The Last Wudai Quest, Chapter One

[lonewolfprincess]

“Jet Bootsu!” “Monsoon Sandals!”

Tori whooped as she took off; even if it was only a few feet to anchor the end of a long string of red and gold paper lanterns to one of the rafters, the thrill of using a Shen Gong Wu was still fresh and beautiful, and she shared a grin with the long-legged Omi as he anchored another point along the line.

“Aaaah this is so cool!” Tori squealed as she zipped around Omi to attach the next section of the line. “Our first Mid-Autumn Festival Potluck at the temple, I’m so excited!”

Omi smiled as he took two crane-like steps to the next point. “Agreed, Tori! I am also very steeped!”

The Sun Dragon giggled. “Close: stoked.”

“That too! The paper you chose for your lanterns is most exquisite!” He gestured to a few of the lanterns along the lines, a soft yellow background hosting crimson bamboo groves.

“Aw, thank you, sweetie!” She couldn’t help giggling again as she attached the second end of the lanterns to the rafters, finding the ground as Omi’s legs shrank back to normal.

“Let’s see… we hung all the lanterns, already knocked out the sweeping and dusting around the temple, and the daily care for the gardens and the dino terrarium,” her eyes lit up as she counted off that chore on her fingers, she didn’t think the thrill of interacting with real dinosaurs would ever wear off, “the elders are setting up the grand hall, and Rai, Clay, and Kimiko are still working on the meditation garden…”



“Wind!”

Raimundo lightly tapped into his element, channeling it through the broom, and with the gentlest brush sent the dust and debris on the pagoda floor flying. … Flying a little too hard.

“Whoa!” Kimiko and Clay shielded their faces with their arms as the dusty gust flew over them. The good news was they closed their eyes in time. The bad news… that was the only part of them that managed to stay clean.

Raimundo blinked at his friends- now covered in dirt, a few leaves even clinging to Kimiko’s pigtails and Clay’s hat, giving him the flattest looks in their arsenal- before rubbing the back of his neck.

“Heheh, um… sorry, guys?”

Kimiko rolled her eyes as Clay gently summoned the Earth to push the debris off them, saving them a trip to the showers.

“Behold, the mighty Shoku Dragon of the Wind,” Kimiko drawled as she sauntered past him. “See his flawless control and discretion.”

Raimundo rolled his eyes back. “Hey, it worked at least! The floor’s clean now.” One day, he’d be able to use his powers and all the mystical objects at their disposal to do chores without any consequences. One day!

Kimiko just gave him a smirk. “Lemme show you how a real master does it. Fire!”

Soft flames danced around Kimiko’s ankles as she leapt up to one of the pagoda’s corners, slinging the loop of a paper lantern onto it, then back down, up and down again, festooning each corner and the center of the pagoda’s ceiling, all in a handful of seconds.

“There!” She dusted off her hands. “That should be enough for the moon-viewing party.” They didn’t want the lantern to drown out the moonlight once they were lit, of course. “And totally free of accidents.”

Clay laced and stretched his fingers. “Now for the last touch! Wudai Crater, Earth!”

A large disk of gray stone rose up from the earth at his call and stomp. Clay carefully lifted it on one edge, smoothing out the top and using his connection to carve out legs and space underneath for eight people to sit. The cowboy rolled the new table underneath the pagoda, setting it down on the freshly cleaned floor.

“Phew!” Clay wiped his brow with his forearm. “All’s we need now is some cushions and the snacks at showtime!”

“Speaking of which,” Raimundo’s voice held that teasing lilt that Clay had come to dread in the last few months, “your girl still glued to the kitchen? She’s been at it for three days.”

Clay grumbled, face burning from more than work now. “Not my girl…” The denial was almost a reflex at this point. “And yup.” He nodded back towards the main temple. “Thought Mia’d take a break after finishing the last of the mooncakes yesterday, but now she’s helping with prep for the potluck proper too. Half-wonder if it’s to guard from Dojo eating ’em all.”

