Ah My Goddess Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ A Tale of Two Wallets ❯ The Dance of Life Reflections ( Chapter 45 )

A Tale of Two Wallets

(An Altered Destiny)

Written by Jim Robert Bader

Proofread by Shiva Barnwell

Ukyo was tending to the small fire that she had made for their base camp when the old woman had excused herself, saying she had to depart for a time to tend to personal business. Ukyo watched Cologne pogo off into the woods, amazed as always at the spryness of the Amazon Elder who had been her guide since their arrival from the nearest strip of land that served laughingly as a makeshift "airport." She was also amazed at how easily the Matriarch of the Nyanchiczu had obtained permission from the government of Beijing to bring the Japanese girl (officially registered as a boy) into their country, but considering how remote the area was it did not seem like a priority, high security region that might upset even the local officials.

Ukyo pondered what little she knew about these Amazons from her brief association with Shampoo. It seemed to her that a society of women warriors existing for millennia in the southwest region of China was an unlikely enough scenario that it could well have been something dreamed up by a pulp novelist, yet here she was about to enter the forbidden region where Ranma had obtained both a bride and his curse (assuming one was not tantamount to the other) and on a mission so harebrained and crazy that even she had doubts about its successful resolution.

She stabbed at the fire with restless energy, feeling the confused wellspring of conflicting emotions rise up in her where before there had only been solidarity and purpose. Her grandfather had long cautioned her that going into battle with an impure heart was like conceding half the advantage to the enemy, yet who exactly was her enemy here? Her idiot father for the way he had forced this choice upon her, or her own pride and jealous obsessions that had so badly failed her when she most needed to be strong and resolute? For a certainly she did not blame either Ranma or Shampoo, nor even the old man (though it was very tempting to blame it all on Genma since he had brought Ranma here in the first place). Who or what then was she going up against, aside from her own self-doubt and residual fears? She had no one else to blame but herself for making this decision, and Cologne had even tried to talk her out of it, warning her that such a choice was bound to have its own brand of unforeseen complications.

Ukyo got up from the fire, deciding it would sustain itself long enough for her to get in a brief workout. She had much too much anxiety to just sit by and meditate while waiting for the return of the old woman. She started to reach up for her baker's peel and froze, her warrior senses spring to full alert as her Ninja intuition warned her of the presence of another somewhere close by. Almost without conscious effort she slowly drew her peel and stood at the ready.

No sooner had she done so then the whizzing sound came hurtling at her from just beyond the periphery of the nearby forest. Ukyo whirled in time to deflect an object that had been about to pass dangerously close to her head, only to turn in time to intercept another such object that had come so close to her backside that it might well have given her a breeze at the back of her trousers.

The two objects continued on their twin arcs in spite of the deflection, whirling like a pair of living Frisbees until they converged upon a single point. A plain of slender hands reached out and caught them expertly, and then lowered the objects-which were revealed as a matching pair of double-bladed axes-to cross them as if in the manner of a salute before holding them out as if extending to Ukyo a formal challenge.

"Nihao," smiled the new arrival in the same singsong, chirpy tonality that Shampoo employed on a regular basis.

Ukyo could not help staring at this stranger, whom she recognized for an Amazon due to her style of dress and matching hair odangas. At a glance she estimated that the girl-who appeared to be about the same age as Shampoo and Ukyo herself-stood barely over a hundred and sixty centimeters (5'4), just a couple of inches shorter than Ukyo's 170 cm. height, and at a glance she estimated that the girl's lithe frame was incredibly compact and agile, just like Shampoo herself. She had brown hair and blue eyes-quite unusual for this part of China-and stood poised like a cat about to pounce upon its dinner. Her red-and-black silk Mao outfit had an embroidered pair of golden axes emblazoned across her chest, and to judge by the way she had made her entrance it was an easy guess that she was an expert in their usage.

"What do you want?" Ukyo asked, assuming a defensive posture.

The girl spoke several words in Mandarin, which Ukyo could barely make out since she was more fluent in Cantonese, but which sounded like, "<What are you doing in this part of China, Outlander?>"

"<Who want know?>" Ukyo attempted in a hesitant attempt to speak the girl's own language.

In response the Amazon just struck a pose and smiled, then replied, "<I am Pur-Fum of the Nyanchiczu…Outlander!>"

Without waiting for a similar response she launched her attack on Ukyo, who-though having anticipated it-was unprepared for the savagery and speed of the assault as those double-bladed axes came crashing in to almost penetrate her guard while Ukyo back-pedaled and barely managed to get her spatula up in time to deflect them. She attempted to rally herself for a counter-thrust but found her weapon merely passed through empty air as the girl unexpectedly vaulted over her head and landed behind her.

The Amazon pivoted and slashed at Ukyo's unprotected back, and had Ukyo not instinctively ducked she was certain they would have scored fatally for her opponent was fast and could strike at her like greased lightning. Again Ukyo whirled and vaulted away, doing a backward somersault before landing on a high-set tree branch with both feet braced as she scanned the area below her in search of her opponent.

"<Not too bad,>" the Amazon appraised, only to do so at the end of the branch that was connected to the tree, and even as Ukyo turned to catch her kittenish smile the Amazon was slicing through said branch, leaving Ukyo without a purchase to stand upon.

"Oh-KUSO!" Ukyo swore in profane distress as she began to plummet back the way she came, but before she was able to touch down again the Amazon was on her, and with three quick motions quite easily disarmed her.

Ukyo landed on her feet, her baker's peal landing a good distance away beyond her reach while she found herself face-to-face against the Amazon, who stood boldly as a cat who had just cornered herself a canary. Ukyo started to reach for her bandoleer of throwing spatulas only to find-much to her dismay-that the belt had been sliced cleanly through, and so had the sash to her outfit, which fell away to expose her unguarded chest, followed in short order by the wrap which she used to fasten down her bosoms.

"<Nice,>" the Amazon mused as Ukyo hastily covered herself up with both hands, "<Such a pretty girl you are…why were you hiding such generous assets?>"

Before Ukyo could frame a tart reply to this she heard Cologne call out, "Perfume, stand down this instant!"

"<Great Grandmother?>" the warrior turned to see the scowling elder, then to Ukyo's complete astonishment she flexed her arms and caused her broad axes to vanish. She made a saluting gesture with both arms and nodded her head before relaxing entirely, and only then did the ancient Matriarch incline her head by a fraction in approval.

