Nothing is owned by me. William belongs to Avery. This was written for her fanfic contest.
At first it looked like any ordinary bridge. Trash lay around, waterwas dropping from the ceilingin tiny trickles and running down the wall. The sound of dripping was the only audible thing under the bridge, all other sounds had died a long time ago. Maybe the steady 'tlip tlop' would eventually die too, you never know.
It was also completely deserted. It was not hard to believe that no living creature had walked under the bridge in a while. It was dim, almost dark actually, but that was the way it was supposed to be. Darkness lived under the bridge and it stretched its sticky fingers into the twisted and surrealistic word that surrounded it.
"Alone... alone... alone..."
A dried corpse fellto the ground. The thud it made was quiet and tired, as if it didn't really bother to exist. Or that it didn't want to be connected with that horrible heap of bones and skin that had once been a human.
The corpse's face was frozen into a silent scream, cheeks were sickly hollow and eyes had dried away. Skin was pressed against bones and the whole creature - you couldn't call it human anymore - was disgustingly greenish grey. The corpse was wearing an old vest and a tailcoat. The fall had made an old pocket watch fly from the vest pocket and it clinked against the wet asphalt. That sound was tired too.
"... alone..."
Up high where shadows licked the bottom of the bridge, sat someone. Or maybe 'sat' was not the right word, the creature more like lay there. How that was possible, only it knew, but it had no one to tell about it. It was all alone, you see.
And it - or he, let's call the creature a he - was almost silent, his chest rose weakly and he looked at the corpse he had dropped. It had once been a human, in mortal years it was about hundred years ago. The creature thought he remembered the man's name had been Andrew C. Jackson, but he wasn't sure. And it didn't even matter.
His friends never had names.
He laughed.
"I am alone. I need a friend." Then he slit his eyes and sniffed the air. Of course he didn't smell anything - at least nothing but empty death and promises of lonely years - but it was an old reflex.
"I need a friend. A new friend, one who will last longer than him," he said and gave one last glance at the corpse of the tortured man. He didn't even remember when the man had died. Many years ago, but death hadn't freed him from the creature's world. No, he had continued playing with his soul.
But now he couldn't be bothered anymore, Andrew C. Jackson wasn't his friend and he didn't need him. He never let his friends go though, their souls, filled with agony, roamed his world forever and were its only inhabitants.
"A new friend," he whispered to himself. A new friend who had soft skin, warm blood and a voice that wasn't hoarse from screaming. A friend who would join him and staywith himfor eternity. As a prisoner, doomed to be a restless soul.
He leaped down next to the body and chuckled. Andrew C. Jackson had been very amusing, and he hoped his next friend would be too.
The asphalt felt cold under his bare feet, but it didn't bother him. He had never cared about outward restrictions, he was born to beat them. Besides, this was his world, he controlled everything here.
The creature took one long jump and disappeared in the shadows of his own world, of his own mind.
"That blasted Chan..." Shendu muttered to himself as he walked in circles in the old fish factory. The place had been deserted for who knew how long, but everything still reeked of fish and the fire demon didn't like that.It reminded him of Bai Tsa.
It was not that long since they had faced their latest failure. His brother Hsi Wu, who always said he was so clever, had been sent back to the Netherworld, just like everyone else. Shendu found himself despising his siblings, despite their big words theyhadn't managed to be free for even a week.
He had thought that the pathetic attempt of Po Kong had been the worst of his family, but Hsi Wu had truly been even more terrible. The sky demon could have made it, but had returned to retrieve his tail and started to feel lust towards a young human girl.
Shendu couldn't understand that, he had never thought young children were attractive like that. Using children as pleasure slaves was Tchang Zu's personal habit and none of the other demons had ever done that. The dragon couldn't understand what had got to Hsi Wu. Had years of imprisonment caused that the sky demon charged at the first female creature he saw?
He shook his head angrily. It didn't matter! The important thing was to free Bai Tsa and get rid of this stupid fool whose body he had to share.
"Hey Chow, should I deal the cards?"
Shendu turned on his heels as he heard the cheerful and frustratingly happy voice from the other end of the building. He was quite mad at the moment and couldn't stand the fact that someone else wasn't.
