Tso Lan was not having a good day.
It was bad enough that his brothers' idiocy in the Netherrealm had forced them into one of the worst possible paths. It was even worse that Valmont still wasn't regaining consciousness, and thus couldn't help and advise him. Bai's continued insensate state was also concerning and no help. But why did human technology have to get so difficult?
He understood how to use a rotary phone, or even a touch tone phone. But if these other phones were so smart, then why was their only answer to 'Call Chans' to say "That number is not in your contacts"? If he knew the number to call, he wouldn't need to ask the 'smart' phone what it was! Blasted useless technology! And this was the human greatness that the Balance and the policy of 'minimum divine intervention' was established to allow to flourish? The 'Henderson' incident was surely a fluke, and no evidence of potential human greatness! As soon as Tso Lan got his brothers free, he was getting off this planet before the Old Ones came back to avenge their lost member!
He'd tried getting assistance from Valmont's men...but they refused to obey him! Each one had told him flat out that they took orders only from Valmont and Bai Tza as 'his lady', and told him what he could do with his orders...sometimes quite graphically. ...the goofy one's knowledge of obscure animal anatomy was impressive, as was his imagination regarding the anatomical improbabilities involved in such things. How had he ever even heard of the extinct Turducken?
This had also included a refusal to help with the Pan'ku Box. As a result, Tso Lan had been forced to carefully float the box in his magic - still painful and draining, but nowhere near as much as if he held it in his own hands - and guesstimate the approximate location of Shendu's portal based on memory and geography, hoping the latter hadn't changed too much. He'd been forced to summon a messenger demon to contact the Chans, and the message perforce had to be short and to the point. "The girl is in the Netherrealm. Meet to discuss her release." That followed by coordinates was all the messenger demon could hold in its memory, since hiring one with a greater message capacity would have required offerings Tso Lan simply couldn't get...especially since the Messenger Demon policy now stated all Sacrifice Offerings had to be given willingly by the source being. Stupid union regulations...
He hoped Xiao Fung was up to a fight if necessary. He would be too drained to fight well for several minutes if it came to that, Bai Tza was hidden around the corner on the off chance she recovered, and Shendu in Valmont's body was at best of questionable assistance. While he had access to his magic still, he'd had difficulty accessing it on the way here, forcing Tso Lan to carry them all with his magic. If the Chans chose to fight, this likely would not end well.
Feeling someone approach, he tried to relax...but found that fleeing as he caught sight of Jackie Chan, garbed in the Armor of the Immortals with sword drawn. The worst had happened.
Jackie glowered as he stepped up to where the Demons waited. He knew for certain that it was all demons he faced here. Uncle had managed to craft a spell that would allow the one it was cast on to see through a Demon's human disguise and reveal their true form. He saw Tso Lan, Xiao Fung...and Shendu. He didn't have all the information, but he knew he had enough. The demons had kidnapped Jade, and now they were using her as a hostage while torturing Hsi Wu.
Jackie hadn't liked Hsi Wu being with Jade all that much, but had eventually accepted that he was simply outvoted. When Uncle had clutched at his hand with a wince and Tohru his with a bellow, he understood it was because someone had caused great harm to Hsi Wu. Uncle had been able to explain that it affected Tohru more strongly because the harm had come due to an act of self-sacrifice on Hsi's part, resonating through Kindness. That was enough to put Hsi Wu into Jackie's good books.
When the message came not from the fillies or from Valmont, but via demon messenger from Tso Lan, he knew things had gone very south. As much as Jackie hated to admit it, he'd begun to trust Valmont as a man of his word. Sure, he was a criminal and thus not someone you admitted to knowing to law enforcement or the PTA, but at a fundamental level was an honorable man. He'd stated his intent to free and rehabilitate the Demon Sorcerers, and Jackie believed that had been his intent. It was plain to Jackie now that he'd been used, though. The demons intended to use Jade as leverage to force Uncle to find a way to free them all...and Jackie would not let that happen. Uncle was working to contact Jade to tell her to get to Shendu's portal, the only one they had reliable access to. Jackie was here to get the portal open by whatever means necessary so Jade could get out. Hsi could be summoned via the Familiar magic rather easily.
