Demon in Sheep's Clothing
"It would seem, that we have lost the lost treasure of Ching Xi Hung…" Valmont said sourly as he gazed out of the window of the Fish Cannery, the storm outside making the sea rage against the docks.
Oh, how he hated it here: the stink of fish, the lack of basic hygiene, comfort, or luxury proving to be a thorn in his side as all it did was remind him of everything he had lost. Since returning to San Francisco, he'd been in hiding seeing as Tohru had turned his back on his criminal brethren and decided to tell Section 13 and the other authorities the most likely places Valmont might flee to. Valmont couldn't return to his old office as it was in ruins and Section 13 agents were swarming all over it. And the only reason he returned to San Francisco was because his enemy never expected him to bring himself so close within reach of them. Refocusing his mind, he turned his attention back to his remaining enforcers.
"On the bright side, however," Valmont smirked, a flash of lightning striking somewhere out to sea in the windows behind him, thunder rolling over the creaky roof of the cannery. "Jackie Chan has done me a tremendous favour by eliminating my albatross,"
"Albatross?" Ratso murmured quietly to the others. "Thought Shendu was a dragon…" Finn rolled his eyes.
"Which means…" Valmont said as he used his cane to uplift a heavy sheet that covered a crate, revealing twelve gleaming stones. "We now have exclusive access to some very potent magic…" Valmont grinned as he picked up the dragon talisman, his enforcers faces lighting up along with the talisman.
"Hey! Valerie!"
Valerie turned as she hefted her bag over her shoulder, heavy with text books on ancient Tibet for her latest paper. She noticed a man about her age coming across the classroom towards her, his brown hair flecked with auburn, his average height and skinny build making him not that much taller than Valerie as he came to stand in front of her.
"Hey, David," Valerie smiled a little awkwardly. It wasn't that she didn't like David, she actually got on really well with him when she first started attending the University. But she just hadn't been speaking to him all that much since being hired by the Chans and… everything that had happened since. "What's up?"
"Oh, nothing! I just wanted to know how you were doing. We haven't spoken in ages," he said with an enthusiastic grin at her.
"Yeah… sorry… about that," she tried to say, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she tucked a stray stand of blonde hair behind her ear. "I've just been so busy lately, I just…"
"Hey, don't worry about it," he waved off with a scoff that was perhaps a little too positive for her tastes. Yes, she liked David, but sometimes he just came across as too… energetic. "I'm so jealous you can actually manage to get decent grades with the amount of work you've been doing. Not to mention all those sick leaves – I'm sorry to hear that you're family's having so much trouble,"
Valerie didn't say anything, her face becoming stiff as she tried not to grimace. It was the story Section 13 had fabricated to her tutors as to why Valerie had been missing so much the past term. They said that her family were experiences "problems" since her father's death last year, and of course the University didn't want to get too involved with something on such a personal level. And seeing as Valerie was working her butt off to get at least straight B's in all her classes, they couldn't really complain. Valerie hated the story, because it just invited more nosy people to inquire about what was happening and if her mental health was alright – which Valerie despised with a passion. But, it was much better then saying: a demon-dragon kidnapped me for a day or two so I could become his captive-bride, but no biggie, it's all fixed now! Jeesh… she groaned, she'd still not told even Jackie and Uncle the whole truth of the reasons why Shendu had kidnapped her. Mainly because she wasn't too sure why, Shendu's reasons still didn't make full sense to her. And besides, Shendu was gone, dead, blasted to smithereens by Jade and the Dragon Talisman; there was no need to tell the others if the threat was already gone.
"And I was wondering…" it was only then that Valerie realised that David was still talking, forcing her to blink and refocus on him to listen. "Seeing as how you got the Tibet paper and I got Egyptian, maybe we could collaborate to help each other out? I mean, we could have study periods together if you want, it might help seeing as we got similar subjects,"
Ancient Tibet and Egypt were absolutely NOTHING alike, Valerie thought with a deadpan look. But she didn't need to bark that at David for it – even though he ought to know better as he was on the same history course with her!
"I would like that David… but the thing is, my boss is going crazy about me needing to catch up on work I've missed," she said with a polite smile. "Speaking of which," she said as she made a show of looking at her watch. "I've got to go, or I'm gonna be late – I'll speak to you tomorrow!" she called over her shoulder as she made a speedy exit.
She didn't properly relax until she was on the tram journey towards Uncle's Antique shop, releasing a sigh of relief as she slumped in her seat. She hadn't been exactly lying to David, Uncle had been nagging at her in an absent minded manner for missing out on work – kidnapped by demon or not. But the truth was, it was merely Uncle being grouchy for appearances sake, Valerie smiled to herself as she realised she could read the old goat so well without him even realising. And besides, her job was only half as easy now that Tohru had moved in with Uncle and was helping around the shop. Despite some awkwardness to begin with, Valerie hoped that she and Tohru were at least learning to tolerate each other if not making a slow and steady friendship. He may have once been their enemy, but Valerie felt sorry for all the abuse he'd endured under the Dark Hand's influence, and he was proving to be a very peaceful giant in the store. He hardly ever complained, even with Uncle snapping at him or furniture breaking under him.
Valerie got off at her stop, and walked down the three streets towards Uncle's Antique store. She was only a few houses away when she heard Jade's voice.
"JACKIE!" she heard the girl's loud whine, and as she approached the store, Valerie saw Jade pressing herself against the front door of the shop, baring the way to Jackie in front of her. "We can't move back to Uncle's! It reeks in there, like mung beans and moth-balls!"
"Excuse me?" Valerie raised a brow as she smirked good naturedly. "I'll have you know I scrub that store spotless and spray air-freshener every day… not my fault the old man stinks," she added with a wink to Jade. Taking that as encouragement the girl turned back to Jackie earnestly.
"And it's totally BORING!" she pleaded, though Jackie was unrelenting as he stood there with his arms folded across his chest.
"Jade, you say 'boring' like it's a bad thing," he gave her a small smile as he moved her aside from the door so that he could enter the store, Jade groaning dejectedly.
"What's up?" Valerie asked the girl as she stepped up beside her.
"Jackie wants us to move back in with Uncle," Jade grumbled. "Thinks we're no good at Section 13 anymore,"
"Well, are you?" Valerie pointed out.
"Yes! We help to fight bad-guys!" she said desperately.
"You're not supposed to, I think that is what Jackie has in mind," Valerie said as she gently pushed Jade into the store, closing it behind them. Uncle was coming towards Jackie, arms outstretched, an uncharacteristic beaming smile on his face.
"Jackie!" he said happily as he came closer.
"Uncle!" Jackie grinned. "We're moving back in – OW!" he yelped as Uncle slapped him across the face with two fingers.
"You cannot move back!" Uncle said sternly as he pointed a finger in Jackie's face.
"What?" Valerie asked, blinking in confusion.
"Why not?" Jackie asked.
