Chan in Bellwood (Rewrite)

by Inkaliber

Jade has been having trouble in school lately. With parents as busy as hers, who could really blame her? With all this stress and uncertainty brought about by their daughter's behavior, what will her parents do? Send her to her uncle Jackie in... Bellwood? How will things change when a certain family gets involved in the lives of the Chan Clan from the very Beginning?

11. Healing and Horsing Around

Hey guys! Time for another exciting chapter of Chan in Bellwood! We're back in action with the Horse Talisman as the next target! There were also some interesting things not answered in the previous chapter, so expect a few of them to be dealt with. That being said, let's answer some reviews.

W8W: Ben indeed is growing to appreciate more and more about Jade, from gymnastics to her cooking. I wanted to do some important world building here and set up the Season 2 events, as well as explain some things. It also gave Jackie a bit of a hint towards the Tennyson family's involvement. I figured something different could be used for the Rat Talisman in this story, and it was fun. The Talus will indeed be making a return if the end of its section has anything to say about it.

I understand a displeasure for the age thing, but I will request you read the chapter for a full explanation to what happened to Ben and the Omnitrix. Besides, the chapter said that he only grew a bit taller, so he's not exactly at Alien Force appearance. The battle with Shendu was one of my favorite things to write this chapter. Her Chosen One status will be an interesting development. Jackie knows about Gwen, but only has a strong idea towards Ben's involvement.

P96822: I'm glad that you enjoyed it. We'll see just what's in store when it comes to the changes. Big Chill was definitely fun to bring in. There will be some very fun aliens in use.

Reader (Guest): I'm glad that you're enjoying the story. The Marvel part of the universe will continue to get interesting as things continue. Things between Ben and Jade are also about to become very interesting.

AshipperWithsense: It may take a while for Danny himself to show up, but some fun plans are in the works.

With all that out of the way, let's start this 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, surprise at the end of a section."

"AUTHOR/GUEST/HIGH OR DEMONIC ENTITY YELLING!"

"Whispering."

"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity whispering."

[Language Indicator]

"Machine or alt communication talking/Talking in flashback."

"MACHINE OR ALT COMMUNICATION YELLING/YELLING IN FLASHBACK!"

"Machine or alt communication whispering/Whispering in flashback."

---

Bellwood, Pennsylvania

The sound of grunting rang throughout the gym at the Plumber Base. A young individual was curling his arms while holding dumbbells, each weight set to a load he could handle without messing up his body or hurting himself. The boy was wearing a pair of black exercise shorts and a familiar set of gray and green sneakers, a green tank-top with black lightning bolts on it draped on the back of a chair. He put the weight down, taking a moment to breathe as he wiped sweat from his face. The boy was revealed to be Ben as he took a gulp of water from a bottle.

He was finally putting his need to work off his energy into action, working his body to where he was satisfied. He stayed within the healthy limits of a boy his age, though that still included improving himself. He stood up from the bench he was on as he grabbed a towel from a hanger, drying the sweat off of his face with it. He thought back to why he started this routine five days ago, a small smile on his face. Max had brought him here to the Plumber base for a meeting that was long overdue.

---

Flashback: Five Days Prior

Ben walked alongside his grandfather through the base, noticing how some people he knew looked at him differently. Those who understood human biology found it odd while others thought he was finally reaching his mature stage. Whatever their reason for looking, they nodded upon being noticed before returning to their duties. The boy did blush when a female cadet not much older than him winked at him before continuing along, though he felt no need to pursue that little detail. He was brought to a private conference room, Azmuth's hologram machine floating above a table as it projected the Galvan onto the surface.

"Took you long enough," complained the old amphibian. "I give you more power with the Omnitrix and you still manage to run late when I actually need to speak with you." Ben rolled his eyes before nodding to the Galvan.

"Well some important matters came up," mocked the boy, using an excuse Azmuth used on him before. "I'm sure you can understand." Azmuth looked away as he gritted his teeth.

"Cheeky child… Well played. I assume you have questions of personal importance before we handle what is important beyond such matters. Speak them quickly." Ben sat down in front of the table, still getting used to his new size.

"Azmuth, why did the Omnitrix change? Why did I have to grow older?" The Galvan took a turn at rolling his eyes as he groaned.

"You are not older. The Omnitrix transfigured your DNA, removing all unnecessary genes and reworking the entire structure to construct what you would consider a perfectly healthy body. As for the Omnitrix's transformation, it has several forms and appearances. This is simply the form it takes when an Alpha Level threat of certain importance is detected and requires swift removal. This, as I told Director Fury, is a planet level threat that can bring an end to all civilization on a planet wide scale."

The Galvan sighed as he began to pace back and forth. "It is unfortunate that your first active duty as Guardian Inquisitor is to deal with HIM of all cretins." Ben frowned, having an idea of who Azmuth was talking about.

"I met Shendu when he used the Sheep Talisman to try and possess Jade. He nearly destroyed her, her memories being gone until her uncle used a chi spell to heal her." He watched the amphibian send him a serious frown.

"If he did such damage, it was not possession he prepared for the girl. He would have taken over her body in its entirety, using it as his own vessel until he retrieved the Zodiac Talismans. He would not bother with turning some simple child into his vessel, especially a female. Did he give any indications as to why he was attacking her in such a way?" Ben growled a bit as he clenched his fists, only to control himself as he took a slow breath.

"When he first had control of her body, he called her Low Pay or something. I have no idea what that means, but I have a feeling it's a name I'm mispronouncing." Azmuth sighed heavily as he shook his head.

"So… the Emperor's command has come to pass." Ben tilted his head a bit in confusion, earning another sigh from Azmuth. "I had not fully considered magic as a natural phenomenon in the universe when I was younger, Earth being my first real experience with it. I saw it as nothing more than an anomaly, an unknown science that had yet to be understood and recorded properly. That is until I met the Emperor that was meant to rule humanity during the reign of Shendu and those he calls his brethren."

He looked Ben in the eye as he did his best to recall the memory. "I offered my assistance in defeating the demons, seeing their rule as a potential threat to the universe should they find a way to leave the Earth. In return they would help me understand magic, both in its structure and its lack thereof. I won't bore you with the details. It's something you'd better learn from a chi wizard, but I will say that there's a balance to it that makes it function."

He returned to pacing as he remembered the monstrous stone dragons that Shendu had brought to life with the power of the Rat. "The war with the Demon Sorcerers was long and brutal, setting me off my planned research of life in the universe by years. I do not believe that it was a distraction I regret. In the end the demons were sealed away, within the Pen'Ku Box: a creation of mine and Lo Pei's. Shendu was turned to stone by the spell that freed the Zodiac power, the dragon kept in the mortal world to help ensure balance between light and dark so that magic would return. This was done because ,with magic, one half must always balance the other."

Realizing that he was getting lost on memory lane, Azmuth replaced his own hologram with that of the Omnitrix's new model. "The Omnitrix has entered its Guardian Inquisitor state, enabling the Warden protocol. Do not assume this is a weaponization of the Omnitrix. While some Alpha Level threats can only be handled with violence, many require nothing more than a simple command and the threat will be erased into the Omnitrix DNA scanner. You will see it on the back of the device. It looks similar to a button."

Ben looked towards the spot, keeping an eye on it. "The Warden Protocol itself is fairly simple. It breaks down the DNA of a threat that you point the scanner at. However Shendu is not one such being you can use it on sadly. The only time you would be able to use a minor form of the functions is when he is using the Talismans, such as the case with the Sheep Talisman or if he were to attain his true form, at which point we would likely have already lost unless Lo Pei's new incarnation can seal him again." Ben suddenly held up his hands, pausing Azmuth's side of the conversation.

"Hold up! You mean to tell me that Jade is the reincarnation of some ancient guy that beat Shendu, and now she's forced to do the same!? She already has enough on her plate, and don't try to tell me or her that her emotional problems aren't important. Humans are very emotion driven." Azmuth rolled his eyes once again as he allowed his hologram to return.

"I understand that humans are emotional. Your species is hardly the only ones that can be emotional. The threat of Shendu and his siblings is not a problem the Omnitrix was fully designed to handle, their threat being magical instead of biological. I had anticipated magical threats, however, and thus created the Warden Protocol. If I would be allowed to finish…"

Ben held his hands up in defense, saying no more as Azmuth gestured to the golden ring of inscriptions around the core of the Omnitrix. "In your true form, the Warden protocol selects a transformation that has been calculated as the best possible answer in a biological sense. Another function of the Warden protocol is magical protection. The ring of inscriptions surrounding the core holds all of the good chi defenses the device needs. In the event that you can't transform or in an instance where the predetermined form will be damaged by a magical attack, a magical shielding will protect you from as much harm as possible."

He lowered his hand as the boy brought the device to his face, looking towards the metallic markings. "The golden ring will also prevent anyone with evil chi from touching you or the Omnitrix. Should you require it, the inscriptions will allow you to punch your enemy's with the good chi stored within the watch. If all else fails and you find yourself in a pinch, the Omnitrix employs an enhancement function. Should it be needed, it will select a form that has been designated as the last resort for a situation and enhance them to deal with the threat."

The panel on the back lit up, revealing an empty playlist. "The enhanced forms are saved within a separate playlist in order to avoid data corruption, but overuse of the function will result in mutations to your DNA. You mentioned a young man named Kevin in our last call. I researched him and his form that he acquired from absorbing genetic energy from the Omnitrix. Imagine such a transformation, but permanent and far more severe. You may not survive the first three days after undergoing such a transformation."

Ben gulped at this, not liking the idea. "While past enhanced forms can be accessed with little to no drawbacks, the enhancement function can only create new entries three times within seventy two hours. Any more attempts will result in risking the consequences previously mentioned. It is important to exercise caution and only use the enhancement function if absolutely necessary." Ben looked down at his hands, holding them together.

"What if I'm not strong enough as I am? I can't be ready for every situation right now as I'm still a kid." Azmuth hummed a bit, surprised that the boy had a healthy dose of realism towards the possibility of failure.

"Then do what humans have done for millennia, train your body and your mind. Your new body has been made to be what you would have looked like had you been placed on a perfect diet and exercised every day of your life. If you wish to continue growing in strength and mental capability, you must begin such a regiment as if it was your entire life. Just don't forget to live your life as you'll regret it as I did when I was young. That is all I have time for when it comes to additional chatter."

