Chapter 15~ The Gates of Onacdr
Before long, each member of the J-Team stood before the massive gates. The dungeons of Onacdr had turned out to be smaller than Uncle had thought. He wondered why Jade hadn't seen these when she had been trapped in this realm. He supposed the demons avoided the gates- they were forged of some of the most powerful good chi magic in the universe. Fortunately, that meant that it wouldn't be difficult to open them. Just a bit of Chi magic. . .
"Tohru!" commanded Uncle. "My blowfish?"
"Uh. . .sensei," said Tohru awkwardly, "I do not have any of your supplies. I could not carry them with me when the plane crashed."
"Aiyaa!" Exclaimed Uncle. "How do you expect Uncle to cast spells without magical tools? Uncle is very old man! Gets worn out quickly."
Viper put a hand on her hips and gave Uncle an impatient look Uncle became one of the few people in the world who did not blanch under Viper's glare. He merely gave her an equally impudent look. "Look, can we get through, or not?" asked Viper impatiently.
Uncle snorted indignantly, and muttered "Young hussy has no respect for her elders!" Jackie put his head in his hands and slumped down.
"I heard that!" snapped Viper. Something about her expression indicated that she was getting ready to fight, despite Uncle's age. Something about Uncle's expression warned Jackie that this would be a quick fight.
"You want a piece of Uncle?" asked the chi wizard. Viper had never see Uncle in combat. The elderly man was extremely good in the most annoying ways possible. The enemy would charge with some difficult move, and then Uncle would stand still until the last moment, finally thrusting a fist out and knocking his opponent out.
Fortunately, El Torro decided to step in. He put a massive hand on the shoulders of both Viper and Uncle. "Mis amigos, this is not the time. There is no honor gained in fighting your own team."
Viper grumbled to herself, but crossed her arms over her chest. Uncle raised his hairy brows and his glasses flashed, but he said no more to Viper. Instead he lifted his hands and cast a Chi spell upon the gates. They glowed green, and then began to open with a rumble. Uncle tried to hide the fact that he was having trouble catching his breath. Sure, he could perform magic without the aid of his tools, and he had often when he was younger. But it was not an easy task.
The gates stood opening, laying before them the realm of Onacdr.
***
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," said Jade matter-of-factly, looking Po Kong in her gaping mouth. Hsi Wu fluttered jeeringly nearby.
"Why? Why shouldn't she eat you? Po Kong, eat them!" he said anxiously. He hoped she wouldn't just swallow them. Hsi Wu wanted to smell sweet blood again. It had been thousands of years, and he was hungry.
"Oh, alright, then," Jade sighed, closing her eyes. "Eat me up if you really want to. Just wish I could see the look on your faces when you wind up back in the demon realm."
"What? I do not wish to return to the demon realm!" exclaimed Xiao Fung angrily. "What does the child mean?"
"Ignore her," advised Tso Lan. "She devises a trick for weak minds." The meaning couldn't be clearer- Tso Lan was calling Xiao Fung weak minded. Xiao Fung frowned, but didn't say anything. He just sat and pouted.
"Perhaps so, my brother," hissed Bai Tsa, growing in size so as to be able to look down upon the twin girls. "But is it not possible that she who knows the secret of the talismans and is descended from the old Chi wizard knows something that we do not?"
Tchang Zu stood up suddenly, surprising the others as they had thought him unconscious. He glared at the Jades with a mixture of fury and badly disguised embarrassment. No mortal child defeated the Thunder Demon, not even one in possession of demon magic. "Kill the girl! She is our enemy! We do not need the knowledge possessed by mortal children!" he screamed.
"My dear brother," toned Tso Lan silkily, "I do wonder if our youngest sister might not be right. We should hear what the child has to say, if only because she is our enemy and perhaps knows of chi magic that may destroy it. And she volunteers so willingly! I do not wish to doubt your wisdom, Tchang Zu. . ." the moon demon ended deferentially.
Tchang Zu thought about this. While he was a prideful demon, he was not quite as slow as most thought him to be. He liked being leader, but he knew that despite his seniority and great power, the only reason he was still in command was because his far cleverer brother lacked ambition. Tso Lan would rather live in solitude on the moon than rule his siblings. However, Tchang Zu knew that if Tso Lan wanted something and was asking in a way that wouldn't cause him any loss of pride. . .well, there was no sense in refusing.