He frowned. Finn.
The Irish was probably the most intelligent of Valmont's men, but he was no other use. He wasn't strong, couldn't do magic, didn't understand it nor Shendu's thoughts, he had a horriblefashin senseand he had those many small bad habits that were going to drive Shendu nuts.
Like this cheerfulness after they had lost again.
Yup, it was not difficult to guess which of Valmont's men Shendu hated the most.
Finn hadn't been there when they had fought, so the man had no right to look that happy!
"I dunno... I'm not on the mood," Chow replied quietly. He had been there and, just like his partners, got small injuries and bruises.
"Come one, there's always enough mood for one game," Finn said and his voice got even more cheerful. As if he was trying to make the others join his good mood, but it was no use. Shendu snorted angrily at himself, but no one even glanced at him. They had already learned that it was for the best to let him be.
He didn't want to hear the pathetic conversations of Valmont's men, so he walked to a small office room that he had taken as his own. No one else was allowed to step in or even look there, the dragon was very protective of his small kingdom.
"You failed again," Valmont accused as he managed to take his body back for a short moment. It was difficult when Shendu was angry, the demon had a habit of using his body to let off steam and it made Valmont nervous every time. He didn't even want to think about what Shendu was capable of doing to his body if he got really mad.
"Silence! I am not on a talkative mood," Shendu hissed and took over again. Valmont didn't return, the demon's will power was too strong and maybe the crime lord had also decided that it was not necessary to make Shendu any angrier.
"That blasted Chan. If I had my own body..." the dragon muttered to himself and took a book from the table. It was old and he had spent quite a lot of money - Valmont's, of course - to get it, but he didn't regret itat all. The book would provide very useful, he was sure of it.
It wasn't Chinese or even about Chinese magic, but that didn't bother Shendu. Unlike his brother Tso Lan Shendu didn't think nothing useful could be invented in other countries, and with Xiao Fung he had often explored strange cultures, their magic and creatures. It had been both fun and useful.
"Let me be! Can't you see I'm tired?"
Shendu lifted his eyes from the book as a loud shout interrupted him. He frowned. Valmont's men never knew when to be quiet.
"Pathetic mortals..."
Suddenly the lamp that gave him light let out a pop, the light flash and darkness fell on him.
"Grr... modern technology..." he continued his list of complaints and waited for his eyes to adjust in the dark. Despite that they glowed red they were still Valmont's eyes and humans were not known for their good sight without light.
A single stripe of light appeared and it soon opened into a portal. It was dark on the other side too, but Shendu could still see the portal as if the sun was shining behind it. The darkness on the other side was much blacker than on his side.
The same old chills went down his back.
"William," he whispered. The dragon's voice didn't shake, but his soul was twitching nervously.
"My dear old friend," a cold and yet very gentle voice replied and William stepped through the portal on Shendu's side. Though there was no light the fire demon could see the creature's features perfectly. As if the darkness itself gave light to that poor surrealistic soul.
At first glance William looked very much like a human. He had the body of one, his limbs just were unnaturally long. His skin was sickly white and reminded Shendu of flies' eggs. William was also very slim, his ribs shone through his skin and made him look even more frightening. Hsi Wu looked good in his anorectic figure, but it didn't suit William at all. He looked too much like a very ill human.
His hair was dark brown and the same colour was repeated in his eyes. He wore no clothes, but because of his figure no one would have noticed it. What you immediately noticed in him was his mouth, not something what you might have liked to see in an ordinary naked human.
It wasn't a human mouth, it was too wide and big. Slim lips revealed a line of white and sharp teeth that shone even without light. Like devil's eyes in Shendu's opinion.
"I am not your friend," the fire demon hissed quickly. No matter what, William should never think he was someone's friend.
William looked like he hadn't heard the answer at all. He stepped closer and all Shendu could do was to stand frozen as that distorted human-like creature pressed his body against him.
"White hair. How funny," William murmured and ran his fingers through Valmont's hair. He opened the band that tied them together and let the hair fall freely on his back.
