After Dojo returned to the Xiaolin temple with his passengers, the evening passed in a blur. Exhausted from the long battle, the Xiaolin Dragons clung to Raimundo, wearily babbling their stories from the past few months, until they and Jack nodded off one by one on the floor in Raimundo's room, all huddled together in a pile.

The six woke to the sound of purring, and Ping Pong opened his eyes to find a cheetah's nose inches from his face.

"Mouchetures!" He wrapped his arms around her neck, and she picked him up by the back of his shirt and began to carry him down the hall. As the others started to sit up, she gave a muffled chirrup back at them. The four Shoku Warriors trailed after her, but Jack remained where he lay, already snoring again.

When she stepped into the grand hall, Mouchetures set Ping Pong down and trotted to Chase, who waited for them at the other end of the room. Ping Pong darted after her, but the Shoku Warriors went still and stood face to face with the ex-Heylin.

The cheetah sat down next to Chase, and he nodded to them. "I am indebted to you, Xiaolin Warriors. By destroying the Heylin Demon, you have freed my soul from its clutches."

Raimundo, who had no idea how to respond to Chase's presence in the room, waited behind the others and said nothing. Omi frowned, shifting his weight from one foot to the other while he stood directly between Raimundo and Chase. Clay yawned, and Kimiko rubbed at her eyes and said, "Um… you're welcome?"

Taking note of the bags still under the monks' eyes, Chase said, "I do apologize if my servant interrupted your sleep; I merely wished to express my gratitude before I left on my new quest."

Omi's frown lifted slightly, and he tilted his head. "New quest? You are leaving?"

Chase looked down at the cheetah. "My warriors swore their loyalty to me, not the Heylin Demon, so their curse was not broken upon its destruction. However, my Heylin magic was destroyed in the Cosmic Clash, which means that I no longer have the means to free them myself." He scratched the cheetah's head. "I gave my word to this warrior that after Raimundo returned, I would find a way to restore freedom to her and the rest of my army. I intend to keep that promise."

Raimundo raised an eyebrow, and Ping Pong pressed his cheek against the cheetah's front leg with a sad sniffle. She purred and licked the top of his head.

Chase looked down at the two for a moment, and then he sighed. Crossing his arms behind his back, he said coolly, "I do suppose that while I search for such a cure, I could leave one of my warriors here in the meantime. For protective purposes, of course."

Ping Pong gasped and clung to the cheetah. "So Mouchetures can stay?"

"Is that what you've named her? Yes, I suppose she can."

Ping Pong squealed and hopped onto the cheetah's back while her purring increased in volume.

Chase nodded to the warriors and said, "Yesterday, each one of you showed exceptional promise as warriors. You will all make fine Xiaolin Dragons someday. I wish you all the best." With that, he turned and left the room. Four of the monks watched him go with groggy eyes, but Omi bolted forward and ran after him.

"Chase Young— I mean, Chase!" he said, darting outside. The elder man stopped and turned to the small monk, who skidded to a stop in front of him.

Breathing hard, Omi could not speak for a moment. Then he stood tall and said in a small voice, "I know that you are no longer evil. You are on the side of good, which was something I have wanted for a long time. And Raimundo is alive again. Everything is as it should be." He stared down at his hands, furrowing his thin eyebrows while his fingers kept clenching into fists. "I suppose this is the part where I forgive you?"

Chase kneeled before the Dragon of Water. "Young monk, anger and grief do not disappear overnight, even when all is well. I do not expect any forgiveness for the pain I have caused you. However, I do hope that with time, I can become worthy of your respect once more." Omi nodded slowly, mouth almost curving into a smile. Chase stood and resumed his walk from the temple.

"Take care, little one."

Within the temple vault and down the stairs, Jack frowned at the open drawer in front of him, which now held the Glove of Jisaku. Since he had left his giant sack of Shen Gong Wu at the temple yesterday, the elder monks had taken it upon themselves to reclaim every last one of them and stuff them back into the vault.

He grabbed the glove and lifted it high, but before he could speak, an elderly voice said, "I trust you slept well last night, Jack?"

Immediately throwing the glove back into the drawer and slamming it shut, Jack peered up at Master Fung, who watched him with fingers folded. "Yo, gramps. Uh, totally wasn't about to steal your Shen Gong Wu or anything."

"Certainly not," said Master Fung. "I trust that you plan to move into the temple shortly?"

Jack trotted up the stairs and came to a stop in front of the elder monk. "Uh. Move in?"

"To begin your training as the Dragon of Metal."

