As with previous chapters, Xiaolin Showdown and all its stuff do not belong to me. Neither does Woo Jin Duraflex, whatever it is.
WARNING: SPOILER ALERT. This chapter contains spoilers for "The Black Vipers" episode, which the UK will not be getting just yet (It's not in the first 13.) Err…Jadebell, and anyone else who doesn't want anything spoiled for them will have to skip this chapter… I have to congratulate myself on actually writing something on Clay. He's alright, but I find him kind of boring to write about. But that's because I'm a Jack fan. Anyway, yes, there's some Clay focus here. Next chapter will be Kimiko… As well, this chapter features a made-up SGW called the Wu Jin Duraflex. The name doesn't belong to me. I just saw the name "Woo Jin Duraflex" on the plastic clasp of my backpack, and pictured Omi yelling that phrase while holding some object. I just changed "Woo" to "Wu". It might be a company or something, but whatever it is, I don't own it. From last chapter "Wheel of Quan Lao" means roughly "Wheel of the small, hoop net." Quan- circle, hoop, ring. Lao- small net.
Special thank-yous to Cole the Demon Hunter, DArkFEar, and Jadebell! Everyone else, get reviewing and I'll give you a special thank-you next chapter too!
(-)
Chapter 3: A Fight for Texas
On this mild summer night, Master Fung was standing just outside the Xiaolin Temple, his blue-and-white robes blowing gently in the breeze, which also caressed his bald head. Marylyn Orre stood contentedly beside him, clutching a packet of photographs which she was observing in the silvery moonlight. "They should be getting back soon," Fung commented. "It never takes very long for them to return, victorious or not."
Marylyn didn't seem to be paying attention. She shuffled though the pile of photos, smiling as she viewed each one. "Fung, I'm glad that you got Jack to come here. It's good for him to make some friends like these." She had been shocked earlier when she'd learned the truth- that her son had actually met the real Wuya and had been helping her to regain control over the world. In fact, she'd nearly fainted at the mere thought of it. Henry had never done anything like that, and they all knew how afraid she was of him. Thankfully, Master Fung had quickly explained that she had mainly just been using him.
"…Actually, he came to us all on his own after discovering his powers as the Dragon of Metal," Fung continued. "I'm not exactly sure what did it, but it had something to do with going into the future and wanting to change it."
"Well, that's good," Marylyn responded, although she wondered what in the world kind of future it could have been.
"Ah," Master Fung spoke up. "There they are now."
Indeed, they could both see the long outline of Dojo, winding through the clouds, but as the leader counted the shadowy figures on its top, he noticed that there were actually six of them. "It seems we have a visitor," he added.
At last, the figures drew closer and closer, until the giant dragon was landing gently back on the patch of dirt in front of the steps. Kimiko and Omi were the first to jump off.
"Master Fung, Master Fung!" the excitable little monk cried, bounding up in front of him. "We've got a new partner! This is Shelly, the Dragon of Ice!"
Rai, Clay, and Jack slipped off next, and Rai held out his hand in a gentlemanlike fashion to help Shelly down. The gentle, brunette young lady smiled at him, took his hand, and hopped gracefully to the ground.
"I hope this doesn't cause a problem," she asked, her dazzling blue eyes growing large and pleading. "But I'd like to stay here at the temple with you."
"Dragon of Ice?" Master Fung said in surprise, hurrying over to get a good look at Shelly. He cocked his large head and studied her for a moment.
Marylyn stepped up to his side. "I don't remember there being a Dragon of Ice," she commented. "I thought the element Water also had the power to control Ice…"
"Well, it could be a new addendum," Master Fung considered. "Such as Metal, which is normally controlled under the element Earth… Could I see you perform your attack for a moment, Shelly? I'll need to evaluate your powers before I know for sure."
"Of course," Shelly gladly complied, stepping up before the temple leaders. She curtsied for a brief, tranquil moment, and then summoned, "Ice!" A shiny, translucent barrier sprang up all around her, and glittering icebergs shot from out of nowhere, crashing to the ground with intense force.
"…Well, those certainly look like true Xiaolin Dragon elemental powers."
"I've known about my powers and about this place for a long time now," Shelly explained as she stepped out of her attack. "I just could never find a way to get here. I'm not sure why your dragon guardian suddenly sensed me now. Perhaps he'd forgotten about my element altogether."
"Yes," Master Fung cautiously agreed. "Dojo has been getting a bit lax lately." The now minimized dragon began to protest, but Master Fung simply continued right over him. "Have you obtained official permission from your parents?"
Shelly froze for a moment, taken by surprise. "Well…I didn't know that was a requirement. See, I don't have any parents. They all died a long time ago. I've been living by myself in Chicago for years."
"Wow, that must have been tough," Rai told her. He was familiar with the street life, but he'd never have been able to survive without his family there with him.
"Oh, it's no big deal," Shelly excused, "Life might have been tough…but I'm tougher!" She flexed her arm and flashed a smile at them. "And besides, it's not like I was totally alone. That reminds me…" she turned back to Master Fung. "…Do you allow ghosts?"
"Ghosts?" the temple master questioned.
"Yeah…you know, spirits?" Shelly reached over her shoulder, and gently guided the little white orb in front of her and above her head, making the mysterious creature seem tangible. "This is my spirit partner, Bobby. We've been together ever since I was a little kid. In fact, he found me and helped me through that time when my parents died. …Please say you'll let him stay with me. He's perfectly harmless, I know. The poor thing can't even speak."
At her words, the blobby wisp flew up and began studying Master Fung, as if deciding if he was friend or foe. At last, he nodded to himself, and flew back over Shelly's shoulder.
