Jackie sighed to himself as the larger than he expected group settled in for the night at an inn in Tibet. He had been thoroughly outvoted as far as the inclusion of such backup, and now he was stuck with it. The group had two connected rooms at the inn. Jackie, Uncle, Tohru, El Toro, and Paco were in one room, while Viper, Jade, and the fillies were in the other, while Audrey had planted himself outside for the night. Jackie didn't like the idea of leaving the children in with the former thief - reformed or not, he didn't believe she was a good influence for them - but when he'd raised that objection, the response had quickly made him withdraw it.
"If she's such a bad girl, maybe you two should share a room so you can keep an eye on her?" Sweetie Belle had suggested in a deceptively innocent tone of voice.
Where did she learn to talk like that? he asked himself as he made his way to the bathroom. He still remembered the entire group laughing at his expense...or perhaps at Sweetie's shouted "Oh, come on!" when he'd retreated so quickly. He opened the door to the bathroom, praying he'd be able to just wash his face, brush his teeth, and go back to bed.
He was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he nearly walked right into the bathroom to clean up next to Finn and Ratso. He caught himself just in time, shutting the door and hiding behind it when they opened it back up to leave. Finn let out a loud yawn as he opened the door. "Glad Valmont talked Wong into going at our pace," he groaned softly.
"Yeah," Ratso agreed, stretching. "Talisman power is all well and good, but it takes a lot out of you. Just because he only needs two hours to recharge his 'Dark Chi' in meditation doesn't mean we can do the same."
"And we don't even need to stand watch," Finn yawned tiredly. "He's got his Dark Warriors taking care of that. What'd he call them? Gan, Ren, Chew?"
"Chui," Ratso corrected sleepily. "Like the Wookie, but Chinese."
Jackie pushed the door back closed, rubbing his face where he got bumped before following them to their room.
He stayed at the doorframe as he watched them enter, the door remaining open as they curled up in their beds. There were four beds, now with one occupant each. An elderly figure Jackie didn't recognize - the 'Wong' they'd mentioned, he presumed - floated in the center of the room, a gnarled scepter in his lap, his eyes closed in meditation. Scattered around the room were three orange skinned figures in black with solid black eyes and neon blue body paint. Looking at them, he felt a shiver run over his entire body. Is this what Uncle means when he gets the willies? he asked himself silently.
However, something else caught his attention. The vast majority of the 12 Talismans were left on end tables, and those that weren't were in plain sight. If he could make it past those 'Dark Warriors', he could snatch them all back. Even if that wasn't the mission priority, it would still be a huge advantage.
At the same time, it would alert the group to the fact that they had pursuers, and that said pursuers were right behind them. Of course, that was assuming he could get past the Dark Warriors to swipe the Talismans. Still, getting the Talismans away from the Dark Hand agents would give them a distinct advantage when the inevitable confrontation over whatever they had come to retrieve happened. After all, the four of them had trounced Jackie and Captain Black with the Talismans, and as effective as El Toro, Viper, and Tohru were...he didn't think it really evened the playing field. And as powerful as Audrey was, he was exceptionally vulnerable to flame...which the Talismans were naturally attuned to.
After a time of trying and failing to plan this out, he realized he was going the wrong way. He was considering a theft...and the team had a former professional thief amongst its number. All he had to do was ask for her help...without letting the girls know that's what he was up to. If they found out what was going on, Jade for certain and the others possibly would try and come along. How was he to get Viper out of that room without the girls following?
A light touch on his shoulder nearly made him leap out of his skin. Turning, he saw Viper standing there, putting a finger to her lips. He quickly nodded in relief, glad to see she was there. He quickly held up his hand to pantomime a four legged walk, indicating an inquiry about the fillies. Viper gestured back to the room she shared with them, which had an oddly sweet scent wafting out of it. She then pointed to outside, where Audrey was waving a few of his leaves in the window of that room.
Jackie relaxed. Viper was a professional, after all. And as much as he didn't like her former profession - and wasn't entirely sure he trusted her yet - her skills were invaluable here...just so long as he was able to keep his eyes on those skills, and not the way she looked in that catsuit.
