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Chapter Text

"Are you sure about this, Rai?"

"What if he gets mad at us for asking questions and makes us do laps around the yard or somethin'?"

Dojo poked his head out from under Clay's hat and let out a long yawn, stretching out his arms. "And did we have to come here so early? I didn't even have time for my morning bubble bath."

Kimiko pulled out her PDA and scrolled through her contacts. "And we didn't tell Master Fung where we're going."

Raimundo turned to look at his friends. "It's better if he doesn't know. Who knows how he'll react."

"And what makes you think Master Monk Guan’s gonna be any better?" Clay asked.

Kimiko stuffed her PDA into her pocket and fastened the belt on her plaid trench coat. The waves tossed back and forth against the stone the temple was built upon, while great heavy clouds shrouded the sky. Kimiko's beret flew off her head in a burst of chilly wind, and Clay, who had a lot of experience, caught it in one move.

"Beats staying here," he decided.

"I just hope Chucky Choo isn't here," Dojo muttered.

Just as Raimundo was about to knock, the door flew open, revealing Master Guan's prominent figure.

"Young monks, what are you doing here? And where’s young Omi?”

Raimundo went down a step, scratching the back of his neck. "Actually, that's sort of why we’re here."

Master Guan watched them in silence until the boom of thunder caused Dojo to shriek and hide inside Kimiko's sleeve. "I’m sure you have a lot to tell me, but let's move inside before it starts raining."

He led them into the dining chamber where one of the elder monks served them steaming tea and dumplings which Dojo didn’t think twice about shoving into his mouth.

"I realize that a lot has happened since our last encounter. Raimundo, I have yet to congratulate you on your promotion to Shoku Warrior.”

Raimundo shook his cup, watching his tea churn. "Yeah, well, it seemed all fun and perks at first, but turns out being in charge just means more responsibilities."

"You're doing a great job, Rai," Kimiko said, touching his shoulder.

Clay tipped his hat. "That's right, partner, we couldn't ask for a better leader."

"That's nice of you guys to say, but are you sure? I mean, we've already lost Omi!”

"You must tell me what happened," Master Guan demanded.

Kimiko gritted her teeth. "Well, we didn't lose him exactly. I mean, we know where he is, it's just…”

Raimundo set his cup on the table and gestured wildly with his hands. "Ever since he messed with the Sands of Time the little dude’s gone bonkers! He keeps talking about Chase Young and how we should bring him to the side of good!”

Guan's eyes grew wide.

"One time he proposed we steal his Lao Mang Lone soup," Clay said.

"Or lure him into the Ying Yang world and capture his evil chi," Kimiko added.

Guan blinked a few times, trying to mask his surprise. "I'm not sure if any of these methods would have worked. Chase Young's soul has been tainted by evil for so long that I doubt there’s any good chi left, and without the soup, he might be stuck in his beast form forever, at least if his words are to be trusted."

"That’s what we’ve been telling him, but he just won’t listen!" said Raimundo. "Seems like whatever he saw in the past and the other timeline made him think Chase would make the perfect ally."

"I see. And how much do you remember from the other timeline?"

"Honestly, not much except the showdown."

Kimiko stared into her cup. "Omi said he drank the soup to save us, but I don't remember what happened until after that."

"Except the part we were ‘bout to become his chewin' toys," Clay said.

Raimundo looked at Guan. "I was hoping you could tell him he’s just wasting his time. He doesn’t listen to us, but you’re a master monk so he might listen to you.”

"I'll see what I can do, but first there's somewhere I need to be. You’re welcome to stay here for the time being.” Master Guan rose to his feet and bowed his head in goodbye.

The young monks watched him until the door swung shut, then shared a confused look.

***

At the edge of a mountain shaped to look like a fearsome demon and flanked by two rows of fang-like rocks, Omi was talking to a panther. Or at least he tried to. It was a rather one-sided conversation.

"Maybe if I bring him a present. Oh yes, what a most brilliant idea! Everyone likes presents! But what does Chase Young like best? You must know, Mr. Panther. You must tell me! Pretty please?"

The panther swung its tail and opened its mouth only to let out a heavy yawn.

Omi removed the Tongue of Saiping from his face and sighed in defeat, letting his hands flop to his sides.

"I'm afraid you're wasting your time, little one. Fahlasi was never the talking type, not even in her original form."

"Chase Young!" Omi yelped, turning on his heel.

Chase nodded to the panther and she changed into a tall slender woman wearing a tribal mask and many gold bracelets. She returned the gesture and slung her spear over her shoulder, marching into the mouth of the cave.

Omi blushed. Now he felt foolish for calling her Mr. Panther the whole time.

"I see you came alone, you didn't even bring that pesky dragon of yours."

Omi hid the Tongue of Saiping behind his back. "I don't want to fight you, I just wanted to... um, pay you a visit?"

Chase crossed his arms over his chest and smiled at him in a way that didn't seem to hide evil intent. "In this case, you're welcome to come in. I wouldn't want you to make a habit of lurking around like that good-for-nothing Spicer insect.”

"How did you know I was here?"

Jack Spicer poked his head out from beneath the Shroud of Shadows, causing Omi to flinch and Chase to raise an eyebrow.

"I can smell the baby lotion from inside the mountain."

"Hey! It's not my fault I have sensitive skin!"

Jack folded the Shroud and tried to come closer only to bump into a snarling tiger that had come to replace the panther.

"Did I mention I also bruise really easily?"

Jack backed away until he reached the ledge. He glanced over his shoulder, swallowed hard, and activated his heli-pack, which, to Chase’s credit, made an insect-like buzz.

"Um, I just remembered I have some important evil genius boy business to attend to!"

Omi gazed at the ever-gloomy sky of the Land of Nowhere until Jack became a small dot in the distance, and when he turned back, Chase was waiting for him at the entrance. He carefully walked around the tiger and watched as the stone wall dropped behind him like a giant mouth, hoping he wasn't stepping straight into a trap.

And yet the bright citadel at the end of the tunnel with its many waterfalls and lush trees never failed to calm his nerves. Maybe because he was a Water Dragon and found solace in the gentle murmur of the current, but it also gave him hope. After all, how many villain lairs were this pretty?

Chase invited him to the dining table where various wild cats swung trays of delicacies on their heads. He recognized Fahlasi, the black panther, pouring lemonade into his glass.

"Each of them was once a great warrior, but now they are mere servants."

"They knew what they were getting into," said Chase, who was munching on a cob of buttered corn. "They accepted my challenge and lost. They let their pride cloud their judgment.”

One of the lions had assumed his human form to slice a chocolate cake. He wore dark armor emblazoned with a red dragon.

"Take the Black Knight for instance. He used to roam the woods, challenging all the heroes out on quests to duels just for the sake of it. At least here his skills are put to good use."

"Wait, the Dark Knight sounds a lot like a bad guy. I thought they were all noble warriors.”

"Their old affiliations have no relevance to me. I chose them for their skills and their will to fight.”

"Does this mean that if you become good again, they too will go back to their old ways?" Omi asked.

Chase propped his elbows on the table and held his head, watching him intently. "Would that change your mind?"

Omi shook his head and grinned. "No, because I know you belong to the side of good. Then we could defeat the Black Knight together, just the two of us!”

"Really?" Chase asked with an amused glint in his eyes. "And what if you went to the Heylin's side instead? Then we could defeat whole armies of knights.”

“You could defeat whole armies when you fought alongside Grandmaster Dashi and Master Monk Guan.”

Chase put his hands back on the table and stared at him without blinking.

"You have to remember! They were your friends just like Kimiko, Raimundo, and Clay are my friends.”

"It all happened a long time ago. All I remember are small fragments."

From the look on Chase's face and the way he clenched his fist around his fork, Omi could tell that none of his memories of his old friends were happy ones, so it was probably wise not to push the subject.

He glanced around the table. There were so many dishes he could choose from, many he didn't recognize. He tentatively picked a roasted pumpkin seed from a bowl of yellow mush.

"Ah, careful, little one, it's quite spicy."

"Ha! My tongue and I are not afraid of a little spice! We accept your challenge!” he said and proceeded to stuff spoonfuls into his mouth, staining the tablecloth.

Chase didn't seem to mind and had that half-smirk that told Omi that he had reacted exactly as Chase had expected him to. And maybe he didn't have Kimiko's resistance to spicy food, but he was still a dragon, and dragons never backed down.

"Finished!" he said, proudly showing Chase the empty bowl. "It wasn't even that spicy! What is it called?”

"Orange guacamole with roasted pumpkin seeds, it's a recipe that dates back to the Aztec Empire."

"Oh, that looks good! What is it?" Omi asked, reaching for a tray of spongy contents coated in caramel syrup.

"Malva Pudding. It has South African origins."

"Yum! It's finger biting good!"

Chase didn't bother to correct him and reached for the large pot in the middle of the table.

"How do your warrior cats know how to cook so well?"

"Each of them wanted to preserve a piece of the place they came from. Believe it or not, they were more willing to share cooking recipes with me than fighting techniques.”

"Then what is that?" Omi asked, pointing to the pot. "Smells good! Can I have some too?”

Chase nodded and poured soup into his bowl. Omi recognized the bamboo shoots and mushrooms, but couldn't tell what the rest of the ingredients were.

"And where does this come from?"

"Actually, I taught them this one. But I don't remember where I got the recipe from. It must be very old.”

"Mmm, but it's the best! It feels like a warm hug!”

Chase hummed absently and glanced at his spoon reflection.

***

Wuya had always taken pride in her long, rich hair, especially after learning the spell to change its color, but in her fifteen hundred years as a disembodied spirit, she had forgotten how difficult it was to maintain. After the second brush got stuck in her thick curls, she opened the cupboard under the sink to see if Jack's mother had any detangling spray. Good thing his parents were almost never home.

The door slammed against the wall and Jack shuffled in with his black eyeliner running down his cheeks.

"You look more pathetic than usual. Who made you cry this time? Was it the monks? Chase Young? The milkman?”

"I wasn't crying! I flew through a cloud, I swear!"

"Uh-huh," Wuya said and turned back to the mirror, using Mrs. Spicer's expensive lipstick.

Jack wiped his face with a towel and joined her, carefully applying fresh makeup. "And Chase and I are cool. He almost made me his apprentice that one time, remember?”

"Jack, he was using you to get to Omi."

"I know, he's so evil for that! One day I hope I’ll get to his level!”

