Chapter 10~ The New Evil
Jackie blushed and cleared his throat, well aware of the smirk on one Jade's face and the shock on the other's. He turned to Uncle very quickly, eager to question the old man's statement.
"What do you mean? I thought that once the portals were sealed, they couldn't be opened again."
Uncle shook his head solemnly. "Portals cannot be opened, but your niece has just recited a spell from a book that predates even Shendu. It is a book that I have thought was lost to the ages. The spell she recited was one that was the inspiration to Shendu's vanquisher Lo Pei- one that breaks the boundary dividing our world from the demon world."
"So. . ." said Jackie slowly, "it's like a portal, except all of them can pass through?"
Uncle nodded. "Anything can travel between the two realms, including demons and Shendu's dragon minions. And we can travel to their realm, as well."
"Like we would want to," muttered the black clad Jade. She had been there before, and she hadn't liked it.
"Sensei, where is this portal located?" asked Tohru.
"I don't know," answered Uncle slowly. "No documentation of spell being activated before, although it is said that it was what originally allowed demons' ancestors to come to our world. But once the demons have been released, they will return to the lands where they once held dominion."
Jackie sighed deeply and looked around at those surrounding him.
"Alright, you all know what a bad situation this is. We have eight demons to fight-"
"Seven," said the Jade sitting near Jackie softly. Jackie raised an eyebrow. "Seven?"
The white-clad Jade nodded slowly. "Uh-huh. Shendu is still a statue, and still locked in Section 13."
Jackie grinned, at least this was a bit of good news. "Okay, we'll have to make sure it stays that way. I'll call Captain Black. Uncle and Tohru will need to return to San Francisco with the children and try to find a way to fix this. Everyone else, we need to try to stall the demons as long as we can. First-"
Leather Jade laughed derisively. "I certainly hope you weren't referring to me as one of the children, Jackie, because I'm not going to San Francisco."
Jackie looked at her searchingly, as if trying to reach a decision. Finally, he said "We need you to help us fight, Jade. You have the talismans. So no, you aren't going to San Francisco."
"No. I'm not helping. I have better things to do than getting bossed around by my uncle," she said defiantly.
"But Jade," Viper said softly, "this is so much better. Think about it. You could fight a bunch of mortals who don't stand a chance, or you could go up against some worthy opponents- seven demons."
Jade did pause to think about this, and finally nodded, convinced. "Fine, I'll help you, but don't even think about getting me to rejoin with boring Jade."
Jackie sighed, sensing that there would be no room for compromise. At least for the moment. "Alright, Jade, you don't have to rejoin."
The members of the J-Team left the building out of the gaping hole in the wall. It occurred to Jackie that they were being stared at by myriad little children, who were gaping wide-eyed and speechless at the group.
~*~
Jackie settled comfortably into his large cushioned seat. Captain Black needed to pull some strings, but he had managed to secure eight seats on the next flight to San Francisco. Jackie had thought first class a nice touch, although he was a bit too anxious to appreciate the leg room or better food. It had been hard enough getting Jade to come with them without her complaining about flying coach. Jackie didn't want her calling attention to herself any more than necessary, as they didn't need demon attention. But he had to admit that it was rather convenient of Jade to apply the power of the rabbit to the metro. . .
"Whatcha thinking about, baby face?" asked Viper next to him. She had been staring out the window, but they had left the last islands of Asia behind awhile ago, and the Pacific really didn't change much from east to west.
"Nothing really," said Jackie quietly. Actually, he'd been thinking of quite a lot over the course of the flight, but nothing that seemed worth rehashing.
"Funny, somehow I've never thought of you as the stereotypical afraid of sharing his feelings male," said Viper sardonically. "It doesn't suit you."
"It just isn't important," defended Jackie.
"Aww, come on. You can tell me," teased Viper leaning towards him defiantly. There was a strange little pause for a second in their conversation before Jackie pushed her away quite firmly.
"I told you it isn't important," he said, then picked up that awful Sky Magazine and began flipping through it, feigning interest in the review of a hotel in Boston. Viper turned back to the window, looking half annoyed and half hurt.
"Alright, I won't be bothering you then," she said, and looked boredly over the water shielded with clouds. Jackie stole a glance over his Sky Magazine, but then turned back to the article quickly. It really was the most boring thing he had ever read, so he closed the magazine and turned to his right.
Jade was sitting next to him, watching the in-flight movie contentedly. Across the aisle, El Torro seemed to be asleep, and he was alarmed to see Paco quivering against him while Jade, at the other window, held his shirt collar tightly.
