The four Xiaolin Warriors raced across the white sands of the ring shaped atoll, avoiding Jack Spicer's onslaught. Jack's new and improved giant worm-bots burst from out of the ground around them, now featuring rotating saw blades between their individual segments. The mechanical monsters could move through the sand as easily as a dolphin jumping through water, trying to make lunges at their targets or trying to separate them.
Raimundo hopped over a worm-bot that arced out of the sand and slid under another, trying to keep his cool. Omi transformed his Shimo Staff into a double bladed weapon and span it around as he ran, deflecting any incoming attack or cutting the worm-bots in half. The segments continued to function as individuals, but Kimiko simply leapfrogged over them.
Just as Clay was about to bash them aside, a pair of mechanical jaws erupted from the sand at his feet and had the warrior of earth trapped. "Darn it!" he yelled before shouting to his teammates. "Don't mind me, go get the Wu!"
Clay began to distract the worm-bots, letting his three friends focus on their mission. Omi, Raimundo and Kimiko made their way through the undergrowth and coconut palms to reach the lagoon in the centre of the atoll. From where they were standing, the heroes could see a shining object sitting on a small rock in the middle.
"Wudai Neptune Water!" exclaimed Omi.
Omi used his elemental powers to part the shallow water so the three of them could run to the centre of the lagoon unhindered, as Jack Spicer could be seen flying overhead. As they got closer they could see the shield shaped mystic item clearly. Predictably, once the three of them reached the new Shen Gong Wu, the boy genius was there too.
When the four of their hands touched the shield, Raimundo was the first to speak. "Jack, we challenge you to a three against one Xiaolin Showdown! We wager our Changing Chopsticks, Serpent's Tail and Shard of Lightning!"
Raimundo, Kimiko and Omi pulled out their Shen Gong Wu in the order they were mentioned and showed them to their adversary. Jack wiped the sweat from his brow, clearly detesting the bright tropical sunlight.
"I'll wager the Ring of the Nine Dragons, but I'm deciding the game, and it's going to be pleasantly cool and shaded!" Jack panted. "The challenge is beach ball bash; I've gotta try and pop you while you three try and keep out of the way, if you can!"
"And we've gotta try and get you to knock yourself out of the game!" added Raimundo before they yelled in unison. "Let's go, Xiaolin Showdown!"
The rock they were standing on seemed to rise out of the water at first, but then the lagoon vanished and became a giant bowl of smooth stone surrounded by a moat of water. The palm trees surrounding the lagoon became gigantic and neon coloured, casting menacing shadows. Omi, Kimiko and Raimundo found themselves encased in transparent bubbles. To their dismay, Jack was encased in a spherical cage with spikes on the outside.
"Gong Yi Tan Pai!"
Jack immediately charged at Omi, but the water warrior swiftly rolled out of the way. The three heroes were circling around Jack, almost teetering on the edge of the giant bowl. Jack stood in the centre for a moment or two, picking out one of them to target next.
"Ring of the Nine Dragons!" he yelled, splitting himself into four individuals, each with their own cage.
The four Jacks sped off in the directions of north, south, east and west. The Xiaolin Warriors panicked and drastically altered their patterns to avoid the multiple adversaries, spiralling in random directions. Kimiko used the Serpent's Tail to avoid one of the Jacks, but deactivated the Shen Gong Wu too soon and found her bubble punctured by the spikes of another.
Kimiko flew off like an untied balloon as the air was noisily released from her sphere. Raimundo and Omi were too distracted by seeing their teammate shoot out of the bowl to notice that the Jacks had merged back into the original. The single Jack rolled towards Raimundo, laughing maniacally.
"Changing Chopsticks!" yelled Raimundo, noticing the villain from the corner of his eye.
The Shoku leader shrank down to such a small size that he entered Jack's cage as it rolled over him. Raimundo bounced around inside, pummelling Jack a couple of times before exiting the cage and returning to his ordinary size.
Bruised and battered, Jack almost did not see that he was dangerously close to the rim of the bowl. Holding back a shriek, Jack shifted his weight backwards so he rolled back into the centre again. Raimundo rolled slightly to the side to avoid Jack once more, but he could see the malice in the villain's eyes as he passed.
"Behold; the true power of the ring!" Jack boomed fiendishly, activating his Shen Gong Wu. "Let's Jack it up all the way to nine, baby!"
In the blink of an eye, the bowl became almost full of Jack Spicers. Raimundo had no way to stop himself from colliding with one of the nine spiked cages, but Omi used his Shard of Lightning to pause time for a brief moment. Omi passed through them slowly, solemnly glancing at the frozen form of Raimundo gasping in horror at his punctured bubble.
An idea suddenly occurred to Omi and he smiled, remembering the time that he had used the ring. He swerved around all the stationary Jacks and balanced himself on the edge of the bowl, waiting for the time of the Shard of Lightning to run out.
