Tohru hung his head in shame as he faced his Master, Valmont, and their client. Once again, he'd failed to bring back the Talisman, leaving yet another of the 12 in the possession of Jackie Chan and Section 13, wherever it was. And on top of that, his fall had broken the Talisman tracking statuette. He was pretty sure he was reaching the end of whatever good will he'd built up from the Lovecraftian episode, and knew this would likely be when he truly faced consequences. He waited patiently for whatever would come.
He hated to admit it, but part of him hoped for dismissal. While losing this job would be great disappointment to his mother, he would no longer risk being sent against Apple Bloom. Facing against her just felt wrong now, for some reason. If he was dismissed...well, maybe Uncle was hiring.
"You failed to retrieve the Talisman," Valmont said softly, staring up at Tohru. "And you sat on this." He held up the broken pieces of the tracker.
"The seeking device was forged by magic," Shendu hissed angrily. "Such things are hard to come by."
"Apologies, Master," Tohru offered sincerely, awaiting what he was certain would be a harsh judgement.
Valmont looked up at Tohru for a time. "The fault is mine, I suppose," he admitted, surprising Tohru. "It's been obvious for some time that Chan is skilled enough to make your raw power inefficient at dealing with him without the backup of appropriate skill. Today merely hammers the point home." He glanced at the broken pieces of the seeking device. "Expensively, I'll admit, but that's to be expected that I ignored it for so long."
Tohru blinked in shock. He...wasn't being dismissed in disgrace? "I won't fail you so again, Master," he promised, bowing his head gratefully.
"No, you won't," Valmont agreed. "I have acquired the services of a freelancer, who will be paid by the successful job. He will lead the next expedition to pursue the Chans in acquiring a Talisman. You may go with or remain here as you choose."
Tohru bowed his head, pleased that the only penalty he faced was a reduction in his duties. "Understood, Master. Who is this freelancer?"
Valmont gestured to the entrance to the chamber. "Allow me to make known to you Hak Foo."
"The Black Tiger?" Tohru asked, surprised. He knew this man by reputation. He had been a professional fighter once, in mixed martial arts tournaments. Unparalleled in both fighting ability and viciousness, rumor had it that his abrupt departure from the professional circuit was due to 'unfortunate accidents' that had happened in the ring, and several of his opponents who hadn't made it out of the ring alive. Already, he feared what would happen if this man encountered the Chans, especially should his reputation be deserved.
The man who stepped in looked every inch a fighter. He stood just taller than Valmont, and every inch of his lean body bulged with muscle. His crimson hair stuck up from his head before flowing down his back, like he was growing a strawberry out of his head. He wore a blue vest that left the muscles of his torso bare, red pantaloons that fit his legs loosely to give maximum movement, green socks, blue slip on shoes, and two black armbands on each forearm. A thin mustache extended from under his nose, with a pointy chin beard, and tiny narrowed eyes, the color of which could not be determined, only lethal intent visible in them.
Tohru frowned. Nothing about this man raised his confidence in him having any sort of self control. He would have to test that. "He does not look so ferocious," he offered tauntingly.
Hak Foo's eyes narrowed further. His teeth clenched as veins bulged from his head. He quickly shifted to a wide-legged stance. "Angry Crow takes flight!" he roared out, leaping high into the air. Tohru tracked his flight as he came towards him. With a roar and a double midair flip, he growled out, "Emu stands on mountaintop!" before landing on Tohru's shoulders. "Monkey plucks two peaches!" With that, Hak Foo's hand snapped down, two fingers curled to aim right at Tohru's eyes.
Tohru shivered, but not from fear of himself. His minor taunt told him flat out that Hak Foo had no control. If he had to deal with Apple Bloom or the others, his solution would be to kill. "...looks can be deceiving," he offered to hide his intentions from Hak Foo...and from Valmont.
Jackie paced back and forth in Uncle's shop over Jade's latest discovery. Since Uncle had expressed no interest in the gift basket from Bavaria, Jade and the fillies had been working their way through the cheese and chocolate...and one of the chocolates Jade had opened looked exactly like a Talisman. Same shape, same artistic style of the engraved image of a pig, everything. "The pig is one of the signs of the Zodiac we haven't located," he admitted, "and the resemblance is uncanny. So once again...I'm off to Bavaria..."
