Inkaliber: Hello world! Time for another chapter! This one's gonna be a fun one but won't feature one of the uncollected Talismans. This is going to be an original chapter in a sense. I'm here with Adran and Zem to deliver a fun time to you guys!
Adran: I'll say that as the last chapter was getting posted, I saw this chapter in the folder and decided to make an early comment. That comment being, I forgot this entire chapter was planned at all. I had to read through your notes to figure out what's happening. Given I couldn't see this coming, no one else will. I'm looking forward to their reactions.
Inkaliber: Yup! And that will make for some fun chaos. In this and the second half. You all can thank Zem for that one. LOL!
Zemrocku: Also, don't be surprised if there's only three chapters this month. Ink and his Writer block ruined it.
Adran: I can't let Ink take all the blame. Things have been rough for me too, so I have had limited availability to help.
Zemrocku: Then we can just blame that. It's Christmas.
Inkaliber: We're lucky there's still enough time in the month to fit in four chapters, but it is the holidays and I'm having to increase my effort in job searching. Still, I hope we'll be able to pump out quality content as usual. With all that being said, let's not waste any more time and answer some reviews.
Codepercy- LOL! Guess we'll have to see how long he lasts. The interactions were very fun to write here, especially Ben being teased. Glad to hear from ya dude.
Wanderingsage7- LOL! He could be inspired by that character unless discussions come about. I also enjoyed the kids getting to be kids. Jackie and Viper dealing with Bumblebee being a bit over the top was rather interesting as well. Uncle meeting Verdona would be interesting, especially if the encounter gets to that point. LOL!
Reader (Guest)- I believe the term is "stuck his foot in his mouth" but yeah. LOL! The results will indeed be fun.
Inkaliber: With all that out of the way, let's begin. I don't own Ben 10, Jackie Chan Adventures or any other series to appear in the story and the universe. I do own OC characters, objects, ideas and concepts unless stated otherwise. Let's go, Brand New Chapter! Gon Yi Tempai!
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."
December 5, 2008
Xiaoling Industries, San Francisco
Chow carefully stirred the contents of a cauldron, Shadowkhan appearing and dropping objects inside it. Some of these ranged from salts and roots to living creatures such as mice and newts. The smell that came from it made Ratso gag while Tohru held his breath with a clip on his nose. Valmont had a specialized ventilation system around him, keeping the odor from reaching him. Finn groaned in disgust as the liquid slowly grew a bubble that popped.
"And there went my appetite," sighed the redhead. "Yo, Lizard dude, will this actually work?" Shendu growled deeply, spooking the group.
"It will work, foolish mortal," growled the statue. "It will allow the Shadowkhan to bypass the magical barrier set in place by whatever chi wizard they have enlisted. It will only work for a few moments, allowing them to collect MY Talismans. As you would likely be spotted, they will be entering alone." Valmont tapped his fingers together, swirling in his chair towards the being.
"If it would not be too much of a request, Shendu, might the Shadowkhan retrieve any weapons they happen across?" requested the man. "Any advantage we can obtain could prove beneficial to procuring the Talismans." The dragon statue's eyes glowed brighter, a hum filling the air.
"Very well. They will drop anything of use into the shadows to be retrieved later." Chow suddenly cried out as the potion suddenly ate the ladle he was using, the cauldron beginning to release blue smoke like that of the Shadowkhan. "Empty the room. I must chant the incantation."
Valmont nodded his head, the group exiting as the stone creature began to chant in a dark tongue. The Shadowkhan rose from the darkness, making their way towards the smoke. When some dove in, more rose from the shadows to follow after them. The room continued to get darker and darker, Shendu's glowing eyes becoming one of the few lights in the area. A dark tiding had been cast, the outcome uncertain.
Earlier
Bellwood, Pennsylvania
Ben looked around the living room, making sure no one was present. He was wearing a dark green winter jacket, the area around his stomach bulging out a bit. He moved quickly and quietly from the basement to the stairs, making his way up to his room. He closed the door so slowly that it couldn't even make a creak. He turned towards his bed, sighing in relief as he unzipped the jacket.
"Finally," sighed the boy. He placed a box on the table, quickly pulling green wrapping paper and a blue bow from the back of his jacket. "Now I can do this in peace. This shouldn't take too long." He suddenly shivered before he could grab the wrapping paper, a dark figure with glowing eyes rising behind him.
"Whatcha got there?" questioned a familiar voice. Ben hid the box in his jacket again, zipping it up as he turned around. He glared at his sister, holding his arms over the area.
"What did Mom say about phasing in the house!? What if I was naked!?" Ellie rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips.
"Nothing I haven't seen from Danny's memories. Besides, I saw you the moment you poked your head into the living room." She tried to reach for Ben, only for the boy to dodge her as she floated to where he was standing. "What's in the box~." Her brother huffed, keeping his eyes on her.
"Nothing for you. It's private." Ellie put a hand to her heart, a mock look of pain on her face.
"Oh, what pain. Not getting your poor sister a present~." Ben gave her a deadpan look, shaking his head.
"That's not what I meant and you know it. Girls like to talk and I don't want anyone knowing about this yet." Ellie rolled her eyes, grinning at him.
"Way to stereotype but alright. I can just tell Gwen you got someone a special present~." The boy suddenly had a panicked look shaking his head.
"Ellie, you can't. I worked hard on this and I can't let it get back to Ja- I mean… You can't tell." Ellie then floated behind him, giggling at him.
"Come on, Ben. Scouts honor I won't tell anyone what it is." The boy slumped his shoulders, groaning.
"You don't even do Girl Scouts. Why do you want to know so bad anyway?" Ellie draped her arms over his shoulders, grinning at him.
"Oh come on! You can't just sneak around the house, trying to avoid Mom and Dad, without making a girl curious." The boy felt even more despondent, sighing.
"Alright. Just… just don't laugh. You have to SWEAR you won't tell anyone. Otherwise I'm telling everyone about your little crush on Paco." The ghost girl suddenly backed up, raising her hands with a blush on her face.
"H-hey now. We don't need to tell Mom about that." Ben sent her a soft glare, shaking his head.
"Then you know I'm serious about this. I haven't put this much effort into something like this before and… I don't wanna ruin it." Seeing the sad look on his face, Ellie sighed as she powered down.
"Okay. I can keep a secret." Ben slowly unzipped the jacket again, placing the box on his bed. He opened it, carefully pulling out a small statuette that depicted a phoenix in flight. Ellie blinked at the object, slowly approaching as she looked it over.
"You didn't. T-This looks like real gemstone. How did… How much did you pay for this?" Ben looked away, crossing his arms.
"I didn't buy it. I've already been practicing making stuff as Diamondhead so I… thought I'd make her something sentimental. She said the bird on her gymnastics outfit was a Phoenix so I had to look it up to see what they normally look like. After that I had to focus on making very specific shapes and worked my way up to this. I did have to use Graymatter to help me come up with a design that wouldn't be flimsy and break like a twig though."
He quickly put it back in the box before shutting it, looking glum. "It's dumb, isn't it? Or is it too much? I've never had to think hard about giving a girl a gift before aside from you, Gwen, and Mom so I just went with what felt right." Ellie kept looking at him with wide eyes, still comprehending what he told her.
"You, Ben Tennyson, went out of your way to make something for a girl. Not only that, you actually studied something outside of school to make it work." She rubbed her eyes before looking him over again, as if he were a different person. "I was mostly teasing you and pointing out your boyness but you actually like Jade, don't you?" Ben looked towards the floor, sighing.
