The Xiaolin Dragon King: Third Arc

by Unicornblossem13

After sealing Hannibal Bean in the Ying-Yang World, Xiaolin Dragon King Juno and her Shoku Warriors find themselves enjoying a time of relative peace. They even take on a young monk, Ping-Pong, to be the new Xiaolin Dragon of Wood. However, their peace is disturbed by the appearance of Chase's new apprentice, the highly ambitious and power-hungry Shadow.

1. New Monk on the Block

Hello, my beloved readers, it's so great to see you all again for the next part of the Xiaolin Dragon King series. This story takes place sometime after the Second Arc, with the monks now being Shoku Warriors. Now, this arc is based on the Xiaolin Chronicles series, but very loosely as I will not be following it exactly. There will be new allies, enemies, Shen Gong Wu, and many more. I hope you're all ready for an all-new adventure.

By the way, I highly recommend reading the First and Second Arcs before reading this story. Well, I will not keep you guys waiting any longer, let's get on with the show! Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC.

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The Xiaolin Dragon King: Third Arc

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Chapter One: New Monk on the Block

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The bright, morning sun shone down on the forest below. It was made up entirely of full-grown, cherry blossom trees, their pink petals swaying in the gentle breeze that blew. In the very center of this forest was a small clearing. And inside that clearing, two people were kneeling down in front of each other.

One of them was a beautiful young woman with long, brilliant crimson red hair and golden eyes that had cat-like pupils. She was dressed in white and the jade dragon pink that was tucked into the bun at the back of her head sparkled in the sunlight.

The other person was also very beautiful, a man with rather effeminate facial features. He had long, pure white hair that almost reached to his knees and crystal blue eyes that had slit pupils. His attire considered of white robes that covered his feet and nearly concealed his hands from view, a dark blue obi around his waist. Sticking out of his hair, on either side of his head, were a pair of brown antlers that had four short points on each one.

"Can you still drink sake as you are now, Master Xiaolin?" the redhead, Juno, questioned as she grabbed the sake bottle that was between them and poured the liquid into two small cups.

"I can still remember the taste." the man, Xiaolin, replied as he picked up one of the cups and lifted it up to his mouth, taking a small sip. "That is good enough for me." he smiled a little. "I do love the new scenery you came up for us, Juno." he looked at the cherry blossom petals that broke from the tree limbs and floated to the ground.

"I've got a good enough imagination." she said, picking up the other cup.

"Forgive my suddenness, but how goes your search? For Mei?"

Juno's hand froze just as her cup was about to touch her lips. She was silent for a moment, her eyes staring back at her in the liquid. "Not so good." she finally answered, tilting her head back and gulping down all of her sake. A small sigh escaped her as she lowered the cup. "We've been trying to find something for a whole month, but... it's been so many years, there's practically nothing to go on. That's be expected, though. I've tried to not get my hopes up, but a part of me is just..."

"I understand." Xiaolin said. "When it comes to someone you love so dearly, you cling to the desire to see them again, even when it seems certain you never will. I have some experience with that, myself."

"You, Master Xiaolin? You have a girlfriend you've never mentioned to me?" the redhead was very interested.

"Now, now, I'm entitled to a few secrets of my own, Juno." he smiled.

"Aw." she pouted a little. "Fine, you can be mysterious for now. But, one day, I'm going to get you to spill."

The white-haired man let out a small laugh. "Changing the subject, how are your monks doing?"

"The kids are great, they've been getting the hang of their new Shoku powers. Plus, Omi is happy to be hanging out more with Dashi since he's decided to come around the temple more."

"The young monk was very excited to know he was related to him, was he not?"

"He really was, even fainting on the spot when he found out. I am glad he's gotten the chance to know more about his family, though far extended it is."

"Speaking of family, what about Chase Young? Are you still bitter with him because he took on a new apprentice?" Xiaolin asked.

"It's the fact his new apprentice is a woman that pisses me off." Juno told him. "Even though he told me he wouldn't get a female one next time." she sighed. "Well, either way, I'm more or less over it. But I have been letting him stew for a while so he regrets what he did."

"That's my girl." the original Xiaolin Dragon King smiled approvingly. "But please do let me know if there is anything I can do to help to make him regret his decisions even more."

"If I let you take over, you'll probably go overboard."

"Well, I did give him a warning about hurting you again."

"It's fine, Master Xiaolin, really." the redhead reassured, getting to her feet. "If there's one thing I trust in this world more than anything, it's Chase's feelings for me."

"He is indeed very devoted to you." Xiaolin agreed, standing up as well. "Though a little obsession he can be."

"That's also true." Juno chuckled a bit. "I should probably be going now, I have some business to attend to today. Sorry to cut our conversation a little short."

"That is perfectly alright." the white-haired man said, taking her hands into his. "The work of the Xiaolin Dragon King is never done." he smiled kindly. "I look forward to your next visit, Juno."

"Same here, Master Xiaolin." she smiled back.

The two stared at one another in silence for a moment, then moved closer into an embrace. Even though he did not have his real body, Xiaolin still felt as warm as Juno remembered. She always felt safe in his arms, as if nothing in the world could hurt her so long as she was with him.

A strong wind picked up, causing many cherry blossom petals to fly around them. They circled the pair until they were obscured in a cyclone of bright pink.

---

Juno opened her eyes. Standing up from her meditative position on the wooden floor, she stretched her arms over her head. Then she looked down and smiled at the red dragon mark on her left breast.

"Good talk as always, Master Xiaolin. Until next time."

Walking to the door of the training room, the redhead slid it open and stepped out into the hallway. Soon enough, she made her way out onto the veranda of the building she was in. She placed her hands on the railing and looked up at the blue sky, enjoying the feeling of the gentle breeze that blew.

Every since she sealed away Hannibal Roy Bean, the demon who killed her many years ago, things have been reasonably peaceful for her and her Shoku Warriors. While they still had their dealings with Jack Spicer and Wuya, who was still trapped in her ghost form, it was nothing they couldn't handle. It really has been a good month.

However, it wasn't all happiness. And it wasn't just because her husband got a new female apprentice. Before she left him in the Ying-Yang World, Hannibal Bean told Juno that her daughter, Mei, was still alive. All this time, she believed her child had lost her life when the demon had dropped her into a ravine over fifteen hundred years ago. She didn't want to believe him, he was infamous for his use of manipulation to get what he wanted, but she couldn't help the spark of hope that ignited in her chest on the slim chance he was telling the truth.

When Juno told Chase, they decided to try and see if they could locate their lost daughter. They searched the ravine, thinking she somehow survived the strong flowing water. Once that proved to be a useless endeavor, they switched to a different method. They traveled nearly all over China, even trying other parts of the world, asking people if they have seen a girl with dark green hair, golden eyes, and a reptile tail. The Shoku Warriors, Grand Master Dashi, and Master Monk Guan joined in their quest, but even the combined efforts of everyone did nothing to help.

As time went on, Juno began to lose hope. It had been centuries since Mei was gone, things were so much different now than how they were before. Finding her was a pipe dream at this point. It would seem Hannibal Bean had lied to her once again.

The redhead sighed, her crestfallen gaze on the ground. Suddenly, a blur of red, orange, and yellow zoomed past, making her step back in surprise.

"What the?" she looked up towards the sky, seeing the blur becoming more clear and standing out against the blue background. "Kaze."

"Hey, Juno." Dojo greeted as he slithered over, climbing up the railing to be closer to her height. "Kaze and I were getting some flying practice in today."

"I can see that." Juno said, looking at the firebird flying around in every way he could go. "He's really improved, hasn't he?"

"They go up so fast." the dragon wiped away a proud tear that leaked from his eye.

"That they do." the female warrior smiled. She held out her arm and the phoenix flew down towards her. He landed on the lower length of her body part, making sure his sharp, black talons didn't sink into her skin. She lifted up her other hand and scratched his head gently, making him let out a happy chirp.

It was hard to believe how much he had grown during the month. While he was still some ways from being a full-grown phoenix, Kaze was no longer the small, slightly plump chick he was he first bonded with Raimundo. He was larger, about half the size of a peregrine falcon, and thinner. The colors of his feathers, body, and tail were becoming more vibrant every day. His emerald green eyes shined brightly, too. All in all, he was becoming quite an attractive bird. And he was aware of it.

His owner's personality had rubbed off on Kaze a bit. When he finally learned how to fly on his own, he made a show of it by doing all sorts of spins and loops in the air. Additionally, he always had a proud look on his face whenever he caught any mice or other small vermin that wandered around the temple. At least he helped to keep the rodent and insect population to a minimum. He also learned to keep his fire powers under control, a huge relief to everyone as they no longer had to worry about replacing the wood every time the young phoenix spontaneously combusted.

"What are the kids up to right now?" Juno asked, giving the firebird one more scratch on the head.

"Oh, they're getting some training in." Dojo answered. "Kaze's not the only one who's improved in his abilities."

Kaze let out a squawk, flapping his wings a couple of times before flying off the redhead's arm. Letting the dragon slither up to her shoulder, she walked off the veranda and followed the phoenix as he sailed through the air. He took her to the area that was used for outdoor training, immediately seeing her four Shoku Warriors.

"Shoku Tsunami Water!" Omi shot himself forward with a jet of water shooting out from his feet. He maneuvered and avoided the row of large, swinging axe blades that were set out before him. When he made it through, he did a flip and landed on his feet. A second later, he jumped out of the way of the spears that were shot at him.

