I'm in a bad mood... Most of this fic (Finnish version) was written when I hadn't seen the last eps of season 02 and now when we've finally seen "the Eight Door" in Finland I realise all the mistakes I've made:

1. In this fic Po Kong is older than Tso Lan when she in truth is younger
2. Now I understand what Miaka-chan tried to tell me about the portals; they truly are sealed forever. And yet I've already opened two "sealed" portals and will continue doing it!
3. I wrote Bai Tsa's portal in a slightly wrong place...
4. Same goes for the Moose World

There has to be more mistakes so please point them all out. I won't rewrite anything, but it's good to know what I've done wrong.

NI TANG
Chapter 25

Po Kong opened the window to the warehouse and climbed in. You could have imagined that it was difficult in her plump body, but she managed to do it fairly easily. The mountain demon closed the window behind her and stopped to have a look at the others.

Ni Tang sat alone on a box, Shendu was taking a nap below him, Hsi Wu discussed something with the slave when Tso Lan seemed to be making plans with Bai Tsa. Po nodded at herself, at least everything seemed to be fine.

Her arrival was noticed immediately and everyone's eyes turned on her. It didn't happen too often, despite her enormous size Po Kong wasn't the most known of her family so she enjoyed it while it lasted.

"Sister Po," Tso Lan said with a bow. The moon demon had taken his own form back, he didn't really like playing human as much as some other demons.

"Won't the Chans start to wonder if you are missing?" Bai Tsa asked, stepping next to her sister and Po shook her head.

"Nothing to worry about, I told them I'd be away the whole day gathering more chi ingredients," she assured.

"How are things with the enemy?" Shendu wanted to know and Po glanced at Jade.

"Only a fool would reveal such things when the slave is here. Ni Tang, take your slave away!" she ordered, but Hsi Wu jumped on his feet.

"She's my slave now. I'll take her," the sky demon promised eagerly and grabbed Jade's hand, starting to drag her away. The demon took a human form and climbed out. When the two were gone and the window closed again, Po turned to face the rest.

"I've won the trust of the old chi master and now they believe everything I say," the mountain demon said.

"What have you told them?" Tso Lan asked. All the knowledge he could obtain was for better.

"They believe I'm a Japanese sorceress of some sort and helping them to fight Ni Tang the polar night demon," Po said.

"You told them my name?" Ni asked inworry. He didn't like this, now the wizard could find something out and discover a spell for him... Po shrugged.

"Don't worry, he will never find out anything we'd have to worry about," she assured, but that didn't make the youngest demon feel any better. Lately nothing the older siblings had said made him believe in anything. Expect to himself.


The demons didn't really talk. When all the important information was told they all withdrew to be alone. Hsi Wu and Jade were still gone and Po Kong was discussing with Bai Tsa.

The water demon pursed her lips.

"Something is going on, I can see itin your eyes," she remarked and Po glanced at her in rare amusement.

"Really? Are you sure?" she asked and this made Bai sure about that the big sister hadn't told them everything. Well, maybe now when the brothers couldn't hear.

"Come on Po. Tell me," she asked and frowned demandingly. Po shrugged.

"Let's say I now have a personal reason to work with the Chans," she revealed and Bai raised her brows.

"Does the chi master have a spell you don't know?" she asked, if such a spell really existed Po would love it. The mountain demon rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Am I really such a square that the only thing I care about are chi spells?" she asked frustrated.

"Your image would change if you went out more often," Bai commented. Then she drew a deep breath.

"Now I know! You've got a man!" she exclaimed and was pleased when Po didn't deny.

"Who are you going to charm? The younger Chan?" she wanted to know and her voice trembled with excitement. Po meddling with men was so rare that when it happened Bai wanted to know everything about everything. The mountain demon shook her head.

"He is an annoying weakling who doesn't do anything else but complain and run like a rabbit. But there is also someone who is very talented with chi spells and appreciates good food," she said and Bai started to laugh. Po frowned at her.

"What?" she asked annoyed. The water demon shook her head and sighed.