"Are you gonna tease me more if I say yes? I'm still feeling things out but she's the coolest girl I know. She can do amazing things that I can only do as an alien right now, she's cute and I don't even feel embarrassed saying it, and she's got this spice to her that comes out when she's sassy or showing her confidence. She's totally out of my league, and that's not even counting that her uncle is THE Jackie Chan." His sister walked a bit closer, opening the box lid as she gently pulled the object out of it.
"Ben, let's go through this one step at a time. This is Taydenite, one of the most expensive gemstones in the galaxy. You also become your aliens, meaning you are literally gifting Jade part of yourself. Do you realize the implications of that?" Ben walked to the head of his bed, sitting down with a sigh.
"I just… wanted to do something nice that you can't just get at the store. You can't exactly find good stuff at the store that's phoenix based that isn't expensive." Ellie quickly put the object back in the box, closing it carefully.
"Well, considering this gemstone is likely the most expensive thing in the galaxy, I'd say you did pretty darn good if your intention is to woo her over. You won't find anything like this." Ben blinked at this, shivering a bit.
"T-The most expensive? I-I heard from Grandpa this Taydenite stuff is expensive but-" Ellie smirked, rolling her eyes as the Ben she knew was back.
"Ben, remember how you told me Tetrax is the last of his kind? That comes with the fact he is literally made of living crystals. THIS is alive, not just some regular gemstone, meaning it can survive erosion similar to gold. You could destroy an entire economy if you ever went into making and selling this stuff, and you're using it to make a gift for a girl you like. Ben Tennyson, the fact you even considered making a girl something expensive like this tells me you've got it bad."
She slid the box further onto the bed before sitting beside him, smirking at him. "I'm talking Tucker Foley over a new hot girl kinda bad without the weird nerd part. I'm honestly surprised you never thought to make your Sumo Slammer cards out of Taydenite. That would be valuable." Ben crossed his arms, looking at the ground.
"Well I couldn't make things this detailed before the start of the month. It took a lot of work with Graymatter to design the statue and a LOT of practice as Diamondhead to even make something without shooting it. On top of that it would just feel off to make my own Sumo Slammer cards out of my body… Now the statue sounds super creepy." Ellie giggles at him, tapping his side with her elbow.
"Hey, not the first time a boy has done something that could be weird or creepy for a girl. At least you did it in a way that isn't morbid or actually gross. You're probably the only guy on Earth that could get away with it. I'm sure she'll love it, especially all the thought you put into it." Ben smiled weakly, hoping she was right.
Suddenly, Ellie shivered as mist flew out of her mouth. "Ghost sense?... Something's wrong. Either we're being watched or there's a ghost in town." Ben glared, nodding his head as he knew the seriousness of both options.
Meanwhile, at Section 13, Jade could be seen at a table in the mess hall rolling a meatball back and forth across her plate. Sitting on the opposite side of her was Gwen, the redhead having an annoyed look as she studied the spell book Uncle had given her to replace her own. Not realizing that Gwen wasn't looking at her due to looking at her plate, Jade sighed.
"Hey Gwen?" questioned the Chinese girl. "Do you… happen to know anything Ben likes that he hasn't openly said at school?" Gwen barely looked up from her book, shaking her head.
"What?" questioned the redhead before she processed the question. "I mean kinda but he and I don't really hang out every single day aside from school. What you see of him and hear from him is usually all it is. Why?" Jade finally speared the meatball, closing a booklet similar to Gwen's with her other hand.
"Well, Ben's mom invited us over to their home for Christmas and it's kinda the first one we've really celebrated outside of spending time together with small things and treats. We usually put a bigger emphasis on the Chinese New Year with the usual shopping, red envelopes, family dinners, and everything else that's important. I've never actually given a Christmas present and I'd like to give Ben something that has more meaning than just buying some cards. You guys are my first real friends outside of business relations so I'd like to do the whole American thing." Gwen hummed, looking towards her.
"Really? Your family hasn't been big on Christmas?" Jade shrugged, shaking her head.
"Not outside of holiday parties Daddy was invited to. Christmas isn't exactly a big thing in China so we usually just spend time together around that day when Daddy's projects would be based on American or other foreign schedules. I mean it wasn't the worst get togethers, even if we didn't celebrate. Anyway, other things Ben likes that could be good gift ideas." Gwen gave the girl an almost curious look before shrugging, not seeing the harm.
"Well for one thing don't get him anything Peacock related. Don't tell him I told you this but he's scared of them after one chased him around when he was four. In the bird's defense he was bothering it from what my Mom told me. He cried in Aunt Sandra's chest all night after that." Jade giggled at this, looking away while bringing the meatball to her mouth.
"We all have those experiences as little kids, don't we? I mean, this one time I was pulling on a string as a little girl and accidentally made something fall on my head. Still, I guess that takes anything with peacocks on it off the list. Not exactly a good idea to get anyone something tied to their fears, especially not a cu- I mean, a friend. Sorry my English slipped away from me for a moment."
Gwen didn't seem to catch her slip, allowing her to finish her meatball for a moment. "Anything he likes instead of things he doesn't like?" The redhead tilted her head back and forth, trying to think.
"I guess he's recently had a thing for smoothies. He's been going crazy with this new 'Mr. Smoothies' place that opened up and always gets the weirdest flavors. The most tame thing he gets is a peanut butter and bacon smoothie." The redhead gagged at this, shaking her head. Jade couldn't help but make a face, shivering.
"Okay… I guess. Not exactly something useful unless I get him a gift card or a blender for making smoothies. I kinda want it to be more meaningful than-" She suddenly shivered again, her eyes glowing blue. "The willies. Dark magic is afoot."
Not long after, smoke began to rise from the shadows within the base. Max saw it in his office, getting a bad feeling as he grabbed a laser rifle from under his desk and pressed an alert button. The alarms went off around the base as the shadows stretched out, agents rushing around the area in a mad scramble. The Shadowkhan suddenly jumped up as if the magic keeping them out had turned into a veil of water, their weapons at the ready as they ran forward. The moment one appeared in the mess hall, Gwen raised her hand.
"ENTROPICUS!" The magic spell hit the Shadowkhan, making the light fixture above it crash into it. More ninjas began to rise the same way, Jade's hands glowing blue to match her eyes as she stood up.
"Shadowkhan!" She held her hands out, a scroll made of blue flames opening behind her as she instinctively muttered an incantation that caused good chi to wash over the area. The shinobi silently screamed before they popped like grapes, the shadows going back to their original state. "Someone is using Dark Magic to bypass Uncle Jing's barrier." The speakers turned on, causing the girls to look up.
"Red alert!" cried an automated voice. "Unknown assailants are attacking the base! They're heading for Vault 318. Magister Tennyson has authorized lethal force to remove the enemies. They're dressed entirely in black robes like those strange human ninja things." Jade looked towards the door, the scroll displaying different characters.
"They're going for the Talismans! Come on!" Gwen held out her hand as Jade suddenly disappeared, the redhead groaning.
"Jade!" cried the girl. "How is she doing that?" She ran forward, hoping she would get there in time. The Shadowkhan fought through the Plumbers in their way, unable to dip back into the shadows without the barrier blocking them out again. They quickly approached the vault where the Talismans were being kept, some picking up weapons dropped by enemies that were knocked away.
