WOW! Everyone loves this?!-I'm so touched! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! ((~_*))
Diclaimer:I don't own JCA, I own a cool figure of Kaneda from Akira (on his bike!)
Chapter 7-A Short Time Later
I finally saw my brother, all of him. I It was the day after my confrontation with Shendu. I see
the human in him now. It may not be visible to the untrained eye, but evidence is there
nonetheless. He is small, even as a child. I have no doubts that he will be the smallest of us, now
and when he is grown. His body shape, save for hs hands, feet, face and yes, those infamous
wings, is almost completely human. I wonder what his future holds for him. He sits there looking
at us all with crimson, but not yet luminiscent eyes. He does not know that something is
different about him, that some will interperet is as "freakishness" or "a mistake". He claps his
tiny, clawed hands in front of his face and cos softly. Mother says he develops faster than other
human infants because of his demon half. His eyes focus on objects, that is something no human
child could do until weeks after their birth.
I am in the library again, attempting to learn the Greek alphabet. For no particular reason, only
to improve my knowledge. I sense movement outside the window. I glance up and see Bai slink
quickly down the path. I stare after her momentarily, then I close the book, get up and go after
her. Bai has been acting strange as of late. She secludes herself for hours at a time, she rarely
speaks to me anymore, she seems uncomfortable in my presence. Perhaps, strangest of all, she
has begun to wear a baggy robe, it does not go past her waist, but she insists upon wearing it
everywhere. She has also become very short tempered and she cries suddenly at times. I am
worried about her. We have been together for as long as I can remember. To see her in such a
state ad being unable to help her is maddening. I have decided to find out for myself what this is
and help my beloved sister overcome it.
I find her behind our bungalow under a tree. Her tail is drawn up, she rests her head on it, her
hands are wrapped around it as well. If she were human, she would be hugging her knees. She
glares at the world with angry crimson orbs. I gather courage and approach her. When I reach
her side, she looks up at me and in a rather harsh manner, demands:
"What do you want?"
It was a cold question, it hurt me.
"Something is bothering you, Bai. I want to know what it is so I can help you. We've always been
close, I'm worried that we will drift apart. I don't want that to happen,"
"You wouldn't understand,"
"Why?"
"You're a boy!"
"What?"
"Shut up! Just shut up!" She gets up and pounds my chest with clenched fists.
"Bai, stop. You're not being yourself," I grip her hands in mine.
"Leave me alone!'
She attempts to break free and only succeeds in losing her balance and falling against me. She
leans on me, trying to regain her balance. As she does so, I notice something different. It feels
as though there is a pillow between us, her chest and mine. Realization dawns brightly.
"Bai? Is that why you've been wearing that ridiculous robe? Why you've been avoiding me?"
Her eyes reflect a suffering I could never understand. Her face turns pink and she looks
upset. She pushes away from me and crosses her arms across her chest very tightly. Her
shoulders quiver and she shakily sighs.
"Its everything, Tso. I'm sorry. I'm sorry! I can't stand this! Why do I have to suffer because I'm
a girl? And it's just so weird! All of it! And that......that little THING being born and, and having to
watch! I can't stand it!"
She hugs me tightly, quite the opposite of what she was doing a few minutes ago. She sobs into
my chest.
"Oh Tso, I'm sorry! I don't mean to be bad!"
"You're not bad, Bai. You're growing up, its alright to feel scared or unsure. I'm sure that I will
find out sooner or later,"
"Thank You,"
"........."
"Thank you for always being there foe me, even before we were born,"
She stops shaking and smiles up at me. Her tears glisten like dewdrops on her cheeks.
..................................
We both return to our bungalow, Bai goes staight to her room. I check on Hsi Wu. He is babbling
and sucking on one of his claws. I lean over his crib and shake a small stuffed pig with a bell in it
over his head. He stares at it as if it were an ancient relic. He suddenly seizes it and attempts
to pull it from my grasp. What he lacks in stregnth, he makes up for in determination.
