Title: A Path Once Closed…

Author: ScathingSarcasm

Pairings/Characters: Jackcentric - Minor Characters: Wuya, Omi

Rating: K

Genre: Angst

Disclaimer: I do not own XS or related characters.

Warnings: Angst, but nothing explicit.

-

-

-

º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°°º¤ø,¸¸ °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°°º¤ø

…can never be opened.

º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°°º¤ø,¸¸ °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°°º¤ø

-

-

-

Jack hummed quietly to himself, still consumed with the arduous task of laundry even as dusk fell and darkness stole over the land. In truth, he didn’t mind the labor; it served to distract him from the drastic shift in his life that had taken place barely a day before. Of course, he had expected the monks to treat him badly at first. They had been enemies ever since they had first laid eyes on each other, and that wouldn’t change over night. Still, he was determined to show them he could be good, no matter what the cost.

He nodded resolutely to himself at his self-confirmation, and returned to scrubbing vigorously at yet another crimson training gi. Honestly, didn’t these people wear anything else?

Consumed as he was by his thoughts, he failed to sense the presence of one small, bald monk hiding behind a brick wall in the background, peeking out from behind it to spy on the lone genius. The monk sighed in relief as he found the newest Xiaolin alone, working industriously.

‘I was concerned, despite all my confidence in him, that he would betray us in the dead of night, but it seems he is sincere after all. I knew he could be good…’ Omi thought proudly, secretly thrilled that his new friend was trustworthy after all.

Suddenly, he twitched as he felt the faint ominous presence of another creep towards Jack. He almost shouted out, but stopped himself when he was the ghostly mask of Wuya seep through the tall spring grass.

‘I must see how he reacts to Wuya’s presence. Did he set this up?’ he wondered, his heart sinking.

Jack didn’t look up from his work, unawares of Wuya’s ghostly presence. The imprisoned witch rolled her eyes impatiently before purring in her echoing voice,

“Jack… doing dirty work of the lowly monks already? My, you do adjust fast…”

Jack’s head shot up in a snap, crimson eyes terrified and shocked. “W-Wuya!”

“Yeeees, Jack. Did you think I would abandon you so easily?” Her voice was sickeningly sweet.

“You’ve had no problem doing it before…” the albino genius muttered, his whole body slumping into tense submission.

“Yes, well, that was then, and this is now!” the witch snapped, loosing her patience. “Now, you will steal the Wu and come with me! Now!”

“… n-no!” The genius whimpered, his trembling white fists clutching the gi desperately, “no, no, no… I… I’m going to be good now, they’ve accepted me now! I’m one of them! G-go away!” Jack’s whole frame shook with the force of his rebellion.

“Oh, Jackie…” the witch’s voice dripped with condescending pity and concern. “Do you really think you could ever be one of them? That they would ever accept you? Lowly, pathetic you? You aren’t good for anything, which, if the laundry is any indication, the monks have already realized. They will only wring out for all you are worth – your money, your hard work and your intelligence – and then throw you out like yesterday’s trash!”

“That’s what y-you do! You’re the one who… who uses me! It’s always been you!”

“It’s been everybody, Jack! Since the day you were born! Everybody!”

“No… no… go, go away, I don’t need you anymore…” Jack lurch forward, pale hands clutched desperately over his ears in an effort to block out her poisonous words.

“Jackie, have always needed me… and you will always need me. With out me, you would be nothing. You are nothing.”

Jack only sobbed brokenly in response. It tasted of agreement.

Crouched behind the temple wall, Omi ruthlessly stomped down the urge to protest, to comfort, to rescue.

Every word of it was true.

-

-

-

º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°°º¤ø,¸¸ °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°°º¤ø

-

-

-

Hello again, folks. I know, two posts in the span of two days? Gasp, shock and awe! But not really, because this has been sitting in the back of my docs for weeks. Still, I’m on Spring vacation, and am feeling particularly inspired, despite the fact that I’m supposed to be reading The Odyssey for my English I Honors class. Phooey.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this little snippet of Jackcentric angst, and I’m looking forward to some feedback. Thanks oodles!

-SS