A/N: Sorry for the super long time between updates and thank you so much for sticking it out and reading this net chapter (if a follower)! If not a follower, thanks so much for taking an interest in my story! In trying to get all details perfectly in line, the writing process is a slow one… Wanna talk? Review or PM me!

Disclaimer: I do not own Jackie Chan Adventures or any characters except my OC

Ivory stared out of the helicopter window. The landscape below transformed from busy city skyscrapers to rather barren land with a few highways cutting through the desert expanse.

"So, I bet you've never been on a private helicopter before," Chow more or less asked her.

"Nope." She grumbled and did not bother to look at him. She was still angry from learning that her "surprise trip to Mexico" was actually a business thing. Her problem wasn't the fact that they were basically going on a crime excavation, but more that she was led to believe that it was a relaxing getaway. Ivory had been looking forward to wandering the streets of Mexico City and touring ancient ruins.

"So we told you all about the Dark Hand, when are you gonna spill?" Finn asked her.

Immediately following the Enforcer's work confession, Valmont had ordered them to his office to discuss the location of the next talisman. Within an hour, they were whisked away on a 'surprise vacation'. Ivory would know better next time.

She wasn't sure where to begin her recount. Compared to her story, learning that a trusted family member worked for the world's largest crime syndicate barely scathed the edge of the inordinate. But then again, the Dark Hand was dipping into the world of magic and demons. And that was comparable.

"Well first of all, I actually came here for two reasons. One, for better schooling. Two, to stay out of trouble. Back home, I..." She wasn't sure exactly how to put it. The Enforcers leaned in simultaneously, holding their breath in anticipation. "...I hunted demons."

Being wrapped up in demon business themselves, it wasn't the scandal of the century. They were considerably surprised though.

"All the way on the east coast?" Chow asked in disbelief.

"Well, look at us now, we're going to Mexico," she replied lamely.

"Yeah wasn't there something about 'the four corners of the globe'?" Finn added.

"But anyways," she continued, "I guess some of their traits rubbed off on me. Obviously it's expected that the more I train, the stronger I get. But I got way stronger than normal. So now I can jump, kick, punch, block, you name it."

She sat for a moment trying to think of anything she left out.

"Whoa freaky," Finn exclaimed.

"Do you think we'll get super powers too if we hang out with Shendu enough?" Ratso seemed to love the idea.

"They aren't really super powers. Just, er, enhancements." That was the only word she could think of at the moment.

"Now I see why you weren't surprised when we told you about that talking dragon statue. But I'm curious, what did you think about the whole crime thing?" Chow asked with uncertainty.

"Eh, I don't really care. I believe that 'good' and 'bad' are relative." She stopped for a moment and grinned. "And you're my relative. Ha." Ivory smirked at her pun before continuing. "And I don't think it makes you bad people either. Especially these ancient artifacts and treasure. I mean, they aren't doing any good just sitting around."

The helicopter touched down on location. An ancient pyramid beyond lush forest greeted the travelers as they filed out into the open. Everyone quickly moved towards the monument before stopping outside of the ruins. Finn surveyed the area with a pair of binoculars and locked onto a figure making its way to the top of the pyramid.

"I hope you don't mind, we told Valmont about you. Ya know, he thinks you could be an asset to the team so you might want to consider joining," Chow admitted. "He's looking for more recruits, like that guy." He pointed to the smaller of the two unfamiliar men. One was the pilot and Ivory had seen him around on a few occasions.

Finn relayed them orders before she could respond. "He's in the pyramid, let's move."

"Uh, don't pyramids have mummies inside them, sir?" the new guy asked nervously. He wasn't much older than Ivory.

"Only in Egypt," Finn replied flatly.

"Ha! Noob," Ivory retorted. She grew sheepish as the adults stared at her then muttered an apology.

"Why don't we just let Chan find the talisman?" he suggested, missing the girl's outburst. "Just take it from him when he climbs out."

"Listen, new guy, we don't know what power this ox talisman has." Finn impatiently gave an example of the talisman's potential power.

The new guy freaked out and ran ahead of the others towards the pyramid. He was winded about a quarter of the way up the steep flight of stairs and the others overtook his lead.

Finn clapped him on the back. "Slow and steady wins the race, man."

However, the rest of the Enforcers were out of breath by the top of the pyramid, with the exception of the buff pilot and Ivory. They soon caught their breath and continued into the ancient structure. At the sight of a man reaching in the mouth of a stone ox, they leapt into action. Ratso and Chow tackled him while Finn went to take the ox talisman. When he could not locate it, Tohru stepped from the shadows to threaten the other man.

