I own nothing.

More notes in the end, so stay tuned!

And oh yeah, one more thing! The name Tiger Lily is from Alaer Kino's fantastic story BF 4 Her and I asked Alaer if I could use the name too. So it's used with permission in thisfic.

NI TANG

Chapter 31

Bai Tsa lowered her head, shaking and a quiet sob escaped her lips. The water demon could just stare at her dead brother who had died just a moment ago. She couldn't say anything. She couldn't even believe this yet, it was just so utterly impossible!

"Tchang Zu is gone," Dai Gui stated and even his usually so cold voice held some sadness.

Tso Lan nodded in silence. He hadn't actually loved his brother, but it still felt as if a big part of him had been taken away.

Tchang Zu had been the oldest one of them and they all remembered howhe had always been there. The thunder demon had been there for them when they had been small and to them he had been something steady, something that would never cease existing.

And now he wasn't anymore, the whole hierarchy of the demon family was destroyed and they couldn't continue their attack when the situation was this. They had to retreat to think about this somewhere and decide what to do next.

Shendu and Hsi Wu were probably the only ones who didn't feel sorry. Shendu hadpredicted this, the arrogant and stubborn Tchang Zu had been asking for this when starting this stupid attack in the middle of a city. The dragon was glad he was gone. If he played his cards right now he could make the others believe he was the only one who knew what to do.

Hsi Wu then, he didn't feel anything. He watched his mourning siblings and tried to find something inside him, at least one sad thought.

But no.

He couldn't mourn the thunder demon who had always just despised and hated him. Besides, somehow he felt Tchang had never been as close to him as he had thought.

"We can't stay here, the mortals are after us with their powerful weapons," Po said taking the lead quickly.

"Should we run from mortals?" Xiao Fung asked not really believing it. Po Kong pointed at Tchang Zu.

"Better than ending up like him. We have to come up with a new plan," the mountain demon said. Bai Tsa looked worried.

"What about Tchang? Are we going to leave him?" she asked.

"Of course not. We will take our brother with us and bury him with respect," Tso Lan assured.

"Let's go then," Po Kong said, but the moon demon raised his hand.

"I will stay with brother Hsi. I have something to say to him," he said and something in his dark voice made the mountain demon feel restless. She didn't object though, Tso Lan never did anything without a good reason.

The mountain demon raised her plump arm above the siblings and soon the only ones left were Hsi Wu and Tso Lan.

They were both quiet for a long while. Sounds of the city were silenced too and the only audible sound was the rustling of stones when Hsi Wu moved nervously.

"You had something to say," he stated then. Tso nodded, but didn't say anything. Usually he had no difficultieswith saying anything, but now it seemed he had forgotten all existing words.

"It is Ni Tang, isn't it?" Hsi said after a while.

"Yes, I have something to say about your brother," the moon demon admitted. Better start with this, maybe it all wouldn't be such a shock then.

Who was he deceiving anyway?

Hsi Wu sighed.

"He is dead, isn't he? The mortals killed him," he guessed.

"Kind of. Brother Ni Tang doesn't exist anymore, but he is not dead," the moon demon said and Hsi frowned. What was his brother about to say?

"I don't understand, Tso..." he said in confusion.

"Hsi, you have to know something about Ni Tang. He was never our brother. He wasn't even a demon, but a human," Tso Lan said.

"... a human?" Hsi repeated blinking. A human?

"Our family has never had more than eight demons. The human, who we gave the name Ni Tang, came in the Netherworld by accident and we decided to use him. They hadn't built a demon portalfor himso he could travel freely in and out. We made him a demon and he forgot his previous life and believed he was one of us."

"You made a demon?"

"Don't sound so surprised, Hsi. It wasn't unusual in the ancient times. Itis easy to form a ring of demons and curse a human. But you need at least seven real demons for the spell to work properly. And that didn't happen with Ni Tang, I was gone and kept and eye on you," Tso Lan said.

Hsi Wu swallowed. Ni Tang wasn't his brother after all. And he had been so happy when thinking he wasn't the youngest one...

"Why wasn't I told about it? Why did you lie to me?" he asked angrily.