"Shoku Venus Fire!" Kimiko launched herself into the air with a burst of flames. She did a couple of flips before grabbing a hook that was hanging over a length of water by a rope. Five mechanical alligators shot out, snapping their wide jaws at her. She dodged them all, throwing a large ball of fire at them. As the metal reptiles exploded, the female monk released the hook, did one more flip, and landed gracefully on her feet.

Then, out of nowhere, a strong gust of wind blew from above her, making her black hair flare out.

"Rai!" the Japanese girl shouted, scowling at the figure of her boyfriend in the sky.

"Sorry, Kimi!" Raimundo called down to her, grinning as he sailed through the air. He looked ahead and saw a group of circular blades spinning towards him. He flew around the weapons, landing on the flat side of one of them and riding it like a surfboard. "Shoku Astro Wind!" he picked up speed and easily maneuvered around a group of long, spiked wooden logs set up vertically.

The wind gathered around the upper part of the logs and caused them to break into pieces. The Brazilian jumped off the circular blade and landed on the ground. He held up his hand and grabbed one of the small pieces of wood that were raining down. It was then used to pick at his teeth.

"Shoku Jupiter Earth!" Clay slammed his fists on the ground. Pieces of rock flew up around him and formed into a large sphere. Then he rolled across the area, moving around obstacle poles that were laid out.

He went towards an inclined ramp, shooting up into the air and going through large hoops positioned above. When he went through them all, he fell back to the ground. He quickly made contact, the stone sphere breaking apart and pieces of it flying out in all directions. When the dust that was kicked up cleared, it revealed the cowboy was positioned on one knee with his fist in the ground.

"Whoo, nice one, big guy!" Raimundo complimented as he gave over with the other two monks, clapping his friend on the back. "I would say this training session was a success."

"It was, but try to not leave my hair a tangled mess next time, okay?" Kimiko said as she tried to straighten her long tresses. Not that long ago, she had replaced her usual twintails with a different style. Now her hair was let down, flowing past her waist, while some of it was tied up in two buns on either side at the back of her head.

"Yeah, sorry about that again, Kimi." the Brazilian apologized.

"We have, once again, proven we are capable Shoku Warriors." Omi spoke up, looking quite proud.

"You really have, kids."

The monks looked over, seeing Juno walking over to them.

"I'm very happy to see that you've all mastered your Shoku abilities in such a short amount of time." the redhead smiled at them. "I also like knowing you're leading the training without being asked, Raimundo."

"I figured someone should do it while you're talking with Xiaolin." the Brazilian said as Kaze flew down and landed on his shoulder.

"How is Xiaolin doing?" Kimiko asked.

"Yes, have you told him how much progress we have made?" Omi added curiously.

"You bet I have." Juno answered, making the short monk beam happily. "And he's very impressed by you all. At this rate, it won't be long before you kids become official Xiaolin Dragons."

The Shoku Warriors all looked at one another and smiled. It was exciting to know they were one step closer to becoming even stronger. Having the Xiaolin Dragon King, the most powerful Xiaolin Warrior, as their leader also helped since she always had them strived to be the best they could be.

"So, Juno, what's on the agenda for today?" Clay asked. "Gonna teach us any new moves or anything?"

"Actually, I have my own plans." the redhead told him. "I have to make a delivery to the Lotus Clan in Europe."

"A delivery?" Kimiko questioned.

"They asked to borrow some scrolls that can only be found at our temple and Master Fung asked me to personally hand them over. Speaking of which..." she turned and saw the older monk coming their way, holding a small scroll box.

"Here are all the scrolls the Lotus Clan has requested, Master Juno." Master Fung handed the box to her.

"Thank you, Master Fung. I'll get these to them right away."

"Say no more." Dojo spoke up, moving off the redhead's shoulder to the ground. "Just give me a second to limber up and we can go." he stretched a bit, preparing to transform into his larger self.

"That won't be necessary, Dojo." Juno told him, making him stop. "I have another method of transportation in mind." she held the box in one hand and summoned her Xiaolin Dragon Blade in the other. Taking a moment to twirl it around, she slammed the spike end into the ground.

The ruby eyes of the golden dragon hand glowed and a giant, pure white glowing Chinese dragon shot out of the weapon. Long legs landed on the grass as dark midnight blue eyes, tiny, bright white star-shaped flecks in them, stared down at the group.

"I'm going to have Aura take me there." the female warrior informed as she released her Xiaolin Dragon Blade, making it disappear into thin air. "I've been trying to encourage him to get outside more."

The large mythical creature let out a low rumble from his throat, a slightly sour expression on his face.

"Well, excuse me for wanting you to have a social life, you introvert of a dragon." Juno retorted. "I cannot be your only friend in the world."

It almost seemed like Aura rolled his eyes at her, but he still lowed himself closer to the ground. The redhead went over to him and placed the box on his back.

"I'll be gone for a while, so you kids behave yourselves." Juno told the Shoku Warriors. "Raimundo, you're in charge until I get back."

"Yes, cannot wait to abuse this power." the Brazilian grinned as Kaze squawked.

"Just don't overdo it, okay?" she smiled. Then she climbed onto her dragon's back, sitting behind the scroll box.

"You gonna stop by and give Chase a visit?" Clay asked. "It's been a while since you've been at his place."

"Yeah, I think I've made him sweat long enough. I'll see him for a minute and then head to the Lotus Clan. I'll also tell him you all said 'hi'. Aura, let's get a move on."

"Bye, Juno!" the monks waved as the white dragon stood up and flew high into the air.

"I'm glad she's not angry at Chase anymore." Kimiko said when the mythical creature vanished from sight. "I was a little worried for a while."

"Indeed, Master Juno was most unhappy when she learned about his new apprentice." Omi remarked.

"Tell me about." Raimundo agreed. "I still remember the mountain that used to be over there." he pointed towards the distance, where there was a wide space between two mountains.

"I was scared she was gonna destroy a lot more than that." Clay interjected, scratching his cheek.

It was definitely a day none of them would soon forget. About a few days after they had defeated Hannibal Bean, Juno went to go see her husband at his lair. It didn't take very long for her to come back, and it was obvious she was not at all happy with the visit. They had asked her what was wrong, but the female warrior only lifted up her hand at the mountain in the distance and clenched it into a fist.

As the Shoku Warriors gapped in shock at the elevated portion of the Earth's crust that just exploded, she stomped off to her room and wasn't heard from for the rest of the day. It wasn't until the next morning, when the redhead was in a much calmer mood, she explained to them that Chase had gotten a new apprentice. A female apprentice named Shadow.

"You think he would know better than to take on another girl partner considering how Juno reacted the last time that happened." Kimiko said.

"He likes seeing her jealous." Raimundo told her. "Quite a few guys like it, it kinda gives them a reassurance of how much their girlfriends or wives love them."

"So you're going to hang out with girls just to make me jealous, Rai?" the Japanese girl asked with narrowed eyes.

"O-Of course not!" he immediately denied. "I'm not one of those guys."

"Mmhm." she gave him a blank stare before turning her back to him.

"Kimi!" the Brazilian placed his hands on her shoulders. "I swear, I'm not!"

Kimiko didn't reply, but she did give a small smile to herself. Her boyfriend was cute when he got worried.

"Well, ya'll don't think this Shadow lady would try to get between Juno and Chase, do you?" Clay asked.

"If that did happen, who knows what Juno would do to her." Dojo spoke up. "She has a hard time controlling herself when her anger reaches the boiling point."

"Master Juno's temper is most fearsome." Omi nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, but Chase is crazy loyal to her." Raimundo added, her arms now around his girlfriend's shoulders as she was leaning against him. "I'll bet he'll kick his apprentice to the curb if she oversteps her boundaries or something."

"That'll definitely make Juno happy." Kimiko giggled a bit. "But, for now, she'll be fine. Should we get back to training?"

"Yeah, that sounds good." the Brazilian responded, placing a kiss on her head before pulling back. " Let's try out a few more moves. Oh, and we got chores to do." he sighed sadly at the last part.

"The temple does not clean itself." the short monk told him as they went back to the training area.

"If only." he said, holding his girlfriend's hand along the way.

---

(Later, at Chase Young's lair)

Juno slipped off her dragon and placed her feet on the cliff outside of her husband's lair. She saw that the large stone entrance was already lowering to the ground.

"Don't tell me you've been by the door this whole time, waiting for me." the redhead said to her husband as he stepped out, crossing her arms under her ample chest.

"And if I was?" Chase replied, making his way towards her.

"Then I would be impressed, and flattered."

Behind the female warrior, Aura let out a low growl at the Heylin warrior, making him stop when he was halfway to his wife. His eyes were glaring down at him as he was floating in the air.

"It's okay, Aura." Juno told the dragon. "Why don't you take some time to relax?"

The pure white creature didn't move. But when the Xiaolin Dragon King smiled reassuringly at him, he slowly turned and flew down to the clearing below. He settled down on the ground and crossed his front legs, placing his large head down on them. His ears were still opened in case he was needed.

"He and Master Xiaolin aren't your biggest fans at the moment." the redhead said, looking back at her husband.

"Does that include you?"

"That depends." she walked over to him. "Are you sorry for getting a female apprentice even though you said you wouldn't get another one?"

"I'm sorry it made you angry with me, and that I didn't see you as much as I would like the past month." Chase told her. "But you are right, I did say I wouldn't take on another one. I apologize for breaking my promise to you."

