Hey, guys. Sorry, I know that it's been awhile, but this chapter ended up being longer than I anticipated.

Guest: Thank you! I actually struggled a bit with the forgiveness and bonding scene because I wanted to make sure that I kept Jackie in character.

TheWhisperingWarrior: Trust me, everything that I've included so far has been necessary. And as for your hopes about this chapter, I've managed to give you two out of three.

amberlinclon3: Your wish is my command! (For some reason the stupid site won't let me include the dot in your user name. Sorry.)


When the jet finally landed at the Section 13 hanger, Jasmine was met with a warm reception from Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Hak Foo, Captain Black following just a few feet behind them.

"Hey, Boss. Welcome back." Finn greeted with a smile.

"We heard what happened." Chow said.

"How're you feeling?" Ratso asked.

Jasmine smiled and patted her side. "A little sore, but I'll be fine."

"Did you recover the amulet?" Captain Black asked, stepping forward.

"Yes, we did." Jackie responded, appearing beside Jasmine. "We don't know what power it holds, but we have a lead on how to find out. I will work on that while Jade finishes her book report."

"Aww..."

"I have some bags from my family to take back to my room, but after I do that I'll retrieve the Pan-Ku Box and the journal from the vault and continue working."

"Oh, don't worry about the bags, boss." Finn nodded his head at Chow, Ratso, and Hak Foo. They returned the gesture and walked onto the jet. "We'll bring 'em back to your room. You just go get the book and the box."

"... Are you sure? You don't have to."

"Sure we're sure. We love manual labor." Finn joked, "'Sides, I'm no doctor, but I'm pretty sure you shouldn't be doing any heavy lifting while you're injured."

"He's right." Captain Black agreed before muttering under his breath, "For once..."

Jasmine wanted to protest, to say that she was perfectly capable of doing it herself, but the look Captain Black gave her left no room for arguments. With a "yes, sir," she handed the amulet off to Jackie and made her way to the vault.


"Open it."

"I'm not opening it. You open it."

Jasmine paused at hearing Finn and Ratso's voices. She had just made it back from the vault and placed her hand on the doorknob when she heard them talking.

"Won't Jasmine be mad about us going through her stuff?" she heard Chow ask nervously, "I mean, she did say that it's from her family."

"Somehow, I don't think she'll mind in this case." Finn remarked dryly.

Jasmine took a deep breath, bracing herself for the worst, and opened the door. "What won't I mind?"

Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Hak Foo all jumped at her sudden entrance, the pile of bags her grandmother had packed her lying on the floor between them.

"Uh, well... you see, boss-"

"Look!" Chow shouted, pointing at the bags, "It's moving again!"

Just as Chow said, one of the bags on top of the pile was indeed moving, just ever so slightly. Jasmine's eyes narrowed and she silently motioned for the men to back away. Quickly, but quietly, she glided across the room and hid the journal and the Pan-Ku Box in one of her desk drawers. She then cautiously approached the wriggling bag and reached for the zipper, prepared to throw foxfire if necessary. As soon as she pulled the zipper open, something popped out, causing Jasmine to jump back in surprise.

"Oneechan!"

Jasmine gaped and the foxfire that had gathered in the palm of her hand fizzled out of existence. The creature that had leapt out of the bag was her own younger sister. As if to make matters worse, another head poked out of the bag, this one belonging to none other than Susumu Sasaki.

Camille stretched her arms above her head as Jasmine stared on in horror. "I thought that plane ride would never end." she commented nonchalantly to Susumu.

"This is not happening..." Jasmine covered her eyes, praying that the image before her was the product of a bad dream. Perhaps she had had simply fallen asleep on the jet and when she awoke the jet would be landing in the Section 13 hanger and Camille and Susumu would be back at the compound like they were supposed to be. However, as she peeked through her fingers she realized that that was not the case, much to her chagrin. "I'm going to be charged with kidnapping..."

"What are you doing here?!" she cried.

"Gee, nice to see you too." Camille replied bitterly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Camille, this isn't a game, this is serious! It's too dangerous for you to be here!" Jasmine pulled her cell phone out of her pocket, "I'm calling father right now to have someone come pick you up. You two need to go home immediately!"

"No!"

Jasmine's finger froze over the dial pad, startled by Susumu's sudden outburst. In a matter of seconds the young boy was in front of her, his small hands tugging on her pant leg. He was frowning, his eyes pleading. He looked almost scared, but angry at the same time.

"I don't want to go back! I never want to go back!"

Jasmine dropped down on one knee so she was eye level with the child. "Lord Susumu, please, think about this."

Chow glanced at Finn, mouthing the word "lord" in question. The redhead shrugged his shoulders. He didn't know what was going on either, but he figured that he'd have plenty of time to ask later.

"Your family must have noticed that you're missing by now and I'm certain that they're worried sick! Please consider how Lord Tsuyoshi, Lady Kumiko, and Lord Tadashi must be-"

"I hate Tadashi!" Susumu snapped, startling Jasmine once again. "And I don't care how he or mom and dad are feeling right now! It's not like they've ever cared enough to think about how I feel!"

She sat there in shock for a moment, allowing Susumu's words to sink in. "... Lord Susumu-"

"And don't call me lord." he interrupted, eyes downcast, "I don't like it. It... it makes me sound like... like something I'm not. I'm just a kid. Just call me Susumu. Please..."

"Okay then... Susumu... why are you so angry? Why don't you want to go home?"

He met Jasmine's eyes for a few seconds, then glanced at Camille. "No one lets us be friends at home. It's not fair."

Jasmine looked towards her sister. "How long has this been going on?"

"Since you left."

"Tadashi and dad don't like it when we play together, so we always tried to do it in secret. Sometimes they found out though, like the day Camille brought Jade with her. They always scold me and tell me to stay away from her and your family because all humans are cruel and evil, but they're wrong! Camille is fun and treats me like a normal kid, unlike the other kids at the compound who just want to get close to me because I'm part of the Sasaki family. And Miss Rin is really nice. She'd always offer me cookies and sweets whenever Camille and I would play in the garden."

