Me: Okay-here we go! I don't own anyone from "Jackie Chan Adventures." I can't believe it-my first Jackie Chan story-ow!

Uncle: (whacks me upside head) Where have you been? You say you'll write story, then you take foreeeever to get here?!

Jade: It's okay-he was probably hanging out with Jackie and lost track of time, right?

Me: Uh...

Jackie: (laughs loudly) Ignore my niece-she's like that sometimes. (whispers to Jade) Next time, introduce yourself politely to people who you've just met!

Me: I'm gonna start this before I get hit again!

Uncle: You do that! One more thing: bring tea! Uncle needs to keep his bowels from moving around.

Me: Ayah...ow!

Uncle: (whacks me upside head again) That's what I say-respect your elders!

Jackie Chan Adventures: The Ancient Prophecy

Prologue-Night of the Full Moon

"You're all right, Jade. You got a sharp criminal mind." -Viper

"I do?!" -Jade Chan

"No! Jade has a 'lousy' criminal mind!" -Jackie Chan

Visibly, Jackie Chan relaxed at his uncle's antique shop. It had only been at least a week-at the most-since he, Uncle, Jade and Tohru had returned from the far mountains where these monks had claimed Tohru was their "Chosen One."

"Sounds like some made-for-TV movie. Oh, well. Time to rest up from all this 'demon hunting.'" Jackie's thoughts-and moments of rest-were shot by the entrance of his niece Jade Chan.

"Hiya, Jackie! How was your day? Has Captain Black called you about anything? Can I see if he has a mission lined up for us?"

Jackie eyed Jade with a skeptical look. Usually, whenever his niece wanted to do anything besides train with him, that only meant one thing.

"Jade...what did you do?"

"Nothing!" Jade protested. "It wasn't my fault-not this time, anyway."

"And what precisely do you mean by 'this time?'"

"Remember when Maynard called me 'shrimp,' and I showed him the door? Well, not really the door, but you see my point. Any who, it seems like there's this new kid at school who bosses everyone else around-even the teachers seem scared of him! So, I walked right up to him and warned him, 'if you try any of that stuff on me, my Uncle Jackie's gonna set you straight!'"

Now Jackie had a look of shock plastered over his face! "Why did you do that?! Now your teacher's going to call us, and besides, you should know better than to stick your nose where it doesn't belong."

"Jackiiiiie!" Turning, Jackie and Jade noticed that Uncle and Tohru had left his research room, Tohru carrying an excessive number of books. "This came in the mail for you."

"What?! The mailman came by at least two hours ago! Why didn't you give it to me then?"

"Bah-I was teaching Tohru some more spells, so I said, 'mail can wait.' Here-seems important."

Sighing, Jackie reached over Jade, pulled out a letter opener and opened up his letter. To his surprise, a note fell out.

"Whoa-looks like chicken scratches, but smaller." Jade noted.

"It could be related to the Book of Ages. I will do research on this letter. Tohru-go and make some tea. This could be a loooong night."

"Yes, Sensei." Tohru responded.

"Can I read the letter first-ow!" Jackie winced as Uncle swatted him on his temple.

"Not yet! Must do research first, then you can read letter. One more thing: Jade's principal called here at noon; wants you to go in for a parent-teacher conference."

Jackie held back a sigh of irritation, never liking the fact that when he was going to school and had to go to the principal's office, Uncle usually had some kind of punishment set up for him. He'd hoped that when he grew up, it would go differently for whoever he had to look out for. Since he was looking out for Jade, it wasn't going any differently.

"If I were you, Jackie, I'd call that principal and say that we can't make it, 'cause you've got some archaeology work to do for the university, and that I'm supposed to help out over the weekend. What do you say?"

"Two weeks' detention?! I never got to tell my side of the story!" Jade ranted as she and Jackie left the school building an hour later.

"Yes, you did, and I relayed your response a few moments ago." Jackie replied.

"I don't think 'wanting to help keep the kids safe from this new kid' really helped me out, Jackie."

"Neither do I. Next time, if you do run into this new kid, try to make friends with him."

Jade mulled over her uncle's idea and admitted to herself-it showed promise. "Guess you got a point."

