I still own nothing. Hmm...
The Valmont part of this chapter was inspired by Miaka-chan, by the way.
I hope the 24th chapter of Ni Tang is still fresh in your mind.
"That'll be 3,70 thank you," Po Kong said and took the customer's money, trying to keep smiling. She hated this job!
When most of her siblings had left San Francisco, Po Kong had stayed in the city. She didn't know why, or at least didn't want to admit anything. It was five years since everything had happened, but the mountain demon had a long memory and never forgot anything.
"Have a nice day!" she shouted at the old woman who left the bakery. When the woman was gone Po Kong let her smile die and sighed. This was so frustrating.
She was the mighty mountain demon, the oldest of her family now when Tchang Zu was gone and here she was, working in a bakery! What could be more pathetic?
She knew that Shendu had continued his attempts of taking over the world, and every time she thought about it she felt a pang of guilt inside her. The fire demon was doing exactly what Tchang Zu would have wanted them all to do.
Were the others traitors, then? Po Kong had thought about it much, but hadn't found an answer. She knew how silly it was to even try taking over this whole new world and but if they caused trouble in just one place the rest of the world would rush to destroy them.
But if they did nothing...
Yes, so what? What else could they do? They were demons, you couldn't just expect them to adjust to this world and live as mortals!
And yet that was what Po Kong had done. She had been in touch with her siblings, at least those who wanted it. Tso Lan had created himself an empire on the dark side of the moon and hadn't left his black palace even once during these five years. He carefully took care of that no shuttle, probe of satellite came near the moon and the moon demon seemed to be happy.
But Po Kong knew that her brother was haunted by his own thoughts and opinions and would sooner or later go mad if he just sat in his palace doing nothing.
Dai Gui then, he had withdrawn underground and also created a new empire. The tunnels of the earth demon spread on a surprisingly wide area and Po Kong had to be proud of him. Dai Gui hadn't given up, but protected the Earth from the poisons of mortals and kept searching ancient earthly spirits to help with this task.
And Shendu was still trying to take over everything. Po Kong could appreciate it somehow, but she wasn't ready to give in and admit that the fire demon had been right. It would just make his huge ego grow even more.
Po Kong or anyone else hadn't heard a word from Hsi Wu, and no one had any idea where he was. It made the mountain demon worried, but as Dai Gui had said, that little pest could take care of himself.
Xiao Fung and Bai Tsa then, they were the biggest disappointments in the whole family. Both were in ruins. The wind demon had almost entirely given up his demonic manners and lived a pathetic life, enjoying mortal pleasures. That could have been accepted if he at least somehow had made the rest of them proud, but no. Xiao Fung seemed to have forgotten who he was and if the great ancient demon lords had still been alive ,the wind demon would be killed.
Bai Tsa's situation was very alike; she had deceived them all and decided to create herself a life among mortals. No one showed it, but they all despised the water demon's choice and slowly she was being thrown out more and more.
The mountain demon hoped they all would one day get a grip of themselves and remember who they really were. She had always thought she was a strong demon who could survive anything, but now she had to admit she had been wrong. Without the support of her family she was nothing.
"Good day. I'd like to buy cookies."
Po Kong flinched when she heard the familiar voice she had last heard five years ago. She had been so deep in thought that hadn't noticed a new customer had arrived. The mountain demon lifted her gaze in surprise.
She smiled. "Of course. We have a very good selection of delicious cookies," she said quickly and congratulated herself for being wise enough to not use her real human form. Only a fool would have shown up in San Francisco in the same body than when she had tried to fool the Chans.
She looked like an ordinary American woman with shoulder length dark hair that was tied on a ponytail right now. Her eyes were sweet dark blue and she had kept her plumpish figure. She was wearing an annoying white suit.
"Great. I've never been in your shop before," Tohru said and Po Kong nodded as if she was just a small minded idiot working in the local bakery.
She kept her smile and it seemed everything was fine, but actually her mind was working very hard.
Five years ago she had got to know Tohru, the apprentice of the old Chan and had even learned to like him a bit. Tohru was an interesting mortal compared to the Chans and their ridiculous opinions and points of view, and Po Kong couldn't - despite her good memory - remember meeting many like him in her life.
Tohru was probably much wiser now than when they had last met, maybe we was already a chi master. Po Kong couldn't say or ask, but she was interested anyway.
She hadn't spent very much time in the Chan's shop, but that time had been enough to make her interested in Tohru. How, Po Kong didn't know, but interested anyway. For a while she thought she could understand why Hsi Wu was always fawning on his slave.