Once time returned to its ordinary pace, Omi was faced with an amusing site. The Jacks were all bashing into each other, completely ignoring him. Five of them managed to fall out of the bowl, while four remained squabbling in the centre.
"Is this baseball?" asked a big headed Jack.
"I think the other five of us went to get ice cream!" exclaimed a fat Jack enthusiastically.
"Hey, which team am I on again?" said an elderly copy of Jack.
"Gross! This is a girl's only team!" snapped a copy of Jack wearing a pink dress and hair in pigtails. "Get out of here!"
The three other Jacks rolled themselves out of the bowl while the pigtailed Jack stayed behind, turning to face Omi. "You must be the feminine side of Jack's personality!" chuckled the Wudai Warrior.
"Jack never gets in touch with me!" growled the feminine Jack. "But you probably can! Just roll right into these spikes first."
Omi ignored her and faced the other eight Jack clones, all bobbing in the moat of water outside the bowl. "First one to yell 'Ring of the Nine Dragons' wins!" he shouted to them cheerfully.
"Ring of the Nine Dragons!" yelled a copy of Jack that closely resembled the original. "I'm the greatest!"
The other clones of Jack seemed to be drawn towards him like a magnet, merging back into one. The feminine Jack screamed as she was pulled out of the bowl and merged with her original self, just before the landscape returned to normal and the showdown ended.
Jack found himself floating on his back in the lagoon as Omi stood on the rock, holding the new Shen Gong Wu above his head while Kimiko and Raimundo held the other four they had reclaimed. "The Shield of Many Suns is ours!" Omi proclaimed to his friends.
Dojo swooped down to meet them, carrying the battered looking Clay on his back. "Do you kids know you left poor Clay stuck with Jack's pets?" His tone reminded them of a mother scolding her children.
"Easy, Dojo," said Clay. "It was my decision to fend 'em off while they went for the Wu."
Dojo lowered his tail and the three other warriors ascended it like a staircase onto the dragon's back. As Jack saw them fly off, he smirked and pressed a button on a wrist mounted device. A swarm of winged Jack-bots were signalled into action, chasing after the heroes.
"Wow, what sore loser!" Kimiko exclaimed, being the first to notice they were being pursued. The robots began to fire a barrage of missiles and a series of laser blasts, but Dojo managed to avoid them by performing a barrel roll as the monks held on tightly.
"Shield of Many Suns!" Omi announced, holding the mystic shield in front of him and shutting his eyes, followed by Raimundo, Kimiko and Clay.
The sun shaped emblem on the shield illuminated and released a blinding flash of light, overloading the optical sensors of the Jack-bots. Most of the confused machines collided with each other, while several went off course and plunged into the ocean below. The heroes uncovered their eyes and cheered for the Shen Gong Wu's success.
"You can focus on flying now, Dojo!" Clay announced.
To their horror, Dojo was beginning to lose altitude and was failing to fly in a straight line. "I forgot to close my eyes," he mumbled in a dazed sounding voice.
Raimundo attempted to call upon his powers to lift Dojo higher, but as his vision gradually returned, the dragon noticed it was too late to prevent himself from falling and prepared for a crash landing. Dojo used his seldom used shape shifting abilities to expand into the form of a spongy blanket, wrapping around the Xiaolin Warriors.
The four warriors felt little of the impact, but Dojo took every hit as they fell through the canopy of a dense tropical island forest. The five of them rolled along the ground before being sent back up in the air after rebounding off a tree stump. Dojo became entangled in the branches of a tree and shifted back into his original form, dropping the Xiaolin Warriors to the forest floor.
Omi, Kimiko, Clay and Raimundo were virtually unharmed, landing softly on their feet. They gazed up at the tree and at the motionless Dojo, hanging limply amongst the vines. Clay immediately began to climb the tree, holding onto the trunk with such strength that it looked like he would uproot it. Eventually he leapt down, carrying the heavily injured Dojo in his hands.
"This can't be happening…" Kimiko said, beginning to sound like she was panicking. "We've gotta take him to a hospital, or a vet!"
"I forgot to bring the Silver Manta Ray," mumbled Omi, looking like he was on the verge of tears.
Raimundo bit his bottom lip. "I thought I'd be ready for something like this to happen."
"He'll be okay," said Clay. "We gotta find ourselves a safe place to rest, though."
"What?" Raimundo said incredulously. "Clay, I know you know lots about animals, but do you really know enough about dragons?" The Shoku Warrior sounded like he was losing his temper.
Clay remained silent for a few seconds before he resumed speaking. "Sure I do; Dojo's told me a lot of stuff. For starters, they heal much faster than us folks. It's why they're so long lived and why Chase Young always wants to put them in his soup."
The earth warrior's friends looked surprised. Without a word, the three of them followed Clay through the jungle as they searched for a place to rest. "Not even I have heard of this, and I have known Dojo since I was a baby," said Omi.
Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, a team of explorers cut through the undergrowth as a camera crew followed closely behind. Walking at the very back of the party was a giant of a man with a muscular, statuesque physique. He wore only a pair of wrestling tights, boots and a wrestler's mask; all coloured dark blue with a wolf and thunderbolt motif.
Walking alongside him was a teenage boy, carrying a surprisingly large pile of luggage in front of him. He was barefoot and wore only baggy trousers and a torn vest. The boy's hair and skin seemed to be a uniform brown from the dirt that covered him, indicating that he had done a lot more work than the people who surrounded him.
"Are you still documenting our island adventure, Manu?" asked the wrestler in a thick Mexican accent. "Every moment is a once in a lifetime experience!" He took a deep breath and exhaled proudly.
Manu, still struggling with the pile of luggage, did not bother to state the obvious and say that his hands were full. He opened a zipper on the side of one bag with his teeth and pulled out a pen and notepad with his teeth. Manu surprisingly managed to start writing about their trek with his mouth, his notepad propped up against the bags in front of his face. It seemed he had been asked to do this difficult task many times before.
Meanwhile, the Xiaolin warriors arrived at a clearing in the dense jungle. Obscured by the leaves and entangling vines were the ruins of some sort of ancient village. There were numerous moss covered statues of beasts and men scattered about, all of them missing at least one limb or head. Most of the structures had collapsed or caved in, but one or two were fairly intact.
"Let's get out of this heat and into some shade," Clay said quietly. "Poor Dojo's as hot as a branding iron to a longhorn's behind."
The monks filed into the entrance of what appeared to be a ruined temple one by one, with Clay leading. Raimundo was last, but he was distracted trying to swat an annoying mosquito and collided with the wall before stumbling into the doorway.
Inside the building was a towering statue of some sort of female deity, remarkably intact compared to the statues outside. The room was illuminated dimly by a couple of small openings in the ceiling, letting narrow beams of sunlight inside. Clay removed his neckerchief and also produced a handkerchief from his pocket, fashioning a sort of soft bed at the statue's feet to place the unconscious dragon in.
"What do we do now? Wait?" Raimundo questioned, peering over Clay's shoulder.
Clay nodded in response. "It'd help if we found some food and water. None of us bought anything to last us more than a day."
"I shall use the Lotus Twister to see if there's anybody who can aid us!" Omi proclaimed. "Arms and legs of rubber will be highly useful for swinging and striding through the jungle!"
"I'll see if I can get a signal," Kimiko mumbled, tapping at her mobile phone.
Clay shook his head in disappointment. "None of you know how to forage for food or get clean drinking water?"
"Hmm, maybe we should've forgotten about saving the world and joined the cub scouts instead!" Raimundo exclaimed.
Clay was about to angrily raise his voice, but a feeble voice stopped him. "Hey kids, I'm trying to get some rest here."
Dojo had half opened his eyes, which seemed to cheer the four heroes up immensely. "Are you feeling less sore, Dojo?" Omi asked.
"Well, now I'm awake, I can fully enjoy the pain I'm experiencing right now," the dragon muttered. "If it isn't obvious already, I don't think I'll be flying for a while."
"Dojo used his shape changing powers to help soften our fall," Clay added. "He doesn't use those powers often; it takes up a lot of his energy compared to flying and size changing."
"I still don't think my organs are back in their original places," Dojo groaned.
The noises outside the ruin seemed to grow louder until it was evident that it was not just the wind blowing through the bushes and the trees. Omi ran outside to see what was making the sound, but immediately prepared for battle once a menacing shape emerged from the undergrowth. The warrior of water was faced by a scaly red monster with long tusks and claws, brandishing a wooden cub.
Omi was about to strike, but from out of the blue, the Mexican wrestler came to tackle the beast. After tackling the creature, the man struck it with a punch that seemed to possess more power than it displayed. It seemed like the monster was dramatically overreacting.
Both the man and monster stood motionless for a few seconds before someone yelled "cut" from out of sight. The wrestler and creature assumed a relaxed stance, and the monster took off its head to reveal a heavily sweating man inside.
"Think you could edit the little round headed jungle kid out of the shot?" said a frustrated voice as a film crew emerged from the bushes.
Omi grinned and ran back inside the ruined temple to alert the others. "Good news, my friends! I have found some people to help us, and I did it in no time flattened!"
The three other warriors ran past Omi, who was hoping Raimundo would take note of his valiant efforts. "Is that El Guapo Lobo?" asked Raimundo quietly with a smile.
"Is he some kind of celebrity?" Clay questioned.
"He's well known in Mexico and across South America!" Raimundo replied. "I grew up on a diet of his earlier shows and the cereal he advertised! He visited where I lived too, but I never got the chance to see him."
