It has been 3 years since then. 3 years since Jack showed up at the temple and simply told them he gave up. He kept his promise and never came to another showdown again.

It was actually boring.

The monks could not bring themselves to visit or even contact him. They felt like it was their fault, like they had lost a friend.

So they all moved on with their training and fighting against evil, like always, only without the self proclaimed evil genius to always come with his robots and call them losers.

They were practicing in the temple's backyard like every day, when Dojo and master Fung came to them.

''The fifth element has revealed itself.'', Fung spoke calmly. They had been informed about this new element for about a year now.

The lightning element.

They were supposed to find and train them, whoever it was. If they didn't, the forces of heylin will rise more powerful than ever, and 1000 years of darkness shall arrive. What a cliche. But it was real and not a joke matter. They could not fight as 4 elements anymore, because even if they got powerful over the last 3 years, so did their enemies.

''You'll never guess who it is.'', Dojo said with a smirk. When they found out, they screamed such a loud ''WHAT?!'', that the birds flew away from the temple.

In front of the Spicer mansion

''I feel strange being here. Dude, can you believe it?'' Raimundo asked as he got off from Dojo's back. The dragon shrunk down to his tiny size and climbed onto Clay's hat, ''No pardner. But I'm more worried about this encounter than about who the element is.'', ''Clay is right. What makes you think Jack would want to join us? Especially after finding out he is just like us? You know? Magical and stuff.'', Kimiko commented, ''Why not? I still believe Jack has good in him!'', Omi cheered and knocked on the door.

No one answered. ''Maybe he isn't home?'', Omi asked, but then Raimundo opened the door. It was unlocked. They swallowed, suddenly feeling nervous.

They slowly walked in and the moment Clay closed the door a robot appeared before them. They all took a fighting stance as the bot's eyes glowed red and scanned them all. But then it said ''Welcome, xiaolin losers.'', and then left who knows where, perhaps to inform Jack of their arrival.

They all huffed out a laugh, it seems like Jack wasn't so mad anymore, if he programmed the robots to call them like that. And that meant they were welcomed in his house. Coming in, they thought of waiting in the living room when Raimundo actually went into the kitchen.

Kimiko slapped him as he was about to open the fridge, ''Oh c'mon, I'm hungry.'', ''We're here for something important.'', she argued, ''Just a quick snack. Maybe some pudding.'', ''You know he hates it when someone eats his puddings!'', ''Exactly.'', oh, the old teasing with eating his pudding. How he missed that.

As he opened the fridge he gaped. 50% of it's contents was food, and the rest was beer. When the others saw that they were shocked too. ''Serve yourselves.'', A deeper voice than they remembered had said. Raimundo quickly closed the fridge and they all turned to see Jack, leaning on the wall, and shit, they barely recognized him.

He was taller than before, actually a few inches taller than Raimundo now. His skin was as pale as ever, and his hair was still fiery red, coming hip long from the back of his head and shorter with bangs at the top.

He still wore his signature goth makeup and also his yellow goggles, but it certainly was a new pair. He also had piercings, lots of them, on his ears and left eyebrow.

He raised one brow and smirked ''What?'', ''Jack! I'm happy to see you!'', despite his new look, Omi still hugged him. Jack rolled his eyes and patted his head. ''What are you losers doing here?'', The monks looked at each other. ''Jack, we need to talk.'', Raimundo said in a serious tone.

''If this is about my face, then let me tell you, I don't give a flying sh-'', ''You're the element of lightning.'', He said, interrupting Jack in his sentence. The red haired teen stared at them, then started laughing ''I have electrocuted myself just now when I was working in the basement guys, it was a broken robot, no need to freak out like that.'', ''Jack, we're not joking.'', Kimiko told him.

''That's it guys, enough, you know it isn't funny when you persist. Is lightning even an element?'', Jack said walking in the living room.

The monks followed him, ''Jack, listen to us, this is no joking manner.'', Omi exclaimed while gesturing with his hands ''Matter.'', Jack corrected, ''That too.'', ''We mean it. If you do not come and train with us, the world might suffer. Dojo said that there will be a new element. And that element is you.'', Raimundo explained. Jack had his hands on his hips, but he was tense, he clenched his jaw and looked at them ''If this whole thing is real, are you sure it's me?'', He asked, raising his eyebrows.

''Yes!'', Dojo basically yelled and went in front of Jack's face ''I never make mistakes when it comes to these kind of things!'', ''Remember the Ruby of Ramses?'', Jack asked in a bored manner, raising his eyebrow. Dojo's eyes widened and he blushed ''That one doesn't count!'', ''Listen guys.'', Jack said grabbing Dojo's muzzle to silence him, and he looked tiredly at the monks ''It's been nice and all, I appreciate the visit, but I have work to do.'', he released Dojo, and started to walk away ''Take whatever you want from the fridge and leave.''.