"FIRE!" ordered a Plumber who looked like a fish man. A barrage of laser weapons were fired at the shinobi, one of the shadow beings pulling the pin on an object it grabbed. "FRAG GRENADE! TAKE COVER!" The agents ducked out of the way as the weapon was thrown, the vault door being damaged as a hole was made. One of the Shadowkhan tried to enter, only to be lifted into the air by levitation and smashed into a wall.
"You're not getting these Talismans," growled Jade. "Not if I can help it. LIGHT!" The burning blue scroll behind her changed characters again, launching a beam of light from her hands that tore through a group of the Shadowkhan. The light changed its path multiple times, the shinobi having to flip and dodge out of the way as much as possible. A Shadowkhan tried to sneak up on her, only for a blast of green energy to pop it.
"Not inviting us to the party!?" cried Ellie as she flew overhead. "Now I'm just hurt!" Jade didn't respond, watching as the ghost girl fired more ectobeams at the Shadowkhan that dodged the light attacks.
"A spirit among the living?... Ellie… Her name is-" Jade gritted her teeth, holding her head as a headache began to set in. Three Shadowkhan tried to take advantage of this, only to be bowled over by something large and yellow.
"STEEERIKE!" cried the entity as it came to a stop. The being was a hulking, broad-shouldered alien covered in natural, yellow exo-plates on his back, shoulders, and the backs of his arms. He was mostly white with black on his upper half, having four claws on both of his hands. He was covered in fur across the thickest parts of his body, while every other part except for his elbows and knees is short fur. The Omnitrix was nestled into his stomach region, revealing its identity as Ben.
He looked towards Jade, his eyes widening. "Whoa! Jade, your hands are glowing and you don't look so hot… N-Not that you don't look good but-" The boy quickly used the plates on the back of his arms to block some shuriken that were thrown, Jade taking a deep breath.
"Concentrate, Xiaoyu. Return from whence you came, Shadowkhan! BANISHMENT!" She bent the light around as rapidly as possible, creating a hard light brand depicting a symbol for the commandment she gave. The light shined throughout the base, causing the Shadowkhan to pop much like the ones in the mess hall did as Ellie shivered at the cold feeling in the air.
"Okay, that felt creepy and weird," admitted the ghost girl. "Note to self, don't become the target of that." She cried out as flight suddenly failed her, the rings of light turning her back to normal as she landed butt first on the floor. The scroll behind Jade suddenly shattered, the Chinese girl falling backwards. Ben quickly caught her, his eyes widening as her eyes slowly closed.
"JADE!" cried the large alien.
Xiaoling Industries, San Francisco
The cauldron in the middle of the room suddenly exploded, Shendu hissing as the blinding light of the spell coming to an end hurt his still eyes. The weapons that laid scattered on the floor were either covered in the remnants of the potion or broken by the shards of metal from said liquid's containers. The sprinkler system suddenly went off as fire was detected in the area, causing some people outside the room to cry out as fire alarms went off. Tohru forced the door open, the Enforcers securing the area even while coughing. Valmont stormed in, completely drenched from the falling water.
"My office!" roared the rich man. "Broken and waterlogged weapons strewn about, the rug shredded and burnt, and the important documents I left on my desk are likely ruined!" Chow huffed, shaking his head.
"So much for your Shadowkhan getting the job done," huffed the Asian goon. "They made a big mess." Shendu groaned as the red glow returned to his eyes.
"A banishment spell of that intensity?" questioned the statue. "But how?" The dragon was left to ponder this as Valmont had a clear and unamused scowl on his face.
Bellwood, Pennsylvania
Jade groaned, seeing flashes of a red face laughing as she tossed around a bit. She woke up with a gasp, her head pounding as she heard the muffled sounds of conversations around her. From what she could make out, someone was not happy about something being said over a call. She was broken out of her pained state when she heard the famous "AIYAAH!" of Uncle. She looked forward, watching as the old man was walking around in annoyance.
"First no one tell Uncle dimensional beings under town, then no one tell Uncle niece do big magic, now this!?" roared the old man. "Boss lady about to get a piece of Uncle!" The call she thought was over a phone seemed to be a holographic video, the screen blacked out as a line representing audio was present instead.
"I heard that, Child," huffed the voice on the other end. "I have been alive longer than your planet knew how to write in the dirt so you are permitted to hold your tongue. I have been rather lenient with Earth, Maxwell, due to the situations that have occurred, but I did not give authorization for the Plumbers to house anything relating to magic aside from beings that could not be contained otherwise. You have your orders, so be grateful the plug hasn't been pulled." The call cut off, Jade groaning as she rubbed her temples.
"Anyone have any Advil?" questioned the girl. "Tylenol, maybe?" Before her father could answer, Uncle slapped her forehead.
"You use dangerous magic!" cried the old man. "You could have died or lost mind permanently! You want to stop existing? No? Then don't use dangerous magic!" Ben glared at the old man, taking deep breaths.
"I understand it was dangerous but does he have to yell when she still has a headache?" questioned the boy. "Not to mention smacking her where it hurts." Jade rubbed her head, specifically in the area where she was hit.
"I…I don't know what I did," moaned the girl. "One minute I was in the cafeteria, then I had the willies, then I barely recognized Ellie, and now I'm being yelled at while having a migraine." Uncle shivered, looking towards her.
"You had the willies?" questioned the old man. "You sensed dark magic? You remember anything else?" Jade grabbed her head, trying to think through her pain. She looked around, her eyes glitching a bit.
"I… I remember an evil face laughing at me before I woke up. Like a demon that I think… my memories are saying is linked to the Shadowkhan… Like I've met him before. I know I've never met a demon in person in my life but… the memory is there like it was my last one." Gwen crossed her arms, huffing.
"Well whatever happened I gotta ask you where that scroll suddenly came from," stated the redhead. "The one with blue fire and shifting text that was floating behind you." Jade slowly tilted her head, still looking pained.
"Gwen, she just said she doesn't remember what happened aside from what she said," argued Ben. "She wouldn't know about the scroll thing." His cousin rolled her eyes, huffing.
"Way to become defensive, Doofus. I'm asking her a question, not interrogating her like a criminal." Max cleared his throat, a small frown on his head.
"Gwen, Ben, behave," ordered the Magister. Ben looked away as Gwen had a face that said she didn't do anything wrong, their grandfather looking towards Jade. "Regardless, we have another problem. The Head Magistratum heard about the situation and I had to give her a report. Our planet isn't exactly at the level where the Plumbers are authorized to handle magic aside from certain cases."
He crossed his arms, looking down much like Ben did. "We can get involved if it interferes with the statute of secrecy or is a great harm to the planet but housing magic relics that don't fall into either of those categories or magical criminals of low threat level is not in the cards. We're going to have to move the Talismans to a new location, one not monitored or sanctioned by Plumber Personnel. I-" Uncle huffed suddenly, crossing his arms.
"Crazy lady risk Talismans falling into dark and powerful hands," grumbled the chi wizard. "If enemy has spell capable of breaking through protective barrier, there are not many places the enemy cannot snatch them from." Max gestured to the base, looking around.
"Jing, the base was attacked and almost overwhelmed to the point where heavy artillery was nearly authorized. Not to mention we have highly advanced weapons unaccounted for, some of which were experimental technology. Humanity is not ready for this level of tech and, as much as I hate to admit it, the funding being pulled to house the Talismans would normally see the use of vault 318 be dismissed if another Magister was in charge. My hands are tied and there's no choice that won't see Earth abandoned to the greater universe around us." Ellie sighed, leaning against a wall.