"Tchang Zu wanted it. He was afraid of that the truth would make you remembered something unwanted," the moon demon explained and Hsi could sense something horrible was coming.

"Remember? Remember what? Why doesn't anyone tell me anything?" he asked.

"You are young and can't handle all truths yet. Or that was what Tchang Zu thought and no one dared to object him," Tso Lan said.

"He is gone now. You can tell me anything I need to know," the sky demon said feeling that there was something he didn't want to know.

"Yes, I can, Hsi. Yes, I can," the moon demon said and something in his voice made Hsi even more certain that it wasn't good. And yet it made him curious, he had to know! If it really was something important he had the rightto it.

"Ni Tang wasn't our brother, but there is someone you have to know about. We never gave him a name, he diedafter being bornbefore the ritual could be arranged, but he was still our brother. If he had lived he would have been the demon of dreams." Tso started. Hsi Wu frowned.

"Didn't you just say there was only eight of us?" he asked. Tso nodded.

"That is true," He sighed.

"I've been a fool, I let myself get attached to you too much even when I knew this moment would come," he said scolding himself. Hsi felt cold, if he had understood his brother's words right...

"Tso Lan?" he asked. The moon demon looked at him and Hsi had never seen him that sad. As if he was keeping a very old secret that had pained him all these years.

"Hsi Wu, you are not a born demon," he said heavily and flinched when the words were out. Sometimes, when he had been really depressed, he had imagined he would tell Hsi the truth, but he had never thought it would be this difficult.

Hsi Wu couldn't say anything, his whole body trembled when he totally understood what Tso Lan had said.

He wasn't a member of his family.

"I... I am not a demon?" he asked harshly somehow getting the control of himself.

"Hsi, you are and will always be a demon, nothing can change that. But you weren't born as one of us, we created you like we created Ni Tang. You are lucky, you can never fall apart like him andyou'll be a demon until the end of times," Tso Lan assured, but Hsi didn't know if he should have been happy.

"I was a human..." he muttered to himself. They had lied to him! He had never been imprisoned in a statue of jade, the lack of memories was because he had nothing to remember. They had taken all of his human memories from him and his previous life was...

His real life.

"This is a huge shock, but don't let it destroy your life. You have been a part of this family since we created you and nothing will change. You will forever be one of us," Tso Lan promised and his voice was unusually gentle. As if the cold moon demon was touched.

Hsi Wu nodded in silence, his whole world had been crushed just like that and he didn't know what to think.

"Who was I before...?" he asked suddenly and Tso flinched. He had hoped the sky demon never wanted to know anything about his life as a mortal, but it had been a stupid thought. Of course Hsi wanted to know everything.

The moon demon turned his back on his brother, who watched him waiting.

"Your name was Jiong Zhe, and you were the only son of one of the Immortals," he said on guard.

"Which one of them?" Hsi wanted to know. He was a son of an Immortal? He was a son of the enemy!

"Tiger Lily," Tso Lan said and heard the sky demon drew a deep breath. Tiger Lily was the exact same Immortal, who had...

"Did she know that... I... when banishing me in the Netherworld? Did she know she was dooming her only childto forever lasting damnation?" Hsi Wu asked his voice shaking and his world was in shreds when Tso Lan nodded.

His own mother was to blame for his suffering! His own mother had coldly abandoned him in the apocalyptic universe! His own mother!

"She knew from the beginning what would happen. We needed the eighth demon in our family and chose you, who had got the gift of magic in breast milk. You became many times stronger than other human born demons. You were still very young when we gave you the demonic gift, the human form you favour is a strict copy of your old body." the moon demon continued and turned around when he heard the flap of leathery wings.

Hsi Wu was gone. Tso Lan sighed, he didn't think he'd see his brother in a long time.

None of the demons in the warehouse said anything, for most of them the sorrow was too strong. Soon they would let it be and concentrate in revenge and future, which didn't look that bright anymore, but now they just sat.

Jade didn't dare to say anything, she was afraid she might anger the demons. She felt they could rip her apart right now if she was careless and she didn't want to object five angry demons.

