, "Shen Gong Wu ho!"

Dojo then dove downward toward the ground and landed not far from Jack Spicer's hover craft. The group scowled. Well at least they wouldn't have to look hard to find Akuma. However what they didn't expect to see, was Katnappe with them.

"Is there anyone not on Jack Spicer's side?!" Omi shouted. Suddenly Akuma's friend Oni jumped to the ground.

"That would be I." He said, then grew to large side, "You Monks and I have a fight to settle. Namely the larger of you."

"Is he talkin about Clay?" Rai asked Kimiko, who shrugged. Clay glared at the large cat as he stared back with piercing green eyes.

"Ya'll get to the Wu, I'll take care of this." Clay shouted.

"But Clay.." Kimiko mumbled.

"Just go! I've wrangled cattle bigger than this mangy feline." Clay said, the others looked to each other then took off for Spicer and the others, while Clay and Oni had a little stare down. Oni flicked his tailed as he lowered his head and growled.

"You kidnapped her…" He growled, "Akuma is mine."

"I only took her to get her away from you and your lies." Clay hissed back, pulling out his lasso. Oni snorted.

"Lies? Is that what you take me for human? A common liar?" He asked, just then Clay threw his lasso around the nekomata's neck, forcing him to fall to the ground with a pained hiss.

"I don't reckon I see any other way someone like Akuma would want to stay with a heyline demon." Clay growled back at him. "Seismic kick! EARTH!"

Oni looked up as the earth began to crack and shift under him. He let out a growl as he snapped the rope that was around his neck and transformed into his human form. He leapt into the air and came down hard on top of Clay and grabbing him by the jaw. He then got very close to Clay's face and glare at him with his piercing green cat eyes.

"Has it ever occurred to you that nothing we have said in the past few days have been mere lies?" He said in a low hiss. "I have nothing to gain from lying to you…"

"I also have nothing to gain from slaughtering you. Akuma seems to have mixed feelings for you, monk." Oni then released Clay and stood. "I'd rather not see her sad again."

"How considerate of you.." Clay growled holding his jaw as he sat up. Oni narrowed his eyes.

"Not all demons are evil, young monk." He said. Clay glared.

"I'm supposed to believe you're a good heyline demon?" he asked.

"I do not expect you to believe anything. However, know this; I will not hesitate to destroy anyone who tries to hurt Akuma." Onigafuchi growled, "Even humans she has mixed feelings for."

Without hearing another word, Oni transformed into his nekomata and took off for the others. Clay glared after him. What did he mean by mixed feelings? Was Akuma second guessing her decision of leaving the temple? If that were true, he had to talk to her. No matter what Omi or Raimundo said about it. Neither of them knew Akuma like he did anyhow. And so what if he did have a small crush on her? It didn't cloud his judgment any. Did it? Well it didn't matter, right now. Right now he had to go help his friends recover the Cats Eye Draco. His feelings for Akuma would just have to wait.

Further away Katnappe, Akuma and—to a lesser extent—Jack Spicer were fighting Raimundo, Kimiko, and Omi, for the Shen Gong Wu. The Monks had already taken out Jack's robots, with ease.

"Remind me again why you build those things?" Akuma growled looking back at Jack who shrugged.

"A boy needs his hobby." He said. Akuma rolled her eyes, and ran at Raimundo, then jumped in the air, landing a foot from him and nailing him with a kick to the chest. It sent him flaying back into Kimiko. Katnappe however made her way toward the Shen Gong Wu, with Omi not far behind her.

"Tsunami strike! WATER!" Shouted Omi, as he manipulated the water to strike at The cat-costumed girl. Katnappe hissed.

"Hey Goth-girl! I thought you said you could handle these guys!?" She shouted back at Akuma, who narrowed her eyes.

"Shut up Catnap! I'm on it already!" She hissed then pulled out the eye of Dashi, "EYE OF DA—"

She was interrupted by someone snatching the Wu from her hands. Akuma growled and looked back to see Clay standing not far from her holding the Eye of Dashi.

"Tex! You have exactly three seconds to return that to me, before I kick your sorry ass!" She shouted.

"No way Akuma." Clay said back to her calmly. Akuma growled and ran at the blonde Monk kicking him in the gut, forcing him to drop the Wu. Akuma then retrieved it.

"You were saying?" She asked replacing the lightning Wu around her neck as Kimiko and Raimundo ran up next to him.

"Girl you've really got issues." Rai shouted, Akuma rolled her eyes and stuck her middle finger up.

"Flock off fly boy." She growled. Raimundo glared and went to attack the white and blue haired girl, but was stopped by Kimiko.

"Never mind that now. We have to do is get the Cat's Eye Draco!" she shouted.

