Mei-Li waited patient until Shiryu recovered from the memories that had awakened into his mind. Feeling triumphant, she continued, putting a small hand in his shoulder.
 "Sui-Long, it's time to you come back to us. You lived too much here with the..." she stopped, trying to control her voice who was full of disdain. "...humans...We miss you...and your wisdom...You need to go back to our World...will you come?"
 Shiryu finally looked at her, and answered with a calm voice:
 "Mei-Li...I'm sorry, my friend, but I won't go back with you. I made a choice. I chose to live here with the mortals..." he paused for a moment and she tried to say something, but he cut off her words. "It won't make any difference for me to know who am I. No difference."
 Her eyes widened in shock. How could...it make no difference? Was he truly the Sui-Long she knew, who loved the power and his tribe?
 Suddenly her soft face shadowed with knowledge.
 A woman! Of course there was a woman involved in his decision...but...a mortal! How could...? Sui-Long had never fell in love with anyone if she was right...the only women who came close to his heart was herself and...the Greek goddess Nike...She tried to control her angry with the simply memory of her old rival. But Nike disappeared before Sui-Long decided to be human...so...another woman had appeared...a mortal!
 "Sui-Long." she said. "There is a woman involved in this hole thing...I know this. And I'm going with you to your mortal home to know her. I want to see the woman who can take the Great Sui-Long's heart."
 Shiryu stayed in silence for some time, thinking. And when the other had started to walk towards his house, he got her wrist tightly.
 "No. I don't know how Shunrei will react...."
 Mei-Li had to control herself again when she listened to the woman's name. Spring Splendor, hn...?!
 "...I don't want to loose her...if she knew who am I." he finished.
 "Hn!" she muttered, pushing her wrist to free herself from his warm hand. "If this woman can't bare the true of your REALLY self, she doesn't deserve you, my lord, and you know this."
 Then, she studied his face when he turned to see the waterfall.
 His human form was handsome, she thought. He was much taller then her, his dark hair long until his knees, straight like no other hair's. His eyes were vague now, lost in some thought, but it's color was amazing, of an unique gray.
 Yes, he was Sui-Long, there wasn't any doubt. Only him could had that beauty in a form totally...human.
 Shiryu thought about the situation. He could loose Shunrei if he told her the truth. He WOULD loose her if he did so. But he couldn't hide from her that secret. It would be worth. Someday she'd know the hole thing and would be deadly hurt knowing he had kept that secret hidden from her for such time...and see her hurt was worth than loose her.
 "OK, Mei-Li. You can come with me. I'll tell Shunrei the truth." he said with a little voice.
 The young woman nodded and followed him to his home.

 "Look, Shunrei!" called Kiki, who was at the window.
 "What happened, little one?" the girl asked, coming close.
 "Shiryu's coming back..."
 "But...he's already coming?" she exclaimed, looking at the night to see his shape.
 Both of them were surprised when they saw two shadows.
 Soon Shiryu and Mei-Li entered the house.
 Shunrei and Kiki were waiting near the door, silent.
 "Shunrei..." said Shiryu with a whispered. "I want you to know Mei-Li."
 The elder dragon came close to Shunrei and greeted her.
 "Nice to meet you."
 Shunrei looked at her and at Shiryu, then answered:
 "The...the pleasure's all mine..." she almost completed with one 'I guess', but she kept silence.
 "I need to talk to you, Shunrei." asked Shiryu.
 The girl looked at him, concerned. That situation wasn't good... But she nodded and followed him to other room, leaving Mei-Li and Kiki there.
 The little boy looked at the woman feeling sick in her presence. She wasn't a good person, he knew that...but she had a pretty smile...

 Shiryu sat in a chair and indicated with his eyes to Shunrei sit too.
 Then, he took a deep breath and started to tell his story, all about his past life...the truth about Mei-Li and himself.
 He watched while that loved eyes widened in shock, the tears slowly appearing there, making the shine of her eyes deeper and intense.
 Shiryu raised from the chair and came close to her, inclining to be very close to the girl, who pulled back instinctively.
 "Shunrei...I may be a dragon, but I chose to be human for you. I want to live this life only with you....you're my most precious treasure...my little one..." the words pained to out but when finally came they were all emotion, while his own eyes filled with crystalline tears.
 He raised a hand to touch the girl's delicate arm, but she lifted up quickly and, faster than him, ran out of the little room, crossing the place where Mei-Li and Kiki still stood and going out to the forest.
 Kiki blinked, and glanced a mad look to Shiryu, who had appeared in the other door, crying her name. Without a second thought, the little boy went out behind his friend.
 Mei-Li watched the scene with a little triumphant smile, then came close to Shiryu who was still there, stopped in shock:
 "Well, It looks like the woman is weak to be at your side, Sui-Long. You loose all of your mortal life now. Do you see how fragile are the humans?"
 She touched his face softly and he pulled back, turning his eyes to watch her, with no words yet.
 Compressive, Mei-Li distanced herself from him:
 "I'll wait, until you decide to come back with me."
 Then, she was gone without a noise, all of herself truly happy. But the girl was really pretty for a mortal!