"<Very good,>" she said sternly, "<You have not entirely forgotten your good manners.>"

"<I'm sorry,>" the one named Perfume said, "<I didn't know she was with you, I thought she was some tourist who wandered onto our lands by mistake…>"

"<And that is supposed to excuse your rude behavior?>" Cologne turned away from the brown haired girl and said, "My apologies, Kuonji-san. Perfume is our tribal Enforcer, and she tends to take her duties rather seriously. She meant you no harm, I assure you, or you would not now be standing here with merely your dignity in tatters."

Ukyo regarded the girl who had assaulted her crossly, but seeing only a sheepish expression in reply she decided not to make an issue of the matter.

"[I'm sorry as well, Elder,]" Ukyo tried in Cantonese, "[I didn't mean to intrude, but she gave me no chance to explain my being here on Amazon land.]"

Perfume looked up at her in surprise, then smiled and said, "[You speak the language of the coastal towns. That is good, because I know very little of your language. Japanese, isn't it?]"

"[Well then,]" Cologne said with a fractional nod, "[Now that we have that settled, what exactly are you doing here, Perfume? I do not recall summoning you to my presence.]"

"[It was the Council who asked me to come looking for you, Great Grandmother,]" Perfume explained, "[Elder Be-Dea was concerned that you have been away from us for a month now and was wondering what has detained your return for such a long spell.]"

"[Is she now?]" Cologne mused with a slight smile on her wizened visage.

The brown haired girl returned that smile and said, "[Actually I think she suspects that you've got something planned concerning Shampoo that she and the other Elders know nothing about. At least…that is her personal reason for asking me to see you. The official one is more grave news than this and does require your attendance.]"

"[Then I shall return to the village in short order,]" Cologne replied, "[After I help Kuonji Ukyo here attend to a far more important task that also demands my presence.]"

"[Oho?]" Perfume lazily smiled as she regarded Ukyo with a sidelong glance, "[So that's your name, Outlander? I am Perfume of the Nyanchiczu.]" she bowed to Ukyo by a fraction.

"Kuonji Ukyo," Ukyo replied, holding her shirt closed a bit tighter as she was starting to get seriously worried about the way the Amazon girl was regarding her like prey to a hungry cougar.

"[Now that we have that out of the way,]" Cologne said with gruff humor, "[Perhaps we can dispense with the true purpose for our being here. Perfume, I must ask that you not reveal what we are about to do to the other Elders, not even if asked by the full council.]"

"[You know that you may count on me, Great Grandmother,]" Perfume acknowledged with a smile of confidence that matched her bearing.

"[Wait a minute,]" Ukyo turned to her, "[She's your great-grandmother?]"

"Aiyaa," Perfume nodded in reply, "[By adoption. I take it you have already met Shampoo, my cousin?]"

Ukyo just nodded her head, thinking to herself, "It figures!" There was a lot about this girl that did remind her of Shampoo, only the easy-going way this girl was flirting with her made it seem as if she was actively stalking Ukyo, and that whole business with the axes had just been her idea of Amazon courtship. Ukyo was briefly glad that she had not put up more of a showing against this other girl or she might well be faced with the same prospects as Nabiki, as galling as it was to her pride to admit that this Amazon was obviously a better fighter.

"[Then come along, children,]" Cologne remarked as she hid her own smile and started to march away from the smoldering embers of the campfire.

"You mean…now?" Ukyo asked, forgetting herself and asking in Japanese.

"Can you think of a better time?" Cologne replied, "Council business does not wait around for our convenience. We will wrap up your business in good order then make our way to the village, where I will have someone make the needed repairs to your outfit."

"Where we go, Great Grandmother?" Perfume asked in hesitant Japanese.

"To a place that you may not want to follow child," Cologne replied dramatically, "Jusenkyo."

Ukyo heard the gasp and slight shudder from the other girl, but Perfume squared up her shoulders when she saw Ukyo glancing her way and marched resolutely forward, clearly unwilling to show her fear before a stranger. Ukyo shook her head in mild dismay and wondered what she was getting herself into, but it was too late to turn back now, so she went to fetch her baker's peel and stamped out on her dying fire before hurrying to catch up with the old woman…

"Father," Kodachi said in melodic greeting, "What a surprise this is to see you again after so long…and without a word of what you've been doing with yourself for the past four years."

"Wa-Hey, no sweat it, little Wahini," replied the man who was alleged to be her father in oddly phrased Japanese, "Your old man he hang tight out the loop, no wipe out on the curls, I guarantee it."

"Eh?" Kodachi exchanged puzzled looks with Kasumi, who stood off to one side looking more than a little out of it herself as she glanced from the Black Rose to the strange man who stood at the foyer to the Kuno mansion.

Indeed, Kasumi was finding it difficult to even notice a resemblance between her friend and the odd looking man, who was dressed in a Hawaiian tropical shirt with Bermuda shorts and a straw hat over his head. He was also wearing dark sunglasses, even though they were indoors, and his complexion was unusually well tanned while he kept on smiling in a way that was…vaguely disturbing.

"Well, never you worry your pretty lil' head," Kodachi's father hooked a thumb towards himself, "The big Kahuna's back in da burg, so you all sit back an' watch your old man hang ten, no worries!"

"Er…quite," Kodachi said, then with some reluctance added by way of polite introduction, "Father dearest, this is my good friend, Tendo Kasumi, who has been visiting with me today and…"

"Tendo, huh?" the big man turned his focus towards Kasumi, "Knew a Tendo Soun way back in da big Seven-Eight…"

"Oh, that would be my father," Kasumi replied politely, glad to find a topic that was at least semi-normal, "You went to school together?"

"Sure did, little Wahini," the senior Kuno replied with that same cocksure grin, "Ol' Skinny as a rail Soun, we useta call him. How is the crybaby these days? His old man still ridin' on him to carry on the Dojo?"

"Well," Kasumi replied, "As a matter of fact that honor has gone on to one of my two sisters. She's engaged to marry the son of Saotome Genma…"

"Not ol' Rolly Polly Saotome?" the big man grinned in what sounded like a mixture of Japanese and English, "That boy was trouble from day one in middle school! So his boy's gonna wed Soun's girl, huh, just like they always promised? If that don't beat the Big Wipe Out, I dunno what hangs. Well then, pull up a board an' let me introduce you to your new Principal at Furinkan High, Koucho Kuno Godai, esquire, at your service. And to see you off proper-like…"

Suddenly the man flashed a pair of sheers in one hand and a comb in the other, and without warning he launched himself at Kasumi, only Kodachi interposed herself in the way and cried, "No father! She's not a student! She graduated almost two years ago! You don't have to do this!"