"Where will Tohru sleep?!" Uncle demanded, gesturing over his shoulder as the giant man walked past to dust a bookshelf. Hearing his name – and probably hearing the whole conversation – Tohru looked over his shoulder at them, smiling sheepishly. Jade however, was grinning smugly.
"You've been jacked," she smirked up at Jackie. Valerie shook her head.
"You guys can stay at my place. I don't have much… but I got a couch and a double bed big enough for two. We'll all squeeze in until you can find a place," she offered, Jackie smiled at her gratefully.
"Thank you Valerie, it won't be for long, I promise." He said.
"Valerie!" Uncle snapped at her, causing Valerie's head to snap to attention. "Go to corner store and get Uncle some ginger – he's running out!"
"Here, I'll walk with you," Jackie offered, and Valerie nodded her thanks. As they stepped out of the store, Jade was all too quick to come out with them, a slight skip in her step.
"Oh well," Jade sighed, a slightly sarcastic tone in her voice as she gave a secret smirk to Valerie. "Guess we'll just have to stay at our super-secret underground base,"
"Jade," Jackie looked down at the girl walking beside him. "There's no reason for us to live at Section 13 anymore,"
"Are you sure about that?" Jade asked, zipping in front of the adults as she held up her hand, causing them to stop to look at her as she held up a finger, as if she were the adult. "Valmont's still at large, remember?"
"Captain Black will catch him soon enough," Valerie murmured spitefully, a sick satisfaction forming in her mind as she thought of the sleazy criminal locked behind bars. She was only disappointed she hadn't seen it the first time, no matter how temporary it had been.
"I am an archaeologist, not a secret agent!" Jackie argued, somewhat exasperatedly.
"What about the Talismans?" Jade tried, honey coloured eyes pleading for Jackie to agree with her on something so that she might get her wish of prolonging her fantasy life.
"Buried in the earth, along with Shendu and his palace," Jackie replied with an easy smile, his face telling of how he was relieved that fiasco was now over.
"But what makes you so sure we've seen the last of the big bad dragon?" Jade asked, a little more seriously. "I mean, he lasted for nine hundred years, and still came back. And he took Val, so we have to say with Section 13 in case he comes back – to protect her!" she tried desperately.
Valerie had to stop a shiver from running down her spine. To hear the words, the possibility that Shendu might return… it was too horrifying a concept to consider. His voice, the way he had tempted her with her wildest dreams to twist them to his own ends. His plans for her that made her belly tingle with fear and nerves, even now. And his touch, the overwhelming power she had felt whenever their flesh touched, how it had made her feel whole and empowered the likes of which she had never known, so that if she thought about it hard enough she could feel the hole that was meant to be filled by it. It was what Shendu had mentioned as an "other" the half of herself in him. No. She couldn't believe he could come back, the consequences were too great if he did.
"No Jade," Valerie murmured as she walked past the girl. "Dead is dead."
The void of the Netherworld slunk around Shendu's form, its magic, its very fabric, caressing his transparent body as he floated through it. Red skies surrounded him, with no clouds or end to its endless existence, floating rocks and chunks of earth barely large enough as platforms for a living body to rest on. Shendu gritted his teeth as he stared at the wasteland – if one could call it a land – around him. This was not a space of existence he had ever cared for, a prison constructed for demon kind, their own form of hell where they had nothing but this empty expanse for all eternity. But now, with him being dead, he floated through it, his form ethereal and transparent, appearing much like his astral form, though his time there was no body for him to return to, not even one encased in stone. That wretched child had used his own talisman against him, blasting his body apart as he lay helpless in stone thanks to the meddling of Jackie Chan. Shendu growled to himself savagely, for oh, how he hated that troublesome human! Who had come along and halted everything Shendu had worked for! His revenge, his plans of conquest, he'd even taken his bride from him!
Ah… his bride… Shendu had not forgotten her role in his demise. Valerie was spirited, he knew, but she was still proving her metal, showing her cleverness as she used the power of their bond to distract him long enough for her friends to attack him. In all honesty, he was angry with her for that, but it simply proved that he had been foolish in waiting to bind her too him, and that next time he wouldn't be so inconsiderate. And besides, Valerie had turned against him because he had not seduced her properly, another thing he vowed to amend the next time he was on earth. For yes, he would return, and his vengeance would be swift and great, they would all learn that not even death could stop the mighty Shendu!
"Once I make Jackie Chan pay…" he growled out to himself, thinking of all the others he wanted to see dead with his return. The fools of the Dark Hand, most especially, for their nerve to think to steal from him and think he wouldn't notice! "I shall tear that fool Valmont to pieces –"
"Silence!" came a vicious roar as a floating rock close to Shendu suddenly shattered as a large fist smashed into it. Shendu recoiled on instinct, even if the pieces of debris passed right through him without harming him. Shendu looked up at the one who had spoken, to see a very unwelcome sight looming over him. A massive, muscular bull like creature with red and gold skin and the face of a lion and two large horns sprouting from the top of his forehead: the demon of earth, Dai Gui. "The only future you have is here, with us, Brother!"
Shendu looked around, and saw that whilst he had been so focused on his own thoughts, he'd been surrounded by seven beings he had hoped to not encounter: His Siblings. So, they had finally found him, even though he had made it a point to avoid them in this Nether-realm. His seven siblings each surrounded him on their own floating land masses, Po Kong, Bai Tza, Tso Lan, Dai Gui, Xiao Fung, and Hsi Wu. But then Shendu had to take another look, for one was missing, though he breathed a subtle sigh of relief as he realised it was Tchang Zu, the thunder demon, who was missing.
"Indeed," came a sophisticated yet oily voice behind Shendu, causing him to turn to see his brother Xiao Fung, the Wind Demon, crouched behind him. The wind demon much resembled a violate coloured frog, with a bulging throat and large mouth, though lots of sharp and pointed teeth were hidden there, and his red eyes that all the siblings shared glowed with dark amusement. "Let the eternal torment begin…"
"Torment?!" Shendu demanded, backing away from his siblings with an outraged look in his eyes. "Eternal?!"
"To punish your betrayal, Shendu," came the deep, calm, and monotone voice of Tso Lan, the Moon Demon. Shendu saw a long lock of raven black hair wrap around his throat, though it could not touch him truly, and he turned again to see his brother behind him. Tso Lan was not as tall as Shendu had been when living. He was a slim figure with four arms wearing long red robes, his long tongue curling out of his mouth to twist in the air. The demon's hair was long ebony black that coiled onto the floor behind him as he released Shendu. "You chose to spend your time ruling China…"
"While we withered in this bone dry pit," came the hissing voice of Bai Tza, the Water Demon, and Shendu's twin. Shendu coiled himself to face her, as she twirled through the air as if she were swimming in water. Her voice was filled with venom and subtle anger and resentment, the tentacles that made up her 'hair' writhing in aggravation. Her blue body resembled what humans had once called a mermaid, with a large fin-like tail on the end. She glared at Shendu, creeping closer to him as if she were ready to tear out his throat, if he had one. Shendu cringed from her, not baring to let her be near him. Yes, they were twins, fire and water always in competition with each other but always the closest of the elements, but Shendu and Bai had never been terribly close to each other. They'd resented each other for many years, a love-hate relationship between them as they both loved to hate each other, and had once often pestered each other in their youth to see who would give in to the anger first. Bai had always thought herself to be the better of the two, though Shendu had always been the more powerful, and she knew it. Her face had been one of the one's Shendu had been trying to avoid the most.
