Disclaimer: I do not own Jackie Chan adventures. Or did you already know that? I guess i might make some claim to the OCs? Ah well, its ll in fun yes?
Betaed by: Red Leader Zala & Zim'smostloyalsevant, could not of done it without you comrades.
PDJ Presents:
"Queen of All Oni"
CHAPTER VIII
Mutts and Matchmakers
OR
Good Idea-Bad Idea Time
Windsor Mansion:
It was truly a picturesque sunset that was playing out at Windsor Mansion. A few wispy clouds dyed the colors of twilight were the only flaws in a splendid sky, and they seemed to add to rather than detract from the scene. Add in the majestic silhouette of the mansion, and one could expect a photographer to pop up from the rocks to snap a few photos destined for a postcard, or a motivational poster of some kind.
Jade sat on one of the highest roofs of the mansion, securely situated on the crowning beam in a meditative pose. She was seemingly oblivious to the scenery, lost in thought or seeking some sort of answer within herself. At least it would seem, depending on your point of view.
In a realm ridiculously far and absurdly close, Jade was three quarters out of her body, her serpentine astral form swaying smoothly as she chanted her spell. Here at the border of Blankman's wards and the protection of the house ghouls, she risked partially emerging from her physical body to obtain her desire.
The swaying was probably unnecessary, but it seemed to come with the rhythmic chanting as she found herself caught up in the thrill of the moving forces.
She let the final word fall without exclamation, but it was still heavy and seemed to linger in the air like the last peal of a church bell. Jade took a deep breath from the chanting, and the darkness and light around her stirred in response.
Narrowing her eyes to slits in concentration, she continued to inhale as bits of those two elements broke off from the scenery and passed lumpily down her throat. The light was too spicy on the tongue and left a fruity aftertaste, while the darkness was sweet and left a strange bitter taste in its wake. Funny to know what such things taste like, Jade thought as she leaned forward to loosen up some dangling bits of the elements.
Soon her limit was reached and she caught her breath, coughing up some bright and dark flecks. Forget butterflies, she felt like she had birds in her stomach, and going at each other to boot. Twisting to look down at herself she could she the roving, probing bulges along her form.
'This has better be worth it,' Jade thought. The Shadowkhan girl looked up to see the scenery healing rapidly as she felt the fluttering start to subside as her own chi began to encase and compress the new additions. Like a cobra returning to its basket, she lowered herself into her body
Jade cracked her neck before opening her eyes, taking a moment to enjoy the sunset before continuing. The moment passed, and Jade wove her fingers together, pulled her arms out in front of her, and struck her own stomach with a distinct lack of elegance.
Having failed to consider her strength in addition to the badass but precarious placement she hardly noticed the gurgling spike and subside as she tried to not fall off the roof. Remembering she could levitate, she came to her feet, blushing a darker blue at the slip.
But more importantly, she could feel it, a warmth in her belly, and spreading. Up into her chest it went, where it split to find her shoulders and run down her arms. The power emerged before her eyes in the palms of her hands, a gray mist rising from her skin in wisps until both her hands were hidden by the swirling clouds.
A salty sea wind swept the gray away, revealing her hands were no longer empty.
Queen Jade could barley recall anything so beautiful; the black metal edges seemed to drink in the light, and the folded blue metal between caught it with a mischievous subtlety. With a flick of her wrists, the fans opened in silence. Still more beauty – what else could she expect form light and darkness used to create shadow and shaped by her own chi? The blue was not unadorned; each fan held a character painted on its unfolded expanse. The fan in her right hand held the character for shadow proudly, while the left displayed her own name, while showing her smiling reflection.
Most of all she could feel her power flowing through them even now. There was no severance of the connection with them now being outside of her. Jade was certain that from now on these beautiful weapons were not only her key to magic, but completed her arms in a way she hadn't realized had been lacking.
Striking a stance with one of them concealing the lower half of her face, she decided that no other tool had ever so suited her.
Chinatown:
Jackie and Viper walked down the sidewalks of Chinatown carrying groceries, Jackie carrying the majority while Viper had a bag in each hand.
"So, Tohru made any progress with those scrolls the crazy monks gave him?" Viper asked breaking the silence.
"He has translated them, but they seem to be posing riddles. I guess they didn't want it to be easy to find the tablets even if someone managed to steal the scrolls," Jackie answered.
"That makes more sense than a lot of the stuff you magic types do," Viper commented.
"What? I am not magic," Jackie objected. She opened the door into the shop, holding it for him while giving n indulgent grin.
"Guilty by association Jackie," Viper chided.
"And you are guilty by actions," Uncle called out. The two wizards had cleared the counter and were shifting the Hana Fuda cards about on the surface, trying to activate them.
Despite the theory Jade found masks by following them, they couldn't risk a mask or a masked human running about unchecked.
"Thief, put groceries away, earn your trouble," Uncle demanded. The thief rolled her eyes but surprisingly took most of Jackie's burden and carried it into the kitchen.
When the door opened, Jackie tried to remember if the sign had been flipped to 'closed'. Uncle was notorious for still pursuing business even when the end was all but nigh, only actually closing the shop when no one was available to man it. However, he had seemed more focused since Jade's transformation and actually closed it a few times.
So Jackie half expected to see a customer of some sort walk in, or perhaps someone from Section 13.
Uncle and Tohru knew they were in business and Uncle got up from his seat to greet the potential customer, while Tohru – per an understanding – continued to shift the cards.
No one expected an exceptionally large pig to shamble through the door, its snout slightly uplifted, sniffing the air. Had Jade been there she would have instantly recognized the noble animal. As it was, Jackie and Tohru were understandably confused by the universe handing them a non sequitur, while Uncle was upset over a filthy pig coming into his shop. Though they found something familiar with the seemingly bored expression the pig had.
"Aiyyaa!" Uncle cried, snatching up a broom from seemingly nowhere. Advancing rapidly and raising the cleaning implement of doom to drive the animal from his property, he was met by a man wearing faded denim. His old face, weathered by decades spent mostly outside in the elements, sun faded red cap, and well-worn work boots, came together to make him a spitting image of the old farmer. The handsome rooster perched on his shoulder added a fine finishing touch.
"Long time no see Chans! Ah, there's no need to tidy up for old friends that blow into town for a big city tractor pull," Farmer MacDonald greeted the assembled. He waved off Uncle's broom as he walked in, looking around with calm interest at the shop.
"Farmer MacDonald? What are you doing here?" Jackie asked, while Uncle glared at the pig still standing on his clean floor, as if daring it to do its business there.
"Well, when I heard the pull was in Frisco, I asked myself what else could I make out of this trip. Then the boys here got excited and I recalled you lot had shop set up in this here town.