He knew what he was here to do. He was here to save his niece, and protect his family from the demons no matter what it took.
"So you come looking for a fight?" Tso Lan demanded crossly.
"I come to save my niece," Jackie countered flatly. "If I have to kill you all to do that, then so be it."
"Death is not the barrier to us that it is to mortals, Chan," Shendu hissed spitefully. "I am unliving proof of that."
"And you've been here since the beginning," Jackie deduced angrily. "Manipulating Valmont into this?"
"In a manner of speaking," Shendu allowed, always eager to take credit for things.
"You are outmatched, Chan," Xiao Fung pointed out flatly. "Even with your sword and armor, there are four of us." When Chan's eyes flickered over them, Xiao chuckled. "Bai is nearby...but she won't reveal herself until after she's struck you down, should that be necessary."
"Think sensibly, Chan," Tso Lan spoke firmly. "This fight is pointless and unnecessary."
Jackie's eyes locked on the Pan'ku Box. He saw what he could do. "You're right about that," he observed dryly as he swung.
Balance Breaker sheared through the Pan'ku Box, causing it to explode in a burst of Good Chi as the sword absorbed the spells held within.
"What are you doing?" Tso Lan demanded in shock.
"Protecting my family!" Jackie stated angrily. "BEGONE!" With that shout, he swung the sword, unleashing a wave of banishment magic that would arc across the world, sealing the portals permanently as the demons were banished.
Tso Lan and Xiao Fung, unprepared for the wave, were blasted away almost immediately. Shendu's spirit was ripped from Valmont's body, allowing the man to regain consciousness as the portal was opened..and Jade and a badly singed Hsi Wu flew out as though thrown by a mighty arm before the portal closed. "Chan?" Valmont asked in confusion. "What are-" A terrified shriek was heard. "BAI!"
Valmont raced around the corner, managing to catch hold of Bai Tza's wrists as she was pulled towards her portal. They clung to each other as the man struggled through sheer force of will to hold his love in the human world. He struggled even as the magic stripped her human form away, forcing her into her demon form.
"Don't!" Bai screamed out as the force became all the more intense. "You'll be pulled into the Netherrealm with me!"
"With you forever, here or there!" Valmont called out desperately. "I don't care which!"
Bai's eyes filled with tears at that declaration. "I'm...sorry..." Her hands turned to water, and she slipped from his grip.
"Bai, NO!" Valmont screamed in despair, reaching out for his love only for her to be dragged far beyond his reach and sight. He collapsed to the ground and wept bitterly.
Footsteps approached him. It was Chan. "Valmont...I..."
Rage unlike anything he'd ever known suddenly swamped Valmont. This was Chan's doing! That mule-headed, impatient, reckless, careless-
Jackie stepped back in shock as Valmont's face twisted into a mask of fury. He'd meant to talk to Valmont about what had just happened, what he hadn't realized-
Valmont leapt to his feet and leveled his hand at Jackie. A beam of concussive golden light lanced out, blasting Jackie out of the Armor of the Immortals and leaving him with a scorch mark on his chest as he gasped for air.
As the Armor collapsed without someone to wear it, Valmont's human form dissolved away, leaving behind something that most definitely was not human. A large golden sphere floated in the center, horns at the top rising into a crown of thorns that slowly rotated over the central sphere. A single crimson iris opened in a slit across the front. Two large hands of golden light hovered to either side of the sphere, disconnected as they extended razor sharp claws.
After a time, Valmont's human shape reasserted itself, shaping around the demonic shape...but Jackie saw the silhouette of the Demon superimposed on the man, the true form behind the mask. "You will regret this, Chan," Valmont snarled before vanishing into light.
Jackie groaned as he clutched at his chest. "...bad day..."
