JediKasumi11

Jedi Kasumi

By
Jim R Bader
&
Brandon Kelley

(Inspired by the works of Takahashi & Lucas)

Chapter Eleven.

A New Slope

Having weathered
the crisis of both Sith
and his mother, Ranma has
begun his training under Trieste
and Kasumi while Tatewaki Kuno gains
new insight from his mother on the nature of
both the Force and the Jedi, not yet knowing that he
has come under the scrutiny of the villainous Darth Purge,
who is considering his recruitment to the Dark Side...

Meanwhile, Purge's
misguided apprentice, Ukyo,
is contemplating why her attempt to
sound out Akane Tendo for a possible conversion
has not yet gone quit as expected, little realizing that it
is Akane who is considering her for potential "conversion..."





Ukyo sat atop the clock tower overlooking the schoolyard with her 
chin resting in the palm of one hand, staring down at the ant-like 
students while pondering to herself, (I must be doing something wrong 
here, either that or that Akane chick is even more screwed up than I'd 
imagined...)

It was all so terribly confusing to the young Apprenticed Sith, reared 
as she had been to admire only "strong" emotions such as anger and 
hate, the weapons of the Sith in their eternal war against the Jedi.  Her 
first impressions of Akane had seemed to suggest that the girl was 
fairly boiling over with those qualities, much of her hostility rightfully 
directed against Saotome Ranma, Ukyo's betrayer and wayward 
"fiancee."  It had seemed like such a simple idea to approach the girl 
and sound her out for possible conversion, and what a potential coup 
that would be to turn one of the Jedi Apprentices over to their side of 
the fence!  Her Master would have been proud of such an 
accomplishment in his Padawan, and yet from the moment she and 
Akane had exchanged words nothing had gone quite as she had 
imagined...

Ukyo was not accustomed to dealing with emotions of a lighter nature.  
Fear and greed she could manipulate, but someone actually trying to 
be friendly towards her was a new experience, and one for which she 
was not properly trained to handle.  Akane had sympathized with 
Ukyo's plight and motivations for her anger and even seemed willing 
to ignore the potential threat Ukyo posed to her two older sisters, 
suggesting that there was even less domestic tranquility on that 
homefront than even Darth Purge had imagined.

Only Ukyo was not quite entirely convinced that there was any real 
negative feelings between Akane and her sisters.  It had seemed more 
like some variation on sibling rivalry rather than sibling resentment, 
and besides...Akane's real concerns had seemed to be with Ukyo 
herself as if she were genuinely offering an informal truce between 
them as individuals, disregarding their opposing alignments.

Okay so far...Akane was a bit odd and contrary in nature, a cute girl 
who had a quick temper and was full of resentments, most of which 
seemed to be directed towards the boys of her school, which was 
understandable since a fair proportion of the student body tried to beat 
her up every morning, with predictable results considering that Akane 
was part Jedi.

But then this morning proved to be the weirdest encounter by far!  
Ukyo had found herself sitting next to Akane and receiving occasional 
friendly stares from the other girl, followed by a slipped note that 
suggested that they meet together during lunch recess to renew their 
talk without the interference of her mentor.  Ukyo had agreed to the 
meeting behind the girls' lockers and had thought that she had come 
prepared for anything...but what actually happened during their 
conversation was unlike anything for which the young Sith had 
thought likely to happen...

"First off, I want to apologize for my Sensei interrupting us 
yesterday," Akane began in the first of several surprising comments 
that were to follow, "I know it was rude, but I know my Sensei meant 
well and was only trying to look out for what she thought was my best 
interests."

"You don't trust the judgement of your Master?" Ukyo had wondered.


"I can do my own thinking for myself, thank you," Akane responded, 
"And I don't really believe that you're my enemy, even if you do work 
for the Dark Side."

"And how would you know that?" Ukyo challenged.

"Because as angry as you are about Ranma and his father, or what they 
did to you ten years ago, the only fight you have with me is that I was 
trained by a Jedi," Akane answered, "You really don't have any beef 
with me personally, unless you want to prove that you're a tough guy, 
which would make you no better than a common bully."

"And your point is?" Ukyo glowered.

"That I think you're better than that," Akane said, "You train real hard 
and you're very strong, I can feel it.  I don't think Nabiki could take 
you, but Kasumi probably could, and you're way lots more powerful 
than that Ranma guy, so what would be the point of trying to beat me 
up...unless you'd just like to fight with me, which is okay in my book."

"It is?" Ukyo was surprised by this comment.

"Sure," Akane said with a grin, "I like to fight...fighting is how I test 
myself and push my skills to the limit.  It's how I improve myself and 
refine my techniques.  Fighting is what I do best and the thing that 
makes me feel the most alive, and tell me if you don't feel the same 
way yourself about fighting!  I'll bet you enjoy a good scrap as much 
as I do...especially if you're fighting against a really strong opponent."

"And doesn't it bother you that I could probably kick your ass?" Ukyo 
challenged.

"Yeah, right," Akane grinned broader, "Like it would be that easy...but 
if I was afraid of getting hurt, then what would I be doing training to 
fight in the first place."

"Hmm...good point," Ukyo smirked, unslinging her spatula, "I gotta 
admit that I like your fighting spirit, but you're way out of your league 
if you think you can stand up to me in a straight fight...Sugar."

Ukyo lunged with her Bakers peel, but Akane raised a hand and the 
blade-edge was deflected harmlessly to the side.  Ukyo tried again but 
once more encountered a strong TK field that easily met and turned the 
spatula to the side so that it missed Akane altogether.  In the moment 
that Ukyo started to withdraw the force in Akane's left hand shot 
forward and Ukyo felt herself being picked up and propelled 
backwards in a roll from which she easily recovered.  No sooner had 
her feet touched ground then she found Akane charging her at a Force-
propelled momentum, and with hasty motions employing the handle of 
her weapon she managed to deflect a series of punches and kicks that 
were incredibly powerful and backed by a fury that was the equal to a 
giant hammer.

"Kuso!" Ukyo declared as the two of them broke apart to reassess one 
another, "You are good!"

