A/N: I'm aback!
Jack: But…TamerTerra and LiviorX never commented back! Why are you updating?
A/N: 'Cause, Bewarethedarkness, fallonmarie3, and chrystalas want me to. Majority rules. Now, to my fans…
Bewarethedarkness: Yeah, I hate it when people make Jack look pathetic.
Jack: I'm not pathetic! Who told you that?
A/N: No one, darkness actually said you weren't.
Chrystalas: Beep, beep. Truck coming through!
Fallonmarie3: Thank you! Jack and Clay are my fave characters, so—
Jack: Hey, who're you calling a character? I, my friend, am a muse.
A/N: You're a MOOSE? When did this happen?
Jack: Not moose, dummy. Muse. Your inspiration. (whips out beret and sticks on head)
A/N: Loser.
Clay: Not. Not a loser. Just a moose.
Jack: Not a moose!
A/N: Shut up, mooses, I'm still talking. Anyways, thanks so much for the reviews, all of you! They all mean a lot to me. They make me smile and make yummy noises.
Jack: I make yummy noises! When I eat pudding cups. Mmm…
Clay: Pudding cups…
A/N: I wasn't aware that mooses liked pudding cups! I learned something today! Anyways, on with the story!
Story: Not Half Bad
Rating: T
Summary: When Clay has an accident, there's only one person there who can help him. Can worst enemies learn to be friends? Rated T for bloody scenes and language.
Jack awoke, this time in a not-so-comfortable place. He was tied to a pole in a warehouse. He could hear the snow pattering on the roof outside. Looking to his left and right, he saw Omi, Raimundo, Kimiko, and Clay in similar positions and Dojo in a titanium cage. Everyone but Dojo was awake.
"Jack!" said Clay. "You're awake. Your leg okay?"
"Yeah," said Jack. "Okay as possible."
"Be quiet," hissed the unmistakable voice of Chase Young. He stepped out of the shadows. He was wearing formal robes, a sword at his hip. "Where is Master Fung?" he asked. Nobody answered. He repeated his question, louder this time, "Where is Master Fung!" Still, the silence hung heavy in the air. "No one?" asked Chase softly. "Then I'll have to choose someone."
He walked over and inspected the Dragons as one inspects pieces of meat. He stopped in front of Clay and said, "That one." Clay's ropes fell off and he stepped in front of Chase.
Chase pulled out his sword and held it at Clay's stomach, right where the middle of his scar was. "I ask you once again, where is Master Fung?" Clay reared back and spit in his face. "Very well," said Chase. His sword was about two inches away from his stomach.
Just as the sword pricked him, Clay yelled, "Wudai Crater, Earth!" He slid under the sword and around, like quicksilver, kicking Chase in a pressure point on the back of his head. Chase jolted forward, the sword flying out of his hand. Clay slid over and picked it up, holding it to Chase's face. There was no need, however: Chase had been all but knocked out.
Clay went over to his friends and cut their ropes loose with Chase's sword.
"Thanks, Clay," said Jack. They began heading out of the warehouse when, unbeknownst to them, Chase summed up all his remaining energy and took a silver knife a little longer then his hand out of his boot. He propped himself up on his elbow and, aiming, carefully, threw the knife straight at Clay's back.
Jack was the only one who saw it coming. Abruptly, he turned and flung himself in front of Clay. All the dragon's turned, then.
"NO!" yelled Clay. What happened next seemed to happen in slow motion.
Jack felt a warm, metallic feeling slide through his stomach. He collapsed, and Clay caught him.
Clay pulled the knife out and threw it to the side. Jack sighed with pleasure at having it out. His breathing was much shallower. The wound was bleeding freely.
"Why?" whispered Clay.
Jack winced. "I'd always take a bullet for my best friend," he whispered, smiling a little bit. "I'll close my eyes so you can't see the light go out of them."
"You're not gonna die," said Clay fiercely, tears springing to his eyes.
"I am, Clay. None of that crying, now. You'll make me cry too." He half-smiled, then coughed violently. Some blood came up with it. He grabbed Clay's bandana and pulled him closer so he could hear him. "If I had a second chance, I'd have never become evil. We could've been friends long before this. Remember that." He coughed again, and closed his eyes. Then, Clay's worst fears came true.
His breath left him altogether.
"No, no, no," whispered Clay, sobbing into Jack's shirt. Jack's hand was limp and fell off Clay's bandana.
The Xiaolin Dragons had watched this display with tears coming down their faces as well. They felt for Clay and Jack. Twice Clay had saved Jack's life, and twice Jack had saved Clay's. And now the Dragon of Earth was the only one left.
He turned his head slowly until he focused on Chase Young.
"He didn't deserve to live," said Chase.
"He worshipped you, and this is how you repay him?" whispered Clay. "I'll kill you," he said in his normal voice, pulling up the sword. "I'LL KILL YOU!" he yelled, running at him.
Raimundo and Kimiko rushed over and grabbed his arms.
"Don't sink to his level, man!" said Rai.
"Just turn around and walk away!" said Kimiko.
Clay slowed, then stopped.
"You're right," he said in a low whisper. He spit on Chase's face again. "He's not worth it." Clay slowly turned around and walked towards Jack's body. He scooped it up, holding it tightly. He opened the door to the warehouse, everyone else following behind, and walked down the sidewalk, just thinking, leaving rose-colored blood drops in a path behind him. The other Dragons held back. He walked to the end of the street and then put his back to a lamp pole, sliding down until he was sitting. He held Jack like a baby, then looked up at the near-full moon and howled, expressing all his emotions in that one, sweet howl. He held Jack's body close, praying that it was just a nightmare, sobbing when he knew it wasn't. He sat like that until he felt he couldn't anymore. He got up and walked back to his friends.
"Okay?" asked Kimiko, putting a slender hand on his shoulder.
Clay shook his head. "I don't think I'll be 'okay' for a while," he whispered, "but I'm ready to head back to the temple."
Dojo morphed into his big size and they all got on, Clay last of all, still holding the body close as Dojo sailed off into the moonlight.
A/N: AHH! FREAKING PLOT BUNNIES! (bangs head on keyboard until brains spew out)
Dead Jack: Hey, Emily! What're you doing up here?
Dead A/N: I'm dead, I killed you remember?
Dead Jack: Oh, yeah! … You suck.
Dead A/N: Plot bunnies.
Dead Jack: Oh. Yeah. SCREW YOU, PLOT BUNNIES!
Dead A/N: Well said. Anyways, R & R, peeps, cause that's cool.
Dead Jack: Who's up for rabbit stew?
Clay: (from earth) Emily? EMILY? (cries) WHY DOES EVERYONE I CARE ABOUT DIE!
Dead A/N: Aww…
Dead Jack: Poor Clay. First his girlfriend, then his best friend, now the authoress?
Dead A/N: He should get some ice cream. Or a pudding cup.
Dead Jack: Well said. Pudding cups make everything better.