So, quick AN: I know I haven't been on here in ages, I've been on AO3 instead and you know turns off the emails after three months, so I've not really had a reason to come back. But I got back into Xiaolin Showdown recently, and I do have a fic on here of it that I'm still planning on updating, so here. You guys get this as a gift because of that connection.
WARNINGS: Nothing explicit here, just a bit of murder. Tell me if I should raise the rating though.
Please enjoy!
The Murder of Jack Spicer
It had been ages since he had felt his dragon side twist and churn within him. It was anxious, and that wasn't even considering that the morning already felt somewhat 'off.' Chase couldn't put his finger on it. He didn't know why the morning felt strange, but he knew of a surefire way to calm his true self: spy on Jack Spicer a little bit. The dragon always calmed down when Spicer was nearby or was in Chase's sight, so it shouldn't take much to settle it so he can focus on why things felt strange.
As he walked from his bedroom to his throne room, his citadel felt quiet. It was always quiet to an extent, but since Wuya had joined him, it had gained a new kind of silence, tense rather than relaxing. Yet this morning, the silence had a peculiar feel to it, the same dusty quiet that had existed before Wuya moved in. It made Chase a little concerned, for a quiet Wuya was a scheming Wuya. He gestured for one of his following warriors to approach him.
"Kadeer, go check on Wuya. I want to make sure she's not up to anything."
"Master," Kadeer growled a confused reply, "I do not know what you mean." Chase turned, frowning, and found that the leopard genuinely looked confused.
"Could you explain?"
"There is no 'Wuya' quartered here, as far as I know." said the fallen warrior. Chase's frown deepened. He stopped walking and looked at the other warriors. He knew they had also heard the conversation and at his look, they all shook their feline heads. They had never heard of Wuya either. Chase's concern grew.
"Have I discussed Wuya at all recently?"
"No sir." answered Kadeer, "You haven't mentioned her name in years."
"Years?" Chase didn't know what was going on. His warriors would never lie to him, they knew better than to try and trick their eternal master. Yet, if this was true, what had happened to Wuya? Why did his warriors say she had never been here? It unnerved him, and so Chase found himself walking faster to the throne room. If anything, perhaps Jack would know. He had originally released Wuya from her puzzle box prison and she had a strange attachment to the boy. If Wuya had cast a spell of some sort to mask her traces and disappear, surely Jack may know something about it. He didn't understand how she could do so at her level of magic, however. She didn't have the ability to do something like this on her own, not with the rest of her magic locked away. Perhaps Hannibal was involved? But what would he have to gain out of Wuya disappearing? Nothing was making any sense.
"Show me Jack Spicer." Chase growled at the scrying ball as he grabbed it from his throne. The surface of it swirled and twisted as it began to search for his target. Chase expected to see Jack's lab shown, with the teenager working on a new project, or perhaps Jack was on the trail of a new Shen Gong Wu. He didn't expect the ball to show him a gravestone.
Chase could feel the dragon's claws pricking his fingers as he knelt on pillows with Master Fung, and he willed the dragon to calm itself. Going on a rampage here wouldn't help matters.
"You were vague in your letter, Chase Young." said Master Fung as he poured them both a cup of tea, "May I ask the nature of this visit?"
"I have come to ask for the Sands of Time, to fix something that has been broken." Chase replied. The elder monk's face was smooth, with the exception of a small quirk of the eyebrow. The everlord was a little surprised that the monk wasn't more concerned, being in the presence of a literal Heylin Dragon, but he didn't think about it too much. He was here for other reasons.
"And why do you ask for such a powerful Shen Gong Wu?" asked Fung.
"You know as well as I do that the balance has been upset between the Xiaolin and Heylin." said Chase, "And I believe I know why. I cannot explain why or how, but this morning I awoke with memories of another time, where things were not so Xiaolin-sided, where there were far more players in the game on the Heylin side."
"You mean, beyond just you?" Dojo groused. The tiny dragon, for as cowardly as he usually was, was tucked around Fung's neck and gave Chase glares. He was probably there to defend Fung if the Chase decided to make a move. The everlord glared back, and Dojo shrank slightly. Served him right.
"I mean exactly that." Chase closed his eyes, "In the beginning, when the Shen Gong Wu first began to reveal themselves, there should have been a red-headed teen on the Heylin side. His name was Jack Spicer, and he released Wuya. She was only in a ghostly form at that point and relied on him to help her take the Shen Gong Wu. They were even so clever as to revive Mala Mala Jong, and later Wuya achieved a physical form, though still without the majority of her magic. Spicer brought in others to the conflict as well, such as Tubbimura and Katnappé. It gave more balance to the fight." Chase opened his eyes and found Fung staring at him with no expression, but Dojo was clearly shocked. The everlord allowed himself an internal smile, but it quickly dropped as he continued, "When I awoke this morning, not only was Wuya no longer staying in my lair, I found out that Jack Spicer had been dead for two years, murdered in cold blood by an unknown assailant. Nothing is the same as it had been yesterday, and yet I am the only one that seems to remember."
"Do you believe someone changed the past, Chase?"
"Yes. It's why I require the Sands of Time to restore what has been lost."
"And why should we let you do that?" Dojo crossed his arms, "We've been pretty good here without the rest of the Heylin showing up! And how do we know you're not just making this up?"
"At what level of power are your monks at? Are they Shoku status? Is Pedrosa the leader? Do they have their Wudai skills?" Chase snapped. When Dojo didn't answer, the everlord smirked, "That's what I thought. In my timeline, the Dragon Warriors were pushed to succeed against Jack Spicer and other foes. They became a team and achieved greater success because they had obstacles. Here, they haven't been pushed, they're been finding the Wu without hassle, and so they've had no need to get better and become proper Dragon Warriors." A growl entered Chase Young's voice, "If I had wanted to, I could have barged in here, killed them, and taken the Sands of Time for myself."
"Yet you did not, because you wanted to show that this could be beneficial for both sides." Fung surmised, "If you go and fix what has been lost, you will gain more allies, and the monks will grow stronger."
"And the balance will properly be restored." Chase added. Fung gave a small nod.
"You can't be serious." Dojo exclaimed, "Isn't it our job to, y'know, keep things from falling into a thousand years of darkness?!"
"Yes, but each side must be kept in check, Dojo." replied Master Fung. He took a sip of his tea, "Even if we wish the Xiaolin to win, it cannot properly exist without the Heylin. After all, Chase said what is true: the monks have not learned their Wudai skills yet, and they have been in training for two years with no threats. They are not ready to fight someone of Chase's strength. Do you not remember the Showdowns that have involved him?"
Dojo winced. Chase raised an eyebrow.
"May I ask about these Showdowns?" questioned the everlord, "As you can imagine, if I remember an entirely different time, I don't know how these new Showdowns played out."
"They went about as well as you can imagine." Dojo grumbled, rolling his eyes, "We got our asses kicked by you in your dragon form and you've taken the last four Wu that have activated. The kids stand no chance against you right now!"
