Disclaimer: Well after much wrangling and haggling I am pleased to say- Wait what? Curses! It seems I still do not own Jackie Chan Adventures or any associated rights and properties. If I had there would have been more shadowkhan Jade, and maybe more screen time for cat Jade. I like the transformations, is good for plot/character development. Curse you status quo antebellum!
Queen of All Oni
Concept Aided by Nocturne No Kitsune
Betaed by Zim'sMostLoyalServant
CHAPTER FOUR
Turning,
Or
Should have Seen That Coming
Hong Kong
Jackie felt a small twinge of envy for the crowd moving past him. Normal people, with only the normal concerns in life. He would admit that like Jade he had desired a life more extraordinary in his childhood; perhaps it was only natural too. Ironically, (or was it poetic justice?) when a life of adventure was thrust onto him as an adult he wanted little more than to get it over with and back to a real life.
With the Talismans, his expertise as an archaeologist had drawn him in, and with his skills in the martial arts made him a viable operative in Section 13. He had never dreamed this madness would go beyond the Talismans, but each time they slammed the door shut on one ancient threat to the world another door seemed to pop open. Was he being punished for something in a past life; why was he forced into the role of hero when tenure at the museum had been the height of his ambition?
Well, tenure and a steady girlfriend.
But while he disliked it he was a mature man and apart from the rare internal rant knew accepting the circumstances was the best first step to finding the resolution. And sadly he had almost become used to the mortal peril to himself, and the world in general. Danger to his family though, had not been something he could resign himself to.
Jade, his niece who had been dropped into his life with neither of their consents and had somewhere along the line had become essential. She was nothing like him; even at that age he had never held so much unbridled energy, such utter disregard for rules and his own safety. He wanted out of this life of danger and magic while she was determined to live in this world for the rest of her life. And it wasn't like she was naïve; she had faced mortal danger and seen how high the stakes were.
Jackie actually wondered if he was in her spot sometimes. He couldn't imagine Jade having the patience to properly excavate a site without finding some evil cult or magical artifact. Sitting in a cubicle or office was equally unlikely. But working as one of Captain Black's agents taking down organized crime rings or terrorists, definitely – easily, even. It was actually disturbing, and he blamed himself for putting her on what seemed an inevitable road into society's shadows.
Shadows, yes that was what had been keeping him up. Worries for his own future and hers now were overwhelmed by what had happened to his irrepressible niece. The dark forces would strip her of any destiny but the one twisted to their designs, until she was something as malevolent and miserable as the Demon Sorcerers themselves.
So for now, and until she was restored, there would be no more doubts, no more pining for the life he had had. Jackie had risked his life to protect the world, but that was something so big that while terrifying in scope you could not quite grasp it. He didn't know what Wong was planning, and frankly he didn't care in the least. All that mattered was getting Jade back; she was his responsibility, this was one thing he would never even consider conceding.
Uncle gave Captain Black's agents some materials and instructions as they parted ways. There was a slim chance Jade's parents might get caught up in this, so the agents would do what they could to protect them anonymously. As for the rest of them, Hong Kong held one place that the dark forces would definitely have interest in. Tohru, Uncle and he were bound for the site where Shendu's palace once stood.
Ruins of Shendu's Palace:
Jade and her escorts arrived at the ruins amidst the shadows and trees. The Queen of the Shadowkhan frowned a bit at the sight; it actually looked like ruins, bits of wall and other clearly unnatural protrusions littering the landscape. Hmm, she could actually make out a rough lay out, something useful from Jackie attempt to teach her archaeology. Still, she distinctly recalled the palace crumbling into dust, so why the ruins?(1) If they were here before Shendu resurrected the palace surely some archaeologists would have descended on it decades ago. And if it was a new development, surely the locals would have noticed the change?
Magic, she nodded to herself. A demon sorcerer's palace would retain some magic if anyplace could. She recalled one of her favorite old fantasy books – it had a temple that could only be found by someone looking for it. Jade settled for that explanation and let the issue rest.
It was a short task to find her human minions meandering about the ruins. The Enforcers were trying to search the ruined littered field, hindered by the lack of concealing places to search. Valmont stood near the tallest remains of a wall, cane poised in front of him, looking like a manager or some such observing a very unsatisfactory operation. As for Hak Foo, he was perched atop the wall, feet together ramrod straight, apparently surveying the surroundings as she had been.
