AN: I am so sorry that this has taken so long. This semester is even worse than last semester. I'm running the campus newspaper, working on the school's magazine and taking a creative writing course, so all my writing time is spent on other things. I will finish this, however. I promise!

8 8 8 8 8 8

"Master Jack? Another gift has arrived."

Jack looked up from his work and sighed as the Jackbot approached. This was the sixth gift so far, and he was beginning to wonder if Chase would ever stop. The first present had come the day after Chase's little performance at the showdown, and one had appeared every day after that.

Jack felt a bit of his anger rekindle as he thought about Chase's behavior that day. Chase had been mocking him, Jack knew, acting out a cruel parody of his former fan-boy demeanor. Why the warlord had done it, Jack wasn't sure. Maybe he had just wanted to rub in his rejection and embarrass Jack in front of the Xiaolin. But if that was true, this sudden flood of gifts made no sense.

He's probably just trying to screw with my head, Jack decided. God knows he's good at it.

He dismissed the puzzle of Chase's behavior and held out his hands. The Jackbot handed him a silk bag roughly the size of his head. The fabric was deep green and embroidered with a riot of golden flowers and twisting vines. The contents clinked as Jack took hold of the bag, and multiple pieces of something smooth and hard shifted against each other as he almost dropped it from the unexpected weight.

"Holy crap, what's in this thing? Mega-dominoes of doom?"

Jack upended the bag and poured the contents carefully onto the desk. Hundreds of small white tiles poured out, pattering onto the desk in a gleaming flood. Each was utterly smooth on one side; the other sides were decorated in a variety of glimmering colors. It took him a long moment to understand what he was looking at, but he quickly realized that the tiles were puzzle pieces. From what he could tell without putting it together, the puzzle would be the size of a big-screen tv and show a tangle of flowers similar to that depicted on the bag it had arrived in.

Also, from what he could tell without going to a jeweler's, it was worth more than his house and most of the things in it.

The puzzle pieces were ivory, smooth and polished. The design was formed by gemstones, delicately cut and fused to the ivory in shapes that made the flowers and vines. Jack sifted through the pieces, sorting them into groups. These two ruby pieces were part of the same flower, probably a rose. This emerald was part of a leaf, and it connected to a twisting vine that led to half a buttercup made of gold . . .

Jack stopped himself. He was not going to put this puzzle together, however much it intrigued and dazzled him. He had returned every gift Chase had sent him so far, and there would be no exceptions. He didn't understand why Chase wanted to give him something, but accepting it was bound to come with consequences he didn't want to deal with. It was safer to send them back, especially the ones that tempted him.

Regretfully, he swept the pieces bag into the bag and returned it to the Jackbot.

"See that this gets returned tonight," he instructed. "And if anything else comes, don't bother me with it until tomorrow."

Frowning, Jack turned back to his work. Maybe he should send Chase a cease-and-desist order or something. This was getting kind of ridiculous.

8 8 8 8 8 8

This was absolutely ridiculous.

Chase sat on his throne, peering through his spy orb, watching Jack's reaction to his latest gift. He ground his teeth as Jack once again gave orders to have his present returned.

"What am I doing wrong?" Chase growled, perturbed enough for once that he was speaking to himself.

He had been so sure the puzzle was a perfect gift. It was a challenge to the mind as well as a delight to the eyes, a perfect comparison for Jack himself. It was difficult to complete, demonstrating his respect for Jack's mental prowess, and made of the most precious materials, illustrating his feelings for Jack. So why had it not been accepted? In what way had his perfect present been found lacking?

Chase dismissed the orb and sat back with a growl. At least he had made some progress. The first gift had been literally booted out the door as soon as Jack realized who it was from, the apologetic letter attached to it unnoticed and unread. The second had been immediately returned. By the fourth try, Jack had at least begun looking at the gifts. This evening, however, was the first time Jack had come anywhere near to accepting one. That was news both good and bad- it meant Jack was thawing, but it also meant the next gift had to be even more impressive.

"Chase, my boy!"

His thoughts were interrupted in the most unpleasant manner possible: the repugnant drawl of Hannibal Roy Bean.

Bean hopped into the room flanked by two cats, his tentacle arms writhing in a manner that made Chase's lip curl. Tentacles were evil, yes, but they were also mildly disgusting.

"Bean. To what do I owe the intrusion? Tired of living at last?"Chase asked smoothly.

"Now now, there's no need for threats. I just came by to catch up. We haven't really talked in such a very long time."

Bean grinned up at him with those craggy yellow teeth, and Chase was suddenly very glad he had dismissed the orb already. Bean knew something. He must have heard about the unusual events at the showdown and decided to snoop around. He was probably hoping Chase would say something revealing and give him a bit of leverage in their never-ending attempts to kill one another. If Hannibal found out about his feelings for Jack . . . Jack probably wouldn't survive the day.

