A/N: Sorry if I haven't been posting as much as I should. I've been going through a rough period. But I'm back! Expect a new chapter every Saturday. Enjoy.
Inside Uncle's Rare Finds in Chinatown, 11 year old Jade Chan was asleep in her room, clutching onto her Super Moose plush tightly. Then the alarm clock rang and Jade groggily pressed the snooze button. She then began to get up, ready to start another typical day. Though she wished that something atypical would happen soon. Ever since her first adventure with the hunt for the 12 Talismans, Jade loved the dangerous and adventurous life, something that her uncle Jackie worried about since her safety was his main concern. It's been quiet on the villain front with the hunt for the Oni Masks. Not even Hak Foo appeared to try to murder Jackie. Jade hated that. She wanted to whoop some bad guys with some kung-fu and find the last Oni Mask.
She then walked to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. "Gee, it's been quiet." Jade said before narrowing her eyes playfully. "Too quiet…" She then giggled at herself as she gargled and spit. She then went back to her bedroom to fetch today's outfit. She went with the usual: orange short sleeved hoodie, blue high-water jeans and red sneakers. Jade knew those clothes were the best ones that described her personality.
"Jade! Breakfast!" Jackie called from downstairs. Jade then got her backpack, checked to see if all her supplies were in there, and went downstairs to eat. She then went into the kitchen where Jackie and Thoru were, with Thoru making pancakes. "Morning Jade. Did you sleep well?"
"Ch, you know me." Jade grinned before sitting down at the table.
"I made your favorite." Thoru smiled, giving Jade two pancakes making her smile. Ever since Tohru flipped from the Dark Hand, Jade always considered him a friend.
"Thanks, T. You're the best." Jade smiled, making Thoru smile as Jade poured syrup all over and began to dig in.
"It's nice to have a nice normal breakfast with family." Jackie smiled to himself, happy that he hasn't dealt with Tarkaudo or the Enforcers for awhile.
"Yeah, but I wish that we'll be able to find the last Oni Mask so we can have the ultimate battle." Jade rolled her eyes. Jackie just grinned and shook his head.
"I am not complaining." Jackie smiled. "It's nice not have any worries about forces of darkness."
"I agree with Jackie. It's nice to just relax." Tohru smiled.
"Don't get your hopes up!" Uncle's voice was heard from the front desk, making Jackie and Tohru wince and Jade roll her eyes again. "While there is still one Oni Mask, we must always be on guard. King of Shadowkhan and his minions will do anything to let evil reign."
"See? Uncle gets it." Jade smirked as she finished her pancakes. "We should use Hana Fuda cards right now and go fetch that mask while the bad guys are taking their power nap."
"Patience Jade." Jackie grinned. "Now go to school."
"Understood." Jade nodded as she left the table and exited the shop. She then caught the bus and rode straight towards school.
At school it was same old, same old. Miss Heartless just lectured her class, there was gym, lunch, then recess. Jade and her friend Simone Magus were on the swings, talking about the latest adventure in the hunt for the Oni Masks. "And then, me and Valmont both pulled out halves off of our face, saving Jackie from a scary fate." Jade explained her tale, making Simone smile.
"That sounds amazing!" Simone smiled. Before then, Simone did not particularly care for Jade Chan and her 'Forces of Darkness' stories and brushed them off as hallucinations and crazy-talk. After her 'meeting' the Victorian Leaping Demon Troll and having a small chat with her magic-believing grandparents in Iran about her ancestor Simon Magus, Simone quickly changed her mind about her magical beliefs and, even though they weren't in the same class, began to form a friendship with the Chinese girl.
"It was." Jade grinned. "Man, I'm glad I have a friend in school who actually believes me about my adventures."
"Hey Jade!" a familiar annoying voice called out. Jade groaned as she saw it was her classmate Drew approaching her and Simone. "Telling more silly camp fire stories again?" Drew and a bunch of friends laughed insultingly, making Jade glare at them as they walked away.
"He is so annoying." Jade growled.
"Yeah, he is." Simone agreed. "Why don't you try giving him a butt whup with your martial arts skills?" Jade then stared at her friend. "Just a suggestion."
