"Let's see," Jade said as she read her book. "What do you think is the weirdest thing that's happened to me in the past couple of weeks? Being stuck on an island with a bunch of Girl Scouts with a whip-carrying thief, encountering a Yeti, or finding out Jackie's filling had an inscription that can control the Ganges River?"

"I still don't understand why you kept some of these treasures," Seymour said. "Who knows if they have a hidden power or two."

Jade just snorted. "They can keep the treasures. I am interested in far greater powers."

"You can't just rely on one Demon Archive alone," the disguised demon pointed out.

"Not with that attitude." She closed the book and hid it under the bed. "Now, let's return to our usual spot." Jade and Seymour transported themselves to the scrapyard. Jade's skin turned blue and her eyes turned red. "I've been practicing this move in between adventures."

Seymour smirked as his eyes became red. "Really? Let's see it."

Jade made circle formations with her hands, slowly at first then going faster and faster until she was able to form a miniature tornado. She slowly spread her arms out, making it grow until it reached about her size. Then she let it go. The tornado flew in Seymour's direction, but he grew his true form's bat wings and flapped them, making it go back to Jade.

"Oh, no you don't!" Jade thrusted her arms forward, forcing the tornado back at her opponent. But Seymour flapped his wings faster and stronger. Jade held on as best as she could until it was too much; one more flap of his wings was all it took for him to send the tornado back and blast her off her feet. She flew backwards until she stopped herself midair and gently hovered down.

"Still needs work," Seymour commented.

Jade let out a growl. She spun her hands around again, this time forming a ball of air. She tossed the ball, but Seymour hit it like a volley ball. Jade struck back. The ball went back and forth between the two until Seymour ducked at the last minute. The ball struck a garbage pile behind him, sending debris flying everywhere.

Seymour thrusted his hands forward, sending blasts of air out his palms and at Jade. She ducked in time, then decided to get dirty. Tendrils shot out of Seymour's shadow and held him down. He tried to move, but he couldn't. Jade saw her opportunity. She ran up to him, formed a ball of air in her hands and slammed it into his chest. "Not bad," he hissed, before he grew a tail and wrapped itself around her throat with such speed that she passed out.

"Wakey, wakey," sang Seymour's voice.

Jade scrunched her nose and slowly got up. "What happened?"

"You lost."

"Tch. Cheater."

Meanwhile, Jackie returned with Captain Black to Section 13, having been given a very special mission. "Babysitting?" he asked.

"Not babysitting. Body guarding," corrected Captain Black. "And this isn't just anybody. You'll be guarding Lili, the king of Tangra."

"A king?" Jade's voice made the two men turn around and face her. How did she get in? "Cool! Count me in!"

"Sorry, Jade," said Captain Black. "This is a diplomatic mission. The king can't see anyone who doesn't have Level A clearance."

"Besides, don't you have a book report to work on?" asked Jackie.

"Jackie, why bother reading a book about some president from a gazillion years ago when I can meet a real life king?" Jade asked.

"I'm sorry, Jade. But you heard Captain Black." Jackie turned to leave with the captain.

Jade sighed in disappointment. Then she got an idea. "So the king can't see anyone who isn't cleared, huh? Hmm..." She snuck into the vault where the twelve Talismans were kept and took the Snake Talisman. She felt its power surge through her and when she looked down at her hands, she saw that they weren't there. Snake for invisibility.

At the hotel the king was staying at, Jade found Jackie meeting two men who were the king's entourage. They both wore green robes with orange patterns. "It is important you observe all formal customs in the presence of His Majesty," one of them said. He had greying hair and wore a red Phrygian cap.

"I will do my best," said Jackie.

Jade looked around the hotel. "Nice digs," she whispered She spotted two men sitting nearby. One wore a red suit and was speaking on the phone. The other wore a blue suit and was reading the newspaper. They both glanced at the entourage and Jackie, then to each other and nodded. "Undercover security," she thought. "This king must be all that."

Just then, the elevator dinged and the door opened, revealing a jolly-looking man with a red beard and small glasses...and a small boy with buck teeth wearing a huge yellow Phrygian cap decked with jewels. "Whoa, the dude's barely that," Jade thought, surprised and slightly disappointed at the sight of the diminutive monarch.