"Well, we're here again," Valmont observed dryly. Jade gave him a grin full of pointy teeth; she had known the Dark Hand had infiltrated Shendu's palace to steal the treasure, after all she stowed away using them as her ticket to the big showdown. But it was only recently she had been told how they had actually found Shendu's vaunted treasure, only for it to literally turn to dust in their hands. Talk about epic failure – apparently, Valmont had been so traumatized by the disintegrating swag Ratso had had to drag him out of the collapsing building.
So naturally the gangster was all sunshine and peaches for being back here. Well, he was more entertaining when he was mad.
"There is something here Valmont. Even if the palace collapsed it was because Shendu's magic was what raised it in the first place. But he was too sneaky to put all his stuff on display, and I bet my bottom dollar there was more magic here than him. And it's still here for the taking," Jade mused.
"If you say so, me I'm not seeing anything but Shendu's foundation," Chow stated. Jade's eyes narrowed recalling the vision… foundation. Hmm, just because the palace fell up here didn't mean Shendu's basement was gone. Her toothy grin made Valmont uneasy; the Enforcers mostly felt resigned that something freaky was going to happen tonight.
Without a word, Jade swept her arms up, her cloak flapping up and being pulled by a bitter wind as eight Shadowkhan grew out of the shadows. Crossing her arms over her chest the wind died down and the shinobi sprang into a semi circle in front of her.
"Find an entrance to the palace catacombs, and make it snappy," she commanded. The ninjas sprang away into the night, shadows flitting across the dark ruins. Jade smiled, certain that if such a thing existed they would find it. She had always known the Shadowkhan were diligent in their orders, but Left's near fiasco had made her revise that to obsessive. Speaking of which, her two chosen ninja had laid out a black cloth over a piece of wreckage nearby, just the right height for a seat.
Taking a seat, she grinned and wondered how she had ever lived before she had minions. Oh, that's right, the kid sidekick package. Nothing like trading up, she thought
The Queen had just begun to get bored waiting when the sound of stone crumbling reached her ears. Rising off her perch she floated towards the sound, her bodyguards and the Shadow Hand following her lead. The Shadowkhan she had sent out were standing in the ruins of what she guessed was a tower, around a hole that had not been there before. A hole with steps descending down into the darkness.
"Now that's more like it," she grinned. With a nod of her head she dismissed the ninja back into the shadows and made her way towards the stairs. She paused to idly regard the humans.
"Move it, time to pull your weight. Or perhaps I'm paying you too much?" Jade declared. The Enforcers hopped to it, pulling out their flashlights and descending hastily into the catacombs. Greedy and stupid – oddly enough she was finding the combination almost endearing in those three. Hak Foo followed them at a more sedate pace, apparently deeming illumination for the weak.
"Ladies first," Valmont offered, miming the holding of a door. Jade snorted in a most unladylike manner and floated down, Left and Right as ever following her flanks.
"Yuck, I didn't even realize it could get this dusty," Jade spat. She had not known what to expect to find in a demon's basement; perhaps vaults of magical mystery, the assorted remains of vanquished foes, or even hither to unseen mountains of gold. What she got was junk and heaping piles of dust.
"I think it used to be treasure, before you blew up Shendu," Finn commented. He picked up a pile of dust and watched it run out between his fingers under the light of his flashlight.
"Grrr, the chest could be buried under them, you three start digging. Hak Foo, search the place for a big ornamental chest with some gold trim. Like Indiana Jones' Ark, but Asian," Jade commanded. The Enforcers whined about the filthy task before them while Hak Foo simply gave a bare nod before vanishing into the shadows.
"This would be much easier if it wasn't so dark," Jade griped, crossing her arms.
A clacking sound drew her attention to her right, only to find Right missing. She practically spun in mid air to face the direction unoccupied by her guard. She noticed the sparks before a green flame illuminated the Shadowkhan, though it quickly faded to mundane orange, revealing a brazier built into the wall. With a series of "whompf" sounds, similar braziers ignited along the length of the wall, bathing the catacomb in their dancing light.
"Sweet," The Queen commented, giving Right a thumbs up.
Hak Foo returned with the ghost of a smirk. Jade made no attempt to conceal hers, guessing what it meant.