"It is dyed," Shendu hurried to explain. Of course that wasn't the truth, but William didn't have to know that.
It was long since he had met that creature for the first time. It had been during the Dark Ages when a certain European lord had had his statue in his castle as a decoration. William had appeared in front of him lured by his magical aura, but grown tired soon. William had never been interested in items, so a talking statue was not for him.
But the humans that Shendu had given him during the years...
The dragon didn't regret anything as much as joining this game. At first it had seemed fun, life as a statue was boring even on its best so joining a psychopathic human-demon had felt like a good idea. Unfortunately he hadn't realised what kind of creature he was really dealing with.
William had once been a human, but Shendu didn't even want to guess what had made him the way he was now. He was ashamed of his own weakness, but at the same time he felt proud for not being like William. He had his limits too.
William sighed.
"Shendu, I need a new friend," he said.
"Again? It has been only hundred years since I gave that idiot to you. Usually they amuse you longer," the fire demon said.
"He wasn't a good friend," William said and laughed then. Shendu hated it when William laughed and he had to struggle to keep his face expressionless.
"I see."
"Now you have a body, Shendu. What happened to your statue?" William asked. He walked around Shendu and watched him like a vulture. At the same time he touched Valmont's bodyin a way that made the crime lord grow restless under Shendu's control. The demon knew this wasn't good.
"I got rid of that for the time being," he replied. William flashed him a wide smile that reached - literally - from an ear to ear.
"You could be my friend now. I like this body," he said. Shendu shook his head.
"No! Who'd find you your next friend then?" he asked a bit nervously. He couldn't say what in William terrified him that much, the creature didn't look that strong. And yet he somehow knew that William possessed powers much stronger than his own.
William tilted his head and pressed a playful kiss on the demon's cheek.
"But you are a demon... you would last longer than mortals," he whispered and frowned then. "Oh, what do I sense?"
"What do you mean?" Shendu asked. You could never be sure of what William was thinking, the creature had a very shady nature and could even change his way of talking in the middle of a conversation. The dragon flinched as William took his head between his hands and looked him into the eyes.
"This body possesses two souls. Two new friends. I need a new friend," William said softly.
"No! I am not your friend!" Shendu snapped more fearfully than had intended to and backed away from William. His cheeks stung where the creature had touched him, but he forbade himself from rubbing the marks. "I could find you a much better friend," he continued much more calmly.
"Do you know what I like even more than white hair?"
"I do."
Finn sat alone and played solitaire. Now he wasin a bad mood too and he thought he had a very good reason to. He had just wanted to lighten the atmosphere that was so gloomy nowadays. No one did nor said anything worth of laughing at and no one knew how to have fun.
Not even Chow. He thought that was starting sound serious, despite his hysteric nature Chow had always known how to enjoy life.
"Let me be. Can't you see I'm tired?" he muttered to himself repeating the words Chow had shouted at him. Bah! Chow - like everyone else - couldn't just accept the fact that they had lost to Chan again.
Damn, he knew that quite well and would have been in a bad mood too, but everything had its limits. Besides, they were friends, right?
"This whole world is so..." he continued muttering and frowned as he realised his game of solitaire was completely stuck. "Damn!"
"A bit proper use of language is recommended when I am present," a familiar nasty hissing voice said and Finn turned around.
"Shendude! I didn't hear you coming," he said.
"Hmh. That I already realised. Come, I have a job for you," the dragon stated. He watched as the Irish sighed, stood up and gave one last glance at his cards. Yup, a totally useless mortal who would never do any good.
"What do you want me to do?" Finn asked in curiosity, but expecting something bad. Shendu rarely asked - or ordered - them to do anything special, but you could never be too sure of him.
Shendu snorted sounding amused.
"You shall see."
They walked through the hall and Finn glanced at Chow, who was having a conversation with Ratso. Neither looked at him and he thought they didn't even remember he existed.
Shendu led him to his office and Finn stopped at the door. Never before had anyone been allowed in and he didn't want to do it now. Who knew what the dragon had there?
"Uh... Shendude, you want me to come inthere?" he asked.
"Yes, you fool!" he was answered and with a shrug Finn stepped in.
