I don't own Jackie Chan Adventures and I am not making money with this story.
NI TANG
Chapter 8
It was night again. Jade had nothing against night, she just didn't want to experience it in this company. Ni Tang had kept an eye on her the whole day, not letting her out of his sight at all. It made the girl nervous, she was used to spending a lot of timeon her own.
She was also worried about her uncles. Uncle was alreadyfeeling too guilty about Valmont and Jade was sure the old man would take the blame of this too. The girl really hoped he could stand it, and that she could inform them and tell she was okay.
The Pan Ku box rested on the floor in front of her and Ni Tang, and neither one of them had touched it. They had been sitting next to it for a good while already and Jade was getting bored. She also wanted to see something, there was no light at all and the only thing she saw was Ni's glowing eyes.
The demon looked at the box in thought. He could not touch it and he had tried to make the girl do something. According to Shendu the box was supposed to showone a map whenone knew how to handle it. Jade had tried to view the next map against her own will, but the box had not done anything. The polar demon didn't understand why and he was trying to solve this mystery with all his might.
Jade knew what was wrong. The Dark Hand had already got the map out and it could not be viewed again. The portal was located in a baseball stadium, the one and the same where they had banished Shendu. Of course she wasn't going to tell this to the demon, it would behilarious if he couldn't even find a portal not to talkg about opening it.
The red eyes slit and Jade swallowed nervously. The demon had not hurt her yet, but you never knew about them.
The situation seemed hopeless to Ni Tang. He didn't know what he should do with the box and he would have given anything if one of his siblings had been there. Tso Lan was the best choice, the calm moon demon was the wisest one of them and would certainly know what was going on. What wouldhe do? Ni Tangsnorted quietly making Jade glance curiously in his direction. The moon demon would have sat down and thought.
Should he try that too? Ni Tangfelt himself really useless, he wasn't strong or wise and he couldn't do anything that might have been useful to his family. And he couldn't even free them even though the hardest part was over!
Blast that girl! It had to be her fault, she wasn't handling the box right! Snapping in anger Ni caught the box with his own hands, but dropped it immediately when sharp pain flashed through him. He rubbed his sore fingers and glared at the box as if it had been its fault. From the corner of his eye he saw Jade smiling, she had heard what had happened and thought this all was really amusing.
"For the last time, view the map!" he said threateningly and Jade took the box again. It would be no use, but at least the demon would be happy for a while. She turned it around in her hands for a while, but put it back soon.
"I'm really sorry, but it doesn't work," she said pretending she was feeling compassion. She yelped suddenly in surprise when Ni caught her violently from her neck.
"The box has been with your family for weeks. You have to know how to use it, so you better hurry up a bit. I'm starting to lose my nerves," he said and Jade licked her lips.
"You need me to carry the box, you can't kill me," she reminded both the demon and herself. Ni Tangtilted his head.
"Maybe not, but you don't need all of your ten fingers to carry it. One or two less and lets see if the box opens after that. Or what do you say, do you prefer giving up your ear?" he asked quietly.
"Uh..." Jade answered in shock, was the demon serious? She felt his long fingers wrapping around her own and she licked her lips trying to decide what to do.
"Will you answer now or then when the first one is cut?"the polar demon asked.
"I already told you I know nothing!" Jade tried but NiTang slapped her with his free hand.
"The last chance," he warned and Jade gave up. She knewwhat she was doingwas wrong, but she was just a young girl and there was no other choice.
"Okay, okay, I know where the next portal is," she admitted defeated. NiTang let her go and she sighed in relief. The polar demon nodded at her.
"Take the box, we will be leaving now," he said.
The stadium was quiet at night. Jade looked around hersearching for humans, anyone who could take this burden from her shoulders. The girl had the worst conscience than ever, here she was walking with the Pan Ku box and helping a demon to open the next portal. The factthat she had no other choice didn't make her feel any better, she just knew everything was her fault.
The trip from the city to the stadium had not taken as long as she had expected and wished. Ni Tanghad lifted her on his shoulders and it had not been difficult for him to follow her orders fast.
"Where is the portal?" Ni asked from Jade, who shook her head.
"I don't know that, really. Only that it's somewhere in here," she answered gloomily. The street lights showed her what kind of demon she was dealing with and she didn't really like what she saw.
Even though Ni Tang reminded her of a human he was too much like a shadowkhan and his smiling grey mask made cold shivers go down Jade's spine. There was something really evil in the mask's expression and she didn't think the demon's real face was any better. Then again, she was very curious to see what he really looked like.
"Then we just look for it. Stay with me," Ni Tangordered glancing at the girl sharply.
"Of course, you are such lovely company, why would I run away?" Jade muttered bitterly to herself. She glanced around trying to find a way to escape. She kept telling herself that if she just was fast enough she would find a way out. Inone way or another.
