JACKIE CHAN ADVENTURES-PART TWO

IMPERIAL DRAGON AND ROYAL PHOENIX

DISCLAIMER: LOUD AND CLEAR PEOPLES! NONE OF THIS STUFF BELONGS TO ME OKAY! SO DON'T SUE ME!

CHAPTER TWO: THREE MONTHS LATER . . .

I tensed and gritted my teeth when I saw Chan and his niece Jade walking down the street as I climbed the clock tower in a small town called Bavaria, where the Pig Talisman was said to be located. Once they'd passed, I swore softly in relief and continued climbing. Thanks to Finn, Ratso, Tohru and Chow we'd lost four talismans to Sec. 13 already: Rat, Rooster, Dog and Monkey. And I agreed with Valmont: They were really inept at getting talismans from Jackie Chan and the other members of Section 13. I shook out my wings and soared upward, snatching the talisman from the little cap on the statue of the pig. I already had the Horse talisman in my pocket, having gone to the Arctic wastes to look for it. I slipped it into my pocket, and started to fly back to San Francisco, wondering how the others had fared. Abruptly I remembered where the Dragon talisman was, and looking worriedly at the horizon I soared off for the volcano in South America.

I swooped down into the heated chambers, swiping at my forehead to clear it of sweat. I had changed my clothing in the jungle when I had arrived: Chinese silk vests aren't made for jungle weather: so I dressed in a red tank top and red shorts.

Weaving from left to right over steam vents and lava pools, I eventually came into a large chamber. Seeing the talisman embedded in one of the stone pillars, I hovered just in front of it, made a fist with my right hand, and then flicked my fingers outward. Five sharp golden talons flashed out from my fingernails. Shaking my head to clear the sweat from my eyes, I gently managed to pry it loose, and slipped it into my pocket as well. Soaring out of the volcano, I flew straight back to HQ. By the time I got there I was out of breath. Once I arrived I swiftly bathed, then I dressed in blue pants and a peacock blue Chinese vest with golden dragons sewn on it. The minute I half opened the door, I heard Valmont yelling at the others. But what he was saying made me stop to listen.

"How could you be so stupid as to leave her there?" Valmont growled.

Chow snorted lightly. He drew on what he knew of most women: but he didn't know me all that well, however.

"We didn't know where she went: she probably stopped off to go shopping or something, besides, she'll find her own way back, I'm sure . . ."

Valmont stared at his black clad lackey: then he threw back his head and laughed sharply in derision.

"Janelle? Hmph, she doesn't do anything like that. I've been watching her activities: and what I see pleases me. She saves her money: and spends it on books, clothing, sometimes a little music: for food as well. Once I assign her a task: she'll finish it to the end and come out with spectacular results! Compared to her: you four make her look like a master thief!"

I hid the talismans in the inner pocket of my jacket, chuckling softly, secretly pleased at his words. I had come to care about him in two months: why I didn't know, but that care had blossomed into love, and now it felt so right. I cautiously poked my head in just as Valmont said angrily . . .

"You had better go back and find her: because I know she wouldn't desert me. If Sec. 13 gets a hold of her: there's no telling what they'll do to her to find out where we are! It's a good thing she's loyal: I hope she is all right . . ."

Valmont ran his hand through his long white hair, his handsome face becoming furrowed with worry and sorrow lines. I would have lingered, but the sadness, anger and anxiety written on his face tugged at my heart and I made my entrance

"You don't have to look for me, Valmont: I'm right here," I said, calmly pushing open the door.

But the minute I opened the door, a bucket full of water came crashing down on me, soaking into my clothes and drenching me. I dodged the bucket, but I was thoroughly soaked. Coughing, I shook my head to clear away some of the excess water from my face and hair just as I heard an amused snort.

I raised my head to see Valmont and the others staring at me. Valmont was trying vainly not to laugh at my predicament, hiding an amused grin behind his hand. His eyes were deeply engrossed in watching my wet capri pants and blue silk vest that was beginning to hug and define my lush curves. The wet vest took the shape of my full breasts, making me look like a siren. My hair had fallen out of its normal ponytail and I used a fire spell to dry my hair, which fluffed out, then settled back into a silken bronze waterfall. I sighed in annoyance. It was clear he was enjoying himself: all of them were. Humiliation rose in my cheeks, and I frowned at him, anger in my gaze. "You're not helping things any," I complained, wringing out the water from my jacket.

"Sorry." Valmont snickered: he couldn't help it. "Need a towel?"

"Don't bother," I snapped.

With a contemptuous snarl, I spun on my heel and strode out the door to my room, swearing under my breath, tears in my eyes.