"You found it?" she asked. When he nodded she simply pointed back the way he had come, lead on, the gesture said.
Before long the Shadow Hand stood before the chest of her visions. It was much more impressive in person – it practically screamed, very important stuff inside. Jade floated up to the chest, running her hands on the glittering trim along the lid. She felt like it was her birthday and she had come to the biggest present in the lot. Time to unwrap.
Pushing with all her might, the lid moved slightly while she was pushed back in the air. Rats, why couldn't she get strength to match her awesome jaw muscles, she wondered. She glanced to Left and Right, who stepped up to her sides and each placed one hand on the lid, following her lead the three shadow beings pushed the lid halfway off the chest, no need go any further as her prize was revealed.
Jade now saw what she had been called to from across continents, a mask, a beautiful mask. She had always thought breathtaking was a term coined by some bimbo who got excited about the ice cream truck, but now she knew it was real. It looked like a demon but wasn't; she knew this instinctively, similar but quite different, and that difference was all-important somehow. The carving and painting were flawless – she could swear the eyes stared back at her and expected a roar to tear through the silence from those spread jaws. She noted the mane attached to the mask; it would cover rest of the wearer's head, completing the illusion.
Still taken aback, she noticed the marking on the mask's brow, and reached out running her fingertips over them. With touch came contact, and contact brought some useful new information.
Tohru looked warily over the moonlit ruins. Shendu's palace… he had not seen it in its resurrected glory, but he could almost swear that the demon's presence echoed here. Shendu had returned here then to wreak a terrible vengeance on the people who had overthrown and imprisoned him, by smiting all of Asia. And he had helped set Shendu free, allowing him the chance to slaughter countless people.
He had helped bring the Demon Sorcerer down, but that did not truly make up for his role in unleashing it. Valmont's betrayal of his loyalty had confirmed the doubts he had been having. When Valmont had brought Shendu's existence to his attention he had been apprehensive about the venture. Even now he shivered, recalling his mother's tales of the Oni. True, Shendu was Chinese, but still.
A willy ran up his back as the three of them made their way through the ruins. Jade was near, so were the Shadowkhan, his former coworkers, and Daolon Wong. When had he become accustomed to epic showdowns? Jade's influence maybe?
Chin resting on her fist, Jade looked at the mask she held in her free hand, deep in thought.
Alright, in review; the mask apparently had a monster inside it, or was it the monster transformed? Well, the whole ESP communication was rather confusing and the monster was not polite or keen on elaborating. In order to get at the power of the mask it had to be worn, by a human. What exactly happened she was unsure of, only that it related to Shadowkhan and by extension her.
Human… that limited her options. Hak Foo was out – it could eat his head for all she knew, and he was much more useful with his head. The Enforcers were likely the most expendable, but it would be like kicking a dog that happened to be a stupid loser. The remaining meat bag was probably less expendable, but he was definitely more annoying and thus easier to part with.
"Valmont, it is time you got what you deserved," the Queen smiled. She turned to regard her green clad Capo, who suddenly found himself alone as the Enforcers edged away from him. They had entered the room inspecting the piles, likely in the hopes some treasure had not crumbled into dust. She floated over the ajar chest as he stepped forward to face her.
"Really?" he responded evenly.
"Yep. This mask apparently is full of awesome and I want you to have it," Jade announced. "And if it eats your head, well bad day for you," she thought.
"Charming, but I prefer to rely on my own abilities," Valmont evaded.
"Oh, we both know that isn't true. You never had trouble with using the Talismans. Besides, I demand you accept your pay, or my ninja will spank you," Jade soothingly insisted.
"Do it boss!" Chow shouted. No one deserved that punishment… well, maybe Shendu, but he was the king of jackassery.
"Thank you in the peanut gallery!" Jade laughed.
The confrontation was brought up short as ceiling audibly cracked. The Shadow Hand all turned their heads as the spreading spider web of cracks burst, letting wood stone and dirt rain down. It rained Jackie Chan as well, Jade realized belatedly.
Screaming, he managed to land on his feet, into the chest, on the edge of the lid – the lid Jade was partially floating over facing him. There was no time to react as the lid sprang up like the world's most ornate teeter totter, sending the mask flying out of her hands as it nailed her on her hanging jaw. With no visible pupils you could not see her eyes roll up into her head, when she was jolted upward with an audible crack as her teeth slammed together. Already unfocused, she fell to the ground in a heap.