"Bureaucrats," stated the ghost girl. "Does anyone else feel a buzz, by the way? I haven't been able to use my powers ever since that spell wiped out all the shadow ninjas but I suddenly feel like I can run a marathon. I feel more alive, and that's saying something for a girl who's half-dead with ghost powers… And I just said that out loud in some kind of adrenaline spurt, didn't I?"
Her siblings looked at her like she'd gone crazy, the girl walking in place a bit. "Anyone have some chips because I'm also hungrier than usual." Uncle suddenly walked up to her, placing his hand on her head.
"Hm…" hummed the old man. "Girl feels warm, really warm. Lots of chi… and something more… Come." Ellie gasped as she was pulled along, her legs still going.
"Um… Guys? The magic wizard guy is pulling me along and I still need those chips." Max groaned, having a feeling this was just the start of a long day. Hours later, Jade was allowed to walk around as her headache had subsided for the most part. Ben let her use his arm as a form of crutch, Gwen following behind them while she looked like she was seeing a ghost.
"Your head feeling better?" questioned the Omnitrix user. "I can get you some water if you want." Jade smiled at him, slowly popping her neck.
"I'm fine, Ben, but you're sweet," reassured the Chinese girl. "All these memories that I don't remember coming in just hurts my head." Gwen stopped as the duo continued on, placing her hands on her hips.
"Ben, playing crutch for a girl?" questioned the magical girl herself. "First Jade gets some special magic she can't remember, then holding magic artifacts is not allowed here, and now this? My life is becoming a rollercoaster. What else could happen?" Suddenly, a loud belch filled the air as a green beam fired wildly into a wall.
"...What the heck?" questioned Ben as he held Jade close. "That's new." The trio looked towards the door, Ellie looking bashful as there was now a hole in it.
"Um… excuse me," apologized the ghost girl. "That's never happened with my ectoplasm before." Shen coughed as there was a smoky smell in the air, shaking his head.
"It would not be the first time an energy discharge happened within these walls, Miss Tennyson," reassured the man. He looked out the hole, gesturing to the group. "Come in, come." Ben quickly made sure he wasn't holding Jade as he let her return to using his arm like a crutch, Gwen speedily walking ahead of them as the sight of him actually being a gentleman was starting to freak her out. Uncle hummed as he looked at a bowl of rice and exotic spices.
"Makes no sense," stated the old man. "Girl's chi shines like newborn. Has big amount too. What kind of spell used?" Ben hummed, bopping his head back and forth.
"All Jade said was 'Banishment' and the scroll's words changed," informed the boy. "Then the huge light beam turned into a symbol that sent out a pulse to make all the Shadowkhan pop like grapes. Gwen, arm please." The redhead was confused by his request, only to find herself being used as Jade's crutch as her cousin began scribbling on a piece of paper in ink.
"Okay, what the heck is going on with you?" questioned the redhead. "You're acting intelligent instead of… well like a kid." Shen hummed, watching the look in the boy's eyes.
"Could it be the Galvan DNA?" whispered the doctor to himself. "It cannot be that prevalent yet, unless my original calculations were off." Ben turned towards the group, quickly holding up the piece of paper.
"It looked like this from what I could see," informed the alien hero. "It was kinda hard with how strong the light was but I was able to make out the lines from the blur in my eyes caused by too much light getting in." Uncle took the paper, his face looking like he didn't believe the drawing would help. As soon as he looked at the symbol, however, his face softened before twisting into one of disbelief. His hands shook a bit, the old man looking up.
"This spell requires ingredients and incantation," informed the chi wizard. "One word not enough to use… How? Not even Chi Master Fong could perform spell with no ingredients." Shen cleared his throat, gesturing towards the clipboard in his hands.
"While magic may not be my expertise, biology is," stated Jade's father. "Miss Tennyson, your arm please." Ellie shivered at the request, only for Ben to rub her other arm to coerce her into fulfilling it. She relaxed as soon as some kind of cuff was placed around her elbow instead of being jabbed with a needle. Shen then pulled up a screen, the cuff glowing on the inside as the large screen began loading something.
He then looked towards the siblings, nodding his head. "My apologies but there will be a slight pinch. Nothing more than a relative pulling your cheeks." Ellie shivered as she felt said pain, one of her fingers firing out another ectoplasm ray that broke a beaker. Jade leaned onto Gwen, shivering a bit.
"Gwen, could we take a few more steps to the left?" requested the Chinese girl. "That was too close for comfort." The redhead followed the request, her eyes still on her cousin as the machine continued to work. Soon readings began to pop up on the screen, Shen reading over them as they popped up. He hummed, scratching his chin.
"Vitals are normal, save for an increase of adrenaline. Her heartbeat is holding the pace of someone who has just finished a run but it is a steady pace. I-" He rubbed his eyes, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. "Genetics sample matches that of a newborn and an adolescent?"
He moved the specific reading to the forefront, looking it over more. "That can't be right. The DNA is giving off readings of two species in one, and not in the way of a hybrid. It's as if two entities were genetically combined and… By the ancestors."
Jade shivered, knowing her father rarely made declarations about these things. "Miss Tennyson, I need you to be as descriptive as possible. These 'ghost powers' of yours, were they genetic? How did they come about?" The ghost girl looked towards Ben, the two of them seeming to have a silent conversation before the girl looked back towards the man.
"Y-You could say genetic, definitely genetic. It happened in an accident, one involving supercharged ectoplasm." Shen looked baffled, shivering a bit.
"Forgive me if this is sudden or morbid, but how are you still alive? These levels of radiation are usually associated with Ectonurites, biological and living spirits." Ellie rubbed her arm, looking down.
"Well, a similar incident happened to an older guy who has the same powers as me. He coined the term Halfa: half alive, half a ghost." Shen frowned, trying to process this.
"I apologize but there's no way that is possible. Nothing can be half alive and half dead. Even the Ectonurites technically live as they can be slain by radiation. You would have to be a deity to have that kind of life. Are you absolutely certain of this." The ghost girl looked up, groaning.'
"You're asking the wrong girl that one. You'd have to ask the scientists that made a portal to the Ghost Zone in their basement." Uncle scoffs, placing his hands on his hips.
"Little girl tell fibs!" cried the old man. "Portal to Immortal Realm only possible with magic!" Ellie growled as her adrenaline was spiking her aggression, only for the Omnitrix to start beeping.
"Um… Azmuth's calling," stated the boy. "Should I go outside or-" Shen shook his head, his hands held up.
"The longer you make Teacher wait, the more upset he will become," stated the man. "Go ahead." Ben twisted the dial a few times, pressing the button he'd normally use to activate the Omnitrix to answer the call.
"I see you haven't forgotten how to answer calls, Tennyson," greeted the old Galvan. "I was sure I would need to call my apprentice." Uncle gasped, picking up a clipboard.
"DEMON!" cried the old man. Ben suddenly held up his arm, the board smacking against his palm without doing much more than stinging it. The boy shook his head, wincing yet frowning.
"And this is why I asked if I should take this outside," stated the boy. "Ow." Shen quickly pulled the board away from Uncle, looking apologetic.
"Uncle Jing, Teacher is no Demon," informed the man. "He is one of the smartest minds in the galaxy." Azmuth cleared his throat, hiding shock through annoyance.
