by Sunsinger

Shi walked over and climbed into Shenlong's lap. Shenlong wrapped his arms around him. Shi turned and looked at the other pilots. "I know it's a lot of questions and mainly it's you who have to answer them. Shini, you want me to go and let you five talk to them?"

"No stay, Shi. And Shi is right. You will need to answer these questions and we can't help you much with them, rules you know. For now, ask questions and we'll try to answer them.

Wufei turned to Shenlong, "Why? Why all this? You claim that we are your avatars, why did you make us? You are supposed to be a god or power of justice. What justice? What am I supposed to do?"

"Yes, Wufei, justice. What justice was there when Shi's family was killed, when his town was slaughtered all because of jealousy? You are our avatars, but as with all humans, you work better with free will. Unfortunately, this free will allowed Gravis to destroy so many lives. You are our avatars but you are human. Yes, we created you but until you make a conscious willing choice to serve us we can do nothing. My only avatar at the time was a 97-year old woman that lived almost a thousand miles away, I could not help him.

"Justice, Wufei, not revenge like Master O taught you. He has you fight for revenge, for vengeance. Vengeance is the other side of justice and as much capacity you have for just you also have for vengeance. I do not seek vengeance. Wufei, would you take my counsel if I would give it to you?"

"Of course."

"Very well. Listen to Shi, he knows more about vengeance and justice than you. Not because he is better than you but rather because he has lived for so long. If you are ever in doubt, ask him. He is my best student and for good reason, I've been teaching him longer than any other, neh?" Shenlong kissed Shi's cheek. "In him, I have placed a lot of power."

Wufei looked at Shenlong and his behavior. Wufei opened his mouth to ask another question but appeared to think better.

"You are of course wondering why my actions are so much different from yours, Wufei, yes? Easy, I am not burdened down by mortality. I do not worry what others think of me or if my actions are acceptable, my worry is for justice and honor above all. And in the name of Justice, I, as well as these eight others, have for all intents adopted Shi."

"You see," Shi said as he looked around, "They are not only my mother, father, brothers, and sisters, but they have been my lovers as well. One thing I noticed was how relationships in this realm between powers is reflected in this realm. Example, Wing Low and Shinigami are a couple and out there so is Heero and Duo. Don't even blow me off Duo, Heero's been way too busy hacking into my files to be unconcerned. Trowa somehow knew instinctively not to worry about me but Quatre is worried about what influence I have of Trowa and for that he's been watching me like I'm some sort of assassin. But I know how deep they feel. Sometimes when I stayed with them, I was sure they forgot I was there. They did not neglect me, just sometimes they were happy just to be close to each other. It's wonderful."

"Cool!" Duo looked at Shi. "But what about Shen…"

"Shenlong has not yet chosen a mate, though Shen has had at times lovers. Any questions from the sadly neglected other eight powers?" smirk.

"Very funny, Shi." Shinigami replied as he lightly whacked his son upside the head. "Everyone we don't have much time left. I ask you now. Will each of you give us your oath, your service."

"Yeah."

"Duo, we can not take a 'yeah'. You have to give a formal oath. This oath takes precedence over ALL others. Think on it."

Wufei walked over to where Shenlong sat and knelt before him. "I, Chang Wufei, do give my oath, upon my spirit and soul to serve you, Shenlong, Power of Justice and Vengeance, Power of Honor. This oath is above all and or my entire life. To you, for you, and only you will I serve."

"I, Shenlong, Power of Justice and Vengeance and Honor, take you, Chang Wufei, into my service as avatar and my right hand. Let them know that everything done unto you is done unto me. To you I grant my power." Shenlong's voice deepened, a hint of a dragon's roar sounded far away in his voice.

Where Wufei had stood was a new Wufei, he shone to their eyes and seemed calmer. One by one each pilot too their oath to their Power. After their oaths the four Powers who did not take oaths left. The five pilots sat opposite of the five Powers.

"Very well, we can only give you a rundown on your powers, nothing exact. And some advice. For more data on your abilities ask Shi. We only have a little time. It will be soon, Shi." Shi climbed down from Shenlong's lap and aged himself eight years. Grabbing a chair, he sat with the other pilots.

"Fine, give them advice now, I'll handle the rest later." Shi laid his head on the table, smiling at his family.

"Very well, Wing Low?" Shenlong nodded, his hair sliding over his shoulder.