Jackie cringed at the sight and sound.
"Sorry Jade," he apologized, as the Shadow Hand stared at him in disbelief.
"Chan!" Hak Foo roared as he leapt into the air, oblivious to the still deteriorating ceiling.
"Leopard pounces on dazed rab-!" he cried as the ceiling gave way. A startled Tohru came down on Hak in flight, flattening him to the ground.
"Falling elephant crushes pouncing leopard, argh," Hak groaned before passing out. Uncle leapt deftly down from the new skylight, landing in a crouch before smacking Tohru in the head.
"Stop falling! This is serious business!" the crotchety wizard scolded.
"It wasn't on purpose," Jackie objected. He subsequently gave out a "waah!" as shuriken flew towards him. Kicking the lid back up, it caught the streaking steel in his stead. Leaping from the cover, Right pursued him, sword in hand as Left knelt by Jade's side.
The Enforcers had their own problems as Tohru rose to tower over them. Chow was the lucky one as they scattered, seized by the scruff of his neck by the man mountain. Finn received a stomach and chin combo courtesy of Uncle as the old man stepped up to Chow.
"Where is Daolon Wong," the wizard demanded, his puffer held menacingly.
"Beats me, he's yesterday's news! Your girl's the one calling the shots!" he objected.
"That's right," Jade growled as Left placed her on her feet. She rubbed her chin and growled deep in her throat as ten Khan emerged from the shadows.
Finn, coming back to his senses, shifted on the ground and noticed the mask lying next to him.
"Score," the Enforcer thought. Grabbing it as he stood up he noticed Valmont watching the proceedings partially concealed behind one of the piles.
"Big V, catch!" Finn called out. When Uncle had turned to the noise the mask was already in flight. The shopkeeper's eyes widened as he took in the carved face. Out of reflex more than anything, Valmont caught the mask.
"Put it on already!" Jade commanded, noting Hak Foo's subdued figure. Valmont made to object, but saw Uncle taking aim at him and realized his best bet for a healthy escape lay in the unknown. Getting it over with quickly, he slammed mask into place.
Uncle gasped and Tohru dropped Chow as the mask seemed to flow over Valmont's head, his own features seeming to rise and merge with the mask's. Jackie, preoccupied with using a statuette to block Right's sword, took somewhat less notice. Jade grinned, chalking up another one for her in her head.
Only for the metaphorical chalk to slip as Left was abruptly pulled back into the shadows. Her mouth fell open as her ninja vanished before her eyes.
"What?" Jackie asked, looking where his opponent had stood. All that was left behind was the katana he had knocked out of the Shadowkhan's hand.
Deep maniacal laughter drew everyone's attention to Valmont as he casually walked out into the open, hands tucked behind his back. He certainly cut an intimidating figure; his platinum blonde hair seemed whiter and his features truly befit a demon. Adding in the impeccable suit and he was like some old Communist propaganda cartoon.
Jade frowned at him, lifting herself up to his eye level as he approached her. Her expression darkened as he gave her a fanged grin.
"Loose something, brat?" he taunted his voice deepened by the mask. Whipping out his hands, he held out his arms as a multitude of Shadowkhan rose from the shadows.
"Bad day," Jade and Jackie commented in very different tones.
"Heh, well this calls for a change of plans. I was going to wait until I had stolen a fortune out from under your nose before betraying you to your family, and make good my escape while this feud played out and Chan put you in your place. But now I think I will simply take revenge across the board, starting with you," Valmont sneered.
Jade glowered at him before her expression fell as the Shadowkhan sprang towards her.
"This would be amusingly ironic if it wasn't happening to me," Queen Jade thought. She dropped to the floor, making better progress running before springing into the air – with a combo of jump and levitation – out of the reach of her pursuers.
Valmont turned away from the amusing spectacle as Tohru roared. The sumo leapt into the air, descending with all of his great weight upon the masked Valmont. The giant grunted when instead of impacting the floor and a collapsing form he felt two stone pillars fling into his stomach, halting his descent.
"Aiiee-yaaahh!" Uncle cried at the sight before him – Valmont catching the far larger Tohru with his bare hands and holding him aloft.