"Is that a fact?" Koucho Kuno said as he looked past Kodachi towards Kasumi with a puzzled expression, "Then ya oughta be College age these days. What you doing hanging around with my little girl?"

"I…?" Kasumi started to say when she froze in mid-reply, reluctantly conceding that it was a very interesting question.

"Father, she is my guest," Kodachi tried to sound entreating, but her voice was laced with just a touch of panic, "It would be inhospitable to treat her as you would one of your students."

"Hmmm…a good point, dat," the big man subsided, "So then, where lil' Tachi at these days? Why he no come see his ol' man now he home at the ol' Cabana?"

"A very good question, Father," Kodachi almost sounded relieved at the change of subject, "Sasuke, do you know where my brother is about?"

"Not a clue, Mistress!" Sasuke replied from where he was laboring to hold five pieces of luggage and a surfboard that was strapped behind his back, "But I'm sure he's about some-WHA-?"

Without warning he was knocked sprawling as Tatewaki came storming in through the front door, oblivious to everything as he cried out, "I must set my words down to paper for my thoughts run like wildfire in my brain! My quest for the eternal beauty of my two true loves will not permit me to rest while these words course through my veins like fire and…oh, hello, father…as I was saying…"

"Tachi!" cried Principal Kuno with a broad expanse of his arms, "Come give your old man a big hug!"

Tatewaki did a sudden double-take and cried, "You??? You're alive??? But I thought…"

"What?" the senior Kuno grinned as he produced his comb and sheers once again, "You think the big wave sent yo' ol' pop to that big Cabana in the sky? Here, son, let's see if you gotten any better!"

"No, wait!" Tatawaki cried, but it was too late as his father launched himself at his son, and with incredible speed his sheers blazed a trail as hair went flying everywhere, and within a matter of seconds Tatewaki Kuno was shaved as bald as a plucked turkey.

"Still too slow, boy," Principal Kuno grinned as he stepped away, leaving Tatawaki to feel the smooth texture upon the top of his head, "Gotta practice some more if yo' gonna outfox da Big Kahuna!"

"Oh my," Kasumi said with a hand over her mouth, thinking to herself that the contrast between her own family and this was but a degree of magnitude in the direction of madness.

Koucho Kuno suddenly pulled out a Ukulele from seeming no where and began to play while he sang a Don Ho number. Tatewaki slowly turned to glare in his father's direction and growled, "Must you, old man? Have the years taught you nothing that you still indulge in this insane nonsense?"

"What nonsense, boy?" Koucho Kuno replied, pausing to grin his insane smile as he added, "Spent the last two years gettin' coached in all kindsa stuff a Principal's gotta know, like drinking and partying and playing the Ukulele until dawn!"

"You could have done that staying home," Tatawaki said, "And what were you doing with yourself for the two years prior to that?"

"Nothing much," the older Kuno replied, "Just hangin' around on that Island I washed up on when I fell off the yacht…"

"Island, Father?" Kodachi inquired.

"Yeah, just some uncharted desert Island inna middle of the Pacific," the Koucho replied in his weirdly accented mixture of Japanese and English, "Five passengers'n crew signed on for a three hour cruise, wound up stayin' for three seasons and a whole lotta reruns…"

"Er…right," Kodachi said with obvious confusion.

"Father," Tatawaki said darkly, "Have you been associating with commoners for all this time? Do you know what sort of bad habits might be acquired in such a base manner?"

"What commoner, lil' Kahuna?" the Koucho replied, "One'vum's a Millionaire and his wife, then there was the Professor…he was sure a smart cookie, an' then there's Ginger, she's an actress…"

"Father," Kodachi said soothingly, "You must be tired from your long trip. Why don't you got upstairs and let Sasuke help you to unpack?"

"Very good, Mistress," Sasuke groaned from underneath the surfboard.

"Can't rest now," Koucho Kuno shrugged, "Gotta go see the ol' place, see how you two been keepin' house while I was away. Th' ol' Cabana's due for a few changes now that the Big Kahuna's back in the hood!"

With that he turned to leave his two gaping children and confused houseguest. After several long seconds of mutual dismay Tatewaki closed his mouth and said, "He's even worse than I remember!"

"Oh my," Kasumi said in mild dismay, "Was that really your father?"

"I fear that this is the case," Kodachi turned and looked apologetically at Kasumi, "I'm so sorry you had to see him like this. He wasn't like this…when we were a lot younger."

"No," Tatewaki said sadly, "He wasn't, not that the old him was any improvement."

"Ah…" Kasumi considered whether or not she should ask for further details but finally decided that it would be impolite for her to do so. Instead she glanced at Tatewaki's bald head and considered asking him what he would do about that, but again the question seemed rude, so she was at a loss of what to say to make for polite conversation.

Fortunately for her, Kodachi smiled at her brother and said slyly, "Cheer up, Tachi-chan…you can still wear a wig to class so no one will know any the wiser."

"Eh?" Tatawaki felt his bald head again, and suddenly he experienced a belated panic, "My hair! I must not be seen like this! Sasuke, get me a mirror!"

"I would like to, Master," Sasuke said, "But I can't stand up with this board on my back…"

"I'm not interested in your pathetic excuses!" Tatawaki snarled, already running for the stairs, "My hair! My hair! What has that madman done to my hair? I cannot be seen like this by my two beloveds…!"

As he vanished up the stars Kodachi sighed and said, "My brother is such an idiot…"

"Really?" Kasumi asked, "I thought he seemed like a very nice young man."

"You are much too kind," Kodachi said, then she turned to Kasumi and added, "Timing never was a strong suit in my family, but perhaps we could go somewhere to be more private to resume our own little chat without these constant distractions…"

She started to approach Kasumi, only to find the taller girl shied away a half step. Kodachi looked up at Kasumi with puzzlement in her expression and said, "What is wrong?"

"N-Nothing is wrong," Kasumi said with nervousness expressed in her tone, "I just need to go home…I've been away all morning long, and it's well past time that I should be getting lunch ready…"

"But…" Kodachi started to protest, only to see Kasumi flinch away again when she tried to approach her.

"I'm sorry," Kasumi said, bowing hastily to Kodachi as she slowly backed up towards the door, "You've been so kind to have me over and to listen to my problems, but I do need to be going now. Say my apologies to your father and brother that I did not pay my respects in a proper manner."

