(Once again, i have to thank my friend for helping me with writing this story so far, without them i don't think this would be possible!)
(And also, comments and reviews are appreciated! Hope you enjoy!)
Before Alex even realized it, he felt a severe throbbing pain in his head as seemingly every nerve had lit up at the same time, making his back pain seem like a mosquito bite by comparison.
As he started to get up, shakily gripping his cane, he felt his spine stiffen, a burning pain lighting up his nerves, making his back muscles shake as he grit his teeth.
The combination of pain became too much for him as he fell back into the chair, his cane dropping onto the floor with a loud clattering sound.
"Alex, are you ok?"
The man turned his head, seeing that Uncle had apparently come out of the back room, and was looking at him with a very concerned look on his face.
"N-not really..my back and head are killing me.."
Uncle gently placed a hand onto the younger man's shoulder, and his back, though he didn't press into it, helping him stand up.
"T-thanks Uncle..um, could you go upstairs and get my pain medication?"
"Of course, all you have to do is ask for help."
Alex smiled as the older man helped him into the back room, helping him onto the couch as gently as he could.
"Rest, uncle will bring your medicine."
"T-thanks Uncle.."
Uncle gave a soft smile as he left the room, and the younger man let out a sigh of relief mixed with pain.
'Well, I've certainly learned my lesson from all this..'
Alex would certainly be more careful from now on, but for right now he just had to take it easy, even if doing so made him feel somewhat useless.
Before the man could dwell on this thought, Uncle came back into the room, his medicine in one hand and a glass of water in the other.
Alex took them from him, taking two pills out of the bottle and swallowing them down with the water before he handed them back, uncle watching over him till he fell asleep.
•Dark Hand HQ•
"Yuzuki, you said that you would help us find the Talismans of Shendu, and yet, it seems like to me that we have none while Chan and his little entourage have three so far!"
The japanese man leaned against Valmonts desk, ignoring the other mans glare as he dug a flask out of his pocket, opened it and took a swig out of it before he screwed it close.
"You forget, dear valmont, that there are twelve talisman's total, and while yes, chan has acquired three of them, there are still nine to be found."
"Beside's, I came through with those translation's, didn't i? Otherwise how would you have found out about the talisman's in the first place?"
Valmont sighed, getting out of his chair and walking over to the window, the view overlooking most of downtown, the bay and the golden gate bridge off towards the horizon.
"That you did.."
He fiddled with the cane in his hands for a moment or two before a lightbulb went off in his head and he turned back around to face the other man.
"Yuzuki..how do you feel about field work?"
Yuzuki smiled as he took another swig from the flask, a drop of what was inside falling down his chin.
"Valmont, old friend..i thought you'd never ask."
•Uncle's Rare Finds•
"Uncle! We're back, and we have the Snake Talisman!"
"Aiya! Can you keep your voice down, it's interrupting Uncle's research!"
Uncle had exited the back room of the shop, a book held under his arm like one would carry a rolled up tent.
"But uncle-ow!"
Before Jackie could finish his sentence, Uncle finger swatted him on his head.
"One more thing, Alex is sleeping like a baby, so do not wake-!"
Before Uncle could finish his sentence, a loud yawn filled the back room, followed by the shuffling of feet and then by the man in question exiting the room, but everyone could tell that he was walking stiffly, as if the man had a plank of wood tied to his back.
"Glad to see i haven't missed the party.."
"How do you feel?"
The man stretched lightly, even with his back pain gone for the moment, he didn't want to do any lasting damage.
"Good, for right now anyway, but i see we got the next talisman."
"We might have it, but we have bigger problems."
Alex looked at Jackie confused, wondering what he meant by that sentence.
"We need to go talk to Captain Black."
"I'll go with ya, i want to enjoy being able to walk right till the meds wear off."
Despite that sentence, the man still held his walking cane in his left hand, the rubber tip of it pressed into the wooden floor.
"Well, what are we waiting for, Jackie?"
The older man nodded as they both exited the shop, Jade attempting to follow them but she was stopped by Uncle before she even made it to the door.
