Welcome back everyone and Happy New Year! We're now in the year 2020 and with the new decade comes new opportunities, new ideas and many other exciting things to look forward to. I hoped to get some more chapters done when Finals were over, but life can be tricky like that sometimes. I bet that you guys are also ready for a new chapter. Before we get to that, let's answer some reviews.
Guest-Questioner: I'm glad you liked the previous chapter! I knew that I had to bring Rath in there because that episode was too perfect! Thanks for letting me know about the error.
Aztec 13: It was more of the Omnitrix correcting his DNA from the curse than anything else. It'll definitely be fun writing Hak Fuu fights with the way he is now.
With all that said, let's get on with the chapter! I don't own Ben 10, Jackie Chan Adventures or any of the other series that may appear in the story. I do own any OC characters, forms, objects and ideas unless credit is given.
San Francisco, California
It was a peaceful day in downtown San Fran. School had just gotten out, work had simmered down to a nice pace and traffic was nice and smooth. Teens could be found hanging out at the more popular spots as they enjoyed the peace of the evening. Even criminals seemed to be taking the day off. Everything was peaceful...
"BOOM!" The front of a neary bank practically exploded as the quiet air was shattered. A figure walked out of the newly made hole as the smoke began to dissipate. She was a fair skinned woman with blonde hair and brown eyes. Her outfit consisted of: a skin tight, black latex catsuit, complete with metal claws and pointed ears; high heeled boots; and a gold belt. In her right hand was a golden flower bud on a hilt and in her right hand was a large sack.
The girl purred as she looked to the weapon in her hand. She could see her own reflection in the bulb.
"Who knew the Kuzusu Atom would be so useful and fun?" asked the criminal. "I can vaporize anything in my way and not even put in much effort." The girl adjusted her bag in preparation to depart, but was cut off when a powerful gust of wind pushed her to the side. She cartwheeled to catch herself, but her bag fell to the ground. A sword gleaned from the light of the sun.
"Didn't anyone tell you crime doesn't pay Katnappe?" asked Raimundo as he adjusted the Sword of the Storm on his shoulder. The other monks stood behind him as they also brandished their signature Wu. "We're kind of in a hurry today, so why don't you hand over the Kuzusu Atom and put the money back? It's us against you." The feline villainess smiles as she purred.
"Actually, I think you'll like to meet my new boyfriend." The group looked to Katnappe with wide eyes.
"BOYFRIEND!?" shouted the group. A golden beam sent the group to the side. They rolled along the ground as the beam came to an end. A young teen with blonde hair, brown eyebrows and deep blue eyes walked out of the bank. He wore a grey sweater, white pants and black tennis shoes.
"Are these gymnasts bothering you Ashley dearest?" asked the boy. The villainess pouted as she nodded to her partner. The boy looked to the now standing Xiaolin Monks with slightly glowing eyes. "I'd usually ask if you'd like to surrender, but I see a demonstration is in order since you made my Diamond upset."
"You are bookers if you think you can pose a challenge to Xiaolin Dragons!" shouted Omi. Raimundo rolled his eyes as he looked away from the cheese ball.
"It's bonkers Omi." corrected the boy. The blonde villain didn't seem to care as he coated his hands in golden energy.
"No matter who you are, none can stand against the power of Michael Morningstar." The boy extended his power forward once again as the battle began. The monks scattered as the blast collided with a nearby wall. Katnappe aimed her Wu in an attempt to shoot Clay, but she was cut off by a kick from Omi.
The cowboy rushed forward with the Fist of Tebigong reared back. Morningstar held out his palm as he shot another golden beam forward. Clay punched at the energy as it hit him. This time, however, the beam did not stop. Clay felt his energy slowly fading away as his arm began to shake. Morningstar smiled as he closed his eyes, only to be caught off guard by a chop from Raimundo.
"That's what you get for being distracted niño!" The villain ended up crashing into a wall as his beam cancelled out. Clay fell on one knee as he clutched his head. The Brazilian monk turned to his companion, only for his face to twist in shock. "What the..."
"Orb of Tornami: Water!" roared Omi as he sent Katnappe flying once again. This allowed Kimiko to go for the Kuzusu Atom. She entered a tug of war with the villainess as they both grabbed the Wu. Omi prepared to join the assault, but he was suddenly grabbed from behind.
"You're a spirited little guy I'll give you that." stated Michael as he enveloped Omi in his energy. "Let's see how much you have." The two girls continued to battle over the Kuzusu Atom as they pulled tight. Katnappe growled as she began to sweat. Kimiko smiled as she began to feel less resistance.
It looked like the monk was about to win, when a flying yellow projectile knocked her away. The girl landed on her back as she groaned. She sat up as she noticed a familiar garbed cheese ball on the ground. What scared her, however, was that Omi was now like a yellow prune as he laid unconscious on the ground. She quickly rose to her feet as she ran for her friend.
"Omi!" cried Kimiko. She stopped in place as the Kuzusu Atom was pointed right at her. Michael sounded off his delight as he took a deep breath. She could tell that the boy had a new glow about him as he practically floated in the air.
"Those two were splendid appetizers." Clay stood up weakly, revealing his own wrinkled appearance. His blonde hair had turned gray from the absence of life. A thought crossed Raimundo's mind as he looked to the others. "Just imagine how much energy I'll get from absorbing your mana little dragon."
His hands glowed once again as he floated towards her. He reached out to engulf Kimiko in the same essence that drained the life from her friends.
"How about you don't and take a hike?" asked a voice from behind the villains. The duo turned around, but there was no one there. They continued to look around, but there was no person in sight. Michael turned to resume his work when a purple blast of energy sent him flying. Jade rose from the shadows with her fists and eyes aglow.
Michael rubbed his arm as he looked to the halfa. He looked over the girl with a smirk. "Aren't you two a little gapped in age to be boyfriend and girlfriend? Talk about a young cougar." Katnappe growled as she prepared the Kuzusu Atom.