"But…" Kodachi hesitated, then asked, "You will be coming back again…won't you?"

"Ah…maybe," Kasumi was suddenly blushing as she looked away, "Some other time. Bye now."

And with that she took her leave of the Kuno household, leaving Kodachi standing with a blank expression that slowly fell into a sad look of quiet longing. Without a word she turned around and headed for the stairs, and then to her room, to lock the door and commence to quietly crying where no one else could hear or see her.

"Hello?" Sasuke asked from beneath the surfboard when the room was finally emptied, "Is anybody there? Could someone please help me out from under this thing? It would be very much appreciated…oh my…"

"What's this?" cried Hibiki Atsuko as she read the sign for the third straight time, finding tears in her eyes as she saw the familiar lettering engraved over the gates of the Tendo dojo, "Have I found it at last? Oh Kami above and below! Now at last I can find my son to warn him about…!"

The latter words of joy were spoiled when the wheels of a fancy sports car came splashing across the puddle in the street just behind her. Atsuko had not even seen the driver pull up when she felt the familiar change come over her, and then she was lost for a moment in her own clothing as it obscured her vision while the straps of her backpack presented an obstacle that she needed to work through.

Atsuko could not express herself well in her other form, thought if one could have heard her next words and understood them they would have blushed with shame for her language was quite colorful. As it was the handsome man in the three-piece suit who stepped out from the sports vehicle did not even pay her the slightest attention. He merely adjusted his tie, hefted his brief case, then stepped in through the gates, heading straight for the front door with clear purpose in mind while Atsuko struggled clear of her encumbrances and debated the wisdom of biting this man on the ankles.

The fellow rang the front doorbell and waited patiently until the door at last swung open and a shorthaired girl poked her head out to ask, "Yes, can I help you?"

"Good day to you," the man bowed, obligating the shorthaired girl to bow back, "Is this the Tendo residence that I have the honor of visiting?"

"Yes it is," the young girl replied, "I'm Tendo Akane."

The man produced his card and showed it to her, "My name is Su Yu, and I'm here representing the firm of Mun Jun Lun. Is your father in residence?"

"Ah…" Akane hesitated before replying with caution, "Can you tell me what this is about before I go ask?"

"I am not at liberty to discuss it except in the presence of your father or one Saotome Genma," the man answered with impeccable manners.

"Uncle Saotome?" Akane's expression darkened, "One moment, I'll go get him."

Atsuko popped her furry head from around the post of the gate and her ears perked up. Genma was here, as well as her Ryo-chan? That was most unexpected! She had no idea that her mother's little trinket would bring her around to find the two most important men in her life (not counting her father). She had to fight the urge to go in immediate search of some hot water, remembering that she was supposed to be keeping a low profile so as not to attract unwanted attention. She resolved to sneak onto the premises and do some subtle snooping before revealing her presence to others. First she had to secure her belongings, of course, but after that was done…her time of reunion would be fast approaching!

If only she didn't have these damned butterflies churning in her stomach! She was still trying to think of what she would say when she finally did find her son and his father together, and how was she to account for her activities for the last few years? Merely attributing it to the family curse would not be altogether satisfying, but she supposed that she would cross that bridge when she came to it. For now she would work on being subtle, a trait that was not famous in the line of the Hibikis…

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

Lotion called it "The Dance of Life," which is as good as any title I might give to if it I tried, a kind of Tai Chi Chuan exercise that involves slow and even motions of the body while you breathe in slow and regularly, only this version had an Amazon spin that made it unusually intensive. It's supposed to help you focus the mind and harmonize the body, like a meditation in motion, and I have to give it points as a nicer way to stretch and limber yourself up from some of the more vigorous stretching exercises that Uncle Genma usually insists upon.

Of course while I was going through the dance-like steps the old woman was standing to one side and making corrections with helpful comments. Naturally she added in a lecture with these movements, but I don't suppose I could expect to get away from that for one whole day, even after her morning session of unveiling the family history in all its glorious and complicated splendor.

Ranma and Shampoo were working out together to one side, trading martial arts attacks with nearly equal skill (as best as I can determine anyway), keeping each other busy while working off some of their excess energy, the sport of beating up Genma finally losing its attraction. There was sufficient distance between us that their vigorous sparring did not interfere with my kata, but from time-to-time I would pause to notice their back-and-forth exchanges, only to be called back to the present by the old woman, who insisted I stay focused on what I was doing and not permit myself to become distracted.

"It is very important that you develop a sense of the Here and Now in your conscious awareness," Lotion informed me in her patient coaching tone of voice, "Let your intuition warn you when there is cause to focus elsewhere. Memories are for a time of reflection, and thoughts directed towards the future should only be attempted when you have reconciled yourself with the present."

I was breathing deeply, trying to maintain my oxygen levels as these motions took more energy than you would think, even at the slow pace that I was encouraged to move at, but still I managed to say in reply, "How do you accomplish that? Screwy things are always happening around here."

"It is an art, I will concede that," Lotion replied, "But one cannot count on the universe standing still to permit you the chance to catch your breath, and should you be faced by an enemy any break in your concentration could give them a most unfortunate advantage."

"Who says I want enemies?" I asked, even though my mind immediately shifted to Mousse, whose surprise attack the previous night had been a source of great vexation to me, and not just because of what had happened to my sister.

"Be assured," the old woman replied, "If you live long enough you will have enemies, and they will find you whether you will or not. It is best to be prepared for any eventuality if you are to be married to two such superlative War Masters in training as your wife and iinazuke."

I think I almost lost my balance as my concentration slipped for a fraction of a second, but then I recovered and with a dry mouth said, "Okay, point taken…so, enemies are part of the bargain, eh?"

"Count on it," Lotion replied, "The universe often displays great perversity in the way events shape our destiny. I myself did not anticipate anything like the wild ride that my life has been for nearly two centuries, and you may rest assured that I never planned for any of it to occur, not least of which was falling in love at a young age, though I never took the logical step of marrying the man whom I loved. I sometimes think about him, though, and what he must be doing with himself these days."

"What?" I almost tripped at that moment, wondering how it was that the old lady kept discovering new ways of shocking me like that, "You mean he's still around?"

"Oh, he was made to last," Lotion replied, "His nominal father made him better than he knew, and so far the warranty is still running. Granted he isn't what you might call a normal human being, but then neither was Cologne's father. Nothing wrong with still being alive after all of these years, and life has had its good moments to go with the bad ones."