•At Section 13•
"Ok, lets not let J.K. Rowling see that little secret entrance, shall we?"
Jackie gave him an odd look, but Alex just gave a smile as they exited the lift and out onto the main floor.
Thankfully they didn't need to look far to find the man they were looking for, as he was taller than Alex and Jackie, and looked intimidating even from the distance between them.
It reminded the younger man of his own father, though Alex's father was much, much older than Captain Black.
"Ah, Jackie, good to see your back, how was new york city?"
"And Alex, glad to see you up and about, how are you feeling?"
"Good, for now till the pain medicine wears off."
"Tiring, to say the least, but we need to talk to you."
"Don't say it's about the 'M' word."
Both Alex and Jackie exchanged a look with each other for a moment before Alex decided to speak up.
"Well, it's got um..something to do with it.."
"How much, exactly?"
"..You'll want to hear this, Captain Black."
Jackie had spoke up this time, as all three of them walked out of the main area, and down a hallway, entering into a room off to the side.
It was a meeting room of sorts, possibly for meetings Black would have with his agents or any possible government visitors that dropped in.
Once the three of them were inside, the door was locked, likely to make sure they weren't interrupted.
"Ok Jackie, what is it you need to talk about?"
•Meanwhile•
To say Jade was bored would be an understatement, true she did have homework that she had to do, but that could wait.
After all, she could always do it later with help from Jackie and Alex.
Speaking of, she needed to get Alex put as one of her emergency contacts at school, just in case.
"What is it that you want, tiny mortal?"
Jade pushed the rolling chair over so it was a couple of feet in front of the demon, into which she climbed up into that way she was more eye to eye with it.
"Why would you think i have some kind of underlying motive? Maybe i just want to talk."
A sort of sound filled her head, similar to radio feedback, which made her wince as it grew loud before it slowly fizzled out and Shendu spoke.
'Ow..how does Uncle Jackie and Alex deal with this..?'
"Because I know you're craftier than you seem."
Jade huffed, crossing her arms as she did so.
"It's called helping my Uncle."
More sound filled the young girl's head, making her wince again, but this time she swore it was like Shendu was..chuckling?
"You can call it whatever you wish, child, it is still foolish nonetheless."
Jade's attention was diverted away as the front door to the shop opened, showing Jackie and Alex walking in, the younger man walking more stiff than before.
"Jade, why don't you go get your homework from upstairs? Me and Jackie will help you with it."
The girl ran up the stairs, Jackie catching the hint and following behind her, which left both Alex and Shendu alone.
"If you wish to play for me again, then..-"
"That's not why i need to talk to you, Shendu."
The demon seemed taken aback by the man's statement, as it fell silent.
"We..we are gonna be moving you."
The statue's eyes flared up for a moment, as if what Alex said had caught it's attention.
"Where exactly?"
Much like before, something akin to radio feedback filled the man's head, quickly replaced by Shendu's voice, but instead of the subtle playful tone he was used to hearing from the demon, it was replaced by what sounded like..fear..?
It certainly caught him off guard, that was for sure.
"Section 13, at least until we get the rest of the talismans, since the Dark Hand knows about them now."
More of the noise filled Alex's head, sounding like Shendu was sighing in relief, but it was hard for the man to tell.
"If it is required of me, then I shall bite my tongue."
"Oh well if it's no iss..wait what?"
Alex had to do a double take to make sure he didn't imagine hearing what the demon sorcerer just said.
"Well, as you know Ale..mortal, the talisman's are very important to me, to lose them would be rather..problematic."
'He..he almost said my name..'
The man felt an oddly warm feeling rise up in him, but couldn't place what it was.
"Mortal, are you alright?"
"Oh! Um, yea..i was just lost in thought for a moment."
Before the conversation between them could continue, Jade and Jackie came down the stairs, Jade holding papers in her hands
"Come on, Alex!"
The man smiled softly, before he walked over to them and they went into the backroom, leaving Shendu alone.
'Why did i almost say his name?'
The statue grumbled to himself, cursing this shell was trapped in, wishing he could escape it's grasp.
'And that smile..why does it make me feel warm..when i see it?'