OK, I think I am going to die out of embarrassment. What the heck have I been doing all these days, you're going to parade me with. I know it. And…I don't have anything to say, except 'I don't know.' I hate this. I really hate it when other people don't update for way too long, and you know what? I think I'm a hypocrite. Jeez, I get upset at other people while I'm sleeping along with them. How I hate myself. Am I getting it when I get my hands on myself.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Who cares about that?

I've been so caught up in my new stories, it's taken me a while to get back to my old ones. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It'll be a little shorter, because I have a bad case of 'fanfiction overload' because I spent about 3 hours yesterday typing up my very long one-shot, 'Sayonara Airashii Kimiko'. God, that took forever.

As for ChinaWings's query, no, I am NOT making Omi and Clay gay. Just because they were trapped and fighting together, don't let that give you ideas. Besides, since when have I ever told you that I was an Omi/Clay supporter? I'm not.

I hope I can get a little bit more of the reviews since this is very close to the end. Just a thought. You don't have to review, but it would be appreciated if you did.

Thanks.

--

Clay sighed again, looking wary. "I don't know, fella," he said in a resigned voice. "Ever since Chase Young came into the picture, our lives have been topsy-turvy for a long time. He likes tauntin' us, doesn't he? When we think we've got him, he come back again with an even worse plan."

"Yes," Omi agreed. "But if we could find a way…a way to pull through, just this once…then we might have a chance against him."

They both stared at the four Shen Gong Wu, lying there in front of them. They were ten feet away, but if they could reach them, the power that they would be given could be unstoppable. With it, they could destroy Chase. But how to get there?

"I have an idea!" Clay said excitedly. Omi gave him a 'are you sure you're okay?' stare, because he himself was still puzzling over how to do it. Clay was grinning at him, making fun of him, which was making Omi infuriated.

"What?" Omi asked, unable to stand the suspense. "WHAT IS IT?"

"Look, pardner… If we can't get to the Wu, then we gotta make the Wu come to us, get it?" Clay explained. "So what we do is, usin' our powers we draw those four durn Shen Gong Wu right to us."

"Oh," Omi said. "I knew that. But what do we…?"

"Simple," Clay said. "Wudai Crater-Earth!" He stomped the ground, as it was all he could do in such a position, causing a series of rumbles heading toward the four Shen Gong Wu. Suddenly, with a sudden snap, the Shen Gong Wu raced towards Omi and Clay's direction, which stopped right by Clay's large right foot. Clay gave Omi the thumbs-up, and Omi returned it.

"Which do we use to get out of these tight, tight ropes?" Omi asked, feeling just a little bit embarrassed that he was, for once, clueless, while Clay had evidently come up with everything they needed to get out of their situation. It felt strange to him, to be the one asking for help, when he was usually the expert. Omi even felt a slight twinge of annoyance, but he knew that this was not a time to be thinking that way.

"The Arrow of Celestia should do," Clay said hurriedly. "We better hope Raimundo and Kimiko are all right back there, wherever they are. Because Chase hasn't come back for us in a long time, and I'm thinkin' maybe he got them."

"Oh, no," Omi said, as a horrible feeling fluttered around in his small yellow stomach. What if it was too late to save his friends? What if Kimiko and Raimundo were…were… he couldn't bear to think about it, for even a second. They could be tortured now, desperately trying to get away… Omi turned his head down, forcing the thought out of his head.

"Arrow of Celestia!" Clay said, surprising Omi. Omi had been so caught up in his thoughts, he had forgotten about escaping. But Clay freed himself, using an amazing amount of foot skill that lifted the arrow upon the ropes. Then Clay slashed the ropes that bound Omi to a different rock, and together they picked up the Shen Gong Wu of the legendary warriors, ready for whatever obstacles they would come upon.

--

Omi wasn't far from guessing the truth. After leaving Raimundo and Kimiko with what they thought was a momentary peace, Chase came back in only a few minutes and smashed both of them down, hard. Although they tried hard to resist, both of them knew, deep down, that there was no hope for them. Their chances of even giving Chase a good fight, in their current state, hit zero. Even when they had enough power and energy to battle Chase, the strength that came out was not enough, either. To fight such a powerful and mighty opponent when out of power was a reckless thing to do, a sacrifice that really served no purpose.

Chase sneered at them, grinning in amusement at their weakness. He could do away with both of them now, if he desired, but first he had a few questions to ask them before he did that. Of course, he had to dispose of them sometime or the other, for they had caused so much trouble with him back then.

"So, you two monks…" Chase's voice carried off deliberately. To him, it was fun to fool around with them while they faced mortal fear.

"Yeah?" Raimundo sputtered bravely, especially in the position he was in.

"Be careful what you say to me, young Dragon of the Wind," Chase said smoothly. "For it may well decide your fate as well as your friends'."

Raimundo kept silent, as this information was obviously getting to him. Chase ignored Raimundo's still defiant glare and continued, "As you know, I was stronger than I was previously, even stronger than when I acquired part of Omi's strength into my own. How, you ask, have my powers increased so? It seems a confusing and complicated question to you, no doubt, but in reality the answer is quite simple. You know, I am sure, that Hannibal Bean has escaped from his prison due to your foolish mistake previously. Hannibal Bean was quite, should I say, angry at me for imprisoning him for such a long period of time, but I bribed him, gave to him what he did not have."

"And what was that?" Kimiko asked, curious but also fearful.

"I pondered that same question for many days," Chase replied. "Hannibal Bean said that he would allow me to go about my ways, without harming me, and even give me something useful in return if I could give him something he needed after five days."

"Get to the point," Raimundo mumbled.

"I gave him another potion, one that I concocted just recently myself. A potion that possesses powers so great, it is beyond imagination."

"And…?" Raimundo asked. "Why was this potion so important?"

"It was a potion of pure evil, a liquid that could grant the person who drank it evil powers that could never diminish, and when killed in battle, their spirit could continue to thrive and destroy. Even greater than immortality was its power," Chase said.

"So why didn't you drink it yourself, if you wanted immortality?" Kimiko asked.

"I did," Chase said, a dark glint in his direct yellowish eyes. "I tricked Hannibal into granting me a share of his powers, and then once again trapped him in the Ying-Yang world. Betrayed twice, that fool. However, I now possess both the powers of the potion and a section of Hannibal Bean's energy as well, which I fully intend to use to bring both of you and the two other warriors down."

"What?" Raimundo asked, his voice quavering. "You're going to kill us…?"

"Of course." Chase's lips broke out into a grim smile. "Did you think that, after all I did to ensnare you, that I would simply allow you to walk free, safe, once again?"

"Not really," Kimiko said bitterly, biting her lip. "But I thought there was more to you than that. Weren't you once good?"

"I'll admit, that did nag me quite a bit, remembering how I used to be noble and kind. Everytime I did something evil, my conscience kept telling me what to do. But since the potion… I've become something greater than the devil's limited grants of power. There is nothing thriving in me but pure, unstoppable evil." Chase did seem like he was telling the truth, his eyes shining brightly at the thought of murdering his foes.

"Please," Kimiko whispered, her soft voice broken with fear. "You can't kill us."

"I will," Chase said. "Right now."

Then, from behind Chase, a distinct but accented voice rang out. "No you won't," Clay said. "Not that we're here."

--

It was short. So sorry if you were expecting something really long. But I'm not really in the mood to write long chapters, so please be satisfied with what I have so far. Thanks.