The first thing Omi noticed when he woke up, slowly blinking into consciousness, was that Jack had changed his mind. Omi was tucked in neatly underneath the taller boy's chin as he faced him, wrapped snugly in a very clingy hug.
To himself, Omi smiled in a mix of smug and cozy. He knew it. When he was asleep, Jack couldn't help being incredibly sweet. He'd witnessed this during Jack's last stay. Wondering if he could get a matching reaction, Omi wriggled one arm free to reach up and give Jack a tender set of strokes through his hair, something he'd noticed the other seemed to like despite protests.
Indeed, a smile spread on Jack's lips as he let out a sigh through his nose and shifted to lean into the touch.
Highly endeared, Omi's smile spread wider and he leaned up to peck Jack's forehead. In response to this, Jack let out a happy 'mmm' sound and hugged tighter.
Finding himself restricted, Omi let out a small chuckle and let himself lie still, enjoying this moment of peace. He knew Jack was a late sleeper, but Omi was up even earlier than the monks were due to rise, so he had a few minutes to spare. As he stared at Jack's happily slumbering face, he found his gaze dropping to the boy's lips. Kissing his forehead was one thing, but now he felt tempted as he recalled how incredibly briefly he'd gotten to savor giving Jack a much more personal form of affection.
He'd been much more focused on Jack's reaction at the time, wanting to be sure his feeling came across correctly to the taller boy, but Omi had been giddy to give him that kiss. It had felt like butterflies were tickling his insides when he jumped up to deliver it. Jack's lips had been very soft. They looked very soft and inviting now. He wondered if Jack would let him sample them more thoroughly.
"Jack Spicer..?" Omi hushed, reaching to shake the other's shoulder lightly, "Are you nearing awakeness..?"
"Nuh..." Jack squirmed again and loosely pushed back. "M'whaddya wan' m'Omi..."
Unsure how awake that response truly indicated, Omi lifted the side of his knuckle delicately to the underside of Jack's chin, making him face him more directly again. "Do you...mind if I might wake you? I apologize, but you are most inviting to kiss this morning. I would like to try doing so properly if it would not disturb you."
"Muh, whudever..." Jack grumbled in what sounded like dismissal, "Dowuh you wan'...kiss's're nice..."
Still uncertain if Jack was responding to him in his dreams or not, Omi had to side with the devil on his shoulder here. Surely Jack couldn't be upset with him if he'd given permission. He knew Omi liked him enough to kiss anyway. After only a moment's hesitation justifying it to himself, he leaned his face forward and touched his lips to Jack's, letting them linger this time, and feeling his face flush as soon as contact was made.
Indeed, Jack's lips were very soft. Touching them with his sent a powerful feeling like an igniting spark shooting through his chest. He felt so...close. Doing this felt special. He felt like melting into it and taking all of it he could get.
Then, causing his brow to go up, he felt Jack move. The taller boy leaned into the contact and lazily kneaded his own lips. Omi felt his cheeks burn brighter. What was Jack doing? Was that how kisses were supposed to work? It felt even better with the other boy's lips gliding and exploring like that rather than simply sitting still. Omi felt his eyelids getting heavy and obeyed to close them, automatically moving to follow Jack's instinct and move his own lips. This was so much better than the brief peck he'd given during the Showdown. He loved this. Listening to his own instinct, he reached to lovingly stroke Jack's cheek.
Wriggling more strongly, Jack could sense himself being interacted with in the waking world. Somebody was talking to him. Sounded like Omi. And something was touching him. With a few heavy blinks, he opened his eyes and slowly registered that it was indeed Omi here with him. Also, Omi was barely an inch from his face, and he had the shorter boy in an embrace as they were sharing a very lethargic and sleepy, but adventurous kiss.
Feeling his cheeks burn, Jack felt a small sting of panic and questioning run through his mind. Had he started kissing Omi in his sleep? Had Omi kissed him in his sleep? Had he really wanted more of this after yesterday? He should apologize! Wait, was this even really happening? Was this real life? Or was he dreaming because he did want a real kiss?
Sluggishly, Jack pushed himself up to sit, noting Omi open his eyes in mild surprise and detach from him as he followed this action on reflex. For a good silent moment, they simply sat staring at one another as their faces glowed, uncertainty eating away at the atmosphere.
"Good...morning..?" Omi grinned in guilt as he spread his arms.
"Okay, I'm guessing this is real..." Jack noted, "Were...you kissing me, or was I kissing you..?"
Even guiltier, Omi sweated and pushed the tips of his fingers together sheepishly. "You...may have given me permission while you were asleep?"
Jack's brow rose.
Clapping his palms together in plea, Omi became desperate immediately. "I apologize most humbly if I have crossed the lines! I just could not stop thinking about how inviting you looked to be sleeping so peacefully! I tried to ask, as I found myself wishing to deliver my affections more amply than yesterday, but I could not tell how sincere your permissions were! And then you were kissing me as well and I could not stop myself!"
The albino boy felt his face heating up all over again to hear himself referred to as 'inviting'. Omi had seriously been enticed to start kissing him just by watching him sleep? Just thinking someone wanted to watch him sleep was unbelievable. And honestly, hearing Omi had gotten carried away with it was kind of flattering.
Rubbing the back of his head, Jack granted, "Well I mean...it's a better wake-up call than the Orb of Tornami..." That's how Omi had gotten him out of bed the first time around.
