Inkaliber: Welcome back guys! It's the month of September, meaning that the story dedication wheel is looping back around. That means it's time to give Chan in Bellwood some more love!
Sudden and dramatic fanfare from a jazz band.
Meowth: I learned to play the saxophone just for this moment!
James: The story that started the boss's whole fanfiction career is back once again!
Jessie: Dashing forward at a breakneck pace!
Inkaliber: Guys! I love the jazz number there but you're embarrassing me! Can I please focus on the chapter?
Ex-Team Rocket: SORRY!
Inkaliber: Thank you. Anyway, time to explore the appearance of the Sheep Talisman. First things first, however, let's answer some reviews.
Reader: I'm glad that you like the chapter. Tohru is still good at heart and I wanted to show it here. Hopefully the wait for this chapter hasn't been too much torture, lol!
ArguableReader: Never apologize for using Lilo & Stitch to further your vocabulary. I'm glad that the chapter was good, and they definitely had enough time with Aesop and the Rabbit Talisman secured. I guess we've reached "eventually" as the chapter is here.
Inkaliber: That looks like everyone, so let's start the chapter. I don't own Jackie Chan Adventures, Ben 10, or any other series that may appear here. I do own OC characters, species, objects, and concepts unless stated otherwise.
Voices
"Talking."
'Thinking.'
"YELLING!"
"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity talking. Also, big twist at the end of a section."
"AUTHOR/GUEST/HIGH OR DEMONIC ENTITY YELLING!"
"Whispering."
"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity whispering."
Bellwood, Pennsylvania
Jade groaned as she tapped her foot in impatience, her arms crossed in annoyance. She had been waiting all morning for Jackie to get back from his trip to find the next talisman. The reason, one might ask? He had promised her over a phone call that he would take her to the new Melvin Moose amusement park that just opened in Bellwood. She had told Ben and Gwen about it and how excited she was over the phone, the duo sounding their interest.
She had hope that Ben would go with her so that they could enjoy the rides together. Of course, she wanted Gwen to be there too. The thought of Ben being the only one to join her sounded like a date in Jade's mind. The very idea of her and the Omnitrix wielder going on a date made Jade blush and hold her cheeks softly. She began to imagine her and Ben riding into a tunnel of love with moose ears when the door to the shop suddenly opened.
"Jackie!" cheered Jade. She ran down the stairs of the upper floor as her uncle walked in with two bags. She suddenly leapt at him as she did her best to wrap her arms around his chest, Jackie chuckling as he returned the embrace. "How was it? Did you get the talisman?" Her uncle put her down as he dropped his bags, grabbing a small stone with a sheep engraved on it from one of them.
"Yes," sighed the martial artist. "You will not believe what I had to go through to get it. I was actually in the middle of fighting Shadowkhan when you called." Jade frowned at her uncle's words, feeling a bit hurt. She crossed her arms as she looked away.
"Oh. Sorry for calling, then. I guess we aren't going to Melvin Moose World." These words caused Jackie to hum in confusion, only to bop his forehead in realization. He quickly knelt down as he grabbed Jade's shoulders, turning her to where she was looking him in the eye.
"Oh Jade. We can still go to Melvin Moose World, but I am so very tired. I promise that we will go tomorrow, or as soon as we find out what the talisman does if Uncle pulls me into an all-nighter. Okay?" He watched as Jade mulled it over before sending him a reluctant smile.
"Alright, but you better make good on that promise!" Jackie chuckled weakly as he nodded his head. Soon the door to the study opened, Uncle walking out.
"Jackie!" greeted the old man. He approached the duo with his arms out, as if offering a hug. Jackie smiled as he spread his arms in preparation to reciprocate the embrace.
"Uncle!" greeted the archeologist. "It's so good to see you so happy and…" His hopes for a heartfelt reunion were dashed as the old man immediately swiped the sheep talisman from his hands.
"Good! You grabbed Sheep Talisman. Now we can do research! Uncle has several manuscripts ready for examination." The shop owner was about to continue when Jackie let loose a moan.
"But I am so tired, Uncle. Couldn't I rest for just a…" The martial artist was cut off as Uncle turned towards him, his hand raised while the other held the sheep Talisman to his ear.
"Sorry. Hold on." Jackie and Jade's eyes widened as they quickly walked closer to the chi wizard.
"What is it? What do you hear?" Jackie was quickly answered by one of Uncle's famous slaps to the forehead.
"I hear the sound of the Sheep not telling me the secrets it holds." Uncle then grabbed Jackie by the hand, pulling him along back towards the study while Jade ran to keep up with them. "I hear the sounds of our footsteps walking to the back room to translate ancient inscriptions." The old man finally stopped as they reached the door to the back room, Jackie groaning in exhaustion.
"Please, Uncle. I have been traveling for 18 hours. I jumped from a helicopter and ran along a falling train." Jade actually winced at this description, not realizing how bad Jackie had it this time. Uncle smiled as he placed his hand on the door knob to the nearby room.
"That is why you should relax, with some good books." The chi wizard opened the door, revealing that the desk was already piled up with various scrolls and dusty old books. "You better prepare yourself. This could take a long time." Jackie moaned at the sight of the workload before looking back at Jade.
"Hold out for when we are done, Jade." Jackie was pulled into the room by Uncle, the door practically slamming it in Jade's face. The girl grumbled at the rudeness of the old man, crossing her arms as she looked down in frustration.