Susumu paused, clenching his fists as he gazed up at Jasmine. "All my life... they've always told me how I should think and feel, but... no one's ever asked me what I think or how I feel. I've always been expected to just go along with what they say. You... you're the first person to ever ask me what I think, what I want. Not even Tadashi has ever done that. Mom and dad and Tadashi... they're stupid. That's why... I don't want to go back."

Jasmine knew that Tsuyoshi had forced his intolerance of humans onto his sons, but it seemed that rather than blindly accepting his words as truth, as Tadashi had done, Susumu had decided to form his own opinions. "Have you tried talking to your father or brother about this?"

Susumu nodded, "Of course I have, but they never listen. They say that I don't know what I'm talking about because I'm young. And if mom agrees with me she's never said it. We're just expected to go along with what dad says because he's alpha. It's stupid. They're stupid."

Jasmine sighed. She understood where the boy was coming from, but... "I'm sorry, Susumu, but I still have to have someone come take you two home."

"But, why?"

"Well, for one thing it's dangerous here. The longer you and Camille stick around the greater the chances of you two getting hurt. For another thing, the relationship between our two families is more strained now than ever, thanks to that duel with your brother. You staying here with me at Section 13 could potentially be viewed as kidnapping and that could start a war within the compound."

Susumu stared at the floor, nodding slowly. He understood her position. He didn't exactly like it, but he understood it and didn't hold it against her.

Jasmine patted his shoulder as she dialed her father's number. "I'm truly sorry, Susumu, but my hands are tied."

"... I understand."


After a quick call to her father and a conversation with Captain Black, an arrangement was made where a messenger from the compound would arrive in a few days to pick up the children. Until then, they were given rooms at Section 13 and would be watched by Ratso and Chow to keep them out of trouble.

It was a few hours after the whole mess before Jasmine was able to return to translating the journal with Finn on standby in case she needed his assistance. The only nice thing was that she had almost finished translating the entire journal. There were only a few pages left...

"Sooo..." Finn began, "... eventful trip?"

A burst of dry laughter escaped her lips. "That's one word for it. Dangerous, deadly, and stressful would all also be appropriate."

He quirked a brow, "That bad, huh?"

Jasmine gave him the details of her trip as she worked, not noticing how wide his eyes had become by the end of her tale.

"Shit..." he breathed, "Duels... that kinda thing is normal for demons?"

"Sadly, yes. Demons can be brutal by nature, which is why humans view us in such a negative light. I hope to put an end to them one day."

"Yeah, good luck with that." he remarked dryly.

Suddenly, Finn's cell phone rang. Checking the number, he said, "I gotta take this," and moved into the kitchen. Jasmine continued to work, but was able to hear bits and pieces of Finn's conversation thanks to her enhanced hearing. Normally she would have tuned him out as she didn't like to eavesdrop, but there were two words that caught her attention. "Frank" and "hospital".

She knew from past conversations that Frank was the name of Finn's nephew. Hearing the word "hospital" thrown into the mix made it impossible for her to concentrate. Jasmine put down her pen and peered into the kitchen. Finn's face was much paler than normal and his expression was grim, a stark contrast to the cocky smirk he usually wore.

Finally, he said, "I'll be there," and ended the call. Visibly distraught, he walked back over to Jasmine. "Boss... my nephew, Frank, he's in the hospital. Has to have his appendix removed..."

"Go."

"The surgery's in an hour and... I don't know when I'll get back. But he's asking for me. He sounds so scared."

"Finn, go!" she urged, "Family is important and you need to be there for your nephew. I can handle this on my own. Just go."

Finn gave her a shaky smile, "Thanks, boss. You're the greatest."

"You're welcome." she replied, smiling back, "Now quit wasting time and go!"

"Right, right. Gotta go." Finn rushed for the door, but crashed into the wall beside it in his haste. Rubbing his nose, he quickly opened the door and sped out of the room.

Jasmine merely shook her head before returning to the journal.


It was 7:30 at and Captain Black had decided to call it quits for the night when Jasmine burst into his office without any warning. Her face was ashen, her eyes wide. She appeared to be in a state of shock.

"Woah, where's the fire?"

"... I've finished translating the journal..." Her voice was void of emotion.

He waited for her to say more, but she didn't. She almost looked like she was in a trance. "And your findings?"

Jasmine stepped forward and sank heavily into one of the chairs in front of his desk. "... Most of it was theorizing how to conjure a spell to corrupt the Pan-Ku Box. The good news is whoever wrote the journal doesn't yet know where the other amulets are."

"And the bad news?"

"... They... did know where one amulet was. The amulet with the waxing crescent moon..."

Captain Black's brow furrowed. "But, isn't that the one your mother gave you?"

"Yes, and it gets worse. This person referred to mom by name. And my father, my sister, and myself were also mentioned by name."

"What?! Are you sure?"

"I wish that I wasn't, but yes. I'm sure." Jasmine responded woefully, "This person knew who we were and knew that mom had the amulet. They hate us and want to create a utopia for demons. Whoever this is... it has to be someone within the compound. It's the only possible explanation... It would also explain why the bunker was so close to the compound... But... why would someone betray us like this?"

"... Did you... inform Mr. Heiwa yet?"

"... No. Not yet." Jasmine buried her face in her hands, "But... I can't send Camille home now. This person, they want to hurt her... they want to hurt my family. Dad can't be everywhere at once and the staff have their hands full protecting mom. I don't know what to do... Who would do this?"

Captain Black recalled the phone call he received from Jackie informing him that Jasmine had been injured by another demon at the compound. "What about that Tadashi Sasaki character? Any chance that he's the one behind this?"

"Tadashi?" she glanced up at him, then shook her head, "No. I can confidently say that he and his family have nothing to do with this."

"How can you be so sure? I thought they hated humans."