Hearing that Jack did not appear to be terribly upset, Omi came out of his begging bow and blinked at the other.
Jack circled an index finger vaguely. "Just...maybe I might've wanted to be awake too, y'know? I never got to try kissing either. But props for sneakiness. And I guess that's proof you really are into me." His hand slid to the base of his neck and his head dipped slightly, a lop-sided smile finding him as his eyes glanced up at the other.
Returning a small smile in relief, Omi confirmed, "Mooost definitely. And while I still deeply apologize for my actions, I must point out that you are very much awake noooow~?" Fidgeting with his fingers more impishly, he passed Jack a sly look before hopping to be caught by the taller boy. With Jack seated, Omi was practically at face height as he gripped the goth's shoulders.
Caught off-guard, Jack reflexively caught the boy all but leaping into his lap, brow going up again as he felt a fresh wave of warmth cross his cheeks. Omi had something there.
"And it is a good point," he granted. Mutually, they seemed to come to the same agreement and pulled close for a fresh taste of one another. With it so impossible to deny Omi wanted him, Jack felt his usual lack of hesitation settling in, and with a deeper understanding of his own feelings, Omi had no trouble simply acting on them.
"Okay, I'm glad you're not gonna start fighting because it turns out Omi's into sleep molesting," Raimundo's voice cut in suddenly, causing Jack and Omi both to go bug-eyed, "That'd be an awkward breakfast, but it's gonna be even worse if I have to listen to you make out all morning. A little courtesy?"
"Seriously," a groggy Kimiko chipped in.
With matching guilty chuckles now, Jack and Omi both peeked around the end of the curtain separating them from the others and grinned at the other stirring monks.
Looking at the girl sitting with folded arms and pursed lips, Jack remembered something. "Oh, hey. Kimiko. Can I borrow some base and eyeliner? Maybe mascara?" He fanned one hand to indicate his unmarked face.
With a light scoff, finding that a little bold after the awkwardness she'd just had to listen to, Kimiko turned to pull out a makeup kit anyway. "I guess. Just don't use it all. You good with costume base? I don't really stock for albino tones."
"Eh. Didn't expect you'd have much I use. That's why I didn't ask for a brow brush. It'll work." One hand out to receive, he caught the concealer compact and couple of tubes the girl pitched at him before gathering her own supplies and rising to start the morning. "Thank you..!"
Taking a keen interest as the others headed off to find bathrooms, Omi looked at the makeup supplies in Jack's possession. "Ohhh..! Kimiko has never shown me the purpose of these items..! Apparently they are not candy or art supplies. I have always been most curious. Can you enlighten me?"
Snorting and passing Omi an amused smirk, Jack figured, "Yeah, why not? You and makeup, I gotta see."
Jack and Omi were the last to reach the breakfast table, and when they reached it, the other monks' hair all stood on end as they jolted in fright.
"What in tarnation happened to you?!" Clay gawked, having to lift his bangs off his eyes just to make sure he wasn't seeing things.
Jaw slack, Kimiko silently raised her phone and snapped a picture.
Proudly, Omi spread his arms and showed off the fruits of his labor. His entire head was covered in messy lines, swirls and crazy patterns. His face was also much paler and splotched with poorly-applied toner, and his eyebrows were stiff, fluffy caterpillars that he'd clearly misused mascara on. Far too much mascara.
"Somebody had a little too much fun learning about makeup," Jack informed, unable to stop smiling. It shouldn't be so funny, but it was. He'd known the reaction was going to be good, too, but the way everyone jumped was great.
"Indeed!" Omi agreed, "I have been most enlightened! Makeup is very fun~! Kimiko, why did you not share the novel wonders of drawing on your own face sooner?"
"I...didn't think you'd...be into it..?" Kimiko returned blankly, finding it incredibly difficult to focus on speaking in the presence of that.
"Boy, you look like an insane, blind clown!" Jermaine finally found words.
Jack laughed. "I know! Isn't it perfect?!"
"Something like that," Raimundo granted, finding a smirk as the shock wore off, "Kimiko, I'm gonna need that picture for blackmailing purposes."
Jack raised an eager hand. "Oo! Me too! Me too!"
Climbing onto an open stool, Omi reached for some food and pouted. "I thought I did rather well for not knowing what I am doing..!"
Sitting next to him, Jack snorted but complied, "Oh no, totally..! You should totally do it more often." Leaning on one elbow and putting his fingertips to his forehead, he shuddered as he barely contained more laughter. It was impossible to take the short boy seriously as he stuffed his cheeks and pouted like this.
Raimundo noted, "You should uh...still probably wash your face before, y'know, you give Master Fung a heart attack or something." Startling an old man with something so deranged-looking couldn't be healthy.
Since he'd already done the showing off, and his friends had not exactly opted to praise him, Omi hummed and reached for a napkin with which to bury and rub his face. Looking back up, the mess of makeup had now only become smeared into an even worse blend. Everyone around the table couldn't help laughing at it this time around. Raimundo snatched Kimiko's phone and was fast on the shutter finger. Blushing indignantly, Omi grabbed several more napkins and swiped voraciously at his face.
Putting a hand on his shoulder, Jack tried to get ahold of himself and insisted, "Okay, woah, woah...don't peel your whole face off. Come on. Fun as this was, you should prob'ly learn about makeup removal too." Grabbing under Omi's arm, he pulled the yellow boy away from the table, not wanting to ruin his enthusiasm entirely.
