O_O Holy crap I never expected to take this story to this level. It started out as this random little story snatchlet on my phone, and now it's taking all these new turns and twists. It's turning into something more than I ever actually intended.

Btw, if anyone still wants to make their own spin on this concept, they're totally welcome to. In fact, PM me if you do! I'd like to see it. Also, I love being able to respond to reviews – if you have an account, please log in to make them. I always feel disappointed when someone makes an astute observation and I'm not able to reply back. :(

"I...know what you've been asking. And I don't really have an answer for it – yet, anyway. I've been...hiding, for almost as long as I can remember. I think I've never really known what it was I even was hiding in the first place.

"I never acted like a normal kid, and my parents...didn't like it. They thought I was too quiet, too cold and formal. I wasn't interested in toys or playing games – nothing remotely recreational, not even drawing. I was never afraid of the dark, or had any nightmares. The conclusions I came to were too... logical, for my age. Other children often called me an alien. They took me to a bunch of doctors, who kept telling them I was fine, but... they still wanted someone normal.

"So when they finally sent me to America to be with Uncle Jackie, I practiced pretending to be normal. I was good at it, too. But when they finally saw me..." Jade bit her lip. "They were happy for me, but – they thought it would be better for Jackie to keep doing whatever they thought he'd been doing, and they said they wanted him to raise me instead. Don't get me wrong – I love Jackie, but I wanted my parents to love me. They were why I made the mask, why I put on the act. And now I'm stuck doing this just to keep up appearances, and not to make my parents happy."

Jade let out a deep sigh, and leaned back against the trunk of the tree. "I've never told anyone that. Hell, I only realized I was just pretending about a year or so ago. I don't even know who I really am."

She finally turned to look at where Hsi Wu was sitting on the end of the tree branch. He was leaning back almost dangerously, his head tilted and a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Well, I've told you my secret. I suppose that makes it your turn now, doesn't it?"

For a moment, Hsi Wu looked surprised. And then he grinned. Not a mischievous smirk of a trickster, or the polite smile he gave others, but a proper, genuinely pleased grin.

It was no wonder he didn't use it too often – his canines were just a little too long and a little too sharp to be properly human. His real smile brought them straight out into the light, gleaming almost like fangs.

If she were in character, Jade would have shuddered and called it creepy. But she wasn't in character right now. And strangely enough, to her it just looked like he was smiling.

Hsi Wu whistled slightly, looking up at the sky wistfully. "Well, it's a long story... I suppose I should begin with my siblings -"

Just then, Jade's phone rang.

They both froze, staring at the phone as Jade slowly pulled it out of her pocket.

It was Tohru – but they'd only been gone for half an hour. They exchanged a look. The only reason he would call was if there were an emergency.

Jade hesitantly flipped open the phone and answered the call. A few tense minutes passed in silence as she listened to Tohru speak.

"Mm-hmm. Okay. We'll be right back." She flipped the phone closed.

"What is it?"

"Curtain call. Jackie and Uncle are back early. They've got news."

Hsi Wu jumped off the branch (making Jade's heart stop for a moment) and landed on his feet, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for her to slide down. As soon as her feet touched the ground, he bolted so fast Jade could have sworn he was using the rabbit talisman.

As Hsi Wu ran (and Jade struggled to catch up) it was driving her mad, what Hsi Wu's secret could be. She had given him her answer – so who was he? The call couldn't have come at a worse time.

When they got back to the shop, they scarcely took the time to take off their shoes before running upstairs to see Jackie.

He looked exhausted, and was holding an ice pack to the massive bruise on his chest. Uncle looked equally tired, but in much better shape. As they entered the room, Jackie saw them, smiled, and joked, "You know, your sister packs a bit of a wallop. I'd be impressed if I weren't on the receiving end."

When he got only a flinch from Hsi Wu in response, Jackie stopped smiling, having probably guessed that this wouldn't be a laughing matter for him. Jackie turned to Captain Black and began his report.

Apparently, the demon brotherhood was under the impression that Hsi Wu had betrayed them for power, and then gotten himself imprisoned for his efforts. Their intentions, for now, were to leave him to rot.