The hologram began to dissipate as Azmuth bowed his head slightly. "Good luck, Benjamin." The hologram device teleported away, presumably off-world. It took Ben a while to process the information before he left the room. He went to the gym to put Azmuth's words to work, having returned regularly ever since.

---

Flashback: End

Ben had asked his father for weights to use at home, doing his lighter workouts in the living room area. When he wanted to push himself, however, he would always head for the gym in the Plumber base. They had machines that could help the body work out in ways that human technology could not achieve, though the boy was still too young to be using many of them. He still made an effort to watch how each one operated, knowing that he would one day take to them as well. Until then, he was fine with pushing himself with Grandpa Max's workout schedule.

He was brought out of memory lane as he heard a feminine groan, immediately turning towards the entrance of the gym. Jade walked into the room, being dressed in a white tank-top and pink shorts. She had arrived earlier to continue running light simulations with Grandpa Max, only right now she did not look so well. She was holding her lower stomach, stumbling before she leaned against a treadmill. Ben immediately ran over to her, skidding to a stop as she closed her eyes from the pain.

"Jade!?" cried the boy. "Are you hurt?" The girl opened her eyes, the anger in them spooking him a bit.

"Define hurt," huffed the Chinese girl. "I'm having the worst time of my life these past two days. Jackie called Viper after freaking out, probably because he didn't know who else to call, and she said this happens from five to seven days a month every three weeks. I'm not sure I'm gonna be too happy dealing with this every month." Ben sighed at this, having known that Jade was on her period the moment she arrived on base. He had no idea, however, that it would hit her harder than he was used to seeing when Gwen started her period. He quickly composed himself as he nodded his head.

"I see. Would you like me to take you home? I could get you something to help if I can. I could see if Mom made any Latiao or grab you something else." Jade giggled under her breath before she grunted from another cramp.

"You're sweet, Ben. Max did say I should head back to Section 13. I can't really walk there without the cramps bugging me, at least not alone. If only I had a gentle knight in shining…" Ben smirked as he nodded his head.

"Say no more. I'll pick a good alien and get you back to Section 13 as quickly as you want me to." Jade's face somehow became more pale than it already was as she shook her head.

"Um… how about we just walk together instead? Even with you being gentle, the jostling might make it worse." Ben nodded his head again, remembering how much Gwen changed her mind when going through this.

"Alright. Just let me pack up my gym bag and I'll be ready to go." The boy began putting things away in said bag, unaware that Jade took a moment to sneak a picture of him with her new phone Jackie bought her after the incident with the Dark Hand. She giggled to herself as she looked the image over, feeling less embarrassed by such an action at the moment. She secretly set the image as her phone background, putting the device away as she watched Ben put on his tank-top before slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"Take me home, Benji. Jade needs some good rest." Ben did his best to not react to the nickname as he nodded his head, walking alongside the girl. There were times that she had to stop due to the cramps she was feeling, but the boy was willing to stop and wait for her to be ready again. He did his best not to make a big deal out of it when people walked by, not wanting to have her fury focused on him like last time.

Soon they found their way onto the streets, Ben holding Jade close as he looked around. After what happened recently, he was not letting her out of his sights or avoiding her again. The thought of the memory made him frown a bit as he looked towards his crush.

"So… how are you handling things after that mess with Shendu? We haven't really talked since everything went down considering you've not been to school for two weeks. Is therapy going okay? I know magic induced trauma isn't usually their specialty but…" Jade sighed as she slowly nodded her head.

"I…I'm okay, I think. I feel like there's still things I'm forgetting but for the most part it's fine. I'm slowly getting things back so hopefully nothing important pops up later and bites me in the butt. Then again, a bite to the butt would feel better than these cramps." She let loose a dry laugh at the idea, Ben letting her go through the motions.

She then sent him narrowed eyes as she tried to keep her smile up. "When it comes to you and Gwen seeing me naked after Shendu did his little show, however, all I can say is that I'm dealing with it. Not like I have much choice either way." She watched the boy blush as he looked away, having tried to not go there in the discussion. He looked back towards her as he tried his best to control his cheeks.

"If I said you look beautiful would you not hate me? I'm already worried that you do after you nearly passed out showing me your gymnastic training. You know… when I accidentally… And it was an accident." He began to panic when she sent him a look of anger fearing she might hit him or yell at him, only for her to do a one eighty and, smiling all the while, peck him on the cheek. The girl couldn't help but giggle as she pulled back, seeing the redness growing in her crush's cheeks.

"Thanks. You're not too bad yourself, though I haven't seen you in the same position. I'll be keeping this picture of you with your shirt off, by the way." She showed the picture she took off to him, causing him to blush at the fact she had it. "Someone's gotta catalog your rise to beef-cake status and since you saw mine I get to see yours. Just don't drop your pants around me anytime soon. I'm not ready for that."

Ben's blush almost went past his head as he looked away, earning another giggle from Jade. Ever since she had been released from the hospital, she had become more bold with her actions. While he didn't know what caused it, he could take a wild guess it was him seeing her naked but he was not going to ask for confirmation. In the end he couldn't complain, having missed Jade's confidence ever since she lost her memories for that short period of time. He'd take her sneaking pictures of him and being playful than her being timid and frightened. Such a state was not who Jade was, a state that she was forced into by her situation.

He shook off these thoughts as they began approaching the usual alleyway, only for Jade to stop him with a grab at his arm. "I'd rather take the stairs. The elevator is broken again last I heard and I already feel like my body is stabbing me with a knife." Ben looked her way, confused by this. He then realized her desire was to not take anything that moves fast and the elevator was definitely a fast moving object.

So he took her down the stairs, using his arm as extra support in case she missed a step in pain. He was thankful that such a thing didn't happen as they made their way to the right level of the base. They walked along the area on their way to the Chan's quarters, Ben once again making sure he didn't draw attention to them. As soon as they reached the room, the door opened. Jackie stepped out of the room, looking towards them as he noticed the pale look on Jade's face.

"Jade, please tell me you weren't out on your own," pleaded the archeologist. "A young lady should rest when she is on her period." Ben immediately did ceasing throat slides near his neck, though it was already too late as Jade's eyes ignited in fury.

"JACKIE! DON'T SAY IT OUT LOUD!" She stomped into the quarters, blushing as she dragged Ben with her before slamming the door behind her. Jackie blinked, imagining that his hair was standing on end from the yell he just received. He brought himself back to reality as he quickly opened the door.

"Jade! You cannot have a boy alone with you when you are in this state!" Ben threw a pillow at Jackie, the man not dodging it in time as it hit him in the face.

"Could you stop before you shove your foot deeper in your mouth!?" cried the boy. "Just stand there if you're worried about it!" The sound of crying immediately cut off the argument that was bound to happen between the two guys, both of them looking towards Jade. She curled up on the couch, hugging a pillow tightly as she began to cry. This struck both of them in the chest as neither of them had ever seen her cry in this way, even when she reverted back to Chan Yu after losing her memories.

"It's not fair!" cried Jade. "You guys get to hang out with people all the time while I have to suffer alone! It's bad enough that every girl back in Hong Kong hates my guts! Heck, even my guts hate me right now! I just want to be happy like everyone else without being such a problem!"

She reached her hand out as she sobbed, tears and snot staining the pillow. "IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK!?" Uncle and Captain Black were walking by as this outcry was unleashed. The old man of the duo sighed, shaking his head. He looked the head agent in the eye as his frown deepened.

"And I explain more on magic later," stated the chi wizard. "Have appointment call with nephew." He opened the door to the quarters, grabbing Jackie by his ear. "JACKIE! TALK NOW!" The archeologist let out cries of pain as he was pulled along, the door being slammed behind them.

"But Uncle! We can't leave the two of them alone!" He cried out in pain as the old man twisted his ear a bit. "OUCH! That hurts!" They soon found themselves in a nearby hallway as Uncle finally released Jackie.

"Uncle manage to make schedule call for Shin. Help Uncle instead of making niece cry!" Jackie gestured back towards the room, an exasperated look on his face.

"She can't have a boy with her in these times! You know what they could get up to!" Uncle let loose a cry of denial as he looked his nephew in the eye.

"Young Ben responsible! Jade will be fine. Now, phone call in ten minutes. We prepare notes before we speak with Shin." Jackie immediately switched gears as he grabbed the sides of his head.

"TEN MINUTES! We need to move now!" He ran for the office, causing Uncle to sigh.

"Why you think I bring you here? Uncle thought Jade was one on period." He let loose a huff as he followed after Jackie, making sure the man did not randomly throw notes together. He just hoped that they could build up the case properly without setting the man off. Shin was not an easy man to reason with when angered.

Back with the kids, Ben sat perfectly still on the couch. He had tried to soothe Jade as best as he could, the girl swapping from the pillow to him for her crying brace. His shirt would need a desperate wash after this, but he felt a need to help her in the only ways he could. She swapped from tears of anger to tears of anguish on a dime multiple times, the boy doing his best to brave through it all. Jade looked up at him as she sniffled, currently being in a sad mood.

"I HATE THIS!" cried the young Chan. "How do women do this all the time!? It's like I can't stick to one emotion! This is happening all too fast, and it's already on top of the crap the Dark Hand put me through! They saw everything and touched everything too!"

Ben did his best not to let his own anger flare up as the girl swapped over to her anger mode. "I was saving myself for the right guy, and they DEFILE ME!" Ben sent her a small smile as he tried to help her feel better.

"They didn't break your virginity or anything, right? You can still have that special moment with someone you love." Jade growled as she dug her head further into his side.

"It's still not fair! I have this horrible feeling inside, and that's on top of this stupid period! I hate them! I hate that stupid dragon! I hate my life!"

Ben lightly rubbed the top of her head as he sighed, knowing full well that she was being over-emotional. "Why does this stuff always happen to me? What did I do to deserve this: to be dishonored? All I did was cut my stupid hair!" Ben immediately began to shush her while continuing to rub her head.

"Jade, you are the most honorable girl I've ever met," admitted the boy. "It's an honor to even be your friend." She sniffled as she looked him in the eye.

"You really think so? What if I actually did dishonor my family?" Ben smiled lightly as he moved some of her hair out of her face.

"You didn't, Jade. Trust me. Anyone who says otherwise is an idiot. Also, I happen to think your hair is beautiful. It's growing back nice and long, where I can rub my fingers through it and everything." The girl sniffled again as she ran her hand through her own locks.

"It… SNIFF!... it used to reach my waist. I miss having it there. I put it in so many styles and even put flowers in it every now and then. I loved letting my mother braid it and all the fun things she'd do before… before…" She looked like she was about to bawl again when Ben rubbed her cheek.