"You speak wisely, Tso Lan. Let the child speak. But let her remember her respect this time, or she shall taste the full fury of Tso Lan." Thunder crackled in the sky. Jade looked at it with a bored expression.
"Okay, then," said the girl, looking tiny in the palm of Po Kong's hand. Po Kong looked rather displeased in being denied her dinner, and Hsi Wu looked disappointed. "See, my point is, if you guys try to take over the world, you might as well buy a one way ticket back to demon-ville. The world is totally changed, and you guys no longer stand a chance."
"This is insolence!" thundered Tchang Zu. "You forget, we are demons! We have power you mortals couldn't imagine! Watch, child!" He waved his hand, and a massive, crackling bolt of lightning coursed between his fingers.
"But that's the problem!" explained Jade. "We can imagine it! Tchang Zu, we learned how to capture electricity into wires and batteries. Look!" She held out a small object. . .Paco's stolen Gameboy. Tchang Zu looked dubiously at it. Jade flipped it on, and Tchang Zu's eyes widened. This game was using his mighty power to do something as trivial as make little lights and sounds. What magic was this? Jade continued to speak to all of them. "We have jets that can fly faster than Hsi Wu, and rockets that can reach the moon, and drills that can tunnel even better than Dai Gui, and pipes and faucets to control water, and fans to create our own wind, and bombs that would scorch even Shendu and skyscrapers taller than Po Kong!"
"This cannot be true!" boomed Tchang Zu, still staring at the tiny Gameboy. "We are the masters of our elements! They cannot be controlled."
"It is true," said Hsi Wu quietly, and this time no one silenced him. "I spent much time in the moral realm before the Chans imprisoned me once more, and I have seen it. The humans have mastered all of the elements."
"This game. . .it is so tiny," said Tchang Zu. "The humans cannot defeat us with our own elements! They are so small and their lives are so little. We are immortals. They outnumber us, but each of us could easily handle several thousand humans. This should be more than enough."
"No," said Jade. "They'll band together. They may not be able to kill you, but they'll restrain you, experiment on you, and then some Chi wizard will be found that can harm you. There're more humans in the world now. About 8 billion."
Tchang Zu shook in disgust, but shrugged it off. "We will find a way. We are masters at adaptation. Now, it is time for you to die."
Jade smirked knowingly. Tchang Zu looked confused, but Tso Lan smiled in understanding. "The child wishes to barter, my brother," he said softly. "What does she offer?"
Jade stood up tall, or as tall as she could. "I can show you how to conquer the world. I watch the Sci Fi channel, so I know exactly how we're supposed to do it. You'll be the lords again in no time."
The other child, who had been quiet before, suddenly spoke up in shock. "No! We would rather d-die than help demons h-hurt people!" she wailed fearfully. He sister frowned, then clamped a hand around the girl's neck, pressure-pointing her. The yin half of Jade fainted.
"Ignore my sister. She's an idiot," explained Jade matter-of-factly. "So, how's about it?"
"Wait," said Tso Lan. "We have not yet finished negotiations. What is it you wanted in return for the service? You beg for your life? The life of your uncles?"
Jade smirked. "If I ask to go free, how do I know you won't come after me again? And I don't care about my uncles. I just want power. Do you know, everyone's always bossed me around, never let me have any fun. I wanted to kill you and take over the world. I now see that all of you are too powerful for me. So, let me be your general. I'll lead the troops into battle, I'll take my own risk, I'll deal with everything you want. I don't need anything in return, except your own conquer of the world. If I can't rule myself, then I'll at least be pretty damn high on the food chain. What do you say?"
"No!" shrieked Hsi Wu. "She is dangerous, my brothers and sisters! She is not to be trusted."
"I'm not the one who pretended to be your friend," hissed Jade under her breath. Only Hsi Wu heard, and he hissed dangerously in response.
"She is a powerless mortal, Hsi Wu. One that offers to help at little cost," muttered Bai Tsa. "Do you suggest that you fear a mortal child."
"No!" defended Hsi Wu. "Of course I do not. But she is clever, and very skilled at magic. She may very well betray us!"