"Told you so," Akane smiled, "And you're pretty incredible yourself.  
Nice recovery from that force blast.  Guess you can see now why it's a 
mistake to underestimate me."

"Well, if you've been working out crashing thirty or forty guys every 
morning, I guess that means you're not such a pushover," Ukyo's own 
smile deepened, "But I think you'll find that I'm a lot tougher than you 
realize, and a few tricks won't be enough to prevail against me!"

Ukyo stood her ground and raised her baker's peel high, then gathered 
the Force about her in preparation of a new attack, launching herself 
forward with greater speed and strength than even Akane had 
anticipated and battering against the other girl's shields with rapid 
thrusts that forced Akane to back away, dodging the spatula as fast as 
she was able.

But then Akane surprised Ukyo again by falling over onto one hand 
and lifting up her legs in a double-kick that passed under the Chef's 
guard and nearly connected against Ukyo's stomach.  Only by turning 
her body to the side was she able to avoid the solid impact that might 
have knocked the wind from her sails but instead merely grazed her.

"Why you--!" Ukyo growled and swung her peel like an ax, trying to 
slice her opponent in half.

"Oh, don't get angry," Akane smiled as she gripped the handle of the 
peel and stood poised to one side, "Frowning will only give you 
wrinkles, and you're much too pretty a girl to be ruining your looks 
like that."

"W-What?" Ukyo was taken completely by surprise by that remark 
and momentarily faltered, giving Akane the edge she needed to  twist 
her body to one side and throw the dark-clad girl over one shoulder.

"Gotcha that time," Akane said as she twirled the baker's peel in her 
hand like a baton, "You're very powerful and skilled, but I've got a lot 
of raw strength in my use of the Force, so you give me the least little 
opening and I'll be all over you like a blanket."

"Give me that!" Ukyo stretched out her hand and Akane felt the tug on 
her arm as the spatula tried to yank itself free.

Rather than resist the pull, however, Akane just smiled, opened her 
hand and added her own "push" to the metal object, causing it to speed 
up its momentum to a much greater extent than what Ukyo had been 
prepared for.

"SUNUVA---!" Ukyo swore as she dodged her own weapon, which 
imbedded itself in the wall directly behind her.

"Well, you wanted it, didn't you?" Akane raised her fists and once 
again grinned broadly, "But what do you need physical weapons for?  
Aren't you strong enough to do this bare-handed?"

"Just try me, Bitch," Ukyo snarled, raising her own fists, "I'll make 
you sorry you ever thought you could play around with me!  Prepare 
for a whole world of hurt!"

And Ukyo charged forward, hands moving like a blur as Akane met 
and blocked a series of punches that were too fast for the human eye to 
perceive, but which also involved a whole lot more than just physical 
contact.  Flashes of light occurred every time Force met Counterforce 
as Jedi and Sith employed their fighting spirits to meet and cancel out 
such powerful blows that a single solid connection would have 
shattered brick into powder.

 It did not take long for Akane to assess the skill and raw power of her 
opponent, which proved to be much greater than her own though 
Akane did her level best to uphold her end of these exchanges.  Ukyo 
also had a greater range and flexibility in her combat style, so it was 
inevitable that she would sooner or later connect with a solid blow, 
and all it took was for Akane to get careless before she found Ukyo's 
foot rocketing for her face.  With a shocking jolt like electricity a red 
and blue flare repelled one another and what kinetic force managed to 
penetrate on Akane's end sent her tumbling for several meters into the 
dirt.

"I told you not to mess with me!" Ukyo snarled as she rushed forward 
to press her advantage, but Akane recovered and vaulted back out of 
the way of the stamp that would have crushed her spine if it had 
connected.

"Aw," Akane pouted as she landed in a crouch, "But I think you'd be 
fun to mess around with...and you're so perfect!  You're giving me a 
much better workout than that wuss, Saotome!"

"You're enjoying yourself?" Ukyo launched herself forward and aimed 
an elbow-smash towards her opponent, only to find the black haired 
girl had ducked low and planted an elbow of her own  towards her 
exposed chest, stunning Ukyo while falling just short of cracking her 
rib-cage.

"Sure," Akane said as she aimed an upward palm-strike that connected 
against Ukyo's chin and sent the apprenticed Sith hurtling skyward, 
"Why not?  This is great, don't you think?"

Ukyo recovered once again but felt as though her jaw was nearly 
dislocated by that last blow.  She crouched low and summoned the 
Force into her being once again, deciding to escalate the match to a 
higher level.  In addition to this she extended one hand and pulled her 
bakers peel loose from the wall in which it had been imbedded, then 
took an aggressive stance that belied the wary apprehension that she 
was feeling at the unexpected strength of her opponent.

"Enjoying myself?" Ukyo replied in a low growl, "I don't know what 
you're talking about!  I haven't enjoyed anything since the day 
Saotome ruined my life!"

"Are you sure?" Akane seemed genuinely interested, "Because it's 
such a shame, you being such a pretty girl and all that while having to 
waste yourself over some creep who obviously never appreciated 
you."

"What?" Ukyo blinked, "Are you calling me pretty?"

"Of course," Akane replied with a winsome smile that belied the 
bruises she was sporting on her own face, "You mean you don't know 
how pretty you are?  Hasn't anybody ever told you?"

"Don't make fun of me!" Ukyo snarled as the waves of the Force 
began to curl and roil around her body, manifesting an almost visible 
battle aura, "I'm not pretty!  I'm a Sith!"

"So?" Akane replied, "What's that got to do with anything?  You think 
dressing up like a boy changes the fact that you're all woman?  I say 
you're pretty."

"SHUT UP!" Ukyo charged  with her summoned energies and 
launched what was by far her most devastating attack to date, slashing 
the air with such force that it carved a deep gouge in the soil and sent a 
wave of destructive power that extended for a full twenty meters 
before finally being dissipated.