"No time like the present to drop in. And between you, me, and the antiques, I think my critters are missing those magic powers they had back then," the farmer stated, reminiscing on the adventure his family had gotten caught up in. Eggbert, the noble rooster, chose that moment to flap off the farmer's head and land on the desk, upsetting some of the Hana Fuda cards.
"Oh, did I interrupt a card game? Well deal me in fellas, I've been a regular shark around the table in my day," MacDonald declared, pulling up a chair and gathering the cards up in a deck with expert ease. Tohru sighed while Jackie forestalled Uncle exploding.
"I am sorry but this is not a good time-" Jackie began.
"You're right, Eggbert, something's missing. Where that little ball of energy shaped like a girl?" the Farmer ignored Jackie in favor of the rooster.
"Jade is… she is back in Hong Kong," Jackie lied, seeing no reason to get a good man mixed up in their mess.
"The old country? That's a darn shame. I know Mordecai had his heart set on seeing her again. Eggbert too; she has more of touch with animals than all of you put together," MacDonald commented, dealing out the cards.
"Where do you put the stupidly big bag of rice?" Viper asked, stepping out of the kitchen. Farmer MacDonald looked at the pretty young woman coming into the room and cocked an eyebrow before looking to Tohru and then settling on Jackie. He gave a small smile before taking his hat off and combing his gray hair back with his hand. A rather redundant act, since he replaced the cap on his head before stepping up to Viper, holding out his hand.
"I don't believe I've had the pleasure ma'am, the name's Al MacDonald, blue ribbon farmer," he told her.
"Viper, I'm a thief," she told him, much to Jackie's distress.
"With a name like that I'm not surprised you'd end up on the wrong side of the law. Blasted hippy generation saddling their kids with strange names," MacDonald nodded his head. Viper was grinning in amusement.
"So, what brings Al MacDonald off his farm?" Viper asked.
"Aiyaa!" Uncle cried as Mordecai nearly toppled a shelf. Viper moved to help, while Jackie was stopped by the farmer grabbing his arm and dragging him into the kitchen.
"Well Jackie I must say my hat's off to you, fine catch you got there," MacDonald beamed, pulling up on his straps some.
"Catch?" Jackie asked as he turned his attention to the still unattended rice bag.
"Your girl," MacDonald clarified, causing Jackie to drop the bag he had just started lifting.
"What? !" Jackie cried. Now the farmer frowned, adjusting his cap.
"You mean you haven't reeled her in yet?" he demanded.
"She's a thief, I'm an archaeologist," Jackie pointed out, not wanting to be rude by calling the idea outright crazy.
"So she's Catwoman to your Batman; and you know what? Batman's still single. You seem to have trouble with the ladies, miniature and otherwise. But since you're a hero of some sort I'll help you out," the farmer decided.
"What?" Jackie asked, thoroughly confused.
"There's a good starting place; a woman likes a steady man, a rock. You fly off the handle worse than Eggbert," the farmer pointed out.
"I am not looking for a girlfriend," Jackie asserted.
"Why not, you ain't getting any younger. Besides, your lifestyle probably requires a girl that's dangerous," Farmer MacDonald insisted.
"I thought you came for tractors?" Jackie moaned; it clearly was going to be one of those days.
"Aiyah!" Uncle cried from the main shop. Jackie held up a hand, excusing himself to see if he was needed for damage control.
The only mess he found though was the cards scattered on the floor, the rooster on the counter likely the cause. Three cards were glowing and started to fill in.
"Hey, I saw magic cards on those Japanese cartoons the nephew likes so much. What kind of critters you have in 'em?" Farmer MacDonald asked.
Later:
Jackie and Viper made their way through the Museum of Natural History. The displays of long perished beasts' remains and recreations of past eras cast a spooky aura over the establishment. Though the thief and reluctant adventurer were quite immune to such from their own experiences. Their flashlights cut through the darkness, marking their attention as they searched.
"I could see a mask in a museum, that's what happened in Japan after all. But why here? This is science, not history," Viper asked. Tohru was waiting outside; a back up while Uncle was preparing a second helping of the removal potion, just in case, before joining them. Jackie hoped neither wizard would find it necessary to enter the museum.
"They may have something on cultures, or it could be a decoration in someone's office. The cards don't lie, it's here," Jackie assured her.
"Well 'here' covers a lot of ground. And when Jade shows up she can sniff it out or something and we have to deal with another thug with-" she cut herself off as Jackie killed his flashlight from examining a T-Rex skeleton. She heard it too – someone… no, several someones coming.
Jackie moved to hide behind one of the T-Rex legs while Viper slipped behind an educational display with a cartoon purple dinosaur displayed on it. Both watched intently as a faint outline appeared.
Too big for Jade, too small for Hak Foo, an Enforcer, or one of Jade's favored Shadowkhan, they decided. Their intense squinting followed the figure to the wall and then blinded them as the lights flipped on.
"Ah!" they both exclaimed, slipping from their hiding places in a combination of small pain and bigger surprise.
"Well that's better. There you are, hope we're not interrupting. Ah well, museum's not appropriate place for stuff like that anyway," Farmer MacDonald mused as Eggbert rode through the entranceway on Mordecai.
"I thought we ditched him?" Viper asked Jackie, glancing his way. Fortunately the farmer was oblivious and did not hear her.
"We lost track of ya for a bit there, but luckily Moredcai has some truffle boar in him. That boar was blue ribbon too," the farmer boasted as the hog let out a squeal as if in agreement. Tohru walked in, sending an "I'm sorry smile" to the thief and hero.
"Please, we are in the middle of something," Jackie tried to reason with the farmer, who was now taking in the exhibits casually.
"I'll say, but the more the merrier," Jade calked out. Everyone's attention slipped to the entrance beyond the T-Rex, where Jade stood flanked by Right and Hak Foo. Viper was the only one to notice the hand fans tucked into her belt, shifting her stance a bit in case it was a new trick they would have to deal with.
"Jade," Jackie greeted her as she smiled, walking into the room. She glanced up at the huge skeleton as Scruffy scampered past her to sniff at its colossal toes.
"Don't let him chew on the artifacts!" Jackie objected reflexively. Jade snickered at that, and threw back her hood. She smirked, the light catching her scarred brow as her eyes seemed to brighten for a moment.
"Jackie, you can't order me around, much less my dog. If he wants that pile of bones I'll have it wrapped up and set for him. I'm that cool of a master," Jade remarked.
"Spoiling your animals doesn't make ya a good keeper. It's knowing when to indulge them and when to push 'em that makes ya good," Farmer MacDonald intruded on the discussion.
"Well, if it isn't the farmer, and some of the other mascots. It's been awhile, how's the farm life treating you?" Jade asked, without any real hostility.
"Good enough; you've gone all Darth Vader I see, with one of them Emperor hoods too," the farmer answered in a like manner.
"Nonsense, I'm neither burned nor wrinkled," Jade dismissed the notion, waving her hand in front of her chest.