"I will keep this brief, Tennyson," stated the Galvan. "I have finished the final preparations for the Omnitrix. A new upgrade will be uploaded within a week, one it has been needing for a while. One of the key features will allow for the safety period between uses to be overwritten unless you use a sample for an extended period of time consecutively. This will include a new roster of Aliens for you to test for me and an update to the scanner that will accurately and swiftly identify a DNA sample without the need for you to transform into the entity being scanned."
Ben sighed in relief, keeping the sound as quiet as possible as the glance he gave Jade promised he would explain later. "This update should only take twelve earth hours unless emergency functions are used. Pray you do not need them or else you will stall the process, causing unknown side effects on your body. The Omnitrix has become rather unpredictable as of late, which I attribute to the fact that it was originally damaged by the crash landing and your less than gentle touch." The boy shrugged, chuckling nervously.
"I think I can handle a few hours without action," stated the boy. His sister and cousin giggled as if they didn't believe him, the boy not making a face as he ignored them. "I'll just do other things during that time. Anything else?" Azmuth hummed, looking amused.
"Other than advising you against trying to halt the update, there is nothing else to say. I will contact you again sometime after the update is complete to see how the Omnitrix is behaving on your end. Now, I have other projects to attend to. Azmuth out." The hologram disappeared, Ellie munching on some chips that an agent handed her.
"New update, cool," stated the sibling. "Does anyone have an answer for what's happening to my powers?" Uncle looked over the symbol a bit more, studying it.
"Spell is ancient and powerful, meant to dispel evil and bring balance," informed the old man. "Where there was imbalance within you, now body and spirit are balanced." Ellie gulped, slowly shaking her head.
"W-Wait a minute. Does that mean my ghost powers are gone?" Jade grabbed her head as her eyes turned blue, her breathing going steady.
"No, Eleanor," corrected the Chinese girl. "The spell has simply balanced the imbalance in your body, mind, and soul. Where once your flesh was old and caught in a constant state of decay and regeneration, now it is reborn anew and in a more natural state. The same could be said for your spiritual power, being returned to a natural state that is enhanced by your chi and vice versa." Ellie munched on some more chips, humming to herself.
"So… that means I'm not going to melt into a puddle of ectoplasm anymore?" She shivered, looking around the room. "And I spoke out loud again, didn't I?... I think I'll get myself some pizza." Ben watched his sibling remove the cuff from her elbow, standing up as she waited for a moment.
She suddenly blushed, grumbling to herself. "Right. Ghost powers not working right means no flying. Guess I'm walking." The girl walked out of the room, Jade looking between Ben and Gwen.
"So… does someone wanna explain the part where Ellie has MELTED!?" questioned the Chinese girl, her eyes back to their normal brown. Ben sighed, knowing Ellie just made things more problematic for herself. Not long after, Captain Black was seen on the phone as he leaned against his desk.
"I understand, sir, but this is important," stated the man. "Magic or not these Talismans need to be under lockdown… Yes there are people who believe they're magical but anything with advanced technology can seem like magic… I understand sir."
The captain rubbed his face, groaning in frustration. He noticed Max's approach, shaking his head. "Not a single military base is taking this seriously the moment I bring up the 'M' word. Whoever holds onto these things, the government won't help. I don't suppose you know any other 'wizards' that can be counted as friends."
He noticed the serious frown Max had on his face, slumping his shoulders. "Cut me some slack. Like I said, I don't believe this whole magic business. Until I see it with my own eyes and can't find an alternative thing, I can't believe it." The old man sighed at this, rubbing his temples.
"We need to find somewhere soon," stated Max. "It's only a matter of time before someone is sent in to remove them themselves." Jade was suddenly beside them, her eyes blue.
"Perhaps there is a way," stated the girl. The adults jerked, looking towards her in shock. Captain Black adjusted his trench coat, clearing his throat.
"You, young lady, need to stop sneaking up on people," stated the captain. "How did you even get in my office?" Jade pointed towards the ventilation system, the grate being open.
"Your door was locked and I felt a need to insert myself into the conversation. It matters not." Max chuckled under his breath, watching as Augustus rubbed his temples. "I remember a relic from the distant past, one used to contain and hide the talismans before the order was given to scatter them to the four corners of the globe… If these are memories of mine, then I created it after the fall of… someone dangerous while restoring China to its former glory."
She rubbed her head, trying to get her thoughts through. "The Xiaolin Order. That is who I entrusted the belt to. With it all twelve Talismans can be safely locked away, only to be used when they are needed most. I think, if I focus on it and no other memories, I can guide someone to the temple as there are no maps that lead to its location."
The girl groaned, rubbing her head as her eyes went back to normal. "So… think that'll work?" The two men looked towards each other, another silent conversation going on. They both knew one person was not going to like this. As expected, hours later, Jackie looked at Captain Black incredulously.
"You have to be joking," argued the man. "You want me to take Jade and the kids to China on a wild goose chase based on a child's imagination?" Captain Black crossed his arms, frowning.
"The same child who was able to locate where the talismans were whenever they were used or in danger of being found," stated the Captain. "I don't like it either but it's the only lead we've got. Either we find the belt or the Talismans go to your Uncle's shop, and his 'barrier' has been breached once already. Besides, you won't be going in alone. Agent Xi and one of our 'new friends' will also be acting as escort."
Jackie's shoulders slumped, the archeologist slowly realizing there was no getting out of this. "That Cybertronian kid has been requested to go with them and let's just say one of her guardians is taking her safety VERY seriously. You might find him more agreeable than the rookie. The transport leaves in a few hours so pack everything you'll need." The martial artist sighed at this, wondering when his life became this complicated.
The Next Day
China
A Plumber ship swiftly and stealthily flew over the Chinese countryside, rice fields and trees barely being influenced by its movements. The ship was rather large, a cloaking device keeping it from being spotted. The ship suddenly came to a stop over a location with a large amount of trees, touching down in an empty space as it became visible again. The back hangar opened, a red truck with a blue bed driving out with a mobile home attached to it. Jade jumped out of the main entrance, stretching her limbs as she sighed.
"Oh yeah," moaned the girl. "Chan Xiaoyu is here for a visit." Instead of her usual winter wear, she was wearing a red jacket over a blue long-sleeve Qipao style shirt, a pair of white traveling slacks, and black boots. "This fit is so cute!" Ben stepped out next, wearing the jacket he had been using to hide his present the other day.
"You sure do," sighed the boy. He jerked as the girl looked back at him, clearing his throat. "I-I mean, it really does look good." He mentally kicked himself, Jade looking forward with a blush as she silently giggled to herself. Ellie stepped down after Ben, shivering as she had a large blue jacket and red trousers on.
"Okay, we get it," huffed the spiritual girl. "You two are adorable and I'm cold as heck. Seriously, how do you guys live in this cold weather? I've never felt this cold in my life." Sari walked out from the hangar, slurping down some oil as she had simply added a jacket and a scarf to her attire.
"I don't know what you guys are talking about," stated the Cybertronian. "It's not THAT cold out here." The truck honked before she could try taking off her jacket, making her groan. "Okay! I'll keep it on!"
Jackie stepped out quickly, wearing a black jacket over his usual top alongside a brown beanie and scarf. He spotted Jade, the girl talking with Ben as the two of them stood to the side. He noticed the way Jade was digging her toe into the ground, only to feel patting at his back.
"Excuse me, señor Jackie," apologized a familiar voice. The man turned around, spotting Paco as the boy was wearing a heavy brown coat, a yellow scarf with a Hispanic style to it, and a black beanie alongside his usual attire. "May I please come out now? You have been standing here for more than uno minuto." Jackie quickly backed away, nodding his head with a smile.