"Your brother loves you already, Tso,"
"Rumiko-hime!"
She's awake, her eyes are baggy, her hair dissheveled and her chi, despite its positive flow, is
weak and exhausted. A great deal of her spirit energy has been drained. It will take time to
regenerate, but it will return.
"I'm glad you come to see him, Tso. Hsi will need whatever companionship he can find in his life. I
fear that Shendu's attitude will be repeated by all who meet Hsi,"
"Shendu is a spoiled and wicked child who will someday be justly punished,"
"I'm afraid for my son , Tso,"
"Why?"
"I'm afraid that he will be hurt so much, he will think nothing of hurting someone else. I don't want
that for him. I want him to be happy,"
"I understand, Rumiko-hime. We won't let anything happen to Hsi. Mother, Bai and I all love him,"
"Thank you, Tso,"
She sighs and drifts back into sleep, her spirit energy will be restored more quickly if she
sleeps. I look once more at Hsi, who looks back with that piercing gaze of his. I smile at him and
wave good-bye with both of my right hands. He raises his right hand and makes a primitive
attempt to wave back. I leave the room and head back out the way I came.
..........................
"Syra Seo, you will keep your children away from my home. I do not appreciate your son's
trespassing," Mother says, barely able to contain her irritability.
I sit beside her inside Syra Seo's bungalow. Mother has come to tell her to keep her offspring on
her side of the palace. Syra has a calculating, arrogant gaze which I find terrifyng. Shendu sits
on her lap, she pats him as if he were a lapdog. A purring comes from his throat.
"You would allow an unidentifiable demon who becomes drunk before nine in the morning access to
your bungalow, but exclude my little angel?" Syra Seo asks in a syrupy voice. She causes me to
shudder. Shendu narrows the little cinders that he has for eyes at me. He flicks a snake-like
tongue.
"Yes, and I mean Dai Gui as well," Mother answers.
"Why?" Syra asks coldly.
"Your "angels" are insulting, cold, cruel, selfish and violent. They do not provide a positive
development environment for Master Hsi Wu,"
"You speak of that half-breed as if it were on equal standing with Shendu or Dai Gui," Syra laughs
cruelly.
"He is. He is the son of Marl Kung, destined to become a great Demon Sorceror,"
"How can one become a Demon Sorceror if they are not fully demon?" Syra raises a spiked
eyebrow. She twists one of her whiskers in a claw.
" You are avoiding my request. If it is too difficult to keep your two children away from my home,
I will have to speak with Marl, Syra," Mother says flatly.
Syra looks momentarily panicked, she knows father's rages. She nods in silent agreement,
albeit quite reluctantly. That is where Shendu gets his spoiled nature, from Syra. Mother thanks
her for cooperating. We bow and return to our home.
..................
We all eat in Rumiko-hime's room. Hsi Wu sleeps, softly sighing now and again, the pig toy we
played with earlier is clenched tightly in his hand. Mother, Rumiko-hime and I are eating when Bai
comes in. She is no longer wearing her robe and for the first time, I notice the way her body
curves in certain areas. She's become an adolescent, I wonder when her powers will emerge? Bai
has returned to her normal self. Very cheerful and helpful, it is as if she has come to terms with
her insecurities, well, almost, she shoots a questioning glance in Hsi Wu's direction. One step at a
time, I suppose. She winks at me and hands me a small rice wine bottle. It is the one that
mother threw into the pond yesterday. The pond is more than thirty feet deep, it is more of a
lake than a pond. Ahhhhhhh, Bai has used a new talent to retrieve this bottle. I look at her and
she gives a proud smile. I am proud of her as well. I can't help but wonder when my powers will
emerge.
After dinner, we al return to our various rooms and attempt to fall asleep. For me, this is no
easy task. My head throbs, as if the entire gravity of the earth were pressing upon it. I lay on
my back on the bed and look out my window, the moon is there, full and bright. I feel drawn to it.
The pain increases until, thankfully, I lose consciousness and escape is clutches.
