A few days later on November 27th of 1999, on a Saturday, within Section 13 in the way early morning:
Camelia was cooking in the kitchens with both Amelia and Mike helping her, as Jade was overseeing the decorations within the larger and cleared part of Section 13, as suggested by Augustus once he got wind of the idea, and knew most activities were decent on holidays when it came to the bad guys not doing anything.
Faolan has yet to find a solution to make it so she can go out, as she was still getting used to her body becoming what they knew, was growing up forcibly as they figured out in a few years or so, possibly even three from bloodwork, she would be fully grown, especially if she managed to touch the last remaining talisman with seeing on her one arm, that dragon held each kanji for the Chinese Zodiac and have yet to understand what it meant for her.
To mention, the dragon mark had a talisman-based marking now with the kanji for each one she had first encountered, going upwards with two blank spots left closer to the tail, in a full round to show it perfectly aligned on her arm in eased viewing.
Besides that, she grew slightly overnight with them figuring due to her appetite back within Bavaria was the main sign she would be going through an unexplained and unusual growth spurt, and gained a high metabolism to keep her figure perfect, from recent blood work.
Speaking, Camelia is now around 4'5 and kept her current figure with seeing some minor muscle development in the right areas, her chest went up one size to be a lower C-Cup with minor jiggle, and her sides were easily shown to be becoming gently tucked slightly with decent fat showing on her body to still be healthy, from it being gradually distributed into the right areas.
From what Faolan told the child and with the Chan Family present when she aided him to try and get the way to have a disguise by magic, yesterday, told her by her question about herself, it was due to her inheritance slowly coming around earlier than expected and he was still not revealing as to what that was, much to hers and the Chan Family's ire.
She was also secretly on the works of another talisman, and was still browsing that to what she dubbed: The Style Book, and liked some and not so much as she tripped over herself on most of them, or flayed widely when trying them out and nearly hurt herself.
Jade was also in the know of how she got the old book and showed how she got of not all, but most of the spells and whatnot from Shendu, and didn't want to, but told a lie to her that he came into her dreams as an old family member spirit and taught her things or even comforted her within her Mindscape Sanctuary.
The book also includes how to make talismans due to her confessing to Uncle last night when he visited, she couldn't hold the guilt anymore and he was understanding and glad she told it that way, and the fire demon dragon made the book look to be old yet well preserved and taken care of, which her theory of bringing things out of her mind, worked.
To be honest, Camelia saw how Jade looked knowing she, just like herself, wanted to try the others within the book.
Speaking of Jade, she suggested to Jackie about bringing their friends to the late event, and from the reluctant agreement by Captain Black with some small rules, it was agreed as they would be personally escorted by the agents to the base, and they also decided due to Camelia being the one making sure this ran out, to have movies played and from a vote, it was the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle's 1-3.
As such, Camelia wanted to cook earlier despite feeling slightly weak as last night, even Shendu assisted her with defeating those things that once again tried to get her within her sanctuary.
She was using her fingers to easily chop into the placed vegetables for the feast later tonight before she jumped and gazed at a sheepishly looking Jackie at her to make her relax, "Sorry Camelia. Just making sure you are alright."
Camelia gave him a smile with her stopping her finger-cutting the vegetables and made his eyes soften before gently patting her back as she tried to speak to him, "I… I-" she was coughing away from the food with her sighing as he told her softly then, "You will be able to speak when your body feels it is ready. You don't need to push it."
Camelia though gave him a desperate gaze to make the man sigh, as once she found out she was able to speak, she has been trying to do so whenever she got a chance, but it would cause her to cough until she was assisted by what he did.
Sighing after being settled, she signed out to him to make Jackie raise an eyebrow, like the way she worded it, she was more than worried about Jade, in a secretive sense, "Is Jade handling things on her end, Jackie?"
"She's doing great as this thing is at least making her less trouble than she usually is." Jackie admits to not seeing Camelia hid a small frown from him before she resumed cutting the carrots efficiently and paused to give Jackie a wordless raised eyebrow at his intrigued comment then, "It seems that you have gotten used to your hands as a useful tool already."
After she finished chopping the last of the carrots, she then signed to make him humored with her words, "Sorta. I noticed that I was having difficulty using knives like I was used to, to grip the plastic handles, and ended up finding out I can do this just now."
"Well… Perhaps instead of being alone to get your work done as your servants are not here, would it be hard to ask for help?" Jackie asked with hinted meaning, seeing she was hesitant, but signed to him then as Jackie knew she probably was the only one to cook for her former caretakers until they took her in, "Care to help me then, as I let both of them help everyone else not to long ago to fix the base?"
After making sure everything was settled and the few turkeys slowly cooking in offered roasters, she blinked at her eyes unexpectedly being covered by slender hands and heard a voice that perked her up, as Jackie was on the other side of the room and didn't notice, "Guess who?"
Camelia turned quickly and hugged the woman to which she held in a slight wince as she patted the girl's back with a warm smile, and with Jackie spotting her, gave her a look of later with her wordless gestures to Camelia's new appearance as she also saw Jade's as well.
MentionIng the woman, she is a lithe, attractive, and very beautiful woman with long black hair worn in a side cortex, a dark complexion, and brown eyes. She wore, due to knowing she was taking a break, a pink shirt and black tight shorts with pink sneakers.
