Listless
Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown
Ship: Chase/Jack, OC/OC
Word Count: 6,389
Warnings: OC Focused
Chase moved slowly and surely through his daily routine, taking no real notice of the pale hands that copied his own in their every motion. They had been following his movements since they were much smaller digits and he knew they were sure of their path by now. However, his confidence in his son did not stop him from glancing at the boy out of the corner of his eye for the sheer pleasure of knowing he was by his side. He was a teenager already though Chase could scarcely recall where all the time had gone and despite his strength his features spoke of an inner frailty behind those slitted, red eyes. He had spent all the time in the world building up the boy's physical prowess but he had never been able to relieve him of the emotional weakness he had inherited from Jack Spicer. It was as irreparable as the firey red hair that spilled down his back in spikes, making him stand out even in the darkest shadows.
"Father?" he asked, stopping abruptly under his stare. "Am I doing something wrong?"
"Of course not." Chase replied, patting his shoulder. "Let's end training early today."
"But we didn't even spar yet." he pouted.
"I can defeat you just as easily tomorrow as I can today." the Heylin legend smirked, tugging on the long strand of hair hanging over his son's pointed ear. "I have things to do. Go see how your mother is doing. I think he mentioned needing your help today."
"Kay." he sighed as Chase turned and disappeared into the mouth of the cave before them.
Zach turned his back to his father's retreating form and headed for the edge of the cliff so he could stare out over the clouds that hung below them. The wind blew over him and lifted his hair from his back to toss it about merrily. The icy breath of the world blew through him and chilled him to the very core of his being. He breathed in as he spread his arms out wide to embrace the world. His black shirt was unbuttoned as usual and the threadbare undershirt he wore beneath wasn't much protection against the cold. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his black jeans after a while and stared down sadly for a few more moments, contemplating the world below. He sighed after a moment before stepping from the edge of the cliff calmly. He bounced off a few sharp rocks as he descended until his feet finally hit the surface of a steel floor. This was where Jack launched his flying vehicles but it was far quicker to enter this way than to navigate his way down from the lair.
As he entered he hit a wall of sound. One side of the evil laboratory was almost completely covered by vibrating speakers which Jack used to play the hard rock music he insisted helped him concentrate. The sound system was quite the nuisance to Chase because it could be heard almost all through the lair. Sometimes Chase would have to retreat to the top of the mountain to meditate. Zach tended to think that his very tesed patience with this particular habit showed a lot of love between his fathers. Among the many other habits he put up with from Jack. He also noticed that several of Chase's large tigers were slinking around in the shadows of the room. That meant that Chase had left the mountain completely today otherwise he wouldn't be worried about their safety. He smiled as the light from a blow torch caught his eye and made him turn in Jack's direction. He wasn't sure what they were going to be working on today but he was certain it would be challenging. Jack had a hard time slowing down for him unlike Chase had while teaching him martial arts. He was always too eager to get a project done to catch him up on all the details.
"Zach, that you?" Jack asked, sliding out from under his large robot.
"Yeah, Dad. It's me." he smiled as the other red-head sat up.
He had his goggles down over his eyes and Zach never got tired of seeing the side-splitting sight. Jack just smiled at him briefly and refused to lift them even as they spoke of their project. He often did this to see how long Zach could keep a straight face as he explained something to him with a serious frown and creased brow. When Zach would finally crack he'd lift his strange goggles and give him a soft punch to the arm to accompany his scolding of not taking anything seriously. He spent most of the day handing him tools which told him that the mechanics of the project far surpassed anything he could comprehend. For being the son of a genius he often felt quite dim when Jack left him out of the actual building process. It was probably just as well though. If he had tried to help without understanding he'd have felt bad for messing up something Jack was working on so hard. In fact he had been working on this particular robot off and on for the past year so he was content with being the assistant on this one.