"I could use a change of scenery!" Uncle offered happily as he walked out of the back room, carrying his suitcase. "Travel will make good memories for the girls and I. We will go with you."
Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo looked like they could burst with excitement...at first. However, all three paused as they looked at Uncle. There was something...off. Jade lacked their perception, however. "Awesome!" she crowed happily. "No babysitter means I get to go, too!"
Jackie got very flustered at the idea of having to keep track of all four girls in a foreign country. "But you never leave the shop!" he pointed out. "And what about the Dog Talisman?"
"Bah! Research can wait!" Uncle countered, leaning on a ladder...only for it to slide away from him, leading to an old vase tumbling off a high shelf, which Uncle quickly leapt and caught before it could hit the floor.
Scootaloo quickly spoke up. "Okay, I don't know how Uncle's got so much energy now, but I don't wanna waste it! Vacation in Bavaria, here we come!"
Jackie sighed, knowing he had lost this debate. However, at least this meant Uncle could help keep track of the girls.
Only Apple Bloom noticed Uncle tucking something into his shirt before leaping back to his feet. "So," Uncle asked quickly, "what are we waiting for?"
Tohru listened quietly as Valmont went over the latest report. "The mainframe indicates that one Mr. Chan has purchased seven airline tickets to Bavaria."
Seven? Tohru thought in confusion. Chan, Uncle, the four girls...Audrey?
Valmont turned to face Hak Foo. "The Dark Hand jet awaits. When you meet our friend, Jackie Chan..." He held up a picture of the man they spoke about.
Hak Foo used his foot to send a cantaloupe into the air. "Smashing Melon Fist!" he roared, punching the melon hard enough to shatter the rind and splatter the insides.
Tohru shivered. He knew he couldn't let that sort of violent maniac near Apple Bloom and the others. "Master," he spoke up, "perhaps I should accompany the Black Tiger in case he needs assistance in dealing with things of a...less than mundane nature. After all, the Chans have access to...unexpected resources."
Hak Foo's eyes narrowed angrily, but Valmont nodded. "An excellent suggestion, Tohru. However, remember that Hak Foo is in charge of this expedition. What he says goes."
"Understood, Master," Tohru confirmed, turning to follow Hak Foo to the jet. Inside, he felt sick. He was lying to his Master about both his intentions and his willingness to obey Hak Foo. He was disobeying orders, and had full intention of assisting his Master's enemies should it come to that. What had become of him?
Still, one thing he knew. He would not let Hak Foo hurt Apple Bloom...even if that meant preventing him from hurting Jackie Chan.
Only one Talisman left after this mission...maybe when all were gathered, Valmont would choose something else to pursue, and he would never come against the Chans again...
Chapter Sixty Four:
"Aiyah!"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 35
"One More Thing!"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 64
Hak Foo should count himself lucky that he's just got Jackie (and maybe Tohru) to deal with should he try harming Jade or the Crusaders. Otherwise, well... Angry Monkey Smashes Face.
BLACK TIGER TAKES CENTER STAGE!
Angry yellow pegasus disciplines misbehaving black tiger!
TATZLWURM LEAVES ALL-CAPS COMMENT!
I LOVE the peek into Tohru's mind here to establish new intentions behind the canon scene. Well done!
Does anyone have suggestions on what 'Mental Weaknesses' Hak Foo might have?
Apple Bloom just can't ladder suspicions go huh?
Hak Foo is gonna find the J squad a harder melon to crack.
Tohru chose wisely and won't let this sleeping dog lie even more so with Uncle going.
Looks to me like Tohru is beginning to shift towards the path of the Light.
7730187 Like I said before, I know this. He just uses it in every paragraph, which uncle does not.
7730427 aside from surviving on a diet of ham and cheese? and chewing on scenes? well I'll admit Hak Foo is dangerous he still sleeps with a plushy.