"Role reversals quite the bitch, isn't it, traitor!" Valmont yelled as he pivoted, tossing Tohru into the air. Tohru could do nothing as he plummeted through the air and smashed into the chest.
Grinning in satisfaction at the sight he didn't even realize Uncle had fired a chi beam at him before it struck him squarely in the back.
Jade was reaching a very unpleasant conclusion in her attempts at evading the Shadowkhan, namely that she was running out of tricks. Making use of her above average agility, levitation, and small size, she had been evading them in the catacomb chamber. But they were faster than her and more numerous than any number she had been able to summon.
And that made her blood run hot. The mask had told her it had called her for the purpose of furthering the Shadowkhan destiny. As queen she was entitled to being part of that, not cut out by some washed up has been that needed a human to play host! Using her own ninja against her like this leaped over the line.
She skidded to a halt, cloak flapping about her. The trio of khan blocking the doorway shattered any hopes she had of making a break for it from the way she had come. She knew there were more behind her, but they were not the obstacle she needed to overcome. Showing bravery she wasn't quite feeling, she bared her teeth, contemplating if she could use jaws that cracked stone to fight.
It turned out she did not have to find out at the moment. She saw a blue and khaki blur in her peripheral, and then was yanked off her feet as Jackie grabbed her cloak. The archaeologist sidestepped and whirled around his first ninja assailant and knocked the next one aside with a blow to the face, courtesy of the ancient Chinese shield he had picked up earlier and wielded in his free hand.
Finn and Chow watched from behind the cover of a wrecked pillar as Valmont tried to rise only to be kicked in the face by Chan's old man.
"Ouch. Shouldn't we do something?" Chow asked Finn. The red haired Enforcer thoughtfully watched Tohru apparently sorting through the chest wreckage, Chan playing death tag with a load of Khan, and Hak Foo still out of it.
"I say we wait and side with whoever wins, or run away when no one's looking," Finn decided. Chow nodded, only to look around in sudden realization of something.
Jackie grimaced as the shield cracked under the force of the kick he had just caught on it. He fell onto his back to avoid a stream of shuriken from his vulnerable side, rolling and springing up as the Khan tried to descend on him.
"Above!" Jade shouted from under his arm. Jackie glanced up and cried out as she dodged to the side as a Shadowkhan fell from the ceiling, sword drawn. Sparks flew as the blade struck the stone tile.
"You really are bad at this without me!" Jade cried as she was hauled around like luggage.
"Sensei," Tohru called out as he fit the pieces of the lid together. Giving one last disapproving look at the downed Valmont, Uncle joined his apprentice.
All too soon Valmont was back on his knees, and giving a death glare to the old man and his former enforcer. But he had bigger fish to fry, so calling up four Khan to dispatch them he stumbled towards the black swarm pursuing Jackie.
The first fell as Uncle shot it over his shoulder with the fish. The next ninja in line found itself grabbing air before its arm was seized. He was off his feet and next thing he knew slamming into the ground. Earning him a final slap to the head as he broke part of the lid even more.
Tohru, still an apprentice, merely whirled with a non-inscribed fragment of the chest in hand, sending his two assailants flying.
"So what is ingredient?" Uncle asked irritated.
"Japanese steel," Tohru reported frowning.
"Aiyah! Were do we get Japanese steel in Hong Kong!" Uncle crowed.
Tohru glanced about in some desperation before his eyes landed on a katana resting nearby on the floor.
Jackie let out a sigh at the brief reprieve; for the moment he seemed to have lost the Shadowkhan. The sigh turned into a grunt as Jade commenced kicking and punching him as best she could under his arm.
"Put me down, I don't need you to fix this!" Jade hissed. Jackie reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the Horse talisman; closing his eyes for a second he prayed to whoever might be listening that this would work. Pressing the talisman into Jade's scalp he fake sneezed on it.
The talisman flared with its healing power and Jade stilled, slumping in his grip. Only for her red eyes to snap into view as she twisted in his grip, trying to get away.
"Of course its not that easy," Jackie moaned, trying to keep his grip on Jade. They both paused in their struggling at a thud sound behind him. Jackie turned and saw a Shadowkhan lying limp on the ground sword in hand, a stone settling on the ground beside it.
