Hi everyone. Ok this chapter is a bit of a filler piece, mostly character development and build up for later chapters. Well hope you guys enjoy it.
Despite her many adventures, despite the numerous demons and despite all dark chi battles she had witnessed, Jade was afraid. She was truly afraid. Her body trembles and tears flowed freely from her eyes, like a weeping child after seeing their first truly scary film. And just like a child she desperately wanted to feel the warm embrace of her family, to hold her and assure her that everything was going to be alright. But no one was there, there was no reassurance, no comfort, nothing but fear.
The last thing she remembered was hearing her beloved dog racing up behind her. As she turned to meet him, he ran straight threw her. It was like a burning sensation, warm at first but then scorching. It was like someone lit a fire in the spot he had passed through, but the fire spread and where trying to exit her body through every single pour she had. The pain was overwhelming as she felt invisible hands pulling her to the darkness, the last thing she saw was her uncle trying to bring her back. But it was too late, the hands had pulled her through.
The world around her was beyond what she had ever seen. Strange shadows swirled, creating a vortex around her. Two sets of shadow hands gripped into her arm, holding her in by one the shadows took form. Row after ghost row was filled with shadow figures that seem to go on forever. Threw all her confusion one shadow approached. It was more human like than the others, wearing familiar orange robes. Slowly it approached her, without a word or a single sound, just a grisly outstretched hand extended to her frighten form.
Jade's body was resting in the hospital wing of Section 13. Jackie found himself pacing at the foot of her bed, unable to bring himself to look at her. She had various tubes and wires hooked up to her, to help her survival in her comatose state. This was not Jade. Jade was lively, Jade was popping up from nowhere with a smile on her face. This was not his Jade.
Jackie was brought out of his trance by a gentle knock at the door. Before he could protests he felt himself in the warm embrace of the female member of the J Team.
"Hey sweetie, I heard what happened. How's she doing?"
"We don't know. I mean we know her body is alive but we can't tell what else is going on."
Jackie looked back at his niece, giving a slight cringe with ever beep of her respirator. Viper griped his hand in reassurance.
"It's going to be alright Hansom, Jade's a fighter. She'll come through, you taught her how to be smart and safe. Besides from my understanding, Jade was chosen. She's the reincarnation of this whole new adventure we're in now."
"We?"
Viper gave a genuine smile as she gentle cupped Jackie's chin.
"You think I'm gonna leave you alone after this? Sorry Hansom but you're not getting rid of me so easily again."
Jackie shared her smile. Once again he found himself lost in her hypnotizing brown eyes. And she in his. Without thought they slowly began to lean in to one another, their lips finding an attraction to each other. With less than a millimeter apart, close enough to feel the spark radiating from each other when they were shocked by the loud outburst of a certain scarlet haired beauty. Viper herself was so scared she leapt to the safe embrace of a protective Jackie.
"This is ridiculous Black!"
"Ok three things. One: It's Captain Black, Two: You have a busted wing er arm which means no flying for you, and C: In case you didn't get the weekly memo 'I' have final say around here!"
"Look 'Captain' even with my busted arm I can still fly circles around what you call the best pilots. Which according to my logic means you need me to do more than just sit at a desk and fill out damn paper work!"
"The answer is no, Agent Scarlett. Protocol is very simple, you're hurt you stay put and heal."
"Look boss I'm a bird, as proven on multiple levels, I belong in the sky. And like a bird you either let me fly or I claw your eyes out!"
Black turned to face the woman who challenged him. He had given her the news of her new job back at the hanger and she had followed and argued with him clear to the hospital wing. He could see the fire burning in her emerald eyes, she was not one to back down, but then again neither was he.
"Look Agent, I'm the head personal for this facility and you are my head pilot."
"Meaning."
"Meaning you work for me. I give the orders, you follow them. I distribute missions and keep everything running. You are my pilot. You train the others, you supervise the hanger and you keep things running. You listen and follow my orders so that I can keep this organization on top!"