I am betting UNCLE goes kung fu on him
7730392 and sicks Discord on the black kitty cat.
And please, for the love of logic, have the girls point out that the pig granting lazer vision does not make sense! Every other talisman power makes sense, but not the pig.
NERVOUS CHIHUAHUA PIDDLES ON CARPET!
7730589 HEAT BEAM EYE RAYS!
7730427 I remember someone asking him to repeat what he said, and then hit him when he did.
Well, here we go. Looking forward to more.
Keep up the great work. Deus tecum.
7730364 Angry girls smash ball is what he should be worried about.
7730595
LAZY CAT SLEEPS IN SUN
I love the idea that the Chans found a seat on the plane for their musically inclined potplant.
Meh, I can think of Audrey in the baggage compartment
...Imagine if Hak Foo had a childhood fear of ponies after an unfortunate petting zoo incident.
7730846 I picture him in a Trench Coat and Sunglasses forming his vines into what look like legs and arms to sit in the plane seats.
7730608 You almost got the line. In that episode, when he first holds the pig talisman Hak Foo says: Heat beam eye blast? HEAT BEAM EYE BLAST!
7724971 true. Anyway thanks for all the laughs
Hak Foo: Yelling some attack name
Uncle: Squawking Magpie looses man card
Hak Foo: Lays whimpering on a hospital bed in traction
7731004 that would be hilarious~
7730499 wonder what his goku button is?
7731343
"Tohru did that better."
"SCREW YOU TORHU-KAROT!" (Tohru-Kakarot?)
7731375 nice!
7731339 Like he attacks and as one of the CMC dodge, they loose their charm (as I doubt Hak Foo has the ability to perceive them normally)
"PPPPPPPPP-PONY!" he shrieks, bursting through a wall....that was made of bricks.
SLUMBERING BEAR GREETS THE DAWN!
HUNGRY WOLF SLAUGHTERS THE LAMB!
Blithering Idiot Shouts Out Attacks!
Complete Moron Gets Owned By Chan!
7731896 That feels like something the kids/Uncle would say in retaliation
H: "...God do I really sound like that? I thought it was cool..."
Welp, time for someone to start a Hak Foo phrase count.
7730494
How about mocking him with a punny counter-phrase?
ANNOYING WINDBAG GETS HIS ASS KICKED!
ONLOOKING BYSTANDERS LAUGH AT WINDBAG!
CHAOTIC DRACONIQUS TROLLS EQUESTRIA!
How long until Hak Foo is trying to hack up a lung from the beatings Uncle, Jackie, and Tohru will give him for threatening the girls???
7730392 I can see that so well.
7730427 Maybe he's allergic to some kind of plant that Apple Bloom can grow in large quantities and then cross pollinate Audrey so he can spray the necessary pollen/spores/razor leaves at Hak Foo???
7731004 Hak Foo: SCREAM LIKE LITTLE GIRL AND RUN AWAY!! Jade: I RESENT THAT!!!
7731311 Awesome!
Tohru is such a mama bear. I approve!
You know, if it wasn't for him working for the evil demon of demonic evilness, Valmont sounds like he would be the greatest guy you could possibly be working for. Great benefits, realistic expectations, a well-defined set of responsibilities, and when he fucks up, he lets you know that it was he who fucked up. He never makes it personal. Just an amazing boss all around.
7737661
...he's not that awesome in the show. I've taken late series characterization of him and applied it to early characterization to actually make him the competent criminal mastermind the show makes him out to be.
7737698
I haven't really watched it, so I wouldn't know, but I really have been thinking that pretty much for the entire story so far. He comes across as a really pleasant guy. Makes you wonder why he works for the villain and what he hopes to get out of it.
7737752
Unlimited wealth from an ancient treasure that has been lost to time.
7737752 In the show I assumed suddenly becoming a hobo got his head outta his... erm... butt. I'm guessing Tat's version of Valmont will give us double doses?
one pair has to go.
oh no not that weirdo
7731343
"Excuse me, what was that last part?"
8660568
Vageta from dragon ball’s berserk button is called the goko button