Valmont, stunned at the sight of me so near tears, sighed and went after me, wanting to apologize for his behavior. He really shouldn't have laughed and he knew when I was angry: drastic things happened often: such as Ratso or Chow or Finn getting blasted by a powerful flame attack or slapped upside the head with one of her magnificent wings. But she looked so lovely and alluring when she looked him in the eyes when she was drenched to the skin, that and her sleek, slim form was so beautiful to look at . . . He sighed again: but this time it held the note of a pining lover as he moved along the corridor and leaned against the wall. In the time of one and half months, she'd completed assignments for him, always succeeding, and he'd smiled and praised her: but as she always had a surprise for him, it occurred to him then that he should move her up to the position of one of his main enforcers. And in the last half of her training month she'd surprised him by stealing the Kyoto Octopus, a priceless statue that had a large pink diamond for the head: and pure gold for the body, but what made it special, was that each of it's eight legs were encrusted with a single and extremely rare precious gem. And with that theft he'd promoted her as one of his top enforcers, but secretly he wanted her near him so he could keep her close to him: and where he could watch over her. He put a hand to his left breast: feeling his heart thumping against his ribs. It sounded like it was beating out her name. Every night he couldn't get her out of his mind: so often did he see her in his dreams. And when he awakened, he heard her sweet voice. When the sun rose, he saw her skin and eyes. When the wind whirled passed him he thought of her hair and her slim body in flight or while she was fighting. And when he looked into a candle flame or a bonfire, he saw her heart and soul. He longed for her to be his: forever. Carefully he reached her door and gently put his hand on the brass knob, ready to turn it. . .

I slammed the door to my room and muttered something about idiotic colleagues and their pranks. Snarling in fury I stripped off my clothes and bathed, dried off, then dressed in bright crimson.

"Crimson Warrior, hmph, more like Crimson Jester," I snarled in rage.

Fury welling up in me I vented some of it by throwing a book at the door, reveling in the satisfaction of hearing it hit hard against the golden oak wood. I sat on the bed, seething with rage. My action had yanked out the band that held my hair in place, and it spilled down and around my shoulders as tears of rage and humiliation flowed up in my eyes and I lay on the bed, burying my face in my pillow. Despair welled up in me when I thought of Valmont. The smirk he was so desperately trying to hide: the twinkle of amusement in his eyes. Why I loved him so deeply I hadn't a clue. What did I see in the blasted Imperial Dragon that he so closely resembled? I clenched a fist as memories flooded through me. Valmont greeting me with pure relief when I came back from a dangerous heist unharmed: Valmont embracing me and swung me around in his arms in delight when I brought some of the gold bullion from the U.S Gold Reserve at Fort Knox: Valmont kissing my cheek in congratulations when I told him of the locations of the talismans that Ratso, Finn, Chow and Tohru had managed to screw up: Valmont reassuring me that I hadn't messed anything up in the last heist. . . Goddamn, I wanted him so badly. My heart overflowing with emotions that I wanted to embrace but dared not: I began to sob, alone with my thoughts: or so it seemed.

CHAPTER THREE

Valmont jerked back in surprise, his hand on the knob when he heard the book slam against my door. Steeling himself, he carefully opened the door: and stopped short. I was lying on my bed, wearing a bright crimson Chinese vest: wearing long crimson velvet pants, and I was barefoot. My long hair pooled around me like burnished bronze fire. He swallowed, his eyes wandering slowly over me. To him I looked angelically beautiful. But what had stopped him were the angry sobs emanating from my pillow.

"Damn them all to hell," I hissed.

Fire shot off my wings briefly, and I clenched my fists in rage. His heart aching furiously, silently Valmont crept up behind me and sat next to me on the bed. He ran his hand over my back and through my soft feathers.

"I wasn't laughing at you, my bright firebird," he said in my ear.

I didn't look at him; I just curled up in pain. Gently Valmont managed to roll me over so I was facing him and he gently took me in his arms. Slowly he ran his hand through my hair again and again, a soothing motion. Surprised, I flinched: but he rested his lips against my cheek and held me tight: he was being gentle. Nervously I unfurled my wings and shook them out. They were dry, at least. Feeling timid, but very relaxed I leaned trustingly into Valmont: and he smiled in surprise and pleasure, a warm feeling spreading through his chest. Feeling shy all of a sudden I pulled away, sat up and bound my hair into a sleek braid that went to my thighs, then stood and walked over to where I had thrown the book and picked it up and slipped it back onto the shelf. Valmont chuckled softly as he watched my graceful movements. Then he stood: walked over to me and rested his hands on my shoulders.

"I know it may seem rude of me to ask: but what were you doing? When you didn't return with the others: I began to worry about you."