"Jade, you can have your hair however you want it to be. It looks pretty long right now so maybe Gwen can do some braids." Jade looked away as she heaved a bit.

"It's not the same! I want it to grow back so I can play with it again!" Ben hummed, wondering if Gwen had any spells that could help. They were interrupted as the door to the room was knocked on. A blonde agent with glasses walked into the room, something in his hand.

"Mr. Chan," greeted the man. "I brought the Horse Talisman thing you retrieved as requested. I still can't believe we actually beat the Dark Hand to it. They didn't even show up. It needs to be returned to the vault by the end of the day so please…"

He stopped in his tracks, sweating as he saw Jade's tear stained face and Ben's glare leveled at him. "...I'll just leave this here. Please make sure it gets to Mr. Chan." He placed the talisman on the table before quickly shuffling out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Ben looked over the talisman, a violet engraving of a horse head on the face. He grinned as he got an idea, looking towards Jade.

"Well that sounds like a rather enticing opportunity," hummed the boy. "Wanna get your mind off of everything and help me figure out what it does? If it's got some wind power or something I might lose my shirt or something." Jade bopped her head back and forth, her mood slowly changing from sad to intrigued. She then smiled as she sent him a slow nod.

---

Jackie hummed as he looked over every note, he and Uncle having put everything together within the short time they had left. While many could have put their points together with less stress and much more ease within the same time, they literally only had one chance to get this call before they had to schedule again. That would take weeks to maybe months at best, especially with how much the man was apparently on his phone. They had not expected a scientist like him to be on call for so long at home, though the only answer they could think of was that he was a busy man. The very thought of how busy he was made them look at their notes again, Jackie frowning as he read through each one.

"This looks like everything we need," stated the man. "And of course no mention of magic, monsters, or aliens. And of course, her recent kidnapping is framed in a way that he will hopefully not pull her away from here… Maybe we should hold off on that until…" He received one of Uncle's famous slaps, along with an eye roll, yelping in pain as the old man took the notes from him.

"We will have to tell them before they find out themselves," revealed the old man. "Jade never return if we keep it out of this call. Risk without is greater than risk with. Man up!" Jackie sighed as he nodded his head.

"You're right. I've already failed her many times, Uncle. I don't want to fail her again by messing up in what could be the most important call of her life. I can't help but feel my nerves go haywire." Uncle sighed as he nodded his head.

"Jackie, we have no choice. We keep this secret now we lose Jade forever. We fail her by hiding truth, not by telling it. Must be prepared to stand ground like in combat, ready to defend Jade. She needs us, Jackie, or she lose all honor." Jackie nodded at this, frowning as his head was in the game.

"It's almost time. Remember, we only get one shot." He pulled out his phone, looking over it as he waited for the seconds to tick by. He began to sweat, never feeling this nervous from a phone call before. He narrowed his eyes, waiting for any change in the screen.

[Language Change: Mandarin]

The phone suddenly rang, Shin's name on the top of the screen. Jackie wasted no time hitting the answer button, putting the device on speaker. "Hello. Chan Kong-sang speaking." He heard a small chuckle on the other side, already a good sign.

"Kong-sang, no need for formalities," stated the voice of Shin. "It is Shin. I was surprised to see you scheduled a call. How is Yu?" Jackie nodded his head, his expression being straight and professional.

"She is currently in the midst of her first period, so her mood rises and falls like a tidal wave. She is doing well… Okay kind of. We had a few incidents but I feel that should be discussed later, if it's okay with you." He heard a knowing hum, beginning to panic a bit.

"Kong-sang. What incidents? Has Yu been causing trouble?" Jackie tried to find the words to say, doing his best to avoid moaning. Uncle rolled his eyes as he took the phone.

"Aiyah!" cried the chi wizard. "Rip off the Band-Aid, Kong-sang! Shin, this is Jing. Chan Yu was kidnapped last week." Jackie waved his hands around frantically, though the hitch on the end of the line told him the damage was done.

"WHAT!? MY CHAN YU WAS KIDNAPPED UNDER YOUR WATCH!? WHAT HAPPENED!? WHY…!?" Uncle waved his hand off as he growled.

"Let Uncle speak! Chan Yu was at the mall with a friend when it happened. We were not there at the time. She was found by special police and brought to the hospital." Another growl was heard on the other end.

"THE HOSPITAL!? WHY WAS I NOT INFORMED THE MOMENT THIS HAPPENED!?" Uncle huffed in annoyance, Jackie grabbing his head as he felt like things were going downhill as Uncle continued.

"You are always on call! We tried to contact you, but you never picked up! From what I heard from Chan Yu during our visits, that is not uncommon in your own household! It sounds like you do not know your own daughter!" Jackie heard another growl, feeling like things were over as he lowered his head into his arms.

"Jing, you have exactly five minutes to explain yourself. What exactly did you hear?" Jackie looked up from his spot, staring at the phone in shock. They actually had a chance. He gestured for Uncle to continue as quickly as possible, the old man nodding his head with an annoyed look.

"Chan Yu spoke of how the last time she had real family time was when she was 10, the day you all went to the beach. She said it was the happiest she'd ever been in her life. At school she was bullied for everything, including her development into a young woman. I do not know when it started but it likely started when she stopped wearing the color blue."

Shin's growl had not returned, but the call was still going on. "She mentioned how other girls at school would throw food at her, pull on her hair, and get her in trouble for trying to stand up for herself. They even said her gymnastics training made her look like a floozy. Worse of all, they said she dishonored her family at any chance they got." The sound of something snapping and clattering across stone tiles caught their attention, the duo expecting a yell but receiving a groan instead.

"No. Not my Chan Yu. She would never dishonor me. She never has." Uncle frowned as he crossed his arms.

"Girls at school say otherwise, making her believe it is so. Shin, when was the last time you actually sat down and talked with her? You told me so many things in our initial call about her, none of them belonging to the girl that walked into my shop. The only reason she cut her hair was because her bullies told it made her look ugly."

Uncle leaned closer to the phone, making sure his voice would be clearer. "She needed you, and you sent her away. She thinks you sent her here because she dishonored you. The way she actually cried about her pain broke me, and I do not break easily. She even wishes she had never cut her hair as she misses it dearly." Jackie decided to take back over, feeling that a gentler touch was needed now.

"Shin, she needs you to talk with her," began the kung fu master. "She needs her parents to listen to her. If it were not for the friends she made here, I believe her pain and fears would have worsened. I am especially thankful that she met Ben as…" Uncle made a shushing symbol as he gestured to where they had planned to mention Ben a bit further down the line, though they had already lost their plan at this point.

"Ben? That is a boy's name, if my American English is even slightly correct. Who is this 'Ben'." Jackie winced, trying to find something to say. He watched Uncle make a ripping motion with his hands, frowning seriously as he nodded his head.

"Ben is someone that Chan Yu is growing close with. He is a very honorable young man, one who has helped her through tough moments she has had during her stay. I honestly never see her as happy as when they are together. It was he who brought her to her new friends, and…" A loud ripping noise was suddenly heard on the other end, along with the sound of the hold tone.

The adults looked towards each other, unsure what to do. Shin had never put anyone on hold before, and their call time was about to go over the appointed time. The man returned as the hold tone ended.

"Apologies for my abrupt departure. My schedule is cleared for the rest of the day. I would like to speak with this boy and perhaps meet him. I also wish to hear exactly what happened, why Chan Yu was kidnapped, and what has been happening to my daughter before that. Leave absolutely nothing out."

---

[Language Change: English]

Ben returned with hot tea for Jade as she looked over the Talisman. She had requested it so that she could deal with her period, the boy making it as close to her request as he possibly could. He honestly felt like he was in his father's position, seeing as the man was always this on edge when his mother went through her period. He began to wonder if she was going through it this week as she was even more emotional than usual. He put this thought away as he set the cup of tea where Jade could painlessly reach it.

"Hot and ready just as ordered," stated the boy. "I even did the right kind instead of heating up sweet tea, though I had to crawl on the counter and look in the pantry to find it." Jade smirked as she grabbed the cup, holding it close to her mouth.

"We'll see," teased the girl. "You're an American boy, no offense, so you're likely to make mistakes." She took a slow sip, Ben holding his hands in a pleading position. She sighed as she pulled the cup away. "It's not bad."

Ben smiled, only to frown as he saw the small frown she was sending him. "It could have been steeped longer. Also, it's a little too sweet." The boy sighed as he slumped forward, Jade smirking as she nodded her head. "I'll get you there eventually, if you listen that is."

She groaned as she grabbed at her lower stomach, setting the cup of tea down. "I hope this period ends before Gymnastics Club meets this week. I haven't had any proper training since last week. If it weren't for those stupid…" She took a deep breath as she stopped herself, taking another sip of the tea.

She sighed as she shook her head. "No more crying. No more complaining. It's chi master Jade time. Let's see what this Talisman can do." She flipped over the stone, looking over the back.

She hummed as she looked between it and the translation book that sat in front of her. "Now Uncle usually takes a long time to look these things up so I need you to be on top of getting me more tea when I…" Her words died in her throat as she tilted her head in confusion, slowly moving the talisman closer to her face. She saw the ancient Mandarin text waver a bit before the symbols began shifting in her mind's eye view. "I… I can read this."

She traced her lines across the symbols carefully, making sure she didn't miss a thing. "'The horse: a cure for all ailments. Restores body, mind, and spirit.' This… this makes sense." Ben tilted his head, confused more than ever.

"Um… I don't get it. So it's like a cure for cancer or something?... That'd be kinda sick." Jade felt her eyes moving everywhere as they slowly began to turn dark blue.

"Cancer is natural, a mutation of the body. What is not natural… is a damaged soul." Her eyes returned to normal as she stood up, looking at the horse talisman as she turned the face her way. She concentrated on it as sparks of good chi fizzled in her hand. The glow of the talisman soon came, Jade feeling herself be pushed back into her mind as the world zoomed out around her. Ben shouted her name as he went to catch her, but she was too far in her mind to process this at the moment.

She floated above her little mind-world as she heard a loud neigh, followed by the sound of clicking hoofs. A violet horse spirit ran through the streets, its power flowing to each and every spire piece that Jade could not repair by her touch alone. They shifted to look like building pieces as they floated back to where they belonged, completing parts of her soul that looked like they would scar over forever. She then saw flashes of things she had forgotten, as well as a reminder of Lo Pei activating magical power within her. The little bird flew into her face before lightly pecking her forehead, making her fly towards another part of her mind.