Wuya rolled her eyes and smacked her lips to make sure the color was evenly distributed. "He wasn't that big of a shot when we first met."

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't I ever tell you the story?"

"No, you never tell me anything about yourself, which is not at all fair since I always tell you everything!"

"It's not like I ask you to."

"Now you have to tell me!" Jack said, sitting on the edge of the tub and swinging his legs.

"Oh well, I guess it can't hurt. Maybe it will finally shut you up about Chase. Alright, so I must have been about your age."

"Wow! Was air invented back then?"

"Careful, or next time you might not need eyeliner," Wuya said, shaking her fist.

Jack covered his eyes with his hands. "Got it. Please proceed.”

"Chase was a little brat. And Dashi, Dashi was even worse…”

***

Guan carefully crossed the path at the mountain's edge, his back pressed against the rock and the raging waves splashing at his shoes. He paused and glanced back to make sure he hadn't been followed, then traced the stone with his hand. All at once, the six dots on his forehead began to glow, and a door slid open, scuffing the ground underneath.

A whole garden sprang to life the moment he walked in, illuminated by a row of stone lanterns. He passed through clusters of azalea bushes and bamboo plants, across a little bridge over a twisting stream, and came to a halt in front of an apricot tree with big juicy fruits standing between two identical stone dragons.

Guan sat cross-legged under the tree, feeling the soft grass beneath his hand. He took a deep breath but didn't dare to close his eyes. It brought back too many memories. Dashi's voice still echoed in his ears.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"At least he won't go hungry," Dojo said, biting into an apricot.

"I won't need to eat or drink anything as long as nothing interrupts my meditation," Guan said.

"There has to be a better way," Dashi insisted.

"We've already tried everything, and that fidget toy of yours only made things worse."

Dojo spat out the kernel. "I wouldn't say that. At least he locked up Hannibal Bean in the Ying-Yang World.”

"Yeah, well it was supposed to bring Chase back."

Dashi rubbed his chin. "We still haven't tried plan B yet."

"Oh, for the hundredth time NO!"

"Um, can someone remind me what plan B was?"

"Dashi wants to free Wuya from her puzzle box so he can ask her to make a potion that will reverse the effects of the Lao Mang Lone Soup."

"Yeah, I'm gonna have to side with the big guy on this one."

"Well, it's not like your idea was any better," Dashi snapped.

"I admit my defeat," Guan said. "But then you understand why I have to do this."

"I still think it's a bit extreme. Let's wait a few more days to mull it over."

"Dashi, we spent the past ten years trying to get Chase back. When will enough be enough? He ruined whole villages and brought terror to those people. Protecting them should be our priority."

"But he hasn't attacked anyone since he got free from Hannibal's control. I know our Chase is still in there.”

"He's definitely up to something far greater now that he's free. The only way to make sure I'll be there when that happens is to follow him into the future. I can't let him outlive me!"

"Look, I'm still working on that time-traveling Wu. If you could just give me a few more months—”

"I can't leave anything to chance, Dashi! I've made up my mind! I'll stay here until he makes the first move, then challenge him to a rematch and win back my spear!”

"And what if he says no?"

"I'll do whatever it takes. It's the only way!"

Dashi sighed and held out his hand for Dojo to climb on. "Okay, I see there's no talking you out of this. But who knows when Chase will strike? It could be hundreds of years from now. Everything you know and everyone who knew you will be gone by then, you know that.”

Guan turned away from them. "There’s nothing left for me here."

Dashi rubbed his arm and cast his gaze downwards. Dojo gasped in shock, clutching his heart.

"I mean besides you two, of course." Guan turned back to his friends and gripped Dashi's shoulder. "I know you'll get by without me. Self-proclaimed or not, you're a Grandmaster for a reason. We've known each other since we were kids. We’ve witnessed many battles together.”

When he looked up, Dashi's eyes were brimming with tears, but he was grinning. "It should have been us three against the world."

Guan took a step back and looked around as if the right words were hiding behind a tree peony. He pressed his fist into his palm and bowed his head, lowering his voice. "It was an honor to fight beside you."

"Oh, come here, you ol’ goof!" Dashi said, spreading his arms wide.

Guan smiled and stepped into the hug with Dojo draped around their shoulders.

"You know, dragons have pretty long lifespans. Maybe I'll be here when you wake up."

"Alright then, just try not to forget me," Guan said, pulling back.

"How could I forget something so important?"

Dashi shook his head. "I'm not even going to answer that. But who knows, maybe it will happen sooner than we think and I'll still be here, waiting for you. But don't laugh if I'm short and humpbacked or have a long grey beard.”

Guan chuckled and settled into the Lotus position, pressing his palms together. The light from his dots soon spread to the rest of his body. He glanced one more time at his friends. Dashi nodded and Dojo put his thumb up. Guan rose into the air where he remained motionless.

He had worked hard to reach this stage and the secret garden was full of good chi that kept it forever young and fruitful. When Guan closed his eyes, he completely detached himself from the outside world. That was until a huge wave of Heylin energy sent a shiver through his body, causing him to lose focus and snap out of his trance. He flopped to the ground, a little less gracefully than he would have liked, but his plan had worked just fine. Chase was probably on the verge of taking over the world, and there was no one to stop him.

He knew, however, that he was not in a favorable position. First, he had used all his energy to maintain his meditative state, and then he didn't know how much time had passed. Part of him hoped that Dashi had been right and that this was only the next Thursday, but another part dreaded finding what lay outside.

Just as he was about to turn around, he noticed a big pile of scrolls at the base of one of the stone dragons. He recognized the neat handwriting and hoped that they would give him the answers he needed.

Dashi left him a long list of all the Shen Gong Wu he had created since their separation, as well as instructions on how to use them. It seemed that he had faced more monsters alone than they had ever fought together, and it ached a little to know that their adventures now represented only a fraction of Dashi's life and what was no doubt a great legacy.

One of the letters mentioned that he had started training his own disciples, whom he called Dragon Warriors, and that Dojo turned out to be a surprisingly capable babysitter. He had finished working on the Sands of Time, but Guan’s state was much too advanced, and the Shen Gong Wu proved too dangerous and had to be hidden.

The last scroll was nested within the stone dragon’s jaws. He'd expected it to reveal crucial information, like how to defeat Chase or the secret to destroying all evil, but it was the shortest of all. Dashi wanted him to know that he had lived a good life and that he had never forgotten him.

Guan folded the scroll, wiping a tear from his eyes and glad no one was there to see him. He couldn't tell how old Dashi had been when he'd last visited, or how many years had passed since then, but he felt ready to face whatever awaited him.

The mountain's ledge had narrowed over time, and the sea level had risen a few inches. A stone bridge that had not been there before connected the last two mountains, and the six-level pagoda was also new. He recognized the architectural style, which meant that no more than one or two dynasties could have passed. Perhaps it was not too late to hope that his friend was waiting for him on the other side of the brick wall, humpbacked and gray-bearded, but happy and alive. The man who came to open the gate was indeed small in stature and had no shortage of facial hair, but his skin was lighter, and not even Dashi's forehead was that long.

The old man looked him up and down. "I didn't think I'd get to see this day," he murmured and bowed so low he nearly broke his cane in two. "Please come in. We’ve all been waiting for you for a very long time."

Too stunned to speak, Guan followed him into a courtyard with several pavilions and sparse, dry vegetation, a striking contrast to the ethereal garden. A group of somewhat younger monks gathered around a fountain froze when they caught sight of him and began whispering and pointing at him.

"You must excuse their manners," said the old monk, "they are only excited to see you in the flesh."

"So you must be the master of the temple?" Guan said, deciding to leave the rest of the questions for later.

"I was until today." The old monk opened the double wooden doors and stepped aside to let him in.

Blinded by the light falling directly on the huge golden figures, it took several seconds for Guan to recognize his own face staring down at him. The most impressive statue stood in the same meditation position in the middle of a giant lotus flower.

"I don’t understand."

“We knew Yun's Garden was hidden somewhere in these mountains and that when you return you will find us here. For generations, your disciples have prepared this place for your arrival.”

"So you knew I was here and wait... generations? How long have I been gone?”

"As far as we know, more than fifteen hundred years have passed since anyone has heard of you."

Guan clutched his forehead and felt the need to lean against the plinth of a huge stone Guan that looked like it was about to kick him across the hall, which at least matched how he felt.

He had known from the start what the consequences were, but he hadn't thought that Chase would wait more than a century or two to act. Everyone he had known was long gone, even Dojo, if he was still around, must have grown old.

"Chase Young! There's no time to waste, I felt a great darkness was released!”

The old monk tucked his hands into his sleeves. "Ah, I should have known that's what brought you here, but fear not. We just received word from Master Fung that the new Xiaolin Dragon Warriors had successfully eliminated the threat.”

"Dashi’s order? So they’re still around? But how could they beat Chase Young by themselves and so quickly?”

"It wasn't Chase Young who tried to conquer the world but the dreaded Heylin witch Wuya."

“Wuya is back?”

Dashi hadn't expected the puzzle box to last more than a thousand years, so it had worked better than he had hoped in the end. And if these young warriors had won, it meant that they were on the same level as he and his friends at the end of the war against Wuya and her stone monsters, the last Xiaolin level Chase had ever reached…

"It doesn't matter!" Guan exclaimed, causing the monk to blink in surprise. "If I felt it, then surely Chase Young did too, and it's only a matter of time before he strikes now that the Heylin side has made the first move. Do you know what he's been up to all this time?"

"Of course, follow me please."

Even the library was guarded by a large jade Guan with a scroll in hand, which was frankly a bit out of character and probably would have suited Dashi better. The old monk spread several scrolls of parchment and ancient manuscripts in front of him on a low table.

On almost each one, he recognized Chase's illustration, more or less faithful to the original. If Guan found his statues unsettling, at least he wasn't drawn with big, pointy demon ears and bulging lizard eyes. Even the hair that Chase had always been very particular about was made to look like spikes on a dragon's back, which while not inaccurate, felt a bit reductive.

He was always accompanied by another warrior, each wearing distinctive weapons and armor. During his long travels with Dashi, Guan had encountered similar warriors, some of whom aided them in their quests and others who tried to oppose them.

"Chase Young took advantage of his longevity to travel all over the world and collect the most famous warriors of their time," explained the old monk.

"What do you mean by collect?"

"He challenged them to duels, wagering their own freedom and loyalty against them. Each fallen warrior was added to his army of wild felines.”

