Arileo: I LIVE!!!! Sorry it's been so long. I was on vacation for two weeks, and had to deal with getting my college applications straightened out. These next few chapters should go pretty smoothly compared to the last one.

Glyph: Tarakudo kawaii!

Arileo: That's probably the only reason for this.

REVIEWS:

VampireNaomi: The cuteness was the whole idea. And I AM considering a Jade/Tara, but I'm still working on it. There will be some great moments between them later on.

Queen Jade(): Oh, you'll love some of it.

Oriental(): Thank you! And sorry for making you wait.

HamHamDude: I am very big on trying to type people's speech patterns correctly. I actually sit here mimicking Uncle at times to make sure I've got it right.

Souma Kagura: blush People keep telling me that. I'm not that good.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Jackie Chan Adventures and I'm getting nothing out of this. I do however own Hidoi, Dokuonna, and Dr. Hannon. Those three I'll lend to people who ask.

The Resurrection of Tarakudo

Chapter four: Let Sleeping Demons Lie

"He can't be older than fifteen..." Dr. Hannon whispered.

Jackie really hadn't known what to expect Tarakudo's original form to look like, perhaps the eight foot tall demon the final mask potion had turned him into, but not this.

Crouching before them was a teenage boy clad in only a black yukata. White bangs fell into his almost feminine face, the rest draped over his shoulders and back. Tarakudo's green eyes were the only color.

"Uncle," Jackie said at last, "Are you sure that the spell worked properly?"

"I think it did," said Tohru, "Three-quarters human..."

When the large man spoke, Tarakudo glanced around at the humans, seeming to finally recognize them. He drew back his black lips, startling against the pale white skin, and let out a snarl.

"Chan..."

The disgust and rage in the soft voice erased any doubt that this boy was their recently defeated enemy.

"Tarakudo." Jackie responded

"What have you done?" the demon demanded and jumped at Jackie so quickly all that could be seen was a white streak.

Jackie hit the ground with Tarakudo on top of him. He grabbed the front of Jackie's sweater and shook him angrily, "How could you?! Idiot human! What have you done to me?"

Black ran up and pulled him off, doing his best to avoid the flying kicks and punches directed at him. Tarakudo dashed away again, moving more quickly than the human eye could see. Jackie regained his footing and tried to catch the white haired boy. He managed to duck the next pounce, and Tarakudo landed right in Tohru's waiting arms.

"Let go of me you oaf! I'll feast on your flesh!" Tarakudo struggled, but couldn't break free. In desperation he bit Tohru and succeeded in making him let go.

"I'll... I'll... kisama..." Tarakudo swayed on his feet for a moment, and passed out.

Rather anti-climactic, huh?

"Tarakudo just... fainted," Jade said incredulously.

Tohru laid the small, thin form out on the grass. Uncle and Dr. Hannon ran up to his side.

"What happened?" Jackie asked, rubbing his back. What was with demons and pouncing on him?

"Demon's chi is unbalanced from ceremony. Will take time to regain lost energy," Uncle explained.

"Wouldn't surprise me," said Hannon. "After all, according to what I was told in the briefing, he hasn't had a physical body for hundreds of years. He'll probably need a few days to pull everything together."

"He didn't seem to have any trouble a minute ago," Jackie muttered.

"Adrenaline rush most likely."

At this explanation, Jackie nodded. He had plenty of experience with what that wonderful little substance could let people do.

"So," said Jade, "What're we gonna do with him? I mean- all the demon-hauling equipment we brought was for a big guy."

"We continue with the schedule," Black replied. "Secure Tarakudo, camp here for the night, and return to the airport in the morning. The return trip should hopefully be easier."

Jackie awoke the next morning feeling sore and tired. Nothing new there. He was pleased to see that nothing had changed since he'd fallen asleep. Tohru was still snoring like a log with Jade curled up against his side, Uncle's demon-wards were still keeping anymore surprise visits from Dokuonna and Hidoi at bay, and best of all, Tarakudo was still handcuffed and unconscious where they'd left him wrapped in a blanket.

"Jackie, you 'wake?" Black asked. "There's still some coffee left."

