Nothing is mine. I own absolutely nothing, I don't even have any JCA merchandise! Poor me...

HEING MEH

Chapter 18

"Are we really going to join forces with the demons?" Tohru asked. Jackie looked very gloomy and Viper's expression could have been described as confused. Only Uncle seemed to be himself.

"We have to, at least for a while." Jackie replied. "Once we have saved Jade we can turn against them again."

"Uncle agrees. We will not be in time to save her without the demons' ancient wisdom and experience." Uncle said. He looked thoughtful and Jackie didn't miss that.

"What is it?" he asked. Uncle shot a quick glance at him.

"Nothing. Uncle just..." he muttered and shook his head then. "Nothing."

"I am interested in why the demons want me. And what is this Sha Fuju?" Viper remarked.

"Whatever it is, we will not let them hurt you." Jackie promised. He couldn't believe he was teaming up with the creatures that he had fought years ago. He practically saw them as the vessels of pure evil and the mere thought of being in good terms with them made him feel guilty.

For Jade, he thought to himself. That is the only reason why I am doing this.

Viper snorted.

"I can take care of that myself. You should concentrate in helping Jade." she said in amuse. Jackie thought that the news of being the merchandise of this deal hadn't shocked Viper at all. He hoped he could have been as calm.

"Maybe Hsi Wu won't make the other demons agree with him." Tohru said suddenly.

"Could be. I can't think of Shendu as our ally." Jackie admitted. "And even if he agreed he will do everything to get rid of us. We have to be very careful."

"True. We promised Hsi Wu that we will not try to banish them as long as we work together, but we can still protect ourselves. Uncle will prepare spells." Uncle said.

"Good idea. Whatever happens we can not allow the demons to stab us in the back." Jackie said.

"Are we really going to work together with the Chans?" Bai Tsa asked.

"No. We are going to lick their feet and reveal that we are in truth very misunderstood creatures, not evil at all." Shendu said angrily.

"Don't complain Shendu. You know quite well that this is our only opportunity." Po Kong said.

"I still don't like it."

"Shut up! You are acting like a spoiled child!" Bai Tsa snapped. The comment made Xiao Fung chuckle and Shendu glared at both of his siblings. He was silent though and said nothing more.

"This is very special indeed." Tso Lan said. "Never before has out mighty family formed an alliance with mortals."

"If we don't count Ghang Zeh in, that is." Shendu pointed out. His words had the exact effect he had been hoping for and the expressions of the other demons darkened.

"We have an agreement of that his name shall not be mentioned." Tso Lan said, and that was the end of the discussion.

The whole demon family was in their human forms and on their way to Uncle's shop. Shendu had wanted that not all of them would go, he suspected the mortals were going to betray them before they managed to say anything to each other. Po Kong hadn't liked the idea at all.

"Humans appreciate honesty. We have to make them trust us." the mountain demon had said.

And there they were, a strange group on their way to the same direction.

"But what if they attack us anyway? What will we do then?" Shendu ask. Tso Lan snorted.

"Fight back, of course. And if we get banished we will punish you." he stated.

"Grr..."

"Can you still feel your slave's presence?" Dai Gui asked interrupting the argument before it really even began. He enjoyed fighting as much as his siblings, but he didn't want Tso Lan to be already angry when they met their... allies.

"Yes, he hasn't moved anywhere from the room that I left him in." the fire demon replied.

"So your other slave is there too." Bai Tsa said.

"He is not my slave." Shendu corrected.

"Oh, really? Then may I keep him?" the water demon asked cheerfully and flashed a cold smile at her brother. Shendu looked at her in surprise.

"You want him? I thought you accept only handsome mortals. Starting to get desperate, sister dearest?" he asked with an amused tone. Now it was Bai Tsa's turn to look angry.

"Don't push it, Shendu. Maybe I just want to try something different." she snapped.

"Fine, but wait until a bit later. We need him and he is no use if you have slaughtered him after your act."

"You know, sometimes I don't wonder why mortals think we are unattractive." Xiao Fung remarked.

"Be silent and prove that we are not wild animals." Tso Lan said when they arrived at the street where Uncle's shop was located.

They walked to it and Po Kong glanced at the others before pushing the door open. No nasty chi spells welcomed them and that was a good sign.

Making seven demons to fit in a small room in their human forms wasn't an easy task, but they did it somehow. Xiao Fung was pushed at the side of their group and he had to be careful not to knock down any of Uncle's shelves.