"Yet, that wizard was ugly as heck, and everything about dark magic and stuff says it comes back to bite you the end. Playing with fire's a lot like playing with darkness I imagine," the farmer pointed out, adjusting his cap. Jade's eyes narrowed and the atmosphere grew tense. It seemed the banter phase of the encounter was over.
"Find the mask," Jade told her minions as she rose into the air, kicking up some dust. The pointy smile she gave the heroes was blatantly malevolent as she pulled out the fans from her belt.
"You should be pleased Jackie, I've been studying," Jade told them, flipping the fans open. Tohru felt a willy and realized what had been feeling off.
"Jackie, those fans are magic!" Tohru warned him. Jade smirked wider and lashed out, slashing the air with the right fan. A black crescent erupted in its wake and shot outward. With a cry of surprise, Jackie leapt from its path as the energy destroyed a caveman exhibit.
"So much for evolution," the farmer commented, still unphased. Jade popped up next to him, looking thoughtful.
"Eh, I prefer creation stories anyway, magic and all," Jade added, before smacking him over the head with a closed fan. With a pained grunt, the farmer grabbed his head as Tohru stepped up, reaching for Jade while his free hand held a charged blowfish.
Jade spun the left hand fan, tossing it into the air like boomerang with it striking the sumo's nose before returning to hand. Rubbing his nose, he saw Jade was gone.
"No more backfires; it really does help to read the manual. Who knew?" Jade laughed, revealing herself to be sitting on top the T-Rex skull.
She saw Hak Foo fighting Jackie amidst another skeleton, while Right was being harassed by Viper pelting onions. She frowned when he turned his attention to the thief; she had told him to focus on the mask. Her reprimand died in her throat when the farmer spoke up again.
"Didn't you fellas say something about a mask?" he asked, holding up the yellow mask from the rubble of the exhibit Jade had destroyed. He held everyone's shocked attention, until Jade broke from the surprise.
"No way… GET HIM!" Jade bellowed. She sent another shadow crescent at the farmer, only for it to be split by Tohru's chi blast, barely cracking the floor where the two halves hit.
"They mustn't get that mask," Tohru told the farmer as he shifted into a side-guarding stance. Jade stood up and stepped off the T-Rex head, floating down as a nonexistent wind seemed to blow about her. Her attention was on him, not the mask.
"Fan vs. fish; I wasn't planning on an early showdown but if you insist…" Jade growled.
"Rabbit leaps over rock!" Hak Foo cried, landing between Tohru and the farmer. Tohru made to turn but a new crescent of shadow forced him to split Jade's magic again.
"You're one of those colorful kind of characters," Farmer MacDonald commented, backing up as Hak Foo advanced on him.
"Crow pecks hay seed!" Hak Foo shouted, leaping with one hand pulled back for a strike. Before he could connect, a rooster plowed into his face. Landing poorly, he tore the chicken from his face.
"I'll take that, thank you!" Jackie apologized, plucking the mask from MacDonald's hand and running for the exit.
"Hey! Running away is no way to impress a lady!" the farmer objected.
"But keeping dark forces from mask is," Uncle shot back, taking issue with the outsider usurping his nagging rights. The old chi wizard fired off his own chi blast as he walked into the chamber the way Jade had come. Jade turned and opened a fan and swat it aside, destroying yet another exhibit.
"Ha! It's not just a killer offense it great de-!" Jade was cut off as Tohru took advantage of her distraction to nail her with a chi blast of his own. Jade fell back at the strike and hit a support for the gigantic dinosaur display, bending it. Flexing her back, Jade pulled herself out of the dent and brushed her hood back, opening her vision a bit wider. She glanced to Right pursuing Jackie and keeping him from escaping, while Hak Foo battled Viper, damaging more museum property than the thief.
"Bull in China shop," Jade snickered at the vandalism. Her expression grew serious at the two wizards moving to flank her, chi spells charged.
"Villain rants, I really need to stop doing that," Jade admonished herself. At some unseen signal, both wizards fired off their green spells and Jade spun her fans opened. The spells rebounded from her whirl, striking the skeleton supports before she landed in a crouch and sheathed her fans like a gunslinger.
"See? The right accessory trumps seafood. What did you think to accomplish with that anyway?" Jade mocked. Then the supports started to groan, drawing all three magic users' attention up as the skeleton began to fall.
"Oh," a wide-eyed Jade whispered, pulling her hood back up. The skeleton collapsed on her, to the horror of the heroes as dust rose from the fall.
"Jade!" Jackie and Tohru screamed in tandem. Tohru rushed to the ancient bones and began tossing them aside, while Jackie looked on in shock, until a sharp kick from Right sent the mask out of his hand and spinning through the air.
Viper reeled back from a successful head-butt from Hak Foo.
"Mongoose strikes cobra!" Hak Foo prepared to follow up, before seeing the mask flying through the air.
"Terrier chases bird!" he called out, leaving Viper to pursue his true quarry. Snatching the mask from the air, he ran to the remaining skeleton and hastily climbed away from all potential hazards to his wearing it.
"Monkey gets his fruit!" Hak Foo declared atop the skull, bringing the mask to his face.
Right's spinning kick struck Hak Foo's hand, sending the mask flying as the mercenary cried out. To the flame haired man's credit, the cry was more outrage than pain.
Jackie and Viper scrambled for the spot the mask was heading for. Viper altered her course a bit, accounting for the slide when it hit, only for the sound of wood on tile to never come. A pair of blue hands burst from the ground and caught the mask from the air. Jade's head followed the hands as she rose from the shadow cast by Right above. The heroes skidded to a halt as Jade brushed her hair some and pulled her hood back up.
"Well, that was a close shadow dive, and to think I thought you a tamed giant Tohu," Jade grinned. Her eyes glittered with amusement as the chi wizard turned to look at her unharmed, still holding a large rib.
"Left, Scruffy!" Jade called out, following with a whistle. With a bark, the faithful mutt ran up to his master, abandoning the dinosaur bone he had been licking. Left dropped from the ceiling, a dog carrier of all things tucked under his arm.
"Good boy! I apologize in advance for this," Jade cooed to Scruffy, kneeling to pet the dog with her free hand. As if he understood her words, he cocked his head, puzzled. Jade froze for a moment, long enough for Viper to guess what was going to happen. Before the thief could act or warn anyone though, Jade moved, slapping the mask on her dog's face.
Left was quick, snatching up the dog the instant the mask made contact, and hastily, but gently as ordered, shoving it into the metal dog carrier. Jade reached out to close the door and lock it into place, wincing back as her fingers started to steam at the touch.
"What are you doing kid?" Viper demanded. Jade regarded Viper, seeming a bit offended at the tone.
"Learning from mistakes," Jade shrugged.