"Well..." Juno tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's not like we made a deal in blood or anything. I was pissed, but I'm fine now. I just better not find out she's been trying to make a pass at you or I will destroy more than a mountain next time."

"Yes, I heard the explosion that day. Very impressive, as always, darling." the Heylin warrior smirked. "And there is no reason for you to worry, I am keeping Shadow's and my relationship completely master and apprentice."

"I know you are, and I'm happy to hear that." Juno smiled. "Though, I am still a little bothered that my husband keeps bringing women to live with him."

"Perhaps we can fix that. Would you moving in put your mind at more ease?"

"I think I might seriously consider that." the female warrior said, putting her arms around his neck and pressing her body closer to his. "Just to make extra sure she's keeping her hands off you."

"If it's any consolation, we've been busy with training. Shadow does have quite the potential for being a decent evildoer, she's power-hungry enough." Chase wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I do not want to hear you praising her now or ever."

"My apologies, darling. By the way, how are the monks doing?"

"The kids are fine, I think they miss having you around the temple. By the way, they say 'hi'. Maybe you should pay them a visit later."

"I think I will, I've gotten used to their rowdy and troublesomeness."

"Aw, that's sweet."

The couple stared at one another for a while before leaning and kissing. They stayed like that, enjoying the moment. Eventually, they had to separate for air and pull back, looking at each other lovingly.

Juno smiled as Chase planted multiple kisses on the side of her face, feeling him rub her head affectionately. She placed her chin on his shoulder contently, nuzzling into his neck. Her golden eyes stared at him before drifting off to look behind him, only for her expression to sour an instant later. "If you keep staring, I'm going to have to charge you money."

"So sorry, dearie, I just didn't know when to interrupt such a... loving moment." responded a feminine, Australian-accented voice.

The Heylin warrior separated from his wife and turned around, seeing his apprentice sitting on top of a rock. "Shadow."

"I didn't except the great Xiaolin Dragon King herself to be coming over." the blue-haired woman hopped to her feet and walked over to the couple. "I would have put on my good armor."

"I highly doubt there's anything good about you, miss wanna-be villain." Juno retorted, hands on her hips.

"Fiesty as ever, aren't you, love?" Shadow smirked, standing a few feet away from the redhead who was a little shorter than her. "I haven't seen you in a while, I almost forgot what your pretty face looks likes."

"I find that hard to believe, I have a very memorable face." the female warrior flipped some of her hair over her shoulder. "However, I'm having a difficult time remembering why exactly Chase took you on as an apprentice. I mean, from my perspective, you're not exactly any different from the dozens of other people trying to be top-notch villains."

"Simply because he sees the potential I've got that others don't."

"Well, then we must both be going blind. Because I really can't see anything special about you at all." Juno smiled brightly. She and Shadow narrowed their eyes at one another, lightning crackling between them.

"Shadow." Chase intervened. "I will thank you to not try and annoy my wife, it will only end badly for you."

The redhead smirked when the blue-haired woman clicked her tongue. "As much as I would like to stay and see you get scolded, I have an errand to run." she turned to her husband. "I'll see you later."

"Indeed you will, darling." he said as she grabbed either side of his face and pulled him in for a kiss.

Shadow gagged a little, sticking her tongue out as their own tongues clashed together. When the couple pulled apart, they embraced warmly. Juno looked at the other woman and smiled sweetly, holding up her hand and curling down her fingers until only her middle one was sticking out. The Heylin apprentice growled lowly, glaring heatedly at her.

"Time for me to take my leave." the redhead stepped back from her husband and went to the edge of the cliff.

In the clearing below, Aura was still laying down, but was now surrounded by a small herd of deer. They had wandered onto him by chance and were high on guard when they saw him. However, when he showed no sign of hurting them, they moved closer and grazed carefreely. A couple even laid down next to the dragon. He didn't mind their company, they were quiet and peaceful. It was quite enjoyable.

"Aura!"

Upon hearing his name, the mythical creature almost immediately lifted his head up towards the cliff. He saw Juno looking down and waving at him.

"Time to hit the road, big guy!"

Aura turned his attention to the deer for a moment, letting out a low rumble to tell them he had to leave now. One of them, a doe that was laying next to him, let out a small grunt. Then she leaned up and gave the end of his giant muzzle a small lick. The dragon released a small, purr-like sound before getting to his feet. He soon took to the air.

"Bye~" Juno waved at the two villains before jumping over the edge.

A second later, Aura flew by, the redhead on his back and holding onto the scroll box.

"She's as pleasant as always." Shadow said to herself as the dragon flew off, soon vanishing from sight.

"Only to the people she likes." Chase told her. "And she doesn't like you."

"I knew that the day I met her. What do you see in her other than her power and looks?"

"If you don't understand now, then you won't even if I tell you." he turned around, heading towards the entrance of his lair. "Now come, we have work to do."

"Are we still going along with the plan?" she asked, following him.

"It's a part of your training, so yes. Completing the task I have given you will be helpful in your progress of becoming a true Heylin warrior."

"Does this mean I'll be as powerful as you someday?" Shadow asked. "Maybe even as powerful as... Juno?"

Chase actually let out a laugh. "Believe me, no one can match her level. Well, except for me. Anyway, it would be wise if you forget such a thing, because you won't be able to be as strong as she is."

'We'll see about that.' the Heylin apprentice thought as they stepped into the lair, letting out a small smirk.

The stone door rose up and closed behind them.

---

(Later, in Europe)

Aura was laying outside the Lotus Clan temple while Juno was delivering the scrolls. It was smaller than the Xiaolin Temple, but it was an impressive structure nonetheless.

"We are honored to have you deliver these scrolls to our temple personally, Xiaolin Dragon King Juno."

"It was really no trouble at all." the redhead told the head monk as they were walking around. "I'm happy to get the chance to see your amazing temple for myself."

"We are quite proud of it." the older man smiled as they passed by the training area. "Our monks work hard so they can assist in the fight against evil."

"That I can see." she said as they came to a stop, watching the monks that were practicing their martial arts on various training equipment. "I'll have to bring my Shoku Warriors here one day, I'm sure they would love to see it."

Then, out of the corner of her eye, Juno saw a small blur dart across the area. It went to a training dummy, hitting it a few times in a rapid session, and went to the next one. It was moving so fast, one would have missed it if they blinked.

"You have noticed our youngest monk." the head monk said. "Light on his feet, wouldn't you say?"

"I would say." the redhead replied, trying to keep her eyes on the blur. "Even I'm having a bit of trouble keeping up with him."

"Would you like to meet him? He would be very interested in meeting you."

"Yes, please." Juno smiled.

"Young monk!" the older man called. "Come here, would you? Someone would like to speak with you."

The blur left the current training dummy it was at and hurried over to the two, coming to an abrupt halt in front of them. The female warrior looked down and blinked in surprise. The young monk was quite short, about half the size of Omi, to who he bore an incredible resemblance. He had the same yellow skin tone, facial features, dark eyes, and a big, round bald head. Over his eyes were a pair of large, circular green glasses.

"Bonjour!" the boy greeted in a slight French accent.

"Young monk, this here is-"

"The Xiaolin Dragon King, Juno!" he cut off the head monk, looking at the redhead with wide, shining eyes. "Ooooh, I am most honored to meet you!" he became to bounce around her in obvious excitement. "I have so many questions I wish to ask you! What brings you to our temple? Can I have your autograph? What is your favorite food? Which foot do you put your shoe on first in the morning?"

"Spirited, isn't he?" the older man chuckled as the boy continued to ask question after question. "He is a very big fan of you and your Shoku Warriors, always wanting to hear about your adventures."

"You don't say?" Juno replied. She held out her hand and caught the young monk by the top of his head, holding him in place. "Why don't I ask you a question now?" she crouched down and placed him on the ground in front of her. "What's your name?"

"Oh, forgive my rudeness. I am Boris Antonio Rolf Jean-Pierre Gaulle LeGrang IV!"

"Quite a mouth-full there." she remarked. "How about I call you... Ping-Pong? Because you bounce around so quickly like a cute little ping-pong ball?" she smiled.

The boy gasped. "A nickname given to me by Master Juno? Magnifique!" he jumped up and down. "Thank you! Thank you! Oooh, I am so happy I can barely contain myself. Please excuse me!" he darted away and went over to a training dummy, landing punches and kicks on it that were too quick to see.

"He's quite something." Juno said as she stood up straight. "Reminds me of a certain little monk I know, even looks like him a great deal. I wonder..."

"Boris, I mean, Ping-Pong has grown up in the temple." the head monk told her. "He was orphaned here when he was a baby and we have raised him ever since. He is one of our best students, but I am afraid we do not have more we can teach him. I know he could use something new, though, to put his energy into."

The Xiaolin Dragon King watched Ping-Pong as he was going from one training dummy to the other, landing fast hits on them. She focused her eyes more and she saw his aura, which was green. She could tell his aura was strong, stronger than the other monks that were training. Not only that, but the dragon mark on her chest pulsed lightly the longer she stared at him.

"Hmm, very interesting." Juno said to herself.

"Master Juno?" the head monk blinked as she walked over to the young boy.

"Ping-Pong."

He immediately stopped when he heard her call his name, halfway to delivering a kick to a training dummy. He dropped to the ground. "Yes, Master Juno?"

"I know this is sudden, but I have a request." Juno told him as she stood over him, crossing her arms.