"Why can't you ever choose anyone fitting? I think the young Chan sounds about thousand times better than this new ideal man of yours," she commented.

"You haven't even seen him," Po stated, though she knew that Bai would judge Tohru immediately after seeing him.

"I don't have to, I already know our taste of men is totally different."


Hsi Wu had promised to leave just like that and give up all the possible news. Of course the sky demon would hear them later from his siblings, but Jade just couldn't understand why the demon had done that.

He seemed to be pretty cheerful anyway, his steps were light and his eyes twinkled with excitement.

"You are my slave now," Hsi Wu said suddenly and Jade sighed.

"The fifth time you say that," the girl remarked. Hsi turned to watch her and his face had melted into a wide smile.

"Maybe, but it's still true. Think about it, I, the weakling of the family, have a slave of my own!" he said and laughed. It was the first time Jade heard one of the demons laughing without sounding like he had just ripped someone's throat open. She wasn't sure which version she liked more, the cruel or weirdly happy demon.

"Don't get too excited," she commented dryly.

"You don't understand... This means so much to me. Besides, now when you are mine..." Hsi Wu tried to explain, but couldn't finish his sentence. He just didn't know what to say.

During the time he had spent with the slave he had realised she somehow fascinated him. He had even noticed he was starting to be fond of her, just the mere thought that Ni Tang might have kept her was driving him mad.

But he didn't have to think about it, Jade was now completely his and he could do her anything he wanted.

What would it be?

The girl was young, barely twelve and Hsi Wu wasn't a demonwho liked children that way. He could always kill the girl and enjoy her warm blood for a while, but then it would be over. After that he wouldn't have a slave or Jade.

Maybe he should wait and see the girl grow and her female body bloom? She would become beautiful, one of the most beautiful Hsi Wu had ever seen. Perfect for a demon like him. Jade would never agree to do anything like that with a demon, but very few of the demons had ever asked a permission.

He'd think about it when the time came. Now he had time and he was going to spend it by waiting.

"Come, let's go to the park," he said, remembering the place where he had embarrassed the local king. He hoped they'd be there again so that he could show Jade how cool he really was. Something in the back of his mind reminded him that making fun of mortal children was nothing, but that didn't matter now.

Hsi Wu grabbed Jade's wrist and together they ran on the pavement. The demon didn't have to drag the girl, she thought it was fun to finally be outside, stretch her muscles and enjoy then sun which was something she had learned to appreciate during the time with the demons.

People stared after them as they went, but no one frowned or said anything nasty. Instead of that they smiled, the two looked like they were best friends instead of a slave with her master.

Jade couldn't decide what she should thinkof this. As long as she was with the demons she was just a slave. But was it better to be Hsi's than Ni's slave? She glanced at the demon next to her.

Yes it was.

They arrived to the park after some time and neither one of them was out of breath. Hsi Wu had remembered where the park was so finding it hadn't been that difficult.

Jade frowned in thought and eyed the trees, bushes and people. Hsi Wu looked at her.

"What's wrong, Jade?" he asked deciding to address the girl by her name. People could get suspicious if children called each other slaves and right now he didn't want to argue with her. Besides, if he really was going to get what he wanted he had to give in sometimes.

Many demons had one or few humans beside them, and even though they were all slaves they were a bit more appreciated than the rest. Usually they were the ones who were close to their masters and who had the least of freedom.

And that was what Hsi Wu wanted Jade to be, a quiet and humble servant who'd do anything he ordered. He'd break the girl eventually, at least when she was a bit older and physically developed. It would the best to do it now when she was just a child, children were so easy to make understand what was the best for them.

But he didn't want to see the girl's self-confident and stubborn nature fall apart just yet. The time would come, Hsi Wu forced himself to believe that, but he wanted to enjoy the lively twinkle of her eyes for a bit longer.

"Why are you so nice suddenly?" Jade asked shrugging. She didn't understand Hsi Wu, he had become weirder and weirder during the time the girl had known him.

"You are my slave, I can do anything I want with you," Hsi snapped as an answer and Jade frowned.