"Look," said Jade innocently. "Just gimme one or two talismans to fight with. You keep the rest. That way, I won't be a threat to you."
"I like the child's plan," said Tso Lan softly. "I believe it would be wise to listen to her unusually advanced wisdom, but this is merely my opinion."
"The child stays," said Tchang Zu, once again fulfilling Tso Lan's desires. "However. . .one of us must keep an eye on her."
"Why not our brother Hsi Wu?" snickered Bai Tsa. "He does seem so fond of her, and he remembers the mortal's name. That is, if he isn't afraid."
"I am not afraid of a mortal!" exclaimed Hsi Wu, springing into the air and spreading his wingspan to show his annoyance.
"Very well," said Tchang Zu. "It will be your task to watch the young Chan, Hsi Wu, and your scales if anything should go wrong."
"But I- I didn't- It's not. . .Very well," sighed Hsi Wu, cursing once again his permanent position as the brunt of ever demon joke. He nearly wished Shendu were here, so that they might focus on him rather than the sky demon.
"What is our next course of action?" asked Bai Tsa, as much to Jade as to Tchang Zu.
"Well. . ." said Jade, "Shendu's statue is in San Francisco. I suppose you'll be wanting to free him, but. . ."
Bai Tsa shrunk to Jade's size and sat next to her. "Chan," the water demon hissed, "It is for the best if you suddenly forget you know how to free brother Shendu, and we will likewise forget any mention of him."
Jade smirked and looked at her own annoying sibling. She liked the way these demons thought. She wanted to make sure she remained in their acceptance. "Then. . .to Hollywood! We will rebuild Tchang Zu's palace."
Tchang Zu did indeed like the suggestion. The demons prepared to cross the ocean. Bai Tsa, Hsi Wu, Tso Lan, and Dai Gui could manage the cross easily. Tchang Zu would never accept help, so he would considerably slow down the company. Po Kong could travel through Dai Gui's subterranean tunnels, and Xiao Fung, although knowing it would be a tiring process, would hop, using the wind to keep him steady. This left the Jades. Yang Jade was carrying an unconscious yin in her arms. No one wanted to return the talismans just yet.
"Hsi Wu," said Tchang Zu. "You will carry the mortals."
Hsi Wu grudgingly picked the girls up in his talons. He then flew high up, and dropped them, catching them only just in time with a sneering "Ooops." Jade muttered to herself, but Hsi Wu smiled at his siblings and proceeded to carry the girls. As they were leaving, he muttered softly to Jade "You have gotten your way thus far, mortal. But beware. . .before long I will make you wish you'd been trapped in the dungeons with the rest of your family."
"Whatever you say, Seymour," muttered Jade. "It's your scales."
***
Onacdr lay below. Very far below. The gates had opened several thousand feet above a yellow plain. The air around the J-Team was a piercing blue, surrounded by unbelievably puffy clouds. It was cold, and no one felt much like taking the first step out of the dungeons.
The J-Team stood on the edge of the gates, except for Tohru who had muttered something about a fear of heights. This was understandable, as the view was magnificent and terrifying at the same time.
"So, who wants to go first?" asked Viper with a raised eyebrow. Uncle did not respond, as he was analyzing the situation with a studious expression. Jackie knew that look meant he was moments away from declaring the need to do research.
There was a blur charging through the air towards them- black and shiny as thousands of opals. As it came nearer, Jackie realized what it was- a dragon. Not the long, snakelike dragons of Chinese mythology, but a massive winged lizard like something out of European folklore. Jackie half expected a knight to show up.
But none did. Instead, the dragon's talons reached out, snatching at the J- Team. "Uncle!" Jackie cried, seeing that his Uncle was being carried away by the dragon. He leapt after the chi wizard, but was held back by a force. . .
Viper had grabbed his legs and was pulling him back in. "Either you've learned to fly, or that was really stupid." Jackie nodded. He wanted to save Uncle, but it had been stupid. These situations almost always ended with terrifying plummets to the ground below.
"Jackiee! Do something!" said Uncle indignantly, being hung upside down. The old man had his arms crossed, and looked very inconvenienced. Suddenly, several other large blurs came out of the sky- more dragons! A reddish- black dragon grabbed Paco, and El Torro grabbed on to the dragon's talon. A smaller black dragon snatched Viper. Jackie tried to attack the dragons, but he too felt a talon about his waist. Tohru, ignoring his fear, charge with a shout, but was snatched by a glimmering green dragon.
