A/N: Okay good people this is another story from the one and only, Traban16! So you're all probably kicking my internet ass right now for starting yet another story when I haven't completed anything else, or instead, uploaded another chapter to one of my other stories that you like.
Well for those who are curious as to why I've started this story is the fact that I want, as some might say, a "pet project" to work on when I have a bit of "mental troubles" and can't think of anything for my other stories.
This story along with two others will be my "pet projects" so I can write to my hearts contempt. The other two stories will be from other series I haven't picked yet. But if you look at my polls you'll see that you can vote on the stories. So please VOTE!
Anyways, the basic idea for this story is that the "Heroes" are being used to free the Demons and Oni from their "eternal prisons". A "boy" is being used by the Demon Sorcerers due to him not being very close to the Chans, while Jade is being used by the Oni due to her having an enormous amount of Good Chi and having been Queen of the Shadowkhan before. As you already know in these types of stories the "Bad Guys" plans will fail, but how they'll fail and what will come about from their failures is the true story.
Just to let you know that the year is 2011 and that Jade is 18 in this one.
Well then, enough with this crap and on to the reason your even bothering to read this crap.
Chapter 1: A Plan That Cannot, But Will Fail
Shendu was always known for many things; his cunning, his intellect, and even more so for being evil, but one thing everyone knew him for was his ability to talk people into seeing things his way, or at least giving him a chance. So right as his alpha brother, Tchang Zu the Demon Sorcerer of Thunder, was about to continue his torment, which had been going on for about seven years so far, an idea struck him. It was so brilliant that when he was actually struck by the lightning in his brother's hand he didn't even cry out in agony. Instead, he chuckled evilly which caused all of his brothers and sisters to actually pay attention to him.
"What is so funny, Shendu?" Tchang Zu asked as he allowed lightning and thunder to pour out of his very body, attempting to look more freighting to his brother.
"Yes, please enlighten us to your insane humor of being impaled by lightning." Tso Lan, the Moon Demon Sorcerer and eldest of them all, stated as he floated to a nearby boulder.
"It is nothing, my siblings. Simply an ingenious plan I have been able to hatch." Shendu said nonchalantly as his brothers and sisters looked to one another.
"And what might it be this time, brother; another half-thought-out attempt to escape punishment while we are trapped here and made to turn to dust?" Hsi Wu, the Sky Demon Sorcerer, said snidely as he pointed a talon at Shendu.
"Yes, he has been exceedingly good at those, hasn't he?" Po Kong, the Mountain Demon Sorceress, spoke as His Wu flew up and landed on her shoulder.
"Of course not, my brothers and sisters. I have merely come up with a plan to insure all our freedoms from this wrenched plain of existence." Shendu said as he sat atop a boulder while Bai Tza, the Water Demon Sorceress, and Xiao Fung, the Wind Demon Sorcerer, came upside him.
"And why should we trust you as we did before? It is your fault we are all here." Xiao Fung said as Bai Tza nodded her squid-like head.
"Because it was I who freed you all in the first place, while it was Jackie Chan and his mortal helpers that sealed us all away here." Shendu stated as he gazed down at his nails. For them to even hear his plan he knew he had to play on their hatred for the man, even if it wounded his own pride in doing so. They all looked at each other before nodding in acceptance.
"We're… listening…" Dai Gui, the Demon Sorcerer or Earth, has as his rock floated closer to Shendu.
"Thank you for hearing me out, my most gracious siblings. As you know, the portals can only be opened from the mortal world-"
"But the portals are closed forever, you fool, or have you forgotten!" Bai Tza hissed loudly as Shendu gave her a fiery glare.
"No, I haven't forgotten, Bai Tza. Allow me to continue before you make such remarks. Now as I was saying, the portals can only be opened from the mortal plane. I was once able to travel between our two worlds, but now that I am whole again I cannot." Shendu said as he gestured to his demon body.
"Get on with it." His Wu hissed as Tchang Zu nodded. They were both getting impatient with his talk.
"Well, what if we were able to get a… champion of sorts to free us? This… medium would be able to re-open the portals and free us by acquiring the Demon Chi that was left behind during our… escapades." Shendu said as Tso Lan narrowed his eyes and crossed all four of his arms.
"I believe that you have forgotten your… son Drago, Shendu. He took our Chi from the Earth and we stripped him of it when we found you two fighting in here." Tso Lan said as he gestured to Drago who was sitting on a rock beside Po Kong as he listened to his father. Shendu narrowed his eyes at the young demon as he turned back to his brother.