End Chapter 7
Diclaimer:I don't own JCA, I own a cool figure of Kaneda from Akira (on his bike!)
Chapter 7-A Short Time Later
I finally saw my brother, all of him. I It was the day after my confrontation with Shendu. I see
the human in him now. It may not be visible to the untrained eye, but evidence is there
nonetheless. He is small, even as a child. I have no doubts that he will be the smallest of us, now
and when he is grown. His body shape, save for hs hands, feet, face and yes, those infamous
wings, is almost completely human. I wonder what his future holds for him. He sits there looking
at us all with crimson, but not yet luminiscent eyes. He does not know that something is
different about him, that some will interperet is as "freakishness" or "a mistake". He claps his
tiny, clawed hands in front of his face and cos softly. Mother says he develops faster than other
human infants because of his demon half. His eyes focus on objects, that is something no human
child could do until weeks after their birth.
I am in the library again, attempting to learn the Greek alphabet. For no particular reason, only
to improve my knowledge. I sense movement outside the window. I glance up and see Bai slink
quickly down the path. I stare after her momentarily, then I close the book, get up and go after
her. Bai has been acting strange as of late. She secludes herself for hours at a time, she rarely
speaks to me anymore, she seems uncomfortable in my presence. Perhaps, strangest of all, she
has begun to wear a baggy robe, it does not go past her waist, but she insists upon wearing it
everywhere. She has also become very short tempered and she cries suddenly at times. I am
worried about her. We have been together for as long as I can remember. To see her in such a
state ad being unable to help her is maddening. I have decided to find out for myself what this is
and help my beloved sister overcome it.
I find her behind our bungalow under a tree. Her tail is drawn up, she rests her head on it, her
hands are wrapped around it as well. If she were human, she would be hugging her knees. She
glares at the world with angry crimson orbs. I gather courage and approach her. When I reach
her side, she looks up at me and in a rather harsh manner, demands:
"What do you want?"
It was a cold question, it hurt me.
"Something is bothering you, Bai. I want to know what it is so I can help you. We've always been
close, I'm worried that we will drift apart. I don't want that to happen,"
"You wouldn't understand,"
"Why?"
"You're a boy!"
"What?"
"Shut up! Just shut up!" She gets up and pounds my chest with clenched fists.
"Bai, stop. You're not being yourself," I grip her hands in mine.
"Leave me alone!'
She attempts to break free and only succeeds in losing her balance and falling against me. She
leans on me, trying to regain her balance. As she does so, I notice something different. It feels
as though there is a pillow between us, her chest and mine. Realization dawns brightly.
"Bai? Is that why you've been wearing that ridiculous robe? Why you've been avoiding me?"
Her eyes reflect a suffering I could never understand. Her face turns pink and she looks
upset. She pushes away from me and crosses her arms across her chest very tightly. Her
shoulders quiver and she shakily sighs.
"Its everything, Tso. I'm sorry. I'm sorry! I can't stand this! Why do I have to suffer because I'm
a girl? And it's just so weird! All of it! And that......that little THING being born and, and having to
watch! I can't stand it!"
She hugs me tightly, quite the opposite of what she was doing a few minutes ago. She sobs into
my chest.
"Oh Tso, I'm sorry! I don't mean to be bad!"
"You're not bad, Bai. You're growing up, its alright to feel scared or unsure. I'm sure that I will
find out sooner or later,"
"Thank You,"
"........."
"Thank you for always being there foe me, even before we were born,"
She stops shaking and smiles up at me. Her tears glisten like dewdrops on her cheeks.
..................................
We both return to our bungalow, Bai goes staight to her room. I check on Hsi Wu. He is babbling
and sucking on one of his claws. I lean over his crib and shake a small stuffed pig with a bell in it
over his head. He stares at it as if it were an ancient relic. He suddenly seizes it and attempts
to pull it from my grasp. What he lacks in stregnth, he makes up for in determination.
"Your brother loves you already, Tso,"
"Rumiko-hime!"