Xiaoling Industries
Shendu was seething as Valmont and his minions stood before him. Valmont reassured him that this time they would be able to secure the talisman, even setting up a helicopter and Shadowkhan to watch over the train. He should not have been surprised when the trio of goons returned empty handed. What made him furious was that they had the upper hand in this battle. He growled as his statue eyes glowed red in fury.
"CHAN POSSESSES YET ANOTHER TALISMAN WHILE I HAVE NONE!?" roared the demon. "YOU ARE WEAK, VALMONT, AND YOUR MEN ARE FOOLS!" Shendu watched as Finn clenched his fists, his growl growing in volume.
"That's it!" roared the villainous redhead. He pointed at Shendu while reaching inside his shirt with his other hand. "We had to blow up a train and have Jackie Chan swoop in while we were flying a helicopter! I ain't taking lip from some statue!" Finn was about to pull a gun from his shirt when Shendu hissed at him.
"I AM NO STATUE! YOU STAND IN THE PRESENCE OF A DEMON SORCERER! I ONCE HELD DOMINION OVER A VAST EMPIRE, BUT MY SUBJECTS BETRAYED ME. THEY CAST A CHI SPELL WHICH IMPRISONED ME IN THIS PITIFUL ICON, WHERE I HAVE REMAINED FOR 900 YEARS. WERE IT NOT FOR THE FIRST THINKER GIVING THEM HOPE AND LEADING THEM TO THE INGREDIENTS REQUIRED, I WOULD HAVE REMAINED IN POWER."
Shendu took a moment to reminisce on his reign of terror before returning his attention to the group in front of him. "THE 12 MAGIC TALISMANS FROM WHICH I DREW MY POWER WERE SCATTERED TO THE WINDS, CREATING SEVERAL CIVILIZATIONS THAT ARE NOW LOST TO TIME." The demon stopped in his tracks as Ratso let loose a whistle.
"Whoa," gasped the olive skinned man. "Talk about a lost history." Finn grinned as he nodded his head in agreement.
"You got jacked!" cried the redhead. Shendu was confused by this terminology, though his current form could not show it. He huffed in annoyance as he decided to continue.
"ACQUISITION OF ALL THE TALISMANS WILL ALLOW ME TO BE FREE FROM MY CONFINEMENT AND WALK THE EARTH ONCE AGAIN," stated the demonic dragon. The Enforcers seemed to not be inspired fully by the being's story. Valmont rolled his eyes as he turned towards his men.
"At which time we will be rewarded the Lost Treasure of Shin Shi-Wa," revealed the head of the Dark Hand. "A treasure that is well worth taking a little lip, don't you think?" The trio of men looked towards each other, smiling as the promise of the treasure was very tantalizing. The sound of scraping metal caught the group's attention, causing the ones capable of movement to turn towards the origin. The woman Chow busted out of prison grinned as she was seen scraping a name into the side of an advanced rifle she was holding.
"So, there's an ancient treasure involved in this little stone hunt," observed the woman. "Knowing this brat, he'll probably be involved whether we beat him or not." Valmont frowned as he turned his computer around, revealing a file on Ben.
"Clearly you've never gone to the root of the problem, madame. Benjamin Kirby Tennyson, a young Bellwood local who decided he could play superhero in a world like ours. For a young man with a powerful weapon, he sure doesn't take good enough care of his secret to allow his enemies to know his face. All we'd have to do is capture his relatives and he becomes nothing but an afterthought, and his device is ours for the taking." His guest chuckled as she stood up from her seat.
"You try that and see how it goes. If you need me, I'll be in the cafeteria waiting for the aftermath of this little plan of yours." The woman walked away from the room, a sway in her step. She knew these men would fail, given the track record they displayed to her knowledge. If a team of exceptional individuals couldn't stop the Tennysons, no way would the Dark Hand be able to with their current roster.
Uncle's Rare Finds
Uncle hummed as he looked over the talisman, specifically the back of it. The stone displayed four Chinese characters on the back, a message about its extraordinary power. He took a hard look at the back of the stone, trying to decipher the characters on his own. He frowned as he leaned back a bit. His attention still on the talisman, he turned towards Jackie.
"Jackie!" cried Uncle. "These symbols explain the talisman's power. We must find a translation." The old man only heard the sound of his nephew snoring in response, looking beyond the talisman to see Jackie's sleeping face. The elderly chi wizard hit Jackie in the head with the talisman, causing him to cry out in pain as he woke up.
"Counting Sheep makes me sleepy!" cried the martial artist. "I cannot help it!" The tired man watched Uncle roll his eyes as he turned around.
"One more thing. We must keep the talisman in this magic box, where it will be concealed from the dark forces." The chi wizard walked over to a nearby box, placing the stone inside it. He walked away from the container, left unawares as the door cracked open slightly. Jade looked inside, trying to get a good look at Jackie and Uncle.
The old man of the duo raised his finger as he stood to his nephew's side. "One more thing! Stay awake! You break many antiques when you sleepwalk!" He watched as Jackie groaned as he removed his hand from his head.
"Oh cut that out. I don't sleepwalk." The martial artist rested his forehead in his palm as Uncle put his hands on his hips.
"So you break my antiques for fun!?" The old man's outcry had Jade wincing. She watched him furiously pick up a scroll as he began to look over it. She quickly sneaked into the room, retrieving the talisman from the box before disappearing like a ghost. She quickly ran up to the guest bedroom as she looked over the stone.