Where was Hsi Wu? The sky demon hadn't come back with the others and it made Jade nervous. Was he dead? If a powerful demon like Tchang Zu had been killed what had happened to the fragile sky demon? Maybe he was completely destroyed or the others hadn't bothered to bring his body back?

Tso Lan was missing too, but it didn't bother the girl that much. Of course his calm presence might have made the others relax and the situation safer, but she would never forget how the moon demon had tried to kill her.

Suddenly the window was opened and light flooded in. All turned to see the comer, whose winged form could be seen clearly against the light. Hsi Wu drew up his wings to get in and his claws hit the floor when he jumped in.

He didn't say anything, but walked to Jade not even glancing at his siblings.

"Come, Jade," he said softly and the girl was instantly on her feet. She left the Pan Ku box on the floor, they didn't need it anymore. She stepped right beside the sky demon, he seemed to be okay, and let Hsi lift her out.

"Where are you going?" Po Kong asked sharply and Hsi took a look at her.

"I will let my slave catch some fresh air," he said dryly and left. After he was gone it seemed as if they had lost something very precious.

"Did you see his eyes? He knows," Xiao Fung stated and Bai Tsa nodded gloomily.

"Our family is falling apart. First Tchang Zu, now Hsi Wu. Who will be the next one?" she asked.

"None of us have to leave anymore," Tso Lan's voice was heard and the others turned to see their brother, who had just teleported himself there.

"What do you mean? It is very unlikely that we all survive the upcoming battle," Po Kong said.

"Tchang Zu and Hsi Wu are gone because we let competition and personal arguments control us. In the ancient times we were together and stood for each other. The Netherworld broughtout all of our bad habits," the moon demon said and Shendu frowned.

"You think we should be like humans and care for each other?" he asked in disbelief. How could Tso Lan assume they would sink that low? The moon demon shook his head.

"I don't mean that, Shendu. I understand that for some of us it would be too much, but we have to forget all of our disagreements if we want to rule this world," he said.

Dai Gui shifted uncomfortably and Tso Lan noticed it.

"What is it, brother Dai?" he wanted to know.

"Dai Gui won't stay or take part in the fight," the earth demon announced and was rewarded with asurprised silence. Had they heard right? How was it possible that theviolent and simple Dai Gui didn't want to take part in slaughtering humans?

"What do you mean you won't stay? Of course you will!" Shendu hissed angrily and Dai shook his head.

"The Earth sang to me and told what the mortals have done. They have thrown and buried poisonous waste in the ground and stolen her treasures. All of the Earth's spirits have fled and no one is taking care of her. The Earth sings to Dai and asks him to be her last guardian. I can not refuse," he said.

"You will give up your family because of your silly hallucinations?" Shendu asked in rage and Dai Gui's eyes flashed red. He was in his human form, a man with brown hair, but that didn't make him look any nicer.

"The Earth sings to Dai Gui and Dai Gui won't turn her down!" he growled in anger and now the others realised they couldn't change his mind without killing him. And that would be no use. Po Kong sighed.

"And our family is smaller again. How many one of us still want to continue fighting?" she asked. Shendu raised his hand, which made Bai Tsa reconsider. She really, really wanted a new empire, but if she had to work with Shendu in order to get it...

"We have seen what these humans can do. We have to come up with a whole new plan thatworks in this time and won't be builtof useless violence," the fire demon said to encourage his siblings when he sensed they were uncertain of the future.

Dai Gui was already lost, the earth demon wouldn't join his siblings of they decided to attack. If Tchang Zu had been alive the earth demon would have stayed, but now when the thunder demon would never lead then again...

"I won't join you, Shendu. I don't know what I'll do, but I won't do it with you. So don't count me in," Bai Tsa said saying the first words. Shendu nodded gloomily, he hadn't even wanted the water demon with him, but her decision might turn the others against him too.

"I won't come either. Just like Dai Gui, I want to protect my element, which has been severely damaged by humans," Tso Lan said and this was a surprise for them all. The moon demon wasn't one to give up, usually he fought 'till the end even if he was going to lose.

Shendu hissed angrily and stood up. If he had been in his real form he might have ripped the walls apart in rage.

