You guys know I couldn't end the first dedicated month without a new chapter. Projects and finals in college may have taken up a lot of my time, but I'm going to publish this before the month is out. Just a fair warning, this one might be shorter than expected depending on how the chapter flow works. Regardless, I hope you'll be able to enjoy this new entry into the story all the same. First though, review time.
ArguableReader- Yeah I threw those two in as the reason the mech exists in the first place. I think they were put in the series so that their incompetence could set off certain events or, as you said, create comedy. I kinda have them in that kind of space myself. Where they are either an answer for a random problem I have (not the only answer) or pure comedy in another moment. They really don't have any other important role in the story.
Yeah I figured it would be good to go ahead and start Jade's real training under the Plumbers, or at least Max. Jackie will slowly get around to his own training of her, but it will take time. I plan to have her able to competently defend herself by the time this story reaches the point of the original one. (That story you mentioned sounds cool… and familiar. Are you referring to Ten vs Twelve on FFN or is this another story somewhere else?)
Reader- I'm glad that you liked the chapter! I had fun writing about the moment where the duo teamed up to defeat Ichabod. I figured it would be good to have someone give Jade some advanced training. Jackie will definitely be furious when he realizes that Max went behind his back. I understand your reasoning for voting both for this story and Jade 10, goodness knows I love writing about this relationship of Ben and Jade's, but I was trying to be specific with the voting. Either way, seeing as that's all behind us, let's just relax and enjoy the new chapter.
That should be all of them for now. Let's get this party started! I don't own Jackie Chan Adventures, Ben 10, or any other series that may appears here. I do own OC characters, species, objects, and concepts unless stated otherwise.
Voices
"Talking."
'Thinking.'
"YELLING!"
"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity talking. Also big twist at the end of a section."
"AUTHOR/GUEST/HIGH OR DEMONIC ENTITY YELLING!"
"Whispering."
"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity whispering."
Bellwood, Pennsylvania
Jade maintained complete focus as she followed Jackie's movements. The man had finally allowed her to learn some martial arts from him, though he was taking it at a slow pace. Still, she couldn't complain too much since Mr. Tennyson was giving her Plumber training as well. Plus this was all part of showing that she could be mature, which was one of the requirements for her continued training. She watched Jackie's movements as he took a deep breath.
"Breathe deeply." Instructed the martial artist. Both Chans took a deep breath as they took a step forward, stretching out their respective left arms. "Let the breath flow to the fingertips, down to the toes, and eventually, finds its way back to where it started. It is important to remember proper breathing techniques when you are forced into combat." Jade smiled at her uncle as she maintained her position.
"So when are we gonna get to the actual moves?" asked the young Chan. "Not that this isn't important but I think it'll be good if I can properly defend myself." Jackie chuckled as he shook his head.
"Slow and steady wins the race, Jade. Sometimes it's about knowing when to strike, rather than how to. Plus, how can you defend yourself if you run out of breath?" Jade harrumphed at the dismissal, only to pause as she gave it some thought. That was honestly a good point.
"And just like that the audience is snoring in boredom." Commented a new person. The duo looked to their left, met with Ben standing in the doorway. "It'll be top news! Jackie Chan, martial arts extraordinaire, teaching normal kids how to breathe." Jade couldn't help but giggle as Jackie let loose a sigh.
"Perhaps you would benefit from learning patience, Ben. There's a reason the Greeks developed that proverb. Not to mention the Tortoise and the Hare is still a good example of what impatience can bring." Ben smiled as he rolled his eyes playfully. He really wasn't in the mood to be reminded of the old story, but he wasn't going to complain.
"Maybe one day. Anyway, wanna grab breakfast with me Jade? I heard someone made corncakes this morning." Jade sounded her interest as she nodded her head. She grinned as she looked back at Jackie.
"Race ya there!" cheered the young Chan. Both kids suddenly ran off, leaving Jackie to sigh as he walked after them. He draped a towel over his shoulders as a blonde agent walked by.