Jackie and the others were there to greet the demons. Each mortal wore an expression of uncertainty and clear despise that Po Kong had seen too often.

"I believe brother Hsi Wu has told you what the situation is." the mountain demon announced. She eyed the humans aware of her own power and gave them all a look. Her eyes stayed slightly longer with Tohru, but other than that she didn't reveal anything of her thoughts.

"She has told us you are fighting against the creature that captured Jade and that you need Viper." Uncle said just as coldly.

Po Kong nodded.

"So everything is clear." she said.

"No, it isn't. We want to know everything that is going on and be involved as much as you. No information can be kept as a secret from us and none of us may be endangered without our permission." Uncle said.

"What if we don't agree?" Po Kong asked.

"In that case we will banish you all back before you can get out of the door."

Shendu shifted uncomfortably.

"I told you we can't trust them!" he hissed angrily and shot a poisonous stare at Jackie. The man didn't leave it unnoticed and he replied with a glare of his own.

"Silence, Shendu." Po Kong said sharply not turning her eyes from Uncle. "We agree if you make the same promises. Everything important must be told to us, you may not banish us in the Netherworld or threaten us with it, and everyone must work for out goal."

"Which is saving Jade."

"And killing Shin."

Uncle nodded.

"That too, but we are not interested in that." he said.

"Then there must be nothing left to say." Po Kong stated. She glanced at her siblings and frowned. Shendu was glaring at everyone in anger, Xiao Fung would break something if no one looked after him and Dai Gui looked like he was dying of boredom.

"Xiao Fung, don't touch that vase." the mountain demon snapped and her brother raised his eyes.

"But there is nothing else to do here." Dai Gui replied for his brother. "Dai Gui has no room to move."

Jackie coughed and caught everyone's attention.

"Actually there is one thing we haven't discussed yet." he said.

"And what is that?" Tso Lan asked.

"A girl named Xu Lin was our visitor until she mysteriously disappeared last night. Do you have anything to do with that?" Jackie asked. He was pretty much sure of that the demons were to blame.

"Why do you think we would be interested in a mortal girl we have never even heard of?" Shendu asked sharply.

Jackie would have wanted to reply: "Because you are demons." but he settled with saying how things were: "Because Xu Lin has been having dreams of you. That can not mean good."

Shendu blinked.

"Dreams of me?" he repeated in surprise. All hatred, despise and bitterness had left his voice for a short moment and he sounded very confused.

Xiao Fung elbowed Bai Tsa.

"Must be the first time a female creature dreams of him." the wind demon said. Bai Tsa grinned as an answer.

"Shut up!" Shendu snapped at them and was his own self again.

"Are you sure these are the demons?" Viper whispered to Jackie. He shrugged.

"I really don't know."

Tso Lan took a step forward and placed his palm on Uncle's shoulder.

"Come, old man. Let the others argue while we talk about the situation." he suggested.

Uncle glanced at the others once and nodded then.

"Fine. We can go in my library. And Jackie, make sure that if the demons break something they pay for it!"

Those who were left stared at each other. No one said anything, they could all feel the silence and no one knew what to do.

Bai Tsa decided to be brave and start.

"It has been a while." she said to Viper and shrugged.

"Truly." the ex-thief replied sharply.

"Forgiven me already?" the water demon asked with a sly smile. The look in Viper's eyes was enough to tell the truth.

"No."

Jackie looked at the duo in thought. Somehow he felt that Viper and Bai Tsa had known each other for much longer than the woman had let them understand. Did they share something else than just the attempt of capturing the ex-thief?

He was curious, but this wasn't the time for questions.

"You haven't told me what you did to Xu Lin." he said turning to Shendu. The fire demon didn't look as dangerous as usually. He was a strange sight in his human form too, but he didn't look demonic at all. His brown hair and eyes almost made him look tolerable.

"I still don't even know who she is, Chan. And if I were you I wouldn't mention the matter anymore."

"And why not?" Jackie asked with a challenge.

"Because I say so!"

"I didn't obey you before."

Shendu slit his eyes and Jackie looked just as angry. Viper and Bai Tsa weren't doing any better. They didn't talk, but glared at each other as coldly as they could.

Po Kong took a book in her hand. She couldn't look at the childish behaviour of Shendu and Bai Tsa, but putting them in line wouldn't do either. Both would just continue and continue embarrassing their family.

"That is sensei's book. You shouldn't touch it."

"We are on the same side now... at least for a while. In theory I have the right to touch anything in this shop." she said.