"Then you see the benefits of allowing me to fix the past." Chase pointed out.
"I only have two more questions to ask of you, Chase." said Master Fung. He met the everlord's gaze, "First, what is your reason for going back in time?"
"Have I not told you? To fix the balance."
"Perhaps that is one reason, but it is not your main one."
Chase narrowed his eyes and asked, "What's your point?"
"You are a clever man, you would not be doing this unless you could get something else out of it. Why do you want to save Jack Spicer? And why do you remember when others do not?" asked Master Fung. He put down his teacup, "Tell me how you woke up this morning, Chase."
"I have no need to tell you." Chase snapped.
"No, but perhaps it will give you insight as to why you remember." As much as Chase disliked it, Master Fung had a point. The everlord decided to humor the monk and closed his eyes. He focused on what had happened that morning, starting from when he had woken up. His dragon half had been anxious, and Chase had wanted to soothe it. It had been calm the night before, and Chase knew it had been a long time since he had awoken in such a state. Had his true self understood the problem and tried to warn him? But that didn't explain how he still had his memories. He shouldn't remember anything from the other timeline for the past two years, and yet he did, and his true self was furious and hurting at the sudden revelation of Jack's death. It made him want to lash his tail-
"Eep!" Chase's eyes flew open at Dojo's squeak. The everlord glared at the dragon, who was now hiding in Fung's shirt, and the monk raised an eyebrow again.
"What?" Chase growled.
"Your true self is showing." Fung pointed out. Chase looked down. His gloves had been replaced by his dragon claws, and he could feel his tail swishing behind him. Chase willed his dragon half to calm, and slowly his dragon traits eased away and hid. Once he was calmed, the monk added, "I see that your true self has something to do with fixing the past. The dragon is inclined to restore what is lost as well."
"As long as that answers your question." groused the everlord.
"I have one more, if you deign to humor me."
"Fine." Chase rolled his eyes.
"If someone transformed the timeline, as you so believe, then did they not use the Sands of Time themselves?"
It was a good question. Chase hadn't considered it before, but it made sense. How else would someone change the past? They could possibly make their own time machine, but the only one who had ever done so to his knowledge had been Jack himself, and that had been destroyed after Wuya had tried to take over the world. If someone had really used them, then that meant it had either been one of the Xiaolin (he doubted they had wanted to murder Jack) or one of the Heylin had snuck in and stolen it. Did that even mean the Sands of Time was still in the Shen Gong Wu Vault?
"Chase Young," Master Fung began, interrupting his thoughts, "before you take the Sands of Time, I ask that you look into the past that you wish to fix before you begin to change it. I understand from Kimiko that recording technology exists now, so perhaps you may find your answer there. I only ask that you need not be so hasty to fix the past when you have no idea what caused it to be changed in the first place."
"I know what caused it to change!" Chase snapped and got to his feet, "Jack Spicer's death was the catalyst to all this! All I have to do is get rid of the assassin, and things will be restored." Out of politeness, Chase gave the monk a bow, "I will be taking the Sands of Time and leaving now."
"Very well." Master Fung sipped his tea once more, "I wish you luck in fixing things."
"You're not gonna stop him?!" Dojo cried. Fung shook his head. Dojo buried his face in his hands and groaned, sure this would end badly.
As Chase began to walk away, he paused and turned to add, "Also, you should teach your Dragons the proper way to stealth. They're quite the nosy bunch." A smirk crossed his face as he heard the four Xiaolin Dragons gasp and try to scramble away from their hiding place. Amateurs…
Jack had told him the day it had all began, but he had never mentioned the time, and so Chase used the Wu to arrive at the Spicer Mansion in the morning. If Jack was still anything like the teen Chase had known, he never liked to wake up early, and so the everlord should have arrived with plenty of time to deal with the assassin.
While Master Fung had suggested checking camera footage to know exactly what had happened, Chase had done so long before he had made his way to the Temple. He knew where he had to go, and a vague timeframe to go off of. Vague, because Chase hadn't been able to check the time the footage had been taken, as the portion where Jack had actually been murdered had been scrubbed from the devices. Chase was lucky enough to know how to navigate a computer in the first place, he certainly didn't know how to obtain erased footage. He at least knew it happened in Jack's lab after breakfast, because the boy had been ranting about taking over the world with a plate of bacon and eggs before the footage had been erased.
Teleporting into the lab, Chase found that everything was still off. Jack hadn't woken up yet, and with a snap of his fingers, Chase ensured that his security wouldn't notice him, either. It was trivially easy to hide from the Jackbots at this point, for Jack hadn't figured out how to find magic signatures yet. It still amazed Chase at how Jack had managed to figure out how to do something only Dojo and Wuya had previously been capable of. And if he still wanted to be amazed by Jack's intellect, he would have to make sure to take out the assassin before they murdered Jack.
Gliding into the shadows, Chase settled down to wait. He was completely still, no more than part of the scenery as he blended in with the darkness. The only thing that would've possibly given him away was his eyes, and he kept those carefully closed until the time was right. At least, until he heard a window squeak open.
His eyes flickered over and he found an intruder slide through the window, thinner than Chase had expected, but no less dangerous. They clicked on a small flashlight and took something from their pocket. Another click and it silently hummed to life, so quiet only Chase could hear the bomb-shaped device working. Yet the intruder didn't throw the device, instead tucking it back in their pocket before turning off the flashlight. Chase wondered if it worked like his magic and that was why the intruder hadn't been noticed by the Jackbots, even while killing their master.
A growl from the dragon bubbled up within him but Chase stayed silent. He needed to keep his advantage and so he began creeping over to his target. If he could kill them now, all would be settled, and the future would be fixed. Simple and precise-
The lights of the lab flickered on and the Jackbots that had been making their nightly rounds returned to their charge stations, switched out by the morning bots, who began to spread out. Two dusted the lab while the rest filed out through the main lab entrance. Chase and the intruder were still hidden by shadow, thankfully, and their abilities kept them from being scanned and noticed by the Jackbots, but if the bots were up, Jack surely would be coming downstairs soon. Chase didn't have a lot of time. This wasn't going according to play, Jack wasn't supposed to get up this early! And the one time the boy genius does, he gets murdered!
Why can you never stick to a plan, Spicer?! Chase mentally growled. It seemed the intruder also understood what the changing of the Jackbots meant and began to creep away, probaby to get into position. Chase wouldn't allow them to have a go at Jack and quickened his pace. He had hoped to kill the intruder unnoticed, but he may not have a choice anymore if he wanted to save Jack's life.
The door to the lab opened. Chase froze, slit pupils settling on the very-much-not-dead Jack Spicer, who was carrying his breakfast plate downstairs and munching on bacon. His true self roared happily deep inside as it saw that Jack was now alive. Yet it was only a balm to the dragon's anxiety and grief. Chase still had to stop the intruder, otherwise this would have been all for nothing.
"JB-43! Update on my world domination plans!" Jack ordered. One of the two dusting bots beeped and turned to Jack.
"Master, you have gotten twenty-three new orders for your inventions, totalling an amount of five hundred forty-seven dollars American, not including tax."