"Not if we get to it first!" Jack shouted activating his heli-pack and flying after Katnappe and Omi for the Wu as Oni jumped back onto Akuma shoulders. The group looked at each other for a moment, then at the place the Cat's Eye Draco stood, then back again. Akuma and the Monks then took off after Jack, in a race for the new Shen Gong Wu. Akuma riding on Oni's back, Raimundo using his wind manipulation and the other two, simply running for dear life, until finally six hands landed on the Cat's eye draco; Katnappe, Jack Spicer, Akuma, Clay, Raimundo and Omi.

"Oh that's just great!" Jack hissed.

"Jack Spicer, I challenge you, and you're female companions to a Xiaolin showdown." Omi declared. Akuma and KAtnappe narrowed their eyes at the small yellow monk. Jack however grinned.

"Name you're game gold dome!*" He said proudly.

"The game is Dodge ball, three on three." Omi said, "We wager, the Orb of Tornami, Fist of Tebi Gong and the sword of the storm, against your Eye of Dashi, Monkey Staff, and Silk Spitter. Last one standing gets the Cat's eye Draco."

"Bring it, losers." Katnappe hissed. Suddenly the world around them began to shift into an old Chinese styled Dodgeball field, a large white line running down the middle and three red balls lining the center. Kimiko and Dojo sat in stone bleachers off to the side, while Clay, Omi, and Raimundo stood on one side of the field, and Jack, Katnappe, Akuma and Oni on the other.

"Gong Yi Tan—"

"Hold it!" Raimundo shouted, then pointed to Akuma and Oni, "Omi said a three on three! One of you have to sit this one out!"

"Piss off! Oni and I are a team!" Akuma shouted.

"Akuma, can you do anything without that cat?" Raimundo asked. Akuma's eyes flashed with anger.

"I can do plenty!" She shouted, then looked to Oni who was on her shoulders, "I can…"

Oni nodded then jumped to the stands with Kimiko and Dojo, where he sat quietly next to Dojo, who eyed him cautiously. Below Akuma glared at the monks.

"Happy? Now quit your stalling." She hissed.

"Gong Yi Tempai!"

The two teams then ran for the balls in the center, Katnappe grabbing on, while Raimundo and Clay got the other two. They then began throwing the red spheres at on another. Raimundo throwing his ball at Jack only for Akuma to hipcheck him out of the way and catching the ball and throw it back, at Omi.

"Orb of Tornami! ICE!" The small monk shouted freezing the ball in a wall of ice just before it hit him. Akuma glared while Katnappe threw her ball at Raimundo, who dodged.

"Silk Spitter!" Shouted the Cat costumed girl as silk shot out and clung to the ball, she then swung toward Raimundo hitting him in the back, hitting him out of the game.

"That argument went well." Oni said stonefaced as he looked to the boy out of the corner of his eye.

"Keep your comments to yourself fleabag!" Rai shouted swinging at the small cat, who jumped over him and soon, Jack Spicer joined the loser circle.

"I wanna retry!" he shouted.

"Oh get over it Spicer!" Kimiko shouted back at. Jack huffed while below Akuma and Katnappe, Clay and Omi were left to duel.

"Eye of Dashi!" Akuma shouted as she threw a ball at Clay, the shock electrifying the ball and forcing it to move fast.

"Fist of Tebi Gong! EARTH!" Clay shouted then punched the ground below, and sending a wall of rock between him and the electrified ball. It crashed through giving Clay enough time to dodge it, and sending another ball back at her. Akuma went wide eyed, then saw Katnappe who wasn't too far off from her. An idea then sprang to mind as she grabbed the tail of Katnappe's costume and dragged her in front of her. The ball hit her instead, sending Katnappe out of the game. Katnappe hissed.

"You bitch that was low even for me!" She shouted. Akuma shrugged.

"Oops." She said with false sympathy, she then looked to Omi and Clay who stood holding two of the dodgeballs, ready to strike.

"Akuma Kitsune, to sacrifice your own team mate, I cannot believe Master Fung thought of you as a Xiaolin warrior." Omi said holding the ball over his head and standing on one foot. Akuma balled up her hands into fists.

"Hey listen short stuff, I told you all you had the wrong girl for the job!" She shouted, "Besides Catnap can kiss my arse, I never liked her anyway."

"You truly are a low being." Omi said placing his other foot down. Akuma's brows rose as she crossed her arms and smiled.

"And you Crome Dome, are out." She said then pointed down. Oni looked down and saw that he had placed his foot down over the line, giving him a penalty out. Akuma laughed when suddenly a ball whizzed by her head. She looked over and saw Clay holding a red ball and glaring.

"Guess it's just you and me, huh Tex?" She asked, grabbing one of the dormant balls and holding it up, "This should be good."

Clay said nothing, figuring it better to keep his thoughts to himself. Not that he really had anything to say at Akuma at that point that wasn't just plain rude. Akuma, however didn't have any problem voiceing her thoughts.