"Say it. . ." she whispered threateningly. Paco whimpered. "Okay, Yade-" Jade's eyes narrowed. "I mean J-Jade is the greatest!" Jade nodded, satisfied, and began playing a Gameboy that looked suspiciously like Paco's. Behind him, Uncle and Tohru seemed to be pouring over the books Jade had brought back. Jackie considered offering help, but realized that he wouldn't know what to look for. So he turned reluctantly back to his Sky Magazine.
Jackie was into an article on the Mediterranean and was actually starting to enjoy it, when a huge jolt shook the plane, causing Viper's Ginger Ale to spill down his front.
"Sorry," she said quickly and grabbed the tiny napkin her drink had been resting on and leaned over to mop him up. Another, stronger jolt shook the plane, and they both lost their balance, she landing with her elbow shoved into his stomach and he falling over her slouched figure. They quickly disentangled themselves as the Captain's voice came over the intercom, in Japanese first and then English.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are experiencing some unexpected turbulence. Please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened. We're having some difficulty coordinating with Weather Control, so we may need to make an unexpected water landing. Please review the safety protocol in your seat back pocket, and do not be alarmed. Thank you."
The intercom shut off, and people around the plane looked around and began talking rapidly with their neighbours. Viper turned to Jackie, lips pursed. "You don't think it has anything to do with-"
"We'd better hope not," he responded darkly. Jackie glanced around at the J- Team. Both Jades and Paco were watching him curiously. El Torro had woken up and looked at him as well, as though he was waiting for some sort of instruction. Of course, it was hard to tell with the mask. Tohru behind them was frowning, only Uncle was still working on reading the books. Jackie was watching the other passengers now, mainly comprised of commuting businessmen and women, but also a few families perhaps going on vacation or visiting relatives. He hoped this wasn't the work of demons.
Suddenly, another jolt threw the plane, this time causing a black out and provoking several passengers' screams. "Ladies and Gentlemen, do not be alarmed," said the intercom. "We are merely experiencing some tech-"
The intercom shut off with a click and without warning the force of gravity seemed to vanish inside as the plane plummeted into the ocean far below.
Author's Note~ Y'know, I like this chapter. There they are, riding along in the plane, just having a nice, peaceful time, a few shippy moments, and then BAM. Cliffhanger. ^_^
Oh, VampireNaomi, who doesn't hate the Microsoft Office Assistant? Evil little thing. I found this great game on I think addictinggames.com or bored.com, where the object is to kill the satanic paperclip. *grin*
ShadowElfBard- Thanks! Well, Jade is more mischievous than evil, but she can be evil if she wants to. Basically, for her it isn't about, like it was for Jackie, money or power, she just wants to have fun. And Jade's version of fun has always been a little skewered.
Jesboat- *cough* Yes, the other demo-ing people were still there, they were just very speechless. For a long time. As for Jackie, give him a break. He can't be perfect all the time. Haven't you ever accidentally cursed when you really shouldn't have just because you got a big shock or you dropped something heavy on your toe? Trust me, this was a big surprise. Plus, the prospect of Jackie cursing is just too funny to pass up.
Now, unrelated topics. Awww, the Halloween episode was sooo cute! I felt so bad for Paco. And Tohru as a Bumblebee. . .*shudder* And El Torro removed his mask! *grin*
Speaking of this episode, the other night was Halloween and I went trick-or- treating, operating on the philosophy that you are never too old to walk around in the dark and make people give you candy. Of course, after awhile I had the bright idea to include in my candy gathering a very informative and enlightening poll. The results are as follows:
Only 23% of people will indeed give you an onion along with your candy if you explain that you are on a special diet. 77%, logically, will say no, but 29% of the refusers didn't actually say they didn't have or wouldn't give an onion, they just refused out of sheer disbelief. And 19% of those who responded no were freaking liars, as we could smell a strong scent of onions in their homes.
It is interesting to review the results of this poll. How lucky for Jackie that El Torro happened to call upon one of the benign 23%! Imagine if the person he encountered said no, or laughed in disbelief. . .or worse, lied, putting Jackie in a precarious position! El Torro may have been forced to use violence, and violence not against the 'bad guys.' It's okay to be horrible to bad guys and even mail them to Mexico, but not innocent passer- by! However, I have a strong suspicious that these weren't innocents, but O'nee sympathizers. *g-asp!*
Heh, who liked our first glimpse of Valmont this season? Hey, I thought he was in jail! *snerk* The screen names were priceless. Chantastic4, Finnhalen, and FilthyRich1, lol. And Uncle's obsession with buying and selling antiques over Jade's "magic waffle iron," heh.
Well, we'd better hope I get lotsa reviews, don't we, or I might be tempted to end with "Nobody survived the plane crash. Demons killed Captain Black and ruled the world. The End."