"I'll show you a cougar you..." began the teen as her Wu glowed. A hand came out from the shadow of nearby rubble and grabbed at her leg. Ashley looked down at the appendage, screaming as she tried to kick it away. She fired the ancient weapon at the rubble, but the hand disappeared as quickly as it came. She backed up towards a nearby lamppost, confusing Michael.
"What is going on Ashley?" asked the boy. He was distracted long enough for Jade to get in a strong kick to the nose. She floated upwards as she charged more energy.
"Keep your eyes on your opponent." teased Jade as she shot the energy in different directions. Michael tried to block the shots with his energy, only succeeding with one of them. Jade then turned intangible as she flew into the ground once more. The life force thief looked around to try and find the halfa, but she was nowhere in... "Swing batta batta!"
The villain turned around as he was knocked away by a baseball bat. Katnappe continued to point the Kuzusu Atom around in an attempt to find the mysterious opponent. Shadewalker rose from the shadow of the lamppost, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. The cold touch sent shivers down her spine.
"What's the matter." asked the Omnitrix wielder. "Afraid of the dark?" Katnappe turned to fire the Wu, but missed as her opponent dived back into the shadows. They repeated this a few times, Shadewalker making sure to keep out of the way of the buildings and other public areas. A hard step caught her attention as she turned around.
"Don't freaking move!" cried the girl. Kevin stood by in his stone form as he looked her dead square in the eye. He didn't budge an inch he moved closer.
"You know, weapons like the one in your hands aren't made for idle threats." informed Kevin. Ashley shook in place as she tried to focus. "If you point that at someone, then you're intending to take their life." She gulped as she shook her head.
"I'll do it! Just stop!" Kevin got right up in her face as he grabbed her wrists. He pointed the weapon at his face as he smirked.
"Then do it. Prove that you're a cold hearted killer." Those words struck Ashley like a bullet. In that instant she dropped the Wu and began to struggle in his grasp.
"Let go of me you psychopath! I'm not a murderer! Just leave me alone!" Kevin smirked as he met her demand. This caused her to run into Kimiko's awaiting fist.
She fell on the ground unconscious. Kimiko looked to the boy with a stern frown. Kevin quickly raised his arms in defense. "What? I knew she didn't have the heart to do it."
"Don't think this is over Levin." threatened Kimiko as she picked up the Kuzusu Atom. Gwen shook her head as she put a hand on the boy's shoulder. He could see the frown on her face.
"What!?" Jade flew around as she dodged Michael's blasts. She almost felt like yawning as she looked down at him. Did this guy have to be so easy? The girl decided to make it go by faster and call in the...
Jade growled as she struggled. The Hogosha still weren't responding. It had been a month since she was shut off from them, and it was really starting to worry her. The girl had a close call as golden energy scraped her face. She looked down to shout at Morningstar, but ended up bumping into a wall.
"My how the tables have turned." stayed the villain as he stood in front of the falling Jade. The girl quickly slowed her decent as she neared the ground. "Who's losing focus now?" The boy grabbed her by the neck as he held her against the wall. "I wonder how your energy will taste little Amethyst."
"Paws off creep!" screamed yet another feminine voice. Green ghostly beams hit the boy in the side. He skidded to a halt as Dani landed in front of Jade. "Touch her again and the next one lands in the face!" Morningstar growled as he stood up.
"How many super powered brats are there in this city!?" Shadewalker stepped out of the shadows as the others gathered around Jade. She smirked as she looked to the villain.
"One whole team's worth." answered the halfa. "You can call us, the Fantastic Five!" Gwen raises her finger as she looked to the girl.
"I'm pretty sure that name is taken." informed the redhead. "You just added one person." Jade shrugged as she engulfed her hands in energy once more.
"Eh! We'll work on a name later. Right now let's get him!" Michael shook his head as he looked to the group.
"You haven't seen the last of me, you hear me?" growled the boy as he created a large flash of light. The group had to shield their eyes as the blonde made his escape. Katnappe was left behind, still sleeping on the ground. Dani looked around as she was the first one to open her eyes.
"He got away!" roared the girl. "If we hurry we can still..." Kimiko shook her head as she and Raimundo approached their teammates.
"Forget him!" argued the Xiaolin Dragon. "We need to get Clay and Omi back to Master Chan and the police are on their way. Willow, Shadewalker, we need you to use your Shadow Walking." The duo in question nodded as they made a nearby shadow enlargement and darken. The two conscious monks carried their allies through as the younger team followed them through the shadows.
Jade looked back as she looked at the other shadows. Something was still bothering her, but there was no time for that. She had to make sure the others were okay. She was the last one through as the shadows returned to normal. All the police found at the site was an unconscious cat burglar and a sack of stolen money.
Unknown Temple
Birds flew through the air as they sang their songs. Bees buzzed as they moved between the different flowers of the temple grounds. The red wooden posts that made up the temple gate stood tall and mighty as the strongest trees. A few young teens were currently practicing their stances as the sun shined above. One stuck his arm out further than the others, earning a slap to the forehead.
"Too far!" shouted Uncle as he glared at the boy. He was currently wearing white robbing with a light orange combat vest on top. "You leave yourself open to enemy attack!" A young blonde girl raised her arm quickly as if to block an opponent, meeting the same fate as the boy. "You must be faster if you are to succeed in combat!"
"Y...yes Master Chan." stated the girl as she resumed position. Uncle growled as he looked over the other students. He smacked another one in the head, keeping his arm prepped.
"Too low!" He moved on and smacked a few more on the head as well. "Too fast! Too sloppy! Too weak!"
One boy jerked as Uncle came upon him. He looked down at the boy with an evil eye. The child was strikingly similar to Omi, save for green shaded glasses and the white monk robes. He skipped over this boy as he rubbed his chin. The child sighed as he resumed his stance.