"Sorry, Paco," apologized the man. "I am surprised your mother let you come along, given her dispute with Maxwell." The boy adjusted his scarf, grinning from ear to ear.
"Señor Max said he convinced her I should spend time with my friends. I promised her I would bring her back a souvenir." The boy walked past him, approaching Ellie as the girl was still shivering. Viper stepped out, wearing an Eskimo outfit in her true form. She hissed at the cold temperature, shivering a bit.
"W-Why did it have to be so close to winter?" stuttered the Kineceleran. "I can handle winter alright but it gets so cold my scales start to feel ice cold." Jackie looked towards her, quickly removing his scarf.
"Here," offered the man. "It won't help much but it's something." He wrapped it around her neck, the woman smiling as she held her ID Mask in hand.
"Thanks, Hotshot. Feelin' warmer already." She put the mask on, the outside appearance of her outfit not changing as much. It turned into a brown heavy jacket, brown mittens, a pair of brown thermal tights, and brown boots with white fuzz. "This one is really nice."
She walked past Jackie, the man smiling as he walked after her. Gwen was the last one out, wearing a white knee length coat, a pair of white mittens, and a blue beanie with a black cat logo on the side in addition to her usual attire. She huffed a small pack over her shoulder, walking out to join the kids as Jackie cleared his throat.
"Alright, let us go over the safety guidelines again to be sure no one forgets," stated the man. Ellie rolled her eyes, the gesture being ignored as the man continued. "We will stick together the entire trip, there will be no getting involved in dangerous situations, and the adults will be doing the talking unless addressed. Now, we need a buddy system. Everyone find a buddy." Jade crossed her arms, huffing.
"Oh Scout Master Jackie," joked the girl. "Reminder that MY memories are acting as our guide since we don't have a map. Also, we know not to move too far away from the group. We're practically teens, not six year olds." Viper rolled her eyes, rolling over to the group.
"Your Uncle is just trying to make sure everyone stays safe, even if it's a bit overboard," reassured the woman. "Just stay together and you, kid, keep an eye out for when those memories tell you the right way. Meanwhile, I'll keep the hotshot here from fretting over every fork in the road or blade of grass out of place. You really need to loosen up, Jackie." The man looked towards her, crossing his arms.
"Perhaps you should be more concerned for the safety of the kids," argued the man. "What if bandits or Shadowkhan come after us?" Viper backed away a bit, her hands on her hips.
"Well, let's do a head count. There's two of us, kids with powers, and a heavy metal man. I say that's more than enough security." Jade grinned, getting a mischievous idea as she looked between the duo. She pointed to Viper, her grin growing.
"Please tell me you're dating Uncle Jackie. I like you a lot." Jackie tensed up, laughing nervously as the other kids save for Paco giggled.
"I'm working on it, Kiddo. Someone's just a little slow." She rolled backwards a bit, nodding towards the group. "Everyone get in the mobile home until we find the path." The group nodded, Jade hopping into the passenger seat of the truck.
"Jade, Viper told you to get in the mobile home," stated Jackie. "I-" The girl frowned, crossing her arms.
"Jackie, the girl with the memories, remember?" questioned the Chinese girl. "I appreciate you looking out for everyone but I can't exactly turn my head every moment to look out a small window to try and not miss the path." Jackie tried to find an argument, only to sigh as he sat down and allowed the vehicle to drive itself. Inside the mobile home, the three talismans were sitting in a lead box. Paco looked towards the box, humming.
"So, the Talismans are in there?" questioned the Hispanic boy. "How will the bad guys not find us?" Gwen rested against the table with the box, smirking.
"The signal their magic gives off is a signature similar to radiation," stated the redhead. "Sensors could only get a general location when they were in lead until the device was brought really close to where they were. As long as we're far enough away from whoever is sensing them, they won't be able to get a full location lock. Then again, magic can be a LOT more complicated than radiation." Ellie snickered, shaking her head.
"That's Gwen's nerd talk for the box is doing its job," joked the spiritual girl. "All we gotta do is get them in that belt before the bad guys show up trying to take them." Ben cracked his knuckles, looking out the window.
"Whatever happens, we'll finally get to show everyone what we can do," stated the boy. "We only had the night at the ring to do that and that was the one fight aside from some solo things on my part." He turned towards the others, displaying the Omnitrix. "This baby will get another shot at tearing down any bad guys we come across." Gwen placed her hands on her hips, rolling her eyes.
"And just when he was starting to act more mature, he goes back to flaunting the Omnitrix like a toy," stated the redhead. "Ever hear of 'Pride before the fall', Doofus?" Ben shrugged, shaking his head.
"I mean, I have you guys if the watch starts acting up or I change back. That's why we're a team, Jade too even though she's up front." Sari bounced up and down, a grin on her face.
"YES!" cried the Cybertronian girl. "I'm on a team!" Ellie giggled at the metal girl, finding her reaction humorous. Outside, Viper kept up with the truck while the vehicle was driving along. Jade looked all over the area, Jackie trying to find anything that would look like a hidden spot.
The girl suddenly grabbed her head, her eyes turning blue as she looked around frantically. She soon noticed a spot with a fair number of trees. She pointed towards it, frowning.
"Through there!" cried the Chinese girl. "The trees cover the path up the mountain." The truck changed directions before Jackie could try to grab the wheel, Jade making a miniature scroll with her focus as her eyes glowed. "SEPARATE!" The trees moved at the command of the scroll, allowing the vehicle in before they closed back like a veil.
Jackie screamed as a few branches hit the windshield, Jade taking a few deep breaths as they were now going up a path. "I think I'm getting the hang of this." She then looked up, her eyes turning blue. "Stop!" The vehicle came to a stop, the group in the back being jostled a bit.
"Jade, what is wrong?" questioned Jackie. "Did we go the wrong way?" The girl quickly knocked on the back of the truck, the knock somehow reaching to the mobile home as Sari nodded to the others.
"No. We are being followed. They're waiting for us to lead them to our destination. There is a dead end to the left, a place where carts used to go in situations like this for an ambush." The truck took off quickly, the darkness growing behind them.
The vehicle backed up into the spot, coming to a complete halt. Jade was about to get out, only for the side door to be locked by Jackie. "JACKIE! I CAN HELP!" Her uncle pointed towards her, frowning.
"No. Stay here or you will be grounded for the rest of the trip." He exited the vehicle, the girl crossing her arms with a huff. Jackie walked around, keeping his eyes on the area around them while the truck doused its headlights. He entered a ready stance as soon as he detected movement, only to feel a tap on his back.
"What's the situation?" questioned Viper. Jackie turned towards her, patting his chest as he took deep breaths of relief. "You left the kid in the truck? You could have at least sent her to the mobile home." Jackie shook his head, scowling.
"She was trying to help in a fight she should not be a part of. What was I supposed to do when she won't listen to me?" Viper placed her hands on her hips again, puffing out her chest.
"Well at least her parents understand learning from mistakes like mine did. You holding her hand is not going to teach her anything other than to do the opposite." Jade felt the vehicle shift suddenly, the door unlocking as she jumped out. A Cybertronian standing taller than Bumblebee soon towered over the duo, Jackie going pale as the metal man had a more wizened look on his face. Optimus Prime held out his arm, a cannon popping up from his wrist as the inside glowed.