Back in the nearest bathroom, he wet a washcloth and found a bottle of makeup remover in the cabinet, along with some wedges. He tipped the bottle over to wet the wedge too and knelt in front of Omi, reaching to swipe the other boy's cheek with it before running over it with the washcloth. As a patch of yellow skin appeared, he assured, "It really wasn't that bad. Hilarious, yes, but like...in a cute enthusiasm way. I liked you were having fun, and eh, I kinda wanted to show you off too."
Hands pressed modestly between his knees as he sat on the lip of the toilet, Omi wasn't sure how to feel, but he liked how Jack tended to him. He'd watched the boy take care of tasks like washing for Cyclops, but now here he was washing up Omi without a second thought. Jack was such a natural caregiver. Omi wondered if he even knew that about himself.
Noticing Omi remaining silent, Jack almost worried the other had taken the laughter to heart. "I swear I wasn't trying to make you feel bad. I mean it. It was cute. They prob'ly thought so too. Don't get all mopey on me..!"
A small smile emerging, Omi assured right back, "Do not worry, Jack. I am very aware of teasing. Do please keep telling me how cute you think I am, though~."
Blinking, then pursing his lips and letting out an annoyed growl, Jack shot back a simple, "No." Omi was just trying to get consolation compliments? What a weasel! Admirable, but still weaselly.
Omi gave a small giggle. "Well, then I will tell you how I was just admiring your caregiving instincts. It is also very cute."
Maintaining his pursed expression, Jack glanced to the floor and let another small, irritated noise slip out. "Nuh-uh. I don't have..." The argument fell dead on his lips as he looked at his hands and noticed how he'd literally just cleaned half the other boy's face for him rather than simply explaining what to do, or tossing the supplies at him and expecting him to figure it out. With a short grunt, Jack's eyes went off to the side again. Okay, so maybe he was a natural provider. What was cute about that?
With a fawning smile, Omi tipped his head and gave another short giggle. Jack ignored this and simply finished the job.
Once he was done, he dismissed his customer with a curt, "There ya go. Back to your regular, everyday jaundiced mug." The cleaning stuff was tossed carelessly back where it belonged.
Before Jack could rise, Omi had reached to grab his face and pulled him into a firm smooch his friends couldn't interrupt. Letting an effectively stilled Jack go, the shorter boy beamed, "Thank you." A short, fond sigh. "Yes, I do believe I am quite partial to kissing."
Defying his saturated cheeks, unable to believe how forward Omi seemed to be with his affections, and simply not used to receiving so much of it, Jack forced his face into stoicism and gave a brief clear of his throat before agreeing. "...same."
Another short pause before he eyed the other with a degree of scrutiny. "So...are we like...actually dating now..? As in...a couple?"
Another tilt of Omi's head. "I would assume this. I feel as though it would make sense. Do you not wish to be?"
"Thought so. I mean, yeah. Sounds about right. Kinda hard to think it's not happening by this point. So I'm down. Just to be clear, though. You really, actually know what that means?" Jack stared at him nearly nervously, like he was almost daring to hope, but also doubting that someone so notoriously naive would know what he was getting into here.
Omi couldn't help rolling his eyes some. He knew Jack had trouble accepting genuine positivity towards himself, but it still felt just a smidge like he too thought Omi was some child that couldn't use the information he learned about himself.
"Yes, Jack. I want a heightened relationship that is intended to be long-lasting, alongside the cute naming, and the hand holding, and being your proper boyfriend. All of the things that are natural parts of romantic courtship. Which I am perfectly aware of."
Arms having loosely wrapped around himself, Jack just listened blankly and continued to ignore the tinge on his cheeks that refused to go away.
"Oh. Okay. Cool. Just checking." Yet another moment of silence. "Sorry. Look, you know I'm not normally shy, but like...I'm not used to...mutual like. Or...expressing it."
Omi reached to pat Jack on the shoulder. "I know. It is one of many things I wish you to become comfortable with. It might take a great deal of personal training, but perhaps you will learn to be almost as confident about yourself as me~!"
This was enough to earn Omi a different expression at least. One of unimpressed disgruntle. Yet oddly, displeasure helped Jack latch onto his much more familiar snarky edge. "Right, 'cause you're not just too dumb to question the stuff you find out."
Flinching out of his puffed posture with offense, Omi exclaimed a short, "Hey..!"
"Ego check, sweet pea," Jack joked back, clearly not meaning harm with the comment, but then paused to note the natural slip of that name again and challenged more seriously, "And you really still wanna be called 'sweet pea'..?" He'd always used the name snidely, but after sampling it in an honest sense, hearing Omi wanted to adopt it as a real pet name for himself just seemed curious, to say the least.
"Very much," Omi granted, "I have always found it the most curious of your namings for me, as it is the only one that does not directly mock my appearance, and is in fact quite sweet. I enjoyed hearing you say it softly, redbud~."
It wasn't exactly the context he'd imagined, but he found the opportunity to spring his surprise anyway. He'd been right in guessing the reaction would be precious. Jack's face fell slack and his brow went high, a fresh glow lighting his cheeks as he picked up on the fact that he'd just been nicknamed right back. He looked adorable as he clutched his hands close to his chest in self-consciousness.