So Chase smiled coldly and prepared to make small talk.

"I see. And what is it you think we have to talk about?"

"I've been hearing some unsettling rumors, my boy."

Hannibal moved a bit closer, but stayed well out of kicking range. He knew Chase too well.

"And why should this concern me?"

"Because certain people are saying –not that I believe them for an instant, mind- but they're saying that you're so starved for affection you're begging your former fan-boy for hugs." Bean gave him an ingratiating grin. "I thought it might be neighborly to inform you that I know a quick little spell that will get you all the company you need. All you have to do is make a deal with me. How about it?"

Chase laughed, expressing an amusement he didn't feel.

"Is that why you came? Surely you know that the Xiaolin gossip like starlings- and they're almost as stupid."

"Then you didn't go begging for hugs?"

Chase grinned.

"I did, actually."

Hannibal began to reply but Chase cut him off. Hoping to keep Bean from prying into his actions - and possibly discovering his feelings towards Jack - he spun a half-truth just plausible enough to be believed.

"Don't you ever get bored, Bean? Don't you ever get tired of being predictably evil? I do. Sometimes it's refreshing to tip the enemy off balance, to do something unexpected. And it makes my next act of evil so much more shocking. Shouldn't you, of all people, understand the appeal of playing mind games?"

"And Jack Spicer?"

"As far as I'm concerned, that insect has more than outlived his usefulness. But it is rather amusing to toy with him."

Bean looked skeptical, but Chase could tell he was almost convinced.

"Are you sure you're not going soft on us?"

Chase's smile changed just a trifle, and suddenly what had been a grin was a subtle baring of teeth.

"Have you seen Wuya lately?"

Hannibal hid it well, but for a split second surprise flashed across his face.

"Was that you? She told me she'd been attacked by a pack of roaming demons."

"I suppose I should be flattered by the comparison. In fact, she annoyed me one too many times, and I decided to drive home the message that I do not tolerate disrespect. It took some effort; Wuya is thick-skinned even as a ghost."

"I certainly understand that," Hannibal drawled. "Wuya's always at her most tolerable when she's wounded."

"Indeed."

Hannibal didn't reply and Chase let the silence stretch as he gazed coolly down on the bean. Finally, Hannibal seemed to decide he'd gotten all the information he was likely to get and changed the subject.

"You've heard about Jack's new friend, of course?"

"I have better ways to spend my time than keeping track of Spicer's so-called friends."

Chase's reply was calm, but inside he felt an unpleasant surge of jealousy and curiosity.

"Oh, but this one is amusing. Little Jack has gotten so many second-raters to go after the wu, but this is the first time we've had a hairdresser."

Chase relaxed. If this was just Jack bringing in strays, it was nothing for him to be worried about.

"A hairdresser?"

"Hairdresser, clothes picker- something that's of no use in a fight." Hannibal shrugged one tentacle. "Though he did manage to help Jack come surprisingly close to winning, or so I hear. But that's not the interesting part."

"What could be more interesting than that?"

Either Chase's sarcasm was lost on him, or Hannibal just chose to ignore it.

"Jack's new friend is feminine in more than his choice of profession, and Jack just happened to follow him home when the showdown was over. I doubt it was for a haircut, if you catch my drift."

Chase caught his drift and ignored it. He was fairly sure he knew exactly who they were talking about now, and he wasn't worried. He'd spied on Jack and his clothier at some length, and he didn't believe there was any attraction between them.

"Are you sure we don't need to worry about you going soft, Hannibal?"

"Why would you think a thing like that?"

"You stopped by to ask me if I need company and to gossip about Spicer's love life. That sounds more like an old woman than a Heylin fighter."

Hannibal shook his head.

"So rude, and after I came all this way just to offer you my help. Young people are always so ungrateful."

"Ungrateful, and incredibly busy. So unless you have something more to say. . ."

"Only that, if you ever should need any assistance, you know where to find me."

"Duly noted. Now get out."

Hannibal obediently turned to leave without any further comments, something that surprised and discomfited Chase. His eyes narrowed as the evil bean hopped out, followed by the two cats that had brought him in. He'd have to keep a careful eye on Hannibal.

Just currently, however, he had a wonderful idea.

8 8 8 8 8 8 8

Hannibal pondered his conversation with Chase as he glided comfortable through the air on the back of the Ying-Yang Bird. The young reptile was getting awfully uppity, and Hannibal wanted to know why. He thought about Chase's slightly crazy grin, his comments about "predictable" evil, and the horrible scars that Wuya now sported.

Hannibal had known it was possible to wound ghosts, but it took strong will, powerful magic and a towering rage to pull off. Wuya claimed she had done nothing out of the ordinary to anger him . . .

Maybe he was up to something, or maybe the great Chase Young was cracking up.

Either way, Hannibal intended to watch him very closely from now on.