The foreboding peak that made up the trio's destination loomed menacingly underneath the sky permanently thick with black clouds, but inside the entrance hidden by a secret sliding wall, it was an entirely different story. Chase Young's dwelling was composed of polished marble pillars, gorgeous arching ceilings, lush potted plants, and even a room dedicated to a zen waterfall. It would be tranquil if it weren't haunted by the looming eyes of prowling jungle cats from every darkened corner.

Disregarding either atmosphere, Jack sped his way inside with a bright smile, only landing to retract his helibot blades when he'd reached the main throne room. He looked around expectantly as though anticipating a warm greeting. Behind him, Wuya trailed in at a much more leisurely pace, stopping and placing an impatient hand on her hip this time.

Jack called out into the echoing chambers, "Chase..? C.Y.? I'm here..! I heard you wanted to see me~? Ya boi Jack is in the house and ready to make some evil..!"

He startled and let out a shrill note as the crow that had accompanied Wuya flew in behind him, nearly brushing him with its wing as it entered the throne room and soared upward. Jack's eyes followed it as it traced the curve of the room, passing by one particular arch of the many that rimmed the walls. From this arch on what would be the third story if there had been more than one tiled floor here, a smooth-faced man with shoulder length black hair and muddy reptilian eyes stepped forth from shadow, pausing at the end of one of the many dragon-headed buttresses and glowering down at his visitor with perfectly-poised posture. Chase Young did not like how active his home had become in recent weeks, but with all the activity from other evil-doers, he felt he had to put up with it if he wanted to reserve the spot of reigning supreme for himself.

With the silence stretching, Jack felt pressured to fill it.

"Uh, hi. Chase. Sir? Um." He lifted a hand in a brief wave, only to let it shrink back, quite unsure of the reception. It certainly wasn't what he thought it would be. "You did summon me, right?"

In response, Chase squinted harder in distaste, but in the next second had sprung himself into the air, spinning a graceful flip and dropping the full height of those pillars to land heavily in front of Jack, so close their clothing brushed as the taller man bent over Jack, the albino goth letting out a sharp squeak of intimidation as he likewise bent backwards to find Chase's vertically slit irises boring into his paralyzed pink ones.

Unseen to either of them, Omi slapped a hand over his own mouth to stifle a gasp at the imposing stare.

Hands neatly folded behind his back, Chase finally spoke, in a smooth, even tone. "Spicer...I don't know whether to respect you for what you did, or to eliminate you now while you're still but a mindless buffoon...though...you might not be as mindless as you've been letting on. If this timeline's trajectory is going to be anything like the first, I assume you're planning to act similarly and have this world ruled within the year. Am I wrong?"

Mouth dry, shaking like a leaf, Jack definitely hadn't been expecting a meeting like this. He'd thought he was finally going to be recognized as an equal, not given backhanded compliments and threatened! Awkwardly raising an index finger he voted, "I'd prefer the first option...and actually...sooner! I've already gotten the ball rolling on my plans for world conquest. But...I thought you'd be proud! Wuya said you wanted to work together!"

"I said he wanted to talk to you..." Wuya chipped in with a scoff. "How you took that is entirely your fault."

Another few seconds of silent, unblinking eye contact before Chase gave a smirk and a tut and stood up to give Jack some personal space. Jack took it and put a hand to his chest as he slumped with a sigh. Chase turned his back now and yarned, keeping his hands neatly behind him, "Rest assured, Spicer...I did wish to add you to my arsenal...if you had anything to offer. And by the sounds of it it seems like you might. Tell me these plans of yours...you do realize that using the Sun Chi Lantern won't work a second time, yes..?" Even if he'd underestimated Jack, somehow he still couldn't have been surprised if the redhead made such an oversight.

Omi's eyes bugged. The Sun Chi Lantern?! He himself had only used it once, to unite his elemental powers with those of all his friends. And Jack had used it to absorb the energies of the three most major villains in the world? That was...devious! And most certainly clever! It would even explain, come to think, why in the future Omi had visited, there were still stone golems like Wuya used to control despite her being held prisoner, and jungle cat warriors like Chase Young commanded.

Despite himself, Omi was impressed with Jack for finding such a simple solution to ensuring his foes' helplessness after capturing them. Truly there must be some hidden depths to his usually lackluster battle strategies after all. If he could rise to become the most dangerous villain in the world again, just what might he do if he applied those skills for the other side?