"I have not forgotten that either, Elder Brother Tso Lan. In fact it is because of my son that this plan is even plausible. Due to him having acquired our Demon Chi before he and I were sealed away we were able to leave traces of being there. Through these we can channel our powers and use them to empower a human-"
"And why would we do that, Shendu?" Po Kong asked with narrowed eyes.
"Because that human would be slave to our essence over him. The human would be completely overwhelmed by our combined powers. He would turn into a demon, bent on freeing us so that we demons would rule for all eternity." Shendu explained as Tso Lan struck his small beard.
"It seems plausible, but how much power should this human obtain? Too little and he could overcome it, and too much would make him a mindless beast." Tso Lan said as His Wu flew over to him.
"An equal amount from all of us, but you brother should supply the brains for our little… pet. That way it would have reason, even in the event that it does become only a demonic beast. I say one-eighth from each of we demon sorcerers, and Tso Lan uses a spell that would make the human as knowledgeable as he is so that no matter if it breaks free of our powers, or loses its sanity it will still be intelligent enough to know to free us." His Wu said as Tso Lan nodded, both from the praise at his intellect and the cunning of the plan.
"Then it is settled, but now we must choose the human that shall have the honor of being our… puppet champion." Shendu said as they all looked at him.
Drago turned away from them all as he grinned evilly. If he wasn't even considered in this plan, then he'd be sure none of them got out; especially since he wasn't banished by an immortal and therefore couldn't escape with them.
"You all just keep getting your hopes up; because I'm gonna dash them away in a firestorm. Then the blame will be on dad's scale-y head and not mine. Its win-win, baby!" Drago thought as he turned back to them. As soon as he knew what human they were picking, he'd be sure to put his plan into action.
"The human should have no connection to the Chans. They have caused us enough grief to last an eternity!" Po Kong shouted as the others looked to one another.
"No, they must have a connection, just in case this plan fails. If it does the Chans may be killed in the process of trying to stop our combined powers." Shendu said as the other demons grinned. That little note was like music to their ears… or whatever demons have to hear. True the Chans had come close to death many times, but hey; three millionth times the charm!
"Fine, then who such it be? It can't be anyone near that Chi Wizard." Bai Tzu hissed out as Xiao Fung scratched his chin in thought.
"Perhaps one that is close… yet still so far." Xiao Fung said with a grin as they looked at him in confusion.
"Explain, Xiao Fung." Tchang Zu commanded as the others nodded.
"Those two that were my slaves during our… rewritten dominance, I believe their names were El Toro Fuerte and Paco. The masked fighter was very high in Good Chi, but I didn't sense any from the boy. Perhaps the boy could be our way out of this… dilemma." The Wind Demon explained as the others muttered to one another and shared glances.
"Perfect! The boy is close to the Chans, yet not so close that they would immediately know what to do about him." Tso Lan said after thinking it over. The others nodded in agreement as Drago snuck away.
Shendu watched with narrowed eyes as Drago departed from them. He was sure his dammed son would do something to ruin their escape simply to spite him, but what? That was the question Shendu needed answered. Oh well, if they worked fast enough then the foolish boy wouldn't be able to ruin his plans this time.
"Then it truly is settled. Let us begin preparations immediately and work without haste. I'm sure that you'll all agree that even one more second in this void than necessary is a torment unlike any other." Shendu said as they all nodded.
"We shall need magic which has long not been used if we are to even attempt this. I shall find my Demon Archive. Po Kong, Tchang Zu, come with me please." Tso Lan said as he made his rock float away from them with his two younger siblings following without question.
"I shall prepare a space for the ritual. Come Dai Gui, I shall require your assistance." His Wu said as he flew away with Dai Gui following as he hopped from floating rock to floating rock.
"I will create a Spell Circle to focus the power of our magic. It will take much focus and even more concentration to make this work. And it had better work, Shendu. Come, Xiao Fung." Bai Tzu said as she glared at Shendu, but she and Xiao Fung still left to do their part for their escape.
Shendu breathed a fiery sigh of relief once everyone had gone. If this plan didn't work then he could kiss his life and after-life goodbye. So all they needed to do was collect everything, but they also needed to deter any interference.
Shendu chuckled darkly as he floated away from where they had been meeting. Nothing would stand in their way of freedom.
Just then, as soon as Shendu was out of sight, a Ninja Tribe Shadowkhan appeared from the shadow below a rock that was above another. He had collected everything his master wanted and far more today. The khan sunk back into the shadows from once he came, with none of the Demon Sorcerers having been the wiser of his presence.