"Well, they do, but the Sasaki family has always had this sort of... code of honor. They want to do what's right for demon kind. They are... disgusted by Shendu and his ilk. There are over a thousand documented cases of those eight demon sorcerers lying to, betraying, stealing from, or even slaying other demons simply because it was convenient for them to do so. They'd just as easily stab each other in the back and they were family! The Sasaki family has always believed that demons shouldn't fight with each other, but thrive together. I've seen it with my own eyes, so I know that they wouldn't jeopardize the lives of innocent demons like that."

Captain Black stared blankly.

She shrugged, "... Things at the compound are... complicated."

He sighed, leaning back in his chair, "If that's the case... why not have your sister stay here with you?"

"Sir?"

"It'll be easier for you to work if you know she's safe, right?" he reasoned, "She can stay here. One less thing for you to worry about."

Jasmine shot to her feet, momentarily at a loss for words. The swift movement caused an uncomfortable tug on her stitches, causing her to wince.

"Careful!"

"Thank you, sir!" she said, brushing off his concern, "Tomorrow, I'll start bright and early on research for conjuring the locator spells for the amulets."

"Actually, about that..." he paused, scratching the back of his bald head, "tomorrow... I think you should take the day off."

"... Sir?"

"Listen," he began with a sigh, "you've been working nonstop since you've arrived, you haven't left despite the immature behavior of the other agents, and you've gotten injured saving the lives of one of my closest friends and his niece. Tomorrow, I just want you to relax and take time out for you. Go shopping, see a movie, visit a museum, something! I don't want to find you here tomorrow working. Understand?"

"But, sir-"

"No buts, Jasmine. That's an order. I can't have you running yourself into the ground. We need your help."

Jasmine sighed. She could recognize that there was no use arguing with him on this matter. His mind was made up and nothing she said or did was going to change it. Reluctantly, she replied, "Yes, sir."


When Jasmine returned to her room she immediately called her father and relayed her findings to him. He nearly had a heart attack when she told him, especially when she told him that someone wanted to hurt Rin. Daisuke agreed with her that having Camille stay at Section 13 would be best. Initially he wanted to have Rin leave the compound and go to Section 13 as well, but Jasmine quickly pointed out that she'd never agree to that. Rin was stubborn and a fighter right down to her core. She didn't run from danger. It simply wasn't in her nature. Instead, Daisuke assured her that he'd have Haruto stay with her at all times. He told her that he would be on the lookout for anyone acting out of the ordinary and ended the call by telling Jasmine to be careful.

Sighing, Jasmine hung up the phone and ran a hand through her hair. Her mind was racing as she took a seat at her desk.

She didn't understand why someone was doing all of this. Was her existence really so terrible that the return of a tyrant like Shendu was preferable? She had never thought so, but clearly someone disagreed. And why did her existence bother them so much? Was it simply because she was part human?

She didn't understand the hatred between humans and demons, never had. Couldn't both sides see that they weren't that different from each other? They were both living beings with thoughts, feelings, and emotions. All of their hatred and resentment boiled down to fear. Fear that stemmed from a lack of understanding. But neither side seemed willing to set that fear aside so that they could actually try to understand one another...

Jasmine jumped as the alarm on her phone went off. She checked the display, it was 8:00 pm. She deactivated the alarm and stuffed the device back into her pocket. Reaching into her desk drawer, she pulled out an all too familiar orange pill bottle and set it on top of her desk.

Jasmine gave the bottle a hateful stare, painful childhood memories floating to the surface of her mind.

"You're so weak! Can't you do anything on your own?"

"God, you're so sensitive. Stop overreacting to everything!"

"Look, she's crying! Better call daddy for help!"

Jasmine's fingernails dug into her scalp, her eyes clenched shut at the unbidden thoughts. "Shut up!" she commanded, with little success, "Shut up, shut up, shut up! I'm not like that! I'm not weak! I don't need help! I'm just fine, damn it!"

All of a sudden, Jasmine heard a loud crash from outside her room, the sound of stone breaking, followed by the piercing scream of a young girl.

"Jade!" Jasmine realized, her blood turning to ice in her veins.

She jolted out of her chair, knocking it over in the process, and bolted out of the room, making a beeline for the source of the ruckus. The vault.


The first thing she noticed when she arrived was Jade trembling in the doorway of the vault. Jade, the girl who had faced Tarakudo without flinching, was trembling, frozen in terror. Jasmine felt cold dread settle in the pit of her stomach. Something was very wrong.

"Jade!" Jasmine called out, rushing to her side, "What's going on? Are you alright?"

But the normally spunky girl didn't even acknowledge her. Her face was snow white, her mouth agape, and she appeared to be suspended in a state of fear.

With no other choice, Jasmine finally peered into the vault and sucked in a sharp breath at what she saw. Two shikigami had broken into the vault via the ceiling, explaining the crash she had heard, and were currently tearing through the drawers embedded in the walls. No doubt they were searching for the encrypted journal and the Pan-Ku Box, which were thankfully still in her room.

The strange thing was that these shikigami weren't like the ones she had encountered before. It seemed that this time their master had stuck the little paper bound spirits inside crafted clay bodies, a practice which Jasmine knew had not been done for thousands of years.

Their forms were nothing short of horrific, as if the beasts had just crawled out of a horror movie. In a twisted way, their gray forms almost resembled a human's. They were gaunt, the outlines of their makeshift ribs visible in their torsos. Their arms were gangly and attached to large hands with even larger claws, their legs bent like those of a dog's. Their faces were the most perverse thing about them. Their eyes were just empty black sockets. Their jaws appeared to be unhinged, bouncing with their jerky movements and lined with rows of razor sharp teeth.

Jade's reaction, Jasmine decided as she carefully moved herself in front of the girl, was more than justified. Whatever sick individual had painstakingly crafted these monstrosities had clearly done so with one thing in mind. To kill whoever got in their way.