But Akane had managed to get out of the way well in advance of the 
attack, and when the last ebb of dark energies was expended Ukyo 
found Akane perched on the edge of the spatula, balancing easily as 
she knelt down and smiled at Ukyo, then said, "In fact...I think you're 
even kind of cute."

"W-What?" Ukyo recoiled from that, "N-No way!  You've got to be 
joking!"

"Now why would I joke about a thing like that?" Akane asked with a 
sincerely puzzled expression, "You think I'd say you were cute if I 
didn't mean it?"

"I'm not cute!" Ukyo declared and forced Akane off her spatula, then 
tried to swat her with it, but the other girl used levitation to remain just 
out of reach of the swing, then tumbled clear of it and landed right 
before Kuonji.

"Yes you are," Akane smiled, "You're positive Kawaii.  Haven't you 
ever looked at yourself in a mirror?"

Ukyo's backswing failed to connect as Akane vaulted backwards and 
landed out of reach of her weapon.  Ukyo snarled and aimed her 
spatula at Akane's middle, only to have the edge caught narrowly 
between Akane's palms as the other girl brought her hands together, 
bringing the blade to a momentary impasse.

"Geez," Akane winced, "What are you so upset about?  Call a girl cute 
and she gets so emotional..."

"Stop calling me that!" Ukyo snarled and tried to force her weapon 
free from the other girl's grip, only to discover that Akane's strength 
was tenacious.

"What's going on here?" an older woman's voice rang out, "What do 
you two girls think you are doing?"

"Miss Noriko?" Akane reacted, then stepped away and let the baker's 
peel go and assumed an innocent pose, "Nothing, Coach...we were 
just...working out."

"WORKING OUT?" the girl's PE coach declared in disbelief, waving 
a hand to show the recent field of battle, "Look at all this damage!  
You call this working out, Tendo?"

"Well," Akane cupped her hands behind her head and glanced in a 
nonchalant manner off into the distance, "Maybe we did get a little bit 
carried away...but that sometimes happens in a fight, don't you know?"

"Don't give me that cute, flippant attitude of yours!" Noriko snarled, 
"The rest of the faculty may buy into your 'Nice Girl' act, but I know 
you better!  Just be glad I'm friends with your parents or I'd be sending 
you the bill to pay for these damages!  Just the same I'm going to have 
you work it off for costing this school much needed repair funds!  And 
you---Kuonji, isn't it?"

"Me?" Ukyo was surprised at the female Coach's vehemence.

"Do your flirting with my students on your own time!" Noriko 
growled, "Don't you boys have anything better to do when you want to 
pick up girls for a date?"

"What?" Ukyo blinked, "But I---!"

"No excuses!" Noriko snarled, "You gang up on Tendo every morning 
trying to impress her, and now here you are chasing after her during 
lunch recess!  I've a mind to talk to your coach to have some of these 
Sporting clubs be disbanded since they're turning out more Juvenile 
delinquents than actual sports stars these days!"

"But I'm not---!" Ukyo sputtered.

"Coach, Ukyo's new on campus," Akane said, "You don't expect a new 
student to understand all the rules about how things get done here, do 
you?"

"Don't you encourage him, Tendo!" Noriko rounded on the younger 
girl, "Just because you're this school's greatest athlete doesn't entitle 
you to any special favors, and when you get to my class, young lady, 
you'll be running laps and doing so many pushups that you'll think 
you're in the Home Defense service!  Now, knock it off and get back 
to your classes!"

The female coach turned and stormed angrily away, leaving a much-
bewildered  Ukyo standing around with the edge of her baker's peel 
resting on the ground while her hand only lightly gripped it.

"Don't let her get to you," Akane urged, "Coach may sound like she 
means it but she's more bark than bite.  I get talked down like that all 
the time and it doesn't really mean a thing unless you get stuck having 
her in your classes."

"You...get chewed out like that all the time?" Ukyo turned to her, 
"What are you, some kind of junior JD or something?"

"Oh, I'm not that bad, honest," Akane replied, "I just have 
a...reputation around this place.  Well, guess we'd better call this off 
for now.  Good fight, we'll have to do this again sometime.  Be seeing 
you around."

And with that Akane walked right past Ukyo, passing her 
affectionately on the shoulder while Kuonji tried to sort out what had 
just happened.  By the time she said, "Hey!" Akane was long gone and 
lunch period was ending, so she had to hurry off to classes, all the 
while wondering just how their fight had turned into such a "friendly" 
altercation.

She was still trying to figure it out long after classes had ended, and 
sitting atop the clock tower gave her time to think it over.  She 
replayed the fight in her mind, struck by the powerful impression that 
Akane really had been enjoying herself during their altercation 
together.  Ukyo remembered getting really angry and going all out 
against the other girl, yet for all of that Akane had held her own and 
gave back as good as she had given, and for all Ukyo had 
demonstrated the superior level of skill, the raw strength of Akane's 
TK Force was unmistakable and had actually managed to deter her.

"What the hell is with that girl?" she muttered softly, "It's almost like 
she thought our fight was just a game or something..."

"You there!"

Ukyo was astonished that anyone could have snuck up behind her 
without her knowing, and she leaped to her feet drawing her baker's 
peel in one fluid motion as if expecting an attack.  What she found 
instead was Kuno Tatewaki standing off a short distance in his Kendo 
Hakama, his expression level and not overtly hostile but neither 
welcome nor friendly, leaving Ukyo to wonder at his intentions.

"What do you want?" she challenged tensely.

"You are the one named Kuonji Ukyo...the woman who goes dressed 
like a man to symbolize her renunciation of her own sex to spite the 
boy whom you believe has betrayed you?" Tatewaki asked in a cool 
and casual manner.

"That's one way of putting it, I suppose," Ukyo replied, "So what is it 
to you?"

"I am a friend to the House of Tendo," the tall boy replied, "Kuno 
Tatewaki, age seventeen and by rights your Sempai.."

"Sempai?" Ukyo snorted, "Yeah, right..."

"I have come because you have extended your feud with Saotome 
Ranma to include members of the House of Tendo.  I would ask that 
you desist in this endeavor."