"Put me down!" shouted Jackie. He kicked at the dragon that held him, but it was of no use. The dragon was too strong for him to handle.
Suddenly, there was a soft, melodic woman's voice. "Do not worry. . ." It was probably the most beautiful voice Jackie had ever heard. It made him want to fall asleep, or to dance and sing and write poetry.
Suddenly, Jackie woke up from his daze. The dragon had let go of him, and the golden plains were rushing at him with astounding speed. The acceleration brought tears to his eyes. "Why meeee?" screamed Jackie as he fell into Onacdr.
Author's Note~ Thank you for reading, everyone! Wow, 80 reviews. I'm impressed and honoured.
Could you guys do me a favour? Go to my Bio and see the website listed there? It's a petition to bring back my other favorite show, The Zeta Project, which has been cruelly cancelled. Yes, yes, I know none of you probably have ever watched The Zeta Project, but if you could just sign pretending you like it, I'd be happy. In fact, sign for your friends and siblings, too.
Why don't I make it worth your while? When you sign, list your location as 'San Francisco' so I'll know it's a JCA person. Although technically I should honor my word and do this anyways, if I get 5 San Francisco signatures, then I'll make this a Hsi Wu/Jade romance. If I get 10, I'll write a sequel. Unless you don't want a sequel, in which case tell me so in the comments, and I won't listen to you unless I get 15 no sequel people. Heheheh, blackmail. Sign, or I might just. . .write more!
But seriously, if you do this I'll be eternally eternally grateful!
Thanks so much! So, how about future Jade? Pretty spiffy, eh? I thought she was cool, but her head didn't fit her body. That was kinda creepy. And did anyone see J-Tots? Awww, mini J Team was so cool! Was Uncle not the cutest thing you've ever seen? "You want Uncle to defeat Chang and return J-Team to normal, yeees? Then you will stop for ice cream!" Okay, so it was pretty stupid. . .I liked it! Season finale next week, and you can bet I'll be there!
Before long, each member of the J-Team stood before the massive gates. The dungeons of Onacdr had turned out to be smaller than Uncle had thought. He wondered why Jade hadn't seen these when she had been trapped in this realm. He supposed the demons avoided the gates- they were forged of some of the most powerful good chi magic in the universe. Fortunately, that meant that it wouldn't be difficult to open them. Just a bit of Chi magic. . .
"Tohru!" commanded Uncle. "My blowfish?"
"Uh. . .sensei," said Tohru awkwardly, "I do not have any of your supplies. I could not carry them with me when the plane crashed."
"Aiyaa!" Exclaimed Uncle. "How do you expect Uncle to cast spells without magical tools? Uncle is very old man! Gets worn out quickly."
Viper put a hand on her hips and gave Uncle an impatient look Uncle became one of the few people in the world who did not blanch under Viper's glare. He merely gave her an equally impudent look. "Look, can we get through, or not?" asked Viper impatiently.
Uncle snorted indignantly, and muttered "Young hussy has no respect for her elders!" Jackie put his head in his hands and slumped down.
"I heard that!" snapped Viper. Something about her expression indicated that she was getting ready to fight, despite Uncle's age. Something about Uncle's expression warned Jackie that this would be a quick fight.
"You want a piece of Uncle?" asked the chi wizard. Viper had never see Uncle in combat. The elderly man was extremely good in the most annoying ways possible. The enemy would charge with some difficult move, and then Uncle would stand still until the last moment, finally thrusting a fist out and knocking his opponent out.
Fortunately, El Torro decided to step in. He put a massive hand on the shoulders of both Viper and Uncle. "Mis amigos, this is not the time. There is no honor gained in fighting your own team."
Viper grumbled to herself, but crossed her arms over her chest. Uncle raised his hairy brows and his glasses flashed, but he said no more to Viper. Instead he lifted his hands and cast a Chi spell upon the gates. They glowed green, and then began to open with a rumble. Uncle tried to hide the fact that he was having trouble catching his breath. Sure, he could perform magic without the aid of his tools, and he had often when he was younger. But it was not an easy task.
