As it turned out, Jack did have somewhere to lead Omi. It was a small black door down the steps of an incredibly narrow, grungy alley. While Omi looked about with concern at the confined dismal surroundings, Jack just rapped on the door with the backs of two knuckles. A slot at eye height opened and a pair of yellow-contacted eyes surrounded by black makeup peered out at them.

Jack tipped those same two fingers off his forehead in greeting. "Hey, Chunko. It's me. Don't worry about Cue Ball. I'm babysitting, apparently."

The person behind the door scoffed, but slid the slot closed and stepped back to open the door.

"I told you, it's Charkum the Bloodletter..." The surprisingly soft voice belonged to a tall rotund man dressed all in stylized black clothing, with painted nails and long scruffy hair swept to one side.

As he entered, Jack patted the man's belly affectionately and quipped, "Ahh, you'll always be Chunko to me~. Nice seein' ya."

Still glancing about in wonder, Omi trailed behind Jack, only to be met with a wall of sensory overload only a few steps inside. The room was dark, flashing neon strobing through the air at random intervals. The smell was weird. Dry ice and pleather and coffee. The music was deafening. The population dense. Already Omi was losing sight of Jack as he slipped into the crowd of swaying people dressed quite similarly to him and headed for an antique bar off to one side. It was a goth dance club.

Pushing to not be abandoned once more, Omi tried to follow through the crowd, being jostled by the sea of side-stepping legs as he did. He didn't even have enough room to use his wu as he crossed the dance floor, and found himself incredibly disoriented by the time he stumbled out of the pack and relocated Jack, who was seated on a stool with a cup of coffee and smiling demurely as he watched Omi flounder out of his element.

"Well? Nice, ain't it~?" he chided, clearly at home in the atmosphere. Since Omi was forcing him to take time away from plotting world domination, he might as well take a load off at his favorite teen party place.

"WHAAAAT?!" Omi shouted in return, taking wobbly steps to the stool beside Jack's and gripping the pole of it to steady himself.

Just sneering, Jack sipped his small beverage and scanned the crowd for who was here today. Spotting a mopey looking boy in round glasses and fake fangs leaning against one corner, he perked and stood, leaving Omi to trail behind again, attempting to call out questions about where Jack was going and how this was supposed to be a place for hanging out. To that, Jack just indicated his ears and grinned, pretending he couldn't hear as he danced his way over to a familiar face.

Their time continued this way, Omi jumping to try and get Jack's attention as he carried on barely acknowledging the other boy was there and admittedly failing to schmooze fellow club-goers. Once Jack had had enough, he had to negotiate to use the Tiger Claws again, saying only he knew where he wanted to go, but Omi was so worn out from the constant pounding of the bass through his head that he caved fairly easily, only taking a grip of Jack's pant leg to ensure he'd come along.

Next was another underground venue, this one mostly barren and metallic, but with a massive rink in the middle. It was a robot fighting pit. Here Jack basked in recognition as fighters and spectators alike spotted him as he entered the observation deck.

"Hey, is that Spicer?"

"Really, he's back?"

"Dude, it's been forever!"

"Are you here to fight?"

"Your bots are so sick!"

"Yo, please! I wanna see some carnage!"

A small crowd gathered and knocked Omi out of the way as they all appeared to have something to say or ask of Jack. Clearly enjoying the attention, Jack put his hands up to quiet their chorus. "All true, all true. Sadly, your king of the ring is not here today to compete. I have started up my builds again, but for now I'm just going to have to settle with scoping out who the next scrap heap's gonna be when I do make my grand comeback."

The cluster hesitated some, not really enjoying the cocky attitude, but considering how the robots this boy made truly were leagues above anything they created, they couldn't say much. They also did enjoy watching his bots tear others up, but if he wasn't here to give them a show, they didn't have a lot of reason to allow his attitude, even if it was warranted.

Less enthusiastic, but deciding not to disperse, one prim twenty-something man with rectangular glasses and skin as brown as his hair mentioned, "Well, Jumbo George is up right now. Against The Smashinator."

Jack perked. "Really? Sweet! I love The Smashinator!"

Gaining a few more amiable points back, Jack and the surrounding crowd migrated to the handrail surrounding the pit below, where indeed a robot made out of a converted fridge had an angry face drawn on the freezer compartment in marker, and it was facing off against a low, blocky platform of a robot that sported two massive spiked maces on its top that clapped together.

Eagerly, Jack leaned over the rail and gave a long hoot. "Woooo~! Yeah, smash that sucker up~!" Around him, everyone else lifted fists and began rooting for their favorites.