Uncle then turned as he stood in front of Tohru. "Numbers 13, 5, 32, 6 and 1 may take their leave!" The five called sounded off their disappointment as they took off. This left the young girl, the Omi lookalike, an elderly man and three other teens. Uncle then heard a sound akin to snoring as he looked to the elderly man. He walked over and looked him over.
The man had fallen asleep in the middle of meditation. This meant that he didn't even undergo the stances. He sighed as he looked to his apprentice. "Tohru, escort this man back to the city." The large man grabbed the sleeping elder as he walked away from the temple.
The shadows darkened nearby as Gwen and Kevin came running in. Uncle turned as he heard them panting. "What are you two doing here? Thought you were going to help..." The monks came through next, catching the elder Chan's attention.
"Master Chan!" cried Raimundo. "Clay and Omi are down!" Uncle let out his usual cry as he ran to check on the drained monks. He could tell that they had the life force drained from them, but it was a severe case. The others soon joined them as Jade and Shadewalker closed the jumpway.
"We must get them to the infirmary." The man looked back to the young students as they anxiously looked at the group. "Continue your stances and motions. I will return as soon as the monks are taken care of." The group bowed to the man as they resumed their exercises.
It wasn't hard to get the downed duo to the infirmary as they seemed to lack some of their former mass. Uncle carefully mixed together some herbs and powders in a bowl, grinding them into a powder. He then grabbed a vat of boiling liquid and poured it into the mixture. The boiling suddenly halved as he stirred the substance. He chanted as the liquid slowly changed to a glowing light green.
He then poured the mixture into Omi and Clay's mouths. Their skin began to return to normal and Clay's hair regained its blonde color. Both teens began to jerk as they sweated. They sat out as they let out a shout, sending a breath of fire forward. Both of them leapt from their beds as they ran for the nearby pond.
"Is it supposed to do that Uncle?" asked Jade as the boys stuck their entire heads in the water. The elderly man nodded as he held his hands behind his back.
"Too much dragon root." Omi was the first to rise from the water as he coughed out smoke. He tried to say something, but his throat strained from the heat. "Your throat will take one hour to return to normal. Avoid sweet foods and coffee." Clay came up next, his hat completely soaked from the dunk.
"What in..." began Clay as he too coughed up smoke. Jade tuned out the repeated instructions as she turned away from the group. She looked over to a nearby shadow as she once again tried to call the Hogosha. Nothing seemed to work as the shadow stayed the same. She groaned as she walked away from the group.
Ben took notice of this and quickly followed her. The halfa tried to pull some Hogosha from another shadow, but nothing seemed to be working. She got down on all fours as she looked to a small shadow. She focused her energy as she leaned closer to the dark spot. To her surprise the shadow gave way to a strange void.
Her eyes glowed as she tried to see the area a little better. She could make out various shadowy bits of land as she looked around. Something that caught her eye, however, was an out of place bright spot. Before she could get a truly good look at the spot, familiar blue hands reached out to grab her. She screamed as she pulled back.
Jade fell back on her rear as she freed herself. The shadow expanded as the Shadowkhan began to pour out. The girl transformed as she enveloped her fists in purple energy.
"I don't know how you guys got here, but you're leaving right now!" shouted Jade as she fired her energy blasts. The villains scattered as the battle began. Jade tried to account for every warrior, but they seemed to be multiplying with each one she defeated. Two of them pulled out chains as they prepared to ensnare her. The girl got right in their line of fire as she wiped out a large wave of enemies with a large fire blast.
"MOVE JADE!" cried a familiar voice in the girl's head. The girl reacted like lightning as she phased through the floor. The chains ended up sending their users back to the realm from whence they came. She found herself surrounded as she rose once more. Ben ran into the room with the Monkey Staff in hand.
"Jade!" shouted Ben as he readied the weapon. The Shadowkhan shifted their focus to him as they readied their weapons. Before they could move a muscle, however, a naginata spun through the air. Hogosha came from various other shadows as they engaged the enemies. A familiar boney hand grabbed the naginata as he stood over Jade.
"G!" cried Jade in shock. Her spirit pal, however, did not looked so thrilled to see her as he looked back with a frown.
"What were you thinking!?" asked Grimsley. "You could have been killed, and the Shadowkhan would be running amok in the material world!" Jade looked away in shame. The warrior spun his weapon around as he finished off the few that were left. The shadow Jade peered through earlier finally returned to normal as the villians stopped pouring through.
Ben looked on in shock as the soldiers one by one returned from the shadows they first appeared from. Grimsley sighed as he looked to the young girl. "Look Jade, just keep training and wait for me to contact you. Things are hectic in the Shadow Realm right now." With those instructions, the lead fighter returned to the realm with his soldiers.
"The Shadow Realm?" The girl didn't know where that was, but she had a good idea who would. She just hoped he wouldn't find out about...
"JADE!" shouted Uncle from the entrance. The girl winced as she looked to the elder Chan. "What have you done!?"
"And then he said that the Shadow Realm was hectic right now." finished Jade as she explained what happened in the library. She was currently sitting in a chair as Uncle looked down at her. It was understandable, seeing as the fight kind of trashed the hallway. The girl shook her head as she looked to the chi master. "What the heck even is the Shadow Realm?"
"The home of the Shadowkhan and Hogosha." informed Uncle as he cleaned his glasses. He put them back on as he looked over the young halfa. "You must have opened a door for the Shadowkhan to enter our world and spread pure chaos." Jade sighed as she scooted forward in her seat.
"What do you know about the Shadow Realm Uncle?" The old man harrumphed as he crossed his arms.
"Uncle only knows as much as you do." The group gave the man an incredulous look at that statement. Kevin pushed his way forward as he shook his head.
"How the heck did you know about the doorway thing old man?!" asked the reformed villain. His brashness earned him one of Uncle's famous slaps.