"You ask?" Ukyo repeated with a skeptical expression, "You and what 
army?"

"Tendo Kasumi...is one I care for and would not wish to see harmed in 
any manner," Kuno replied, "I mean to challenge her in the hopes that 
one day I will be able to make her mine.  Similarly I do not wish to see 
harm befall the youngest Tendo sister, Akane.  I care little for the 
middle sister, but I suppose seeing her hurt would greatly distress the 
others, so I ask that you desist likewise."

"You're the guy they say runs most of the sporting clubs in this place," 
Ukyo noted, "They also say you put those guys up to attacking Akane 
every morning..."

"Phaw," Kuno said dismissively, "As if that mindless rabble would 
ever have a prayer at Heaven's gate of overwhelming her.  They do 
that to assuage their own wounded egos, knowing that a 'mere' slip of a 
girl is more man than the lot of them put together.  Nonetheless, I have 
tired of the sport and have relented to inform them that such childish 
antics will no longer be tolerated.  Whatever mild amusement or 
exercise Akane once did derive from these encounters surely no longer 
even matters, not when Akane has other more demanding sport to 
occupy her attention."

"Hah?" Ukyo blinked her eyes, seeing the way the tall boy was 
nodding in her direction.

"I did hear of your encounter with Akane this noontime," Tatewaki 
revealed, "I arrived in time to witness an display of considerable 
dimension that actually tested the sweet flower of our campus to her 
limits.  Though your battle was ended prematurely, it was plain 
enough to me that you are a worthy foe who can give fair Akane the 
sport that she has desperately needed.  I come here merely to ask that 
you not carry matters farther than mere sparring else I think you will 
discover far more about her than you have intended."

"Excuse me?" Ukyo's eyes narrowed, "What do you mean by 'carry 
things farther?'"

"I am loath to say more," Kuno replied, "A gentleman does not sully 
himself by adding fuel to the already irresponsible and reckless 
slanders that others have hurled about the fair Tendo Akane.  It is clear 
to me that you will be far more entertaining for her than the others on 
this campus, but I would be remiss if I did not give fair warning that 
there could be...unforeseen consequences to your actions."

"Let me see if I understand this right," Ukyo frowned, "You don't 
mind if I fight with her, but you're worried I might actually try to harm 
your precious little flower?"

"You are good, and possibly strong enough that you might well 
overwhelm her defenses," Kuno said simply, "But before that happens 
I think you may well make a discovery about sweet, innocent Akane 
that others have made before you.  I cannot go into any details, but 
suffice it to say that there are...other reasons why Akane is so popular 
on this campus...what is reputedly the fantasy of most men and all that.  
In truth it is not any affair of mine, but that I would not wish to see 
Akane succumb to any further...temptations."

"Temptations?" Ukyo knew she was repeating things here, but at the 
moment she did not care as she tried to fathom out the arcane meaning 
in the roundabout allusions in the tall boy's statements.

"Indeed," Kuno nodded, "You are fair...in a manner that some would 
call Bishonen...and it could well be that you have intentions of your 
own in that regard, no doubt the result of the ill treatment that you 
received from the foul Saotome.  It is a great sorrow for which the 
Heavens must weep that such a radiant flower of loveliness should 
disguise herself in manly raiment to spite such a lowly creature, but to 
carry it further in the discarding of your true sex would be a travesty 
unparalleled.  I would ask that you not wound yourself in such an ill-
thought manner and add fuel to the fire of Akane's own revulsion of 
her proper place as a woman."

Ukyo took a moment to try and decipher the speech before giving up 
in disgust and saying, "What the hell are you talking about?  I just 
want revenge, my only interest in the Tendos is because they're school 
is the natural rival to my school..."

"And yet you would seek to bring Akane over to your side?" Kuno 
nodded shrewdly, "Well, that is your affair, not mine.  However, in 
token gesture that you are new on this campus and cannot be expected 
to know of such things, I would give you fair warning about Kasumi.  
She is mine and in that we do have a conflict...not that I think that you 
pose any real danger to her, as skilled as you are bold and daring."

"Is that some kind of a threat?" Ukyo raised her baker's peel in 
challenge.

"Kuno Tatewaki does not deign to threaten women," the boy said a bit 
stiffly, "I will fight with you one day, if that is to be our fate, but until 
such time it is for your sake that I give fair warning.  Kasumi is not 
one to be dismissed lightly, I well know this.  You are strong and 
clearly a good fighter, but she is the best that I have ever witnessed, 
saving only for her Sensei, which should well go without further 
elaboration."

"Huh, we'll see about that, Sugar," Ukyo smiled a smile lacking humor 
and held her spatula at the ready.

"That we will indeed," Kuno replied, "Well, I have spoken my piece, 
now I will give you time to ponder my warnings.  I bear you no ill will 
at the present, you who have just cause for vengeance, and I even wish 
you well against your true intended target.  Just remember what I have 
said about Kasumi and Akane...it is not my wish to see you come to a 
bad end, it is rather my assurance that things will not end as you 
imagine.  Oh...and I suppose I should say something about Nabiki, but 
in truth...I really cannot give much of a damn about that one.  Do as 
you like...for now...and we will meet again when the fates do decree 
it."

Ukyo stood for a long time after the tall boy took his leave of the bell 
tower, then under her breath she muttered the words, 
"That...Jackass...!"

But whether she meant him or herself she could hardly say, because 
there was something in his veiled warning that disturbed her, and the 
young Sith apprentice felt a chill pass down her spine that had nothing 
to do with any shifting in the weather.  She had the nagging sense that 
she was missing something that was glaringly obvious to the Samurai-
wannabe that Ukyo knew to be significant, even if she could not quite 
put her finger on the matter.  It was something about the Tendo 
sisters...Kasumi and Akane...and possibly even this new girl, 
Shampoo, that meant something significant for the future, but exactly 
what that was she was at a total loss to divine and probably would not 
understand until she had more reliable information.

