Five days later on Sunday, October 24th of 1999, within an Auction House of sorts in San Francisco, California, at night:
"Sold for 200.00," the auctioneer states within the crowded room of an old painting that detailed the West Nile within Egypt and the servicemen carrying it away with him bringing out the next item, "The next item up for auction is a porcelain lamp featuring, well, an unusual rat motif. What am I bidding for this piece?"
"100.00," Jackie said with a hand raised, seeing slight surprise from the auctioneer, and asked the crowd then, "Do I hear 150.00?"
"200.00." A male voice states to make Jackie turn and see it was Tohru trying to outbid him, alongside both Ratso and Finn.
"Smashing. Do I hear-" the auctioneer began before Jackie stopped him and quickly stated loudly, and the crowd became aware of how much the price was going up for this lamp, "250.00!"
"300.00." Tohru firmly states with his arm crossed, and Jackie then stated with the crowd looking back and forth between the two men, "350.00!" "400.00!" "506.00!" "507.00!" "508.00!" "509.00!"
Tohru had enough of Jackie and bid higher than him, "1,000.00!" The crowd couldn't believe these two men yet turned to Jackie as he shouted to stun the auctioneer, "2,000!"
Finn and Ratso then began to give Tohru all they had with Ratso placing his nunchucks into the pile of his large hands, and the auctioneer looking happy stated loudly in glee, "2,000! Going once! Going twice!" He slammed the hammer to make the Enforcers drop their cash and stuff, and pinged Jackie, "Sold for- Ah!" Tohru came over and picked the old British man up, and moved him to the side to get the lamp.
Jackie, seeing this, got up quickly and high-jumped kicked the item sending the Rat Talisman somewhere within the room to make Tohru growl at him.
Jackie managed to find it and quickly ran with him stating in a rant to the auctioneer to know he is still getting paid, "I'm sorry I send you a check, ok?!" The Enforcers were right behind him as he was soon running through an alleyway… That was until the Shadowkhan came from the shadows to make him turn back and soon made him realize he was surrounded.
So he ran to the nearest wall and with his martial art skills, leaped over it and resumed running, and the Shadowkhan in hot pursuit.
Jackie then began to climb hastily on a condemned building with the Shadowkhan soon cornering him, and things were quickly done until he was sent through a wall, and the Shadowkhan managed to cut the old elevator wires to force him to go upwards.
He smashed through the roof and quickly climbed out of it, and began to resume running as best he could as down below, the three of the four Enforcers were waiting, and Tohru had other ideas as he grabbed a random construction worker's helmet and placed it on, ignoring the rant the worker was telling him as he smacked him away and made the others flee.
It turned out the building was meant to be blown up soon, and he saw the button and pressed it.
Explosions soon occurred and went upwards, and Jackie felt the shakes with slight dread with the Shadowkhan knowing better as the side of the building he was on began to go down when falling.
Jackie looked irked as the Shadowkhan jumped before spreading their legs and arms to see they had concealed webbing and began to glide away, unlike him.
So he began running the opposite way and leaping quickly over any obstacles in his path, and eventually was running downwards to the other side of the building.
By the time he grabbed onto the street lamp, he was covered in soot and dust from the building's rubble and warily glanced behind him at the ruins of the demolition's work.
He then jumped and ran away before the Enforcers could catch up, and he stopped once he reached an older shop than his relatives to catch his breath and stilled as a cloaked man greeted him in moments with the cloak oddly looking to that of the night itself on an oceanic-based wave.
"It seems fortune smiles upon me, as someone has graced my presence." The man said under his cloak to make Jackie wary from seeing the glowing eyes under it and quickly started to try and continue heading to Section 13, "I'm sorry. Not looking to buy anything."
As he only made a few steps in, he stilled in shock and warily glanced at the cloaked man as he mentioned things in a way that startled Jackie. "True, as you may pass, Mr. Jackie Chan: Uncle to Jade Chan, and formed by family to one Camelia Lilith Potter."
"Who are you?" Jackie asked in caution to only get a soft laugh from him and took off his cloak to make Jackie blink as he thought it was a man around Uncle's age, but he was wrong.