"I can't say I'm surprised. He always did better with animals than people, and he could never resist a challenge."

The monk scratched his bushy beard, staring at the illustration of a heavily armed imperial samurai. "We believe he is looking for a warrior to match him, one to stand by his side when he finally conquers the world."

"You think that's what's stopped him so far?"

"Chase Young is known for his cold and calculating manner. Even though no one has seen him in centuries, his tales still give people nightmares."

"I have to find him and win my spear back! Even though there's no immediate danger, this is the whole reason I came. Thank you for your hospitality. I must depart now.”

"Master Guan, but you don't understand. This temple was built many years ago in your honor. The monks here have dedicated their whole lives to studying your legend and technique.”

Guan raised his eyebrows.

"We all know how you and Grandmaster Dashi traveled all over the world slaying monsters and learning from the ancient masters. We also know that you sacrificed your old life to travel to the future and protect us.” The old monk bent once more, this time clutching his cane behind his back. "Please accept this humble gift and, for what it's worth, our loyalty in gratitude."

Guan wasn't too sure if humble was the first word that came to mind. There had been a time when all he wanted was to become legendary, for people to admire him and always remember him. This had been his idea of immortality, while Dashi would live on through all the Shen Gong Wu he created. But after Chase's betrayal, he liked to think he had grown up. He had made it his mission to ensure there was a future at all. And even if he wanted to believe the old monk's words, it didn't change the fact that he had been the first warrior Chase Young had ever defeated.

Yet he was also aware that he knew nothing of this new world, while his opponent had had centuries to explore and experiment. It wouldn't have helped anyone if he rushed in like he had done in the past. His best chance was the temple monks who could help him fill in the gaps.

"Then I would be honored to be your master," Guan said and bowed in turn. "And if it's not too much to ask, I think I already know what my first request will be."

The old monk smiled and nodded to the two younger monks who were peeping at the door. They stepped forward a little red in the face and not daring to look at Guan.

"I think we should build another statue."

***

"Hello, old chum," Dojo murmured.

The sun emerging from the clouds glimmered on the golden bamboo hat that had shielded Dashi's face from the rain. Dojo climbed onto his shoulder and brushed the dust off his cheek using his favorite embroidered handkerchief.

"Well, that went about as well as I expected," said Kimiko, who was sitting on the edge of the fountain, cupping her face in her hands.

Clay removed his hat to scratch his head. "At least he didn't get mad at us."

"I still think he can help us," Raimundo said.

Kimiko looked up. "Oh, hey, Dojo! What are you doing there?"

"Hi, kids! I was just helping good old Master Dashi do his morning toilet.”

"Um, it's noon."

"Yeah, he always slept until noon and even then he wasn’t very good with his personal hygiene." Dojo started polishing the statue's golden buttons. "I remember washing this exact shirt three times in one day, just because he liked to hang by the pig pen. He said because it was his sign they were kindred spirits. Too bad he wasn't born in the year of the noble dragon!”

Raimundo snickered behind his hand. "Sounds like Clay."

"Hey now, hang on a minute! You're the one who wouldn't wake up even if a rooster serenaded you at your window!"

"Actually, you both remind me of him in a way. You too, Kimiko. He was a pretty smart, resourceful guy."

Kimiko smiled. "We've never heard you talk about Grandmaster Dashi this way before, Dojo."

"Hey, there’s an idea!" said Raimundo. "Think if we could summon Dashi's spirit again, he might convince Omi that Chase is a lost cause?"

Dojo chuckled. "You would be out of luck. Dashi spent ten years of his life trying to bring Chase Young back to the side of good after he betrayed him.”

Raimundo whistled. "Ten years? You mean Omi could keep this up for ten years? Was Chase really that cool of a dude that he was worth all this effort?”

"Actually, I don't remember him very well. I was a pretty young dragon back then, but Dashi told me all about him. You see, when they were kids, Grandmaster Dashi and Chase Young were very close friends, of course not the closest because I was Dashi's best friend!”

"Easy there, feller. We believe you," Clay assured him.

"I was even the reason they met. Funny story, have I ever told you?”

"No, but we'd love to hear it," said Kimiko.

Raimundo shrugged. "We don't have anything better to do until Master Guan comes back."

Dojo slid onto the plinth of the statue and Kimiko, Raimundo, and Clay gathered around him. "It all started when I was just a cute innocent egg..."

Chapter Text

The moon scattered pale beams over the monastery roofs, catching the gilded trim on the edges. When a large, inky cloud obscured the moon, a slender figure dashed along the ridge. He was barefoot to reduce the chance of slipping or making noise, and he clutched a bulgy leather bag to his chest. One second he was on top of the artifact room and the next above the ancestral hall. He climbed down the branches of an old pine without disturbing a single leaf and scurried under the watchful eyes of the stone lions guarding the entrance to the sutra pavilion.

The few old monks still awake were meditating in the pagoda courtyard, deeply enlightened within, but completely unaware of the dark-cloaked figure climbing the bell tower. From there it was an easy leap to the top of the great stone wall. He was about to toss the bag to the opposite side but stopped himself in time. He slung the bag over his shoulder and climbed down carefully. It wasn't until his toes touched the soft, cool grass that he caught his breath. If he hadn't already been discovered, he knew there was very little chance of that happening now. And so he set off along the path with the air of someone out for a stroll at night.

A wind carrying a whiff of wheat over the hills blew the hood off his head. The moon chose that exact moment to show itself again, which only emphasized the long forehead and smooth head. Dashi imagined it looked like a shiny goose egg. He still wasn't sure what to think of his new haircut, but he knew it would give him away immediately, so he drew his hood back on and pulled his cloak over his orange robes.

He went on until the temple vanished behind the bushy boughs, and sat down at the foot of a tree overlooking the main road. When he heard the screech of the first cart wheels, Dashi perched in the tree, and the turnip merchant's heart nearly jumped out of his chest when he found himself sitting next to a smiling young man. He pulled too hard on the rein, and the ox stopped suddenly and reared up on its hind legs.

"Hello," said Dashi, brightly.

The merchant struggled to calm down his ox. "Heavens, kid, where did you come from?"

"Well, you know... around."

"Around?"

Dashi nodded. "A more important question is where you two are going."

"What?" The merchant glanced at his ox which was now flicking its tail at mosquitoes. "We're going home."

"What a coincidence! Me too. Are you passing by Mogu Town by any chance?”

The merchant scratched his grey head. "Well, yes, actually. We should be there by sunrise.”

"Perfect, then you don't mind me tagging along, do you?"

"Well, suppose not," said the merchant for lack of a better answer.

The ox slowly resumed its way, and after several minutes of silence broken only by the occasional chatter of night birds darting among the roadside trees, the merchant began to grow accustomed to his new traveling companion.

"What's that in your bag? Looks like a melon.”

Dashi, who had felt quite at ease until this point, hadn't expected to be questioned. "That's because it is a melon," he replied abruptly.

"Mm, and it's quite big. What if I trade you ten turnips for it?”

Dashi quickly shook his head.

"It was worth a try," said the turnip merchant with a slight shrug. "You know, my Nainai used to make a mean winter melon soup. Yep, nothing better than a nice bowl of warm soup after a long day playing in the snow with your cousins.”

As the merchant set to reminiscing about his long-past childhood, Dashi slipped into the back of the wagon where he could lie back on the turnips, gazing up at the starry sky. He pulled out his bag and coiled around it, whispering in a soothing voice, “Who needs them anyway? We're better off this way, you'll see."

The rest of the trip went by unnoticed. The sky continued to change colors until it reached the fluffy pink of a summer peach.

Mogu Town was really a small, remote village composed of sleepy, stumpy houses, famous, as the name suggested, for the variety of wild mushrooms that grew in the nearby forests. They also happened to be one of the main ingredients in the winter melon soup, as the merchant made sure to mention.

"You know what else goes great with melon?"

Dashi shrugged, trying to feign a little curiosity.

"Turnips."

Ah, so that's what it was about. Well, Dashi had spent enough time wandering around the village market that he knew this trick all too well. Fortunately, he also knew the magic words that could turn away even the most persistent merchant, “I'm sorry, sir. I don't have any money."

"Ah, that's quite all right. Here!” The merchant handed him a small bunch of turnips. "That should do it."

"Oh, wow, well, thank you, sir," Dashi said, tucking the turnips under his cloak. It wasn't every day you met someone willing to give you a free ride, much less someone to offer you food for nothing.

The ox stopped in front of the only inn in the village where the merchant planned to rest before continuing his journey. Dashi waved him goodbye as he ran off. The sun hadn't quite risen yet, so he had a little time left.

The rooster had already perched on the fence. Dashi tossed a turnip at him but missed, and the rooster puffed out his chest and gave the first morning call. He was almost as bad as Dashi's old master, who had no doubt woken up by then and noticed that one of his most promising disciples was missing. But Dashi had more pressing matters to worry about at the moment.

He crawled under the forge's window, climbed up the back wall, and carefully opened the small shutter, slipping into his room upstairs. It was just as he had left it, and that included his dirty clothes and the dried apple cores rotting on the floor.

From below came the shuffling of footsteps and muffled thuds of doors, but considering that clearly no one had entered his room in months, he was safe for now. Without bothering to dust off his mat, he lay down with his head over the bag and expertly ignored the light pouring in through the window.

It wasn't until about noon when the door creaked open. Dashi stirred but refused to open his eyes until a strong voice said, "I can't believe it... I knew I recognized that snoring!"

Dashi got up lazily and stretched out with a long yawn, trying not to look at his bag. A tall, broad-shouldered young man stood in the doorway, frowning at him from under bushy eyebrows.

"Huojin! How good to see you!" Dashi said, opening his arms as if expecting a hug.

"Explain yourself!"

Dashi let his arms flop to his sides and huffed. "Seriously? I don't see you in months and that's all you have to say to me? Explain yourself? How about a little excitement to see your little brother?”

"Don't try to play games! You know it doesn't work with me."

"What's going on here?" A young woman who looked similar to Huojin, almost identical, poked her head into the room. "Dashi? That you?”

Oh, that's right. Yuqin had never seen him without hair before, but after recovering from her initial shock, Dashi was met with two identical frowns. "I knew it! You got kicked out, didn't you?”

"I wasn't kicked out!" Dashi said defensively. "It's just that we didn't see things eye to eye. You know, those old monks were so stuck in their old ways, so many useless rules…”

Huojin crossed his arms over his chest. "So what? You just gave up?”