"Bored out of our wits," came a nasally voice, saving Shendu from his sister's glare as Hsi Wu the Sky Demon swooped overhead. The smallest of the demons, the little imp like creature had wings like a bat attached to his back that let him soar through the air effortlessly. He swooped around a large mass that Shendu realised was his other sister Po Kong, the Mountain Demon, her name rightly given as she was as large as a small mountain all by herself. "All those centuries, each exactly like the one before it," Hsi Wu growled out as he landed on Po's shoulder.
"You never even attempted to free us!" Po Kong roared angrily.
"I…" Shendu faltered, their accusations and angry faces surrounding him, and he knew there was no physical escape from them. But he had always had a clever and deceptive tongue, it had saved him countless times in the past, and it would save him now. "Your rescue was in the planning stages," he tried to placate them. "But I became imprisoned in a statue –"
"EXCUSES!" came a booming shout as a flash of lightning came dangerously close to Shendu's head, causing the spirit to hiss as he slithered away as fast as he could. Tchang Zu then descended, and Shendu felt a sense of dread as the Thunder Demon's flat face was contorted with rage. He sood like a warrior, in full battle armour over his blue skin. "You desired the earthly realm, for you alone!"
And then, Tchang struck out at Shendu, lightning erupting from his fingers to blast into Shendu. He could feel the demon magic enlaced with the electricity so that it could touch and hurt his spirit form. Shendu screamed as he felt the pain blast through him, writhing in place in an attempt to free himself, but to no avail. Hsi Wu was beside him now, staring at him with a look devoid of pity.
"A shame you never learned to share, brother," he muttered before swooping away.
"Wait!" Shendu screeched out. "I can free you!"
The words were out of his mouth before he had time to think on them, and for a terrible moment, he thought they would ignore him. But then, he felt the lightning halt and dissipate from his form, leaving him slightly breathless as he looked around at his curious but still angry siblings.
"Do not toy with us!" Bai Tza snapped. "The doors can only be opened from the other side…"
"The human side," Dai Gui said, as if Shendu didn't know that. Dai Gui had never been the brightest one of the litter.
"Precisely," Shendu agreed, a plan quickly forming in his mind as he went along with his hastily said words. But he'd known his lying tongue could save him, and so it had as he looked around at his siblings most interested faces. "As the… humble spirit you now see before you," Shendu explained. "I am free to cross over and possess any human I wish, allowing me to undo the sacred spells that keep you here…" He fought back his grin as he saw the realisation dawn on the faces of his siblings. He had not been lying to them about his capabilities now that he no longer had a physical form. Spirits of the dead could transcend all boundaries and plains of existence and reality, the walls of the Netherworld were only binding to the physical body. And whereas when in his previous astral form, Shendu could only possess bodies without a soul already occupying them, now as a spirit, such boundaries were void, and he was in the form of a simple chi or energy now, which meant he could put that energy into any body and control it like his own. He saw the idea spark inside the minds of his brothers and sisters, and as the human saying went: he had them hook, line and sinker. "Uh… if you so deem it…"
"Twelve Talismans, four enforcers, three each," Valmont said as he passed out the magic talismans to each enforcer as they stood by the waiting truck. They all had eager grins on their faces, excitedly awaiting when they would perform their first big heist with their newly acquired power.
"Err, boss?" Ratso mumbled as he looked up at Valmont. "There's only three of us since Tohru cashed in as frequent flier miles,"
"So," Finn said loudly as he greedily approached the remaining talismans on the crate. "I'll just hang on to these –"
"HUNGRY CRANE SPEARS FISH!" Came a shout as something smacked into Finn's hand, causing him to cry out as he recoiled. A large hand on a muscular arm snatched up the remaining talismans, all the other enforcers looked up in astonishment to see a very imposing figure standing above them.
"Everyone remembers Hak Foo?" Valmont asked with a sly smile.
"Ha ha," Ratso laughed with clear nerves. "Hi ya Hak,"
"Or do you prefer Foo?" Chow asked in a squeaky voice.
"Master Foo," Valmont corrected. "The Black Tiger shall be your new lieutenant,"
The enforcers cringed.
"Thank you for helping us pack Valerie," Jackie said with a smile.
"No problem," Valerie shrugged as she placed an armful of empty boxes on the floor, taking one as she went to one of the book shelves and began to carefully and neatly pack them all away. "It's a Saturday anyway, had nothing better to do – besides Uncle scream at me." she added in a deadpan voice.
"It can't be that bad," Jackie chuckled as he left the room to collect more cardboard boxes.
"Tch," Valerie muttered. "You only had to live with him. I have to work for him,"
Five minutes later, Jackie returned, arms filled with boxes as he opened the door with his foot. Valerie turned to face him and was about to ask if he wanted to pack his and Jade's clothes, when she suddenly saw something whizz by the door.
"Jade?!" she gasped. Jackie looked at her curiously.
"JACKIE!" Jade screamed as she flew by. Valerie had to blink. Wait, flew?!
"Not now Jade, I'm busy – JADE!" Jackie yelped as he spun around, dropping the boxes in his arms. Valerie and Jackie sprinted back to the door in time to see Jade whizzing around Section 13 on a jet pack?! Valerie had to wonder at how things could never be normal for this family. However, that thought was soon upturned on its head as Valerie felt Jackie leave her side as he ran in front of Jade. Valerie gave a wordless shout as Jackie leapt into the air and snatched at the arm of the jet-pack that Jade was attached to.
Valerie watched with a dropped jaw as they flew around the main area of Section 13, almost crashing into Captain Black, if the bald man hadn't ducked out of the way in time, scattering his reports as well as spilling his coffee in the process. Valerie had to put a hand over her eyes as her two friends headed straight for a wall! Peaking behind her fingers Valerie watched in stunned amazement as they scaled the wall upwards and then were upside down on the ceiling. And it was only then, that Jade pushed just a single button, and he engine on the jet pack stopped. Valerie screamed as they fell from the air, though Jackie managed to catch his leg on a cable, halting their deadly fall. Valerie leaned against the wall, sighing in relief and cursing under her breath about the family with a death wish. Captain Black and Valerie quickly found a ladder and helped them down, Jade looking particularly guilty yet frightened of a scolding as she walked with a pout back to hers and Jackie's room, Valerie and Jackie close behind.