"See? He'd friendly too, and it looks like he's decided he liked you."
"Uh…what if he decides he doesn't like you?" Omi nervously asked.
"Then he'll just avoid you, that's all. He isn't capable of taking any aggressive action, even if he tried."
"Well, I suppose it's okay," Master Fung decided. "Just make sure that you don't cause any disturbances with him. Our other community members may not understand the nature of your companion."
"Sure," Shelly quickly consented. "You don't have to worry about any of that."
"I guess that settles it!" Marylyn cheerfully spoke up, holding out her arms. "Welcome to the Xiaolin Temple, Shelly!"
The other Xiaolin Warriors cheered and clapped for their new member. Kimiko was the first one to reach her side. "This is so cool!" she exclaimed. "I've been waiting for another female Xiaolin Warrior. This place is so overrun with guys, it's getting ridiculous. Sometimes a girl needs someone to sympathize with, you know what I mean?"
"Yeah," Shelly said, putting on another smile. "I can see why you're always so frustrated."
"C'mon, let's go find you a place to stay!" Kimiko called in happiness. She was so happy that she didn't even find it suspicious that Shelly knew about her frustration. The excited Japanese girl grabbed Shelly by the arm and forced her into a run towards the temple doors off into the distance.
The four guys trudged after, sharing similar feelings of confusion. Omi pulled out his "Ancient Guide to Females". He'd need to study up, since there were two of them now.
(-)
"Welcome to your first Xiaolin Temple training session," Marylyn announced. The other five Xiaolin Warriors were lined up on the red carpet as Shelly scurried into the room, her spirit partner tagging along behind her. Marylyn was once again performing the training duties today, since Master Fung was working on renovating the dormitory hallway. Shelly had slept in a different section of Kimiko's room last night, but they'd known that she'd have to get her own cubicle the next morning.
Master Fung had offered to make Jack a room as well, but he'd promptly refused. Why would he want a tiny space with a mat, when he could be sleeping downstairs in his dark, roomy laboratory, in a hammock he'd set up in the corner?
Shelly glided over to the other elemental temple members and cocked her head a little. "Hey, that's right…" she said, turning to face Kimiko. "You never introduced me to your guy buddies."
"Oh, yeah…" Kimiko said, at last acknowledging their existences again.
"Hello, I'm Raimundo," Rai introduced himself, stepping forward and flashing a movie-star grin at her. "…But you can call me Rai."
"Ah…pleased to meet you," Shelly replied, and quickly turned her attention to the little figure beside him. Rai looked a bit disappointed, but allowed his egotistical little monk friend to take over.
"I am called Omi!" he cried, smiling and holding out his hand. "I hope we get to be good friends! It's exciting to meet an Ice Dragon like yourself, since I actually know some Ice-controlling…"
"Well, nice to meet you too," Shelly interrupted him and moved on to Clay.
"Howdy, ma'am," Clay greeted her, tipping his hat, politely. "Good ta have more've you around."
"What's your name?" Shelly asked, seeming a bit irritated.
"Clay Bailey, ma'am."
"Oh. Okay. You from Texas or something?"
Clay stepped back in astonishment. "How did you ever guess?"
Rai chuckled quietly. Kimiko put her hands on her hips. Was it just her, or was Shelly suddenly acting ruder than before? Well, she admitted to herself, it was kind of funny…Clay could be so slow sometimes.
"Hiya!" Jack called as soon as Shelly glanced in his direction. He stepped out and struck another strange, awkward pose. "I'm Jack Spicer! The legendary Dragon of Metal and master of non-evil!"
Everyone else rolled their eyes. "Do you have to add that every time you introduce yourself?" Rai complained.
"And what's that 'non-evil' thing?" Omi suspiciously queried.
"I think he just likes saying the word 'evil," Kimiko guessed.
"Oh, Jack!" Shelly said, and for a moment, everyone wondered if she knew him. "…Well, it's a pleasure."
Jack stared, confusedly at her as she walked away. "Oh, it's a pleasure," he mocked in a squeaky voice. "The pleasure is all mine. Lovely evening, isn't it? So very nice to meet you…" He cut himself off and made gagging noises in the background.
Marylyn laughed, nervously. "Yeah…sorry to subject you to that. Once again, I couldn't do anything about it." She turned back to address the rest of the Xiaolin Dragons as soon as Shelly got into place. "Well, then…shall we start? I just heard from Fung that the first of your Element Orbs should be nearby. One of you is very close to finding it…but, since we're not sure who it is, we all need to be ready…"
While the red-headed former Dragon was giving them this little speech, Shelly's little spirit partner drifted around, examining the other Xiaolin Dragons. It had already decided that it liked Kimiko last night, but it hadn't got a chance to judge the rest of them. It passed on Omi pretty quickly, and spent a few moments twirling around Rai's head before accepting him. The white blob studied Clay quite closely, and did a strange little nod to itself, which everyone took as "accepted".
Finally, Bobby spent a good thirty minutes staring at Jack, circling around him, landing on his head, staring directly into his eyes (which was very distracting), and even passing through his body once or twice. For some strange reason, Jack didn't feel that same cold, slimy, squirming feeling he'd felt whenever Wuya had passed through him. This ghost was different somehow. Well, a normal ghost and an evil sorceress ghost would naturally have a few distinctions between them. At last, Bobby decided that he was okay. At least that was what the Xiaolin Warriors assumed the little ghost was doing…
"Shen-Gong-Wu alert! Shen-Gong-Wu alert!" Dojo had impeccable timing, since Marylyn Orre had just been about to begin the training session.
"Ooh, cool!" Shelly exclaimed. "It's my first Shen-Gong-Wu hunt!"