Surprisingly, Jack gave a sound of frustration. He slammed the plate on the table in the middle of the lab and moved around it to where his back was to both Chase and the intruder. He typed something on the surface of the table before it lit up with a map of the world, red dots blinking on the blue and white surface.
"How long is it gonna take at this rate?! I wanna rule the whole world! Not just Iceland, not Fiji-" Jack was getting into his rant. The intruder quickly moved forward and Chase snapped out of his staring to intercept them. He grabbed the intruder by the neck and slammed them against some of the equipment.
"What the fuck?!"
Chase turned. Jack was staring at him with what looked like love-struck surprise, though he could be reading into that. Chase softened, or as much as an immortal dragon warlord could soften.
"All you need to know is that my name is Chase Young, and we will meet again soon." He held up the Sands of Time with his free hand, "Sands of Time."
Something still felt off when Chase returned. He was in the lab, but it looked as abandoned as when he had first come by, trying to see if Jack had actually died or his scrying orb had lied to him (it never does). Worried, he killed the would-be assassin with a quick snap of the neck and threw the body aside before teleporting back to his citadel. As he had expected, Wuya had returned to her physical form and was laid out on his couch, filing her nails. She glanced at Chase when he arrived before going back to her nails.
"And where have you been?" Wuya asked the question in a tone as if Chase was a naughty child that had snuck out of the house. He narrowed his eyes.
"Witch, where is Jack Spicer?"
"Don't you remember?" Wuya paused long enough to give him her attention and a raised eyebrow, "Jack's helipack gave out after the first Showdown, the one with the Eye of Dashi, and he plummeted to his death."
A cold chill shot down Chase's spine.
No… Not again… That should have fixed it!
"Why are you asking if-" Chase shut her up by tightly grasping her throat.
"Tell me how you have a physical form if Spicer died moments into the war." Chase hissed. He could barely understand. Wuya had been released from the puzzle box before the first Showdown, but how had she attained her physical form? Why did she get to have her future while Jack's was still cut egregiously short?
"You…did it!" Wuya gasped, clawing at his gloved hand. So, he had been the one to help her gain her physical form? Chase glared at her with narrowed eyes before releasing her, allowing Wuya to gasp for air once more.
"What was that for?!" She demanded, only to find herself speaking to no one.
Chase jumped out of the woods to grab Jack Spicer from the air before his helipack could take him any higher. Even if Chase hadn't been in his dragon form, he was sure Jack would've screamed anyway at the sudden pounce.
"FUCK! GETOFFGETOFFGETOFF YOU FUCKING OVERSIZED LIZARD!" Jack tried to kick him off, but with Chase's weight, he was quickly bringing Jack back to the ground. The helipack wasn't made to carry both of them. Then there was a sputtering sound and Jack looked at the rotor blades with shock and fear as they stopped spinning. Instinctively, Chase brought Jack to his chest and broke the albino's fall easily. Keeping Jack safe was his top priority, after all.
"Idiot!" he snarled after they hit the ground, "Someone is trying to kill you!"
"Don't eat me!" It seemed Jack was more focused on the dragon rather than the fall of the words. Chase rolled his eyes. He tried to settle the gnawing anxiety of his true self so he could return to his human form, and as Jack realized who he was looking at, the teenager gasped.
"Chase? You can turn into a dragon?!" It seemed Jack still remembered him from that morning. It would make this a little easier.
"Yes, I can." Chase dragged Jack to his feet, "As I was saying, someone is trying to kill you, child. It was why I was in your lab this morning and why I'm here now. What happened to your flying machine?"
"I-" Jack still seemed like he was trying to wrap his head around everything and it was making Chase lose patience.
"Spicer, what happened to your machine?" he hissed. Jack jumped, but he did take the helipack off his back and began examining it.
"I don't know, it shouldn't have failed, even with your extra weight-" The goth paused and a look of surprise came to his face, "The wires are frayed! If I'd been flying too much longer, the helipack would've shut down anyway!" Then he began to frown, "I checked them this morning, they were fine, and wires don't just fray in a few hours. Someone did this deliberately."
"Yes, because they want you dead."
"But why?" Jack looked up at Chase. The everlord could see the concern and fear in Jack's eyes. His dragon half wanted to nuzzle Jack and comfort him but Chase refrained from bowing to his draconic concerns. He opened his mouth-
"Jack! Where have you gone off to this time?!" It was Wuya. Chase couldn't see her but knew she was approaching, and he'd rather not fuck up the timeline more than he was already doing, thank you very much.
"I can't explain right now, but I promise to return if your life is put in danger again." Chase spat the sentence out quickly and dug in his pockets for the Sands of Time.
"Like a guardian angel?" Jack said. Chase snorted.
"I have my own reasons for keeping you alive, Spicer, and they certainly aren't 'angelic.' Sands of Time!"
I will not let my mate die in an avalanche caused by Omi! Chase mentally snarled. Then, Did I just call Spicer my mate?
Chase bounded across the snow in his dragon form, hoping to get there before the Showdown began. His claws weren't made to carry him across snow and ice but he hadn't had much of a choice, he had no idea where Jack and Omi would begin their Showdown so he couldn't just teleport where he wanted, he had to track them down and it was easier to do in his dragon form.
It was like his life had become a horror story. Even after helping Jack survive after the first Showdown, the albino was still dead when Chase returned to the present. And even though Chase went back and fixed it a few more times, Wuya would always inform him that the goth was dead due to another accident or assassination. It was maddening. Who wanted Jack Spicer dead so badly?!
There! One of the Omis and Jack were touching the Falcon's Eye. Chase was too late to stop the Showdown, but he could at least get involved. He ended up being put on a cliff high above to proceedings, alongside the other Xiaolin Dragons, who were too focused on their friend to have noticed him, dragon form and all. The everlord turned his attention back to Jack, his tongue whipping out like a komodo dragon's. It was a nervous habit at this point, rather than to get a better scent, and it only ever happened while he was in his true form or had gone too long without Lao Mang Lone soup. At this point it could be a mix of both, with how long he had been trying to save Jack.
It was like this Omi had been hit with the Woozy Shooter, even though he had only been divided by five. Chase watched as the Dragon of Water acted like a goof and slept on his snowboard throughout the majority of the Showdown. The exception came near the end, when Omi hugged Jack off his snowboard and the redheaded teen was left to finish the fight on foot. Then came the stomping. Chase whipped his head around and found that the other four Omis, wanting to join their brother, were throwing a tantrum. Their stomping was causing the mountain to shake.
Chase leapt from his cliff and climbed down the mountain, claws skidding on the icy sides as he tried to get to Jack first. The avalanche was about to start and the teenager was going to get crushed if Chase didn't do something. He didn't care who spotted him, he just had to make sure Jack didn't die in the Showdown. Just as the snow began to fall, the Omis crying out in glee, Chase's teeth grabbed the back of Jack's jacket and the everlord ran, claws digging into the mountain as he tried to climb high enough to get them out of harm's way. They barely cleared the avalanche.