"You traitors! You betray your family and yourselves! This world exists only for us, so that we can rule it and you give up just like that? I despise you and will do much better without your help!" he raged eyes flaming and he didn't care that all those who he insulted were older than him.

"Quite finished?" Po Kong asked dryly and Shendu shook his head.

"No! I don't care at all what you do, but I will continue fighting and become the ruler of this world! And then you too will bow in front of me, begging for mercy!" he threatened waving his hand, and disappearing in a flash of light.

"There goes Shendu," Bai Tsa commented.

"He should do something about that temper of his," Xiao Fung added in amusement and Po Kong sighed.

"Shendu is still so young and loses his nerves easily. He will get in trouble if one of us doesn't go and keep an eye on him," she said. This made them all glance at each other, none wanted to baby sit the annoying Shendu.

"Dai Gui is helping the Earth," the earth demon remindedmaking surethat he wouldn't be chosen for the job.

"You know we don't get along," Bai added and even though Tso Lan didn't say anything his whole presence told that he didn't want to have anything to do with Shendu.

"I know, and I have already decided who has to make sure Shendu doesn't do anything stupid," Po Kong said turning to look at Xiao Fung, who raised his brows in surprise.

"Me? Why me? I'm just alittle older than him," the wind demon said. Wouldn't it be wiser to sent someone older after the fire demon?

"Because you two can tolerate each other. Bai Tsa won't come in question, Dai Gui and Tso Lan already have something to do and since I'm the oldest I won't take the job," the mountain demon said.

"But what if I had my own plans too?" Xiao asked displeased. Po shrugged and grinned maliciously.

"Sorry then. Now when Hsi Wu and Shendu are gone you are the youngest one. Better get used to it," she said. Xiao Fung frowned darkly.In one day he had lost his rather nice position as a powerful demon and had sunkto the bottom.

When he next lifted his glance from the floor Tso Lan and Bai Tsa were already gone and only Dai and Po were there with him. It seemed like the earth demon was about to leave soon too.

"You'd better go too, Xiao. Shendu is probably anxious to have an ally," Po Kong told and after glaring at his sister sarcastically the wind demon teleported himself away.

When the others were gone it was uncomfortably quiet in the warehouse and Po Kong sighed. The mighty demon family was gone and they wereall on their own. Only a miracle could make them gather together again and she didn't think it would happen in a long time.

If ever.

She felt more empty than ever, it seemed a part of her had been taken away and just now the mountain demon realised what her family had really meant to her.

From somewhere inside her mind appeared the image of Tohru and she couldn't drive it away. The man had been pleasant and the demon found herself thinking what might have happened if she hadn't been forced to reveal herself so soon.

She sighed again.

It was starting to get dim and the air was comfortably cool. The city of San Francisco was still a mess after the destruction the demons had caused, but slowly everything was returning to normal. At least it looked like it, Section 13 and some others did everything they could to track the demons and destroy them.

Humans were still afraid and didn't dare to sleep, but it was just normal in situation like this. They were already making plans of what to build in the places of destroyed buildings and people on television assured that everything was fine and there was no need to worry.

All this didn't reach the heights and roofs where anyone could enjoy the soon arriving night.

Cold wind made Jade's short hair flow when she sat on the roof of a skyscraper and let her eyes caress the darkening sky. She had really needed this, up here she didn't feelas imprisonedas down there with the demons.

Hsi Wu sat next to her and the girl glanced at him from the corner of her eye. The sky demon was very quiet and Jade could sense something was wrong.

Maybe he mourned his dead brother?

Somehow Jade didn't believe in it, if Tchang Zu had been her brother she wouldn't have been sad to see him die. Then again, the demons had been together for centuries and she could never understand the relationships between them.

Or maybe he had found out the truth about Ni Tang?

It was a much more likely option. Jade couldn't say if she was sorry, she thought no one was evil enough to deserve an eternity as a demon, but it had to be hard for Hsi to lose someone he had learned to love as a brother.

"Nice evening today," she said cheerfully to make the demon feel at least abit better. She couldn't hate him as much as in the beginning, but thought they were at least some sort of friends. And Hsi Wu didn't treat her like dirt anymore, so he must have noticed it too.