"I'm fine with waiting on Melvin World for a bit, but Jackie deserves some sleep," stated the young Chan. "I don't care if he makes me wait longer for doing this. I'm finding out what this thing does. Of course… I'll need someone to watch out for me." She hummed as she tried to think of a solution to this mess.
She grinned as she got an idea, quickly pulling out a small communicator that took the shape of a phone. She quickly dialed a number as she tapped her foot. She smiled as someone picked up on the other side, the screen displaying Ben.
"Hey Jade!" cheered the young man. "What's up?" Jade smiled as she put the talisman down, playing with her hair a bit.
"Hey Ben. Are you and Gwen free?" She watches as the boy let loose hiss, a sign that she had caught Ben in a tight spot.
"Actually my folks want to spend the day with me today. Gwen hasn't been answering my messages so I think she's busy too. Sorry Jade." Jade frowned at this news, upset by the set back. The sound of an interested woman caught her attention.
"Jade" questioned the voice of Sandra Tennyson. "Who's this Jade girl, Ben~?" The screen shook as Ben fumbled the communicator.
"Gotta go! Bye!" Jade did her best to flag for the boy to stop, but he cut the connection quickly. She groaned as she shook her head. She quickly began to press some more buttons on the device before crossing her arms. Thankfully the response was just as fast, Max's face displaying on the screen as his attention was focused on something off screen.
"Majister Tennyson here," stated the old man. He turned his attention to the view, only to smile as he saw Jade. "Oh. Hello Jade." The girl smiled as she nodded her head.
"Hey Max!" cheered Jade. "Are you free to stop by Uncle's shop?" She watched him quickly frown as he looked back to what was in front of him.
"I'm actually driving there as we speak. I heard Jackie found another talisman and thought that I'd take over researching for him." This news had Jade smiling as she nodded her head.
"That's cool, but how about we save all of us a headache?" She watched as the old man looked her way again, seeming to read her intentions. The way he slowly smiled was encouraging at least.
Tennyson Residence
The Dark Hand Enforcers read over the street numbers as they slowly approached their target destination. They had weapons on hand, insurance in case something goes awry with their plan. It wasn't anything they hadn't done before when it comes to silencing people, but there was an air of discomfort amongst them. They stopped in front of the Tennyson house, keeping their eyes on the building. Ratso decided to speak up as he put the car in park.
"I don't know about this, fellas," moaned the olive skinned man. "This was a lot easier when the alien guys were people we could hit without feeling bad. Plus, I have a bad feeling." Silence reigned throughout the vehicle as the trio looked between each other. Chow sighed as he shook his head.
"I don't like this either," revealed the Asian villain. "I have a feeling that we're walking into the Lion's Den here." Finn decided to get his colleagues back on track as he clapped his hands together.
"Let's focus, guys!" cried the redheaded goon. "Valmont dishes out orders and we follow them. Guys who chicken out wind up dead. Besides, once Valmont has the watch we can convince him to let the kids' folks go… I hope." With this idea in their heads, the trio quickly unbuckled their seatbelts.
Inside the house, Ben was sitting on a kitchen chair with his hands held together in his lap. His parents were standing in front of them, waiting with smiles on their faces. As soon as his mother caught him talking with Jade, she was determined to learn everything she could. Hence, she now had him in this position with his father present. For once the boy wished that he had homework to do to get out of it as his mother cleared her throat.
"Well, Ben?" questioned Sandra Tennyson. "When were you going to tell us about your little friend?" The boy shifted in his seat a bit as he kept his eyes on his hands.
"Someday, maybe," answered the young boy. "I was just… waiting things out before introducing her." The boy glanced up to notice that his father was now leaning back with his hands on the countertop.
"And just what exactly were you waiting out, son?" questioned Carl Tennyson. "It's usually not like you to actively keep something like this from us. Do you, perhaps, feel something other than friendship for this friend of yours?" Ben blushed as he tried to think of a response that would save him from embarrassment. He began to poke two fingers together as he looked up at them.
"M…maybe I wanted to figure something out for myself, after seeing how a lot of relationships in school don't last long because of others forcing it to happen. No offense but you guys tend to get a little jumpy when something big happens. I want to make sure that I have the right feelings before going into anything, seeing as she's only staying until the Chinese New Year." He couldn't help but frown at the reminder of how little time he has to figure things out. His parents frowned at each other before sending their son small smiles.
"Oh, Ben," sighed Sandra Tennyson. "We're just so excited for you. It's not every day that a young man finds a girl that he really likes. We're not trying to rush anything." Her husband nodded as he put his hand on their son's shoulder.
"We're sorry if we make this whole thing complicated, son," apologized the man. "We'd still like to meet Jade at some point, but we understand if you want to figure this out on your own. If you ever need advice or want to talk with us, we'll be here for you. I hope that, with everything we've done in life, you know that." Ben smiled at his parents as he slowly nodded his head.
"I know," answered the young man. The atmosphere was suddenly ruined as there was a huge bang on the front door. It was followed by another, the entrance bucking from the pressure.
"Panic room. Now!" Ben felt the need to argue for his ability to deal with the situation, only to be dragged along by his parents. As soon as the family passed through the living room the door burst open. Ratso walked into the building with a battering ram on his arm. He hummed as he looked around the entry hall.
"Wow," stated Ratso. "They actually have a nice place here." He heard a door closing, causing him to rush in with Finn and Chow right behind him. The Tennysons quickly made their way down into a basement-like area, the door they entered being battered just like the front door. The villains barged through the door as they rushed down the stairs.