"May I present Lili, the king of Tangra," the man in the red cap said as he and his partner bowed. Jackie was quick to bow with them. "And Chaktra, his royal tutor." Both king and tutor bowed back.

"Tangra, where a kid can be a king," Jade whispered to herself. If a boy can be king of a whole country, then surely she could be Queen of the World as well.

"Mr. Chan," said the man in the red cap. "It is customary to perform the Song of Welcome."

"Oh, yes. I would love to hear it," said Jackie.

"It is you who is to sing, Mr. Chan," said Chaktra with an amused smile.

"Me?!"

The king held up his hand. "Later. What I would truly like to do is explore the city."

"And so you shall, my king," said Chaktra. "But we are past due for the ceremony at city hall. Your car awaits."

The king made a disappointed frown as he left with his tutor, Jackie and the entourage. "Looking out the window of a limousine is not the sightseeing I had in mind."

"A limo ride sounds good to me," Jade thought. Then the two shifty men she saw earlier about to follow the king's group. She eyed something odd: On the back of their necks was a tattoo of a snake biting its own tail. "These suits and ties aren't security," she realized. "Not with those 'Have a rotten day!' tattoos." She patted the spot on her patted where her own tattoo was placed.

Jade snuck to the limo the king was to be placed in, hopped in through the open sun roof and took her seat. As the limo drove on, Lili was constantly sticking his head out the window, marveling at the sights. "Look! The Golden Gate Bridge! Did you realize, Chaktra, that it is so expansive that as soon as a crew finishes painting, they must start over again?"

"I was not aware of that, my king."

"And there! That is Bay View Stadium! How I would love to witness a baseball game."

Jade thought to herself as she reclined on the chair, "Fancy hotels, luxury cars... Yeah, I could get used to this."

At city hall, the Mayor stood before a huge crowd with King Lili, Jackie, the entourage and Chaktra by his side. "And so, it is in the spirit of friendship and cooperation that I present to you with this key to our fair city." The mayor handed the Key To The City to the young king, who struggled to hold it. The crowd clapped their hands, not realizing the two shifty men were silently walking through them, heading for the podium where the king was.

Jade stood nearby, pretending the people were clapping for her. "Thank you, San Francisco, thank you," she said, speaking softly so no one can hear her. "You are too kind. You really know how to make a Queen feel welcome."

Meanwhile, Jackie kept watch. Suddenly, he saw a man in a green suit about to open a suitcase. "STOP!" He tackled the man, knocking the suitcase open. But instead of a gun like he thought, he saw a camera. That's when he saw the badge on the man's shirt. "Oh! Photographer. Sorry." Embarrassed, he helped the man up.

At that moment, Jade heard footsteps. The two shifty men she saw earlier were sneaking up behind the king. Her eyes flashed red for a brief moment. Tendrils shot out of the men's shadows and caused them to trip. Alerted by the sound, Jackie shouted, "King Lili! Bad men!" Jackie stood in between the assassins and the king.

One of the men pulled an electric wand out of his pocket. Thinking quick, Jackie took the Key To The City. "Sorry, I'll give it back to you!" He used the key to block the wand. The other man tried to pounce the king, but Jackie kicked him aside. Then he struck his current opponent with the key, knocking him out.

"That was amazing, the way you defeated those men single-handedly," Lili exclaimed as he was escorted to safety.

Jade huffed. "Hello! What am I? Invisible?" Then she remembered. "Oh. Right."

"And you have never seen those men before?" Jackie asked the entourage when they returned to the king's hotel room. They shook their heads and placed the king's cap in a box.

"A tiring day, Your Highness," Chaktra said, glad his pupil was safe. "Now it is time for your meditation period, then we will return to your studies."

"I have not yet taken a ride on a cable car," Lili said, disappointed. "I want to sightsee!"

Jackie shut the blinds and closed the curtains. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty," he said. "That is not possible. Those bad men are still at large. You must remain indoors and under close watch for the rest of your stay."

The king frowned at him. "Now, now, Your Highness," said Chaktra. "All is not blue. I have the royal chefs working on a wonderful dinner!"

"Broccoli stew," Lili grumbled.

"Broccoli souffle, my king."

"Yuck!"

"Double yuck," whispered Jade, who was sitting on the couch.