And yet the mountain demon had known they would never be anything. Demons were often eager to take mortals as their lovers, but she had immediately seen Tohru wasn't one to accept that. He was too honourable and heard too many horrible demon stories from the old Chan.
And the image Shendu has given them all will never make them accept any of us, Po Kong thought to herself.
She could of course always do what Hsi Wu had done and take the interesting human as her slave. Po Kong had even considered it five years ago when the world had fallen on her, but then decided she didn't want to do it. Slaves were to be kept in a palace and she didn't have one.
"In that case I hope we can please you," she said politely watching the man's expression carefully. Had he any idea he was face to face with the terrifying mountain demon?
"I hope that too," Tohru said and concentrated in judging the cookies Po Kong had showed.
"Right now we have only to flavours, chocolate and vanilla. Which one do you want?" the demon asked helpfully. Tohru didn't even have to think.
"I think I'll take both," he said and Po Kong had to smile.
"Good choice, that's what I would have done too," she said an impish twinkle in her eyes and Tohru lifted his gaze in surprise. He frowned and watched the demon as if couldn't believe had he heard right or not.
"Excuse me?" Tohru asked.
"Yes?" Po Kong said. She looked as innocent as a demon could and after a while Tohru shook his head.
"Nothing. Could I get a bag for them?"
After getting his cookies Tohru left and returned back to Uncle's shop. He felt weird, something in that bakery woman had made him think about Po Kong again, and that wasn't good.
The mountain demon had embarrassed him worse than anyone. Tohru had thought she was a real human, a respectable Japanese woman who had come to help them in the fight against the demons. He had let Po Kong's disguise fool himself and that was something he couldn't forget just like that.
Jackie always said he shouldn't blame himself. They had all been fooled and trusted the mountain demon, but Tohru still couldn't forget. And Jackie couldn't understand.
Jackie wasn't the one who had started to like Po Kong. And not only like.
Tohru shook his head to himself, he had liked Pomako Akikongu, not Po Kong. But weren't those two the one and the same? Minus that Pomako had been a strong willed mortal woman and Po Kong was a thousand-year-old mountain demon, just as cruel as her siblings.
"I brought cookies," he announced when he stepped into Uncle's shop. Lately the old man had sold many artefacts and was often in a good mood.
"Uhhuh. Hey T, guess who sent me a letter?" Jade asked and it looked like she was the only living thing in the room. Jackie would soon return from the museum and Uncle was probably organising his library.
Tohru shrugged. "Paco?" he asked and Jade shook hear head.
"Nah, wrong guess. It's from Xu Lin!" she said and ripped the envelope open. Tohru took the cookies to the kitchen and then returned to ask what Xu Lin had written. He had never met the girl, but Jade and Jackie had told much about her and the Lotus Temple adventure.
"What does she write?" Tohru asked throwing one chocolate cookie into his mouth.
"Jade?" he continued when he didn't get an answer and just then noticed how serious the girl looked like. She read the letter not turning her gaze away from the paper and after making sure she had understood everything, she dared to glance at her friend.
"Xu Lin is dreaming about Shendu," Jade said quietly and Tohru realised how serious that was. Just the fact the Xu Lin had dreams about him wasn't serious, Tohru himself had seen many nightmares about him just like everyone who had been in touch with the dragon.
But Xu Lin had never met Shendu, so how could the dragon be in her dreams?
"Uncle!" Jade exclaimed and her shout was followed by a surprised "Aiyaa!" and a nasty crack when something fell and broke. It didn't take long before the old man rushed from his library and glared at Jade in annoyance.
"Jade! You should not startle me like that! Uncle doesn't want to count how expensive that vase was!" he snapped, but Jade was used to it and didn't even flinch. She waited patiently until Uncle bothered to shut up and handed him the letter.
"Read this," she said shortly and Uncle snatched the letter.
"No time for teenage girl troubles..." he muttered to himself, but started reading anyway. After getting half read he frowned and seemed to finally take it seriously.
"What do you think, sensei?" Tohru asked and Uncle tapped his cheek in thought.
"Shendu. Uncle does not doubt that," he said.
Suddenly the door opened and Jackie stepped into looking very happy at first, but his smile died when he saw the others' expressions.
"What is it? Has something happened?" he asked in worry, placing his case on the floor. During the years he had got used to that this house was always full of action, but he still felt nervous when he didn't know what was going on.
Uncle showed him the letter. "Jade's friend has had dreams about Shendu," he said and Jackie read the letter quickly.
"Are you sure? How do we know she isn't dreaming about an ordinary dragon? I've seen dreams about bats, but that doesn't mean my dreams have anything to with Hsi Wu," he said running his fingers through his hair.