An expression of suspicion and doubt glanced across Jack's face at Chase's line of questioning. "Wait, you mean you just...want my plans? You don't want to like...train me or anything?" He meekly mimed a couple of imaginary bo staff moves. "Rule the world next time as evil cohorts..?"

Chase's fist clenched as it was cupped in the other palm, a long and swift inhale heard as he drew his posture up to collect himself.

"Let's get one thing straight, Spicer," the immortal warrior seethed, "I despise you. You are a worthless grub to me at best, and at worst, you are a pest who spent his mortal life, which is but a drop in the ocean of time I swim in, on petty revenge towards me that will mean nothing in the end. Your time will expire, and I will take my rightful place as ruler, forgetting you ever existed."

Here Wuya crossed her arms and shifted her lips in annoyance as she cleared her throat.

Chase rolled his eyes and corrected, "With some assisted backup..." Back on track, he finished, "Your rule will have been meaningless in the end, but any of my time you've wasted is time more valuable than you. So I would like to have it back. I don't want you as my partner, Jack. I want you under my thumb..."

Seeing the taller man look over his shoulder to glare at him, Jack felt his breath hitch and tears fighting to well in his eyes. He'd done nothing but idolize Chase since the day he'd first heard of him, and not only had the man constantly blown him off, rebuked any and all attempts to relate to him or live up to his expectations, but he'd already backstabbed him on both of the brief occasions they had worked together. And now he was telling Jack that his rule of Earth had meant nothing in the grand scope of things. That it didn't do a thing to make his hero value him any different. That he only perhaps now wanted to keep him around to pick his brain. That winning one over on the other top villains was just a minor annoyance they needed to wait out.

On some level, Jack had to respect that.

"W-Wow, Chase," he marveled through a sniff, "You really are rotten to the core. Owie." He hugged himself to try and get some comfort from the harsh words.

"Yes, and you're nothing like me," Chase rolled his eyes again, "I may have underestimated you, I may have let my guard down. But that victory of yours was but a fluke of destiny. I've told you before, I'm surprised, but never fooled. You won't get one over on me again. However, if you're that desperate for something in return for your thoughts on how to more efficiently take over the world, I suppose I could offer you some training...not that it would do you much good. But only on the condition that you become one of my pets. Does that sound fair?" The way the clownish nitwit slobbered all over him, an offer like that would surely loosen his tongue.

Jack's head lifted in a curious perk. "Huh..? You mean...I'd become one of the warrior cats?" His gaze flicked for the dozens of large felines dotting the alcoves. He tipped his head modestly and started, "Well, that would be kinda cool, but..."

"NOOOOO!" A ringing bellow tore through the air as Omi leapt off Jack's shoulder and activated the Changing Chopsticks, reversing the effects and dropping anxiously at full size to the floor between the other two. He'd been unable to listen to Chase Young's cruel words without feeling at least a hint of sorrow for Jack. He was more than willing to take his own pot shots at the other boy, but invalidating him that far just seemed like a bit much. And then Jack had still received an offer for training?! There was no way Omi could allow that! Not for the side of good, and not for anyone about to fall into the same trap he had!

With everyone still flinching back in stun at his sudden appearance, Omi launched into a hurried speech, rounding on Jack and stepping forward with his hands poised like wanting to come even closer and clutch him for emphasis.

"I know from experience, Jack Spicer! That is not an offer that any good will come of! And I do not mean good as in good! I mean good as in good you are wanting! Being a cat may come with benefits, like more hair than you have ever had in your life..!" Here he rubbed his very bald head in a brief glimpse of shame. "And perhaps it may be the one thing you miss most about it, but it is not all it is cracking!"

Jack was still trying to process what he was seeing. "O-Omi?! How did you get here?! Wait, do you mean 'it's not all it's cracked up to be'..?"

At this sudden interruption, Chase's lips had turned up into the first genuine smile he'd expressed thus far, his eyes flaring in predatory hunger. "Hello, Omi...to what do I owe the pleasure~?"

Jack bristled. "Oh, no! You're not taking Chase away from me again..! You already had a turn!"

Wuya's arms folded and she let one palm go to her cheek as she sighed, "Oh, no, not this little love triangle again..?"

Now it was her turn to receive a glare shot from Chase. She shrugged back at him. "What..?"

Omi raised his hands up in a twin gesture to stay the men on either side of him. To them both, he insisted, "It is no pleasure, I must regretfully inform! And it was most certainly not my intention to come here today! But since I am here, Jack Spicer, I must insist you refrain from making the biggest error of your life! You do not want to be a jungle cat warrior!"