The gates stood opening, laying before them the realm of Onacdr.
***
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," said Jade matter-of-factly, looking Po Kong in her gaping mouth. Hsi Wu fluttered jeeringly nearby.
"Why? Why shouldn't she eat you? Po Kong, eat them!" he said anxiously. He hoped she wouldn't just swallow them. Hsi Wu wanted to smell sweet blood again. It had been thousands of years, and he was hungry.
"Oh, alright, then," Jade sighed, closing her eyes. "Eat me up if you really want to. Just wish I could see the look on your faces when you wind up back in the demon realm."
"What? I do not wish to return to the demon realm!" exclaimed Xiao Fung angrily. "What does the child mean?"
"Ignore her," advised Tso Lan. "She devises a trick for weak minds." The meaning couldn't be clearer- Tso Lan was calling Xiao Fung weak minded. Xiao Fung frowned, but didn't say anything. He just sat and pouted.
"Perhaps so, my brother," hissed Bai Tsa, growing in size so as to be able to look down upon the twin girls. "But is it not possible that she who knows the secret of the talismans and is descended from the old Chi wizard knows something that we do not?"
Tchang Zu stood up suddenly, surprising the others as they had thought him unconscious. He glared at the Jades with a mixture of fury and badly disguised embarrassment. No mortal child defeated the Thunder Demon, not even one in possession of demon magic. "Kill the girl! She is our enemy! We do not need the knowledge possessed by mortal children!" he screamed.
"My dear brother," toned Tso Lan silkily, "I do wonder if our youngest sister might not be right. We should hear what the child has to say, if only because she is our enemy and perhaps knows of chi magic that may destroy it. And she volunteers so willingly! I do not wish to doubt your wisdom, Tchang Zu. . ." the moon demon ended deferentially.
Tchang Zu thought about this. While he was a prideful demon, he was not quite as slow as most thought him to be. He liked being leader, but he knew that despite his seniority and great power, the only reason he was still in command was because his far cleverer brother lacked ambition. Tso Lan would rather live in solitude on the moon than rule his siblings. However, Tchang Zu knew that if Tso Lan wanted something and was asking in a way that wouldn't cause him any loss of pride. . .well, there was no sense in refusing.
"You speak wisely, Tso Lan. Let the child speak. But let her remember her respect this time, or she shall taste the full fury of Tso Lan." Thunder crackled in the sky. Jade looked at it with a bored expression.
"Okay, then," said the girl, looking tiny in the palm of Po Kong's hand. Po Kong looked rather displeased in being denied her dinner, and Hsi Wu looked disappointed. "See, my point is, if you guys try to take over the world, you might as well buy a one way ticket back to demon-ville. The world is totally changed, and you guys no longer stand a chance."
"This is insolence!" thundered Tchang Zu. "You forget, we are demons! We have power you mortals couldn't imagine! Watch, child!" He waved his hand, and a massive, crackling bolt of lightning coursed between his fingers.
"But that's the problem!" explained Jade. "We can imagine it! Tchang Zu, we learned how to capture electricity into wires and batteries. Look!" She held out a small object. . .Paco's stolen Gameboy. Tchang Zu looked dubiously at it. Jade flipped it on, and Tchang Zu's eyes widened. This game was using his mighty power to do something as trivial as make little lights and sounds. What magic was this? Jade continued to speak to all of them. "We have jets that can fly faster than Hsi Wu, and rockets that can reach the moon, and drills that can tunnel even better than Dai Gui, and pipes and faucets to control water, and fans to create our own wind, and bombs that would scorch even Shendu and skyscrapers taller than Po Kong!"
"This cannot be true!" boomed Tchang Zu, still staring at the tiny Gameboy. "We are the masters of our elements! They cannot be controlled."
"It is true," said Hsi Wu quietly, and this time no one silenced him. "I spent much time in the moral realm before the Chans imprisoned me once more, and I have seen it. The humans have mastered all of the elements."
"This game. . .it is so tiny," said Tchang Zu. "The humans cannot defeat us with our own elements! They are so small and their lives are so little. We are immortals. They outnumber us, but each of us could easily handle several thousand humans. This should be more than enough."