"Th-thanks." Jack gulped, feet just inches above where the snow had finally settled, still hanging from his jacket. The dragon grunted and dropped him, and Jack only sank a little bit into the snow.
"Go get the Wu, then you can thank me." Chase rumbled. He could already see the glow from the Ring of Nine Dragons activating. Omi was merging back together and would be escaping the snow soon. Jack, also understanding the urgency, ran to grab the Falcon's Eye. He plucked it out of the air just before Omi came flying through where the Wu had just been. Jack snickered.
"Nice try, Cheeseball!" he taunted. As the Showdown came to a close and the area returned to normal, Chase prowled closer and plucked the Ring of Nine Dragons from Jack's hand.
"Considering your luck recently, I think it would be better if I held onto the ring."
"With how often I've seen you in the past few weeks, yeah, I think I gotta agree with that." Jack nodded.
"And who in the world are you?" Kimiko addressed the dragon. Chase gave the monks a tooth-filled growl and they had the sense to back off.
"That is none of your business. Spicer, let's go." Chase began walking towards where he could smell the fuel and metal of Jack's jet nearby. The goth wasn't far behind, and he looked pleased with the haul.
"Thanks for saving my ass." Jack said, "Didn't know the little guy was gonna cause an avalanche."
"He wasn't ready to handle this Shen Gong Wu, and you were almost the one that paid for it." Chase shifted back into his human form and growled, "I should have eviscerated that little monk, no matter how useful he may be!" He could barely keep his true self in check, his hands hadn't returned from his reptile claws and were clenching, wanting something they could tear through and destroy. He should've dug into Omi instead of walking away, but he had fucked with the timeline enough already, thanks. He'd get his revenge another day.
"Y'know," Jack nervously began, not wanting the everlord's anger turned on him, "If you're really trying to save me, Chase, maybe you should stay with me? Keep me safe?"
That…was not a bad idea. It would be easier than going back and forth to the present, only to have his heart crushed again and again and again. His true self was giving a happy rumble within his head. Chase glanced at Jack.
"I don't know what you expect from me, Spicer."
"Isn't it obvious?" Jack reached the jet and dumped the Wu in the small cargo hold before turning back to Chase. He continued, "You're a time traveler and you need me alive. You've got a Wu that you use to go through time, and it's not a coincidence how you keep coming back to help me. I know it'll probably mess up whatever the future is if you stay, but it doesn't make any sense for you to keep going back if you're just gonna come back again and again when you realize I'm not there. So tell me, why do you wanna keep me alive? Just who are you, really?"
Jack Spicer was far too smart for his own good. Then again, Chase hadn't really tried to hide his attempts, either. Keeping Jack alive was much more important.
"I'll tell you, once we reach your mansion. I would rather not discuss this where the monks could hear." Chase glanced back. He hadn't heard Dojo take off yet, so it was likely that the Xiaolin Dragons were trying to observe them.
"Good point. Climb in." Jack was already scampering into the driver's seat.
Wuya shrieked when Chase stepped out of the jet and flew away somewhere.
"What's her deal?" Jack quirked an eyebrow.
"She knows who I really am. I don't blame her for hiding." Chase replied. Jack looked at him.
"What kinda guy are you if it's enough to scare that bitch?"
"An immortal evil warlord."
"A what?"
"I'm not repeating myself, Spicer." Chase stepped past Jack to enter the lab. It had been a while since he'd seen it so lived-in and dust-free. It made the dragon within him want to do a happy growl. He tamped down that urge.
"You're immortal? But how?!" Jack's voice was filled with glee and excitement, just as it had been when they had first met. While the fanboyish-ness of Jack's admiration had once grated on his nerves, Chase found it less irritating now.
"I have to drink a special soup to keep myself immortal and young, not to mention to stay in a human form." The everlord replied, then frowned. He hadn't really thought about the fact that he'd need to find a way to get Lao Mang Lone soup, let alone interact with his past self. That would ruin everything if the other Chase discovered him. However, looking at Jack reminded him that he couldn't let the redheaded albino be on his own. Whoever wanted Jack dead was recklessly plunging through the timeline and trying to get rid of the teenager at every turn. He had resigned himself to the fact that he couldn't leave Jack alone anymore, but it was now he realized the problems that came with that decision.
"That's so cool!" Jack's eyes glittered and Chase could practically see the gears turning in the boy's head. Jack asked, "Do you think I could get the recipe?"
"I wouldn't recommend it." said Chase, eyes darkening, "It's not pleasant."
"But immortality-!"
"-is not worth the soup. Believe me, Spicer, you're better off with a mortal life." Chase walked away, signaling the conversation was done. His mind flew as he tried to figure out how to stay and keep the albino safe without interacting with his past self, not to mention acquiring the aforementioned soup. How could he make this work? Jack had managed to help get him an alternative to his soup that still helped him keep his human form and his sanity, so it was possible that the everlord could push the evil genius to make it early. That still didn't solve the other problem, though. Chase may have to go confront his past self anyway and explain the situation, but that would only cause even more problems, wouldn't it? He didn't remember ever meeting his future self, so who knew what would change if he did.
"Hey, so, um…" A blush crossed Jack's face and Chase's eyes went back to him, "Do you have a place to stay? No, yeah, I guess you don't, being a time traveler and everything. Gah, forget I said that!" Jack ran a hand through his hair, "I've got plenty of guestrooms if you want one. C'mon, I'll show you." Without waiting for Chase to respond, Jack made his way up the stairs and out of the lab. Rather than becoming irritated at Jack's hastiness, Chase followed without a word. He had little need to follow Jack, he knew the mansion well from his various trips here to look for the teenager, but he followed if just to ease himself by keeping the other male in his sights.
"Alright, this can be your room." Jack opened the door to a room on the second floor and Chase peeked inside. It was fancy enough, but it wasn't where he planned on staying. Jack added, "Of course it doesn't have to be your room, Chase, you can pick any you want- Hey! Where are you going?"
Ignoring Jack's question, Chase allowed himself to succumb to the dragon, bringing it forth in the hallway and causing Jack to yelp as he roared the pain away. He then trotted forward, took a left, and easily jumped onto the albino's bed and curled comfortably pn the sheets.
"Wh-what are you doing?" Jack was now standing in the doorway, confused and still red in the face.
"What does it look like I'm doing?" Chase's sharp golden eyes met Jack's ruby red ones, "I have to keep you alive, so I have to stay closeby."
"But on my bed? Like a giant lizard-cat-thing?" Jack gestured at Chase's draconic form. The everlord rolled his eyes.
"You're being modest, Spicer, when you need to be smart." Chase crawled off the bed and curled up on the floor, "I will let you have your bed back, but I am staying in here."
"Okay, yeah, sure. Whatever the big dragon man wants!" Jack threw his hands in the air in exasperation. He turned around and moved to his bathroom, an ensuite by the looks of it. Chase laid his head down, senses perked for intruders.