He was a young man in some kind of armor, and he was around the age of twenty-two. He has no helmet on so anyone could see his face. His eyes, although slanted on his pupils, also looked normal except they have strange small symbols that couldn't be made out. The eyes were of course mixed with a bright green of some kind, mixed with the bluest of the oceans together, in color. He was also clean shaved, and he has a scar on the left side of his left eye (like a single claw mark stuck in deep). His hair, however, was pure white yet his armor represented that of medieval times (as a knight) but the armor was a mixture between silver and gold. The shoulders represented two specific animals, as the left one was in the shape of a dragon, while the right was a bird of some kind. He lastly wore a pitch-black cape that oddly moved like water threw waves, a little, as he moved.
"The night is young, yet the year is nearing its end for New Year, isn't it, Mr. Chan?" The man states with a raised eyebrow and notices Jackie's hand in his left pocket and startled him with no malice or threat to his voice, "I don't seek those trinkets made long ago. I am merely here to aid you and those you know further to what I have foreseen."
"You still haven't told me who you are." Jackie reminded the man while still being cautious and saw him blink before looking as he forgot, and motioned to his shop, "Perhaps I can introduce you further with aid at hiding from the Dark Hand?"
Seeing as he heard the shouts of the men this man mentioned, he sighed reluctantly, went into the shop to only blink at all the books, unusual trinkets, and more within, and neatly placed and ordered, that is, as the shop looked endless.
Seeing him wait, Jackie followed the man with him being led to a larger chamber of sorts to know this was the study room, from seeing chairs and couches set up in that way, and with living quarters as well.
"Please, sit." The man tells Jackie as he blinked at seeing a nearby chair knock him back and scooted him up perfectly to the metallic and oak-infused medieval desk, and he clasped his hands together as he sat in a more comfortable chair made of different materials Jackie didn't know, and gave an apologetic look for a brief moment and asked to confuse him, "Do you care for a refreshment?"
"Not really…" Jackie hesitated as he was quickly dumbfounded as the man conjured up what appeared to be a frozen soda drink of sorts, from nothing, gently sipped it for a few moments, and then placed it on a pentagram star coaster.
"Now, as I was saying out in the open. I knew you would pass by my way after you obtained the Rat Talisman, Mr. Chan. I mentioned that I had foreseen it, and I meant it in truth. I can see into the past, the present, and both futures if I desire or something occurs to force me to." Here he paused before snapping his fingers as a card appeared in his hands, and gave it to Jackie.
"'Aeroza Vontrillizo. The Cursed and Blessed Ancient Man, and helper to those that need it'? Is this some joke?" Jackie read before asking in a way he wasn't sure if this was real or not, and saw Aeroza cross his arms with a knowing grin on his features and told him straight, "Oh? You have been combating those with magic and the use of shadows, and yet, you don't think there are other forces in existence in this or other reality?"
Jackie sighed to himself as he saw small amusement from the man in front of him and motioned to keep that card and he pocketed it, and asked warily and didn't see the glint within his orbs, "How can you help?"
"Now that is the right question I was hoping you would ask…" he got up and waved his arms to astonish Jackie as he was using unknown magic to bring things from all over the place and sent most of them back and didn't get a chance to see, but had them in a bag with an unusual sigil as its logo, on it.
He was then handed not one, but two large hand-made bags with Jackie raising an eyebrow at him for, "These are items and more I placed for the children themselves, and for your elder member of your Clan, some more books to which I know Camelia herself would eventually read, and as I stated, more. Free of charge for… Favors."
"What favors?" Jackie asked in a guarded tone as he did take the bags, and Aeroza saw his look perplex him, "I'm no Angel or Demon, or even a God, Mr. Chan. I am merely one who would see those successes in their affairs, and hope for the best. My asking for favors is nothing dangerous. I tend to also repay my dues in time if it does cost things, however. For how much is in the enchanted silken and leather hide-infused bags I gave you, would cost at least five favors from me, and one to you."
Jackie was about to peak until he was bopped by Aeroza himself who was amused when he rubbed his head with a meager walking stick made out of elder wood he grabbed, and told him nicely yet firmly with a smile, "As I said, those are for the children and Uncle. If you want something, all you have to do is ask… And I know just the thing."
Jackie was wary of that as Aeroza moved around him and was looking into his wares, and spotted something as he came back and placed it on the desk in front of the man.
It was a small rectangular obsidian box of sorts with each corner having a silver dragon with tiny emeralds as eyes and crow's feet for it to stand on. The box itself held Latin Runes of sorts all around it.