Bad day is an Understatement, Chan. Valmont's not going to be forgiving you any time soon, especially since you've taken Bai away from him. And Jade's still trapped in the demon realm, with no hope of escape now that the Panku Box is destroyed. Great Job~
*Slowly Claps.*
And we have a new demon!
8420212
No she's not. She got tossed out along with Hsi just before the portals closed.
8420212
Jade made it out
8420216
Well, guess I missed that. Thanks for the Pointer. Still, Chan's got an even greater foe now that Valmont's pissed...
memory and geography, hoping the later hadn't changed too much
1. I would think Latter but that could be personal preference.
Things just get going south from here... But I just have to wonder if the global banishment spell would also affect Hsi Wu? I'm hoping not since he's been binded as a familiar but then again...
8420230
His portal has already been opened and sealed, and is no longer tied to the box.
Well, shit.
I'm probably going to stop reading this one here. I was enjoying the direction this story was taking, the idea of redeeming or integrating the Demon Sorcerers where possible, and an intelligent, cunning Valmont was a refreshing change from a standard monster of the week plot I'd expected. But this just wrecked all that, throwing things firmly back into the good versus evil and no compromise, as well as replacing smart Valmont with stupid vengeance crazed Valmont.
This just isn't interesting any more.
I think you mean Xiao Fung.
Well this is a wonderful thing to read the first thing in the morning. I don’t want this to be real!
8420276
He can be driven by vengeance and still be intelligent. That's what Chan should be worried about.
Well.... shit.
So, after this, I'm expecting Valmont to not pull any punches, energy blasts, or whatever the next time he and Jackie fight. I'm not expecting him to lose most of his standards, but I am definitely expecting him to get much more aggressive and antagonistic to the Chans. At least in part due to simple fury at Jackie. I'm also expecting Jackie to get chewed out by at least one member of the team, simply because Jackie really did screw the pooch here. Not attempting any sort of diplomacy, assuming that the "Brotherhood" is some homogeneous faction, a number of things.
I don't know who is more reckless - Tso Lan or Jackie. They both tend to think of everything is either black or white.
8420276
You could give it one more chapter to see if your conclusions there are even right.
Jackie...
All I'm saying.
These comments, man.
*whisles innocently*
8420301
Tats I’m scared, what are you planing?
So, uhm...
Really liked seeing the "Henderson Incident" in there.
Not sure what else I could say about this chapter that doesn't boil down to "Well, crap."
8420276
The key here is the chapter title.
None of this actually happened.
It *could* happen. If everything that can possibly go wrong does. But nothing here has yet taken place.
Dude........ hoooooooooooooly shit. I'm really hoping this isn't the definite end of the rest of the demon brotherhood. Given this new magic world I'm going to grasp at straws and hope there's a way the portals can be re-opened, even with Jade (and luckily Hsi Wu, or one of my counters may have gone kaput) back in the real world.
Interesting direction with Valmont, and now that I think about it, not all that implausible (and now I see what you did two chapters ago with the two superimposed faces). Without Bai at his side he's not going to be very negotiable. I liked the whole "enemies but on civil terms" dynamic that's been going on, and it would be nice if we eventually end up back there, but I have to admit I'm intrigued to see how this goes.
8420351 That went straight over my head. Please explain?
8420355 It seems you picked up on something the rest of us didn't. If your comment is true, damn am I going to be happy.
Chapter One Hundred Forty-Five
"Bad Day"
Yeah, no shit, bud.
Chapter Count: 1
Total Count: 40
"He's Not My Boyfriend!"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 44
8420276
Well, that's two people that have taken the Twilicorn Fandom Quitter path.
8420361
I think the Henderson incident refers to the (almost) summoning of Cthulhu.
(tips hat down over eyes)
Oh, this won't end well...
The incompetence of Jackie this time is to the level that even the Immortals as well as multiple Councils will have to take note and have to say SOMETHING if nothing else just to save face in what is to come.
Well, it looks like it might NOT be a dark sorcerer that gets the Lord of the Shadow Khan involved
8420371
If i recall, Old Man Henderson actually killed Hastur itself.
