Project A, for Astral
Over on a freight train bound for Istanbul, Jackie was inside one of the cars opening a crate which was said to have held the Sheep Talisman. This time he was joined by a new Arkeyan sorcerer wearing green shorts and a light green t shirt and vest which was almost similar to his archeology outfit. The Sorcerer also had an enchanted moth in a cage.
"Tell me again why Shasta sent you to join me on this mission Flora?" Jackie asked as he found the Sheep Talisman, "I can understand Ventus since we need him to pilot the Autogyro but why you?"
"Because I'm needed to cast the spell to get us out of here," Flora said wearing her brown hair in a ponytail, "And besides I'm great with caring for animals anyway. After all I need to hold the enchanted moth to locate the Sheep Talisman Power after all."
"If you guys are done lollygagging can we please get going?" Ventus asked from the Autogyro.
"Ventus is right," Jackie said pocketing the talisman, "The long we stay here the more at risk we are for being ambushed by the Dark hand or by those ninjas and dragons they have."
"You know something Jackie, you and the leader of the Mystic Arkeyans would be a good match," Flora said as they got out of the train and on the roof top itself, "She doesn't like to get into fights often and prefers to avoid them if possible."
"Sounds like somebody I can relate to," Jackie said as he smiled at the thought of somebody else who preferred to avoid a fight.
"Are we gonna leave yet or not?" Ventus as he was waiting with the Autogyro ready to fly out of there, "The Forces of Darkness could be here at any moment."
Right on cue Shadowkhan showed up and this time a chopper with members of the dark hand were also waiting but they were using a cloaking shield, compliments of Kaos for the chopper.
"Oh great it's the ninjas that went after Kira for the snake talisman," Ventus said, "Jackie get to the Autogyro and get it ready, I'll hold off the Ninjas and run interference."
Right on cue Ventus began unleashing his wind magic and he fired tornado attacks while Jackie and Flora were getting the Arkeyan Autogyro ready. Fortunately Ventus made the controls the same there as they were in a video game which was a good thing considering Jackie never flew an Arkeyan Autogyro before.
"Jackie are we ready to go? Ventus is running out of energy," Flora said as she saw Ventus run low on energy.
"I'm sorry Flora, I'm an archeologist not a pilot," Jackie said as he managed to get the Arkeyan Autogyro airborne, "Ventus time to go we have the talisman."
Ventus heard Jackie and he tossed the Shadowkhan off the roof of the train before leaping right into the Arkeyan Autogyro. The trio then shifted the Autogyro into jet mode before taking off for San Fran.
"You never told me this thing has a Jet Mode," Jackie shouted as Ventus was at the controls and flying the copter like a seasoned WW2 Pilot.
"You never asked Jackie," Ventus said, "now let's get back to your uncle's shop so Shasta and Uncle can translate this talisman. Shasta's gonna want to know what this talisman does and I have a strange feeling that Kira is gonna like what this talisman does."
Over at the Dark Hand's office, Valmont, Shendu, Malefor, Red and Kaos were already standing before Finn and Ratso as they came back empty handed yet again and needless to say they were pissed off.
"I take it that you failed to get the talisman yet again," Kaos asked as the enforcers nodded.
"Perhaps we should've sent some trolls or some grumblins," Malefor suggested, "Or one of us goes to get the talisman ourselves."
"Either way I can tell you all this," Red said, "Jackie has already taken the talisman to his Uncle's shop to study it by now and if I know Jackie he's already got one of the Arkeyan Sorcerers placing a magic circle around the talisman itself to keep us from finding it."
"So if that's the case Red how do you know the talisman is in the Shop?" Finn asked.
"Because the Arkeyans want to study the talisman first before they put it into the vault," Malefor said.
"So how are we supposed to get the talisman out of the shop with the Arkeyan Sorcerers there?" Ratso asked.
"The Arkeyans usually have other business and if I'm right then they'll leave at least two and that junior Arkeyan Sorceress behind to watch the shop," Kaos said to the enforcers.
Over at Uncle's Shop, Uncle was already beginning to study the Sheep Talisman with Shasta's help. Ventus and Flora returned to Section 13 with Tohru while Kira stayed behind at the shop.
"So Ventus said that I might like this talisman," Kira said, "Did he say anything as to why?"
"If what Uncle and Shasta suspect is true then this talisman may sound a lot like your department than ours," Luna said holding the Sheep Talisman, "While you guys hit the books Jade and I are gonna test the talisman out in a different way."
"Just bring the talisman back in one piece," Shasta called still reading the books.
"Thanks Shasta," Jade and Luna said going up the stairs with the talisman.
"Shasta that was a very dangerous move you made back there," Kira stated.
"Uncle is with Kira on this," Uncle added, "letting jade and Luna hang onto the Sheep Talisman is extremely dangerous. Forces of evil could be here."
"Relax Uncle, I'm nearly close to finding out what this talisman does," Shasta said having found the symbols on the back of the talisman in the book that she had.
Upstairs, Luna and Jade were already testing the talisman on their own or at least attempting to do so.
"Well I'd say this talisman is probably not working for us," Luna said to Jade, "The power is either very dormant or perhaps this talisman is a dud. Either way Shasta might have a clue."
"Just let me try one time Luna," Jade said holding the talisman which began glowing.
"Kira get up here now, we got a situation," Luna yelled as Uncle, Shasta, Kira, and Jackie showed up to see Jade out cold and holding the talisman in her hand.
"Luna did you kill Jade?!" Jackie asked shocked, "You're supposed to be her attendant."
"It wasn't Luna," Kira said, "Jade is all right. I can see her Astral form very clearly."
"But how?" Uncle asked, "Uncle's research states that the Sheep Talisman grants the power of astral projection and astral forms are invisible to everyone. The power also lets astral forms enter the dreams of others."
"Normally that's true but in the presence of a Phantom Arkeyan, astral forms become visible to everyone within a three mile radius of said Phantom Arkeyan," Shasta said, "I said this talisman would be a power that Kira might like and it looks to me like I guessed right."
"Well in any case we should get this to the vault," Jackie said as Luna opened up a portal.
"You guys do that," Shasta said, "I'll go work on the next locator spell and meet you there."
Everyone else but Uncle and Kira walked through the portal to Section 13 as Jade's spirit returned to her body. Later that night, Shasta was finishing up working on the next locator spell and doing research for the Talisman she was creating the spell for when Kira showed up.
"Shasta you do realize that once all 12 talismans are gathered you will have to reveal your family's secret about the knowledge on not only the 12 talismans but also about their owner and their old owners defeat," Kira said to Shasta, "As I'll have to one day talk about those ninjas."
"I know Kira but hopefully we may not have to but if push comes to shove we may have no choice," Shasta said to Kira, "It's only a matter of time before he escapes and we'll have to be ready and by that I mean I'll have to train Jackie to fighting the evil that could escape and help him as well."