"I don't quite agree with that," she answered. Then she concentrated on the park again, all the green, noises and scents reminded herof the lovely world she hadn't thought she'd see again. If Hsi Wu had brought her here she would sure enjoy it.

"Hi Jade!" a new voice was heard and the girl turned around insurprise. Some distance away there was a boy, Alex, from her class.

Even though Jade had lived in San Francisco a good while now she didn't really have any friends. There were two reasons, she found all the other kids boring and stupid and the other reason was Drew and his stupid gang. Drew was one of the most popular kidsat the school, something Jade would never understand, and only few dared to make friends with someone he didn't like.

Alex was different and though he wasn't Jade's friend either, he didn't treat her as badly as the others.

"Did you have fun in Hong Kong?" Alex asked rushing to meet them and it took some time for Jade before she realised Jackie must have told the teachers some story to explain why she wasn'tat school.

"Sure, it was nice to meet my parents," she said quickly.

"I wish I could travel abroad," Alex sighed longingly.

Hsi Wu frowned, this stupid boy annoyed him so much!

"Come on Jade, we are in a hurry!" he snapped and just then Alex seemed to notice him.

"Who are you? Jade's friend?" he asked curious.

"His name is Seymour and he's ... uh... my friend from Hong Kong. He's visiting us," Jade hurried and Alex looked at Hsi Wu differently now.

"He's from abroad? Cool! Will he come to school tomorrow too?" he wanted to know and Jade shook her head.

"Neither one of us comes... I have to show him all the places and the city," she said. Alex shrugged and looked disappointed.

"Pity... It's been so boring not to have you around. Nothing exciting happens," he said.

"I see," Jade said. Usually they just picked on her, it was weird to notice some people had missed her.

"We are going. Now," Hsi Wu pointed out and Alex glanced at him oddly.

"I have to go now too. Bye Jade! And it was nice to meet you Seymour," he said before turning around and leaving. Hsi Wu glared after him until the boy was gone.

"You won't talk to him ever again," he stated then and Jade turned to face him.

"What did I do? He isn't even my friend, just someone I know," she defended. The sky demon snorted.

"It would be better if you didn't even know him. I am the only one you need and you don't have to talk to humans ever again. To my siblings, if it's necessary, but I want you to give up the world of humans forever," he said.

"You wish! When do you learn you can not make decisions for me?" Jade snapped angrily. Why had Hsi Wu had to ruin the otherwise so nice day?

"Then I'll cut your tongue. Let's see what you'll say about that. Oh wait, you won't be saying anything," the demon said. Jade sighed frustrated, she was already so used to Hsi Wu's threats that didn't care anymore.

"Whatever, batboy," she muttered rolling her eyes and Hsi frowned at her.

"Are you mocking me?" he asked.

"No, you are doing it all by yourself," Jade commented. Then she looked around again. There weren't that much people around, it seemed they had something to actually do today. She was sorry, it would have been fun to see more people and be reminded that normal life still existed, but then again, she didn't want anyone to disturb her right now.

And what was she doing that she didn't want to be disturbed?

"Do you want to swing?" he asked suddenly and Hsi frowned again.

"Swing?" he asked confused. What was Jade talking about again? Some strange mortal amusement? Jade nodded.

"Yeah! Come!" she said and this time it was her turn to grab the demon and drag him after her. Hsi Wu yelped in surprise, but didn't resist. He was eager to see and experience something Jade liked this much.

Jade knew the park pretty well, her class had visited it many times to make projects and she remembered where the swings were. She didn't really like them too much, but was afraid Hsi Wu would take her away if they didn't have anything to do. And right now Jade didn't want to go back to the warehouse, she wanted to forget all the other demons even existed.

"Where are you taking me?" Hsi wanted to know and realised how silly this was. He should have been the one who decided where they went, not Jade. Jade didn't answer, but stopped and pointed at the playground, which was almost empty now.

The sky demon raised his brows.

"Children's toys?" he asked unbelieving and in despise.

"Don't be like that," Jade said and rushed for the swings. Hsi Wu left after her and caught up with her soon.

