Disclaimer: I don't own Xiaolin Showdown. It belongs to Christy Hui.
Author's Note: Too bad we have to move on to the dark side before we learn more about our little Jackie, huh? Just be patient and you'll see our newest Dragon in action.
United as One
Chapter 14: The Lead
Chase was pacing around his throne room, hands behind his back, grumbling about how unpleasant his failure was. A whole night had already passed and none of the teenager's servants had managed to find the runaway Dragon. The sun was already peeking out of the horizon, its rays illuminating the mountains with warm strings of light. Unfortunately, Chase's citadel was forced to stay in eternal darkness, meaning that the gold color spreading over the rocks couldn't reach the mighty evil lair. The former Xiaolin warrior didn't care much about it, though, since he preferred dark places anyway.
Chase had stayed awake the whole night, waiting anxiously for news from his cursed felines. He even had sent several crows to look over the land, but none could find their prey. Still pacing around the room, the teenager looked like he was about to throw a tantrum. "Where is that annoying Dragon?" he asked out loud, rage consuming him little by little. "It's already been a full night! He should have been returned to me long ago!"
"You just can't let things go, can you?" Wuya asked with a sigh.
"Shut your mouth!" Chase snapped, finally standing still. "I do not need to hear any of your comments!"
"Here we go again..."
The former Xiaolin warrior groaned. He started breathing deeply, trying to forget what Wuya had just said. He closed his eyes and crossed his arms in concentration. He emptied his mind of his anger, letting it slip out of his body without creating any damage around him. As soon as all of his rage was gone, Chase sighed and walked over to his throne. "It is truly troublesome that the Dragon of Wind has escaped," he said, taking place on his royal chair. "With him, I could have lured the other Xiaolin warriors to their doom."
"I guess you have another plan," Wuya said with a hint of annoyance. "Let's just hope this one will work."
"I already told you that their won't be any flaws in my plan the next time I meet the Dragons. They will crawl to my feet, beg to have my mercy, but they will die by my own hands."
"You're getting repetitive, you know that?"
Chase grunted. "I don't even know why I bother trying to silence you," he muttered, rubbing his forehead in exasperation.
There was a pause in which Wuya clearly hesitated to speak. She thought it over before saying, her voice low and sad, "You've changed, Chase."
"What?"
"You've changed," the witch repeated. "You have lost complete control over yourself. You are more emotional and you let your fury guide you through your actions. Ever since you acquired my powers, your control over yours has weakened."
"And your point?" Chase asked bitterly.
"All I'm saying is that you're pushing yourself too hard. As I told you before, my powers are more powerful than you know. You're exhausting your spirit and mind by unleashing this much energy." She paused before saying sadly, "If you go on like this, both of us will be destroyed."
"I do not care about your concerns," the teenager spat. "When I became evil, I swore that I would crush all of my enemies with my own hands. This is a promise that I intend to keep, no matter the way it has to be done."
Wuya sighed. "And now I'm the one who wonders why I bother trying to reason you."
Chase grumbled. He was seriously starting to doubt in the witch's efficiency. He had thought that her powers would have granted him the guarantee of the Xiaolin monks' defeat, but such was not the case.
Their conversation was cut short at that moment as a leopard came running inside the throne room, a large piece of black cloth tightly hold inside its muzzle. Chase stood and walked hastily towards the feline that bowed humbly in front of his master. It handed over the fragment of Xiaolin robe before heading off, running back outside to continue its chase.
The former Xiaolin warrior examined the piece of cloth carefully, inspecting it from every angle while his mind raced wildly. After a few minutes, Chase came to a conclusion. "It's a piece of Raimundo's robe," he said out loud, a pleased sneer appearing on his face. "It seems like he ran off to the mountains."
"How can you be so sure?" Wuya asked.
"Simple," Chase replied with a chuckle. "This cloth is covered of mineral dust which can only be found on Mount Hong."
"Wait... Mount Hong?" Wuya thought for a second before saying, "This is where the Dragons went to escape Mala Mala Jong the first time he was reborn. Why would he go back there?"
"Does it matter?" the former Xiaolin warrior asked bitterly while throwing the piece of cloth behind his back, having no need of it now. "We must go after him before we lose his track again. He will lead us to the other Dragons."
"Let's just hope it's not a trap," the witch muttered.
"You have too much imagination, Wuya." Chase snapped his fingers and three tigers slowly came inside the room, taking place beside their master and gazing at him with confused looks. "We are heading to the mountains, my jungle cats," the teenager said with a sneer. "You will be my escort for the journey." The felines purred and growled, ready to head in any direction Chase would point to them.
The teenager left the room hastily and crossed the Citadel's great hall, staring resolutely in front of him, the tigers at his heels. Once the heavy stone doors of his home opened, the former Xiaolin warrior jumped down toward the rocks below with his servants, landing softly on a stone platform to immediately jump back into the air and head towards another flat stone surface. With his tremendous speed, Chase would be at Mount Hong before dusk. It was only a matter of time before the one who had escaped him would be once again in his grasp, ready to be crushed into pieces.
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Author's Note: Short and not too exciting, is it? Well, the next chapter will make up for it. The Xiaolin warriors will finally get a move on!