In the Shadow Realm:
Tarakudo was in a very pleasant, yet annoyed mode after hearing his shadow ninja report to him about Shendu and the demons' plan. It was, for all intentional purposes, a good plan. But, if even one thing went wrong in their plan, then it would fail inevitably. Demons never thought of the consequences…
"Fortunately, I do." Tarakudo said aloud in thought as he walked over to his generals; nine generals for the nine Oni masks that the Chans had gotten to and destroyed. Though his mask was still at Section 13, if someone were to put it on…
"Then we'd all be released from this accursed shadow realm." Tarakudo said as the generals simply nodded.
"I must find someone to use as our puppet and free us so that we may cover the world in darkness." Tarakudo said as he stood before his generals.
It was then, the Ninja Tribe General, Hiruzen, stepped forward out of line, and bowed before his king.
"Your highness, we can use the Chan girl. She proved to be very capable when using my ninjas to do her bidding, and if not for that meddlesome Demon Sorcerer, Shendu, she could have done truly great things, like freeing us sooner." Hiruzen said as Tarakudo thought it over.
"Hmm… You're right. The Chinese demons don't want to use the girl or her family due to what may happen if they don't succeed, but if we use the girl, who the Ninja Tribe Shadowkhan seem to be very fond of, then there will be no need for fear. I shall prepare everything tonight. We shall do as those pathetic Chinese Demons are and pool our combined power into her. When she loses herself to the Dark Shadow Chi, I shall have complete control over her. I shall then make her wear my mask and open a portal from Earth to the Shadow realm so that we may once again rule the world in darkness." Tarakudo said as the generals bowed to his excellence. True it wasn't that great since he was just copying those begotten Chinese Demon Sorcerers, but it was their leader, and they had to make him believe he was awesome.
In Mexico, With Paco and El Toro:
Paco was in his room; dresser drawers' empty, nightstand cleared off, and closet open and lonely without his wardrobe of clothes for warmth. He smiled to himself as he placed the last of his things into his suitcase.
"Paco, are you ready to go?" El Toro said as he came into the now empty and bare room. Paco was almost disappointed that the man had taken to wearing a suit when he wasn't wrestling, though after five years he had gotten used to it. Even though it didn't quail his pain…
"Paco, are you doing that depressed monologue about how I started wearing a suit? It's been five years, Paco." El Toro said as Paco wiped away an imaginary tear.
"And it breaks my heart more each day. My idol and instructor hasn't been the same since he started wearing… the accursed tie." Paco said as he pointed at El Toro's red tie. El Toro loosened it a bit as he chuckled. Paco was always so silly.
"Well then, enough about my business wear. If you don't move quickly we'll be late for our flight, and then you'll have to wait another day until you can see Jade again-" El Toro was saying, but didn't get to finish due to him being knocked out of the door way of their now former home.
"I'm coming Yade!" Paco shouted out as he ran outside and to the car with his two suitcases in hand.
El Toro only chuckled as he got up from the floor. Paco; no matter the fact that they were around the same height, that his voice had become calm and deep, or the fact that he was 18 years-old; he was still an 11 year-old child when it came to Jade.
"He'll grow up someday, and then the real problems will start." El Toro said with another fit of chuckles and a shake of his head. When he got to the front door he heard the car engine starting up. He quickly closed and locked the front door, tossing the spare key he was using to their now former next door neighbor as he ran after the car that was getting away with all his stuff inside it.
"Paco, don't drive away without me! Wait, Paco, wait!"
In San Francisco, With Jade:
"Feel the Chi around you, inside you and allow it all to intertwine outside your palms. Use your hand as an apex to focus your power." Uncle said calmly as he and Jade moved their arms from one side to another while said appendages began to glow green. In Uncle's hand was his standard blowfish, but in Jade's was nothing at all.
Uncle stopped his movements as he watched a close-eyed Jade move through her Chi focusing exercises with perfection. He had started teaching her over six years ago, and she had come along greatly. She was just a natural, and while Jackie had protested to her learning at first, even he could not denounce how she just seemed to… get it.
They were inside Uncle's shop and he felt that it was time for Jade to go back to the basics of her training under him. While Tohru could have easily taught her along with him, Uncle had wanted to teach her himself. He felt that it would be his gift to her, since when she was younger he had never allowed her to mess with his magic.
He was very proud of her. She could remember all the ingredients. She took to his lessons on not only magic; good and dark Chi, and martial arts, but also to his life lessons. She understood the importance of patience, the same way she understood the importance of making extra potions and how "magic must defeat magic". She was his best and prettiest student. He wasn't being mean or even showing favoritism to family. It was just that she got all of it like second nature. If he had known about her raw talent and her endless potential, then he would have trained her from her first day with them when she had first stepped into his shop to live with them.