"O-kay," I said, conceding the point, continuing on with my exercise, though it was getting repetitive after the seventh straight time of performing the same motions, "So, you've got to watch your grandkids grow up and get married…"

"Some of them anyway," Lotion replied, "Silk…well, I wouldn't call her a disappointment, but she let the man in her life slip away, not that their relationship did not bear interesting fruit in the form of Kachu."

Damn, she did it to me again! I almost lost my footing that time and when I recovered I was about ready to give up, but one sharp bark from my trainer and I was back to resuming my motions.

"Kachu," I said in a sour grumble, then added, "Gesundheit. What's the deal with her? Why is she always so angry?"

"Why is Kasumi always so calm?" she countered sagely, "There is a link between them, in case you have wondered about that. Your sister chooses to be positive, to always surround herself with a blanket of warm and caring thoughts that cancel out the negativity that often confronts her, yet where does the negativity within her wind up? The positive blanket she creates by her presence absorbs much of it out of her…"

"But some of it winds up going into Kachu?" I said with sudden realization.

"Enough that it affects the core of Kachu's being," my mentor explained, "Kachu has always had great anger within her, much of it with no clear source or focus. My granddaughter has always been a loving and devoted mother, and those times when she has been able to spare with her only child she has lavished great affection on Kachu and tried to encourage the girl to be more positive in her outlook. The problem is the competitive society in which Kachu was raised. Amazons, I must reluctantly concede, do not encourage their daughters to be as caring and compassionate towards others as one might prefer…"

"And she's had a lot of problems growing up, huh?" I said, thinking about Kasumi and what she must have gone through being the oldest of us, and taking over after Mom died couldn't have helped much.

"To put it charitably," Lotion replied, "Kachu's experiences with other young girls were mostly centered around fights and periodic challenges that they would hurl at one another. She learned very quickly that the best way not to be teased was to inspire a healthy fear of her wrath in the other children of her age group, and as she grew older it became easier to use anger as a focus. That is why her first response towards everything is to question the actions and intentions of the persons around her for hidden goals and ulterior motives. The act of blind trust that is so natural with Kasumi is almost totally foreign to Kachu's nature. Of course now that they have actually met one another it is very likely that there will be a few changes in this overall dynamic."

"So how does somebody like that rate as a fighter?" I wondered, remembering the show she had put on when she had easily bested Ranma and the others.

"Unfortunately, anger is not the best motivation for a warrior," Lotion replied, "She had to learn self-control and restraint to keep from injuring other girls during practice. A Warrior must always be in command of their emotions, never the slave to her passions, for thought and action must flow together in a single direction. That is one of several reasons why I recommended she be trained into the field of a Devil Hunter. What is a detriment in other fields became a positive boon in her chosen profession."

"Why's that?" I wondered as I began my ninth consecutive set of katas, strangely much less tired now than when I had started.

"It is the nature of the work," Lotion replied, "Demons and Devils are spiritual entities who dwell upon an alternate plane of being where emotion is paramount and thoughts are intimately tied in with emotion. As Kachu has a natural affinity with that plane, she can compete on the same level as these creatures and tap into the same elemental forces to defeat them, using their strengths against them, as it were. Her training as a Devil Hunter allowed her to become at one with her passions, and by developing a clear focus from not competing against her own baser reflexes…"

"I get it," I said, "She scares them off worse than they can scare her, right?"

I think I could almost feel the smile of my mentor as the old woman replied, "Let us just say, for the sake of argument, that there are few Demons and Devils who are not intimidated by a human who works upon that level. Understand that her training was vary rigorous and meticulous, involving arts and disciplines the likes of which I rather think you would be better off not knowing, but the results are unmistakable as you have seen by watching her in action. The irony, however, is that the very thing that makes her so formidable was the very thing that permitted your Doctor Tofu to ultimately defeat her."

"And that is?" I asked.

"His relentless niceness," Lotion said with a sweet undertone to her voice, "He doesn't put out an aggressive battle aura like a warrior or a demon, and so there was nothing for her anger to latch onto, he was all but invisible to her senses. She might as well have been attacking a deva for all the good her reflexes would do her for she was facing a man who is almost her opposite in nature, and in this case the meeting of opposites is more than a little attractive."

"Huh!" I said derisively, "Somehow I just don't think it could ever work out for those two."

"Indeed?" I could all but feel her amusement, "So certain of that, are you? Perhaps you might care to stake terms for a little wager?"

"Wager?" I stopped to look at her, only to see her wave her staff as she bade me to continue, "You gamble?"

"Life is a gamble, child," she replied, "But what do your instincts tell you?"

"That gambling is for suckers," I said, "Even when you win you lose a little…"

"And yet you have earned a fair sum over the years by profiting off the wagers of others," she point out, neatly nailing and hoisting me upon my own petard, to my extreme annoyance.

"Yeah, but that's different" I said, and before she could question that I continued, "I don't place bets where I know I won't win anything. Depends on the stakes and the terms, not to mention having some inside knowledge of the principles involved."

"Indeed," she actually sounded approving, "Nonetheless, if-as you say-it does not work out between Kachu and the good doctor, perhaps you might care to state some terms, just to make it more interesting than the mere fact that this involves your oldest sister."

"Okay, maybe…I'll bite," I said, "What do you have in mind?"

"I haven't decided just yet," she said vexingly, "I just didn't want the opportunity to slip by that you might owe me a favor. To be fair, should you prove to be right, I will grant you a favor, so long as it is of a reasonable nature."

"Done," I said, "Then how about you let me take a break here?"

"Why?" she asked, "Are you tired?"

"I…no," I said in some surprise, "I don't know why, but I'm not…"

"You body is adapting to the rhythm," she explained, "You are learning to draw upon the flow of Chi energy that is in the very air around you, and the in the earth under your feet. The Dance of Life is so named because it helps to attune the spirit with the source of all creation, to move in harmony with the elements while limbering your body so that every cell is energized and you are revitalized in spirit. Nonetheless, it is possible to overdo things, so you may relax now and allow yourself to return to normal."

"Thank you," I said, in spite of knowing that you were never supposed to thank your sensei during training. I just wasn't used to moving around this much and I wanted to take a moment to go back to watching Shampoo and Ranma.

"Rest," she said, tapping me on the chest with her staff, "Breathe from here to fill your lungs and hold the air inside you. Draw the ions of oxygen into your bloodstream and allow it to revitalize the cells of your body. Then you can worry about how good your fiancée looks while sparring with your wife."