She's awake, her eyes are baggy, her hair dissheveled and her chi, despite its positive flow, is
weak and exhausted. A great deal of her spirit energy has been drained. It will take time to
regenerate, but it will return.
"I'm glad you come to see him, Tso. Hsi will need whatever companionship he can find in his life. I
fear that Shendu's attitude will be repeated by all who meet Hsi,"
"Shendu is a spoiled and wicked child who will someday be justly punished,"
"I'm afraid for my son , Tso,"
"Why?"
"I'm afraid that he will be hurt so much, he will think nothing of hurting someone else. I don't want
that for him. I want him to be happy,"
"I understand, Rumiko-hime. We won't let anything happen to Hsi. Mother, Bai and I all love him,"
"Thank you, Tso,"
She sighs and drifts back into sleep, her spirit energy will be restored more quickly if she
sleeps. I look once more at Hsi, who looks back with that piercing gaze of his. I smile at him and
wave good-bye with both of my right hands. He raises his right hand and makes a primitive
attempt to wave back. I leave the room and head back out the way I came.
..........................
"Syra Seo, you will keep your children away from my home. I do not appreciate your son's
trespassing," Mother says, barely able to contain her irritability.
I sit beside her inside Syra Seo's bungalow. Mother has come to tell her to keep her offspring on
her side of the palace. Syra has a calculating, arrogant gaze which I find terrifyng. Shendu sits
on her lap, she pats him as if he were a lapdog. A purring comes from his throat.
"You would allow an unidentifiable demon who becomes drunk before nine in the morning access to
your bungalow, but exclude my little angel?" Syra Seo asks in a syrupy voice. She causes me to
shudder. Shendu narrows the little cinders that he has for eyes at me. He flicks a snake-like
tongue.
"Yes, and I mean Dai Gui as well," Mother answers.
"Why?" Syra asks coldly.
"Your "angels" are insulting, cold, cruel, selfish and violent. They do not provide a positive
development environment for Master Hsi Wu,"
"You speak of that half-breed as if it were on equal standing with Shendu or Dai Gui," Syra laughs
cruelly.
"He is. He is the son of Marl Kung, destined to become a great Demon Sorceror,"
"How can one become a Demon Sorceror if they are not fully demon?" Syra raises a spiked
eyebrow. She twists one of her whiskers in a claw.
" You are avoiding my request. If it is too difficult to keep your two children away from my home,
I will have to speak with Marl, Syra," Mother says flatly.
Syra looks momentarily panicked, she knows father's rages. She nods in silent agreement,
albeit quite reluctantly. That is where Shendu gets his spoiled nature, from Syra. Mother thanks
her for cooperating. We bow and return to our home.
..................
We all eat in Rumiko-hime's room. Hsi Wu sleeps, softly sighing now and again, the pig toy we
played with earlier is clenched tightly in his hand. Mother, Rumiko-hime and I are eating when Bai
comes in. She is no longer wearing her robe and for the first time, I notice the way her body
curves in certain areas. She's become an adolescent, I wonder when her powers will emerge? Bai
has returned to her normal self. Very cheerful and helpful, it is as if she has come to terms with
her insecurities, well, almost, she shoots a questioning glance in Hsi Wu's direction. One step at a
time, I suppose. She winks at me and hands me a small rice wine bottle. It is the one that
mother threw into the pond yesterday. The pond is more than thirty feet deep, it is more of a
lake than a pond. Ahhhhhhh, Bai has used a new talent to retrieve this bottle. I look at her and
she gives a proud smile. I am proud of her as well. I can't help but wonder when my powers will
emerge.
After dinner, we al return to our various rooms and attempt to fall asleep. For me, this is no
easy task. My head throbs, as if the entire gravity of the earth were pressing upon it. I lay on
my back on the bed and look out my window, the moon is there, full and bright. I feel drawn to it.
The pain increases until, thankfully, I lose consciousness and escape is clutches.
End Chapter 7