The family entered and locked a sturdier looking door, the Enforcers quickly bashing it as well. Ratso roared as he swung the battering ram again, only this time the door pushed him back a bit. Finn decided to try something as he leaned against the doorway.
"We can do this the easy way or the hard way, Benny-boy!" cried the redheaded goon. Ben jerked back a bit, surprised that they knew his name. "A new friend of ours told us all about you and your little watch. You've been giving the Dark Hand quite a problem lately." Chow smirked as he joined on the other side of the object.
"Oh yeah," added the Asian goon. "If we can't get your folks today, Mr. Valmont could always try sending someone after that little cousin of yours. The Dark Hand has a habit of making its problems disappear. You're lucky we came after ya, however, as we're gonna be nice today." Ratso looked between his companions in confusion, only to nod in understanding as he smirked.
"Yeah!" cried the olive skinned man. "We're nice when it comes ta kids. Either hand over the watch or grab the Talismans from Section 13 for us! Do that and we can just forget this all ever happened." Finn stood up from his perched position, gesturing for Chow to do the same.
"What do ya say kid?" questioned the slick man. "Wanna be a hero and save your family?" The trio waited for a response, Ratso getting his battering ram ready once more.
"You promise?" questioned the voice of Ben. The villain trio grinned evilly at each other, Chow and Ratso fist bumping each other. Finn nodded his head in response.
"Sure kid. Now just open the door and we'll sort this whole mess out." They heard the sound of the door unlocking, only for Ratso to put his free hand on his chin.
"Ya know, I can't help but feel like that was a little too easy," bemused the olive skinned man. His colleagues' eyes widened as they watched the door open. Mr. Tennyson was on the other side, what looked like a rather large energy rifle in his hands. The trio suddenly backed away from the door as the weapon sounded like it was charging up, the man of the house stepping forward. Chow groaned as he held his hands up.
"You had to say it, didn't you?" questioned the short goon. Ratso chuckled nervously as he shrugged at his companion. Mr. Tennyson growled as the end of the weapon glowed brighter.
"Get off my property and leave my family alone!" cried the man. He fired the weapon in between Ratso's legs, leaving a smoking hole in the stairs. Hearing the weapon charge up rapidly and seeing more tech within, the villains decided to book it. Diligent fighters or not, none of them were walking away from a laser wound. They ran back through the building as they made their way outside, dodging out of the way of yet another laser blast that hit a red car.
Upon impact, the car exploded into pieces. This was partially due to the fact that the beam cut through to the engine, but the terror was still there. Finn held his head in his hands as he began to freak out.
"That's it!" cried the redheaded goon. "This street is far too crazy for me! Valmont can yell at us later!" The trio quickly got in their own car before driving out, running over a neighbor's mailbox along the way. Ben stepped out from the panic room stairwell as he whistled.
"So that's why you always said I could never play in the panic room," bemused the boy. "Glad I listened." He heard the sound of a call on his communicator, the ring being familiar. "Gwen!" The boy quickly pulled out the device, being met with Gwen's face on the screen.
"Ben, the Dark Hand found out about the Omnitrix," began the redhead. "I had to step away from lunch to take care of some goons and…" Ben quickly nodded his head to get his cousin to stop talking.
"And the Three Stooges showed up to try and take my folks. How could they even find out about it?" He watched as Gwen quickly held up her smartphone, displaying a news website.
"That's what I was wondering, until I found this. A prison in Washington just had a break in and only now did they finish their headcount. Only one inmate was missing, a member of the Negative 10." Ben's eyes widened as he nearly dropped the communicator. He shook his head in order to regain his composure before glaring at the device.
"I'm heading straight for the antique shop. Call Grandpa and meet me there! I have a bad feeling." He hung up as he prepared to use the Omnitrix. He felt someone put a hand on his shoulder, looking up to see his mother frowning at him.
"Please be careful, Ben," requested the woman. Ben smiled as he had his hand on his mother's for a few seconds, nodding his head. She finally let him go as he transformed into XLR8, allowing him to rush off quickly. Sandra frowned as she hugged her husband, the man allowing her to rest her head in the crook of his neck. The moment was ruined by the sound of a door opening.
"MY CAR!" cried a man. The family looked at the car they just destroyed, a man nearly ripping out his hair as he saw the damage. The neighbor turned their way, growling as he saw the weapon in Carl's hand. "TENNYSON!" Carl quickly hid the weapon behind his back as he smiled nervously.
"Sorry, Mr. Baumann!" cried Mr. Tennyson. "Can I write you a check?" This question caused the neighbor to sigh, questioning why he moved closer to the Tennysons instead of further away.
Uncle's Rare Finds
Jade smirked as she had several layers of protective outfits over her, including a motorcycle helmet and an armored vest. She wanted to make sure that she had all of her bases covered when it came to testing this talisman. It was the same thing she did when testing out the rabbit talisman to find out about its speed magic, though she got in trouble for doing so without adult supervision. This time she rectified the one thing that she felt like got her in trouble that day. Hence why Max was standing nearby with a first aid kit on a nearby table and a fire extinguisher in hand, a concerned look on his face.
"Be careful, Jade," requested the elder Tennyson. "I don't want you to get hurt by testing out this talisman. We don't know what it even does yet. Who knows if all that protective gear will actually help?" Jade smirked at his concern, gesturing to the mattress propped against the wall behind her.