"Woah, what? Who now?"
Omi giggled in a spot of giddy impishness. "If I am your sweet pea, then you are my redbud~," he repeated, reaching to rake his fingers gently through the fiery locks on Jack's head. "Veeery close to sweet peas, and veeery pretty."
Jack's head pulled back in reflex at the touch to his scalp, his insides aflutter at this unabashed cutesiness. "Gross..." he complained.
"Well, I will not use it if you do not wish me to..." Omi shrugged a hint of edging disappointment.
Bristling to detect that, Jack brushed off, "I didn't say that. Anyway, I've had enough gooshy talk. You're my boyfriend. That's all I needed to know. Let's get back already before I have to starve because of you." Standing, he turned in a small huff for the door and quickly abandoned Omi.
The bald boy blinked to watch him go, but then snickered and blushed to himself just a little. From what he'd learned about the way Jack functioned, avoiding an outright refusal or approval for something soft like that basically meant Omi was free to use his selected nickname as he saw fit.
There was some expected mocking about the pair having slipped away to go make out somewhere they wouldn't disturb anyone's sleep, but in general breakfast went smoothly. Master Fung wandered by to see why the Dragons were slightly late to their morning training duties, and stopped in his tracks to spot Jack among the group. While he was pleased to see some fruit bearing of the seed Omi had planted, as it very much appeared everyone was getting along splendidly, he couldn't help be unnerved by the redhead's sudden appearance. The idea of him just popping in unannounced was not a very comfortable one. Not only for the long history of betrayals and thefts, but also because of the teenage romantic drama Master Fung was not prepared to deal with, and his own personal aversion to Jack's questionable character.
Silently, unnoticed, the elderly man once again backed himself out of the situation for now. Omi should be wise enough to know and respect the difficulties in wooing a partner from the other side.
...
As the days progressed, the next couple of weeks only held a small selection of altercations, and only one Xiaolin Showdown, but they were enough to sense the change in atmosphere between the monks and Jack. There wasn't so much venom there anymore. It felt like they were fighting as the norm. A standard job.
Omi was pleased to see that his friends had truly seemed to almost entirely turn their opinions around on the goth boy. They were much more receptive to the idea that he could change, though still holding on to a small sliver of reservation. Meanwhile Jack seemed incredibly hopeful about how the sleepover had gone and was quick to wheedle for another hangout session. He and Omi both were glad that the others seemed to have built a newfound tolerance for a rise in flirtatious smack talk and stolen kisses.
To himself, Jack was more than aware of how bright and bubbly it made him feel inside to have had such a good time with his fellow teens. Who knew the loser warriors were people he could actually begin looking forward to seeing? Yet that's exactly what happened, even if it was just to get his teeth kicked in. Even fighting was just more fun somehow.
Comparing this to the other forms of joy he knew, Jack began wondering: had it felt more satisfying to intimidate Panda Bubba into a 'friendly' agreement that advanced his rise to ultimate power, or to spend a frivolous night goofing off and horsing around with his oldest enemies?
Jack didn't like how obvious the answer was, but the difference this new kind of connection held was impossible not to acknowledge. It felt so much different to be surrounded by people who weren't just tolerating you out of obligation - at least, he swore the other Dragons besides Omi were less hostile after their sleepover - and Jack was forced to admit that this feeling felt like fulfillment. It felt like the kind of thing he'd really been wanting, just like he'd argued to himself. Maybe his self-worth really did lie on another path.
"Chase, Clay, I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown Trio!"
On the frozen embankment of a natural hot spring, observed by a curious crowd of snow monkeys, Chase Young and Clay scowled as they'd failed to either snatch the wu of the day or declare a fight first.
Several feet away, Wuya tugged at her own leg, her poised toes frozen to the icy ground and quite firmly stuck. She exclaimed in dismay, "Lousy freezable flesh..! You've made me miss my wu..!"
To the others with a hand on the flat-topped Chinese style crown, Jack shook the snow out of his hair that had accumulated after Cyclops had bowled him over here. "The challenge is...figure skating! Follow the leader style! No wu, but I still bet my Reversing Mirror against your Last Call Casualty and Shard of Lightning. Mess up once and you're done! Last one standing gets the spoils and the Qing Qing Crown..!"
While Chase wrinkled his nose skeptically, Clay scoffed, "Well that hardly seems fair..! That challenge is stacked all towards you..!"
"And since when do I play fair, cowboy~?" Jack smirked back, "You can always just refuse and forfeit~..!"
"Not on yer life, hombre," Clay was fast to retort, "I accept."
Eyes flicking for the man who most certainly would have no qualms about Jack losing his life, the albino bit, "Word choice, Clay..!"
With disinterest, Chase assured, "The challenge may not be as stacked as you think, Spicer. I accept as well."
"Let's go! Xiaolin Showdown!"
The arena formed as a large circle of ice floating in a white, blustery void, split by glowing magic lights of varying color into three equal sections. The surrounding monkeys became part of the perimeter in several floating hot springs, still watching curiously. The other observers went wide-eyed to find themselves hovering above forming springs themselves before being plopped gracelessly into the water.
Surfacing and absorbing the situation, Raimundo lifted his sodden arms, the water weighing down his magically-granted navy combat robes. "Well this is new."