She was looked so at peace, so serene, and so very calm-
"Uncle this is getting so boring! Can we please move onto demon banishing already? Please?" Jade whined as she stopped her exercises and fell to her knee, palms no longer glowing. So she understood the lesson of patience without question, but that didn't mean she applied it the same…
"Aiiee-yaaaahh! You must do basics before we move onto such magic! You want to learn banishing spell?" Uncle said as she got up and nodded, "Then you do basics!" He yelled as she flinched back. Sometimes the man really needed to stop being so cranky…
Suddenly he adopted a much softer look from the glare he was just giving her. He went over to his research desk, which had only a book he said for her not to open. He sat at the desk and grabbed the book. He hugged it close to his heart and then gazed up at her as she walked across the room. His eyes met hers and she could see and feel all the emotions going through them; happiness, love, pride, honor, and even… hope.
"Jade…" Uncle said in the most serene and peaceful voice she had ever heard him speak in, "this book has been very near and dear to me for over 80 years. I acquired this book from my master, Master Fung, as he obtained it from his master and so on and so forth. I had planned to give it to Tohru, but I knew it would be of no use to him since he went to study Japanese Chi magic with the monks in Okinawa. Then I began training you and I knew you would be the student I would be able to past this along to…"
Uncle held the book out to her and she grasped it as if it were made of fragile glass. Hell, it was like a million years old if it belonged to Uncle's master! She stared at it for a while as if it were precious gold in her hands. The thick book's cover was a dark and dusty red, embossed with three dark, gold, intertwined Chinese emblems. The back bore the outline of another Chinese symbol. The spine of the book displayed gold words in Cantonese which read, "Chi and Knowledge for the Ages". She finally opened the book, carefully, and flipped through the pages. She quickly saw that it was not in Cantonese, yet plain English as she skimped it. She also noticed that each page was in a different handwriting and that most of the book was simply spells, recipes, and other helpful thing people had written down throughout the ages. She finally came to the last few pages and saw that it was Uncle's handwriting, and after forging his handwriting as many times as she did she recognized it right away.
"Uncle… I don't know what to saw… T-thank you… I'll use it always, Sifu." Jade said as she gently set the book aside and hugged Uncle with all her love. He gently patted her back as he smiled softly.
"One more thing Jade, you must beware of some of the entries in that book. I'm sure you've already realized that it has magic working in it already. Whomever the owner, and it must be given willingly for it to be opened and read, is able to read it in whatever language they are most comfortable with. Some of the spells and entries in that tome are Dark Chi magic and must not be trifled with. I trust you will not use them…" Uncle said as they parted from their hug and gave her a stern look, but then soften his look as he sighed, "without good purpose at least. Even Uncle had to use a Dark Chi spell time and again to help good prevail." Uncle said with a wink.
He reached for and grabbed the book handing it to her once again. Jade nodded as she accepted the book. She looked toward the clock and noticed it was almost 2:30 p.m. Her college professor would be so pissed if she showed up late again with her only excuse being her having to "battle the forces of evil". Seriously, one of these days she was just gonna lie and say that she had car trouble.
"I'm so sorry to have to cut this a little short Uncle, but my class starts in less than 30 minutes and-"
"It is alright, Jade. Go, you must study if you want to be anywhere in life. Though Uncle would like you to take over his shop, I would not want you to waste that brilliant young mind of yours here if there are better things out there that you'd like to do." Uncle said as they both stood and gave each other a hug.
She picked up her backpack, having already done everything before even coming downstairs to Uncle for their weekly training. She was out the library door in a flash and the front shop door to. She gave a wave and warm greeting to the guy who owned the grocery across the street as she got into her car. Though it wasn't that great it was still kind of nice. It was a light blue 2001 Honda Civic, and while everyone else was driving around fancy, top of the line car, she was happy with the car that she had. She was happy with it four years ago when Jackie had gotten it for himself, she was happy when he gave it to her for her fifteenth birthday, and she was happy with it now three years later. Before she could pull off Uncle had ran out of the shop, giving her a stern look as she looked back at him.
"One more thing! No using magic to study or cheat! Jackie gives Uncle ear-full when you do!" Uncle shouted at her with a smile as she gave him a weak one. Damn and she had been planning to do just that…
"Alright, Uncle; I love you, bye!" Jade yelled as she started the engine once again and drove down the street like a racecar driver. Uncle coughed and hacked as her car's fumes filled the air where he was standing.