"This will only cost you 2.00, however. As this was made as a request from your ancestors to be given to you upon my arrival. It is something that you and one other can only open… Call it when you do obtain a girlfriend." Aeroza tells him to make Jackie tint at that and grumbled as he did give him at least 2.00, and got up and not seen by him, some wrapped gifts Aeroza placed purposely into the bags as well with most being for Camelia, and select parties.
Once Aeroza led him to the door, and Jackie saw the coast was clear, he states in a way the man already knew his answer, "I have a feeling this isn't the only time we encounter each other?"
"In truth, you are correct. Do take care, and as advice: Forgiveness is to oneself, but alliances with any sort of fashion are a treasure, even if it isn't humane. For they shall be of use when the time comes for forces never seen." Aeroza agreed before giving him his parting words Jackie looked down for a moment, and was startled to see a condemned shop was in its place when he looked back, then the previous, and decided to head back.
Later on within Section 13, Jade was playing a handheld video game she had with her from her belongings in an awkward sense, her side was messy and Camelia, who was reading a book on her bed to try and relax, was rather tidy.
Camelia was recovering still, yet was getting better to know she would go to Jade's school soon, and she allowed both Mike and Amelia to go ahead and have a week's vacation together, as she saw the interaction between the two and even knew Mike was mostly humane looking in the face.
She was also eating more still to try and regain her strength and more.
From what she was eventually told to do, she allowed Jade to meet with the entity, Deathwing, within her as he asked to finally meet her 'Friend', when he knew better and was rather impressed she didn't fear him at all, by Jade having to meditate.
Other than that, everyone was doing their own thing and knew in a few days or so, her cousin: Captain Augustus Black was going to take her and Jade to a place she wanted to go to when she managed to choose it, and the date.
Anyways, this was what Jackie came into as Jade saw his state and hiding amusement from Camelia continued reading the book: The Hobbit, after she got a 'Game Over' that is as Jackie also placed the two bags on the large stand closeby, "Another train wreck, Jackie?"
Upon hearing that, this caught Camelia's attention, and glanced up to blink at Jackie to see the spot and dust on his clothes, still, as he answered Jade while looking around her side of their large yet shared quarters, "I was going to ask you the same thing… Do baboons live here?"
Jade looked sheepish at her uncle as he sighed and began to tell her then she knew she was going to get a talk, "Jade. You clean up after yourself," as he spoke, he picked up a few boxes and moved them away from him in a stack.
Jade came over with Camelia placing a marker on the page of her book, and stated in a way he wasn't having it, "You got it, Jackie-O! Tell you what, I'll clean the whole place and you reward me with, oh… I don't know, a Turbo Troll?" In the end, she showed the toy mentioned on the paper in front of his face.
Camelia knew Jade had the hero, and wanted the villain toy so they could at some point play Heroes and Villains, and saw Jade gave Jackie a look as he stated to her being perplexed and pointed to the toy in the mess, "But you already have one of those."
Jade disagreed as she began to inform him, "I have Gnome Cop. Turbo Troll is his mortal enemy, and if I get both of them, they'll fight each other and even Amy and I can play with them! Everyone's collecting them, Jackie, can I please have one? Please?" She begged.
Jade then made a face as he had a hand on her head, and rubbed it gently, telling her gently then he would consider it, "Um… We'll talk about it when you and only you, finish cleaning."
Camelia went wide-eyed like Jade did as after he spoke, he walked on top of Jade's Gnome Cop Toy, and slipped and made the Potter Girl wince before getting up as Jade grabbed her toy within the air, and started his toy name after seeing it wasn't broken, and told her uncle then, "It's okay Jackie, nothings broken."
Jade then heard her uncle moan in pain, and startled Jade then as she looked at his spot as he held his leg, with a basketball landing on his head and bouncing away, "Jackie?"
Later on, at the same hospital Captain Black went to, Jackie was being picked on by Uncle as he stated, "Run down the side of an exploding building, no problem. But stepping on a child's toy breaks your bones. Wha-Ha-Ha! Sounds like a Chinese proverb."
Jackie was on a hospital bed with his leg gently raised and was also wrapped up to prevent more injury, with Jade closely and looking guilty in her seat at him with Camelia sitting next to her in wordless support.
"It's all my fault," Jade states guiltily to herself glancing at Camelia and with Jade having her hands on her cheeks and elbows to her legs, and only saw the concern on her face.