"Don't forget who you are talking to! I'm a demon sorcerer and hundreds of years old, I don't have to play with toys!" he snapped.

"I thought you demons were pretty playful," Jade commented sitting down.

"We are, but sitting on a piece of wood is not what I'd call fun."

"What then? Slaughtering humans?"

"You really want to know?" Hsi Wu sat next to Jade and looked at her sneering. Jade wrinkled her nose.

"I'm afraid I don't. I'm so sorry," she said sarcastically.

"Don't worry Jade, we have enough time to get you interested in the right games and forget all this," Hsi Wu said and Jade frowned. What was the demon talking about?

"You are just a child now, Jade, but when you grow up you will be very beautiful. So beautiful that all of my brothers would like to have you. Well, maybe not Xiao Fung, but let's not talk about him. But you don't have to worry about them, you are completely mine and I'll keep them away from you. There will be a day when Ni Tang regrets giving you away," the sky demon said surprisingly softly and his voice made chills go down Jade's spine.

"When I grow up..." she started, but didn't continue. She had never thought about it, but it seemed Hsi Wu believed he could keep her forever. Jade had thought this would end when all of the demons were free, but it looked like Hsi Wu was really going to own her.

"Yes Jade, then you'll really be mine. I'll make you my lover and no one else can touch you or enjoy you," Hsi continued eyes twinkling and Jade looked at him in prejudice. The demon was acting strangely now and she wasn't sure she liked it.

She really didn't want to be the demon's lover. Her future was like everyone else's, marriage after dating and few children. Right?

Right?

To be honest Jade had never liked that form of future. In China there weren't many other options though and she couldn't imagine herself making dinners, cleaning and taking care of the children. She didn't want to give up all the excitement...

Besides, she could never love the demon. He was cruel, bloodthirsty and everything her uncle told her to beware. Then again, Hsi Wu was about thousand times more exciting than anyone else.

And didn't she always do what Jackie told was forbidden? But...

What would it be like to be the sky demon's lover? Jade was still a child, not even thirteen, and had never thought about anything like that before. Now when she tried to imagine herself as the beautiful woman Hsi had mentioned and the sky demon with his huge wings...

"You are blushing," Hsi Wu commented.

"I'm not!" Jade answered quickly. Hsi Wu smiled at her.

"I dare to believe you like my suggestion," he said. He jumped down from the swings and brushed Jade's hand with his own.

"Brother Tso Lan once had a human lover and they got along pretty well," he said deep in thought and as if trying to make his offer seem even more better. "We have to return, the others must have discussed what they had to," the sky demon continued.


Tso Lan frowned. He really didn't want to do this, but most of the family were against him. Ni Tang wanted to learn how to take a human form and because the moon demon was the best teacher in the family, they had chosen him to teach the young demon.

Blast it!

Shendu encouraged the polar demon and told him to really concentrate on his studies, making Ni suspicious. Did the fire demon really care that much about him?

Of course all the demon thought about was his own amusement, he knew the same Tso Lan did and wanted to make some fun of Ni -- if he was Ni at that point. Bai Tsa liked the idea of teaching too and it wasn't even worth to ask Hsi Wu. He'd just wonder why they were even discussing the matter. Po Kong didn't say anything, she didn't care what the younger ones were doing as long as it didn't endanger their mission.

And yet this was doing exactly that, at the moment nothing was more dangerous. Tso Lan had been against all this in the beginning. Of course he had to admit that without Ni Tang they'd all be still trapped in the Netherworld, but at the same time the polar demon really caused trouble.

The moon demon could sense the changes in the young one. It was just the matter of time before the final push would be given. And if he taught his brother to take a human form he'd just fasten the doom.

But he was not given any options, saying 'no' would harm them just as much. Ni and Hsi would want to know the reason and telling that would make everything fall apart, even sooner than anything else. Maybe Ni would last some time and when they were in charge of the situation they could get rid of him.

He had lit the whole warehouse and everything seemed to glow relaxing blue light.