"Animal testing! Lousy way to treat a fine dog," the farmer stepped up, looking quite angry for once.
"I was using people, what are you on about?" Jade asked, her tone suggesting not caring.
"A good dog's faithful, but they ain't stupid. If you're not worth the trouble they won't stick around, specially if it's for your own good," MacDonald declared. Jade raised an eyebrow at that and stepped back into Left's shadow, sinking into it out of sight. The ninja leapt back into another shadow and vanished with his cargo.
"I wanted that mask," Hak Foo growled from where he laid. Right planted a foot on him and the two sank into the shadows.
"Get over it," Right suggested before vanishing.
Windsor Mansion:
The Enforcers shifted warily on their feet as the dog carrier jerked around on the conference table, the demon dog within clearly taking exception. The booming roars from such a small container were particularly creepy. Hak Foo fumed quietly against a wall, radiating nothing so much as discontent. Blankman stood near the Enforcers, though unlike them he seemed unfazed, holding a briefcase in one hand and the other tucked behind his back, as was his habit.
Jade sat at the head of the table, her elbows on the polished wood, her head resting on her laced fingers, watching the struggle with clear amusement as her bodyguards stood at her sides.
"Jackie was right, planning ahead does pay off," she commented.
Standing up on her chair, Jade pulled out her right fan and began to wave it about calmly as she chanted. While the words began to blur together, the fan moved steady and rhythmic, kicking up a gentle wind that could have been pleasant had those in attendance not guessed it heeded something. The chanting stopped and Jade snapped the fan closed, smashing the energy on it together. It escaped in a black bolt that twisted in the air to pass through the barred entrance of the carrier.
"If you can hear me, stop messing around and talk. You're not getting out of there without my leave," Queen Jade laughed.
Surprising to everyone, even her, the container actually stopped shaking, facing away from her.
"Would you mind turning me around?"
Jade grinned, revealing a row of pointy teeth and nodded to Right. The Shadowkhan gingerly grabbed the unmarked handle and lifted the carrier slightly to turn it. Jade noted his care; Left had not seemed so concerned with the thing, he certainly had not reacted like her to Verde's magic. These thoughts were driven from her mind by the sight of the Oni hound now facing her behind bars.
He was not recognizable as her faithful Scruffy. He was larger for one, an uncomfortable fit in the carrier. The mask had fused, giving him a black face and too large mouth with black horns. And oddly enough, the changes carried over to the rest of the body with a mane of sorts and the gray fur turned yellow.
Was it because of Scruffy's own magic, or could the masks more easily overwrite animals than humans, Jade wondered?
"Good evening, General," Jade dipped her head in respect. It sat awkwardly on its haunches, the size up making it crammed in quarters; still it was clearly trying to bring some dignity to the table.
"Greetings, young General. I could say the same, but your hospitality leaves something to be desired," the General spoke with some refined tone. Jade doubted its sincerity, though it was nice the spell she slapped together from the teachings worked.
"Well, I have had some issues with colleagues stabbing me in the back, so some precautionary measures seemed prudent. You did wake up in quite a mood yourself after all," Jade pointed out. She leaned back in her throne; it felt good to be in control of the situation.
"Moving from one imprisonment to another is quite frustrating, I'm sure you'll find," the General grumbled. Jade chuckled at that, no one else sharing her amusement.
"That, is something I don't intend to find out. But it brings me to why I wanted to talk with you," Jade leaned forward, peering directly into the cage.
"The King has instructed us not to follow Kaito and Ikazuki's example; in the event of taking full control of host we are to treat you as a peer until the quest is complete and a more permanent arrangement can be reached," he told her. He didn't sound too pleased, which was either very good or very bad.
"Does he? How generous, and how obedient you are to a fellow captive," Jade leaned back. Her hand rose – once it would have brushed her bangs, but now it was unobstructed, a knuckle instead tracing her scar along her brow.
"He remains king, and he would like you to release Ikazuki," the General pressed.
"I like Ikazuki where he is; any pacts would be dependent on him being free to make them and he is strong enough to ensure they favor him. Why should I open the door up for repeat?" Jade asked.
"The King's prison grows weaker, you could speak with him on the astral twilight for further assurance," the dog General supplied. Jade pretended to consider that before answering.
"How about another offer? One from me to you?" Jade inquired. The General sensed he was finally getting to the heart of the matter.
"I'm listening," the General answered.
"Good, because I hate to repeat myself, especially to a captive audience," Jade grinned wide, showing off her pointed teeth.
"You and your fellows weren't always masks correct?" Jade asked.
"You know damn well-" the demon dog growled.
"Exactly, so this begs the question, why are you now reduced to dependence on lesser beings? Under whose banner did you march into this situation?" Jade continued. She lifted an eyebrow to the General, who frowned deeper.
"The King's," he answered.
"And your answer when you get free is to follow him again, a fine prospect for a dark and shady future," Jade exclaimed mockingly.
"And you think you could do better?" the General asked, with equally civil tones.
"Well, I did play a vital role in defeating the Demon Sorcerers, Daolon Wong, and numerous lesser troublemakers. And that was when I was only human. I've been able to keep this operation going despite some setbacks too. Not too mention I actually have some idea how the world works these day.
"How's that for a résumé against a king who gets you reduced to accessories?" Jade inquired.
"And what would I get out of your rule?" he asked, affecting boredom. Jade smiled, revealing her own set of pearly white pincers again.
"Aside from the benefits of success, if I don't live up to the hype it would probably be easier to overthrow me and sit yourself on the throne," Jade offered.
"Huhuhuhu, a bold one. His Majesty made similar promises once, I recall. Very well, if you gain further support for this I will support you. But only if you also first gain the tablets," the General decided.
"Care to tell me where they are?" Jade asked hopefully.
"That would hardly make for a good test," the General smirked at her.
"Fair enough, I suppose. For now we need to get you off my dog and on the redhead," Jade decided. And she had just the location in mind to draw Jackie and company out.
"Might I suggest the alliance terms be put down in writing?" Blankman spoke up. He had already opened his briefcase to layout papers and pens. Jade suppressed a groan at more paperwork, was it really necessary?
Uncle's Rare Finds:
"You did what! ?" Jackie's scream nearly rattled the pawnshop shelves. Farmer MacDonald gave his foot a light kick.
"Quit your bellyaching, the ladies don't like a guy who makes a fuss. Less it's them he's making a fuss over," the farmer conceded.
"Aiyah!" Uncle yelled, grabbing a vase from the air it had been floating in. Bad enough to have animals in the shop, but enchanted noble animals were even worse.
"You really should have asked us about this," Tohru stated, emerging from the back with a vial of the new removal potion; you could never have too much of it. Viper looked slightly offended at the comment, before deciding to have some fun at Jackie's expense, crossing the room to lean into the archaeologist's comfort zone.