After a few hours the conversation was starting to peter off as Jack's concentration intensified. Jack didn't notice that Zach was getting bored until one of their breaks. He insisted that Zach go play somewhere on the mountain for the rest of the day. Zach knew he would be just as bored going through his martial arts routine alone as he would be handing his dad tools but a little soitude was good sometimes. He exited the lab with a sigh and the music began to fade into silence as he scaled to the peak. He decided that the only way he would be able to endure the boredom - the only way he ever had - was to meditate. He knew it wasn't a good habit. It was very akin to a depressed person sleeping away their life. However he had nothing else to preoccupy him so it was a habit he would not be able to break anytime soon.
He perched himself upon the very tip of the mountain and stared over the clouds again. He wasn't ready to meditate just yet. In fact now that he'd gotten there he didn't think he wanted to meditate at all. He just wanted to stare at it all. This was the closest he'd get to ever being away from home. His fathers would never let him go down to the world below and he couldn't understand why. Of course he loved them both so much that he had never once thought of being disobedient but the temptation was growing everyday. Was the world below really so bad that he was better off living alone for the rest of his life? Would he be cursed to live out all of his days with his fathers? Sometimes he would dream of finding love but if he couldn't even meet others he knew it was useless to even think about it.
He sighed and put his chin in his hand, his elbow resting upon the higher of his two knees. The other leg was lower to help balance him on the small point that was considered the peak. He felt like he was slacking off but couldn't help it. He didn't want to search for anything to occupy his time. He just wanted to wallow in his loneliness and be miserable. Sometimes that made him feel better later. Maybe everyone felt that way sometimes. He sighed as the leg he was using to support himself grew tired and stood. He wasn't thinking of anything in particular at that moment so the voice that spoke so suddenly was clear and piercing.
"You really look just like him."
Zach gasped. He didn't know this voice. All of his life he had only known two voices and both were male. This voice was higher. Softer. Feminine. He'd never heard a female's voice before. He turned his head slowly to look behind him, thinking that perhaps he was hearing things but there she was. A woman. She floated in mid-air as she stared at him intensely. Long, dark red hair spilled over her back and her eyes were glowing green ever so slightly. She wore an ancient robe and the markings under her eyes made him touch his own as he turned halfway to face her. However her markings were square while his were curved spikes under each eye. Stil...he wondered if she was related to him. He wondered if...
"Mother?" he whispered.
"Oh, heaven's no." the woman laughed. "Please! Me, your mother? I couldn't bring myself to touch your father. That snot-nosed brat."
"You know my Dad?"
"Well, of course" she smiled, switching her tone to a pleasant lilt. "Haven't you heard of your auntie Wuya?"
"You're my aunt?"
"Of course not!" she sighed. "You're nearly as slow as your father too."
"Hey, my Dad's the smartest man in the world!"
"I'm sure he tells you that. Look, kid. I'm an old family friend. I thought I'd see how you people were doing up here."
"You live down there?" he asked excitedly.
"Well, of course. Only recluses like Chase and Jack live on secluded mountain tops." she sighed, stretching out and lying down in the sky. "So, where are they?"
"Father left the mountain today. Chase, I mean. And Dad's down in the lab working on something."
"Why? It's not like he ever actually does anything anymore."
"Ms. Wuya."
"Hey, it's Wuya or nothing' kid. I don't need to feel any older than I already do."
"Wuya...do you know which one of my fathers is my real father?"
"You mean they haven't told you?" she asked with a grin.
"No."
"Well, can't you tell?"
He shook his head softly and looked away. He had pondered over this very thing quite often throughout his life or at least since he'd learned of the birds and the bees. He really couldn't figure out which of the two was his real father. He looked so much like both of them but then again he possessed more of Jack's mannerisms than Chase's. He also had natural mechanical skills like Jack as well. Those two facts were often enough to make him lean more towards the idea of Jack being his real father. But then his mother would have to be someone like Chase or this Wuya. A Heylin.
"Would you like me to tell you?"
"You know?!" Zach asked, almost falling off the mountain as he turned around quickly.
"Of course. I told you I'm an old friend. In fact I knew them back when Chase hated Jack."
"Father hated Dad?"