"Taking a human form is often considered to be difficult, but it's easy if you know what to do. And you know it, you just have to find that skill from yourself," he said to Ni, who sat in front of him. The other siblings had gathered arounfto watch and Ni felt the stare of their red eyes on his back.

"What do I have to do?" he asked. This was really important to him, he hadn't really been able to take part in anything and had been forced to stay in the warehouse during daytime and that wasn't enough anymore. He wanted to go to open the next portal and it wouldn't be possible if he didn't know how to take a human form.

"Concentrate on yourself and try to turn your thoughts upside-down. Investigate your inner self and drew up all that you've forgotten long time ago," Tso Lan advised and watched in thought as Ni Tang relaxed and closed his eyes. His chest rose when he breathed peacefully and the polar demon looked really calm.

Ni tried to not think about anything that surrounded him from theoutside and close the warehouse totally out of his mind. He felt like he was floating in the middle of emptiness, all alone, and then Tso Lan's picture appeared in his mind. The brother wore a displeased expression and Ni concentrated again, he had to learn this.

The silence seemed to go inside of him in every one of his cells and he flinched when he slowly lost his connectionwith the real world. He was surprised at how easy it had been, almost like he wasn't changing into anything new, but returning to something old and dear.

A voice interrupted the silence and he frowned, who was disturbing him?

"What's going on?" Hsi Wu asked quietly from Tso Lan, who gestured him and Jade to close the window so that light wouldn't disturb Ni Tang.

"Brother Ni has almost taken his human form," the moon demon whispered and Hsi turned to watch his younger brother, who seemed to just sit there.

"This soon? Doesn't it require practising?" he wanted to know, but Tso Lan shook his head.

"His powers and memories have been returning slowly during the time he has spent here. It's just the matter of time when the bubble explodes and everything is clear again," he said and Hsi Wu frowned when sensing that there was something more behind Tso's words. Something serious...

But he didn't let that bother himself anymore, the important thing was that Ni was a bit closer to his real self, the perfect demon. Hsi bent down to Jade.

"Look, soon you'll see a part of my brother no one has seen in centuries," he whispered in excitement and Jade had to admit she was curious too.

Ni Tang was a complete mystery, a demon no one had heard about and who seemed to be pretty important in this game.

She followed how Ni seemed to shrink slowly, he was now the size of a normal human male. It was a luck that the warehouse was lit, she wouldn't have been able to see anything if it wasn't.

And then she could just stare in shock.

Ni Tang's mask was totally gone and his dark clothes had suffered the same fate. They had been replaced with a suit made of fine green material, which Jade remembered quite too well...

The long white hair, the blue eyes she could barely see in the dim light and the exactly same features. Jade swallowed and pressed a trembling hand on her temple, was she dreaming? She remembered all that so well...

But he was dead, right? Did Ni Tang have a really wicked sense of humour and he wanted to make fun of her? It would be so like the demons, Ni knew she was a bit bitter because the death of Valmont. But the polar demon had never seen the man, he just couldn't know what he looked like.

"You did it!" Hsi Wu exclaimed breaking the silence and rushing next to his brother. Ni looked at him in confusion and nodded slowly. He raised his hand in front of his eyes and frowned.

"This is the human inside me?" he asked and his voice had changed too. Ni Tang' cold voice was gone and replaced by the clear British accent.

Shendu grinned and was about to explode with joy. It had gone just the way he had expected! Ni Tang had taken his old human body and he was the perfect image of Valmont. Even his clothes were the same and if he hadn't known better the fire demon would have believed Ni remembered everything.

"Congratulations Ni. This means so much for all of us," the dragon hissed and Ni glanced at him.

"I feel weird... My head hurts," he muttered pressing his fingers in his forehead.

Jade opened her mouth to say something, anything, but someone pressed a hand on her face and silenced her. She tried to scream and struggle free, but her captor was much more stronger.

A brief flash of light and they weren't in the warehouse anymore. The grab on her loosened and the girl whirled around just to see Tso Lan.

They stood alone on a dim street and the moon demon's red eyes glowed spookily.

"What is going on? What is the meaning of this?" Jade asked harshly and Tso Lan sighed.