"Hopefully the mat will catch me if it ends up throwing me back or something," stated the girl. "I'm taking everything I can think of into account. Besides, it'd let Jackie get the rest he needs. Even if I'm grounded for this and can't go to Melvin World, that'll be worth it." She watched as the old man sent her a small smile, nodding his head in approval.
She picked up the sheep talisman from the stool she put it on, beginning to concentrate on it. She moved it around as she tried to make it do something, only to groan as she held it up to her face. "Work, darn it!" As if hearing her command, the face of the talisman began to glow. She didn't have time to voice her concern as she suddenly fell backwards, hitting the floor as Max dropped the fire extinguisher.
"JADE!" The elder Tennyson quickly ran over to her as he lifted her up off the ground. "Wake up!" Jade suddenly rose from her own body, intangible as she looked around. She hummed as she put her hands on her hips.
"Well what did that do?" She turned around to see what was going on, only to gasp as she saw Max holding her body in her arms. "Am I DEAD!?" She quickly flew back to her body as if to try and interact with it, only to be sucked back in as soon as she made contact. She gasped awake, causing Max to let loose a sigh in relief.
"You're okay. I thought the talisman hurt you for a moment there." Jade patted herself with her hands as if trying to feel for something.
"That was freaky! It was like I was dead but not. It looked like that astral something-or-other that you see in ghost movies. What's that called?" She watched as Mr. Tennyson raised his eyebrow in confusion.
"Astral? You mean Astral Projection?" Jade grinned as she nodded her head, quickly jumping out of the old man's arms.
"Yeah that!" She quickly picked up the sheep talisman before leading the man to a nearby chair. "Sit down and watch!" The man quickly sat down so that she'd stop pulling him, watching as she placed the talisman in his other hand. "Now concentrate on it."
Max raised his eyebrow once again in confusion, only to look down at the stone. It glowed as soon as he focused his mind on it, causing his body to go limp as he closed his eyes. He flew out of his body to where Jade couldn't see him looking down at his transparent form. He hummed as he waved his hand in front of Jade's face, only to get no reaction whatsoever. He floated in front of her as he narrowed his eyes.
"Jade?" He earned no response as she didn't even hear him, waiting for him to return to his body. He tried to touch her a few times, only for his hand to phase straight through her. He quickly returned to his body, gasping as he sat up straight. "That was freaky."
Jade nodded her head quickly, understanding how he felt. They heard the sound of rushing footsteps moving up the stairs, turning towards the entrance to the room. Uncle and a rather tired looking Jackie quickly made their way upstairs.
"We heard a shout!" cried Jackie. "What's wrong!? Why is everything set up like…?" He quickly spotted the smile on Jade's face and the talisman in Max's hand. Uncle beat him to it as he gasped.
"YOU TOOK TALISMAN FROM MAGIC BOX!" cried the old man. "Now dark forces can track it!" Jade quickly held her hands up in defense as she stood between the duo and Max.
"I just wanted to help, so I called Max over to supervise me trying it out!" cried the young Chan. "And we found out what it does!" The adult Chan duo looked at her in shock.
"You did?" asked Jackie and Uncle. Max stood up from his seat as he sent a smile the duo's way. He nodded his head to show that Jade was being serious.
"I experienced it for myself," added the Plumber. "Astral Projection. The out of body experience was unsettling, though I was happy that I could just fly back into my body." Jackie smiled at this news, his tired body practically thanking the duo. Max suddenly received one of Uncle's famous slaps as the chi wizard took the talisman from him.
"You left yourself vulnerable to possession by other spirits!" cried Uncle. "If another had taken the talisman and used its power, you could have found yourself trapped outside your body as they control it. Imagine being forced to watch as someone used your body to do terrible things, unable to stop it!" Max gulped, nodding his head slowly. He didn't get a chance to respond as Uncle turned away from him with a huff, earning a pleading look from Jackie.
"Uncle, please," begged the martial artist. "It was dangerous, and I will have a talk with Jade later, but everything turned out okay. Let's get the talisman back in the box and I'll take it to Section 13 tomorrow." He waited as Uncle gave him the stink eye, as if trying to intimidate him. The elder Chan grumbled as he walked down the stairs, his hands behind his back.
He was quickly followed behind by Jackie and Jade, the former of the two yawning as he desired a good nap. Max was about to follow them when he heard his communicator go off. He opened up his device, smiling as he saw Gwen's face.
"Hey Pumpkin," greeted the old man. "What's going…" He was interrupted as his granddaughter brought the camera closer to her face.
"Ben and I were just attacked at home by the Dark Hand!" cried Gwen. Max's eyes widened in shock, not expecting such news. "We took care of them, but they knew about the watch. We think they broke one of the Negative 10 out of prison! Ben's on his way but I can't help feeling like this is the perfect opportunity for…" Max's eyes hardened as he moved the camera further from his face.
"A trap." He quickly shut off the device before running downstairs. Uncle reached the bottom of the steps as he began to walk to the back room, only to notice a red dot on his shirt.
"Aiyaah!" cried the chi wizard. "Who hit Uncle with paintball!?" He tried to wipe it off, only to notice that the dot transferred to his hand. He then watched as it moved up his arm and transferred onto his forehead. Jackie suddenly gained a boost of adrenaline as he rushed for Uncle.
"GET DOWN!" cried the martial artist. He tackled the old man to the ground, a gunshot being heard as the display glass of the store shattered. The bullet hit the door to the back room, the sound itself causing Jade to hunker behind the counter. The sound of screaming and running people outside made her feel even more panicked about the situation. A pair of boots hit the shop floor as someone jumped into the building.