Marylyn smiled. "And I want to tag along too…remember what I said last time?"
Dojo groaned to himself, just imagining the weight he'd be forced to carry in the next few minutes. "Well…at least I'm sure it's a Shen-Gong-Wu this time." He unrolled the magical Shen-Gong-Wu scroll, and an image of a strange pink square appeared in the center of the psychedelic blue circle.
"That's the Wu?" Rai asked in disbelief. "That pink square? Dojo, I think the scroll's malfunctioning."
"That's not just any pink square!" the guardian dragon snapped back. "It's Wu Jin Duraflex! It's an incredibly durable molding substance that can stretch as far as you wish. You could make virtually anything out of it! In fact, whenever you call its name, it will morph into the first thing that comes to your mind."
It was true, as the six Xiaolin Dragons realized, watching the stick figure presentation. The little man symbol held out the square, and then it flew out of his hands, shaping and morphing itself into a bridge for him to cross
"Dojo…" Kimiko asked, staring interestingly at the example. "If this thing can morph into anything you think of…can it morph into other Shen-Gong-Wu!"
"Well, yes," Dojo answered, "But any Wu Jin Duraflex Shen-Gong-Wu you use only have half the power of the real Shen-Gong-Wu."
"Wow…" Omi marveled. "So it is very important, then! We must leave to go find it right away!"
Dojo sighed. "Alright, alright then…" He closed his eyes and prepared to grow.
"No! Wait!" Shelly suddenly cried. "I uh…have to get something first…I left it in my room…"
"That's right!" Omi suddenly remembered. "We've got to arm ourselves with Shen-Gong-Wu just in case there's a showdown! I know we need not worry about Wuya and Jack anymore, but…there may be other threats!" He ran off towards the direction of the vault, closely followed by Kimiko, Rai, and Clay.
"And we can't forget our Shen-Gong-Wu-searching gear!" Jack added, sprinting off to his lab.
"Uh, okay…meet me outside," Dojo said, frowning at the prospect of having to carry six Xiaolin Warriors, Marylyn Orre, plus all their equipment. I've really got to start lifting weights, he thought. Then, just as he turned around and began to scuttle out towards the Temple gardens, an odd streak of white light suddenly zoomed by, barely missing his snout. "Okay…" he said to himself. "I have no idea what that was. I think I'm seeing things…" For the moment, the miniature dragon ignored the phenomenon, and simply continued his trip outside. But soon, he'd be seeing the same thing again, though he'd have no idea that it was.
(-)
The dull, monotonous buzz of six motorcycles droned in the ears of the CFPU members as they flew over this unfamiliar landscape. Sandstorms whirled around them, some kicked up by the quickly rotating tires of their own motorcycles. It was yet another mission, and now, as the new accepted temporary leader of the bunch, Gerald rode in front of the others.
Finally, he'd figured out why Bob hadn't been at the top of the building with him and Shésui. The dark-haired gangster boy was lying, unconscious in a cart on the back of his motorcycle. When Gerald had returned to headquarters, he'd found his leader in this state. He wasn't dead, but no one was really sure what had happened to him. It looked like he was sleeping, but he'd still been sleeping for the past two days now. In fact, the other members were still debating about what was wrong with him, and Gerald was just barely able to hear them over the whirring of the motorcycles.
"You think he's in a coma?" one voice asked.
"Nah, he's just sleeping," another argued.
"For two days?" a third cried. "And why would he just curl up and go to sleep in the middle of headquarters?"
"Maybe our leader's got narcolepsy," one of the previous voices guessed. "And he just never wanted us to know, because we might get rid of him too."
"And whatever happened to Shésui?" the first voice asked. "I really miss that babe. I think she disappeared around the same time we found Bob…"
Suddenly, a bright flash of white light flashed before Gerald's eyes among the whirling grains of desert sand. Without warning, he jammed on the brakes, startled and rattled. "What the heck was that!" he cried.
"Augh!" the other CFPU members cried as they couldn't stop fast enough and went slamming into Gerald's vehicle. The last one bumped against the cart containing Bob's unconscious body.
"You idiots!" Gerald snapped at them. "Don't slam into the master's cart! Something could be really wrong with him! Did you see that white light?"
"White light?" one member with long, chestnut-colored hair spoke up. "I didn't see any light; all I could see was a bunch of sand!"
"Sorry, Jerry," the one with short, blond hair that had slammed into the cart apologized as he got back onto his motorcycle. "I was talking to Stanley and didn't notice anything around me."
"Well, pay better attention next time!" Gerald reprimanded. "I saw a bright flash of light. I don't know what it was, but it almost looked like…"
"…someone crossing over from the spirit world?" a very familiar voice finished for him.
The members of CFPU gasped as something began moving from inside the cart…and an instant later, Bob's sharp brown eyes were glaring back at them.
"…M…Master Bob…" Gerald stuttered in amazement. "How…? Why…? What…?"
Bob smirked and swiftly jumped from his cart as if he'd never been in an unhealthy fit of slumber. "Sorry I had to leave on such short notice," he apologized to his agents. "But I was performing a few vital tasks for Shésui. I had to leave. I'd very much appreciate it if you would always guard my body like this whenever I must leave it."
The astounded CFPU members simultaneously nodded their heads. "Yes, yes, of course, master," some of them chanted.
"You…left your body?" Gerald incredulously exclaimed. "How in the world did you…? Why would you need to…?"
Bob just smiled. "Let's just keep it a little secret for now," he said. "But don't worry, I'll tell you when the time is right. Now…haven't we got a mission to undertake?"
The rattled CFPU members slowly nodded and sat back atop their motorcycles. It would take a while for them to shake off the shock of Bob's sudden, supernatural reappearance.