"I've been stupid, I didn't realise you know him. Now it's too late and I have to cover my ridiculous mistake," he said scolding himself. Jade frowned.

"Is he really...? I mean Ni...?" she floundered not finding the right words. Tso Lan nodded slowly.

"Valmont? Sure he is, I'm surprised you didn't notice it any sooner. I thought you were a clever girl," he answered.

"But how?" Jade wanted to know. This was unbelievable, they all had thought Valmont had died a horrible death, but he was alive. And a demon too...

"It was Shendu's idea, he wanted to make him one of us. It's not impossible to curse a human being into a demon and it happened quite often in the ancient times. All we needed was the right spell and our family to join the ring and the new brother was ready to join us, " the moon demon said with a hint of sarcasm and despise in his voice.

"He of course remembers nothing of who he is or about his previous life. The idea was that it would never happen, but at this point it's already too late. He will become Shendu's toy when we don't need him anymore," he continued.

"And what if I tell him? Then he'll surely stand against you!" Jade threatened and Tso Lan shook his head.

"No girl, you will never tell him anything," he said and Jade drew a deep breath. The moon demon was...!

"You can't kill your brother's slave!" she warned when Tso stepped closer. The moon demon laughed, it was the first time Jade heard him laughing and the sound wasn't nice.

"I'm older than him and in this situation I have no choice. Everything will be ruined if I let you live and tell about this. I will tell him it was an accident, Hsi will believe me, he adores no one else as much as he adored me," Tso Lan said and Jade realised something.

"So he doesn't know! Hsi Wu doesn't know who Ni Tang really is!" she exclaimed in surprise and found herself hating the demons even more. She had seen how much the sky demon cared about his little brother and believed in him. And it was all just a lie, Hsi Wu's own family had deceived him so cruelly.

"You disgust me!" she snapped angrily and tried to rush past Tso Lan, but the moon demon was too swift. He grabbed Jade's arms and pressed his palm on her face.

"I don't usually favour such violent ways, but using magic would attract my siblings and I don't want Hsi Wu here now," the demon said in mock sorry and Jade tried to struggle free. She'd never allow herself to die in the demon's arms!

"This is easier if you don't resist," the moon demon remarked, but that didn't stop Jade. She fought as hard as she could and would have bitten the demon if she just had been able to open her mouth. She wanted to scream in frustration, Tso Lan was too strong for her!

When struggling she had spent a great deal of oxygen and felt her lungs burning. They demanded more air and all she wanted was to breathe freely, but Tso didn't give up. Jade swallowed in desperation, this couldn't end like this...

"I'd let her go if I were you, Tso," a familiar voice was heard and the moon demon turned to face Hsi Wu. Right after his brother had gone Hsi had noticed Jade was missing and had begun to worry. So he had quickly left to look for them and was happy he had done it.

When it seemed Tso wasn't going to obey Hsi Wu attacked and they all fell down. Jade was partly crushed under the moon demon, but didn't care since she could now breathe again. She stood up panting and watched the scene she saw.

Hsi Wu stood in front of her in his full demon body. His wings were spread, claws ready to attack and his red eyes glowed dangerously.

"You tried to kill my slave, brother Tso," he growled and looked so dangerous that even Jade was afraid, though she knew the demon wasn't angry at her.

"She is pure harm, Hsi. Give up her, the world is full of girls," Tso snapped angrily swiping blood from his face where Hsi had struck and cursing himself. He had underestimated his brother's affection towards this mortal and had talked too much.

"No! She is mine and no one else can ever touch her!" Hsi said and bent down to scoop Jade in his arms.

"Are you all right?" he asked kindly and Jade could just nod, she was still too surprised to say anything. Hsi Wu hit the air with his wings and rose up to the sky while Tso Lan watched them.

"You are just jealous. I would have never thought you could do this, Tso. It seems brother Ni is the only demon I can trust," the sky demon said before flying away.

Tso Lan watched after them and sighed.

"If you just knew, Hsi... Ni Tang is not and never will be a demon."

To be continued...