There she saw the horse zoom through every corridor, images of the scrolls she summoned in her battle with Shendu flashing in her head. She began to understand every word that was written upon them, from the meanings to the way to make use of each parchment. She watched the little bird fly circles around her before hugging itself into her chest. She ignited in flames of good chi as she felt herself flow back to the material world. She heard muffled cries as she zoomed back to her view, Ben immediately being in it.

"JADE! Wake up! Don't go into the light! Please tell me that wasn't death magic!" The girl rolled her eyes as she pushed his face back, giggling at the goofball.

"You're being such a dork, Ben. I was just pulled back into my soul. The talisman fixed everything. I remember everything, and I even remember everything that happened in that fight against Shendu. I…" Ben smiled as he nodded his head.

"I think you'll want to see something before you start telling me everything. All I can say is that I told you you're beautiful." Jade suddenly shot up, worrying that she was somehow naked again, only to feel her head jerk a bit. Her eyes suddenly widened, tears beginning to run down her cheeks as she slowly stood up. Ben led her to the bathroom, waiting outside as she walked in.

What she saw made her heart beat faster. Her hair had grown back to where it was before, even being a bit longer from where she had been growing it out again. She began to heave as she leaned against the kitchen sink, believing it was a dream until she felt each individual hair in her hands. Her eyes became blurry from tears as she moved her hands to cover her mouth. She slowly turned towards Ben, the boy smiling in wait.

"Be honest… How do I look?" The boy nodded his head, his smile remaining.

"Beautiful. I'll remind you anytime you need to know just how beautiful you are." Jade felt a rush of emotions as she hugged Ben, almost jumping into his arms. The boy rubbed the back of her head, rubbing down her back as he felt her hair. They were thankfully away from the bathroom when the door to the Chan quarters opened.

"Jade, we need to…" began Jackie. His eyes widened at the scene, more so surprised that Jade's hair had suddenly grown out than the fact that she and Ben were in an innocent, romantic embrace. The duo separated the hug as Jade looked towards her uncle, tears still rolling down her cheeks.

"Hey HICCUP! Jackie," greeted the young Chan. "Look what the talisman did. I'm beautiful right?" She asked this with tears in her eyes, a sparkle of hope flashing in them. He smiled, nodding his head with a smile.

"You are indeed. I will ask how this happened later. We need to talk, alone. Please." Ben was about to object to being left out, only for Jade to hug him close again.

"It's fine, Ben. I'll be here." The boy looked her in the eye before nodding his head, allowing her to let him go. As Ben left the room, Jade slowly began to play with her hair. She hadn't played with her hair like this in months, so she couldn't help but giggle as she spun around a bit.

She stopped as her stomach cramped again causing her to moan. "Bad idea. Very bad idea. Maybe the Horse can cure this too if I hold it long enough… No, this is natural so it wouldn't work." Jackie could almost swear he saw Jade's eyes turn blue for a moment, but he missed his chance to confirm the possibility as they were now back to the normal brown color.

Jade chuckled a bit when she noticed how Jackie was looking at her. "Um… I can explain. I'm kinda the reincarnation of this old guy that kicked Shendu's tail and, now that I'm healing, I'm getting all kinds of magical memory stuff. Don't tell Uncle yet but I can kinda read the Talisman inscriptions now." Jackie blinked multiple times, only to sigh as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Jade, explain it to me slowly later. Right now, this discussion has nothing to do with magic or talismans. This is about you. Please have a seat. We will be speaking in Mandarin, so no one can overhear"

He bowed his head a bit with a smile. "[Mandarin] Please feel free to use family names. It makes it easier, Yu." Yu gulped at the topic but still nodded as she sat on the couch, pulling her hair onto her lap looping her hand through it. She cleared her throat in preparation for the switch.

[Language Change: Mandarin]

Kong-Sang grabbed the pillow she had been crying into as he began to sit, only to wince as he felt how sticky it felt. Yu giggled in a silent apology as she picked up her tea. Kong-Sang dropped the pillow onto the ground, planning to deal with it later, before sitting down himself. "I had a talk with Uncle about your time in the hospital. He mentioned that you said some things about your childhood, things that make me feel concerned FOR you."

Yu immediately recalled said memories, panic beginning to set in as she softly ran her hands through her hair. "I'm only bringing this up because you are very important to me. While our introduction may not have been the best, you are still my niece and a member of my family. So please let me help you lift the burden you carry." Yu looked away as she tried to control her emotions.

"I…I can't. You won't like me anymore afterwards." Kong-sang lightly grabbed her chin as he returned her vision towards him, showing her the soft smile on his face.

"I understand that your emotions are not stable, but this is important. Whatever troubles you, whatever pain you feel, I promise that it will not change the way I see you." Yu looked him in the eye, her frown growing serious.

"You promise? On the family's honor do you promise?" Kong-sang nodded his head.

"I promise with everything I have. Now please, I implore you, try me." Yu took deep breaths as she looked down, not expecting such a conversation like this so soon. She didn't know exactly where to start, her mind running all over the place. She eventually steeled herself as she put her cup back down before looking up at the man.

"It…it started when I was nine. I moved to a new school because Father received a promotion at work. It was an honorable position for someone in the business to receive, so he accepted it without hesitation. I was proud of him, so I tried very hard to be the perfect daughter for him… Then, when I got to the school, it became my worst nightmare."

She clenched her fists, thankfully not messing up her hair. "The girls told me I was dishonorable for my gymnastics. It was the first time I ever had anyone hate it. They told me my stretching was very revealing but my teachers told me wearing anything else would lead to overheating. Months passed and they told me the color blue was for those who wish to dishonor their family, other things I enjoyed quickly becoming bad."

Yu felt her body begin to jerk as she tried to continue. "My favorite qipao, my games I would sometimes play, my favorite foods… Super Moose was the only thing they agreed was cute, but they continued to say so many horrible things about my other likes and interests. I tried to get into the things they liked, only for them to either shoo me off or drop the subject entirely. I tried hard to fit in but it never was enough. I tried to talk with Father, but he was always so busy and mother was not always home anymore."

She rubbed her arm as she tried to ignore the cramp she suddenly felt, taking another deep breath. "I tried to tough it out and deal with the pressure, but then I turned eleven and my breasts grew in." She couldn't help the tears that rolled down her face, some dropping onto her hair. "They told me I was beginning to look hideous. I began wearing baggy clothes in order to hide my growing body, going up whole sizes whenever my breasts grew bigger. Father was angry when I never wore the beautiful qipaos and western dresses he bought me, but I was scared and didn't know what to do. Mother told me to keep trying to make friends, that connections are very important for the future, but I didn't know how to do so in such a horrible school."

She shook like a leaf as Kong-sang tried to calm her, the girl beginning to breath heavily and erratically. "I began to believe everything they said, feeling ugly for so long. When that no longer garnered the response they wanted, Ming Hua led them to throw food at me and use me as a scapegoat for their own misbehavior. Ming was always the worst out of all of them, constantly putting me in terrible positions. When I found an adorable little kitten one day, I tried to care for her whenever I'd go to school."

She smiled as she remembered the snow white kitten. "She became one of my only friends in school, my little Li. Ming found out about her and tried to take Li, but Li scratched her. Li was kicked hard by Ming before being taken away by animal control, perceived as a threat and unable to receive proper care. She… she passed before I could even try to convince my parents to give her a chance."

Yu's fists shook as her rage began to set in. "From that day forward I hated the thought of any animal being harmed… and I hated Ming. She always found some way to make me miserable, even faking hits to get me in trouble with the teachers. The worst offense happened on a day that I will never forget. That day she told me my hair was disgusting, saying it was about to drag against the floor like a dirty mop."

The girl's breath hitched, showing how hard it was for her to speak at the moment. "I loved my hair so I tried to deny it, but then I was asked if I wished to be a dishonored daughter. I had tried to find some way to reason how she could be wrong, desperate to not lose the one thing I had left that made me happy. That's when the hair pulling started, Ming even pulling out a few strands. I couldn't take it anymore and, when I got home, I used the kitchen scissors to cut my hair shorter than it had ever been before."

She actually brought her hands up to her eyes as she tried to make the tears stop, a task she knew was impossible at this point. "I hated it the moment I started but I didn't stop. I went to cry to Mother and Father about it, but I had made the mistake of cutting my hair when they had guests over. Father and Mother were furious, yelling at me over what I had done. Two months later, after learning English without being aware why I was learning it, I'm here."

She sobbed into Kong-Sang's chest as she tried to keep herself together, but her emotions would not allow her such a thing. "Everyone is so much nicer here. They pay attention to me and I can enjoy school for the first time in years. I do not want to go back to my old school, where I will be subject to the same horrors once again. I just… I just want to be normal and loved. To be happy like everyone else."

She wriggled into Kong-Sang's chest, trying not to get snot on him. "Is that so wrong to want to have?" The man smiled as he rubbed the back of her head, trying his best not to show or voice his own feelings towards the tale.

"It's ok, Yu. Just let it out…" Yu sniffled once again as she hugged the man tighter.

"I hate periods. I can't keep calm at all anymore." She finally pulled back, looking the man in the eye.

"Thank you for opening up to me, Yu. Do you feel any better?" The girl pouted as she looked away, holding at her lower stomach once again.

"No. These stupid cramps are messing with my head." He rubbed the top of her head lightly with a smile.

"Maybe you should go lay down then. We can talk more later." Yu nodded her head as she walked away, her cramps making her unable to say a proper response. "And Yu? Thank you for being honest with me."

The girl smiled back at him before entering her room, shutting the door behind her. Kong-sang frowned as he pulled out his phone. He pressed the bar above the home screen, revealing that he was still on call. "Did you hear all of that, Shin? There is your proof: the words that your daughter has been trying to tell you for years." He heard a sigh on the other end, followed by a shuffling noise.

"I heard everything, Kong-sang," revealed the man. "I am a terrible father. Chan Yu believes she is a dishonor, yet I have dishonored her. I should have focused more on her present rather than her future. Because of me, she went through torture under those thugs: this 'Dark Hand' you speak of."

Kong-sang nodded his head, waiting to hear more. "They saw the body of my child and defiled her, my only hope being that they have left her purity intact. There is no one to blame for this but me. I do not know how I can make up for the wrongs that I have done." Kong-sang frowned, returning to Jackie mode.

