After the Blast
As Captain Black walked Jackie onto the chopper off the boat, he saw the four girls looking up at Jackie worriedly. "He's going to be okay, girls," he promised them. "He's just a little shaken up, is all."
"W...what happened to him?" Jade asked worriedly.
Noticing Jackie was still insensate, he beckoned the girls onto the chopper with him. Sitting down, he faced the girls, choosing his words carefully as far as how to explain this without breaching confidences or terrifying the girls. Finally, as the choppers left the boat behind, he settled on the proper approach. "You've heard that Jackie and I have been friends for years, right?" When he received four nods in response, he continued speaking. "Well...this isn't the first time I've seen Jackie like this...and I have seen what puts him in such a state. Though...I'm not certain what caused it this time-"
"Carl was going to eat Scootaloo and I," Sweetie Belle whimpered softly.
Captain Black felt his fists clench on their own. As troublesome as the girls could be, he'd grown fond of them as well, and could easily understand Jackie's reaction now. "I'm glad he and his chef are locked up on the other chopper, then," he murmured, knowing just how hard it would be in this moment to resist the temptation to push Carl - chained up - into the shark infested waters they were currently flying over. "Anyway, Jackie's...had a rough life," Captain Black explained. "The reason he stresses the discipline aspect of the martial arts so much is because its the part he needs the most." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he mentally looked over his next words. "He told me once that he saw what his rage could push him to, when he was younger, before he started his training. He's been afraid of his anger ever since, though he wouldn't put it that way."
Though I'd certainly put it that way, he added silently as he remembered the incident he wasn't talking about. Back when he'd last encountered Jackie years ago when he was working for Interpol, Jackie had stumbled across the object of Captain Black's investigation at just the wrong time and been exposed to a little more of the criminal world than was truly healthy for his psyche. Augustus had managed to clean all the blood off Jackie before anyone else had arrived, and had fudged a few reports as far as exactly why the members of that particular ring had to be put in an ICU prison rather than a standard maximum security. He also remembered, after they learned exactly what had caused Jackie's rage, how difficult it had been for him to overrule the local law enforcement agents desire to 'let them lie there', though he'd done that for Jackie's sake. ...the little girl had kept her eyes closed through the whole thing, so she was probably just fine now.
Coming back to the present, Augustus turned to the four girls. "Unfortunately for Jackie, he's learned to control his rage, but he's never learned healthy ways to let it out. Unless it truly overwhelms him, he's in complete control of himself...but when it does..." He shook his head ruefully. "He is truly a gentle soul...but that's because he's afraid of what he could become if he stopped being gentle."
"I know what you mean," Scootaloo spoke up. "When he caught up to the chef who was about to swing the cleaver, he took him out with just one punch to the gut. For a moment, it looked like it was going to go right through! Would have been pretty awesome if I hadn't been terrified just then..."
"Yeah, I'd believe that," Captain Black admitted. "That's pretty much Jackie in a nutshell, actually. Awesome on the battlefield...right up to the point he becomes terrifying." He looked over at Jackie. "But when his rage does break free, it burns him out, eats him up inside. He's left...empty and broken."
As they were talking, Aesop had been watching them, idly chewing a carrot. As he swallowed his mouthful, he ignored the agent offering him another and turned towards Jackie, walking slowly over to him and nudging him with his head. Jackie blinked, and looked into the tortoise's eyes. As it locked gazes, it slowly took a breath. Without seeming to think about it, Jackie matched his breathing to Aesop's. As the others watched, they remained like that, staring at each other and breathing together. After a time, Aesop seemed to smile, and laid his head in Jackie's lap. Jackie managed a soft chuckle, and stroked the dark green head. "Good tortoise..." he mumbled softly.
As the girls rushed to Jackie's side to cling to him, Captain Black let out a sigh of relief. At least he could count on the fact that Jackie would recover fully this time around. He had too many people in his life who wouldn't let him mope for that not to happen.
Shendu slowly pulled his gaze away from the Shadow Khan that had been watching the events on the boat. Initially, Shendu had meant to send a whole squad there to retrieve the Talisman, but then he'd felt the energy from the stone, the power of rage that shook him from its sheer ferocity. Shendu had lived a long time, and there was one type of warrior he always stepped carefully around: the berserker.
As such, he'd instead sent only one Shadow Khan to watch, to see who was causing the Talisman to respond that way. Through that ninja's eyes, he'd seen Jackie's rage unleashed, seen what he was capable of if he stopped holding back...and saw just how much he was still holding back.
Drawing back into himself, he noticed Valmont was still waiting. Shendu had been in the middle of giving him a firm dressing down over letting the Talisman slip from their grasp due to his agents' little 'side trip'. When he'd felt the rage through the Talisman, he'd paused, and Valmont was still staring.
"...perhaps in this case, the outcome was inevitable," Shendu finally admitted in his hissing voice. "We appear to have drastically underestimated Jackie Chan, and what he and his clan are capable of. You will be more watchful of this in the future."
"O-of course, Shendu," Valmont promised, still a little freaked out from nearly getting a new haircut, fricassee style.
"And for future reference, you can consider that 'associate' of yours unavailable," Shendu continued. "It appears he pushed Chan a little too far."
Valmont looked startled. "Really? I didn't think Chan had it in him to go that far."
