HEING MEH
Chapter 2
"Aah! Look out, look out, look out!"
A red double-decker bus turned on its wheels to avoid hitting about thirty-year-old man with dark hair. The man dressed in a grey coat glanced at the bus, not actually paying attention and didn't seem to mind that because of him it had barely missed a hot dog stand.
The driver rushed outof his suffered vehicle and took afurious look around to find the man, who had completely ruined his otherwise so pleasant day.
"Where is that loony idiot?" he asked from people who had stopped to watch the scene, but they were just as confused. They could have sworn the man had been there a moment ago, but now he was nowhere to be seen.
"Like he has never been in a city like London before," the owner of the stand muttered to himself and counted how much damage had been done.
The others nodded and muttered, but no one had any idea how right the man was.
Because this actually was Hsi Wu's first time in London and he enjoyed every moment of it. The city was so different than any city in America where he had spent the last five years.
It was already a good while since he last helped Valmont, so a bit hastily he had agreed to do this. The demon had been supposed to join the Brit's organisation, but Hsi Wu had soon noticed that criminal life just wasn't for him.
He had announced it clearly, he was not going to be in the Dark Hand, but would help his brother if he really needed something.
It disturbed Valmont a great deal. Not that the demon had turned his offer down, but that he still considered himto be his brother. Hsi Wu knew that Valmont wanted to forget everything that had happened as soon as possible, and that's why the demon thought it was his mission to remind him every so often.
It was never good to forget anything, especially something that important.
Hsi Wu had attended some unusually difficult missions and everyone in the Dark Hand knew him. Of course they didn't know who he really was, Valmont didn't trust his men enough to tell them where the sky demon was. Greed could win and then anyone of the so called loyal men could sing to Black.
He was known by the name Jiong and everyone thought he was a mercenary of some sorts. At first they had all been against him - why did they need help from anyone - but now when he hadturned outto be useful they just liked it if he came along.
And now it was time to help Valmont again. He liked to think that he did this for Ni Tang. The crime lord with a weird accent was still strange to him and he wasn't sure if he really liked him. But Valmont was his only linkto the mortal world so he couldn't give him up.
At first he had thought it was strange that the Dark Hand bothered to steal anything from London which was so far away from their own area, but Valmont had explained that a rich collector from Los Angeles wanted to have something from the British Museum and had got them to steal it. Hsi understood that well, in the ancient times warriors had been bought to steal many valuable things.
He never worked alone, but there was always someone with him. It disturbed and even hurt him greatly. Why did he, a demon, have to work with a mortal? But he wasn't stupid or dangerously proud, he realised that even after five years he didn't understand how this modern world worked and it was risky to be alone.
Hsi took a glance around. This was where he was supposed to meet his partner of crime.
According to what Valmont had said this new man wasn't part of the Dark Hand either, but was only paying a debt. Valmont had made a deal with him and helped him to escape from jail and now the man was supposed to work for him for some time. Actually Hsi Wu didn't know anything about him, except the name, but it didn't worry him. He would find out everything he needed.
"Mortals. Always late," he muttered to himself sitting on a bench and crossed his legs.
This human form he used nowadays looked very common. He had short black hair, tanned skin and blueish eyes. He wasn't very tall, but he had a powerful body and would not lose a fight easily even if he was not using his demonic powers. He was dressed in a grey coat because Valmont had warned him it was cold in London at this time of the year.
He watched as humans passed him and tried to guess who was his temporary partner. He left out all women and young people. He didn't think Valmont was stupid enough to make any of them involved.
And then he saw a man who seemed to be the only promising option within the range of five blocks. He was dressed in a dark coat too and seemed to be looking for someone.
Hsi Wu watched the man and his behaviour trying to guess what kind of man he was. You could see that he was from Asia, but because of his name Hsi had known that already. He wasn't very young anymore, the sky demon thought he was nearing the better half of forties and he had to wonder why Valmont hadchosen him. It was difficult to break into the British Museum and you didn't make it if you weren't in a good shape.
He stood up and walked to the man looking calm. The man noticed this and stopped to wait. Hsi Wudidn't see a reflection of any feeling on his face and nodded slowly to himself.
"Kuniko Kasahara?" he asked after reaching him and he lifted his brows slightly. He controlled himself well, but Hsi still managed to see him taking a quick glance around himself.
"It would be better if that name is not said aloud. London is not as far from Paris as it should," Origami said lowly and Hsi Wus uppressed his desire to smirk.
Humans. Always so nervous over something that didn't matter.
"My name is Jiong. I believe we have business together," he announced shortly and Origami nodded looking sour.
"Yes, unfortunately," he admitted. His pride forbade him from working to anyone but himself and some time ago he would not have done this. But five years in prison had been more than enough to teach him how to swallow his pride and agreeto this.