"I can't say I'm surprised," Yuqin murmured. "You've always been a slacker."

"Am not! I told you, we simply had different ideals."

Yuqin snorted. "That's what you said about that shoemaker's apprentice position."

"Oh come on. I think we all know I can do better than that."

"And being a Xiaolin monk just wasn't cutting it for you? You know, most people in this village would kill for a chance like that," Huojin said.

"Besides, it would have meant one less mouth to feed," Yuqin added.

"That won't be a problem, look." Dashi held up a handful of turnips. "I brought us..." he glanced at the window to see where the sun was, "lunch."

Huojin shook his head and gave him one last look of utter disappointment before turning on his heel and leaving without another word. Yuqin put up her nose and glared at Dashi before following her twin down the stairs.

Dashi lay back again, staring absently at the ceiling. All things considered, it had gone much better than he had expected. Of course, when he had left home, he had been so proud that he had promised his siblings they might never see him again, that he had found his destiny. He had been so happy to get away from his old village where nothing ever happened, but at that very moment, the same village was kind enough to mind its own business while he lay among his months-old garbage, doing absolutely nothing. He couldn't remember why he'd ever wanted to trade all of this.

When he went downstairs, Huojin was bent over an anvil, hammering a blazing horseshoe. He gave no sign of hearing Dashi coming.

"Hey, where's Yuqin?"

Without pausing, Huojin pointed to the empty corner where Yuqin's lucky ax normally resided. Oh, good. So she had gone to fetch firewood then, and Huojin was apparently giving him the silent treatment.

"I was going to go to the market to buy some celery, goes well with turnips," Dashi said, brandishing a small basket.

"What's stopping you?" Huojin grumbled. "You know where the door is."

Dashi tried to ignore that last part. "Yes, but then I thought I could really use your bargaining skills. How about some quick tips before I go? I couldn't help but notice that we're a little low on coins," he said, clinking a tiny pouch tied with red string.

This seemed to pique Huojin's attention. He stopped hammering as if struck by a sudden dark memory. Perhaps that one time Dashi had traded all their food money for a giant paper dragon kite.

He abandoned his hammer and tongs and snatched the basket and pouch from Dashi's hands. "Do I really have to do everything around here? Don't touch anything while I'm gone!"

"Got it!" Dashi said.

Huojin kept his eyes fixed on him while he put on his bamboo leaf hat. Dashi didn't stop smiling and waving until he was sure his brother was well out of earshot. Then, with a far more genuine smile, he held up his bag. "It's just me and you now, little guy," he told it, pulling out what appeared to be a large lime-green egg sprinkled with small yellow dots, indeed much like a melon.

He took a big step toward the furnace and poked a little at the embers. He felt the egg quiver against his chest.

"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing. I mean... at least I think so. The scroll wasn't very clear.”

The egg gave another angry shake.

"Oh, come on. If you don't take risks you can never have anything nice. And that's the first rule of life. You should consider yourself lucky. I just gave you a head start."

The egg stopped moving.

"I'm glad we agree," said Dashi, placing the egg inside the furnace.

Nothing happened for a solid minute, except for a faint glow around the egg. Dashi wondered if he should add another piece of wood only to jump back with a yelp. Towering flames erupted around the egg, spitting out like a mad beast. The fire parted like a curtain and the egg glowed like hot coal. With a great crunch, several tiny cracks spread along the shell.

"Yes! Come on, come on,” Dashi whispered hopefully, pressing his palms to his cheeks.

Suddenly, a small, scaly tail ending in a tuft of bright red hair tore a hole in the shell, and soon what appeared to be a jade-colored snake, were it not for its front claws and the spikes on its back, popped out in the middle of the furnace.

Dashi stood still, staring with wide, sparkling eyes, transfixed by the miracle of life before him. The little creature looked at him in turn with bulging, glassy eyes. Dashi was convinced that nothing could spoil this moment, at least until the ash made the hatchling sneeze. Dashi dove sideways just in time to avoid a fist-sized fireball that went over the wooden table and slammed into a giant gong propped up against the wall, leaving a large black mark right in the middle.

Dashi's mouth dropped. The little dragon sniffed a bit, then began to suck its claw, rocking back and forth on its tail.

Dashi grabbed the tongs, pulled the noodle-shaped body out of the dying flames, and shoved the dragon back into his bag. He stormed out the door, startling the rooster digging for worms by the woodpile.

Dashi had swapped the orange robes for some of his old clothes, but he still drew stares around the village because no one recognized him bald. There was no time for explanations, all he knew was that he had to get as far away from them as quickly as possible.

"Who'd have thought a dragon in a forge was a bad idea?" he mused as he entered the forest. He'd really thought he'd discovered the perfect innovation to help his siblings, but now he'd be lucky if they didn't skin him alive when he got home.

He emptied his bag next to a log surrounded by dense shrubs. Somehow, the little dragon got hold of the small mallet that Dashi used to crack nuts.

"Hey, don't! You're gonna hurt yourself!" Dashi yanked the mallet away and watched in horror as the dragon's eyes swelled with tears like two skins of water, and its lower jaw began to tremble. Dashi ducked, and, not a second later, a jet of fire shot over his head and hit a huge boulder while shrill wails echoed through the trees, driving away a flock of songbirds.

Dashi had to think fast before the entire forest was reduced to splinters and ash. He resorted to his best funny faces, and while they didn't make the dragon laugh, they puzzled it enough to stop it from crying. It clutched its tail and stuck it in its mouth.

Dashi tapped his chin. "Maybe you're just hungry. Wait here.”

In all his fourteen years, Dashi had never bothered to learn which mushrooms were poisonous and which were safe to eat. He hoped, however, that a set of fireproof guts would be immune to most things his own stomach was not.

He picked a shriveled, dark mushroom. The dragon sniffed it for a bit, then spat out a candle-sized flame and began to nibble on the fried mushroom.

"Huh, clever little guy," Dashi murmured with a growing grin. He held the dragon in his palm. "You know, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

The little dragon showed all its gums as if trying to mimic his expression.

"Of course, this means you need a name." Dashi set the dragon on top of the log and gave it some serious thinking. After a moment or two, he snapped his fingers. "I know! I'll call you Dojo! Dojo the Dragon!”

The dragon cocked its head to the side and blinked its beady eyes.

"I'm glad you like it!" Dashi said and put Dojo on his shoulder. "Now all we need to do is take care of your little fire problem before anyone notices."

According to the scroll, there was only one way to take care of a dragon's fire, or a dragon in general, a very permanent way. Dashi was getting chills just thinking about it. No! There had to be a better way. After all, the scroll failed to mention that dragons liked mushrooms, and who would have thought that the spikes on their backs were actually soft to the touch? Dojo even started purring like a cat.

Maybe if he made him drink a whole lake or spit fire in a cave or some abandoned canyon until he ran out. Walking under a bee hive, he vaguely wondered if trying to glue his jaws together was an option.

He stopped dead when he heard a new voice behind the leaves. Dashi approached cautiously, shoving aside the branches that stood in his way. They came to a clearing with a giant tea tree growing in the middle like a lonely island for birds.

A small child stood on one leg on a branch. He appeared to be several years younger than Dashi, judging by the big rosy cheeks and large doe eyes, but he was surprisingly balanced with precise and fluid movements. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, waving his arms, kicking the air, and spinning from one branch to another, all while collecting leaves to add to a pouch dangling from his sash.

Dashi recognized many of the forms the monks had taught him, especially since the kid kept chanting their names – Rooster Stands on One Leg, White Crane Spreading Wings, Repulsing the Monkey, Needle at Sea Bottom, every one of them. He had no idea where he could have learned them. Judging by the head full of waist-length hair waving in the wind, the kid had never set foot within fifty square li of a Xiaolin temple.

Dashi let out a low whistle. "Kid's got moves," he addressed his bare shoulder, "Wait!"

In the five seconds he had been unattended, Dojo had somehow managed to crawl to the base of the tree, chasing a butterfly until he tripped over a stick. And then it happened. Within seconds, the fire had spread to the branches, consuming the centuries-old wood with the hunger of a grasshopper in a rice field.

Dashi grabbed Dojo and stuffed him inside his shirt. The kid retreated to the top of the tree.

"Jump!" Dashi shouted, holding out his arms for him.

The kid jumped but landed on the other side of the tree without even parting his legs. He didn't move but stood with his mouth ajar and his eyes fixed on the tree until all that was left was a black, smoking core. He stared and stared as if he didn't quite know what to make of it.

Dashi considered fleeing while he was distracted, but as he took a step back, a stunned voice said, "You burned my tree."

Dashi stopped and scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, sorry about that."

"You burned my tree," repeated the kid a little louder and looking up.

"Yeah, probably not the best way to meet someone. I'm Dashi by the way."

"You burned my... wait, is that a..."

Dashi glanced down. Dojo had poked his head out of his collar, looking around in wonder.

"Oh, um, this is Dojo, my green water dragon. He’s my pet lizard." He fastened the last button on his shirt, only for Dojo to slip through his sleeve and climb back onto his shoulder.

"You can't fool me. I know a real dragon when I see one.”

Dashi blinked in surprise. "You… you do? How so?"

"He burned my tree."

Dashi looked down at his feet. "Ah, right.”

"I don't understand," said the kid, turning to the tea tree. "This shouldn't have happened, unless…" He whirled back to Dashi with a dark look on his face. "What did you do?"

"Wh-what?" Dashi couldn't understand how someone so small who made you want to pinch his cheeks, could make you feel even smaller. "Well, I put him in the furnace to make him hatch of course."

"You did WHAT?!" The kid dragged a hand across his face. "Do you have noodles for brains? You were supposed to put it in water! Dragons take the element they are presented with when they hatch. They are supposed to be benevolent water guardians!"

"How do you know all that?" Dashi asked suspiciously.

The kid bit his lip like someone realizing too late that he said something he shouldn't have said. He turned away from him and muttered, "I don't have to tell you."

"Well, all right then. I see you're pretty smart for a little… Wait, are you a boy or a girl?”

"Depends why you're asking."

"I don't think I got your name."

"It's none of your business!"

Dashi grinned and started pacing around him with his arms folded behind his back. "Okay, then I guess I have no choice but to call you Pipsqueak," and he barely got to finish his sentence.

"Chase. My name is Chase!”

Dashi chuckled to himself. "So, it's that a nickname, or..."