"Jade, you should never play with things you don't know how to work," Jackie admonished her as he picked up his fallen boxes.
"I didn't know I didn't know," the girl said. "Now I do," she smiled innocently, as if that would resolve the matter.
"And what if you playing around with that thing got you or someone else hurt?" Valerie frowned disapprovingly.
"But nobody did, so everything's okay… right?" Jade asked pleadingly.
"Well, perhaps now you know why we have to leave Section 13," Jackie matched Valerie's look at the young child.
"But, Tohru will have nowhere to sleep," Jade said.
"I've found a very charming apartment for us," Jackie said as he fished out notebooks from his desk to put them into the boxes. "They allow children and pets, but no secret agents, Dark Hand thugs, or magic talismans,"
Neither Jade nor Valerie found his attempt at a joke rather amusing.
Suddenly, an alarm started blaring, so loud it hurt Valerie's ears, causing everyone in the room to look up as a red light began to flash with the sound of the alarm. The door to the room burst open, causing Valerie to yelp in surprise, and Captain Black came charging in.
"Jackie! Robbery in progress! Financial district!" the bald man said fiercely as he came to a stop in front of them. "It's the Dark Hand…"
"Err, good luck with that?" Jackie offered. Though Valerie was finding it weird that she still found that even the name of those thugs caused her spine to shiver in revulsion, even if they no longer answered to Shendu.
"They're packing heat, Talisman heat," Black said, and knew that there was no way Jackie could refuse now.
"Alright…" He sighed. Black nodded and left the room, and Jackie turned to Valerie. "You better get going then,"
"Yeah," she murmured as she went to the corner to pick up her bag. "You need anything else, call me. I'll be at the mall picking up a few bits and pieces."
"Okay, thank you Valerie," Jackie smiled in a way of goodbye.
"Try not to get killed!" Valerie called back as she left.
"So," Shendu purred out to his surrounding brothers and sisters. "I trust you would agree that my…" he was about to say the word murder but thought better of it. "Martyrdom, has left a void for a new stronger evil to fill. Namely you, my brothers and sisters," he said as he cast his red eyes upon all of them in turn, seeing the ambitious looks upon their faces, each one thinking of the vengeance they would wrought once freed. "Shall I proceed then?" he asked with a sly smirk.
The seven demons all shared a look between one another, before raising their hands. Before Shendu could do anything to stop them, a green light shot from each of them, searing his spirit with burning pain as he felt invisible shackles clamp upon him. He screeched from the pain, writhing as he felt the magic burn into his soul.
"What trick is this?!" he demanded angrily as the light slowly faded from his body.
"You have proven crafty brother," Hsi Wu said with a wagging finger at him. "So we require… a safety measure,"
"Our spell will keep you bound to the human of your choosing," Bai Tza said in a voice as cold as the arctic sea. "Until you release us,"
"A precaution," Xiao Fung said with a gleeful tone in his voice, causing Shendu to turn to glare at him. "So that we know exactly where to find you,"
"In the event we deem it necessary to resume your eternal torment…" Tso Lan spoke in his ever regal tone, lacing his three fingered hands together in front of him in a very business-like manner.
His siblings had played their hand well, knowing that Shendu's promises alone would not keep him bound to them, they knew he may very well escape the Netherworld in order to regain his body in some way and leave them there to rot. This way, they had a guarantee that Shendu would come through for them, for none would wish to be encased in a prison of mortal flesh, especially not Shendu. Especially when he thought his siblings might have tampered their spell with something he didn't quite know of yet. Besides, he had very little say in the matter now, he would have to help his siblings or be doomed to wander the earth as a spirit, be tortured forever or be imprisoned in human flesh.
"I accept your terms," Shendu muttered begrudgingly. "I will choose my vessel well to best serve you. And the human most capable for this task, is my nemesis," he growled. "Jackie Chan."
"All agents! Fall Back!" Captain Black shouted into his walkie-talkie. "Repeat! Fall Back!"
Jackie looked out over the mess on the street. The Dark Hand had robbed the National Bank and made a mess of the street, destroying buildings, hauling cars, the talismans granting them unlimited power of destruction. When Section 13 had pulled up to stop them, with nothing less than tanks, the thugs simply blasted through them, the magic of the talismans proving a challenge that normal men were not equipped to handle. Even with superior numbers, the agents and soldiers were not equipped to take down the empowered enforcers. Jackie watched as the Dark Hand drove away in their getaway truck filled with stolen money, a fierce burn in his chest that demanded that these criminals be stopped.
"One last time…" he muttered to himself as he ran off on foot after the truck.
"Jackie!" Captain Black shouted after him, a note of panic in his voice. "I said fall back! That means you too!"
"I'm not an agent!" Jackie called back with a salute. He only managed to make it half way down the road, when he heard a voice.
"Need a lift?"
"BWA!" Jackie shouted in surprise as he felt something hit his back and lift him into the air! He looked around in panic, only to see that it was Jade who had him, strapped back into the jet pack again. Jackie looked at her in outrage.
"I told you never to play with things you don't know how to –"
"Ignition. Steering. Throttle. Breaks." She said, pointing to controls on the panels on the arms of the jet pack, all without even looking, her eyes focused ahead on where she was going. Jackie spluttered, trying to come up with an effective way to scold her, but his mind went blank. Instead, he set his jaw and resigned himself that she was here now, might as well make use of it.
"Faster." He instructed as he pointed to the getaway vehicle. Jade tried to hide her excited smile, but sped after the truck.
20 minutes later...
Valmont rode in a truck completely disliking the uncomfortable seats and cramped spaces, but it was the less conspicuous thing his lackey could steal for them to pick up the enforcers and the booty. He could only guess that his men were in the process of failing him all over again, when they had said on the phone that they had a "flat tire" to explain why they were taking so long to arrive at the hideout with the money. Valmont had had no choice but to get one of his other, less important, workers to drive him towards where his enforcers had last checked, on the beach. So he sat there now, arms folded tightly across his chest as he stared out of the window –
"Stop!" he shouted suddenly, and the driver quickly brought the truck to a screeching halt. His eyes were only focused on a recognisable lone figure standing atop a short cliff above the beach. Valmont could see his enforcers fighting on the sand below, but it was Jackie Chan who got his attention. Valmont climbed out of the cab of the truck, staring at the back of the man who was the cause of all his current misfortunes. Jackie didn't seem to know he was there; it would be all too easy.
"Well, well…" he grinned.
Shendu worked his way through the portal, bracing himself as he passed through the barriers between dimensions, and was birthed into the human world with a flash of light. It was somewhat disconcerting, to be in one place one moment and to then be in a completely different one the next. He'd sent out a location spell for Jackie Chan, which had been rather difficult in his current form, but he'd be damned if he'd ask his siblings for any help. So as he was brought back to earth, he had to take a moment in order to observe his surroundings to learn of his location, and to discover where his prey now lay. It didn't take him long, as he realised that he was out over the bay, and his keen eyesight spotted the form of Jackie Chan in the distance at the top of a short cliff. He hissed with hate.