"We are surrounded on all sides," stated the leader. "The enemy has turned the ambush against us. Prowl, now!" The Shadowkhan jumped out from the shadows, only for the sound of another vehicle to quickly fill the air. A police motorcycle suddenly drove into view, a smaller Cybertronian unfolding as the shinobi-esk individual formed blasters and began firing.
"Now this is backup," stated Viper. Ellie stood at the doorway as the Shadowkhan opened the door, making finger guns with her hands. She smirked, ectoplasm glowing on the tips of her fingers.
"Howdy pardn'r," joked the girl. Beams of ectoplasm suddenly shot out, the girl flying back into the wall as the beams cut through the Shadowkhan and a bit of the ground. The Shadowkhan had smoking holes in their chests, the beings exploding before Ellie's eyes as the group peaked out of the doorway. "Um… I meant to do that." Ben readied the Omnitrix, smirking as he quickly found what he wanted.
"Guess it's our time to shine," stated the boy. He pressed down on the Omnitrix core, the flashing green light blinding the Shadowkhan that ran over for a moment. Fourarms suddenly grabbed four of them by the heads, smashing them together to where they popped head first.
"IT'S HERO TIME!" cheered the Tetramand. "See what I did there?" Gwen rolled her eyes, opening her spell book.
"Nice," sarcastically replied the redhead. "Let's just get this over with." Sari jumped out, her jacket and other winter wear left in the vehicle as she swapped to her true form. She watched Optimus fire at the Shadowkhan around them, readying her hammer as she saw one gunning for Jackie. She suddenly blitzed forward, cocking the weapon back.
"GET DOWN!" cried the girl. Jackie cried out as he saw her, ducking as she slammed the weapon into the shadow shinobi. The smoke produced went scattering to the winds, the girl swapping to her laser weaponry as she fired at a few more enemies. "...OH MY GOSH IT REALLY IS COLD! THE ONE TIME I'M ALLOWED TO FIGHT AND MY POSTERIOR COULD FORM ICICLES!"
Jackie looked incredulous, still shocked that a kid could do that much damage. A Shadowkhan jumped at Prowl from behind, only to fall through a hologram before it was stabbed by a metallic weapon akin to a shuriken. Paco stepped out with Ellie, looking around as he felt a bit overwhelmed.
"Ay caramba," stated the boy. "That is a lot of fighting." He suddenly felt his senses go off, holding out his arm as he fired webs from his wrist to blind a Shadowkhan that tried to leap at them. He then grabbed the shinobi by the wrist, moving to an overhead grapple before he flopped to the side where the being burst from its head hitting the ground hard. Ellie quickly aimed at more that were rushing at them, the energy forming at the tips.
"I better not go off the mountain side this time!" cried the spiritual girl. She fired with both fingers again, crying out as the force nearly sent her flying back. Paco stood up quickly holding her with all his might as the two of them slid back a bit. Fourarms bashed his head against one of the shinobi before he felt the sudden need to duck, rolling out of the way as the beams tore through a large wave of the entities. He whistled at the damage, looking back at the duo.
"Ellie, was that yo-" began the boy. He suddenly had trouble holding in laughter, seeing the way Paco had his arms around the girl. "Ha! Enjoying time with your little boyfriend, Sis!?" Ellie blushed at this, Paco having a similar one as he was now holding her back from running forward.
"BEN! I'M GONNA CLAW ALL FOUR EYES OUT IF YOU SAY ONE WORD OF THIS TO MOM!" The Tetramand jumped with a laugh, slamming down on two more Shadowkhan as he crushed another one's head.
"Is that all you got, ninja losers!? Fourarms is the strongest there is!" The Omnitrix suddenly began beeping, the boy looking towards his shoulder. "Uh oh." The core twisted a bit, the face lighting up blue.
"High priority update, received," informed the device. "Reverting host for update duration." Ben ran backwards as soon as blades came down at him, turning back in a blue flash rather than a red or green one.
"AZMUTH SAID WITHIN A WEEK!" cried the boy. "IT'S ONLY BEEN ONE DAY!" He acted on instinct as he jumped back, the shuriken of the enemies crashing into the ground as he ran back at the speed he would run track at gym. "Um, guys!"
Gwen stepped out, holding out her hand as a pink bolt of magic flew out. The redhead looked surprised as the energy caused a Shadowkhan to go flying backwards, falling off the mountain. She looked down at her hand, watching as the pink mana came back again.
"I didn't even chant yet," stated the redhead. She then smirked, her eyes glowing a bit. "Guess Jade's not the only one whose magic is getting stronger." She held her hand out again, the mana she shot hitting another Shadowkhan as Ben rolled across the ground. He picked up one of the swords dropped by the shadow shinobi, turning on a dime as he quickly blocked a blade with it.
"HANDS OFF!" roared the voice of Jade. The Shadowkhan was sent flying off much like what Gwen did, Jade having the smaller scroll again as it spun around her wrist. "Ben, I need you to get back inside and secure the Talismans. Viper hid some weaponry in there so use those while the Omnitrix is messing up, please." Ben wanted to argue, only to see the look in her eyes as he nodded his head.
"Right," stated the boy. "Just please be careful." He ran as the Chinese girl quickly formed the larger scroll, taking a deep breath.
"Stay in control, Xiaoyu. LIGHT!" The scroll changed just like before, the girl holding her hand out as the beam of light went sailing outwards. The beam spiraled around, avoiding running into those she could perceive as her allies and crashing into the shadow shinobi. Optimus looked towards her, his eyes wide.
"By the Allspark," stated the lead Autobot. "A human child can do all this?" Viper sped around the area, quickly striking Shadowkhan that escaped the light beams.
"HEY KIDDO!" cried the woman. "HOW ABOUT THAT BANISHMENT THING!?" Jade winced, her head already hurting.
"I would need time to prepare it so that I do not overexert my mind," stated the girl. "If I don't I will likely not wake for a week." Ellie cracked her knuckles, narrowing her eyes.
"Guess we'll have to give her that time," stated the spirit girl. She looked back at Paco, blushing a bit. "Keep hold of me, but please don't make it weird." The boy nodded his head, picking her up and putting her on his shoulders with her legs hanging over his shoulders. "...That works."
As Jade began to slowly form the spell while floating in the air, Gwen used Ben entering the mobile home as her chance to step out fully as she watched more Shadowkhan appear. She held out both hands expecting a double shot, only to instead form a mana wall that the beings crashed into like a windshield. The redhead blinked, watching as the shadow shinobi slid off and fell down the mountain.
"...I am so lost right now," stated the magical girl. She ducked her head as Ellie fired another ectobeam, the spiritual girl having her feet crossed in front of Paco's chest as the boy fired some of his webs to ensnare some of the shinobi that escaped. He looked towards Gwen nodding his head.
"NOW!" yelled the boy. Gwen nodded her head, focusing her mind as the shinobi tried to cut their way out of the webbing. She held her hands out, her eyes glowing.
"ENTROPICUS!" The spell shot out stronger than she intended to, washing out over the area as the Shadowkhan began having bad luck all around them. "...I meant to do that." Jackie dodged a shuriken thrown at him, kicking the Shadowkhan that threw it at him hard in the face. His eyes widened as he saw a larger amount coming after them, some coming from the back.
"We cannot hold them off!" cried the martial artist. "We have to cut a path and flee before-!" He watched as the Shadowkhan from the back completely bypassed the mobile home, their eyes focused on Jade. "JADE!" Ben acted on instinct as soon as he heard that, grabbing one of the weapons as he quickly moved.