"You're a jerk you know that Tex!" She shouted throwing the red ball in her hand with all her might, "You kidnapped me! Then lured me into telling you everything about me! You're low!"

"I didn't do anything like that!" Clay shouted back using the ball in his hand to block the one thrown, he then threw his at Akuma who did a backhad spring to dodge. "You told me all that on your own!"

"But you did kidnap me!" Akuma growled, flipping onto her feet, "If you didn't do that I never would have had to go back to that village! My suffering is all your fault!"

Clay froze, "Akuma…I had no idea anything about that village was connected to you."

"Quit talking and knock that girl out already!" Raimundo shouted.

"Come on Gothfreak it's Clay! The cowboy doesn't even fight girls!" Katnappe shouted over top of Rai and pushing him down, Raimundo stood and soon the two started their own fight in the stands.

"I mean it Akuma, if I knew anything like that I wouldn't have forced you to come along." Clay said ignoring the duo. Akuma let out a growl, and placed her hands over her ears as tears of frustration swelled in her eyes.

"Shut up! Shut up! YOU'RE A LIAR!" She shouted, then grabbed another ball, "I told you a long time ago, to just accept the fact that Oni and I were connected! You should have just left it at that! You're a jerk Tex! A big stupid Xiaolin JERK!"

Akuma then threw her ball with every ounce of her being at Clay, and then grabbed the Eye Of Dashi and shot a beam of electricity toward Clay. It hit sending electricity through his body, which stopped him from dodging the ball that ended the game. The field soon turned back to normal and Akuma stood holding all the Shen Gong Wu. Oni mewed and lept to her shoulders and nuzzled Akuma's cheek, while Jack and Katnappe came up to her.

"Great work AKuma, couldn't have done it any better. Well except I probably wouldn't have save you if it were me." Jack said. Akuma shifted her eyes to the side as she handed all but the Eye of Dashi over to him. Katnappe hissed.

"You bitch! I oughta skin you alive for that trick!" She shouted raising her clawed gloves. Oni growled at her from Akuma's shoulder.

"I'd like to see you try human!" He growled. Meanwhile the Monks were helping Clay stand.

"A most humiliating defeat…to be beaten by a twice faced girl." Omi said. Clay dusted off his clothes and stood while Raimundo face palmed.

"That's two-faced Omi. And you're right." He said then glared at Akuma, "You played dirty Akuma!"

"Ah you're just sore losers!" Jack shouted, Akuma remained silent as Oni slid into her arms and purred.

"You should be ashamed of yourself Akuma!" Kimiko shouted, "Taking advantage of Clay's chivalry towards women!"

"Yeah whatever! Chivalry is dead anyhow…" Akuma mumbled, "Just get lost."

The Monks glared as Dojo grew in size and took off with the group of Xiaolin warriors on his back. Meanwhile Jack and Katnappe celebrated Akuma's victory, while Akuma kept herself lost in thought. Suddenly Oni began to hiss, as Akuma felt a presence behind her. Akuma turned and saw Chase Young standing on a rock behind her. She jumped back away from the Heyline Warrior and scowled.

"What are you doing here snake eyes?" She asked, keeping a cautious eye on the snake eyed boy, who smirked down at her.

"I was merely witnessing your fight between the Monks." He said calmly. Akuma looked back to Katnappe and Jack, however they seemed to be in their own little world arguing about something. Chase Young jumped down landing a few inches from Akuma, making her jump. (now she knew how Jack used to feel.)

"They are not going to notice, so might as well put them out of your mind for now." He said, "I must say, your fighting skills are most impressive."

"Is that supposed to flatter me?" Akuma hissed, holding the eye of Dashi close, just incase.

"It is a true shame you waste such talents for the likes of Spicer." Chase said ignoring her question as he extended a hand and ran it though Akuma's hair, which was still tied behind Clay's red Bandanda, "You could do so much more without him."

Oni let out a hiss and nipped at the armor clad boy who retracted and gave the cat a glare. Akuma took another step back and placed her hand on Oni's head, trying to calm him.

"I'm gonna…go…" She mumbled, "That way."

Akuma then dashed off toward Jack and Katnappe, without hearing anything from the Heyline Warrior. Chase Young Simply smirked.

"Until we meet again, Akuma Kitsune. I'll be keeping a very close eye on you." He said, then disappeared into the shadows.

UGH! THIS TOOK FOREVER! My back hurts! Hm I wonder what Chase Young wants with Akuma—well actually I already know—but anyway! (*) everyone makes fun of Omi's head, but I never once heard anyone make fun of it that way. Only Crome dome—but he's yellow so I thought that Gold Dome was funny. I'm not being racist, fact it didn't occur to me until just now that it could be skewed that way. Hope you enjoyed it I don't know when I'll be posting the next chapter, for I am without a computer anymore. REVIEW!