"Good morning Jackie." Greeted the man. He handed Jackie a newspaper with a grin. The martial artist smiled as he nodded in response.
"Good morning Kevin." (1) replied the archeologist. The man nodded as he began to walk away. He suddenly thought of something as he glanced back.
"It's gonna be a sunny day today." Jackie smiled as Kevin passed him by. He sighed as he let loose a small frown.
"I'll have to take your word for it." Jackie quickly made his way to the main kitchen, hoping the kids didn't grab too much food. Speaking of, both Ben and Jade grabbed decent sized breakfasts as they sat at the table. They were enjoying some of the corncakes when a man wearing a strange helmet entered the room. He grabbed some milk from the fridge before turning to the duo.
"Morning kids." Greeted the man. He sent them a nod to accompany the greeting. The duo responded in kind as they sent him a smile.
"Morning Carlos." Replied both kids. The man left the two alone with their meal. Ben and Jade smiled at each other as they continued breakfast. Ben suddenly thought of something as he almost choked on some eggs. Jade looked his way as he cleared his throat.
"Don't forget to pack for tonight." Instructed the boy. "We have that fieldtrip to San Francisco and the plane leaves at 10 pm." Jade gulped down her own food, a look of surprise on her face.
"Right!" cried the young Chan. "Thanks for reminding me. I was so caught up in Jackie actually training me for once that I forgot." Ben nodded, happy to be of assistance. They both looked to the tv as they heard a transition.
"Now for a special announcement from the scientific community." Informed the announcer. The tv was currently set to one of the science channels, displaying an old scientist looking at a large tortoise. "This big guy's name is Aesop. He's the star of the new Galapagos Island exhibit at the San Francisco Bay Aquarium." Jade hummed as she leaned forward a bit.
"Now that's a coinky-dink. Jackie just mentioned a story about a Tortoise." Ben nodded as he narrowed his eyes.
"Not to mention that's where we're taking a fieldtrip to." Added the Omnitrix hero. "With our luck, something big will happen there." His prediction was confirmed as the camera zoomed in on the turtle's shell. The kids' eyes widened at the sight, having to blink a few times to make sure they weren't seeing anything. Their eyes weren't lying as they saw what looked to be a stole talisman with a rabbit engraved on it lodged in the creature's shell.
"The strangest thing is that the researchers found an unknown object embedded in Aesop's shell." Reported the news woman. "For all we know, it could have been there since his younger years." Ben quickly snapped a picture of the scene as Jade took a deep breath.
"Jackie!" cried the young Chan. Like lightning they heard the sound of running feet. Jackie slid to a stop as he entered the room, getting between the kids and the tv.
"What!?" cried the man in concern. "What's wrong!?" Jade quickly pointed behind Jackie, trying to get his attention.
"That!" Jackie turned around, only to see a commercial about dog food. The man frowned as he looked back towards Jade.
"No Jade. We are not getting a dog." The young Chan growled as she stood up in her seat.
"No! I saw a talisman. It was in the back of a tortoise's shell at the Bay Aquarium in San Francisco. It had big floppy ears, like a rabbit!" Ben quickly scrolled through his phone, trying to find the picture again. Jackie sounded his confusion as he tilted his head.
"The tortoise?" Jade groaned as she pulled at her hair. Ben held up his hand to stop her, turning his phone to Jackie.
"No, the talisman!" cried the alien hero. "Look!" Jackie leaned in to take a closer look, only to jerk back in shock.
"You're right. Good find you two. I will investigate immediately…" The duo high fived at their success, only for Jackie to clear his throat. "While I'm doing that, you'll stay here and in school." Both kids sighed in defeat, only to remember one small detail. They looked to each other, mischievous grins on their faces.
"Okay Jackie. Have a nice flight."