"Hmm. The portal doesn't seem to be here. I guess it's for the best if we give up now and you let me go home," she said cheerfully and smiled. Ni Tangglared at her.
"Not before the portal is opened," he answered.
"Can I go home after that?" Jade wanted to know.
"No."
"Of course not, why was I expecting that answer?"
Despite theirattempts they didn't find the portal.
"Are you sure it's really here?" Ni Tangasked and Jade shrugged.
"That's the only idea I have. Why would Shendu have been loitering around here if it wasn't?" she asked and hoped the portal really was somewhere else. Maybe Shendu just was a huge fan of baseball and had come to see the match?
NiTang cursed quietly, too quietly for Jade's opinion. She didn't hear what the demon said and was sorry, it would have been incredible to show Drew some demon swear words.
"Can I use the bathroom?" she asked suddenly. The previous night and day had been spent in the ware house and she had not been able torelief herself,and when the stadium had a proper bathroom, why not use it?
"Thank you!" Jade shouted happily, not waiting for the answer,and took a leap in the direction where she had seen the bathrooms. She stopped suddenly when she saw Ni Tangfollowing her and frowned.
"You are not going to come with me, you perverted demon?" she asked angrily andNi Tangflinched a bit. He shook his head.
"Do whatever you want alone, but I'm not letting you or the Pan Ku box too far away," he answered and Jade had to accept that. Bummer, she had already wished she would have got away when the demon was not near.
"Wiuh, I really got to go," Jade muttered to herself when they arrived the terrace where the bathrooms and small stalls were.The demonsat on the railing to wait and gestured the girl to hurry.
"I know I know, we still need to find the portal. Geez, I don't understand why you are in such a hurry to free your siblings. They are all so boring and rude," the girl said and stretched her hand to grab the door handle.
Suddenly the box in her hands started to glow green light and it rose in the air from her grip.
"Oh no!" Jade breathed and backed away few steps. Not this...
Ni Tangjumped down and watched in excitement as a green symbol appeared on the grey bath room door and how the box hit the symbol with it's other side making the magical mechanism to move.
In the air in front of them appeared a green window, which lead in the familiar red Netherworld. And almost immediately after the portal had been opened a demon stepped out. Jade stared at him curiously and nervously.
He was small for a demon, grey and he had clawed hands and feet. He was dressed in a dull deep purple loincloth and he had a strong reptile tail. His eyes glowed as red as Ni Tang'sand he had big ears, but what was the most impressive in him were his huge leathery wings.
"Hsi Wu," Ni Tang saidin surprise and greeted the sky demon with a bow.
Hsi Wu smiled pleased and turned to look how the portal behind him closed.
"Good work Ni. None of us thought you would succeed this soon. In fact, Dai Gui had a bet with Xiao Fung about you completely failing," he said.
The Pan Ku box hit the floor with a click and Jade ran to catch it. Hsi Wu slit his eyes when he noticed the girl.
"Who is she?" he asked curiously.
"A girl I took to carry the box."
"Loyal?" Hsi asked and Ni Tangshook his head making the sky demon smile.
"Ah, I understand. She is a slave," he chuckled.
Jade frowned.
"No I'm not! And my name is Jade!" she snapped angrily.
"Maybe so, slave," Hsi Wu answered and spread his wings.
"So, care to show me this city a bit, Ni?" he asked.
Jackie sat in a taxi and played nervously with his sleeve. He was very worried, he had been exploring an ancient temple when Uncle had called him and shouted him to return immediately.
The old man had not told anything else but Jackie could hear from his voice that something horrible had happened. So he had collected his bags and baggage and jumpedinto the next plain. Now he was in the city, justa few blocks and he would be in front of Uncle's shop.
"This is better be something important," he muttered to himself and tapped his fingers against the car's window not noticing what he was doing. The driver gave him an annoyed look and suppressed the desire to frown.
"We will be there soon, sir," assured and Jackie woke from his thoughts with a start.
"Oh? That's not why I..." he muttered blushing a bit and stop the tapping immediately. The driver didn't say anything after that.
He stopped the car in front of Uncle's shop and Jackie stepped out handing the man some money.
"Thank you very much," he said before the driver closed his window and drove away.
"Jackie!" The man turned on his heels when he heard Tohru calling his name. From the serious expression of the Japanese man he saw that something really was wrong.
"What's going on?" he asked nervously and a shadow was cast on the face of the big man.
"Jade," he answered shortly and Jackie felt like his stomach was ice. What had happened? Jade wasn't...?
Jackie swallowed and cleared his throat.
"Where is Uncle?" he asked and Tohru gestured inside.