"No way. That's way too low." Jade said, shaking her head. "I just wish they would believe me about my adventures." As far as Jade knew, Simone was the only kid in her school that believed her about her magical and dangerous adventures. "But if I take one thing from Section 13 or from Uncle's Shop, Jackie will ground me."
Simone thought about it and smiled as she came up with an idea. "Hey, why don't you start a magical fighters club?" Simone suggested. "Just a group of kids who are willing to listen to your stories, and teach them about the Talismans, demons, masks, and how to fight with magic."
Jade smiled at that idea. "That's a cool idea, Simone! I'll think about it." Jade said as they both got off the swings. As they walked, Jade suddenly got the willies, which Simone noticed.
"Jade? Are you OK?" Simone asked, concerned.
Tarakudo? Here? Jade thought fearfully. She then turned her head around but saw no one in the parking lot. She knew that the floating red head was skilled with his magic, but at that moment, she didn't see anything. The willies were still there, but not as severe. "That's funny. I thought...never mind. Probably just my imagination." Jade dismissed as the recess whistle was blown and they headed back inside.
As Jade headed back inside, suddenly, Tarakudo appeared with an evil smile on his face. "Yes child, enjoy your youth. And tonight will be the start of your return to darkness." Tarakudo said evilly.
It was 4 o'clock now. School had just ended for the day, and Jackie was helping Uncle dust the shop shelves. He then smiled to himself as he was finished. He then heard the sounds of video games from the next room. He headed in there, thinking Jade was playing some of her favorite games. "Jade, would you please help me…" Jackie said, but stopped when he saw it was just Tohru playing. "Uh, Tohru, where's Jade?"
"Upstairs." Tohru answered, not taking his eyes off the game. Jackie then headed upstairs and saw the door to Jade's guest room halfway open. He entered and his mouth almost dropped at what he saw: Jade sweeping her room. He didn't tell her to do that today.
"Oh, hi Jackie." Jade smiled as she saw her uncle standing there.
"Jade, you're sweeping?" Jackie asked, still shocked that his usually headstrong and stubborn niece was cleaning her room, without him prompting or threatening her.
"Yeah, it was a little dusty in here anyway." Jade said, putting the broom away. "So, what do you think?"
"Jade, you did a great job." Jackie smiled. "But why?"
"Well, since our adventure with the Deja Vu Stone and you getting lost in the past, I figured I should try to change my attitude a little bit. One step at a time. I'll do at least one chore a day. So that way you won't get…" Jade then frowned and turned sad a bit. "...tired or annoyed with me."
Now Jackie frowned with concern. His own niece thought she was becoming a nuance in his life. That was not true. While she was a troublemaker, he did love her a lot. Jackie wanted to tell her that he would never get tired or annoyed with her, but was afraid of saying anything else to make her more sad. So, he just offered a gentle smile.
"So, you need me to do anything else?" Jade asked with a smile.
Jackie did want her to wash the dishes tonight, but seeing Jade clean her room was enough. Maybe tomorrow. "No thank you." Jackie smiled. "I'll call you for dinner." He then left and shut the door. Maybe Jade is changing for the better, Jackie happily thought to himself as he went back downstairs.
Dinner that night was simply Chinese take out. Jade noisily chomped down on her chicken soup before getting ready for bed. She got dressed in her night shirt and headed into her room. "Good night, Jackie." Jade called out before shutting her door.
"Good night, Jade." Jackie called back as Jade shut off her light, snuggled in her bed, and hugged her Super Moose.
"Good night, Moosie." Jade smiled sleepily before yawning and drifting off to sleep. That day would probably the last regular day in Jade's life because in the deep recess in her mind, her dreams were beginning to fill with darkness.
Darkness. Darkness. Darkness. It was everywhere. The only speck of light was Jade, standing there with her orange hoodie, blue jeans, and red sneakers. She just stood there shuddered, starting to get scared. Just a little. She was not afraid of darkness. Not that much. "Hello?" Jade called out, hoping someone might hear her.
Then, a figure dressed in a dark black trench coat and wearing a matching hat slowly approached her. Jade shuddered some more, not wanting this scary looking figure to come near her, but she took some deep breaths and slowly approached her too. After what seemed like forever, they both stood face to face.