Zach looked shocked at the very thought of Chase hating his Dad and that made Wuya laugh. Chase must have grown soft in the years they'd been apart if he was being kind to Jack. She smiled at the boy wickedly. So sheltered. So trusting. He would be the perfect little pawn. Just like his dad had been so many years ago. However she had high hopes that though he had the same slow wit that Jack was known for he would also have the strength that made Chase one of the most well known Heylin in the world. She sat up and put her fingertips together, staring at him eagerly.
"Well, would you like to know?"
"Yes." he whispered.
"Then you will have to do a favor for me first."
"What kind of favor?" Zach asked, eyeing her suspiciously.
"I'm afraid I've been the victim of thievery." she sighed with feigned sorrow. "And I need a strong young man to retrieve my possessions for me."
"Why don't you ask my Father for help?"
"I was more Jack's friend, really." Wuya replied stoically, examining her nails. "And you should know well enough how handy he is in a fight."
"I'll have to fight?"
"Well, of course. They're thieves. They won't just hand it over if you ask politely." she snapped, dropping her hand. "Don't tell me Chase didn't teach you how to fight!"
"He taught me but I've never been in a real fight with anyone before. I'm not sure if I'm...good enough."
"Well, you won't know until you try. Hit me!"
"...Hit...you?" Zach asked, eyes widening. "You're a girl."
"Trust me, kid. It won't hurt. Now hit me." she stated, pointing at her face.
Zach watched her eyes for any sign that she might be joking but she seemed to be in earnest. He balled his fist at his side but hesitated. What if he hurt her? He didn't want her angry at him. Then she might retract her offer. Besides, despite his lack of contact with girls he still knew it wasn't right to hit one. They were supposedly more fragile and weak than men. He decided to only hit her with a fraction of his strength just incase. He raised his hand and Wuya smiled as he thrust forward. She grabbed his fist just before it hit her face and picked him up off the mountain top with apparent ease. Zach kicked his feet as he was lifted into the air, looking shocked at the woman's strength.
"You weren't trying." she grinned. "Again."
Zach gasped as she dropped him abruptly but he managed to land on the mountain top. It did take him a few windmills before he could regain his balance but once he had he glared at her angrily. He could have fallen off the mountain completely and as bad as he wanted to see the world below he didn't want it to be the last thing he ever saw. Woman or not she'd nearly killed him and somewhat injured his pride. He balled his fist up again and slammed it into her stomach with all his strength. Wuya doubled over and grabbed her injured abdomen as he pulled back from her. He looked shocked and reached out a hand to see if she was okay. However Wuya only laughed. She straightened once again and threw her head back as she cackled.
"I actually felt that one!' she cried out just before her laughter subsided. "You'll do just fine, kid."
Zach dropped his hand and stared. He didn't like the tone of her voice nor the evil glint in her eye. He looked to the clouds below then back at Wuya as she extended a hand to seal the deal. What was he suppose to do? The only other way for him to find out who his real father was would be to ask one of them. He didn't think that would go over well with either man. Chase was likely to strangle him if the circumstances of his birth were negative. If he trusted this Wuya maybe she could help him find his mother as well. He raised his hand slowly and reached out for her clawed fingers. He hesitated for a moment - even pulled his hand back - but the doubtful look on his face passed quickly. He thrust his hand into her own and they shook on it. Wuya's evil smirk widened and Zach felt a small sense of regret in the back of his mind.
"Meet me at the bottom of the mountain tonight." Wuya instructed, releasing his hand from her tight grip. "Oh, and you may want to bring the Monkey Staff with you. I know Jack still has it."
"He keeps it in his room." Zach began. "How'm I-"
"Surely you're stealthy enough to get by Jack. He sleeps like a log."
"But Father doesn't."
"Yes, well, I happen to know he won't be returning until tomorrow. He has business with an acquaintance."
"Is that why you came today?" Zach asked, eyes narrowing. He was getting the feeling that Chase wouldn't want this strange woman on his mountain.
"You're a bit more shrewd than Jack." she grinned. "True, your father doesn't like me. He hasn't been fond of me since I betrayed him to Hannible Bean. Again!"