It was dark in the office. That he had noted outside, but he had expected Shendu to turn on the lights after he had stepped in. After all, Finn didn't have demonic eye sight. Though Shendu didn't seem to have either, Finn could sense the change in the dragon's being and it made him confused.
As if Shendu was... afraid? A ridiculous idea, but...
Heh, maybe Shendude is afraid of dark, he thought to himself in amuse and thought how he'd tell that to Chow and Ratso. Then he remembered neither wanted his company at the moment and his good mood was gone again.
"Look," Shendu said waking him from his thoughts. The demon had closed the door without the Irish noticing it and let the darkness wrap its arms around them.
And Finn looked.
A stripe of light appeared and it grew until it looked like a portal. Shendu walked to it and gestured Finn to follow.
"I want to show you something," the dragon said and Finn didn't dare to disobey. The demon's fire breath would light the place, but it would be no use for him if he was killed by it.
Shendu stepped through the portal and Finn followed in his tracks.
The place where they appeared was very different from what Shendu had been expecting. He had never visited William's little word - he was grateful for that - but he had thought he knew what it was like. He had thought it was a twisted place filled with agony where you could hear continuous screams.
But this place was silent. And dark. Shendu couldn't say where the little light came, but they were able to see in front of them anyway. It was probably part of the world itself. Black, wet asphalt spread under their feet and they could see the form of a distant city against the dark sky.
He was sure no one lived in that city. If someone had ever lived in this world William must have made friends with them a long time ago. Or maybe the city was the place where the creature's former friends mourned.
"What is this place?" Finn asked nervously as they walked on the street. He looked around in the dead landscape trying to find even one tree, bush or anything, but there was nothing living. Only endless fields of black asphalt and stone.
"You know I love red hair," a soft voice said.
"Of course I do," Shendu replied and Finn slit his eyes to see something. He didn't know who Shendu was talking to, but because it seemed to have something to do with him he absolutely wanted to know what was going on.
"Shendude, what is happening?" he asked.
"Curious. I like the curious ones."
And then there was a sound of a quiet slap as a creature with bare feet jumped in front of them. Finn yelped in surprise and shock, what an ugly and hideous creature! He tried to back away, maybe even turn around and run though the portal, but Shendu was there and didn't let him go.
"Eh, a friend of yours, Shendude?" Finn asked chuckling.
"No, not at all," Shendu hissed. Then he looked William in the eyes. "I hope you are pleased," he said.
William walked to Finn, turned the man around so that they were face to face and looked at him. He ran his fingers through Irish's hair, brushed his cheek and eyed his body. Then he smiled.
"A new friend," he said.
Shendu nodded.
"Good," he said. The dragon was about to turn around and leave that silenced world as soon as possible, but William wasn't ready yet.
"This mortal and I, we will last for about a hundred years. But next time I want a demon. Your beautiful brother, Tso Lan..."
Shendu flinched a bit, but didn't argue. Anything could happen in hundred years.
Finn struggled free from William's hold and looked at Shendu with wide, panicked eyes.
"Hundred years? You aren't going to leave me here, are you?" he half shouted, half asked. Suddenly he felt how the world seemed to stretch out for him and he almost thought he saw a man, dressed in old clothes, looking at him with compassionate eyes.
Shendu didn't say anything, just turned and walked away.
"Come, my friend," William whispered and drew Finn closer to himself. He pressed his body against his and watched as the man stared with jaded eyes at the leaving Shendu. He opened and closed his mouth, but not a sound was audible and it looked like he'd never get a control of himself. But then he did it anyway.
"Shendude! You can't leave me here! Come back! Shendu! Shendu!" His shouts brought him nothing, Shendu continued and was already at the portal. It glowed with golden light, as if the darkness in the office was bright light compared to William's world.
"Valmont!"
Now the leaving figure stopped. Finn watched as Valmont and the demon inside him fought over control and hoped - more than ever - that the crime lord would win. This one time...
The figure continued on its way. Golden light surrounded him and made him look dark against the portal.
"He is yours," the hissing voice of Shendu said.
And the portal closed.
The End