This was Viper Manchesa, a former thief who was working with Section 13 on obtaining rare or unusual treasures, a big sister role model to both Jade and Camelia, and without knowing, to be Jackie's secret crush.
Camelia was too excited if her tail was showing as she tried to sign quickly at the woman who placed a hand on her arms in amusement, "Hey now, settle down. I just got here early to see both you and Jade, and hang out until after New Year." Camelia and the two adults held a wince with seeing her tint to herself and glanced at Jackie in surprise at her trying to sound words out again before she was the one to pat her back a few times as despite her being a former thief, Jackie told her in a way, she was now curious, "A lot has occurred the last time we met. I will fill you and the others in later."
Viper only nodded before being led by Camelia wordlessly as Jackie just shrugged playfully at the woman and made Viper see to intrigue her, at seeing Camelia made some dishes the woman was rather surprised she commented at one time when they last talked, due to her Jewish religion, and the main dishes for it was a Kugel (a larger noodle lasagna), Matzah Ball Soup, and sweet-based blended Latkes, as a food-based appetizer, alongside seeing their foods Viper knew they child recalled were their favorites.
"Impressive… You made most of this before Jackie-Boy helped you?" Viper states in a way, she was as she said and more and with Camelia beaming at her tiredly that she saw before the girl looked sheepishly at Viper then, seeing the woman had her hands on her hips, "You didn't sleep much again, didn't you?"
Before she could sign anything, Viper stilled at seeing an unusual-looking cicada that landed on her head, and she merely blinked as Camelia grabbed it and it spoke in a female voice that was somewhat close to Cree Summer, reminded Camelia as she sniffed before heading to the further ovens in the back, in a hurry, "Youngling, you need to get those pies out before they burn."
"She is going all out as this has to take hours to make," Viper informed Jackie as he nodded, and told her then, "She is simply trying to impress everyone not by her cooking, but by her trying to prove herself as a member of the family, despite both Mike and Amelia aiding her earlier a few times."
"So, she's part of the Chan Family now, then?" Viper stated on a pointed question to see Jackie shake his head a 'No', "She is in spirit, but until her relatives are dealt with, she has to remain in our constant eyes. Especially since her recent change, as she could be used in worse ways than before."
Viper hid a clenched fist at that, as she did hear snippets of Camelia's former caretakers and how the judicial system was being difficult about this case, as the American side was at least preventing them from nabbing the poor girl by making excuses.
The two then saw Camelia come over with them being impressed as the child's tail was being used to help her out as she carefully placed what they saw, which were some interesting pies as desserts, and sighed with relief wordlessly until she sneezed away from the food and a ball of bouncing enchanted fire began to make them all duck, as it bounced out of the room, out of Section 13, and kept bouncing until it ended up in the Dark Hand Headquarters as the henchman began dodging the ball of flames.
Camelia soon sniffled with Viper feeling her forehead in concern and feeling it was slightly warm, and they turned to Jackie at seeing there were onions cut up, and made Camelia tilt her head down in forgetting about it, "Camelia… Did you forget your allergy to onions?"
Her wordless response was to let out an actual sneeze this time as Viper saw that she may have overdone herself as she took her over to the sink to wash her hands, and told her softly to make the girl blink at her tiredly a few times, "You don't need to make a lot of food for an army, as most of the agents would end up going back home to their families or other. I and Jackie know that you want to impress us, but your health comes first."
Viper hid being partly amused by seeing the girl's face tinted to that as she normal sneezed once again with her looking a bit feverish, and Viper escorted the child with a look to Jackie and a head gesture to the kitchen as he sighed yet nodded in understanding, and grabbed his phone to call his friend.
Moments later, Camelia was given an allergy shot as luckily both Jackie and Viper called it and saw her looking better with her looking slightly guilty to which Viper just wordlessly rubbed her back before Camelia looked ready to barf, and quickly got a small trash can to rather be stunned as what she barfed up, was a baseball-shaped pink diamond to which had an aged quality to it, and inside was in an odd coincidence, to a movie she saw a long while ago, a perfectly bubbled version of a panther.
Camelia then heaved as she merely puked gemstones into the trash bucket that was worth at least 100,000.00 or so in money, which would have been greedy, but her mind was in utter concern to the child, as she looked paler than she was.
"So that is a rather new situation," the doctor that got assigned to the shot noticed with a blink, and made Viper glance at him with a raised eyebrow by stating with a hint to him, "What do you mean by that." She winced as the child barfed up more gemstones a few times after.
"She tends to exhibit random things whenever she gets sick, with mainly rare values of trinkets or in this case, gemstone items, either formed by both hands while passed out or as shown." He told Viper by writing it down on a notepad, "Alongside random chaotic moments occurring around her, which include her hiccups from last diagnostic readings… And more."
Viper snatched the report and browsed with raising her eyebrows from how much she was reading of the random things that occurred when sick or her allergies making her temporarily sick, and handed it back, and with the doctor telling her the child needs to take it easy once again, and soon saw her weakly look up at her as she only gave an assured smile back.
The duo returned to the kitchen to make them blink as Camelia tilted her head being truly confused at seeing some agents on break, were finishing up her cooking before they turned to see Captain Black, with a black apron around his front even stating 'Chef of Sector 13' in red letters on it, told them assuredly, "We figured what you were trying to make with Jackie calling us…" he paused before making her looking guilty as he crossed his arms with a non-threatening and pointed look to her then, and made Viper glanced down at the child she had a hand on her shoulders for, "When were you going to tell us the last few days you were having little sleep?"