Floating up in a much lazier manner, Dojo did not appear bothered. "Ohhh yeaaaahh...toasty," he hummed happily, "Now this is some quality Showdown seating..!"
"Are you kidding?" Raimundo returned, lifting his arm towards the basking dragon, "I've already absorbed like fifty extra pounds in water weight! Couldn't the Showdown have at least given us swimwear or something?"
Flicking his tail carelessly, splashing a few drops at the brunette, Dojo breezed, "Sorry, but I think that's a problem for you clothes-wearing folks~..."
Seeing Dojo splash, Cyclops laughed from his own massive pool hovering nearby and returned the motion, swiping up a huge wave with his palm to pour over neighbors. Soaked all the more, Raimundo and Dojo both wore flat expressions now as Cyclops only laughed more and slapped his palms against the surface of his personal pool.
"But okay, I can maybe see a flaw or two with the arrangement..." Dojo granted.
On the field, the participants had all been magically granted skates, as well as form-fitting sequined outfits, Jack's being black with red accents, Clay's being a pastel and a richer shade of blue, and Chase's being green with yellow highlights, forming an image of a dragon on the left sleeve.
Without waiting for any instruction, Chase's first move was to beeline straight for Jack and jump into the air, aiming the blade on his shoe for the boy's neck. Jack let out a high-pitched startle and recoiled, but Chase found himself caught by a magical barrier and halted. His teeth grit as he was jolted quite punishingly by what appeared to be akin to an electric shock, before being hurled back into his own zone. Here he did not acknowledge any discomfort and glared daggers at Jack, simply seething. Jack straightened smugly when it became apparent that Chase couldn't harm him and gave a taunting 'ha-ha' followed by an immature raspberry.
Clay, meanwhile, was simply focused on standing upright. His arms wobbled stiffly as he fought with all his might not to fall over and be disqualified before the game had even begun.
Noticing this, Kimiko called, "Come on, Clay! You should have this! You know all about figure skating!"
"May-be!" Clay called back, "But likin' it's one thing; doin' it's quite another!"
Feeling confident, Jack barked, "Alright, enough stalling! Let's do this!"
"GONG YI TAN PAI!"
With the round declared to have begun, a bright yellow glow lit up to override Clay's green-lit section of the field and began rotating between all three like a game wheel spinner. It slowed, and then came to a halt on Jack's purple section of the ice, blinking and disappearing as a short musical beep declared him.
"Oh, sweet! I'm first leader!" Jack cheered, "Here. I'll start you rookies out with an easy one."
Drifting effortlessly, he glided himself into a wide and graceful three-turn before immediately entering another as a skid spiral. Once done with his spins he simply dropped the leg he'd flexibly lifted back into place and declared his move done by smiling smugly and coasting to a cocky stop.
"Trivial," Chase scoffed, "Once again, this is not as stacked as you think, Spicer. Such simple sport is nothing for a true Tai Chi Grand Master." Clearly upset that he had to do it, he maintained his careless attitude and mimicked Jack's demonstrated move easily, gliding with perfect poise in a matching set of spins while maintaining a very grumpy expression.
As he finished, Jack found his confidence wavering. He really hadn't expected Chase to take to skating like that. And his form was good.
Clay, on the other hand, struggled. He was a lot slower to pick up speed, and he did manage to get his leg in the air, but it was clearly much harder to maintain, and by the time he finished, he appeared very pale and wobbly-kneed. Quite honestly, he'd been sure he would lose right off the bat. He was glad for his friends calling out encouragement.
Jack felt pity for the blonde cowboy. He'd expected both of his opponents to be bad at this and to be able to walk away with an easy win. He also hadn't expected Clay to so noticeably be the odd one out. It was going to be bad if Jack ended up facing off against Chase on his own, knowing a victory wasn't as guaranteed as initially expected. But also, Jack just kind of didn't want someone he almost got along with to fail.
"Hey, bend your knees, Clay!" he called over, "Don't lean backwards, and don't look down!"
Gaze shooting up, Clay looked surprised at the sudden advice from his opponent. Jack's expression was lightly grim, like honestly concerned for the other boy. As distrustful as the Texan had been towards the other, this really didn't seem like fake advice. And amazingly enough, as he took it, he felt himself steadying.
"Huh. Well whaddya know."
While Jack let out a small breath in relief, Chase's face only pinch more sourly as the arena highlighted him as the next to provide something for the others to follow. "A fair warning, I will not be so kind to my opponents."
True to his word, the immortal warrior shifted quickly into a much more complicated, sharp and fast combination, most certainly expecting Clay to not even be able to absorb it all, and perhaps even Jack would miss an element or two, and this ridiculous 'fight' could be over all the faster.
Jack performed it just fine, to his chagrin, and when Clay's turn came, the goth boy didn't seem to think as he suddenly called out to remind Clay not to miss the cross roll. Only stuttering slightly, Clay managed to recover and finish the moves properly, then looking at Jack in silent consideration.
From their observation posts, the others all took notice, too. What was Jack doing, helping Clay out in a Showdown like this? Eagerly, Omi grinned as his eyes shimmered. He sensed it with great hope, and perhaps he was wrong, but it seemed like Jack didn't want to let the Xiaolin side lose here.
It went on this way, in rapid-fire, exhausting turns. Jump after jump, spin after spin. Chase was simply expecting the others to tire out at some point, annoying as it was that Jack seemed so accomplished in this area. Even more annoying was the way he delayed the inevitable by assisting Clay with his words. The large Texan boy was breathing heavily, and yet refused to fall.
