Disclaimer: I do not own "Jackie Chan Adventures" or its characters. They are property of Columbia/Tri Star Pictures and its affiliates.
"Diary of a Viper"
By TwilightSparkle3562
Chapter 1
"Call Me Viper…"
Everyone is born, but not everyone is born the same. Some grow up to be butchers, bakers or candlestick makers. Some even grow up to be good at making Jell-O salad, but, no matter what, every human is unique for better or worse. It may seem hard to believe, but I grew up in the category of being born for the better, but a series of events would thrust me into the person that I am today.
My real name is Mulan Shang but call me Viper…
Why would I call myself Viper, you might say?
Perhaps there could be a number of reasons why, that I am an admirer of snakes, that I snap when the moment is right?
No, because it stems from a time when I was 8 years old. I was the proud daughter of a wealthy Hong Kong banker and his wife. We were a rich family and well respected throughout the city. We had it all, wealth, friends and I was in the most expensive school in Hong Kong. But, one night, just before Christmas my life was changed forever thanks to a thug's pair of bullets as we were leaving a production of the Nutcracker.
I survived and well, let's just say my virginity was robbed that night along with my childhood and my future. The police found me the next morning, lying naked in a street alley. Ultimately, this led me to living in an orphanage for 13 years of my life. But, I had escaped the life of an orphan and turned to living in the streets of Hong Kong. I couldn't hold a job, so I decided to steal the most expensive items I could find and sell them to whoever would be willing to take them at a steep price.
That was the first real job I had with no boss, no employer, no mentor. I was all those things and in time, I became a career criminal. As for what to call myself, I decided to name myself after the snake that I based my moves on…the viper. But, I couldn't stay in Hong Kong forever and escaped to the United States on a stolen passport that a had a picture of someone in my likeliness. I eventually settled in New York City and it was here that a desire to steal the Pink Puma diamond led to an encounter that would ultimately lead me to rethink my entire life and my entire career up until that point.
That encounter with a famous archaeologist, his niece and a group of criminals called "The Dark Hand" made me realize that I needed to give myself a change.
So, after that encounter was over, I confessed to my crimes and turned myself into the New York Police Department. For one full night, I sat in a jail cell awaiting whatever fate was going to come my way. Then, I was brought to a courthouse to face a judge and it was here that my story truly begins.
"Mulan Shang," he said, looking over my list of crimes. "Is it your intention that you wish to plead guilty to the charges against you?"
"Yes, your honor," I replied, my hands handcuffed in front of me. "I plead for no mercy, only to be punished in whatever way you think is fair."
"Well, I will say, Ms. Shang that you are certainly not like any of the other criminals that I look down upon. You spent an entire part of your life stealing priceless and expensive artifacts that would normally result in possibly a life sentence for you."
I look down nervously as the judge contemplated what to do with me. I then look to the Assistant District Attorney, who looks back at me with a look of disappointment on his face, almost as if he felt sorry for me and my actions.
"However, I'm a man of compassion, Ms. Shang, and I feel that your confessions were honest and genuine. To this end, I am sentencing you to a suspended sentence of 10 years and will place you in a work release program effective immediately. This court is adjourned."
…
The sound of the gavel pounding was the gunshot that would begin the next race of my life. After the hearing, I was released and returned to my apartment in an upscale neighborhood of Manhattan. I look around the apartment and see all of the necessities I had gained from money that I had earned from my stealing. It seemed now that it was sadly all for nothing, a reflection of my past life as a career cat burglar.
I needed to change my life around for the better, but how do I do that? All I could do was just sit on my sofa and stare up at the ceiling in thought. Then, it came back to me over and over again.
"That guy's niece," I thought to myself. "Jade is her name, but why do I keep seeing her in front of me? Are you trying to get me to understand that I needed to change for her, Lord? If so, then give me a sign! Anything!"
But, nothing happened and everything was as it should be, quiet and obsolete. Then, after an hour, a knock was heard on my door. Opening it, I saw what appeared to be a rather beautiful young woman with short blonde hair and wearing a black skirt suit and black high heels.
"Are you Mulan Shang?" she asked.
"Um, yes," I answered meekly and confused. "I am Mulan Shang."
"May I come in?"
Hastily remembering my manners, I allowed the woman inside, the sounds of her high heels clacking on my floor.
"It appears," she said, putting her purse down on my kitchen table. "That you have been assigned to me according to the terms of your guilty plea. I'm Laurel Weaver, your assigned Job Advisor."
"And you are the one who is going to help me find a job?" I remarked, extending my hand to shake hers. "Well, I'll take anything you got, even working in low income places."
"Why would you say that before we even discussed what is recommended of you?" she chuckled. "Furthermore, just looking at you, I know you have a passion and a desire to redeem yourself in the eyes of society. It's my job and my responsibility to make sure you do just that."
So, was this a sign of things to come for me? I wasn't sure, but just sitting with this woman slightly younger than me gave an indication that I needed to take this opportunity to work and become a role model to Jade.
Destiny was pointing me in the direction of her and Jackie Chan, but why? Why is it bringing me in that direction? Well, only time would tell, I suppose…