"Of course I am sure! Uncle is never wrong!" Uncle snapped and then frowned again. "I wonder what this means," he muttered. Everyone was quiet when the old man thought, and then Uncle suddenly turned to face Jackie.
"You, make sure Xu Lin gets here safely. Something important must be going on and we must get her here," he said determined.
"But Uncle, are you sure you can still fight against demons? You are old already," Jackie said in worry, but Uncle whacked his more sharply than usually.
"Quiet! Uncle is never too old!" he snapped and Jackie rubbed his head.
At least he can still hit, he thought to himself and sighed then.
"All right, I'll do as you want. I will write to her parents and buy her a ticket here," he gave in. A wide smile spread on Jade's face and her eyes started to twinkle.
"Great! I haven't seen Xu Lin in five years!" she exclaimed happily, not caring about that they wouldn't be meeting each other in very nice circumstances. They had met for the first time in a pretty nasty situation and Jade didn't believe anything could be worse for them.
"How did it go? Did you get the money without problems?"
Hak Foo stood in front of his master in Valmont's office and didn't let any feeling show on his face. These five years hadn't been surprising at all, everything had gone according to their plan. The Dark Hand was on top again and he had been with them the whole time.
"Everything was perfect," he announced shortly. Valmont nodded.
The crime lord was greatly bothered by the fact that Hak Foo knew what had happened five years ago. The warrior knew about Ni Tang and had been more involved than his most loyal men. Hak Foo had fought against Shendu and even joined forces with Chan. That was much more than what Finn, Chow and Ratso had done.
And that was what made Hak Foo so dangerous. He knew too much.
Valmont wasn't about to get rid of him though, the warrior was too valuable and did his job well. Hak Foo never complained and didn't want to get paid more. He was dedicated to serving his master.
"Good, very good," Valmont said.
"What are my instructions?" Hak Foo asked in a cold tone and Valmont thought about it a while. He hadn't actually decided where to send his warrior next, but he'd come up with something. Or not. For some reason he didn't feel like concentrating on anything right now.
"Take the rest of the day off, Hak. Oh yes, and... and..." Valmont started but couldn't finish his sentence. He stopped and frowned slightly.
Hak Foo did the same, this hadn't happened before. He wasn't a man who got scared easily, but when you knew what had happened to Valmont five years ago he didn't want to take any risks.
"Yes?" he asked.
"... and ..." Valmont said in thought.
Hak Foo shuddered suddenly and took a glance around. It felt like the temperature in the room had suddenly dropped sharply and his bare arms didn't like it. He didn't allow himself to rub any warmth in himself though, but concentrated on watching his master.
Valmont blinked. "What was I saying again?" he asked then, sounding a bit confused.
"You were about to tell me to get someone to fix the heating," Hak Foo said changing the truth as he thought to be the best.
"What?" Valmont asked and this time he really was confused. "But the temperature is just perfect," he objected and Hak Foo frowned.
Weird... He didn't actually like weird things.
"Don't be a fool Hak Foo, there's nothing wrong here. Go now and don't waste my time, I have work to do," Valmont continued and Hak Foo left without another word.
After leaving he immediately noticed that the temperature was completely normal in every other room. So it seemed only Valmont's office had suddenly cooled and without a reason.
"Strange..." the warrior muttered to himself and that too was something he didn't do every day.
"What is it, dude?" a familiar voice asked way too close and Hak Foo turned around just to see the redhead that always made him feel annoyed.
"Nothing," he replied shortly. Finn shrugged.
"Come on, Hak! I've known you, what, five years and can tell when something is bothering you. I can read your expressions," he said and Ratso, who was standing next to him, gave him a surprised glance.
"You can? Wow, I always thought Hak is wearing the same expression all the time," he said.
Finn rolled his eyes. "Idiot," he muttered. Then he concentrated in Hak Foo again.
"So, what's the problem, muscle guy?" he asked. Hak Foo frowned.
"You," he replied and Finn shook his head.
"Ooh, that was nasty. But honestly Hak, you can tell me. I'm your buddy!" he said, but Hak Foo wasn't in the mood to open to anyone. He didn't like talking and would tell that irritating man who just couldn't keep his mouth shut nothing.
He walked past them and just now noticed one of the three was missing. He took a quick glance around, expecting to see him nearby, but there was no trace of him.
"Where is Chow?" he asked.
"Chow? He wanted to think about something so we let him be. You know him," the Irishman said and would probably have continued, but Hak Foo had already left. Finn just shrugged, he had always thought Hak Foo was a bit strange.
And Hak Foo returned that feeling. Sometimes he had cursed the fate for making him to work with those three fools, but now he was somehow adjusted to it.