He knew he was being far more patient and gentle than usual. Chase Young didn't take backtalk or demands from others. But from Jack Spicer? Chase could tolerate Jack's outbursts and modesty for the time being. As it was, he had to come up with a plan. The soup was handled, if he could just push Jack in the right direction. If not, he'd have to raid the soup stores from his citadel without attracting the attention of his past self, a near-impossible task. Honestly, it was probably for the best that he tried confronting his younger self anyway, for it wouldn't take long for the other dragon to notice a new presence in the fight. And perhaps, if he played his cards right, his younger self would step in and do the job for him, but Chase doubted it. His past self didn't understand the intricacies and specialties of Jack Spicer yet and wouldn't care about protecting the goth…not unless Chase showed him how important it was that Jack lived. Annoying or not, Jack had to survive for both of their sakes. And if Past!Chase still refused, then the everlord would have to keep Jack alive all by himself, but Chase would cross that bridge when he came to it.
If I have to stay by his side for the next two years to make sure he survives, past self helping or not, then I will. Chase closed his eyes, What's two more years to an immortal dragon?
After he had joined Jack, everything that should have happened for the next week was a step to the left. As much as Chase would have loved to give the Heylin side greater power, he was a man of his word and tried not to meddle with the timeline too much. All he wanted to assure was Jack Spicer's life, and that seemed to be a much harder task than he had anticipated. Though, he had an idea of who was doing it now.
It didn't take long for Chase to put the pieces together. This was all the orchestration of Hannibal, it had to be. Who else would want Jack dead, and at the most inopportune times? Always before or after a Showdown, it was too much to be coincidental. But if Hannibal wanted Jack dead, what was the reason? Getting rid of the evil genius had done the bean no favors, as the Xiaolin Dragons had had no reason to mess with the Yo-yos in the current timeline. Hannibal was still stuck in the Yin-Yang World as a result, still biding his time for when he would be released.
Was it because Hannibal had figured things out? It would explain his fuckery of the timeline if that was true. Anything to ruin Chase's life, even if it inevitably ended with Hannibal still being stuck in his prison. But that didn't make any sense either. Fucking with Jack in the timeline in any way would cause a paradox for the bean, causing him to still be trapped in the other dimension. Yet, Chase didn't know who else would go to all this trouble to make such a mess. It made no sense. The everlord rubbed his face, headache forming. He should really leave all the theoretical stuff to Jack.
Speaking of which, during the week they had spent together, Jack had asked at one point why Chase was so hellbent on keeping him alive, time travel be damned. Chase had told Jack that he would learn the truth in time but it had caused him to think back on why he was going to so much trouble.
The whole reason Chase kept himself this persistent instead of walking away was because of that gorgeous, no-good goth genius that Chase had, at one point, despised. But no longer, not since before all this had happened. It wasn't about balancing the Xiaolin/Heylin mess as he had claimed to Master Fung, rather that Jack Spicer survived and thrived, and the everlord had managed to push aside his pride for what he held most dear.
He and Jack had managed to enter a relationship before disaster had struck in the previous timeline, though they hadn't yet reached a point of spending more than one night together at a time nor had crossed the line of sexual acts. Chase had been hoping to push the envelope farther when Jack had been ready, but he'd never gotten the chance. It was why the everlord was so patient now, he refused to lose his chance once more, even though he was essentially rebuilding his relationship with Jack from the ground up.
Chase also knew that he could've taken things in an entirely new direction if he'd wished. He could've forcefully taken Jack with him to the future and kept the redhead there. Hell, he could've forced the old relationship on Jack as well! Yet, it wouldn't have fixed the hole in Chase's heart. He wanted Jack to know him and love him from time spent together, not from memories now made false by meddling with the past or an immortal dragon warlord forcing his own whimsies on a teenager who didn't know him. He wanted Jack to make the choice, just as the young man had made in the previous timeline. His heart ached for the Jack he was sure he had now lost in the jumble of keeping this one safe, but he tried to soothe it with the balming thought that, eventually, this Jack would choose him.
He had to. Chase couldn't bear the thought of Jack not choosing him again, and besides, he had all the time in the world to wait for the albino to come to his senses once more. He just hoped to make his younger self see sense, and that was why he was here.
His lair's front door stood no chance against him, even if his past self had tried to keep it locked. And he knew Past!Chase knew he was here, it would've been impossible to ignore himself at the door. Chase wasn't exactly surprised that no one came to greet him, and so he snapped his fingers to open the door. His sharp eyes caught sight of the fallen warriors hiding in the shadows, staring at him in surprise and suspicion, and Chase ignored their stares. He did, however, turn to one.
"I'd like to talk to your Chase, please." He even said 'please,' if just to get their attention. The tiger's ears flicked in acknowledgement before it walked off, and so Chase stayed in the foyer, waiting for a proper answer. He didn't have to wait long.
"Why are you here?" Past!Chase had teleported in and he was now circling the 'intruder.' The everlord's past self had a carefully schooled face but Chase knew that the other immortal was alarmed and anxious. He would have been the same way, seeing another version of himself suddenly appear, complete with proper scent and everything.
"I am from the future, here to restore it properly."
"Restore it?" Past!Chase narrowed his eyes.
"To keep the explanation short, I woke up one day to see that my reality had changed. The Heylin are no longer in balance with the Xiaolin, and I came to fix that balance and restore what is right. That includes what was unjustly taken from me."
"And how do I know you speak the truth?" It was a fair question. To prove himself, he took off one of his gloves and showed his hand. The other Chase allowed his mask to slip slightly, showing surprise.
"Have you not kept to your drink?"
"It's been over a week since I drank any soup." Chase clenched his scaly, clawed hand before covering it up once more, "I haven't had any time to drink any. It's partially why I came by."
"You can take a can." said Past!Chase, and a cheetah came up with one in her mouth. The future dragon nodded to her, grateful, and took the offering.
"Thank you. I've been trying to push Spicer in the right direction to make some, but the boy can be an idiot sometimes, even with a genius IQ."
"Spicer?" His younger self frowned.
"A mortal teenager in the fight. I'm sure you've been observing him, along with the Xiaolin."
"I've taken note, primarily because of the time you've been spending with him." Past!Chase's eyes narrowed again, "He's the key to our future, I suppose?"
"Yes." Chase nodded, "He may not seem as much, but he's quite important to what plays out."
"I see." His younger self had a curious glint in his eyes, "You spoke fondly of Spicer. Why? He seems to only be a bumbling buffoon, lucky to have helped Wuya become free of her puzzle box."
Chase's hackles rose at the insult to Jack and he held his tongue for a moment before he tried to say anything scathing. Once upon a time, he would've agreed with his past self. But not anymore.
"It's more complicated than that."
"Then please, enlighten me."
"Jack Spicer… He comes to mean something important to us. More important than the wish to rule the world."
Past!Chase didn't seem to be convinced of that, if his unimpressed quirk of his lips was anything to go by.
"How could a mere mortal become more important than world domination? Surely you're lying."