She laughed once more and slammed her hands together above her head. There was a flash of green light that blinded Zach for a moment. When his vision cleared again Wuya was gone, leaving only a small trace of her echoing laughter behind. Zack sat on the mountaintop for the next few hours as he thought about the pact he had just made with this complete stranger. He knew that it was very likely that she wasn't really a friend of Jack or Chase. She might have been an old enemy. It was quite clear she was Heylin of couse but that didn't mean that she was an ally. He had learned from his father that the Heylin were never a combined force. Each only looked out for their own needs and only allied themselves with other Heylin when it was absolutely necessary. If his father found out what he had done...
The sun was beginning to set before Jack came to fetch him. The clouds below parted as the propellers of his helibot broke through the blanket of mist. Zach looked down to watch him rise. He was lectured for worrying him for a moment but Jack could never stick to a scolding. He was soon chatting with him casually about Chase's absence due to business as they descended. Zach wouldn't eat dinner and Jack watched him with a strange look in his eyes as he poked at his meat. He asked if he wanted something different but Zach shook his head. His stomach was in knots. If he ate now it would only cause him complications later. If he was this nervous now there was no way his stomach would be settled once he actually got off the mountain.
"Hey, I know." Jack said suddenly. "Wanna sleep with me tonight? Like you did when you were little and Chase left us alone."
"I'm not scared to sleep alone anymore, Dad." Zach replied with a frown. "I'm sixteen."
"Yeah, but I'm thirty-six and I'm still scared to sleep alone." Jack responded with a grin.
"Kay."
Jack was worried that this confession of being afraid to sleep alone didn't make his son laugh. Something was wrong and he was sure it had to do with Chase leaving. He got moody sometimes when Chase left. Jack wasn't sure if this was due to missing the cantankerous Heylin or if it was because he was jealous of his father's freedom. Maybe he should see if Chase would let him take Zach out for a few days. But he doubted he would agree to such a thing. Chase was so overprotective of Zach. He was afraid that, being their son, someone would harm him to get to the two. Chase did still monopolize the "evil business" so to speak. Jack couldn't blame him. It worried the evil genius too. But surely there would be no danger in taking him to his parents' house. Maybe he could show him his old lair if his father hadn't converted it into a storage area by now.
"Dad?"
"Yeah?"
"..."
Zach looked up at his father as he stared at him curiously. He wanted to ask him who Wuya was but he knew that would give away the fact that she had been there. After all, neither of his fathers had ever told him about her before so what other reason would he have to ask about her? Maybe if he asked him about the Monkey Staff it would be less suspicious. He doubted it would reveal much about Wuya but if he had to use it as a weapon it would be useful to know how it worked. He put his fork down and turned his eyes away as he spoke.
"You know that thing in your room?"
"What thing?!" Jack squeaked, looking around nervously.
"...That staff you keep in that case." Zach replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Right...that thing..." Jack laughed nervously. "The Monkey Staff."
"Is it like an antique or something?"
" ?"
"...Father said it was a weapon." Zach lied, glancing over his Dad's head to avoid eye contact. "But it's just a stick so...it must have some kinda powers or something, right?"
"I guess. Why?"
"I was just wondering since I haven't been in your room for a while. I don't even remember exactly what it looks like. Is it mechanical?"
"No."
"Magical?"
"Yes."
Zach watched as a tiger came to take their empty plates away and sighed. Now he'd done it. Jack never answered questions in such short sentences unless he was trying to figure out what he was up to. Usually it only took one or two questions to send him off on an hour long explanation of something. Now he certainly didn't want to look him in the eyes. They sat in silence for the next few minutes as the tigers disappeared into the shadows. Zach could feel the thick silence pressing down on him as he tried to avoid his dad's stare. Jack scooted his chair out suddenly and it made an ear-splitting screech. Zach looked up at the sudden noise and their red eyes met. He almost cowered under his angry glare which was something Jack had never caused him to do before. That was Chase's job. Jack stared for what seemed forever before speaking again.
"It's a Shen-Gong-Wu." the genius said, frowning. "Don't touch it. If you do you'll have to answer to Chase."
"But why?"