Jackie blushed and cleared his throat, well aware of the smirk on one Jade's face and the shock on the other's. He turned to Uncle very quickly, eager to question the old man's statement.
"What do you mean? I thought that once the portals were sealed, they couldn't be opened again."
Uncle shook his head solemnly. "Portals cannot be opened, but your niece has just recited a spell from a book that predates even Shendu. It is a book that I have thought was lost to the ages. The spell she recited was one that was the inspiration to Shendu's vanquisher Lo Pei- one that breaks the boundary dividing our world from the demon world."
"So. . ." said Jackie slowly, "it's like a portal, except all of them can pass through?"
Uncle nodded. "Anything can travel between the two realms, including demons and Shendu's dragon minions. And we can travel to their realm, as well."
"Like we would want to," muttered the black clad Jade. She had been there before, and she hadn't liked it.
"Sensei, where is this portal located?" asked Tohru.
"I don't know," answered Uncle slowly. "No documentation of spell being activated before, although it is said that it was what originally allowed demons' ancestors to come to our world. But once the demons have been released, they will return to the lands where they once held dominion."
Jackie sighed deeply and looked around at those surrounding him.
"Alright, you all know what a bad situation this is. We have eight demons to fight-"
"Seven," said the Jade sitting near Jackie softly. Jackie raised an eyebrow. "Seven?"
The white-clad Jade nodded slowly. "Uh-huh. Shendu is still a statue, and still locked in Section 13."
Jackie grinned, at least this was a bit of good news. "Okay, we'll have to make sure it stays that way. I'll call Captain Black. Uncle and Tohru will need to return to San Francisco with the children and try to find a way to fix this. Everyone else, we need to try to stall the demons as long as we can. First-"
Leather Jade laughed derisively. "I certainly hope you weren't referring to me as one of the children, Jackie, because I'm not going to San Francisco."
Jackie looked at her searchingly, as if trying to reach a decision. Finally, he said "We need you to help us fight, Jade. You have the talismans. So no, you aren't going to San Francisco."
"No. I'm not helping. I have better things to do than getting bossed around by my uncle," she said defiantly.
"But Jade," Viper said softly, "this is so much better. Think about it. You could fight a bunch of mortals who don't stand a chance, or you could go up against some worthy opponents- seven demons."
Jade did pause to think about this, and finally nodded, convinced. "Fine, I'll help you, but don't even think about getting me to rejoin with boring Jade."
Jackie sighed, sensing that there would be no room for compromise. At least for the moment. "Alright, Jade, you don't have to rejoin."
The members of the J-Team left the building out of the gaping hole in the wall. It occurred to Jackie that they were being stared at by myriad little children, who were gaping wide-eyed and speechless at the group.
~*~
Jackie settled comfortably into his large cushioned seat. Captain Black needed to pull some strings, but he had managed to secure eight seats on the next flight to San Francisco. Jackie had thought first class a nice touch, although he was a bit too anxious to appreciate the leg room or better food. It had been hard enough getting Jade to come with them without her complaining about flying coach. Jackie didn't want her calling attention to herself any more than necessary, as they didn't need demon attention. But he had to admit that it was rather convenient of Jade to apply the power of the rabbit to the metro. . .
"Whatcha thinking about, baby face?" asked Viper next to him. She had been staring out the window, but they had left the last islands of Asia behind awhile ago, and the Pacific really didn't change much from east to west.
"Nothing really," said Jackie quietly. Actually, he'd been thinking of quite a lot over the course of the flight, but nothing that seemed worth rehashing.
"Funny, somehow I've never thought of you as the stereotypical afraid of sharing his feelings male," said Viper sardonically. "It doesn't suit you."
"It just isn't important," defended Jackie.
"Aww, come on. You can tell me," teased Viper leaning towards him defiantly. There was a strange little pause for a second in their conversation before Jackie pushed her away quite firmly.
"I told you it isn't important," he said, then picked up that awful Sky Magazine and began flipping through it, feigning interest in the review of a hotel in Boston. Viper turned back to the window, looking half annoyed and half hurt.
"Alright, I won't be bothering you then," she said, and looked boredly over the water shielded with clouds. Jackie stole a glance over his Sky Magazine, but then turned back to the article quickly. It really was the most boring thing he had ever read, so he closed the magazine and turned to his right.
Jade was sitting next to him, watching the in-flight movie contentedly. Across the aisle, El Torro seemed to be asleep, and he was alarmed to see Paco quivering against him while Jade, at the other window, held his shirt collar tightly.