"Well, no offense, old man, but I already got Chase helping me with that…" Jack hesitated. He had spent years plotting evil world domination, convinced it would earn him the respect he deserved. But the entire ride back to the temple had been so full of joy. He couldn't remember feeling so happy in his life.

"You do not wish to join the monks here?" Master Fung raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps I misunderstood the signs of your budding friendships."

Jack stuffed his hands in his pockets and contemplated the cracks in the wall, frowning. "I guess I've got no choice in the matter, huh? I mean, now that I've saved the world instead of taking it over, that makes me a good guy. Destiny was right all along, and I had no say in it. I was just along for the ride."

Master Fung moved to stand next to Jack and study the same wall. "Young one, we at the temple believe that it is our duty to protect the balance between good and evil."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, responsibility. Guess I'm gonna have to get used to chores and training all day…"

"You misunderstand. We protect the balance, not just the good itself. When evil runs rampant, good rises against it. However, the opposite is true as well."

"Huh?"

"The forces of good are now stronger than ever before. So many young monks, including the newly returned Raimundo." He nodded respectfully to Jack. "The six of you together would be the greatest fighting force the world has ever seen, as you demonstrated yesterday. The demon was destroyed, but good and evil must always be in balance."

Jack's mouth dropped open. "So you're saying that something even stronger than the Heylin Demon will rise from the side of evil? To take its place?"

"There is a possibility." Master Fung turned to Jack. "The only certainty is that something or someone will be the new foe to the Xiaolin Warriors. It is inevitable."

"That's kind of depressing."

"Is it?"

"I don't want another evil wannabe taking the Top Evil Dog position!" said Jack. "Haven't you noticed? None of them have any style. Chase Young is gone, and Hannibal Bean was breaking every rule of the evil villain code. Now there's just Wuya—lame, Le Mime—double lame, Katnappe—" He paused in his rant. He looked up at the elder, who smiled.

"You choose your own destiny, young one."

Sitting on the porch with his chin in his palms, Omi spotted Jack walking out of the vault, texting on his cellphone and muttering to himself. Over his shoulder, he held a large, lumpy bag.

"Jack Spicer!" Omi darted to the redhead.

Shoving his cellphone into his pocket and shifting the bag, Jack hunched his shoulders. "These are just the broken ones. The rest are still in the vault; I'm not stealing anything."

"Why do you want broken Shen Gong Wu?" Omi yanked the bag down and peeked inside, and when he saw shards from the Orb of Tornami, he gave Jack a hopeful glance. "Are you planning to repair them?"

"Ehh, too old hat. I'm thinking more like upgrades: melting down the Orb of Tornami with the Shimo Staff and fusing them into something else."

Omi tilted his head. "I… I don't think that's possible, Jack. Only Grand Master Dashi can make new Shen Gong Wu."

"Chase said the same thing. And I don't know about you, but I love proving Chase wrong." Jack grinned wickedly, picked out a shard of the Shimo Staff, and rolled it in his palm. "How does 'Orb of Torpedo' sound to you?"

Omi frowned. "I like 'Tornami' more."

"Everyone's a critic." Jack rolled his eyes and made his way toward the temple's exit.

Omi darted after him. "Wait, where are you going? I thought you were going to stay at the temple with us to begin your training as a Xiaolin Dragon of Metal!"

"In a bathrobe? No way."

"But you saved the world! It is your destiny."

The redhead scoffed. "Jack Spicer writes his own destiny. Besides, I had a talk with the old man who lives around here—"

"Master Fung?"

"And he told me that evil always rises to meet the forces of good. So if I stayed here, then whatever evil force showed up to fight us would be even worse than Hannibal Bean."

"Wait. You want to be evil… to protect the forces of good?"

"Don't know what you're talking about," said Jack. "I'm just interested in Numero Uno, baby. Now that the Top Evil Dog position is open for grabs, I'm snagging it and becoming the most evil villain the world has ever seen, Evil Genius Jack Spicer, King of Darkness and Master of Metal!"

Such a claim would normally give Omi a cause for alarm, but instead he gave a cheeky smile and said, "That sounds most ambitious, Jack Spicer. I wish you well on your journey to world conquest, though that will not stop me from repeatedly defeating you."

"You mean it won't stop you from trying," said Jack.

At that moment, Clay stepped out of the vault and scratched his head. "Where are all our Shen Gong Wu?"

"Are they not all—still—?" Omi glanced back at Jack in time to see him dash around the corner. "Hey!" Jack's evil laugh was the only response.