In his mind's eye, he saw tiny versions of his selves that had taken shape when the Tiger Talisman split him on his shoulders. "We have to stay focused on the mission!" the tiny 'Light Jackie' insisted.
"I'd rather stay focused on that rack!" the tiny 'Dark Jackie' purred. "She takes real good care of herself!"
"We should not treat women as sex objects!" Light Jackie insisted.
"She's the one who practically drooled over our bare chest!" Dark Jackie countered. "We aren't made of stone!"
Jackie quickly dispelled that line of thought by brushing off his shoulders nervously. Seeing Viper ready to move, he tapped her on the shoulder. Once she turned to him, he motioned from the visible Talismans to the floating wizard. He then paused, trying to think how else he could silently indicate not letting the Dark Hand know they were already pursued.
Viper smiled under her mask. Reaching into a bag at her side, she pulled out 12 Talisman copies, much like the one that had been left as bait at the museum where they'd first met. She handed six of them to Jackie, pointing to the half of the room the six were on. Jackie gestured insistently to the Dark Warriors.
Grinning, Viper pulled out a small metal sphere and gently rolled it into the center of the room. As it reached there, it popped silently open and released an almost invisible mist that hugged the floor before climbing the walls. As it climbed up the Dark Warriors, the neon glow of their body paint dimmed. Viper then slipped into the room, seeming unnoticed by the Warriors. She held up her hand, five fingers raised.
Nodding, Jackie moved swiftly. Two and a half minutes later, they were back outside the room, the Talisman copies swapped for the real things. Holding out her hand, Viper let the sphere roll back to her as the light returned to the Warriors tattoos.
Jackie followed Viper outside and let out a sigh of relief. "You think of everything, don't you?" he asked quietly.
"I try," Viper confirmed. "Pick one Talisman you feel you can readily use without problems." She'd already pocketed the Snake, the Ox, and the Horse.
Looking through the rest, Jackie took the Rabbit. "Faster strikes would always be welcome," he observed calmly. "I know what to avoid at high speed."
Taking the rest, Viper walked over to Audrey, who opened his mouth wide. She promptly dumped the Talismans they hadn't parsed out into the open maw. "That's as good a place to keep them as any," she explained softly. "I'll give Ox to the wrestler, and Horse to the big guy. He's got enough extra chi he should be able to use it for a heal beam or something."
"I'll...see you in the morning, then," Jackie offered, deciding now was time to go back into hiding from the Dark Hand until they knew what they were after.
"Till then...handsome." With that, Viper sauntered off to the room she shared with the girls.
Light and Dark Jackie promptly reappeared on Jackie's shoulders. "Nnnf, dat ass!" Dark Jackie purred appreciatively.
"Stop that!" Light Jackie chided angrily.
Jackie groaned, putting his face in his hands. "Bad day..."
Great. All Light and Dark Jacky need is a pair of horns and a halo....
(After all, Light Jacky is the one who wanted to focus on theft.)
Glad to see you didn't skimp on the belligerent sexual tension that was always present between those two.
Hrm... so Viper has magic tools already, huh?
Also: Light Jackie and Dark Jackie on the shoulders needs to continue being a thing. With more magic about, they might actually BE a thing. I'd find it hilarious if Viper had some kind of hearing-aid item that let her hear what they were saying. So she can troll the crap out of him if nothing else.
All things considered, I thought it was a good night.
Ok, I found it amusing how the two shoulder people weren't focused on the theft, but more on Viper.
Dark Jackie saying everything that a polite civilized society don't.
Seems that there's an accidental capital 'i' there
Guess we know what's racking mini DJ's thoughts.
Good thing the talisman swap didn't go up in smoke.
Sweetie is so bad at giving good suggestions sometimes.
Somehow, as I watched Audrey with the talismas, I could think two thinks....
The return of Audreyzilla....
And the flowers of Super Mario that throw fire balls.
Nice to know Jackie and the others are just as competent as Valmont in this fic.
And very professional of Viper to adapt to the sudden normalcy of magic.
Sweetie Belle use innocent shipping attack! . . . it is not so effective.
7952942 even the low effect attacks do some damage
7952903
Aah, Pirahna plants .... great times ... great times ... just give Audrey some pipes to hide and grow in ...
