CHAPTER 3

Young Omi and young Timmy were walking to the Shaolin Temple, still in shock of what the future held for them.

"I die (once) in the Koliseum! You on a rooftop, fighting Samurai Jack? Our future, Omi It is insane!" young Timmy exclaimed.

Young Omi pointed out, "Obsessing over it will not change it."

"Neither will accepting our destiny as evil undead warlords."

"I'm not. But we can't change a future we don't fully understand. Samurai Jack will guide us."

"Can we trust him?" asked young Timmy as he and young Omi stopped in their tracks. "It appears he got us both killed!"

Their conversation didn't continue any further as they looked at the Shaolin Temple before them. There on the steps, they spotted the lifeless body of a monk. Upon walking inside, young Omi and young Timmy found dozens more monks—each one as dead as the one on the steps—even though there were no visible injuries on them.

Young Omi shook his head in disbelief. "So many Shaolin! They died defending our sacred ground." The bald monk's face twisted into a determined scowl. "The NetherRealm will pay."

After walking in deeper into the Shaolin Temple, the monks found the traps disarmed.

"Whoever came here," noted young Omi, "knew how to disarm these traps."

"Do you know how?" young Timmy inquired. "The monks never taught me."

"More likely you did not attend class." Young Timmy gave a dirty look in response to young Omi's statement. "Watch for the pattern. And pick your moment. . . ."

After a running start, young Omi jumped through the swinging axes, successfully dodging all three without even a scratch. Young Omi looked back and smirked, as if to ask "What are you waiting for?"

Rolling his eyes in amusement, young Timmy smirked shrewdly with an idea. Using his bladed hat, young Timmy tossed it at the swinging axes and stopped them, before walking right on through and retrieving his hat again. "Easy enough. What's next?"

Young Omi shrugged his shoulders in a matter-of-fact way. "Everything. Poison gas, shooting spears, flame jets—"

"How about we avoid those?" young Timmy suggested.

Suddenly, the room started to shut firmly.

Young Timmy raised his hands. "I did not do that."

Before they knew it, the monks were taken by surprise as a kunai attached to a chain shot out from off-screen and buried itself in one of the wooden frames.

There was only one Kombatant who possessed a kunai like that, as the owner growled in a gruff-sounding voice. "I did."

Stepping out and retrieving the chained kunai was Barnyard Dawg—but not from present-day. No, it was Wraith Barnyard Dawg.

Young Timmy and young Omi scowled back as the latter spoke. "Barnyard Dawg. Of course you survived the time-merger. . . ."

Wraith Barnyard Dawg snarled through his mask. "You will not stop Eris from restorin' me family and clan."

As Wraith Barnyard Dawg stood ready to fight, so did young Timmy, before looking toward young Omi. "Can you stop the traps?"

Young Omi gave a single firm nod and ran to try and disable the traps.

Young Timmy then focused his attention back on the yellow-and-black-clad Wraith. "I learned my lesson, fighting you at Walter Wolf's tournament. Right now I am prepared."

And so began the fight between the Shaolin monk and the Shirai Ryu ninja. Despite his naïveté and overconfidence, leading to his defeat, young Timmy was able to gain the upper hand against Wraith Barnyard Dawg before finishing him off with a smack from the broad side of his hat.

Young Timmy relaxed as he looked down with half-closed eyes.

Young Omi ran up to his friend, a worried look on his face. "I can't stop the traps! The locks have been changed!"

Grunting, Wraith Barnyard Dawg picked himself back up before he and the monks noticed the room starting to fill up with gas—forcing the Shirai Ryu ninja to leave by teleporting through a gust of flames.

Just then, a cage fell on top of young Omi and young Timmy. The Shaolin monks coughed momentarily from the poison gas before it got sucked out.

"It's stopped. Why?" asked young Omi.

After the cage on top of them lifted back up into the ceiling, a door opened. Entering the room were Wraith Barnyard Dawg and revenant Mary.

"Our plans," revenant Mary explained, "required you to live."

"Mary. What happened to you?" asked young Omi in shock.

"An untimely death. Like yours, due to Samurai Jack's incompetence."

"You cannot turn us against him. We know about our deaths. They were caused by our mistakes."

"You have been deceived, Omi. The truth is, Samurai Jack murdered you."

As young Timmy decided to take on Wraith Barnyard Dawg again, young Omi squared up against revenant Mary.

"Samurai Jack killed you," pointed out revenant Mary, "because you stood in his way."

Young Omi scowled. "You lie, Mary."

Even though he was just a mere mortal, young Timmy was determined and no less ready to fight revenant Mary Melody. After blocking her attacks, he managed to get the upper hand and knock her off her feet, incapacitating her.

Young Omi huffed. "You will not test my faith."

As young Timmy was still busy fighting Wraith Barnyard Dawg, young Omi stepped in and landed a few punches on the ninja and sent him sprawling on the ground. Wraith Barnyard Dawg then disappeared in a ball of flame, teleporting elsewhere again.