Because Valmont had arranged his escape Origami had to take part in few Dark Hand missions before he was free to do whatever he wanted. The rules of the criminals might not be ones that people took seriously, but Origami still couldn't continue his own career before paying the debt.
But that didn't mean he liked it.
Hsi Wu snorted. "Whatever. Have you been told what we must do?" he asked and Origami nodded.
"I know everything I have to know," he replied.
The sky demon nodded. "Good."
The night of London was definitely not completely dark, peaceful or quiet. Hsi Wu and Origami didn't let it bother them; as long as there was no life in the British Museum they couldn't complain. When they arrived at the museum everything was just as dark as needed.
Hsi Wu was a bit unsure about this - not because he didn't trust himself, but because he didn't trust his partner. He hadn't turned out to be anything useful and didn't seem like the master thief Valmont had described him as. The demon was old enough to know that looks could be deceiving, but this bothered him anyway.
"We should go in through a window, it's safer that way," he stated while they stood in the shadows keeping an eye on the building. No one was there to be seen, and that wasn't a miracle at that time of the night. But guards were probably inside and if they met them they had to be ready to take care of them fast and quietly.
Origami shrugged. "Fine with me. Once I'm inside I can switch the alarm off so that you can come in too," he said and Hsi Wu glanced at him lifting a brow.
"Once you are inside? Don't be stupid! I don't know what local shops you've been robbing, but you can't just go into the British Museum," he said.
"I know."
Hsi Wu shook his head, mortals always thought too much of themselves. Oh well, he had been forced to work with idiots before so it was nothing new. He only hoped this would be over already, he always felt uneasy when stealing something.
"Let's go. Show me how you thought to go in," he said and the two moved swiftly in the shadows closer to the museum and the closest window. Hsi wasn't actually worried about them getting caught, as a demon he had more than enough ways of getting away and leave this human take care of himself. And the demon wasn't worried about their mission either.
They managed to get at the museum with no problems. It had several floors and big windows in every direction. Hsi looked up and eyed it all.
"It shouldn't be too difficult to climb this," he said mostly to himself. Had he been alone he would have flown up, but it wasn't an option in this company. He hadn't revealed to anyone who he was and he wanted to keep it that way. He didn't like the idea that someone betrayed him to the Chans.
He had watched their doings a little and knew they were still after them. Their main target seemed to be Tso Lan, who was the oldest male demon alive. Old Chan probably thought he could break the family by getting rid of the moon demon. What a fool!
The mighty demon family had already broken five years ago and Hsi had no idea what his siblings were up to now. Probably lazing somewhere and plotting world domination.
"I'll go first," Origami announced and Hsi Wu frowned slightly. Who did this mortal think he was? Then again, if he was stupid enough to get into trouble Hsi Wucould as well snatch the item they were after and get lost while the mortal tried to realise what had happened.
He watched with slight interest as Origami climbed up the window and the demon shrugged. He had seen better accomplishments, but this guy had sat five years in prison, so it was a wonder he even managed to do it.
It was almost dark outside, but Hsi had the demons' ability to see without light and he watched as the human reached his destination. He had been pretty self-confident and the demon wanted to see how he was going to get in without problems.
At first he wasn't sure if he had seen right, but then he understood why the human hadn't looked worried. And why Valmont had even bothered to help him escape.
"The scroll of Kiu Ma," he muttered to himself while watching as Origami's right hand folded into a sharp paper knife and how the man cut the window as if it was butter. The man took the windowpane carefully and threw it down at the demon, who could see a wry smile playing in his lips. It disappeared soon though, and Origami looked just as cold as before.
Origami peered in the dark museum and then climbed in ready to hear the shattering scream of alarms.
He let his foot touch the floor...
... and nothing happened. It didn't take long before he was in and it was a hint for Hsi Wu, who placed the window he was still holding down and climbed up too. It was ridiculously easy for him, he had his demonic powers and managed to do it much better than the human before him.
"So we're in," he stated to Origami, who had waited for him - clearly against his will.
"Seems so," the thief said and took a look around. It didn't take long before they both realised they were in the wrong room. The item they needed was among Chinese artefacts and all this junk around them was from ancient Egypt.
"Let's go. I want out of here as soon as possible," Hsi Wu said taking the lead.
"Afraid?" Origami had to ask and the demon snorted in amuse.
"I can't stand this place. I am not here actually voluntarily," he stated.
Origami tilted his head in interest. "Another one who owes Valmont?" he asked, but Hsi Wu was quiet. He didn't have to bother to answer the questions of this human or tell him anything.
"The Chinese exhibition is over there," Origami stated after they had crept around in the dark corridors for a while. Everything had went fine, they had faced no one and nothing had gone wrong. It was pretty amazing actually, they were in a known museum after all.