Xiaoling Industries Tower
Finn sighed as he channel surfed the tv. It was honestly rather boring waiting on those cronies to bring in Valmont's newest hire. Something about a high security prison or something. In all honesty it made him rather nervous. He flipped past a science channel, sounding his interest as he found a wrestling match.
"Stop!" roared a familiar voice. Finn quickly sat up, turning to see Valmont glaring at him. He gulped as he sent his employer a shaky smile.
"Um… hey Big V!" greeted the redheaded goon. "New suit? Looking sharp! Is that Bourgeois brand?" Valmont didn't respond physically as he continued to glare at his enforcer.
"Go back one!" Finn quickly did as told, both scared and curious as to what his boss saw. His eyes widened as he saw a talisman with a rabbit engraved on it. The camera zoomed out to reveal that it was embedded in the back of a tortoise. Finn whistled as he looked over the scene.
"That's the Bay Aquarium in San Francisco. Hey, weren't we gonna set up shop there at one point?" Valmont ignored the redhead's comment as he quickly made a phone call.
"Tohru. I need you to take a plane to San Francisco. The others will meet you there."
San Francisco, California
San Francisco glistened under the sunlight, its many sky scrapers and towers standing tall amongst the other establishments. People walked the streets as they chatted about the beautiful weather they were having today. A few men ran across the sidewalk, seemingly late for a meeting judging by their business suits. They ran past a rather large building with multiple sections and aquatic advertisements. This was the Bay Aquarium.
Inside, tourists and locals alike could be seen admiring the wildlife. One child could even be seen making faces at a seal, the animal clapping in response. The area of interest on this day was the Galapagos Islands exhibit, home to creatures from the namesake island chain. The star of this attraction was Aesop, the giant tortoise. Jackie hummed as he crouched down, his eyes fixated on the talisman embedded in the creature's shell.
"The rabbit talisman." Examined the martial artist. "The question is, how do we remove it?" One of two scientists standing nearby raised his finger matter-of-factly.
"Don't worry about harming Aesop." Reassured the man. "His shell is very durable." His partner looked to the side, squinting his eyes at something.
"Children, this area is off limits." Jackie looked to the man in confusion, only to sigh as he had an idea who they were. He turned around to see Jade and the Tennyson kids sitting on a nearby rock structure.
"Hi Jackie!" greeted Jade. "Learned anything cool about Aesop?" Jackie groaned as he rubbed his temples.
"What are you three doing here!?" questioned the archeologist. "You should be back in Bellwood and in school!" Ben chuckled as he shook his head.
"We're following that logic on the latter." Replied the alien hero. "Science class field trip. We're doing a report on the Galapagos exhibit. So, any luck with that talisman?" Jackie sighed as he shook his head.
"You need to take this seriously! If you two saw the talisman on tv, there's a likely chance the Dark Hand saw it too." Gwen shook her head as she sighed.
"They've got it covered." Reassured the redhead girl. "You know who has got the place on watch, so there's no way those guys can…" The girl's attempt at reassuring the martial artist was interrupted by an explosion at one of the walls. Ratso, Finn, Tohru, and three buff goons walked into the room.
"You had to say, 'no way' didn't you?" groaned Ben. Gwen chuckled as she shrugged, only for Jackie to quickly pull the kids along. Finn immediately noticed them at that point.
"Chan!" growled the redheaded goon. "Get him!" Jackie quickly brought the trio over to the two scientists, sending them a glare.
"Take them and get out of here!" ordered the martial artist. "Go!" The kids tried to object, but the two men quickly took off with them. Jackie quickly moved to Aesop, trying to remove the talisman from his back. Tohru soon grabbed him, however, throwing him to the side as a result.
The scientists tried to lead the kids through the crowded area, but it was hectic to even move. They soon reached a back way, opening it and slamming it behind them. They continued to run as they looked back.
"Don't worry kids." Reassured the larger scientist. "Everything will be okay… now…" The duo skidded to a halt as they noticed that the children had been replaced with stuffed monkeys. "I didn't know that we ran by the gift shop… Why do we have stuffed monkeys in the gift shop?"
