JACKIE CHAN ADVENTURES-PART ONE
DARK PHOENIX RISING
DISCLAIMER: LOUD AND CLEAR PEOPLES! NONE OF THIS STUFF BELONGS TO ME OKAY! SO DON'T SUE ME!
PROLOGUE
I sighed as I walked into the house. It was a cold, snowy day in St. Cloud, MN, and I frankly was freezing my ass off. I cheerily said hello to my grandparents and walked downstairs to read one of the Jackie Chan Adventures paperback books that had recently come out in a local bookstore called Borders Books. The one I had was called "The Dark Hand" presumably how it all started with the talismans. My name is Janelle. You don't need to know my last name. But what you do need to know, however, is of the strange powers I had. I could spit fire, call lightning and use different elemental attacks. Growling angrily, I unfurled long, beautiful crimson wings tipped with gold, white and silver feathers at the ends: the wings of Ho-oh, the phoenix. I grumbled as I changed into a long sleeved red Chinese silk vest with phoenix and dragons embroidered in gold and shimmering rainbow threads. My capri pants were red as my vest, and I wore white pull- on tennis shoes. As I opened the book to the first page and began to read, I noted that around the edges of the cover there were some strange runes etched there. I shrugged and began to read. I had gotten no more than the third page when my watch beeped, signaling it was time to tape the next Jackie Chan Adventures episode. I admit that even at 21 years of age, I was somewhat of an avid fan, and I liked the magic and the martial arts in the whole thing. As I flipped the TV on, the runes etched on the book began to glow brightly, unbeknownst to my knowledge. I raised an eyebrow as Valmont came on the screen and began to dress down his enforcers. Looking around to make sure the others weren't nearby; I unfurled my beautiful crimson phoenix wings edged with gold, green and blue feathers and shook them out. Maybe tonight I could soar around town if it wasn't below zero. Now I noticed the glow, and then, suddenly the book flew up and latched itself onto the screen. I was startled.
(What kind of book in its right mind (if it even had a mind) would do something like this?)
That was the last coherent thought I had before golden light spilled out of the runes now etched into the TV screen along with the book and it wrapped around me so quickly I had no time to react. I flapped my wings angrily and shot fire out of my mouth in an attempt to get free, but it was no use. The light engulfed me into a large, egg shaped ball, and then it vanished.
CHAPTER ONE
"Am I hearing things? Three of my best enforcers: three of them, failed to secure one talisman from an unarmed civilian?"
Valmont Shenlong, 24 years old, rubbed his aching temples and swore softly. His shoulder length white hair was neatly tied back in a ponytail, with two long bangs falling on either side of his handsome face. His deep sapphire blue eyes burned with a fiery rage as he paced in front of his desk. Wearing a green suit, a gold necktie and a black undershirt he was undeniably handsome, and very good-looking. He was also arrogant, greedy and deviously clever, but he was also well mannered and had a lot of charisma. It was obvious to anyone who looked at him that Valmont Shenlong was definitely someone to be reckoned with, and not someone you'd want to mess with when he was in one of his moods. Finn, one of Valmont's enforcers, with red hair and wearing a disco suit, protested as a fourth enforcer, Tohru, punished him and his buddies, Ratso and Chow by squeezing them like a python would its prey.
"This Chan guy was way fast! It was nearly impossible to keep up with him, Big V!"
Valmont rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to deliver a scathing retort, but a rumbling shook the ornate office they were in. Wary, Valmont looked around and Tohru dropped the other three, who gasped for breath. Golden light spilled downward from the ceiling as a strange portal opened up and dropped a young woman about three years his junior on top of Finn, Ratso and Chow, who yelped in pain, then closed up. But it was worse for her, for she had broken her leg badly in the fall. She hissed in pain and muttered a virulent Chinese epithet under her breath.
(She is very beautiful,) Valmont noted as he gazed at her. Her long soft, bronze locks bound up in a ponytail caught the light and it turned into a fiery early morning sunrise in winter. And when he saw her eyes: he became lost in them.they were the rich golden amber color of the sun's rays. Her skin was a soft golden tan. She had a light build and a sleek, soft yet sharp curves, well fleshed, slender form, and he also noticed her crimson phoenix wings as she managed to get off of his enforcers and she fell to the ground again with another curse in Chinese before she collapsed from her broken leg. Valmont's mouth twitched in amusement. She muttered something, and she began to glow. Valmont stepped back, ready for trouble. But it had been a healing spell, because she stood again, her leg healed perfectly once more.
I managed to stand again after I had cast my healing spell on myself.
(Damn, what a bad fall! I should have been prepared . . .)