Jade and Camelia turned to Uncle as he told the two girls in a way, this may have occurred before, "Jackie is young and strong. He heals quickly." After his words though, he lightly hit Jackie's leg and made the man wince.
Jackie though saw her guilt-ridden face and told her in honesty and compassion to which she felt she didn't deserve, "Accidents happen Jade. But you now see the importance of tidiness?" Camelia and Jade knew his words were also more advice for his niece.
Jade got up alongside Camelia as she let Jade go over to her uncle, and stated to him in a way, she meant it without seeing Uncle himself smile at her, "I'll make it up to you Jackie. I promise." At the end of her words, she held his right hand with both of hers and was staring directly at him to make Jackie know she truly meant it.
After a few hours or so, Jackie was back in the room within Section 13 in a wheelchair, and his injured leg propped as he was rather impressed at Jade indeed keeping to her word as she did clean up all her mess, and was rather amused by Camelia trying to keep asking if she needed help, but eventually gave up and resumed reading her book.
While carrying the last of her mess, she asked Jackie then, "How's my patient?"
"According to Uncle, strong enough to do his research." She looked back to the small pile of books with a cup nearby, and picked up the Rat Talisman, "Hey, who knows, maybe this rat is the healer of the broken leg talisman."
Jackie didn't see it, but Camelia did when she heard that and glanced up, and saw Jade hiding a wince at the unknown jab at his injury, got up with the marker placed on her book once again, and headed over just as Jade told him with small pride, "All tidy. Not a toy in sight."
Jackie allowed Camelia to hold the Rat Talisman before they jumped and didn't see the item faintly glowing alongside her mark on her arm hidden under her fixed elbow sleeves, as it even showed under that, by Jade's Gnome Cop making noise.
Jade hastily went into the box and pulled out the toy's batteries with a sheepish gaze at her uncle as he only shook his head with a smile, before going back to his forced research once Camelia gave back the Rat Talisman.
He hummed before stating more to himself, and perking both children up as Jade did allow Camelia to help her place the last of the toys on her side of the room, "The power of rat brings motion to the motionless." He sipped his tea with Camelia thinking to herself what Jackie meant, as Jade came over and asked her uncle, "Need anything?"
Seeing how she was trying to please him, he stated gently to her while going to place his drink down, "No, thank you."
It seemed to Camelia from her looking on at the scene that Jade wouldn't take the word, no, for an answer and Jackie soon realized that by her asking then and pointing, "Warm up your tea?"
"I just need quiet so I can concentrate." Jackie told his niece with Camelia soon having a bad feeling from seeing Jade ponder this when he was looking at the research as she had fingers to her chin, got an idea, and grabbed the pillow that was supporting Jackie's leg without realizing and making him wince in pain as he grabbed it, "I'll fluff your pillow. Nice and fluffy."
Seeing as Jade is going too far out of her way to try and aid him, he held back a wince with Camelia thought she saw the Rat Talisman's image move and somehow winked at her before going back to normal, and making her rub her eyes and blink a few times and looked at it, gently grabbed Jade's shoulders and told her then in reassurance, "I can take care of myself. Remember, within every weakness, lies strength."
"Whatever you say, Jackie," Jade began before she grabbed his wheelchair and stated to him, not seeing his pained face, "Let's just move you a little closer to this-" Camelia then witness chaos in motion as when Jackie said 'Ow', he knocked his hot tea into his lap with Jade trying to apologize, and the Rat Talisman making Camelia rub her head as it bounced off it, and looked wearily in realizing what Jackie meant as it landed, perfectly, into the battery spot within Jade's Gnome Cop toy, and saw it come to life.
Camelia began hastily signing away to the two that didn't notice her yet as the toy got up and started his arch enemies name, and Jade hastily escorted Jackie out to the bathroom stating, towels, repeatedly, as the toy went over to the other door to get into the room and froze as it activated something on its belt to have an actual laser and melt the doorknob.
It didn't look pleased with that from the face is made, and then judo-kicked the door to forcibly open it and then shut it behind the toy, as it was at the precise time both Jackie and Jade came back.
"You sure you're ok?" Jade asked in concern to him he detected, and he stated a hasty 'Fine' before seeing something missing on his desk, "Ah! Where's the talisman?"
They were perplexed by Camelia just staring at the door- They gasped at seeing it was melted with Jade being the faster one as she caught her friend from fainting, as eventually, the place was on high alert about intruders.
