Lets get this straight before we start, I know Brazilians speak Portuguese, not Spanish, it is part of the plot.
"The cat's only natural enemy is the towel."
The episode opens with the four dragon cats, standing on a devilish looking rock in the middle of nowhere. A huge cave door creaks open before them.
"Who is that?" Omi asked, the bulge on the side of his face conveniently absent.
Dojo shrugs, continuing to darn clothes.
"It's the lord of evil." Raimundo said
"… Tubbimura?" Omi asked
"No Omi, not Tubbimura." Rai said, his eyes rolling back. "Lonely rock… Giant skull shaped cave… pillars of flame, any of this ringing a bell baldy?"
"…Rocksha?" Omi asked in genuine confusion.
"Rocksha? No Omi! Rocksha is a SNOWMAN, He can't live near fire!" Rai growled, his face growing red.
"That's a shame, I like Rocksha." Omi said disappointed.
The figure in the dark cleared his throat.
The dragons turned to look at him.
"Sorry Chase, Omi its Chase Young!" Rai growled.
A tuft of thick black hair rose from the darkness, the clink of armour the only sound except for spouts of steam.
"I'm glad someone recognises me, but this is not the time, we need each other." Chase said, stepping into the light.
His thick armour hung loosely from his shoulders as if he was about to slip out of it. A thick black tail flapped furiously from behind, and two tanned ears poked out through his black 'mane' of hair.
"Hey! Chase is a Cat too! Rad! Are you enjoying it as much as I am?" Raimundo asked happily.
Chase's gaze remained its usual emotionless state, and then he smiled, surrendering to Raimundo's childish naïveté.
"Yes, I guess being a cat does have its perks, but I do have a big problem…" Chase said.
"What's that?" Kimiko asked.
"Being a cat, I no longer have authority over by beasts, and they have kicked me out of my cave." Chase said looking at the floor.
"So your cats turned against you?" Clay asked.
"Serves you right for siding with darkness!" Omi trilled, poking his tongue out as he performed 'the dance of happy'.
"But if you can turn people into cats, can't you turn them back too?" Kimiko asked, her voice rising slightly.
"Ppft! Do you think I can cast any kind of incantation with no thumbs?" Chase hissed holding up one tiny tanned paw, the fingers flexed but not nearly far enough to grab anything.
"I see what you mean." Kimiko said.
"Why can't y'all just turn into your lizard form?" Clay asked.
Chase looked at the floor. " Well… I could but…"
"Remove it from your mouth!" Omi spat
"I think he means spit it out," Rai said from the corner, playing cards with himself.
"Well, if I turn into a lizard from this form, I'll still keep many of the features of a cat, paws, ears…" Chase said awkwardly
"So… you'll look like a complete freak?" Clay asked.
"Can you do it?" Kimiko asked lifting her camera.
"No," Chase sighed, "we need to work together to turn back, I assume this is the work of Wuya?"
"Yep, its Wuya all right, with help from Katnappa." Kimiko said.
"So will you let me help you?" Chase asked.
"I don't know. You are evil and on many occasions have tried to endanger us!" Omi spat.
"Oh let him help us! If he tries anything we can always catch him in a towel or something." Raimundo said, still playing cards with himself. " Straight, full house! Darn it! Why do you always win?" Rai muttered.
The others all looked at him, one eyebrow rising.
"Raimundo who are you playing cards with?" Omi asked
"My evil side!" Rai said "And he keeps winning! Only because I cheat! What? How can you cheat me? Its easier then it looks, you are so foolish! I'LL SHOW YOU FOOLISH!"
Rai tried to punch himself in the face but missed and fell into a crumpled heap of red cotton and tanned fur.
Chase Young's eyebrow rose again. "And master Fung chose you by hand you say?"
Kimiko shot an angered defensive gaze at Chase, who cowered slightly, forgetting how much stronger he was when faced with the gaze of an irate Japanese girl.
"Don't speak out of line Chase or we'll send you back to your lair with your friends!" Kimiko snarled.
A sweat mark ran down Chase's face " No, you can't! One of the females has her eye on me…" Chase cried.
Raimundo started laughing as he battled to get upright from his crumpled position on the floor.
Chase stood upright, with surprising balance on his crooked kitten legs.
"How did you do that?" Kimiko gasped.
"I will teach you all to do so, if you promise to use the skills to stop Wuya's plans!" Chase said
"Done and done!" Rai said, struggling upright, then falling back down.
"Let me help you up, friend" Chase said reaching out a paw to Raimundo.
Rai looked cautious for a second, then smiled and extended his paw. Chase promptly pulled him to his feet (as it were) and Rai laughed happily.
"This guy is alright! Dojo, is my shirt done yet?" Rai chirped.
"Just gotta finish Clay's hat… all done, take your clothes guys." Dojo said.
The dragons took clothes piles from dojo. Kimiko looked around.
"Where do we get changed?" Kimiko asked, looking around for a cubicle to no avail.
"Out here." Rai said pulling off his robes.
"WHATT! OUT HERE! NEKKID? WITH CHASE WATCHNG?" Kimiko snarled.
"Oh don't mind me, I'm more interested in dojo than you." Chase said smugly.
"That's a great compliment!" Kimiko snarled. "The network will never allow us to… you know… get nekkid"
"They show nekkid kitties all the time! Animals don't usually wear clothes!" Rai said awkwardly pulling on his favourite Tic-Tac coloured shirt.
"Ok. Just don't look…" Kim said.
"Dojo? What have you done to my shirt? It is supposed to go in at the waist and out at the hips!" Rai growled.
"I'm sorry but I have a tight schedule to keep!" Dojo pouted.
"So dragons are you ready for my training?" Chase young asked.
"Indeed we are!" Omi said, not needing to change his clothes.
"Then lets begin…" Chase grinned evilly.
END OF PART 1! Don't you hate the way the commercial break comes on just when it's getting good, and if you get up and go to the toilet you always miss the first few minutes of the second half? (But if you are lucky the first few minutes are a re-run of the last few minutes of the first half in slightly different animation.)