"And how do you know that?" Hsi asked a bit annoyed because a mere mortal could be right.
The Japanese man shrugged. "It is not my first time here," he explained simply and they turned around and headed in the right direction. Hsi Wuwasn't about to waste his time in an argument that would just make him look stupid.
Now when they knew where they were going it didn't take long before they found what they were looking for. Both Origami and Hsi Wu looked around themselves in disgust.
The sky demon did it because all these artefacts were from his home country and time. What did the treasures of ancient China do here, in England, when their place was at home? Who had given these arrogant Europeans the right to take them away?
He tried to avoid the thought that he was here to steal one of these priceless artefacts for the private collection of an American billionaire.
Origami's despise was because of much more selfish reasons, he couldn't stand the fact that there was this much Chinese art that wasn't part of his collection. His former collection actually, all his fortune had been taken away five years ago and now his big collection was just a memory. Nothing hurt his materialistic nature more.
He shook his head angrily. "Let's get this over with," he muttered. Hsi Wu nodded and started to look around to find what they were looking for.
It was a small vase that had been brought in the British Museum some years ago. It wasn't very valuable, but their... customer wanted it. Hsi Wu didn't understand, but he wasn't about to object Valmont that clearly. It felt bad to a demon to admit it, but the man was all he had in he world.
All artefacts were covered by glass so that curious people couldn't touch them. Hsi already knew that getting items under them was difficult, they were always connected to alarms and other nasty things.
Then again, they both had a way to get out very quickly, so why not just break the glass, snatch the vase and get lost?
The sky demon snorted to himself when he noticed the vase and stopped to watch it for a while. It was beautiful, he had to admit that, but it really didn't affect him at all. Hsi Wu had never been interested in art.
While Hsi Wu was trying to decide how to take the vase away as easily as possible Origami had found something that interested him more than anything at that moment.
At first he had barely glanced at it, but had immediately been forced to turn back and give it a long look. It wasn't beautiful, didn't look valuable and was even broken. And yet it fascinated him strangely and he noticed he couldn't turn his eyes away from it.
It was harsh looking round thing with some Chinese characters carved on it. Anyone could see it was cracked, but the other half was nowhere to be seen. And Origami didn't even miss it, that other half seemed totally unimportant.
Before he even realised what he was doing he had slashed the glass protecting the artefact and snatched it away.
That had been a mistake.
They both jumped when the alarms started to scream and the sound echoed in the empty museum sounding really nasty in their ears.
"You greedy fool!" Hsi Wu hissed angrily throwing all careful acts away and breaking the glass taking the vase with him. Origami shook his head in confusion and stared at the round thing in his hand. What on earth had got to him? He didn't even remember when he last time hadmade such a mistake.
But there was no time to think about it now. The most important thing was to get out of there as soon as possible. The thief took a quick glance around and saw the sky demon who had already rushed to the nearest window. Hsi had kicked the windowpane into shreds and was now waiting to get rid of that stupid human.
"Quickly! You first, we both take care of ourselves. You know where we are supposed to meet," he hissed and pushed Origami out before he was even properly ready to take the form of a paper bird. The artefact that had caused all this rested in his claws almost looking pleased for getting out.
But even though it had fascinated the Japanese thief so much it wasn't what he thought about now.
Funny, he thought, I could almost swear Jiong's eyes flashed red a moment ago.
Hsi Wu watched as the thief flew away, pleased to get rid of him. Then he jumped out too, not turning to watch back and he too went through a transformation. The change in the sky demon was much more magnificent and natural, he was taking his real form after all.
The dark clothes became one with his skin, which was now depressingly grey, huge claws grew in his legs and hands, his eyes lost their blue colour and turned glowing red, three horns sprouted from his head and most of all, huge grey wings blossomed from his back.
Hsi Wu hit the air with his wings rising higher in the night sky holding the stolen vase in his claws. The nightly London spread below him as a mixture of light and the cool air caressed his face. The demon was created to roam the sky and only when he flew he felt true happiness.
The mission was completed, now all what was left to do was to take the vase to San Francisco.
New York.
Drops of water flew around and glittered like crystal in the sunlight when the woman shook her head and wet hair. She was beautiful, even though in human eyes she looked like she had really went through the bother to make herself look special. Very few knew that she was as close to her real form as it was possible in this situation.
Her hair was sweetly blue and they had long curls because she had them on plaits all the time. Now they fell wet on her shoulders and back and the woman rose to lean on the edge of the pool.
She had chosen New York as her new home because of the name; she had wanted something new and exciting. And she really had got what she wanted. Five years ago she wouldn't have even dreamedof living a life like this.
Bai Tsa liked this new period of time and the luxury and fun it had to offer. Unlike most of her siblings liked to think, she thought things were better now than before. Of course magic didn't rule everything and she didn't have her own kingdom, but when you left those things out everything was fine.