Omi attempted to push forward, either to see or just ask Jack about what was going on, but found himself once again jostled as he tried to approach the rink. The screaming crowd, scraping of metal and whirring of engines found him drowned out once more.

Jack then took Omi on an actual errand, not even wanting to escape by this point as he found tormenting the monk far too enjoyable. This time the pair found themselves in a huge, noisy, oily custom mechanic shop. Jack had come to buy parts for his robots from his favorite dealer. Of course, said dealer was never without work being done on jobs for other customers, usually of the monster truck variety.

Leaning an elbow on the small cashier counter, behind which a wrinkly old man with a head half made of metal appeared to be digging for something, Jack greeted, "Hey, Sal~..! Guess who's back in business?"

Omi blanched, feeling his stomach churn as the man looked up stoically, revealing a deep empty pit in the metal portion of his head where an eye should be.

That seeming to be what the man was hunting for, he screwed a threaded cog into that hole that bore a glassy red lens on the front as he addressed Jack. "Finally got some pocket change again, Jackaboy..?" he rasped as evenly as his expressions.

Coyly Jack tipped his head and let his eyes wander upward. "Let's just say what Momma don't know won't hurt her. I'm on a production roll here, Sal. World domination doesn't wait for allowances!"

A curt snort from the thin-haired geezer. "Always on with that...well, what're ya after? I got Deb waitin' for me back on garage two, but I lost another eye to them flame spitters."

Omi was about to open his mouth to question, but as he did a tremendous truck parked mere feet behind him roared to life, spitting fire from special pipes sprouting off the exposed engine and burning rubber in place. It was much louder than the already abundant ambiance of wrenches and drills. The small boy jolted and could have flown up to cling to the twenty-foot ceiling. Jack and Sal both laughed.

After this venture, Jack used the Golden Tiger Claws to head back home, pick up his pudding cup from the kitchen, and head down into the basement robotics lab, where he'd delivered all his new toys. There he promptly cranked up some heavy metal on his stereo and bobbed his head to himself as he smiled and tossed the Claws into his wu cabinet, betting Omi would hardly notice as he fell through the portal behind him.

Grabbing gloves and a blow torch and firing it up, Jack squatted beside the fatigued monk as he put on a welding mask but kept it lifted so he could challenge, "Give up yet~?"

Eyes spinning, Omi lifted his head. "You lead a very noisy life, Jack Spicer...but if it is how you enjoy spending time with others, I am only happy to continue sharing in the experience. Though...perhaps with a bit more headache precaution...Water..!" Feebly, he swirled his hand to summon a small ice block with his elemental chi, sighing contentedly as it plopped onto his head. He was able to sit up now. "So...now that it is at least quiet enough to hold a conversation, what will you be doing to your Jackbots now that you have acquired new pieces~?"

Face slacking, Jack blinked taken aback by how Omi remained undaunted. He was conversational. Still trying to take interest in Jack's activities. Even though he'd clearly not liked the ones he'd been taken to.

Jack felt...guilty?

Trying to ignore that, his brow did still lower a bit as he registered, "Huh. You're...serious. Aren't you?"

Omi blinked. "I believe so...I do not know why else I would ask."

"No, not about that..!" Jack scoffed, flustered. Regaining composure and reaching for a remote to turn his music off, he clarified, "About all this! You like...actually wanted to...hang out..."

Seeing Jack soften, appearing to finally see at least some glimmer of Omi's honesty, the smaller boy smiled through the weariness. Persistence was paying off.

"As I said, when trying to make a new friend, it is supposed to be welcome to engage in their interests."

There was a silence as Jack's eyes slid to the side, contemplating. It was obvious at this point getting rid of Omi was going to be impossible, but if he really meant he wanted to hang out, maybe it wouldn't be...completely awful letting him stay?

"Huh." Timidly, Jack shrugged one shoulder and tipped his head with a half-smile. The first proper smile he'd expressed today. "Well...I like...video games..?"

Omi perked, energy seeming to restore upon hearing a topic he could engage with. "Oh! I have liked many of these games I have witnessed a well! Tell me, what are your favorites? I am most partial to Po-Chi..!"

Still taken aback, but willing to actually talk about something he liked with another person, Jack tossed back, "Um...ever play Minecreeper..?"

"No..! Would you be willing to show me?"

A tut. "Only if you think you can handle another solid whupping."

"Ha! I will master this game in no time, and then it is you who will be whupped at your own, Jack Spicer..!"