Then, as soon as his words faded out in their minds, black specks began to appear amidst the whirling Texas dust. Yes, they had traveled here for a reason, but for a moment, they had considered just dropping the mission when their leader had revived. Now, it looked like they'd have to carry it out after all.
The black specks gradually grew larger, first into black splotches, then black pieces of metal…and finally, into Black Vipers. Now, normally, the organization never got involved with other motorcycle gangs. It wasn't a gang war that they were looking for. However, this particular gang interested them, since it was a stereotypical group of Texas rebel girls. They wore black ripped jackets and liked to act "tough". Something about the girls' rattlesnake-shaped bikes brought a sneering chuckle to Bob's chest.
Aw… he thought, look at the little babies on their snake tricycles. That would be a good insult to sling when they finally met. Bob always made his gang ride authentic, Harley-Davidson motorcycles, since it made them look even more professional. Besides, money was no object to them. They could always just steal whatever they wanted, by banishing the dealer, and the rest of the people in the area who might witness the theft. These girls probably had to buy their serpentine models.
At last, the vehicles were close enough for Bob to see each one's rider. The two on the sides were slender and the one on the right had chin-length auburn hair flapping in the wind. He couldn't see their faces since they were all wearing helmets (what losers), but it was still very easy to recognize their main target.
She wore the largest of the ripped black jackets, over a tied-up blue shirt, along with blue jeans and cowboy boots. She was kind of short, and very plump. Her behind even dipped off the motorcycle seat a little. In fact, if he didn't know better, Bob would've thought she was s guy. The only reason he knew she was female was from choosing her as a target online and seeing her picture.
As they approached, he stepped out of the cart (since the others hadn't thought to bring his motorcycle with them. How inconsiderate.) to address them, but as soon as he did, they began to circle around him in formation. Bob crossed his arms. He'd been expecting this. This was the Black Vipers' typical strategy, called the "Viper Strike". They would encircle their enemies, and then quickly tie them with lassos.
"Get ready," Bob muttered to Gerald. "They're going to use the Viper Strike. Everyone…execute defensive #3."
Indeed, the rebel girls threw long coils of rope towards them with incredible aim. However, before the lassos could even touch them, the CFPU held out their hands, creating a purple, magical barrier, much like Jack Spicer's Silver Shield technique. The energy flowed from their palms, and the rope crashed against it, falling uselessly to the ground.
"Oooh, look at that," one of the other Black Vipers taunted. "Clever little things, aren't they?"
"So you think you're all that just because you've got Worts?" their target finally spoke up. She skidded her viper motorcycle to a halt. "Well, we've got news for you, little buddy. You'd better run like a jackrabbit in huntin' season…"
The other Black Vipers screeched to a stop on the other sides of her as well, and removed their helmets. At last, the leader removed her helmet as well, and Bob held up the photograph he'd stowed in the pocket of his jeans. Yup…the appearances perfectly matched. Those beady blue eyes, large freckled cheeks, and short blond hair, sticking out in two pigtails…
"…Because you're messin' with Jessie Bailey…and the Black Vipers!" As if that wasn't enough of a dead giveaway.
"So you're Jessie Bailey," Bob spoke up, slipping from among his still mounted cohorts. "So that means you're exactly the one we've been looking for."
The large girl seemed a bit taken aback by this statement. "Just what do you mean by that?" she asked, placing her arms on her hips in an attempt to appear overbearing.
"Exactly what I said," Bob calmly replied. "You're the one we've been looking for. Allow us to introduce ourselves…"
"We are the bringers of peace and harmony! We are the magicians of perfect purity! We are Children for Pure Unity!" the other members recited in unison.
"And I am Bob Sanderson, their leader," Bob egotistically announced. "We've come to send you where you truly belong." He pulled a long, threateningly blue cape around his shoulders, and swirled it around his body for effect.
"What are you talking about, you freak?" another Black Viper sneered, her lopsided teeth showing.
"Exactly what you think it does," Bob said, mysteriously. He closed his eyes and prepared for the procedure. He did this several times a week, but when it was a target person, he always liked to make it into a ceremony, using his cape, and the other CFPU members. "Okay, guys. Get ready for the sequence."
The CFPU members smiled. Bob didn't really need their help to banish someone like this, but they enjoyed performing this ritual with their master.
As the other motorcycle gang members began to chant and form different positions with their hands, Jessie still stood solidly against the dusty Texas ground. No matter what, she'd hold her ground…but somehow, she didn't think these mysterious boys were just bluffing…
(-)
Dojo's long green body shot through the air currents above China. He took deep breaths and tried to keep a steady, powerful acceleration. Six young Xiaolin Dragons and a former adult Dragon were enough as it was, but they were also carrying bags of Shen-Gong-Wu, and weighed down by Jack's gear, which he insisted they wear.
"I'm so sorry," the former evil boy genius needlessly apologized to Shelly. "You only just appeared, and I haven't had time to finish your set yet…"
"It's okay," Shelly replied, smiling mysteriously at him. "I don't really need all that stuff anyway."
"So you can fly and talk to other people through the airwaves?" Jack sarcastically asked. "I just don't want you to feel left out…so you can have my Jack-bot guards!"
The flying, metallic robots hovered up behind Shelly, protecting her at his command. He'd brought a few of them with him for extra security, and to show off for his mother.
Shelly tried to hide her disappointment. "Oh…okay. They won't hurt me right?"
"Not if I don't tell them to, which there shouldn't be any reason for me to tell them to."
Shelly glanced over at the hulking robots behind her and hoped that they didn't have visual memory chips.