"Because if you touch a Shen-Gong-Wu it will activate. And if it activates those Xiaolin losers will come here looking for it." Jack stated with the most stern expression Zach had ever seen on his face. "It's off-limits, got it?"
"Yes, sir." he whispered, looking away. "I was just curious."
"Let's go to bed." Jack replied, his face suddenly looking tired and old. "It's late. Chase will be back in time for school so you still have to get up in the morning."
"Yes sir."
Zach stood and followed Jack down the many corridors of the massive lair until they reached the room he and Chase shared. It was a long way from his own room and sneaking out would have been easier from there. However, he had to steal the Monkey Staff so it was better to start off here anyways. He climbed into bed beside the more affection of his two fathers. He tried to keep his distance but instinct had him curled up to Jack's side in no time. Jack smiled as he wrapped an arm around his son and wished him sweet dreams. Zach struggled to keep his eyes open though the warmth of the bed and his dad's arms made it somewhat difficult. Within the next hour or two he felt it was safe enough to make his escape. He lifted Jack's arm from his side gently and placed it around a pillow instead. He watched him sleep for a moment, frowning sadly. He didn't want to endanger him but if he took the Monkey Staff away from the lair he was sure anyone looking for it would end up following him anyways.
He picked up a screwdriver from the dresser where it lay beside many other tools and mechanical parts that Jack sometimes carted into his bedchamber to work on at night. This habit his father was always complaining about only made Zach's job easier. He unscrewed the glass frame from the case quickly and placed it against the wall as quietly as possible. He removed the Monkey Staff from the wooden pegs it hung on. As his pale fingers closed around the staff it began to glow and he gasped. He almost dropped it in shock but managed to catch it again after a little fumbling. He looked back at Jack's sleeping form but he continued to snore loudly. Zach sighed in relief and hurried from the room with all the stealth of a master ninja.
The climb down was so easy that Zach wondered why he had never tried to descend in the night so that his fathers wouldn't know he'd gone at all. Of course he knew why he hadn't. Chase had taught him utter obedience from day one. Only something like his current situation would coax him into rebellion. He lighted upon the ground at last and looked around in awe. There were trees everywhere. Zach had seen pictures of trees but he'd never actually gotten near one before. He had this sudden urge to climb it. Considering he scaled a mountain daily a tree shouldn't have invoked this feeling.
He ignored this fact as he ran over to the biggest, leafless oak he could find. He scrambled up into the bare branches and as he reached the topmost branch he felt an itching sensation on his lower back. He scratched without hesitation but found that he had a very large bump on his tailbone. And it was growing. He let out an animalistic screech as it burst through his jeans painfully. He gasped at the sight of a furry, reddish-brown tail sticking out of his backside. He reached a hand up to his face and found that he was growing fur all over. Now he knew the real reason it was called the Monkey Staff. This was the most awesome thing he'd ever experienced. He was starting to think he liked magic better than science. He felt a huge, fang-adorned grin spread over his face as he laughed screechingly.
"This is the coolest thing ever!" he exclaimed, hanging upside down with his tail.
"Like father like son." a familiar voice sighed.
"Wuya..."
Zach dropped from the tree and landed on all fours in front of the woman. He stood up straight though he had the urge to hunch. Even the monkey instincts the staff was endowing him with couldn't ruin the perfect posture Chase had beaten into him over the years though. He frowned at Wuya and thought about Jack, sleeping soundly up in the lair. What if she was planning to attack him while both he and Chase were gone? But that didn't make sense. The warriors were still prowling around and even in tiger form they were formidable opponents. Zach took a step back to put some distance between himself and the stranger. This could be a trap for him. As Chase's son any Heylin would risk their lives to use him as leverage. This was why he wasn't allowed off the mountain in the first place. He could have just made the worst mistake of his life.
"Are you ready, Mr. Young?" Wuya asked, gesturing to a path.
"Spicer." he corrected, narrowing his eyes. "Where are we going?"
"To the Xiaolin Temple. Has Jack ever told you about the legendary monks that live there?"
"He mentioned them when I asked him about the staff today." Zach said, looking down the dark path suspiciously. "The monks would have come to get it if I hadn't left the lair, wouldn't they?"