That hit me like a kick to the stomach. Valmont Shenlong: worried about me?

(Oh, now that's rich,) my mind said sarcastically.

(He's really worried about you, sure. All he cares about is those talismans . . .)

I turned around and was about to really let him have it: but he put a finger to my lips.

"I know you think I'm being selfish again. Often, the others pull pranks on each other or on me. I know that prank wasn't meant for you. I feared you had been hurt or worse when you didn't come back with the others," he said, tenderness in his voice.

I swallowed. I couldn't resist him when he did this. Twice in the past month had the others pulled pranks on me for fun: and I knew they were just playing around: but the second one: a wire pulled across the doorway: had caused me to fall and twist my ankle. Not only was I laid up for a few days: but Valmont was furious over the fact that we'd lost three talismans in the next two weeks and I was unable to go anywhere. But he'd also been enraged about the fact that I had been injured over some stupid prank: and his heart had cried out when I had yelled in pain trying to stand. Wordlessly I slipped out of his grasp and pulled out something from my dry jacket. His mouth fell open when he saw the Horse, the healing talisman, the Pig, the heat beam eye talisman, and the Dragon, the combustion talisman in my hands. We already had the Sheep talisman: the astral projection one.

"How . . .how did you get a hold of those talismans?" he sputtered, surprise and joy lighting up his entire face.

I knew that now I had to explain: and I sighed and told him everything: how I knew his name, why he wanted to free Shendu: the antics of the other four enforcers, and how Shendu would ultimately betray him, then possess his body to free his demon brothers and sisters.

"He's just playing you like a well tuned violin, Valmont," I said softly, shaking my head at him.

Valmont gritted his teeth in rage. The demon bastard was playing him like a deck of cards: and if it wasn't for her. . . Then it hit him like a thunderbolt. She'd been sent to help him see through the Demon Sorcerer's deception! She had been torn from her world and from her family to make sure that this didn't come to pass. Shendu had to be sent back to the Abyss through his own demon portal. A low growl erupted in his throat. He clenched his fists, remembering all the trouble he'd put his dark phoenix through: all for his own ambitions and for the whims of an accursed Demon Sorcerer! And she'd been doing this because he'd threatened her with death when she had asked what would have happened if she refused to join him: when over the course of three months he'd come to love her dearly, he'd practically surrendered, fallen at her feet when he'd first seen her . . .

But he could use the talismans to increase the cash flow and other activities of the Dark Hand. His eyes burning with affection, he turned to me. "You've done so much for me. You willingly accepted the choice I gave you: and I am so sorry for forcing you to become one of us: I should have let you decide. I know that you wouldn't have run to Sec. 13: you would have remained in a cold white laboratory and idiot scientists who wouldn't even give a damn about you: while here you have friends and someone who loves you . . . "

I blinked in stunned surprise, and then my eyes became half lidded with fiery passion as I leaned close to him. He didn't draw back: he merely slid his arms around my waist and held me tight.

"Why didn't you say anything to me, if you loved me so?" I asked plaintively, my golden amber eyes locking onto his deep sapphire ones.

"I was afraid you'd reject me . . . you are the only woman that matches my standards . . . and you stole my heart the day I met you," he crooned softly in my ear.

"Never would I leave you!" I hissed fierily in his ear. Flames leaping within him, clamoring to be set free, he claimed my lips with his, pulling me to him and clutching me in his arms as he moved his tongue over my lips and into my mouth, sheer bliss flowing through us both as he wrapped his arms tightly around me . . .

And fire tore through him as my magic suddenly split in two and flowed through him, giving him a different form other than his human one. Now he was like me, able to change his form at will into a Chinese mythical creature. I stared at him in stunned amazement as he took the form of a huge emerald and gold-scaled Chinese dragon with blue eyes, white mane, powerful fore and hind legs tipped with sharp golden talons, and sharp golden swept back antlers protruding from the sides of his forehead. Coiled around me, more three hundred feet in length and with unlimited strength, life, and magic, Valmont Shenlong was truly an Imperial Dragon as his last name proclaimed. He twisted around in amazement, looking at himself. A low laugh rumbled out of his massive chest. I transformed too, and curled close to him, making soft crooning noises as I changed into a very large ruby phoenix, wings and ruby tail feathers edged with gold, silver, and white. Upon seeing me Valmont's eyes glowed with eager love. Coiling himself loosely around me, Valmont nuzzled my breast feathers. I fluttered my wings caressing his back and sides with my beak. Feeling sleepy, I snuggled into him. Making a crooning noise, he slightly tightened his coils around me and fell asleep himself, both of us unaware of four men who had been eavesdropping on the two of us . . .