Camelia looked wary at this, but signed to see she was growing afraid from this, the two adults saw, "I forgot about the cameras… I was having issues in my sanctuary and found out that my body was sleepwalking during that. I just… I just didn't want you to know I was having issues."
Viper gave a look later as she wanted to know what the girl meant about a 'Sanctuary', and made Camelia look relieved by the change of topic with seeing the Leader of Sector 13 had other ideas from learning this, "Why don't we just let them do what they are going to do to finish the food for later and go see what the others are doing."
After some walking with Viper being amused mixed with slight worry as Camelia was trying to show her some parts of the base itself, and once they came to the area that was set up as the place for the event, the two blinked with the man noticing them, didn't question the girl's appearance as Jade and a boy were arguing via the names, who was better with seeing the area was perfectly set.
To mention them, the man is tall, being about a foot taller than Jackie but very short compared to Tohru. Although he is muscular in his arms and legs, he has a very stocky build. His main attire consists of a wrestling outfit consisting of a black tank top, yellow leggings, black boots, and his signature red mask with yellow designs. He also wears red armbands. Beneath his mask, he is bald but sports a small chin beard.
The boy, however, was around their age as he is a short Mexican boy. His main outfit consists of a green sweater, yellow pants, and brown sandals. He has brown hair and brown eyes.
These were both El Toro Fuerte and Paco, and they just arrived twelve minutes ago at the base, seeing Viper and wordlessly nodded from her look later to the wrestler, despite nearly tripling herself, Camelia amused the two adults as she forcibly got in-between them both with a firm wordless look that Jade hesitatingly laughed as Paco simply smirked at her as when Camelia did the same look to him, Jade stick out her tongue in a wordless remark.
Despite her current issue, she looks like she could be a leader if she wanted to be. Viper thought impressively as Camelia soon signed out to Jade, "So what is it this time you had to compare Bull and Jackie?" Camelia had a hard time signing out El Toro's full name, and went with what his mask was based on, and still, from their first encounter with each other.
"He said that El Toro was better from arm wrestling than Jackie was," Jade started before she humphed when she crossed her arms, as Paco gave a nod before telling Camelia then to then seeing she held the bridge of her nose in frustration, "Hād stated that Jackie would easily win against that, and whatever events were planned by you as well."
Camelia held up her hands as Jade came to her side and told Paco then, in a way it reminded him a lot, "How many times do I have to state it? My name is Jade, not Hād!"
"That's why I said, Hād?" Paco now states in confusion as Jade looked up alongside her hands in frustration still, and Camelia only shook her head before they ducked as another fireball was bouncing and once again, snuck its way into the Dark Hand Headquarters and this time, amused Shendu and the other henchmen as Valmont's hair was wild and unkempt like it was statically placed.
Jade lost her growing frustrations as she soon caught Camelia with Paco aiding her and placed her on the offered chair as she looked like she was trying to be stubborn, and sighed by the equally firm stares with them also crossing their arms to see she sighed as Jade raised an eyebrow from her seeing Camelia relented her stubbornness for them, and made the Potter Girl gaze at her in utter stunned surprise, "You need to get more rest."
Seeing Jade was taking no for an answer, Camelia ignored Deathwing muttering the word, whipped, as she was given a blanket from Paco's bag that was meant for later as a gift to her, as it held to what they found, a dragon of sorts on it as they all immediately sweatdropped at her easily passing out once again, and was purring with each exhale.
"Seems she overdid herself alright, trying to please all of us." Viper informed them with Jade agreeing with her big sister figure, and the four soon saw her wince as her marked hand twitched as another blue diamond was formed with golden etching, and Jade sighed before muttering to herself as she pocketed it, "It seems she made another one."
"You mean the Little Continuar, made these stones before?" El Toro questions Jade then as a ruby was made next, but with ivory plating around the sides with the Mexican Wrestler picking it up, as Jade sighed and nodded while admitting to them, "For the last few months."
This made the adults look at each other with mixed feelings and Viper herself knew these were odd yet genuine stones, but she had a bad feeling if any stone was sold out to someone… It would be unusual, especially since they were made in a way, it was custom designed.
"I've been keeping them in a box in our shared room with Jackie, as she knows what I've been doing. But she does wonder why I kept them." Jade tells her friends in honesty as they guessed things to themselves that they decided to keep a thought for later, and played a few games with allowing Camelia to sleep.
Later on, Camelia was awoken by Jackie with her sleepily looking at him to amuse the man as she did let out a yawn with him and a few others wincing around being told her voice box was fixed, but it would take time for her to try and speak after years without one, and helped her up with escorting her to the nearest bathroom in the area, as the child saw it was not only filled with her friends she called family, but also the few agents who had nothing to do or go home to, alongside being tiredly amused for a few moments of learning that the trio of Viper, El Toro, and Paco have met with Mike, Amelia, and for brief moments of Faolan for him taking a minor break, from Jackie amusing her in the co-ed bathroom she was in.
That, and he was making sure she was alright with hiding his secondary amusement by Jade asking him to.
After she washed her hands, she signed to him as he agreed with a smile at her then to see despite being tired, she was awake as well with joy by what he told her, "I can't imagine Viper catching Bull from fainting at the sight of Amelia. And Paco from Faolan-Sensei. It must have been funny."