"Jackie needs to get car tune up." Uncle said as he adjusted his glasses and placed his hands behind his back, walking back into his antique shop.
On a Plane, With Paco:
He was rather excited. Why? Because he, and his all-time greatest idol, were going to be moving to San Francisco. Why again, you may ask? Because El Toro was now going around the world with Jackie and challenging any and all comers to matches as a promotion for his career. Paco was, for all intentional purposes, being dropped off to live with Jade and the old cranky magic-man, Uncle. While Jackie dug through sites of ruins, El Toro would be in the nearest city to the site challenging local contenders. At least, that was the way the two said it would work, and if not wrestling the locals, then he'd be helping Jackie as "muscle".
"Paco, calm yourself, hijuelo. What was one of the very first rules I taught you?" El Toro said as Paco took a deep, calming breathe and stopped bouncing in his seat.
"That to be great in any aspect of life I must remain calm." Paco said as El Toro nodded.
Paco stared out the window as the plane soared across the sky. He wondered if Jade would even be happy to see him. He had always known that Jade was his friend, but did she see him as just that; a friend. He loved being her friend and a member of the J-Team, but could they be… more? He wanted that so badly, but he wasn't sure if she wanted the same. Hell, he apologized for his language, did she even think of him? Like… at all?
In Jade's Class:
Jade nearly groaned as her boring teacher droned on and on about some cave people she didn't give two talismans about. She wished that things were like they were seven years ago. Her going around the world with Jackie and the others, kicking major bad guy ass. "Those were the days…"
"Miss Chan!" Her teacher shouted as she jerked up right to look at him.
"I asked you a question." He said as she gave him a confused look.
"Which was…?" Jade asked slowly as he sighed in irritation.
"From which species of animal did the human race originate?" he droned as she gave him a look that told him he was stupid for even asking.
"Monkeys, duh." Jade said as she laid her head back down on her desk.
"That's partially correct. The human race actually originated with-"
It was right then that she stopped caring about what he was saying. Hell, she had a life to think about, not this crap!
Jade sighed as she turned her head in her arm. Being a teenager was awkward, sometimes she wished she were eleven again. Her journey into womanhood, as Jackie had called it and she still cringed every time she thought back the two of them having "The Talk", just plain sucked. She had to adjust herself in the desk so her chest wouldn't hurt against the damn thing. She hated having boobs now they only got in the way. She had also grown from what Captain Black had called a "garden sprout" into a "lotus blossom" or "garden beauty" as Uncle and Jackie put it. She was eighteen now, and was tall, slender; resting at five-eight, the kind of height that her friends, and many of her high school boyfriends, had commented as the "perfect height for a supermodel". Many people, well everyone she had come across, said that she had the looks to match a model too. But, because of her hating the attention she got, she had taken to wearing baggy clothes to school to cover up her chest and the curve of her hips and ass. Hey, when a 40 year-old college guy asks you out on a date, you'd do the same thing!
Then there were her parents. Every time she spoke to them on the phone, or visited for holidays, they spoke of how she should be marrying soon, finding a nice husband from a good Chinese family. They wanted their daughter to live with them and get married in China. Her parents also wanted her to become a doctor, or a scientist, or even a lawyer. They even outright refused to consider anything else unless it paid even more and was just as respectable.
Then there were her uncles; Jackie and Uncle. Jackie, even though he wasn't as firm as her parents in trying to "guide" her, and bless him for being a wimp, he had dropped a few hints on how he would simply love her to become an archaeologist along with him. As he and her parents had said when she was in her Senior year of High School, with her grades she could get into any respectable university that she wanted to. Uncle, however, had simpler goals for her, and bless him for being old. He thought she would be an excellent heir to his shop, as she had a gift for salesmanship and a loveable personality.
Then there were… guys. She cringed at the thought of them as well. The boys were not so shy in their pursuit of her. From the time she had turned 16 and apparently really "hot" they, the boys of both America and China, did not relent if she slipped up and told them she was single. Once last year, she had gotten so fed up with it all that she told a boy that she was a lesbian. His only replie to that was, "… Can I watch?" which landed him in the hospital and her in jail until Uncle and Jackie came to get her.
So yes; she was tried, even if she hid it well. Uncle had been able to see it, yet he was the only one and the only one to give her space and quiet from it all. She could almost literally feel the pressure coming at all sides. She wanted to yell, roar, or scream, but she held it all in.