"Of course. Just as they came and stole mine." she answered with a pout. "They don't want anyone else to have one."
"Because we're Heylin and they're Xiaolin. We're evil and they're good. They're guarding them from us."
"That's right, kid." she continued, smiling as she placed an arm around his shoulders. "You catch on pretty fast."
Zach didn't resist as she guided him towards the dark path but he wasn't fooled. This woman was just trying to use him to get as many Shen-Gong-Wu as she wanted. Rather than take the risk herself she was going to use him as her lackie. He wasn't going to let that happen for long. He would get the Shen-Gong-Wu she asked for tonight and then demand the answer he sought. He would resort to telling his father if it came down to it but he would not be mad a fool of - that was for certain. Chase's pride was firmly embedded in every part of his being and even if it merely from being raised by him he wouldn't disappoint his father.
The path they took grew darker as they went on and soon Zach couldn't see an inch in front of his face. This worried him because that meant it wasn't a natural darkness. He could see fine at night which he assumed he inherited from his Heylin blood - whether that was Chase or some other Heylin. This darkness fell over them due to some kind of magic. Fortunately it was only a brief darkness because as it went on Zach began to realize he had inherited his dad's fear of the dark now that he'd actually experienced a full loss of vision. As they emmerged a small amount of moonlight lit their path. This was enough light that Zach could see everything clearly once again.
They were standing not too far from a large temple. This at least proved that Wuya was telling the truth and rid his mind of any doubts about her intentions. They approached the walls of the temple silently and Wuya seemed pleased with his stealth. She hopped onto the top of the wall but would go no further. Zach climbed up beside her and crouched on the wall with all fours, the Monkey Staff clutched in the grip of his new tail. Wuya pointed to a building in the center of the compound but had obviously put her hand out too far. A laser beam zapped through her fingernail and she cursed as she withdrew her hand.
"The security is fairly decent as you can see." she sighed, blowing smoke from her finger. "But the staff will help you get by that."
"Is that why you told me to bring it?"
"Of course not." Wuya whispered, rolling her eyes. "It's for the Xiaolin Showdown. You have to have a Shen-Gong-Wu to wager incase you get caught in one. It's a winner take all duel. Now, the monks have most of the Shen-Gong-Wu locked up in that vault."
Zach looked as she pointed to the building in the middle of the walled in temple again. It didn't look too out of the ordinary but he was sure that the monks wouldn't leave the magical objects in a building with no locks or security measures. Or guards. Since Wuya had said he would need to fight he was sure there would be guards. He began to feel his stomach tie into knots again as he thought about that. He had never even met anyone before and now the first people he saw he was going to have to fight.
"I only want the ones they took from me, of course." Wuya added, smiling once again. "I'm not selfish."
"Which ones did they take?"
"There are three that belong to me. The Ying Yo-Yo, the Yang Yo-Yo and the Sphere of Yun. It's very important that I have all three, understand?" she asked, grabbing his face and forcing him to look at her.
"Yeah." he mumbled, nodding. "And then you'll tell me which one is my real father, right?"
"Sure, kid." she sighed. "The vault is beneath the building. You'll need to hit the chimes on the right to open it. Three times each. Middle, right then left. Now get going. Meet me back at the path when you get them."
He nodded again and she released his face. He rubbed his cheeks and frowned as she dropped back to the ground. He was really starting to dislike this woman. He hoped all girls weren't like that. He turned his eyes back to the task at hand and took a deep breath as he tried to steady himself. This would be a test of all the training Chase had put him through. He stood and stared over the lawn. It would also be a test of all that Jack had taught him. He grinned as he spotted the source of the laser beams quite easily. He hopped into a tree just beside the wall and a laser shot at him. He screeched in surprise and covered his mouth as he jumped to the ground. He was having a hard time controlling those monkey instincts. He rolled out of the way as another beam hit the ground where he had landed. He made a sprint for the control box and ripped it open. A little rewiring deactivated the system without alerting anyone inside.