Scarlett gave a sly smile.
"So then, are you ordering me to follow your orders as they pertain to my job description?"
"Yes! I brought you here for a specific task and that's what you're going to do! Do you understand Agent?"
"Loud and clear."
Scarlett turned and headed from where they had just came from. After shaking the confusion and anger, Black then registered where she was going.
"Agent, where are you going?"
"To do as you ordered sir, to fulfill the job you hired me for. Now if you will excuse me, I have work in the hanger."
"But I, you, the"
"Unless of course you want me to defy your direct orders, to do what you hired me to do."
Scarlett gave a playful wink as she made her way down the hall of Section 13. Black stared in disbelief, trying to understand what had happened. A few snickers escaped from random Agents who had found their way to front row seats to one of the now famous 'Scarlett vs. Black' battles. Black made his way into Jade's room, arms flailing as he paced and gestured at the woman who had bested him. Viper and Jackie shared an awkward glance as he reluctantly released her.
"She is so …infuriating! I tell her one thing and she twists my words to do another. Do you know how many of these fights we've had in the few days she's been here!
Jackie made the attempt to whisper to Viper, to avoid angering his friend.
"Eleven times."
"Eleven times! Eleven freaken times! And do you know how many of those arguments she's 'won'?"
"Eleven times."
Viper placed one hand on her hip and used the other to grip her chin. She circled the still blustered Black, taking mental notes on what only she could see. Black stopped his ranting long enough to question what the former thief was doing. Finally she had reached a conclusion.
"You like her, don't you."
"WHAT! No, there's no way."
"Oh you soooo like her. So tell me was it love at first sight, once you saw those beautiful green eyes you started hearing the bells?"
"Nothing of the sort. I mean, yes she has pretty eyes, I guess, but that's not it."
"That's not it, you mean there's something else that makes you weak in the knees?"
"What, no. I mean she's so arrogant, who could ever like someone that has to be right all the time?"
"You apparently. She challenges you, and after years of knowing you I know you love a challenge."
Viper made her way out of the room to give the friends time alone. But just as she was leaving she turned one last time.
"And besides, she likes you too."
"Wait. What?"
Black was quick to run to the doorway and call after her.
"How can you tell, did she say something? Was it something she did. Did she..uh"
Black took note of the startled expression on a few Agents.
"Uh yes well, carry on Viper. I will discuss those details with you later."
As he straightened he jacket in an attempt to regain his composure. Jackie stood, with his arms crossed and a sly grin across his face. It was an expression that clearly said "I know your secret. I now own you." Black gave a stern punch to his friend's arm.
"Shut up Chan. Not like I have dirt on you."
"Oh like what?"
"Let's just say you tell anyone, I'll tell Viper about that trip we took to Mexico that one spring break."
Jackie's smile faded as he gave a submissive nod. For once today, Black had won.
Uncle sat alone in the kitchen of his home. His mind wasn't focused on anything important, just fiddling with a strange toy. Jade had once again left her toy scattered in the hall and once again Uncle had painfully stepped on it. It was difficult for the whole Chan family to handle why Jade was in a comatose state. Each member knew why she was there, she was the reincarnation of a great warrior, possible the greatest of the twelve. She had powers growing inside her, memories returning and gaining a true understanding of her role in destiny. Uncle felt a strong weigh of the world on his soul. Both his daughter and his niece were chosen, both would fight a great evil that had waited specifically for them, and both risked repeating their fate from the previous battle, both could die. And yet everyone carried on with their normal lives, as if there was nothing wrong. In a way Uncle thought this was the only way any of them could cop, with the memories, and the search for the other eight members. Uncle was pulled from his thoughts as his faithful apprentice placed a plate of cookies and a hot cup of tea in front of him. The gentle giant always baked uncontrollable when he was worried. Either that or he was trying to earn points with Uncle before approaching his daughter. As if on cue Gwen angrily pushed her way through the kitchen door, pacing while on an important call.