As he and young Timmy approached one of the entryways, young Omi stated, "The Dragon Grotto's through there."

"What if the next Revenants we have to fight are . . . us?" gulped young Timmy.

"Then we fight them, Timmy."

Lifting the gate up, the Shaolin monks headed for the Dragon Grotto.

Meanwhile, after transporting himself through his lightning, Samurai Jack stood before the Elder Gods, seated in their respective thrones.

"Elder Gods," addressed the thunder god, "I have come to seek counsel. The Realms are in crisis."

The Elder Gods spoke in unison. "The crisis is grave, indeed, Samurai Jack. Every being will be erased in a temporal Armageddon, even we Elder Gods. Already our power weakens."

Samurai Jack focused his attention on Valerie Gray, the Elder Goddess of nature. "I will fight, Valerie Gray. But how?"

"You must find Eris's Keep and gain control of her Hourglass. Only then will time's momentum be restored."

"It will be done." The thunder god turned away, his face heavy with thought.

With Valerie trying to look, she and the Elder Gods spoke again. "Speak your mind, Samurai Jack."

"Since the time-merger," stated Samurai Jack, "I have learned about my future. That my champions fall. That I become a tyrant. If Eris is defeated, will I be consigned to such grim fate?"

"The restoration of time will not predetermine your destiny. That is for you to shape."

Samurai Jack nodded in understanding before hanging his head again.

Meanwhile, back at the Shaolin Temple, the monks found their way into a secret cave.

They spotted Dr. Droid, one of Eris's servants, stealing some kind of off-screen item.

"Is there any point to us asking you to put those back?" commanded young Omi.

Dr. Droid responded, "They said you'd come."

"Who said?" young Timmy inquired.

Suddenly, the Shaolin monks felt the presence of others nearby. Turning to the source, they gasped at the sight of their future revenant selves.

Dr. Droid, meanwhile, was busy with what he was doing—all the while smirking.

"Who do you think, Timmy Turner?" asked revenant Omi. "Welcome to your future. Courtesy of Samurai Jack."

"Our future may be tragic," glared young Omi, "but it's not Samurai Jack's fault. You've both been warped by Pitch's evil."

Revenant Timmy growled. "Aku smacked me into the wall at the arena with his warhammer. And after I was resurrected, I was kidnapped before being killed again by Freakshow in the NetherRealm. Samurai Jack saw it coming, and did nothing!"

"I would have defeated Aku," said revenant Omi, "but Samurai Jack wanted the glory. He let me run toward my death. I was resurrected, true, but only to be sent to the NetherRealm and have my soul taken from me again."

Young Omi shook his head in disbelief. "No. I don't believe that!"

"One day Samurai Jack will betray you. Then you will believe."

Young Timmy squared up against his revenant self and the two began to fight.

Young Omi prepared himself for a fight against his revenant self. "You spew Pitch's lies. You disobeyed Samurai Jack, and he was caught unawares as you were. He did what he thought right to protect Earthrealm."

Revenant Omi snorted. "Protect?! Samurai Jack enslaved Earthrealm. How was I ever so blind as you?"

The fight was on between one from the past and one from present day. Revenant Omi might have had dark magic serving him, but young Omi was vigilant, and determined to not falter. After a long and hard battle, young Omi finally defeated his revenant self.

Young Omi looked down, a worried look on his face. "How did I get so deluded?"

"Is it me, or could they be telling the truth?" inquired young Timmy, after defeating his revenant self from off-screen.

The bald monk shook himself back to the now. "Worry about it later. We have bigger problems."

The Shaolin monks approached Eris's mostly-robotic servant.

Seeing them coming toward him, Dr. Droid prepared himself for battle. "You should've listened to your revenant counterparts. With this power, Eris will remake history."

Using his bladed hat, young Timmy tossed it at Dr. Droid's head and lopped it from his robotic neck, sparks flying from severed wires.

After his hat came back to him, young Timmy smirked confidently and pleased. "That was easy."

However, the Sands of Time resurrected Dr. Droid as his head reattached itself to his mechanical body, much to the shock/horror of the young monks.

After his head went back in place, the servant picked himself back up. "I, Dr. Droid, am a fixed point in time. With every death and rebirth, I grow stronger."

The monks engaged in a two-against-one battle, only to find out that the mechanized being wasn't kidding about his increased strength.

Seeing the vials of Jinsei on the ground, after young Omi landed a punch on Dr. Droid, young Timmy seized the opportunity and stood ready to fight.

However, the hat-wielding monk had to add a joke in his request as he looked toward young Omi. "Fetch the Jinsei, 'Chosen One.'" As the bald monk went to retrieve the vials, young Timmy faced Dr. Droid.

"You're good," noted Dr. Droid, "but you're not as great as your long-ago relative."

Young Timmy blinked in surprise. "You've met my ancestor?"

"He stood a chance against me. You have none."