"Strike one!" Ratso yelled. The burliest Enforcer stood a few paces behind the Shadowkhan, another rock held in his left hand.
"You're helping?" Jackie asked as the universe threw him another curve ball.
"Yeah! These minion coups never work! I want to be on the winning side for once!" the Enforcer exclaimed, palming his remaining rock.
"Remind me to give you a raise later," Jade stated. Ratso grinned, before a blow to the head sent him down for the count. Valmont stood behind, fist still held out, and a squad of Shadowkhan at his back.
"Or not," Jade moaned. Valmont's grin was far more devilish with that mask, as his Shadowkhan walked past him, a variety of ninja weapons raised.
"You bastard! I was the only one to think you still might be worth something!" Jade cried as the noose tightened around them.
"If you wanted gratitude you should have stayed on the other side of the law," Valmont sneered. With the Shadowkhan surrounding the Chans he lifted his hand in preparation for the chopping motion that would set off the final attack… only to blink as a shadow fell over him. Turning, his vision was filled with a glowing hand descending on him.
With a cry, he grabbed Tohru's arm, but not before it clamped down over his head like a vice. Getting a second grip, Valmont started to lift the sumo off the ground only to cry out as another glowing hand closed about his forearm, his enhanced strength giving no protection to the grip closing about that arm. Tohru's feet came back down with a thud as the arm he captured released him. With a horrid squelching sound his arm shot up, the mask held aloft in the brilliant green light of his hand. Jade gave an impressed whistle at the sight, before her eyes narrowed at the apprentice wizard.
Valmont pressed a hand to his cheek, a look of confusion on his fully human face. Partially righting himself, he turned likely by some instinct, catching sight of Tohru. The mountain of a man held the mask in his hands covered in the fading glow, and fixed his former employer with a look of disgust. Thinking quickly, Valmont made to say something to avoid the impending wrath. But Tohru's hand was faster than his wit, a right arm blow sending the gangster flying. Landing in a dune of dust he was spared further injury but came up desperately spitting out the substance.
Jackie sighed in relief at the apparent end of the crisis. Tohru's glowing hands were a new wrinkle but they were able to pull off the mask so that was good enough for him. Uncle had the conscious Enforcers against a wall, fish held menacingly while Hak Foo was sprawled on the floor, taken out at some point.
"Tohru, how did you do that?" Jackie asked, holding Jade at arm's length as she renewed her kicking and scratching. It was a very good thing she did not have the kind of strength Valmont had shown.
"Oh, when Valmont threw me I landed on the chest the mask was in. The lid told me what the mask was and how to remove it. Apparently Shendu couldn't open the chest, so the instructions left by the sages who made it were still – WHERE IS JADE!" Tohru yelled. Glancing to the side Jackie gave a "waah!" upon seeing that he was only holding Jade's cloak.
"Yoink," Jade snipped as she leapt up, snatching the mask from Tohru's grasp. The wizard apprentice whirled, trying to grab the blue girl, but she was as agile as ever while his size worked against him. Falling to the ground in his haste Jackie leapt over him after Jade. Uncle cried out and advanced, turning his back on the Enforcers, who let out a collective sigh of relief.
Finding herself being cut off by her two relatives, Jade leapt up into the air and continued up, floating into a corner against the ceiling with the mask held firmly to her chest.
Jackie was saying something to her from below but she couldn't hear him; the mask's mockery and the pounding of her own blood filled her head to capacity. It was not ending like this – taken down by Valmont of all loser villains and a demon that had needed her help to get out of Shendu's storage closet!
"Give it up girl, you do not have a chance against a wizard who was able to undo my proxy… granted, he was weak. A pity you didn't use that flame haired warrior," the mask sneered in her head.
"Shut up, I am not just some girl!" Jade fumed in her head.
"But you are, you stumbled over power as an idiot does over a stone. Though you are even less deserving," it laughed.
She couldn't stand this thing, mocking her inevitable downfall, its own defeat apparently forgotten at the prospect of witnessing the witless pretender meet her reward. Of course it wouldn't be the sealing or extermination the mask envisioned… no, she would just be back to kid sidekick spending every effort to get acknowledged for her achievements and talents. Only to be dismissed with a metaphorical pat on the head to go back to her proper place as a mere child.