"It is called an obvious answer! One more thing, learn to respect your elders!" Uncle then turned to Jade as he raised his index finger. "One more thing, you are not to return to the Shadow Realm until the situation is under control and I can learn more about it." Jade hopped up from her spot as she looked to Uncle.
"But G could need my help!" argued Jade. "We can't just let him go into this on his own!" Uncle shook his head as he denied the girl.
"There is no telling what the Shadow Realm does to those not born of it. It is too dangerous. Now all of you, return home!" Jade growled as she looked to a nearby shadow. One thing was sure in her mind, this was not over.
Outside Section 13
The night was quiet as the city shined. Shadows had grown in the absence of sunlight, but were kept at bay in the presence of the artificial lights of man's world. One particular building stood out as it seemed to be abandoned. A shadow zoomed towards the building, passing through its very walls. Section 13 laid right beneath the building.
The shadow passed by several agents undetected, almost as if it wasn't on the same plain as them. The individual stopped right outside one of the agencies many vaults. The figure quickly punched in a code, causing the door to slowly open. It typed another code into a pedestal, causing a security system to deactivate. Its prize was free for the taking: the talismans of Shendu.
It took four of them: the rabbit, the dragon, the pig and the snake. The figure then punched the code back into the pedestal, reaming the trap. It did the same for the vault, speeding out of the facility. It flew on for a bit before coming to rest at a nearby hill. The shadow looked over its haul as it took a deep breath.
"How come I knew you were going to do this?" asked a voice from behind. A light shined on the shadow, revealing Jade in a black mission suit. She turned to see Ben with a bag over his shoulder. He clicked off the flashlight as he shook his head. "Didn't you hear what Unc said about the Shadow Realm?"
"Didn't take you as one to follow the rules or listen to the others." argued Jade as she smirked at the boy. "I knew you'd come. You always have my back." The boy smirked back as he adjusted his bag.
"Brought these just in case the Omnitrix runs out. Some Plumber weapons that won't be missed." He then looked over his other shoulder as Kevin and Gwen walked up. "Took you guys long enough." Gwen poked Ben in the forehead with a large scowl.
"I thought the whole reason we came out here was to keep her from going to the Shadow Realm not jump in with her!" shouted the redhead. "Do you realize what will happen if we get back? They'll ground us for a month, and I've got a play to see for my homework project!" Kevin shook his head as he walked past the cousins.
"Not like anything we say will change her mind anyway." sighed the boy. "Might as well just get on with it. This kind of thing takes up our weekends anyway." Gwen groaned as she looked to the boy.
"Not you too Kevin!" She paused as she looked down. "Actually, I can believe it." The redhead then felt the pressure as the others gave her knowing looks. She facepalmed as she grumbled over the situation.
"Looks like we're all in agreement then." stated Ben as he fiddled with the Omnitrix. "Next stop, the Shadow Realm." He slammed down on the watch, erupting in an emerald flash.
"Shadewalker!" cried the alien as his form appeared. Jade smirked as she aimed at a nearby tree. The shadow expanded as she flew through. Kevin pulled an unwilling Gwen along as they too disappeared into the shade. The Shadowkhan form followed behind as he closed the portal.
Shadow Realm
The realm hadn't changed much since Jade first saw it. Strange creatures and shadows sped across the landscape practically unseen. A Shadowkhan came to a stop as it scanned the horizon. White shapes came into view as the being unsheathed its blade. A naginata cut through the villain, turning it into smoke.
"Yet another one bites the dust." referenced Grimsley as he grabbed his weapon. He landed on the ground, causing the area to turn light grey around him. More Hogosha popped up around him, spreading this area of partial light. The being smirked as he threw his weapon once more. It cut through a few more of the dark ninjas before flying back to him.
The Hogosha looked around as they kept an eye out for any more enemies. The light finally broke through the shadows, giving way to azure grass and white dirt. Grimsley put a seal on the ground, creating a barrier around the area. This caused the light to expand and link up with another, very similar area. He smiled as the dark energy was held at bay, only to grab at his head.
He growled as he looked up. "Could she just listen to authority for once in her life?" He looked to his soldiers. "Find the queen and take her to the capital. I have some strong words for her."
Off in the distance, a white portal appeared in the Shadow Realm. Jade came flying out of the tear in reality, shouting out her battle cry. She engulfed her fists in preparation for battle. To her surprise, however, nothing was nearby. She scanned the horizon as she tried to make sense of the situation.
"Thought there was some big chaos goin' on here?" questioned Kevin as he still held Gwen's hand. "Sure it's creepy but there's nothing wrong with it." Jade raised her hand to keep them quiet. She turned to the duo, only to find herself stifling a laugh.
"Am I missing something?" There was a slight tug on his arm, causing him to turn towards his captive. Gwen was blushing madly as she looked away. The boy looked down at their connected appendages, blushing too as he released her. Shadewalker closed the portal as he was the last one through.
"Well... I guess it is kinda depressing." stated the Omnitrix wielder as he looked around. He suddenly grabbed his head in pain. The others looked to him as he quickly shifted to Megawatt.
"Why did you switch aliens?" asked Gwen. "You know that takes up more power right?" The battery alien took a few deep breaths before looking to the group.
"I felt like something was reaching into my mind." answered Megawatt. "It was trying to control me, like some kind of dark hive mind. I don't think I should turn into Shadewalker while we're here." Jade nodded as she looked around.
"Keep an eye out guys." ordered the halfa. "The Shadowkhan could show up at any time. Be prepared for anything." With that, the group trekked through the dark and twisted land. An entire hour elapsed with no signs of life, save for the few strange birds that fluttered through the sky.
Megawatt hopped around as he illuminated their path. Sometimes he'd come across sudden drops, but it was fairly easy to get back up with his jumper cables. They soon came upon a strange pool of liquid. They couldn't see a thing in it, but chalked it up to the Shadow Realm's weirdness. Kevin looked a little bit closer as he tried to focus on something.