"Meditation, studies, broccoli," Lili complained. "Why is there never any time for fun?" He sat down on the couch, not realizing he was sitting on Jade's legs. She did her best not to make a sound. "And why is this couch so lumpy?" He jumped off.

"I am not lumpy," Jade growled.

"We will leave you to your meditation, Your Majesty," Chaktra said as he left with Jackie and the entourage.

"Yes, yes," Lili said. He sat on the bed and did a meditation pose.

"As always, you will not be disturbed until I return in four hours."

"Four hours?!" Jade thought, horrified. "I am so out of here!" Too late. The door closed and was locked. She peered through the keyhole. Jackie, the entourage and Chaktra were still out there, chatting. "As soon as the coast is clear, I'm burning rubber." Suddenly, the TV turned on. Jade turned to see the king with the remote in his hand, smiling as he watched the baseball game. "King, I like your style."

She sat next to the boy, watching the game with him. She grabbed a bowl of soy beans and ate some before handing it over. "Soy beans?"

"Thanks." The king ate some before his eyes widened. Who said that? He looked to his left. The soy beans were being picked out the bowl and disappearing in midair! He let out a yelp and jumped off the bed. "Who is there?! Reveal yourself!" Suddenly, a girl with black hair and wearing an orange shirt appeared on the bed. He gasped and backed away. The girl waved at him. "Wh-Who are you?"

"I'm, uh, part of your security team, Jackie's partner. Name's Jade."

"And you can become invisible?" the boy asked, astonished. "Can all body guards do that?"

"Only if they have one of these babies," Jade held out the Snake Talisman.

"A talisman?"

"A magic talisman."

"May I see?" Jade hesitated, before deciding to give it to him. "How does it work?"

"Just squeeze it in your hand. But I don't think..." Too late. Lili vanished before her eyes. "Yep. You learn fast," she said, becoming worried. "Now open your hand and become visible again." Silence. "Uh, king? Your Majesty? Lili?" Silence. Uh-oh. "I can't believe it! Lili pulled a Jade!"

She peeked out the door. Jackie, the entourage and Chaktra were having a customary tea ceremony. She went back in, then her eyes flashed red. She slunk into her own shadow. Then, like a snake, it slithered out from under the door, past the grown ups and into the elevator.

Back in the lobby, she stepped out of the shadows and looked around. "Okay, king, I know you're here! Somewhere!" She thought she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around, but saw nothing. Then she looked at what was outside the building. "Cable car," she realized. The boy wanted to sightsee, right?

Quickly, she hopped onto the streetcar before it took off and asked the driver, "Have you seen a kid? About eight-years-old, wearing..." She paused. "And staying invisible." Then she got an idea when she saw the only passenger: a woman with groceries. "May I buy one of your sodas?" she asked innocently. "Please? I'm so thirsty." She handed her a dollar bill.

"Okay, hun. But they're warm."

"Perfect." She took one of the cans and the woman stepped off at her destination. Now alone, Jade shook the can, then opened it, spraying soda everywhere. A boy's voice yelped. "Gotcha!" Jade pointed at the king, covered in soda. "You are so busted!" Before he could make another word, someone grabbed him and put a hand over his mouth. He craned his head back to see a ninja with blue skin and red eyes. He wanted to scream, but he was too afraid. "Don't even think about it," Jade warned. "And don't say a word until the next stop!"

The Shadowkhan tossed a now visible Lili behind a hotdog cart at Fisherman's Warf. Jade walked up to him. "Please, let me explain," he whimpered.

"No, you let me explain! You may be Mr. Big Shot King, all you gotta do is snap your fingers and get whatever you want in your country, but here in the US of A, what you did is called stealing!"

"I only meant to borrow it! So I could...escape."

Jade's expression softened a little. "Well, even borrowing something that isn't yours is wrong." She paused. "And I should know. And what do you mean, escape? You've got it made in the shade!"

"You have no idea what's like being a king," Lili said sadly. "Everything is pomp and ceremony. There's never any time for normal things. No time for fun."

"Well, I...guess that could get kind of boring."

"I suppose you'll be taking me back now?"

Jade smiled. "King, you're about to go on a J-Line tour!" The king grew a wide smile. But he glanced at the Shadowkhan behind her. "Oh, don't mind him," she said assuringly. "He's one of my body guards."

"Body guards?"

"A Queen of the Shadowkhan must have one."