His companion shrugged in response, not quite sure himself. Back in the area of chaos, the trio quickly hid behind one of the rock structures in the building. Gwen quickly pulled her spell book out of her backpack, silently chanting an incantation to send the bag and its contents to a pocket dimension. With some more words, her outfit morphed into her Lucky Girl costume. Jade hummed as she looked to her companion.
"Can you do that for me?" asked the young Chan. "I'd rather not get scolded by Jackie this time?" Gwen shook her head in response.
"Sorry." Denied the redhead girl. "I can only do it to myself right now. If I tried with you, you'd be wearing my normal clothes." Jade groaned in annoyance, crossing her arms. Ben smirked as he rubbed her on top of her head.
"Don't worry Jade." Reassured the boy. "You'll get your own awesome costume someday. Now, let's go Fourarms!" The boy slammed down on the Omnitrix, transforming in a flash of light. Instead of Fourarms, however, Upchuck stood in his place.
"Upchuck!?" cried the gerbil-like creature. "Awe man!" They soon watched as Jackie was surrounded by most of the enemies.
"No time to swap, Doofus." Growled Gwen. "Just eat and shoot." She quickly ran out from cover, readying a spell in her hands. Jade nodded in agreement as she ran towards Aesop. Upchuck sighed as he shook his head.
"Well, no time like the present." He quickly ate one of the rocks on the structure before running after his friends. "Gosh why is this guy so slow." Back with Jackie, he flipped onto his back in order to kick Finn away. He then flipped back onto his feet in order to dodge a stomp from Tohru.
In the process he kicked Finn into the water of the exhibit. He then grabbed a bucket full of fish and tossed its contents at Tohru. The giant stopped in place as a fish flopped in his mouth while more flopped on his now soaked shoulders. The martial artist then covered a buff goon's head with a bucket before swiftly kicking him into the water. The goon ended up crashing into Finn, who helped him remove the bucket.
He heard a growling behind him as Tohru stood tall over him. He turned to face the big guy, only to be slapped into the water. He popped up to breathe, only to dive back down as the two grunts followed him. Jackie tried to punch the buff goon away from him, only to be kicked by Finn. A father and son watched as the two men kicked Jackie back and forth, looking bored in spite of the scene in front of them.
Up on the manmade island, Ratso tried to use pliers on Aesop's shell. He attempted to rip the rabbit talisman from its resting place, but it wouldn't budge. He was about to try and pull harder, only to suddenly feel a kick to the back of his head. He cried out in shock as the attack sent him tumbling forward, straight into an octopus pool. She pumped her fist in excitement.
"Booyah!" cried the young Chan. "That's how you kick a baddie!" She barely registered the large footsteps behind her. She was suddenly grabbed by her hood, Tohru holding her at head level. "Um… hi."
"Hey!" cried Lucky Girl. She shot a blast of mana at the big guy, causing him to tumble forwards a bit. "Let her go!" The big man looked to the redhead, slightly surprised by the sight of her. He looked between the duo with a frown.
"Two children?" asked the giant. "I was already uncomfortable with the idea of hurting one." As he finished that sentence, the two extra goons ran away in terror. He turned to watch as Upchuck ate some of the larger rocks in the enclosure. The little gerbil finally ate his fill as his stomach began to glow.
"Chew on this, tubby!" cried the alien. He burped a glob of energy, ramming it straight into the villain's gut. Tohru was forced to drop Jade onto the ground as he was sent flying backwards by the blast. Gwen had to dodge out of the way as the big guy crashed into the other side of the pool. "Excuse me."
"Well, at least I'm not wondering why he's called Upchuck anymore." Joked Jade. Down in the water, the two villains continued to kick Jackie around. Finn suddenly looked spooked, gesturing for the other goon to bail with him. Jackie looked around, confused as the two men swam away.