In an instant, a long visor like red eye appeared. The boy jumped back as a massive being began to rise. He grabbed at his lock, turning to metal.
"We got a bogey!" shouted Kevin as he alerted the others. The group turned to find a strange looking humanoid creature with large, three fingered hands, feet similar to Shendu's, and large wings that ran from its shoulders to the bottom of its torso. It wore a black suit similar to those of the Shadowkhan, but it looked way more ferocious. The creature grabbed Kevin by the arms and flew him into the air. He screamed as he tried to fight out of the creature's grip.
"KEVIN!" cried the girls as Jade changed to her ghost form. She flew up after the beast as Gwen grabbed the at the Ram talisman. To her surprise, however, nothing seemed to heed the talisman. Jade sent a powerful blast forward, but the creature seemed to have great agility as it dodged the attack. She tried a few more times, but the bat like monster wouldn't relent.
"Let go of me you freakazoid!" Kevin made spikes rise from his shoulders, impaling the monster. It disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving the Osmosian to fall towards the ground. Jade flew down as she tried to catch the boy. She grabbed him by his legs as she tried to slow his descent.
"Care to lose a couple pounds!?" cried Jade as she strained. Kevin quickly returned to normal, allowing the girl to safely return them to the ground. Megawatt and Gwen caught up with them as they caught their breath.
"What the heck was that thing!?" asked the living battery as he helped Jade up. "Some kind of mutant bat Shadowkhan!?" Before anyone could answer him, the pool the monster stepped out of erupted. Several more bat creatures flew into the air as they swarmed in the dark sky. Gwen helped Kevin up as the duo backed up towards them.
"Run!" cried Jade. "GO-GO-GO!" The group ran away from the large swarm as it approached them. The halfa tried shooting back at them, but the creatures just moved out of the way. Gwen noticed something dead ahead of them, a shining light.
"Light!" shouted the redhead as she pointed it out to the group. They pushed harder as the monsters drew closer. The Omnitrix sounded like it would time out soon, blinking red as it usually did. Megawatt quickly leapt forward as he clamped a nearby stone with his jumper cables. He looked back to Jade as he spun around.
"Spark Bomb!" cried the alien as he tossed the electrified stone. The halfa nodded as she turned to where the stone was. She shot an ectoblast at it as the swarm parted. Upon collision of the two flying objects, the two different energies caused a massive explosion. Blue smoke filled the air as the Omnitrix timed out.
Ben ran alongside Kevin as they neared the light. The area around was illuminated by the strange glowing location. This light, however, showed the group a big hurdle in their plan. Kevin held the group back as they came upon a large gorge. Gwen looked over his shoulder as she looked down.
"That has to be a two hundred foot drop." estimated the girl. "It'll take about an hour to go around, and it'd take too long for the Omnitrix to recharge." The cloud parted a bit, revealing that a good sized portion of the bat creatures were able to survive the blast. Ben growled as he grabbed the bag of plumber tech from Gwen.
"Then let's give them something to..." started Ben till he felt a hand wrap around his ankle. He screamed as he was suddenly pulled under, taking the equipment with him. Jade flew over as she tried to reach for him.
"BEN!" cried the girl as she reached into the ground. She heard another set of screams as Kevin and Gwen were pulled into the ground as well. "GWEN! KEVIN!" The bat creatures drew closer as they began to circle the girl.
She lit her fists in violet flames as she prepared to send them packing, but a hand grabbed at her ankle. She shot the flames upward, causing the hand to fall back into the ground. This only succeeded in getting rid of some of the threats. The hand returned from a different angle as it pulled her into the ground. She screamed as she disappeared from sight, the bats gliding overhead.
Jade screamed as she was pulled through the ground. She could see millions of ominous white and purple lights fly by overhead as she was dragged along. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. A light soon fast approached below her, engulfing her and her kidnapper. She closed her eyes as she screamed once more.
"Jade!" shouted a familiar voice as the girl landed. She rubbed her head as she slowly opened her eyes. It was not fun adjusting from a world of darkness back to one of light. She was finally able to focus her eyes, the world becoming clear as crystal. She gasped at the sight before her.
They were in the middle of a temple not unlike Uncle's back home. The only difference was the large waterfall and the Babylonian styled hanging gardens. The wood of the temple was more of a purple color and the stones were a light turquoise in color. Thousands of Hogosha stood in wait all around her as she took in the scenery. She soon found the others being tended to by strange bird masked beings.
"Ben!" cried the girl as she ran towards the group. Ben fought his way out of the doctor's grasp as he ran to meet her. The Hogosha in front of her parted as they let her through. The two embraced as Jade powered down. The soldiers parted once again as heavy footsteps resounded in the air.
"Had this been under better circumstances I'd relish this tender moment." stated Grimsley as he stood over the duo. Jade remained stiff as she pulled back from the boy. She turned to her mentor, noticing the frown plastered on his face. He looked over to Ben with his one eye. "Tennyson, if you'd please give us a moment."
"Whatever you have to say to her you can say around the rest of us." argued the Omnitrix wielder. The specter wasn't fond of the boy's tone as he bent over.
"This is between mentor and student. If you would please give us some time, this shall not take long." Ben opened his mouth to object, but Jade pulled on his shirt sleeve as she shook her head. The boy sighed as he moved away from the duo, keeping his eye on the general. The girl rubbed her arm as she looked away.
"I know you said to stay away from the Shadow Realm." acknowledged Jade. "We weren't prepared for the danger and I put the others at risk." The ghastly mentor crossed his arms as he looked down at the girl.
"That is by far an understatement. Your lucky Tennyson was smart enough to switch forms from what the Hogosha have told me." The girl nodded as she looked up to him. "Tell me this, why did you disobey my orders now of all times, in the middle of a war? You are more competent than this."