"It was Camelia… Even I had to laugh." Jackie informed her from reimagining that scene within his mind before he blinks, and held a sheepish laugh by her accused signed words to him then, "But you or the others should have woken me up and not let me sleep for at least four and a half hours… I missed out a lot."
"True, but I was told that someone wasn't getting enough sleep, and needed it to feel better." Jackie informed her to now make Camelia, to amuse Jackie, held the bridge of her nose after she dried off her hands, and then escorted her out of the restroom by her next signed words, "I had plenty of sleep before though, Jackie."
Jackie did sigh as from one of the confessions long ago, Camelia did at least manage to get two to three hours of sleep at most times before and the current of her arrival, with some being a decent five or six hours at best, when she was a slave to her former caretakers, but he didn't like that idea as she's still growing, like Jade was, and needed the actual hours of rest.
"True. But it isn't healthy and you know it, Camelia." Jackie reminded her to make him see her wordlessly sigh as she nodded before they blinked at seeing both El Tora and Amelia were arm wrestling with each other and with most everyone and even both Jade and Paco were cheering who would win, as Viper came over to make Camelia raise a brief wordless eyebrow to them with her rubbing her eyes from thinking she saw a golden line between the two but shrugged and kept busy by heading over to Jade and cheered Amelia wordlessly on.
"That kid has a lot going on with her from what Black told me, Jackie," Viper admits to making him nod in understanding as soon, as he has to go fetch Uncle for the feast occurring soon, and then the movie set up within the base, "Yes. And she is still innocent as lately, I heard Black state that she was oblivious to her appearance, and her growing beauty, like Jade, will be too."
Viper understood that as she figured much from Jade's recent look alongside Camelia's, in body, and couldn't help but glance warily at Faolan immediately as he stood next to them and soon stand-sat with his arms crossed with him also watching, like they did, at seeing Camelia wanted to try and arm wrestle El Toro.
"The child has only improved by little gain during her time within this place's care, and onto yours, Chan. From what I sense within her spirit and heart." Faolan confessed to make the man and Viper blink to him at that, seeing he was glancing at them and paying attention to the arm wrestle match with his lower set of eyes, "In truth as time passes, I sense she and her Other will be able to take on anything else that may come to this realm, and the world itself… Though, I sense the Potter Student of mine has more Others out there, and your niece most likely will be in peace to share. Magic is boundless and endless at times, but there are limits as to what I can sense for outcomes."
They were about to question him before they saw him blink with all four eyes and shiver to himself, with his wings giving a slight flutter in response, as back at the Dark Hand Headquarters, even Shendu felt the vibe as those of his brethren within the Netherworld. "I sense an unexpected outcome for all of us to occur soon, but not as to when it will happen."
This made Jackie and Viper wary before they gaped at seeing Camelia blinking at the one arm she used to challenge El Toro with, as she gave an apologetic look after, flinging him across a few inches or so near the food against the wall, as they were in the center of the larger area for Section 13.
Even Jade and Paco were flabbergasted with Camelia as well.
"She does have strength, and would need to be taught to take better control I now see, for future lessons with you, Chan." Faolan amusedly tells him to make Jackie facepalm himself with Viper looking at him in being amused by this and was inwardly impressed by Camelia doing that unexpected feat, and then later at Jade from seeing she did had stealth and movements without realizing it from moving around in moments, of trying to not spill the drinks she was told to serve from nearly tripping at times.
Later on or close to an hour, Uncle was here and everyone was sitting at tables with Faolan once again taking a small break to sit next to Amelia and Mike, as the Demon Sorceress-cursed-insect was eating on the table with her shrunken table and food for herself thanks to Camelia and Jade cooperating at that, and the Chan Clan with Viper and Camelia at one larger table, and random tables for the current agents and Captain Black, alongside El Toro and Paco having their table closeby to Chan Table, they began to serve themselves with the food.
While everyone was eating, Jade raised an eyebrow at Camelia as she signed, be right back, and Amelia gave Mike a look to make him raise an eyebrow at her before sensing his Mistress wanting him, and nodded before vanishing and appearing with her in the kitchen.
Camelia hesitated as she was wary to do this, from what Mike sensed, and signed it out before she could change her mind, "I want you to gather some food without being spotted for the Dark Hand."
Seeing his wordless stare at her before he responded in a rich and young man's voice in or around his twenties to her then, "Why do you wish to give them food?"
"I know they're the bad guys, but I have a feeling they had a rough life growing up, and well… I just wanted to share the extra food that's plenty with, anyone." She paused before shaking her head at the minor glimpse of an image and worded them with her hands, "I know Tohru would appreciate it more than they will. Especially since I know Uncle Shendu would at least have some within my mind later tonight, once you tell him that is... I do plan to do some meetings with those in the mirror again when Jade sleeps, but I need you to make sure I won't get spotted by the cameras too. I don't want my cousin to know about it yet."
Mike bowed in respect to her as in truth, he was rather glad she managed to nab him out of many Shadowkhan Ninja, as she gave him time to be himself and explore the world unless she needed him and even allowed him to find things of his interests to maybe shove as an idea to the others of his kind, someday, and to possibly suggest things to the true ruler then Shendu, and knowing what it may be, will intrigue the entity from learning about her at some point.
"It shall be done, My Mistress." Mike stated before he blinked in actual surprise as she hugged him for a few moments, and signed to him to gain more respect between the two, "Call me by my name, as from how long we have known each other, you earned it."