No! Not happening, she was not one of those evil overlords just to sit back and do nothing while it all crumbled, she had learned there was always an out, some ace in her time with Jackie. Being on a different side wouldn't change a basic principal.
The mask… it or the monster was what caused her to lose her ninja. That was the problem, so the solution was there too.
"You mean my shinobi. And a half-breed like you can't borrow my power like even a lowly mortal could hope to," the monster mocked. But, she felt it was hesitant, only slightly but she caught that something was being held back.
With strength born of desperation, her own chi and mind forced into the wood, stunning the demon at the unexpected assault. It rallied and expelled her back to her own head, but it didn't matter; she had what she needed.
Jade flung herself from the corner as a green beam struck the spot she had just occupied. She hit the floor, skidding nearly a meter, her passage kicking up dust. She glanced up and saw Jackie's face filled with concern she knew to be false, and gave him a vicious grin that made him step back. All she needed.
"It won't work! This is foolishness, my power will destroy you! YAAAGGGGH!" the mask cried.
The monster knew what she intended, and could only scream impotent defiance as she shoved as much of the mask's brow into her mouth as possible before bringing her freaky jaws clamping down on the wood.
It whimpered as black chi leaked through the cracks. Splintering wood let her teeth crash together in a clang as the mask vanished into a cloud of midnight mist. It swirled about her head, red dots flicking into being (reminding her of their eyes), before the whole cloud forced its way down her throat.
She stumbled forward a step, gasping for breath as air made its way to her lungs once more. He hair hid her face; her circlet caught the torchlight amidst her dark locks. All Jackie could see of her face in that position was one of her eyes opening, red as the last ember of a dying fire.
It wasn't a word or gesture this time, just a rattling hiss that spoke of a throat much abused this night. At the sound though Left and Right rose from her shadow as a dozen of their comrades came forth.
"No fix for you. These are mine and no one is taking them from me, especially you," Jade croaked. Jackie gulped at the heaviness in the room, but still felt her anger was not directed at him. He settled into a stance, just like that – they were back in trouble.
The tense silence was broken by the distressed sounds of Jade's stomach. Cheeks puffing out, a hand flew to her mouth as she swayed.
"Oi! This, gah! Fine you win this time! But keep chasing me and pay. I have my own destiny – I will be Queen of All Oni!" she cried. Tohru's eyes widened as his arms fell to his sides, mouth dangling open at a most unwelcome revelation.
Clearly distressed, Jade frantically gestured around the room. Apparently her ninja understood, dragging the Shadow Hand – even Valmont – into the darkness before her two bodyguards took her shoulders and vanished.
Private Airfield, Somewhere in Hong Kong
Valmont kneeled before the door, a forced gesture of respect to the girl behind it. Forced by Left, who stood behind him, bruising his shoulders with a vice grip that had forced him to his knees and now kept him there. He could see Right standing off to the side, his hand resting on the hilt of the katana he was wearing at his waist. Valmont knew that at a word from the girl that blade would be drawn to take his head, but he hardly feared that possibility.
"Valmont, I've been good to you, haven't I? I plucked you out of the gutter where you were nothing but a spent force, last weeks news. I gave you station in the underworld again, a position of respect and a slice of my pie. And yet, you insist- BLARGH!" Jade wheezed, before she was cut off by another fit of hacking. Valmont kept from grinning at he looked at the washroom door; apparently eating evil gave you a nasty case of food poisoning. As the hacking gave way to spitting Jade resumed her monologue.
"I mean really? Does that double cross ever work? Look at you now; I know you were going to betray me and I got a lot of the money you took back now. You're nothing again, Valmont!" Jade shrieked. Hearing the sound of gas released he could imagine her scrambling, wrinkling his nose at the sound.
"Ugh, man! Okay, forget the evil speech, just get rid of him like I told you!" Jade cried, gastronomically distressed. Valmont squawked in protest as Left released his grip only to rip his suit off his back, as Right stepped up to assist.
Uncle's Rare Finds, Next Day:
Grumpier than usual from jet lag, Uncle picked up the ringing phone.
"Uncle's Rare Finds, ancient wonders at your finger tips for a reasonable price," he answered with obviously forced cheerfulness.
"This is Black, good news for once. Valmont's been collared by the Hong Kong police, turned up naked in a plaza filled with tourists. Seems Jade fired him and he sang in exchange for a deal. Tohru was right, Chi Wizard is out and Jade is the one calling the shots, and he told us where they are," Captain Black announced. Uncle was sharp as a razor as he bolted upright.