"It's a good idea, you have to admit, and since you would have said no, I thought it was better to seek forgiveness than permission. Am I not forgiven?" Viper asked, leaning closer as Jackie edged away. A rather impressive and amusing display.
"Don't play hard to get, that's her part," the farmer griped.
"Bah, man should get women to chase him, pursuit lacks dignity," Uncle jabbed as he held his broom threateningly as Eggbert floated past.
"Captain Black is already bending the rules by letting you travel with us, and now you steal from the vault!" Jackie moaned, taking a seat wondering how he would justify this to his friend, who would in turn have to explain it to his skeptical superiors.
"I only took the two… by the way, is there a blast door or something on that demon? Listening to him rant was the worst part," Viper answered Jackie, taking a seat next to him.
"Besides, I guarantee Jade won't see this coming – barnyard air force. Whatever Shadowkhan she has this time – or have her – won't be prepared for two mystic animals," Viper pointed out.
"Except she has a noble animal wearing an Oni mask," Jackie deadpanned. His phone rang and he could guess who was calling.
"Captain Black, I can explain… what? !" Jackie went from apologetic to alarmed in his trademarked manner.
Moose World:
'Bat Khan, awesome,' Jade had thought when the General revealed his troops. They were certainly impressive. Thy were fairly close in build to her own ninja, but thinner, and they had bat like wings on their backs and a more streamlined look overall.
And they could fly. They could fly very well.
Jade inhaled the contents of the souvenir large soda, watching the last of the people flee. It was quite fun to watch these dark force events when you weren't on the receiving end, she decided.
The aspiring General of Shinobi was seated on a concession stand counter, her hood pulled back as she helped herself to the stock of the stand. Considering all the money she had spent at Moose Worlds, or rather Jackie's money, she figured this was owed.
"It is an impressive sight," she thought aloud as the now enlarged demon dog landed at the apex of a roller coaster and roared, shaking the structure. Hak Foo grunted, leaning to her left.
"Oh, quit your whining, with all this chaos the cavalry will storm in here any second and rip off the mask, and then you get your shot at the big time," Jade rolled her eyes.
"Order up!" Ratso called, coming up to the counter from the kitchen with a tray loaded with goodies. Jade took the lion's share, while Chow and Ratso grabbed their own food. Blankman was sitting things out again, but Jade now wondered if her Shadowkhan ate? She decided to ask them after this business was wrapped up.
"Hey, if this drags out, why don't we grab some free rides?" Ratso suggested. Jade brightened at the idea, but before she could respond Chow spoke up.
"Chans at twelve o'clock!" he exclaimed. Jade turned the way her shortest Enforcer was pointing and sure enough the 'good guys' were walking down the pedestrian lane. That was a bit strange, she noted. Scarfing a final chili dog and chasing it down with a swig of soda, she walked out into the lane to face them.
"Playing hooky to go to a theme park, you haven't changed that much Jade," Viper pointed out.
"I don't know whether to be insulted you didn't put in the effort to sneak up, or flattered that you realized it would be futile getting the drop on ninja," Jade shot back, deciding to overlook some facts in the bargain.
"Call it off Jade, you're endangering people," Jackie demanded, pointing to the Oni hound that had perched on a nearby roller coaster arch, surrounded by a row of Bat Khan.
"Jackie, do you really think that kind of argument would work? How did you ever get by without me?" Jade shook her head. She turned her head as her Shadowkhan strode out of the shadows to stand behind her.
"You guys stay out of this, I want to see how I hold up against them now that I have the spell issues sorted out," Jade spoke over her shoulder to her bodyguards and minions.
"They are four, and two are wizards, my Queen," Left spoke up. Jade raised an eyebrow; bowing their heads they both leaped backward into the shadows.
"You think a few days reading a tablet makes you a wizard, Jade?" Uncle demanded, sounding a bit offended.
"Nope," Jade answered. Striking a one-footed stance, she swung her right fan, putting her whole body into the motion, a crescent of darkness filling the street as it rushed toward the heroes.
"That does," Jade clarified. The two wizards drew their puffer fishes and fired off green chi, canceling out the spell with a small whirlwind kicking things up before the air cleared. And showed Jade to be nowhere in sight.
She stood on the scaffolding of the roller coaster, the Oni hound perched just above her. She could tell they hadn't spotted her yet; oh wait, now they had, she amended to herself.
"I will not be caught willingly, I have my pride," the General growled.
"Fine, no sense making this easy. Once they tip their hand and break out the potion we'll steal it and one of my men can do the switch," Jade sighed. That wasn't quite true. She wouldn't mind letting Jackie think he won only to snatch her own victory. Besides, the more Jackie seemed a threat, the more value she would gain among the Generals.
With a roar, the Bat Khan took flight, closely followed by their General. At least with Scruffy immortal she didn't have to worry about the General's recklessness hurting him. Speaking of hurt, she grinned as she slipped back into the shadows.
She emerged in the shadow of a moose statue on a rooftop and casually walked out onto a flagpole flying the Marvin Moose banner. Ninja balance, gotta love it, she thought as she looked down on the battle below.
The Bat Khan were pursuing Jackie and Viper as planned, leaving the wizards to provide cover fire as Jackie fought them off and Viper led a squad off into the stands.
"I'll see you anti-aircraft fire, and raise you a sniper," Jade smiled, raising her fans. They had lost track of her again, wide open, this was going to be-
Her thoughts were cut off as the Khan harassing Jackie poofed.
"What?" Jade sputtered. The wizards hadn't done that; they could only pick them off one at a time. A new spell, she wondered.
"What nonsense is this? !" the airborne General roared. Jade looked to where the Oni hound was in the air and saw of all things a rooster riding a bored looking pig up to face it.
"What? When?" Jade tried to process what she was seeing. They actually pulled off a great tactic like this? This was her forte! How could they even come up with this sitting in their little boxes? !
The General flapped up away from a heat blast from Mordecai only to be arrested in his flight; that would be Eggbert Jade thought. The General struggled in the air until Mordecai took a well-placed shot, sending the demon reeling. Until Eggbert caught and held him in place again.
"They're noble animals! Don't fight head on, gang up!" Jade yelled out.
"I see you liked my surprise Jade, here's another," Viper said from her spot on the roof ledge behind Jade, the would-be Queen realized that she had lost track of the thief for quite some time.
Jade turned from the pig-rooster air fighter to face the new threat. Too late, her fans held out were too distant to shield her face as Viper's onion struck home. One couldn't get used to this feeling; her eyes felt like they were burning, and the streams of juice on her face left itching in their wake.
With a high pitched roar, Jade lashed out blind with her fans, the second strike cutting through her flagpole perch rather than striking Viper. And just like that she was falling.
Thank gods for levitation, she managed to think as she slowed her descent enough to just roll off the fall. The burning faded, but she still couldn't see. The Queen felt a shadow to her left, warm and inviting, promising a swift purge of the vile weed blocking her vision and burning her eyes.