"Chan…" he growled.
He was not so foolish as to completely discount an enemy's abilities, and Shendu had to admit, that with his knowledge, Chan's capabilities would be very formidable indeed. Shendu knew that he would need Chan's body, but that didn't mean he had to like it. Though he was rather looking forward to the amount of pain this "union" would cause Chan.
He sped out through the air towards his unsuspecting quarry, invisible as he was to the eyes of the living. Slithering as fast as he could, he flew towards Chan, growling with anticipation as he knew his victory was close at hand. He was almost upon the human, jaws opening as if he meant to eat him, he could feel his soul being pulled into –
Suddenly, something pushed Chan out of the way, causing him to cry out in pain as he was sent over the edge of the cliff. A figure leapt into his place, and Shendu's eyes widened with alarm, trying to stop his momentum but could not do so in time. He felt himself crash into the body of the human, his soul swallowed up by its grotesque flesh. Immediately, he felt the shackles of his siblings' spell clamp him into place inside the body of the mortal, trapping him within. He felt a moment of claustrophobia as he felt the soul of the body's owner was squeezed against him within the small prison they both now shared, though he quickly overcame this weakness as he immediately fought for domination, wrestling the mind of the human into obedience so that he could take full control of the body's function. He blinked his eyes open, looking out onto the bay with the hindered sight that all humans had, not able to see what he as a demon could, though his soul granted the body more heightened awareness and capabilities. Shendu looked at his pale human hands, and felt a sense of dread in his mind as he recognised the green suit he was wearing. Harshly, he reached behind his head and yanked the ponytail of long platinum blonde hair so that he could see it. The dread turned to fury, Shendu knew the body he was now inhabiting, and the realisation filled him with such rage he could not keep it contained.
"NOOOOOO!" he screamed. "Trapped within this proven failure of an ally!" he snarled, baring his teeth in animalistic rage as the body's now red eyes glowed menacingly. "All the more reason to hasten my quest!"
He quickly turned and spotted the truck with the man inside that was staring directly at Shendu expectantly. Shendu could only assume that this man worked for Valmont, and he was proven correct as he climbed into the cab of the vehicle and the man said not a word. Shendu quickly directed the man to drive down to the road beside the beach. Shendu made a point of keeping his voice quiet, knowing that others would hear his voice instead of Valmont's, though still the driver looked at him curiously, but did not comment as he did as he was bid. The quest that Shendu had to undertake required resources and help that Shendu would need, a plan had already formed in his mind of what he would do to free his siblings, he just had to put it into action. But he would need others for it. He had the truck stop on the road by the beach, ignoring the car behind them that beeped at them for stopping. Shendu saw the Dark Hand enforcers on the beach, and spoke.
"We have more important matters to attend to. Get in!" he ordered quickly, not turning to face them so that they might not see the glowing red eyes in their master's body. The enforcer's turned to look at him, Shendu noting the new one, Hak Foo if he remembered, among them.
"We'll just grab the loot and –" Ratso tried to say cheerily, but Shendu interrupted him quickly.
"No loot!" he snapped. "Get in now!" his impatience was only growing as the car behind them was still beeping, and the enforcer's were simply looking at him with wide and astonished eyes.
"Really?" Ratso asked, dumbfounded.
"Sore throat boss? You don't sound too good," Chow said. Shendu was about to snarl a response, when he suddenly felt the mind of Valmont recover from the possession and fight against him for control. Shendu fought, but Valmont managed to wriggle past him to take control of his own body, though the mind was seemingly unaware of what had transpired.
"Why are you standing there?" He asked in confusion. "Collect the cash!"
"But you said…" Ratso said in confusion, the others looking at him as if he'd gone mad.
"Are you questioning me?!" Valmont demanded.
Shendu took that moment to retake control, not wanting any time to be wasted on Valmont's pathetic greed. He clawed his way back into control of the body, and snarled at the retreating backs of the enforcers as they went to their fallen truck to collect their stolen money.
"Where are you going?!" he raged at them. "Come here! Or I shall destroy you all!"
That had perhaps been a little out of character, but if it got him what he wanted, he didn't care. The enforcers looked at each other, looking nervous but extremely confused, eyes wide as they looked at each other. Eventually it was Hak Foo who led them towards the truck, leaving their money behind them in the sand. They all piled into the back of the truck, Finn taking up the rear as he stumbled after them. Once they were all inside, Shendu growled at the driver, and they were speeding away.
Valerie sat in the back of the taxi, her few bags on the seat beside her, though she was hastily trying to put her bought items back into the bags where they had spilled onto the floor when the driver had slammed his breaks. From how the driver was shouting, he was very angry at the fact that a truck in front of them had stopped for seemingly no reason. Valerie didn't much care, only that the amount of time they spent sitting there was adding to the metre that she would have to pay. She was busy picking up her new clothes from the floor of the car and putting it back into her bags, when they started moving again. Valerie turned to look out the window, content to just watch the bay roll past… when she saw familiar figures on the beach.
"Stop!" she said quickly. The taxi pulled over to the side of the road so that any approaching cars might go around them. The driver turned to look at her, a bewildered look on his face as he stared at her. "Just wait here," Valerie hastily explained. "I'll be back in a second!"
She quickly climbed out of the car, leaving her bags of shopping behind as she climbed over the railing on the side of the road and dashed onto the beach. She confirmed what she had seen: Jackie and Captain Black lying in the sand, an upturned truck not far off with perhaps hundreds of thousands of dollars strewn across the sand. She quickly went over to Jackie and knelt beside him, shaking him as she tried to see if he was alright.
"Jackie?" she asked anxiously, and he groaned slowly rolling onto his side so that he could sit up, rubbing his head. "Are you okay?"
"Dark Hand…" he grumbled. "Where…" but he looked around, and saw that there was no one else on the beach. "Gone." He sighed disappointedly. They both heard Captain Black moan as he got to his feet, pulling a cell phone out of his pocket as he did so.
"What happened?" Valerie asked them both.
"Dark Hand got the drop on us," Black muttered, though at Valerie's worried expression, his eyes and voice softened slightly. "They may have gotten away, but they can't hide forever. We'll find them."
Valerie nodded. Captain Black then dialled a number into his phone, putting the receiver to his ear.
"Black here," he murmured as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Need transport back to HQ."
"And to China Town," Jackie said as he stood to his feet. "I'll have Jade spend the night at Uncle's,"
"Hey!" came a shout, making them all turn their heads upwards to see Jade caught in a tree, Valerie most surprised to see the jet pack back on her. "I heard that!"
"Jade!" Valerie gasped. "What the hell are you doing in that thing?!"
"Right now I'm trying to get out of it!" Jade said as she struggled to free herself.
"Stay still!" Jackie shouted up to her as he approached the bottom of the cliff below her. "I'm coming to get you down."