"This is nuts," she growled to herself, scanning the horizon before 
turning to glance in the direction of the camp that she shared with her 
Sensei and fellow Sith.  There was no way that she could return to 
camp with her thoughts in such disarray that it would tend to provoke 
questions for which Ukyo would have no answer.

"Curse you, Ranma," Ukyo snarled, knowing full well who she was 
starting to sound like as she said this, "This is all your fault!  You'll 
pay for this someday, I swear it...!"




Ranma sneezed, then wondered why he had done so.  His ears were 
also burning slightly, and he wondered if that had any significance to 
his training.  He had never truly been sick a day in his life so it never 
even occurred to him to wonder if he might be coming down with the 
sniffles.

"Is there a problem, Ranma-kun?" Kasumi asked him from where she 
sat facing him a few meters away in the middle of the dojo, both of 
them sitting in a full lotus.

"Nah," Ranma dismissed, "Probably just got a little dust up my 
nostrils.  Sorry I lost my concentration."

"Just relax and allow yourself to regain your focus, Ranma-kun," 
Kasumi smiled, "Don't use force to ease the mind...just think of a pool 
of ultimately still water coming to a rest as your thoughts drift away 
into nothing.  You won't need to think or say anything when this 
happens...you will know when you find that ultimate stillness, and I 
will know when you have found it."

"Uh...right," Ranma said, wondering how in the hell he was supposed 
to act calm in the face of this incredible girl who was currently playing 
the part of his instructor.   She was calm and gentle to a degree he had 
never even imagined, and kind towards him in a way no one else had 
ever been.  As with Nabiki, she was beautiful beyond description 
without being overwhelming...and no where near as intimidating in 
that regard as Shampoo, who tended to flaunt her own considerable 
beauty in a totally unselfconscious and even brazen manner.  Kasumi 
was simply beautiful both within and without, and it was her spirit that 
made him feel more than a little shy in her presence.

That such a girl could also have been throwing him around the room 
like a proverbial rag doll the night before just added further mystery to 
the picture.  It was confusing the more that he came to know her as a 
person, how utterly approachable she was in certain areas, how 
unfathomable she could be in others.  Not like with Nabiki, who was 
very approachable and altogether more earthy.  Kasumi had an 
ethereal quality all her own that made him wonder if she were entirely 
real or just a phenomenon of his confused perceptions.  He wanted to 
reach out and touch her just to confirm that she was real and solid, but 
he did not know how to frame the request in any conscious manner.  
The very warmth of her smile did something that caused his heart to 
beat a little faster, and that was not even going into the way he had so 
recently become aware of the dimensions of her lithe, well-trained 
body that moved in a very different sense from his own bulkier male 
form.

In truth it was more than a little like the confusion he felt whenever he 
was with Nabiki, a girl he found enormously attractive as a person but 
whom he could not figure out for the life of himself.  Nabiki was 
ephemeral and mercurial on the inside, very much real on the outside, 
a riddle wrapped inside an enigma, and the more he got to know her 
the more he found himself coming up with new questions.

Just trying to relax was becoming a problem given what a presence she 
had, and the fact that his acute sense of smell could detect her aroma 
from the other side of the dojo.  (She smells like cherry blossoms), his 
mind reported dreamily, (Nabiki smells a little more like cinnamon 
and...WHERE THE HECK DID THAT THOUGHT COME 
FROM???)

He was more than slightly shaken to realize that he could be this much 
affected by a girl he had only just met, but oddly enough he was 
enjoying the experience, and the memory of the softness of being 
hugged in this older girl in his arms was enough to send his senses 
reeling.  Nabiki was---by contrast---a bit more aloof and stand-offish, 
but she often looked as though she needed a hug of her own, and that 
prompted Ranma to wonder what it would be like to hold her in his 
arms in an even more intimate manner, which in turn caused Ranma to 
feel a jolt of self-consternation, wondering privately if he really was 
turning into a Hentai!

(What is it with these two sisters?) he silently marveled, (And why do 
I feel such confusing stuff whenever I'm around them?)

That thought prompted the memory of the other Tendo girl, the one 
who had not warmed up to him on his first day living in their 
household.  Akane was puzzling to him for very different reasons than 
either of her two older siblings, a contradiction he did not understand, 
and one he was not sure that he wanted to either.  The hostility she had 
shown on the first couple of days had diminished in intensity to a more 
general bland indifference, not doubt the result of being "talked to" by 
Trieste and her sisters...

Or maybe not, Ranma realized with another odd turn of mental 
directions.  Although he was not big on understanding things like 
psychology and behavior, he had noticed a remarkable change in 
Akane's general attitude upon her meeting up with Ukyo, and then 
Shampoo, which for some reason had seemed to distract her from her 
usual "I Hate Boys" tirade.  It was odd to remark, now that he actually 
thought about it, but Akane did seem a lot friendlier when talking to 
his Amazon clan-sister.  He wondered if it was just his imagination or 
was the youngest Tendo child really...?

(Naw, it couldn't be), he thought with chagrin, (Don't imagine stuff 
like that, Saotome, it ain't right to think stuff like that about a girl just 
'cause she acts so Butch most of the time...)

Besides which there was a good chance that either Kasumi or Nabiki 
might hear him, and since he already knew these girls could read 
minds he was not about to get caught making such accusations to their 
hot-tempered sister.  Besides which, it was more Shampoo's thing than 
his and he knew the Amazon could more than handle herself if Akane 
tried anything improper.  He tried once again to let go of his conscious 
thoughts, content to let the matter of Akane slide for now, relegating it 
to the category of "somebody else's business...




Akane and Shampoo---as it just so happened---were sitting outside of 
the dojo enjoying the beauty of the small and neatly arranged garden, 
though in truth the bulk of Akane's attention seemed to be focused on 
her companion, and on thinking a recurring question over and over, (I 
wonder if that hair really is a natural color...)

"So," Akane asked after allowing a suitable silence to hang over the 
both of them, "What do you think about Japan?  Is this really your first 
time in this country?"

