* * *
Jackie pushed away from the tree, desperately trying to get the earth demon chi before Drago did. He couldn't let the demon become more powerful! Shendu's son had already interfered too much with his life. There was an abrupt surge as he fell through the ethereal flower, but he still hurtled towards the ground-! He twisted in mid-air, neatly landing in a crouch on a rock.
"Ooh, tingly." Everything changed the moment he touched the earth. 'Tingly' didn't begin to describe it. He really wanted to sit down and figure out what was going on, but he didn't have time. He never had time anymore.
"Jackie! Do not let Drago touch you! He will try to drain demon chi!" Uncle yelled as he ran up. Jackie half-turned, reluctant to get off the rock. Granite was a good sort of rock, really. An easily recognizable shadow fell across him-
"Oh, I won't just touch you, Chan! I'll rip you apart!" The last sentence was a bit muddled as Drago's new tongue unfurled but Jackie got the gist of it. He dodged the half-dragon's fiery punch and back-flipped off the rock.
Going with his instincts, he then flung said rock at the half-dragon. The very large rock half-buried in the ground five feet away from him. That did the trick, but... well, it was a very large rock half-buried in the ground five feet away from him. He blinked and scratched his head. "Did I do that?"
"Of course! Why do you think it is called earth demon chi?" Uncle snapped.
One of Drago's new minions attacked him while he was distracted by the glow around his hands. Jackie grunted, blocking the blows with ease. Oh, come on, he thought. Didn't these kids know they were out-classed? Okay, grab his leg when the punk leaves it up too long, toss him over by Jade-
"Hey, Chan, catch." Drago soared up, the tour bus raised above his head. Jackie barely had time to react as Drago heaved it at him.
This was going to hurt... He crouched under the incoming bus, hands brushing against the earth. A jolt went through him and he began scrabble at the dirt. His first ineffectual motions soon turned into a routine that was strangely familiar as he dug. He was completely underground and tunneling rapidly away when he felt the bus's impact. The tremors tingled in his bones, and he absently noted where they rebounded within and over the earth. Ah, that's where Uncle had gotten to!
Tunneling was surprisingly easy. The dirt seemed to half-flow under his hands as he zoomed along underground. He dug around a few rocks that he didn't want to waste time splitting, but it otherwise went smoothly. This wasn't the sort of digging he usually did, but it was just as familiar.
He heaved the last bit of dirt aside and popped up in front of a very nice chunk of granite. Oh, and his uncle. "Uncle! Have you fixed the chi-o-matic?"
"Do not rush Uncle!"
A shadow fell across them both, and he turned towards the threat.
"Fire in the hole!" Drago yelled, tossing a fireball at him. Bad day, bad day, bad day!
Jackie dropped down again and took off. Uncle could take care of himself. Drago hadn't figured out how dangerous the old man was yet.
The dirt didn't even make the pretense of resisting him as he tunnelled. He had to stay underground, where the fire was just magma and he liked magma, and the earth embraced him like the brother he was. Rocks liquified under the redirected magma-heat and flowed through the soil to a place of his choosing. There. There he would smash the half-demon who denied the ground.
What kind of person wanted to fly when they could dig?
He threw his head back and roared, horns tossing aside the last bit of soil between him and the sky. He leapt from the earth's embrace, daring the sky to do his worst for the moment he was seperated from his element. The enemy still hovered nearby, insolent bastard. Jackie punched the ground as he landed, anger and half-sensed instincts guiding him. Rocks shattered and the earth buckled under the force of the blow- a crater formed around him even as he hurled the rock shards at Drago. The half-dragon whirled out of the way, and his hands glowed silver-
Oh, no. Drago was pulling him away from the earth.
"All that digging must have made you thirsty, Chan. How 'bout a little juice?" Malice filled the reverbed voice as he lifted Jackie towards the sparking power lines.
This was bad. Very bad. He struggled against the light as a feather grip, but there was really nothing he could do about it. Both demon chi vessels knew that, and this was going to hurt....-
"Tingly?" Drago muttered.
"Yu mo gua gua fai di tsou. Yu mo gua gua fai di tsou." Uncle's familiar chant echoed in Jackie's ears, tugging at something inside of him. He ignored it and paid attention to the still-approaching power lines.
The feather-light grip vanished and he dropped towards the ground like a stone. An instinctive twist in mid-air got his feet back under him and allowed his legs to absorb the impact. The earth boomed its welcome when he touched it again. He snorted and peered about. Where was the enemy?
Ah, fallen in the water. That would keep the fire demon out of the way, but his minions were chasing the girl-child. She was not his own spawn, but she was under his protection. Jackie knelt and spread his hands in the dirt. He stared blankly at it for a moment, then relaxed as the blue shone from his hands.
The ground split wide as two of the minions stalked the girl-child, capturing them before they realized what was happening. His ally grabbed the final minion and threw it into the crack, as well.
He withdrew his power and the earth closed around the three minions, tight enough that they felt its crushing force. But he did not allow it to kill them. He would be merciful for they had barely any demon chi. They were weak.
Drago was not, though, and he would try to harm the girl-child. Best to dispose of him now while the water threatened him.
"Jackie...." The old man said softly. "Come away, Jackie. You have a duty!"
He snorted and followed the old man away. Yes, duty. He couldn't kill the dragon now. He had to protect the demon chi the old man carried. It had to get back to San Francisco safely. Distantly, he was aware that he too would lose the demon chi when they got back to the city, but....
Death is lighter than a feather, duty heavier than a mountain.
The End