Runa CH. 8

A/N: Woah! 30 reviews! *tears up* Y-you guys are the best! It just amazes me that so many people like this story! *sobs*
Emma: You'll have to forgive her. She can't always contain her weirdness.
Anyway, review response time!

Xiaolin Fan: Thanks you muchly! :)

ColossalRay: The wait is over! Hope you enjoy!

Coralline Slayer: You mad genius! *hops around* I had fun with your idea, if you couldn't tell. XD Thanks for the review!

PurpleSatinRose: HECKS YEAH! It's on like a light switch!

flowerpower71: A sequel, eh? My pal and I are doing a collab on it, so you might just get one! :D And I think I can do Clay/Emma fluff.

TheXGrayXLady: Your life sounds incredibly hectic and I do not begrudge you anything. :) Now that the Losses mini-arc is finished, I'm going to be doing something with the rules. Should be interesting. I agree with you on Dojo; I find that my characterization can be off quite a bit, so I'm glad to hear that I've got him right. Yes, everything is now canon and I'm glad Chance is coming off as the jerk I intended him to be. :D And thanks for the note on the caps. I reread the last chapter and have to agree, though I don't know who Karkat is.

"Chance Young, I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown!" The Zenith Mirror glowed beneath the contrasting hands of Chance Young and Raimundo Pedrosa. Chance's pale, slender hand rested on the opaque surface of the mirror. Raimundo's tan, calloused hand gripped the shattered edge. Both boys stood on either side of the Mirror, glaring daggers at each other. Weeds that had been reaching for Chance a mere moment ago had frozen, and were now slowly retracting thanks to whispered words from their resident witch.

"I accept. What is the challenge?"

"Bounce-house sparring. Whoever gets knocked off their pedestal first loses!" Chance nodded.

"Very good. Let us begin." The Mirror's glow intensified as the Showdown took over. The room warped and flashed, and the room they were in melted away as a new one took its place. Kimiko, Omi, Emma and Clay were sitting on bleachers, the Dragons in their Wudai robes and Emma in her normal ones. Chance and Raimundo were each standing on a colorful, circular pedestal above what looked like a bottomless pit. Each had a pole with foam pads at the end, and each wore a hockey helmet. The Zenith Mirror floated above them, just out of reach.

"Gong yi tampai!" Raimundo struck first, jabbing at Chance's legs. Chance reacted quickly, though, and jumped. Raimundo wobbled for a moment, trying to regain his balance. Chance took the opportunity to hit him in the chest. Raimundo would have fallen if he hadn't sent a blast of wind to push himself back up again. He blocked another attack from Chance, nearly losing his helmet in the process. Chance kept him dangerously close to the edge, but couldn't push him over.

"Yeah! Get him, Rai!" Kimiko cheered.

"Show that sparkly freak who's boss!" Emma yelled, flailing her arms.

"Ya got this!" Clay added.

"You must insert your face into the sport!" Omi called, and Raimundo hoped that he meant 'get your head in the game' and not the literal translation. He liked his face the way it was.

"Shut up!" Chance yelled, glaring daggers at the kids in the stands. They were silenced, but Chance's distraction gave Raimundo the opportunity to jab the vampire in the stomach with his pole. Chance skidded close to the edge, but swung around and used his momentum to attack Rai. Gritting his teeth, Raimundo kept Chance at bay, pushing back with all his might. Chance glanced back and noticed with horror that Raimundo was managing to push him closer and closer to the edge, gaining an inch with each passing second. He turned back to Raimundo, who was almost to the front edge of his platform. "Forget this," he snarled, pulling his pole out of Raimundo's way and letting the momentum carry the Brazilian forward. Giving a yelp of surprise, Raimundo caught hold of Chance's pedestal. His feet were just barely on his own platform, and he was hanging onto Chance's with only his hands. Chance leered over him, raising a boot above Raimundo's fingers.

But Raimundo wasn't down yet. With a burst of energy and wind, Raimundo pushed himself off of his platform and used that momentum to kick Chance squarely in the chest. With one foot in the air, Chance had been less sturdy; now he toppled backwards into the chasm, screaming. Raimundo landed on his back with a grunt, but he grinned nonetheless. The Warriors and Dojo cheered in the stands, and he stood to retrieve the Mirror. As he reached for it, it floated down to meet his hand, but then-

- Chance flew up from the pit, snatching the Mirror when it was inches from Raimundo's hand. Everyone was shocked to see a pair of leathery bat wings protruding from Chance's back, his eyes narrowed in malice. "Never underestimate Chance Young," he snarled acidly.