Shampoo nodded, "The first time this one has ventured so far beyond 
her homeland.  This one is very impressed with the homeland of her 
clan-sisters, the mountains here are very different from what we have 
in the Bayankalah ranges, though nothing quite compares to the sacred 
White Rock Mountain that lays just north of Joketsuzoku.  You should 
come and see our country some day, you would find the experience 
most enlightening, this one wagers."

"You wager?" Akane asked, "You mean you bet?"

"This one...does have a taste for gambling," Shampoo reluctantly 
admitted, "A weakness that upsets her great grandmother.  This one 
does try and curb that temptation, but...there is something about the 
element of risk that this one finds very...attractive.  Of course with this 
one's familiarity with the Force there is far less that is taken to chance, 
and very few challenges that can actually test her."

"That's very...interesting," Akane murmured thoughtfully, "So...what 
do you usually bet on, and what are the stakes?"

Shampoo smiled a half-lidded smile as she easily read the budding 
interest in the other girl.  Being no stranger to such flirtations, she 
casually remarked, "It would depend on what one held of sufficient 
value.  This one has taken bets in the past that involved the exchange 
of...various favors."

"Oh?" Akane lifted an eyebrow at that, then a bit too casually noted, 
"My sister, Nabiki, also likes to gamble, but since she's clairvoyant it 
doesn't really work out for her so good, not unless it's something really 
random with a lot of variables..."

"This one did not know that we were talking about your sister," 
Shampoo noted in a sultry voice, "What sort of thing would you care 
to wager against this one?"

"Ah..." Akane said a bit shyly, "That all...depends...I'm not as good at 
making bets as my sister."

"This one sympathizes," Shampoo replied, "This one prefers to gamble 
on something that challenges her abilities and tests her resolve.  If this 
one loses...then she will concede to you a favor."

"A...favor?" Akane asked, trying not to sound as interested as she was 
as she eyed the exotic Chinese girl, which naturally prompted her to 
ask, "Mind if I ask you a question?"

"You jut did."

"Right," Akane softly growled at the gentle sarcasm of that comment, 
"Why do you always refer to yourself as 'This One?'  Doesn't that get a 
little annoying at times?  What's wrong with saying 'I,' 'Me' or 'My' 
instead of talking about yourself in the third person?"

"Forgive this one," Shampoo bobbed her head in token 
acknowledgement of the validity of the question, "In Chinese 
Mandarin it is not always considered appropriate to refer to one's self 
directly.  Amazons are considered boastful and arrogant enough as it is 
without using excessive egoism.  This one could use her name in place 
of 'This One,' but she might sound even more like a girl from the 
country if she did so."

"Heh, good point," Akane smirked, "Still, it wouldn't hurt you to try 
fitting in more with our language.  'This One's sounds way too formal, 
you ought to try using personal pronouns...I know that may seem hard, 
but your Japanese is pretty good in most other respects."

"This one thanks you for the compliment," Shampoo grinned, "Perhaps 
she will...I?  I will try practicing to learn how to say this right."

"At least it'll make you sound less like a tourist," Akane stretched her 
legs as she coyly positioned herself on the steps of the dojo then flexed 
her toes a little before adding, "Will you be staying her for a while 
then?"

"This one...she cannot say," Shampoo replied, "Great-grandmother is 
coming, and when she arrives this one will know her course of action.  
For now this one...I...am?  Am grateful to Big Sister and her family for 
allowing her to stay as a guest of this great house."

"And we're glad to have you with us," Akane grinned, "You must have 
an awful lot of stories that you could tell about Oneechan and the time 
you two spent together."

"This one has many stories," Shampoo's smile became more impish, 
"But she does not think that Big Sister would appreciate if she told all 
of what happened while they were together in China."

"Heh, I thought as much," Akane chuckled, "Sounds weird thinking of 
Kasumi as doing something like that...or even having a girlfriend.  
You don't mind if I call you that, do you?"

"Why would this one mind?" Shampoo replied, "Has this one done 
something of which she should be ashamed?"

"Not in my book," Akane sniffed, "But Dad...well...he can be a bit old-
fashioned about some things.  Mom's cool, though, she doesn't mind 
when I have...ah...friends up to my room...to study."

"Study?" Shampoo asked curiously, "May this one ask what it is that 
you study?"

"Ah..." Akane thought a moment then said, "Biology...no, make that 
Human Anatomy.  Yeah...actually it could be pretty much on any 
subject you like.  Ah...pardon me for asking but...this...guy you're 
seeing back in China?"

"Guy?" Shampoo looked puzzled.

Akane considered her words carefully then said, "You know...the 
person you said you were involved with?"

"Ah," Shampoo understood better this time, "Lo Xion..."

"Lotion?" Akane blinked, "Is that a name?"

"It is the name of the Amazon whom this one is...seeing, as you put it," 
Shampoo replied, "She is an apprenticed healer studying with this 
one's mother.  Great grandmother does not approve of this one's 
involvement with a non-warrior, let alone one who cannot give her 
children, but this one does not always do as her Elders think is proper."

"Really?" Akane's interest level peaked, "You guys don't find it...weird 
or unnatural or anything like that?"

"What do you mean?" Shampoo asked.

"It's just..." Akane tensed a little and looked away, "Not everybody 
understands...I mean...they think a girl who isn't chasing after boys 
is...well...kind of Hentai..."

"What means the word 'Hentai?'" Shampoo asked with sincere 
confusion in her expression.

"Never mind," Akane felt her cheeks burning as she momentarily got 
flustered, then steadied herself with a deep breath and said, "I think it's 
great that you can get to do what you like with your...girlfriend.  Do 
you two have a lot to say and do together?"

"Do?" Shampoo smirked, "We do much, this one and Lo Xion, and 
when we talk...we express ourselves with more than 
words...we...understand each other, just as this one understands when 
Lo Xion has a need to spend time with our other friend, Pur Fum."

"Perfume?" Akane eyed the girl beside her wryly, "Don't take this the 
wrong way, but you guys have some pretty funny names..."

"You think so?" Shampoo grinned back, "This one thinks Scarlet suit 
you well, it describes your face at the present."