"Look D I've told you time and time again, I am NOT going to wear any of those ridiculous outfits."
"Why not?"
"Because between the latex, glitter and feathers I look like a parrot prostitute."
"So you want less glitter to look like a classy parrot prostitute? Anyway we need to talk about this new cd of yours."
"What about it?"
Tohru silently offered Gwen a warm cookie who eagerly took it and mouthed the words 'thank you' before taking a large bite.
"Well if you keep turning down the lyrics the writers keep sending you, you're not gonna have two words to sing. I think you need to break some of your rules, maybe try something a little risque."
"WWWHMMMAFFF!"
"What was that."
"Sorry, cookie."
"What kind?"
"Chocolate chip… wait don't change the subject! Look I sent a bike messenger with some lyrics ok, I wanted to tell you in person but… I just have some family stuff to handle."
A slight knock could be heard from over the phone. Gwen could hear the mysterious D open the door, thank the person on the other side and begin ripping something open before bringing her attention back to the phone.
"You know most professionals would type out their work instead of sending it in a hand written journal, with a pretty flower on the cover so less."
"Just read the damn lyrics."
Tohru gave a look of concern look to Uncle, wondering if Gwen was in some sort of conflict. Uncle gave him a dismissing wave, silently saying that this happened all the time. While D seemed to be reading threw the journal as Gwen helped herself to another cookie.
"So what do you think?"
"I foresee a new cd going platinum."
"Now you know why, aside from the fact that it was basically audio porn, I turned down all those lyrics."
"Alright, I see your notes of the instrumental style you're looking for each song so we'll just wait for your music crew to get back from vacation and get to work say Monday."
"I'll be there."
"So what's his name."
"What?"
"Sweetie in all the years I've worked with you, you've never written a love song. And yet I've already counted three in the first couple of lyrics. Must be a pretty important guy for you to write some mushy love ballad. So what's his name."
"His uhh… I mean uhh, just. Igottagocallyoubacklaterbye."
Gwen quickly ended the call, gathered a few more cookies and ran from the room. Uncle gave a sly smile as he placed his tea cup in the sink. Judging from how the past few days have been, this was going to be a very interesting year.
Lydia was curled on her battered counter, sketching away her vision on a pad with a charcoal pencil. Mickey was bandaged and splinted for his various injuries. He was cuddled on a silk pillow, his head resting on Lydia's foot. His master had embraced her powers to an extent, she had purchased and gathered various toys and small statues and gave them the gift of motion. Her new recruits had set about to clean the various debrey scattered threw out the shop. But among the loyal soldier stood a giant. Ratso was hammering away, building new shelves to hold her various objects. He took great care in his creation, creating intense detail and design. He had been working for two straight days on the creations, taking various breaks to tend to the Rat Master. Without asking he had brought homemade smoothies, brought delicious food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, opening doors, in other words treating her like a princess. This was new for her. Lydia stopped her sketching and decided to address the situation. She gave a final scratch to calm Mickey before walking over to the self-proclaimed carpenter. She paused to admire his craftsmanship, he had carved various vines and grapes into the pillar, carving what looked like the Greek muses giving their blessing, into the top board. It was truly a sigh. Once Ratso saw her approaching, his face became plastered with a boyhood grin as he hurried to dust himself off.
"So…uh wha what do you think?"
"It's beautiful."
"I was hoping you'd like it. I figured with your name, that the Muses would be nice. I was going to make a few more like it, with some tables and maybe a few"
"If I fuck you will you leave."
Ratso lost his balance at the sound of her words, tipping back over a toy and having to pull himself up by grasping a nearby door frame.
"Wha what? I thought you said"
"I said, if I fuck you will you leave. That's what you're here for right, to try and get that out of me."
"NO no that's not it! I don't wanna, that is I can't"
"So you don't want to have sex?"
Lydia cocked and eyebrow in confusion as Ratso's face turned a bright hue of red.
"You are a very confusing man, you can barge in and fight some demon thing but you can't answer a simple yes or no question?"