It was Jack's turn to play leader again, and he grimaced to himself. He'd been having a hard time delivering moves that would both be difficult and allow him to win, but also be easy enough for Clay to keep up. He held a pose now, stuck while his mind raced to come up with a solution.
Then he saw Clay wobble.
The larger boy seemed to have hit his limit and took a sharp sway to one side. He barely caught himself, but Jack knew another stagger was coming. At once, he'd taken off zooming towards the edge of his barrier, shouting, "I'm swapping sides! I wanna be on Clay's team!"
In response, the field shifted, the green light of Clay's portion on the ice spreading to engulf Jack's and sparing him the punishment of breaching his boundaries. While Chase looked on with disgusted, confused offense, Jack shot towards Clay like a bullet as he took another sway, this time clearly headed for a topple.
All at once, Jack had clamped his hand around the larger boy's wrist, using the momentum of the fall to spin the two around and keep Clay upright. Then, leading, Jack kept his hold of the blonde and guided him through a brief and simple pairs maneuver before finishing it by going into a plain carry lift. Grunting immensely, arms trembling, Jack hoisted the less experienced skater, likely three times his weight, overhead.
As everyone gawped, Clay in particular not knowing what to say as he just reflexively held his arms out like an awkward airplane, Jack used all of his willpower not to collapse under the burden and scoff at Chase, "Ha! Beat...that..!"
Chase, having no partner to perform with clenched his fists as it became readily apparent that Jack had cheated the system. The orange lighting under him changed to buzz red, and the arena washed itself in a flurry of white as the match was called, Jack unable to prevent his spine from buckling any longer and crashing to the ground.
With the world once more set the way it belonged, Chase swiftly stomped his way toward the albino boy dizzily crushed under Clay's behind at the moment. "I don't know what you're playing at, Spicer, but the games are over! I've put up with your idiotic nonsense for long enough!"
Seeing Chase approach with dark intent, Clay got to his feet swiftly. "Now hold on there, pardner..!" He'd never exactly thought Jack needed to die himself, but he also wasn't raised to be ungrateful, and Jack had just basically saved his butt.
Putting his palm over Clay's face, Chase just shoved the boy to the side, into the cluster of his friends who were rushing up to meet him in concern. They all let out a joint 'oof'.
The next target the dragon man's hand went for was Jack, but he found himself hissing suddenly as it was blasted quite suddenly by the edge of a black magic laser. He leapt back several feet as the beam followed, forcing him to retreat as he held his burning, singed hand protectively.
Cyclops had landed heavily on all fours over Jack, blasting with his eye to get Chase to back off. Face clearly angry, he now let out a strong, lengthy roar to enforce his point.
Glaring at the red giant, and then at the collection of teens having gotten themselves off the ground and gathered in front of Cyclops and Jack, Chase just let out a low, beastly growl.
The air hung thick and tense for a good long moment, Clay and Raimundo helping Jack stand back up between them. Then, slowly, evenly, Chase turned without a word and walked away.
When he was out of sight, the six teens let out puffs of relief in unison.
Letting Jack go as the goth boy winced and corrected a crick in his back, Clay noted, "Reckon Ah oughta say thank you for lendin' a hand back there. Both fer not lettin' Chase win, and fer not lettin' me lose."
With a mildly awkward grin, Jack reminded, "Well, like I said...when do I play fair? Like I was going to let that jerk win."
"A most clever solution!" Omi praised.
"It was pretty great, wasn't it?" Jack couldn't help taking a moment to bask in the glory, but then hunched in a spot of sheepishness and added, "But I think it only counted 'cause the Showdown knew I meant it. I did wanna be on Clay's team. Do, I mean. Ugh. I mean I'm declaring it. I wanna join the Xiaolin side!" His fists formed midair in resolve.
Several gasps surrounded him, but they only amplified when as soon as this was uttered, a golden swirl appeared from thin air and was carried on a spiraling wind, up from the ground and around Jack up to his head. Jumping and startled even more than the others, Jack called out and swatted at the illuminated sparkles, but they just seemed to bend around his hands and had vanished as quickly as they'd come anyway.
Now even more confused, Jack checked himself over in mild panic. "What was that?!"
"I dunno," Jermaine puzzled with a knuckle to his chin, "But it looked kinda familiar."
"Yeah..." Kimiko agreed, "Did the same happen to any of you when-?"
"Did I hear that right?" Wuya's low, clear voice cut in with sharp curiosity, "Jack Spicer, officially turning himself over to the hands of good?!" Looking to the boy in question, she snorted. "How long will that last, I wonder. Have you really run so dry on people to play backup? I'm not that bad an option, am I?"
Jack pouted at her. "Maybe you are! But also, maybe I just finally found the right people to back me!"
Wuya rolled her eyes. "Please. You've already failed miserably at being good and evil. But the one path you found any success with happened to include the Heylin side. This won't last. If you're actually willing to throw it all away and give up the spot for world-conquering throne seekers, though, I'm not complaining."
Catching sight of Omi, the witch quirked a brow. "What's wrong with him?"
Omi's eyes were enlarged and shimmering, tears streaking openly down his cheeks as he was clearly struggling to contain a huge grin. His brow was wobbling and his fists were clenched tight.