Lili's eyes widened. "You're a Queen? Where is your castle? Your kingdom?"

"I..." Jade trailed off before admitting, "...don't have one. I am free to do whatever I please. Unlike you."

"Lucky."

Jade snapped her fingers and the Shadowkhan vanished. "So, where do you want to go, Lili?"

"I don't know. What is the best spot in the city, Your Highness?"

Jade raised her hands. "No formalities. Just Jade will do. And as for the best spot..."

After buying him some regular clothes so he wouldn't stand out, Jade took the boy king on perhaps his best tour of the city ever. They skateboarded down Lombard Street, ate ice cream at the Original Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop at Ghirardelli Square, played basketball with some of the local kids at Union Square, explored the San Francisco Zoo and took a tour at the Walt Disney Family Museum.

At the Oakland Bay Bridge, the two children looked out at the bay, smelling the sea air. "We ought to be getting back," Jade said. The king's entourage and tutor were to have realized by now he was gone.

"Please, there is one more place I must visit."

Bay View Stadium. Why not? Jade stood at the pitcher's mound, baseball in hand. Lili was at bat. Jade wanted the two of them to have teams of Shadowkhan, but Lili declined. He wanted it to be just the two of them. "And there's the pitch!" Jade tossed the ball. The king made a hit and started running. The ball bounced and Jade caught it. "It's going to be close...the runner slides!" The two kids bumped into each other. But Lili's foot still touched home base. "He's safe!"

"Yes, but you are in trouble." The two kids gasped and looked to see a very cross Jackie and a very relieved Chaktra.

"We can explain," the kids protested.

Jackie took Jade to have a talk with her. He held out his hand. "The Talisman."

"Heh. Found out about that too, huh?" Jade asked nervously as she handed it to him.

Before Jackie could say another word a van crashed into the stadium. The two assassins Jackie fought earlier stepped out. Chaktra tried to fight them off, but he tripped on a baseball and landed on his face. The man in blue grabbed the boy and held an electric wand to his temple. "Stay where you are," he said to Jackie and Jade. "If you want the boy to remain unharmed."

"Help!" cried the king as the two men took off.

When they returned to the hotel, Jackie made a phone call to Section 13. "No, Captain Black. No word yet from the kidnappers." Jade sat on the couch, looking sad. This was her fault, and she knew it. "Yes, please send a chopper. I want Jade and...our reptile friend back at Section 13 where they won't cause any more trouble."

Suddenly, the fax machine beeped and a letter slowly printed out. Jackie read it over. "It's a ransom note. It says Chaktra is to deliver the crown jewels of Tangra to a warehouse downtown, alone, within one hour or he will never see the king again."

The man in the red cap gasped. "The crown jewels?! They are Tangra's most valuable treasure!"

"How do you worry about mere baubles," Chaktra asked, outraged. "The boy is in danger!" The entourage nodded to each other and left to get the crown jewels.

"I will come with you," said Jackie.

"But they requested me, alone," said Chaktra. "We must do nothing to jeopardize Lili's safe return."

"Exactly. These are bad men. We cannot be sure they will honor their word."

Jade tugged Jackie's sleeve. "Jackie, let me come with you, please! Lili's my friend."

"I know, Jade," Jackie said. "But it is too dangerous. Captain Black is on his way and will be picking you up by helicopter." He handed her the Snake Talisman.

"But Jackie-"

"You will return the Talisman to the vault, do your homework and go to bed," he said sternly.

"Tch."

The entourage returned with the box containing the king's jeweled cap. "Please bring our king safely home," the man in the red cap pleaded.

"I will not fail his majesty," Chaktra assured them all.

Then Jade saw it. On the back of the tutor's neck was a tattoo. Almost like the one the assassins had on their necks. "Chaktra's hooked up with the kidnappers," she realized.

"I will see you in the morning, Jade," Jackie said as the elevator doors closed.

"Jackie, wait!" Too late. Jade growled with frustration. Then she heard the sound of an helicopter approaching. She looked at the Talisman in her hands, then nodded to herself. She gave it a squeeze and she vanished.

At the warehouse, Chaktra slowly entered the building, making wary glances. "I have brought what you asked," he called out. He looked up at a catwalk to see the two kidnappers with a bound Lili between them. "You're Highness! Are you alright?" Lili nodded.