"NO!" the Brazilian yelled, leaping forward. Chance simply flapped and moved back, letting Raimundo plummet into the darkness. He laughed as the Showdown flashed and warped, setting everyone back in their previous clothes and scenery. The Warriors gathered around Raimundo, who was facedown on the floor. He pulled himself up, glaring at Chance. The older boy retracted his wings and landed, smirking.

"Foolish children. Now I have the key to the power to eradicate all you puny, worthless humans!" The Dragons struck karate poses and Emma grabbed Dojo to make a run for it, but then something happened that no one had expected. The already dim light from the few unbroken fluorescent lights flickered out, and the kids (and Dojo) screamed in surprise. When they came back on, someone stood in front of Chance, with their back to the Warriors.

"Chance Gerhardt Young. I am incredibly disappointed in you." Chance went even paler, his eyes going wide. "Did I not tell you that abusing your power is the worst thing is a leader can do?"

"B-but- but I-"

"No buts, young man. You are in big trouble." The person turned around, and the six Xiaolin were shocked. The person was very tall, and wore a black pinstriped suit and a blood-red tie. Dress shoes and white gloves were present, so that the only skin exposed was the man's face and neck. He had two marks on his neck, just like Chance, and his skin was pale like Chance's. His hair was the same jet black, though it was neatly combed and he had gray starting to penetrate the sides, and he had a push-broom mustache. He also had the boy's eyes and pointed ears, and when he spoke, they saw fangs that were bigger and sharper than Chance's. "I am truly sorry for all the trouble my son has caused you. I let him join the Wizard's Guild in the understanding that it would help him learn to use his power wisely, not that he would become an egomaniacal maniac."

"But Father-" Chance's father turned on the boy, giving him a look that made the Warrior's blood run cold. "We will discuss your punishment when we return to the clan. The elders will have things to say about this, I assure you." Chance shut his mouth and bowed his head. "Give me the Zenith Mirror."

"I-"

"Now." With a gulp, Chance handed it over. His father turned back to the kids, smiling apologetically. "I owe you six an apology, as does my son. This is rightfully yours." He gave the Mirror to Raimundo, who accepted it with a nervous smile. "The Dragwlya clan does not steal, and we do not cheat. Had Chance won this fairly, without having to capture or harm you children, I would not have intervened. However, he has not acted with honor. And the first part of his punishment," he added, glancing at Chance over his shoulder, "is that he will clean up this mess all by himself."

"Yes, Father," Chance muttered, keeping his head down. The man nodded curtly and smiled at the Warriors. "If there is anything I can do for you, any favor you need, please let me know. After all my son has put you through, it would be the least I can do."

The kids traded glances, and then Raimundo spoke. "One moment, sir. We need to discuss what we're gonna do next." Chance's father nodded, then grabbed Chance's ear and yanked him to the side to speak to him privately. The Warriors huddled, Dojo perched on Clay's hat.

"So, uh, yeah, I like this guy," Emma whispered, grinning.

"Definitely. What should we ask him to help us with?" Kimiko asked.

"Gettin' outta here sounds good right about now," Clay said. "Ah'm so hungry Ah could eat a cow. Or at least a burger."

"I agree with Clay. We should ask for his assistance in getting back home, and thank him for giving us the Mirror as well," Omi added.

"So we're agreed. We're polite, we keep the Mirror, get outta here and go for burgers." The others nodded, then Emma's eyes widened.

"Oh, wait!" She muttered something to Raimundo, who nodded. "Yeah, sure, but you have to tell him." Emma nodded back and they all broke apart, turning to Chance's father, who had just finished berating Chance. "Mr. Young, we're very grateful for your assistance and would be even more so if you could help us get home."

Chance's father nodded. "Of course. Something so simple shall be done in a moment."

"And, ah, before we go," Emma added, darting over to Chance's father. She motioned for him to lean down, which he did. She whispered in his ear for a moment, and the Dragons watched as he raised an eyebrow. Then he straightened and nodded again. "Yes, that seems more than fair. Thank you for telling me." Emma gave him a thumbs-up and then darted back over to where the others stood.