Standing, Jack figured robots could wait a little longer. He'd never had anyone to play his games with. Putting the blowtorch on his table, he instead scampered to find the game cartridge he was now eager to show off.

Back upstairs, he let Omi join him in the entertainment room, which was just as massive as every other room in the mansion, and decorated with a plethora of classic Chinese ornamentation like wall fans, lanterns and lion statues. During the walk to this room, Omi asked far too many questions about the decor such as suits of armor and swords dotting the hallways, and that was the only answer Omi got.

As for the game itself, played on a huge movie-sized screen, it went shockingly well. Trash talk was abundant as the pair dug through virtual mineshafts, trying to out-collect each other in priceless gems while also getting the highest score on who could slaughter the most ghouls roaming said mineshafts, but it was a lot less hostile than usual.

Both parties barely even sat on the low-backed couch as they played, moving animatedly during this contest, though in this arena, Jack clearly had the upper hand. In the end, Omi had to relent to his victory, though begrudgingly, and he swore to improve so he could wipe the floor with Jack in the future.

After this, Jack did still want to get some robotics work done while there was time left in the day. Omi watched with fascination as he welded and soldered, yiping when he leaned too close and sparks flew the first time. How Jack could do this in a tank top, most of it with only his goggles for protection, he had no idea.

Omi didn't understand a lick about what was going on, really. His questions were incessant, and his nosy fingers troublesome. As Jack was working on the wiring in the back of one new Jackbot design, Omi reached in to take a closer look at the multi-colored innards, only to find Jack lunging to stop his hand, and the end result was both boys experiencing a hearty jolt of electricity. Crispy, Jack shot a very guilty Omi a dirty look.

While Jack worked on a more mundane aspect of his construction, screwing parts of an arm together, Omi sat cross-legged on the table beside him, opting to break the silence with a more serious question now that it appeared Jack was comfortable with his presence.

"Does it not sting the way your idol has again and again discredited everything you have done?"

Jack's head jolted up, stiffening at this.

"I can clearly see how much work you put into your robots. It is most impressive. And I for one have thought your solutions to overcome Chase Young and the others were extremely clever. I only wish that you could see how much more rewarding it is to apply those skills to fighting evil from the other side. You would not need to prove anything. Xiaolin Warriors support one another in combat. You would not feel small and worthless."

A grunt from Jack. "Please, Omi. Don't think you have anything over me just because you come over to my house one time without fighting. Chase and everyone else will come around when I prove that my rise to power wasn't just some fluke."

Somberly, Omi argued, "I can understand how that may seem like the most inviting option, but I know these feelings of smallness are why you continue to choose the path of darkness. I do not wish for you to have to carry these feelings."

Pushing his goggles up to his forehead, Jack looked to the short boy with a doubtful scoff. "Really? Well then how come the one time I did try to go good, you and your little pajama pals spent all your time mocking me?"

Omi blinked, lips parting slightly.

"Yeah!" Jack shot, "Bet you didn't remember that part, did you?"

Bowing his head, Omi corrected, "I do."

It was Jack's turn for silence as he was surprised.

Omi took the chance to continue. "I admit perhaps we did go over the boards on the teasing, but that is all it was intended to be. Again I apologize if it was genuinely hurtful. But on the side flipping, I believe you gave up far too easily."

Jack's eyes slid away as he felt the truth of those words. "'Overboard' and 'flipside'..." was all he said, however.

Brow pinching with dishearten, Omi reminded, "That day was the one time you genuinely disappointed me. I believed with my whole heart that you had the ability, and you did well..! And yet that was the one day you did not choose to dedicate yourself to a new endeavor. You said yourself, you have been here since the beginning. You do not give up the fight for the shen gong wu, even in the face of greater foes, and yet, you give up the path of good after one day for nothing more than fear of failure. Is the fear that much greater than the fear of failing to be evil? Why? I do not understand, Jack Spicer. I simply do not understand why you gave up so easily."

Seeing Omi look down once more and shake his head, Jack's eyes went towards the floor as well. He was surprised to hear this almost defeated confusion from the other. Then even more surprising, he felt guilt for it. He felt bad for disappointing Omi. It wasn't a mere fear response or dejection, but an honest to goodness tightening in his chest; a quiet kind of ache for hurting someone else's feelings.

"You really think I did well..?"

"Even the other Dragons complained about the chores expected of them. Your diligence is most admirable."

To himself, Jack couldn't help a small smile. A tiny spark lit in his chest at the compliment.

A peppy ringtone tore through the air in the next second, Omi screaming in bug-eyed fright and flailing his arms as he half-stood, only to fall off the tabletop and on his back to the floor. Scrambling, he reached to find the source of the thing buzzing in his sash, pulling out the cell phone Kimiko had given him.