"What is it? I would be most happy to fulfill it."

"Would you please spar with me for a bit?"

"Huh?"

---

The young monk and female warrior were standing opposite each other on the training field. The head monk and everyone else of the temple had gathered to the sidelines to watch. It was quite a surprise to hear that the Xiaolin Dragon King had asked to spar with the bald boy. Aura had also caught wind of what was going on and now looking over the wall of the temple to get a better look.

"I expect you to give me your all, Ping-Pong." Juno told him, taking a stance.

"Oui, Master Juno!" Ping-Pong responded, also positioning himself to fight.

The two stared each other down, waiting for the perfect time to strike. A gentle breeze blew as no one in the area made a sound, eager to see what would happen. Then, a moment later, the Ping-Pong shot forward, running fast towards Juno.

Halfway across the field, he jumped and aimed a kick at her. The redhead held up her hand and easily blocked the attack. He did not let that stop him and threw out more kicks and punches. She deflected all of them, too, her reflexes nearly perfectly matched with his. When he shot his foot out once more, she blocked it with crossed arms. Then she pushed him back, sending him into the air.

Ping-Pong regained himself and landed on his feet. He charged at her again, but began to run around her in a circle at full speed this time. Juno followed his movements as best she could, but he was moving so fast that it looked like there was more than one of him. Then he suddenly disappeared from her line of sight. She turned left and right, not seeing him anywhere. Out of nowhere, she heard a shout from above and pulled back her head. The young monk had jumped into the air and was now falling back towards her feet first.

The redhead backflipped out of the line of fire, making him hit the ground instead. Before he could react, she lowered herself and swung out her leg, hitting him and sending him flying. The young monk landed and tumbled across the training field. He stood up, adjusted his glasses, and looked back at the female warrior. Jumping a second later, he narrowly avoided her fist as it crashed into the spot he was in. Seeing a chance, Ping-Pong twisted his body and threw a punch at her face. However, Juno caught his attack, holding it in her hand.

He didn't falter, though, as he swung around to kick her. The female warrior merely moved her head to the side, easily avoiding it. Then she spun around and threw him high into the air. She jumped after him and was on him in an instant. Lifting up her leg, she slammed the heel of her foot down on the young monk. Ping-Pong quickly held up his arms to protect himself from the attack. He managed to do it, but he was still sent crashing back down to the ground.

The glasses-wearer groaned as Juno landed beside him. She stared at him silently for a moment before smiling and leaning down, holding out her hand. He blinked twice, soon giving a smile himself and grabbing her outstretched body part, letting her pull him to his feet.

"I can see why you're the best student of the temple, Ping-Pong." the redhead told him, crouching down in front of him. "You're very talented and skilled."

"Oh, merci, Master Juno." Ping-Pong beamed happily. "And you are as amazing as I knew you would be! Thank you for giving me the honor of sparring you." he bowed to her.

"You know, I actually tested you a little, too."

"Tested?" he straightened out and looked at her.

"Yes, and you passed." she smiled at him. "Ping-Pong, would you like to come with me to the Xiaolin Temple and become one of my Xiaolin Warriors?"

The young monk stared at her, almost as if he didn't hear her. When he finally processed what she said, his expression became one of bewilderment. "Eh?!"

"Seeing how you fight, you have what it takes." Juno said. "Not only that, but I can also see you're meant to be a Xiaolin Dragon." she lifted up her hand and placed a finger on his forehead, making three dots that were lined up vertically appear. "The Xiaolin Dragon of Wood."

Ping-Pong could do nothing but gape in disbelief. This was certainly something he had not expected to happen.

"You should do it, young monk." the head monk intervened as he came over.

"Master..."

"This would be an incredible opportunity for you. Master Juno can teach you much more than what we could here."

"The decision is entirely up to you, Ping-Pong." Juno told him. "But I would love for you to come with me and help fight against evil. I understand, though, if you need time to think about it."

Ping-Pong thought about it right now. On one hand, the temple had been his home for as long as he could remember, he had never thought about leaving it. It would be strange to just go and take up roots in a new, strange place. Then again, he was being asked by the Xiaolin Dragon King herself to come along and be a part of the Xiaolin Warriors, people he has admired terribly and has always wanted to be like for a long time.

Looking back at the female warrior, the short monk saw she was waiting for him to make a response. He had been wanting to try something new since he learned all he could at the temple. And, now, he had the chance to become a better warrior. It would be foolish to not take it.

"Yes." Ping-Pong finally said. "I would love to go with you to become a true Xiaolin Warrior, Master Juno! It would be my honor!"

"I'm so happy to hear that." Juno smiled widely. "You're going to love it at the temple."

"Keep in mind, though, that this temple will always be your home, young monk." the head monk told the young boy, giving him a kind smile. "And you are welcomed back anytime."

"Thank you, Master." the glasses-wearer said appreciatively and bowed to him. "I will forever be grateful to you and your kindness."

"Do take care of yourself, Ping-Pong. Become the great warrior I know you are meant to be." the older man bowed back.

"Shall we go and pack your things, Ping-Pong?" Juno asked. "You can say goodbye to everyone before we leave."

"Oh, yes, Master Juno, I would like that. Thank you."

The redhead smiled, she couldn't wait for him to meet the others.

---

(Later, at the Xiaolin Temple)

"Your stance is good, but your hands need to be positioned more like this." Chase told Raimundo, moving his hands to how they should be holding the hilt of the Blade of the Nebula. "And adjust your grip a bit, you should feel a difference."

"Yeah, I do." the Brazilian said. "Thanks, Chase."

"Let's practice your fighting style like this. You still have a ways to go, but you are indeed becoming a strong swordsman."

"Stronger than you?" the young man asked with a slight grin.

"Hmm." the Heylin warrior stared at him before giving a small smile. "We'll see." he placed his hand on his head and ruffled his hair, making him laugh a bit. "Now let's try it out." he walked away to stand a few feet away from him, summoning his Kwan-Dao Sword.

"I won't go easy on you." Raimundo told him, getting into position.

"I was going to say the same thing to you." Chase replied, smirking.

The two stared one another down for a moment before charging at the same time, their weapons clashing and sending sparks flying. While they were sparring, they weren't the only ones who were practicing. Off to the side, a certain Grand Master and short monk were upside down and balancing on one finger.

"Remember, Omi, the trick is to relax your body and put all your weight into your finger."

"Yes, Grand Master Dashi."

The older of the two was easily pushing himself up and down on his finger while the younger was trying to keep from falling over. He held out his other arm to help him maintain his balance. Eventually, he got the hang of it and now put his arm behind his back.

"There we go, as expected my great great great great nephew." Dashi praised.

Omi smiled widely, his obvious joy at being complimented by his relative on his face.

Not far off, Clay and Master Monk Guan were standing side-by-side and moving their arms in slow, fluid motions.

"Slow and steady wins the race, partner."

"That it does, Clay. Learning is best when you take your time to get the hang of something new."

"This is so unfair." Kimiko complained, sitting under a tree nearby. "I'm the only one without a parental figure to do something with. Where's Juno when you need her?"

Kaze chirped from the ground beside her, preening the feathers of his wings.

"I'm sure she'll be back before you know it." Dojo told her, behind the phoenix and brushing his back. "And, when she does, you two can do something toget-ow! Kaze!" he pulled the lower part of his body away when he was bitten by the other creature's sharp, black beak. "I've told you that you can't preen scales!"

The firebird squawked, flapping his wings a couple of times.

"I appreciate the gesture, but all you're doing is leaving bald spots."

"Even Kaze has a parental figure." Kimiko sighed a little, resting her chin in her hands.

"Hey!" Raimundo suddenly shouted, stopping his sparring with Chase. "Incoming Xiaolin Dragon King!" he pointed at the sky.

Everyone looked up and saw a white spot heading towards the temple. When it got closer, the spot was revealed to be Aura. It wasn't long before he landed on the ground, Juno slipping off his back.

"I'm home." she greeted with a smile.

"Welcome back, Master Juno." Omi said, getting to his feet along with Dashi.

"How did your deliver go?" Clay asked.

"It went very well, I even brought along someone I think you kids should meet."

"Huh?" the monks blinked at her.

"Ping-Pong..." Juno stepped to the side, revealing the young monk just as he jumped down from Aura's back. "Meet my Shoku Warriors.

The glasses-wearer gasped when he saw the group, dropping the suitcase that held his belonging. His eyes turned wide, shining with excitement at meeting the warriors he practically worshipped.

"Why don't you introduce yourself, sweetie?" the redhead suggested.

"Bonjour, everyone!" Ping-Pong immediately zipped over to the monks. "I am Boris Antonio Rolf Jean-Pierre Gaulle LeGrang IV! But please do call me Ping-Pong."

"I gave him that nickname." Juno interjected.

"I am beyond honored to meet every single one of you!" he continued. "I am a very big fan, indeed. Especially of you, Brother Omi."

"Brother Omi?" the bald monk blinked at the shorter boy.

"Yes, you are one of the best Xiaolin Warriors ever, most strong and fearless. May I please have your autograph?" Ping-Pong pulled out a book and opened it a page that already had Juno's name written on it.

"Well, I cannot refuse a request from such a devoted admirer." Omi grinned, practically glowing from the praise as he took a pen the young monk held out.

"Juno, did you adopt another one?" Chase asked his wife as she came to stand next to him and the other male warriors.