"Wow…" Marylyn commented, and Jack turned around to look at her, proudly. "…I've never ridden on Dojo before!" she continued, and Jack nearly fell off. "I didn't even know you could carry passengers," she called up to the dragon. "Of course I knew about your true form, but there was never any need for…"
Dojo smiled as he struggled to pull them all. "Yes. I've always been able to carry passengers. There was just never any need for it before. Unfortunately, I'm out of shape now, so I'm not used to carrying so many passengers…ugh!"
Omi sat up straight and tried to look over towards the dragon. "Where is the Wu Jin Duraflex anyway, Dojo?"
"…I believe it is in Texas, but I'm not sure…"
"Texas?" Kimiko complained. "Geez, everything's in Texas. Did Dashi know that Clay was going to be a Xiaolin Dragon and purposely hide them there?"
"At least ah know my way around there. Makes it easier to find them," Clay said.
"I know, but it's getting sickening; this is the third Shen-Gong-Wu we've had to find in Texas."
"Ah, well I always wanted to visit Texas," Marylyn optimistically said. "I always tried to convince Henry to move to a more rural area, but he never listened to me."
A few hours of flying later, Dojo's body suddenly tensed. "We're getting close," he told them. "And…I feel the presence of another activating Shen-Gong-Wu…"
"But, how is that possible?" Kimiko asked. But, she didn't have to wait too long to find out.
"Wings of Tanabi!" a Southern accent yelled from below them, and a minute later, a large blond-haired girl floated up in front of them, holding on to a glider-like object with a rainbow trailing behind it.
"Jessie!" Clay cried, scrambling to the front of the dragon to speak with his sister. "What's going on?"
Jessie hovered in front of them for a moment, although she glanced down to make sure Bob and the others hadn't shot again. "Clay! You guys! There's another crazy motorcycle gang down there. They're tryin' ta put some sorta spell on me." She remained as confident and unconcerned as always. "I hate to ask this, but…do ya think ya'll could help us out?"
"Sure!" Omi immediately replied. "We're always willing to help an old friend of ours!"
"I'm not your friend," Jessie defied, shooting them a look. "Just because I helped you out once don't mean… Aaugh!" She jerked her large body to the left just as a blue concentration of magical energy shot towards her.
"What was that?" Kimiko asked in alarm.
"It's them lunatics!" Jessie cried, flying out of the way as Bob and his cronies powered up for another shot. "For some reason, they say they've been lookin' for me…"
"Okay, gang, let's go!" Omi commanded.
"Wait a minute," Jessie spoke up again, raising as eyebrow at Marylyn and Shelly. "Who're you girls?" Then, she shifted her gaze to the Jack-bots circling Shelly, and then her eyes settled on Jack, just behind her. "And…hey, ain't you that Spicer creep?"
Jack ducked and tried to hide behind Shelly. "Who? Spicer who? Sorry, never heard of him…"
"It doesn't matter who we are!" Omi insisted. "We're going to help you, Clay's sister!"
Dojo nudged his nose down and zoomed this time towards the dusty ground. It was a lot easier traveling downwards, and in a moment's time, he was settling down on the desert floor. The Xiaolin Dragons and Marylyn quickly hopped off, and Jessie glided up behind them, alighting back next to her Black Viper motorcycle.
"Hey, hey," Bob taunted as soon as they appeared. "The gang's all here. You're such a coward, having to go get extra help to defend yourself."
"It's not like you're much better!" Jessie snapped back. "You have to have your gangster buddies fight with you."
"Fine then," Bob replied, stepping away from the other CFPU members, and staring her down with his narrow, piercing brown eyes. "Guys, leave this to me."
Gerald appeared a bit perturbed, but signaled the others to cease fire. Bob really shouldn't be using his powers solely by himself so soon after reawakening, but when he was determined about something, there was no stopping him.
"Who do you think you are, attacking these girls like this without a legitimate reason?" Omi reprimanded them, hopping out into the battlefield.
"Yeah! What's your reason for attacking my sister?" Clay added, stepping into the line of fire. "She hasn't done anything to you, has she?" He shot a suspicious glance over at Jessie and the other Black Vipers.
"No, no," Jessie immediately replied. "We've never seen them before in our lives!"
"Oooh, it's big, tough brother to the rescue, is it?" Bob taunted. "I'm so scared! No dim-witted cowboy is gonna prevail over us! Cowboys are going to be our next target group- so why not start with you two?"
Now, the rest of the Xiaolin Warriors and Marylyn and Dojo jumped in next to them. "How dare you talk to Clay like that!" Kimiko cried, placing her hands on her hips.
"Just who are you anyway, jerk?" Raimundo asked, striking a pose.
Bob grinned and flipped his cape over his shoulder, dramatically. "The name's Bob Sanderson," he announced. "I'm the leader and founder of CFPU- Children For Pure Unity. Our job is to eliminate all those unworthy to live on this planet. And you have been deemed unworthy!" He pointed, disgustedly at Jessie.
"Unworthy?" Clay said. "You say my sister is unworthy just because she's a rebel cowgirl?"
Bob nodded. "We came to get rid of her, but since you're here, we may as well eliminate you too!"
Meanwhile, as the Texans continued to argue with the evil leader, Jack stared straight at Bob, his red eyes wide and unblinking. "…Bob Sanderson?" he said in disbelief. He wondered why the boy had suddenly reappeared, and why he was seeing him again here, and not in Chicago. This boy had been a primary reason never to return to Chicago in the first place.
Kimiko swiveled her head back at the sound of his voice. "You know him, Jack?" she asked, slightly suspicious. Perhaps this deranged kid had been a former evil friend of his. But then again, if he were, how come they'd never seen him before?