"Well, actually..." Jack relaxed some to admit, "You're right. I don't."

The others' brows all went up with tandem questioning sounds.

Jack's hand gestured in awkward circles. "Yeah, I mean like...I've dreamed about evil domination by Chase's side since I was an evil Kindergartner..! But see that's the thing. I was already gonna say no to being a cat because...I still want to rule! I want equal power, not to just be some pet! Not anymore at least! Jack Spicer's not settling for second best ever again!" Picking up his posture, he broadened his shoulders and emboldened his smile. "Just you wait! I know what I'm capable of, and I'll show you all..!"

A quirked brow from Chase. "Hm. Normally you'd be quivering on the floor by this point. Perhaps Wuya was right. Perhaps a taste of confidence has given you newfound potential. Shall we test it?!"

Without warning, Chase had suddenly closed the gap between himself and Jack, kicking the redhead square in the gut and sending him flying backwards. Chase grinned a nasty grin as he watched the boy tumble, but Omi gasped, and all at once the young monk was in front of Chase instead. He knew Jack didn't stand a chance against one of the greatest martial artists who'd ever lived, but he'd fought Chase many times before. Shamefully, he'd even been taught by him. But it was his duty to protect the weak, and the boy now letting out a series of high-pitched wavering shrieks as he crawled to cower low behind Wuya's legs definitely counted.

Blows instantly exchanged at a blurring pace between Omi and Chase. As the pair moved about the floor, the black-haired man sneered, "Why do you fight for this worm, Omi? You're still wasting so much of your own potential using your power for others. Don't you want to see him squashed like the rest of us?"

Omi's teeth clenched. "I do not! I will defeat Jack Spicer as many times as I must, but I will not be responsible for allowing his life to be taken! That is the Xiaolin Warrior's code! And just as my yang was able to possess a speck of yin large enough for you to nurture, so do I believe that yin will always possess a spot of yang! That includes Jack Spicer, and it includes you, Chase Young! Do not forget, you had a future in good as well! The future can always be changed, so perhaps it is your turn to think about the switching of sides!"

He'd thought for certain that this would give Chase a moment's pause, and overreached extending the next blow, only to find Chase hadn't stuttered at all, in fact smirking harder as he swung his shin to connect with the side of Omi's face. The yellow boy rolled with a short outcry of pain, gripping his head as he struggled to push himself up for a moment. Chase hopped back to a respectful distance and hovered in crane stance, anticipating the short one's next move.

"Do you think Guan would be capable of turning evil the way he is now?" he challenged as he watched Omi rise and shake his head to clear it.

The young monk's brow rose at the sudden question, but then he adamantly answered, "Of course not..!" Master Monk Guan was the shining beacon of good all warriors strove for. He was Chase's oldest friend turned polar opposite! Even when Chase had stolen his treasured spear, forcing Guan to pull some dastardly tricks on the Xiaolin monks, Guan's heart had never been in it, and in the end he'd done the right thing even without his spear.

Knowing Omi didn't realize what he was getting at, Chase welcomed the flying kick the short boy delivered next with a block of his forearm. "Exactly," Chase agreed, sensing Omi falter in puzzle, "And that is because that tiny speck of yin or yang you speak of is quelchable. Sorry to have to tell you, Omi, but in the future where I stayed on the Xiaolin side, I always did regret the choice. I wished that that soup had not been a trick, and in fact, your pulling that trick only made me more jealous when it turned out Guan was the one receiving the real Lao Mang Lone soup. Once more he'd beaten me in power. I'd thought perhaps Hannibal Bean had decided he didn't find me worthy of power after all to pull that stunt. Then when you revealed it was you who'd done it, I was more bitter inside than you know. I wanted to take that soup right then as it was in my hands, but I couldn't betray your trust. Not yet. Lucky me, I found the excuse once we were captured. And you're all so gullible, you bought that self-sacrifice schlock without batting an eye. And Spicer required even less convincing."

Though he'd been reveling in the advance he was making as Omi backed up and lost ground as his mind filled with doubt, Chase flatly recalled Good Jack's blubbering over the speech Chase had made about sacrificing himself to the dragon soup's powers to free them all from their cage. Pathetic worm, no matter what side he was on.