"Looks like they've got a lot of food," added Kimiko. "He must be shooting a new show here."
"The Handsome Survival Hero," said a voice from behind them. The Xiaolin warriors turned their attention to Manu, who was struggling under the weight of several monster costumes. "It's the name of the show."
"Could you ask your buddies to turn the noise down a little? We've got a guy who needs some shuteye," Clay said, glancing back at the ruins.
Manu grinned and dropped the monster costumes onto the floor. "You mean Dojo the dragon?" he asked excitedly.
The Xiaolin warriors were surprised that he seemed to know them well, but before they could speak, they were interrupted by the imposing figure of El Guapo Lobo approaching them. "Pick those costumes up, Manu; there is still work to be done!"
Raimundo eagerly held out his hand for the TV star to shake and was amazed when the wrestler did so. "You must be the Xiaolin Dragons," El Guapo Lobo said with a smile. "I am honoured to meet some fellow legendary heroes out in the untamed wilds."
El Guapo Lobo faced his camera crew, who seemed to be almost ready to shoot another scene. "Attention everyone!" he yelled to them. "Let us finish with the filming for today; there are some important people I wish to confer with!"
It was not long before the celebrity and monks, excluding Clay, were sitting down together on portable chairs to discuss their adventures. "We can give a demonstration of our Shen Gong Wu if you'd like!" Raimundo said eagerly.
El Guapo Lobo looked confused momentarily before Raimundo revealed the Serpent's Tail and Star Hanabi. "Ah, you mean the weapons which you use to put on a show! I wish to see how you make them work!"
Omi snatched the Serpent's Tail from Raimundo's hand and activated its power, sinking through the ground and re-emerging a few feet away like a phantom. Raimundo was irritated, but El Guapo Lobo's mouth hung open in amazement. "I shall demonstrate our Shen Gong Wu one by one until we show you the one we retrieved today!"
"Increíble…" muttered the wrestling star. "That was the greatest magic trick I have seen."
Kimiko leant towards Raimundo and whispered in his ear. "I don't think this guy knows the Wu are for real."
Omi was now showing off the Lotus Twister while the wrestler applauded him. "Eh, I think he'll realize eventually," Raimundo said.
El Guapo Lobo suddenly stood up, assuming a heroic stance and bellowed loudly. "Enough magic tricks! Its time you demonstrate your fighting skills!"
Raimundo stood up as well. "Sure! I'll see if I can get Clay to spar with me!"
Clay was already walking out of the ruins, alerted by the loud voices outside. "Alright, Dojo says he'll be fine for a while," he explained, seeming a lot more cheerful. "After a little bit of playful brawling let's get something to eat."
Both he and Raimundo started to exchange blows, slowly at first, before increasing speed and demonstrating more complex techniques. Omi looked on, still putting on a show with the magical effects of the Shen Gong Wu. He ran behind the sparring warriors of wind and earth and used the Star Hanabi, launching fireworks in the background.
El Guapo Lobo was laughing with glee, thinking how the supposed special effects put the ones in his films to shame. Finally, Omi put away the Star Hanabi and lifted the Shield of Many Suns above his head. Kimiko was the only person who realized what was coming next, but it was too late.
The Shield of Many Suns emitted a blinding flash of light once again, blinding everyone except Kimiko, who covered her eyes. The filming crew were startled as well, stumbling over each other and damaging expensive equipment. Eventually there was a deafening thump noise, followed by the sound of someone falling flat on their back.
Kimiko uncovered her eyes and saw that everyone was still in a blind stupor, but it seemed like they would quickly snap out of it. She gasped as she saw El Guapo Lobo lying on the ground, completely unconscious. Even more shocking was the fact that Clay was standing over him, looking at his clenched fists.
When everyone else regained their sight, a lot of them gathered around the knocked out wrestling star. "Sorry! I didn't mean it!" spluttered Clay. "I must've swung a punch in the wrong direction!"
Raimundo glared angrily at Omi, who dropped all the Shen Gong Wu he was holding immediately in disgrace, before turning to face the unconscious El Guapo Lobo. "Dude, you knocked him out!" he whispered to Clay, his voice sounding like a mixture of admiration and shock.
Manu stood back with a look of horror on his face. "No one's ever knocked out El Guapo Lobo…"
"I said I was sorry!" Clay exclaimed.
"It is my fault, Clay," Omi muttered. "Mister Lobo will be very upset when he wakes up, but I am sure we can apologise together."
A few minutes later, El Guapo Lobo was coming to his senses, surrounded by a couple of medics. He abruptly got to his feet and pushed the medics aside, mumbling that he was fine. The wrestler marched over to Clay, who was busy having a conversation with his friends about Dojo's improving condition. He tapped the Texan warrior on the back to get his attention.
"What a marvellous display of strength!" exclaimed the wrestler, forcing a huge grin. "Soon I will make preparations for our match!"