"Hola," greeted a woman. "I heard there were rare magical talismans on sale here. Something that's to die for." Jackie growled as he rose up, making sure to keep himself between the attacker and Uncle at all times. The first thing he saw was a high tech gun with the word "Rojo" scratched onto the side.
The armed woman had maroon hair, pale skin, black lipstick, and brown eyes. She had four earrings on her ears, three on the right and one on the left. She wore brown jeans, a gothic black jacket with skull logos on both shoulders, a black leather belt, a choker necklace, a gray shirt and black gloves. She smirked as she looked at the only two visible men. "If you value your lives, you'll give me those talismans."
She then pointed her gun at where Jade was hiding, causing the girl's eyes to widen. "Or I could make an example of your little friend." Jackie growled as he stood up, the woman changing the aim of her weapon at him. "No funny business, hombre." Rojo was not fully prepared, however, as he suddenly kicked her gun to the side.
He then went for a strike at her face, forcing her to dodge. He threw a few more attacks at her, actually landing a kick that sent her scooting backwards. She quickly reached behind her, pulling out a hunting knife. She went on the offensive as she tried to stab the knife into the former action star, only for the man to continuously bob and weave out of the way. He then grabbed a nearby vase lid to block the knife blade, earning an outcry from Uncle.
"Careful, Jackie!" cried the old man. "That vase is very expensive!" Jackie grunted as he did his best to block a few more stabs.
"Who are you?" questioned the man. "How did you find out about the Talismans?" He watched Rojo smile as she chuckled.
"The Dark Hand decided to spring me to help with their little alien problem," answered the woman. "After I told them the truth about it, I decided I wanted in on their little hunt. With them distracting the Tennysons, I figured that now would be a good time to grab it all." Jade covered her mouth in response to the woman's words, realizing that was one of Ben's supervillains. Jackie's eyes narrowed in confusion at this news.
"Tennysons? What would they have to do with the aliens?" He watched as Rojo's smirk grew into an evil grin.
"So, they never told you. Do you ever wonder how the aliens always seem to know when something is going on? How they show up even when you're in another country? Have you ever tried looking for their little symbol anywhere?" Jackie looked down in thought as he tried to think of an answer, only to look up as the woman tried to get a sneaky stab at him.
"JACKIE!" cried Jade. Before Rojo could get in her attack, she was forced to jump back from a laser blast. She looked up to see Max with a small tablet in his hand and a drone floating in front of him.
"I'm giving you one chance to either surrender or leave," growled the elder Tennyson. "I suggest you take it." He watched as Rojo grinned, holding her hands behind her head.
"You're lucky that I don't have my gun, old timer," chuckled the woman. "I'd put you in the hospital again, LIKE THIS!" She launched her knife at the man, forcing him to shoot it away with the laser of the drone. The woman then aimed a gun with a machine claw at the end, firing it towards Uncle. The chi wizard jerked back in an attempt to avoid the claw, only to have the Sheep Talisman yanked from his hand.
"JACKIE!" cried Uncle. "The Talisman!" Jackie tried to grab the cord that was pulling the claw back towards the woman, only for it to escape his grasp. Rojo quickly grabbed the stone from the claw and shoved it into her pocket. She then ran for the window and saluted the group.
"¡Que tengan una buena vida, perdedores!" (1) She then leapt out of the hole and ran as fast as she could, police sirens beginning to sound off. Jackie looked back at Max and Uncle, frowning at the Tennyson man a bit longer than he meant to before nodding his head.
"Stay with Jade," ordered the archeologist. He didn't wait for their response as he also leapt out the window, giving chase after the thief. Jade peeked out from her hiding spot, shaking with fear for the first time in a while.
"Don't worry!" cried the young Chan. "I'm not going anywhere!" She watched as a blue and black blur passed by the shop, following after the duo. Her shaking stopped as her frown turned to a hopeful smile, releasing a relaxed sigh. "Ben."
Down the road, Jackie continued to chase after Rojo. The woman was pretty spry, but he was definitely faster than her. She tried to dodge him by running past traffic that was meant to slow him down, only for the man to leap onto the roof of one car and jump off of it to the sidewalk on the other side, resuming the chase. Rojo couldn't help but whistle as she looked back.
"He really does do his own stunts," observed the criminal. She looked ahead as she saw a motorcycle parked on the side of the road, a logo for the Dark Hand's cover business on the side. She smirked as she recognized the vehicle that she "borrowed" to pull this gig off. She was nearly there when XLR8 sped into her way, stopping between her and the bike.
"Hold it right there, Rojo!" cried the alien. The woman skidded to a stop, Jackie stopping very closely behind her. "You're not going anywhere but back to prison, and you're leaving that stone behind. We can do this the easy way, or we can find out how fast a human can go before they harmlessly pass out." Rojo growled at the appearance of the alien hero, only to smirk as she placed a hand on her hip.
"Nice to see you too, Tennyson. Did you like the little surprise my new amigos sent your way?" XLR8 growled as he saw Jackie's eyes widen.
"Tennyson?" questioned the martial artist. He looked towards the alien hero, noticing the symbol on his chest. The speedy creature decided to move things along as he hunkered forwards.
"Already dealt with," growled the alien. "If you don't hand that over and come quietly, I'll deal with you too." He watched Rojo mock a hurt expression.
"So the niño who couldn't hit girls decided he's bad enough to do so?" questioned the criminal. "We could fight all day long if you want, but you don't really have that time." XLR8 allowed his visor to lower over his face as he readied his arms.