She scampered, not quite coming to her feet in her eagerness to escape the pain. Thus distracted, she did not realize she was pursued until a giant hand closed on her cloak. Whirling and setting herself spinning in the air, Jade reached for the clasp. Too slow this time. A powerful arm pressed her against a hardened chest; she was in Tohru's hold and he was taking no chances.
Jade hissed, trying to glare through the skewered vision of vague shapes and shades.
"I have super strength remember? !" Jade hissed. Bracing her feet against Tohru, she struggled against the hold. The sumo's hold loosened, then slowly tightened. Stunned amazement momentarily distracted her from the pain on her face.
"How! ?" Jade demanded, practically spitting the word.
"You're still a child Jade. Even with super strength, you are still not stronger then me," Tohru stated determinedly. Jade gave another high-pitched roar at this turn of events. Something hit Tohru; he cried out in pain and his grip loosened, just enough.
Queen Jade broke free; she didn't bother trying to get up, scampering on hands and knees to the shadow and diving into it.
The warmth washed over her, affirming her escape into her element, as if in answer to her pain a tendril embraced her face, consuming the vile substance and rubbing away the irritation. The sight of the swirling shades of darkness was welcome. She frowned, realizing she had dropped her fans, probably when Tohru grabbed her. Jade willed her destination to be close to them as she left the shadows to return to the battle.
Tohru heard something snap in the Bat Khan and found himself holding smoke. Stepping out of the rapidly dissipating cloud, he saw Jade was gone.
Meanwhile:
"How can I hold her?" Tohru pondered. The masks were a problem, but curing Jade was his goal, and to do that they needed her. Spotting something to the side, he saw a steel dog carrier of all things lying on the ground.
"Wait, I've seen this before," the wizard realized. Picking up the cage he squinted at the inscriptions, his eyes alight in recognition.
Nearby:
Jackie cried out as the Bat Khan granted his request to let go, leaving him to plunge to the ground stories below. He looked around frantically for something to arrest or break his fall; no such luck for once.
Closing his eyes in anticipation of impact, he realized it should have happened already. He opened one eye to see the ground an arm's length below him as he hung in the air.
"Okay, it was a good idea," Jackie readily conceded. As if that was a cue, the talisman power lifted and he dropped.
Jackie took a deep breath, muttering thanks to Mordecai and Eggbert before getting to his feet. The Bat Khan were thinning out; the demon General seemed more focused on his dogfight with the noble animals than replenishing his army. But one roar and they would be back to square one. A roar seemed to answer his thoughts, but no Khan rose from the shadows – one of the demon's wings was burning and it crashed into a stand, scattering moose plushies everywhere.
Deciding it was now or never, Jackie pulled out the vial Uncle had given him and poured out its contents on his hands. He broke into a run as the demon shook off the debris; ears perking up, it turned to face him.
Red eyes widened at the sight of his glowing hands, as Uncle started to chant and Tohru protected his sensei from stragglers. Flexing a newly grown wing, the possessed dog leapt into the air.
"Bad dog! Heel!" Jackie called after it almost reflexively… only for it to slam into the ground at his feet. He looked up to see the barnyard duo looking down on him.
"You've gotten better at that," Jackie complimented the stoic rooster.
"Jackie! Mask now!" Viper called as she jumped down from a stall top. Jackie grabbed the horns as the demon struggled against the telekinesis of the rooster. Letting out a roar, a dozen new Bat Khan rose from the shadows.
"Destroy him!" the General bellowed. The Khan took flight, claws outstretched. The animal duo spun in a circle, mowing down the first rank even as they lost their hold on the General, who reared back with Jackie still holding onto his horns.
It kicked and bucked, trying to throw Jackie off as the mask loosened. That same momentum, as the hero held on, gave the last bit needed.
"NOOO!" the General cried out as the mask slipped away from the face beneath. Jackie fell backward as the dog shrank. The horns he was holding also shrank, letting the mash slip from his grip.
Landing hard on his back, Jackie rubbed the back of his head, and realized his hand was empty. A light bark told Jackie he had succeeded in removing the mask. Sitting up, his jaw almost dropped when he saw how very close he was to being back to square one.
"Scruffy no, bad dog!" Jackie called out as the dog ran off with the mask. Viper looked up from the recovering Enforcers and saw what the commotion was about… they really needed to send that dog to obedience school. The thief's instincts snapped and her right hand smacked to her belt over Jade's hand, about to pluck the fans away.
"Not bad kid, but still not good enough," Viper declared, meeting Jade's frown with one of her own.
"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Jade answered. Her lips twitched up revealing a single fang. Viper pulled her hand way, not quite sure why, but the dark energy that erupted from the fans on her belt shocked her regardless. The thief fell to her hands and knees as Jade pulled her fans loose.
"These aren't some treasure you can swipe, these are mine in a very mystical sense," Jade explained. Leaving Viper panting, she stepped out into the thoroughfare and saw Scruffy doing some keep away with Jackie.
'Where's Hak Foo?" Jade wondered, before dismissing the idea.
She was pleased to see Scruffy had the mask and was not responding to Jackie's enticements.
"Good Scruffy, here boy!" Jade called out. Scruffy put down the mask and looked from it to his blue master with glowing red eyes, and back to the mask. Then he looked to Jackie.
"Scruffy, what's the hold up?" Jade asked, confused. Her dog wasn't one to just sit around. Jackie was silent, daring to hope what he thought was going to happen would. Scruffy gave a whine, looking to Jade before picking up the mask and running to Jackie. Jade's jaw dropped, a good bit more than was normal.
"Good dog," Jackie took the mask, petting the noble animal's head. It was as much a statement as a compliment. Farmer MacDonald's warning words drifted back to Jade, but were quickly burned away by swelling anger.
"TRAITOR!" Queen Jade bellowed. She pivoted on the spot, putting all her weight behind swinging the fans as her anger poured into them. It was only slightly larger than normal, but far darker and swifter. Jackie leapt up into a stand, which collapsed when the wave hit it, but he fell in its wake as it carved a path of destruction through Moose World.
And amidst the destruction, Scruffy sat unharmed, though his head was lowered, looking at her as if… as if she had just done what she did.
"I…" Jade whispered, her arms falling limply to her side as her brain failed a gearshift. Thus disarmed of wits, she didn't notice the giant sneaking up behind her until he was ready to strike. Looking up out of instinct, she was confused by what she saw before the opened dog carrier slammed down on her.
"Oh, that's not good," Chow remarked, peering around a stand with the other Enforcers.
"She should have given me the mask," Hak Foo stated. The mercenary leaned against the back of the stand the Enforcers were hiding behind.
"Yeah, telling us to sit out, not one of her better ideas," Finn agreed.
