A Demonic Infatuation

Chapter One: Jaded

Written By: Amanda/Artiste/Agent Di

Time is a river that flows by unrelenting, changing all with its shifting currents, making its path crossing all lives and at times, joining them. Eight years had passed by since Hsi Wu had been sent back through his demon portal. Jade Chan had grown into a beautiful young woman with mid length raven hair, two strands of long bangs still hung freely, one before each ear. Giving her an almost cat-like appearance, or to a certain sky demon…bat-like. Her golden brown eyes still flashed with the same spark of determination as they had when Hsi Wu first laid his red eyes upon her. Throughout the years he had remained the same in his prison realm, surrounded by his brothers and sisters, enduring humiliation and getting treated like a typical fall guy.

Groaning Jade swung her backpack on her bed and proceeding to collapse beside it. College stunk! Even if it was an art college. Jade had always been pretty good at art, when her heart was into it. Specializing in surrealism, mainly of alternate realms and parallel universes, Jade was an amazing artist. Her bizarre oil paintings were the talk of the class and her art teachers were riveted. Jade couldn't have cared less. She only painted what was in her mind. Pulling a sketchbook out from beneath a few loose boards under her bed she started flipping through it. Gazing at the sketches which revealed what was in her heart. Her secret wishes. The dreams she dared to hope for, but never shared with another living soul. Well, not unless you count…

"AIYAH!" Uncle's screams echoed through the hall from downstairs. "Jade! Come save dear Uncle from your possessed pet!"

Jade suppressed a smile as she rolled over and pushed herself off the bed. Time to save the world from Boomerang.

Heading downstairs she saw uncle swatting at a black streak darting around the room. The end of the broom constantly missing its target and whacking the ceiling. "This wild animal belongs outside!"

"Boomer," Jade called using her pet bat's nickname, "stop teasing Uncle. Come upstairs."

Without another word she turned and headed back up the stairs, the bat swooping after her. Uncle put down the broom and stared after the teenager and her closest companion. "Uncle thinks that perhaps Jade is a little too fond of these nightly creatures…especially the rabid winged ones."

Back up in her room Jade open her backpack to get started on her homework while Boomerang zipped around the room. He'd become Jade's best and admittedly only friend. His wing had been injured the night she'd found him on her windowsill. Her Uncle Jackie hadn't been too pleased when she had taken the little creature under her own care, he'd mentioned something about how it could give her rabies. Jade had merely blown him off and stormed back to her room with the injured mammal. Bats had always fascinated her. Most of her free time was spent in a bat cave located in some hills not far from the town. She was dark all right and proud of it. Morbid and pessimistic Jade spent countless hours studying spells and incantations in Unlce's books. Magic intrigued her. Recently she'd stumbled upon a text with a rather odd warning. A warning that suggested that her old pal Hsi Wu wasn't technically banished forever.

Curiosity gripped her midway through a sketch of a volcanic eruption, reaching for her middle desk drawer she pulled out the ancient spell book. Uncle had yet to notice that it was missing. She had the page book marked with a black rose petal. Like I said, she had become a much darker person than she once was, yet, for all the changes, she was still Jade.

Eyes shining wide with amazement she reread the text. The translation written above each line. It was still hard to believe that he could be brought back. And the most mind boggling thought of all…she could be the key!

Devoted time and enchanted space

Darkest dreams and love's true face.

Vessel through a mortal heart

A demon's entrance, a way to depart.

Into the realm of mortals all

Proving that even dark love, can conquer all.

A moonlit night in pure seclusion

At the peak of passion shall come the intrusion.

Two hearts join and beat as one

Never to part 'til the beat is gone.

Jade frowned at the confusing and utterly corny text. Unable to hide her frustration she tossed the book back into the drawer and slammed it shut. "Like that makes ANY SENSE!"

As far as she was concerned, Hsi Wu was gone. Completely dead to her. She may have cared for him once, maybe still, but he had NEVER once had a truly loving thought towards her. Tears ran down her cheeks as she allowed herself to think such things. Wiping her eyes she refused to shed another tear for him--for Seymour--strongly doubting that he had even remotely contemplated finding a way back to her.

******

Jade couldn't have been more wrong. Hsi Wu had been anticipating this night for eight long years..

"Now, dearest Jade," he chuckled darkly, off on his own in the hideous realm, preparing for what the setting of the sun would bring, "it is time we were reunited…again."

He felt his body fading, the time was near. The others weren't privileged to the knowledge of his attachment to Jade. Time had definitely made the heart grow fonder, fonder and filled with desire. He yearned to discover what kind of woman his beloved 'friend' had turned into. He would soon find out…

Bai Sa slithered over to a floating rock near where her youngest brother was perched. Looking over to him she saw the winged demon gradually vanish into thin air. "This seems worthy of investigation."

Returning to her siblings she informed them of the odd sight that had met her eyes. "Hsi Wu has vanished, and I'd bet my scales he's now in the mortal realm."