"Ah," Bob spoke up in a loud, bold voice. He had at last noticed their conversation in the distance. "Good to see you again, Spicy Pizza Head. Now maybe I'll be able to get at you too."
"Spicy Pizza Head?" Kimiko continued to question. "Jack, what…?"
"I'll explain later," Jack replied, with a disappointed sigh. He'd much rather Kimiko never know about his difficult childhood, but that stupid Bob had forced his way back into his life…
"Less talk, more elimination," Bob spoke again, turning from Jack again, and eyeing Clay and Jessie. He suddenly thrust out an extended hand and called, "Yin Shing…Transportation!" The swelling, opaque beam again appeared, but this time, only from his pair of hands.
Clay and Jessie reacted swiftly, instantly jumping back and away from it. "I may not know a whole lot," Clay reasoned, "But I know enough to see that what you're doing is wrong. You need to do somethin' about that prejudice 'o yours."
"No," Bob disagreed, a sinister sneer appearing back on his lips. "I think you're the one who's got the problem." Now, he held out his hand, swirled his cape, and tried again. "Yin Shing Transportation!"
This time, Clay counteracted with his own attack, defending both himself and his sister. "Seismic Kick, Earth!" The giant fissure crackled through the ground, one protruding mountain of rock jutted just in the way of the beam, and in a flash of light, the rock was immediately sent into nonexistence.
Clay and Jessie were now left exposed, and the other CFPU members immediately took their cue and zoomed over to surround them. "Make a move and we'll grind you to salt, you Western hicks!" Bob threatened.
The other Xiaolin Warriors covered their mouths in shock. Omi took a small step forward to intercede, but Marylyn Orre held out a long, strong arm to stop him.
"No," she insisted, her serious face outlined by her blazing hair. "This is Clay's fight. Give him a chance to prove himself."
Kimiko was also flaming with anger, but obeyed her new female mistress and remained in line with the other Dragons. Rai seemed a bit worried, while Jack was having déjà vu.
Clay was normally quiet, gentle, and docile, but now, his large face was turning red, and even his flashing blue eyes could be seen. They'd never seen him so angry, except maybe when he was being possessed by Sabini, which was precisely why Jack wasn't impressed. The blond cowboy had a reddened, splotchy face, his hands clenched into fists. They were in for it now.
"I can't believe you, punk," he said, through gritted teeth. "Discriminatin' against Southerners? This is even lower than the dirt below a snake's belly button. How dare you undermine my family and my way of life!"
"Clay knows the word "undermine?" Jack whispered, but Kimiko elbowed him in the chest.
"Oh yeah?" Bob replied. "Well, I know a lot more than you do, and…"
While the two of them continued to sling insults at each other, Jessie decided to just save herself, and turned abruptly to dash off away from the motorcycles. As she did, something fell from her jeans pocket, and bounced to the ground just between Bob and Clay. It was a familiar pink, flexible block.
"The Wu Jin Duraflex!" Dojo cried. "Jessie had it?"
Instinctively, Clay and Bob both reacted down to pick it up at the same time, and of course, it started glowing.
"Bob…" Clay spoke up, staring into the boy's hard brown eyes. "I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown!"
"Fine," Bob argued. "And if you don't mind, I'd like to add something else for stake."
"Wait a minute…is that fair?" Omi asked, suspicious of this new antagonist.
Dojo quickly flipped through the ancient Xiaolin Showdown rulebook and at last read the rule out loud. "Rules Addendum, #23- The challenger or the challenged may add up to two other objects to fight for, aside from the Shen-Gong-Wu they both touch. However, this may not be used with a Shen Yi Bu Dare or an 8-way showdown, unless challengers are grouped into two teams, then one team may add only two things. No more than six additional objects may be added. …Phew!"
"So he wants to put something else at stake?" Kimiko worriedly asked.
Bob swiftly pointed to Jessie, who was trying to hide among the motorcycles. "I'd like to add your sister! If you win, you can keep her, but if I win, I can send her to the spirit world. Deal?"
"Hey!" the plump, Western girl cried. "You can't wager me like I'm some object! Just who you think you are?"
Bob, of course, continued to block her out, focusing his sinister glare on the blond cowboy in front of him. Clay froze in place. What should he do? He didn't like playing around with his own sister's life like this, but he couldn't back out…if he refused, Bob would automatically win. Well, if he accepted…at least there was a slight chance that he might win both the Wu Jin Duraflex and Jessie's life.
"Okay…" he finally decided. "…I accept."
"What?" Jessie screeched in the background. "You can't be serious! What do ya think ya're doin' brutha?"
"The game is first to cross a desert obstacle course wins!" Clay continued. "I wager the Fist of Tebigong."
"Hold on a minute!" Omi said, zipping up between them in a cloud of dust. "You can't do this Showdown…that guy has no Shen-Gong-Wu to wager!"
"That's what you think…" Bob replied, yanking the gold Wheel of Quan Lao from his pocket.
"Another new Shen-Gong-Wu?" Omi questioned. "What's that one? …Dojo?" There was a long pause as the miniature dragon tried to think.
"Errrr…it looks like a dream catcher. The Imaginary Catcher, perhaps? No…it's too bright. Not the Glove of Jisaku, we already have that…or the Sphere of Yun. Ummm…hmmmm…"
"You don't know?" Rai cried, quickly losing faith in the little reptile once again. "I'm sorry, kids," Dojo at last answered. "I don't know what it is. I've never seen that Shen-Gong-Wu before in my life." Well, that was suspicious…
"And I wager this!" Bob continued, and everyone was disappointed, hoping to hear him say the item's name. With the rules set, they were free to begin, and as soon as they both called, "Xiaolin Showdown", a long obstacle course erupted out of the Texas sand. "Gong Yi Tan Pai!" Clay and Bob simultaneously called, and surprisingly enough, no one wondered how Bob instinctively knew everything about Xiaolin Showdowns.