"It doesn't make sense," Black said to Valerie, confusion clearly written on his face as he looked from her to the money on the sand. "We were down for the count. Why leave the spoils?"
"What could possibly be more important to them then money?" Valerie mused aloud. "Even when working for Shendu, they would derail a mission in order to grab extra cash. Why go through all this trouble and then leave it here?"
"That is what I intend to find out," Black murmured.
"How long until your pick up gets here?" Jackie asked Captain Black as he returned to them with Jade in tow.
"About fifteen minutes," the agent answered.
"Why don't I take Jade back with me," Valerie offered. "I've got a taxi waiting over there, I can stay with her until you come back to the shop,"
"Thank you," Jackie nodded, Jade solemnly walking over to stand beside Valerie.
"We'll do clean up," Black affirmed with another gesture towards the money.
"Alright. Come on kid," Valerie murmured softly to Jade, placing a hand on her shoulder affectionately as she led the girl back towards the road.
Shendu walked with the Dark Hand enforcers to the fish cannery that was now their hide out. Although Shendu was not in the state of mind to care where they hid from the authorities, he did have to curl his lip in distaste at how far the Dark Hand had fallen. He opened the door, the fading light of the setting sun outside casting his long shadow into the dark interior of the wooden building.
"We must have left millions back on that beach!" Finn whined as he walked behind Shendu as they all came into the cannery. "What is the deal Big V?"
Finn reached out a hand to Shendu's shoulder, and Shendu instantly hissed, spinning in place and swatting Finn aside as if he were a fly. Even that small movement had enough strength to send Finn flying backwards across the room where he fell into his other companions, causing them to stumble as they caught him. Shendu's eyes glowed as he hissed at them all, lines cast over his face as he allowed himself out in full in front of them.
"Valmont cannot hear you." he spoke clearly and menacingly, allowing them to know him in that instant. The reaction was immediate. Ratso, Finn and Chow instantly recognised the voice and the red eyed look, eyes widening in horror as they beheld what truly stood before them.
"Uh-oh," Chow mumbled.
"Shendu?" Finn whispered in terror.
"He's back…" Ratso murmured to the others with a quiver in his voice.
"Your talismans, Mr Shendu," Chow said hastily as he came forward and placed three of Shendu's magic talismans upon the floor at his feet. Ratso and Finn quickly followed suit.
"We was taking care of 'em for ya," Ratso quickly added, Finn right beside him with a nervous chuckle.
Shendu glanced down at the talismans at his feet, considering as he stared at them. They had been such a point of focus in his life for the past nine hundred years, it was almost mocking to have them now so close when he suspected he could no longer make use of them. Plucking one up and holding it in his hand, Shendu watched and waited. He had chosen the Monkey. But nothing, he felt no power, and the talisman didn't respond to him as he could feel it yearning to. It could sense its master close by, but this was not his body and therefore he had no control over it. It was as he suspected: his siblings knew of his talismans and so therefore interweaved a counterspell to their effects on him whilst he rested in a prison of mortal flesh. He could not use them in this body. Such a pity.
He looked up back at the Dark Hand Enforcers, to notice them trying to make a speedy exit, even Hak Foo following close behind the others, clearly sensing something was very wrong. Shendu's eye twitched in annoyance, and he leapt into the air, far high then a human ever could, flying over their heads as he landed in front of them, blocking the exit. The humans eyes widened and they gasped in terror, faces growing pale with primal fear, knowing that a deadly predator was amongst them who blocked the only exit. Shendu slammed the door shut behind him, never breaking their gaze as he glowered at them. The enforcers recoiled from him as if they suspected their lives were about to be cut short.
"Keep your talismans," Shendu bit out. "They no longer matter to me,"
Shendu gasped as he felt Valmont struggle against his control once again, forcing him into the back of his mind as he struggled for control. Valmont's body staggered, but it was ultimately the human who won out, if only briefly. Valmont looked up at his enforcers, who were staring at him in amazement and equal horror. Valmont looked around in confusion, as if he didn't recognise his surroundings.
"How did I…" he trailed off, noticing something as he looked at his enforcers. "Where is the money?!"
"Uhh… Big V?" Finn murmured nervously as if he didn't want to speak too loudly unless he summoned the demon. "Shendu's back,"
"What?!" Valmont's eyes widened in obvious fear. "Where?!"
"Inside… you!" Ratso whimpered like a terrified child as he pointed at his boss. Valmont looked down at his own person, then back up at his men as if they'd gone mad, a look of disbelief and impatience on his face as he walked towards them, clearly growing impatient.
"That's preposterous –" He passed a large refrigerator shined enough to show a decent reflection, when Valmont caught something out of the corner of his eye. He turned, and instantly recoiled upon what he saw. "ARGH!" he screamed.
At first, he thought that Shendu had stepped beside him. But after blinking, Valmont realised something far worse as his gut dropped into his toes. He saw his reflection clearly, but over his face, as if he were wearing a mask, was the demonic face of Shendu, glowing red eyes, horns, tattoos and all. He realised his men had been right, and Shendu was now inside of him. The revulsion that raged through him was only as strong as his anger.
"Get OUT!" he shouted at the reflection.
"Trust me Valmont," the human heard the raspy, hissing voice inside of his own mind, the apparition in the mirror moving as if it were speaking directly to him from there. "The feeling is mutual," the dragon sneered. "But for now, you and your thugs WILL assist me, or perish!"
And as if to accentuate his point, Shendu seized control of the body, turning around and opening his mouth as he summoned his own natural magic, a torrent of flames blasting from the back of his throat. The enforcers quickly jumped out of the way of the fire as they yelled in surprise and fright, all of them quickly rolling from the flames and standing to attention.
"Got it!" Chow squeaked.
"We're swinging to your beat!" Finn added.
Shendu sneered.
"Uncle is not running a hotel!" Uncle shouted with his signature scowl on his face. "Jade! Help Tohru make your bed!" he snapped at the girl, who sighed as she dragged her feet into the backroom where Tohru had pulled out a sofa-bed. She obediently picked up the sheets as she attempted to tuck them in properly.
"I'll take it from here T," she sighed. Tohru gave her a small smile.
"And you!" Uncle snapped, causing Valerie to yelp as she whirled around to face the old man who was glowering at her. "You missed out on a whole day's work! You had better make up for lost time!"
"Oh…" Valerie said, mind going blank as she tried to come up with a valid excuse. "Uh…"
"Books on desk need re-shelving!" Uncle snapped at her. "Get to work!"
"Sensei," Tohru said in a calm manner, as he approached the pair. "It is past the time for Valerie to be home, I will take the –"
"No Tohru, it's alright," Valerie said softly as she placed a hand on the big man's arm. She hoped she wasn't being too forward with him, after all they had been enemies not too long ago. "I'm going." she cut off a bit curtly as she walked past Uncle.