As the beings drew closer to the Jade, something in Ben began to beat faster and spark a bit. His eyes flashed pink for a moment, the Omnitrix sparking slightly in response. Before he could act, however, a being leapt in front of the moon.
"ORB OF TORNAMI: WATER!" cried the voice of a young lad. A huge torrent of water suddenly crashed into the Shadowkhan, those not destroyed by the blast being washed down the mountain. An incredibly short boy suddenly landed on the mobile home, his head as round as the orb he held in his hands as he had yellow skin and six dots on his forehead. He wore red robes, a blue obi belt, black martial arts pants, and black martial arts shoes. "Fear not, travelers, for your wagon will be safe!"
The kids who were paying attention blinked at him, Ellie tilting her head at the mention of the mobile home being a wagon. "It is time to commit the punching of bottoms!" Two Shadowkhan jumped towards the boy, only for a slicing sound to be heard as they were slashed in half. A Brazilian boy with slightly tan skin and brown hair landed on the ground, his outfit similar to the yellow boy's save for his trousers being white. He looked towards the boy, propping his sword on his shoulder.
"It's 'let's kick their butts,' Omi," stated the boy. "You seriously need a book on slang." Another figure jumped into view of the moon, a copper gauntlet raised over his head.
"FIST OF TEBIGONG, EARTH!" cried a voice with more of an accent. The gauntlet was slammed against the ground, causing an avalanche that bowled over several Shadowkhan out of the group's way. The fighter was a white skinned teen with blonde hair, a stocky frame, and blue eyes. His attire matched the Brazilian boy's, save for an old western hat on his head.
Gwen drooled a bit at the sight of the buff teen, the Texan tipping his hat a bit. "These fellers are makin' this too easy." Ben stepped out more, looking around.
"Take it these are those monks Jade mentioned in memory mode," stated the boy. He suddenly turned his head, firing the laser rifle in his hand at a Shadowkhan that was just popping out of the shadows. Ellie looked towards him, her eyes widening.
"BEN!" cried the spiritual girl. "LOOK OUT!" The boy looked back as a Shadowkhan went to stab at him, someone quickly jumping in the way.
"HANABI STAR: FIRE!" cried a girl's voice. Flames suddenly spewed forth from a star-like artifact, burning the dark shinobi to a crisp. Ben watched as a Japanese girl with black hair put up in two pigtails landed on the ground, her red robe being longer to reach her knees as white tights were mostly covered by it. She landed on the ground, breathing a sigh of relief. "That was close."
Ben blushed at how close he was to seeing the girl's behind, only to return his attention to Jade as he heard the sound of her scroll powering up. He fired more shots, hitting some Shadowkhan that got past the Autobots and the adults. The Chinese girl finally held out her hands, the scroll holding all the power.
"BANISHMENT!" roared the girl. The spell rang out like before, Ellie not being affected by it this time as the Shadowkhan popped once again. The Brazilian boy took a few steps back, his eyes widening.
"Whoa," stated the monk. "That's some fire power." Ben shivered at this, quickly running towards Jade as she stood with her hand against her head.
"You alright, Jade?" questioned the boy. "Not passing out on me this time, are ya?" The girl snorted a laugh, shaking her head.
"Well, I'm still standing," stated the girl. "That's more than I can say for the last time I did that." Omi looked towards Optimus, his eyes widening.
"JACK SPICER HAS SENT ROBOTS!" cried the boy. "HE WILL NOT HAVE THE WU!" Sari huffed, placing her hand on her chest.
"EXCUSE YOU, YELLOW BALDIE!" cried the metal girl. "We are NOT ROBOTS! That is offensive! Just because we're made of iron doesn't make us machines!" The short kid tilted his head, looking confused.
"...You are boogling my mind. I thought all metal beings were technology." Kimiko looked spooked by the sight of the metal giants, waving her hands nervously.
"I-Ignore him," stated the girl. "He's a bumpkin and still thinks dishwashers are evil robots that eat his laundry." The Brazilian boy walked over, looking embarrassed.
"Not like he has much experience with tech outside the Jackbots," stated the boy. "What are these… guys." He sweated under Kimiko's glare, the look keeping him from saying anything offensive. Optimus nodded towards Prowl and Sari, making them put away their weapons. The leader then placed a hand on his chest, nodding his head.
"I am Optimus Prime: Leader of the Autobots," greeted the transformer. "We are an iron-based organic race from the Planet Cybertron." The Texan slid down the ledge, looking over the group.
"Hold yer horses now," stated the teen. "Yer real, bonafide aliens? Like, from outer space? I thought that all was a bunch of hoopla used for stories." Viper sighed, shaking her head.
"Way to keep the statute of secrecy, big guy," stated the woman. "Couldn't just say your organic iron." Prowl shook his head, looking down at her.
"The statute was broken the moment the monks laid eyes on us," argued the metal shinobi. "There is no hiding what we are in this form." Jackie looked around, his eyes wide.
"Children?" questioned the man. "Why would they send children?" The Brazilian boy cleared his throat, a frown on his face.
"Omi's the only kid here at 14," clarified the boy. "We're all older teen to young adult. What are you doing here, anyway? I don't remember hearing about any guests and you brought those weirdo ninjas with you." Jackie went to talk, only for Jade's eyes to turn blue.
"We did not bring the Shadowkhan with us," informed the girl. "They merely followed us on a task that I thought involved retrieving the Zodiac Talismans in our possession from us, though it turned out to be an attack on me. Likely launched by Tarakudo as they did not have the chi of their current master whose… name escapes these memories popping in my head. I-" Jackie cleared his throat, frowning at Jade.
"Jade, the adults are talking," scolded the man. "You were not addressed." Jade looked towards him, her eyes still blue.
"Jackie, they asked why we were here. I can't exactly control when these weird memories take over and answer for me." Ben ignored Jackie's prior words about not speaking, looking towards the duo.
"Her memories mentioned some kind of belt that was made to hide the talismans," stated the Omnitrix Wielder. "If we can get it we can stop whoever's hunting them down and get the belt back to you." Omi looked down from the mobile home, tilting his head.
"You would need to speak with Master Fung," stated the boy. "He will discern whether you speak the truth or if the girl is a witch." Ben frowned, his shoulders rising.
"Call her a witch again and we'll see what happens, cheese wheel." Gwen rubbed her temples, groaning in embarrassment at the boy picking fights. Jade patted his shoulder, her eyes being brown again as she groaned.
"Down boy," groggily teased Jade. "He's just a kid who doesn't have a social life." The Brazilian boy tried not to laugh as his cheeks puffed out, earning an elbow jab from the Japanese girl.
Inkaliber: Yamen! That's all for part 1. It was supposed to be just one thing but SOMEONE said we should make it a two parter due to the length. I thought we wouldn't be too much longer.
Zemrocku: Hey! You argue that with Adran not me.
Inkaliber: Just saying you were the one to bring it up.
Zemrocku: Ya but I didn't want to get chewed out again for making a 40 page chapter. It's 27 so we would have gotten there I feel. Anyways thanks for reading, kiddies! Now, here's a snack pack while you leave the room.
Adran: And I agree, this was a good place to stop it to stop me from having to get Deadpool to tie you up so I could get a break.
Inkaliber: I guess you have a point. Don't wanna overwork ya. Anyway, time to end this chapter.
What did you guys think? Did you like Jade's sudden power up? Will the group be able to retrieve the belt they're looking for? Let me know what you think down below and I'll try to respond ASAP, next chapter at the latest. This is Inkaliber, signing out.