"What? When did he get here? Was he with us the whole time?" Ivory's questions were left unanswered, leaving her to gape at the struggle with her mouth slightly ajar.

Growing bored, she left the scene to explore some nearby rooms. The rooms were filled with statues and coffins but there was a small pot of glimmering coins. Fully committed to the idea that the coins would do no good just sitting around, Ivory took a handful and stuffed it in her pocket. She heard yelling outside of the room and watched as the Enforcers fled the premises. As she was about to follow, loud crashes shook the walls and scattered dust. Once everything seemed stable, she went to search for the others. She left the pyramid through an unnatural hole in the side and arrived just in time to wave goodbye to the Enforcer's motorcycles whizzing into the forest. For a moment, she stared in disbelief. Had they really just ditched her there?

Once she came to terms with the fact that she was alone, Ivory took off in a sprint after them, racing through the undergrowth. She was accustomed to forest sprints and had no difficulty dodging obstacles. However, a few motorcycles were not so fortunate. Tree roots and rocks tripped the wheels and Ivory passed the riders as they got up and recovered from their fall. But they and the surrounding forest were all a blur to the runner. It was humanly impossible for anyone, much less a girl her size, to match the speed of the pursuing cycles. Yet, Ivory had nearly caught up to those who had survived the treacherous forest floor...right before they plummeted off the side of the cliff.

Ivory cautiously peered over the edge and waved to the three figures bobbing in the water.

"Hey!" she called to them. "What am I supposed to do now?"

They were too far below to hear her shout.

"We must go into the nearest town to search for the missing talisman," a deep voice grunted from behind.

Once again, Tohru had appeared on scene just as he was needed. Ivory was glad to not have to take matters into her own hands and glad to be given some sense of direction. He left without another word, leaving Ivory to trail behind. Along the forest trek, they picked up Chow and the Pilot who had unfortunate encounters with natural obstacles on their motorcycles. They were over a mile away from any civilization but under the authority of the menacing giant, the small group remained silent for the entire trip.

-o0o-

The walkers and the swimmers reconvened outside of a bustling town. Those who had taken a dive off of the cliff were beginning to dry out under the afternoon sun. After a brief meeting, they split into small groups to cover the area. It seemed as though they would be staying for a while so Chow and Ivory went in search for cheap lodging.

"We should probably get some disguise so we can blend in without being suspected," Chow suggested as they entered the town.

"Who is going to suspect us of what? I mean, if we look suspicious then sure, we'll get some weird looks," Ivory protested. "Oh well, it can be a souvenir, I guess. I got bank so it's alright. Actually, do you that they'll take these in the store?" She reached into her pocket to reveal a handful of gold coins.

Chow's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Where did you get those?!" he squawked.

"Oh whoa, take it easy." She hid them from view and peered around conspicuously. "I got them in the tomb while everyone else was in that cat fight. But really, can I get change for this somewhere?"

"No! We gotta give that to the boss! Just imagine what he'll do when we bring back the talisman and gold!" he shouted excitedly.

"You're not very covert. Now I see why we need disguises," she muttered to him. He was lost in dreams of praise and failed to notice her remark. "Okay yeah work and all, but can I use one of these coins to buy myself a sombrero?"

"Of course. It all comes out of the funding for the trip I think," Chow explained as they entered a tacky gift shop. "We can get something for everyone."

As Chow took the time to carefully choose accessories for everyone, Ivory scanned the bulletin board posted on the wall of the shop. She had grabbed the first poncho and hat that she had seen which left her time to peruse the local happenings. A certain flyer caught her attention.

A wrestling exhibition scheduled for that evening promised a show of the world's best wrestler, El Toro Fuerte. But Ivory was not into wrestling. It was his mask that had caught her eye. Implanted in the red fabric was an octagonal stone. The ox talisman.

"Hey Chow! You'll never believe what I found!" she shouted at her cousin.

"Is it a purple poncho? I can't seem to find anything to match this sombrero..." His voice sounded muffled behind a mountain of clothing in his arms. He peered over the mound at the poster and let out a cry. "No way! I can't believe you found it! We gotta tell the others."

"Ah! Not before we got what we came here for!" Ivory called after him as he dropped his pile and ran out. "I swear if we wasted all this time in here..."

He momentarily reappeared, slapped some money on the counter and ran out of the store with a few ponchos and sombreros. Ivory saw that the register was vacant and quietly slipped out. It would not make sense to leave a gold coin without receiving proper change.