Holding it at arm's length, head turned away, he exclaimed, "What does it want?! Why is it angry with me?! Was I supposed to feed my koala friend?! Kimiko assured me he was not living!"

Letting out a disgruntled breath, Jack stepped around the side of the table and took the phone from Omi, flipped it open one-handed and took the call. "Yello. You got Jack."

"Jack, you rotten twisted fink, I knew it!" Kimiko's piercing rage-filled voice came through the speaker, causing Jack to close one eye in a wince and pull the phone away from his ear. "Let Omi go right now, or so help me I'll black and blue your albino butt so hard it'll never be white again!"

Raimundo's voice chipped in. "Let the prisoner speak, yo! He's got a right to a phone call!"

Clay added, "You better notta done laid a finger on him, or yer gonna be in for double the butt-kickin'!"

Face flat, Jack dropped the phone into Omi's hands. "It's for you," he said bluntly while walking past.

"Oh, uh...thank you..!" Omi chuckled awkwardly over not realizing how to work the phone. Placing it to his ear as Jack had, he greeted in a chipper voice, "Hello, my friends! How nice to hear your very loud voices~!"

Returning to his screwdriver, Jack listened to the one-sided conversation as the monks on the other end apparently settled down after hearing Omi speak.

"Noooo...noooo, he is not holding me handsome. Although perhaps maybe he should~. I am quite cute, after all."

One of Jack's eyebrows quirked.

"Oh. While I am uncertain about this ransom, I do not believe he is holding me with one of those either. In fact, he is not holding me at all. I am on the floor!"

Here Jack took the opportunity to call out, "You're free to come get him anytime! He's kind of doing more harm than good to my robots, and he wasn't even supposed to be here!"

Omi's eyes flicked between Jack and the phone before continuing to address his friends. "Ah. Yes, it would seem I was not as invited as I thought...or at least not as invited as Le Mime...but! I am successfully doing the hangings! I apologize for not making the calls. I am afraid I lost track of time. Also I did not know how to use the phone." A blush of embarrassment with that admission.

"Yes. Do not worry. I will return in a timely manner. Ooookay. Thank you, my friends." Turning and stepping over to Jack, Omi held the phone aloft. "How do I tell the device I would like to be finished using it, please?"

Rolling his eyes, Jack poked one finger forward to push the 'end call' button.

"Ahhh..! Thank you again, Jack Spicer..!" Omi marveled at the wonders of technology.

"Yeah..." Jack passed off, "I take it you're leaving then?"

"I do not have to," Omi beamed, hopping back up onto the table, "I am most curious to see what else all of your wondrous tools do. For instance, are you suuuure this is not a weapon?" He picked up a set of oversized outside calipers and clamped them a few times with a quirked brow, lips shifted skeptically.

"Nooo..!" Snatching them out of Omi's hands with a groan, Jack felt like he really was babysitting. Only the baby was way too clingy and bent on making him feel strange existential things.

Counting himself lucky within the next moment because of those feelings, Jack's posture straightened when he heard a beeping coming from a diamond-shaped device dangling off a nearby pegboard. Gasping, he darted for the wristwatch-sized device and grabbed it. "Alright! Thank you, Shen Gong Wu Detectobot 2.0!" Promptly he put it on and turned around for his guest he now had an excuse to remove himself from. Said guest was watching curiously.

"I...mean...totally normal not-at-all-shen-gong-wu-related-bot..."

Omi's fists clenched urgently. "Shen gong wu?! I must return to my friends immediately!"

While Jack cursed himself for spelling out the situation, Omi motioned to use the Golden Tiger Claws before catching sight of his hand and remembering that he was no longer wearing them.

"Oh yes! Jack Spicer, where have the Golden Tiger Claws gone?"

Strolling over to his wu cabinet, Jack breezed, "Y'know, normally I'd lie about that, but as fun as this has been, I just think there's a limit to my daily intake of cheese snack monks." Taking the wu out, he hurriedly activated it, and while Omi was still puzzling, pushed the smaller boy through the created rift.

Spiraling through time and space, Omi yelled as he tumbled, only finding his cries cut short when he landed face first in a pile of snow. Pulling himself up, he saw the Xiaolin Temple in the distance, so on one hand, he supposed he could be grateful Jack had sent him almost home...but on the other hand, he was stranded on a mountain painfully close to home when a shen gong wu was active.

How...not evil. More like...inconvenient. Surely Jack was not as evil as he claimed.