"Very well… Lady Camelia," Mike stated in a hint he was glad at this within his way and went into the shadows to do as he was told, and Camelia went to the freezer to get things planned for dessert she didn't tell Jackie about, or the others, as it was frozen cheesecake in individuals for everyone based on their favorite likes of things for it.
Ten minutes later or so at the Dark Hand Headquarters, the five henchmen were finishing cleaning the unexpected fireball attack with Valmont simply drinking his wine at his desk and overseeing things.
Shendu was inwardly amused by that not happening not only once, but twice, with seeing some minor burns on all of their outfits as well to know it was Camelia's power being chaotic once again and was amused at times from the ball landing, before arrival, in a specific man's cabbages and veggies cart.
"I think I shall retire for the day, as well we had no leads at all on Chan's motives." Valmont stated as he got up, and told the five Enforcers then to make them his groans, "And be good chaps and finish cleaning the place, as I still see soot in places."
Once he left to go to his secret home, the five men sighed with Shendu being silent, watching on as they began to complain about this.
"I know he's the boss of the bigger boss, but he could at least get maids or something to finish the place," Finn tells the others as most agreed, with them shaking their heads like Tohru was from seeing Hak Foo jumping and more to clean the higher areas.
"Speak for yourself, I didn't even get a raise." Chow stated with a scowl as Ratso nodded with him soon putting his hands behind his back before asking Tohru then, "Hey Big-T, would you mind?"
Tohru shrugged before he grabbed the man, and crushed him in a hug until they all winced at the popping sound, and he dropped him with him stating, thanks.
It was without warning, that they saw a Shadowkhan appear with even Shendu being intrigued as it headed over to him, and he spoke quietly back with inwardly pleased orbs, saw it vanish before baffling the five men as the same Shadowkhan kept coming back and forth with what looked like a feast for them, before he headed over to Tohru and gave a sealed envelope, and vanished back into the shadows.
"Ok, the Shadowkhan are delivery boys?" Finn questioned as he also saw mixed varieties of food to feed an army, as the others did with them sweat dropping at watching Ratso already gathering food into plates the shadow entity already brought, and was eating a wrapped and fried chicken burrito, and gave them a wordless innocent look of 'What', after.
They all blinked at the large sumo man being stunned by his confession as he read the letter, "It is a gift from the one child, Camelia as such. Stating she made too much food and despite us as henchmen, didn't want us to starve as they are celebrating a Late Thanksgiving."
"The kiddo is rather innocent if she gave us free food," Finn commented as Hak Foo only grunted in agreement as they began to gather food for themselves before they blinked at seeing the same Shadowkhan come back, and were rather stumped at seeing him soon swiftly cleaning all the mess and more in the office, and then left back into the shadows.
"Need I remind you as I sensed the child is pure, despite her conditions she has been hailed too. That was one of her servants she took from my army and bonded to her will. Willing and accidental. She sees the essence of those who have chances of being redeemed, or other, for further ways." Shendu reminded them as they had looks of forgetting that yet confused Hak Foo, as they were soon eating half of the food with them seeing once again the same Shadowkhan come back with tons of containers that looked new, and unwrapped, to know it stole from a store.
Speaking of, the manager of the store cries out before seeing the actual total of money placed on a check-out area, which was number 13 of 35 check-out lanes.
"So does that mean we owe the squirt?" Chow commented before getting bonked on the head lightly by Tohru as Shendu expected this, told them in a way, they were perplexed and baffled by, "No. if her note stated otherwise, then she would have stated it. Fools. Just enjoy her cooking as I could still smell the aroma."
"That girl made all our food? Now I'm impressed that the soup was good, alongside the other things." Ratso admits, and the others had to be reluctant with Tohru even enjoying the shrimp and wasabi for the sushi that was tart yet sweet.
"Indeed… Now take your food and get out of my sight!" Shendu agreed before warning them, as they hurriedly did with Tohru pausing as he thought he saw something or someone looking at them from the windows and knew it was impossible as he shrugged and left with them out of the main meeting and office room.
It was silent for a few moments before Shendu saw someone come inside, and soon casually sat down in Valmont's desk chair and revealed themselves while eating a basic red and crisp apple within moments before managing to toss the center and core into a trash bin far away from it.
"So, we meet once again after so long… I did warn you as to what would befall you and your brethren when asked, and paid in artifacts and extinct bones of creatures." The man stated with Shendu growling out in being irked as to whom this was, "Ancient Warrior."
"Indeed that I am, that and more, as you recall?" The man reminded him to make Shendu sigh out and stated in ire, "What is it you want, Magi Aeroza." The man, Aeroza, shrugged and conjured a refreshment of a frozen soda drink once again which looked like Mountain Dew this time, and when he was done sipping, replied in kind and respect to the Demon Sorcerer, "I thought I should let you know that I have been able to return to this realm, and others as well… Others, given a new life, and a new chance to make more than they know to themselves and others. Including a child of yours you thought was slain alongside her parents."
This made Aeroza duck as the statue breathed out combustible flames that thankfully didn't damage Mike's handiwork, and firmly told him in a mix of anger and shock at finding this out, "Where was she?!"
Shendu looked saddened as his rage went to being somber at seeing what he pulled from his cloak was a pale-emerald western dragon pendant with a bronze necklace cord, and he stated to the immortal man that is blessed and cursed, "They didn't fully make it."