''Jack, wait! Please, you must listen! 1000 years of darkness might come if you do not train with us! We need your help.'', Omi tried following Jack, ''You never needed help, especially mine. And how are you sure I will not betray you again?'' Jack said, still walking, ''Pardner, we want to give you second chance, and this is very important.'', Clay reassured, ''And what am I supposed to do? I'm a thinker not a fighter. You perhaps forget that I suck at fighting!'', Jack still did not turn to face them. ''We will teach you!'', Kimiko said. ''This is why we're here! You must come with us-'', Jack sharply turned around and pointed at them with a very angry face ''I WILL NOT BE DRAGGED INTO THIS AGAIN!'', he shouted, startling them, and slowly turned around to leave. The monks were silent and stared at him, before closing the door, he glared at them ''Don't ever ask me to come back.''.

As they were flying back, Dojo sighed ''Don't be upset, maybe we have better luck next time.'', ''Next time? Didn't you see him? He made it quiet clear that he doesn't want to return.'', Said Clay as they looked at Dojo's head.

The dragon peeked at them with the corner of his eye ''He's scared.'', they fell silent at that, ''He didn't look like it.'', Raimundo said, ''I felt it. When he grabbed my mouth, his hand was shaking.'', after the dragon said that, they fell into a long silence, ''We must approach this differently, maybe he still has a trauma from what happened last time.'', Kimiko said looking down. They nodded and sat in silence the rest of the flight.

It was raining hard outside when Jack returned home from a rave, very late at night. He was grateful for buying waterproof makeup, otherwise he would've looked so lame right now.

Jack was in front of his house when he saw a figure under a tree. As the thunder cracked he looked closer.

''...Master Fung?'', He gave a short bow and asked ''What are you doing here?'', Fung walked into view and smiled kindly, ''I was waiting for you.'', ''In the rain? Why?'', ''Ah, I wanted to speak with you about something important.'', Jack had a feeling he knew what it was about, ''Let's go inside then.'', ''No. I must leave soon.'', Fung shook his head slightly, ''But I was hoping you would come with me.'', Jack frowned. ''Is this about the lightning element?'', Jack asked as a lightning appeared in the sky, it's graceful light painting his skin almost naturally, and the thunder that followed soon after only intensified his frown.

''Yes.'', The old master answered calmly, ''Then I'm sorry you wasted your time.'', Jack said as he started to walk away. ''You never answered my question.'', Jack stopped and took in a deep breath, the words of the question echoing through his mind again. It haunted him for all those 3 years. ''I am bad at being evil.'', he wasn't sure if it was the right answer, but it was the best he could come up with.

He never found an answer after all.

Jack turned towards Fung and continued ''And I'm sure I'm even worse at being good. I betrayed you all the first night I joined you guys, remember? Plus, I don't even think I'm allowed in the temple with my new appearance.'', ''Looks do not describe the soul, Jack.'', ''But actions do.'', ''You have done wrong in the past, but you did good also. Kimiko herself explained how you saved her.''.

Jack shut his eyes tight, ''I just didn't want to see someone die! Ok?! Are you happy now?'', ''And the fact that you risked your own life to save her says something. You are goo-'', ''Shut up!'', Jack shouted angrily, ''Just... Shut up! I am not good! I never was! I never will be! Just, stop it, ok? Please.'', he looked straight in Fung's eyes. He didn't want to yell, but he couldn't help it.

A thunder cracked again as he said ''I tried, but I couldn't be evil, and surely I will never be good! I can't! I will ruin everything again, just like how I did in Heylin! I will bring everyone down!''. He took in deep breaths, and with a cracked voice he said, much softer this time ''I can't come back again.'', he sniffed, he felt his throat tightening and his chest hurting as his tears started falling. He turned away, clenching his jaw, and trying to keep his eyes shut tight.

He heard footsteps and knew that master Fung was in front of him now. He felt how the older man, still with the same gentle touch as that day he asked the question, grabbed his neck and slowly pulled him down on his shoulder. Jack wanted to push the man away and go inside his house, but for a reason or another, could not do that. Not even his parents treated him so kindly. Jack swallowed, not wanting to even whimper. ''It's okay to be afraid.'', that was all it took, to make him grab the master's shoulders and press his face harder into it. He started crying, and did so for a long time, apologizing, and sobbing. ''I don't want to come back! I will ruin everything!'', ''That's not true. I see potential in you.'', the wise master encouraged and comforted while rubbing the younger's head.

The rain finally stopped pouring as Jack pulled away with red eyes. He wiped them and looked away. ''Sorry.'', ''Don't apologize.'', Jack looked at Fung, and swallowed the lump in his throat, then looked away again. ''I won't tell.'', master Fung assured with a smile and bless that man because he wanted to ask him just that. ''But please, consider it. You will learn a lot. And you are long forgiven for the evil in the past, my son.'', Jack looked at the kind master, who was expecting an answer with that smile on his face. When he spoke, Jack's voice sounded like he had glass in his throat.

''I will think about it.''.

Next update will be this saturday.