"Right, breathe," I said, calming myself as I turned to see that Shampoo was now standing around talking quietly with Ranma, which made me blink a little.

"Ah," Lotion took notice of my stare and turned to smile in their direction, "It would appear they have found something else in common besides combat. All well and good, I should think."

"Uh…what are they talking about?" I asked, wishing I was standing closer so I could hear what those two were saying.

"Very likely they are discussing Shampoo's mother, who has taken a positive interest in your iinazuke," Lotion added coyly, "Also much to the better as it means that Comb is not holding the sins of the father against Shampoo's husband."

I found it odd to hear Ranma referred to in that manner where it regarded another woman but decided to let the point pass, just as I had the reference to Shampoo as my "wife." Instead I said, "What did she say to Ranma last night? He's been acting…really odd for some reason."

"No doubt she was probing his knowledge base on the subject of women," Lotion replied, "Considering his own source until now has been his father, that can't have been a very long determination."

"I'll bet," I snorted, figuring thirty seconds tops would about cover the extent of Ranma's training on this subject, "So…what else did they talk about for the rest of the night?"

The old woman seemed to appreciate my joke, but then she surprised me again by saying, "Do not underestimate your iinazuke…he is a quick study, and far more intelligent than one might judge by appearance. It may be some that one day very soon he will surprise you, and when you least expect it."

I made a derisive snort at her double entendre and said, "Yeah, right…if I live to be as old as you."

"Perhaps," she said coyly, then changed the subject again, "We mentioned enemies before…one of the chief enemies of a Lore Master is that we see more than other people, we know and experience events sometimes before they can happen. Before too long it is possible to fall into the trap of believing that we are omniscient and beyond normal human error. That just means, of course, that when we make a mistake we don't kid around about it, and some of our errors can be most catastrophic."

"You mean…you…?" I was about to phrase the word indelicately, but she beat me to the punch.

"Have been known to, as you say, screw up?" she smiled in a way that was actually chilling, "Far more often than I like to admit, but I have worked hard to make up for some of those errors. So long as you are prepared to face the consequences of your actions it is possible to redeem those mistakes, though some are of an irretrievable nature. I want you to be prepared for the possibility that some choices you will make will be unfortunate ones, but you must never lose hope that things can work out for the better."

"Ah, okay," I said dubiously, not liking the way she had phrased that, "So…what else should I be on guard about?"

"The enemy that you have never yet truly defeated," the looked at me with an intense gaze that chilled me down to the bone, "Fear, the first and foremost enemy of all living things, the one that most often betrays us, but that can also be a powerful ally if we allow it to serve us."

"Fear," I repeated the word, "Like…what have I got to be afraid of?" I half-joked.

"Rejection," she said directly, "And pain. You fear to commit yourself, you fear to risk losing control over your destiny, and most of all you fear losing your heart to another, which involves great risk of it being broken. Your fears are great and your primary means of coping is avoidance. You prefer to keep others at a distance rather than surrender to them a potential advantage…"

"Okay, I get the point!" I think I was actually sweating over the accuracy of her statements, and it quite unnerved me that she could score so directly and read me with such telling accuracy that I felt like a small child being probed by a psychoanalyst.

"This is very important, child," she stressed the term gently, "Fear is the Warrior's enemy and ally. Fear gives you your edge, makes you feel the sharp sting of menace, the tempting thrill of immanent danger. Human fears of a more mundane nature are much more difficult to defeat than the fear of death or injury, and so they are more perverse in nature. If you allow your fears to control and inhibit you, then you will never advance beyond the simple child phase that you are still enmeshed in…"

"Hey!" I protested at once, but she casually brushed off my protest.

"Fear was never meant to be the master of our fate," she continued, "It is the servant, nothing more, nothing less, and when you discover that most of your fears are tissue-thin deceits that you use to cloud your mind from realizing the truth you will discover that fear is only an illusion, a trick of the mind and the body, a feeling like being too warm or too cold, which can be overcome by learning to focus your mind accurately upon your spiritual nature. Once fear is overcome you will discover that much of your life has been held in check by nebulous feelings of an insubstantial nature."

"Uh…you mean, like, nothing to fear but fear itself?" I asked lamely.

"Exactly," she continued, "Once fear is overcome you will be possessed by an enormous feeling of empowerment, as the real you will finally be able to emerge into the light of day, to do the things you have secretly longed to achieve and be the person you were meant to be, the person whom you are within,. This will carry its own brand of risks, of course, for when Fear is overcome, the next enemy of a Lore Master is Power."

"Power?" I asked.

"Power," she replied in tone of quiet insistence, "The ability to achieve a goal or end through the means at one's disposal. It is very hard sometimes to resist the urge to use the powers that we gain through our training, the power that can be used to hurt or heal, and having such power as we possess makes us potentially quite dangerous to others. That is why we must train to master the power without becoming the slave to it, as once happened with a man of my acquaintance."

"A former enemy?" I guessed, sensing that I was about to learn something else very interesting about the old woman.

"In a manner of speaking," she replied, "His name is of no great importance, but he once styled himself as the Shogun of the Dark, a very powerful and ancient master of the mystical arts, a Necromancer who made a deadly pact with a dangerous force of great malevolence and terror. He commanded his servants, the Eight Devils of Kimon, to attempt a takeover of your country many centuries ago, which effort was thwarted by a man who was very much like your Ranma, a heroic sort with an unassuming nature who was master of his own fate and a servant to no one."

"A Ronin," I replied, gathering from her that this must have taken place during the Feudal period of Japan, possibly during the Tokugawa Shogunate and at least prior to the Meiji restoration.

"Indeed," she smiled, "And a direct ancestor to the line of Saotome, but that is of no consequence here. Suffice to say the Shogun was the most malevolent force that I ever faced in battle, and he tested me to my full measure when it all seemed hopeless and I deemed myself outmatched by a superior opponent. At that time I learned the true extent of my own capabilities and had to overcome my perception of my enemy as someone who could not be defeated."

"But you beat him in the end," I guessed, hypothesizing on the basis that she was still around to tell about it.

"Evidently so," she smiled in reply, "But the effort was costly and I would not wish to repeat it in the same lifetime. In actuality the Shogun defeated himself in the end, for he was very great fool who had never truly overcome the third enemy of a Lore Master, the clarity of our perceptions."

"Clarity?" I asked, blinking my eyes at the term she was using.

