A/N: I hate not having an author's note-it feel so impersonal. So I hope everyone reads and enjoys the chapter. (I was a little afraid of uploading this)

Disclaimer: I claim no right of sale or copyright. This belongs to the original creators - I'm just playing in their sandbox

Review Replies: Elizabeth - Don't worry - I've taken the time to review what could be improved from the previous version. This won't be just a brush up of the old version so it'll make more sense. Hopefully.

To everyone: let me know if you have helpful critiques or suggestions

Thanks to: jameygamer, alana fox, LexiLopez (who gave some nice suggestions for the villainess) bunnyrabbits.123, Elizabeth and merrypaws for reviewing

Posting Date: September 12, 2012, Wednesday

Edited: February 24th, 2014, Monday

Chapter Two: Consequences of Past Actions

June 14th, London – 8 pm BST* - A Vacation Apartment

Captain Black knew Jade very well; he had for years. It was an unavoidable side-effect of knowing her uncle, the guy who could not for the life of him get Jade to obey orders and stay home. And yet she saved the world, (the day, her uncle, her family, her friends) time after time after time from demons, wizards, mystical puppets, idiot people who tampered with forces that could not be controlled and other various dangers.

She tagged along, she got into trouble just as much as she got out of it. Jackie had saved her as much as she saved him-heck she had even saved Section 13 a few times (even though she did take it over once…)

Besides the mishaps, she had a pretty good track for a pre-teen girl. But even heroes - no matter their age - make mistakes. And it was difficult to confront someone when they had a high chance of confronting in return and then somewhere down the line you feel guilty when you know it's Jade's fault not yours.

This was the reason why some things were better sent in letters while the receiver was overseas. Especially if the receiver knew several different ways to land the sender in the hospital and had that way making the sender feel guilty even though he knew he was not to blame. It was unfair but he really couldn't fire her to her face; the last three times he had fired her he had ended up hiring her back within two weeks. This time had to be the last.

"I've been FIRED AGAIN!? AND THIS TIME IN A LETTER!?"

Simone Magus jumped as her roommate's astonished shriek rang through the hotel suite. Fortunately, she had long mastered the art of keeping her shock from shocking her work as well; she didn't need this potion to explode in her face.

She wasn't a little girl anymore and she had grown up since the 'Spring-Heeled Jack Incident'. Her grandparents had gotten wind of the incident and forced their way back into their lives, taking it upon themselves to teach her the arcane magick her mother had forsaken. It hadn't been easy but her family was back together and her life was definitely odder than those of other girls.

Fortunately, Jade was more than happy to be her guide and companion in this insane life that added the additional problems of demons, treasure hunters and Mystics on top of the everyday problems.

Jade stomped up the stairs, slammed the door of Simone's workshop open, brandishing a sheaf of papers in the air over her head. "Captain Black fired me! In a LETTER! While I'm overseas on vacation!"

"That's rude." Simone flicked a stray wisp of her behind her ear and made sure her braid was still braided so it wouldn't fall into the cauldron. Her skin was darker than Jade's, being a coffee tone, her wide almond eyes slightly narrower than the Chinese girl's, her dark hair a little longer than it had been when she was eleven. She wore a brown corset under a semi-sheer black blouse and it was matched with a long tiered peasant skirt of dark green. A chain necklace with a silver pentagram within a circle hung around her neck.

"I know! He could have at least had the decency to fire me in person!"

"If he had fired you in person you could have argued back." Simone pointed out, still working. "Besides, he's fired you three times before."

"But those were in person and he re-hired me within two weeks!"

"Exactly."

Jade scowled – in past years she would have thrown the letter on the ground and stomped on it. "He's really trying to get rid of me this time."

"Maybe...he's avoiding a confrontation."

Jade sighed dramatically, folding her arms across her chest. "I guess I did have it coming..." Simone nodded, relieved Jade was thinking logically. "But now I'm out of a job!"

"You're an exorcist on the side," Simone pointed out.

"Out of a steady job," Jade amended. Their income had just taken a dive and normally his wouldn't be a problem but they needed that money to make even their temporary places of residence 'paranormal-proof and mortal-safe'. Even though of their friends and family did not qualify as mere mortals anymore but those innocent people (like delivery people) were normal and did normal things - like delivery services and they did not deserve to be caught in the crossfire involving demons, witches and exorcists.

"Well, what were you fired for this time?" Simone asked. Jade muttered something under her breath. "I'm sorry; I didn't quite catch that."