Clay was confused, struggling to choose whether to apologise or ask what the celebrity was trying to say, so Kimiko spoke for him. "You mean a wrestling match?" she asked.
"Of course I do!" Although he seemed cheerful, both Kimiko and Clay could detect a hint of anger in his words. "I wish to wrestle señor Bailey so I may witness his strength in a fair fight! No man has ever knocked me out before, and the great El Guapo Lobo cannot resist a challenge! My film crew will be ready when you are!"
Clay seemed rather bashful. "I'm happy that you admire my skills and all, but televised wrestling matches aren't my thing."
The grin seemed to momentarily fade from the wrestler's face. "I am sure you will change your mind," he said. "If you have fought evil geniuses, immortal warriors and powerful witches, surely a match against the strongest wrestler in all of Méjico will be a suitable challenge!"
He strode off, leaving the befuddled Xiaolin warriors behind. Manu silently crept up to them as soon as El Guapo Lobo was out of sight. "I think there'll be fewer problems if you fulfil his request," he whispered to the four heroes.
"GL's cool and all, but once our dragon gets better, we'd better get going," Raimundo explained.
Manu looked slightly fearful. "I've heard about bad things happening to people who don't fulfil his requests. I fear that it isn't a coincidence," he muttered. "El Guapo Lobo is loved by thousands on television, but when the cameras stop filming and the public isn't watching, he becomes a very different man."
"Name a TV star that isn't like that," mumbled Clay. "We better find some proper grub. I'm not sure the stuff they're serving to Mister Lobo is exactly healthy."
Raimundo looked incredulous. "What? You mean like go and climb trees and fetch fruit? But they have tacos!"
Clay smiled. "That's a great idea, Raimundo! I'm sure there'll be some tasty papayas around here." Raimundo groaned and lowered his face into his hand.
Moments later, Clay and Raimundo were trekking through the forest. The insects seemed to stay away from Clay and congregate around Raimundo for some reason, swarming around his head as he futilely tried to swat them away.
"Ha-ha!" Clay exclaimed, pointing upwards at the trees while Raimundo stepped into a patch of thick mud. "Papayas, just as I suspected!"
At the top of a tree trunk grew a cluster of fruit, some orange and some green. Raimundo quickly pointed to a neighbouring tree with a beehive hanging in its branches. "More like papa-no; I don't wanna be stung."
"Oh boy, we can have them with honey!" Clay exclaimed, much to Raimundo's chagrin.
There was a violent rustling in another tree, catching the attention of the two warriors. A rather fat iguana missing half of its tail fell out of the tree, grabbing onto a lower branch. The branch dangled above a gigantic red flower bud, which quickly unravelled to reveal an enormous carnivorous plant.
The monstrous flower gnashed its jaws as the iguana hung precariously above it. It became apparent that the somewhat skinny branch could not bear the reptile's weight, and was beginning to snap. Clay quickly pulled out the Tongue of Saiping to communicate in iguana speech.
"Keep calm, little fella! We'll get you to safety!" Clay announced.
The iguana said something about performing dangerous stunts, and his stupidity of how he performed another when he lost half his tail last time. He was speaking hurriedly and it was clear that he was just panicking even more.
The branch creaked and began to visibly splinter, just as Clay finished rummaging through his belongings for another Shen Gong Wu for the situation. "Lasso Boa-Boa!"
The magical lasso wrapped around the frightened animal and pulled it towards Clay, just as the branch snapped and fell into the jaws of the flesh eating plant. The Wudai Warrior of earth gently cradled the reptile for a moment before placing him on the ground.
"Wow, I don't know how I can repay you!" the iguana gasped before scurrying back into the undergrowth.
Unseen by the warriors of earth and wind, El Guapo Lobo crouched in the shadows, thinking about what he had just observed. "It appears that señor Bailey is friends with the lizards. Perhaps the way to the soul of a true warrior is through his heart..."
El Guapo Lobo hurriedly scurried away when Kimiko emerged from the bushes in the direction that Clay and Raimundo had come. "Dojo's back to his senses! He can faintly feel that a new Shen Gong Wu's going to pop up soon!"
The four Xiaolin warriors gathered around Dojo, who seemed livelier. However, it was clear his physical injuries would not allow him to carry them to their next destination. "I knew there was a reason I crash landed on this darn forsaken island, like a moth drawn to a flame!" Dojo exclaimed, pausing to swat at the flies buzzing around him. "There's a new Shen Gong Wu somewhere near here, but it hasn't properly revealed itself! Or maybe my senses just need to fine-tune themselves."
To their surprise, El Guapo Lobo stumbled into the building after ducking through the doorway. "Please, allow me to know more about how you gather these mystical items."
"It is no large deal," Omi said boastfully. "Our magical dragon senses when a Shen Gong Wu has awakened, we fly to its secluded location, commence a Xiaolin Showdown if we have to, and then fly back to the Temple to put the Shen Gong Wu in our most secret vault!"