"Bring the crown jewels to us," the man in blue shouted. "And then we'll let the boy go!"

Chaktra took one step forward, when suddenly, he tripped and fell. The box fell out of his hands and was pushed into a nearby corner. "What sorcery is this?!"

Jade appeared out of nowhere. "Nice try, Chaktra, but your cover is blown!"

"JADE?!" exclaimed Lili and Jackie (who was hiding behind a crate).

"And noise for you, boys, till Lili is down here with me," she shouted to the kidnappers. "The whole thing's a setup, Jackie!"

"What's going on here, Chaktra," the man in blue demanded. "We told you to come alone!"

"Come alone? Hello! What does that tell you," Jade asked Jackie, who came out of hiding. "Chaktra hands over the jewels, lets them keep Lili, then they fax in another ransom!"

Chaktra got up to his feet and said, "What nonsense does she speak?"

"I don't know," said Jackie. "Jade, you've gone too far this time!"

"Jackie, Chaktra's got a tattoo on the back of his neck, just like the other bad guys! Look for yourself!"

The adventurer archaeologist decided to humor her. "I'm sorry, Chaktra, but may I see the back of your neck, please?"

Chaktra turned around, lowered the neck of his shirt and revealed...the tattoo of a monkey. Jade's eyes widened. What she thought was a snake was actually the monkey's arm. "But I thought..."

"You thought wrong!" said a voice. It was the man with the red cap, one of the king's entourage! "A simple plan," he said. "Pawn the crown jewels, use the funds to train an elite fighting and then a palace takeover!"

"But...why?" Lili asked, hurt at this betrayal.

"Why? Because serving a king is beneath me. And I detest children."

"Yeah?" Jade stood in front of the traitor. "Well, you're going to have to get past one to get your mitts on the crown jewels!"

"With pleasure!" The traitorous man took out an electric wand and walked forward. Jade activated the Snake Talisman and disappeared from sight. The man looked around, confused. This gave Jackie the opportunity to kick him and send him flying into a control panel. This turned on all the lights and activated the power, turning on the conveyor belt.

With all these distractions happening, Jade snuck up to the catwalk and cut Lili's bonds. Then she kicked the man in the blue suit off the catwalk and onto the conveyor belt. The man in red looked around, confused. "But how?!"

"It is my mental kung-fu," Lili said with a grin. "I practice it while meditating. Care to see more?" The man shook his head and took off running.

Jade reappeared. "Now that was good. Guess now you're an army of one," she called out to the man in the red cap, who was currently fighting Jackie.

"As long as I have the jewels..." The man raced for Chaktra, who was holding the box. The tutor readied for a fight.

"Chaktra, no!" Jackie ran up to the thief and kicked the electric wand out of his hand.

"Perhaps we should use the invisibility talisman and assist?" Lili asked. "Or you could call your ninjas."

"Jackie doesn't need any help," replied Jade. "Besides, if he gets a serious workout, he might forget all about grounding me. And as for the ninjas...I like to keep that a secret."

"Gotcha."

The man in the red cap attacked with a serious of jabs, but Jackie dodged every one of them and kicked him right off his feet. He landed on his head with a thud. Jackie wiped sweat off his brow. The kids cheered.

Back at the hotel, the king held two star-shaped medals. "Jackie Chan, for your heroism in service to the royal family, I present to you the Star of Tengra."

Jackie accepted it. "Thank you, your highness." Then he remembered to bow.

"Please do not bother. I always thought it looked foolish. I'm up for the high five."

Jackie was about to high five, but the king turned away and Jackie fell flat on his face. Lili handed Jade another Star of Tengra. "Thank you for everything, Jade. You gave me a day I will never forget."

Jade smiled. "Hey, even a king needs a vacation"

"Perhaps someday you can come visit? We could play some ball."

"You're on."

The two kids high fived.

Jade had a lot on her mind as she laid on the bed, staring at the ceiling. "Is that what I will be like when I become Queen of the World? Stuck in a palace, having so much responsibilities, never allowed to have any freedom?" She looked out the window. "No. Who says I can't have a secret lair and go on adventures? After all, I am no human queen. I have powers at my disposal! I have an army at my command! I am Jade Chan! I am and shall remain Queen of the Shadowkhan!"

The spot where her tattoo was tingled a little.