The truth was, she was interested in any of the boys around her, because she had long since picked one. She thought about him nearly every time she watched WWE Smackdown or Raw. He was training to be either a wrestler or some form of entertainment fighter. While she herself had trained under Jackie, and then Uncle once they started her Chi training, she knew she wasn't going to use them in her career.
To be honest she hadn't even really picked a career yet, but she did have a few in mind. While she was technically an agent of Section 13, she knew she'd only want to do it part-time like Jackie was. She had always wanted to be a teacher, most of them were so lame yet she had met a few great ones. She would love to teach others about folklores and other stuff, but her parents would never forgive her if she became a teacher. She had, at one time last year, wanted to create a dojo and train people in martial arts, but both Jackie and her parent kind of crushed that dream.
Seriously, she wanted to scream! Since when did it become their life? Since when did they know what the best career was for her? Since when did most guys, except for maybe the one she liked, become super perverts? She wanted to yell, and roar, and scre-
The bell rang and the teacher dismissed them for the day, saying something about homework, but she really didn't care. She'd just get it off one of her classmates later on in the week, since she only took the guy's class once a week.
She bounded out of his class faster than anyone and sighed in relief that she'd only have to endure his torture for another few weeks. Though her happiness didn't last long since she bumped into the one person she would rather kill than have any other form of contact with: Drew. Even after he found out that she had been telling the true he was still a jerk to her. The weirdest part about it all was the fact that even he hit on her and wanted to date her. Hell, they did in high school and she broke up with him after… certain incidents.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't my little ninja beauty.' Drew said smugly with a grin as Jade gave him annoyed look. She shifted her backpack on her shoulder and moved past him without so much as a word. He reached out and grabbed her shoulder, causing her to spin around to him at the sudden act.
"Didn't Uncle Jackie teach you better than that? I seem to remember a dinner with him where he said it was very impolite to not greet someone who's greeted you." Drew said as she huffed and moved a lock of hair from in front her face.
"Hello, Drew." Jade gritted out and turned on heel, "Goodbye, Drew."
"Wait, since I know you don't have class for a few hours, what do you say me and you catch-up on old times?" Drew asked as she turned and gave him a look.
"I'd say no. I'm done with you, jerk." Jade said as Drew leaned on the wall.
"Come on, Jade. Can't you let go of the past?"
"You cheated on me with my friend Simone and then cheated on her with a cheerleader. You're a jerk and a playboy, Drew. I don't want anything to do with you." Jade said as she simply walked away. Drew ran out in front her as he gave a pleading look.
"Come on, Jade. I'm sorry about that, okay? I'm sorry about your friend and I'm sorry about the cheerleader. Give me another chance." Drew said as she crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.
"I did, and you cheated on me with that girl that worked at Moose-World. Then went we agrued about it you called me, and I quote, "A waste of beauty and brains, who never has any real fun or excitement because of being too uptight and morally-sound". Yeah, you Drew can kiss my ass." Jade said as she moved past him. Drew grinned as he grabbed her behind, causing her to stiffen yelp and turn around glaring at him.
"I'd love to if you went out with me today." Drew said with a wink as she glared at him harder.
Needless to say Drew ended up in the campus hospital and Jade ended up at a Burger-joint enjoying a burger, fries, and a milkshake.
"And to think I was actually considering giving him another chance! I must have lost my damn mind!" Jade raved to herself as her friend, Simone, only chuckled at her.
"Jade, Drew was, is, and always will be a jerk, playboy, and cheating-backstabbing-bastard. Let him go. What about that cute boy you showed me a picture of? I thought you liked him?" Simone asked as Jade stopped eating.
"Yeah, I do, but he's stuck in Mexico and I'm way out here. The last time I saw him we were 13." Jade said with a chuckle at the memory of their last meeting, "His voice was cracking and his face was constantly red every time I looked at him! He would have to go to the bathroom like five times a day if I wore anything less than baggy clothes and a jacket! Though I still don't know why…" Jade said as Simone spit out her drink, thankfully on some nearby plants.
"Yeah… that's a… mystery alright…" Simone said, "Damn, five times a day, Jade? That boy is so digging you… or hormones are just that powerful in him. Either way, he still loves him some Jade." Simone thought as Jade went back to eating with an amused expression.
"So what's so different about this guy… um, Paco was it?" Simone asked as Jade shrugged.
"Well, he's just cool. He's like the only guy who likes me for me. He liked me way before puberty hit me like a sack of nickels. I remember this one time he was sleeping over by Uncle's shop, and I caught him talking in his sleep. He called me his "precious gem". It was so cute! I think he was dreaming of us getting married, cause afterward he said "I do"! Plus, Uncle kinda let me know because he said Paco had a huge crush on me." Jade said as Simone only nodded and ate, all with a knowing smile on her face.