I thought as I straightened to my full height of 5 feet, 3 inches. I was powerful even though I didn't look like it. And when I looked up, there, standing in front of his desk, an amused look on his handsome but arrogant face was Valmont Shenlong, leader of the Dark Hand crime syndicate. I swallowed heavily: I knew he was real. He blinked and smirked to see shock on my face as I realized who he was.
"You.you're Valmont, aren't you?" I asked, fear in my tone. I had good reason to be afraid of him: he was also ruthless: and always got what he wanted: one way or another.
"Yes, my dear lady, I am. Might I ask what you are doing in my office?"
That British accent that only Julian Sands could have performed was really his voice, I realized. Tensing for a fight, I sensed his enforcers coming up behind me. I spun and slapped them with my wings. I leaped high into the air, landed on Valmont's desk. I snapped open my wings.
"Flaming Arrow!" I shouted.
Fire blasted from my wings, and I hurtled forward as if I had been released from a giant, well-strung bow. I slammed into them, sending them flying into the walls. It made Tohru stagger backwards a little but it didn't move him much.
"Volcanic Fury," I hissed, and then my feet and fists became a blur of fire as I punched, kicked and I actually managed to throw the massive Tohru into the hallway with a loud thud. The only sound in the room was my soft breathing and my hiss of triumph.
CHAPTER TWO
But while all this had been going on, Valmont had come up behind me: he was very pleased at my strength, magic and my lethal accuracy when it came to fighting. His enforcers hadn't even had time to react: but they were useful in other situations. He cleared his throat: I jumped, flying upwards towards the ceiling and I hovered, looking down at him, trembling like a leaf in the wind. Valmont sighed.
"Calm down now. I'm not going to hurt you. You are quite strong. I could use someone like you."
I lowered myself to the ground and furled my wings, eyeing his enforcers warily. Finn got up, shaking his head, and when he saw the prostrate form of Tohru in the hallway, his eyes widened.
"Whoa, check it out! The fire chick threw Tohru!"
Chow and Ratso stared at me in amazement. Valmont noticed my wary look towards the others and smiled.
"They won't attack you again, my dear. Now, you know who I am, but I don't know you," he said with a curious look in his eyes.
"My name is Janelle. You don't need to know my last name. People think I am the Chinese bird of fire when in truth I can only change my form and call the elements to my hand."
"Feng-huang? Is that her last name? That's just about as weird as it can get!" Ratso chortled.
I turned and glared at him, but Valmont beat me to it.
"Don't insult her. It's obvious she is frightened and unhappy because she doesn't know her surroundings: she is from another world . . ."
1 "Another time, Valmont. A time line where you do not exist: that is why she is frightened of you and your foolish henchmen . . ."
I froze, fear snaking into my heart. I looked up to where Valmont's desk was, and there, looking like some impressive but otherwise harmless wall ornament was Shendu, the Demon Sorcerer. He used to rule all of Asia, I knew, but he was a sly bastard. A Chinese warrior had imprisoned him in stone and scattered the twelve magic talismans that contained his powers across the earth. I knew where some of them were, and I wondered what Valmont would do with me.
"Shendu, no need to frighten the little firebird," Valmont said quickly, seeing that I had paled as white as his hair.
"Ah, so she knows who I am, then," Shendu hissed, studying me with his red, demonic gaze.
I looked at Shendu, and then I looked at Valmont who was watching me with interest.
"You have to know I don't exist here. None of this is real where I came from. If I choose to join you.what will become of me?"
Valmont chuckled gently.
"There are benefits in it for you: I will give you a weekly salary like I do the rest or my enforcers and other employees: how you do varies on your paycheck: but since this may be your first time in worldwide crime, I will test you on how adept you are at open stealing. You have already proven to me that you are a strong fighter," he said with a warm smile.
I swallowed. "And if I refuse?"
His sapphire eyes darkened with sorrow, and he sighed with regret.
"I do not wish to be the one who carries out your death, my dear: you are so beautiful."
I looked down at the floor. There was only one choice for me, and I wanted to live. And thus I went to one knee and bowed my head, opening my wings, which signified fealty and respect.
"Then I have no choice but to accept your offer, Valmont Shenlong," I said softly, resigned to my fate.
Valmont smiled and walked over. He took my hand in his and helped me rise.
"My Dark Phoenix, my Crimson Warrior, the Dark Hand welcomes you," he said, and he brought my hand, which he still held: to his lips and kissed it. I blushed furiously, looking into his warm sapphire gaze, and he gazed at me for so long that our souls met and merged into one. Little did I know how much this would mean to us and affect me later on! It didn't hurt, but it did tingle a bit. I ducked my head wondering what on earth had I gotten myself into.