For whatever reason, the shikigami hadn't seemed to notice the presence of the two females despite Jade's earlier scream, so Jasmine took a moment to analyze the situation before she acted. Jade was in no condition to run, that much was obvious at a glance. Her fear had temporarily turned her into little more than a breathing statue. Jasmine couldn't just run away with her though. While the journal and Pan-Ku Box weren't currently in the vault, there were other powerful magical artifacts that they couldn't risk falling into the wrong hands.

Jasmine clenched her fists, coming to the grim realization that she would have to try to stop them and protect Jade. She only hoped that she was not the only one in Section 13 who had heard the commotion.

It was then that one of the shikigami turned and saw them. It released an unearthly howl, alerting the other that they were not alone. The other shikigami discarded the drawer in its hand and crept closer. Jasmine cautiously inched forward, making sure she stayed directly in front of Jade. The shikigami merely stared at her, empty sockets boring into her, silently daring her to make the first move. But Jasmine wouldn't rise to the bait, she moved into a fighting stance and waited patiently. She couldn't afford to be reckless with Jade there.

Finally, one of the shikigami let out a frustrated growl and took a swing at her, the other following suit. Jasmine dodged the first attack and just barely managed to dodge the second by slipping behind them before grabbing their wrists and tugging their arms in a way that caused them to knock heads.

Jasmine was vaguely aware of a sharp pain in her side, but she ignored it as the beasts growled and turned to her. She had more important things to worry about at the moment.

One of the shikigami lunged at her suddenly, knocking her into the wall with such force that her skull bounced off the metal. She groaned, and the next thing she knew the shikigami had her pinned. Its ugly mug was only inches away from her, its large hands pressing her shoulders into the wall while its teeth drew closer to her neck. Thinking fast, Jasmine opened her mouth and shot a blast of searing foxfire at its face. The beast roared and released her, allowing her to drop down and slip behind it. As it reached for its injury, she grabbed the back of its head, planting her free hand on the wall for leverage, and slammed its face repeatedly into the wall. The shikigami tried to brace itself, but it was futile. Jasmine had overpowered it and it seemed that nothing would stop her from delivering her brutal punishment.

"Jasmine!"

Hearing Jade calling her name caused her to stop and whirl around. The other shikigami was slowly creeping towards Jade with a twisted grin forming on its deformed face. Jade, terrified, was backpedalling to get away, but was about to hit a wall.

Jasmine growled dangerously, her blood feeling like a raging river of fire as it coursed through her veins. She was livid, and it showed as her pupils turned to slits and her irises began to glow. Tossing the shikigami in her hand aside like a used rag, she stalked over to her new target.

The shikigami was so focused on Jade that it didn't notice Jasmine come up beside it until it was too late. She batted the beast aside like it was little more than a pesky insect. The shikigami was sent flying into the wall, leaving a sizable dent in the metal, before falling to the floor on its stomach. Jasmine's murderous aura was practically palpable as the beast gazed at her from over its shoulder.

She stomped her foot down on its back, earning a noise of pain. "Don't you dare," Jasmine seized its wrists, "lay a finger on her!" She pulled the beasts arms, teeth grit, until she successfully tore them off. It let out a pitiful whine as she tossed the severed limbs aside. Removing her foot from its back, Jasmine plunged her hand into its torso to extract the paper doll that was the source of the shikigami's life.

Just as the doll had been reduced to ash in her hand, Jade had regained enough sense to sound the alarm. With the alarm blaring, Jasmine turned back to the other shikigami, only to catch a glimpse of it jumping into the hole it originally came through with a very important, very dangerous artifact in hand.

Jasmine gasped, the fire of her rage extinguished by icy fear. "The mask!" she shouted, aghast, "Tarakudo's mask!"

She moved to chase after the shikigami when another wave of pain shot up her spine. Hissing, she stopped short and pressed a hand to her side where she had felt the sensation originate from. Jasmine's brow knit in confusion as she ignored another spike of pain. The fabric of her tank top was wet. Pulling her hand back, she winced, seeing her palm coated in her own blood. She came to the conclusion that she must have torn some of her stitches during the fight.

The sound of numerous footsteps marching towards them drew Jasmine's attention to the vault entrance. Captain Black had arrived, a small battalion of Section 13 agents with him. They all gaped at the scene before them; Jade, Jasmine with her palm coated red, the damage the shikigami had done, the battered remains of the shikigami Jasmine had stopped, and Tarakudo's missing mask. For several minutes, no one spoke.

Jasmine clutched her side, the pain making itself more pronounced as the adrenaline wore off. Nervousness churned in her gut and she felt frozen in place. There were so many people in front of her, staring at her. Her heart began racing and her hands felt numb. She could only guess what they were thinking, but by the looks on their faces, she could tell that it wasn't anything good.

Captain Black met her gaze, "Jasmine, what-"

"What is going on?!"

Jasmine's whole body went stiff upon hearing the all too familiar shrill female voice.

Several agents were pushed to the side as a fair skinned young woman made her way to the front of the crowd. She had long blond hair piled in a neat bun atop her head and blue eyes. Her red lipstick coated lips were pulled into a frown and her red painted fingernails drummed impatiently against her hips as she waited for an answer. The woman was dressed in a blue blazer, a white button up shirt, a blue tight fitting skirt that stopped just below her knees, and a pair of blue high heels.

Jasmine could feel sweat beginning to collect on her forehead, her chest constricting. Agent Jessica Smith had arrived...

Agent Smith took one good look around the vault before sending an accusatory glare in Jasmine's direction. "What did you do?"

Jasmine opened her mouth to speak, but no words would come out. Her chest felt tight, so tight it hurt.

Jade, seeing this, quickly leapt to her defense. "Jazz didn't do anything! These two..." Jade struggled for words. She had no idea what those creatures had been. "... things... broke into the vault and started trashing the place! Jazz protected me!"

"But you let them get away with Tarakudo's mask?" Agent Smith asked, approaching Jasmine, "How could you let that happen? Don't you know how dangerous that thing is?!"