"Follow me, he will explain everything," he said and Jackie stepped inside after his friend. At the first look nothing seemed to be wrong. All items and furniture were where they were supposed to and there was nothing new. And yet Jackie could sense the change of atmosphere in the shop and he licked his lips nervously. Jade was not there greeting him. Uncle sat behind his table reading a book,as usual. Expect that this time the old man looked years older than he really was and Jackie could see the black circles under his eyes. He had probably not slept at all.
"Uncle?" Jackie asked carefully wanting to know what was going on and fearing the truth.
"Uncle, where is Jade?" Jackie repeated and the old man sighed.
"A demon took her," he admitted shutting his book with a loud bang. He raised his hand and showed few millimetres with his fingers.
"Was this close to catching him with my spells and the cursed got away!" he snapped angrily. Jackie backed away a step insurprise and shock.
"A demon? But aren't they all banished in the Netherworld? Is Shendu - " he started but Uncle told him to be quiet.
"No! It was a new demon, never heard of him. Almost like a human, long white hair and moved nimbly like a small devil. None of my books mentions him and don't even know his name," Uncle said and pressed his fingers on his temples closing his eyes.
Jackie sighed and sat on a near by chair.
"And he took Jade with him? But why?" he asked in confuse. What did Jade have that a demon would want her. If not revenge...
"To get someone to carry the Pan Ku box," Uncle announced immediately. He and Tohru had been up the whole night thinking this over and trying to find something useful from his books.
"The Pan Ku box? He is going to open the demon portals?" Jackie buried his face in his hands in desperation. He had thought this part of his life was over and that he could have his own life back. Uncle nodded gloomily.
"But the good point is that he needs Jade. Without her he can not carry the box so he can't hurt her," he said.
"And you really don't know what demon he was?" Jackie confirmed and yelped when Uncle whacked him.
"Don't you listen what Uncle says? This demon is strange, none of the eight demons we know. He can be anyone and rule any possible element," the old man snapped angrily.
"How do you know he was a demon?" Jackie asked rubbing his head.
"He could not touch the Pan Ku box. Only demons have enough bad magic inside them to be hurt when touching the it," Uncle answered and Jackie had to admit that he was right. Shendu had not been able to touch the box and neither had Valmont when the demon had been inside of him.
"So, what do we do?" he asked and looked Uncle in the eyes.
The old man rubbed his chin in thought.
"First we have to find out what kind of demon we are dealing with. Uncle has some old books and reading them might help," he said and Jackie sighed. So Uncle was going to waste time with dusty books.
He felt apang in his conscience right after he had thought this, Uncle's books and spells had saved them more than once. But still, he was very worried about his niece and he wanted desperately to do something. Jackie felt worry eating him from inside, he didn't know what he would do if something happened to Jade.
But Uncle was right. The demon could not hurt her as long as he needed her. Suddenly Jackie thought of something and cold shivers went down his spine.
"Uncle! Has the next demon portal been opened?"he asked and the old man turned to face him.
"How could I forget? Who knows how many portals that cursed creature has already opened!" he shouted and took a new book.
"The next portal belongs to Hsi Wu, demon of the sky and we have to get a spell to banish him, he said and gave the book to Tohru.
"You find the right spell when Uncle finds something useful about this new demon," he said and Tohru opened the book glancing uncertainly at Jackie.
The archaeologist felt himself useless and rose from his chair. He sighed and watched as the two read their books. That didn't amuse him for a long and he went up to Jade's room in the lack of anything better to do.
The door was wide open and Jackie went in reluctantly. It felt weird to walk into Jade's room when the girl herself was who knew where. The room was just as messy as it had been when he had left andthe bed was not made. A small notebook rested on the table next to a pen and Jackie read it curiously.
He could not suppress a smile. There was not very much written in the notebook, butJade had drawn a very simple Dai Gui, who was laying in the ground unconscious with stars above his head. Next to the demon was drawn a stick figure with a victorious smile and in the corner of the drawing was written 'Uncle Jackie kicks demon ass!' When he gave the notebook a better look he noticed that it was actually Jade's Math notebook, but she had not really used it.
Jackie put the notebook down and turned away from it. And then he noticed something. He frowned and stepped to look out of the window. It was left open. He knew that Jade always slept the window closed and opened it rarely to avoid the bugs that might fly in. She was not afraid of them, but didn't want them to be trapped inside.
But now the window was open which meant the mysterious demon had used it when he had broken in. And it was the wisest thing to do when you thought about it. What could be a better way to get in with no one noticing than a window? Jackiepushed his head out and looked around. The demon had had to be an acrobat, an ordinary creature would not have been able to climb the wall.For a well-trained human, like himself, it would not be difficult but most of the people he knew could not do it.
He closed the window after taking one last glance at the buildings on the other side of the street. Then he returned downstairs to see if Uncle and Tohru had found out anything.
To be continued...