"What would be the point of lying to myself, past or not?" Chase crossed his arms, "I don't wish to say it outright because, if I did, then things would become even further messed up than they already are."
"That is true." Past!Chase's eyes flickered over him once more, as if searching for something, before his eyes met his own again. The other dragon asked, "Tell me this, Future Chase: Why did you wait so long for your soup? Why did you come to me now?"
"In all honesty, I never meant to stay this long." The everlord admitted, "Originally I only came back to prevent one thing: Jack Spicer's death. It was the catalyst to everything. But after I went back to my time, it became apparent that another time traveler still wanted Jack Spicer dead. I came back again and again to prevent his death, only to hear of another gruesome fate upon my return to my time. Even Spicer caught on and he offered that I stay with him, to keep him safe, and so that's why I've been here for the past week."
"And now you wonder if I can take your place in keeping him safe." surmised his past self. Chase nodded. The other dragon asked, "Does it have anything to do with why he's so important to us?"
"In a way. Spicer's death is connected to both the Heylin/Xiaolin balance and his importance to us, but his importance and the balance are not connected."
"And why can't you explain his importance?"
"It's something that must be discovered. Telling you may never allow Spicer to become important in the first place."
Past!Chase gave a scoff.
"I doubt that. But, be that as it may, I can take over protecting him if you wish."
Chase studied his younger self carefully before he answered. He had to be sure he could leave Jack in this Chase's capable hands.
"I know this may sound like a bad idea at first, but I ask that you keep your patience with Spicer. He's going to irritate you to an extent you thought impossible, only for his genius to rope you back in. His 'bumbling buffoon' persona is there to trick others, not you. He's a very smart man, and as you get to know him, you'll change your mind. I only ask that you protect him, despite how grating he'll become. It'll be worth it in the long run."
"And if I don't?"
"Then I'll see the change in the future, and I'll come back here to save his life once more for the dozenth time before I come and wring your neck, time paradox be damned." Chase growled, golden eyes flashing in anger. His younger self raised an eyebrow.
"I see. I think I might be beginning to understand the importance he holds to us… You have my word that he'll be safe." Past!Chase finally stopped prowling around him. Neither of them reached out their hands to shake, knowing that touching may cause time-related issues, and Past!Chase said, "I suppose you should introduce me to him, if you want me to properly protect Spicer."
"Teleport to his mansion. I'll let you inside." Chase spoke. He was gone before his past self said anything else, arriving just outside the building. In seconds, Past!Chase was there too. With a nod between them, the future dragon unlocked the front door, only for his nose to be assaulted by the scent of mortal blood. It made his stomach drop and he raced to find Jack. He knew he had been gone too long, trying to convince his past self to cooperate, and now Jack would pay the price and he'd have to use the Sands of Time once more to be there and protect Jack-
He wasn't too late. A hooded figure was standing over Jack, bloodied knife on the albino's throat. They had already seemingly stabbed Jack in the gut and were about to finish him off. In fury, Chase transformed into his dragon self and roared, gaining their attention.
"Hannibal! Let the boy go!"
The figure turned, showing him their face. It wasn't the bean or, if it was, he was using the Moby Morpher. Either way, Chase almost couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"You really think Hannibal would be this persistent?"
Chase had never expected the time-traveling mastermind to be Jack himself. Even as he overcame his shock, he studied the albino man before him. It was definitely Jack, even the Moby Morpher couldn't cover up a person's scent, and yet he didn't act like Jack at all. This version of Jack looked…broken, for lack of a better word. His red eyes were wild with rage and fear and perhaps a touch of insanity, his hair white and long and no longer a shade of blood red. He still had the black mark under his eye, but rather than from makeup, it seemed to have become a permanent tattoo. The hand holding the bloodied knife wasn't flesh but rather some kind of metal prosthetic, and it too was covered in blood, both fresh and dried. The cloak around his shoulders was mangled and tattered, and underneath was what seemed to be a gray, button-up prisoner's uniform of sorts, also tearing at the seams. A number was stitched into a corner of the chest on the button-up: 090103. He was also barefoot, with his blackened feet having seen better days. In all, Future!Jack looked a mess.
"Why are you doing this, you asshole?!" snapped Future!Jack, pointing the knife at Chase. It shook in the hooded man's grip, whether from stress or something else, Chase couldn't tell. At least it wasn't on the other albino's throat anymore, though it looked like the future version had become triggered at Chase's appearance. Future!Jack screamed, "I've been trying to keep you safe, and what do you do?! You keep me fucking alive!"
"What are you talking about?" Chase rumbled. He was trying to figure out a way to get closer without causing Future!Jack to stab his past self. However, the elder albino completely ignored the question.
"I didn't want to cause a real paradox but you left me no choice! You kept killing the assassins I was hiring!"
"Why are you trying to kill yourself, Spicer?!" Chase demanded, trying to get some kind of sense from Future!Jack.
"I told you! It's for you, you oversized excuse for a magical handbag!"
Chase's hackles rose at the insult and he briefly considered mauling the elder albino, then decided that wouldn't help him get any closer to the problem.
"That still doesn't tell me anything!" snapped the everlord. His tail whipped behind him, "If you could just tell me why you think your younger self has to die-"
"He caused this!" Future!Jack gestured the knife at his younger self, who was staring at him with wide red eyes, except these were filled more with shock than the insanity and rage of his older self.
"Caused what, exactly? Be specific, Spicer!"
"Use the Crystal Glasses and the Eagle Scope! You'll see!" Then, Future!Jack turned and brought the knife back, ready to stab and finish off his younger self. Chase roared and leapt at him. The everlord wouldn't let Jack die again. He had let it happen too many times already. And even though it was a version of Jack he was attacking, Chase reasoned that it didn't matter, for this stranger wanted his younger self dead, and Chase wasn't going to stand for that.
His claws sliced through the cloak and dug into Future!Jack's side, making him scream in pain and drop the weapon. Chase's lunge also pushed Future!Jack away from the younger albino, though it didn't completely knock him over. And, rather than picking a fight with a pissed-off dragon, the time-traveling mastermind brought forth his right arm, which had been hidden behind him. Strapped to it was some sort of device, and with the push of a few buttons, Future!Jack disappeared. It seems he'd decided to go to another point in time and fight again. It made the future dragon growl unhappily.
"Chase?" The everlord turned. Jack had managed to sit up with the help of a nearby piece of machinery and his arm was across his body, as if trying to keep any more blood from leaking out. Chase's dragon self had its fury turn to worry at the sight and he quickly trotted closer. His claws became engulfed in a dark fire as he laid them over Jack's abdomen. The redhead hissed for a moment before the magic kicked in, sealing his wound and repairing his insides before further damage could be done.
"Thanks." Jack breathed. He gave a small gasp when Chase unexpectedly nuzzled him.
"I've lost you too many times already, Spicer. I won't lose you again." growled the everlord, tail lashing behind him.
"O-okay?" Jack's confusion was plain in his voice and a blush crossed his face.
"Are you two done yet?" They looked up. Past!Chase was standing in the doorway of the lab. He didn't look impressed but Chase could tell that he had a questioning look in his eyes.