"Huh?" Akane automatically reached up to feel her cheeks, then saw 
the other girl break into a wide grin and growled, "You...!"

"This one apologizes," Shampoo abruptly sobered (though Akane 
noticed a lingering crinkle of amusement around her eyes and lips), 
"The one's name...Xian Pu...it means 'Mountain Girl' in your 
language..."

"Really?" Akane arched an eyebrow, "Shampoo actually is a kind of 
coral in Japanese...but in English it would be something you wash your 
hair with."

"So this one has been informed," Shampoo said serenely, "You were 
wondering earlier if this one's hair is truly the color you see.  Would 
you wish to see evidence that can prove this?"

"Huh?" it was rare for Akane to be caught off guard like this, but the 
very forwardness of that statement left her momentarily speechless.

"This one is new to Japan and a stranger to your customs," Shampoo 
replied, "But even in China we are familiar with the term of 'Checking 
One Out,' and if this one is not too mistaken, that is what you have 
been doing for the past hour."

"Ah..." Now Akane's cheeks were really scalded crimson, but with an 
effort she rallied her sense of propriety and said, "But...what about 
your girlfriend in China?"

To her surprise Shampoo leaned closer then murmured in Akane's ear, 
"Lo Xion is in China, Xian Pu is in Japan and we have 
an...understanding between us.  Lo Xion will not blame this one if she 
seeks to make closer ties with her oath sisters."

Akane swallowed on a suddenly thick lump that was in her throat, and 
her voice was a bit unsteady as she gasped, "Ah...by the way...I've 
been meaning to ask you...would you like to see my room?  It's on the 
second floor of our house..."

"This one thought you would never ask," the purple haired Amazon 
purred like an amorous kitten and nuzzled Akane's earlobe, allowing 
the other girl to get a strong whiff of her scent, which smelled like a 
faint brand of lilac-tinted perfume in the nostrils of the youngest 
Tendo sister.

Without need of a further word being spoken between them, Akane got 
up and took Shampoo by the hand, who graciously accepted the 
gesture as the two of them retired to the house, not to be seen for many 
hours that would follow (though quite possibly heard as the walls to 
Akane's room were hardly soundproofed).

Back in the dojo Ranma sensed the two girls were leaving and briefly 
wondered what this odd feeling was that he had felt coming from their 
direction, then decided it did not matter at the moment and silently 
returned to his meditations, his mind beginning to drift freely as he felt 
the warming presence of Kasumi guide him gently on the path of 
ultimate bliss and contentment...




Nabiki Tendo sighed as she lay back on her bed and contemplated the 
wood patterns of the ceiling. She supposed that she really ought to be 
doing something constructive with her time, but her shoulder still 
ached as a lingering reminder of her injury and she was more in a 
mood to sit around and feel sorry for herself than perform any of her 
usual routine labors.

The wound had mostly healed by now, due in no small part to Trieste-
Sensei's skills and training, as well as the Healer arts practiced by both 
Kasumi and that Shampoo girl.  She still felt a twinge now and then, 
especially when she tried to lift something or move her arm in a 
certain direction.  (At least it's out of that damned sling), she thought 
in acid consolation, still smarting more from the fact that she had been 
injured than the injury itself, which had fortunately proven to be more 
superficial than fatal.

She listened to the sounds of the house, then to the notable lack of 
sounds coming from the dojo. I guess Kasumi's started training Ranma 
in meditative techniques, She sighed to herself, adding sourly, (I 
wanted to do that!  I think it would be fun getting to feel his spirit and 
absorb some of that warrior manliness he radiates like a beacon.  I 
mean, not to put Kasumi down, but what's she going to do when she 
feels his dormant libido?  The guy barely even knows he has a sex-
drive, but the moment he finds out what it's good for---WHOOOOO!)

It gave her some small satisfaction in knowing that there were a few 
areas in which she was more knowledgeable than her older sister.  
Kasumi's whole temperament had been geared towards the spiritual 
and mental sides of the art with less of the raw emphasis on lower 
emotional passions.  Kasumi rarely felt any emotional extremes such 
as fear, anger and hate, which was what made her such a perfect 
apprenticed Jedi, but relate to the more common and mundane 
emotions of daily existence?  It fairly boggled Nabiki's imagination to 
even think of Kasumi in any kind of sexual context.

(Well...there was that rather broad hint about her doing it with 
Shampoo, but how much of that can I believe?) Nabiki thought to 
herself in mild irony, (Maybe I should chew that new girl out for 
seducing my naïve older sister, but I really can't see Kasumi turning 
into a rug-muncher.  Heck, I can't even see her doing it with a GUY!  
And I know that Tofu-Sensei or Kuno would be happy to volunteer for 
that assignment...)

Of course that also prompted her to think about the strange sexual 
chemistry that she HAD been feeling coming from BOTH Kasumi and 
their mutual iinazuke.  There was no denying that Kasumi had an 
interest in Ranma that was unusually personal and very intense, for all 
her attempts to hide it.  This was odd in light of Kasumi's often-stated 
despair at finding most young men as "Too Young," and one certainly 
could make a case around the idea that Ranma was no poster boy of 
mature and responsible behavior.

(But for all of that), Nabiki mused, (The boy does come with 
some...interesting compensations...)

Then another thought occurred to her...an exchange that she and 
Ranma had shared earlier in the day when the both of them had shared 
a lunch together.  It had been a fairly awkward affair, Ranma still 
recovering from the incredible surprise that he had received the 
previous night in his match against Kasumi, but it turned out that he 
had another issue in mind on this occasion, bringing up a subject that 
Nabiki had expected would one day be raised, but which---at that 
moment---she had not been fully prepared to handle.

"Nabiki," he had asked, "Why does that Kuno guy keep calling you a 
Mercenary?"

"Ah..." Nabiki had hesitated, glad that the food she had been about to 
swallow was still on the end of her chopsticks and not her mouth, 
"That's...kind of a long story, Ranma-kun..."

"I figured as much," Ranma had replied, "That's why I'm asking."