Jasmine started to feel faint, though whether it was due to the situation or the blood she was losing, she wasn't sure.

"That's not fair!" Jade shouted, pointing angrily at Agent Smith, "Jazz was protecting me and she was outnumbered! I'd like to see you do better!"

"But I'm just a human. Surely two intruders shouldn't have been a problem for a powerful demon such as yourself."

Agent Smith stood directly in front of Jasmine now, close enough to hit her if she wanted to. Jasmine couldn't seem to remember how to breathe.

"How did the intruders even find us? Section 13 is top secret, so how did they know about the vault in the first place?"

Jasmine said nothing, staring at the agent with wide eyes.

"Well?!" Agent Smith demanded.

"I-I don't know..."

"You don't know? How convenient!"

"Agent Smith, you are out of line!" Captain Black intervened, "You can't possibly be suggesting that Jasmine is working for the enemy."

"Regardless of whether she's working for the enemy or not, any way you look at it, she's responsible for the mask being stolen."

"How is it Jazz's fault?" Jade asked with a glower.

"You know magic, right? Isn't there some kind of protective spell you could have cast on the vault? Even if the Pan-Ku Box wasn't in here, the vault still houses several dangerous items. It's only common sense that the enemy would try to steal them if the opportunity presented itself. You essentially handed it to them on a silver platter! This is all your fault!"

All of the color drained from Jasmine's face as the weight of Agent Smith's words hit her full force. She had put protective spells on the journal, the Pan-Ku Box, and even the encasement surrounding the talismans, but the idea of casting one on the vault or Tarakudo's mask hadn't occurred to her. The journal hadn't mentioned anything about targeting the mask, so she hadn't thought...

"But I should have..." she thought to herself, appalled by her own lack of foresight. The contents of the journal suggested that the enemy was looking to amass powerful magical artifacts. As Agent Smith had said, it was only common sense that the enemy would want the mask. Besides the possibility that they may try to free Tarakudo and his generals, they could also use it to summon multitudes of any of the nine tribes of Shadowkhan, whereas before they could only summon two to three shikigami at a time to do their bidding. Thanks to her, the enemy had grown stronger.

"Gods... what have I done?!" Panic seized her. Had she just condemned her family and all of humanity because of this one egregious error?

Jasmine looked to the crowd as they murmured to each other. She could hear them. They were agreeing with Agent Smith. They were blaming Jasmine, saying that it was her fault.

"By Inari... what are they going to do to me?"

Captain Black hadn't said anything. He was looking around with a lost expression on his face, like he wasn't sure what to do. The crowd of agents were staring at her with frowns and Agent Smith was sneering at her.

In her panic induced state; she wondered if her actions had doomed everyone at the compound. She wondered if she had endangered Camille and Susumu. She wondered if they were going to attack her, kill her, or worse yet, banish her to the Netherworld for all eternity.

Jasmine staggered, consumed by a sense of powerlessness. "What have I done?! This is allmyfault!"

It was all too overwhelming. The displeased stares, the hushed whispers, the uncertainty of it all. It was all too much...

Jade, concerned by her prolonged silence, gazed up at Jasmine. "... Jazz?"

Jasmine's head snapped up and in that moment she very much resembled a startled wild animal. Before Jade could call her name a second time, Jasmine bolted. She pushed past the crowd and ran for her room. Once there, she slammed the door shut and dove for the nook beneath her desk, bumping into her desk and chair in the process.

Her hands clutched her head as she curled herself into a ball. Her mind was reeling, her breathing was chaotic, and despite her best efforts, she couldn't focus long enough to get a hold of herself. All she could hear was Agent Smith's voice blaming her, accompanied by her own self-loathing thoughts cursing her for her own stupidity. Her fingernails dug into her scalp, desperate for it to stop. "You idiot! You've just ruined everything you've been working for!" Tears welled up in her eyes. She couldn't find it in herself to disagree...

That was how Jackie found her seconds later, huddled up in the alcove beneath her desk, lithe form trembling as she held her head, glassy eyes filled with tears as she hyperventilated. He immediately realized that she was in the throes of a panic attack.

In a matter of seconds he was kneeling on the floor in front of her, hands on her shoulders giving her a gentle shake. "Jasmine? Jasmine!"

Tears rolled down her cheeks, but she didn't respond. Despite the fact that her eyes were wide open, she didn't seem to see him, as if she was seeing right through him. He only hoped that she wasn't too far gone that he couldn't break her out of her trance.

He tried calling her name again, but received the same result. Then, an idea popped into his head. He remembered the night of the duel at the compound, how Jasmine eventually calmed down after embracing her. With nothing else to try, Jackie pulled Jasmine into his arms.

Jasmine jolted in his hold, only now realizing that Jackie was with her. She blinked, more tears slipping down her face. His touch was helping her pull herself out of her thoughts so she could try to ground herself in reality.

A memory popped into her head. She remembered how whenever she had a panic attack back at the compound, one of her parents had always held her until she calmed down. But the thought of her parents and the compound only took her mind back to what Agent Smith had said, slowly dragging her back to her original panicked state.

Jasmine shook her head and wrapped her arms around Jackie, desperate for anything else to focus on. She inhaled deeply in an attempt to steady her breathing and inadvertently took in Jackie's scent. He smelled of earth and old books. It reminded her of the days where the weather was warm and the sun was bright when she'd rest under the cherry blossom tree in the garden and read. She recalled the tranquility of it, how she was alone, but still surrounded by the harmonious symphony of nature. Those days were, by far, some of her favorite memories.

Jackie stroked her hair in silence, feeling Jasmine gradually relax in his arms, listening as her breathing began to even out. Holding her now, he noticed things that he hadn't the first time. He noticed how soft her hair was, how she smelled faintly of lavender, and how she seemed strangely small in his arms even though he knew that she was only a couple of inches shorter than he was.

Jackie mentally slapped himself, frowning at his train of thought. "What are you thinking? Now is not the time for this!"