"Yes." The future dragon took a step back, "Spicer is fine now."
"Thanks to you." Jack spoke, "What the hell was that about?"
"As I understand it, it seems your future self is the reason you've been dying over and over." Chase replied, "And it seems I'll have to make one more trip to the future to figure things out."
"You're leaving?" Fear was plain to see on Jack's face.
"I've asked my past self to keep you safe in my stead." Chase glanced at his younger self, who was now descending the stairs into the lab. He added, "And where is that witch?"
"She fled when my, uh, future self showed up. He also released an EMP, disabling all my bots, so I'm kinda defenseless at the moment." Jack sounded both embarrassed and impressed.
"Before you go," began Past!Chase, "Shouldn't you drink some of the soup?" In the younger's hand was the can of Lao Mang Lone soup that Chase had been holding, before realizing Jack was about to get murdered. The future dragon shook his head.
"Keep it. I won't need it if I'm returning to my own time."
"Are you certain?" For once, his past self looked genuinely concerned. Chase nodded.
"I'll be fine." He took a few steps away from them and, using a little magic, pulled the Sands of Time from where they had been stashed in a pocket in his human form. Chase turned and looked at the two past selves. His tail lashed behind him.
"I'm going to fix this. I promise. Sands of Time!"
Chase knew that the Eagle Scope helped narrow the information gleaned from the Fountain of Hui, so it only made sense that the Wu would also help solidify the future seen by the Crystal Glasses. He just had to go take the Wu from the Xiaolin. And right now, he was in no mood to ask nicely. Had it only been a little over a week since he'd asked for the Sands of Time? It felt like months had passed.
"Chase Young!" Feeling his anger quickly skyrocket, Chase turned his snout towards the monks. He glared at them vehemently, standing a few steps from the building where the Vault was kept.
"Are you trying to steal from us in broad daylight?" Kimiko asked, surprised.
"Unless you wish to be torn limb from limb," Chase snarled and his tail whipped, "you will stay out of my way, monks."
"It is our job to keep you from taking the Shen Gong Wu!" Omi cried. But before the little monk could attack, Clay picked him up and kept his tucked under an arm. Omi demanded, "Clay! What are you doing?!"
"I don't know 'bout you, li'l buddy, but I don't think Chase is in any mood to play games." said the cowboy, "Probably best to stay out of his way. He looks angrier than a polecat 'bout to spray somethin' fierce."
"Quite correct." Chase hissed, "I would suggest the rest of you listen to him." Chase then turned and entered the building without another glance at the monks. With a strong punch, he had the steps sliding down with no need for chimes and bounded down them to grab the two Shen Gong Wu he needed. When Jack was safe, he'd return the Wu. He kept his promises, after all, and he would return the Eagle Scope and the Crystal Glasses along with the Sands of Time when he was done. But for now they were his, and they would help him figure out what was going on.
One teleport later and he was in his lair. His fallen warriors could sense his anger and didn't bother to approach him, though he was sure they were curious about why he lugged around the Wu in his draconic form rather than his human self. Once Jack was safe, Chase would eat and explain and return to normal. Seeing as Jack was not safe yet, Chase ignored everything else and focused on fixing things.
"Crystal Glasses and Eagle Scope!" The Crystal Glasses were over his eyes as he peered into the Eagle Scope. Chase tried to focus on the thought of Future!Jack in hopes that it would help push the Crystal Glasses into showing him that particular timeline. The landscape swirled for a few moments before it settled, and Chase could finally see what had sent Future!Jack off the deep end.
Jack's hand gripped Chase's tightly as they ran. They were in a futuristic-looking fortress of some kind, made of shiny metal all over. While Chase appeared to be the same age as always, Jack was at least five years older than he had been in the present. They both were wearing prison uniforms, though a collar of some kind was secured around Chase's neck and the same time-traveling device was around Jack's arm, albeit in much better condition. However, before they could run any farther, dozens of small robots blocked their way. They seemed to be about the same size as present-day Jackbots, but then looked almost nothing like them. They were like smooth white balls with highlights of yellow to them and had four spider-like appendages. One of them began to speak and it sounded so smooth, it was as if it didn't come from a robot.
"Where do you think you're going, Master?" The title was given with a sneer. Jack and Chase didn't give an answer, instead trying to turn and go back the way they'd come. They were blocked by more of the strange white robots and Jack gave a growl.
"We're leaving, Chameleon-Bot!" Jack snapped.
"It's Roquefort now, you know that." answered another of the bots, "And where will you go when you leave?"
"It doesn't matter if we can get out of here!" The albino moved to mess with the device on his arm. Clearly it had been an action of last resort, as neither human was able to see another way to escape. But the bots wouldn't let them get away so easily. The flash of a laser and Jack cried out in pain as part of the machine sparked from damage. Chase's eyes flashed and he snarled, but there was no transformation. Another of the bots laughed, though this voice was different from Chameleon-Bot's. It basically mimicked Jack's, giving no doubt to who was now about to speak.
"You really think we didn't notice?" Robo-Jack's voice chuckled, "We know you better than anyone! It was only a matter of time before you'd try to make something to help you escape. And you even brought the itty bitty dragon with you! What, is the warlord gonna throw another fit when he can't even change his skin to scales?"
Chase's eyes narrowed.
"You accounted for Jack trying to cobble something together, but not me." With that, Chase took something from a pocket and threw it to the ground and Jack ducked. Similar to an EMP, a pulse of electricity was released, frying many of the robots that had cornered them. A few even short off more lasers in their death throes, and Chase cried out as one of said lasers lashed his side. That hadn't been expected.
"Chase!" Jack leapt up to steady Chase.
"We need to go, Jack, before they send more." Chase spoke. But upon taking a few steps, Chase nearly collapsed. Jack had no choice but to lower him to the ground, the everlord's hand pressed tightly to his side. It was beginning to stain the pale uniform with a lot of blood.
"C'mon, I can try teleporting us out of here-" Jack messed with the device on his arm again, despite the sparks.
"No. I'm getting weaker, Jack. I don't think I'll be able to make the trip."
"Of course you can!"
"You made these robots, Jack." Chase growled through his wounds, "Only you can destroy them. You built them, so only you know how to get rid of them."
"Chase-!"
"Jack." Chase grabbed the young man's arm in a bruising grip. His golden eyes were fogged with pain, even as he commanded, "Use the time machine. Leave without me. I don't care what has to be done, as long as you find a way to stop this madness. I'll buy you time, just fix this."
"I'm not leaving without you! You'll die!" Jack's hand touched the collar around Chase's neck, eyes not daring to flick down and see all the blood coming from the everlord.
"You have to." Chase's eyes softened, "If you stop this future, then I'll be fine. You know that." He moved his hand to the back of Jack's head and tugged him closer, enough for their foreheads to touch. Chase added, "I love you, Jack. Do whatever it takes to stop them, and we can continue where we left off."
"...We won't remember."
"Does it matter at this point?"