Jaw slack as he only blocked blows by reflex, Omi could admit in his memory that it really hadn't taken Chase much prompting to drink the Lao Mang Lone soup, and he insisted it should only be him. But surely, there was no way. Chase had to be lying. He was very good at that. Omi couldn't believe Chase chose a path of good and still harbored a desire to leave it like that, essentially settling with where he'd already been and fooling all of their friends. Or what Omi had thought had been both their friends. But the way Chase smiled, it seemed very hard to believe that he'd ever let go of that seed of darkness in his heart. What he was saying was true.

"Ooouuh!" Omi felt himself struck down harder than the first time as he wrestled with his thoughts, Chase's elbow striking the back of his neck.

A few feet away, Jack let out another shrill cry of dismay, clinging to Wuya's ankles. Omi was his only shot out of here alive at this point, and he was losing!

By now, Wuya had had enough and reached down to grab the back of Jack's collar, hoisting him into the air one-handed. Her other hand spread itself to prep her lengthy and overly sharp talons she called nails. "No more second best, hm?" she quipped, "So much for that practice I thought you'd been doing. Looks like you're regressing, Jack~...right now you're not even fourth best in this room~..."

Her arm pulled back to strike, and Jack let out a particularly voluminous shrill holler as his limbs flailed and curled to protect him. Then the next second, the floor was shaking.

Eyes widening, all four parties in the main room wobbled as a very rapid set of heavy thuds came towards the group from what sounded like several chambers over. A loud, bassy voice echoed through the marble rooms along with the thuds, only speaking gibberish. They didn't have to wait long to see what was causing these tremors, either, as within seconds, a fifteen-foot red cyclops swirled with black spiral tattoos and sporting a ragged black toga took one final leap into the scene, sliding to an eager halt in the middle of the tiled floor.

"AUU-DAUUGUH-EEOOUUU-GHAA-WAA-VLAAH!"

The single orange eye over a slobbering, crooked-tusked mouth flicked about in clear expectation, as though the beast had heard something familiar and exciting.

Chase grimaced. "Oh great...you woke Cyclops up from his nap." If that wasn't a buzzkill, he didn't know what was.

Having landed on his rear as Wuya dropped him and staggered to land on her own, Jack was just rubbing his hip when he noted himself spotted, the red behemoth stomping for him and eagerly thrusting a hand forward to pick him up. Jack fit snugly in one palm.

"Wooaa-wooaaah..!" he warbled as he felt the rush of air and disorienting change in altitude. Finding himself face to face with a massive wide eyeball and an even wider grinning face, however, he actually seemed to relax.

"Ah, hey there, Gruesome~," he quipped to the beast, "Where've you been?"

"AAAGH-BLAAAHGH-BLUUAAAUU-OOGUAHH!"

Eye squeezing shut with delight, Cyclops then cupped Jack in both hands and smooshed him enthusiastically against one cheek, undeniably thrilled to see the goth boy.

Down below, Chase was wrinkling his nose, Wuya was blinking rapidly in stun, and Omi was grateful for the ceasefire but very among the confused.

Coming forward, Chase pointed a strict finger towards the ground, ordering, "Cyclops, put that down! Unless you're going to eat it, insects like that aren't worth your time!"

Cyclops' large eye slid between Jack and Chase a couple times as he babbled in confusion. Once putting it together that Chase wanted to harm Jack, or even wanted him to, his single brow curved downward. Holding Jack protectively close, he bent and gave a negative roar straight to Chase's face, followed by a very pouty lip.

Chase's hair was stuck straight back and his face exhibited pure bewilder. It was exceedingly rare to see such befuddlement on his features.

Jack chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah, sorry, but I think he still likes me a bit more than you." Though struggling to breathe a bit in the giant's grip, Jack said nothing about it and casually propped his elbows on the side of Cyclops' index finger, leaning his cheek on one raised hand.

Elaborating, Jack innocently blinked, "Who was it that adopted Cyclops and gave up on using him after one Showdown with him? Oh, that's right. You!" He shot an accusatory stare at Wuya, who blinked aghast.

"And who's been keeping him locked up in their lair with nowhere to run around, neglecting the big lug for a bunch of prissy feline furballs? You!" A smarmy accusation Chase's way now.

"And who always left Jackaboy to feed, scrub, clean up after, play with, train, and generally care for the One-Eyed Wonder? Both of you!" Two index fingers shot an accusatory point for Wuya and Chase in tandem.