"No," said Jade. "They'll band together. They may not be able to kill you, but they'll restrain you, experiment on you, and then some Chi wizard will be found that can harm you. There're more humans in the world now. About 8 billion."
Tchang Zu shook in disgust, but shrugged it off. "We will find a way. We are masters at adaptation. Now, it is time for you to die."
Jade smirked knowingly. Tchang Zu looked confused, but Tso Lan smiled in understanding. "The child wishes to barter, my brother," he said softly. "What does she offer?"
Jade stood up tall, or as tall as she could. "I can show you how to conquer the world. I watch the Sci Fi channel, so I know exactly how we're supposed to do it. You'll be the lords again in no time."
The other child, who had been quiet before, suddenly spoke up in shock. "No! We would rather d-die than help demons h-hurt people!" she wailed fearfully. He sister frowned, then clamped a hand around the girl's neck, pressure-pointing her. The yin half of Jade fainted.
"Ignore my sister. She's an idiot," explained Jade matter-of-factly. "So, how's about it?"
"Wait," said Tso Lan. "We have not yet finished negotiations. What is it you wanted in return for the service? You beg for your life? The life of your uncles?"
Jade smirked. "If I ask to go free, how do I know you won't come after me again? And I don't care about my uncles. I just want power. Do you know, everyone's always bossed me around, never let me have any fun. I wanted to kill you and take over the world. I now see that all of you are too powerful for me. So, let me be your general. I'll lead the troops into battle, I'll take my own risk, I'll deal with everything you want. I don't need anything in return, except your own conquer of the world. If I can't rule myself, then I'll at least be pretty damn high on the food chain. What do you say?"
"No!" shrieked Hsi Wu. "She is dangerous, my brothers and sisters! She is not to be trusted."
"I'm not the one who pretended to be your friend," hissed Jade under her breath. Only Hsi Wu heard, and he hissed dangerously in response.
"She is a powerless mortal, Hsi Wu. One that offers to help at little cost," muttered Bai Tsa. "Do you suggest that you fear a mortal child."
"No!" defended Hsi Wu. "Of course I do not. But she is clever, and very skilled at magic. She may very well betray us!"
"Look," said Jade innocently. "Just gimme one or two talismans to fight with. You keep the rest. That way, I won't be a threat to you."
"I like the child's plan," said Tso Lan softly. "I believe it would be wise to listen to her unusually advanced wisdom, but this is merely my opinion."
"The child stays," said Tchang Zu, once again fulfilling Tso Lan's desires. "However. . .one of us must keep an eye on her."
"Why not our brother Hsi Wu?" snickered Bai Tsa. "He does seem so fond of her, and he remembers the mortal's name. That is, if he isn't afraid."
"I am not afraid of a mortal!" exclaimed Hsi Wu, springing into the air and spreading his wingspan to show his annoyance.
"Very well," said Tchang Zu. "It will be your task to watch the young Chan, Hsi Wu, and your scales if anything should go wrong."
"But I- I didn't- It's not. . .Very well," sighed Hsi Wu, cursing once again his permanent position as the brunt of ever demon joke. He nearly wished Shendu were here, so that they might focus on him rather than the sky demon.
"What is our next course of action?" asked Bai Tsa, as much to Jade as to Tchang Zu.
"Well. . ." said Jade, "Shendu's statue is in San Francisco. I suppose you'll be wanting to free him, but. . ."
Bai Tsa shrunk to Jade's size and sat next to her. "Chan," the water demon hissed, "It is for the best if you suddenly forget you know how to free brother Shendu, and we will likewise forget any mention of him."
Jade smirked and looked at her own annoying sibling. She liked the way these demons thought. She wanted to make sure she remained in their acceptance. "Then. . .to Hollywood! We will rebuild Tchang Zu's palace."
Tchang Zu did indeed like the suggestion. The demons prepared to cross the ocean. Bai Tsa, Hsi Wu, Tso Lan, and Dai Gui could manage the cross easily. Tchang Zu would never accept help, so he would considerably slow down the company. Po Kong could travel through Dai Gui's subterranean tunnels, and Xiao Fung, although knowing it would be a tiring process, would hop, using the wind to keep him steady. This left the Jades. Yang Jade was carrying an unconscious yin in her arms. No one wanted to return the talismans just yet.