"I am sorry..!" he squeaked in even more strain, "I am trying my best to be angry at Wuya, but I am just...so...happy~..! I have been waiting to hear Jack Spicer say those words for so long~..!"
Unsettled, Jack took a couple steps away from the bald boy. He'd expected a reaction, but whatever he'd expected, that...wasn't it. The others felt similar.
Also somewhat unsettled, Wuya looked away, choosing to focus her thoughts elsewhere and putting a dainty hand to her chin in consideration. "Regardless...interesting." Looking down and finding her feet frozen to the ground again, she groused, "By the way, do any of you happen to know a good place to find socks? I'm afraid I might be forced to consider them if we have to meet in this weather again."
Rather than answer, Jack saw an opportunity and snapped his fingers. "Cyclops. Help Wuya warm up, would ya?"
Eager to comply, Cyclops made a happy garble sound and reached for the crimson-haired woman. She tried to swat at him but was ineffectual as he pinched her by the scruff and pulled her away from the ground, ice chunks coming with her. Her protests also fell on deaf ears, and then she was tossed to land in one of the monkey-filled hot springs. As Cyclops offered a hearty thumb up, Dojo figured this was a good time to enlarge himself and get his team out of here.
Sitting drenched, Wuya flatly spat a string of hair out of her mouth and glowered at a monkey sitting off to her side.
"What are you looking at?"
Jack had hopped on Cyclops and followed underneath Dojo as he flew, the dragon flying low enough so that the teens could still talk. Omi was calling, "Is it really true, Jack~? Have you finally renounced your Heylin ways~?!"
"Well...yeah," Jack called back, "But don't think it's for you or anything!"
"I never wanted it to be for me! I have always wanted it to be for you!"
Omi had already come to the conclusion Jack had only arrived at within the last few weeks? What a righteous goody-goody.
The yellow boy called again, "Are we both going to the Xiaolin Temple?"
"I think we'd better!" Raimundo piped up, "We should probably ask Master Fung about what was up with that glowy sparkly stuff!"
This was agreed upon easily enough, and the group reached the temple without slowing down, thundering through the courtyards as they sought their instructor and loudly calling his name. Omi had leapt to crush Jack's head in a vice hug while he rode Cyclops, simply unable to contain his glee any longer.
Unable to miss this unceremonious summons, Master Fung emerged from his chambers where he had been working on a jigsaw puzzle, only to perk in stun to find a fully-enlarged Dojo still carrying four wildly-waving warriors, and a fifteen-foot drooling behemoth escorting Jack Spicer while Omi clung to the boy's head like a particularly needy koala.
"Master Fung, Master Fung!" Omi cried in delight upon seeing the elder, "Jack Spicer has made the switch to good~!"
Blinking as his brain was still a few seconds behind, Master Fung tried to process this. "Are you sure, Omi..? I seem to recall..."
"No, no, it's true." Jack shrugged. "I just kinda...decided I'd rather have friends. I wanna be a Xiaolin."
Raimundo reminded, "Yeah, and also, when he said that, there was this weird magic-looking glow thing that happened? We thought you might be able to give us a clue. It looked kinda like what happened when I got my leader duds."
"Or when I discovered my fire powers," Kimiko added.
"Oh yeah, that too." Raimundo pointed at the girl. "Just...pathfinding glowiness in general, I suppose."
Looking floored, Master Fung seemed to pale. "Jack Spicer experienced this..?"
"Um...yeah?" Jack confirmed, "Why, is that bad?"
"Well, it is most shocking..." the older man informed, "For if I understand you all correctly, such a thing should only occur when one has revealed their true Xiaolin potential. As indeed, when you all discovered your abilities. The paths you were meant to walk."
A round of further blinking, before Jack beamed hopefully and noted, "Oh, well...that's good then...right? It's like the universe is patting me on the back." Hopping down and forcefully detaching Omi from his face, he figured this ought to be simple confirmation that he'd made the right choice after all this time. "I mean I promise I don't have any backstabbing plans or anything. I really wanna do this."
Master Fung put his hands in his sleeves. "Though your relationship with good and evil has been flimsy, the glow does not lie. I am willing to look past that. I suppose so long as you do not make any...uncomfortable advances, it is only fit that we bow to destiny's will and seek to nurture this path." Quite honestly, being kissed by the overly kowtowing teen while infirm had been the biggest factor in Jack creeping him out.
Silence.
"I had very happily forgotten about...that." Now Jack remembered what Dojo would have been talking about while threatening him at the gate. The magic reptile and Good Jack had had a brief war in doting on the head monk. Pointing at the boy next to him, Jack noted, "But, uh...no. Not into that. Besides, you know I'm with Omi now, right?"
Hearing this acknowledged, Omi felt a swell of happiness all over again and clamped himself to Jack's leg. One could very well see a line of valentines marching from his head.
Observing this quietly for a moment, Master Fung granted, "Indeed. Well, if that's settled, would you mind preventing your beast from devouring my favorite Buddha statue..?"
Neck twisting to find that Cyclops had wandered off into a nearby zen garden, crouching in front of a bronze statue and giving the shiny metal a long, slobbery lick, Jack let out a sharp note and waved his hands overhead as he trotted after the tusked giant.
"No! Bad Cyclops! Destroying gardens is a bad way to make first impressions!"