"Please."

Jackie eagerly sipped the black drink. It was one of the worst cups of coffee he'd ever had, but it was still coffee, and that was all that mattered at the moment.

"We should wake everyone up. Time to go."

Once they were awake and packed, the J-team set out.

Black hauled Tarakudo on his shoulders in a fireman's carry, while Jackie had a still-sleepy Jade on his (still sore) back. Tohru and Hannon carried the rest of the equipment, and Uncle kept up an anti-Oni ward.

As Captain Black predicted, the trip back went a lot faster.

All was peaceful, Jade was occupied talking with Hannon much to Jackie's relief, and the Oni were nowhere in sight.

Then Tarakudo woke up.

"Arg! Get him offa me!"

Jackie turned back to see that Tarakudo had somehow twisted himself across Black's shoulders and had his teeth sunk into the man's neck.

Jackie grabbed the white-haired demon and wrestled him to the ground.

Tarakudo didn't even bother to threaten them this time, simply snarling and yelling.

He held onto the smaller form as tightly as he could, avoiding kicks and the occasional bite. Normally Jackie had no qualms about fighting demons, but not one that looked like a child. His worries were greatened by the fact that Tarakudo's strikes were not the fine martial arts he had used in their first physical battle. Instead he seemed frantic, only concentrating on escape. After what seemed like hours the struggles ceased.

Jackie loosened his grip and gently placed Tarakudo on the ground.

"He fainted again," Jade stated.

"So it would seem. Is Captain Black alright?"

"I'm fine. He didn't even break the skin. I was more angry then hurt," Black said waving off Dr. Hannon's attention.

"Ugh..." Jackie groaned. "I suppose having to deal with an irate Tarakudo is better than Dokuonna using power of the Oni mask for anything. Now we should not have anything to worry about."

"Co-rect." Said Uncle, "Shi-Ma-oh's power is now dispersed through out the world as it should have been when he died. His power will go into the seals on the other Oni."

"IN-correct."

"Ugh, Uncle Jackie, he's awake again already."

"Hah! And just in time too. Baka ningen. That's why you did this to me?" Tarakudo laughed, "You thought it would help? You've just doomed yourselves!"

The white-haired boy threw back his head and laughed again.

"What're you laughing about shorty?" Black growled, putting emphasis on the new height difference.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Then please, enlighten us," Jackie said.

"The seals will not stay up without a catalyst to hold the power of Shi-Ma-oh. That is why I took it in the first place. I was the catalyst at first, and later, the mask. But now the power is gone. I did not create these seals, the former Oni king did. He used them on countless enemies. Shi-Ma-oh's seals are not ordinary demon-seals. You are stuck just out of phase with this world, able to see and hear, but not interact, even with other sealed demons. Each seal is connected to a physical object, and when the power within it runs out, it will shatter, releasing a demon. But it is impossible to know when or where that will happen."

"Great," Jackie groaned, "I don't suppose that you would be willing to help stop this from happening?"

"You can re-seal a demon into the seal it came from permanently, but it takes a lot of power I no longer have. And the longer a demon's free, the more power they get back." Tarakudo replied, continuing to imply that this new dilemma was their fault.

"Besides it's already begun hasn't it? Who's been following us?"

"They were called Dokuonna and Hidoi."

"Those two! Oh, you're in trouble when they get back to full strength. But it will take a while."

"They didn't seem too happy with you either," Jade snapped.

Tarakudo shrugged. "I sealed Dokuonna because she wanted to take over the world. She'll recruit as many Oni as possible, and build herself an army."

"So." Jackie said, "We have a new problem. We have to find a way to re-seal these demons."

Tarakudo sniggered.

"And you are going to help us."

"K'so!"

Chapter 4, finally. We have our mission!

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Tarakudo the cute little human teenager, what have I done?

Translations:

Kisama- you bastard

Baka ningen- idiot mortals (expect Tara-kun to say this a lot)

K'so!- an expletive, (damn, sh!t, fcuk, etc.)

Whee! After months, a new chapter. Next chapter: Getting to Know You!