"What'd ya tell him?" Clay asked. Emma opened her mouth to reply when Chance's father strode over as well, looking over the kids. "Is everyone ready to go?" he asked, glancing over the Xiaolin Dragons, normal dragon and witch-in-training. They had been drenched, attacked, tested, electrocuted and almost killed. Quite frankly, they were ready to go home. They nodded and he had them stand in a circle. Backing up, he held out his hands, palms facing towards the kids. He said something in a language that none of them understood, (except maybe Dojo,) and a blinding light surrounded them. Suddenly, they felt as though they were standing up in a rollercoaster, being shaken and jerked around, and the next moment, they were in the middle of the Temple courtyard. Disoriented, it took them a moment to realize where they were, but when they did, they all began to cheer.

"We did it!" Omi cried, beaming. Dojo nearly fainted, but managed to stay upright. Clay high-fived Omi, and Emma did her happy dance. Kimiko hugged Raimundo, who went red, but hugged her back. Emma rolled her eyes and shoved them closer together. "Will you two kiss already?" They both looked at her in a mixture of shock and happiness, and then back at each other.

"Well-"

"Um-" Clay huffed and kicked the back of Raimundo's knees, making him lurch forward. His lips met Kimiko's, and for a moment, they stood like that, staring at each other. Then they closed their eyes and Raimundo lifted Kimiko off her feet, and Emma and Dojo cheered. Omi stared, confused and Clay nodded in satisfaction. Then, something occurring to him, Clay glanced down at Emma. "By th' by, ya never did get to say what is was ya told Chance's pa." Emma just grinned and shrugged. "Oh, I was just returning a favor is all. Nothing to worry about, trust me." Clay looked as if he was about to ask more, but then dismissed it and slung an arm around Emma's shoulders. She smiled and leaned against him, watching Raimundo and Kimiko laugh together.

Meanwhile, back at the Fortress of Solitude… oh, wait, sorry, wrong meanwhile.

Meanwhile, back at the Hall of Justice- dang it!

Meanwhile, back at Runa… (there we go!)

"This is stupid," Chance muttered. He was wearing a normal t-shirt and jeans, and was sweeping up one of the massive piles of rubble around the room. "I was next in line to rule my clan! I almost controlled the elements! I almost controlled a black hole! I could have ruled the world!" Then the door opened and Sphinx walked in, undaunted and unsurprised at the state of the room.

"Mr. Young? Your father told me to see you." Chance turned to see her, wiping his forehead. "Ah, yes, Sphinx, excellent. I'm not used to all this annoying manual labor."

"Yes, well, that's why he had me come," she said. Then she pulled a huge baseball bat from behind her back, thumping it in one hand. "It's time we renegotiated the terms of my employment." Chance's eyes went wide and he gulped.

"Master, reports from Runa."

"Excellent! Did the Young boy eradicate the Warriors?"

"N-no. They escaped."

"NO! They- HOW COULD THEY- hmph. Fine. Fine. I will not let this dissuade me. Our plan will carry on, Xiaolin or not. If I must kill them myself, I will, but I will get those Mirrors."

"If I may ask, why is it so important we have them?"

"You idiot! Those Mirrors let you control a black hole. But only when they are combined with the Shen Gong Wu I possess can the black hole be controlled."

"So you would have let the Young boy be... destroyed had he found the other Mirror and opted to use them himself?"

"Of course! After all, he's just one more death. And once I'm done, every dead being will be mine to control."

"Y-yes, Master."

Well, that's it! To everyone who's reviewed, just read or thought I needed a therapist, (you're totally right, by the way,) thanks! Runa was a fun story and the first real multi-chapter one I've posted to have a plot, so it means a lot that I've gotten so much support. You all are the best, and you're what's made Runa worth finishing. Will there be a sequel? Yes, but maybe not right away, since I'll be busy with my collab with BerserkMonster. (It's on her account, but you guys should check it out if you like superheroes.) Will there be an epilogue? If I get enough requests, yes. And the dark master and his/her servant at the end there? Those are indeed the same ones popping up in Bits and Pieces. They'll be featuring in the sequel. Thanks again, guys, and stay tuned!