DARK PHOENIX RISING
DISCLAIMER: LOUD AND CLEAR PEOPLES! NONE OF THIS STUFF BELONGS TO ME OKAY! SO DON'T SUE ME!
PROLOGUE
I sighed as I walked into the house. It was a cold, snowy day in St. Cloud, MN, and I frankly was freezing my ass off. I cheerily said hello to my grandparents and walked downstairs to read one of the Jackie Chan Adventures paperback books that had recently come out in a local bookstore called Borders Books. The one I had was called "The Dark Hand" presumably how it all started with the talismans. My name is Janelle. You don't need to know my last name. But what you do need to know, however, is of the strange powers I had. I could spit fire, call lightning and use different elemental attacks. Growling angrily, I unfurled long, beautiful crimson wings tipped with gold, white and silver feathers at the ends: the wings of Ho-oh, the phoenix. I grumbled as I changed into a long sleeved red Chinese silk vest with phoenix and dragons embroidered in gold and shimmering rainbow threads. My capri pants were red as my vest, and I wore white pull- on tennis shoes. As I opened the book to the first page and began to read, I noted that around the edges of the cover there were some strange runes etched there. I shrugged and began to read. I had gotten no more than the third page when my watch beeped, signaling it was time to tape the next Jackie Chan Adventures episode. I admit that even at 21 years of age, I was somewhat of an avid fan, and I liked the magic and the martial arts in the whole thing. As I flipped the TV on, the runes etched on the book began to glow brightly, unbeknownst to my knowledge. I raised an eyebrow as Valmont came on the screen and began to dress down his enforcers. Looking around to make sure the others weren't nearby; I unfurled my beautiful crimson phoenix wings edged with gold, green and blue feathers and shook them out. Maybe tonight I could soar around town if it wasn't below zero. Now I noticed the glow, and then, suddenly the book flew up and latched itself onto the screen. I was startled.
(What kind of book in its right mind (if it even had a mind) would do something like this?)
That was the last coherent thought I had before golden light spilled out of the runes now etched into the TV screen along with the book and it wrapped around me so quickly I had no time to react. I flapped my wings angrily and shot fire out of my mouth in an attempt to get free, but it was no use. The light engulfed me into a large, egg shaped ball, and then it vanished.
CHAPTER ONE
"Am I hearing things? Three of my best enforcers: three of them, failed to secure one talisman from an unarmed civilian?"
Valmont Shenlong, 24 years old, rubbed his aching temples and swore softly. His shoulder length white hair was neatly tied back in a ponytail, with two long bangs falling on either side of his handsome face. His deep sapphire blue eyes burned with a fiery rage as he paced in front of his desk. Wearing a green suit, a gold necktie and a black undershirt he was undeniably handsome, and very good-looking. He was also arrogant, greedy and deviously clever, but he was also well mannered and had a lot of charisma. It was obvious to anyone who looked at him that Valmont Shenlong was definitely someone to be reckoned with, and not someone you'd want to mess with when he was in one of his moods. Finn, one of Valmont's enforcers, with red hair and wearing a disco suit, protested as a fourth enforcer, Tohru, punished him and his buddies, Ratso and Chow by squeezing them like a python would its prey.
"This Chan guy was way fast! It was nearly impossible to keep up with him, Big V!"
Valmont rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to deliver a scathing retort, but a rumbling shook the ornate office they were in. Wary, Valmont looked around and Tohru dropped the other three, who gasped for breath. Golden light spilled downward from the ceiling as a strange portal opened up and dropped a young woman about three years his junior on top of Finn, Ratso and Chow, who yelped in pain, then closed up. But it was worse for her, for she had broken her leg badly in the fall. She hissed in pain and muttered a virulent Chinese epithet under her breath.
(She is very beautiful,) Valmont noted as he gazed at her. Her long soft, bronze locks bound up in a ponytail caught the light and it turned into a fiery early morning sunrise in winter. And when he saw her eyes: he became lost in them.they were the rich golden amber color of the sun's rays. Her skin was a soft golden tan. She had a light build and a sleek, soft yet sharp curves, well fleshed, slender form, and he also noticed her crimson phoenix wings as she managed to get off of his enforcers and she fell to the ground again with another curse in Chinese before she collapsed from her broken leg. Valmont's mouth twitched in amusement. She muttered something, and she began to glow. Valmont stepped back, ready for trouble. But it had been a healing spell, because she stood again, her leg healed perfectly once more.
I managed to stand again after I had cast my healing spell on myself.
(Damn, what a bad fall! I should have been prepared . . .)