"More or less." she replied as the Shoku Warrior's signed their names in the young boy's book. "I brought him from the Lotus Clan, he is going to be the new Xiaolin Dragon of Wood. The last element needed to fully complete the team."

"Now that you mention it, I do sense something unique about the kid." Dashi said, looking at the young boy. "It's similar to the others."

"Exactly." the redhead smiled. "I have a new student to teach. Ping-Pong, come over here, I want to introduce you to some other people."

Ping-Pong looked up from his book and went over to her. "Yes, Master Juno?"

"Ping-Pong, meet my friends, Grand Master Dashi and Master Monk Guan." Juno gestured to the other Xiaolin Warriors.

"Wow..." he looked at them with respectful eyes. "To think I would be meeting so many great people in one day."

"Nice to meet you, kiddo." Dashi greeted.

"A pleasure, little monk." Guan smiled.

"And this here is Chase Young." the female warrior introduced her husband. "He's-"

"Méchant!" Ping-Pong shouted when his eyes landed on Chase, dropping his book. He jumped back to put some distance between them. "Préparez-vous à vous battre!" he took a stance.

"What did he just say?" Raimundo asked.

"Let's see..." Kimiko was looking at her PDA, translating what the glasses-wear had said. "He said, 'Villain! Prepare to fight!'."

"Oh. Oooh."

Ping-Pong charged forward, jumping up and aiming a punch at the Heylin warrior's face. However, a hand grabbed his big head and held him out at arms-length. He didn't let up, though, and sent out kicks and punches, hitting nothing but air.

"An energetic one, aren't you, little one." Chase said casually as he held the struggling boy.

"Ping-Pong, calm down." Juno told him, grabbing him and pulling him out of the Heylin warrior's grasp. "Yes, Chase is a villain, but he's not a bad one."

"That doesn't make sense any sense, darling."

"He's my husband." the redhead ignored him.

"Eh?" Ping-Pong stopped and looked at her, his wide eyes going from her to the villain. "Husband?"

"Yes." she nodded. "He may be evil, but he is also very nice."

"Yeah, he's pretty cool for a bad guy." Raimundo said as he and the others came over.

"Your reputation is kinda going down the drain, buddy." Dashi told Chase, chuckling a bit.

The Heylin warrior retaliated by elbowing him in the side.

"You have nothing to worry about, trust me." Juno smiled reassuringly at the young boy.

"If Master Juno says so..." Ping-Pong said, but was looking at Chase with wary eyes.

"So, uh..." Clay spoke up. "Is anyone gonna mention the fact that the little partner looks just like Omi."

"I'm glad you brought that up, Clay." the redhead set the newcomer down on his feet. "There is a very strong resemblance, isn't there?"

"Even the dome size is about the same." Dojo pulled out a measuring tape and wrapped it around Ping-Pong's head, getting the size of it as Kaze flew up to perch on top of it.

"Oooh." the glasses-wearer turned his gaze upward to admire the young phoenix.

"I am positive he's related to Omi, possibly as a cousin or something." Juno continued. "Which means he's also related to Dashi."

"I don't know how far my family tree extends." the Grand Master said, shrugging. "But, yeah, looks like I have another great great great great nephew."

"So I have another relative?" Omi asked in amazement.

"I am related to Brother Omi and Grand Master Dashi?" Ping-Pong looked at them. "Oh, fantastique!" he jumped up, making Kaze fly off his head, and hugged the other bald monk around his neck tightly. "I am so happy to be linked to such wonderful warriors!"

"For one so young, you speak with great wisdom." the short monk said, patting him on the head. He was also quite happy to learn he had another family member that he could get to know. It was also nice to know that his possible cousin admired him so much.

"Brother Omi, I would most love to hear all about your battles against the many evildoers you have faced." the glasses-wearer hopped down to his feet.

"Believe me, we have indeed dealt with much evil." Omi told him. "Our most frequent foe is the evil boy genius, Jack Spicer! In fact, my tiger instincts are telling me is he cooking up a pot of evil stew even as we speak!"

---

(Meanwhile, at Jack Spicer's lair)

"Aw, man!" the evil boy genius yelled when the dart he threw hit the wall instead of the dartboard that was hanging up. "Missed again!"

"Stop playing around, Jack." Wuya ordered as she floated over. "Now is the time for planning, not fun."

"Haven't you ever heard the old saying, 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy'?" he retorted as he grabbed another dart that was on the table.

"You're dull either way." she told him. "If we're going to rule the world, we need to get off this losing streak we've been on because of you and your useless Jack-Bots."

"It's not my fault the monks got new powers." Jack said. "Besides, it's not like you've done anything to help out." he aimed the dart.

"In case you forgot, the only thing I can do in this form is this!" Wuya went and phased right through the redheaded boy's chest, making him let out a scream and throwing the dart in a direction that was far from its intended target.

"You know I hate it when you do that!" he shuddered uncomfortably.

"Well, try to remember that I can do practically nothing since Dashi and his stupid puzzle box trapped me in this state again."

"You and your ex-boyfriend should really work out your issues."

"He was never my boyfriend!" the ghost got in his face. "Now listen, Jack, you are going to have to step up your game because evil villains do not dominate the planet by being defeated by a group of goodie-two-shoes. When the next Shen Gong Wu reveals itself, you better get it. And, if you don't, I will phase through that so-called brain of yours every morning, noon, and night until you do something right!"

"Okay, okay!" Jack back away, holding up his hands. "Crystal clear, ma'am."

"Good." Wuya said, turning around and floating away.

"Geez." Jack grumbled to himself, scowling as he crossed his arms. "Who knew ghosts could still experience PMS."

Stopping in mid-air, she turned around and glared at him. Then she went back over and phased right through his head. The young villain screamed, falling to the ground.

"I heard that." Wuya told him as she floated away again.

---

(Back at the Xiaolin Temple)

"Allow me to officially welcome you to the Xiaolin Temple, Ping-Pong." Juno said to the newcomer, who was dressed in a red robe shirt and white pants.

"Thank you, Master Juno." Ping-Pong responded, bowing to her.

"Now, while you are trained, you are going to have to work hard in order to catch up with your fellow monks. It will not be easy, as it took them all quite a while to become Shoku Warriors."

"I promise you, Master Juno, I will work harder than anybody has ever worked."

"I'm happy to see you so enthusiastic." Juno smiled. She turned to where the other Xiaolin Warriors were standing. "I'll be counting on you kids to help with Ping-Pong's training, it might be easier for him to learn from people who have gone through it themselves. Also, keep in mind that while he doesn't look like it, Ping-Pong is only a couple of years younger than you all."

"I assure you, Master Juno, that we will be the best teachers." Omi told her. "I have always dreamed of passing on my vast knowledge to other warriors."

"Wonderful. Well, let's get you started on training, shall we, Ping-Pong?"

"Oh, yes, please." the glasses-wearer bounced on the balls of his feet, very excited.

"Follow me."

The redhead lead the group to the outdoor training area, where an obstacle course lay. There was a starting line, a collection of wooden poles embedded in the ground, some hoops to jump through, a hole filled with water one could swing over on a rope, a brick wall, and five wooden arches that had swinging axe blades attached to them.

"I want you to clear this obstacle course as fast as you can." Juno told the glasses-wearer. "Clay."

"Way ahead of ya." the cowboy pulled a stopwatch out from his hat.

"Good, you'll be the timekeeper. Are you ready, Ping-Pong?"

"Yes, Master Juno." Ping-Pong went over to the starting line and got into a running position.

"On your mark..." the female warrior lifted her hand over her head. "Get set... Go!" she slammed it down.

The young boy immediately took off, already making his way to the first obstacle. He jumped on top of one of the wooden poles and made his way across the rest by running across them. When he landed on the ground on the other side, he headed for the hoops. He made it to them and leaped up, curling his body in and spinning through them.

With that obstacle cleared, Ping-Pong went for the next one. He grabbed the rope dangling in front of him and swung across the water hole, releasing it when he made it to the other side. Heading for the brick wall, he put on extra speed to run up its length and reach the top of it. The glasses-wearer leaped off the obstacle and landed right in front of the swinging axes. He ran at full speed, zipping around the sharp blades, and soon made it to the other side.

The Xiaolin Warriors cheered as the newcomer made it to the end of the obstacle course.

"That was wonderful, Ping-Pong." Juno praised, clapping her hands. "How did he do, Clay?"

The cowboy looked at the stopwatch, which he stopped the second the young boy finished. "Whoowe! The little fella sure can move, he cleared it in record time. In fact, he beat Omi's record by two seconds."

"What?!" the short monk exclaimed. "He did?!"

"Is something wrong, Brother Omi?" Ping-Pong asked. "I have not upset you, did I?"

Omi looked at the young boy, seeing his worried expression. He gave a small, reassuring smile. "No, little one, nothing is wrong. I have very impressed, actually."

"Impressed? With me?"

"Yes, you obviously have the skills needed to be a Xiaolin Warrior. I expect nothing less from my relative." he patted his head.

Ping-Pong smiled widely, obviously happy with the compliments. "Oh, thank you, Brother Omi!"

Juno smiled at the two. Back then, Omi would have thrown a jealous fit about having his record being beaten by a newcomer. But here he was now, praising Ping-Pong for a job well done. He had indeed grown up quite a bit since she first met him.

"Master Juno, what is next for my training?" Ping-Pong asked the redhead.

