Old Ghosts
Jackie sighed to himself as he sat at a bar, nursing a drink. He was currently on Valmont's private plane, on his way to the location of the 'acquaintance' Valmont wanted 'discouraged'. He was rather unsurprised to discover that the inside of said private plane more closely resembled a luxury resort hotel than the inside of an aircraft, and privately hoped no one got lost inside.
Viper, El Toro, and Tohru were going with to compete in the contest, making for a well rounded team. Sofia, Lucia, and Ysabelle stayed behind to help Uncle run the shop so Jade and the fillies were free to go with on the trip, and Hsi Wu was keeping an eye on the lot of them for now. Even Augustus had managed to come along, though in an unofficial capacity. Watching him attempt to fence with Valmont in that regard had been amusing, even if he had been woefully outmatched. Bai Tsa was discreetly keeping an eye on the girls just in case Hsi Wu got caught up in their antics too much to be responsible, and Po Kong was behind the bar mixing drinks.
...that was going to take getting used to.
As he moved to sip his drink, he felt his ear twitch, despite being in his human form. Noticing the momentary stillness from Po Kong, he took a shot in the dark. "Hello, Valmont."
"Well that's a first for you, Jackie," Valmont observed as he took a seat at the bar next to him. "What gave me away? Change in air pressure as I manifested?"
"I felt something change and noticed Po hesitate," Jackie explained. "I know how respectful she is of you, so you're the only one she might pause to determine how to react to with a sudden arrival since she's still learning your modus operandi."
Po couldn't suppress a chuckle. "He's got me there," she observed calmly. "It's always awkward with a new Brother until you learn where he stands, especially the clever ones."
"In that case, I think I'll float more," Valmont joked as Po set two drinks down, one in front of Valmont and one on Jackie's other side. "Have a seat, Black," he continued without looking up.
"So is that heightened perception, or just predicting my behavior?" Augustus asked as he sat down.
"Little of both, but mostly assuming you'd be here for the same reason I am," Valmont allowed.
"Oh?" Jackie asked curiously as Augustus' eyes widened in surprise.
"We've both noticed that you're tense about something, and I know you only go for a drink if it's something that plagues you emotionally in a way you aren't used to sharing, which suggests it has to do with your past," Valmont explained calmly. "If I had to guess, something came up in a recent misadventure - probably something involving you splitting Tiger style again - that has left you uncertain of something...and something you're ashamed of, or you'd be talking with Miss Viper about it instead of drinking alone."
"As much as I think you're probably right, I think letting him explain himself if he wants to talk is better," Augustus pointed out dryly.
"He needs a wedge to get things started, and the voices on his shoulders are being oddly silent," Valmont pointed out calmly. "That means we need to fill the role."
Augustus shook his head ruefully. "I'm still getting used to that," he observed dryly. "Hope I never develop my own. I have enough headaches as is." Looking a little closer at Jackie, he frowned. "It's the Interpol incident, isn't it?"
Sighing, Jackie nodded. "Yeah...helping Sun Wukong and the Monkey King resolve their differences to become whole brought it back to my mind again because Tiger and Kitten talked about it when telling Sun my issues."
As Po Kong's jaw dropped and Valmont lifted an eyebrow in surprise, Augustus shook his head. "You meet the strangest people as an 'archaeologist', don't you?"
"Actually, that was Jade trying to learn ventriloquism," Jackie corrected with a soft smile.
"That sounds like a story and two halves in of itself," Valmont observed with a smile of his own before letting it fade. "But if it brought this back to your thoughts...why?"
Jackie sighed softly, his own smile fading as he stared into his glass. "You both know about the...issues I had with anger, before I was first split by the Tiger." Valmont and Augustus both nodded. "Well, there are a few...incidents in my past where I've...lost control. Most I've come to terms with, but there's one that...no matter how I justify it to myself, I'm still haunted by. I..." He hesitated, unsure how to explain.
Valmont looked at Jackie for a time, then turned to Augustus. "I assume you can tell me something of what happened?" he asked carefully. "At least, enough that Jackie might have an easier time thinking about it, let alone talking?"
"It was an Interpol investigation," Augustus explained calmly. "There was...a certain criminal group we were pursuing, and Jackie stumbled across them...and one of their victims."
"What did they do?" Valmont asked calmly.
Augustus hesitated, uncertain how to tastefully bring up the memories, or even if there was a tasteful way to do so. "Very...unpleasant things..." he began delicately.
