Chapter Three
After a seemingly long period of time, the group arrived at the same spot where Clara had been found. Once Dojo landed, the kids
climbed off of him and then he returned to his small size. "Well, no signs of Jack anywhere", Kimiko stated as she looked around. "We
should get lookin' before he does show up", Clay answered. Clara gave a quick glance around too. "Who's Jack?", she asked the
dragons. "He's …" began Kimiko, "A no good snake in the grass", interrupted Clay, "and whiny", Raimundo added, "and a big doofus",
Kimiko interjected, "And rarely a worthy foe", Omi finished. "Not to mention he wears makeup", added Dojo. "Well, that answers my
question", Clara sarcastically responded. Kimiko giggled, "Don't worry, you'll meet him sooner or later". "Goody", Clara answered in
the same tone. "Well, we better get looking for this Shen Gong Wu", Raimundo said. Everyone agreed and split up in search for the Wu.
Clara decided she'd look for anything that didn't seem to belong in the sparse forest as she had never seen a Wu before. The dragons
stayed close enough to her to reach her quickly if any danger occurred. "Shen gong wu, shen gong wu", Clara searched around a small
wooded area. Suddenly she felt her right wrist tingle. It had only done this once before, when she first arrived here. Clara had thought it to
be just her imagination and she completely ignored it due to her situation. But now, the sensation had gotten more intense and then , as
she looked at her arm to see the cause, her bracelet began to glow.
"Oh!", Dojo began to wiggle out of Omi's robe, "What is it Dojo", Omi asked, "It's the Shen Gong Wu! It's activated again! It had
stopped but now I feel it and it's very close!", Dojo then directed Omi to the direction which he felt the Wu was. Omi informed the others
and they quickly made their way towards the area where Clara was searching.
"Oh man, what's happening?", Clara asked herself as her bracelet would not stop glowing. Not paying attention to where she was
walking, Clara did not see a fallen branch and tripped over it. "Gotcha!", she heard someone say. She felt someone holding her up from
the back, but also on her right arm too. Clara looked up to see who had caught her and found herself face to face which a strange looking
teenage boy. "Cute girlfriend you got there Clay, she doesn't seem your type though", the boy laughed. "Jack Spicer", she heard Clay's
close voice say. He was the one holding her up from behind, but the strange boy was holding her from her right arm as well. So, she
thought, this is the notorious Jack. Then she thought a little harder, Hey! Did he just call me cute? They all managed to stand up right,
neither boy letting go of Clara's wrist. "Alright then", Jack began, "Clay, I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown!". Clara suddenly
became very confused. "Huh?", she inadvertently said out loud. "Alright, lets see", Jack looked around a bit, "How about a race?
Whoever gets to the top of that tree first wins!", he pointed to a nearby tall tree. "Alright then, what's your wager?", Clay asked, tone not
faltering, "How about my Shroud of Shadows for your Tangle Web Comb!", without thinking about what Jack had just said, Clay
responded , "Deal!". Suddenly, the ground began to shake and the tall tree Jack had pointed to became even taller. "What's going on?",
Clara asked, then, as the boys had let her go, she realized her bracelet had disappeared. "Clara, I won't let nothing happen to your
bracelet, now go with the others", Clay told her and lightly pushed her aside. The tall tree grew to an immense height. When it had
stopped, Jack and Clay looked at each other and yelled, "Gong Yi Tenpai!". "I don't get it? What's going on? Where's my bracelet?",
she asked the others. She watched as the boys began the race. "This is a Xiaolin Showdown", Omi told her, "Jack and Clay are
competing for your bracelet and the Wu they're using", added Kimiko. Clara suddenly felt her heart sink to her stomach, "Y-you mean, I
could lose my dad's bracelet?", "Your dad's?", Kimiko asked, "Yeah, that's all I have left of him, he gave it to me right before he died. I
can't lose it!", Clara felt herself start to panic. "Don't worry Clara, I'm sure Clay won't let Jack take it from you", Kimiko reassured her.
Clara nodded and watched intently as Jack and Clay raced to the top of the tree. She watched as Clay began to climb one side of the
tree using his Wu. It shot out long vines which he used to hold on to the many branches and swing higher to the top. Jack took the other
side of the tree, where Clay could not see him, and he could not see Clay. Clara was too busy making sure Clay made it to the top that
she did not notice Jack's cheating. Jack put away his Shroud of Shadow's and activated his Heli-Bot. He flew as close to the top as he
could and then ducked into the interlacing branches and leaves. Clay was close to the top, the dragons, Dojo, and Clara were cheering
him on from the bottom. Only once branch left and he would be at the top. "Tangle Web Comb!", he yelled. The vines caught the last
branch as he caught a glance of Jack suddenly appearing from his Shroud of Shadows. "Have a nice fall, Clay", Jack said as he stepped
hard on the branch the vines had wrapped on to. "No!", Clay cried as the branch snapped off and he began to fall. Without wasting time,
Jack hurried to the top and snatched Clara's bracelet and laughed his evil laugh. "No", Clara whispered to herself in disbelief. The
showdown was over, and in an bizarre sequence of events, Jack Spicer had won.