"Bad ideas happen – I once tried to grow a mohawk in high school," Ratso spoke up.
Back in the street, Tohru flipped the carrier over, revealing Jade's feet kicking in the opening. Tohru slammed the grated door shut, forcing her feet into the warded container.
"Hey, let me out! You think this can hold me? !" Jade's muffled cries rose from the carrier.
"You thought it could hold a General," Tohru answered as he smashed the lock, muttering a spell to infuse some of his own chi magic in the process. He tucked it under his arm, giving a sigh of relief. He had done it.
Jade gave a muffled roar both in anger as her super strength refused to come, and for another purpose. This was far from over, she seethed.
"Tohru, behind you!" Viper cried out in warning as Left and Right sprang from the sumo's shadow. Uncle fired off a chi blast, only for Right to deflect it as Left leapt and struck the rear of the carrier with a kick. Sparks flew from his boot, but the carrier was sent skidding from the giant's grip onto the pavement.
"No!" Tohru bellowed. Left used his momentum to grab the large wizard's shoulder and propel himself up and over. Rolling on the ground, he snatched up the handle and ran for the nearest shadow. Ignoring the smoke rising from his hand, he dashed into the shadow and was gone.
"Don't get cocky; next time we pull out the stops," Right told the heroes before sinking back into the shadow.
Tohru fell to his knees, staring at the spot Left and Jade had disappeared into.
"I had her," he whispered as Jackie and the others walked up to him.
Windsor Mansion:
Finn had a GED. It wasn't something he thought about much, true; Ratso didn't have one and he had no idea where Chow stood. But once, the fact that unlike many flunky class crooks he had a diploma had been a point of pride.
Oddly enough, history had been his favorite class. After all, wars and the big shots of Christmas Past had at least the possibility of being entertaining. And there had been the chances for movies and documentaries – even if they were boring it at least gave a chance to sleep.
Right now though, he was trying to recall his unremarkable High School English experience. 'Cause frankly, he might be able to write a decent book with all the strange and exciting – but mostly strange – stuff he had run across over the years.
Case in point, the dog carrier covered in magic markings resting on the conference table. Which currently contained his boss, who was cramped in with her feet pushed against the door.
"GET ME OUT OF HERE!" Jade bellowed. The venom in her voice made the other Enforcers cringe, while Finn looked thoughtful, not intending to touch this problem with a meter stick.
Blankman had vanished shortly after their return, something about making a phone call. Hak Foo had vanished at some point, likely miffed about loosing another mask; Finn hadn't gotten a mask yet either, but he didn't keep whining about it. Left was examining the container, tapping it in places with the pommel of his right sword. Blue magic sparked up with each contact, the same as with their other efforts to destroy the magic box.
"What are you doing?" Right finally asked his brother.
"Locating a weak spot," Left answered simply, not lifting his attention from the task. Right nodded, accepting the statement.
"Hurry up, I need to use the toilet!" Jade roared. Half the double door opened, letting Blankman walk in and lean over to address Jade's feet.
"I am afraid Monsieur Verde seems to be out and about. He left no indication to his return. Without full knowledge of the shadow magic he employed, I am reluctant to mix my own magics," Blankman told her. She answered with a piece of profanity that made the Enforcers nearly blush.
The doors opened again and this time Hak Foo entered, holding a rock twice the size of his head.
"Otter cracks open oyster!" Hak Foo shouted, before Blankman grabbed his shoulders.
"Your enthusiasm is laudable, but perhaps Mr. Left's plan should be examined?" Blankman suggested. All eyes turned to Left, who sheathed his swords to pull out a stick of dynamite from his robes.
"Examination complete, carry on sir," Blankman let Hak Foo go as Right nicked the dynamite from a deflated Left.
"Where do ninjas get dynamite?" Finn asked the world.
"It's always the quiet ones," Ratso chimed in.
"What's going on? I can't see! I need to pee!" Jade yelled, muffled by the metal and her crammed body.
Elsewhere:
The streetlights hummed as they cast the sidewalks of the city in florescent light, sending the realm beyond their circles into deeper darkness. Beneath one such dispeller and deepener of darkness, two men stepped out of the night.
Monsieur Verde pushed up the brim of his hat with the fist of his healed hand. Its brief state of inaction had given him a new appreciation for a healthy state, and the painful injury and healing had given him a new priority.
But for now, he was amused and not showing it by the subject of his rendezvous. It was a bit nostalgic, taking him back to the cheap TV set of his childhood, watching Flash Gordon's adventures when his brothers were too busy to demand sports. It seemed ages ago, and absurdly near, in a way that had nothing to do with magic. And now, here he was, cutting a deal with Ming the Merciless' Goth twin.
'Dang, life is just chock full of surprising crap,' Verde thought to himself. The Asian dark wizard bowed slightly in greeting, hands pressed in front of his scrawny chest. Verde spruced up his own slight bow with a tip of his hat. Showmanship, he felt, was an essential part of a wizard's work and lifestyle.
"You are on time," the flashily dressed man with the goatee remarked. It didn't sound like a compliment, but Verde decided to treat it as one.
"Punctuality is a sign of respect, and I always respect business. It's what separates me from those self-destructive wannabes. But we both have places to be and questionable agendas to pursue. So let's dispense with the formalities," Verde cheerfully declared, tossing his hat back onto his head.
His fellow wizard nodded in approval, or acknowledgement, and reached up a billowing sleeve to pull out a single long white feather with the stained and pointed tip of a quill. Verde smiled still wider and took off his hat to pull out a tiny vial with a simple cork from its depths. Tilting it in the light, what appeared to be empty was revealed to contain a single tiny black hair.
"Hair of the shadow elemental that calls herself a queen. Acquired at no small personal discomfort I might add," Verde declared. He left out how this was a runner up prize to his true goal of binding her with a touch. Revenge would come later, especially on that pudgy nerd, but for now he needed more power before challenging that particular obstacle.
"The feather from the Shadow Man's hat. Not only worn, but also used to write his contracts. It is drawn to its master; with it you will be able to find the power of his essence," the royally attired wizard stated.
They took three steps forward and hastily exchanged the items, tensed for a backstab. They stepped back just as quickly, each examining their purchase from the trade.
"Happy hunting, Ming," Verde smiled before stepping back into the darkness, his shadow lingering for a moment to give a possibly mocking salute before following after. The other departed without comment or reaction, vanishing in a flare that erupted from one of his medallions.
And the world slumbered on, unknowing.
Uncle's Rare Finds:
The pig symbol flashed on the talisman and Jackie pulled it back from Mordecai's head. He gave a small sigh of relief as the power was returned to stone from the noble animal. The heroes stood in the shop, Viper holding the Rooster talisman to the bird itself perched on her shoulder, Farmer MacDonald lifting the once again flightless bird off it.