Sometimes he even found himself hoping that Valmont would tell them what had happened five years ago. Finn, Chow and Ratso deserved to know, despite their flaws they were the most loyal men of the Dark Hand and unlike many others, had returned to Valmont when everything had been lost.
And yet Valmont told them nothing.
It wasn't because the man didn't trust them, he just didn't want to go through those events again. Hak Foo thought Valmont acted like a man who had fallen off a horse and didn't want to ride ever again. The warrior knew that you couldn't get over difficult things without going them properly through, but these western people had always been too stupid to realise it.
Chow had taken his glasses off and sat of the roof of the Dark Hand HQ. San Francisco spread all around him beyond the horizon and cold wind tickled his face.
He was confused. Five years ago he had thought everything was gone and horrible nightmares had tortured him almost every night. Back then nothing had mattered and even the company of his friends had seemed useless. His life had been in shards and he had just waited for the last shot.
For months he and his friends had hidden in one of the pubs of San Francisco without hope. That time seemed somehow far away and unreal now, and the nightmares were what Chow could remember the best.
They had disappeared immediately after Valmont had come back and his life had been given a direction again. As if something had clicked inside him and made the dreams disappear just like that.
And yet he was greatly disturbed because he didn't know what had happened. At first Valmont had disappeared for months and they all had thought he was dead, then he had seen a strange new demon on the street, had never heard of him again and finally the demons had attacked the city.
Who had freed the demons from the Netherworld. And why hadn't Chan tried to stop it?
When the Dark Hand led by Shendu had tried the same, Chan with his family had always been there to ruin the dragon's plans. Then someone had just come, taken the Pan Ku box and freed all eight demons, even those whose portals were supposed to be sealed forever.
That confused Chow and even though he didn't want to know every graphic detail, he wished he could have understood something.
This situation was too perfect, the demons and other problems had just disappeared and Chow was afraid it all would blow on their face when they least expected it.
"I didn't think I'd find anyone here."
Chow turned around surprised for not being alone. He had recognised the voice, but wasn't very pleased.
He laughed nervously. "Oh, hi Jiong. What are you doing here?" he asked the man whose company never made him feel comfortable. He looked like a common hardened warrior, but something in his black hair, blue eyes and figure made him nervous. Not even the always so serious Hak Foo had the same effect on him.
Hsi Wu shrugged. Jiong, the name everyone called him by rang wrong in his ears and reminded him of that he had once been just a pathetic human too. The only one who still called him by his real name was Valmont, and that wasn't actually enough.
"Nothing special. I came to meet Valmont, but decided to stop at the roof. I like heights," the demon answered. Chow nodded slowly.
"I see," he said turning to stare at the city again. Hsi Wu watched the man for a while and frowned.
Something...
Then he shook his head quickly and left to have few words with Valmont. It was a while since he had last seen his broth - him.
Hsi Wu knew something was wrong immediately after stepping into Valmont's office. He didn't have to announce his coming, he was the only one who could meet the crime lord any time he wanted.
"Why is it so cold here?" he asked suddenly hoping he still had the coat he had worn in London. Valmont lifted his eyes from the papers he had been reading.
"Cold? Don't you start too," he said frowning. Hsi Wu shrugged.
"It's cold like Lapland during the middle of winter here. We just lack the snow and darkness. Oh yes, and reindeers too," he stated dryly.
Valmont took a look around. "Come on now, Hsi. I don't understand what you are talking about. If you have nothing important to say you can just as well leave me. I am busy," he said way too rudely in Hsi Wu's opinion.
"Don't take that tone with me, mortal," the sky demon warned and then he realised something.
"Ni Tang..." he muttered to himself and Valmont lifted his gaze again.
"What about him?" he asked and there was a clear nervous echo in his voice. He even took a look around, as if fearing the polar demon would suddenly appear. Hsi Wu thought it was ridiculous, if Valmont really was that afraid of the demon he should have removed all reflecting surfaces from the building.
"You are a polar demon and get your powers from coldness and darkness, right?" Hsi Wu asked very well knowing what Valmont would do next.
And he was right.
"I am not a demon! That is in the past!" Valmont shouted standing up and managing knock over his chair. He didn't care about that his pen spread ink on his important papers and Hsi Wu suppressed his desire to smirk.
"Say what you want, but it still is quite a coincidence that an artificial winter is created in your office and you just don't notice it. You feel pretty comfortable, don't you?" he asked slyly and enjoyed Valmont's expression that was confused at first and then shocked when he realised what had happened.
"I am not a demon," he repeated, but this time his voice sounded very weak.
To be continued...