"We have been on the same side before. And it was no use for us." the Japanese man said. "On the contrary."

Po Kong smiled and put the book away.

"Do you still have cookies?" she asked. Tohru didn't reply right away, just turned his gaze away. Po Kong was in the same form than five years ago when he had known her as Pomako. Now when it wasn't dangerous to let the Chans recognise her she had started to use her favourite form again.

And now that Tohru knew who that woman was he felt different in her company. Pomako had been a mysterious Japanese woman who had come to help them. She had been sure of everything, known all chi spells and Tohru had felt very small next to her.

And now that he knew that she was Po Kong, the mountain demon. For some reason he didn't feel any smaller than before.

Just disappointed.

"I always have cookies." he said formally.

"Then would you let me taste some?" Po Kong asked. Bai Tsa glanced at her sister's direction from the other side of the room and an impish grin played on her face. Po Kong was the only one who noticed it, though.

"As you wish." Tohru said. He headed for the kitchen and Po Kong followed him. Xiao Fung tried to come too, but the mountain demon told him to return in the corner where he had been the whole time.

The wind demon looked around himself in slight anger.

"This won't do." he said to Dai Gui and the earth demon nodded.

"Everyone else has a play mate, except us."

"What about me?" Hsi Wu asked. No one had paid him any attention at all.

"You have your mortal girl, Tso Lan has the old chi master, Bai Tsa is with the woman, Shendu with Chan and Po Kong with the Japanese man. Neither of us has anyone." Xiao Fung said and wiped an imaginary tear away. "I feel so lonely."

"Do you think Shendu would share Chan with you?" Dai Gui asked and both of them burst into laughter. Hsi Wu looked at them in despise.

"You are disgusting!" he announced.

Tohru practically smashed the cookie box on the table.

"Here you go." he stated. His words were polite, but the tone of his voice revealed that he meant something way else.

Po Kong didn't even glance at the cookies.

"You don't act like an ally." she said.

"Even though the situation has forced us to work together I don't have to like it." Tohru said.

"You didn't think like that last time."

"Last time I thought you were a human."

Now Po Kong bothered to take a few cookies. She was pleased to notice that they were flavoured with vanilla. Oh, how she loved vanilla!

"What does it matter whether I am a human or not?" she asked.

"Much." Tohru replied. Po Kong shrugged.

"You humans are too noble." she said. "Do you want a cookie?"

"I better go back to sensei." Tohru said and was about to take a step past the mountain demon. She didn't try to stop him, but took another cookie. Then she talked.

"You may try. It will take some time before Tso Lan lets him go." she said. Tohru turned to look at her.

"What do you mean?" he asked in worry. If the moon demon hurt Uncle...

"When Tso Lan finds someone to talk to about ancient writings, prophecies and wisdom it is impossible to make him stop. We are probably going to have to drag him out of the library." Po Kong replied.

"I see." Tohru said.

"And that reminds me, I don't know how much you have improved during these years." the mountain demon changed the subject.

"As if you were interested." Tohru remarked. Po Kong frowned in annoyance.

"Why are you so difficult all the time? You are starting to remind me of Shendu and that is not good for you. Cookies?"

"You are a demon."

"There was time when that didn't matter." Po Kong pointed out.

"Things have changed. And your deeds have spoken for you. Demons don't feel." Tohru said and the mountain demon glanced at him in surprise. Was he really that naive and saw everything in black and white?

She frowned.

"I thought you were an intelligent man." she said. Tohru didn't reply.

Uncle looked at the moon demon in thought. He hadn't been there to banish him so he didn't know the demon very well.

"I wonder if I could take my true form. I can not think clearly if I have to concentrate in standing and walking." Tso Lan said. Uncle blinked. The moon demon actually bothered to ask?

"You are welcome." he replied. Tso Lan nodded and in the next moment he was his own self. Now Uncle could take a better look at him.

He looked very demonic, just like his siblings. His eyes glowed as red and the cold and cruel glow almost made Uncle shudder. But he could see something else in Tso Lan's eyes too, something he hadn't seen in Shendu's eyes, for an example.

Ancient wisdom.

"What is going on?" the old man asked crossing his arms. "Who is Shin and what does he have to do with you?"

Tso Lan turned to face Uncle.

"Shin is a creature from another world. He has been sent here to hurt my family." he said.

"Who is his master?"

"We believe we are dealing with Heing Meh." Tso Lan said. Uncle lifted his brows.