"Well Chans it was quite a time, but I got appointments to keep and greenhorns to leave in the dust at the pull," the farmer declared.
"Good riddance, Uncle's shop is not a barn," Uncle exclaimed, broom at the ready for any parting gifts.
"I'll say; I'd never keep this much junk in a good barn.
"Best of luck with the ladies Jackie, you're going to need it," he tipped his cap to Jackie. With a hand raised in farewell, MacDonald took his leave, the blue ribbon hog following him through the door.
"Tohru use the spray deodorant… Tohru?" Uncle called. Turning, he found he sumo sitting at the counter drawing on a piece of paper.
"Tohru?" Uncle inquired, looking at the strange designs his apprentice was creating.
"It may be dark magic, but it's our first clue on how to trap a high level Shadowkhan," Tohru explained as he drew what he could remember of the spells on the carrier. With this and the scrolls the Sages gave to him, he felt he was finally making headway rather than just chasing after Jade.
"Uncle does not know this magic," Uncle conceded, intrigued.
"So Jackie, looks like you're out of the matchmaker's line of fire," Viper remarked as Jackie watched the exchange between the wizards.
"And not a moment too soon," Jackie agreed wearily.
"Well, for what it's worth, I don't think you need help landing a girl," Viper told him. He looked to her a bit puzzled, but she only gave a sneaky smile he was learning to be wary of before making her own exit.
Windsor Mansion:
Jade sat in her bedroom, passing up the softness of her bed and chairs to prop herself against the wall, sitting with one leg straight on the floorboards, and the other folded before her. The air was heavy, and despite a shower she was near certain the smell remained. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and letting it out.
It didn't help.
She could not see the fans resting on her bed, sinking slightly under their weight, but she could feel them. It was powerful magic she was just tapping into; she was certain so long as she wanted them, she would be able to find them even if they vanished to the other side of the world. Her magic, not pilfered from someone else but made by and for her.
Yet it had fallen short. Jade had been defeated. She had pulled a victory eating the mask. She had been taken out by her own mistake and thus the blame for the defeat at the auto plant could be planted on Ratso. Ikazuki had been a tie, with her keeping the mask but unable to make use of it. For all her talk she had only gained the Teachings because for whatever reason its guardian had let her have it. But tonight, she had been involved from start to finish and had played the trump card to give herself a leg up.
And she had lost – her scheme had completely backfired. Scruffy betrayed her, unable to understand the complexity of her plan. Had she not made him immortal? He had never been in danger; it had to be foolishness on his part, for she was certain she had done nothing to warrant her dog's betrayal.
That alone twisted like a knife in her guts. No warm fuzziness was comforting her at the moment, after all.
But the list went on. Her new ally was defeated through use of her own scheme, something that could damage her credibility with the Generals. Her plot for a coup sitting her on the throne seemed more childish and less Machiavellian at the moment.
And of course, the reason she was in a bathrobe; Tohru had caught her in the cage she had built and trapped her in it. Being on the receiving end of twists out of a Saturday morning cartoon was not what she had in mind.
Her employees had failed at each turn to get her out. Faced with such a humiliation, Jade had given into instinct to escape. It had been an . . . interesting experience.
She had gnawed her way out, through the bittersweet metal, and forced herself out a hole barely big enough for her skull.
Frowning further, she pressed her right arm against her torso until she found the right spot and it snapped in, along with her shoulder.
Her still free hand ran over the slight seam marking the popped in appendage and her bizarrely compressed shoulder.
Growling, she grabbed at the seam and the arm popped back into place.
Contorting into a snake thing was not a pleasant surprise. In the astral world the change seemed permanent, and the thought of losing her limbs was something she was not ashamed of calling horrifying.
Her body was a mystery. She was a Shadowkhan, but how much did she know about what that meant? The Teachings dealt only with magic, and they were incomplete.
Left and Right had little to give; while seemingly born with skills and related knowledge, they knew little about their own anatomy, much less hers.
Maybe… maybe she should scale back her plans?
It was hardly what she would call Jade-like, but one thing Jackie had shown her which sticked was a need to change plans. Namely his own reluctance to adapt, in her opinion at least, made it a pit fall to avoid.
So perhaps it was time to review her situation?
Jackie, Tohru, and company were a constant. They simply would not stop hunting her as things were. Also, Viper made them far more effective than she had expected. Not to mention they might be a bit more motivated than usual with a fixation on "saving" her. Which amounted to her insider knowledge, while still being valuable, not the easy win ace she had been counting it as.
Moving on, the Shadowkhan.
The King was imprisoned. Perhaps she could bargain with him? She was certain her life span had increased dramatically; her ascension could be put on hold in order to learn and gain protection from magics like the one a hack like Verde had made. He had not been on Wong's level, yet he could weave a spell that could trap her like that.
Jade hated to admit it, but she was a rookie. Being under someone else was not something she wanted, but it could be a case of lesser evils here.
Yes, perhaps playing the General to this King was a good idea, for now. She wouldn't make the Demon Sorcerer mistake of reaching for the gold right out of the starting gate; unlike them she could learn the lessons of failure, bitter pills that they were.
But first she needed some collateral, proof of her value to secure at least a foreman position closer to Ikazuki's level that Kaito's. But what?
The tablets where a key, but she had on idea how to find them, hers gave no clue. She might end up having to wait until Jackie and company led her to them. Same for the masks, at least until she could approach the King with a deal. Which brought her back to square one. But when life boxes you in, start drawing circles, she thought deviously.
Still angry but with a new sense of satisfaction, Jade crawled into her bed, losing herself in it enormity. Jade, being a clever girl, to say the least, had the beginnings of her plan formed as she drifted off to a dreamless slumber.
Dedicated to Esmerelda 'Ezie', 1999-2010.
Faithful protector, Pursuer of Birds, and Devourer of Moles.
Rest in Peace dear girl.
AN: This one was for you my little furry fury.
Well this chapter was a long time in coming. Between Zim being delayed by RL and computer failure, writers block on my part, and Hunnic plot bunnies this was hard to get done. The farmer and Viper also gave me some grief, at least I think I've seen the last of one of them.
Anyway Jade has a case of highs and lows in this chapter as her goals shift yet again. Jade is to awesome to stick to a formula if it keep failing after all. Next chapter i think will be fairly easy, T-Troop was one of my least favorite episodes while I like Black Magic. Not to mention it was discussed with Nocturne and Zim at length whereas I ended up having to chip away t this chapter for stretches.
Now the chapter after that, 'A matter of Humanity', oh there is a project that makes me tingle. Its been a long time coming, frankly i am a bit nervous about being able to get it right.
In other PDJ news, the forum seems more active. I encourage people to browse the adoption thread. While there are great ideas there its real purpose is to see those ideas turn into stories. So if you find yourself interested please take a gander and consider adoption.