Cab somebody please what Jackie with something hard and heavy to the knees for this buck up I mean for buck sake if he took the tine to listen he would have known they intended to release jade there and then
More on Henderson...
He made an assumption. And we all know what happens when you assume something.
And I have a very strong feeling this is going to get oh so much worse for you Jackie. And it is ALL. YOUR. FAULT!
I fully expect Jackie to get the mother of all tongue lashings from Uncle when he gets back to San Francisco. Either Jade and the CMC will constantly berate Jackie for his stupidity or will give him the silent treatment while treating Hsi Wu's wounds during the flight home. And I'm sure Captain Black is not going to be happy with the report he's going to have to file regarding Valmont's new status as an immortal demon.
8420385
They were intentionally trying to take advantage of the situation.
With the chapter titles of the past two, I'm guessing that we're either getting some time travel shenanigans, or this is a vision of what would happen if they went with the obvious solution.
golden light? he's ascended, but is he a god, demon, fae, djinn, or some other being?
8420380
Or that.
Not really they was forced into that situation buy a stupid relative attacking jade and here boyfriend (honestly cant spell unless looking at the name) so they had to act alone without help and they wanted to be diplomatic and release only the one that sacrificed herself which would have entitled jade to return as well but jackie jumped to a conclusion about the situation and thus made things alot worse 8420397
8420410
Or it could go along with the theme that it was going to go well then it went bad hence bright future to dim to shadowed ro dar future
8420427
If they wanted to be peaceful, they would have done something to show it asap, because they know (Shendu especially) how impulsive and hot-tempered Jackie is.
This has been an interesting turn of events. Up until the last few chapters I was wondering what the left turn would be. With everything that's been going on, and changed, I wasn't expecting Jade to take a Neatherworld dive, though what happened after was more predictable. It's nice to know that you can still pitch those curve balls. Looking forward to more.
Keep up the great work. Deus tecum.
Yes and that was the plan but there dummy of a sibling acted first so any method of peace went out the window right away and since no one was willing to help them contact the chans the less evil looking way they was forced to use a demon which could only take a few words and not alot to explain with>>8420439
...so this isn't actually what happened? Just what could happen, right?
8420416
Has he become a elder?
*Gibbs slaps Jackie*
xrixterweb.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/tumblr_liqktawnmx1qadluio1_500.gif
also... that demon form reminds me of Dark Mind from Kirby and the Amazing Mirror
vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/kirby/images/4/4d/Darkmind1.png/revision/latest?cb=20160109130140&path-prefix=en
THE SHIP HAS SANK! I REPEAT THE SHIP HAS SANK! GODS HAVE MERCY!
So Valmont just became a light version of Vaati?
Well shit....
Who is in agreement that Daolong Wong needs more punishment?
I correct myself: that escalated quickly.
Also, I didn't think Jackie was that much of a moron. It should've been pretty obvious to anyone that destroying the key to the portals is not a good idea if you want to get Jade back. Why did he even do that? It stupid.
Dammit Jackie....you couldn't at least try talking first?
8420212
Jade's been thrown free.
I'm heavily dubious this is legit, pretty sure this is just what would happen if EVERYTHING went the worse way possible. I mean having all of the enforcers out right refuse to help the demons try to find a peaceful way to fix a big mess is kinda odd. You'd think one of them would be willing to at least help the demons call the Chans on a phone. It is not that hard to say a few numbers, or point out the number in the yellow pages. I mean obviously Uncle's Shop number would be in there =w=;;;
So yeah worse case scenario. If it is what legit happens I'm going to be very confused and feel like the story got very contrived just to force conflict. Also yeah Jackie deserves to get the living tar smacked out of him for being so impulsive...well that and the other guys should be smacked too for letting Jackie go by himself anyway.
Huh...honestly not even sure why Jackie would go solo, not as if the others aren't powerful enough to really be a boon in a big brawl if it came to that.
GOD DAMNIT, TATS!
Still holding out hope this is some kind of worst case scenario vision by Valmonts newly awakened demon powers.