Jade shuffled through the papers and frowned at them before reading off tiredly. "Expending resources attempting to retrieve the talismans from the Netherworld, numerous cases of property damage, unauthorized access to the vault, unauthorized use of vehicles and weapons, causing bodily injury to three Section 13 agents - "

Simone held up a hand to forestall the list. "And you wonder why you were fired?"

Jade threw up her hands. "It's not like I haven't broken rules before. It's how I get the job done."

"You were a kid then."

Jade frowned and held up the list. "Besides, this list goes back three years before I was even an official agent."

"I'm sure the 'Netherworld Talisman Retrival Project' added a lot of strikes against you," Simone said.

She remembered that incident vividly and did not wish to repeat one of their juvenile mistakes of their teenage years. Luckily, Jade seemed to have given up on the talismans after that no doubt after she, Paco, James and Simone had been grounded for several weeks. Xu Lin, who had been living with the Chans by that point, had been smart enough to not take part.

"I'm sure there's recent stuff on there." Simone said.

"Whose side are you on?" Jade wondered.

"Yours of course." Simone stood, covering her workspace as she activated a stasis spell charm over it. She made making note of where she left, off, lest she add the wrong ingredient and the potion explode next time she took it up. "Let's find you a new job."

"But I liked Section Thirteen," Jade said with a sigh.

"But they have too many rules. Besides, you always have more fun when you're on break, exploring the Mystic Realm on your own,"

"That's because Viper comes with us," Jade said. "I still wish she joined Section 13 officially."

"I think I know why she didn't," Simone said, pointing at the letter in Jade's hand before turning back to the shelf of books that covered all four walls of Simone's workroom with spaces here and there for tables and desk. "They have too many rules. Exhibit A." Simone nodded at the sheaf of papers in Jade's hand.

"What are you looking for?"

"The magic directory."

"Oh!" Jade threw her arm up. "Where's the magic lens? I need to log on to the Maginet."

"Where's yours?"

Jade looked uncomfortable. "Captain Black may have confiscated it thinking it was dangerous. He had cracked it by the time I convinced him to give it back." Simone scowled. "I know," Jade agreed. "So, since I'm out of a steady job, do you have any ideas?

"we could look in the Mystic Realm for jobs," Simone said before she let out an 'ah ha!' of triumph gathering a leather bound book into her arms; it was outlined in gold straps and had a crystal sphere in the center of the cover."Found it! Oh and my magic lens is in the cabinet," She pointed to a covered bookshelf. "And while we're at it, we could visit Xu Lin." Jade's face lit up at that suggestion.

"I haven't seen her in ages!" Jade darted over to the indicated cabinet and carefully retrieved the box in which Simone's magic lens was stored.

"I know. See, there is a bright side. We can move in with Xu Lin or something. We don't even have to go back to the States now. Plus, she's been getting good business in the Mystic Realm – I bet she knows about plenty of job opportunities. "

Jade nodded absently, walking out of the room and to her own with Simone following. Ruby skipped up the stairs at that moment, tail held high and mewed.

"Yes, I am looking for a different job," Jade sighed, looking down at her cat familiar. Scruffy barked; Jade looked up and spotted the dog carefully dragging the cloth protected laptop along the floor in his jaws.

"Thanks, Scruff," she said, snapping her fingers and allowing the laptop to jump into her hands. "Oh duh - I could have summoned it," Jade scolded herself.

"Don't get too dependent on magic," Simone advised, changing directions to the kitchen with Jade and her familiar animals trailing behind her. "In the meantime, I did hear the museum downtown was having some phantom problems." Jade frowned. "Don't give me that face!"

"But the last time the museum had phantom problems, it was just a bunch of kids." Jade pointed out. "I have a right to be wary."

"It's the Tower of London."

"That's not a museum."

"Technically, it is. And the Tower of London has residue magic over it..." Simone knew Jade couldn't resist the pull of mystical historical monuments. Since Uncle had refused to officially teach her magic, Jade had developed the habit of picking up spells from whatever magical discipline she could find, a habit that had grown more pronounced when their attempt to retrieve the talismans from the Netherworld when she was sixteen had failed rather spectacularly.

Jade paused then frowned. "What about job searching?"

"I can look for you. Though the exorcist gig isn't too bad. Anyway, that mage family wanted a batch of potions made up before they left town next week and I'm only half way done."

"I wouldn't mind stopping by Magiate* though," Jade said, naming the magical hub of Europe. "Xu Lin has her shop there now, right?"

"That's right,"

Jade nodded. "Okay, I'm going to exorcist ghosts, I guess. Watch Ruby and Scruffy for me okay?" Ruby bumped into her leg sharply; Jade looked down and the cat narrowed her eyes disapprovingly.