"Don't you have anything better to do?"

"You never give straight answers, do you?"

Chase fastened the string on his tea leaves pouch, gave the tree one last sad glance, and disappeared into the bushes without another word.

"What do you think, Dojo?" Dashi asked, scratching Dojo under the chin. "That kid is definitely hiding something from us and I'm going to find out what. Who knows? It could be the answer to our problem.”

Dojo purred as if agreeing with him until a long growl made him wince and clutch his stomach.

"Right. We should probably find something to eat first.”

Chapter Text

Dashi had never eaten at the inn before. It was way too crowded and stuffy for his taste, but going home wasn't exactly an option, and with so many people bustling about, no one paid any attention to Dojo. The little dragon was curled up on Dashi's knees under the table, sucking on a chopstick. Although he had little frame of reference, Dashi felt that the services left a lot to be desired. They had been waiting for over half an hour for someone to pick up their order and had yet to see a server. Word around the village was that a strange and enigmatic woman owned the place. No one could remember when she had come to the village and she never seemed to leave the inn.

Dashi glanced around, hoping to spot the turnip merchant or some other familiar face, but he came upon the last person he had expected.

"What are you doing here? Did you follow me?”

Well, that was convenient.

Dashi had put on a bamboo hat to blend in better with the crowd, but it clearly wasn't helping much. Chase barely reached the elbows of most of the guests so Dashi didn't notice him until he was right next to their table. He wore a piece of white silk around his waist and an ink-dripping paintbrush behind his ear, dragging around a crumpled roll of parchment.

Chase scanned Dashi’s shirt, then began to sniff the air. When the smell of burnt wood reached his nostrils, Dashi leaned back slightly, trying to look casual.

"Of course not. I came here to eat. I had no idea you worked here."

"I don't work here, I live here," Chase said through gritted teeth, took out his brush, and gestured impatiently at the crowd behind him, splashing some ink onto the floor. "The sooner they eat, the sooner they leave." It sounded like something Chase often told himself.

"Well, in that case, what can I get for...let's see, five copper coins and half a walnut shell?" Dashi asked, rummaging through his bag and depositing the last of his money on the table in a heap of lint.

Chase didn't answer but looked at the single chopstick in front of Dashi, then glared at the table as if he could see Dojo right through the wood.

"You know what, I think I'm in the mood for some pork chops," Dashi said quickly. "It's been a while since I've had meat."

"Oh no, there's no way I'm letting that thing get the taste of flesh!" Chase dipped his brush into an ink bottle inside his sash and scribbled quickly on the top end of the scroll. "I'll just bring you some vegetable dumplings."

Dashi groaned in protest but didn't get to say anything else because a bulky man with breadcrumbs in his goatee suddenly rose from one of the tables, scraping the floor with his chair. "Hey, kid!"

Chase sighed, tucked the brush behind his ear, rolled back the scroll, and lumbered toward the voice.

"Hey kid, what's this?"

Chase glanced at the bowl the man was pointing at. "Mushroom noodle soup."

"Oh yeah, is that what you call it? Well, your soup fried my tongue!”

"Well, clearly it didn't do a very good job then, considering it can still spit out such foolish nonsense. Did it ever occur to you to blow or, I don't know, wait until it cools down?"

The goateed man stared at Chase and it took almost a minute and one of his table companions whispering in his ear before he realized he had been called a fool.

"Now listen here, you little runt, I'm going to twist that tongue of yours into a knot! That will teach you a lesson!”

Chase remained quite still, unimpressed by the shaking, boulder-sized fists or the angry, throbbing veins. This only infuriated the man further, but Chase was shielded from his view by a wall of white silk that seemed to have materialized between them.

"Do we have a problem?" asked a calm voice.

The goateed man slowly looked up and swallowed hard. Although the woman in front of him was not very tall, she somehow managed to make herself appear bigger than him and all the other guests. Dashi understood at once that this was the innkeeper. She didn't look too old but had snowy hair, tied in a long ponytail with a red and white string. Her robe had a cloud pattern except for the crimson flames around the hem and sleeves.

Chase ducked under her arm so he could scowl at the man. The man scowled back, but then cleared his throat, "No problem at all, Madam Hui, I was just telling this little urchin... um, your adorable apprentice what a good soup he made."

"I made that soup," said Madam Hui, her eyes sliding briefly to the steaming bowl on the table.

"Oh, in that case, my compliments to the chef," the man said with an awkward bow and backed away, sitting back down at the table and nearly missing the chair and rolling onto the floor.

"I could have taken care of him myself," Chase murmured.

"We'll discuss this later," Madam Hui whispered back. "And tie your hair," she said and gave Chase something between a bonk and a pat on the head before passing him a string just like hers and disappearing behind a door most likely leading to the kitchen.

Chase tied his hair up in a bun, but no matter how hard he tried, a good chunk of it still ended up in his face. Yet he looked strangely pleased with himself and followed Madam Hui behind the door.

Before Dashi could wonder what that had been about, Chase returned with a plate of steaming hot dumplings, picked up Dashi's dusty coins from the table, and disappeared once more.

Dashi sighed in resignation and pulled out the black, smoking sliver that had once been his second chopstick. He didn't like to bother too much with chopsticks anyway, especially when he could just as well eat with his hands. This saved a lot of time, although perhaps he should have waited a little. He let out a shriek that made the elders at the table next to him interrupt their game of Xiangqi to stare at him. Dashi sucked his burnt fingers one by one while trying not to look displeased with the food so as not to incur Madam Hui's wrath. But there was no need to pretend. After blowing on them a bit, those turned out to be the best dumplings Dashi had ever tasted. He couldn't believe how something completely devoid of meat could have so much flavor. If only the old monks knew that too. All the vegetarian food at the temple tasted like sand or sometimes, on better days, candle wax.

Dojo seemed to like it too. Dashi was convinced he would have devoured the whole plate if he hadn't held him back. He wondered if Chase had made the dumplings or perhaps Madam Hui. It was probably the reason why the inn was chockfull even though it was the middle of the day. He had hoped that Chase would return so that he could ask him how he knew so much about dragons or at least what he could recommend for dessert, but after the people began to disperse, going about their daily business, and one of the elders fell asleep over the Xiangqi board, Dashi decided it was time to go.

He plopped down on the front steps, reached into his bag, and stroked Dojo's scales, wondering miserably what they were going to do. Just then he heard a door and the distinctive sound of a wooden spoon hitting a pot.

Dashi rounded the corner and between two barrels filled with garbage, he saw Chase surrounded by at least half a dozen cats, speaking softly while feeding them scraps of Peking duck and steamed pork rice, “Calm down. There's enough for everyone."

One of them in particular, a pure white cat except for a black patch around its eye, sat practically glued to his legs, watching the others with an air of importance.

Chase turned around with a small smile on his face and almost bumped into Dashi who was looking at him with a crooked grin. "I knew you had a heart."

Chase took a step back and huffed. "I also have feet, and you have a rear."

"You know, I kept thinking... since you clearly know so much about animals, maybe you could give us a hand."

"I'm threatening you."

"Yeah, yeah, cute," Dashi said, ruffling Chase's hair as he pulled Dojo out of his bag. The white cat began hissing and spitting, arching its back and causing Dojo to hide inside Dashi's sleeve.

Chase pulled back and fixed his hair, giving Dashi a dirty look.

"So what do you say? Help me get rid of Dojo's fire, and I'll be your best friend.”

Chase snorted. "Why would I want that?"

Dashi let his shoulders sag. "Okay, then help me and I promise you'll never see me again."

Chase crouched down to pet the white cat and hummed as if this was a decision that required great concentration. The cat stopped hissing and relaxed its back under his touch, but when Dojo poked his head out to see if the path was clear, it pounced and latched itself onto Dashi's shirt.

"Hey, hey!" Dashi didn't know which was worse, Dojo with his cold scales crawling all over his bare, ticklish skin, or the cat climbing his back like it was a claw-sharpening tree.

"Yang-Yang, no, don't eat that! You're going to get sick,” Chase said unhelpfully.

With a great effort, Dashi managed to unpluck the cat off his back and handed it to Chase. "I believe this is yours."

Chase cradled Yang-Yang in his arms and kissed him between the ears like he was the victim. The other cats continued their meal as if nothing had happened.

"Okay, if it's the only way to get rid of you guys, I'll help you, but you have to do what I say," said Chase.

"Really? That's great! So when do we start?”

"Start what?"

"All I know is that you knew something about dragons that the monks at the temple did not."

"Yeah, well, maybe they're not as smart as you think."

"Yeah, maybe," Dashi agreed. "The scroll said that only fire can make a dragon hatch."

"All elements can," Chase said, as he untangled the shreds of fabric stuck to Yang-Yang's claws. "If you had buried it, you'd have gotten an earth dragon, put it in a hollowed tree and you get a wooden dragon, and when a dragon drops its egg while flying, it becomes a wind dragon and takes off before hitting the ground. But you don't want that. Most dragons build their nests on river banks or even under the sea because water dragons are considered the noblest of all.”

"How do you know all that?" Dashi asked. "Is there another scroll I should read?"

"Even better. Just follow me and try to keep it down for once.” Chase tucked Yang-Yang under his arm like he was a sack of flour and grabbed the empty pot.

He led them into a kitchen with a thousand smells that appeared to be in a fierce battle to see which one would lure Dashi first. He rushed to a large pot on the stove and uncovered the rest of the mushroom noodle soup.

"Hey, don't touch that," Chase said, but Dashi was already helping himself to a longevity peach from a bamboo steamer.

"What? You forgot to bring me dessert,” he said with his mouth full and picked another dumpling, when a large mass of red fluff burst through the window and stole it from his hand, causing Dashi's teeth to clatter together.

"Peach Bun, no!" Chase yelled.

The round cat darted towards the door, almost knocking over Madam Hui who was carrying inside a big sack of turnips. Dashi looked out the window and waved to his merchant friend. By the looks of it, he had just concluded a great deal and was getting his ox ready to leave.

"Chase, I've told you a thousand times don't let the cats in the kitchen, especially when we're cooking!" Madam Hui said, setting the bag down by the wall.

Chase tucked his hands behind his back and looked at his feet. "Sorry, Master Hui."

Dashi soon understood why the goateed guest had reacted the way he had earlier. The moment Madam Hui turned to face him, Dashi froze under her gaze. Her eyes were silver, cold as the actual metal. There was very little white, and her pupils narrowed almost to slits when they caught sight of what was left of Dashi’s shirt and all the cat scratches littering his skin.