'What was that about?' questioned the martial artist. He looked to the father and son, the older man pointing behind him. Jackie turned around, only to gasp in horror as a Great White shark came swimming towards him. He swam up as fast as he could, soon using the nose of the approaching shark as a springboard. Both broke the water's surface, Jackie using his ride to land on the makeshift island.
He huffed as he held tightly to a tree. "What kind of aquarium keeps a Great White!?" He soon heard more screaming as he looked to the land. Finn, the goon that was with him, and Ratso were running from a full Upchuck. Ratso could not see what they were running from as an octopus was stuck to his head.
"FEAR THE SMALL!" cried the little alien. He burped up another bolt of energy, sending it flying at them. Tohru got back up, looking for another fight, only to stop as the goons and energy were coming for him.
"I hate this job." Grumbled the big man to himself. The goons had to duck out of the way as the energy soared over them, once again hitting Tohru. The big guy went flying out the hole they made in the wall, rolling across the ground. The other villains soon ran out after them, the sound of police sirens filling the air. Finn growled as he saw Upchuck picking up some debris from their explosion with his many tongues.
"Forget this talisman!" cried the redhead. "I'm not getting eaten by that thing! Let's get out of here!" Tohru looked like he wanted to object, only for the sirens to grow louder. He growled as he followed the men down the docks, leaving Ratso on his own as he finally pulled the octopus off his head.
"Why are we running?" asked the olive skinned man. "I…" He looked back, soon seeing Upchuck just like the others did. He threw the octopus into the ocean as he ran off after the others. "Wait for me!"
Ben chuckled to himself as he watched the villains get into their plane. He tried to use one of his projectiles to destroy one of the wings, but it was too far into the air. The little alien soon realized what the villains noticed as he ran over to his partner.
"Lucky Girl!" cried the little alien. "We gotta vanish!" Gwen nodded as she prepared a spell. Jade looked like she wanted to join too, only to realize that Jackie was coming. She remained in place as the duo disappeared.
"Stop!" cried the martial artist. "Who are you… working… for? Gah! Why didn't you stop them, Jade!?" The young Chan tried to find a good excuse, only to get an idea as she held her hands up.
"Um… hello?" questioned the young Chan. "Teleportation spell! Do you want me trapped in some unknown place with a bunch of random strangers?" Jackie groaned as he turned away, realizing that she was right. "You have to be patient, Jackie, like the Tortoise and the Hare."
"Good thing to know you're at least listening to me. I'll have to explain all of this to the police if… and Maxwell is already talking to them. I better call Captain Black." He walked away a bit, completely oblivious as a now reverted Jade and Ben became visible again.
"Nice work." Whispered Ben. The boy suddenly had an idea in his head as he looked to his cousin. "We should totally have a teleportation spell. That would save us so much time." Gwen gave him a raised brow, not amused by the smug look on her cousin's face.
"I don't see you trying to learn from a magic spell book without a proper teacher!" whispered the redheaded Tennyson. She looked at her phone, only for her eyes to widen in shock. "We better get back to the rest of the class. No doubt the teacher is going to do a head count in a few minutes." Jade gasped as she realized the validity of the statement.
"Oh man!" cried the young Chan. "Good thing we took a lot of notes on the way here. Let's book it!" She suddenly grabbed Ben by the hand, causing him to blush. Oblivious of this, the girl quickly pulled him along, causing Gwen to shake her head.
"Those two are so getting together at some point. Even if I have to make it happen myself." Gwen quickly ran after the duo, not wanting to be left behind. Jackie and Max would get the talisman from Aesop after talking with the police. Today was actually easier than they ever thought it'd be.
Xiaoling Industries Tower
"YOU FAILED!" roared Valmont. Those involved in the attack on the aquarium winced at the scolding they were receiving. "DEFEATED BY AN OVERSIZED GERBIL NO LESS! THIS IS AN EMBARASSMENT TO THE DARK HAND!" One of the random goons raised his hands in defense.