"I was worried." The Hogosha general motioned his finger, telling her to keep going. "You made it sound like you were in pretty deep out here. I couldn't just leave you alone in this, especially after you saved me in the Demon Prison sector. You're one of us, and when you mess with one of us you mess with all of us."
The grey fighter sighed as he rubbed his temples. He should've known that it came down to this. In the end, this was bound to happen sooner than later. He knelt down as he put his hands on the girl's shoulders.
"I'm disappointed that you were reckless. You could've lost your life and that would've been on me. You are my student and my responsibility when it comes to these kinds of situations." He placed his forehead against hers as he loosened his grip. "I cannot deny, however, that you were brave and stupid enough to actually fight your way through enemy territory to help someone who didn't need it."
The girl hugged him as he stayed in place. "It is good to see you again." He then pushed her back gently as he looked her in the eye. "If this happens again I'm not being so nice." The girl laughed as she stepped back. He stood up as he looked to the others.
The doctors finished looking over the children as they backed away to the shadows. "We were not expecting company tonight, but it seems that we must be gracious hosts in this moment of peace. We welcome you to Shugo-chi: the Land of Guardians." The Hogosha saluted their queen as they bowed. Kevin whistled as he looked around.
"Didn't think we'd be getting the royalty treatment." stated the teen. "We should've come here sooner." Jade chuckled in embarrassment as she rubbed the back of her head. One of the warriors rose as he came to the halfa's side.
"Let us show our queen what we do in the Shadow Realm. Back to work!" The entire population phased into the floor as they resumed their duties. "Let me show you around a bit." The ex-villain of the kids blinked a few times as he looked between the others and Jade.
"YOU GUYS NEVER TELL ME ANYTHING!" The group followed Grimsley through the temple as they approached an obvious war room. A multitude of ninjas were working on their katas as they swung their swords a round. One was out of rhythm as it swung at a different pace. It jerked as if a voice had called out to it, making it run off through the hall.
"This is the training hall. This is where the Ninsha work tirelessly to perfect their art." Jade raised a finger as she looked to the path the odd one took.
"What was up with that one from earlier?" asked the queen. "The one that looked like he was chased out of the room." Grimsley nodded as he looked in the same direction.
"Some don't make the cut as warrior Ninsha. They better serve as medics or polish the weapons. As you have no doubt seen with the Shadowkhan, the Hogosha are a diverse species." Gwen watched the master walk away for a bit before catching up to him. The others soon follow suit as they tried to keep up.
"You mean those bat things were Shadowkhan?" asked the redhead in surprise. "I thought they were just some kind of creatures you find here." A white bird flew by as it landed on the general's shoulder.
"In a way you are correct, but the Shadowkhan come in thirteen different combat varieties that are relegated to different regions of the realm. The Bat Khan mostly keep to the floating isles, swarming anything that tresspasses on their turf. The Ninja Khan work alongside the Samurai Khan in defense of a massive dark palace. Something that both dominant species of the Shadow Realm share is point of origin." They heard a splashing to their left as a faceless grey being rose from a nearby pool of white liquid. A suit then formed around it as it walked out of the liquid, its eyes forming soon after.
It pulled a Kunai from its suit and walked out of sight. "We are born of and reformed from pools of liquid within the territories. I can't tell you how hard it is to conquer the spawning pools, as we've never been able to do it before." They walked towards the outside of the temple, revealing the full stretch of the land. The sky was a dark purple save for the more violet hue above them.
They walked down the long set of stairs as they approached a nearby field. There were several targets lined up to one side of the terrain, some with different throwing weapons stuck to them. A Hogosha was currently practicing his throwing skills as the group passed behind him. "Much like the training hall, this range is where the warriors practice their artillery skills. Some are more suited to close combat than others."
The ninja threw a kunai at the target from overhead, missing the target for what seemed to be the tenth time. Much like the one from the training hall, this one left the area for the temple. The newly born one took his place as the group moved on. Jade got a strange vibe as they approached another station. "Here is where we put together the wiring that we use for many of our..."
"Something doesn't feel right." interrupted the girl as she looked around. The group looked to the young Chan as she looked to a far off area. She closed her eyes as she grabbed at her head. The zone began to shrink as darkness took its place. Grimsley growled as he made his naginata appear out of thin air.
"Barrier breach! They've broken through! To arms!" The specter sped off with a small army of ninjas, leaving the kids behind. Ben smirked as he looked down at his watch.
"The Omnitrix should be charged any time now." estimated the boy. "How about we give them a little hand?" Kevin smirked as he absorbed the metal from his lock.
"Thought you'd never ask." stated the boy as they both ran forward. Gwen growled as she shook her head.
"Do they ever think before running in like that?" asked the redhead. "I'd stop them if the talismans worked here." She looked to Jade with a small smile. "Guess we better go after them." The halfa shook her head in response.
"I'll catch up with ya soon." denied Jade. "Just gotta get my head straight. Go kick some butt for me." Gwen wasn't sure about leaving her behind, but the boys would soon be out of sight. She made a floating plain of mana and rushed off after the duo.
Shadows were pouring in from the large hole in the barrier. Bat Khan flew throughout the sky as they corrupted the land back to its shadowy origins. The strange creatures of the realm that were unfortunate to be caught in the shadows returned to their frightened and solitary ways. Their entrance was followed by an army of Ninja Khan and samurai styled Shadowkhan bearing flags. The flags were emblazoned with the mark of the old book, the very same mark that gave birth to Kagenohaha.
The army got three barriers in when a kunai soared through the air. They swarmed above as one of their own turned to smoke. Ninsha hopped out from the shadows as they unleashed a flurry upon the evil beasts. The Bat Khan swooped down as they easily caught their prey. Blades clashed with claws as the two forces battled.