Madam Hui shut her eyes tight and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Great, what did you do this time?"

"What?" Chase snapped his head up. "It wasn’t me!"

Dashi examined himself more closely. Was this a regular occurrence? Was Chase regularly scratching and biting guests he didn't like? Or maybe he had his army of cats do it for him.

"Alright, so what is he doing here then?"

"Oh, I'm Chase's new friend."

Madam Hui moved a little closer to Dashi and pretended to study him very carefully. "Let's see... Opposable fingers, no fur, no tail, not even whiskers... Yeah, I don't believe it.”

"Alright, very funny," Chase mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest and pouting, but a small twitch of his lips told Dashi that this was some inside joke that they shared.

"It's okay. I know it's really hard to believe, but I don't really have that many human friends either,” confessed Dashi.

"Oh yeah, speaking of..." Chase nudged him to step forward. "Come on then, show Master who burned her precious tea tree."

Dashi hesitated, trying not to look Madam Hui in the eye, but she only raised her brow. The moment he took Dojo out, Yang-Yang performed a colossal leap, but Madam Hui caught him and began to stroke him, her eyes fixed on Dojo who was trembling curled up in Dashi's palm and shielding his eyes with his tail.

"I can't believe it... I haven't seen an actual dragon in ages."

"Yup, isn't he awesome?" Dashi said, and Dojo opened his eyes as if on command and puffed out his chest with pride.

"Not just any dragon, a fire dragon, the worst kind!" said Chase.

Dashi bit his lip. "Um, yeah, I might have used my siblings' forge to hatch him."

"Rookie mistake, though not shocking at all," said Madam Hui. "Tell me, which temple do you belong to?"

“Used to belong,” said Dashi, taking off his hat since Madam Hui's eyes could apparently see right through it. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"Hmm, and where did those old fools find the egg?"

"I'm not sure," Dashi said, trying to mask his shock. No one had ever called the Master Monks old fools before, or at least not in front of him. "They were trying to decide whether to destroy it or gold-plate it and keep it as an artifact."

"That would have just turned him into a golden dragon," Chase pointed out.

"Of course that would be their first response," Madam Hui said with a quick roll of her eyes, but also a hint of something dangerous in them.

"That’s why I need a way to contain Dojo's fire."

As if on cue, Dojo inhaled one of Peach Bun's stray hairs and sneezed loudly. Fortunately, Madam Hui had quick reflexes and lifted a particularly heavy-looking pot. The fire filled the pot and blackened its interior, but left no other trace behind.

Dashi blinked. "Yeah, something like that."

"We're going to need a bigger pot," remarked Chase.

"What you need is go up Jade Forest Peak."

Chase gave Dojo a wicked look. "Oh, good idea, Master, a cold damp cave on a remote and desolate mountaintop would be perfect."

"What? We can't do that! He's just a baby!" Dashi hugged Dojo who bulged out his watery eyes and whimpered a little as if to prove his point.

Chase was not at all moved, but Madam Hui smiled approvingly. "There is a cave on top of the mountain, yes, but you only need to find a Dragon Stone."

"Dragon Stone?"

"They look like ordinary stones, but when a dragon is nearby they start glowing in the color of their element. They only appear in caves where a dragon had lived for over a thousand years, but last time I checked it was empty.”

"That's good to know."

"You only need one. Hold the stone close to Dojo and it will absorb his fire,” Madam Hui explained, scratching the feather-like spikes on Dojo's head and making him purr.

"You mean forever?" Dashi asked, remembering how happy Dojo had been when he roasted his first mushroom.

"Just until he's old enough to control his abilities, then you can crack the crystal and release his powers."

"It's perfect!" Dashi said, squishing Dojo's face against his own. "Did you hear that, buddy? You’ll be a big fire-breathing dragon in no time, yes you will, yes you will!”

"Am I the only one here who thinks this is a bad idea?" asked Chase, flapping his arms. "A dragon? For a pet?”

"You're just jealous," Dashi said between coos.

"Am not!"

Madam Hui shook her head in amusement. "I'm going to draw you a map."

***

"You know, I think I can handle a few days on my own," said Master Hui, standing in the doorway and watching Dashi wave to them in the distance.

Chase looked up at her.

"If you run, I'm sure you can catch him."

Chase scrunched up his nose. "Why would I do that?" 

"A little fresh air would do you good. You know, sometimes I have the feeling I work you too hard."

"But I want to help you! And besides, I go to the forest every day. There's a lot of fresh air there."

"True, but this could be a chance for you to meet someone around your age, have a little fun, be a kid for a while."

Chase frowned at the front steps. "I can be a kid here just as well as anywhere else. And I certainly don’t need him, I don’t even like him!"

"Ah, give him a chance. You never know what you're going to find. You know, I might not always be here with you.”

"What do you mean?" Chase asked in sudden alarm. "Of course you will!"

Master Hui smiled softly and bent down to tuck behind his ear that one stray strand of hair that always fell in his face. Chase allowed her to, searching her eyes for clues.

"Of course I'll always be with you, no matter what. I didn't mean it like that. But even I can't guarantee what the future holds."

"But I like things the way they are now," Chase said, stomping his foot and hoping he didn't sound too childish.

"Me too, little one, me too, and I wouldn't trade it for the world." Master Hui stood up and put her hands on her hips. "That being said, a little change of scenery never hurt no one. You should get out there more, seize the day as you young folk say.”

"I don't say that. Sounds more like something Mr. Tree-Torcher over there would say."

Master Hui laughed. ”Then he might be a good influence on you. Of course, I understand if you think you can't keep up with him."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" demanded Chase.

Master Hui had that grin on her face that he didn’t like. "Oh, nothing, nothing really. It's just that he's older than you and has longer legs. Besides, the Jade Forest can be a pretty wild and dangerous place for a little one.”

"I'm not afraid of danger! I am danger!"

"Oh really? Then maybe Dashi could need someone like you to protect him from being eaten.”

"Hmph, serves him right."

"Chase!"

"Okay, okay, I'm going! But just to make sure he doesn't set the whole forest on fire."

Master Hui clapped her hands together. "Great! I’ve already packed you a bag just in case!”

Chase watched incredulously as she dashed back inside, wondering what he had gotten himself into.

Chapter Text

As they walked along the forest path, Dojo perched on Dashi's shoulder, they both turned their heads from side to side, admiring the view. Chase strode ahead as if afraid he'd be left behind. Every few steps, he'd stop, put his hands on his hips, and stamp his foot until they caught up. He probably should have found this annoying, but Chase was especially adorable when he was grumpy and puffed out his cheeks, so that Dashi couldn't help but chuckle.

“I really don’t see what’s so funny,” Chase said after the third time it happened. “If we don’t hurry, it’ll be dark before we even reach the mountain.”

“That wouldn’t be so bad,” Dashi said. “Dojo could light our way like a torch.”

“Burn down the whole forest, you mean.”

Dashi sighed. “You’re not going to let me live this down, are you? You really liked that tea tree, huh? How about I help you plant a new one when we get home?”

“That tree was over a thousand years old. It’s going to take forever to grow. Who has that sort of time?”

“Wow, you’re already thinking about this kind of thing. You’re like eight.”

“Eleven,” Chase said indignantly.

Dashi shrugged. “Same thing.”

Chase groaned and turned around, walking forward without stopping to wait for him anymore.

But as the branches above them grew thicker and tangled, and the late afternoon sun cast long, winding shadows, they tried to stay close together until finally they couldn't even make out their own hands in front of them. Even then, Chase adamantly refused to let Dashi use Dojo's fire breath, so they were forced to stop in a clearing for the night.

Chase wouldn't even let Dojo light the campfire, so he sat cross-legged on a tree stump watching Dashi struggle as he rubbed two rocks together on top of a stick pile.

“Aha!” Dashi said when he finally got a spark, and a fire slightly larger than a lantern candle crackled to life.

Chase snorted. “Pathetic.”

Dashi started to say something, but was interrupted by the growl of Dojo’s stomach, who was sitting right next to his ear.

Dashi rummaged through his bag. “Okay, let’s see what we got here... turnips… great.”

Dojo’s stomach growled even louder in protest.

“Here.”

Dashi turned around just in time to catch a bundle of fish and vegetable dumplings wrapped in a lotus leaf.

“Oh, wow, thanks,” he said with an honest smile.

Chase blushed a hint, so he turned his head and reached for his bag, which looked ready to burst.

“Don’t be mushy,” he muttered. “Master Hui just overpacked, and I’m sick of this backache.”

“Backache,” Dashi laughed. “But you’re eight!”

Chase frowned. “You know, I might change my mind and take those back.”

“A little late for that.” Dashi shook the crumbs off the lotus leaf as Dojo let out a hearty burp.

Chase rolled his eyes, pulled a peach bun out of his bag, and munched quietly.

Dashi sat on his empty bag and looked at him carefully. “You know, I’m jealous.”

Chase swallowed. “Because of my hair?”

Dashi patted his barren head that glowed faintly in the moonlight. “Ouch, okay, rude.”

Chase wiped his mouth and smirked.

“I mean, you live at the best inn in town—”

“The only inn in town,” Chase interrupted.

“Still,” Dashi said, “and eat all this delicious food, while I’ve been stuck in the middle of nowhere for months with no one to keep me company but a bunch of ancient vegetarian monks.”

“Well, why did you join them then?”

“I don’t know. It sounded fun at first, like a once-in-a-lifetime chance, that kind of thing.”

“But then you got kicked out.”

“What? Why is everyone saying that? I didn’t get kicked out, I left.”

Chase raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, all those rules were so boring, but then they brought us a real dragon egg to class. They taught us that dragons are fire-breathing, bloodthirsty beasts that must be eliminated at all costs."

Dojo curled up in Dashi's lap and yawned. Dashi gave him a sad look and scratched him under the chin.

"They wanted to destroy Dojo's egg or keep it as some kind of trophy. They weren't going to give him a chance. That made me wonder what had made them give me a chance. Maybe they expected me to hunt small, helpless creatures, too, one day. The more I looked at it, the more it seemed like a trap. If these are the rules, then I might as well make my own."

Chase stared contemplatively at the flickering fire, his hands in his lap.

"People don't respect magical beings anymore," he said after a while, making Dashi flinch. "Many years ago, humans and magical beings used to live in harmony, but then humans tried to control nature and reject anything that didn't obey them."