"I didn't say they all made it, only she did as her mother and stepfather sacrificed themselves to get her and her half-sibling to safety from where they were kept, and the reality of the world they were sent to was vanquished by Taint. A side-effect was them both being turned into this mere trinket, and only a person whose power is golden may free them of their unfortunate setback." Aeroza informed the statue in a way, that he may know who it was.
"You are going to be keeping your secrets to yourself once more?" Shendu claimed in a way, that he knew the man's tactics as Aeroza chuckled heartily for a moment as he nodded, "You're correct, Demon Sorcerer of Fire, and secretive power also bestowed from the Flame of Udûn and several others, combined. When times come, you will understand."
Shendu, if he could if he wasn't stuck as a statue, would have given the man a very confused look by his next set of words, "Particularly as when both New Years come, things will become interesting as paths will further together for more it can handle for this world, as the first before it will be an unfortunate test to one of several others who is destined to protect the world… Even with their aid, or from themselves. If you do manage to become flesh and blood," Here, Aeroza came over and gently patted the dragon statue's head ignoring the minor irritation he felt from him, "I highly recommend this spell to forestall the land and world of time, until your defeat, as there are things you gathered in your lair that would possibly aid this world if it was sent back from whence it came. And by that to clarify, to benefit a particular person who you got to know in… Spirit."
Aeroza then whispered the spell to Shendu to make his eye glow with intrigue as it was short and in the old language, and what it meant, and nearly made him blast fire as to what he wanted for Valmont to track due to whom the subject was, as he found out where 'She' was.
When the man pulled back, he looked at the statue in growing amusement while also calm, Shendu stated in ire then and keeping his rage in check, "I owe you a favor by receiving this particular spell, and knowledge, don't I?"
"This time, it's free. Though I fully know you kept your banishment weapon in your palace, the Chi it holds from your being can aid in things. As not known to you, your son from the one woman was sent into another realm to fend for himself as the mother… Turned to indestructible stone, from the one time when you were flesh from possession by her desire and ritualistic deal. And to mention… I felt that the other woman you fancy is being talked to from an entity that doesn't care what Fate has planned for years in this world before its eventual ending." Aeroza soon informs him that the man bringing out some candles, that Shendu recognized and wondered how he managed to find them, as they were infused with particular flowers for the most lovely scent to soothe the mind to think and more.
"I suppose you will be cryptic as to that detail as well, Immortal One?" Shendu stated in a hinted bitter tone to make the man pause, before he gazed in understanding as Shendu was summoned into a vessel not once, but twice, to fall in love and have two children.
In truthful honesty, Aeroza knew informing the Demon Sorcerer of things would be rather risky, but he foresaw unexpected interruptions of other forces due to the child's golden power showing off in many realities and even through their own time and space, and… Knowing what deal both women Shendu fell in love with, decided, as their former male partners were not their destined ones at all.
"Secrecy to that is unfortunate once again, but it must remain under control. For that, I am truly sorry about not revealing what may happen, but if done so, would change things for worse, than better." Aeroza told the statue softly and by seeing the glowing eyes dimmed for a moment, saw the demon understood as the statue sighed, "Then I must wait… I had waited patiently for nine hundred years for my goal, what's more, to wait for further surprises."
Aeroza nodded once at him in wordless agreement before he paused as he was about to leave, and merely brushed his hands around the top of the candles he placed to light them without the use of a match or other, and made Shendu ponder this in wariness, "I highly suggest that you have time to speak with her, the child, and tell more stories of your past whenever possible. She will be tested as if you succeed or fail, in due time, a new force not foreseen from the Medieval Ages will return. Two separate yet similar forces. Forces that would test the logic of many beings of this world to its core, bring forth the truths sealed by half-truths, and bring forth an organization that kept the honest opinions of the world as well… They may try to make the mortals forget, but it will not work this time. And if you are defeated, suggest things to your brethren that this is only the beginning, and more will come."
Aeroza took a few more steps before he didn't see the statue did sweatdrop to himself by his last parting words as he vanished into a silent pop of rainbow smoke after, with them being a hint-like warning, "In time, ancient and long-forgotten forces will come as well, and test the value of this world and also the child as she ages, as after all… The Corrupted are still active, but have yet to know thanks to your Dragon Talisman cutting the connections to prevent that."
Meanwhile an hour or two later, within Section 13, Camelia and the others just finished watching the first movie when they did surprise them with personal cheesecake desserts, and since it was the first time either girl saw the franchise, made Jackie and a select few others wary with seeing them so focused on the movie, they might try it out for themselves of the art styles.
Uncle wasn't phased by this as from his quiet words during the movie to the man, seeing and learning about styles is a good thing.
During the credits, they were going to take a fifteen-minute break before the next one, and both Camelia and Jade used the restroom and headed to the kitchen's for maybe popcorn, and indeed tried out the moves shown slightly in the film… With Jade wincing as she accidentally socked Camelia in the face.
"Sorry about that Amy, I didn't think about my actions." Jade apologized to her friend as Camelia shrugged and made the Chan Girl blink twice at learning this just now from the Potter Girl's confession, from signing out, "I hardly felt it but it still stung slightly. It should have left a bruise or something, but I'm surprised your punch didn't."
Jade did make Camelia tint to herself for a few moments as her friend did see the spot on her face was fine and made her ponder Jade's words for thought for later, "Did that one talisman from Uncle back then made your body a bit durable for things as well?"