"Hold that thought, everyone." Dojo said before she could answer, slithering over to the group with Kaze flying overhead. "We've got a new Shen Gong Wu revealing itself." he opened up the ancient scroll he was carrying. "It's called the Bubble Brain. It gives its user the ability to transform between physical and non-physical states at will."

"If that's the case, then Wuya is definitely going to want to get her hands on it." Juno remarked. "Let's get a move on before she and Jackie-Boy can. Dojo, if you please."

"I've been waiting all day for you to ask me, Juno."

Ping-Pong watched in amazement as the dragon transformed into his larger form, his bottom jaw hitting the ground. He looked nearly as impressive as Aura when he laid eyes on him back at his former temple.

"All aboard the Dojo Kanojo Cho express! And, remember, only one Shen Gong Wu carry-on per Warriors."

"Ping-Pong, are you coming or not?" Juno asked the young boy.

The glasses-wearer picked his jaw up from the ground. "Me?"

"Yeah, this is a perfect opportunity for you to get some first-hand experience on what it's like to be a Xiaolin Warrior." Kimiko told him.

"Gonna tell you now, there will be a lot of butt-kicking." Raimundo said with a grin, Kaze squawking in agreement from his shoulder.

"Indeed, you can put your skills to the test in a real battle against evil." Omi added.

"Hop on, little buddy." Clay gestured with his hand.

Ping-Ping had the widest smile on his face as he practically flew on top of Dojo's back, sitting right in front of his relative.

"Fasten your seatbelts, everyone, it's gonna be a bumpy ride." Dojo said as he went high in the air. "If you feel the urge to heave, try to avoid the use of the dragon."

The Xiaolin Warriors shouted cheerfully as the dragon flew through the sky, heading in the direction the Bubble Brain was in.

"Dojo is indeed a wonderous dragon." Ping-Pong commented, pulling out his book and writing in it. "I would say as majesty as Master Juno's."

"You know, I'm becoming quite fond of our new, little round guy." Dojo remarked.

"He's a little charmer, isn't he?" Juno smiled at the youngest monk.

"Guys!" Kimiko suddenly shouted. "Down there, at three o'clock!" she pointed at the swamp they were flying over that wasn't that far from the temple.

Everyone else looked down and saw what looked like a girl surrounded by a pack of wolf-like creatures. They were larger than a normal wolf and had long, shaggy brownish-green fur with glowing golden eyes. Their huge paws had long, sharp claws on them while their elongated muzzles had dangerously sharp fangs.

One of them leaped at the girl, but she ducked and punched it in the stomach before tossing it to the side. She turned and kicked another one of the creatures, taking a stance as the rest of the pack advanced further on her.

"Uh-oh, swamp wolves." Dojo said. "The only thing worse than their bite is their smell."

"Looks like the little lady is in one nasty situation." Clay remarked as said lady tried to fight off the wolves as best she could.

"We gotta help her." Raimundo told the others.

"But what about the Bubble Brain?" Ping-Pong asked, putting his book away.

"The first lesson in being a Xiaolin Warrior, Ping-Pong." Omi spoke up. "If we see someone in danger, then we help them."

"I couldn't have said it better myself, Omi." Juno smiled. "Dojo, take us down!"

"Aye, aye, ma'am!"

The dragon flew down quickly, heading right for the clearing. When they were close enough, the group jumped off his back, allowing him to shrink down, and landed close to where the girl was getting overwhelmed by the swamp wolves.

"Let's give'em hell, kids." Juno said, summoning her Xiaolin Dragon Blade.

"Yes, ma'am!" the Shoku Warriors responded just as the pack of beasts turned their attention on them.

"Swamp wolves, your razor-sharp teeth and foul stench are no match for a Shoku Warrior!" Omi declared, pulling out his Wudai Weapon. "Shimo Staff!" it transformed into a longer version of itself and he used it to hit some of the beasts, knocking them away.

"Arrow Sparrow!" Kimiko pulled out some of her bird-like projectiles and threw them. They immediately caught on fire and headed for the swamp wolves, colliding near them and sending them flying back from the force of their fiery explosion.

"Blade of the Nebula!" Raimundo twirled his Wudai Weapon and shot out a large cyclone, gathering up some of the creatures in its rotating winds. He lifted up his sword and soon slashed it down again, sending the wolves crashing to the ground. He saw Kaze fly by and shoot balls of fire from his beak, hitting some of the beasts. "Nice shooting, buddy!" he called up, giving his bird a thumbs-up.

The phoenix squawked, circling above his head.

"Big Bang Meteorang!" Clay threw out his boomerang-like Weapon and it twirled across the air. It split into five smaller boomerangs and they hit the ground, making parts of it rise up and hit some of the creatures. "Yeehaw!" he held up his hand and caught his now single weapon.

Juno kept her eyes on the swamp wolves that had her surrounded on all sides. Just as they jumped at her, she stuck the spike of her weapon into the ground and spun herself around on its pole. Her feet made contact with the creatures' faces and sent them flying back. When she landed back down, she held up her guandao sideways above her head. Spinning it around fast, she shot out both fire and water from its blade and spike respectively. The attacks combined into one, forming into a twister that the redhead aimed at the swamp wolves.

While she hit them, one of them sneaked up from behind and leaped at her. Just as she noticed, Ping-Pong sailed by and kicked the creature, sending flying away. Juno smiled appreciatively at the young monk as he grinned. A second later, though, she grabbed him and pulled him towards her, making the large paw that was aimed at him hit the ground instead.

It belonged to a swamp wolf that was larger than the others, a clear indication it was the leader of the pack. It snarled, baring its fangs at the female warrior.

"I'll take care of this one, kids." Juno said to the other Xiaolin Warriors. "A fight between two leaders seems fitting." she stepped forward and held her Xiaolin Dragon Blade at the beast.

It growled loudly, charging at her. When it reached her, the swamp wolf swiped one of its paws at her. The redhead moved to the side, dodging its claws, and slashed the blade of her weapon at its side. The creature yelped at the horizontal cut she made across its skin. It turned and snapped its fangs at her, chomping down on the pole of her weapon when she held it sideways.

Juno didn't move an inch as the swamp wolf pushed against her guandao. She slammed her foot into the ground and a tree vine shot out and wrapped around the creature's body. It was then pulled into the air. The female warrior slashed her blade down and send it crashing to the ground. Another vine came out of the earth and whipped at the beast, making it back away.

"With enough training, you could do things like this as the Xiaolin Dragon of Wood, Ping-Pong." Juno told the young boy.

"Oh, that would be most fantastique!" he said with a wide grin.

She smiled at him before turning back to the swamp wolf and calling off the tree vines. With nothing keeping it at bay, it ran for the redhead. Stomping her foot on the ground, Juno made a large piece of rock shoot up in front of her. She pulled back her free hand for a moment, gathering up some wind, and slammed it against the rock. It sailed across the clearing at incredible speed, quickly colliding with the swamp wolf.

It tumbled across the clearing for a moment before managing to get back on its feet. The creature looked at Juno, staring at her in what was similar to a contemplating way. After a moment of silence passed, it pulled its head back and let out a long, loud howl. The rest of the swamp wolves' attention was immediately caught and they ran towards their leader. Then they all headed for the trees that surrounded the clearing, quickly disappearing behind their thick foliage.

The head swamp wolf stopped for a moment to look at the female warrior once more before joining the rest of its pack. All that was left in the clearing were the humans and dragon.

"That takes care of that." Juno said, releasing her weapon and making it disappear. "Great work as always, kids." she to the monks as they came over to her.

"That was incredible!" Ping-Pong jumped up and down from excitement. "Seeing you battle in person is so much better than hearing about it! I hope to fight as amazing as all of you someday."

"And that you will, Ping-Pong." the redhead told him. "You already have the whole 'having each other's backs' thing down." she smiled at him.

"Thank ya'll so much for your help." a feminine, Southern-accented voice spoke up.

The group turned and looked at the girl they had just recused, getting a better look at her now that the frenzy was over. She was quite a pretty young woman with pale skin and long, straight blonde hair that reached her hips and covered half her face, showing only one of her green eyes. She was dressed in a white and yellow mini-dress with a golden belt around her waist. On her feet were a pair of long white and yellow boots.

"You really saved me back there. The name's Willow."

"You are most welcomed, Willow maiden." Omi said, bowing a little to her. "We enjoy helping damsels in a dress."

"Damsels in distress." Raimundo corrected, Kaze perched on his shoulder.

"What's a nice girl like you doing off the range?" Clay asked.

"Yeah, this isn't a place where one takes a hike." Juno remarked.

"I was actually looking for the Xiaolin Temple." Willow told them. "For quite a while, I've been interested in meeting the famous Xiaolin Warriors and learning a thing or two from them. I have a thing for fighting."

"Well, you don't have to look any further." Raimundo said. "Because we're them." he held out his hand to her. "Nice to meet you."

"Oh, I should have known." the blonde grabbed his hand and shook it. "You must be Raimundo, I heard that you were the handsome one of the group." she batted her eyelashes at him.

"You don't say." the Brazilian blushed a little from her sweet tone of voice. "I mean, yeah, it's pretty much true." he pulled his hand back and rubbed the back of his head with it.

Kimiko let out a low growl, crossing her arms and frowning.

"You must be Clay, the strong one." Willow looked at the cowboy, placing her hand on his bicep.

"Aw, shucks, w-well, kinda..." he pulled the brim of his hand over his eyes bashfully.

"And you're Omi, the wisest one, right?" she turned to the short monk. "I have to admit, I'm quite a fan of yours."