"You can start by talking with her. Make time to get to know the real her, beginning with actually attending AND watching her gymnastics. She cried when she said you never had been to a single event. Learn what she loves and visit her more. If you start with that, you can move your way up." He heard another sigh at the end of the line.

"You are right, Kong-sang. I have much work to do in advance, some things needing to be delayed. I will be in America in a few months. I need to speak with her in person, not over a phone. This Ben, however…" Kong-sang shook his head in denial.

"He is still learning our language, but his proficiency is increasing rapidly. His Mandarin was very broken only three weeks ago and he only understood so much, but he is learning faster than any young man I have met. He has also taken time to learn our culture, listens to Yu, and tries to find out everything that she likes. He was even here when she has been suffering from her period, keeping respectful boundaries while trying to ease her pains." He heard a small shuffle nearby, paling when he realized that Yu's door was cracked open a bit.

The girl was looking at him with both frustration and shock, having heard everything since the moment her father's name was spoken. Knowing that he couldn't pause now, Kong-sang continued. "She has been paying close attention to him in kind, learning everything about him that she can and is allowed to know. The bond they share is real, Shin, and if she were my daughter I would have looked into Ben's potential." He watched Yu pale before she covered her face, the look in her eye begging him to stop.

Kong-sang adjusted himself as he tried to find a good finishing sentence. "In any case, he is a wonderful young man." He heard a hum on the other side as Yu quickly shut the door, her father unaware that she was listening.

"Perhaps he's the one I have been searching for, in spite of recent discretions." Jackie tilted his head in response to this, only to hear his cousin clear his throat. "I must go, Kong-sang. Thank you for opening my eyes. I have much to consider, especially when speaking to my wife."

Jackie then heard a wince, knowing all too well what it meant. "She is going to yell at me all night for this. Wish me luck. Have a good day." The phone buzzed as the call ended, Jackie sighing as he pulled the device away from his ear.

[Language Change: English]

Jade laid her back against the door as her hands remained glued to her face. The feelings of mortification, hurt, betrayal, and anger all grew rapidly in her like a slurry. Her father knew everything, the biggest fear she had over this whole situation. She just knew that the man would pull her away as soon as he arrived, wanting to deal with her personally. She heard the door to their quarters open rather rapidly.

"Hacha!" cheered the old man. "Uncle knew it would…" Jackie quickly made shushing noises as he gestured to Jade's room.

"Jade heard everything, Uncle! She probably hates me now!" Uncle huffed as he crossed his arms.

"You are terrible at keeping secrets! Why no leave room!? Teenagers are nosy!" Jackie groaned as he leaned forward, grabbing his head to try and stave off a headache. Ben popped his head into view, only just now returning to their knowledge.

"Can I come in now?" questioned the boy. He was waved in by Jackie, the boy letting a smile be on his face. "So…That didn't go too well. You guys really did a number on her trust." The two adults went wide eyed at this, noticing the way he smiled was not so innocent. "After all of that, you'll definitely need to earn back her trust."

He gestured to both men before leaning on the couch a bit. "You'll find out how much a teenager can really blow up when she's been lied to and betrayed. It's not just girls either. I've seen some guys that become violent when they sniff out a lie by themselves, but girls when someone plays with their emotions? Way worse."

Jackie groaned as he leaned into his hands, thinking about all the ways that things could go wrong. Ben stood up straight as his smile remained on his face. "WELL, I'm going to see if Jade needs a shoulder to cry on! Maybe make her some soup if she wants it." Jade was prepared to move away from the door as Ben approached, only for Jackie to hold his hand out to the boy.

"Wait!" cried the archeologist. The alien hero suddenly stopped as he reached the door, his hand on the knob. "I need to discuss some things with you. Stay, please." The boy rolled his eyes while he had his back turned to the duo, turning around as he shut the door to the room.

"Alright but make it quick. I don't want Jade to be suffering in there." Jackie nodded his head as the boy walked towards them. Jade sighed in relief, feeling touched that the boy cared so much in spite of her being defiled. She continued to listen in as she turned her ear to the door.

"Speaking of you and Jade, I have noticed how the two of you have been growing close. Both of you have made your interest in each other no secret." Ben blushed a bit as he rubbed the back of his head, looking away with a small smile.

"Yeah. She's amazing. I didn't know if she actually liked me that way, even with all the affection, so it's nice to know." Jackie mentally winced, realizing that the duo had not said anything to each other yet. Jade paled at this reveal, growling a bit as she did her best to just listen in.

"Yes, but recent events have complicated things. You have seen her in a way that no other should have without permission. You know what I speak of. It may not have been her choice, but it is still a very serious matter." Ben's blush deepened as he looked down at his feet, having tried not to make a big deal out of it.

Jackie continued as he gestured towards Jade's room. "It is a very sacred privilege that is either obtained as a husband or given by her father, so your situation cannot be taken lightly. To be able to see her bare without consent is seen as a taboo even in today's society of China, so I must be clear. You tell absolutely no one you saw her, not until you have gotten the go ahead from her father. Even then, you should not speak of it in Mandarin in case another Chinese woman or man hears you."

Jackie lowered his arm as he looked Ben directly in the eye, the boy having lifted his head. "It can be very bad for our entire family. I understand you've been studying our culture to try and connect with Jade. If so, you should realize we will be shunned should such a thing come to light and she will be forced to return to China disgraced, losing all hopes of honor. Any husband she could get will be low in status." The serious frown Ben gained did not surprise the two adults.

"Jackie, I understand perfectly how bad it could be. If a girl can be outcasted and made fun of in school for even having an embarrassing moment, then it must be much worse for something as serious as this. Especially with an honor focused culture like your own. I never want to hurt any of you, least of all Jade. She means a lot to me, more than anyone I've ever met." Jade grabbed at her chest, a powerful joy beginning to overtake her.

She knew that Ben was basically her best friend, but to hear him speak of her in such a way was another experience in itself. She felt butterflies try to fly in her stomach, only to be smashed by yet another cramp. She did her best not to make a noise, holding her lower stomach with a low growl. Ben's ear did twitch a bit, though he had not truly picked up the girl's voice. Jackie did his best to keep his face straight as he nodded his head.

"Good. You must also realize that, if you wish to pursue a relationship with her, you must obtain the approval and permission of her father. It is only by his word that such a relationship can be possible for her. You cannot start such a relationship like you do here in the states." Ben looked down again as he crossed his arms.

"...I've read about that recently. It's why I haven't been talking with her about it. I wanted to be in a better place to earn her. To not be such a kid, you know? Seeing as I saw her naked, I guess that's not possible anymore."

He looked towards the two men again, his frown softening a bit. "Am I right?" Uncle decided to speak as he nodded his head.

"Yes," answered the chi wizard. "Her father wishes to meet with you. He arrive in few months. Not sure when he arrive yet. However, he speak with you on matter of seeing her body."

The old man fully turned towards the boy, looking down at him. "Should you seek relationship, your only chance now is to make case for marriage." Both Ben and Jade shook at this, each having their own reason for doing so.

"Marriage? Wouldn't he be against that if he already wouldn't let me date her?" Jade pushed her ear as close to the door as she could, her shock continuing to rise. The way he questioned Uncle gave some deep part of her hope. She heard the usual grunt of the old man clearing his throat, almost tempted to open the door for a peek.

"You have seen her naked, no matter whether by accident or design. This is only option, dating being socially unacceptable unless intent is marriage. This decision cannot be made lightly. Will inform father for you should you intend to agree." Ben looked at the ground as he paced back and forth, trying to think over his answer.

Jade's breath almost stopped entirely, worried that she would hear the door to the quarters close and with it, all hope to be redeemed gone. She felt her world shatter when she indeed heard a door close. She almost began to cry, only to hear more footsteps.

"...I want this decision to be Jade's just as much as it is mine. She has always been concerned with having her own choice, so I'm not taking this one away from her. I need your word that you will call me when she wakes up so that we can talk about it together. Promise me." Jade ran her fingernails across the door lightly on accident, though thankfully she escaped detection once again.

'Please!' cried the girl mentally. 'It's not about what I want. Just say whether YOU want it or not!' She felt a strong need to jump in and tell him what was going through her mind, only for fear of him not truly meaning anything if she did to stop him. Jackie and Uncle nodded their heads, letting their silence be their vow as Ben took a deep breath.

"Everything about Jade fascinates me, from the way she smiles to how feisty she can be when she wants to be. I've never met a girl like her, and I don't think I ever will for the rest of my life. I was scared when I thought she would hate me after an incident with her gymnastics training the day before the attack. I…" Jackie narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"Incident?" questioned the archeologist. "What incident?" Jade blushed madly at the mention of it, wishing that Ben would not say a word.

"...She overworked herself in training because she hadn't been practicing as much prior. She was about to fall over and I tried to catch her on instinct. I was more concerned with catching her than watching where my hands went and I accidentally held her by her chest. I didn't know what to do or say so I quickly switched to an underarm hold to get her to a chair."

Uncle slowly turned towards Jackie, giving him the evil eye. The kung fu master looked away at the sight of said glare, knowing full well that he had partial fault in the incident. In her room, Jade was blushing all over her body as she covered her mouth with both hands. She was doing her best not to scream out in embarrassment and fury, knowing that it would do no good. She wanted to curl up into a hole and die, though she felt her ancestors would rag on her if she did.

Ben shook his head as he regained his composure. "Anyway, I voiced my concerns and fears to my folks. They told me that if Jade did hate me and decided not to see me again that there were other fish in the sea, but that I should talk with her if I wanted to clear the air between us. I was scared the next day when I saw her at the mall and tried to avoid her, not feeling like I was in the best place. If I had worked up my nerves then, maybe she wouldn't have been where the Dark Hand would have kidnapped her." Uncle waved the boy off as he looked back towards him, Jackie sighing in relief.

"No uses for what if's," argued the old man. "What happened has happened. Cannot change the past. Now, continue." Ben nodded his head as he looked down at his hands.

"When she was kidnapped, I felt like a part of me was being taken. I felt like I failed her. I looked everywhere I could, even going to parts of town I've never been to just to find her. Gwen was helping with the search too, but even her magic wasn't enough. That's when I finally sensed her when I was a Highbreed, like I had a hidden set of eyes." Jackie frowned once again, though this time Uncle joined him.

"Highbreed?" questioned Jackie. "What on Earth are you talking about?" Jade repeatedly shook her head, feeling like the boy was going too far. One wrong move and it would be over for both of them. Ben took another deep breath, ignoring his nerves as he looked the men in the eyes.