"So, if the last time you saw him was five years ago, what makes you think he's still single? You know Mexico. The girls down there will have got to him by time for their Quinceanera." Simone said as Jade gave her a mock glare.
"My day has been rained on by Drew, can you please try not to make it worst?" Jade said as she pulled a charm necklace from within her shirt, "Besides we have these, and these mean that no matter what he'll always be mine and I'll always be his." Jade said as Simone gave her and her charm a look.
"Is that a broken button?" Simone said as Jade gripped it defensively.
"Yeah, but he has the other half! We're like yin and yang."
"Does he know what your broken button charm means?" Simone asked as she leaned back in her chair and folded her arms.
"Yeah! Well… umm… maybe, I think so… I didn't exactly tell him in so many words… Okay, so he doesn't know!" Jade said as she tucked the charm back into her shirt.
"So how does he know he's supposed to be faithful to you if he doesn't even know why you gave it to him?" Simone asked as they got up, done with their fast food.
"I guess he doesn't…" Jade said, hanging her head as Simone nudged her.
"Don't worry, precious gem." Simone said with a chuckle as Jade elbowed her, "If he likes you as much as you like him, then it doesn't matter. He'll be yours, and you'll be his, and I can be in the wedding, right?" Simone asked as Jade laughed and slung an arm over her friend's shoulder.
"Sure, if it's the way I want, you can be my Maid of Honor... or something." Jade said as Simone did a little victory dance while they walked to Jade's car, with Jade laughing all the way.
On the Plane, With Paco:
It was evening, and El Toro had fallen asleep, just like almost everybody else. Paco reached into his shirt and took out his charm that Jade had given him. He had absolutely no idea what it meant to her, or why she had given it to him, but he had made a promise on it. He promised that no matter how many girls he had been with, and that had been a lot, that Jade would be his first and last. He promised that someday he and Jade would be together. Now that he was moving to San Francisco, it was the perfect chance to keep that promise.
He had made sure to be exactly what he thought Jade would want. He remembered a conversation Jade had with a friend the last time he saw her. He was in the bathroom taking care of…certain boy business, and when he was about to walk out he heard Jade on the phone talking about the type of guy she'd want when she got older. She said she wanted one that was built, but still lean. She wanted him to be able to keep up with her, and one that would just be fun.
He was sure he was all those things. He worked out enough to become lean with some muscle build. He worked on his stamina so he could keep up with her. He studied hard so he could have an intelligent conversation with her. And he knew most of the things she liked, so there were no problems.
Well, except for the fact that a lot can change in five years. Like how he had started growing a bit of a beard. Last time he had spoken to Jackie or Uncle, they said that Jade was going out with some guy named Drip or something like that, though they assured him it wouldn't last very long. He talked to El Toro a few months later about Jade and El Toro said that Jackie said that Jade hated the boy Drip. Did he do the happy dance after hearing that? You bet your sweet BBQ sauce he did!
"I promise Yade, I'll be everything you want and more…"Paco said quietly as he drifted off to sleep.
Sweet dreams of Jade filling his head…
With the Demon Sorcerers:
"The time has come for our ritual to begin! Let us commence with it at once!" Shendu said as they all floated in a circle around stretches of runes that were drawn black ink.
"Kuai Kuai, Nukeru He Men Jaaku" The Demon Sorcerers chanted as they began moving around in a circle, the cauldron in the middle of them bubbling with dark chi magic; purple smoke coming up from the cauldron as they began chanting louder.
Drago watched with a smirk on his face. He had already messed up their little spell by having erased a corner of the Spell Circle where no know but Bai Tzu would notice. Since he knew how prideful the Water demon was, he knew she'd never admit that it was her Spell Circle that failed. She would blame it on Shendu, but then 'dear old dad' would turn the blame to Tso Lan, who would turn it to His Wu, and so on and so forth.
The best part was that none of them could blame him since he had not been allowed to do anything, to which they all agreed. Now you're probably wondering why he's happy if he's stuck inside the Netherworld with them all. Well it was true he couldn't get out, but then why would he let them get out when he couldn't. Nope, it was like the human saying went, "the more poor bastards stuck in an empty void with you, the merrier". If he couldn't get out, then no one was getting out.