"Who are you?" Jade asked. The figure then lifted it's head up. Jade gasped at she saw who it was: her with an evil smile that neither she nor her family have seen in awhile. Jade knew who owned that smile, someone very close to Tarakudo.
"I'm you." Jade's evil duplicate said with that evil smile.
Jade gulped. "No, you can't be." Jade stammered.
"Maybe this will refresh your memory." the Jade duplicate said, removing her coat. Her body then turned blue as she revealed who she really was: the Queen of Shadowkahn. Jade trembled as more darkness filled her dream and she remembered about becoming the Queen of Shadowkhan.
"My tattoo doesn't have to be real, it just has to be gnarly."
"Symbol of great evil."
"Now you remember." the Queen of Shadowkahn asked with that evil grin. "I can tell. You're trembling with fear. You're scared."
Jade was indeed scared, but tried to put on her best brave face and face evil in the eye to try to regain her courage. "Ch, no I'm not!" Jade lied. The Queen of Shadowkhan snapped her fingers, and then, the Shadowkhan Ninjas appeared, wiping Jade's brave smirk off her face. She then trembled some more. "OK, maybe I am."
"Get here!" The Queen of Shadowkhan ordered.
"AHH!" Jade screamed as she began to run away from the ninjas, but they were too fast and quickly caught her. She tried to break free, but they were too strong. "Let me go!" They then brought her close to the Queen of Shadowkhan's face, making Jade tremble more. "What do you want with me?"
"To reclaim what's rightfully mine, and to reunite with my king!" the Queen of Shadowkhan said. "Only you can give me those things." Jade gulped as she realized that the Queen wanted to possess Jade again and rule with Tarakudo by her side.
"Ch, no way! You can't have my body!" Jade snarked, but then the Queen growled in her face, erasing any courage Jade might have had.
"You should know that we're a lot alike." the Queen of Shadowkhan smiled.
"As if. You're too dark and evil." Jade rolled her eyes.
"Maybe so, but we are both very independent and headstrong which is good for life." the Queen said, turning her back for a second. "I chose the path of darkness, you chose the path of light. And your so called relatives and friends found it amusing, but deep down, they're all getting tired of you. In spite of everything good you've done, eventually they will all, even your precious uncle Jackie, will hate you."
Jade gulped at that, knowing that was something she was trying to make sure would never happen. "No. That's not true." Jade said.
"Maybe." the Queen of Shadowkhan said, turning her head back and staring at Jade again who continued to tremble. "I could easily suck out your brain and your soul right now to reunite with my beloved king, but I'm offering you a choice." She then smiled as she began to lay out her proposal. "Join me, and we can help the one and only king of all Shadowkhan cover the world with darkness, and we could both rule by his side, as partners, eliminating all of your problems. Or, you and your family could just continue to battle me, my king, and our Shadowkhan again and again until your dead and your soul and brain is mine forever. Is that what you want?"
Jade didn't really take in what the Queen just said, as she continued to tremble, having never felt so scared in her entire life until right there and now.
"Think about it." the Queen of Shadowkhan simply said. Then, the ninjas dropped Jade into the dark hole in the floor.
"AHHH!" Jade screamed as she continued to drop into the hole that seemed to get deeper and deeper before she finally woke up, but not in her own bed.
Jade finally woke up with a scream. She then began to catch her breath as she realized it was just a dream. "Where am I?" Jade asked as she surveyed her surroundings. Jade knew it wasn't her room. She was in a dark place. She almost gagged with disgust at the smell. The tomboy then spotted a hatch. She opened it and found out that she awoken in a dumpster. "How in the world...well, that explains the smell."
She got out of the dumpster, and walked out of the alley. Jade realized she was in downtown San Francisco. She looked around till she spotted a clock that read 6:30 am. "6:30?! I can't believe I was actually in that dump for that long!" Jade then remembered that she was supposed to be at school by 7:30. "Oh no! I gotta get home before Jackie notices I'm not there! He'll ground me for life!" She then ran as fast as she could to Uncle's Rare Finds.
Next chapter, Jade realizes she feels different both at home and at school. She gets the feeling of darkness following her. She confides in Simone before a incident happens that shocks everyone.