"Why don't you just go ahead and give him the combination to the lock..." mumbled Dojo.
The wrestler's eyes widened. "A Xiaolin Showdown?"
"It's pretty much the most exciting part of the day," Raimundo explained. "That's if the bad guy has any Shen Gong Wu of his own he can wager. One day I think Jack will forget to bring some."
El Guapo Lobo nodded cheerfully. "It is interesting to know more about your profession!"
Since Clay and Raimundo had failed to procure much food, El Guapo Lobo presented the heroes with a feast of his own. All of them enjoyed dining, except for Clay and Dojo. Clay remained inside the ruined temple to eat the papayas, while Dojo explained that Mexican food never agreed with his stomach.
"Kimiko said that Guapo guy wanted to wrestle you," the green dragon said with a chuckle. "He seems like a jerk, you should agree to the match and knock him out again!"
"I don't think that'd be too swell," Clay added. "If I beat him, that bronco's just going to get angrier and angrier. He'd probably get more of his wrestling buddies to fight me."
"I've known you long enough to know you could beat those guys easily!" Dojo exclaimed.
"It'd be a pain in the rump having to accept challenges all the time. You've lived in the Xiaolin Temple since it was built, surely you'd know that it takes a stronger fighter to know when it's time to refuse a fight," Clay said.
Dojo sighed happily. "I'm going to sound like a broken record thanks to the number of times I've said this in the past; I think I see a little more Master Fung in you each day!" Clay chuckled to himself, feeling sort of bashful all of a sudden.
Night fell soon afterwards, but El Guapo Lobo's crew had provided the heroes with sleeping bags and other pieces of equipment to ensure a good night's sleep. Dojo had refused to move from the position where he lay, fearing that his injuries would be uncomfortable in any other position. The dragon's eyes suddenly flicked open and his body began to shake; the new Shen Gong Wu he had partially sensed earlier had activated. Before he could alert his comrades, a firm hand closed itself around his snout and shoved him into a dark burlap sack.
Hoping to see that Dojo had fully recovered, the Xiaolin warriors were shocked to find that their friend was missing in the morning. "GL's vanished too," said Raimundo, after questioning the superstar's film crew.
Kimiko appeared, holding a small pile of Shen Gong Wu. "Some of the Wu are missing, including the Shield of Many Suns!"
Omi was greatly upset, but Clay placed a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. "Don't worry Omi," Clay said calmly, although there was a small hint of fury hidden in his tranquil voice. "I think I've just put two and two together, and I'm not happy with the result."
Clay produced a golden Shen Gong Wu from his pocket, and Omi pointed at it in awe. "The Compass of Yujo! We will be able to ask it which direction El Guapo Lobo has taken our friend!" Omi exclaimed as Clay activated the objects power. The compass needle settled in a north-easterly position, triggering Clay to immediately run in that direction with his comrades close behind him.
Meanwhile, Manu and his boss were trekking through the forest, although the boy did not know why. El Guapo Lobo held a sack over his shoulder, filled with several clattering objects. "What's in the bag?" Manu questioned.
"The camera crew have found the perfect spot to shoot the next scene of my adventure!" El Guapo Lobo explained, ignoring what his accomplice had asked.
"But they're not following us! They were still asleep when we left," Manu said, sounding somewhat concerned. A sudden rattling and mumbling came from El Guapo Lobo's sack, catching Manu's attention. "What's in the bag?" he asked again, just before he heard an audible cry for help come from inside the sack.
El Guapo Lobo grunted in irritation and pulled out the Lasso Boa-Boa, using it to instantly tie up Manu and attach him to a nearby tree branch. "Don't run off to tell them, Manu. I must battle señor Bailey, for my honour."
Manu attempted to cry out, but the snakelike Shen Gong Wu was too tight for his lungs. El Guapo Lobo held Dojo in his right hand and walked to the edge of a wide but shallow ravine; the dragon's nose pointing at a shimmering object below them.
"There's the Rod of Shiitake, just like you wanted!" Dojo's voice became hoarse as the wrestler's grip tightened around his throat. "Can you let me go now?"
El Guapo Lobo shoved Dojo back into the sack. "I have no need for the power to grow mushrooms. We shall wait here until the Xiaolin Warriors arrive, then I will commence a showdown with señor Bailey! I am sorry for causing you much discomfort, dragon, but this is the only way I will be able to test my strength."
"Just you wait until I get my strength back!" mumbled Dojo, his voice muffled by the sack. "You'll be sorry!"
The Xiaolin Warriors came across the helpless Manu, writhing in the grip of the Lasso Boa-Boa. "El Guapo Lobo has Dojo!" he gasped as Raimundo and Kimiko struggled to untie him.