"The ability to perceive more than the ordinary tends to sometimes blind us into believing that we see more than we actually do see," she explained, "It isn't Knowledge itself that is the problem, it is having the wisdom to understand what you perceive that makes all the difference. To organize your perceptions and frame them in a context to which we can mentally and emotionally relate takes time and patience and can only be done through careful analysis and discipline of our perceptions. We must learn not to impose our beliefs upon reality but rather to see events as they happen and THEN to convert the knowledge into a framework from which we may draw inferences and make logical observations."

"And how do I learn to do that?" I asked, only to receive a tap from her staff on my chest once again.

"You already know how," she insisted, "What you lack is the patience! Time for reflection must be reserved out of every day so that you can organize the thoughts in your head and intuitively sort through them to formulate a picture that is a genuine reflection of external events. When you learn to wait for something it will come to you in the order with which you are ready…otherwise the perceptions will be disjointed, a confusing kaleidoscope of meaningless and seemingly random data. Worse still, the mere fact that you can see a fragment of some greater picture will mean you could jump to a premature conclusion as to its significance or meaning. You could also find your most fundamental beliefs being challenged, your core philosophy and values overturned and your fundamental understanding of the way the universe itself behaves come under attack. There are so many emotions within you that could be easily upset by certain realizations…"

"Such as?" I asked.

"Do you remember when you were a mere child?" she asked, "When your mother was still alive and your parents were very much in love with one another? Think back to when you were six years of age, when you got up to get yourself a drink of water and heard strange noises coming out of their bedroom…"

"Okay, I get the point!" I cried a little to hastily, not wanting to relive the first moment when I had discovered directly that my parents did more together than occasionally fight or teach martial arts to us kids. It's not exactly something you can take training in, and when I had asked Kasumi about it later my big sister had shown more wisdom than I had by saying that what had sounded painful to my ears must have been very pleasant for Mom and Daddy since they did it so often and were always so nice to each other after it was over.

In truth I kinda wish I'd caught them doing it a lot more often than I had, because it wasn't too long after this that Momma got sick and Daddy stopped doing it with her because it no longer gave her any pleasure. I swallowed as the memories washed over me, and then they were gone one again, leaving only the sense in passage that I had been more deeply affected by the incident than I had known until that moment. Perhaps in the back of my mind I was even substituting myself for Momma, which naturally would mean I was thinking of Daddy's role being taken over by Ranma!

"Knowledge and Perception are two of the tools of our trade," Lotion said as her words drew me back to the present, "Another is Belief, the core of assumption theory that we form based upon our prior perceptions. Belief must be flexible, open to change and revision with new discoveries and awareness. You must learn to open up your beliefs to new realities, a new understanding of what makes the universe worth living within, and to let go of old ideas and assumptions that do not serve you but that force you to live in servitude to them."

Those words made a kind of sense to me, but I couldn't let it go by entirely without speaking of one of the fears in my mind as I said, "So…what do you see about Kachu and Tofu? Do you already know what the future holds there?"

"Perhaps," she smiled, "But that would be telling."

"Uh…okay," I said, not quite so comfortable with the sense that she knew something that I clearly did not about Tofu and my newfound sibling, so I turned back to her lesson and said, "Fear, Power and Clarity…and what else?"

"Time," the old woman said sadly, "It is the enemy of those who live in this world of flesh that everyone and everything must grow old and die in its appropriate time and season. Very few can transcend the limitations of their body to live as long as I have, or Cologne for that matter, and even we must surrender to the pull of time, which is why we lavish so much of our remaining energies on you young people. You, our students, are the legacy we leave behind, the immortality we seek is through you and your offspring. That is why-and you must forgive me for being a meddlesome old woman here-I am encouraging you in the pursuit of your relationship with your wife and future husband."

Suddenly my cheeks grew flush and I must have come across like a little girl blushing, because that's what it felt like for me and I could not meet the old woman's stare for a full five seconds, though I did turn a hesitant glance in the direction of Shampoo and Ranma.

"Think well on this," Lotion said soberly, "You can study all you want in life, achieve great things and accomplish what others deem as miracles, but in the end what truly matters is in your heart and destiny. Ask yourself if the risk of being hurt is worth losing out on the potential for happiness that success might bring you. In the end it will be your bed to make and lie within, I can only offer you my counsel and the benefits of my experience. The rest is for you to decide, but time is not infinite and the clock may well be ticking. She who hesitates may be lost if you do not act in the here and now and let your heart and spirit guide you."

"Okay," I said in very faint tones, feeling the butterflies in my stomach doing their fair share of free sparring, "But…when?"

"You will know the time," Lotion said, "You alone will know when you are ready. In the meantime…"

"I know," I sighed, "Back to more training, right?"

"Until you can perform the Dance in your sleep and it becomes second nature," she said with quiet insistence, adding on the sly, "Time enough to let the future take care of itself, when we live those moments that are to come, and not a second before then."

"Yes, Obi-Wan," I sighed, resuming the kata from the beginning, yet strangely finding it easier to do this time while my thoughts floated like water and filled with warm and inviting images of a potential future for me and Ranma…with Shampoo somehow figuring into the mixture…

"What do you think they're talking about?" Ranma asked as he glanced over at Nabiki and Lotion.

"Shampoo no know," his companion replied, "They talking too soft for Shampoo hear them."

"Do you…think it's about us?" Ranma asked with a curious reluctance.

"Shampoo hope so," Shampoo smiled beatifically, "But maybe it more to do with training."

"You mean Lore Master Stuff?" Ranma said, then glanced at his purple haired companion, "Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Look, about what your mom was tellin' me last night…"

"Shampoo mother tell you about what like to be woman?" Shampoo smiled at him, "How you have curse for so long and no have period, Ranma? Being womans is no so bad thing like you think, but it no easy as being man, Shampoo think…"

Ranma gave a short, bitter laugh and said, "Yeah…only I never had any idea there was so much stuff to know about it. Your mom's a pretty cool teacher…she managed to tell me all that embarassin' stuff and still make me feel less stupid than when I asked Pop about it…"

"That no hard," it was Shampoo's turn to snort, "Still, Shampoo envy you, Ranma…"

"Wha-?" Ranma blinked.

"You spend time with Shampoo mother," Shampoo sighed, "Shampoo no do that in long time. Shampoo mother no have time to talk with Shampoo since she train with Great Grandmother, and when we do talk Shampoo no easy time explain what happen. Shampoo mother very angry at Great Grandmother for curse, but Shampoo glad that mother approve of husband and wife, so maybe it no be so bad now."