"How unpleasant?" Valmont asked calmly. "Human trafficking? Forced prostitution? Snuff films?"
"...among others..." Augustus said calmly.
"And...the victim?" Valmont pressed gently.
"Younger than Jade," Jackie allowed finally, barely any emotion in his voice.
A brief tension filled the air as Valmont slowly lifted his glass to his lips and drank. As he put the glass down, Augustus raised an eyebrow. "...if your self control was any less, several things around here would have exploded, burst into light, or unmade themselves just now, wouldn't they?" he asked nervously.
"Most definitely," Valmont said calmly, his face barely moving as he spoke. "Though admittedly, not just from rage on the girl's behalf. Having seen what triggers Jackie's anger most strongly - and what the side of him purely embodied by it is like when triggered that way - I'm feeling rather...not quite excited, but the anticipation of learning what happened is rather thrilling just now." Noticing the looks the two were giving him, he shrugged. "What? Criminal kingpin turned Demon Sorcerer. Someone getting what's coming to them has always been a satisfying endeavor, and I know just how thorough Jackie can be when he gets his dander up. As terrifying as it's been to be the target, I'm rather excited to see what it's like from the outside perspective."
"That's...going to take some getting used to," Augustus observed ruefully.
"My attitude?" Valmont asked curiously.
"How forthright you're being about it," Augustus corrected dryly. "As for what Jackie did...I didn't see it, but I...saw the aftermath."
"I broke them," Jackie stated calmly, though the liquid in his glass rippled to show where his self control was starting to slip. "Each and every one of them. Whatever they did, I countered. When they ran, I pursued and allowed no escape. When they fought back, I dominated. When they begged..." He seemed to freeze, unable to continue.
As the liquid in his glass stilled, an image appeared. It showed a bruised and battered face, looking like someone had been rather thoroughly beaten and was barely staying conscious. "M...mercy..." an unfamiliar voice rose from the liquid.
"And how many times did they ask for mercy?" Jackie's voice responded in rage. "How did you respond?"
As the face filled with fear and a clenched fist slammed into it, the image vanished.
The lighting in the bar flickered, causing Augustus to flinch. Looking up, he saw that the mixer Po Kong had been holding now had imprints in the shape of her fingers, and the jewel in her pendant glittered dangerously as her whole body tensed up.
"I...think it's clear how they responded, based on his reaction," Valmont spoke carefully. "In which case, I can't fault your actions...and I can't see where anyone else could."
"But that's just it..." Jackie continued sorrowfully. "That moment is what...makes it so hard to accept. If I showed them no mercy like they did their victims...how am I any better than they?"
"Because you did it for others," Po Kong stated with firm conviction. "They did it for themselves. That's what makes you different, and it's all the difference in the world."
Jackie raised his head in surprise, having not expected that response, especially not from that source. However, it was Valmont who spoke up. "Jackie, I think there's something I can share that might help you."
"Oh?" Jackie asked curiously as Po Kong grabbed a new mixer to make him something stronger.
"In my experience, there are three types of individuals when it comes to those who turn to crime," Valmont continued calmly as the tension faded from the air. "Those who have to, those who choose to...and those who want to."
"I'd be interested to hear how you define those," Augustus observed, intrigued.
"The first is the easiest category to give examples of," Valmont explained. "The starving child stealing a loaf of bread is the classic one. Those who would rather live within the system of law and justice, and in a perfect world would never turn to crime...but because the world is imperfect, with or without magic, they're forced to break the law to survive, or to ensure the survival of those they care about. In my opinion, the correct approach to that is to find where the system failed them and worked to fix it, as if it hadn't failed them they never would have broken the law, and if the system will work for them next time they won't again."
Augustus sighed sadly. "I can't fault you there, though I wish I could. Stories of that sort is why I got into investigating organized crime. Easier to face taking down people who didn't have to make the choices they did."
"And that's the second category," Valmont continued. "Those who choose to. Individuals like myself, who see the law in its current state as flawed or too limiting, and thus make the choice to conduct their daily lives and businesses outside it." He smiled warmly. "I've personally been rather fond of the solution presented in the works of Terry Pratchett for criminals of this stripe."
"Making them a working part of society?" Jackie asked in surprise. "How does that work?"
"Well...how it's currently working with Valmont," Augustus groused quietly.
"Basically," Valmont allowed. "Either change the situation so working outside the law is less tenable than working within, or utilize the more honorable of those outside the law to keep the rest in check, minimizing damage and maximizing the benefits to society."