The two of them barreled towards the first part of the obstacle course- a long gully filled with giant, swift-moving tumbleweeds. Clay ran for the valley and used his Earth Fist of Tebigong technique to pummel the ground and give him a high boost above the tumbleweeds.
Bob barreled forward, and immediately, a tumbleweed from the side smacked into him. For a moment, he was stunned, but quickly popped back up, placed his two fingers in his mouth and whistled as loudly as he could. The low buzz of a motor started up in the distance, and an instant later, Bob's motorcycle came speeding off the side of the gully. "Yahooo!" he cried as he leaped atop it. "Get ready to eat my dust!" He jammed his sneaker onto the pedal and zoomed at breakneck speed, straight through the tumbleweeds, and past Clay.
"Cheater," Omi said despicably.
"Remind you of someone we know?" Rai teased, cocking an eyebrow at Jack.
Jack's face turned red. "If you are suggesting that I am even remotely similar to Bob Sanderson, I will…"
"Chill, you guys," Kimiko told them. "The cacti are next."
Indeed, a prickly forest of cacti was just ahead, and Bob was speeding straight towards it. "Augh!" his low voice cried as he slammed into the sharp needles. He then spent a good two minutes picking the needles out, and by that time, Clay had caught up. Bob frantically searched for a path around the cactus forest, but there was none. The magical Xiaolin Showdown setup had obviously done a very good job of making sure he couldn't cheat…too much.
"We should make a new rule and add it to the book," Marylyn was suggesting to Dojo as she watched the match. "Rule #15- No objects or machines, other than the ones wagered in the showdown and scenery generated by the showdown may be used in the showdown."
"…I don't know," Dojo replied. "It's too late to make rules now; Dashi's already made them all. Well, I actually heard that Omi made up the name Xiaolin Showdown and the Gong Yi Tan Pai phrase…I'm still confused by that… And actually, that would be rule #25."
In all the fray and excitement of the Showdown, everyone failed to notice the absence of one of their members.
Clay easily smashed his way through the spiky forest with the Fist of Tebigong, and since he was used to the sting of their needles, it didn't bother him when he slammed into one. Bob concentrated, and formed a blue bubble shield around himself and his motorcycle. He then closed his eyes and whipped straight through the piercing plants with determination. Clay had already passed the obstacle, but Bob soon caught up to him again.
Now, they came to a long stretch of sand dunes, followed by a steep chasm. There was only one bridge to cross. Bob narrowed his eyes, gripping tight to the handlebars, and slammed against the pedal of the motorcycle. Clay was left in a spray of sand, unable to see anything around him. He shielded his eyes with his hat, and tried to wave away the dust. His efforts proved useless.
Just then, Clay thought he saw something glimmering in the corner. He knew he shouldn't get distracted by background details…this could be a trick to lead him away from the goal…but somehow, he was strangely drawn to it. Clay walked into the stinging sand, shoving it away. He was almost there…the white sparkle was growing larger.
At last, the sparkling item came into view. It was a round, crystalline globe, with green hues swirling in its center like storm clouds. Slowly, he picked it up and stared into its centers. As he watched the clouds drifting, lazily by, images of his life and his home danced through his subconscious. Their cozy Texas ranch…herding cows…Mama Bailey's home cooking….singing folk and country songs around the fireplace…playing with Jessie in the pigpen…
This isn't just a fight for my sister and the Wu Jin Duraflex…he began to realize, this is a fight for our whole Texas lifestyle. A fight for our whole way of life. I can't lose!
Clay's determination drew the power from the object in his hands…the green particles of energy permeated out of the globe, and into his body. Just then, a gigantic wall of rock engulfed his body, and trees, plants, and all other divisions of the Earth swirled above and below him. Clay's cheeks prickled as he felt his clothes changing inside the cocoon of rock and sand. Finally, the cocoon broke away, and with a crumbling noise, fell lifelessly back to the ground.
Clay was still as determined as ever…but this time he looked different. Instead of his blue buttoned shirt, bandana, and jeans, he wore a green sparkling uniform with a belt, elaborate boots, and even a cape, fluttering out behind him. It was like he'd just transformed into a prince…a prince of Earth. Bob Sanderson was really in for it now.
Clay zoomed forward, and for an instant, he actually thought he was flying. The ground zoomed past beneath him…it was as if he'd become one with the very Earth itself.
He burst past the bridge that Bob had just zoomed over, and came to the final obstacle- a large pit full of rattlesnakes. Clay bypassed them entirely. The snakes couldn't harm the earth…so they couldn't harm him either. The red tape marking the finish line was just ahead, and Clay smiled, knowing that in a few seconds, he'd win this showdown and regain both the Shen-Gong-Wu and Texas tradition.
Then, just as he was whooshing over the sand, the extent of the ground itself, a terrible roar shot out from behind him. An instant before he hit the finish line, Bob Sanderson appeared again, flying over the snake pit on his motorcycle. The vehicle was going so fast, that it didn't stop after the pit. The Xiaolin Warriors, Marylyn, and Dojo all gasped as the gangster boy went sailing straight over Clay's head…and over the finish line.
Mere milliseconds later, Clay crossed it as well. The cowboy collapsed to the desert floor, more from the shock of what had just happened than from exhaustion. His strange uniform slowly flickered away, and he was left in his normal buttoned shirt and jeans.
"Clay!" Rai, Kimiko, and Omi cried, rushing forward to make sure their friend was okay. Marylyn followed after them, but Jack hung back for a minute.