Hsi turned to watch the girl and his red eyes glowed in the dim light. Part of theirspark seemed to be gone though and the demon looked gloomy.

"It is," he agreed. The wind blew over them.

"Would you like to fly, Jade?" Hsi Wu asked suddenly and Jade stared at him in surprise. Those few times when she had been allowed to lay in the arms of the sky demon had fascinated her, but she had told herself she didn't enjoy flying.

She had lied.

The girl's expression brightened and she smiled delighted. Hsi Wu was of course gloomy, but it made him an unusually friendly demon.

"Of course, that would be fun," she said standing up. Hsi stood up too and spread his grey wings. Then he lifted Jadein his arms and before the girl managed to say anything the demon had jumped down from the roof.

The current of air made her slit her eyes, but she didn't close them. There was too much to see and she didn't want to miss anything.

Hsi flew nimbly between the buildings flashing here and there and making so narrow dodges that Jade felt cold. She thought that if she had wings she could have done the same, but now when she had no possibility to control this it just terrified her.

But it was still so much fun. Jade had never been a coward or an ordinary girl who'd settle with a boring and common life. She loved adventures and this sure had been one.

Hsi Wu held her against his chest and they rose higher and higher until no building was on their way. It was night now and the moon shone brightly on the clear sky. Thousands of stars decorated the blue and black skythat seemed to spread beyond the horizon.

Sounds of the city could not be heard, but everything was almost quiet. It felt like there was nothing else in the world.

"You enjoy this?" Hsi Wu asked and Jade nodded. She didn't remember she had ever seen anything like this and even if she had the presence of Hsi made it all useless.

"Yeah, I really do," the girl admitted. Her face was red with excitement, this was amazing! She was already sorry over the fact that soon she'd have to return into the warehouse.

Hsi Wu drew a deep breath and let his gaze caress the stars.

"Jade," he started then.

"Yeah?" Jade asked a bit confused. What did the demon want to say?

"I... don't know. I'm so confused Jade, I just found out something that broke everything I've believed in," the sky demon said.

"You want to talk about it?" Jade asked. Sometime before she wouldn't have even imagined she'd want to have a conversation with a demon, but now it felt nothing. Hsi Wu was her friend. Okay, sort of.

"I am not sure," Hsi replied.

They flew a while above the city in silence.

"Jade, I am not a born demon," Hsi Wu said then and Jade yelped in surprise.

"What? What do you mean you are not?" she asked and felt as the demon sighed.

"Brother Tso Lan told me... I was once a human, just like Ni Tang," he said. Jade felt herself smile and a new warmth filled her.

"But that's good! Then you can become a human again too!" she exclaimed and just then thought about what she had said. It had to be traumatic to know you were something else you had always believed...

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have probably said that," she muttered.

"It doesn't matter, I am a demon now and nothing can make me anything else. Not that I even want it. I don't want to give up my empire," Hsi Wu said and frowned in thought.

He hadn't even thought about what it would be like to be a human. He didn't want it, it meant giving up his wings and sky and he wasn't ready to do it. Then again, as a human he would be just like Jade and he could grow up with the girl...

But couldn't he have her now? He had sworn himself he'd take her as his lover in his new palace.

A palace that would never exist.

He didn't want to return to his siblings,that was for sure. They had nothing to give him and he couldn't go on as if nothing had happened. What could he do?

"Look at the stars, Jade," he told and the girl frowned. What now?

"Yeah, I see them," she said.

"But watchhow they shine. The night is bright, so bright that it's rare. This is a very special night, Jade. Special for all of us," Hsi Wu said. Jade felt herself flinch and it had nothing to do with the coolness of the night.

"Hsi Wu..." she said, but let her sentence die. She had no idea what to say.

"Jade, I am not sure what I feelfor you. It is something no human has ever made me feel, but still... Maybe with time.. maybe I'll learn," the sky demon said softly.

"Hey, I'm just eleven. Okay, almost twelve," Jade replied uncomfortably.