"Oh, really?" Omi blinked. Then he flushed a bit and beamed proudly. "Why, you have excellent taste, Willow."

"And you must be-"

"Kimiko." the Japanese girl cut off the blonde, looking at her with narrowed eyes. "I'm Raimundo's girlfriend."

"Why, of course, you are, darlin." Willow smiled sweetly.

"Hmph." Kimiko just turned her head away.

"I'm afraid I don't know who you are, though." the blonde turned to Ping-Pong now.

"I am Ping-Pong, Mademoiselle Willow." he introduced himself. "I am very new to the team. I am also Brother Omi's relative."

"You don't say. I should have known, cuteness must run in the family." finally, she looked at Juno. "And, last but not least, you're Juno, the Xiaolin Dragon King. Now I'm really interested in you, they say you're the strongest Xiaolin Warrior ever."

"I'm able to back up that statement." the redhead said, crossing her arms under her chest. "So, you wanna join our temple, hm?"

"Very much so. I'm hoping to learn a lot from you."

"I'll bet you are." Juno smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. She couldn't exactly put her finger on it, but there was something about this woman she didn't really like.

"Hey, gang!" Dojo spoke up. "Hate to interrupt, but we need to get back on the road if we wanna get the Bubble Brain." he transformed into his larger form. "Let's ride!"

"He's right, we need to go, kids." the female warrior told the monks and they all jumped onto his back.

"Mind if I tag along?" Willow asked. "I promise not to hold you back."

"That shouldn't be a problem." Clay said. "We certainly can't leave you here."

"You okay with that, Juno?" Raimundo questioned the leader.

"I don't see why she can't join us." Juno replied. Even though she didn't want to bring the blonde along, the fact she simply didn't like her wasn't a good enough reason to leave her stranded in the swamp. "Grab a seat and make yourself comfortable."

"Oh, thank you." Willow smiled and hopped onto the dragon's back, sitting behind the redhead. "Aren't you just the sweetest, Juno?"

"Yeah, I know. Maybe too sweet."

Dojo flew into the air and headed to where the Shen Gong Wu was.

---

(Later)

The Bubble Brain rested in the snow of the mountain area it had revealed itself in. It was a red, glass dome encased in bronze, a golden ring attached to its bottom. On top of it was a small, golden crown.

"Alright, the Jack-O is back-o!" Jack cheered as he was the first one to the new Shen Gong Wu. "Victory dance time! And one, two, three..."

"Jack, stop monkeying around!" Wuya ordered before he could bust a move. "Get me that Shen Gong Wu so I can use it to turn from this form to my more glorious physique."

"You mean that stick you call a body, Wuya?"

The duo looked up and saw that a certain group had just flown in on their dragon.

"Why bother getting your physical form back when you know it can't compare to mine?" Juno asked the ghost, using her hand to gesture to her own body.

Wuya growled, fuming as she glared at the redhead. "You pain in the ass, vixen!"

"Ping-Pong, watch how a real Xiaolin Warrior dumbfounds evil." Omi told the younger boy, being the first to jump down from Dojo's back.

"So you finally made it to the party, chrome-dome." Jack said as the short monk landed in the snow. He saw Ping-Pong join him a moment later. "And with a mini-chrome-dome?"

"Meet Ping-Pong, our newest addition." Juno introduced when she and the others jumped to the ground. "He's also Omi's relative."

"Figures you would add another pest to your gang of goodie-two-shoes. And that he's related to your biggest pest." Wuya scowled. "Jack, take care of them!"

"Prepare to be minced meat, Xiaolin Losers." the evil boy genius smirked at the group. "Jack-Bot, mince!"

Around the Xiaolin Warriors, a horde of Jack-Bots shot up from under the snow and surrounded them. Two of them stretched out their hands towards Kimiko, grabbing her arms.

"Shoku Venus Fire!" her whole body caught on fire, melting away the robotic hands. Then she jumped into the air at them, going right through their bodies and destroying them.

Kaze squawked as his own body was encased in flames. He tucked his wings in and dived right through some of the Jack-Bots, causing them to explode one by one.

Raimundo looked at the robots that were advancing on him. "Shoku Astro Wind!" he flung out his arms and sent out a strong gust of wind. The wind spun around the Jack-Bots, causing them to break apart.

"Shoku Jupiter Earth!" Clay slammed both his fists on the snow-covered ground, making rock spikes shoot up and impale four robots.

"Shoku Tsunami Water!" Omi launched himself into the air, his body covered in a powerful jet of water. He flew towards a handful of Jack-Bots, crashing through and destroying them all.

Juno lifted up her arms and two large strands of snow rose up on either side of her, forming into a pair of giant hands. She slammed her hands together, making the ones she created do the same thing and destroy the robots that were between them. A satisfied smile settled on the redhead's face as machine parts rained down.

Ping-Pong stood in amazement at the impressive feats of the other Xiaolin Warriors. However, he soon noticed the reflection of a certain evil boy genius trying to sneak up from behind him. Just before Jack could grab him, the young boy did a backflip over his head, which he kicked to knock him down. He jumped on the young villain to punch him when he was suddenly seeing things with blurry vision.

Jack laughed mockingly as he held Ping-Pong's glasses in his hand, getting to his feet. The young monk tried to hit him, but all he was punching was the air. Not that far off, Willow saw what was going on. After making sure the others were too busy to see her, she gathered up some snow and shaped it into a ball.

As she was aiming, a strange blue light covered the snowball. Then she threw it at Jack, and it split into two glowing orbs halfway. They collided with the young villain's legs, making him fall face-first in the snow. The glasses flew from his hand and landed right back on Ping-Pong's face. He blinked a few times before focusing on his opponent.

"Mosquito Slapping Dog!" the young boy smacked his hands repeatedly on Jack's head.

The redheaded boy tried to stand up and get away, but the glasses-wearer stayed on him. As he was running, he tripped on the Bubble Brain and fell to the ground. The two paused and looked at the Shen Gong Wu. A moment later, they both jumped for it and touched it at the same time, making it glow.

"I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown, newbie!" Jack declared just as everyone else noticed what was going on after taking care of the Jack-Bots.

"But Ping-Pong doesn't have any Shen Gong Wu." Raimundo pointed out.

"Little one, use the Orb of Tornami!" Omi pulled out the Wu and tossed it to his relative.

"Oh, thank you, Brother Omi!" Ping-Pong smiled as he caught the Orb.

"Alright, your Orb against my Monkey Staff." Jack said as he held out his own Wu. "The game is Snowball Flinging, the first one to grab the Bubble Brain wins."

"Let's go, Xiaolin Showdown!" the two challengers yelled at the same time.

In the blink of an eye, the area had completely changed for the showdown. The competitors were now standing on pillars of ice in front of a very tall, snow-covered mountain. At the top of it sat the Bubble Brain.

"Gong Yi Tanpai!" Ping-Pong and Jack shouted at the same time. They immediately jumped to the base of the mountain and ran up the long, winding path that lead to the top, the taller of the two already taking the lead.

"You think the little fella is gonna be okay?" Clay asked from a pillar he and the other Xiaolin Warriors were on, watching the match. "It is his very first showdown."

"He is more inexperienced than Jack when it comes to fighting in a showdown, that's true." Juno said, crossing her arms. "But I have faith that he'll be just fine."

Back on the mountain, Ping-Pong jumped on top of Jack's head and quickly leaped off it, taking the lead. As he was running, he saw what looked like a volcano made of ice on a platform that was a few feet from the mountain. Suddenly, a large stream of snow shot out of the top and headed for the young monk. It crashed right in front of him and swept him back down the path.

Ping-Pong shouted as he tumbled past Jack, who had taken cover behind a piece of ice that was jutting out from the mountain. The young villain laughed as he ran ahead when the snow cleared. The glasses-wearer got to his feet and saw his opponent in the lead, and more snow shooting out of the ice volcano.

"Orb of Tornami!" he used the Shen Gong Wu to launch himself into the air to avoid the white wave, landing on the next level of the mountain. He repeated the action, going from one level to the next.

Jack came to a stop when he saw the monk getting further ahead, and closer to the Bubble Brain. "Monkey Staff!" he used his Wu and gained a more monkey-like appearance. Using his newfound monkey strength and agility, he began to climb up the side of the mountain while holding the Staff with his tail.

In a short amount of time, he had caught up with Ping-Pong, who let out a shout of shock at the sudden appearance of his opponent. He jumped back and dodged the Monkey Staff that was aimed at him.

"Orb of-" the young monk tried to attack, but was sent flying into a wall of snow by Jack and his Shen Gong Wu. He quickly recovered and got to his feet. "Bad monkey!" he charged forward, holding up his Wu to block the young villain's when he slammed it down on him. He jumped back and avoided the Staff being swung at him now. "Orb of Tornami!" he shot a blast of water from the Orb, hitting the redheaded monkey boy and knocking him over the ledge.

Ping-Pong went over and looked down, but was taken by surprise when snowballs were thrown at him. Jack then climbed up the side, jumping the rest of the way and landing on the young monk's head. He launched himself off, making his opponent lose his balance and fall down to the spot he was on previously. Making his way up the mountain again, it did not take the young villain long to reach the level that was just under where the Bubble Brain was.

"Looks like Monkey Jack has done it again!" he screeched and howled in victory.

Back down, Ping-Pong picked up a snowball and looked up, getting an idea. Taking a moment to aim, he threw it as hard as he could and watched it sail through the air to the top of the mountain.