"You go after Dojo!" Raimundo said to Omi and Clay, still following directions that the Compass of Yujo was giving them. As the monks of water and earth stormed off, Raimundo turned his attention to Manu. "El Guapo Lobo is Guapo Loco," he mumbled, "I can't believe I looked up to him as a kid."
"Me too," Manu added dejectedly. Once he was free, Manu continued to speak with less difficulty, leaning up against the tree. "I didn't have anywhere to go all those years ago, but GL took me off the streets. As much as I dislike his behaviour, I still owe him for rescuing me."
"If you want, you can come with us," Raimundo said, putting a hand on Manu's shoulder. Before Raimundo could say anything else, the three of them became startled by a massive flock of birds, fleeing due to a disturbance deeper inside the forest.
Omi and Clay stood at the opposite side of the ravine, glaring at the crazed masked wrestler. El Guapo Lobo looked immensely pleased that his plan had worked, but was caught by surprise when Omi leapt towards him, clearing the ravine in a single bound using a blast of water from the Orb of Tornami.
Unfortunately, the wrestler regained his composure at the last second and presented the Golden Finger. Frozen helplessly in midair by the Shen Gong Wu, Omi could only watch as El Guapo Lobo clambered down the ravine and walked towards the Rod of Shiitake waiting below.
"Darn it!" Clay yelled, leaping down to confront the superstar.
The Rod of Shiitake was a short wooden sceptre, decorated with many small golden mushrooms with a significantly large mushroom at one end. Clay made a dive for the new Shen Gong Wu, hoping to be fast enough to deny El Guapo Lobo a showdown. However, to his dismay, the Wudai Warrior of earth found the wrestler's hand had touched the rod at the same time.
"It is time to have my rematch with you, señor Bailey! I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown!" El Guapo Lobo boasted as the two of them got to their feet, still holding the Rod of Shiitake between them.
"I wager the Mikado Arm!" announced Clay, presenting his item of choice.
"And I shall wager this!" El Guapo Lobo yelled, holding up the Shield of Many Suns. It seemed that he only knew the names of certain Shen Gong Wu. "The game shall be a cage wrestling match!"
"Let's go," Clay said before they shouted in unison. "Xiaolin Showdown!"
Kimiko, Raimundo and Manu arrived to see a mass of vines encircle Clay and El Guapo Lobo before the floor of the ravine rose up, creating a flat square wrestling ring. The vines twisted high into the air before intricately weaving themselves into a chain link fence, surrounding the area. The only way to escape the ring was to climb up and over the top to freedom.
"Gong Yi Tan Pai!" the cry of battle was punctuated by the sound of a wrestling bell.
Both combatants started off in opposite corners of the ring, but before the two of them clashed, El Guapo Lobo threw the Shield of Many Suns to the side. "We will not make use of these weapons," he boomed. "We shall only use our wrestling experience."
"Not used to wrestling people," Clay said, tossing the Mikado Arm to one side. "I know a lot about wrestling pigs and bulls, though."
El Guapo Lobo ran forward and tried to kick Clay in the stomach while he was speaking, but Clay caught the wrestler's shin with a firm grip. El Guapo Lobo was then spun around and flipped onto his back, over Clay's knee. As El Guapo Lobo got to his feet, Clay seized him and threw him into a corner of the ring.
While the superstar had his back against the padded turnbuckles, Clay charged forward. EL Guapo Lobo could see that Clay was fuelled by the rage he had against him for kidnapping his dragon friend, grinning cunningly. He extended his leg to kick Clay in the stomach once again, this time succeeding.
Clay, doubled over in pain, was then picked up by his shoulders and flipped upside down. The earth warrior then found himself sitting on El Guapo Lobo's shoulders, the wrestler's head in-between his thighs. The superstar whirled around several times at an alarming speed before sending Clay tumbling to the ground, landing painfully on his back.
"Clay, give him the Meteor Masher! The Tornado Thrasher! The Powerslam Spinebuster!" Dojo yelled from outside the arena, peeking out from the burlap sack. "I don't know the real names of any wrestling moves but I'm sure those names I just made up are better than all of them."
El Guapo Lobo helped Clay up, but then struck him with a punch to the chin. The impact seemed to bring Clay back to his senses, causing him to retaliate immediately by throwing a punch right back at his opponent. Facing El Guapo Lobo, Clay reached between his opponent's legs and reached around his back from the same side with his other arm.
"I've thought of something, Dojo!" Clay grunted, lifting the wrestler up.
The superstar was turned upside down, with Clay holding him up high with his arm cradling his back. El Guapo Lobo was thrown to the ground, visibly bouncing on his backside. Although Clay's technique was a simple slam, El Guapo Lobo felt a superhuman level of strength behind it. Drained of his energy, the wrestler began to quickly crawl away to the corner of the ring where the Shield of Many Suns lay.