"Why's that? What did you do!?" The tone in his voice caused Jackie to step back, being reminded of the dinosaurs in movies. XLR8 clearly had enough of this woman, and they only just reunited. Rojo grinned as she pointed back the way they came.
"Let's just say I left a present back at the shop. In t-minus one minute and 30 seconds, Uncle's Rare Finds will be all over the street." She then held up a small rod with a button on top, watching as XLR8's stance raised a bit. "And a push of this button will cause it to happen a lot sooner." The alien shook in place as lightning began to form over its body.
"JADE!" The dinosaur quickly sped off towards the shop, leaving Jackie and Rojo behind. The woman kept the detonator in view as she walked over towards the bike. She sat down on the vehicle as she grabbed a helmet resting on the handlebars. She turned to Jackie, an evil grin on her face.
"See you around, Chan." She pressed the button on the rod and threw it at the martial artist. Jackie's eyes widened in absolute terror, only to watch as the side opened and released a large amount of smoke in his face. He coughed as he waved the particles out of his face, only to watch as the villainess drove off. He sighed in defeat as he slumped over, several thoughts racing through his mind.
Back at Uncle's shop, the police were obtaining a report of the incident from Uncle and Max. Jade stood to the side, having already been asked what happened. She looked down, feeling like this whole thing was her fault. Her ear suddenly perked up as she heard a beeping noise. She looked around as she tried to find the origin, her eyes landing upon Rojo's gun.
She took a few steps closer, watching as a light on the side blinked yellow. As the beeps increased in frequency, the light flashed faster and faster. She soon realized what was going on, her face morphing in terror as she took a few steps back.
"Guys!" cried the girl. The adults looked her way as she ran towards them. "The gun's beeping and it's getting faster!" Everyone looked frightened as they could now hear the dreaded sound she was talking about. Max quickly grabbed her and slung her over his shoulder.
"Run for cover!" cried the old man. Uncle had to be dragged away from the building as the police and onlookers began to clear the building. The light was now glowing brightly at a constant pace as the weapon began to shake. Jade watched in fear as Max took her to hide behind a dumpster. Everyone waited for the big boom, only for the sound of rushing wind to silence the beeping.
Jade was the first to look, fear still gripping her. Her eyes widened as the weapon was gone, nowhere to be found. She quickly realized what happened as she ran out onto the road, watching as a blur sped around a corner.
"BEN!" Max suddenly looked up from the dumpster, the same frightened look on his face. XLR8 quickly rushed through the city, moving faster than he ever had before. He had to get to the bay, and fast. Time seemed to slow down for him as he began to leave scorch marks on the road below him, his feet feeling the heat.
"GOTTA-HURRY-GOTTA-HURRY-GOTTA-HURRY!" cried the alien. He soon spotted his destination, thankfully finding a space where no people or boats were in the water. He made a turn so fast that he created a small sonic boom, shattering anything glass around him. He skidded to a stop as he threw the gun high over the water, lightning trailing off of it. He watched as it soared higher and higher until it exploded in a massive wave of pressure.
The dinosaur-like being quickly rushed backwards in an effort to avoid any falling debris or remnants of the pressure wave. He sighed in relief as he patted his chest, quickly calming his heart to a more natural level before rushing as fast as he could back to the shop. He stopped in an empty alleyway, a familiar jingle playing. He turned back into his normal self, taking a moment to make sure no one was around. He stuck his head out to view the area, watching as Jackie finally returned.
"Uncle, Jade!" cried the martial artist. He came to a stop as he watched Jade run up to him. He spread out his arms as she jumped at him, tackling him in a hug.
"Jackie!" cried the young Chan. He quickly reciprocated the embrace, relieved that she was okay. She pulled back as she sent him a smile. "Did you beat that crazy lady and get the talisman back?" Jackie sighed as he shook his head in denial.
"No. She told me and one of those aliens about the explosive and threatened to set it off early. She showed that it was actually a smoke device when the alien was gone, riding off on a Xiaoling Industries motorcycle." An officer stood nearby, taking notes on the situation. He nodded as he sounded his understanding.
"Xiaoling Industries did report one of their vehicles was stolen," stated the man. He turned to Jackie as he pointed his pen at him. "I'll need your statement on what happened here, Mr. Chan. I'll give you a moment to check on the rest of your family, given the explosive armament that was involved." Jackie nodded his head in response as the officer turned away, setting Jade down on the ground.
"Aiyaah!" cried Uncle. The duo looked towards the chi wizard, watching as he nearly ripped his hair out of his head. "It will take months to get new window in! My shop will be ruined by burglars!" Max put his hand on Uncle's shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile.
"A window can always be replaced, but the lives of you and your family can't be," stated the Plumber. "I can have a friend bring out a new window before the end of the day. He owes me one so he won't charge much if anything at all. Your shop will be fine." Uncle allowed his arms to fall to his sides, sighing as he looked down. Ben decided to run up, the concerned frown on his face being real.
"Jade!" cried the boy. He watched as she turned towards him an unreadable expression on her face, skidding to a stop in front of her. "Is everything alright? I heard police sirens coming this way and…" He stopped mid-sentence as the girl hugged him, bringing a blush to his face.
"Please don't scare me like that again," requested the young Chan. "Please." Ben allowed his blush to die down as he returned the gesture, letting the girl lay her head on his shoulder. Jackie smiled as he watched the duo, only to frown as he noticed something. He finally took the time to realize that the logo on the face of Ben's "watch" matched the symbol that XLR8 had on his chest.