Not that he could really blame Dojo though… He tied with Clay for the temple’s biggest appetite, and Mia’s cooking was always amazing. He was just excited to find out how the cakes turned out, given how closely she guarded what flavors she was using as she spent every spare moment crafting them, and to see her smile as she presented them—

Oh, wait. He hadn’t meant to smile that softly at the thought, and now Raimundo and Kimiko were grinning that grin at him. Clay pulled his hat over his bright pink face futilely as the Shoku Warrior draped an arm over his shoulder.

“Come on, cowboy, let’s save your damsel from the wicked dragon’s unending appetite and get her a lunch break. About time all of us got one.”

Kimiko giggled, while Clay calculated how much it’d disrupt things to shove Raimundo into the stream on the way…



Dojo crouched low at the threshold of the kitchen. Only a few monks in there now, adding final touches or reheating their additions to the potluck. Edamame, roasted nuts, fresh fruits cut into beautiful slices or- in the case of the pears- left whole, vegetables and proteins for the hot pot centerpiece. … And Mia, tending a wok of what smelled like Buddha’s Delight, mmm… Maybe he’d try to snag a bite or two on the way out. But first… the mooncakes.

The glass cloches holding all the baked mooncakes- four of them, stacked nearly to overflowing, a fine sheen on the golden brown crusts after two days of waiting- were too close to the stove… but maybe he could sneak one or two of the snowskin mooncakes. Slowly, very slowly, Dojo slithered along the edge of the floor-bound cabinets… wound his way up to the countertop- wait no, incoming monk, hide behind the cookie jar! Okay, once the coast was clear, then he slithered up to the top of the old refrigerator, inched his claws towards the handle—

“Boo.”

“AH!”

Despite the dry delivery, Dojo sprang off the refrigerator top like a party popper, bonking his head on the ceiling before crashing down on the hard floor. Thankfully the pain was light, and he shook it away easily… before registering the Moon Dragon in front of him, one brow raised, arms folded, one foot tapping on the ground in front of him.

“Um… heheh. Hi, sweetheart?”

Mia rolled her eyes as she scooped the little dragon up.

“DJ…?”

“I… I-I was just getting myself a little snack.” Dojo chuckled nervously as Mia carried him over to her wok, not wanting to abandon it for long. “It’s uh… it’s hard work, getting everything ready for the festival.”

“Oh, is that all?” she asked dryly as she resumed stirring the vegetables and tofu, the sweet and savory perfume rising fast and high from the wok. “Well, good thing I’m almost done with lunch. Buddha’s Delight gaifan should hit the spot, right?”

Dojo glared at her smirk. “… Yes. Yes it will.” He sighed, surrendering the game, writhing on her shoulder with pleading claws. “Look, I’m just asking for one little mooncake, just one, please! You’ve been at it for days and you haven’t told anyone what flavors you’re making, I’m dying here!”

Mia sighed, using her free hand to pat the dragon’s noggin. “Dojo, you’re awesome, but the only thing bigger than your stomach is your mouth.” Her exasperated expression softened into a faint, shy smile. “I wanna surprise the others, you know?”

“Surprise us with what?”

Mia and Dojo both startled at Raimundo’s question, Mia hopping an inch in place while Dojo launched himself into the ceiling again, embedding himself like an arrow.

“Uh… lunch!” Mia grinned nervously at Raimundo, Kimiko, and ah crud, Clay as well. How much did they overhear? “Yeah, lunch is ready! Surprise…?”

Raimundo just chuckled, shaking his head. “Wow, we’re so surprised… Seriously, girl, aren’t you tired of cooking yet?”

Mia scoffed as she began scooping steamed rice from the clay pot into bowls. “Are you kidding? This is my first Mid-Autumn Festival, and I’m the Moon Dragon! Of course I’m going all out!” Her gray eyes shone as she spooned the Buddha’s Delight over each mound of rice. “Not to mention there’s still way too much to do! There’s the broth for the hot pots, and dumplings to fill and wrap, and Master Zou’s showing me how to make taro puffs—”

“Easy, little lady.” Clay moseyed in beside her to finish plating the gaifan. “You’ve been working harder than a bee before winter. You gotta pace yourself!”

Mia grumbled. “I am pacing myself. That’s what the lunch break is for…”

Raimundo laughed again, he and Kimiko grabbing a few bowls to ferry over to the lunch table, Clay and Mia following behind as Omi and Tori popped in. None of them noticed Dojo falling out of the new hole in the ceiling and splatting on the kitchen floor.