Camelia was up at that point with her being embarrassed she fainted for no reason, and she was with Jade as Jackie explained to Captain Black, "And when we came back, the door melted and Camelia fainted, and the talisman was gone."
"The Dark Hand… They've located us," Augustus stated to himself before grabbing his phone, "Black to Vault, report." After he got a good answer, he told Jackie, which made the disabled man puzzled, "The talismans are secure, so far."
With both Jade and Camelia, Jade was baffled by what her friend signed to her in explaining what might have caused her to faint as they have yet to ask her, and sighed as she sat with Jade on a bench and gave her silent looks of mixed concern and worry at her words, to herself, "This is my fault too. If I hadn't spilled that stupid tea, then it wouldn't have ended up missing."
Camelia was about to sign to her yet froze with Jade noticing and looked to where she was pointing and saw her toy being surprised to find them before taking off, and the two girls going after it.
And eventually, they found the toy looking partly from an iron manhole and sharply moved and turned to them, "Who goes there?!"
"You've never said that before…" Jade states with Camelia wary as she sees her try to pick her toy up, "Come here you- Hey!" Gnome Cop maneuvers away from her and easily leaps right into a vent, and Jade was mouth gaping knowing her toy was now crawling around in the ducts as Jackie was calling for both of the girls.
Both Camelia and Jade halted themselves with Jackie bracing for impact, but sighed with Jade stating, leg, twice to herself before telling him quickly, "Jackie! Something's wrong Gnome Cop! He's-" Jackie stopped her there without even allowing Camelia to sign anything to him as well, "Please, Jade. I've had all the Gnome Cop I want for one day."
Camelia froze with seeing up above the ceiling's vent was Jade's toy and it was snarling at Jackie as she was tugging on her friend's hoodie to get her attention she kept gazing at the toy, and Jade took notice and pointed yet it was too late as the toy landed on her uncle to assault him.
Jackie managed to get the toy off his face, and tossed it away from him is not only startled but shocked as it shook the wall and slammed off and pointed right at Jackie then, firmly, "I know where you live!" And after that, went back into the vents.
"That toy should be taken off the market." Jackie tells himself before Jade admitted to him then as he understood, "I- We tried to tell you, he's not just a toy anymore! He's alive! Alive!" Though knowing she watched that movie as a project for her school, Frankenstein, he stated to her in confusion, "What do you mean he's- Motion to the motionless." Jackie realized then.
"Weird talisman power, huh?" Jade tells her uncle, as he nodded as eventually, they encountered Captain Black as Jackie tried to explain to him in a way to believe him, "And the talisman must have dropped inside and transformed the toy into a living, breathing, thing!"
Camelia, as she was beside Jade, did frown at her cousin as it looked like he didn't believe her or even her two non-blood family members as he told Jackie then, "Jackie when you fell, did you hit your head?" Though the three saw the toy was right behind the Leader of Sector 13, made him turn as Jade pointed, "Captain Black, look!" There was nothing there, and he turned back to them as Jackie stated, "He was right behind you."
"Of course he was, Jackie," Augustus tells him as he turned and they all saw the toy was crawling on Captain Black's back.
"Jade!" Jackie exclaimed as she ran over and tried to nab the toy Jackie called Camelia's name as she began to chase the toy herself as he said to himself with seeing her powers made it easy for her to go into the vent, not known to Jade, to chase him from mere focus, "Bad day."
With Camelia, she ignored the toy's words as she kept her pursuit of it, and eventually fell out into the street after losing sight and focus of it, not realizing, that Jackie and Jade found the toy where they were, but things happened she would get a story later on from Jade.
She remembered that Section 13 included dozens of air vents that oversaw different parts of the city, but she was once again lost as she had never been to this part of San Francisco and started walking anyways, for the next ten or so minutes… Out of sheer bad coincidence, she bumped into Finn, Ratso, and Chow.
She silently gasped at them recognizing her, and before she comprehended it, she was shortly captured as from a drive later to the Dark Hand Headquarters with her blindfolded, and was soon to what she guessed was in Tohru's hands after hearing Jade's toy complaint of rough treatment.
Camelia was then kept tied up in a chair with her discovering that she was in a large office room with Valmont making her fearful at his smirk at her, "Well, seems we nab a rat, and a child all in the same day."
Seeing her look, he dismissed it with her looking at him in utter confusion about what he said to her, "Oh, don't act so coy, child. I have yet to pay you back after what you did to most of my henchmen, and even embarrassed me that one time."