"But boss, he could have eaten us alive!" cried the buff man. The three other unnamed goons nodded in agreement. "Plus he was burpin' up plasma or somethin'! If you saw him, you'd…" Valmont threw a stapler at him, thankfully missing.
"SILENCE! If you three are so incompetent, you can find yourself another job! Get them out of my sight and make them feel pain." The three men gasped as the Shadowkhan suddenly appeared around them. They cried out in fear as the ninjas took them away into the shadows, causing the two Enforcers and Tohru to jerk in remorse.
Valmont calmed down as he looked to the remaining goons, ignoring Shendu's pleased chuckling. "You three better be lucky that you have actually had a good record up to this point. This failure will be coming out of your paychecks. I have to make up costs for these expeditions somewhere." The three men said nothing, hoping to avoid the man's rage.
Valmont sighed as he sat at his desk, pulling up a lap top. "I have to add an energy regurgitating rodent to the list of aliens we have to deal with. Things were much simpler back when we were pulling off bank heists and taking protectorate money. The simple life." Shendu's eyes glowed red as Valmont turned his way.
"I assure you, Valmont, that you will be rewarded accordingly." Reassured the demonic dragon. "Once your men have retrieved all twelve talismans, the lost treasure of Chin Chi Wong shall cover your expenses ten times over." Valmont frowned as he leaned back in his chair.
"The reputed lost treasure. The one that no one has ever found." The evil dragon sighed in realization.
"So we have a sceptic. Perhaps this will be proof enough." A Shadowkhan soon walked out of the shadows, carrying what looked to be a solid gold pot. Valmont stood up from his seat as the ninja opened the lid, revealing a collection of priceless jewels. The humans in the room gawked in shock at the haul.
"It's… beautiful." Commented Ratso. Valmont began to reach for the treasure, only for the Shadowkhan to close the lid and return to the shadows. The businessman growled in annoyance as he looked towards Shendu.
"Patience, Valmont. 'Slow and steady wins the race.' Today your men have failed tomorrow, could be a new opportunity." Valmont grumbled under his breath, deciding to play Shendu's game. The door to the room opened, causing everyone to look in that direction.
"We got the asset, Valmont." Notified Chow. He and a few goons entered the room, holding the door open for the guest of honor. Valmont smirked as he looked upon the new arrival.
"Welcome." Greeted the wealthy villain. "I assume you know why you are here." The new arrival shook her head in denial.
"All I know is that you have a pest problem." Replied the woman. "The kind that requires a more direct approach." Valmont nodded in response.
"Yes. This is because our pests are something that most would find us crazy for speaking of seriously. I understand that you have a history with our pests, however." Valmont turned on a few screens, revealing various images and videos of the Heroes of Bellwood in action. The new arrival looked over the images, a scowl appearing on her face.
Knowing he grabbed the right person, Valmont stood firm. "I can provide you with anything you need and will pay you handsomely. All I ask is that you destroy or even the playing field against these alien freaks. Do that, and I'll pay double." The woman looked over the videos some more, apparently studying the beings.
Suddenly, she began to chuckle to herself. "Is something, humorous to you." The new arrival finally stopped laughing as she looked to the head of the Dark Hand.
"What if I told you that all your alien problems, are actually one snot nosed brat?"
Bam! New chapter done and done! I know I was only able to get two chapters done during this story's first dedicated month, but college can be pretty crazy at times. I'm just glad that I was able to get so far with this new system, as short as this chapter ended up being. Hopefully next time I'll be able to get more out there.
Anyway, what did you think of the chapter? Did you like how Ben and Gwen totally changed this one encounter? Who is this mysterious villain Valmont has hired, and how does she know Ben's identity? Let me know what you think down below and I'll try to get back with you ASAP. This is Inkaliber, signing out.
(1) A total coincidence. This is actually one of the random agents that work at section 13. I knew I'd have to make things clear after hearing the guy's name.