"He's cheating!" gasped Kimiko, but Clay could not hear her over the sound of his other friends cheering.
"Unfortunately, he isn't!" Dojo said in a panicked tone, holding his hands over his eyes. "The 'no Wu allowed' thing wasn't mentioned as part of the rules before the showdown started!"
Clay turned around to see El Guapo Lobo at the other side of the ring, brandishing the magical shield. "Shield of a Million Suns!" he yelled.
The shield's power was not activated due to it being misnamed; El Guapo Lobo tried to rectify his mistake by announcing its name again. "Sun Shield! Shield of the Sun! Solar Shield of…Power? Shield of Shining-"
Clay had already charged forward, punching the Shield of Many Suns into the wrestler's face, knocking him out once again. The Wudai Warrior smiled triumphantly and dusted off his hands before turning his attention towards climbing out of the ring. Even when Clay climbed to the very top of the wall of vines, El Guapo Lobo was still lying down with the shield covering his face.
As soon as Clay set foot outside the arena, the environment returned to its normal self. Clay held the shield, Mikado Arm and Rod of Shiitake, handing them to his companions as they congratulated him.
El Guapo Lobo groaned and began to stand up again, repositioning his mask. "I demand another rematch!" he roared. "This time we will wrestle without a Xiaolin Showdown! No false mystical smoke and mirrors!"
"Hold on there, partner," Clay said. "You're saying that all this time, you thought we were faking our mystic powers? But you used some of our Wu yourself…or at least tried to."
As the Xiaolin Warriors began to chuckle, El Guapo Lobo grew more furious. "Follow me, Manu! We're leaving!"
Manu frowned and folded his arms. "Not today, Tito. I'm not going to keep following a man who can't admit when he's been honourably defeated. The Xiaolin Warriors have met defeat several times, but their failures have made their many victories even sweeter."
"Tito? Is that your real name?" Raimundo asked the wrestler with a chuckle.
The disgraced superstar frowned and picked up the burlap sack that held Dojo. "I still have your lizard friend, señor Bailey! I shall only hand him back to you if you agree to a rematch!"
The sack began to shake violently until it suddenly tore apart. With a great roar, Dojo grew to his enormous full size, knocking his captor off his feet. El Guapo Lobo's camera crew had arrived, eagerly filming the scene before them. The wrestler looked up at the giant green dragon, whimpered "Madre", and promptly fainted.
Happy to see that Dojo had fully recovered, the Xiaolin Warriors climbed on as he beckoned them to ride on his back. Raimundo turned to look down at Manu, holding a hand out to him to help him climb aboard. "Coming with us, Manu?"
Manu shook his head. "I think I would only get in the way. Besides, I've been following your adventures for a while; I feel like I've been adventuring with you!"
"Maybe we can meet up again some time," Clay said, making Manu smile. He waved goodbye as Dojo began to take off. The camera crew ignored El Guapo Lobo's plight, instead focussing on the green dragon vanishing into the clouds above.
The four heroes and their dragon soon arrived back at the Xiaolin Temple. The journey had been lighting fast, as Dojo had been pleased that he could fly once more. Shortly after they arrived, Raimundo, Dojo and Master Fung disappeared to a secluded part of the Temple grounds. Clay and Kimiko had to physically restrain Omi in order to prevent him from eavesdropping on the wise master and their leader's conversation.
An hour or so later, the monks gathered in the main hall in front of Master Fung. "Raimundo told me all about your ordeal today. I am glad to see that you are all unscathed. I was especially pleased with the way Clay handled things," said the wise master. "His earth element reflects the connection he has with nature."
Clay grinned. "I thought you always hated my survival lessons, Raimundo!"
"It wasn't me who told Master Fung about them," Raimundo said, pointing to Dojo sitting on Master Fung's shoulder.
"Thanks for being a great doc," Dojo said bashfully.
Master Fung smiled calmly and resumed speaking. "You have always shown great chivalry, sincerity and composure, Clay. Since your earliest days at the temple, you have proven there are simple solutions to complex problems. You managed to prove your maturity to your father, allowing you to resume your studies here. By repairing the bond with your sister, you prevented the loss of our Shen Gong Wu. Kindness and patience yield many rewards, young dragon of earth."
Clay looked down at his waist, almost blinded by the flash of light emitted from his turquoise Wudai Warrior sash. His sash transformed into the golden Shoku Warrior sash sported by Raimundo and Kimiko, right before his eyes.
"That's my man," Dojo said.
"Now that three of you have risen to Shoku Warrior, you are gradually reaching your next great undertaking," added Master Fung.
Omi merely clapped his hands in approval as Raimundo and Kimiko embraced Clay. He was happy that Clay had advanced to Shoku Warrior level, but his happiness could not stop him from focussing on one fact he deemed important. For the first time in his life as a Xiaolin Warrior, Omi was lagging behind his companions.