“Come on, girl, put down the workahol.” Raimundo sat down with the others, already picking up his chopsticks. “This holiday’s supposed to be about spending time with your loved ones and enjoying nature’s beauty and stuff. Take some time to breathe.”

“I’m afraid that there is still work to do before we may celebrate, young monks.”

Everyone rose to their feet as Master Fung strode serenely into the room, a dazed Dojo slithering over to climb onto his shoulders.

“What do you mean by that, Master Fung?” Omi asked.

“Omi, Kimiko, Clay…” The three Wudai Warriors straightened a little more. “You three have faced many trials the past few months. I believe you are now ready to ascend to the rank of Shoku Warrior.”

“What?!” The shock swiftly turned into excitement, Raimundo and Tori and Mia all cheering wildly.

“However…” Master Fung let the disappointed chorus of ‘ohhh’s wash over him. “In order to do so, you must complete one last Wudai Quest.”

“Well, what is it, Master Fung sir?”

Kimiko held her fist up with a sure grin. “Whatever it is, we can handle it!”

Master Fung nodded. “You will embark on a journey to the Cave of Shoku. You must overcome the trial using only your skills and your elemental powers. If you do not… the consequences could be grave indeed.”

A harsh silence fell over the room. The sound of Mia’s chair along the floor broke it, followed by her stepping forward.

“Can’t we go with them?” she asked, ignoring the way her hands ached and itched as fur and claws threatened to surface. “At least for moral support?”

“Yeah, or at least we can wait until tomorrow?” Tori chimed in. “Have a nice party first and then send them off in good spirits?”

Master Fung shook his head. “I’m afraid not. It is tradition to undergo this quest at Mid-Autumn, when the moon is at its brightest. And it is a very dangerous quest that must be completed alone; you may not accompany them.” That heavy silence began to fall again. “However… there is a way that the three of you may help them.” Master Fung flashed the Shoku Warrior and the two Dragons-in-Training a soft but mysterious smile. “If you will follow me. Omi, Kimiko, Clay? Prepare yourselves and assemble in the courtyard.”



Dojo crouched coiled around the edge of the courtyard, dwarfing the three young monks.

“What do you think we will be facing?” Omi asked, cutting the silence like a taut string.

“Could be anything…” Kimiko thought. She was sure it was some kind of riddle, but… ugh, this whole thing got sprung on them too quickly.

Clay thought for a moment… before clutching his stomach. “Right now, I’m just thinking it would’ve been nice for Master Fung to let us finish lunch first…”

“Aw, well good thing we’re here to fix that,” Tori chirped as she, Mia, and Raimundo stepped into the courtyard, the three of them bearing cloth-wrapped lunchboxes.

The three starving teens’ eyes lit up, mouths watering, as they rushed over to grab the food.

“Y’all are lifesavers!” Clay cried eagerly, taking his box with gusto from Mia’s hands.

“It’s not the only thing,” Raimundo cut in, the Wudai Warriors raising eyebrows at his sage smirk. “We’ve got a little ceremony first.”

Tori grinned, motioning Kimiko forward before producing a long hairpin, streamers of bright green leaves dangling from a bright gold sunflower of folded silk. Kimiko remembered her squeeing over this and quite a few other souvenirs during their Japan visit a week or so ago.”

“Kimi-sempai, I present to you this token!” Her plump fingers closed over Kimiko’s petite hands before she stepped away, amber brown eyes bright. “Now obviously sunflowers are connected to the sun and cheerfulness and all that good stuff! But there’s a lot of deeper meaning too! In the language of flowers, short ones mean adoration while tall ones signify pride! They’re also the symbol of the Queen of Wands!”

With a flourish, she pulled out a card featuring a fairy queen holding a star-tipped magic wand, red roses wreathing the waist of her gown as she strode through a grove of sunflowers, gently petting the giant lion looming over her shoulder.

“Just like kindling feeds flames, the Wand suit symbolizes fire: bright creative energy and the will to get it done! And the Queen of Wands is a warm and confident and charismatic ruler who shares that energy with those around her.” Tori’s smile softened, a faint blush gracing her tawny cheeks. “That’s how I see you… You’re so smart and daring and you care so much about the people around you! Tap into that light, let it guide you in the darkness, and share it freely so you can guide others! Ganbare, sempai!”