The purple smoke rose up from the cauldron as their chanting grew louder and louder. The smoke then became to spiral in a circle and formed a viewing mirror. It showed Paco asleep on the plane next to El Toro. The eight Demon Sorcerers smirked and grinned at seeing the sleeping boy. The smoke then began to seep into the viewing glass and into Paco.
"Quickly, we must do it now!" Bai Tzu said as they all raised a hand toward the viewing portal.
"We, the eight immortal Demon Sorcerers of the Elements, relinquish one-eighth of our power to the champion that would save us; Paco Fuerte." They stated as the symbols for their elements glowed above their palms and shot out toward the boy.
"I, Tso Lan, Demon Sorcerer of the Moon, give this boy my knowledge so that he may do with it as he sees fit." Tso Lan said as he raised another hand to the viewing glass. It too shot out an energy, though this time Tsu Lan felt his mind being pulled. Though he knew his knowledge was only being copied, it felt like the boy was trying to steal his essence from him.
When the powers and knowledge had made it through, Tso Lan fell to the ground and the others stared at him with wide eyes. Truth be told, Tso Lan was the most powerful of them all. He was also the oldest, the most civil, and the least… demon of them. For a ritual to take so much out of the Moon demon was either an accomplishment or it meant something went wrong?
"Something is wrong!" Bai Tzu hissed as she narrowed her eyes. Po Kong nodded as Xiao Fung helped Tso Lan up.
"Yes, I would agree. My very essence was being pulled from me as I gave my knowledge. That should not have happened as the spell I choose from my demon archive did not have that as an effect." Tso Lan said, standing and speaking as if nothing had happened.
"Well then what would the effect be on the boy?" Shendu asked as they all looked to Tso Lan once again.
"I'm not sure. He could feel as though freeing us is not in his best interests, or he could do it with practiced ease. It all depends on whether or not our demon chi corrupts him or not." Tso Lan said as calmly as ever.
Tso Lan was known for being the most intelligent of them, along with the wisest and all around brains, so that made him no fool. He had no real intentions of escaping the Netherworld, but he figured why not screw with humanity one more time. To be honest he liked the Netherworld. It gave him back the younger siblings would had rarely seen when they ruled the world. He also liked it because it was away from the noisy, dirt, and dimwitted humans that infected the Earth. True he liked ruling over them, if only to teach them to not be so… human, but he liked the peace and stability of the Netherworld far more. Besides, he was old and it was too much work and stress even attempting to rule the world. It's a young demon's game and he and his family were not young anymore.
"Come, we shall review this later, but for now let us depart until we are contacted." Tso Lan said as he turned and began floating away.
"And how do you know he will contact us?" Po Kong asked as he turned back to her and the others with a gleam of pride in his eyes.
"He has my brains, doesn't he?" He said simply before floating away from them.
The others simply shrugged at one another as they followed after him. He was the brains after all…
The Shadow Realm, With Tarakudo:
"The preparations have been made, but I have changed my mind on something." Tarakudo said to his generals from the other side of the black cauldron.
"What is it, my lord?" Ikazuki asked as Tarakudo turned to them.
"I shall only allow her to control one clan; the ninja. It will stay this way until she has proven herself to me. If she can get to the mask, then she will gain power over the samurai tribe as well, and so on and so forth." Tarakudo said as his generals did nothing but bow to him.
"Then let us begin." Tarakudo said with excitement laced in his voice as they began their shadow ritual.
"Qu Yiqi Bushi Ni, Nukeru, He Men Jaaku"
"Qu Yiqi Bushi Ni, Nukeru, He Men Jaaku"
"Qu Yiqi Bushi Ni, Nukeru, He Men Jaaku!" Tarakudo and his generals chanted as Hiruzen, general of the Ninja Tribe stepped forth. He was only a bit nervous at the fact that he needed to be placed into the cauldron and then turned into an essence for the girl to have power over his army.
"I, Hiruzen of the Ninja Tribe, willingly give myself to serve the Queen of the Shadowkhan; Jade Chan." Hiruzen said as his body became to glow and he turned to smoke that went into the cauldron.
"Kuai Kuai Qi Lai"
"Kuai Kuai Qi Lai"
"Kuai Kuai Qi Lai!" Tarakudo and his generals chanted as an image of his face made out of smoke rose from the cauldron. It then swirled into a viewing glass, showing Jade inside of a college classroom bored out of her mind, and fast asleep.
"Excellent…" Tarakudo said as the black smoke slowly seeped out of their realm and into Jade's world.
"Soon we shall be free, and we shall cover the world in darkness once more!" Tarakudo exclaimed as he and his remaining generals laughed wickedly.
But as we all know; the villian's plans never go quite as expected...