Zach sighed in relief and wiped his forehead with his arm, leaning against the wall for a moment. He picked up a rock and threw it onto the grass to make sure he had succeeded. When nothing happened he hurried to the vault, hoping there were no other surprises. He put a hand on the door to push it open when he noticed something. His keen eyes had spotted a small flicker of light within the building. He stood back and looked up to the roof to see the same light shining above. He climbed to the top and looked down through the skylight. Inside there were three men, a woman and a boy that looked to be his age. He sighed. He had hoped there wouldn't be anyone.
He watched the strangers as he contemplated what to do. It didn't look as though they were actually guarding the vault. They were playing cards, laughing and having an all around good time. His eyes watered up as he watched the woman hug the teenager. She had long black hair held up in a ponytail that reached down to her lower back. He couldn't see her face well from his position but he could imagine she had a kind expression. The boy she hugged pushed her away and Zach shook his head slightly as he sat up. It didn't seem as though they were going anywhere anytime soon. It was possible they always slept in the vault to guard it. He didn't have time to wait and find out. He had to get home before Chase returned in the morning.
With a slight grimace Zach raised the staff and slammed it into the window. Six faces looked up as glass rained down on their heads. Zach fell from the roof and landed on the stone floor without even bending his knees. He glared at the monks as they stared in shock but it didn't take long for one of them to react. A tan-skinned boy stood and pointed at him. He yelled an order to attack and Zach knew he was their leader. A large man in a cowboy hat charged at him but Zach jumped into the air before he could get his hands on his furry body. He landed atop the cowboy's head and sprang off, flying at the leader. The man didn't even flinch as he approached. He reached up and pushed at Zach's chest with both hands before he could land on him. Zach gasped as he was flung through the air and hit a wall.
"Who are you?" the leader demanded, pulling a sword from his side and pointing it at him.
"And how did you procure the Monkey Staff?" a small, round-headed man added.
"Yeah, isn't Jack supposed to have that one?" the woman asked thoughtfully.
"I stole it from him!" Zach shouted, hopping to his feet.
He jumped into the air and pushed off the wall, launching himself at the small crowd of monks. The round-headed boy grabbed his leg as he flew over his head and flung him back into the wall with ease. He calmly put his hands in his sleeves and stared at him with slanted eyes. A smug smirk spread over his face and Zach growled under his breath. He let loose a screech as he ran for him again but the monk hopped over his head without even taking his hands out of his sleeves. He kicked at him furiously but the monk simply stepped to one side. Zach tried to punch him in the face but he found his wrist caught in the grasp of small, yellow fingers. He hit the wall again.
"I am sure you had no trouble in fighting Jack Spicer, friend. However, you will find that I am not so weak."
"My dad's not weak!" Zach shouted before he could catch himself.
He covered his mouth with both hands as everyone in the room gasped.
"You are Jack Spicer's son?!" the round-headed monk asked in shock.
"No wonder we haven't seen the loser in so long!" the leader laughed. "He got married!"
"He's not a loser!" Zach screeched, jumping at them again.
They all stepped aside calmly as though they had anticipated his rage-induced attack. All except one. He hit the teenaged boy hard. Too hard. They went rolling across the floor together until they hit a wall. The entire building seemed to vibrate and Zach looked up at the sound of wind chimes. He jumped off the boy and ran at the door. He hit the chimes as he had been instructed and the floor began to sink into steps. The monks scattered to the edge of the walls to avoid falling into the abyss. Zach ran for the opening but wasn't quick enough. The yellow monk had hurried to intersect him. A tiny foot hit his face and sent him flying across the room. He hit the boy again and a coin flew from his shirt pocket.
"Kyoji!" the woman shouted.
The boy pushed him off and they both groaned as they held their heads. The woman was going to run to them but the leader put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head. Kyoji reached for the coin but Zach quickly realized what the item was. Their fingers touched the small object at the same time and it began to glow. Kyoji's eyes jerked up to glare into his own. They were a piercing green and Zach jerked back at the anger shining in them. He stood and Zach followed suit. He pulled but the boy wouldn't let go.
"I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown!" he shouted.
"...I accept." Zach whispered.