Camilla shrugged as they were seasoning a few large bowls of popcorn for the second Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Movie before they both equally felt a light tap on their shoulders, and turned sharply around with them patting their chests in fright before half-glaring at an eye-smiling Mike.
Before they could say anything, Camelia blinked as he came over to her and whispered into her ear to make Jade suspicious as she perked up with her eyes being happy, before he vanished, as Jade questioned her then, "What did he want?"
Jade grew concerned before that changed to shocking surprise by what Camelia hesitated on signing to her, "I asked Mike to send food to the Enforcer's, wherever they are." Camelia flinched then Jade made a statement that is not believing she did that, "You serious? You sent food to the bad guys?!"
Jade looked guilty with her somewhat agreeable by her friend's signed words than in trying to justify herself of her actions, "Even though it's not Thanksgiving, I made too much food for everyone and decided for myself to at least give those guys food, as they're mainly workers doing a job… They are our enemies, but there is a saying: 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend'. An ancient proverb I learned from one of my books suggests that two parties can or should work together against a common enemy."
"Why would we need to do that?" Jade was now curious about what her friend thought of this, and only saw her pause in place from shaking some homemade mixed seasoning of Cajun Style for both Paco and his wrestling hero, and shrugged before she resumed and shook one of several bowls of popcorn as she gave it to Jade, and signed then in a way, Jade figured it was one of her senses again, "I just feel that something down the road will force us to work together is all… Another feeling I'm getting."
Unseen by the two girls as they were walking back and forth at giving everyone and eventually a shared bowl of chocolate drizzle with cinnamon and sugar for themselves, they didn't see the corner closeby to them this entire time, hidden in the shadows near the upper cupboards, was a greenish and small demonic eyeball made of flames, of sorts, and it vanished after.
After watching the third movie a few hours later, Jade went with Paco to see if the rumor of arcade machines being added to the base was true, and then others either went their way around the base or hung out, as she was alone in her room with making sure that there wouldn't be interruptions, as she planned to send the remaining food to who she is going to call again, from within the mirror.
Once she activated the spell once again, she waited for them to show up and to her surprise, she saw to her unexpected confusion, that a new face was there.
On the other side, the individual was bored previously until they felt a call of sorts, and from what they were told, decided to be the first one to see the child, and from the ongoing tales, they asked their smarter brethren, who knew potential when they saw it.
He, yes he, is a gray-skinned, impish bat/gremlin-like demon with a lizard-like tail, and he is the smallest of the Demon Sorcerers. Though he is still relatively larger than a fully-grown human.
This is Hsi Wu: The Demon Sorcerer of the Sky, and with other titles, Demi-Master Prankster is one of them besides one other.
"So… You're the Youngling that everyone is chatting about, huh?" Hsi Wu questioned mainly to himself with a clawed hand to his chin as he saw the girl tilt her head wordlessly at him as if she didn't know what to make of the male demon, and moved away from the mirror for only a moment to blink as she came back with some food and began moving her hands to him after she placed it on a chair she had prepared to sit the food down for.
"Sorry, I don't get what you're doing with your hands there, kiddo." Hsi Wu admits seeing her looked irked by that, stood in a thinking pose with her looking up for a bit, and soon he saw she got an idea before leaving again, and came back with what he saw was yellowish paper and to what he guessed, was a writing tool of sorts.
He saw her write something down in moments and was baffled yet reluctantly grabbed it in time to see being impressed, by her writing perfect Chinese Kanji that was asking him who he was, and where was Tso Lan and Bai Tza.
He was rather amused at how bright the child was though, and figured out how to use the writing tool, and managed to write the best he could back before sending it to her as she was easily able to grab it and the tool, and seemed puzzled by what he wrote, and wrote under what he did after learning who he was, and saw what she sent back was introducing herself to him.
So this indeed is the girl then… Hsi Wu thought for only a moment before he stilled and saw from grabbing the pad with yellow paper in one hand, and the utensil in the other, was Tso Lan himself raising a ridge wordlessly, and stating to him, "It seems you decided then after time?"
"Indeed, Brother. I figured maybe it's time I see what this girl is about." Hsi Wu tells the Demon Sorcerer of the Moon with him being perplexed by seeing Tso Lan inspecting the child after asking of her, as she hesitated but twirled once in slow motion with him thinking to himself while stating, "Interesting."
Camelia signed to the demon in a question to make him pause and stated as he casually tossed both the utensil and pad with paper into the air and made the girl see it was randomly going somewhere else, much to the annoyance of Hsi Wu, and told her gently then, "It is nothing… Perhaps you could detail your new appearance as the last one I saw you, you haven't changed this drastically."
Hsi Wu decided to be patient for once in a long while and saw his brother was deeply thinking about what he was watching from her hand movements for the next few minutes.
After she was done with Hsi Wu guessing she was explaining her theory as to why she looked like this, Tso Lan seems rather impressed and stated to her and glancing at the Sky Demon Sorcerer for a few moments to know she might be correct, "You have touched most of the talismans that our brother crafted… Indeed it has caused you to end up changed as to what the final two will do, which is a mystery all its own. Though I sense your connection between you and the one girl is stronger only by a midge."