"Yeah…I could see she and the old woman don't get along too well," Ranma said, "Look…for what it's worth, Shampoo, I'm gonna try and make things work out for us. Your mom's gonna be helping me to work out some stuff I need to get straight before I can even think about marryin' you or even Nabiki…" he paused to swallow thickly, "I mean…this stuff about what you both want me to do as a…ah…you know…"

"Groom?" Shampoo smiled with a hint of mischief in her eyes, "You want know that you no need go to Shampoo mother…Shampoo more than willing to help husband learn everything Ranma need know about that…"

"Ah…" Ranma's throat was suddenly very dry, and the look the Amazon was giving him made the young martial artist feel like a beast of prey who was about to be stalked by a hungry predator. The analogy to Shampoo's neko form was much too close to home for his liking and he found himself feeling the urge to take a step backward, but he steeled himself to remain where he was, remembering something else Comb had told him about women.

"Son-in-law," she had said the previous night, "Do not leave my daughter or Nabiki in any doubt about your feelings. A woman needs to know that she is in the thoughts of the man whom she desires, and even if you don't give into their desires for you right away you must try not to give them the idea that you are avoiding them and do not have positive feelings towards them. Let them have hope that there is a possible future between you and all will be well, I promise.

Yeah, right, Ranma thought to himself with a hopeless, sinking sensation, and yet somehow he was finding it difficult to look away from the ardor that he saw in the eyes of the purple haired Amazon before him. He thought of Nabiki in the same light and found an uncomfortable stiffness forming in his loins, which was why he half-turned away from her and said, "Maybe…ah…I'll get back to you on that, okay? I just need a little time to get through this, and I'll try to somehow make it up to you, okay?"

"Shampoo hold you to that promise," Shampoo emphasized the word with delicious sweetness, "Airen."

Ranma swallowed once again and said, "Okay…I gotta go now, but we'll talk about this some more later on, okay? Seeya!"

And with that he vaulted out of the yard, clearing the wall in a single bound, leaving behind a very confused and frustrated Amazon, who sighed and tried to content herself with the knowledge that her husband's resistance was slowly crumbling. Now if she could only work the same effect on her wife then she was confident of her eventual triumph, and once she had them both responding to her favors…

She sighed and glanced skyward, thinking silently to herself, [Lo-Xion, my once-love, you will always be in my heart, pray for me in my success and I will honor you forever.]

She glanced over to see her wife performing the Dance of Life and she smiled inwardly. Success was near to hand, all she needed to do was exercise a little more patience and her reward would make up for the delay in the sweet savor of the future that she hoped to enjoy from both of her Airen…

"This is it?" Ukyo asked as she stared uncertainly at the many pools that she saw before her.

"Yes, honored customer," replied the too-enthusiastic young girl named Plum, who had introduced herself as the daughter of the regular Jusenkyo guide, who was himself away on other business at the moment, "These Cursed Springs of Jusenkyo, and spring that Honored Amazon Elder ask about right this way under pole over that way."

"Nanniichuan," Ukyo murmured faintly, "And Nyaniichuan?"

"That way two pools over," Plum replied, a puzzled look upon her face as she regarded what appeared to her eyes to be a handsome young boy (and the best thing she had set eyes upon since coming home to visit with her father), "Why you interested?"

"I…have a friend who has a curse," Ukyo explained, "I was told that the waters might be able to help him...""

"Oh," Plum replied, then blinked her eyes and said, "Must be some friend you want risk going near cursed springs. You no want fall in, is very bad thing, many tragic stories…"

"I know," Ukyo replied as she started forward, "I had it all explained to me by the Elder."

"Oh?" Plum turned a look back towards the two people who hung back at the edge of the clearing, amazed that the handsome foreigner would warrant the attentions of both the Amazon Elder and Chief enforcer of the Nyanchiczu.

"<Elder>," Perfume said nervously as she hung back well away from the pools, "<Is this such a good idea, letting her go out there like that? The stories about the springs luring the unwary into their midst…>"

"<It is a risk that must be taken, Great Granddaughter,>" Cologne said with a nod of resignation in her voice, "<Young Kuonji has had the risks explained to her in detail, but she is determined to go through with this, and for the sake of your cousin I have chosen to honor her wishes.>"

"<Forgive me, Great Grandmother,>" Perfume bowed her head, "<I would never question your wisdom, but are you certain that this warrior wishes to avoid getting a curse of her own? There's something about the way she spoke before that worries me greatly…something in her tone…>"

"<I know exactly what you mean,>" Cologne replied, "<And in all truth I don't know whether she intends to go through with this or not. It is her destiny to decide, I can do nothing more than I have to bring her here with a warning. The rest is up to Kuonji…and Jusenkyo.>"

"<But…why would she risk this for Shampoo?>" the brown haired Enforcer asked, "<From what you were telling me before she should logically be a rival for Shampoo's husband…>"

"<There is a word in their language that would describe her actions,>" Cologne explained, "<Giri, an honor commitment that cannot be broken or avoided. Kuonji feels that she owes Shampoo a favor, so she is determined to make this gesture as restitution for inconveniencing your cousin.>"

"<Giri,>" Perfume shook her head, "<It is not an Amazon custom, but if it means she will risk this to help Shampoo…then it is not my place to object. What I truly don't understand, though, is why Shampoo risked herself for her sake. They are not friends or blood kin…>"

"<In all truth I very much doubt Shampoo herself knows her reasons,>" Cologne replied, "<But that is another reason why I agreed to young Kuonji's proposal, because Shampoo obviously saw something in her that was worth risking a double-curse."

Perfume said nothing for several seconds, watching the woman named Kuonji Ukyo kneeling down before one of the pools before carefully undoing the straps to the backpack that she had been carrying, then knelt down to begin pulling out a number of transparent plastic containers. At the enforcer spoke again, "<Too bad if something does happen. She is…very attractive, for an outsider girl.>"

"<You need not conceal from me that you have an interest, child,>" Cologne said in mild amusement, "<In truth I do see much promise in young Kuonji, and if she were agreeable to training she might well make a worthy addition to our tribe. Still…>"

"<Elder!"> Perfume suddenly cried out, taking a half-step forward before her instinctive fear of the place checked her forward momentum.

Cologne's eyes narrowed by a fraction as she saw what had caused the sudden alarm in her adopted great granddaughter, then with a tired sigh of resignation that betrayed her many years she said, "It is fate…">

Continued

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