Lydia began to turn when Ratso turn hold of her sleeve. She turned to meet his eyes, they were silently pleading with her to stay.
"Look Ratso, I've you have something to tell me, then tell me. If not then let me go figure how much to pay you for the wood stuff."
"But I don't want money."
"Ok you don't want money, you don't want sex, then what do you want."
"you" Lydia had to try and replay his response in her head, he said it in such a low tone she was sure she misheard him.
"I'm sorry."
"I….I like you."
"What? Why?"
"Why? Because you're amazing! You're smart, beautiful, incredibly talented. And…and.."
"And?"
"And when I first saw you, I honestly think the earth stopped moving. I've fought demons, evil chi wizards, dragons, oni and more. But until that day, nothing had ever made me freeze in my boots, question if I was seeing something truly amazing. The moment I saw you I knew I would do anything to make you smile."
Lydia started at this man is disbelief, if he was only interested in sex he was going beyond what others had done. Part of her felt his words, part of her wanted to curl in his chest and just let him hold her, part of her wanted to slap him for saying things she knew couldn't be true, part of her keep telling her the one truth she knew was absolute 'everyone want's something'.
Before either one could respond, a musical ringing filled the room. Shocked to relies what it was, Ratso took out his cellphone to notice the alarm ringing.
"Oh sorry, I forgot. I'm having lunch with some friends, is it ok if I go?"
"I'm not your boss, you're here at your free will. You can leave any time."
Ratso gathered his things, only to pause at the door. Lydia had her back towards him as she was staring at her sketch book.
"Is….is it ok if I come back?"
"I guess. Someone has to clean up all the sawdust."
"So you want me to come back?"
"All I know is I'm not cleaning it up."
Ratso's face lit up, as he literally skipped from the door way and down the street. In his mind, all he heard was 'I want you to come back." Lydia looked at her charcoal sketch, it was a warm image of Ratso, carving to form a rat out of a piece of wood. Mickey wobbled from his pillow to look at the sketch. It sniffed it for a moment and looked back at his master.
"I've meet the man before, I think you'd like him."
"And why would you think that?"
"Because from what I've seen when he falls for something, he never abandons it. I'd like to see you happy again. It's a nice likeness of him."
"Not my best work."
Lydia crinkled the paper, tossing it over her shoulder. It tumbled for a bit before laying to rest in a small pile of sawdust at the foot of a few statues.
"She said what?"
"She said 'If I fuck you, will you leave.'"
"Aww man, you sure can pick'em buddy."
The collection of men shared a laugh at the expense of one of their own. Finn, Chow and Hak Foo had met with their old friend for lunch and discuss the trouble around them.
"Come on Finn, I need your help?"
"Look dude, I don't know what to tell yah. Seems like this chick may have a chip on her shoulder about something.
"Maybe you should just give up, I mean is this chick even worth it?"
"That in more" Ratso stared at his drink with a dreamy look on his face, imagining what could be.
"I do believe we have lost Ratso."
"Hey come on Foo, just cause you guys don't have girls in your lives."
"Whoa whoa dude, I have plenty of ladies in my life."
All three man stared at the shorter red haired man.
"Come on Finn."
"What? I do!"
"Sure you do, and Foo here can attack without shouting it out loud first."
"Black Tiger swats annoying flea."
Hak Foo gave a generous swat from behind Chow's head.
"So Foo, any word on the little Chan?"
"She's still in a comatose state. We are unsure when she'd ever wake up."
"Or if?"
"Oh man, heavy. Have you guy told your boys yet, about what's all going on?"
"I've told Charlie. He was fine with the whole Masters thing, even offered to take a few animals to help find more."
"Frank said the same thing."
"But when I mentioned Jade, poor kid nearly freaked."
"Same with Frank."
"Rocko's been up every night since it happened. He thinks for some reason he did something wrong, since Lydia hasn't joined the team. Plus after he left Jade, that's when she changed."