-o0o-

Four suspicious characters stood on the street outside of the wrestling auditorium. The setting sun cast looming shadows over the waiting spectators. Their faces were further shaded by conspicuous sombreros. The colorfully adorned ponchos matched the humor of the hats, which effectively offset their nature of impending mischief.

Their distinct, business-like clothing similarly countered their attempt at a "native" guise. It was not likely that they took the time to notice. And if they had, there was little they would have been able to devise to remedy their look. So there they stood, separate from the crowd drawing from all corners of the darkening street.

"Huh, didn't know Chan was a sports fan," Finn idly voiced.

"What sport? Everyone knows wrestling's fake." Ratso countered.

Tohru ominously peered out from under his tiny hat.

"Hey here are your tickets! You know that line was long. Were you just standing there that whole time? You haven't moved an inch!" Ivory shouted as she ran towards them from the ticket booth.

"Shhhh kid! You'll blow our cover," Finn hissed at her.

Tohru grunted.

"Oh right, your... cover." She rolled her eyes at them.

Some others joined the leery group and they proceeded into the arena.

"So I'm gonna go get some seats while you go chasing that talisman. Ha have fun. I know I will!" Ivory yelled as she parted from the pack.

She made her way down the stands to a seat in the second row from the ring. As she sat down, a massive fighter donned in a red cape and magnificent mask entered the ring. He carried the ox talisman.

"Psh I knew I shouldn't have left the job to them!" she muttered to herself.

"...and the undefeated champion! El Toro Fuerte!"

The crowd went wild. Here stood their champion, their hero. He removed his cape and seized up his not-so-sizeable opponent. In the opposite corner stood a shrimpy man with a terrible costume. He wore a bright blue mask to hide his identity with a matching cape over his - was that an explorer's get-up? He retained his khaki pants as another man ripped off his matching khaki jacket to prepare him for the fight.

The challenger was as lame as he looked; without time to realize the match had started, he was already knocked face down into the ground. How boring. Ivory watched as the talisman-wielding champion took out his opponent in three clean moves. Shortly thereafter, the crowd disbanded and Ivory stalked off to find her cousin.

She found the dubious group milling around the entrance to the arena.

"Well that was pretty dumb. The undefeated champion uses the talisman to cheat. Good luck trying to get it," she mumbled to her cousin as a greeting.

"Huh we have our methods," Finn replied smugly.

"So, uh what do you think the ox talisman does?" Ratso asked to no one in particular.

Ivory answered before she had to listen to any ridiculous suggestions. "I'm pretty sure it's super strength. That other guy couldn't even touch him!"

"Imagine if Chan can't even put a scratch on that guy, how are we gonna face him?" Chow pointed out nervously.

"Hey can I try?" This would be a wonderful opportunity for Ivory to test her skills. Demon hunter versus super power wrestler. A battle like that would go down in history.

"Absolutely not," Chow firmly stated.

"Yeah leave the rough stuff to the men," Finn added.

Ivory glowered at him but did not respond. She knew that she could outdo any of them, except perhaps Tohru but only an honest match could determine that. Maybe one day.

The crowd had receded back to their homes and the dark street lay silent and abandoned. The masked champion emerged from the building followed by a small boy. The match was over but the fighter retained his mask. Finn approached him and offered an obnoxious introduction to our champion, Tohru. He was obviously enjoying the close proximity of their names.

"Tohru, Toro, Tohru..."

"The mask." Tohru shoved Finn out of the way and cut straight to the matter at hand.

"El Toro Fuerte never removes his mask," the wrestler replied in a stately manner.

"Then I will remove it for you!"

As large as he was, Tohru could not even grasp El Toro in any fashion. The wrestler hoisted him in the air and tossed him like a sack of flour.

"Whoa that's so cool! My turn-" Ivory's excitement was cut off by the fleeing Enforcers. Ratso lifted her just as easily as El Toro did Tohru and ran down the street. "Whaaa? Aw curse my small size!" she yelled as they deserted the scene.

-o0o-

The Enforcers observed from the shadows as El Toro denied access to his mask to Jackie Chan (who was like the Boogeyman to the Enforcers).

"Sorry about that incident back there, but when the going gets tough, we scram." Ratso took the opportunity to apologize to Ivory for her forced removal from the fight.

"Don't worry about, I'm sure I'll get another chance," she replied with a smile and a laugh.

A pair of glowing red eyes materialized beside her and she was forced to stifle a scream. Several pairs appeared in the shadows around the public square. The warriors of the shadows stepped into the open and surrounded the quarreling opponents.