"Somehow I can't see that catching on too well," Augustus observed dryly.
"And...those who want to?" Jackie asked carefully.
Valmont leaned back on his stool. "These are the ones like those you encountered in the incident you just described. Those who do horrible things because they like it, those who break the law like it's some kind of game, and those around them just don't matter. Whether it's because that's how their minds work, or they simply enjoy the suffering of others...they simply act for their own pleasure whatever the consequences to other people. Monsters in human flesh, whatever their origin."
"And...how should society deal with them?" Augustus began carefully, frowning.
Valmont shrugged. "I've long been of the opinion that the human race would be much improved if individuals of that particular stripe were culled," he explained simply.
Jackie and Augusts shuddered. "But...how do you know which type of person you're dealing with, to be sure?" Jackie asked carefully. "It...would be hard to undo that if you're wrong."
"There are spells that allow someone's inner mental and spiritual nature to be probed to determine such things," Po Kong pointed out dryly.
"Which are highly illegal as gross invasions of privacy," Augustus countered.
"Then it's a good thing there are criminal organizations like mine where most of the higher ups have families, isn't it?" Valmont asked dryly.
Silence hung in the air for a time as Augustus glared at Valmont, who simply smiled back. It was interrupted as Jackie sighed. "While that's...very interesting, I'm still left...unsure how to feel about this. I...was so brutal..."
"You found a group of people who were doing horrible things to those who didn't deserve it, and you made certain that they would never do those things again," Valmont pointed out calmly. "The point of law and justice is that someone who engages in what society has dubbed unacceptable is prevented from doing so a second time. You should feel no more guilt over what you did to them than the gardener should for pruning the tree, cutting away those growths that will harm the tree in the long run." He shrugged his shoulders. "And know that in doing so, you're a better man than I, in that situation."
"Oh?" Jackie asked curiously.
"I wouldn't have stopped as long as they still drew breath," Valmont observed calmly, thoughtfully. "And I would have enjoyed it." Seeing the stares that brought from his companions, he raised an eyebrow. "I am not a good man, Jackie, Augustus. Keeping my criminal empire going for so long successfully derived completely from self-knowledge. I have no delusions of nobility in my actions, and I know my dark desires. However, I choose not to indulge them."
As Augustus suppressed a shudder, Jackie smiled softly. "That...actually helps."
"That you're a better man than I?" Valmont asked with a smirk.
"No, knowing yourself," Jackie corrected. "Even when I was doing it...now that I think about it, there was no pleasure in it. There never has been when I gave into rage. It always felt like...I was just doing what had to be done." He took a deep breath and let it out, seeming to relax as he did so. "That's...good to know. It makes it...easier to live with."
Valmont smiled warmly. "Happy to help, Jackie."
The three remained at the bar in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts as they nursed their drinks. Po Kong cleaned a glass to calm herself, letting the repetitive motion ease the tension of the discussion.
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Update to My own wings?
Great Chapter!!!!!
awesome update!
Happy to see that your writer's block got beaten back a bit! Great chapter, I really enjoyed it!
Oh hey, two Tatsurou chapters in as many days. Huzzah!
An interesting insight with Valmont, I like his definitions. Looking forward to more.
Keep up the great work. Deus tecum.
It lives!
Good chapter on characters development. Just curious, how many episode left until the CMCs make it back to Equus? Because I don't remember this series has that many episodes.
10103540
And interesting how it was the last two stories I was rereading... speaking of which, I've only got Earthbound left before I'm done... again...
EDIT: No, wait, forgot about Dragon Ball.
Jackie needed that conversation.
10103567
Ah, the curse of being a fan of Tatsurou's work. I know well this feeling. *insert Pinkie nodding sagely*
god, a perfect explanation on Valmonts part and an excellent resolution to Jackie's issues
Chapter Two Hundred Two
"Aiyah!"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 50
"One More Thing!"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 86
Reminds me of...
I wonder if this will help Jackie on his own steps onto something greater? It has been noted that Jackie would have been elevated to being one of the immortals in the past based off his actions, so I wonder if he could be on that path currently. After all who better to balance out Valmont then someone who views him with respect.
Overall this was a nice chapter and I think the coming tournament should be plenty of fun. I wonder how our heros will handle their opponents as I think the Gargoyles are about to be returning.
I love the interaction of Valmont, Black, & Jackie that you write. Please give us more.