Tso Lan studied his sister carefully for a moment, "The Jade child. She hath granted him passage."

The other siblings stared at their mysterious brother as he continued to explain, "It was a suspicion of mine that he loved her. I said nothing, it is unusual for a demon to love. But such a seemingly weak emotion can prove useful when freedom is sought."

"How did he escape?" Tchang Zu demanded.

"Through the being he loves." Tso stated he had a sixth sense for such things, "Her vessel has become a doorway out of this world. A doorway through which only one--her love, Hsi Wu--can pass."

"That traitor has abandoned us!" Bai Sa concluded angrily.

Tso Lan lifted his gaze to meet hers, "Careful sister, though Hsi Wu has succumb to a mortal's love, he's still a demon. One of us. And for this human to carry a torch for our dear brother, she too must harbor some…demonic tendencies."

"Are you suggesting that Jade Chan is one of us?" Tchang Zu questioned skeptically.

"Not yet," Tso Lan replied calmly, "but with the passage of time, she very well could be. And I sense that she'll soon be family. Can you imagine the look on Chan's face once he learns of their bond?"

A smile crept across the face of each demon. Tchang Zu laughed wickedly as he pictured the image, "I certainly hope we get an invitation to the wedding. That's a sight I wouldn't miss for the world."

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Po Kong warned, "we're still prisoners here. And I have strong doubts that winning Chan's headstrong relative over will be an easy task for little Hsi Wu."

******

"Uncle, where is Jade?" Jackie asked upon searching the building without any sign of his mischievous niece. "She didn't come down for dinner and her homework is still lying on her desk…unfinished."

"It is not Uncle's job to keep up with troublesome niece." Uncle answered between dusting shelves.

Viper, or 'Aunt Viper', as Jade had come to call her since the ex-thief had won Chan's heart and last name, came into the room with a half empty pizza box. "I'll just save these slices for her, she can heat them up when she gets back. You know Jade's always wandering off. She probably just went back to that bat cave for a little peace and quiet. I certainly valued my privacy at her age. Nineteen's a year when a girl's independence streak goes on for miles."

"Yes," Jackie agreed, "but that bat cave just isn't safe. She could get hurt."

"She has a cell phone." Viper countered. "Don't be such a wet blanket. The more you try and scold her the further she'll push you away."

Sighing Jackie relented, as usual, she was right. "Okay, but I really do need to have a talk with that girl. Straighten out her priorities. Her parents only allowed her to attend college here because she thought we'd continue to be a good influence on her."

Strolling over to her husband Viper planted a kiss on his cheek, "You're cute when you worry."

******

Jade had wandered off to the bat cave again, she was starting to feel like a comic book hero always darting off to that place. But it was where she felt the most secluded. The bats were good company. They listened, but didn't offer advice. And her Uncle Jackie was seldom willing to set foot in the cave. No wonder she loved it so much.

Walking deeper into the shadows of the cave Jade suddenly felt a powerful pain shoot through her body. An odd feeling which caught her off guard and sent her stumbling to the ground.

Moaning with increasing agony she rolled onto her back and stared up with a hazed over expression at the jagged ceiling of the cave. The bats overhead flew swiftly from their upside down perches as Jade let out a excruciating scream. What's…happening…to me?! she thought frantically.

In the blink of an eye another form took her place. It was that of Hsi Wu. The Sky Demon only had a few seconds to look around when Jade's form took over again. Trying desperately to catch her breath and recollect her thoughts Jade looked across her body as another form interposed around it, eventually engulfing it.

Back again Hsi Wu's glowering red eyes darted around, taking in all the sights of the cave. Letting out a screech he felt Jade's form returning. This would take a while…

"NOOO!!!!" Jade cried shrilly as the two forms slowly began to pull apart. At this point she would've welcomed death as a relief from this strange torture.

Bats flew from the mouth of the cave out into the shimmering night sky. Once the only two beings inside were Jade and Hsi Wu the pain subsided and the demon pulled free.

Jade's eyes fluttered until her vision was clear again, looking up at the familiar gray demon she spoke hoarsely, "Y-you?"

Struggling to hold himself up Hsi Wu turned over and stared down at his beloved Jade. "Surprise?" he answered with a fang revealing grin.

She would've slugged him if she'd had the energy, she'd never been through so much anguish in her entire life. Problem was, both beings were exhausted from the extreme physical and spiritual strain of Hsi Wu's reentry. Finally unable to support his own weight any longer Hsi Wu's arms gave out and he slumped forward onto an equally fatigued Jade. Alone in the darkness of the cave, their whereabouts unknown to any other soul in the realm, the long separated 'friends' fell into a deep sleep.

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*So how bad was the first chapter to my first ever Jackie Chan Adventures fic? Be honest, but don't all out flame me. I'm seriously into the pairing of Hsi Wu/Jade. Thanks for reading! I'll try and update soon!*