Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown!

A/N: I didn't think I was gonna be able to update tonight actually. There was this thunderstorm and all. But the cool thing is that not only am I updating now, but there was real lightning strikes! We only see them in the country but they actually existed here in the city! ) I really did enjoy it.

Well, then there was the fact that I was kinda depressed. If there was lightning, there was no way I was gonna go online and update this! I'd be crazy if I did. So needless to say, I felt bad. But as you can guess, the storm is over now.

One more thing before I begin, please don't mention anything about either spelling, or grammar errors. It's 11, and I'm tired, and I need to finish the Chronicles of Narnia soon. I'm almost done with it, but I do wanna finish watching it tonight.

And here is the penultimate (next-to-last for those who don't read Lemony Snicket) chapter of 'Back Again'

(-)

I watched as everything surrounding me seemed to shoot upwards. True, I had never been in a Xiaolin Showdown before, but I really didn't expect this. If I had been my old self, I probably would've thought these were just really cool super effects, but they weren't. This was all real, and I was part of it.

The ground below Chase and I shot up too, catching me on unawares. I fell to the ground, as if I were just a feeble child. I looked up to see Chase, standing perfectly erect, and smiling down at me with his malicious grin. It made me question if it was wise to have started this showdown in the first place.

It all stopped. The ground stopped moving, gravity wasn't completely forcing itself on me, and I was able to stand up. Chase continued grinning at me, and I really wondered if I should've done this.

"So . . . now what?" Ah, what a question. I doubted my ability to win this showdown, especially if I didn't know everything I was supposed to do.

Chase shook his head, still smiling. Oh, how I wanted to wipe that grin right off his smug face. "Now," he stated, "we say 'Gong-Yi-Tampai' and begin our challenge."

What the heck was 'Gong-Yi-Tampai?' I shrugged. "Gong-Yi-Tampai?" It sounded so weird. It was completely od-

I was punched in the face. I had to get myself together, if I fell, I lost. No time to think. Jumping into the air, I quickly hit Chase squarely in the chest. He didn't fall, instead just took a few steps backwards.

"Come on Chloe, is that all you have?" His voice was so full of taunting, it made me want to hurt him more.

"I have that and more, filthy dragon!"

I heard a cry from above me. "Hey, I take that as a personal insult! Not all dragons are filthy, ya know!"

Ignoring Dojo, I charged head on towards Chase. Idiotic really, considering he jumped over me with ease. I made a quick halt; I almost fell into the seemingly endless pit.

I could hear footsteps behind me. Closing my eyes, I attempted the one thing I had never quite been able to accomplish in my martial arts class: back flip. I felt my feet hit his cold armor, and as I landed safely, I saw Chase. He still wore that smirk, that 'How on earth do you think you can defeat me look?' Truth was, I didn't know how I was gonna beat him, but I knew I was.

I was just about to run towards him once more, but he stopped me. Not with force, but with a question. "How, Chloe, is it that you're actually being good?"

It stopped me at once. "What?"

His smirk grew. "I mean to say, how is it that without your soul, you can actually be on the Xiaolin side? Why are you sticking up for what's right instead of what you want?"

All I could do was think about it. How was that possible? How could I, a soulless being, possibly be on the good team? Then slowly, an answer formed.

"I am good, because I want to be. Souls never determine whether or not you're evil, they're just there. Your heart and mind decide what you are to be, and seeing as that you have taken neither, I can choose. I was evil at first, because that was my choice, but now I choose to be good.

"You could too, Chase. If you just listened to what your heart is telling you, along with your mind, I think you could choose. Unless long ago you listened to them, and they truly did wish you to be evil."

Chase stood there, as if dazed. His smile was gone, and he looked as though he were pondering what I said. I took advantage of this moment. I charged forward once more, hands out front, ready for the push.

It was too late for Chase to react. The moment he hit the ground, everything flashed. I had won. I had actually won.

Chase didn't look too happy. He stood up, and glared at me. "You," he said angrily, "are free to go, along with your family and friends. And you also get this back as well." He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small vial. The same one I drank out of. The same one that contained my soul.

I turned towards my family. My mother stood, smiling and crying at once. I knew she wanted to just run out and hug me. It killed me to crush that.

I walked to Chase, eyes closed. I knew what I had to do. I had to end it all here and now. "Chase," I murmured.

"What do you want? I granted you your freedom, now leave!"

I bit my lip slightly. "Chase, I'm not leaving. I . . . I want to go through with the wedding, as planned."

(-)

A/N: OK, anyone wanna know my plan with that whole vote thing was? If I had gotten more votes for Chloe not marrying Chase, I would've said, 'Screw that, she's marrying him!' ; I'm so mean sometimes. But luckily, it didn't work that way. So, I will try to update Saturday if possible, with the final chapter of 'Back Again'

Heehee, I used big words at the beginning. Well, not big words, but not words you see every day.