"When I was ten, my life changed in a big way. A device fell from the sky, one that gave me extraordinary power. With that power came the responsibility of protecting others when they could not protect themselves. It took me an entire summer to figure that out, along with a few years after. I kept the truth hidden from the public to protect my family, the rumors my powers caused creating a group that was like an urban legend made real."

He rolled his shoulders a bit to make himself look a bit bigger, more so to make himself continue than to appear intimidating. "Other than Gwen, there's no Heroes of Bellwood. There's only one, one guy who can turn into any living creature in the galaxy or at least the ones that's in the Omnitrix. The alien heroes you've been trying to talk with… they're all me." Jackie's eyes widened as the memory of the Daoshi's words played in his mind again, only for Uncle to let loose a cry of annoyance.

"You hit head or something?" questioned the old man. "No such thing as aliens! I no see crop circles or little green men! You sip bad tea or something?" Everyone who had a presence in the discussion jerked at this outcry, Jackie gaining an incredulous look on his face,

"But Uncle, you saw them!" cried the archeologist. "You saw two of them before your very eyes!" The old man shook his head in denial.

"Uncle saw awakened crystal golem and fire elemental. Aliens? Pah! Perhaps you need to lie down as well." Ben's frown did not disappear as he drew attention to the mark on his hand.

"Gwen's right," growled the boy. "The time for charades is over. You better get ready to believe, Unc. Omnitrix: Uncloak." The device popped up onto the boy's arm, the adults jerking back in shock.

Jade once again froze as she felt her fears and emotions fight against her need to stop what was happening. She could not understand why the boy was doing all of this, his secret being something he shouldn't be throwing out in her mind. The boy carefully selected the right alien, pressing down on the core. Uncle saw the good chi glow in the tubes of the gauntlet, immediately recognizing it as such. The bright green flash blinded the two men, Jackie hissing from the pain. Upon looking back at the boy, they were shocked by what they saw.

Fourarms stood before them, though he was not entirely the same as before. His uniform had been changed out for black spandex leggings, silver bands that rested upon each wrist, and a set of black belts that made an "X" shape on his torso. The Omnitrix rested on the belts, displayed directly to the two men. A ponytail was present on the back of his head, revealing that he indeed had hair. The alien folded each set of arms as he looked over the duo.

"Fourarms: a Tetramand from the planet Khoros. Stronger than any natural man on Earth. He is only one of hundreds of thousands of possible transformations I can take on, though most of them are locked away until I can unlock them. If it weren't for SHIELD capturing me to try and take the Omnitrix for themselves, I would have been able to save Jade that day. In the end, I have only myself to blame for not paying enough attention and letting them get the drop on me."

Noticing that the two men were beginning to calm down, the boy returned to normal. He gave them a few more moments to really process everything, knowing that he unloaded a lot on them. Once they looked like they were settled, he continued.

"When we finally found Jade, I tore through the facility they were holding her in. No one escaped justice that day. I ripped the restraints off of Jade myself, holding her close to try and bring her back from whatever chaos she was going through. That was when Shendu took over, the two of them fighting over her body. It was when Shendu gained full control and summoned a dress or robe of some kind that the naked incident occurred."

The boy looked down as he tried to make it through the explanation. "I tried to cover my eyes when the dragon ripped off her hospital gown, but I had forgotten about the eyes that Highbreed have on their chests. Something beautiful that should have been a privilege to earn was violently displayed in ways that it should not have been, Shendu having no regard for the treasure Jade is." Jade's blush deepened to a darker shade of red at these words. Being called beautiful in such circumstances made her begin to tear up, her eyes beginning to look bloodshot.

Ben continued as he looked towards the men. "Gwen couldn't do anything with the magic she knew, so I risked losing myself to enter her soul. I have a form known as an Ectonurite, a living spirit if you could understand how that works. Back in my younger years, the DNA of that alien gained a life of its own and tried to take over me. I fought it when it eventually got free, but I had sworn to never use it again after that."

He shook a bit as he tried to control himself. "The thought of losing Jade forever was enough for me to break that vow, transforming into Ghostfreak for the first time in years. I had complete control this time and I used it well, to dive into her soul. When I found her, she was half see-through with her form jittering." Uncle gasped at this, holding his heart as he took a step back.

"Shendu would go so far as to destroy a soul?" questioned the old man. "The demon has no regard for sacred realms if he truly did as you say. There would have been no afterlife for her." Ben felt fury build up inside him, a sight that now slightly spooked Jackie. The boy took a deep breath as he clenched his fists.

"I couldn't let that happen, so I stopped pulling my punches. I cut him as many times as I could, trying to break him and show him real pain. In the end I had to hold him in place so that Jade could banish him from her soul herself. I thought I had made it in time, until Jade spoke Mandarin to ask who Gwen was. I… I'm pretty sure my heart actually stopped for a moment, but I might be exaggerating looking back now."

A rare sight occurred at that moment as tears began to grace the boy's cheeks. "I couldn't leave her side after that, right up until I heard about the spell you guys were gonna use in the hospital. Even then, I couldn't leave until she was better. I only returned home once to grab my translation book, and even then I did that in alien form to be back as quickly as possible. Every moment of fear she showed, every lack of memory that reared its head, every mention of her troubles as if it were the first time she told me… Each and every moment broke me more and more."

He wiped the liquid from his face as he tried to stay strong. "It was hard to see her not be that clever, strong willed, feisty girl with mischief in her eyes. It was the first time I saw what those horrible girls tried to make her into, and it made me want to yell and scream at them. They tried to tear down such a beautiful girl that anyone would be lucky to call a friend, and they say she's dishonorable!? If anyone is dishonorable, it's them for trying to destroy a treasure that this world could never replace if it even tried."

He had no idea the effect his words were having on Jade, the girl sliding down her door to where she sat on her hair. Her heart was pounding incredibly fast, her period making her emotions conflict and go to war with each other. She looked up at the ceiling, both to not pull at her head and to try and not let tears fall.

'Stop, please,' mentally begged the girl. 'Why?' It was her question, not her request, that would be answered as Ben continued.

"When the spell worked, it was as if my entire world had come back from being dead. I had to put on a face the entire time to try and be strong for Jade, but I wanted to cry my eyes out like I was five all over again. I spent the rest of the time up to today getting stronger both in my body and my mind, most of my off time being spent around her. I never want to see her hurt in any way ever again, so I have to become better than I am every single day. To be worthy of her and to be ready to fight any battle she needs me to."

The boy placed his hand on his chest as he tried to still his heart, though such a task was becoming increasingly difficult. "I thought I knew how I felt back before the kidnapping incident but, now that I almost lost her, I know what it really means. To want to be with someone so much that not having them in your life leaves you empty. To feel their pain, even when you can't really understand it yourself. I can't fight the way I feel, nor do I ever want to."

Jade nearly pushed down her door in an attempt to be closer, the anticipation building up inside her. The very words going through Ben's head made him smile as he looked the two men in the eyes again. "I love her. I love her for all that she is and all the wonderful things I KNOW she'll grow to become, and I know she'll grow to be even more beautiful than she is now. Nothing those girls said about her has or ever will be true." Jade's entire body pulsed as she released the pressure in her body, a weight she didn't know she carried being lifted.

"He… he loves me," breathed the girl. She slid a bit down to the floor, putting her hands on her chest. "He loves me." She began to cry happy tears, not knowing just how much she wanted to hear such a thing until now. Ben continued as he nodded his head.

"I would do anything to stay by her side, and to protect her from all that would try to abuse and/or harm her. Whatever it takes, whatever challenges I have to overcome, I will fight to keep her safe. Mom is probably already making wedding plans anyway. She's been looking up Chinese and American wedding traditions to make a combined event type of wedding with how she talked after meeting her, and I will put that to good use when the day comes." Uncle smiled as he nodded his head, Jackie soon gaining one of his own as well.

"You are a noble young man," stated the chi wizard. "Will make good husband for Jade, if successful in earning Shin's approval." Ben blushed slightly at the mention of being Jade's husband, only it did not embarrass him like it did when his mother brought it up before. The door to Jade's room suddenly slammed open, all three guys looking that way in shock. The girl was still crying, her face and parts of her body crimson red in color. She lightly played with her hair as Jackie stood up from the couch.

"Jade!" cried the man. "Are you okay? You're so…" He obtained Uncle's famous slap before he could finish his sentence, crying out in pain. Ben did his best to control his shock as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Um… how much did you hear?" questioned the boy. "I was hoping to talk with you later about it but…" She suddenly ran up to him, hugging him tightly in her arms.

"All of it," whispered the girl. Ben gave her time to hold him as he reciprocated the hug. She remained in his grasp as she looked up at him, tears still rolling down her cheeks. "Please don't make me choose. I don't want it to be because I asked you to."

Ben slowly began to smile as Jade sniffled a bit. "I want you to choose, so that I know it's real." She shook like a leaf as she was having trouble standing. "You are breaking tradition. I am to love you and you are to love me."

She sniffled as she looked him straight in the eye. It was clear that she was looking for any hint of deception, waiting for his answer. She knew every tell he had due to them spending so much time together, as well as Gwen mentioning it at one point. She was prepared for heartbreak but holding out for her miracle. Ben's smile remained as he rested his forehead against hers.

"[Mandarin] Chan Yu, you are precious beyond all measures. If your father will have it, I wish to be with you. If he agrees, I will keep you by my side until he approves of us being together forever. That I vow on my honor." Uncle and Jackie's eyes widened at the near perfect use of their language, shocked that he was able to accomplish such a thing in a short time.

Jade let hundreds of giggles escape her throat as she hugged Ben tightly, feeling his body pressed against hers. She felt as if an invisible weight had completely lifted, only for her cramps to bring her out of her happy mood. The boy immediately helped her brace as she leaned over a bit, the girl groaning in pain.

"I hate these cramps. If the Horse Talisman would work on my period like it did on my soul and my hair I'd…" Uncle gasped as he pointed towards the girl.

"You use talisman when Uncle had not done research!?" cried the old man. "Even more dangerous now of all times, when girl on period." Jade rolled her eyes as she leaned more into Ben.

"I can read the inscription stuff now anyways. I found out what it does and used it, so no biggie." Uncle jerked as he had a shocked look on his face.

"Ba! Believe when I see! Test you when no longer on period." Jade growled, Ben hugging her a bit tighter to help with her mood. Jackie walked to be in the middle of the group, looking towards Ben.