I thought as I straightened to my full height of 5 feet, 3 inches. I was powerful even though I didn't look like it. And when I looked up, there, standing in front of his desk, an amused look on his handsome but arrogant face was Valmont Shenlong, leader of the Dark Hand crime syndicate. I swallowed heavily: I knew he was real. He blinked and smirked to see shock on my face as I realized who he was.
"You.you're Valmont, aren't you?" I asked, fear in my tone. I had good reason to be afraid of him: he was also ruthless: and always got what he wanted: one way or another.
"Yes, my dear lady, I am. Might I ask what you are doing in my office?"
That British accent that only Julian Sands could have performed was really his voice, I realized. Tensing for a fight, I sensed his enforcers coming up behind me. I spun and slapped them with my wings. I leaped high into the air, landed on Valmont's desk. I snapped open my wings.
"Flaming Arrow!" I shouted.
Fire blasted from my wings, and I hurtled forward as if I had been released from a giant, well-strung bow. I slammed into them, sending them flying into the walls. It made Tohru stagger backwards a little but it didn't move him much.
"Volcanic Fury," I hissed, and then my feet and fists became a blur of fire as I punched, kicked and I actually managed to throw the massive Tohru into the hallway with a loud thud. The only sound in the room was my soft breathing and my hiss of triumph.
CHAPTER TWO
But while all this had been going on, Valmont had come up behind me: he was very pleased at my strength, magic and my lethal accuracy when it came to fighting. His enforcers hadn't even had time to react: but they were useful in other situations. He cleared his throat: I jumped, flying upwards towards the ceiling and I hovered, looking down at him, trembling like a leaf in the wind. Valmont sighed.
"Calm down now. I'm not going to hurt you. You are quite strong. I could use someone like you."
I lowered myself to the ground and furled my wings, eyeing his enforcers warily. Finn got up, shaking his head, and when he saw the prostrate form of Tohru in the hallway, his eyes widened.
"Whoa, check it out! The fire chick threw Tohru!"
Chow and Ratso stared at me in amazement. Valmont noticed my wary look towards the others and smiled.
"They won't attack you again, my dear. Now, you know who I am, but I don't know you," he said with a curious look in his eyes.
"My name is Janelle. You don't need to know my last name. People think I am the Chinese bird of fire when in truth I can only change my form and call the elements to my hand."
"Feng-huang? Is that her last name? That's just about as weird as it can get!" Ratso chortled.
I turned and glared at him, but Valmont beat me to it.
"Don't insult her. It's obvious she is frightened and unhappy because she doesn't know her surroundings: she is from another world . . ."
1 "Another time, Valmont. A time line where you do not exist: that is why she is frightened of you and your foolish henchmen . . ."
I froze, fear snaking into my heart. I looked up to where Valmont's desk was, and there, looking like some impressive but otherwise harmless wall ornament was Shendu, the Demon Sorcerer. He used to rule all of Asia, I knew, but he was a sly bastard. A Chinese warrior had imprisoned him in stone and scattered the twelve magic talismans that contained his powers across the earth. I knew where some of them were, and I wondered what Valmont would do with me.
"Shendu, no need to frighten the little firebird," Valmont said quickly, seeing that I had paled as white as his hair.
"Ah, so she knows who I am, then," Shendu hissed, studying me with his red, demonic gaze.
I looked at Shendu, and then I looked at Valmont who was watching me with interest.
"You have to know I don't exist here. None of this is real where I came from. If I choose to join you.what will become of me?"
Valmont chuckled gently.
"There are benefits in it for you: I will give you a weekly salary like I do the rest or my enforcers and other employees: how you do varies on your paycheck: but since this may be your first time in worldwide crime, I will test you on how adept you are at open stealing. You have already proven to me that you are a strong fighter," he said with a warm smile.
I swallowed. "And if I refuse?"
His sapphire eyes darkened with sorrow, and he sighed with regret.
"I do not wish to be the one who carries out your death, my dear: you are so beautiful."
I looked down at the floor. There was only one choice for me, and I wanted to live. And thus I went to one knee and bowed my head, opening my wings, which signified fealty and respect.
"Then I have no choice but to accept your offer, Valmont Shenlong," I said softly, resigned to my fate.
Valmont smiled and walked over. He took my hand in his and helped me rise.
"My Dark Phoenix, my Crimson Warrior, the Dark Hand welcomes you," he said, and he brought my hand, which he still held: to his lips and kissed it. I blushed furiously, looking into his warm sapphire gaze, and he gazed at me for so long that our souls met and merged into one. Little did I know how much this would mean to us and affect me later on! It didn't hurt, but it did tingle a bit. I ducked my head wondering what on earth had I gotten myself into.