As Cyclops licked the statue with enough force to wobble, Jack thrust an arm forward to steady it, only to find his hand sinking right through the thing and lodging halfway up his forearm.
A moment was spent blinking at this, and then Jack's free hand went to his forehead as he stared at his embedded limb and shrieked in confused terror. Miraculously lifting the statue almost his height, Jack flailed both arms as he ran in circles with more panicked screaming. Cyclops tracked him curiously with his eyeball.
Desperately, Jack performed a hurling motion as though pitching a fastball. The statue flew off his hand and warped itself, skidding a deep trench through the white sand of the zen garden, and no longer resembling Buddha. The entire top half of the statue was now an amorphous splash frozen in time.
Everyone was staring at this now, before their eyes trailed back to Jack, who still had his bulging eyes fixed on the statue.
"Did...I do that..?"
Even more stunned than before, Master Fung could only stare silently in response, before clearing his throat into his fist and coming to stand beside the boy. Gesturing to him and facing the others, he announced, "Though I am sure none of us expected to find them in such a place, may I present to you, the final member of your elemental team. The Dragon of Metal."
If anyone present could have widened their eyes further, they would have popped.
"I'm a what?!"
"HE'S A WHAT?!"
"Yes," Master Fung confirmed, "It would seem that unlocking his true path has revealed the final piece to a power so great, it may well rival Wuya's."
"No way!" Jack was starting to sound excited with disbelief now, staring at his hands and then the ruined statue. "I got powers?! Just by deciding to join you losers?! If I'd-a known I'd get powers, I'd have signed up ages ago!" Trotting over to the statue he insisted, "I can fix this..! Hang on, lemme figure this out."
Tongue stuck out sideways, he prodded and smacked the destroyed bronze, trying to get it to move again. Some pokes responded, others didn't, but eventually Jack had managed to get it to respond enough at will to vaguely reshape the statue into something vaguely humanoid. It still didn't look like Buddha - more like a burn victim - but he looked quite proud as he moved to put it back on its pedestal and hold up fingers as though he were a director framing a shot.
"Perfect!" Whirling around to face the others, he enthused, "Aw, man! I can't believe I get to be one of you guys! Like for real~!"
"Uuuuus neither," Kimiko granted.
Sniffing, Omi came forward as he brimmed with joyous tears. "I have never felt so correct in my connection with you~..! Oh, my little redbud is blossoming most beautifully~..!"
Blushing indignantly, Jack thrust balled fists towards the ground and defended, "Hey..! Don't make this sound so lame..! I got metal, right?" Getting excited again, he clutched his fists to his chest and exclaimed, "How cool is that?! Dragon of Metal? Yeah!" Grinning, he played a quick riff on an air guitar and thrust a sharp rock hand in the air with a pair of accompanying head bobs.
Raising a finger, Raimundo had the first valid question he could think of. "So, does this mean Jack's gonna live here too now? I mean I assume this means training, and I don't think he's even got any martial arts in him at all...right?" A look to Jack.
"Uh...not so much." The redhead hadn't thought of all that. "I'm gonna need my lab, though. And I'm not going anywhere without Cyclops. He needs me." A thumb was tossed towards the big red dummy, who merrily responded by leaning down on his hands and slurping an agreeable slather of his tongue up the pale boy. Accepting this as common, Jack shook off slobber and noted, "You guys do have a lot of lawn space that'd be good for him to run around in, though...the mountains'd keep him occupied for a bit."
"I'm sure we can find somewhere to stick your tinker toys," Kimiko scoffed, "But are you even gonna need to do that anymore..?"
"Yeah," Jermaine agreed, "Couldn't you just...make 'em?" He swirled his hands vaguely to indicate summoning the element in question.
"...maybe." Jack hadn't thought of that yet either. "But I still like the hands-on approach."
"All details that will be worked out," Master Fung advised, "For now, exciting as the news is, I think we would do best to rest our brains on this matter. And I have a new training regimen to prepare."
"Oo! Oo! Lemme help! I'm the best at help!" Dojo cut in, sharply remembering to shrink himself and hopping up to Master Fung's shoulders. Looking back to Jack, he gave a harsh sneer.
Jack couldn't say he cared. He folded his arms to say as much.
As the wisened monk took his leave, pausing only to pass a wistful gaze at what remained of his favorite Buddha statue and sigh, Omi looked up at his newest official teammate and informed, "Do not worry, Jack. I am going to ensure you get only the best of training~!"
"I'm sure you are," Jack rolled his eyes and hemmed. Then he perked and raised his palms in anticipation, "But how about this, huh? Who's looking forward to some real teambuilding..!"
With an array of relenting smirks, the other monks met his palms with theirs in a round of high fives. Jack had remained a huge dork during the time he'd taken to be friendly with them, but much like Omi had predicted, they'd kind of learned to love it.
"Ohhh, yes. There is one thing I have forgotten to say," Omi noted.
Jack looked at him. "Oh?"
"Yes." With that, Omi jumped up to land in Jack's arms. Grabbing his collar, he tugged the taller boy in for a long and giddy kiss. "Congratulations~! I am most proud of your journey, my redbud."
Tipping his head with an endeared tut, Jack just answered, "Thanks, sweet pea."
Gosh, he was actually going to be a Dragon Warrior?!
Jack Spicer, Dragon Warrior.
Had a nice ring to it.