"Ahem," said a voice, and Omi turned. Sitting atop Dojo, Raimundo held out his hand to the smaller monk. Taking it, Omi jumped on, followed by the other Xiaolin Dragons, and Dojo took off after Jack.

Dashing from the temple, the evil boy genius yelled, "Hey, Metal, do your stuff!" At his command, two blades popped off his helipack. They glided in front of Jack, who sprang on top of them and rode them like hovering ice skates. Flying faster than he ever had on the helipack, Jack spun in the air, whooping, and as Dojo's shadow passed overhead, he cried, "Army of Evil, attack!"

At his command, Katnappe, Vlad, Tubbimura, and dozens more leaped out from the bushes, all wearing the evil club jackets. They charged at the Xiaolin Warriors, who sprang down from the dragon and met the attack at full force.

While the other monks sent the minor villains flying, Raimundo flew behind Jack and grabbed his arm, pinning it to the redhead's back. Instead of panicking, Jack spun in the air, freed himself, and swung his other arm at the Dragon of Wind. Completely off guard, Raimundo managed to block the blow, but Jack launched into the attack moves Chase had taught him, driving his startled opponent back.

"Dude! Since when can you—?"

Omi leaped into the fray, meeting Jack's arm with his own. For a moment, the two were nose to nose. Then they both grinned at each other. Raimundo grabbed the back of Omi's shirt and leaped away with the younger monk in hand, knocking Jack backward with a gust of wind. Jack stumbled with a yelp, but a long-fingered hand grabbed his arm and stopped his fall. He looked up at Wuya, who raised an eyebrow while pulling him back to his feet.

She put a hand on her hip and said, "Elemental powers? Joining the monks to defeat the demon, and then betraying them for your own ends?" Before he could puff out his chest and retaliate, she smirked. "You know, Jack, you were always my favorite."

"Are you serious? Now that Chase and Hannibal are out of the evil picture, you come crawling back?" When she only tossed her hair in response, he huffed and turned away. "Missed you, too, you old hag."

When Omi landed, he saw the Heylin army across from them, all looking to Jack with newfound respect in their eyes. Behind them and standing on a hill in the distance, Chase leaned his arm against a tree and grinned down at the battlefield, refraining from joining either side.

Jack glanced back at his army, beaming, and then he turned back to face the Xiaolin Dragons. Omi stood in the center of the group, and Raimundo crouched at his side, wearing the team leader robes. Kimiko cracked her knuckles, Clay tipped his hat back, and Ping Pong bounced on the soles of his feet. The monks turned to Raimundo just as the Heylin throng turned to Jack. The two leaders pointed across the battlefield, and with a singular cry, they lunged.

"GONG YI TAN PAI!"

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Author's Notes:

And that's the end! Hope you all enjoyed the ride!

First off, I owe a HUGE thank you to my beta reader, NachoSammich, who helped make the second half of this fic soooo much better and stronger than the first half. I also need to thank CrazyCoco50 for their constant encouragement (i.e. raging), Sei-sama for her helpful pointers and insights, AngelRin89 for her MASSIVE signal boosting, and ChipmunkFanatic for her suggestions and assistance in the fic's early stages.

And of course, THANK YOU ALL for all the reviews, faves, follows, and feedback! Every one of you made this such a fun experience!

If anyone is curious, I have no current plans for a sequel. If I did write one, I would want it to be as good or better than this fic, and I don't think I could currently accomplish that with what little ideas I do have.

However, I CAN leave you with my headcanon notes for the Wu Xing Shield aftermath!

Although Chase could not teach Jack about his element, the Evil Boy Genius learned to master it on his own. After a few years and many failed experiments, Jack created his first Shen Gong Wu: the Monkey Spear. With the newfound power to create his own Wu, Jack Spicer became the Xiaolin Dragons' biggest threat. Over the next several years, the world repeatedly witnessed the fierce battle of Good vs. Evil: the Xiaolin Grand Master Dragons against Evil Genius Jack Spicer, King of Darkness and Master of Metal.

Jack's most common inventions were rip-offs of Dashi's destroyed ones, such as the Shroud of Monster Camo, the Morphing Chopsticks, and the Medusa Comb, but occasionally he got creative. (The Honey Badger was one of his favorites.) After the first world takeover, he created the Orb of Torpedo, the Sword of Lucida, the Kanabi Star, and the Fist of the Iron Bear. Tossing them to the monks, he dared them to give it their best shot.

In the course of his lifetime, Jack successfully took over the world at least five separate occasions. Yet every time, the Xiaolins ultimately prevailed. And every time, they'd then invite Jack out for ice cream, an offer he always accepted.