She then saw him go over to his desk where the toy was grumbling about from the ropes, and with seeing the four Enforcers were in front, and her eyes then gazing at the statue in slight curiosity, but fear overridden it as Deathwing only gave her a gentle warmth of trying to calm her down, from within.
"Troll armies are amassing! Gnome Cop must be liberated!" The toy states to itself with Valmont sitting in his chair, watching the pitiful display of the toy struggling with the ropes, asking mainly to himself aloud, "What is it going on about?"
They turned to Ratso as he informed them excitedly, "Turbo Troll is Gnome Cop's arch enemy. See, the emperor of the troll castle hates gnomes, cause gnomes possess magic from the great crystal." Shendu though looked to be irritated with the information the henchman was blurting out, "So Gnome Cop uses his lower belt to-" he stopped once he saw everyone's looks, even the child's, and looked embarrassed.
"I, uh, collect them." Was Ratso's weary response before Camelia gazed at the statue going wide-eyed at hearing a familiar voice coming out of it with familier glowing red eyes, at the Dark Hand, "Enough of Sprites and Fairies! The talisman, Valmont." The statue, Shendu, ordered the blonde as he got up, and grabbed the toy.
He paused, however, from retrieving the Rat Talisman by the confession the toy gave out, "Gnome Cop escaped the bald giant's fortress! He will escape you as well."
"Bald giant… Could he mean Captain Black?" Valmont questioned Shendu to which the statue replied, "Does it matter? Give me the talisman."
"Shendu," Valmont began with an idea, seeing he had the statue's attention, "If this gnome escapes from Section 13, then perhaps it can lead us there." Camelia figured whatever the statue was, was named Shendu, as she saw it exhale as if it realized this, "The other talismans."
"Mighty warrior," Valmont began to lie to the toy, "We just received word that Turbo Troll has claimed the bald giant's fortress as his stronghold." Camelia understood what was going on then, and slightly faltered as the toy fell for it, "I will have his head!"
With Valmont dismissed the four Enforcers to let the toy lead them to the goal, and once they were gone, gazed right at the child as he noted to her then, "Might as well get comfortable, Child. You're going to be our guest for a long while."
He went over and she saw his cane was really a sword, and quickly closed her eyes… To only be confused with the man as he cut her bindings, and gave her false hope then, "This place is heavily guarded and monitored by my men. You cannot escape without aid, which you won't have Chan to help you, Camelia." She stiffened at hearing her name from his lips in alarm as he chuckled before sheathing his blade into his cane holster, and grinned, "I incline to look into what is worth my while, and you, my dear, wield mystery all to its own. Which I hope can reap the Dark Hand to even get the rest of the talismans."
He then mocked-bowed her and raised his head and didn't at all see Shendu's eyes glowing in slight annoyance at this, "And I tend to find out what makes you tick, soon."
Valmont then taped lightly his cane to prove a point as Camelia saw lasers and the windows suddenly shut with metallic plating before he raised them with another tap, and gripped her wrist hard to make her try not to hold back tears as she was soon escorted into a decently large guest room and tossed her in there, and finger-waved her as she tried to run to get out before he slammed the door, and locked it.
Eyes wide to realize she was truly kidnapped, she ran to a corner of the room and felt some of her trauma slowly coming back to her mind as even Deathwing couldn't stop her from her panic attack, as back with Shendu and Valmont, he cheered Shendu before finishing his wine in a martini glass, and notifies him then, "I suppose I might have a bite to eat, as I have a feeling you may want to do the same once we have whatever is within Section 13, for you."
He then left with Shendu mixed with the unexpected outcome, and was inwardly cursing fate as in another realm, said entity sneezed at being mentioned.
He then got an idea, and knowing he could get away with it from being a statue in place, activated the Sheep Talisman to go into his spectral form, and was in luck at least to see the child passed out from fear, much to his dislike, and entered her mind to be perplexed by seeing everything was different.
It was no longer a beach, but a vast and hopeless void with seeing her slightly glowing in the middle of it all.
He was about to head over until he froze, and stayed silent as something he never expected to see, revealed itself to her crying place, as its glowing amber eyes gazed at her with interest, and stilled her by the voice it carried out, with it circling her, "Why are you crying, child? The endless void is no place for an innocent soul such as yourself?"
She was guarded by whoever this was, as Camelia was expecting to end up in her sanctuary, but ended up here, alone, and was now fearing for her life.