"I had my suspicions when that horrible lady attacked Uncle's shop, but I need to be sure of something," informed the man. "Is this device involved with two men, one who carries the title 'The First Thinker' and one named Lo Pei?" Both kids jerked a bit at the mention of the titles both for different reasons. Ben narrowed his eyes as he looked up at the archeologist.

"Lo Pei is what Shendu kept calling Jade," informed the boy. "I was the one who mentioned the name so I know where you got it from, but where did you hear Azmuth's title?" Jade's breathing became calm, almost normal as her eyes glowed blue.

"I know that name," gasped the girl. "Azmuth… He helped me seal Shendu!... How old is that guy?" Jackie was confused by his niece's reveal, only to begin his explanation.

"When I went to retrieve the Rat Talisman, the Daoshi of the temple felt the need to share the importance of the talismans with me. He warned me about Shendu, as well as mentioning the two noteworthy individuals who defeated him before. One was a man named Lo Pei while the other was known only as the First Thinker. This First Thinker had the same symbol that the aliens and your watch bear." Ben looked down as he hummed.

"Azmuth really was here then. He'll be so ticked that they forgot his name." Uncle pushed past Jackie leaning forward grasping Jade's shoulders.

"Jade, remain very still," requested the old man. He looked over her eyes, noting how the irises had changed in color and glowed like a glow stone. "This cannot be possession, whether natural or through Sheep Talisman. What is going on?" Jade lightly pushed Uncle's hands away, causing him to stand up straight.

"When Shendu attacked my soul, the spirit of who I once was in a past life helped me to combat him. When your healing spell took hold, I was able to speak with him. He was the one Shendu called Lo Pei, and he was me. He passed some of his knowledge to me and the Horse Talisman allowed me to remember that knowledge. This knowledge also allows me to read Ancient Mandarin perfectly."

She gestured to herself as a good chi shadow slightly enveloped her, giving off the appearance of the man before her. "I am Lo Pei AND I am Jade. I assisted Azmuth 900 years ago to seal that demon Shendu. By the Emperor's command, I return to make sure the demons stay that way. It is a cycle I will repeat until the day evil is erased from the mortal realm for good."

The avatar disappeared as Jade fell over, Ben quickly catching her in his arms. She groaned as her eyes returned to normal, her lower stomach bothering her again. "Does anyone have anti-pain magic or something? This really stings." Uncle braced himself against the couch, taking a deep sigh.

"No such magic exists, or Uncle would use it every day. Jade, you do not understand the importance of this. You are the Chosen One, a person of great importance to our world. This is…" Jade growled as she felt a mood swing hit her.

"I don't care about this stupid Chosen One stuff! I want the period to just go away already!" Uncle was about to say more, only for Jackie to stand up.

"Uncle, we will talk about this later and not when Jade is not well like this," stated the man. He looked at the way Ben glared at him, sighing as he slumped forward. "I did it again. Didn't I?" Jade roared in fury as Ben did his best to hold her back.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'LIKE THIS!?' AM I SOME ALIEN NOW!?" Ben hugged the girl close as he sighed.

"No, Jade," answered the boy. "You're a beautiful girl who's just having a hard time. Becoming an alien is my job anyway. Just breathe and…" He watched Jade glare at him, her anger still present.

"Let me go! I wanna hit something, probably Jackie if he keeps treating me like some foreign creature! I'm not fragile! I…" The boy only turned her around and hugged her a bit tighter, rubbing the back of her head and combing her hair with his fingers.

"Jade, it's okay. I didn't say you were anything other than human." The girl moaned at the feeling of him playing with her hair, the sensation feeling so good to her. She was glad to have it back, especially since she was garnering attention for it. She leaned her head onto Ben's shoulder as she sighed.

"I wanna take a shower. Help me get to the bedroom so that I can get some stuff." Ben nodded his head in response, taking the girl to her room. Uncle had to stop Jackie from moving to stop them as he had a clear visual of the room. The old man sent his nephew a glare as he gestured to the room.

"You only continue to anger Jade," denied the old man. "Leave it alone before you cause more bad emotions from Jade, not good ones. Uncle can see room just fine. They being good." He watched as Ben helped Jade get to her dresser, playfully bowing as she leaned against it.

"Would the lovely Jade like anything special for when she's done with her shower?" questioned Ben. "I am at your service?" Jade couldn't help but giggle as she shook her head.

"Hot soup would be nice," admitted the girl. "I'll be in there for a while anyway. I'm going to enjoy washing my hair for an hour like I used to. Maybe I'll ask Gwen to go to a hair salon with me. I need to trim it anyway." Ben smirked as he nodded his head.

"I'll let her know while I'm working on the soup. I'll give you your privacy." He began to walk away, only for Jade to lightly grab his arm.

"Ben… am I really worth all of this? My father is not an easy man to please. The fact that you saw my bare body kinda makes things worse. I…" Ben turned back towards her with a confident smirk.

"Always have been and always will be. I'll do anything I can to earn his approval. Besides, I don't mind the idea of marriage. I already got a sneak peek at how the future looks, and she's pretty beautiful if you ask me?" Jade blushed as she smacked Ben playfully on the arm, making a mock hurt face.

"You should be careful what you say about my body. You're this close to me kicking your butt mister. Go make the soup already, or no gymnastics shows for you." Ben bowed his head lightly as he walked out of the room, Jade giggling as she did her best to not move in a way that would cause a cramp. Ben walked away from her room and out of the quarters, Uncle crying out in victory as he looked towards Jackie.

"Uncle told you he was good boy!" cried the chi wizard. "Jackie never listens to Uncle! Uncle always right." Jackie sighed, understanding that he would not hear the end of this for a week at least. "One More Thing! Must contact boy's father on marriage proposal." Jackie nodded his head.

"Yes Uncle," sighed the man. "I…" He stopped as the chi wizard continued.

"One more thing! Need research Lo Pei. Jackie go find books." The archeologist nodded his head once again.

"I will Uncle. I…" The old man held up his finger again.

"One more thing! Need to find spells for magical protections. Shendu could attack at any moment with Sheep Talisman." Jackie's eye twitched in a similar way to Jade's twitch she did almost two weeks prior, holding his hands together.

"Anything else Uncle." He was practically pleading for the man to have nothing else. Uncle shrugged as he shook his head.

"No. That is all. Now go find books while I call parents. You are terrible at calling people." Jackie sighed as he walked out of the quarters, Jade closing the bathroom door at the same time.

Knowing that much could still go wrong, Uncle decided to head to an office room to make his call. He slowly punched in the numbers he remembered, not wanting to get one of those new-fangled 'Smartphones' that young people walked around with. He always felt like a spirit would jump out of one and eat his soul. He sighed in uncertainty as he got to the last number, clicking what he thought was the right one. He brought the device to his ear, surprised when the line picked up immediately.

"Colonel Pizza," greeted a tired teen's voice. "How can I help you?" Uncle cried out in annoyance as he held the phone away from his face.

"Aiyah! Wrong number!" He immediately hung up, huffing in annoyance. He put the number in again, this time ending with the other number he thought of. This time it took a bit longer for the call to go through, the sound of a phone being lifted soon following.

"Tennyson residence," greeted a feminine voice. "This is Nathalie speaking." Uncle smiled as he nodded his head.

"Hello. I am Chan Jing. Wish to speak with the father of Ben Tennyson. Is he in?" The woman on the other end hummed in confusion.

"I'm sorry but you have the wrong house. You're looking for…" Uncle huffed once again, repairing the same action as before.

"Aiyah! Why so many people have similar number!? Wrong number!" He slammed the phone shut again, grumbling in annoyance. "Third time's charm."

He punched in the number again, stopping before he reached the second to last number. He hummed as he moved his thumb a bit, sighing as he realized his mistake. "Uncle click two numbers at same time. Miss telephone back at shop." He completed the number this time, once again hearing the tone go off as he waited.

"Tennyson residence," greeted a different woman. "Sandra speaking." Uncle tensed up as he moved the phone a bit.

"Jade say your name. Your son Ben?" He didn't hear any sounds of confusion, a good sign to him.

"If the sign on your shop is right you must be her Uncle. It's nice to speak with you." Uncle sighed in relief as he nodded his head.

"Grand-uncle, but everyone calls me Uncle. I am calling to speak with you and Ben's father. Is he home?" He heard the woman moan a bit in exasperation. It was clear that she might have had the wrong impression of the situation.

"No. He's at work. Please tell me Ben didn't have an accident or something. I don't think I can take any more surprises this month." Uncle shook his head in denial.

"Apologies, but this is good and bad surprise. Many mothers I meet like good surprise. Must ask, what you know of Jade's kidnapping? Part of bad news." This time he earned a hum of confusion.

"I was there with Ben when it happened. I also heard about her being in the hospital. She was rescued by those alien heroes, right? Can I ask what that has to do with Ben?" Uncle nodded his head in understanding.

"Boy saw Jade naked in middle of rescue. Villains strip her before arrival. Ben was one to call hospital. In tight spot with her father." He heard a moment of silence from the other side.

"...That is a lot to process. I'll… talk with him about breaking into dangerous places at a later date. May I ask how he is in trouble with her father? I understand the need to keep a girl's decency but he did find her." Uncle sighed as he shook his head with a frown.

"In our culture, it is taboo for boys to see girl's bare body without being husband or having father's permission. Doctors not allowed without fathers approval. Jade's father not pleased with Ben seeing Jade in nude. Complicates potential relationship." He heard a disappointed moan, having expected it beforehand.

"Oh no. He and Jade are so cute together. She's such a sweet girl. Is there nothing we can do to change his mind?" Uncle nodded his head, his frown remaining.

"Marriage only way." He heard another bout of silence, this time expecting it. He heard Sandra clear her throat to try and gather herself.

"I beg your pardon. Could you explain why?" Uncle smiled a bit as he nodded head.

"Only way family and daughter not dishonored and shunned. Daughter must marry boy that sees her body. Ben's only hope that Jade not sent back to Hong Kong dishonored and disrespected by community." He sat down in a chair to give the woman time to process his words. He waited a bit longer as he remained as still as a statue.

"...I see. I wasn't expecting that. I'll have to tell Ben to see how he reacts. I don't know how he'll take it." Uncle's smile grew bigger as he nodded his head.

"That good news: you don't have to. Boy already knows. Talk with Jade and agreed already. Still need approval of her father." He was met by a longer bout of silence, waiting patiently for a response.