The one thing that I am sure Valmont would have thought of, but did not seem to articulate, is that Jackie is a better person BECAUSE he has this guilt and doubt.
I know it's cliche, but it is true.
after months... thank you for the chapter
10103510
-lightly baps- Nuh...let the author update at their own pace, maybe they'll update 'My Own Wings' soon if their muse lets them. Best to let the author go at their own pace, as asking about it just puts stress on them. Though I know you aren't trying to do that, as I know how anxious one can be to see their fav story update again.
NOW then onto the chapter, Jackie going full on Punisher on the monsters that did what they did...fully behind him. I mean it IS good that he was worried about doing it, it shows he didn't give into the rage completely and felt it was perfectly fine. So yeah gonna say Jackie did the right thing, sucks he ever had to do it but I'd be in the same boat as him toward such monstrous people. And then be just as...emotionally torn up over it cause of the whole `am I as bad as them` issues. Poor guy.
Nice update! I hope you are over the writer's block for a while, that type of thing can suck.
I'll admit, I'm a tiny bit lost on one or two things that happened here (Jackie being in human form? As opposed to what? Or did I misread something?) because it's been a while—I probably forgot some stuff—but the general feel of the conversation definitely was not lost on me. I still love how much more—for lack of a better word—awesome this JCA alt U is with how all the characters cooperate, even being on opposite sides of the law. And seeing the inner workings of everyone's minds (represented by shoulder spirits or not) can be pretty refreshing. Glad to see this one update, too.
Chapter Two Hundred Two
"Bad Day"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 49
"I'm not his/your Mistress!"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 12
Nice addition.
10103741
Remember he was a were-cat form thanks to Bastet?
10103766
Riiiiight. I had a feeling it had something to do with the cat arc. Didn't remember that it left a were-cat effect, though (makes it funnier that he already called his shoulder spirits 'Tiger' and 'Kitten'—I have a feeling people have already pointed that out). Thanks for the reminder.
Good to have you back, Tats.
A very interesting chapter, and one that really gets you thinking. I'm not ashamed to admit that Jackie is a better man than me, since I would have enjoyed tormenting those sub-human things. I'd probably make a point of dragging it out, too. I like to think I'm a nice guy, but I know my limits, the things that could bring me down that dark(er) path. Even if I regretted it afterwards, in the heat of the moment, I'd let myself become a monster in order to punish even greater monsters.
Another great work Tats. I think it was needed to make a chapter about Jackie and the past what was explicid to make us to have an idea about what triggered Jackie so much. I liked the fact Po Kong was there like an ear and react the same way as us. And August as a comic relief as well. XD
10103766
Not sure if I asked this before, but what are the alternatives for a normal person without an inborn talent trying to learn magic?
I think I can say for everyone that enjoys this fic and as a fellow fanfiction writer that first writer's block is the worst and second is, Hallelujah you finally updated this fic.
10103453
Hooray, you're back!
Mildly surprised Po Kong seemed to find those guys offensive. I mean. Demon.
10104086
Sometimes, humans are the real monsters.
*Undertale/Megalovania intensifies*
10104108
Most humans can't turn into mountain-sized demon sorcerers that regularly eat people.
10103567
10103606
ah yes, that warm, fuzzy feeling of traveling to known universes and finding the unknown or finding other universes that were dismissed as just plain pron *cough*KillLaKill*cough* and finding them beautiful places of Wonder and awe... Tatsurou is truly a Genius in that regard...
10103741
Bast (Or another Cat Goddess I khaaaaan't remember) gave Jackie, Viper and I think the sirens Kity forms...
10103878
True true, personally I'd go all out, destroying their bodies, minds, and souls because, as Valmont said, Creation is better with having those kinds of creatures culled off the gene pool
10104086
It's understandable... She's an Earth Demon, and historically children and birth are the purview of the Earth.
10104036
oh yes, Writers Blocks are the worst, especially if, like me, you're a student of Gardner Fox's School of Storytelling.
10104121
That makes quite a bit of sense.
I love this
10103556
If memory serves we are around the end of the 2nd season or beginning of the 3rd... and there are 5 seasons in the show
10104121
10104132
I think she ate kids too? Didn't she try to eat Jade in canon?
10103878
If I were Jackie in that situation, I would've beaten them to a pulp and then executed them. I wouldn't have reacted to their cries until the last one where I would have explained to him exactly why I was being as ruthlessly cold as I was, then I would've beaten him to where he could barely run, broken both of his arms, and told him to warn everyone he knew that if anything like what happened to that girl happened to anyone else in the city, I'd hunt down the ones responsible and do the same to them.