Eventually, Jasmine's breathing returned to normal and her arms dropped to her sides. Jackie released her and took a moment to look her over. She appeared both tired and mortified and she refused to look at him, her bloodshot eyes glued to a random spot on the floor. He opened his mouth, trying to find something to say, when he caught sight of something bright orange on the floor.

Turning to his right, he discovered an orange pill bottle, the kind that prescription medication typically came in, lying on its side. Jackie knew that it wasn't right to pry, but he figured that if it could shed some light on what Jasmine was going through, maybe he could do more to help her.

Jasmine saw movement out of the corner of her eye, but realized too late what it was that Jackie was reaching for. Before she could do or say anything, he already had the pill bottle in his hand.

Jackie's brow furrowed at the text on the label. He saw that they were Jasmine's pills, the instructions said that she had to take one pill on a daily basis, there was one month's supply in the bottle, and it had been prescribed to her over seven months ago... But none of that told him what the medication actually was. He turned the bottle over and looked at the other side where he discovered the medications name. He didn't recognize the scientific name of the medicine, but he did recognize the brand. It was a brand that he had seen plenty of commercials for on television.

Jasmine watched as realization dawned on her face. She turned away, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She hadn't wanted anyone to know...

Jackie, wide eyed, looked between Jasmine and the bottle, not quite believing what he had read. But the bold text was clear as day and Jasmine's expression told him everything he needed to know. "... Jasmine, these are... your pills?"

She nodded.

"... These are... antidepressants, aren't they?"

Again she nodded, still refusing to meet his gaze.

He stared, not fully comprehending the concept that even demons could apparently fall victim to mental illnesses. He had so many questions, but couldn't settle on which to ask first. "When... how... why..."

Jasmine chuckled bitterly, "Humans and demons aren't all that different, remember? Demons may be immune to a large number of human diseases, but they are just as susceptible to ailments of the mind as humans are. Kitsune in particular are easily prone to negative emotions. It's a common problem I'm told, but I'm the only one who seems to be suffering from it in the family."

"Suffering from what exactly? And for how long?" he dared to ask.

"At the age of eighteen, I was diagnosed with severe social anxiety and depression. I was told that childhood trauma had worsened the condition. It was around that time the medication was first prescribed."

It was also around that time when the rest of the compound had somehow found out that she needed medication and berated her for it. They berated her for being weak, for needing help.

Jackie gaped at her. Suddenly, the puzzle pieces began falling into place. Daisuke's vague request that he keep an eye on his daughter, Jasmine's odd behavior and mannerisms, the reason why she never stood up for herself when the Section 13 agents harassed her... All of it tied back to her condition.

Jackie glanced back at the bottle, noting that the supply inside seemed untouched. "... Jasmine, this says that you need to take this once a day."

"Yes. That's typically how most psychiatric drugs work." she flippantly responded.

"This was issued over seven months ago! It doesn't look like you've taken a single one!"

Jasmine's body tensed up and her jaw clenched. She was so sick of having this conversation. "I. Don't. Need. It." she ground out.

"Jasmine," Jackie's tone was pleading as he tried to reason with her, "you said it yourself. You suffer from severe social anxiety and depression. The medication is supposed to help you."

Jasmine growled low in her throat, vexed by the archaeologist's inability to mind his own business. "Gods, you sound just like my father." Her head snapped up and Jackie actually recoiled at the fierce expression on her face. "I'm not weak! I don't need any help!"

Jackie stared, incredulous. "You think... that needing help is a sign of weakness?"

She glared at him, as if silently challenging him to tell her otherwise.

"Jasmine... there is no shame in asking for help and it's not a sign of weakness to need help. It takes much strength and courage to admit when you need help."

Jasmine let out a sardonic chuckle, "That's easy for you to say, isn't it? You defeated Shendu and Tarakudo. I bet no one ever accused Jackie Chan of being weak."

Her frown returned as her depression reared its ugly head. She was too stressed out to try to hide it. She was too tired to feel self-conscious or over analyze the words coming out of her mouth. Jasmine glanced at Jackie, fatigue and a hint of envy in her eyes. It appeared as though she had temporarily rendered him speechless.

"You're lucky." she quietly informed him, "You're human, pure and simple. You're normal. You can go anywhere, belong anywhere, and no one would question you or your motives. But for me..." Jasmine paused, staring down at her palms, "... I'm a freak. A bizarre hybrid who doesn't belong anywhere. Not at the compound with the other demons; not here at Section 13 with the other humans. I'm different and no one understands, nor do they try. I feel like I have to work twice as hard, push myself twice as far just to earn their respect, but I never get it. Once they know what I am their mind is already made up."

Jasmine took a moment to look over at Jackie. He was listening attentively to her every word, compassion in his warm brown eyes. Unable to maintain eye contact, she sheepishly stared down at the floor.

"... I know I'm complaining. There are people who have it worse than I do. I've never had to know what it's like to go to bed hungry, I've always had a roof over my head and clean clothes on my back, and I have a family who loves and supports me. There are people in the world who don't even have that much. I know I'm lucky to have what I do and I know that it's unrealistic for everyone who meets me to like me, but still..." Jasmine hugged her knees to her chest, trying to stave off another wave of tears, "... is it too much to ask for a little civility? Is... that unreasonable? Am I... ungrateful for wanting that?"

A heavy silence fell between them and several minutes passed where neither of them said anything. Jasmine hugged her knees tighter, her anxiety building in her chest with each passing second where Jackie did not respond.

"You said too much!" she told herself, "No one wants to listen to you complain, idiot! No one cares about your petty problems! Other people have bigger concerns of their own to deal with! Why can't you just get your shit together and deal with it yourself like everyone else does?!"

"No, you're not."

Jackie's voice startled her out of her self-deprecating thoughts. Her eyes locked onto his.