"Hey…" he said to himself. "…What happened to Shelly?" No one heard him, or even noticed that the brunette girl was gone, too preoccupied with the Showdown and its outcome.
Dojo quickly clawed up in front of Clay, glaring at Bob. The evil boy was smiling and holding up the Fist of Tebigong, that mysterious hoop Shen-Gong-Wu, and the Wu Jin Duraflex, proudly.
"And now, for my final prize…" he announced, shooting a glance over at Jessie.
The rebel cowgirl couldn't move, even as he grabbed her arm and yanked her over in front of him. She was just so shocked. How could Clay have lost? Sure, it could happen; he'd even lost to her during their motorcycle showdown. But it was just unfathomable… how could he have lost to this jerk?
"…No…" Clay at last croaked, lifting his head from the sand. His cowboy hat tipped off, and his blue eyes could finally be seen. They were slowly filling with tears. "No…you can't take her…you can't just…"
But it was too late. With one sweep of his hand, and one call of "Yin Shing Transportation!", the plump blond cowgirl was swallowed in the swirling blackness of nothingness. And that was it. She had gone to the spirit world.
"…JESSIE!" Clay yelled in pain, and everyone was sure they'd never heard him yell so loud in his life. By now, everyone was gathered around him, as the horrid motor sound of the CFPU slowly faded into the distance.
"Clay…" Omi gently tried to comfort him.
The cowboy was facing the ground, hiding his face in his mop of blond hair. He didn't want any of them to see him cry. It was only natural. His sister had essentially just been killed. The Xiaolin Warriors moved in to hug Clay and try to make him feel better.
Marylyn looked after the evil CFPU members. "Those kids…they have to be new-age followers of Wuya's teachings. That technique he used was something the Heylin witches used to banish their opponents from the realm of the living. We'll get them back someday." She clenched one hand into a fist. "Gee, I feel bad for you guys. We never had to deal with these kinds of situations when I was a Xiaolin Dragon."
At last, Clay wiped his face and stood up, tall and strong once again. He produced the green swirling object he'd found from behind his back. It was the one thing he hadn't managed to lose. "I found this in the middle of the Showdown…" he slowly spoke up. "What is it, anyway?"
Marylyn gasped as soon as she set eyes on it. "Oh my gosh! Clay, honey, that's your Element Orb! The Element Orb of Earth!"
Clay looked back down at it. "But…weren't we supposed to receive special powers when we found our Element Orbs? Yes, my clothes changed, but I still lost the showdown…" His voice faded away and he hung his head, his blond hair flopping over again.
"Even with your full powers, that doesn't mean you'll win every showdown you fight," Marylyn explained. "There are still unexpected things that could have happened. Besides, you haven't been taught your special technique yet…and you need your token Shen-Gong-Wu to do so."
"The Fist of Tebigong…" Clay realized.
"It's okay…" Kimiko tried to comfort him.
"You were still the first to find your Element Orb!" Omi reassured him. "And that's amazing!"
"Yeah, you did awesome, dude!" Rai chimed in.
"C'mon, let's go back to the temple and have a party!" Jack suggested.
"Aw, you just want an excuse to eat ice cream," Rai criticized.
"Yeah, I think you're right," Kimiko admitted under her breath. "But let's have one anyway! We've never thrown a party for Clay before!"
So they all chattered to each other as Dojo grew thirty feet and they prepared for liftoff. Still…no one seemed to notice the absence of the Dragon of Ice…
(-)
Shésui made her way through the blinding sandstorm. With her keen eyesight, she could see directly to the place where he'd said they'd meet. At last, she emerged right in front of a T-shaped cactus, where her familiar prejudiced partner was standing, a satisfied grin on his face.
"So…" he said, happily. "What'd you think of that, huh? Whipped that old cowboy's behind. One down…four to go."
"Don't get overconfident, Bobby," Shésui hissed. "We've got a long way to go if we want to get proper revenge."
"Yeah, I know," Bob readily agreed. "But still…it was pretty good for a beginning. Just think of it- I beat one of the Xiaolin Dragons, even with his full powers."
"Clay might have had his full powers, but he had no idea how to use them," Shésui explained. "That's why you won. Hopefully, since you took his token Shen-Gong-Wu, he won't be able to learn his advanced moves. By the time they learn, I'll have already unlocked the door…"
Bob nodded. He was a big part of this plan now, and he'd need to keep it up in order for it to take effect. He was slightly nervous, since he desperately wanted to prove himself. Well, he'd done great this time…
"We must take the others' token Shen-Gong-Wu in the next showdowns. I'll make sure they use them. Kimiko's is the Star Hanabi, Omi's the Orb of Tornami, and Raimundo's the Sword of the Storm."
Bob nodded again. He was doing a lot of nodding lately.
"Well, we better get back to work," Shésui said, hissing sinisterly. "They'll come looking for us soon."
Bob carefully stashed the Fist of Tebigong , Wu Jin Duraflex, and Wheel of Quan Lao in a pouch around his waist. No one would steal them there.
Shésui ceremoniously raised her right hand and chanted a various incantation under her breath. A thin, misty substance waved out from the center of her palm. It slowly rolled forward, and twisted all around Bob's body. It poked at his chest, dipping in and out, as if trying to draw something out of him.
At last, he gasped in shock, his eyes closed completely, and he fell like a stiff board to the sandy ground. In a poof of white smoke, a little shapeless white spirit with beady brown eyes and a little blue wisp on its head appeared right where he had been standing.
Shésui grinned and cast a spell to hide her fangs and improve her speech. "…Come, Bobby," she commanded and turned back into the whirling sands.