Grabbing the books from the desk, Valerie read the first title: A Brief History of Ancient Sorcerers, which she knew belonged upstairs on one of the bookcases in Uncle's room. So she trudged up the stairs, hearing a knock at the door though saw Uncle walking to get it. Valerie ignored it, mumbling under her breath as she went into Uncle's room and replaced three books onto his shelf. The fourth one however, was A Guide To Ancient Tibet Artefacts, and Valerie knew that that one belonged downstairs in the backroom. She cursed, muttering about Uncle under her breath as she turned to –
Suddenly, she heard a large crash from downstairs, heard the smashing of antiques as well as the heavy thump of bookcases. The impact was so large that Valerie felt the store shake from the force of it. She gasped, clutching the books to her chest as she reached out with the other arm to steady herself against the wall. When the tremors stopped, her heart was hammering, and her breathing was short as she felt her stomach tighten with nerves. What had that been?! An earth quake? But if she craned her ears, Valerie couldn't hear Uncle screeching like she would expect him to. Nerves forming into a sense of foreboding, Valerie looked around and spotted the broom, quickly snatching it up in one hand, she held it like a spear as she slowly crept out of the room. She tucked the book into the back of her jeans, and held the broom in both hands as she slowly walked onto the landing. Looking down into the main shop, she gasped softly at the sight of the whole store completely trashed, as if something large and heavy had come barrelling through it. Valerie tiptoed down the stairs, very uneasy at the fact that she couldn't hear anyone inside the shop, not even Jade or Uncle, who were the most talkative. As Valerie stepped down the stairs, she saw a figure crouching over the many fallen books in the backroom, and she instantly recognised the money-green suit.
"Valmont?" she whispered. But then her anger came over her, and she marched up behind him, hefting the broom over her head as she glared at the back of the man's skull. "Get OUT!" She shouted, and swung.
Faster than humanly possible, Valmont spun on his heel and snatched at the broom before it could hit him. Valerie's surprise was turned into a scream as the man grabbed the front of her sweater and spun her. She screamed as she was thrown off her feet, the cry cutting short as she was slammed into the side of a bookcase, winding her. She grimaced, but realised that Valmont had not let go of her. She gripped his wrist, looking up defiantly at him –
"Ah, Valerie…" came a hissing voice, speaking in a purr.
Valerie's heart stopped beating for a moment in shock, and then suddenly raced a thousand miles an hour as she snapped her head up to look into the face of the man before her. It was Valmont's face, she would recognise that slimy criminal anywhere, but yet, it wasn't. There were more lines on his, shadows beneath his eyes… which were an eerily familiar glowing red. Valerie's breath shuddered in her lungs as she recognised the voice that did not belong to this body. But it wasn't possible! It couldn't be…
"Shendu?" she breathed, the only thing her suddenly strangled voice could push out.
"What's the matter?" Shendu's voice crooned in mockery. "Do you not recognise me, my dear?"
Panic filled Valerie so completely that her instincts kicked in, and she chose her flight response, dashing past Shendu/Valmont as she tried to escape for the –
She screamed as she was suddenly lifted off of her feet by powerful hands that wrapped around her waist. She was thrown back against the bookcase again, causing her to grunt in pain. This time, Shendu put his hands on her arms, pushing against her as he kept her pinned firmly in place. Valerie looked up into the new face of Shendu, mouth agape as her eyes became wide with fear.
"It can't be you…" she whispered, almost to herself as if she were speaking her thoughts aloud. "You're dead!"
"Due in no small part to your friends," he hissed, causing Valerie to flinch, but he calmed or at least she thought so by the dying growl that she could feel vibrating in his chest. "But that is in the past now,"
"So you're possessing Valmont?" she asked, clearly disgusted by the idea. "Why?"
"It is a situation I am not entirely happy with," he grumbled. "But one I have no control over," was all he said. It was then, that Valerie noticed something over Shendu's shoulder, a little head popping out of the middle of a pile of fallen books. Jade looked over at Valerie, a look of terror on her face. Valerie tried to communicate with her eyes alone for Jade to go, shaking her head in the smallest way, and disguising it as a shiver so that Shendu wouldn't notice. Jade looked torn, but decided to obey as she rushed out of the backroom into the main store.
"Why are you here?" Valerie asked Shendu quickly, panicked that he might suddenly discover the presence of the little girl.
"There is something here that I need," he told her. Valerie shrank back, pressing her back further against the bookcase as if she could physically pass through it. Shendu noticed her reaction, and chuckled to himself. "There is no need to look so dire, Valerie," he purred to her as he leaned closer to her again. "Though I still plan on resuming where we left off… that will have to wait." He muttered to himself.
Valerie didn't respond, stubbornly looking away from him, though she could feel his eyes on her, could imagine the leer on his face. She was finding it rather confusing to hear Shendu's voice come out of Valmont's body, though she also recognised Shendu's facial expressions though they were on a human face now. But as she looked away, her eyes caught on a large lump on the floor, covered by scattered books, though a large beefy hand lay limp as it poked out from beneath the pages and covers.
"Tohru!" she gasped, instinctively wanting to go to her fallen friend, though Shendu's hands tightened on her arms and kept her in place.
"He will live," was all he said with a dismissive air.
"You threw him through the whole store?" Valerie demanded as she turned back to face him with a glare.
"He was in my way," Shendu shrugged.
"It is considered bad manners to throw someone in their own home," Valerie muttered. And then, something happened that she was not expecting: Shendu laughed. It was more of a cackle, but it was not to mock her or sinister sounding, in fact it actually sounded like he was genuinely amused by what she said. Valerie was becoming more confused by this demon all the time.
"You always manage to surprise me, dear Valerie," he smirked at her.
"I aim to please," she commented sarcastically, though Shendu merely chuckled again.
"I am pleased to see that the Chans have been taking good care of you since I left you in their hands," he commented as his eyes focused on her hair, a finger stroking at a blonde strand that had fallen into her face. "For that, you will have to forgive me,"
"Considering I was kidnapped by an evil and insane demon, I think I'm recovering well," she snapped.
"I may be spiteful and vindictive, but far from insane. You had nothing to fear from me,"
"You wanted me to marry you!" she hissed in a quiet voice, in the off chance that anyone was listening.
"Which will come about, I can promise you that…" he rumbled in his chest as he leaned towards her, a hand coming towards her face. Valerie knew what was coming, and shied away, squeezing her eyes shut as she braced herself for the pain that would come with that overwhelming flood of power. Shendu's fingers brushed down the length of her cheek, their skin touching as he traced his knuckle down her cheek and along the line of her jaw…
But nothing. Valerie's eyes blinked open in surprise, and she turned her head back to look at Shendu confusion. She couldn't understand it: whenever Shendu had touched her before power had been created between them that had filled them both up until they were almost incapable of containing it. But now, she felt almost nothing. At his touch, she could feel something within her try to force its way to the surface, as if it were reaching for something in Shendu, but was denied and slunk back to the depths of which it came. Valerie felt a momentary flash of betrayal towards her own body as it dared to feel something akin to disappointment at the fact that a connection had not been made. As if he too sensed what had happened, Shendu sighed in frustration as he withdrew his hand from her.