"Fine you can come,"

As if on cue, Scruffy barked from the living room and peered around the door. Jade sighed. "What pushy familiars, I have... Get your leash,"

Scruffy barked happily and dashed off to retrieve it.

1:00 AM BST - London

A strange light mist seeped through the apartment, curling around the sleeping young adults.

Simone's room and equipment were all packed as well - only a cot remained. Simone lay sprawled under her blankets with Jade's cat Ruby curled into her side, the mist wrapping around her head and fluttering away as she breathed it in.

Only Jade was awake. Back from her nightly exercises on the beach after a long day of phantom hunting, she stealthily climbed to the balcony outside of her bedroom hand over hand via rope and stepped over the railing. She stretched with a sigh and pulled the rope up, looking over the beach.

Her and Simone's hotel suite was just one of the seaside houses with their rears facing the clean beaches. The large full moon shone down on the deserted sandy dunes; the chill and the soft patter of rain was enough to keep anyone inside. It seemed like all was peaceful; the sea breeze blew off the ocean and the tides crashed against the sand.

Scruffy stretched across Jade's bed, laid out his back, whimpering as a crush of blue mist invaded his nose. A few growls and paw twitches later, he was still and the mist gone.

Jade turned away from the view and sat down heavily on the chair. The closet and dresser drawers were completely bare and not one trace of the mist that had invaded the other rooms was in her room; the door was firmly closed. Her eyes adjusted to the dark, assisted by the silver moonlight streaming through the curtains. Scruffy was curled up in the center of the bed. She frowned. Great. Now she'd have to fight him for it or sleep or the floor.

The balcony door was opened a crack, the curtains half-drawn, allowing the sea breeze to flow in. As Jade stood, walking to the closet, she didn't notice the dark shadow that hung over the balcony door, red eyes peering over the edge, watching through the glass.

The twin scarlet orbs never left the young woman as she pulled off her black tee-shirt and pants revealing a dark blue sports-bra underneath and black bike shorts.

Jade threw her boots in the closet carelessly. As she stretched, she froze and the dark shadow outside the window stiffened.

She was getting the feeling she was being watched...

As she walked out to the balcony, the dark shadow quickly moved soundlessly away from her line of sight. It moved soundlessly to the shadows below the neighboring balcony above and to the left of Jade's so he could see from a side view. The tail curled to avoid notice and scarlet orbs watched the small female martial artist scan the horizon and the ocean's calm waves. What skin that had been left exposed was mouthwatering; the moonlight slid over golden-cream skin shadowed by black fabric.

"Jade...you are far too enticing for your own good," the shadow muttered under his breath in an echoing growl as she walked back inside and he was allowed to return to his original spot above her door.

Jade stood before the open door for a moment, her amber-orbs turned to the balcony, eyes narrowed. "Maybe I'm imagining things," she thought shrewdly with a sigh, turning away from the door even as she slid it shut but left it cracked open to let in some air.

Fangs glimmered in the night as the shadow chooses this moment to slowly crawl down the wall, using the tail to lower himself. His shadow was silhouetted in the light of the full moon, scarlet orbs glinting, and claws gripping the door frame.

Jade froze, shivers running through her as a creeping dread settled over her. If Uncle gets willies from Demon Sorcerers and Tohru from the Oni...what gives me the willies?

With a gasp, Jade whirled around, her amber eyes suddenly locking with brilliant orbs of demonic scarlet as a voice that was burned into her brain, one she never thought she hear again, slid out of a scaly throat, laced with menaced teasing friendliness; a tone she knew all too well.

"No…."

"Hello, Jaaade," Fangs glimmered in a deadly smile.

So...what do you think? :D

A/N: I've decided that through seasons 1-5, 2 and half years passed. Therefore, roughly seven years have passed since Season 5. Please take into account those years and remember that many things could have happened between the series end and the timeline of this story.

BST - British Summer Time

Many myths of the world are actually true (in this reality anyway) This world is referred to by a number of names - the Mystic Realm(s), Magical Underworld, the Otherworld.

The Otherworld - the other 'reality' layered over Earth. It is constant contact with the Earth which is where many of the Mortal myths come from. It is separated from Earth but at times the Otherworld shows through to Earth, releasing Otherworlders onto the Mortal Plain. In modern times, the Veil which separates Earth from the Otherworld has grown stronger, leaving most humans to believe that all those stories are just stories but some know better.

Magiate - center of European Magick, the European Gateway to the Otherworld where Avalon, Camelot and mystical cities/countries exists