"Hsi Wu," said Tchang Zu. "You will carry the mortals."
Hsi Wu grudgingly picked the girls up in his talons. He then flew high up, and dropped them, catching them only just in time with a sneering "Ooops." Jade muttered to herself, but Hsi Wu smiled at his siblings and proceeded to carry the girls. As they were leaving, he muttered softly to Jade "You have gotten your way thus far, mortal. But beware. . .before long I will make you wish you'd been trapped in the dungeons with the rest of your family."
"Whatever you say, Seymour," muttered Jade. "It's your scales."
***
Onacdr lay below. Very far below. The gates had opened several thousand feet above a yellow plain. The air around the J-Team was a piercing blue, surrounded by unbelievably puffy clouds. It was cold, and no one felt much like taking the first step out of the dungeons.
The J-Team stood on the edge of the gates, except for Tohru who had muttered something about a fear of heights. This was understandable, as the view was magnificent and terrifying at the same time.
"So, who wants to go first?" asked Viper with a raised eyebrow. Uncle did not respond, as he was analyzing the situation with a studious expression. Jackie knew that look meant he was moments away from declaring the need to do research.
There was a blur charging through the air towards them- black and shiny as thousands of opals. As it came nearer, Jackie realized what it was- a dragon. Not the long, snakelike dragons of Chinese mythology, but a massive winged lizard like something out of European folklore. Jackie half expected a knight to show up.
But none did. Instead, the dragon's talons reached out, snatching at the J- Team. "Uncle!" Jackie cried, seeing that his Uncle was being carried away by the dragon. He leapt after the chi wizard, but was held back by a force. . .
Viper had grabbed his legs and was pulling him back in. "Either you've learned to fly, or that was really stupid." Jackie nodded. He wanted to save Uncle, but it had been stupid. These situations almost always ended with terrifying plummets to the ground below.
"Jackiee! Do something!" said Uncle indignantly, being hung upside down. The old man had his arms crossed, and looked very inconvenienced. Suddenly, several other large blurs came out of the sky- more dragons! A reddish- black dragon grabbed Paco, and El Torro grabbed on to the dragon's talon. A smaller black dragon snatched Viper. Jackie tried to attack the dragons, but he too felt a talon about his waist. Tohru, ignoring his fear, charge with a shout, but was snatched by a glimmering green dragon.
"Put me down!" shouted Jackie. He kicked at the dragon that held him, but it was of no use. The dragon was too strong for him to handle.
Suddenly, there was a soft, melodic woman's voice. "Do not worry. . ." It was probably the most beautiful voice Jackie had ever heard. It made him want to fall asleep, or to dance and sing and write poetry.
Suddenly, Jackie woke up from his daze. The dragon had let go of him, and the golden plains were rushing at him with astounding speed. The acceleration brought tears to his eyes. "Why meeee?" screamed Jackie as he fell into Onacdr.
Author's Note~ Thank you for reading, everyone! Wow, 80 reviews. I'm impressed and honoured.
Could you guys do me a favour? Go to my Bio and see the website listed there? It's a petition to bring back my other favorite show, The Zeta Project, which has been cruelly cancelled. Yes, yes, I know none of you probably have ever watched The Zeta Project, but if you could just sign pretending you like it, I'd be happy. In fact, sign for your friends and siblings, too.
Why don't I make it worth your while? When you sign, list your location as 'San Francisco' so I'll know it's a JCA person. Although technically I should honor my word and do this anyways, if I get 5 San Francisco signatures, then I'll make this a Hsi Wu/Jade romance. If I get 10, I'll write a sequel. Unless you don't want a sequel, in which case tell me so in the comments, and I won't listen to you unless I get 15 no sequel people. Heheheh, blackmail. Sign, or I might just. . .write more!
But seriously, if you do this I'll be eternally eternally grateful!
Thanks so much! So, how about future Jade? Pretty spiffy, eh? I thought she was cool, but her head didn't fit her body. That was kinda creepy. And did anyone see J-Tots? Awww, mini J Team was so cool! Was Uncle not the cutest thing you've ever seen? "You want Uncle to defeat Chang and return J-Team to normal, yeees? Then you will stop for ice cream!" Okay, so it was pretty stupid. . .I liked it! Season finale next week, and you can bet I'll be there!