He looked to the phone as he frowned. "Not worry. Marriage happen when boy twenty two if he succeed… Hello?" He heard the sound of the phone cut back on, followed by a bit of light panting.

"I'm sorry. I heard the twenty two part, but just needed a moment to… collect my thoughts. That's big news indeed. I'll need to have a long conversation with him when he gets home, as well as for the next few days. Goodbye." She immediately hung up, Uncle pulling the phone away from his ear.

"Hmm… Take news better than Uncle hoped. Now see if Shin have better reaction. Maybe tell him how talk went." He suddenly facepalmed as he growled. "Aiyah! Forgot to tell Jackie to make Jade's gymnastics room!"

He stood up as he popped his back. "Uncle give nephew a piece of his mind. He start tonight. No more stalling!" He speedily walked away from the office, a mission on his mind.

With Ben, he was carefully working with a pot of soup, bringing it to near completion as the time was almost up. He was following the recipe in the book step by step, not wanting to mess up like he did with the tea. He would have done canned soup, but that didn't exactly feel right to him. Plus he was beginning to understand why his mother liked cooking: seeing the smiling face of the one the food was prepared for. He stopped the heat immediately as the timer went off, sighing in relief as he stirred it a bit more.

He grabbed a separate spoon to take a taste test, slurping the spicy concoction himself. He licked his lips as he tried to get all of the flavor. He smiled nervously as he moved it away from the still hot stove-eye.

"I hope Jade likes it, and hopefully it's not too spicy." sighed the boy. "Maybe I could call Mom and…" He immediately face palmed as he groaned. "I forgot to call Gwen." He immediately pulled up his phone, putting it on video call as he started pouring a bowl of the soup.

"Hey Doofus, what did you do?" questioned Gwen immediately. "Uncle called my mom asking for your dad and… Are you cooking? You know what happened the last time you tried to make breakfast for your mom. I had to fix your mistake, fixing the same meal and you still didn't understand what I was doing." Ben rolled his eyes as he put the lid back on the pot.

"I followed a recipe exactly this time, Dweeb. It's for Jade. She requested soup so I'm delivering. She's on her period right now and…" He heard a gasp from Gwen, looking to see the shocked look on her face.

"She is!? Why is this the first I'm hearing of this!? You should have let me know sooner! I have a heating pad she can borrow and made her some special tea that I'm sure she would love. Plus you know that girls are supposed to comfort each other in times like this." Ben hummed as he nodded his head.

"I might want that tea recipe later and buy her that heating pad. I need to know what I'm looking for though." He put a spoon in the bowl before picking it and his phone up, marching back to the Chan quarters. "So anyway…" He soon noticed that Gwen was giving him a glare, pausing his sentence.

"You… asking me… for a tea recipe? Not to mention actually buying something I mentioned? What did you do? You're slaving away, something Ben Tennyson does not do on a whim." Ben shrugged as he walked into the room, finding it empty.

"What can I say? I love her. Dad does stuff like that for Mom all the time right?" He set the bowl down at the table, kicking the snotty pillow away while questioning why Jackie hadn't removed it yet. He looked to the screen again, Gwen still carrying the same expression.

"Yes, when she's sick or he made her upset. What did you… Did you just say you love Jade out loud? I'm not hearing things am I?" Ben grinned as he nodded his head, holding the phone up to his head.

He watched Gwen's expression change to one of absolute shock. "Holy cow. You actually admit it. I never thought I'd see the day." Ben felt a bit of a snarky grin pop up on his face.

As this was going on, Jade walked out of the bathroom. She was wearing a pair of blue fuzzy pajamas, a pair she bought the day before her period began. She also had a towel on her head, most of her hair hidden within. She soon noticed Ben as he was distracted, seeing that he was on video call with Gwen. While before she would have shied away, she decided to do something fun as a grin popped up on her face. She snuck closer to the boy, making sure Gwen didn't notice her.

The redhead indeed missed her arrival to the room as she growled at Ben. "Don't start getting a big head just because I'm shocked, Doofus." Gwen smiled as she held her hands together pleadingly. "So, did you tell her yet? Please tell me you did it before her period started."

She began to frown as she noticed the look on her cousin's face. "Now's not really a stable time for her to hear it. I would know. I've had a number of them myself and I don't normally take that stuff well when my hormones are raging." Ben moaned as he tried to find the words to say, only to jump in shock/fear as he felt a familiar sensation on his cheek.

Gwen held her hands to her mouth as Jade pecked the boy on the cheek for much longer than she had before, building up a blush on his face. Jade pulled back, a small smile on her face. That smile turned playful as she looked at the screen.

"Oh, hey Gwen," greeted the Chinese girl. "How've you been?" The redhead smirked back playfully as she rested her head in her left palm.

"I should be asking you how you're feeling. 'Someone' decided now to tell me you were on your period. I could have helped you deal with it better than a doofus who doesn't have a clue about what you might need. Also… am I seeing things or is your hair a bit longer?" Jade grinned in excitement as she looked towards Ben.

"Camera guy, show her what the Horse Talisman did. Please." Ben immediately began backing away with the camera facing Jade, the girl having her hands on her towel. She quickly unwrapped it, allowing her hair to flop into its natural position. Gwen squealed in excitement at the sight, Ben wishing he could cover his ears.

"OH MY GOSH! Does it make hair grow faster or something? If so sign me up. I've been working on growing mine out for the last year." Jade giggled as she shook her head.

"Nah! It heals what is broken or ailed. It fixed my missing hair because spiritually it's what broke me. It also healed the rest of the damage Shendu did to me." Gwen grinned as she nodded her head.

"Maybe the stone can fix Ben. Then again he's not really something magic can fix." Ben was about to groan, only for Jade to roll her eyes as she stepped closer to the camera.

"He might have a few things he's working on but he doesn't need to be fixed. He's just a special guy." Ben blushed at this while Gwen rolled her eyes.

"You're just saying that because you like him. The doofus is pretty messed up, especially his cleaning problems. Have you seen his room? He doesn't even clean it?" Ben turned the camera towards him as he growled.

"Hey!" cried the boy. "For your information I cleaned it two days ago and there's not a thing on the floor." Gwen smirked as she shook her head.

"You mean your mother or father helped you clean it. You're such a boy." Jade grinned mischievously, nodding her head.

"Oh you're right about that," agreed the Chinese girl. Ben looked to her with a bit of a hurt frown, only to see how her smile softened. "But he's my boy if everything goes according to plan with him and Father. Now, I'm gonna have some soup." She walked away, mischief returning to her smile as Ben began to blush madly.

"...Did she just say…" The way she was blinking would have made Ben chuckle if he wasn't processing it himself. Jade took a sip of the soup before grinning.

"Score one for the queen. This is really good by the way. Not a lot of spice but it works." Ben groaned as he looked down, only to jerk when he saw a familiar look on Gwen's face. He covered his ears with his arms as Gwen let out a massive squeal of joy.

"FINALLY! I've been waiting months for you two to even admit you like each other! I can't believe you're finally dating! I have to call Simone and tell her!" Ben blinked multiple times as he sat beside Jade, allowing her to be seen in the screen again.

"Ow… My ears. Why do girls all scream so loud? I swear you girls could set off car alarms sometimes." Jade rolled her eyes at this, her smile still present.

"Technically I can't date without my dad's permission so it's not really official," corrected the reincarnate. "Not to mention, because Ben saw me naked, he has to basically say yes to marrying me to date me at this point. Otherwise I go home dishonored and all that." Ben immediately began to freak out as he tried to get Jade to wait a bit. Gwen took this the wrong way as she groaned.

"Oh come on! Your parents are starting to get a bit too far. I understand the honor stuff but he's not gonna shout it to the rooftops. Besides, no way the Doofus would actually agree this early in life." Jade sent Ben a teasing smirk before clutching her lower stomach, causing him to sigh as he scratched his chin.

"Um…" began the boy. "Yeah… About that…" He watched Gwen blink several times as her eyes widened slowly. Jade knew what was about to happen as she sighed.

"Get it out of your system," groaned the girl. "I'm in a good mood so I won't be too mad." Gwen's face was instantly the only thing on the screen.

"Girl, we need to talk," growled Gwen. "NOW! I'm coming over right now and Ben you're leaving!"

---

That's all for this one! Ben is seen working on his strength before helping Jade through her first period. Then Jackie and Uncle talk with Jade's father, getting him to see what he's done wrong. Jade gains more closure she needs and Ben reveals the truth of both his feelings and his powers to Jackie and Uncle. The shock of the now growing relationship is hitting everyone in their own ways and the fun has only just begun.

Will the heroes be able to succeed in their battle with the Dark Hand? Will Ben be able to win over Jade's father? Will Gwen go easy on Jade? Let me know what you think down below and I'll try to get back with you ASAP. This is Inkaliber, signing out.

---

Omake: Collecting Thoughts

One hour earlier

Mr. Baumann quickly picked up his keys, wanting to beat the time. He had planned out his new schedule as best as he could, knowing how quickly things could change. After he determined when Ben would leave to meet with his friends, he got a part time employee for his shop to handle the morning shift while he took time to prepare for the day. It worked out well because Carl Tennyson was also at work. He stepped out of the door, taking a breath of fresh air as he walked towards his new car.

"No Ben messing up my car with his madness, no Mr. Tennyson with his confounded weapon…" listed the man. "The only person I could see at this hour is Mrs. Tennyson, and she's the sane one of the bunch. Yes sir. Nothing could possibly go wrong." He was about to open his car door, only to see the window shake a bit.

He covered his ears as a squeal rang through the air, one of joy and excitement. He watched his car windows shake like they were plastic, quickly shattering as the alarm went off. His eyebrow twitched as he looked towards the Tennyson home, the kitchen window open as Sandra Tennyson childishly pumped her fists up and down.

"YES-YES-YES!" cheered the woman. "FINALLY! I THOUGHT IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN FOR YEARS!" She turned towards the window, only to pale as she saw the angry neighbor. She quickly composed herself as she walked towards the opening.

She nervously waved at the man with a small giggle. "Sorry Mr. Baumann. I'll have Carl write another check. Have a good day!" She closed the window and the curtains before returning to her call. "I'm sorry. I heard the twenty two part but just needed a moment to… collect my thoughts." Mr. Baumann could only groan in response as he leaned forwards.

"That's it. I'm moving again. This time far away from the Tennysons… I could have sworn I moved to another neighborhood last time though." He could only sigh in despair before he made a call to the repair shop… again.