"Rest assured," Shendu confirmed, "he most certainly does." Just because Chan hadn't done so in this case made it no less true that it was well within him to cross that line without hesitation if the situation demanded it. That was not something one wanted to discover in an opponent to one's own detriment. Perhaps this outcome was for the best. They now knew more of Chan's true nature...and the loss of the Talisman was only temporary.
Shendu could be patient, all appearances to the contrary. He'd outwaited his siblings upon this world, to claim his own kingdom. He could continue to wait. The way to retrieve the Talismans from those who protected them would reveal itself soon enough.
And in the meantime, those Talismans they could not claim were all in one place, wherever that was. Once all 12 were gathered, opportunity would present itself.
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Berserker Class: The character has learned how to use their rage to fuel their strikes, a berserker is a terrifying opponent but they often tire very quickly. +1 Constitution, +4 Strength, -2 Willpower, -5 stamina for every strike.
Holy s
t I was actually kind of right. Granted he wasn't terrified per say, but he was certainly put on edge, and for Shendu, that's saying a lot.
Also, cute Aesop moment, daw!
"Can we keep him please?"
I can see it now:
Nyu~
7522951
Uhh...
Jackie: Can you guarantee he and Audrey won't try to eat each other?
Jackie: Then no. He goes back to the aquarium.
I got nothing.
If a certain episode progresses the way it does in the original, it will make Jackie's control over his rage that much more triumphant.
"Demons run when a good man goes to war." -Doctor Who
You know what makes a good man terrifying? It's the limits they place on themselves. A villain won't hold back. He'll use every dirty trick, every foul play, and every advantage he can get. A good man isn't concerned about winning, but protecting, so he limits himself to prevent casualties and fatalities.
Yet, the good man always wins. The limited triumphs over the unlimited.
So what happens... when those limits vanish?
Demons run when a good man goes to war.
I can all most see a possible chance for this to ether have Oogway, bruce lee, master splinter or Hayato Fūrinji (from kenichi the mightiest disciple) to help Jackie with his rage problem.
I like how Captain Black was portrayed in this chapter. He knew that the girls were concerned and did his best to explain what happened without going into too deep a detail in case Jackie reacted to it in the wrong manner.
7522972
Not even that Carl really bit off more than he could chew?
I mean, someone had to say it eventually.
7523058 All I can say about that is he was gonna be sent to the chopping block eventually.
Chapter Forty One
"Aiyah!"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 25
"One More Thing!"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 44
7523002
Yeesh, what'd he find?
...I really hope that's not what I think it is, although if it is, I do not blame Jackie one bit...
Now, I'm just gonna leave this here. You guys pick your favorite. Go nuts.
–The Wise Man's Fear, by Patrick Rothfuss
Sounds like fun tiger talisman fuel.
Jackie Chan + Berserker did not compute before these two chapters. Makes me wonder if Shendu will try to brainwash Jackie later on and point him at his allies. I can't wait to see the next talisman hunt, though I wouldn't mind a chapter of just feel good vibes for Jackie as the girls all try to make him feel better.
This Shendu seems both more intelligent and patient then his TV counterpart. Makes me a little cautious. Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
P.S. I may have made that point before, if so, sorry, but this chapter reinforces that point.
Aesop made me think of the Turtle Sensei from Kung Fu Panda
Now that this episode is over I'm wondering about something? Are you also going to do the filler episodes too? If memory serves the next episode is Jade using the rabbit talisman and was accidentally sent to the past.
Well that was a little dark.
7522836 More along the lines of shedding discipline and control for strength and pain ignorance. There is a reason why the Vikings were feared by most towns, villages and cities on the coasts of Europe. A Viking berserker in a battle rage ignored pain to the point where unless it was fatal, they didn't stop fighting. They wore either no armor, or light armor while running with axes or a double headed axe and a shield. If you were smart, you didn't get within throwing range of a berserker in a fight.
Hnnnnnnnnnnnnnng....
7522972 0_0' ...
*slowly looks behind myself*
...! *sees sans using his magic eye RED version with a bit of Chara's own melty-face look*
"wElL, wElL, wElL... iT's SeEmS aS tHoUgH wE hAvE a FaKeR hErE..."
7525700 Nah, just not much funny business going on this chapter is all.
Damn Jackie. you scarey. great chapter keep up the good work
Nice conclusion with the Aesop breathing scene.
And there you go too, Shendu, definitely something to think about if you ever plan to get to Jackie through his nieces in the future.
Its been a while since i have seen the show but in the real cannon does chan every have a rage moment
7586656
Not how I wrote it here, but the entire Dragon Talisman episode is full of them, covering Jackie's issues with keeping his anger in check.
Alright, catch up binge #3 and already I see Shendu metaphorically crapping himself.
If Shendu had blood, it would run... stone cold.
but the berserker is the worst character in for honor...................
7522836 Don't forget the giant stick!
8026601
More focus on the Fate anime series
I JUST noticed this scene. I think the Rabbit Talisman rubbed off on Aesop to the point that it is smarter than than you would think. Somehow........Think Aesop is the reincarnation of Grand Master Oogway from Kung Fu Panda? Because it certainly SEEMS like it with this scene.
8288516
Normal i would say makes sense out side the fact this show is much older then kung fu panda
8412993
Sooooo Oogay is the reincarnation of Aesop?
7523202
Dude! you need a warning here! Like this...
Warning! TVTropes will ruin your life!