"I guess not." Tears fell from Jack's eyes. His body shook slightly with held-in sobs and he kissed Chase's lips. He hiccupped, "I love you too, Chase. I'll fix this. I promise."
After returning to the present, Chase—still in his dragon form—hunted down and destroyed Chameleon-Bot. He was too focused on his task to notice that, for the first time in almost two weeks, Jack was in the present, alive and well. The evil genius was also horrified as Chase gutted the robot and flattened its head.
"What are you doing?! Chase!"
"I am keeping you safe, Spicer!" snarled the everlord, glad to finally have something he can take his anger out on. As he crushed the machine's artificial skull, he demanded, "And where is Robo-Jack?!"
"He's deactivated in the cabinet-" Chase lifted the heavy metal structure with ease and threw the entire cabinet at the stone wall of the lab, causing Jack to shriek, "WHAT THE FUCK?!"
Just to be sure the offending robot was no longer working, the everlord pulled apart the metal doors that had been crushed, reached inside, and squeezed Robo-Jack's head and chest to the skin-crawling sound of metal squealing. Finally satisfied that the threats were dealt with, Chase turned to Jack.
"Never add an emotion chip or use artificial intelligence to create one of these monsters again! No more Chameleon-Bots, no Robo-Jacks! Do you hear me, Spicer?!"
"I don't-"
"Do you understand, Jack?!" Chase was one misplaced word away from tackling Jack to get his point across. Jack yelped and cowered, holding up shaking hands.
"Yes! I understand!"
"Good!" Chase took a moment to look around himself and he felt a surge of magic in the air. It was like he'd finally taken his eyes away from a kaleidoscope and he was able to view everything normally again. The timeline was restored, though whether or not it was the same as before was doubtful. Chase didn't have any messed up memories to indicate as such, but Jack… "Spicer, how do you feel?"
"Eh?" Jack opened an eye. When he realized he wasn't going to be attacked, he lowered his hands and straightened up.
"I asked, how do you feel?"
"I…guess I feel fine? Why are you asking?"
"What do you remember from the past two years?"
Jack quirked his eyebrow, but the teenager looked away, genuinely thinking. He shook his head and shrugged.
"The usual, I guess? You hating me, then we got close, all the shit in this conflict, yada yada yada. Is there something specific I should be looking for?"
"Is there no memory of two of me?" Chase frowned.
"Two of you?" Jack frowned back, "Not that I can recall."
"Then I suppose it worked." Chase looked at the remains of the two robots, "You won't rebuild either of them. Your life is finally safe and things have been fixed."
"What are you talking about?" Jack took a step forward, then hesitated. Noticing this, Chase lowered his head, showing Jack he wasn't a threat. The redhead came closer and put his hands on Chase's face, gently rubbing the scales. The everlord found himself rumbling a growl of happiness at the touch.
"It's a long story."
"Hey, seeing as you barged into my lab and destroyed some of my robots, I deserve an explanation, no matter how long you think it is." There was no bite to Jack's voice. Chase sighed.
"Very well." Chase allowed himself to lay on the floor of the lab and Jack wasn't far behind. The goth kept rubbing and scratching his scales as Chase relayed the events of the past two weeks. Jack was silent the entire time, but his expressions weren't. Chase carefully watched them cross Jack's face as he explained, with the albino running the gamut of emotions as Chase continued to talk. It was a lot to take in, he knew, and at one point he asked if Jack wished to stop but the goth denied it and urged the dragon to continue, and so Chase did. He finished with what he had seen in the future with the help of the Shen Gong Wu, adding, "As best I can figure, you went crazy at some point, Spicer. Instead of trying to get rid of Chameleon-Bot or Robo-Jack, you thought killing yourself was the best action you could take. The contraption you were using had gotten damaged in the flight from the future, so perhaps its time-traveling capabilities weren't entirely safe to use."
"The fuck." was all Jack said. For the first time in ages, Chase chuckled.
"You took the words from my mouth, Spicer."
"Jack. Please, just…call me Jack. After all this shit, I think it's about time you called me by my name."
At another point in time, Chase would've been irritated that Jack demanded this of him. The redhead didn't get to choose what Chase called him. But after all this? Jack deserved the right. Chase nuzzled him.
"Very well, Jack."
"And I know I was just facing death before you fixed things, but why are you still in your dragon form?"
A pause.
"...I might be running on lack of Lao Mang Lone soup and anxiety that's plagued me for the past two weeks." Chase admitted.
"Seriously?"
"I had to save you. The soup didn't matter if it meant you would be okay faster."
"Now you're just sounding sappy." Jack pointed out. Chase's tail swished lazily.
"A price to pay to show my love."
"Love?" Jack's voice wobbled. Chase licked him, seeing as his draconic form didn't have lips to kiss with.
"I want you for more than sex, Jack Spicer. And with me running low on sanity, do you think I would lie about this?"
"N-no, I guess not." Jack's hand moved lower to scratch Chase's belly and the immortal dragon warlord found himself purring at the action. Jack smiled, "Let's get you some of your special soup and some sleep and then we can talk more about everything."
Dear Master Fung,
Here are the Sands of Time, Eagle Scope, and Crystal Glasses. Thank you for allowing me to borrow these. I know you do not remember, but I have finally fixed the timeline. As part of my promise, your Wu have been returned.
If you have any questions, please send me a letter. I will gladly explain everything.
Chase Young
"Why did a JackBot deliver you Shen Gong Wu from Chase Young?" Dojo asked.
"He must have his reasons." replied Fung, "Perhaps he would like to talk over tea."
Notes:
1) Kadeer (Arabic) - Capable, competent
2) I understand that Jack knew Chase before they met, probably through research, but in this case I'd like to imagine that he doesn't so early in the conflict.
3) Okay, so, I know this is fudging it for the story, but seriously. An avalanche can be deadly, and to have it in the middle of a Showdown? I feel like that would be a good excuse for someone to die, along with having one in an active volcano. Showdowns have probably killed people before, so it's probably not too much of a stretch for Jack, the monks, etc. to have literally narrowly avoided death at times and not realized it, so why not give a consequence to it?
As for how Omi survived, I imagine that merging back together from the Ring of Nine Dragons caused some heat, allowing the snow to become weaker and so Omi was able to make his way out. I don't know if Jack would've been that lucky.
4) The first episode of Xiaolin Showdown aired November 1, 2003 (090103).
5) It might just be me, but I don't see why you couldn't use the Eagle Scope with other Shen Gong Wu that need help focusing, not just the Fountain of Hui.
6) In case you guys might not know this, 'polecat' in Southern slang means 'skunk.'
7) I'm not entirely sure if it's spelled 'Lao Mang Lone' or 'Lao Mang Long,' so please correct me if I'm wrong.
Whelp, that's the end of it. I haven't written a fic this long in a WHILE, let alone for a fandom I haven't touched in five years, and it's all because a certain immortal dragon warlord couldn't stop giving me ideas to make the fic longer. I just hope that means I'll be writing more often for you guys. Either way, I hope you've enjoyed this fic!