Grimsley jumped into the air as he spun his Naginata overhead. He lit the weapon aflame as he threw it forward. The Bat Khan in the weapon's path dropped like flies as they were cut in multiple different ways. The general breathed in deep, his chest glowing violet. The bat monsters drew closer as the light continued to grow.
He finally breathed out, unleashing an inferno. The flames brought light to this world of shadows for the duration of its existence. Grimsley began to fall back to the ground as he caught his naginata. He landed just in time to cut through two samurai styled Shadowkhan. More and more ground troops began to poor in as the Ninsha were being pushed back.
The general rushed into enemy forces as he cut through them. One of the samurai knocked him over as another raised his sword to attack him. He blocked their blades with his own as more and more soldiers surrounded him. One of them broke through his defense to cut at his calf. He found himself on the ground once more as the enemy that landed the blow raised his katana to strike him.
"Try someone your own size phony Shogun!" roared a raspy voice. A blue flame burned through the enemies as Heatblast charged forward. He clashed with a few soldiers before they too were burnt to a crisp. Kevin came in right behind him as he absorbed steel from leftover blades.
"Eat heavy metal Tinheads!" roared Kevin as he formed blades over his hands. He too clashed with the villains in an effort to cut them down. He shifted one of the blades into a hammer as he squashed one of the Ninja Khan. Grimsley smirked as he spun his naginata, cutting through more of the shadows. The three met up as the Ninsha rallied.
"Who knew all three of us would come together like this?" asked the general. "I imagined the future would be more than likely the three of us tearing each other apart over the Omnitrix." Kevin chuckled as he stabbed into another enemy.
"Guess a few years in the Null Void can do that to ya. I honestly thought I'd just be the same jerk all my life." Heatblast sent another blaze forward with his fiery sword. The Bat Khan soon reformed as they swarmed into the air. The fire being slammed the Omnitrix as he switched to Stormwing.
"Less talk more action." interrupted the sky warden. "I don't know how long we have till the barrier gets repaired. Hopefully we can keep them from the temple." He flew off to face the avian threat head on, followed by his iconic whistling noise. Grimsley growled as he readied his blade.
"Now I remember how annoying it was to be so close to him." remarked the spirit warrior. Kevin nodded as he readied to continue the fight.
Hogosha Temple
Jade shook her head as she tried to calm her nerves. Ever since the Shadowkhan broke through the barrier the headache was getting stronger. The medical spirits were somewhat helpful, but it felt like something was calling out to her. Something was trying to get into her head and it wasn't asking nicely. She decided to calm herself as she entered a meditative stance.
"Calm down Jade." breathed the girl to herself. "Just breathe and let the pain blow over. If someone is trying to break in Ignis will take care of it." She put her hands on her lap as she floated in the air. "Breathe."
She searched deep down as she remained silent. Suddenly, her eyes fluttered open, glowing a bright violet. Images of Ben, Kevin and the others taking on the Shadowkhan filled her mind. She watched helplessly as the Bat Khan dive bombed straight for the group. A lone arrow rang through the air as it also descended towards the group.
She took a deep breath as her eyes returned to normal. She fell to the ground as the pain flowed out of her head. She looked around to ensure that everything was still in one piece. A sudden realization donned on her as she watched a huge thunderbolt striked in the distance. It wasn't a dream, but a vision of something to come.
She watched in shock as Stormwing became overwhelmed by the fighters. "Ben!" She had to move quickly. There was only one problem: none of the Hogosha looked like they were archers and she had no idea how to even fire a bow and arrow. She groaned as she ran for the armory.
She ran in to find one of the reject Ninsha polishing a sword while sitting on a stool. "Please tell me you guys have some kind of wooden arch or something." The ninja said nothing as he held up a large chakram. "That'll do." She burnt a section of wood off as she grabbed some nearby ninja wire.
The ninja watched her as she tried to tie the string to both sides of the arch. She then grabbed a mop and broke a piece off of it, tying it to a kunai. She began to make a few practice shots, but the wire just wasn't cutting it. She groaned as she tried arrow after arrow, but even her makeshift arrows were falling apart. She groaned as she threw the weapon on the ground.
The hogosha looked over the makeshift bow as Jade powered up. "Forget it! I'll just go out there and burn those bat freaks myself!" The ninja looked over to a nearby bag and reached into it. The girl was almost out of the window when she heard a stabbing sound.
She turned around to see the Ninsha wielding a black wooden bow in his hands. He jerked as he moved to put the weapon down. "Wait! Where'd you get that?" The ninja held up the bag that he pulled the weapon out of.
She looked to the nearby target, finding an arrow stuck right in the center. "Show me what you did." The ninja, very eager to comply, pulled a purple tipped arrow out of the bag and settled it in the bow. He drew the string backwards as he focused on the target. He released, shooting the arrow in the form of a violet blur.
It cut clean through its predecessor as it too found its mark. She smiled greatly as she flew over to the ninja. "That's just what I need!" She then looked to the entrance as a few more rejects entered the room. "But we're going to need a few more hands for this."
The Hogosha looked to the bowman in surprise and intrigue. Jade flew upward as she loomed over the group. "Congratulations boys. You just stumbled into a great opportunity." The one in the front looked around before pointing to himself with a violet blush.
Warzone
Stormwing continued to hack and slash through the many Bat Khan around. He barely had time to play his flute as more and more flew towards him. This wasn't his preferred outcome as the Omnitrix began to blink. He groaned as he tried to fly back, only to be clawed by one of the monsters. Thankfully a purple forcefield pulled him out of the swarm.
"Would it kill you to actually come up with a plan for once Dweeb?" asked Gwen as she retreated with her cousin. He was about to retort when the watch finally timed out. Ben sighed as he found himself reverted to normal once more.
"Like there was actually time to think ahead Doofus." argued the boy. The duo continued their name calling as they approached Kevin and Grimsley. The absorbing boy cut through yet another enemy as Grimsley breathed fire on another group. The soldiers seemed to be falling back as the cousins arrived. Kevin growled as he facepalmed.