10104257
10103878
I'll be honest... if it was me I wouldn't have been able to even speak as I beat them all into a bloody pulp.
Hey, Tats quick little scenario when the CMC go back to Equestria can you have them also speak Japanese along with English just to screw with ponies.
that would be fricken hilarious in my opinion! Just seeing them screw with DT & SS in such a way.
Also new chapter
10104160
Ok, let us first of all separate the Baseline (Canon) Po Kong from the one in Discord's Tatsurouverse. here Po Kong has found a certain degree of Happy NESS, which in certain ways did purify her, which contrasted by the Corrupted, driven by her base desires Po Kong makes her a bit more attuned to her earthly a<lignment.
10104132
Kuma in mind that I'm not all up to date on my Mythological / Cryptozoological Studies, so I can be horseshoed
Well looks like we have our Death Note reference at the ready and now with the one-shot, it fits in with Valmont's analogy of criminals and Kira choosing to and being labeled the world's most notorious serial killer... I wonder though, in the context of this universe would Ryuk's invisibility factor be nullified because of ambient magic. The world may never know.
10104484
He would be visible to anyone god-touched or Class 3 or above. He'd be classified as a Class 2 entity, subservient to the Class 1 Lords of Death.
10104486
24.media.tumblr.com/7dec7a07470138a3453413e84706c012/tumblr_mrzjmuUTah1s78mp8o1_500.gif Take that Ryuk. Can't pull that one shot now!
I enjoyed the philosophical parts of the conversation.
Kinda reminds me how screwed up our system is, though.
...would you believe that I actually didn't get the update. But rather I was rereading this and got to the end just as you updated this?
...it's nice when little things like that happen, isn't it?
...I'm curious, you clearly like Discword so much...why haven't done a crossover with them? The magic of Friendship coming to aplace like Ankh-Morpork wouldn't be the worst thing, that's all I'm saying...
Excellent chapter with great character developoment for Jackie, Captain Black, Valmont, and Po Kung as well.
Happy to help Tats!
You know, it would be interesting if Chang was a variant on the second type of criminal Valmont described.
Like Chang specifically chose to become a criminal not to exploit the inadequacies in the law, but rather he has a very specific goal in mind. In this case: world domination.
Let me explain, Chang could be the villain who sees the world as fundamental flawed. He cannot stand for the injustices in the world, so instead he decides to do something about them.
And what he decided to do was remake the world with him (and his most trusted lieutenants) at the top. He truly believes the world would be better off with him in charge.
Which is similar to the criminal organization SPECTRE from James Bond.
Heck, it would be fun if Chang was in charge (or at the very least a high ranking agent) of SPECTRE. And SPECTRE could be the umbrella that supports other, relatively smaller, criminal organizations which either directly or indirectly advances SPECTRE’s goals. Organizations like Gunnar Maelstrom‘s V.I.L.E. (the Netflix rebooted version) and Adam DeCobray‘s (Cobra Commander) Cobra.
In fact, it would be interesting if (in addition to a certain evil Wizard) different criminal organizations were chasing after the Tailsmens powers as well. Would add a little more variety as well as give new characters (both good and bad) for the protagonists of the series to play off of. :)
CAUSING Augustus
Valmont's description of the three kinds of criminals was fascinating. You come up with that or get it from elsewhere?
that THIS ADMISSION brought
Jackie's resolution reminded me of a scene from this story https://www.fimfiction.net/story/149514/i-against-i-me-against-you Basically, after Pinkie gets infected by an evil AI, Caboose explains how he went through something similar. The bad thoughts of the AI linger and it was horrible to fantasize about hurting your best friend. The resolution came when Caboose realized that the fact that he was so horrified mean that they would never come to pass and that he was not, in fact, a bad person.
10106265
Those sorts of criminals, or villains, are to me the best kinds. I don't like the sort of delusional "I'm doing this for the greater good, and therefore everything I'm doing is GOOD!" types, or the ones that are just being selfish. But the sort of villain who is, in their own minds, essentially taking on the burden of villainy because it's the only way they can see to fix something wrong... Those are the ones I enjoy reading about.
Needs more love for Rhino. He has only shown up three times so far... Unless he is being saved as a secret mcguffin later on.
looking back in the past always helps in one way or another. trust me on that.