With a shrug that said it should have been obvious, Jack pointed out, "Of course he listens to me! I'm the only one who bothered to bond with him! So taaaake that!"

One very smug smile went down at the room now, accompanied by a few cocky head bobs. The effect was slightly ruined when Cyclops agreed with Jack's sentiments by sticking his tongue out and delivering a long, affectionate lick all the way up Jack's body. Though gaining a healthy coating of cyclops slime, Jack did not let his pose waver.

Cyclops wasn't sure how he'd ended up back at Chase's place when he'd been living in Jack's big fancy prison for the last eighty years, and his favorite caretaker sure looked a lot less wrinkly than last he'd seen him, but he was no less ecstatic to see his favorite person.

The beast had no true concept of time, or anything that had happened between timelines. He only knew that he'd spent quite a long time as Jack's beck-and-call guardian, and that the one with flaming hair had always treated him well. He liked Jack, was loyal to him, and always did his best not to let the delicate human get hurt.

Eager to prove it, Cyclops clumsily stroked Jack's hair with the flat of his palm, causing it to slick back oddly with the streaks of saliva still soaking it, then garbling something that almost sounded like "alley-oop" as he placed the boy on his left shoulder. He sat in a squat with his hands on the floor between his feet, happy and at attention. If he'd had a tail it would no doubt have been wagging.

Jack blinked. "Uhh...what's this? Do you know tricks now or something?"

Enthusiastically, Cyclops nodded with a few "uh-huh" sounds. So far as he knew, nothing was any different about his memory. He knew everything Jack had ever taught him.

Recalling as well that he'd already finished training Cyclops in one lifetime, Jack perked. "Aw, sweet! Pre-trained monster~! In that case, uh..." He leaned closer to Cyclops' massive pointed ear pierced with a gold hoop. "How 'bout we get outta here before everyone feels like punching and kicking again, huh? Yip yip!"

Thrusting a finger forward, Jack indicated the exit, then swished that same finger into the air declaring, "I may have gone easy on you this time, but you've not seen the last of...Jack Spicer! Evil Boy Genius! Not by a longshot, baby!"

Omi startled, realizing Jack was either forgetting or choosing to forget he was still here. "Waaaiit! Jack Spicer! I too request to board your very large friend!" Darting forward, he sprang himself off the ground and up to land on Cyclops' other shoulder. With concern, he looked back at Chase Young, who was watching the departure with a grim face and fists clenched as they hung.

Jack passed Omi a skeptical look, as did Cyclops, but the goth boy sagged and figured, "Oh, fine. He's cool. I guess he did do me a solid." Omi really had stood up for him, though the things he'd said while doing so were bothering him. Jack knowingly took advantage of the Xiaolin code, opting for a ceasefire whenever it looked like he might get hurt losing, but Omi had even said he didn't want to see Jack's life threatened? Even though Jack had most definitely taken the lives of those he loved in another timeline? Was Omi really that much of a goody-goody? It just seemed so unbelievable that someone would stick that hard to a stupid philosophy. Or maybe it just seemed nuts that someone would want to fight a stacked battle for him like that. And there Omi'd gone with all that garbage about how he had good in him again.

Well...Jack couldn't really deny that since he'd physically seen the half of him that was good. A proper goody-two-shoes. Not like how Chase had said, where it was some tiny spot you could wipe away or show as a front while secretly harboring inner demons. No, Jack was more like split down the middle, completely half good. That was bad.

Mother of Dashi, Cheese Ball's flowery speeches weren't starting to get to him, were they?

Shaking his head, Jack forced the very notion out. He was just weak from the roller coaster of emotions he'd just been through. He was still evil. Evil for life!

To prove it to himself, he reached up for a glob of goo in his hair.

"Hey, Chrome Dome, how 'bout a free wax job~?" he taunted, and when Omi looked over at him in confusion, he hucked the glob at the yellow boy's head. While Omi recoiled and reacted with expected disgust, Jack cackled. Cyclops laughed too.

"Yes. I can see you are most appreciative of my assistance, Jack Spicer..." Omi sulked, and dropped his chin into his hands.

By the time Jack's house was reached, the sun was almost setting. Nevertheless, as Jack was less than skillfully plopped into the grass by Cyclops with an 'oof', Omi landed gracefully beside him and questioned, "Are you sure it is wise to stay in your home by yourself? I know how very fond Heylin warriors are of doing the crosswords on each others' backs..!"