Kimiko’s stared with wide eyes, before her hands remembered they could move, and she slipped the pin of the kanzashi into the base of one of her pigtails.

“Thanks, Tori… That’s really sweet.”

Mia flashed her sister a quick smile… but then her eyes met Clay’s and she gulped, forcing her legs forward.

“I um…” She forced herself to take a steadying breath through her nose, clutched the hematite heart hanging from her neck, and slipped the steel chain over her head, holding the pendant out in a lightly trembling fist. “Here…”

Clay blinked. “Your necklace?” His large fingers gently took the smooth, steel-sheened gem from her long, lean ones, face burning bright pink.

Mia’s pale face flushed even hotter as she stumbled for words, unable to look him in the eyes.

“It’s—d-don’t worry about the shape, I know it’s kinda awkward…” Aaand she cut herself off there before she dug that hole any deeper. “A-anyway, I just… the stone’s supposed to mean grounding and bravery and protection and blah blah blah…” Another deep breath to steady herself, and Mia’s gray eyes finally locked with his blue ones, all her shyness buried under a life-or-death seriousness. “Look, this is the important part. You’re… a lot more than just the big strong guy, on or off the battlefield. You’re stupidly smart, and wise, and just… unendingly kind. And most importantly, you know how to be bold when you need to. Don’t forget that, okay?” Her lips curled into a sharp smirk as she punched the air. “Punch your fears in the face!”

Clay stood there stunned… before a soft, awed chuckle escaped him. One hand tipped his hat to her before he wrapped and looped the chain into place around his wrist, not sure whether it’d fit right on his much thicker neck.

“Well, thank you kindly, little lady.”

For once, Raimundo ignored the opportunity to tease the lovebirds (okay, maybe he flashed them a quick smirk before they could notice), and instead he strode over and knelt at Omi’s feet.

“You’re up, little dude.” And out of his pocket, he held out a familiar chain-held golden disk, engraved with a spiral.

“Your pendant?”

“Yup.” He looped the unclasped chain around Omi’s shoulders, fastening it behind. “Wasn’t sure whether I could just slip it on, considering…” He gestured to Omi’s big head, snickering as the little monk pouted. “Kidding, kidding! Anyway…” He cleared his throat to bring the tone back down, patting the Water Dragon’s shoulder. “We’ve been through a lot. Kicking butt, saving the world… accidentally plunging it into trouble once or twice… a week.” Seriously, never mind Wuya or Chase Young’s brief takeovers, their Apprentice days were wild… “We both messed up a lot, but you always had faith that we could fight to make things better. And you’ve grown a lot wiser and kinder just in the last few months. Mistakes suck, but… you know that’s not all we are. And no matter what, we’ve got each other’s back. You’ve got this, little dude.”

Omi’s eyes shone as he examined the pendant, let Raimundo’s words sink in. His posture straightened, and he gave Raimundo a solemn fist-to-palm bow.

“Thank you, Raimundo.” A faint smirk crossed his lips. “It is about time I caught up with you. After all, it wouldn’t do to be the last one to rise to Shoku Warrior.”

Raimundo chuckled as he rose and returned the bow. “Don’t get too cocky, cheddarhead.”

“You are now ready to embark on your quest, Wudai Warriors,” Master Fung finally intoned, returning the three solemn bows. “Return swiftly and safely!”

“Seriously, you better not miss the party!” Tori ‘scolded’ with a grin. “Especially after we worked our butts off!”

Everyone chuckled, and Mia strode over to Dojo’s snout as the Warriors hopped on.

“Bring them home in one piece, DJ,” she whispered as she hugged his nose, the dragon words rumbling deep and soft as distant thunder.

“Wouldn’t have it any other way, sweetheart,” he rumbled back. “Alright, kids, all passengers for the Cave of Shoku have boarded and pre-flight check is completed, we are now clear for takeoff!”

And with that, the giant dragon flew into the crisp autumn sky, the Wudai Warriors sparing one last glance towards the temple as the ground shrank beneath them.