"I know, we have so much time. Jade, do you want to spend the eternity with me? We could fly anywhere we want, the whole world could be for us. Let me have a chance to learn to know me and you," Hsi asked and felthow Jade stiffened in his arms.

Jade liked Hsi Wu, really did. She guessed that when she grew up the feeling would grow into something deeper, but right now it was just a nice, warm feeling. Just friendship.

What about her family then? She had a father, a mother, two uncles and Tohru. Could she really leave them an run away with a demon? She was just a child after all.

"Hsi Wu - " she started, but the demon interrupted her.

"I know Jade, I know. You don't want to leave your family. A thing I won't ever learn to understand," he said and even though his voice held some sadness he didn't look that broken. He had expected this answer.

"No wonder when considering what your family was like," Jade replied. It made Hsi Wu think about it. Who had been his real family?

The demons?

No, officially he was one of them, but none of them - not even Tso Lan - had cared about him like siblings were supposed to. Of course it was all different with demons, they weren't supposed to love each other, but Hsi wasn't going to forget the treatment he had got.

Tiger Lily?

Hsi Wu felt nothing but disappointment when thinking about his mother. The Immortal must have cared about him when he was a human, but after he had become a sky demon she had banished him in the Netherworld. Hsi had no good memoriesof her, he remembered only the cold faced woman who hadn't given up until the sky demon was gone.

No, his family had been someone else. Maybe for a just a short moment, but still.

Ni Tang.

The polar demon had been the brother Hsi had never had and the mere thought he was gone now made him sad.

Ni Tang... What was his name? Valmont?

The name sounded strange, but Hsi knew he would haveto learn to accept it. Just like he had to accept many other things.

And maybe still...

He noticed they were now close to their destination and he started to land. Jade noticed soon that they weren't going back to the warehouse and peered down in interest. Where were they?

And then she drew a deep breath.

Chinatown! They were going home!

"Hsi Wu?" she asked in surprise, didn't the demon know where he was about to land?

"I know Jade. Don't say anything," Hsi said and landed on a shadowy alley not so far away from Uncle's shop. He put Jade down gently and took a step back.

"Go Jade. I don't want to see youleave but I don't know what I'll do from now on. If I was sure of my future I'd force you to come with me, but I don't want to see you being killed wherever I'm going," he said.

Jade nodded uncertainly and suddenly realised how important this was. For such along time she and Hsi Wu had kept company for each other and now the demon was about to leave her.

Leave? Set free would have been better, she wasn't a slave - or was she - anymore and was allowed to return to her family.

And yet this felt somehow sad and Jade swallowed.

"Will I ever see you again?" she asked. Hsi Wu bit his lip and stepped forward. Before Jade managed to do anything the demon had placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and was withdrawing.

"You can count on it. When you are a bit older," the demon promised and spread his wings to rise up to the sky.

Jade watched as he went until she didn't see him again. She brushed the corner of her eye and sighed.

Then she turned around and rushed towards the shop. Jackie andthe others must have missed her.

That night someone else wanted to enjoy the cold night and think. He was confused and though he knew what he was going to do he felt as if his head was about to explode.

Until now he had managed to keep the haunting thoughts away, but now when he wascompletely surrounded by the night andhe had to let them crawl in.

Valmont sighed.

At first everything had been so well, he had had everything what he wanted. Then it had gone downhill when a talking dragon statue had demanded him to collect the twelve talismans and promised him unbelievable riches.

To that point everything had been somehow okay, even though Chan had always ruined everything, but when Shendu had taken his body his life had been ruined.

It had been stressing to live under the demon's curse and Valmont didn't want to remember his mental battles with him. So many times he had been about to break, but somehow he had always found strength to keep fighting.

And then...

He had become a demon too.

It was hard to explain, his whole body and characterisation had been made into something different and he had had no idea who he really was. He had bought the demons' lies and thought he was one of them.

Ni Tang...

Was the polar demon somewhere inside him or was he a totally different person, who had just taken him? Was he like Shendu, or something else?

And was he coming back?

Valmont didn't want to become a demon again, nothing scared him more and he swore he'd do anything to keep Ni Tang away as long as possible.