While Dr. Droid was strong, and was a difficult opponent, but young Timmy had yet to be deterred by the otherworldly being as he fought on furiously. After landing a series of kicks and punches, young Timmy used the broad part of his hat and smacked the mostly-mechanized being in the face, sending him sprawling about a foot back.

However, Dr. Droid stood back up again, seemingly unfazed by all that transpired. "You Shaolin monks exceed your reputation. I respect your spirit, but Eris's will must be done."

Young Timmy and young Omi leapt outward, ready to attack again. However, they were stopped by just an inch as Dr. Droid froze time, leaving him the opportunity to grab the vials of Jinsei from the bald monk's hand.

Eris then appeared before the otherworldly being.

Dr. Droid handed the pleased Elder Goddess the vials. "It's dangerous to let them live."

"If they die," Eris pointed out, "their revenant selves will cease to exist. We need them to defend the Keep." She then levitated over to the time-frozen monks. "Yet again, Omi, you've chosen the wrong destiny."

By the time Eris and Dr. Droid disappeared, young Omi and young Timmy fell flat on their faces as time moved again. Picking themselves back up, the Shaolin monks found themselves alone again, and the vials of Jinsei gone.

Back in her dwellings, Eris levitated over to Aku, revenant Kimiko, and Hannibal Roy Bean. "I now have the energy to resculpt the Sands of Time. The NetherRealm's undead army will protect the Keep as I work. Aku, when will you deliver the Outworld army?"

Aku grinned evilly. "Soon. It will be mine once Tork is killed."

"And what is your progress, Hannibal?"

The red-clad Cyborg responded. "The Cyber Lin Kuei factory is modified to your specification. Production exceeds projections."

Eris smirked in satisfaction.

Teleporting back to Earthrealm, more specifically the SF base, Samurai Jack reunited with young Omi and young Timmy, as the two latter were busy training.

Young Omi noticed and bowed to the thunder god. "Samurai Jack. What did the Elder Gods say?"

Samurai Jack responded, "We must find Eris. Wrest the control of history from her. If we succeed, our destiny can change."

"So what we were told is true?" asked young Timmy. "You were 'involved' in our deaths?"

The thunder god sighed. "Yes. Had the timeline continued, my decisions would have led to your deaths. But the Elder Gods assure me that such a future is not inevitable. It is but one of many possible timelines."

"That is a lot to take on faith."

Young Omi elbowed his friend in the ribs for his comment.

As the three walked to the Special Forces headquarters, Samurai Jack nodded in understanding. "Rest assured, Timmy. I am aware, now, of what may come. I will not bring harm to either of you. You have my vow."

As he and his hat-wielding friend bowed their heads briefly, young Omi was relieved. "Thank you, Samurai Jack."

"We must find Eris's Keep and strike it, as hard and fast as we can muster, before all is lost."

"What have you learned about Eris's effect on Earthrealm?" Samurai Jack inquired Sara in the SF headquarters.

Sara answered back. "We're tracking sites around the globe with major temporal anomalies. Picture's still fuzzy. . . ."

Ron spoke aside to young Kim, a smile on his face. "Our kid's something, isn't she?"

Young Kim looked at the movie star with an awkward look. "Um . . . Stoppable, I am not 'your' Kim."

Ron felt awkward as well, but also saddened. " . . . Sorry. Too easy to forget."

"We've prioritized info," stated Sara, "that correlates attacks from the NetherRealm with time anomalies."

Samurai Jack rubbed his chin with thought. "Helpful. But we have more to worry about than the NetherRealm."

"Yeah, we do. Raimundo Pedrosa and Grandmaster Foghorn Leghorn report heavy losses to our Lin Kuei clan. The time merger has resurrected our old enemy, Hannibal."

"Hannibal Roy Bean?" inquired Samurai Jack. "Was he not the Grandmaster who years ago enslaved the Lin Kuei?"

"That's him. He's reactivating and upgrading the same factory he built to convert the Lin Kuei into cyber killing machines."

"Undoubtedly to construct new and more powerful Cyber Lin Kuei. Eris may seek to co-opt them. What of Foghorn Leghorn? And Raimundo?"

"Already on their way to shut down the factory. Grandmaster Barnyard Dawg is going with them."

"Grandmaster Barnyard Dawg? . . . The Barnyard Dawg?" Samurai Jack then looked to where young Danny Fenton was, the latter conversing with Cornelius Fillmore and Po. "Danny?"

The silver-clad Lin Kuei stood to attention. "Yes, Samurai Jack?"

"Do you know where Raimundo Pedrosa and Grandmaster Foghorn Leghorn are located? Our allies' future selves."

"I do know. What is wrong?"

"I need you to go with them and Grandmaster Barnyard Dawg. They might need your help."

Young Danny saluted in his Lin Kuei manner. "As you wish." Without another word, the silver-clad Lin Kuei disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Po and Fillmore coughed in response.

"Man," rasped out Fillmore, "I wish he would have warned us about that."

"Or better yet," said Po, fanning the smoke fumes away, "he could've done it outside, you know?"