"That's 'criss-crossing each other' and 'backstabbing'," Jack corrected casually, "And why, you appointing yourself night guard now too?" He passed the other a skeptical look as he stood and knocked clumps of grass off his pants.

"I am afraid I cannot," Omi returned, "I have already been away from the temple far longer than anticipated. But I am aware of your frailness, and am somewhat concerned that you may awake to find that you are not actually awake because you are deceased."

Annoyance crossed Jack's face. "Greeeaaat. Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"You're welcome!" Omi perked. "I was going to say how much weaker I actually think you are, but! I wanted to be nice." A toothy grin.

Jack's brow lowered in complete and utter unimpress. "You're a real sweet talker, ain'tchya, Shorty?"

Rubbing a finger under his nose, Omi blushed modestly and granted, "Weeeell, some people say I have been known to be sweet."

An irritated grunt as Jack noticed sarcasm was going right over the bald boy's shiny head. "Look, I got Cyclops, I got Jackbots, and I got work to do in my lab. Where else would I wanna go?"

Arms moving coyly behind his back, Omi offered, "Perrrrhaps the Xiaolin Temple..? Where you will be most easily watched over and surrounded by such zen beauty that your heart cannot help but be filled with wonder and goodness~?"

Jack blinked blankly at the other. "Subtle." Turning to head inside, he tossed over his shoulder, "Call me when the Bathrobe Squad gets state of the art robo tech. Then we'll talk. Or, if we're not already fighting over shen gong wu tomorrow, drop by and see. You'll see how frail I am."

Wait a minute, had he just invited Omi over to his house for a wellness visit? After going out of his way to avoid the monk's pressure to spend time with him at all? How had that happened?

"Or don't. See if I care."

There we go. That should fix it.

Somehow, Omi felt relieved to hear himself asked to return. He'd still prefer if Jack could become an ally, but he also just kind of wanted to be sure that Jack would be fine for himself. Why, he couldn't say. It seemed like that thought of being allies instead of enemies was just always in the corner of Omi's mind when he was around Jack.

The slamming of a metal storm door caused Omi to twitch, then blink in the silence as he realized he was alone, Jack essentially having slammed the door dismissively in his face.

"Ooookaaaay~!" Omi called, putting a thumb up into the air despite no one being there to see it. "I will be of the seeing you later then, Jack Spicer! Good niiiiight!"

No response came, and after a moment awkwardly clearing his throat to himself, Omi skittered off towards his own home.

Upon his arrival, he found his three friends seated around the dinner table, loudly and aggressively eating after a hard day's work as always. They all perked when they registered him rushing towards his own place at the table with a smile full of gratitude to see the spread.

"Omi! Where were you?" Kimiko took a break from stuffing her cheeks with lo mein to gasp. "We covered for you, but I think Master Fung might be suspicious that it took you eight whole hours to find a roof-tiling scroll so we could 'check our technique'."

"Yeah, dude," Raimundo chuckled, "You'd better be ready with some really hardcore tile facts if the Fungmeister asks about it."

"Thank you, my friends," Omi spread his arms graciously, "I appreciate your, as you say, covering of my bottom, and I do apologize for my absence. It was not my intention to leave you with the hangouts."

"That's 'leave ya hangin''," Clay chipped in around a mouthful of wonton soup, "And t'weren't nothin'. We're just wonderin' where you've been all day."

Grabbing five egg rolls, Omi cupped them between his hands and bit all of them in half, savoring the food as he joined the feasting. To their query he answered, "Mostly? Waiting in line."

The others took turns blinking. "For what?" Raimundo asked, "There a new blockbuster cinema up the street or something I should know about?"

Omi shook his head. "No cinnamon. I had intended to visit Jack Spicer today, to see if he would perhaps reconsider his stance on joining the temple."

A chorus of groans.

"Come on, Omi..!" Kimiko pressed, "He already said no in about the most Jack way he could. Again. Do you really think just asking one extra time is gonna change his mind?"

Less than enthused by this response, Omi blushed with indignation. "Ohhh nooo?" he challenged, standing on the bench to become slightly taller. "Then how come even though I was not the only one having this idea to visit, and even after standing against Wuya and Chase Young, I am the only one who has been invited back to Jack Spicer's home tomorrow!" He swaggered a spoon in his hand smugly.

The others all stared now.

"Uhhh, excuse me?!" Raimundo burst, "You were off fighting Chase Young?! Without us?!"