“Madam Hui taught you all this?” Dashi asked in awe.

Chase looked at him and nodded. “Master Hui has travelled a lot, so she knows a lot.”

“Is she the one who taught you all those moves I saw you doing in the tree?”

“She once met an old hermit Xiaolin monk who taught her. She knows a lot of people, too.”

“Wow, you two seem really close. She’s kind of like a mother to you, right?”

Chase fell into deep thought again, as if this was a question he’d asked himself many times before.

“I don’t know. I never had a mother or a father, so I have no way of knowing.”

Dashi blinked. “What? You don’t remember your parents?”

“Eh, probably for the best,” Chase said casually. “I mean, my earliest memory is scavenging in the trash with a bunch of street cats. Oh, wipe that tragic look off your face, will you? It wasn’t that bad.”

“Oops, sorry,” Dashi said, passing a hand over his misty eyes.

"Anyway, Master Hui found me on one of her travels. Later, she told me that she had been thinking about settling down for some time, but meeting me was what finally convinced her. She was always travelling, so she didn't really need a home, but I did, so she made a home for us and for all those who travel."

"Okay, that has got to be the sweetest story I've ever heard," Dashi said, cupping his cheeks.

Chase rolled his eyes again, but this time he smiled a little. "So what about you? What's your story? Do your parents know you have a pet dragon?"

“Nah, my mother left us when I was little, and shortly after that, my father died of a broken heart, bless him,” Dashi said almost cheerfully. “It’s just me and my older twin siblings, Huojin and Yuqin, been this way for a long time.”

“The blacksmith twins?” Chase asked. “They made some of our best pots. I didn’t know they had another brother.”

“Yeah, they don’t like to talk about me very much.”

“I really don’t see why,” Chase said smartly.

Dashi snorted. Just then, his modest fire died out with one final hiss. Although he couldn't see him very well, Chase could tell that Dashi was staring at him intently.

“I said no.”

“Oh, come on, just a tiny flame. He won’t burn anything this time, I promise,” Dashi pleaded, holding Dojo up in front of him.

“No.”

"Oh, come on, it's freezing out here. Give Dojo a chance. Please, you won't regret it."

Chase stood silent in the darkness for a moment, then sighed in defeat. "Oh, okay, but you better know what you're doing."

Dashi grinned and led Dojo closer to the smouldering sticks. A bright, playful fire burst forth with a cheerful crackle, enlivening the nature around them as well as their faces.

“Okay, but if that attracts predators or something, it’s your fault,” Chase said.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be the first on the lookout.”

“Of course you will. It’s your dragon.” Chase curled up like a cocoon in a thick blanket coated with cat hair and turned his back, using his bloated bag as a pillow.

"Huh, okay then. I guess it's just the two of us, buddy -- Dojo?"

Dojo crawled away from Dashi and nestled himself with a sigh of pleasure right in the middle of the campfire that burned even brighter around him, flickering in harmony with his snoring.

"Okay, so I guess it's just me then."

Dashi sat down on a boulder and began whistling to keep himself company. He wrapped his arms around himself and snuggled into it. Even though the fire was nice and warm, he wished he had brought more than the shirt he was wearing. He closed his eyes and tried to think of something fun when he heard footsteps and looked up. Chase was standing in front of him with an air of uncertainty, a blanket over his arm. When he saw him looking, he pushed the blanket into his hands and said quickly, “Master Hui always packs a spare.”

This blanket also had a few cat hairs on it and even a claw mark or two, but it felt warm like something that had been used with love. Dashi smiled, but when he looked up, Chase was gone. He was back in his blanket cocoon, facing the forest, as if he hadn’t moved at all. So Dashi smiled to himself and threw the blanket around his shoulders.

***

The fire burned and burned even after the sticks had turned to ash, until Dojo woke up with a yawn that blew it to the side. The moment he closed his mouth, the fire was gone. Dashi was snoring in a very uncomfortable position with his back flat on the boulder and his head hanging down. When the first rays of sunlight filtered through the branches and hit him in the face, he jerked his head up. Dojo crawled happily to him and climbed onto his chest.

“I must have dozed off. Dojo, why didn’t you wake me?” Dashi asked, looking up at him.

He picked up Dojo and straightened his back with a not-so-pleasant crack.

“Okay, if we leave now, we’ll probably make it there by sunset… Um, Chase?”

The cat hair blanket was spread out in a pile by the tree stump with no Chase in sight. Dashi tried not to panic. What had Chase said about predators the night before?

He started pacing, talking to himself. From his shoulder, Dojo imitated him, rubbing his chin as if he too were deep in thought. "Okay, Dashi, think. Worst case scenario, Chase got eaten by a bear, best case scenario, he changed his mind and went back home to his master-mom... No, wait, his bag is still here; he wouldn't have left without it. And why would a bear take itty bitty Chase and leave all these goodies behind? Hmm..."

He looked at Dojo, and Dojo looked back at him.

“You’re right, Dojo. We should go find him.”

Dashi stuffed the two blankets into his empty bag and slung Chase’s bag over his shoulder.

“Oh, wow, this thing really is heavy.”

Dojo licked his muzzle, rubbed his little claws together, and tried to crawl into the bag, but Dashi stopped him with his hand.

“I appreciate you trying to help me, but let’s find Chase first.”

Meanwhile, Chase knelt by the river that flowed down the mountain and wound its way through the forest. The water was slow and clear, and he could hear a waterfall somewhere nearby. Chase washed his face and tried to de-tangle his long hair with a small wooden comb, but it was a much more troublesome and painful task than he had expected. Master Hui usually did this for him every morning. She had always been very gentle, but because it had become such an integral part of his routine, he had never shown her much gratitude before.

Chase shook his head. Dashi would probably have laughed and called him a baby if he had seen that he couldn’t even take care of himself on his own. Oh, but what did Dashi know? Dashi was bald.

Chase looked at his reflection in the water and frowned back at it. His hair was a mess, and he was always in a bad mood when his hair was a mess.

There was a commotion, and several birds took flight through the branches of the trees behind him.

"Oh, what now?" Chase muttered.

A small fox cut through the trees like a streak of fire, followed by an arrow that whizzed through the air and stuck itself in a tree trunk a few feet above. Then a young boy came after it, his bow at the ready, but the second arrow ricocheted off a boulder. He heard a rustle in the leaves and saw a shadow pass above him, but he dismissed it as a squirrel and didn't think much of it. This was his last arrow, so he had to concentrate. There were fewer trees on this side of the forest, and the path was clear. The fox was right in front of him. He couldn't miss now.

The young hunter drew his bow, and the arrow flew into the air, but just then something jumped again through the trees above him, and the arrow was gone. All that the young hunter could see was the long, bushy tail of the little fox disappearing into a bush.

He blinked once, blinked twice, but his bewilderment quickly turned to anger as he marched through the trees.

"Look, Wuya, I don't know what you're playing at, and I don't care if your dad turns me into a frog for this, but you can't just—"

But he stopped abruptly because behind the trees stood Chase examining the arrow he was holding.

“What? And who are you? Hey, give that back! What do you think you’re doing?”

“What do you think you’re doing?” Chase shot back. “Why would you hunt a young, helpless fox? What for?”

“What do you mean what for? I’m a hunter!”

Chase looked the other boy, who didn’t seem much older than him, up and down and sneered. “You, a hunter? Please.”

The hunter boy flushed, raised his finger, but just as he opened his mouth to say something, there was a swish of leaves and a few broken twigs.

“There you were!”

Dashi appeared from behind two bushes. He paused for a moment to catch his breath until he noticed that Chase was not alone.

“Oh, hello! I’m Dashi. Who are you? Do you live around here? Maybe you can help us. You see, we’re looking for a stone…”

”Help you?” The young hunter pointed his finger at Chase. “Your little friend—”

”Who are you calling little?”

Dashi smiled to himself. Chase didn’t deny that they were friends this time.

The young hunter was indeed at least a head taller than Chase, shorter than Dashi, but much broader in the shoulders. He had a queue, so his hairstyle also seemed somewhere between Chase and Dashi, with a long braid in the back and the top of his scalp shaved. He had a strong chin, and his eyes, well, if looks could kill, then he wouldn't have had to carry a bow and arrows.

“Your friend owes me a new winter shawl!”

“A shawl?!” Chase said in disgust. He glared right into the young hunter’s eyes to show that he wasn’t intimidated at all.

“Look, I’m sure whatever problem you had with Chase was all just a big misunderstanding,” Dashi said, stepping between the two of them.

Dojo had chosen that exact moment to sneak out of Dashi’s collar to check out the source of the commotion.

The young hunter took a step back, looking at him. “Okay, then I’ll take your lizard. It would make a decent new belt.”

“A belt?!” It was Dashi’s turn to be outraged. He wrapped his arms protectively around Dojo and slowly backed away, pulling along Chase, who was still glaring, almost without blinking.

“I think it’s a fair deal,” said the young hunter, advancing slowly toward them. “A lizard for a fox.”

Just then, the trees around them rustled, and a few leaves fell from their branches. This time it must have been a squirrel, except that it chuckled, a lively, childish chuckle, but with a hint of something cold in it and a strange echo that carried all around them.

“Oh, Guan, when will you ever learn?”

The next moment, a small, round object spun to their feet. It looked like a grape, or more like the soft centre of a lychee fruit if it were purple. The young hunter's eyes widened, as if he knew something that Dashi and Chase didn't, but they soon understood. Before anyone could do anything, the mysterious fruit blew up in their faces, releasing a cloud of thick smoke that made everyone cough and impossible to see anything.

"This way! Follow my voice," someone whispered behind Dashi.

Dashi didn't think twice. He grabbed Chase's hand and followed the voice that led them out of the smoke cloud and into the middle of the forest, leaving the young hunter coughing and disoriented.

Dashi and Chase didn't stop running until they reached another clearing near the base of the mountain.

"I think we lost him," Chase said, glancing behind him.

But Dashi didn't hear him. He stared straight ahead with wide, unmoving eyes. Before them stood a girl who was belly laughing. She looked a little younger than Dashi, maybe thirteen years old. She wore simple black robes, but one of her pant legs was rolled up and held with a red ribbon, which she probably thought added a splash of elegance. Her long, dark brown hair was unkempt in places as if she had tried, but it was hard to tame. Chase knew that feeling all too well, but he would have never admitted it out loud. His hair was a far worse mess. He was very aware of it, and that was a good reason not to like her, besides the fact that his eyes still stung from the purple smoke.