"Now, it's time for us to head back to Section 13 for the night, and for you to get your homework done-"

Jackie's cell phone rang, interrupting whatever he would've said next, so he answered it.

"Hello?"

"Jackie, you and Jade must get here immediately. I believe you are in grave danger."

"Uncle, I get into danger with every step I take-"

"Do you want to see what was in that letter that was addressed to you? Yes? THEN GET OVER HERE NOW! One more thing: on your way back, pick up some mung beans."

Jackie now had a worried expression over his face, and whenever Jackie was worried about anything, Jade got cautious, and worried, though she never showed it.

"What's wrong, Jackie?"

"According to Uncle, I'm in 'some sort of grave danger.' But it's nothing to worry about, Jade."

"'Nothing to worry about?' We just got back from getting rid of this dark master guy who tried to kill Tohru, and this letter is 'nothing to worry about?'"

Jackie turned toward Jade, and he could tell that she was trying to maintain her composure. Smiling gently, he bent down and patted her on the shoulder. "Trust me on this, Jade. I'm sure Uncle was just being careful about things. You don't have to worry about me-I promise. It's not like we're part of an ancient prophecy that's existed since the dawn of civilization."

"This text was written near the dawn of civilization, when the 8 Demon sorcerers ruled the globe. It was rumored that this had been destroyed before the 8 immortals banished the 8 Demons to the other realm, but this tiny part of it seems to have survived. It mentions that an unlikely hero will once more be possessed by the Demon who breathes fire, and this unlikely hero will reclaim the Talismans and attempt to rule his domain. The only way for the unlikely hero to be spared is if he avoids contact with the organization controlled by evil on the night of the full moon."

Jackie was truly interested in this prophecy, but he wasn't sure if he should get involved. "Does it say anything else-?"

"Getting to that! In the event that the unlikely hero should be tainted by evil, his loyal, yet troublesome counterpart will be forced to engage him in battle, using all 12 Talismans against him."

"Does it say anything else?!" Jackie insisted. Uncle sighed as he pulled his hand down from his glasses.

"No-that was all that remained of the ancient prophecy. Jackie: be careful. This is something that was known about ever since the dawn of time."

Jackie knew he had to take Uncle's advice seriously, because he actually looked worried under his normal facade.

"One more thing: don't mention any of this prophecy to Jade. I fear she and you may be involved in this together, and if you are, it could end very badly for either one, or both of you."

At that time, Jade was sleeping peacefully under the crook of Jackie's arm. Nodding, Jackie carefully picked his niece up, so he wouldn't wake her.

"Okay, Uncle...I won't say anything about this. Hide that somewhere-we both know how cunning Jade is, and she may stumble upon it."

"That would be best. One more thing: where are my mung beans?"

Jackie groaned at that question. "I thought you wanted me here quickly, so I accidentally passed the store and forgot about it."

"Ayaaaaaaaah! Can't anyone around here get anything done correctly?! Tomorrow, after you drop Jade off, go and get some mung beans!"

As Jackie exited Uncle's antique shop, Jade yawned loudly while waking up.

"What's up, Jackie? Was that letter for real, or was it bogus?"

A part of Jackie felt guilty, because he knew that what he had to say next would be a lie, and he'd tried to teach Jade to tell the truth under any circumstances-good, or bad. But, Uncle had specifically warned him not to tell Jade about this prophecy.

"No. Uncle was just being careful. The letter didn't mean a thing."

"Hello, Jackson."

Narrowing his eyes, Jackie looked up to see Finn, Chow, Ratso and Hak Foo, four of Valmont's Enforcers.

"I thought you'd all abandoned Valmont?"

"At first, we did, but he promised that if we could get him the Talismans back, he'd pay us double what he originally paid us before."

"Make it easy on yourself, Chan and give us the merchandise." Hak Foo hissed.

Jade instantly jumped out of Jackie's arms and assumed a fighting stance. "They're not here, but if you're gonna try to get ahold of those Talismans, you're gonna have to go through us, right, Jackie?"

Jackie nodded, then gasped as he looked upward at the moon-it was full!

"You gotta be kidding me..." Jackie whispered worriedly to himself.

To be continued...