"Heero, you were designed to be the perfect soldier by Doctor J. Unfortunately he does not know what it means to be a perfect soldier. I am Wing Low, Power of War, Combat, Soldiers. Do you believe that I know what it is to be a 'Perfect Soldier'?" Wing low asked, his cobalt eyes staring at the young man.

"Hai."

"Then know this. You are my avatar, as was Gravis, both of you have choices. I make in you the ability to be a perfect soldier and this is what Doctor J saw in you. Since you are mine, you can be the perfect soldier. Only, and only, if you obey yourself. Now one thing that ranks only slightly lower than that. Listen to Shi, I have been training him for over ten thousand years. By now, he has learned how to be a soldier." Wing Low reached over, the shining steel wrist gaurds flashing, and took Heero's hands, "And remember not only are you mine, but I love you. Heavyarms?"

"Trowa, Let's be brief." Sandrock leaned forward, emerald eyes serious yet loving. "Trust Shi, he is of the people. He knows all you will ask of him. He will never abandon you. You are already what you need to be. You only need to become more so and you know it. As Shi would say, True to yourself is all you need. Be safe, Trowa. Sandrock?

Sandrock leaned over, brushing the fine blond strands from Quatre's face, "My child, I am the Power of the wind, the sands, the djinn. Do you ever wonder why the Maganacs chose you? You are marked as mine. Your very nature is as mine. You have so much power, so much ability. In you, you have the power, much like the desert wind to strip something to it's bare bones, to cover a thing so it can not be seen by any, or to build it up. Take pride in who you are, not in your work. For although it is wondrous, what you are when everything is taken away is what you were created to be, Quatre." Smiling, Sandrock caressed his cheek. "Again, I will urge you to listen to Shi, for he has been a ruler of a land of a billion and a ruler of a house of two. Know when to ask him for help. Shinigami?"

Shinigami grinned at Duo, flipping his braid tip against his earlobe. "Duo, continue as you have. Stop being so arrogant and teasing the OZ soldiers. You're such a brat, but a lovable brat, my brat. Shi has pretty much molded you the way that was needed, but can you do me one favor? Talk to Shi. You are holding too much in. Now go. You can come back to this realm but we can not meet again. Good bye." The Powers got up and walked out.

"Come on," Shi turned and led the others back into his room. "Sit down. Out there I am not Shi, I'm Hex. We can come back whenever we want but we can't meet with the Powers until it's over."

"Until what is over?" Duo asked as he started looking through the room.

"A war. Part of this one yet not. This is not normal. We don't fight each other. You see there is Order and Chaos. The Powers of Order and Chaos are separate though they need each other. The Power of Order decided to spilt up its domain. Those splits became the Powers we know. But the Power of Chaos has never spilt so it is only one power. We fight chaos. We avatars of Order may not agree all the time but we don't fight each other, ever. So, if you can, if it's at all possible, please don't kill Zechs, Noin, Une, and Trieze. If you have to, then do it. Now let's get some sleep." Shi pulled out extra futons and offered them to the pilots. He made sure that each pilot had a pillow and a coverlet. "Tomorrow we go back to school."

The pilots sat in the dark, staring up. Shi waved his hand and the ceiling disappeared to reveal the night sky.

"Shi, how are we going to do this?"

"Duo, you're the fighter pilot. Why ask me?"

"Because you were a fighter pilot longer than us and you know more about this…" Duo waved blankly.

"Duo! I'm here to help you, I already raised you, I don't know what to do."

"Sorry."

"Don't be. I'm just pissed cause, I wasn't prepared to be cut off from Shinigami. It's disturbing."

"Can you do anything, Musuko?" Wufei demanded.

"Yes, Wufei, I can go to sleep and have this conversation tomorrow."

"Coward."

"Yes, Flying Five, I am." Shi lifted his head. "I am concerned not with my damn personal honor but whether or not this planet shall survive, if our people, humans, will. In the ten thousand plus years I have lived, I have never had to be caught in the crossfire of so many avatars. Give me a break this something new to me too. Now go to sleep!" Shi sighed, "Look, I apologize. I will find a way. You help me survive the Gundams and I will find a way for you to discover what you can do. Trust me. I have never let Duo down, and I won't let you down. That you may rely on." Though I don't know how I will.

"'K."

As the boys settled in, Shi drifted off. So fast asleep was Shi, that he did not see Wufei reach up from beside him and brush the hair from over Shi's eyes. "I trust you."

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