“Wow!” Dashi’s eyes were also red and puffy from the smoke, but they were positively sparkling. “That was a really great trick!”

The girl stopped laughing and put a hand on her hip. “You really think so? Well, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”

“We could have handled him ourselves,” Chase said, looking to Dashi for help. Dashi, however, was still staring as if he had never seen a girl in his life before. Chase rephrased, “I could have handled him myself.”

"Oh, really?"

The girl stepped in front of Chase and looked down at him. Chase stood his ground, just like he had with the hunter boy.

"And what would a little pipsqueak like you have done? Just stand there hoping he'd trip over you?" she taunted him, flicking his forehead with her fingers.

Chase tried very hard not to blink.

"Although, come to think of it, maybe he would have. Guan is so clumsy he'd trip over his own feet. I tell you, he couldn't even catch a three-legged baby rabbit," the girl started laughing again.

Dashi laughed too, louder than necessary, as if this was the single best joke he had ever heard.

Chase had heard enough. “Then thank you for saving us from a dangerous and extremely incompetent hunter,” he said with a wry bow.

It was his turn to pull Dashi’s hand. “Come on! We have places to be, and I’d like to be home by tomorrow.”

“Wait!” Dashi said, planting his feet on the ground and causing Chase to change tactics and try to push him from behind. “I didn't even catch your name!”

“I’m Wuya,” the girl declared proudly. “And I heard what you told Guan. You’re looking for a stone.”

“Oh, yes,” Dashi said suddenly and walked back to Wuya, causing Chase to fall facedown on the ground. “We’re looking for a cave on Jade Forest Peak.”

“Well, luckily for you, I know these woods like the back of my hand, and I can take you there.”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure we can find a mountain peak on our own,” Chase muttered, brushing the dust off his clothes. “Besides, we have a map.”

Dashi gritted his teeth and turned to him. “Yeah, about that… Yeah, we couldn’t find any breakfast, so… Dojo ate it.”

Dojo emerged from Dashi's nearly empty bag only to let out a shameless burp and spew out a rapid stream of fire.

Chase groaned and slapped his forehead.

"Nice dragon you have there," Wuya said, folding her hands behind her back and leaning slightly towards them.

"You... You really think that?" Dashi asked, charmed.

Chase looked from one to the other. He didn’t like the looks they were giving each other.

Wuya led the way through the leaves; she herself with the grace of a leaf carried by the wind.

Dashi nudged Chase and whispered cheerfully, “Can you believe our luck?”

“No, I can’t,” Chase said through his teeth.

***

As they climbed the steep, rocky path up the mountain, Chase was now officially having the worst day of his life. He was left behind, flattened by the weight of his bag, his bird’s nest of a hair now sweaty and sticky. Meanwhile, Wuya was moving effortlessly on her bare feet, and Dashi, who carried neither the weight of hair nor bags, was trying to keep up with her. Chase would have tolerated all of this if it weren’t for the talking.

“So, you know that kid, you know, the one with the bow and arrow? You said his name was Guan,” Dashi said.

“Oh, yeah, you could say we’re kind of neighbours. I mean, he lives down the river with his mom.”

“And you?”

“I live with my dad, but our house is much nicer. We have all kinds of fun things.”

“You mean like that thing you used to help us escape?” Dashi asked, fascinated.

“Yeah, that was one of my dad’s inventions, but the idea was mine.”

“Wow! And what exactly does your dad do?”

Wuya hesitated a moment. “Well, he’s kind of an alchemist.”

“Really? Did you hear that, Chase?” Dashi paused to look down the mountain. “An alchemist is kind of like a chef, only, you know, much cooler.”

“I know what an alchemist is,” Chase grumbled, just loud enough to be heard from down there.

Dashi must have finally noticed that he wasn’t doing too well, because he waited for him to catch up.

“Isn’t she amazing?” Dashi asked with a dreamy sigh.

Chase put down his bag to catch his breath. “What’s wrong with you? You’re acting like an idiot, I mean, even more so than usual.”

Dashi sighed again, this time in a patronising way. “You’ll understand when you’re older.”

“No, I’m pretty sure I won’t,” Chase said. “And how do you even know we can trust her?”

“She helped us with that Guan kid.”

“Well, if you ask me, she’s a little too eager to help. What’s she after? And why wasn’t she surprised at all when she saw Dojo breathing fire?”

“Oh, Chase, didn’t you know? Overthinking kills your happiness.”

“You’re killing my happiness right now,” Chase muttered.

“Want to pick up the pace, grandpas? We’re almost there,” they heard Wuya’s voice.

“We’re coming,” Dashi shouted, abandoning Chase in the dust once more.

Chase groaned heavily and began to drag his bag after him.

When they finally reached the top, they found themselves in the shadow of a deep, dark cave.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Wuya asked, looking expectantly at Dashi, who had Dojo on his shoulder.

“Oh, right, right.”

Dashi raised his arm so that Dojo could coil around it and release a large flame that he held between his open jaws, lighting up all the walls in an inviting gold.

“See, Chase, I told you Dojo would make a great torch.”

Chase rolled his eyes and set his bag down at the mouth of the cave.

They discovered an entire system of tunnels inside.

"Not bad, right? The earth dragon that used to live here must have been busy," Wuya said.

“How do you know an earth dragon lived here?” Chase asked suspiciously.

“Well, isn’t it obvious? Only an earth dragon could have dug tunnels like these.”

“Hmm, that makes sense,” Dashi agreed.

The walls around them were indeed very circular and smooth, and so was the floor. It was as if they had stepped into a giant snake’s hole.

“And, um, are you sure the dragon doesn’t live here anymore?” Dashi asked, a little uneasy.

“Oh, yeah, it’s been years since anyone’s seen it,” Wuya replied.

"It's going to take us forever to find a stone in a place like this. I mean, everything is made of stone," Chase said wearily.

"Not if you know where to look," Wuya said.

She led them through a long, winding tunnel that ended in a huge, round room with several openings to other tunnels all around. They all seemed to lead here. It must have been the heart of the mountain, and Dashi had no problem imagining a gigantic dragon taking a nap right there, curled up around his pile of...

"Stones!" he shouted excitedly and ran forward with Dojo dangling from his arm.

As soon as they got closer, the entire pile began to glow a bright red as if they were rubies.

"This must be it!"

“You’ll only need one,” said Wuya, who was already at the top of the pile, tossing a small diamond-shaped rock to Dashi.

Dashi looked at the rock, then back at Dojo.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Wuya asked, jumping back down to the ground. “You just have to hold it close to him.”

Chase didn’t even bother asking how she knew that. At this point, he just wanted to get this over with so he could go home.

“I don’t know,” Dashi said. “Am I doing the right thing? I mean, Dojo seems to be getting better at controlling his fire already.”

“Oh, come on, I didn’t come all this way for nothing,” Chase said, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

“Well, I suppose I can give it back to him when he’s older.”

“Yeah, I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Wuya said kindly, but Chase didn’t miss the strange glint in her eyes as she stared at the tiny red stone.

“Okay, let’s do it then! Don’t worry, Dojo, I’m sure it won’t hurt.”

Dashi brought the stone as slowly and gently as he could to Dojo, and the moment it touched the tip of his snout, Dojo opened his mouth wide as if on command, and a stream of fire flowed from him, spiralling around the stone before being completely absorbed by it.

All the other stones behind them faded, but the small stone shone brighter than ever, so that they could almost feel their eyes burning as they looked at it. It also felt like a hot coal for a painful second when Dashi almost dropped it, but after a while, it began to cool.

"It worked!"

Dojo looked unharmed, but puzzled. He tried to blow on a new torch, but all that came out was a small, sad puff of smoke. His lower lip began to tremble, and tears welled up in his eyes.

“Here,” Dashi said quickly, showing him the shining stone. “It’s yours. You can hold on to it until you’re older.”

Dojo stared at the stone with wide, fascinated eyes, then took it in his claws and held it to his chest as if it were his most precious treasure. They followed Dojo’s new light through the tunnel and out of the cave.

Dashi took a deep breath and took in the view that stretched out to either side of them. Chase turned to his bag. He had half hoped someone would steal it while they were gone, but no such luck.

“Wait! Dojo, where’s your stone?” Dashi asked suddenly.

Dojo looked down at his bare claws as if he had just noticed the same thing.

“Did you drop it in the tunnel? Wuya, do you think you could— um, Wuya?”

Dashi looked around, but it was in vain. It was just him and Chase on the cliff edge.

“Hmm, you don’t think that…”

“She stole it, and that was her intention all along, that she was just using us? No, no, of course not. Who would have ever seen something like this coming?” Chase said dryly as he slung his bag back over his shoulder.

“Oh, man!” Dashi leaned forward and let his arms hang. “I mean, I knew she was a prankster, but I didn’t know she was this good.”

“Yeah, let’s call her that,” Chase said. “I told you it was weird that she knew so much about dragons. And I bet she had something to do with whatever happened to the dragon that used to live here.”

“Oh, great... Now what do we do?”

“What do you mean? We’re going home. No fire, no problem.”

“What? You can’t be serious.”

Chase shrugged. “The deal was that I’d help you get rid of your dragon’s fire so you’d leave me alone. I did my part, and now you can keep him as a pet lizard.”

“But he’s not a lizard, he’s a dragon!” Dashi said. “His fire is part of him, it’s what makes him who he is.”

“Look, you can try to track down Wuya if you want, but I’m going home.”

“Oh, please, Chase! Dojo and I need you! You have to understand. How would you feel if it was one of your cats? Like if someone took away the thing that makes them cats, like, I don’t know, their claws?”

“What?” Chase said in alarm. “Their claws are vital to their survival; they need them to climb and hunt, and defend themselves!”

“And Dojo needs his fire to survive.”

Chase crossed his arms and looked at Dojo, who did indeed look a little deflated, hanging limply on Dashi’s shoulder. Then he looked into Dashi’s big, pleading eyes.

Chase sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m sure going to regret this…”

"Yes! I knew we were friends," Dashi said, and picked Chase up, pulling him into a hug and making him drop his bag. Dojo tried to join in, clawing at Chase's hair.

"Yeah, I'm already regretting this," Chase said breathlessly, and after Dashi finally set him back down, he added, "So what's the plan?"

"I have an idea, but you're not going to like it," said Dashi. "We're going to need some help."