"We don't have time for arguing!" roared the boy. "The enemy is withdrawing, this is our chance to push the line!" Grimsley shook his head as he held his arm out.
"Wait." denied the general. "It's too easy. They rarely ever fall back, and not all the reasons are good. Keep a sharp eye out!" Suddenly, a squeal rang through the air as the Bat Khan swarmed right above their heads.
They began to form a circular flight pattern as they funneled downwards. Gwen growled as she lit her hands with manna.
"They're gonna tear us apart!" cried the girl as she tried to raise a forcefield. It was too late, however as the spiral quickly descended upon them. Grimsley tried to get another breath of fire going, only to cough up smoke. His fire was spent up in the previous attack, meaning he couldn't counter them. He watched helplessly as the swarm was almost upon them.
Another shriek filled the air, different from the Bat Khan. A violet blur sped through the air as it impaled a large number of the bat monsters. The swarm dispersed in confusion as Gwen's shield rose around the crew. More shrieks blared in the air as the crew searched for the source. A new army appeared from within the Ninsha.
Hogosha with sleeveless white uniforms and purple tinted goggles leapt over their allies with their bows drawn. Many streaks of purple flew through the sky as they hit their mark. The Bat Khan hat little time to escape as arrow after arrow pelted them. Jade rose into the air as the dark ninjas and samurai rushed back into battle.
"Come and face the ancient art of Buttwhoop!" cried the girl as she ignited her fists. Ninsha rushed forward as the bowman continued to rain fire upon the enemies. Gwen lowered the shield as the arrows looked like shooting stars against the Shadow Realm's sky. The halfa then ignited the arrows, creating an explosion upon impact with the ground. The Ninsha cut through the various enemies left over from the volly.
Grimsley laughed as he watched the villains go up in smoke. The others gave him a worrying glance as the army began to release a cry of victory. Jade floated down as she returned to her normal form. Several Hogosha began to refill the areas the Shadowkhan had claimed with light as the group approached her. Ben smirked as he looked over the new forces.
"I'm starting to think you like to arrive late to a fight." commented the boy. "How else would you have time to bring about an army of archers and show up just as we're toast." The girl blushed as she twirled her hair. Gwen smacked the boy on the back of the head as she walked up beside him.
"Try to be thankful Dweeb." growed the redhead. "Jade just saved our skins." She then looked over the army herself. "That being said... how did you find time to train all these soldiers when..." Jade rolled her eyes, still carrying her signature grin.
"I know nothing about archery?" asked the young Chan. "Way to take your own criticism Gwen." The other girl blushed as she looked away, only making Jade and Ben laugh harder. "The truth is, I think some of the spawning pools are made for these guys. Most of the ones sent to the armory for weapon polishing ended up fitting the job quite nicely."
"Well, then I'll just have to keep my eyes out for more of this new breed of Hogosha won't I?" asked Grimsley as he looked over the soldiers. He looked down to his pupil with a large smile. "You're just full of surprises Jade. With more archers we'll be able to push boundaries once lost to us or out of our reach." One of the soldier stepped forward before entering a bow.
"What's up with this one?" asked Kevin. "Aren't they supposed to be more one minded or something?" Jade walked over the individual as she looked him over.
"This one's Hood." informed the girl. "He's the one that started this whole thing." Ben smirked as he walked up beside her.
"Kinda hard to tell him apart from the others isn't it?" asked the Omnitrix wielder. "It'd be a shame for him to just be forgotten after today." The girl scratched her chin in thought. She really didn't want to be one of those people. She got an idea as she looked to Grimsley.
"Got any scarfs or something around here?" The general scratched his head as he looked around. In an instant one of the Ninsha rose from the ground with a purple cloth in hand. The girl smiled as she grabbed it. "From this day forward i name you Hood: General of the Yumisha."
Jade ceremoniously wrapped the scarf around hoods neck. Suddenly the soldier began to glow as he floated into the air. His hood flew off as his goggles too removed themselves. The eyewear squashed and stretched as they transformed into a mask, still carrying the purple lenses. His outfit gained a purple phoenix symbol on the back similar to that of Grimsley's.
He grew medium length, dark grey hair upon his head as his hood covered most of it. The mask soon placed itself over his face, fusing with his body. He stood taller than the others as the glow finally died down. The group looked to the new being in shock as he entered a respectful bow.
"My queen, I am honored to hold this title and will gladly lead my forces until a time where I can no longer do so." declared Hood with a clear, coherent voice. This came as a shock to Jade more than the others as it was her power that lead to this new form. The group looked to Grimsley for an explanation, only earning a bewildered look from him.
"What?" asked the mentor. "You want me to try and explain this? I only know so much about this Hogosha general thing!" Jade sighed as she shook her head. Things just got a little more complicated.
That is it for this chapter! I meant to get it out much sooner, but honestly with holidays and other important events going on I kinda lost track while enjoying life. Then came the dreaded writer's block. Now there isn't long till college and I find myself many chapters behind where I wanted to be with my stories. That being said, I'd do it all again in a heartbeat.
Anywho, I decided to take some liberties with the Shadow Realm since we only see it for one episode. I wanted to flesh it out a little bit as it's own world instead of some mass of empty darkness for the purpose of the story. I've also been doing my best to connect Season 4 with the rest of the story unlike what the writers did, no offense to them since they made a great series. It took such a long time to write this since I wanted it to be a big point in the story overall. Expect big things to happen hear during the Oni Mask Arc.
Anywho, what did you think of this chapter? Did you like my rendition of the Shadow Realm? Was the excitement I stirred worth the wait? What do you think of the new breed of Hogosha in Jade's employ? Let me know in a review down below and I'll see you in the next chapter... hopefully with no writers block holding me back for a long time.