"You're not ungrateful for wanting that. Everyone deserves to be treated with kindness and respect. It doesn't make you unreasonable or selfish for wanting that." he told her sternly, "You may be different, but you're no freak and there are people who understand that. There's Captain Black, Jade, the, uh, Dark Hand guys..."

"Ex-Dark Hand guys." Jasmine corrected. "Now they're just... my guys." she joked, managing a minuscule smile.

Jackie smiled back. "And there's me... Granted, it did take me awhile to realize it. I guess I can be a bit... stubborn sometimes. But we've all seen how hard you work and we do appreciate and respect you for it. As for where you belong... well... you are the only one who can decide that, Jasmine."

She nodded, her gaze drifting to the floor. He placed a hand on her shoulder, forcing her to look back at him.

"I still mean what I said about asking for help, too. I did fight against Shendu and Tarakudo, but I never could have defeated them without help. "You are never strong enough that you don't need help". Would you think that I was weak if I came to you asking you for help? Or if Jade did?"

"No, of course not!" Jasmine immediately replied.

"Exactly. So why would we think that you were weak for needing help?" he asked, smiling gently.

Jasmine had no answer.

"This," Jackie held up the pill bottle, "does not make me think any less of you. There comes a time in everyone's life where we need help," he pressed the bottle into her hand, "you're only weak if you're too proud to admit it."

Jasmine gave an absentminded nod, her brain slowly processing his words as she considered the pill bottle in her hand. She could only wonder, "Is he right?"

All of a sudden, there was an impatient knock at her door. Without waiting for a response, in walked a frantic Captain Black followed by a woman that neither Jasmine or Jackie had seen before.

She was young, pale, and could only be described as pleasantly plump, a full-figured woman. Her long black hair had streaks of dark purple running through it and was tied back in a ponytail, two chopsticks speared through it. She had dark brown eyes, in front of which were a pair of black rectangular wireframe glasses. She wore a black off the shoulders top that also had spaghetti straps, a navy blue and turquoise ombré skirt that flowed down to her ankles, and a pair of shiny black ballet pumps. The woman was sporting a white lab coat as well, with a name tag that read, "Dr. Honda", a black leather medical bag in her right hand.

Captain Black took in the scene before him. Jasmine on the floor, hiding under her desk like a frightened child as she unconsciously cradled her side, one of her hands dyed red. Jackie sat in front of her, a bloody handprint on the back of his sweater and a large red splotch on the front.

"Jackie, are you alright?"

Jackie stared at his friend in confusion. "Of course I am. Why?" He then glanced down and noticed the bloodstains for the first time, "... Oh."

Jasmine grimaced, "That's two sweaters I owe you now."

"You don't owe me anything. Jade is safe because of you. We'll just say that this makes us even for how I treated you in the beginning."

Jasmine cracked a smile, but it faded when she turned to Captain Black. "Sir, I apologize for... running off like that. And for... allowing this all to happen..."

Captain Black held up his hand to stop her. "No, Jasmine, I'm the one who needs to apologize. I should have thought about protecting the whole vault and I should have stopped Agent Smith from harassing you like that. I was just... stunned. I can't believe she did that."

Captain Black shook his head. His eyes hardened and a deep scowl formed on his face. "Rest assured, I'm going to have a word with her later. The things she said were completely out of line. I'll also have her apologize to you."

"No."

"... What?"

"Sir, with all due respect, I've heard enough empty apologies to last me a lifetime." Jasmine told him, "If she doesn't mean it, then I don't want her apology." For a moment, it seemed like the Captain was going to argue, so Jasmine spoke before he could. "Who is this?" she asked, gesturing to the woman behind him.

Captain Black sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I noticed that you were bleeding earlier, so I stopped by the medical bay to grab one of our doctors. This is Doctor Sayuri Honda, one of our best and brightest."

Sayuri blushed at the compliment until she finally got a look at the growing damp spot on Jasmine's tank top and her blood soaked hand. Her expression turned serious as she scurried over to the half-demon, gently nudging Jackie out of the way. Setting her medical bag down beside her, Sayuri gingerly pried Jasmine's hand away from her wound. Going slowly in case the fabric had begun to stick to the injury, she lifted the tank top up just enough so that she could get an idea of what she was dealing with.

Captain Black inhaled sharply and hurriedly averted his eyes, his cheeks tinged pink. Jackie, however, couldn't stop himself from staring. It was the first time he had seen the full extent of the damage Tadashi had inflicted. The bruising was extensive and he almost couldn't believe how long the trail of stitches along her right side was. To make matters worse, it appeared as though several stitches had popped and there was blood smeared all over her abdomen.

Sayuri frowned as she took in the damage, obviously not liking the look of it any more than Jackie did. "It looks like you tore at least five stitches." she informed her, releasing her hold on her tank top, "Let's get you to the medical bay so I can fix them."

Jasmine blanched, her stomach lurching at the suggestion of leaving her room again. Agent Smith's speech in the vault had nurtured the seeds of hate and mistrust in the other agents. If she had to go out and face them again tonight... Her chest tightened; she wouldn't be able to handle it. Not tonight.

"Can't you do it here?" Jasmine asked, a hint of desperation in her voice.

"Well..." Sayuri paused to go through her bag, "the only problem is that I don't have any anesthetic..."

"That's fine." she readily agreed, "I have a high pain tolerance."

Sayuri had wanted to argue, but as she gazed into Jasmine's eyes she got the sense that forcing the half-demon to leave the room would do more harm than good. She sighed and nodded, which caused Jasmine to finally relax. Sayuri then turned to the men and ushered them out of the room so she could get to work, ignoring their protests of concern.

Once they were gone and the door was firmly shut and locked, Sayuri turned back to Jasmine. "Can you please take off your shirt? It'll make cleaning and sewing you back up easier."

Jasmine hesitated, struck by self-consciousness. Disrobing in front of Fujiko was one thing, but disrobing in front of a stranger? A small part of her realized that she was being silly. After all, Sayuri was a doctor, and a woman doctor at that.