And yet, even when he sat there, he could feel something touching his mind and making him flinch. Was he going insane? Did he need rest and peace? Or was the polar demon really part of him just waiting to take control again?

A flash in the air made him raise his eyes and he yelped in surprise when he saw Hsi Wu's way too familiar from flying above him and then landing some distance away.

"It took a while to find you," the sky demon said drawing up his wings. Valmont glared at him. The sky demon had treated him better than the others, but it all must have been just a lie and prove of the demon's sick sense of humour.

"What do you want?" he asked darkly. Hsi Wu looked at him with his red eyes and shrugged.

"I don't know. Talk, maybe," he guessed. Valmont snorted.

"Then talk with your family. I have nothing to say to you," he replied.

"My family... I have no family. I left them," the sky demon announced slitting his eyes and clenching his fists and Valmont thought he was about to hurt himself. Not that he cared.

But it was still a surprise to hear he had left the others. Was he just lying or had something really happened?

"Really believable, Hsi. That doesn't explain why you are here," he said deciding he wasn't about to believe just yet. Why should he? Hsi Wu had been one of them who had cursed him by the worst possible way.

Hsi Wu shook his head.

"You don't trust me and it doesn't surprise me, but listen towhat I have to say," he asked and Valmont sighed.

"I think I have no choice," he commented dryly. He could never get down here alive if he objected the demon.

"Firstly, I didn't know about the spell my siblings cast. I really thought you were my brother," Hsi Wu said.

"Why should I believe you? And what does it matter?" Valmont asked. It was true that Hsi Wu had treated him as if he was his little brother when the others had just hated him. Maybe it was possible that Hsi had been deceived too, but so what?

"Demons are liars, Valmont. They lied to you, me and have lied to everyone since the ancient times. They are also masters of deception so you can never trust them," Hsi said and his voice shook a bit when he said Valmont's name.

"I absolutely agree with you. But you don't seem to think you are one of them. That is strange when I see your wings and other demonic features," the man commented. Hsi slit his eyes. This human sure knew how to be stubborn!

"I am a demon, but not like them. Just like you, I was a victim of their schemes and they made me a demon," he explained and enjoyed seeing the man's surprise.

"You are... like me?" Valmont breathed in surprise. This was something he truly hadn't expected! Hsi Wu nodded darkly.

"And that is why I left them. I don't want to see them ever again either," he said. Valmont nodded in thought.

They were both quiet for a long time and then Hsi Wu sat next to Valmont.

"So... what will you do now?" he asked then. Valmont glanced at him and shrugged.

"Everything will be like before. I will rebuild the Dark Hand and my fortune. And you?" he replied.

"I don't know. I have no one and nothing in this world," the sky demon said thoughtfully.

It was quiet again. They sat side by side in their thoughts until Valmont spoke again.

"You know Hsi... ever thought about becoming a criminal?" he asked and the demon stared at him in surprise. How shameless!

A human was offering him a chance to work for a mortal! Never before had Hsi Wu heard something like had to happen and he was speechless for a while. Only day before he would have ripped this impudent man apart, but now...

"Not really. But after this I think I can get used to anything," he answered after a while. Valmont nodded.

And there they sat, under the stars in the night of San Francisco.

The End

AN: Woah, it's over! I started the Finnish version in December 2002 and it was finished on 16th of May in 2003. Translating started in January and now it's done!

There are some differences between the versions, two of them pretty big:

1. in the Finnish version Ni is "varjodemoni", which mean "shadow demon". I thought it sounded cliché, so I made him a polar demon in the English version.

2. in the Finnish version Shendu's childhood friend (chapter 21) was female and called Ko Ha. But I am so afraid of Mary Sues that I made her male and renamed the now male demon as Ji Moa for the English version. Though I mentioned Ko Ha here nevertheless, big hug if you remember where!

And now I want to thank all those who bothered to review this, I wouldn't have finished this without you. You all deserve to be hugged and I am ashamed. Many other authors give all reviewers personal credit after a long fic is finished, but I am too lazy for that. SORRY!

There are some pictures of Ni Tang on the Internet. One drawn by me, two by the really talented Alaer Kino. E-mail me if you want to see them and can't find them on your own.