"Heing Meh?" he repeated in surprise.

"You know the legend?" the moon demon asked.

"Parts of it. My master told it to me when I was young. Uncle does not know all, just that if the legend comes true a dismay will face those who have anything to do with magic." Uncle replied.

Tso Lan nodded.

"True. Heing Meh is the demon of Nothing and his intention is to destroy everything magical so that he can rule without powerful enemies."

Uncle looked thoughtful and that he didn't like what he was hearing.

"That makes him the enemy of us all." he pointed out.

"Unfortunately. My siblings aren't highly thrilled. They don't trust you." Tso Lan said.

"And we don't trust you." Uncle said. "You don't seem to feel very uncomfortable among mortals, though."

"My blood doesn't boil as easily as Shendu's. I can make arrangements when needed." Tso Lan replied. He looked around himself. "And to be honest, I would do almost anything to be able to learn more about the writings in this library."

"So Uncle dares to trust you?"

"I am the only one in my family who understands the situation. But that doesn't mean that I am on your side. When the time comes I will support my family as much as needed." Tso Lan said.

"And I will support mine."

"I appreciate that. But until that, let us be two wise... men who have the same intention."

Uncle felt confused and that didn't happen very often. Hsi Wu, who had suggested this alliance was clearly much crueller and more impish than Tso Lan. The moon demon was very calm and didn't let feelings or personal opinions affect his view of the situation.

"My shop is small for all of us." he said.

"I know. That is why I dare to suggest that we will move to brother Dai Gui's palace in the Caucasus Mountains. There is enough room for everyone, Po Kong has put protective charms on it and it is the safest place we can find." Tso Lan said.

"Jackie and the rest will not like that." Uncle pointed out.

"Neither will my family. But it would be stupid to refuse."

"How do we know it is not a trap?"

Tso Lan looked amused.

"We won't try to break the protective spells you are going to place on yourselves, and we will create a portal that lets you to return here any time you want." the moon demon said.

"You know we are going to protect ourselves?" Uncle stated. He hadn't believed he would be able to fool the demons, but Tso Lan had guessed sooner than he had thought.

"I would think you are stupid if you didn't."

Suddenly Jackie rushed in the library and both Uncle and Tso Lan turned to look at him.

"Uncle! What is taking so long?" Jackie asked. He sounded worried and frustrated. Arguing with Shendu wasn't fun when neither was allowed to attack.

"You are interrupting our conversation. Be useful and go packing!" Uncle said sharply.

"Packing? Where are we going?" Jackie asked.

"We are moving to Dai Gui's palace."

Jackie looked like his eyes were about to fall off.

"What? We can't do that! We would be in their mercy and -- oof!" he wasn't allowed to finish because Shendu rushed in and pushed the archaeologist out of his way.

"What does this mean, Tso Lan? We can't let mortals live in our palace! That is outrageous!" the dragon hissed. Tso Lan eyed his brother calmly.

"The palace is not ours, but Dai Gui's. You have no right to object." he said.

"Exactly, it belongs to Dai Gui. Do you think he wants to have mortals in every corner?" Shendu asked.

"I am sure of that Dai Gui has sense enough to make an exception." Tso Lan said. "You better go packing too."

"But -- " Shendu and Jackie said at the same time, stopped and glanced at each other. They finally agreed about something!

"Hey, what are you talking about?" Bai Tsa's curious voice was heard behind Shendu and Jackie and the water demon tried to step in. "There is no room for me!" she exclaimed in annoyance when she realised she couldn't enter.

Uncle shrugged and glanced at Jackie.

"See?"

The situation was soon explained and as Tso Lan and Uncle had guessed, no one was pleased with it. Dai Gui hastily agreed to take mortals in his palace, Xiao Fung grinned like he had no idea of what was truly going on, and the only reason why Hsi Wu didn't say anything was that he was in a hurry to save Jade.

"Sensei, we can't live with them." Tohru resisted.

"We have no other option. If we want to survive we must do this." Uncle said.

"What did Tso Lan tell you? What is going on?" Viper asked in curiosity. She was not about to do something just like that if she didn't know what was going to happen.

Uncle waved his hand in the air.

"Uncle tells that later. First we need to move in the palace." he said. "Take everything you think you'll need."

"We might have to take most of your books." Tso Lan said. He was the only demon who had stayed while his siblings had left to do their... packing, and that confused the mortals a bit. The moon demon was alone, it would be easy to banish him back. The demon knew that better than well, but he had stayed anyway.