Hsi Wu understood that from seeing Camelia show a faint blush on her cheeks and confusion to know she has yet to realize things, and decided to change the subject to make Tso Lan give him a look, "Well. Since we have someone to chit-chat with, why not perform your hand motions for him to speak on your behalf, kiddo?"
After nearly talking for ten minutes. Hsi Wu was now intrigued with the Moon Demon warily for once looking passive, but inside, was slowly panicking at sensing two prank masters soon-to-be friends, and hoped no one angers them, mixed with them ducking as she managed to send a fireball past their heads from it going into the mirror, and Hsi Wu gulping as it hit the back of one of their brethren she has yet to be introduced to, and saw him rub his head, and sharply turned at their direction with an enraged look.
The male demon resembles a blue-skinned, reptilian humanoid with a muscular build that towers over humans. Besides Tso Lan, he seems to be the only other Demon Sorcerer to be fully clothed, as he wears an oriental-styled suit of armor.
This is Tchang Zu: The Demon Sorcerer of Thunder, and he was currently angered by the soot he rubbed off from the back of his head.
Without warning, he made a bolt of highly dangerous electricity and aimed it at them to which both male demons ducked with ease, and it passed through the mirror and startled them as well, she managed to eat it without meaning to as she had an open mouth in growing horror, before it shifted to being confused with trying to not hiccup or worse, and forcibly swallowed it, and felt like she was energized and no longer tired.
"It seems that the Youngling is even more than she was if she was able to easily devour that much raw energy without a fuss." Tso Lan states in a way, that he was going to look into this later and saw their enraged demonic brother leap and managed to land on a floating rock that gradually moved closer to them, and directed it over as if to rant at them, blinked, and narrowed his red eyes at noticing the child and understood as to who may have caused the fireball.
"Brother, before you rant, she managed to eat that bolt without an issue!" Hsi Wu stood in front of him to make Tchang Zu look at him firmly as if to expect a trick, and not seeing any detections of lies, soon had growing intrigued instead of rage as he gazed at the child and indeed knew things, and baffled the Sky and Moon Demons as he let out an amused laugh before stating to her then, "Impressive to devour a bolt worth closer to what the mortals call, to half a billion worth of raw energy into yourself."
Seeing her sign, Tso Lan raised a ridge while ignoring Hsi Wu's pout at understanding her hands and making the Moon Demon ponder then as to when he decided to learn, replied with firm ease to her, "Indeed you did, Youngling. An impressive feat that one long ago nearly succeeded at doing via a dare by two of our siblings' eons ago… Tell me," he decided to question her then, "Do you know how to fight?"
Seeing a book she brought out with ease that was placed by her in case she was asked, Tchang Zu sharply glanced to Tso Lan and back to the child with the Sky Demon having no choice but to watch and even be intrigued like they were, she was still trying to find a style suited for her and she did try some in secret, but she ended up tripping or bumping into things.
After almost an hour and a half, Tso Lan knowing that bolt aided her further to talk, saw her yawn and made Hsi Wu pout once again after eating some candy she placed into the baskets for each of the demons and with Tso Lan informing her to not overdo the cuisine next time, Tchang Zu was the one to tell the child in a gentle yet firm tone then, "You must go and rest, as it seems your energy is running low."
Camelia looked like she was about to object to that, but shook her head and yawned once again with Tso Lan agreeing with the Thunder Demon, "We will have another communication soon, Youngling. Camelia, you must rest to regain the energy used to empower your special spell to communicate and send between us." Camelia looked at Hsi Wu then as he told her in assured words, "He has a point, and besides… I have yet to tell you the few other pranks I pulled."
Camelia gave a wordless sigh before she hesitated and soon ended the call.
"She is indeed her child if she devoured that much energy, and lasted as long as she has." Tchang Zu tells his two brothers to know he was rather impressed by the child, with Hsi Wu hated to admit it with him, but he was right, alongside other habits he saw she had that was just like the mentioned female as well.
"But I sense that I have research to do before her next calling comes into fruition," Tso Lan tells them to get interested by that but said nothing or even got a chance to as he soon left on a rock and headed to what the duo knew, was his main place to be alone: The Archival Building.
To mention, it is a place like all other subjugations of lands and more, sent to this realm of their imprisonment, and holds all or any knowledge that gets sucked into this realm, as after all… That is how they mainly survived as random things ended up being sent to this world by the realm itself acting out at random times, for food and drink, and more.
So yes, the building itself is massive and even more within due to the enchantments placed, and houses anything from spells to knowledge placed, styles of fighting, and more.
Anyways, we are getting off-topic.
Hsi Wu was about to say something before he sighed with a minor wing flutter, as Tchang Zu reminded him to make the Sky Demon shiver in disgust with a hidden smirk, "Remember, Brother. Our sister needs her back scratched and massaged sooner than later, as you did lose your bet with her in the one game we all decided to play a few mortal days ago."
Once he was alone, Hsi Wu secretly grabbed from his personal belongings of a leather skin pouch he kept hidden and grabbed from within it a gemstone locket once he opened it, revealed he was in love before, and even managed to escape a few times by sheer coincidence from minor reminding trinkets in a pouch, as the photo was in black and white.
He stowed it away after closing it, and flew and took off in the direction to where he had no choice but to do his own tricked punishment for his sibling, and didn't see hidden in a formerly concealed invisibility spell, as it revealed itself, was the same eyeball that soon vanished, and further away, a shadowy creature of sorts with amber eyes dove back into the shadows to report things, as it was a scout.