Ivory watched as a fight broke out and El Toro mistakenly took Chan as one of the Shadowkhan and tossed him against a wall. She was herded into a small jeep as a box encased El Toro's head and removed his famed mask. Tohru returned to the vehicle with the Talisman and an unconscious archaeologist.

-o0o-

The Jeep reached a small runway where a plane awaited their arrival. Soon they would depart for San Francisco to present their capture to Valmont. However, the flight was delayed by miscommunication difficulties. In the meantime, Ivory stole away with the recently acquired treasure.

"I'm going to wait outside. Let me know when we're leaving." She waited for an affirmative answer before exiting. She did not want to be left behind in Mexico. "Just want some fresh air before we have to spend a few hours in this cramped cabin," she added casually.

Inside the plane, the others were busy confining Chan with rope or correcting the communication error. The men were too busy to notice an empty box devoid of a talisman.

Ivory carefully shut the sliding plane door behind her. She examined the charm in her hand. The head of an ox was painted on one face and inscriptions were etched on another.

"Now how do I get this to work? C'mon activate!" She thrust the stone into the air. "And BOOM!" She swung it around in her hand.

A cool breeze passed over the hot Mexican air. It relaxed her frustration and eased her mind.

I am an ox. I am as strong as the sun and stubborn as the mountain. Inhale slowly, exhale with purpose.

Ivory clenched the rock in her palm and felt the strong magic course through her blood as she activated the talisman. The world became a smaller place. No longer confined by solid objects, Ivory felt a confidence over every object. Even the densest boulder could not resist her fortified strength. Power flowed through her every muscle and she yearned to test it.

Ivory bounded off the runway, each step stronger than the earth below it. A small boulder lay at the shoulder of the road. She raised a fist and struck it with everything she had. The instant her knuckles made contact with the solid slab, she felt a chill overcome her body. A dull pain shot through her hand and up her arm.

"Agh it's not supposed to hurt like that!" she wailed in misery. She stated dismally at her throbbing, red hand. However, she noticed with satisfaction that the rock was in worse condition than she was. In fact, it more or less ceased to exist. The only remnants were nonessential chunks of rock and a cloud of dust.

"Say, we'll take that off your hands for you," a small voice chirped from behind her.

"Ugh please do." Still anguishing the plight of her hand, Ivory lightly tossed the talisman towards the voice without a second thought. Good riddance.

After the pain had subsided, she was able to clear her muddied thoughts.

"Wait, that's not right," she muttered to herself as she returned to the plane. They would probably be departing shortly and she did not want to be left behind.

As she boarded the plane, a scuffle broke out in the cabin. The unmasked wrestler was caught in a gridlock with the massive Tohru as a child crawled around the floor and under seats. A constricted Jackie Chan stood outside the plane while Finn and Chow lay unconscious on the ground.

Ivory sat in a seat and observed the scene unfold. The plane took off with Chan attached by the rope. The girl attempted to pull him into the plane and muttered something to herself. El Toro Fuerte and Tohru slid around the aircraft as the plane dipped and dived. The talisman also slid around the floor and landed at Ivory's feet.

"Dumb rock," she muttered as she kicked it across the floor. She pouted out of the window for the remainder of the flight. The stalemate of the fighters bored her and her hand was still sore.

A series of dips and dives ensued and the men yelled a lot. She failed to notice and unconscious pilot slide past her feet. The nauseating voyage concluded with a severe crash-landing in the middle of town. Several buildings and the airplane were counted as casualties to the landing.

The dust cleared to reveal three fighters in a stare-down in the square. Tohru knocked out his opponents with one square blow. However, issuing the magic of the talisman, the child took out the large warrior with a single drop-kick which initiated the collapse of an entire building.

Ivory slipped away as a petty argument followed between two children. The landing drew forth a large crowd and Ivory did not want to receive any of the blame.

-o0o-

Upon their eventual return to San Francisco, the Enforcers received a harsh verbal lashing from Valmont.

"You incompetent buffoons. You let an archaeologist get the better of you! Here in the Dark Hand, we take pride in our top criminal activity. If you cannot handle the responsibility..." He continued to reprimand the group.

Ivory stood out of sight behind the group of men until Valmont had finished his lecture. She was brought forth when the boss had expressed all of his chagrin.

"Well boss, the trip wasn't a total bust," Chow introduced his cousin.

She stepped forward and offered a large handful of gold coins.

"Souvenirs from Mexico," Finn added.

"Enjoy!" Ratso continued.

"A gift, er, for you," Ivory stated awkwardly. What an intimidating man.

"Well it would seem that not all of you are inept," he stated mildly. He turned to the girl with slight interest. "You may be of help to the Dark Hand after all."