#acelacerta

“And if the Heylin Seed gets loose when you’re off fighting Wuya or on a quest for the world’s best fried squid balls…”

“Quanzhou.”

“What?”

“Quanzhou. Aunty Ju. She has the third stand from the end of the docks and the world’s best fried squid balls. I don’t need a quest for that.” He rolled his eyes like this was the most obvious thing in the whole world. “Just like you don’t need this abomination.”

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “So if the Heylin Seed…”

“You put it in a box once, you can do it again.”

He flipped the lens on the jeweler’s loop back down and turned back to the large ruby. “Let’s say that I’m on my own and I need to light a fire.”

“That is a skill issue.”

“Say someone cleans the Saphire Dragon…” He picked up his tweezers and started to fold the fitting down around the edges of the gem. Chase would get over it eventually. He just had to be dramatic first.

“Then they deserve what’s going to happen.”

“If we’re fighting Hannibal and you’re not…”

Chase rolled his eyes, spun around, nearly tripped over scrap metal on his way out of the workshop, then crashed into Guan as he stormed through the door.

“What’s going on?” Guan put a hand gently, yet firmly on Chase’s shoulder, stopping him from leaving.

“He’s trying to replace me with some doohicky!” Chase spat. Smoke trailed his hands as he gestured to the worktable.

Dashi set the star back on the bench. “I’m making a charm that can generate fire.”

For a few moments, Guan stared at Chase with fond exasperation, then said, “It won’t be as good, but we can’t afford to not have you around.”

Chase spun away, nearly dodged. Still, the glancing blow set him tumbling over the ashy ground. He only just managed to catch himself. He took just enough time for a single shaky breath to reorient himself. But it was too long.

The ground shot up, engulfing his hand in volcanic rock.

His eyes flicked between Wuya and his hand bound uselessly to the ground. He writhed, drawing back until his shoulder felt about to rip apart. Rough stone chafed and scraped against his wrist. His friends were too far away. Too caught up in their own battles to help.

The witch cackled, green flames flickering around her fingertips as she advanced. He looked away, back to the damn restraint. His heart beat slow and heavy. Muffled and distant, as if underwater, he heard Guan shouting for him. For what felt like forever, he could only stare with horrible calm at where his wrist met smooth black stone, unwilling to accept certain defeat.

He still had one more option.

As much as he could, he clenched his hand. He set his jaw, took a deep breath, and locked eyes with the witch. Then he jerked back with all his strength.

The world went white. Pain lanced through his hand, shot up his arm. Bones cracked. The skin over his knuckles shredded. In a split second, his hand came free with a spray of blood over soft white ash.

His vision came back slow, crackling and gray at the edges. He doubled over, cradling his mangled hand in his good one. His fingers flopped at strange angles, making his stomach churn and his head spin. Blood dripped, thick and red, through his grasp. He bit his tongue to keep from shaking, but couldn't hold back choking gasps.

Heat rose in his palm as he staggered backwards. The stench of boiling blood filled the air. It wouldn't be enough, but it was all he could do.

He tried to imagine the lecture he'd no doubt face later to distract from the feeling of raw ligaments and tendons moving under his good hand.

Guan called him a reckless fool, but still rubbed salve into his wounds. He asked what he was thinking – if he was even thinking- as he wrapped them in bandages. He scolded that he was right there to help. Why couldn’t he just wait instead of doing something this damn stupid?

10) Most disliked arc? Why?

It is such a pity it never got a reboot.

12) Is there an unpopular arc that you like that the fandom doesn’t? Why?

IDK if it counts as an arc, but I love the moments where Chase is a huge hypocrite. They are not bugs, they are features. The man is introduced saying that a true warrior only relies on their own skills, then immediately takes magic steroids to beat up some kids.

16) If you could change anything in the show, what would you change?

I think I would have given Clay and Kimiko more things to do in seasons 2 and 3.

17) Instead of XYZ happening, I would have made ABC happen…

I probably would have drawn the Wudai weapons out over several episodes, either a multi part or scattered throughout the season, so that they all felt more unique and maybe so that season 3 feels a little more like it has an overarching arc.

20) What is the purest ship in the fandom?