"Say it. . ." she whispered threateningly. Paco whimpered. "Okay, Yade-" Jade's eyes narrowed. "I mean J-Jade is the greatest!" Jade nodded, satisfied, and began playing a Gameboy that looked suspiciously like Paco's. Behind him, Uncle and Tohru seemed to be pouring over the books Jade had brought back. Jackie considered offering help, but realized that he wouldn't know what to look for. So he turned reluctantly back to his Sky Magazine.
Jackie was into an article on the Mediterranean and was actually starting to enjoy it, when a huge jolt shook the plane, causing Viper's Ginger Ale to spill down his front.
"Sorry," she said quickly and grabbed the tiny napkin her drink had been resting on and leaned over to mop him up. Another, stronger jolt shook the plane, and they both lost their balance, she landing with her elbow shoved into his stomach and he falling over her slouched figure. They quickly disentangled themselves as the Captain's voice came over the intercom, in Japanese first and then English.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are experiencing some unexpected turbulence. Please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened. We're having some difficulty coordinating with Weather Control, so we may need to make an unexpected water landing. Please review the safety protocol in your seat back pocket, and do not be alarmed. Thank you."
The intercom shut off, and people around the plane looked around and began talking rapidly with their neighbours. Viper turned to Jackie, lips pursed. "You don't think it has anything to do with-"
"We'd better hope not," he responded darkly. Jackie glanced around at the J- Team. Both Jades and Paco were watching him curiously. El Torro had woken up and looked at him as well, as though he was waiting for some sort of instruction. Of course, it was hard to tell with the mask. Tohru behind them was frowning, only Uncle was still working on reading the books. Jackie was watching the other passengers now, mainly comprised of commuting businessmen and women, but also a few families perhaps going on vacation or visiting relatives. He hoped this wasn't the work of demons.
Suddenly, another jolt threw the plane, this time causing a black out and provoking several passengers' screams. "Ladies and Gentlemen, do not be alarmed," said the intercom. "We are merely experiencing some tech-"
The intercom shut off with a click and without warning the force of gravity seemed to vanish inside as the plane plummeted into the ocean far below.
Author's Note~ Y'know, I like this chapter. There they are, riding along in the plane, just having a nice, peaceful time, a few shippy moments, and then BAM. Cliffhanger. ^_^
Oh, VampireNaomi, who doesn't hate the Microsoft Office Assistant? Evil little thing. I found this great game on I think addictinggames.com or bored.com, where the object is to kill the satanic paperclip. *grin*
ShadowElfBard- Thanks! Well, Jade is more mischievous than evil, but she can be evil if she wants to. Basically, for her it isn't about, like it was for Jackie, money or power, she just wants to have fun. And Jade's version of fun has always been a little skewered.
Jesboat- *cough* Yes, the other demo-ing people were still there, they were just very speechless. For a long time. As for Jackie, give him a break. He can't be perfect all the time. Haven't you ever accidentally cursed when you really shouldn't have just because you got a big shock or you dropped something heavy on your toe? Trust me, this was a big surprise. Plus, the prospect of Jackie cursing is just too funny to pass up.
Now, unrelated topics. Awww, the Halloween episode was sooo cute! I felt so bad for Paco. And Tohru as a Bumblebee. . .*shudder* And El Torro removed his mask! *grin*
Speaking of this episode, the other night was Halloween and I went trick-or- treating, operating on the philosophy that you are never too old to walk around in the dark and make people give you candy. Of course, after awhile I had the bright idea to include in my candy gathering a very informative and enlightening poll. The results are as follows:
Only 23% of people will indeed give you an onion along with your candy if you explain that you are on a special diet. 77%, logically, will say no, but 29% of the refusers didn't actually say they didn't have or wouldn't give an onion, they just refused out of sheer disbelief. And 19% of those who responded no were freaking liars, as we could smell a strong scent of onions in their homes.
It is interesting to review the results of this poll. How lucky for Jackie that El Torro happened to call upon one of the benign 23%! Imagine if the person he encountered said no, or laughed in disbelief. . .or worse, lied, putting Jackie in a precarious position! El Torro may have been forced to use violence, and violence not against the 'bad guys.' It's okay to be horrible to bad guys and even mail them to Mexico, but not innocent passer- by! However, I have a strong suspicious that these weren't innocents, but O'nee sympathizers. *g-asp!*
Heh, who liked our first glimpse of Valmont this season? Hey, I thought he was in jail! *snerk* The screen names were priceless. Chantastic4, Finnhalen, and FilthyRich1, lol. And Uncle's obsession with buying and selling antiques over Jade's "magic waffle iron," heh.
Well, we'd better hope I get lotsa reviews, don't we, or I might be tempted to end with "Nobody survived the plane crash. Demons killed Captain Black and ruled the world. The End."