Whatever was surrounding Camelia, sensed this and soothes her with words that Shendu thought were sickening as she stilled from feeling a hand on her face and staring directly into those eyes and saw them widen once it got to see the child's eyes, and states more to itself than her, "Interesting… Just like hers."
Seeing her wordless confusion, whomever it shook their head before stating to the child then and making her be surprised by the unexpected offer it gave her, "I think that you need to escape, yes? Then I can help you with that… On one condition. Find my sealed armor, and set me free, as I too have been wandering in darkness, and would love to see the light of day once more."
"H-How do I do that?" Camelia suggested warily to whomever it was and heard the individual chuckle to itself for a moment before telling her then gently with feeling her hair was caressed, "By finding the Tablet, as that will aid you to find the item to release me from my sealed armor that will be sent, if you agree, and to allow me to return to the Realm of Light, instead of the Darkened Realm. Find it and the ways to freedom, and you have completed your deal for my weakened aid to your escape. Only three times though, as this one counts as a free escape until you find the few items needed for my freedom itself."
Camelia didn't trust this individual but she didn't want to be a captive anymore and didn't see the eyes glint at her as she gulped, and shakily had her right hand out, "I'll d-do it."
"Then we have a deal, Child." The entity states as it grabbed her arm instead and made her wince as she witnessed like Shendu did, of tribal markings formed all over her right hand and ended up to her elbow in flames, and the next thing both knew, Shendu was shoved back into his body, and Camelia landed on top of Jade from a shadowy vortex dropping her purposely and made her pass out.
When Camelia came to, she saw with bleary eyes but heard clearly, that Jade was talking to someone with her realizing she was on a couch of sorts.
"So while Jackie distracted the giant gnome cop, I climbed up top, crawled inside his mouth, and got the talisman." Though as she spoke, Jade was moving her body with her words to demonstrate.
Camelia then realized that she was in Uncle's Shop, as Uncle told Jade with hinted pride in his voice, "You did very well, Jade."
"Yeah," Jade agreed with a head nod before looking at Jackie, "Except for the part where I slipped and fell off, and landed on Jackie." Jackie, to make Camelia see better by rubbing her eyes, was now under two casts to know he has two broken legs.
"Agreed," Jackie winced out to his niece, as Jade turned to Uncle, being amused, "Oh! Jackie is young and strong. He will heal quickly." It was then he saw the child was awake, holding her head in slight pain, and with Jade amusing the adults as she hugged her in moments, "Ah… Little Flower is awake at last."
"I missed out a lot, huh?" She shakily signed out with Jackie, Jade, and Uncle being concerned before she gripped her right hand and Uncle shouted out from seeing to her shock, the markings she thought were a dream, showed up as they did with Jade looking worried from the tears soon falling down Camelia's face, "Ah-Ya! Little Flower, did you make a deal with those in or within darkness?!"
They saw her look guilty as she turned away, with her holding back her pain or trying to at least as her entire right hand felt like it was in a fire pit, much to the sad amusement of Deathwing attempting to try and smooth her pain, but with little success, "Amy?" Jade asked in growing worry.
"I… I had no choice. I wasn't in my sanctuary-" Camelia tried to sign out but she held her right hand in pain once more and with Uncle guessing then, with them all staring at him in shock, "You were captured with no way out, and fell into feared despair, and encountered something that knew of you?"
Seeing her nod only once a weakened 'Yes', made them blink as he got a pen and paper, and told her then with a harsh tone, but did detect disappointment with being assured, "Write down your words."
Once she was done with trying to handle the pain of her hand, Uncle read it to himself and seemed rather than be afraid, was intrigued, and asked her by giving the pad and pen once again to her with Jade and Jackie gazing at each other in utter confusion, "What was the deal?"
Once they found out, Jade let out a hesitant laugh to get Jackie to firmly state to her and winced as well from his legs, also in pain, "Jade?"
"I may have found half of a broken large tablet that Amy may have seen in a sectioned room within Section 13?" In the end, Jade gave a hesitation of a smile with them turning to Uncle then, "Then it is perhaps the start of something that will take time for Little Flower to find, as at least the Dark Hand, or worse, has yet to hear of this. As Little Flower was able to land within the Realm of Darkness and escape without harm to know this… The entity may be future aid."