Hsi Wu let out a huge sigh of relief when he heard this, and much of the tension that Jade hadn't realized he'd been carrying for the past week dissipated. Out of the corner of her eye, she Jackie smile slightly as the two of them pulled out chairs and sat down next to each other.

Suddenly, Jade realized that up until now, they had always sat on opposite ends of the table.

As Jackie gave the rest of his report, they learned that the demons were trying to lay relatively low – they seemed to be taking measures against being banished again, hence the research in Russia. Apparently, they had invaded the library at the University of Moscow to find some old research on an ancient artifact (figures) that was discovered in eastern Siberia twenty years ago. According to Uncle, it was known as the Efira Amulet, and it could supposedly anchor its wearer in this realm, in the demons' case, preventing them from being banished. The two demons had gotten away with the information they needed, but luckily, so did Jackie and Uncle.

Hsi Wu faintly snorted as they got to the end of the tale. "They're going to have a hard time splitting that seven ways," he muttered, making the childlike gesture of leaning back and folding his arms. "I wonder how they think they're going to share it – take turns? It's not like any of them have a history of getting along well," he said bitterly. Playing up the role of the abused kid – although, it wasn't as though the statement itself wasn't true.

"Be that as it may, it works out in our favor," Captain Black replied firmly. "Even if they do get the Amulet before we do, with the Panku Box, Uncle can still banish the others, and we can deal the one who's left later.

"In any case, the Amulet was stolen two years ago – the last time it was spotted, it was in an illegal auction in Ukraine, before it was purchased by a millionaire currently living in India. We're still trying to contact the buyer – if worst comes to worst, we may need to bring the rest of the J-Team in on this one."

Jade could feel Hsi Wu resisting the urge to curl his lip in disdain. To be honest, Jade wanted to roll her eyes too. She had intended the formation of the J-Team to seem like a childish whim on her part, but somehow it ended up being taken seriously. The fact they were still using the name she gave them was kind of embarrassing.

Huh. She was capable of being embarrassed. That was new.

But still – she was in character, and that was her cue.

"Yes!" She jumped up, punching the air. "Go J-Team! Should I call Viper and El Toro? We can have everyone over right away!"

Jackie smiled in amusement at her enthusiasm. "No, Jade, that won't be necessary – yet. But keep your phone on standby, just in case."

"You got it, Jackie!"

Hsi Wu was giving her a weird look. His gaze was quietly disturbing, and Jade couldn't help but feel tense. She avoided his gaze.

(But knew that his bloody red eyes would still be focused on her.)

As the meeting was wrapped up, Tohru told them they could go back to playing in the park if they wanted, (which brought a grin to Jackie's face and a scowl to Uncle's) and the two agreed.

The walk back to Golden Gate Park was silent.

As they entered the trail, they were alone, walking side by side, not a step out of place.

They happened to glance at one another at the same time, and their eyes met.

They both stopped.

Pools of amber and ruby glared into each other, each daring the other to speak first.

Finally, Hsi Wu opened his mouth to speak.

"You've kept up your role."

"So have you."

"I never stopped – and besides, it's necessary." A pause. "I thought you said you loved your uncle."

"I do. So much that for his sake, I can't stop. And besides, a sudden change would be hard to explain."

"One could argue character development."

"Never that drastically." Another pause. "Why are you asking?"

He didn't answer, but looked away, and in a flash, Jade could see in his face that he had been hoping to avoid the sidekick, and stay with the actor. Unfortunately, while she stayed on the side of the heroes, there could not be one without the other, and it was beginning to look like that was going to be a very long time, if seeing her future self as Section 13's new Captain meant anything.

Hsi Wu was starting to grind his teeth. Perhaps it might be best to change the subject.

"You were going to tell me your side."

His head whipped around to look at her again, and slowly, he smiled that same fanged, glittering smile. "It's a bit of a longer story than yours. Are you certain you want to hear it now?"

Jade turned her head, and gave him a look that she hadn't given anyone in a long time – an expression that had made her parents nervous and her teachers feel foolish. She raised a single eyebrow, and let a wry smirk cross her face.

Ordinarily Jade Chan never smirked wryly – it made her seem too thoughtful and intelligent. This made Hsi Wu's grin even wider.

"Well," he began, his eyes growing dark and gleeful and wild. "Let me begin over a thousand years ago..."