"You are weird, B," a voice could be heard next to her and Bai lifted her gaze suppressing a grin. Who would have ever thought that she, Bai Tsa the mighty water demon, could ever live in peace with a mortal?
She shrugged.
"What makes you think so?" she asked.
Viper glanced at her over her sunglasses and snorted. "I've never seen anyone who liked water as much as you. Look at yourself, you don't even get wrinkles from it and if I didn't know better I'd think that you are a fish," the ex-thief said and this time Bai had to smile.
"How do you know I am not?" she asked teasing. Of course this mortal woman didn't know who she really was, but it just made this unusual friendship more exciting. Bai Tsadidn't think she could ever tell this woman what kind of creature she was really dealing with, but so what?
The water demon had met Viper soon after moving to New York. At first Bai had been unsure in this new and huge city, but had soon realised what she wanted.
Using her natural abilities and some magic she had easily got into a university and was on her way to becoming a sea biologist. She thought it was funny, she knew more about the sea than her teachers ever would, but it also made her feel sad.
The old good times of the demon family would never come back, she knew and accepted it, but was it right to adapt into the human world this fast? She knew that Shendu was still planning world domination, Tso Lan was a loner now and the others were doing mixed was the only one who really tried to create a new and working life and it made her feel unsure.
What if she by doing this separated herself from the family forever?
Well anyway, she had met Viper when she had come at the university to check some complicated security system that Bai Tsa understood nothing about. They had somehow got into a conversation and realised they got along very well.
At first it had been just a game for her, she didn't really want to have a mortal as her friend, but then Viper had mentioned she knew Jackie Chan and the water demon had immediately been interested. The man was to blame for the death of her big brother andshe was not going to forgive that. She was intelligent enough to not try something stupid, she could never have a revenge alone.
Afew times she had actually had the opportunity to meet Chan personally when he had visited Viper in New York, but she had never done it. Viper had tried to introduce them, but every time BaiTsa found agood excuse and hadn't seen Chan in five years.
Here she was known as Beatrice Trevor, but all those that knew her called her just B. It suited her fine, she had never been a fan of western names.
Viper snorted again and lowered the magazine she had been reading.
"Never mind, I'm tired of this fish conversation," she stated. Bai Tsa lifted herself from the pool and grabbed her towel to dry herself. The sun shone on the almost clear sky the noise of humans made it all seem pleasant.
To humans, that was. Bai Tsa was just annoyed by all that. She wanted to swim in real sea; this chlorine water humans favoured itched her and she had noticed the damage it did to her scales. And yet, if she had to choose between the pool and nothing, afew lost scales weren't important.
"I think I'll grab a bite of something. Care to join me?" Viper asked and was about to stand up and she actually managed to do that, but sank back pressing her fingers on her temple. Bai was quickly on her side and watched in thought, though not in worry.
"One of those headaches again?" she asked and Viper nodded. Lately she had been suffering from a strange headache that could hit her anytime, but never lasted more than few seconds.
"I'm fine now," she said soon and
Bai shrugged. "If I were you I'd see a doctor anyway," she stated simply.
"This isn't serious. It's just..." Viper started not knowing how to continued. How could she ever describe the feeling that took over when her head felt as if it was exploding? How could she ever say that a huge part of her seemed to be missing?
How could she ever explain something she didn't even understand herself?
The Earth didn't sing anymore.
Dai Gui roamed in his dark underground tunnels and tried to hear at least fragile tune. But it was for nothing, he couldn't hear anything.
These five years had been lonely for the earth demon, who had decided to withdraw as the only guardian of the Earth. His siblings knew where he was, but not even once had come to pay a visit. And despite his efforts he hadn't found a single spirit of the Earth. It seemed as if he really was totally and forever alone.
At first the Earth had sung to him and he hadn't felt lonely, but then the song had become more and more quiet until he didn't even hear it. It worriedhim more than anything and he didn't know what to do.
The ground around him even smelled wrong, the stones felt weird and he felt as if he didn't really belong here. And yet the mere thought terrified him, he was an earth demon, where else could he go?
Where was his place?
I feel weird...
It was the only thought that fit into Valmont's head at the moment. He was worried, almost scared and the drawing of Ni Tang was still on his desk. He took another glance at it and flinched.
It was Ni Tang no matter how he tried to prove himself wrong. Why had he drawn a picture of the polar demon?
Valmont sighed in confusion and bitterness. His life had been so perfect, everything was in order again and now that cursed demon made an appearance again.
He still remembered how it felt to be a demon and the thought made him feel uncomfortable. He had to admit he had been much stronger and powerful, but he had also been under the hate and anger of the older demons.
He didn't want to be Ni Tang ever again.
Valmont took a bottle in his trembling hands and poured himself a drink. He really needed it.
To be continued...