This was a fun chapter. For a lot of reasons.
This was a fun chapter.
...And Can you Feel...THE SHIPPING TONIGHT, I'm Sure Jackie CAN!
7952942 though, really...
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7953074 I just find it to be funny
I like the return of L & D Jackie. I foresee much amusement from them. Looking forward to more.
Keep up the great work. Deus tecum.
So I take it that these two will be wed by the end of the story.
Anyone reminded of Kronk from the Emperor's New Groove from those DJ & LJ scenes?
I'ma do it. I'ma say it.
I get the feeling I'm really going to like Dark Jackie.
7952942
Idunno. I'd say it was super effective! After all, it just about made Jackie faint.
More like, "Great night!"
Shipping, competence on both sides, and Viper rolling with the punches. This has so much of my approval.
7952861 Priorities
THE MEDIC IS NOW OFFICIALLY JAPANESE AND A HEAVY!
PRAISE BE THIS COMBINATION!
7952827 Well, the harmony blast that dealt with Shendu did retroactively make magic normal. If magic had always been normal, of course a master thief would have tools to deal with magical security.
It's the same reasoning with Valmont suddenly having Dao long Wong on retainer.
7952911 as has been already pointed out (and there was an entire section on this already) The only ones who are dealing with the duality of magic being normal now but not in their memories are those in the story, and even then only the main ones. Ergo, Viper would have already had those since the past was re-written.
Chapter Eighty Nine
"Aiyah!"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 44
"One More Thing!"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 75
Dark Jackie, though
At least Jackie and Viper evened the playing field with this successful theft.
7953541 PRAISE
7953698 HAIL THE MEDIC!
*grabs newspaper for smacking purposes*
No! *smack*
Bad Dark Jackie! *smack*
Bad!
Television. I remember that it was implied that Jade watches Survivor & it's just about impossible to live in the USA & not watch TV. You don't let them watch that crap at home, they'll watch with their friends.
7953705
idiot you can only hail the medic gods by speaking their language do you want to accidently summon a ftp medic?
*ahem*
Mehm Mehm Mehm Mehmmmm!!!
(all hail the medic)
C'mon, Jackie! The fillies could be a good influence on a niece!
Meanwhile; have some feels: http://screenrant.com/jackie-chan-reunion-stunt-team/
7954467 Hey..... nobody.... fus with the White Mage.
(unless Frieza shows up, then it's kind of a crap-shoot)
7954467 I think you're thinking of Pyro.
A Pyro Medic would be terrifying though.
I love the tiny Jackies, I want to see more of them.
I fully agree... but I bet Viper is enjoying seeing him trying to hide his reactions.
Very nice chapter, can't wait to see the Enforcer's faces when the fake Talismans don't work. I also can't wait to see if Jade and the Crusaders manage to get Audrey to literally cough the rest up.
7953622 Depends on your definition of "main"... Even so, if Valmont's contacts updated with the Normalcy Wave, Viper's tools would likely do the same.
7954769 true those kind of medic gods are terrifing but I was meaning free to play medic demons. no one knows exactly what they are but they can be either hilarious to watch or frustrating to work with here I found a recording from the tombs of the great Arrayseven whom did a documentary of these demons.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCa1wa1Qh_k
I warn you though most mortals can't even comprehend the great legendary arrayseven so view this recording at your own risk.
...am I going to far with this?
edit: ohhh wait a minuite I misunderstood you sorry anyway nah I was useing the language of the medics look up pieanimations video meet the amazing medic and you can find the begginings of the medic language
7954769 this man is not familiar with the gmod community around TF2... a damm shame, that...
7954467 no, you say it like this:
MMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEMM!!!
(Praise Be to the Seventh Array and his holy knights, for He has come!)
7955124
ok now I want a story involving kronk from emperors new groove
Took a look at your library. You're still missing a story with Celestia
7955404 It's expensive.
I wonder how a GMod fic would work for the PWNY verse...
7955400 Yup.
Pocket Meic is still a really good style to go for.
7955645
And if you took a look at the TVTropes page, you'd see one is already planned.