"Wait… how…" Valerie stumbled for the right words in her confusion, looking between herself and Shendu as she frowned. "But when you touched me… I didn't… I thought –"
"Our connection has been blocked," Shendu muttered almost sulkily.
"But how?"
"A side effect of possessing this body," he spat in disdain. "In its prison of flesh I am unable to connect to the magics separated from me, such as you or my talismans."
"But when you possessed Jade there was still at least a spark," Valerie mused aloud.
"That is because the child's spirit was outside of her vessel. In this body it is not just me who occupies it. Valmont's soul interferes with my connection to you, we cannot join our chi's because his gets in the way," he explained as he curled his lip as he glared at the bookcase behind her, as if he could see Valmont's face there.
"Valmont is… in there too?" Valerie murmured in obvious disgust, though a part of her was somewhat relieved that the connection between her and Shendu was blocked, it was one less thing she would need to worry about.
"A situation that we both disapprove of," Shendu said icily as he pushed away from her to cross his arms.
"So seeing as your stuck in Valmont's body and you no longer have access to… whatever the hell is between us… Can I hope you've given up on thoughts of conquering the world?" Valerie asked dryly, knowing the answer she would receive.
"Oh no my dear," Shendu chuckled again, another leer growing across his face as he looked at her with hooded eyes. "That day is still coming. This imprisonment will not last forever, I will make sure of it. And when it does end, my revival shall be imminent, and our union shall take place once more. This, I can promise you," he murmured as he leaned closer to her again, and Valerie took in a sharp intake of breath as she pressed herself back against the bookcase, though Shendu continued to advance until only a few inches separated them. "But that day cannot arrive unless I deal with more pressing issues," he murmured as he leaned back away from her, and Valerie subtly sighed in relief, as he took his eyes off of her to look out over the many books scattered across the room. "You may be able to help me find what I'm looking for..."
"Go to hell!" she spat instantly.
"Been there, and come back." He grinned with no sense of mirth. "Help me find just a simple book…"
Valerie took that moment to run, using the moment when Shendu had unknowingly stepped away from her to give her the room to push past him. She sprinted for the door, hoping to escape out onto the street. But just like before, she didn't make it five steps before Shendu snatched at her again. One arm snaked around her waist and pulled her against him until her back was pressed against his chest, his arm pinning her in place. The other hand grabbed into her shoulder-length hair, causing her to hiss as one hand came up to hold onto his wrist instinctively, as if she could pull his fingers off of her. He wrenched her head back and to the side, pushing his face forward so that his face was by the side of hers, his jaw scraping along her neck. Valerie's heart was sprinting inside of her, her fear only growing as she felt Shendu's chest rumble against her back.
"Why should I help you?" she choked out forcefully.
"Because you must be loyal to your Other," he told her in a seductive whisper, his mouth grazing her ear until all her mind could comprehend was him. "And because you know there is no point in resisting me, that one way or another I always get what I…" he paused, and Valerie's stomach tightened as Shendu suddenly leant back from her, and she felt something tug at the hem of her jeans. Instant panic filled her, and she fought against him, until she felt the book she had tucked away there suddenly be slipped out of her jeans. Shendu turned her around, one hand still holding her hair to prevent her from struggling too hard, as he held the book up for inspection with his other hand. As soon as he read the title a grin spread across his features. "Well, well, Valerie… it appears you have assisted me after all,"
"Stop!" came a shout.
Both Valerie and Shendu turned in time to see Jackie and Captain Black standing in the main room of the shop, obviously just entered where the door was still open. Valerie realised that Jade must have called them for help, clever girl, she thought. Shendu growled, obviously not liking the interruption, but obviously had no choice. With the book in hand, he pushed Valerie away from him and sprinted in the opposite direction for the back door. Valerie cried out as she was smacked into the corner of the bookcase, her head banging against the edge until she saw stars. She slumped to the floor, looking up weakly as Jackie and Captain Black ran past her after Shendu. Valerie tried to call after them, to tell them what was going on, but she didn't seem to have the energy. Whether from the stress of everything that had just happened, or the knock to her head she didn't know. But soon her world went black, and everything faded to nothing.
Jackie and Captain Black chased Valmont out of the shop and through the alleys. But one thing Jackie held in his favour: he knew these streets. Valmont didn't know that a dead end was coming right up, and sure enough, as they turned a corner, Valmont stopped in his tracks as he was met with no escape, the roof of the building in front of him being thirty feet in the air. But then, as if it was nothing, Valmont leapt up and jumped over the building to land on the roof above. Jackie and Black gasped at the feat, though Jackie cursed the power of the talismans for giving Valmont such power.
"Talismans, right?" Black asked. But Jackie didn't answer, looking about for a way to get up to the roof as quickly as possible.
He quickly jumped up onto a fire escape ladder of the neighbouring building, Black following close behind, as they climbed their way upwards towards the roof as fast as they could. When he reached the top, Jackie leapt up onto the flat roof, awaiting Black to catch up – he didn't want to face Valmont alone when he was empowered by all the talismans. But all that met them… was an empty roof.
"Gone." Black sighed in frustration.
"Why did he take one of Uncle's books?" Jackie asked aloud, having remembered seeing Valmont with the book in hand as he held Valerie hostage by her hair. Jackie was about to turn back, when he caught sight of something that made him gasp.
On the roofs of the neighbouring buildings, appeared dozens of dark figures that emerged from the shadows. They leapt through the air, landing on the roof in front of Jackie and Black, landing silently and neatly. Their black clothes, blue skin and red eyes were instantly recognisable… The Shadowkhan. Yet Jackie was confused… why would the shadow ninjas appear now?
"But I don't understand," he said to Black as they backed up away from the dozens of warriors that were quickly surrounding them. "Valmont can't summon the Shadowkhan… only Shendu…"
"Reports of my demise…" came a familiar serpentine raspy voice, and the Shadowkhan parted to reveal their master: Valmont stood tall, the moon framing his body behind him, and his eyes glowed a familiar red. "Have been greatly exaggerated, Chan,"
Jackie gasped, eyes going wide with shock and fear, even Captain Black seemed taken aback as they looked upon the possessed body of Valmont. Shendu grinned with Valmont's lips at their reaction, before turning away as his shadowkhan advanced once more on Jackie and Captain Black.
"Destroy them."
Author's Note: So I hope you all had a good New Year and also enjoyed this chapter! :) I was very pleased with the response to the last updae, so a BIG thank you to everyone who reviewed! This Story is continuing into Season 2, and I saw that a lot of people want more Valerie/Shendu interaction. Don't worry, from here on out, there will be plenty of that! ;)
Please don't forget to leave a review! I would leave to hear all your thoughts on the latest chapter. Until next time!