Jasmine exhaled shakily, gripping the hem of her tank top, "Is it... okay if I leave my bra on?"

"Of course." she replied, digging the supplies she needed out of her bag, "Whatever makes you more comfortable."

Jasmine removed the garment and set it to the side, her cheeks burning red. Sayuri prepared a warm damp cloth and began wiping away the excess blood so she could disinfect the area around it afterwards. She even cleaned her bloody palm, reminiscent of the way a mother would clean up her child after they had taken a particularly nasty spill.

Jasmine watched the doctor with curious eyes. Her movements were deliberate and meticulous. Her face was calm and focused, not a single trace of discomfort or unease to be found.

"You are not afraid of me." Jasmine observed.

"You've given me no reason to be."

Jasmine looked away. "... The others don't share your view. I... can hear them whispering when they think that I can't hear them. They... think I'm a monster... After what just happened... maybe they're right..."

Sayuri chuckled wryly. "Oh, yes. Fighting for mankind's survival and protecting little girls... Truly, you are a force to be feared." She shook her head and started applying the disinfectant, "I'm a doctor, a woman of science. I want facts and evidence before I form a conclusion. It's a fact that you have the capability to hurt anyone in this facility and you haven't, despite their provocation. The evidence in the vault proves that you were genuinely concerned with Jade's well-being regardless of your already injured state. So," Sayuri paused to put the disinfectant back in her bag now that she was done with it and gave Jasmine a warm smile, "I've come to the conclusion that there's no reason for me, or anyone here, to be afraid of you. Actually, I've been really curious about you and I'd like it if we could get together and talk sometime."

Jasmine gawked at the doctor, feeling choked up. Sayuri was not prepared for the tears that welled up in the other woman's eyes.

"I-I'm sorry! D-did I hurt you?" Sayuri gestured to the wound which Jasmine hadn't even realized that she had already begun to sew up.

Jasmine shook her head. "No, no. You're fine. I'm just... a little overwhelmed."

She wasn't used to people actually accepting her and it was happening more now than ever before. She wasn't entirely sure how to handle it.

Jasmine sniffled and wiped away her tears with her arm. Sayuri noticed the pill bottle clutched tightly in her hand.

"Are those your antidepressants?"

Jasmine almost jumped. "How do you know about that?" Jackie was the only one she had told. She hadn't even told Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Hak Foo, though she suspected that Finn had some inkling.

"Your mother sent over your medical records the first month you came to Section 13. We've been waiting for you for awhile now to come down to the medical bay to get a refill, but you never did. You should be taking those on a daily basis, you know."

Jasmine gazed at the bottle, abashed. "I've... been stubborn. I realize that now."

"Good, because I want to see you down in the medical bay in about a month for a refill." Sayuri paused to give her a scolding stare," Or else."

Jasmine simply nodded as Sayuri continued sewing her up, still just staring at the bottle, contemplative. Finally, she twisted off the cap and swallowed a pill.


"So... you have once again failed to bring me the Pan-Ku Box and my journal."

The wretched Shikigami, the only survivor from the Section 13 vault raid, let out a sound akin to a whimper as it cowered before its shadow shrouded master.

"She was even distracted trying to protect that human whelp, yet you still failed me!"

The Shikigami, of course, said nothing. Not that it needed to. Its master had seen everything clearly through its own eyes.

"Tsk!"

The figure waved their hand, a dark purple glow emitting from their pale fingertips. In a matter of seconds, the Shikigami began to bubble, then fizzle, and then it started to dissolve. The Shikigami cried pitifully, in pain as its master slowly ripped its spirit from its physical form until its head melted and sank into the puddle the rest of its body had become, silencing it forever.

"Tsk!" the figure said again, gazing at the remains of the Shikigami with distaste, "What a waste of magic, materials, and time. And that hanyou tore the other one to pieces in a psychotic rage, so I can't even try to salvage it."

They sighed and rubbed their sore arms, the effects of their bond with the Shikigami lingering. They then looked down at the ancient mask in their hand, the mask of the infamous Tarakudo. A malevolent grin spread across their face as they marveled at all the power contained in that single mask.

"Still," they said to themselves, now alone in their dark lab, "I suppose you weren't completely useless. I can make great use of this. Great use, indeed."


1. So to start off, Agent Smith's physical appearance is based on one of the Section 13 agents that you can see in the background in the JCA episodes. I just gave her a name and personality.

2. Okay, so here's a kinda big reveal for me. Most of Jasmine's personality, i.e. the social anxiety, the depression, and the negative thoughts are actually based on myself. I wasn't as young as Jasmine when I was diagnosed, but the doctor said that the antidepressants are supposed to help with the social anxiety as well as the depression. I just thought I'd mention it in case anyone was confused as to why the antidepressants would be prescribed for anxiety.

3. "You are never strong enough that you don't need help" is a quote by Cesar Chavez. Weirdly enough, there are plenty of quotes about giving help, but very few about needing or asking for help.

4. Sayuri Honda is a character that a friend and I came up with. It was my first time trying to describe someone who wasn't thin, so I did a bit of research into what kinds of terms would be acceptable to describe a full-figured woman. I was kind of disappointed to find that some of the terms that I like to use, such as "pleasantly plump" have some negative connotations associated with them. I personally have a belief that all people are beautiful regardless of body type. So just to be clear, when I say "pleasantly plump" I literally mean pleasantly plump, not some sarcastic insult nonsense.

5. As seen in the show by Shendu and Daolon Wong, it is possible to summon the Shadowkhan without wearing a mask. So I'm working off the assumption that anyone with magical knowhow can also channel magic through the mask like they did to summon Shadowkhan.

I think that covers everything. And as always, if you have any questions I'll be more than happy to answer them.

One more thing! I need some ideas. As it's been said in the story, the amulets were scattered around the world. I need some ideas for good places for the amulets to be so I can do a bit of research. If any of you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them. I already have a few of my own for some of the amulets, but I could use a bit of help if you guys don't mind.