"Where?" he demanded, his voice calm but an unspoken threat implied if he didn't get an answer immediately.
"She's holed-up in the old Dark Hand hideout, we're scrambling a team of agents now. We'll need you three and all the chi you can pack," Captain Black announced. Uncle could swear the young fool was grinning on the other end on the line.
"Just don't get in Uncle's way," the chi wizard stated, hanging up.
"Jackie! Tohru!" he called.
Shadow Hand HQ:
"Rats," Captain Black cursed as he walked through the kicked in door. The place was stripped. Judging by the floor they had even taken time to pack rugs. This had been inhabited very recently; maybe hours ago it had been Jade's headquarters. Now it was empty, like their hopes of ending this before the world was placed in some kind of peril.
He noticed a piece of paper sitting on the floor, folded up. Plucking the paper he unfolded it and found a message left for them.
MISSED ME.
-JADE, QUEEN OF ALL ONI
He could feel the old man's gaze boring into his back, not surprising or unwarranted; he should have pressured the Hong Kong authorities into getting Valmont to talk sooner.
"Fan out, if they left any clues I want them found," he ordered. His agents silently moved in, but without much enthusiasm – these were combat operatives, after all, not investigators; he would have the specialists here soon enough. Jackie's Uncle also entered, looking crankier than ever. Maybe he could magic up some kind of clue; Black would take it.
"Do you think they will find anything?" Jackie asked, coming up beside Black.
"Hopefully. Jade is good; I've known that since she raided the vault during the whole Horse incident. But she overlooked the cameras then, and she is still a rookie. A talented and powerful rookie, but a rookie all the same. Letting Valmont fall into police hands was childish and forced her to get out of here," Captain Black pointed out. Jackie did not seem eased by the interpretation.
"Unless she wanted us to find this place," Jackie pointed out.
On the Road:
The semi truck's engine was loud in her ears and she would be bouncing in her seat if not for her seat belt. All in all, Jade found it impossible to sleep now that the mask's chi had finally been subdued by her own. The voice was gone now; all that was left was its power, and some nifty new knowledge waiting to be picked through in the back of her head.
"It was a mistake doing that to Valmont, I know; a fun mistake, but still. Come on, I was having evil food poisoning! I think that waives me of an evil overlord blunder," Jade griped to Ratso, who just nodded, keeping his eyes on the road.
"But still we got away clean! This is what makes me the better villain; I realize a mistake and react accordingly. I am better than Valmont, Shendu, and… and… " her expression fell with each "and".
"GAH!" Jade cried, pulling on her bangs.
"Just keep driving and don't say anything," Ratso thought to himself as the boss lost it.
Former Shadow Hand HQ:
Uncle raised an eyebrow at the door before him. This room had been stripped down like the others, but it still held a metal folding chair. Which was jammed under the knob of the door he now considered. Unjamming the chair with one hand, he casually opened the door with the other.
The closet beyond was littered with Chinese take out boxes, and a small bruised figure in filthy prison oranges. Daolon Wong casually lifted his head to meet Uncle's stern eyes with his own unamused mismatched gaze.
"For once, I am glad to see you," the fallen wizard remarked flatly.
(1).
Author's Note:
Hmm this chapter came out shorter than others. Still that was the best cut off point.
Sorry to JoD readers for falling so far behind. I actually was working on that when I hit a wall. Instead of sitting in front of the wall I decided to work on this project hoping it would clear things up over there. Well backto work on that . . .
OMAKE:
Our devilishly handsome writer sits in his study typing away on a story that is not months over due only to be blindsided by the dread demon of patience exhausted readers. Removing my Bengal tiger picture from the wall he throws me into a portal sending me to the end of the earth as Punishment.
Landing in a field I dust myself off and make sure my trusty hat is alright. Alas I am surrounded on all sides by corn. Corn stretching far as the eye can see!
I put a hand to my folder knife as the corn rustles. It parts to reveal a stereotypical Yankee farmer.
"Howdie fella, welcome to NEBRASKA!" he lets the hammer fall.
"NEINNNNN!" I cry falling to my knees.
More shenanigans to come.
"Please review, you know you want too."