"True. Is there a safe place for my books in the palace?" Uncle asked.

"Is there? We have a huge library with the walls so high that you won't be able to see the ceiling. Shelves after shelves and each has been planned for ancient writings. If they were all filled we would have the greatest library in the world." Tso Lan said. He sounded sad and Uncle believed that most of the shelves were empty.

"Good." he said.

"Tso Lan was very stupid to stay there." Shendu muttered angrily. "They will banish him, believe me."

"What Tso Lan did was the wisest thing he could have done." Po Kong replied.

"What do you mean?"

"As you said, he is in danger. When the mortals see that our brother trusts them they will slowly start to trust us."

"I don't like this. This isn't right. We shouldn't do as the mortals want." Shendu insisted.

"None of us likes that. Play with them once Heing Meh is dead." Bai Tsa snapped.

"Do you have to argue all the time? Concentrate in what is important!" Hsi Wu announced his opinion. The others glanced at him in surprise.

"Well, well. The youngest one is getting arrogant. Who do you think you are?" Shendu asked angrily.

"Hsi Wu is right. We have never faced an enemy like this and we need all of our attention to win." Po Kong said. She was clearly frustrated and none of the younger siblings said anything.

Origami stared darkly in front of himself. He wasn't sure of what the demons had done to him, but it had to be something horrible. According to Shendu's words the demon could sense his soul now and knew where he was all the time. Or something like that.

He would not be able to go anywhere without Shendu knowing about it. Origami didn't believe there was anything worse that could happen to a thief.

"I wonder where all the demon dudes went. It's awfully quiet here." Finn said.

"Uhhuh." Origami stated. Finn glanced at the Japanese man looking bored.

"We could escape together." he suggested.

"And marry and live happily ever after, right?"

"Haha. Truly hilarious." Finn said dryly. "But really, what is stopping us?"

"How about the spell that makes us unable to leave this room?"

"Hm, that is a pretty good answer. But they can't keep the spell alive forever." the Irish man said.

Origami didn't reply. He was on a very bad mood.

"Fine. I'll go alone when the time comes."

The door was opened and Bai Tsa stepped in. She licked her lips.

"Come on, Green Eyes. We are moving." she said.

"Green Eyes?" Finn repeated. "Where are we going?"

Bai Tsa shrugged.

"Dai Gui has a palace. And I'm going to get a room that suits my tastes! Everything is going to be just like in the old times!"

"Uh, I don't think I like that thought." Finn stated. The water demon flashed him a cruel smile.

"You should. Shendu said that I can keep you when he doesn't need you anymore." she said. "I am in the need of a slave of my own. Especially since Shendu and Hsi Wu both have one."

"What if I don't want to be a slave? I have something to say about it, don't I?" Finn asked.

"Forget about it." Origami replied.

"I didn't ask your opinion."

No one was able to say anything before Shendu stepped in.

"Come, slave. We are in a hurry." he said to Origami who glared daggers at the demon and stood up slowly. He felt really low when submitting to his will just like that.

Shendu grinned.

"Good. Maybe you don't need as much training as I thought." he said.

"Aww, I could have done that." Bai Tsa stated happily.

"I think you have enough work with that idiot. If you can make him any less stupid I'll be very impressed." Shendu replied. He left the room with Origami and Bai Tsa and Finn soon followed.

The demons didn't really have any items to take with them. They had got everything they needed in the hotel and had no personal possessions. Dai Gui and Po Kong had built the palace to suit their own tastes, so it would be fine for the rest of the demons too.

"Chan's won't like that we have slaves." Shendu stated.

"True, but they'll just have to accept that for now." Po Kong said.

Jade didn't know what to think. After Shin had left no one had visited her and the loneliness was starting to get boring. Not that she really missed company, but she didn't like the thoughts that being alone made her think.

He said he needed my blood, Jade thought to herself. That didn't sound good. She had been in danger many times in her life, but this time felt like the most dangerous situation this far.

Maybe it was the creepy atmosphere, the fact that she had been stupid enough to trust Shin or that this time Jackie was nowhere to help.

"I better do it all myself." Jade muttered and placed her toes on the floor. Hoyle and Shin had got in, so there had to be a way out. If she just figured how the wall worked...

Jade walked to it and pressed her hand against it. Nothing happened. She frowned in thought and moved to another spot. Still nothing. Maybe she needed a spell to open the wall.

Whatever it was, she was not about to give up just like that!

To be continued...