Clay thumbed up the brim of his cowboy hat. "Gotta say, pardner, that don't seem like a move for the sharpest pricker in the cactus patch..."

Here Omi paled to realize perhaps he'd dropped a bigger bombshell than intended. Hastily, he put his palms out in appeasement and sweated, "Do not worry..! All was well! Jack Spicer was kind enough to let me accompany him to safety on his new cyclops friend!"

More strange looks were exchanged around the table.

Raimundo kneaded his forehead. "So wait...now Cyclops is back with Jack too?"

"Oh! Yes!" Omi confirmed, glad to see his information was going somewhere. Counting out the updates on his fingers he listed, "Cyclops is back with Jack Spicer. I believe Chase Young is now after Jack Spicer's head. Wuya is back with Chase Young in Hannibal Bean's absence. Jack Spicer has melted his Chameleonbot. And I am going back to his house tomorrow to make sure he is alive! I believe that is everything."

His aim was not to worry his friends by being succinct, but it only appeared to have the opposite effect. Raimundo had his elbows on the table and his head bowed to massage both temples at once. "Okay, Omi..? As the leader, I am officially banning you from going on secret solo missions."

"I second that..." Kimiko concurred flatly.

"Thirded," Clay said bluntly.

Omi's arms lowered slowly as he seemed to consider arguing, but then gave a relenting sigh. "I understand. I am sorry that things ended up as piggly higgly as they did."

"Higgledy piggledy," Clay corrected.

"But," Omi went on, "I promise that I did not intend to leave any of you out these events. I simply acted according to my Xiaolin Dragon's code. If I had not, I fear Jack Spicer may already have been harmed irreparably."

Another exchange of looks and it was Kimiko's turn to sigh. "It's okay, Omi. We know your heart was in the right place. You just worried us, coming back with a story like that..!"

Raimundo lifted his head and swirled one hand loosely. "And look, like...if you really believe in this whole 'turning Jack good' idea, then whatever. I'll trust you to keep going with it if you want. Just take a cell phone or something at least, will ya? Leader's gotta know stuff, y'know..?" Here he folded his arms and looked to the side as though trying to convey in less direct mannerisms that he'd been worried.

Kimiko reached into her sash and tossed a flip phone with a blue koala strap over. "Here. You can take one of mine. Papa just upgraded to a new unlimited minutes plan."

Omi's eyes sparkled as he marveled at what he'd been given. "Ooooo! Thank you, Kimiko! What a wondrous little device! And such a cute tiny animal friend! Hellooooo~!" He waved to the plastic koala dangling off the strap.

"Um, yeah," Kimiko said with pinched cheeks, "He's...not really what you talk through."

"And if it turns out that no-good Spicer's fixin' up a trap, which Ah'm bettin' he is," Clay nodded, "You just give us a holler and we'll come give him what for."

"Of course, friends," Omi assured, "Oh! And speaking of Jack Spicer, I have learned something most curious today. Did you know that he wishes to date boys?"

Finding this a little bit of an...odd topic all of a sudden, the table was silent for a few seconds before Raimundo shrugged and gave an off-handed remark. "Well no surprise there, am I right?" A glance to the other two, who snorted. They did feel like Jack's preferences were a little out in the open.

Omi continued, "And, for that matter, what is a pansexual? I have never seen Jack Spicer even use a pan!"

At this, the other three felt their hair stand on end. Oh dear...all at once it was quite obvious that Omi had stumbled onto a new topic his sheltered monk life had left a mystery to him. And it was an incredibly awkward one.

Raimundo was first to stand and sprint away, calling out, "I'm not touchin' that one! Later!"

"Not it!" Clay concurred, and turned the opposite way to dart as far from this conversation as possible.

Kimiko had risen, but gotten her leg hitched on her seat. In anguish she declared, "Awwww, come oooon!" Why her?

Getting a sudden brilliant idea, however, she gasped with inspiration and pulled another gadget she was never without from her sash. This one was her PDA, complete with wifi and internet functions. In a big hurry, she typed the word 'pansexual' into her browser's searchbar and thrust the device and stylus into Omi's hands.

"Okay, here," she said in a rush, "Knock yourself out. Just don't go on any sketchy websites and you'll be fine. Mmkay? Cool. Bye~!" And in a flash she was gone as well.

Omi blinked after her, calling, "Do I need to know how to sketch to sexual the pan?!" But he received no answer.

Curiously, he turned his eyes back to the screen in his hands, head tilting, and poked the first thing he saw.