Jack, as he was scaling the rest of the way to the Bubble Brain, saw the snowball whiz past him and continued going up. "You missed!" he laughed as he continued climbing.

However, unknown to him, the ball of snow landed right on the very top, at the peak of the mountain, and started to roll back down. While doing so, it collected more snow and grew bigger and bigger, as well as picked up speed.

The young villain reached the Shen Gong Wu and was about to grab it. However, before he could, he heard a sound and looked up. Much to his shock, he saw the now giant snowball coming his way. He screamed as it hit him and sent him tumbling down the side of the mountain. He wasn't the only one as the Bubble Brain was also falling down after him.

Ping-Pong saw his opponent and snowball coming and pressed his body as close to the mountain's side as possible. The evil boy genius fell past along with the giant ball of snow. When all was clear, the young monk jumped high into the air and caught Bubble Brain in his hands.

With the showdown won, the area turned back to how it was before in a flash. The Xiaolin Warriors cheered and headed over to Ping-Pong, who was holding all the Shen Gong Wu he had won.

"Idiot!" Wuya yelled at Jack, whose upper body was stuck in the snow. "Not only did you lose the Bubble Brain, but also the only Shen Gong Wu you had left!"

"I don't know what to tell." the redheaded boy pulled himself upright, knocking the snow out of his ears. "They just wanted it more."

"I warned what would happen if you failed, Jack."

"No, wait, Wuya, don't!"

The ghost ignored his pleas and phased right through his head. He screamed at the uncomfortable feeling and got to his feet, running away as she flew after him to repeat the phasing again and again.

"Way to go, little partner!" Clay tossed Ping-Pong into the air, catching him when he fell back down.

"You sure are a fierce fighter, Ping-Pong." Kimiko said.

"Not to mention, the most adorable." Juno picked up the young monk and placed a kiss on his head.

"Oh, you flatter me, Master Juno." Ping-Pong flushed a little from her sign of affection.

Omi couldn't help but scowl a bit when he heard what the female warrior said. She had always told him that he was the cutest and it left a slightly uneasy feeling when she praised his relative the way she did.

"You know..." Willow spoke up, kneeling beside the short monk. "As far as I'm concerned, you're the most adorable warrior I've ever met." she smiled and touched his cheek for a moment.

He released a goofy grin as his face became covered in a bright red blush.

"Come on, everyone, let's go home and celebrate." Juno said.

"Yeah!" the monks shouted in agreement.

---

(Later that night, at the Xiaolin Temple)

"Here's to Ping-Pong."

"To Ping-Pong!"

Everyone touched their drinks together over the table that had all kinds of food spread out on it. It was a celebration of not only the young monk joining the Xiaolin Warriors, but also for winning his first showdown.

"Only your first day and you're already kicking evil butt." Dashi remarked. "You really are my descendent." he rubbed the younger boy's head.

"Thank you, Grand Master Dashi." Ping-Pong said, beaming at the praise.

"The little dude was really awesome during the showdown." Raimundo spoke up, Kaze on the table next to him and eating some grubs from a bowl.

"Yeah, he showed Spicer a thing or two." Clay agreed.

"Juno was right, he's got a lot of potential." Kimiko added.

"Told you so." Juno smiled as she took a sip of her sake. "He just might make Xiaolin Apprentice before we know."

"You are too kind, Master Juno." the glasses-wearer responded. "I am honored to know you have such faith in me."

"I'm great at reading people. Mostly when it comes to knowing whether I can trust someone or not." her gaze drifted to a certain blonde who was sitting at the table.

"Thank ya'll for agreeing to let me stay at the temple." Willow said. "I look forward to being shown the ropes."

"It will be my pleasure to show you all that I know." Omi spoke up from his seat beside her. "With enough time and training, you can possibly become a great warrior like the rest of us."

"Oh, well, aren't you sweet?" she smiled and leaned over, kissing his cheek and making him all giddy. "I especially look forward to learning from you, Juno." she looked at the redhead.

"Just to let you know, I'm not an easy teacher. And it's pretty hard for strangers to impress me."

"I think you'll soon come to realize that I have a lot to offer."

"We'll see about that."

The redhead and blonde stared at one another slightly for a moment.

"You feeling that tension, too?" Raimundo whispered to Clay.

"It's as thick as the algae in the family swimming hole." the cowboy whispered back.

"I will admit, there are some things I'm not very good at." Willow said, turning her gaze to the Brazilian. "Maybe you can give me a hand with them, Raimundo." she moved her hand to place it on the one he had on the table.

However, before she could touch him, another hand grabbed his and pulled it back.

"Kimi?" Raimundo looked at his girlfriend, who had her narrowed eyes on the blonde. "Kimi, you're squeezing a little too hard.

"Deal with it." the female monk told him, her focus still on the other girl.

"Things are going to get a little more interesting around here." Dashi remarked.

"Indeed." Guan agreed. "I'm not sure if we should be worried or not."

---

(Later)

As the party was winding down, Juno had left everyone else to have some time alone. She went to her favorite spot in the temple garden, a pond that had a blooming cherry blossom tree planted next to it. Some of its pink petals fell from their branches and floated down to the water below, causing ripples on its surface.

The redhead was leaning against the tree, taking a sip of sake from the cup in her hand, and watching the ripples when her dragon mark started to glow lightly.

"Your new monk seems to be fitting in quite well." Xiaolin remarked.

"He is." Juno agreed, her eyes still on the pond. "He's also becoming quite popular with the kids. Plus, Omi is excited that he has another relative he can get to know."

"I also felt his aura earlier, I believe he will indeed become a great Xiaolin Dragon one day."

"That he will." she smiled, finishing the rest of her drink. "But, you know, I can't help but feel that something will happen soon, something big. Whether it's good or bad, I have no idea."

"Perhaps it will be something that is both good and bad."

"Maybe. Either way, I'm going to have to keep my eye out for anything strange."

"Does that include the young lady who is making herself at home at the temple?" Xiaolin questioned.

"I just don't trust her, and it's not because she's obviously trying to cozy up with the boys. I get the same feeling from her I get from Wuya and Hannibal, nothing good."

"I would say you are being paranoid, but your instincts are usually spot-on when it comes to evil."

Juno felt another presence appear out of thin air next to her. "Speaking of which, I have some company. I'll talk to you later, Master Xiaolin."

"Until next time, Juno."

The glow disappeared from the redhead's mark and she turned around. "Master Xiaolin gives you his regards."

"I highly doubt that." Chase said.

"We missed you at the party." Juno told him as she set her empty cup down on a nearby rock.

"I had some evil business to attend to. Besides, I don't think the little monk is comfortable enough with me yet to want me at a feast in his honor."

"Ping-Pong is still cautious of you." the female warrior nodded in agreement. "But, over time, he'll come to see that you're just as much a good guy as you are a bad guy."

"Again, that doesn't make sense, darling."

She just chuckled and put her arms around him, feeling him do the same.

"You're going to have your hands full with training your new monk." Chase remarked as they looked into one another's eyes.

"The kids will help me." Juno replied. "Besides, I feel like I could use a distraction from..." she trailed off, but he knew what she was talking about.

"I'm sorry we haven't found anything about Mei. I know I said we could find something together, but... it seems it hasn't worked out as I hoped."

"It was good to try, though." she said. "We'll probably learn something someday. But, for now, maybe we should take a break."

"Yes, I think we're right."

The couple stood in silence, letting the feeling that they might really never see their daughter again sink in fully. At least they had one another, that was some consolation.

"Will you stay with me today?" Juno asked softly.

"You don't even need to ask me, darling." Chase told her.

The redhead pulled back a little and smiled at him. "Thank you." she leaned up and took a moment to kiss him tenderly. "I'll just go say goodnight to everyone real quick, meet me in my room."

"I'll be waiting." he said, giving her his own slight smile as he placed one more kiss on her head.

Juno grabbed her cup, waved at her husband, and walked away. Chase kept his eyes on her until she was out of the garden. He waited a few moments by the pond, hearing nothing but the wind rustling the cherry blossom petals.

"You can come out now." he said, turning to the shadow of the tree that was made by the moonlight. "It is nice to know that you've done a better job of concealing your presence."

A ripple appeared in the shadow and a hand came out of it. Soon, an entire person had pulled themselves out and was standing underneath the tree. They stepped out.

"You two are just so cute together, you know that?" Willow told the Heylin warrior, hands clasped behind her back.

"Enough of the sarcasm." Chase ordered. "You have done a good job of infiltrating the temple, but do not forget your objective. And remember to not take any unnecessary action."

"Don't worry, by the time I'm finished, the Xiaolin Warriors won't' know what hit them. Now, you should hurry along, your pretty wife is waiting for you." she waved one of her hands at him.

"Just keep in mind that Juno is not one to be easily deceived." he told her as he turned around. "Best of you luck to you..." he looked at her once more. "Shadow."

The blonde smirked to herself as the Heylin warrior walked away, her green eyes turning a shade lighter as her pupils became slits for a brief moment.

To be continued...

---

And there you have it, everyone, the first chapter of the Third Arc. I hope you all enjoyed it, I look forward to reading your reviews. For those who are curious about Ping-Pong, I plan to change some things about him and will try to add more depth to his character than what he had in the original Xiaolin Chronicles. All in all, I'm glad to be working on the series again. I'll see you all for the next chapter. Until then, take care!