“Aaaaand done!” Jack let out a sigh as he wiped his forehead with the back of his hand… completely oblivious to the giant black smear mark now gracing it. “Took the better part of a month, but Jack Spicer’s evil army is now back in business!”

Wuya cackled. “Excellent, Master! And what perfect timing; the Mid-Autumn Festival is tonight, and the Xiaolin Temple’s guards will be lowered for sure. The perfect time for a raid!”

“I do miss having more than eight Shen Gong Wu in my vault…” Especially useful Shen Gong Wu; the Manchurian Musca objectively sucked, and Raimundo had provided first-stomach testimony on why the Shen-Ga-Roo was awful for transportation. “Still, isn’t it weird, attacking on one of your big holidays? Don’t you wanna take the day off first?”

Wuya rolled her eyes. “Jack… we first summoned Mala Mala Jong on the Mid-Autumn Festival two years ago…” No holiday was sacred, especially when she planned to rewrite the calendar in her own image. “While today is a bit… risky… the rewards will be delicious!”

Wuya let loose an evil chuckle, slowly building into an evil laugh. And there was that chill in Jack’s spine again…

“Uh… risky how? I thought you said they’d be easy pickings.”

“Oh, I’m sure the Shen Gong Wu will be ripe for the taking! But other defenses will likely be heightened once the moon rises. We must plan and execute this attack quickly and carefully, Master.”

Jack tried to swallow his nerves as Wuya’s bug-eyes glowed menacingly in the dark, saw-toothed grin like a crescent moon.



The dragon-ride to the cave was perfectly timed: just enough time for them to scarf down their lunches before flying over a range of tall, smooth-capped mountains. Dojo soared towards one coated in gray and black stone, only a few stubborn, stunted pine trees clinging to its surface, touching down on a small ledge just outside a wide cave mouth yawning near the peak.

Clay helped Kimiko and Omi hop off the dragon’s back before he shrunk down.

“Well, kids… this is as far as I can go with you.” Dojo waved tiny claws at them. “Good luck in there… and seriously, try to get out sometime soon. If I have to miss out on those mystery mooncakes…!”

The teens laughed, and Omi bent down to pat Dojo’s head.

“We shall return soon, Dojo, and as Shoku Warriors!”

The three Wudai Warriors exchanges looks, then nods… then with deep breaths, strode into the dark cave.

The walls swallowed the crisp autumn sun, and it only took a few steps in before everyone squinted in pitch black.

“Kimiko…?”

“On it,” she said before Omi finished asking, and summoned a small flame in the palm of her hand.

All three sets of eyes widened. Instead of plain stone, the walls and ceiling of the cave shone like mirrors, large, carved planes of black glowing a deep, rich orange in the firelight.

“Ooh, what a marvelous place!”

Clay gently brought a hand up to one of the surfaces. “Looks like obsidian. Reckon this tunnel might’ve been a side vent of a volcano at one point or another.”

“It is really pretty… but we should get going. Something feels… weird here.”

The boys nodded as they followed her lead… and their shadows in the mirrors lingered, before blending back in the darkness.

“What or… I guess who do you reckon we’re looking for?”

“It could be anything…” Omi mused. “Perhaps we must find a great treasure, like that of the Blind Swordsman?”

Shame that the Chest had been missing since the Cosmic Timeline Continuum Pileup, most likely destroyed…

“Maybe some kind of riddle challenge, given how the others were talking…”

Suddenly, Clay’s breath hitched and he stopped in his tracks.

“Y’all feel that?”

The Fire and Water Dragons froze. Yeah… yeah they could feel that faint tremor, slowly growing beneath their feet—

“WHOA!”

Before anyone could react, the ground cracked and crumbled beneath their feet like glass, dropping them into a yawning abyss below!

Everyone screamed, scrambling to grab the others but grabbing only rubble-studded air, the walls around them suddenly too broad to leap off of! The only thing they could do was fall…

“Oof!” Kimiko grimaced, face and shoulder colliding into warm sand.

The hard stone of the floor knocked the wind out Clay is he landed.

“Blech!” Omi spat out a mouthful of mud that tasted pitch black. “Are you alright my friends?”

Silence…

“Kimiko? Clay?”



“Omi?”



“Where’d y’all go?”