"Poor kid. You think our boys are gonna be alright?"
"I guess but I think we have a bigger problem."
"What?"
"Well it's not a problem now, but it will be. After she turns them down."
"Ahhh. So you noticed the little crushes too."
"Are you kidding, as soon as I told Charlie he could come here for school for the year, the next thing he asked was 'what's Jade up too."
"Is Jade gonna be in my class."
"Has Jade asked about me?"
The men shared a unison laugh. Each of them new the joy of a boyhood crush, but also the hurt of having that crush crumble. Aside from the impending doom of a fight between good and evil, finding the other eight Masters, and juggling their own lives the enforcers also had to foresee the hellish torture of mending a teenage boy's heart.
A lone man stood in a tattered living room, carelessly smoking a thick cigar as he wiped blood from a used knife. After the blood had vanished, the man retraced the knife and placed it back in his pocket. He made his way back into a bedroom, making his way to a nightstand and rummaging through a purse. He carelessly tossed object from it to his side, the objects bouncing off a limp form. The woman had her arms and legs bound to the bed, a river of red blood flowed from the thick stab across her neck. Her eyes where far and glassy, the life behind them forever gone. The man finally found his prize, placing a large collection of cash and drugs. He hastily shoved the objects in his pocket before leaning over to place a final kiss on the check of the woman. He then took his cigar from his hand and buried it in the chest of the woman. Satisfied with his final act the man left the woman and proceeded to a window leading to an alley. Before he could exit, a strange shadow poured into the room, engulfing the room in a wave of darkness. Behind the shadow a giant grey creature crawled its way into the room. It's yellow eyes glaring at the man.
"Hello brother."
"Damn, haven't even lit up yet."
"Ever the charmer Ham. Now let's see if I can't make you a bit more respectful."
The shadow brought forth a light blue gem, despite its beauty it radiated a dark pulse. The gem flew towards the man, entering his body and flooding him with its light. As the light faded, it left the man changed. His hair had turned the same shade as the gem, around his neck was a painted tattoo band where in the middle had a detailed flower. The main circle was surrounded by sixteen petals, with a triangle in the middle of the circle and another circle in the very middle. The man was now clad in what looked like a dark blue leather fitted suite. The piece covered him from under his neck to the tip of his toes, with various pieces missing where his now predominate muscles could bulge. The man took a moment to gather his thoughts before bowing to the shadow.
"My Lord, I await your bidding."
"Very well my warrior, I have a great need for your talents."
The man rose before reclining on a nearby couch. The reptilian like creature making his way to the kitchen.
"Got anything to eat in this shit hole?"
"Jane should have just gotten some, help yourself."
"She gonna barge in later?"
"Oh I doubt that."
The man then gestured to the open door where the deceased woman laid. The grey creature then licked his yellow fangs before entering the room and closing the door.
"I see Vam hasn't changed much in over countless years."
"What can I say, my boy has needs. Now then I believe it's time to get you up to speed and inform you of your new mission."
"As you wish my Master."
The world seemed lost at that moment. Silent only to the dark plans of the evil entity and his minion, and the creaking sound of the bed from the next room.
Ok and on that note, I do have abit of good news. I'm making the announcement of a 'Name Your Own Prize Contest!'
(Insert canned clapping here)
So here's the game. Whoever is the first one to answer my question will get to name their own prize. The prize can be anything, except money cuz I'm poor or naughty pictures cuz I'm fat. But if you want me to give you a shout out, insert your plot into the story, design a master after you, bake you some cookies and ship them to you then we have a deal.
And if no one participates I understand, more cookies for me
So the question is
: What connection do the evil gems have?:
With every villain ark there is a similarity behind them. They're all named after rocks, i.e. sailor moon, named after spices, i.e. dbz, represent the 4 guardians in Japanese mythology, i.e. yu yu hakusho. So what is the connection between the 7 evil warriors. First one to respond get the prize. Hope to have atleast one person to play.
Oh and Happy Fourth of July Everyone.