"But I thought you said Darkness is bad?" Jackie asked his relative as the old man calmly walked over to him, and gave a two-finger slap to his head firmly declaring to him, "Not all individuals who dwell in darkness are bad. Most, not all."
Uncle then changed to subject with seeing Camelia was still in pain and told Jade firmly like a medic would as she got up and hurriedly did so, "Bring cloth and make it ice cold, to soothe the burning sensation and pain of deal-made markings."
After Camellia did get a wet and cold cloth wrapped around her hand, she was tired and Uncle nodded at this, "Sleep is good for recovery. Take a nap, and wake up refreshed."
Jade was amused as once he said that to her friend, she did pass out and made them blink as Jackie asked Jade, with Uncle looking for books to know more of what he learned, and hiding amusement, "Did you know she purrs?"
Jade shook her head with her having minor blackmail material and with her seeing Jackie got his phone and was calling possibly Captain Black as earlier, she was rather surprised by his orders of having his men look all over the city or even the state for Camelia, and sighed out with her thinking then, and blinked with seeing she had her hand gently brushing her hair and pulled away in confusion, Why did I do that, and why do you make me feel this weird way.
Unknown location, days ago, not in the same Verse as Camelia:
An entity raises an eyebrow from sensing power of sorts and turns its eyes to the direction of the world it was trying to take a small nap on before resuming the training of the apprentice, knowing besides them, others may have sensed it as well.
The entity or person decided to bide their time and if it exhibits even more, would travel to said location of sorts with them currently dealing with issues sent by the others about it, and take those they deemed trusted enough to venture into that reality.
Unknown location two, days ago, not in Camelia's Reality:
A figure was hunched within a tower they owned all to themselves and paused before gazing with narrowed eyes out of an open window to the direction that this person, a man, sensed.
"It seems she has started," he noted to himself and was surprised what reality-based world he thought was truly gone, was merely hidden, like the few other realities of other realm-worlds.
He decided he will keep a mindful eye on the worldly realm with him glancing at a book with an inner debate that was recently placed upon his desk by his former apprentice and graduate of his arts, months ago, from finding it within the emptied void. "Perhaps she will also be your salvation upon her eventual birth year, from those who are trapped within the locked pages of my old comrade who did so."
He then resumed writing with a quill pen, as shooting stars were seen within his endless view of space, perfectly.
Unknown location three, days ago, not in Camelia's Reality:
The individual sharply widened their eyes from meditation within their domain, as they planned to visit their friends and comrades they befriended for some time and glanced at their open window from the direction they sensed was the source of that raw and powerful, overwhelming energy that they soon saw pass overhead.
From sensing the power, the individual furrowed their brow before unexpectedly growling at realizing why the energy seemed familiar and decided to eventually make preparations that will take time, to see the reality itself as the golden beam dispersed.
Unknown location four, days ago, not in Camelia's Reality, and more:
The beam passed within the verse like butter to a knife, catching the attention of the individuals that dwelled within it, and the four lands that represent the afterlife for the realm itself, and into their terms, their hell, and even bypassed that into the void.
The attention of several others as one was leaving into the realm known as Zereth Mortis, and giving his former subordinate the other half of their soul that was removed long ago, and ignored seeing the renewed golden soul line from the person and to where the source may be.
Though, the golden power also cut through the void that connected time and space for the realm as well, and passed by an unknown ship to intrigue the main leader on the vessel itself, and more with now giving the realm altered timeline worlds of their own, and connected with the main.
The ship then gathers items and the best of the best, and with hitchhikers following behind with their champions, to the direction which will take time to bypass and enter, as, during particular times, specific items and fellow orphaned children may have been plucked and sent to Camelia's world as either friend, family or more to co-exist with their memories intact.
Within the Shop of Ancients, days ago, in San Francisco, California:
Aeroza was making sure the place was secure before he stilled, and turned with foreseen events occurring within his vision, and sighed with sensing not one, but multiple upon multiple realities he sensed, detected the power of that child's entire being sent as a mere beacon for future things to pass upon this world.
In truth, he was rather impressed at how quickly the beam went and how far it lasted until it was stopped, and knew then that certain chaotic forces would love to see what the power was as well… And forces he hoped dared not venture to this realm.
Especially since he sensed that the golden beam even went into the Netherworld this world has, and the Heaven, and knew immediately there will be more problems.
He then had a brief eye glow and told himself softly, and finishing his touches on the traveling store itself, "So it begins."