The words of Rojo quickly filtered back into his mind, causing him to question what the Tennysons weren't telling them. Realizing that now wasn't the time, however, he decided to hold off on mentioning his suspicions. He smiled as he watched the duo separate from their embrace.
"We're all fine, Ben," answered the martial artist. "A thief came in and took the talisman we just retrieved. I couldn't stop her this time. The Dark Hand has the talisman." Ben smirked as he shook his head.
"So what if they do?" questioned the alien hero. "All that matters is that you guys are alright. We can always get the talisman back from them. As long as we have more than them, we're on the winning end." The boy watched Jade smile sadly as she nodded her head.
"Yeah, it still stinks though," added the girl. She looked up at Jackie with her smile still intact. "I guess we won't be going to Melvin World for a while. Given I caused this mess and all." Jackie frowned as he knelt down, putting both hands on Jade's shoulders.
"Jade, you did not cause any of this," reassured the martial artist. "That horrible woman was going to attack whether you removed the talisman from the box or not. I can tell that you genuinely wanted to help this time, but I want you to be more careful from here on. I have a horrible feeling that this 'Rojo' will be a more common appearance amongst the Dark Hand. Promise me that you'll try to exercise caution."
Jade nodded her head, her smile becoming more genuine as Jackie raised one of his forearms to point upwards. "Now, we will indeed have to put off that trip to Melvin World. I promise that when we do go, you can bring your friends from school with you. Okay?" He received another hug from his niece, the girl grinning ear to ear.
"Deal." Jackie quickly returned the embrace once more, receiving a smile from Ben. Things had certainly become more hectic, but at least no one was seriously hurt.
Xiaoling Industries
Valmont growled, his fists clenched as he looked towards his enforcers. He was angry, furious even. Never in the history of the Dark Hand had anyone earned his ire this much. His men couldn't even look him in the eye. He stomped his cane angrily, readying it as if he were going to beat them with it.
"THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!" roared the man. "My top enforcers, running like cowards from a man with a gun!? A GUN!? Please tell me this is some elaborate joke because it is not funny!" Ratso held up his hands in defense, fear clearly visible in his eyes.
"It was some freaky alien laser gun!" cried the olive skinned goon. "He almost burnt a hole in us or made us explode like that car!" He earned an elbow to the gut from Finn. The fancily dressed goon knew better than to speak in this scenario. He proved himself right as Valmont drew a gun from under his suit jacket, pointing it at Ratso.
"NO MORE EXCUSES! It's bad enough that the other men I sent were beaten BY A LITTLE GIRL! Can no one do their job anymore!?" The door to the room was kicked open, the humans turning to see Rojo waltz into the room.
"From the sounds of it, I was right to assume you failed to defeat the Tennysons," guessed the woman. "Doesn't surprise me, given the state of your men." She watched Chow growl as he pointed at her.
"Oh yeah?" questioned the Asian villain. "And what did you do that has you so high and mighty, Mrs. Bike Thief?" Rojo smirked at this question, enjoying the look on the trio of goons' faces. She pulled out her catch from her pocket, displaying it to the group. Shendu's eyes glowed red as smoke erupted from his mouth.
"THE TALISMAN!" roared the dragon. The Shadowkhan suddenly appeared from the shadows, pointing swords at the woman. She suddenly held the stone high in the air, her grin never leaving her face.
"Careful," warned the woman. "One wrong move and I smash this against the ground." Shendu growled at the woman, only for Valmont to clap at the display.
"Bravo, Mrs. Rojo," congratulated the man. "This is what a successful mission looks like, gentlemen. I assume you wish to bargain for the talisman, madam." He ignored the grumbles of the enforcers as he gestured for the shinobi to lower their blades. Rojo stepped past the shadow ninjas as she nodded her head.
"I want in. I want a cut of the treasure, and a high tech arsenal to deal with the Tennysons. Do that, and I'll bring you as many talismans as you want." The sound of the offer caused Shendu to chuckle, his eyes glowing red in excitement. Valmont nodded his head, stretching out his hand.
"You have a deal." Rojo immediately handed him the Talisman, shaking his hand at the same time. "Welcome, Mrs. Rojo, to the Dark Hand."
Inkaliber: That's the end of the chapter. Things go pretty standard from the start as Jackie returns with the Talisman and Jade decides to try it out to save time. Then it's revealed that Rojo was the Dark Hand's new ally, telling them about the Tennysons and seeding doubt in Jackie's mind. Things end with Shendu receiving one of the talismans, and a small moment between Ben and Jade. What do you think, guys?
Meowth: A good return, Boss! Dis story is gonna rock!
James: I enjoyed seeing the nice moment between the boy and his family. Goodness knows I couldn't have anything like that with mine.
Jessie: The way he was embarrassed was so adorable! A wonderful chapter!
Inkaliber: Okay! Enough buttering me up. I gotta end the chapter and start on the next one soon. I don't wanna move to updating on Mondays so I'll need to try and get back on track. Can I have a moment to end things off.
Ex-Team Rocket: SIR YES SIR!
Inkaliber: Heh. Always so dramatic. It never gets old though.
Anyway, what did you guys think about the chapter? Did you like the changes to the original episode? How about Ben's parents wanting to meet Jade? Let me know what you think down below and I'll try to get back with you ASAP. This is Inkaliber, signing out.
(1) "Have a nice life, losers!"