Nabiki carefully set her half-eaten lunch to one side and said, 
"It's...well...it's kind of like this.  About six or seven years ago our 
Sensei, Trieste, had been going to the market with Kasumi when she 
felt this...sense of disturbance in the force.  It drew her to a mansion 
belonging to the Kuno family, and there Trieste found the lady of the 
house, Kuno Hitome, was about to commit seppuku..."

"Seppuku?" Ranma gasped, his own brief encounter with his mother 
coming to mind with chilling clarity in the realization of what his 
father had promised.

"Yeah," Nabiki looked apologetically at him, "Don't let it get around 
that I told you this, Tatewaki would be furious if he knew I let the cat 
out of the bag..." she paused when she saw Ranma reflexively shudder 
and belatedly realized what she had just said, to which she apologized, 
"Sorry..."

"No problem," Ranma replied with false stoicism, "So...what 
happened?"

"Trieste prevented the suicide and got Kuno's mother the help she 
needed," Nabiki answered, "It was the beginning of a kind-of 
friendship that started between our two houses.  The Kunos felt they 
owed Sensei a debt of honor, and Trieste volunteered to coach Hitome 
in various mind techniques that could help ward off her clinical 
depression.  From what I understand the lady had even deeper 
problems and was even abusing her kids, which is partly why 
Tatewaki is kind of the way he is...a bit eccentric, although nowhere 
near as bad as with his younger sister.  Well, anyway...as I may have 
implied here, the Kunos are pretty wealthy...and in case you couldn't 
guess, we Tendos are anything but."

"Yeah, I kinda figured that one out," Ranma said with typical self-
effacing irony.

"It's not that our parents don't try to put food on the table," Nabiki 
continued, "But we only have a very few paying students who 
regularly frequent the dojo, and it's not as if we can make training in 
the Anything Goes system, let alone training in the Force, open to just 
anybody.  Only certain people have the right discipline, temperament 
and mindset."

"Yeah, I can see that would be a problem," Ranma murmured.

"Well..." Nabiki squirmed uncomfortably on the bench that they were 
sharing, "As you may also have heard, we Jedi aren't supposed to be 
too concerned with things like...material possession...but for crying out 
loud, I was eleven at the time we met, and I...kind of had this crush on 
Tachi..."

"You what?" Ranma arched his eyebrows.

"Yeah, it was stupid, what did you expect?" Nabiki did not meet his 
eyes as she stared at the ground, "We were both the same age and 
we're both a pair of loners...well, sort of.  He's quite the romantic at 
heart and he likes to read poetry and sonnets.  I learned a lot about 
Shakespeare from hanging around with him and for a while I thought 
he was...interesting.  So...okay, he didn't notice me back but started 
paying more attention to Kasumi.  Well...I was pretty hurt about that, 
let me tell you, so being the willful child that I was, I decided to pay 
him back by paying what I thought were some fairly...harmless jokes 
at his expense.  Hey, it's not like I did anything that he hasn't taken 
worse from his own sister!  I mean, she's a real Nut when you get 
down to it, a regular practical joker."

"So, what did you do?" Ranma asked.

"Oh...nothing violent or obscene...well, not too obscene anyway," 
Nabiki amended, "Let's just say it involved him waking up in a bathtub 
with a goat while his underwear was left hanging from a flag pole.  I 
mean...it was stupid, and painting his face like that was kind of cruel, I 
admit, but then again, so was taking his picture like that then 
threatening to publish it in the school paper if he didn't pay me for the 
negatives..."

"You did what?" Ranma blinked, then laughed out loud at the mental 
image this conjured up.

"Hey, I was fourteen, give me a break!" Nabiki protested, "Kasumi 
was away in China studying all kinds of stuff while Akane and me 
were left to our own devices.  I was bored to tears sitting around doing 
nothing but practicing my meditations, so I thought I'd get a little 
amusement while paying Tachi back for insulting me.  Anyway, I did 
other things like that until Mom found out and told me not to, and ever 
since...well...he kind of hung the Mercenary label on me and it's 
managed to stick.  I do have quite a reputation around town as 
someone who it's not safe to mess with, and most boys who see me go 
reaching for their wallets."

"Can't say I've got much to protect," Ranma said, still grinning as he 
thought about Kuno in the compromising situation she had outlined, 
"But you don't seem like such a Mercenary to me."

"That's because I'm trying to live down what I did in the past, Ranma-
kun," Nabiki found herself smiling in spite of her nervousness over 
how he would react to her admissions, "These days I do favors for 
people, and sometimes I accept money as compensation, but I don't 
demand it like I used to."

"Favors?" Ranma asked, "Such as?"

"Well," Nabiki sighed, "Like I told you before, I'm something of a 
clairvoyant.  I can sense things, people, images, and 
events...sometimes randomly, but I'm getting better at perceiving 
things on which I have a focus.  People come to me with their 
problems and I try to help them...and if they give me something for 
it...well...I only refuse if I know they can't afford it."

"That doesn't sound so bad," Ranma said, "I'd call that using your gifts 
to help others, and so what if you get paid for it, as long that's not the 
only reason that you do it."

"Mighty generous of you to think so," Nabiki said in rue, "I also do 
repair work on electronics for people who ask me.  I've got this...thing 
with machines, I'm pretty good at taking things apart and putting 
things together.  You may have noticed that I'm the one who built 
Kasumi's Light Saber."

"Really, wow!" Ranma sounded genuinely impressed, "You've got a 
lot of talents, and you're so smart...and...ah...well..." he glanced away 
and mumbled, "I just think it makes you kinda special..."

"You do?" Nabiki was surprised, "You don't mind that I really am a 
mercenary?"

"So you work for hire, so what?" Ranma asked, "I'd hardly call that 
mercenary."

"You may think so," Nabiki winced, "But Trieste was furious with me 
when she found out about the goat thing.  Oh, Sensei never really gets 
mad as you and I might understand it, but I could tell she was less than 
happy about my behavior when she was out showing Kasumi the ways 
of the Jedi.  She called it small minded and petty, and I have to 
concede that she had a point.  For one thing it had the opposite result 
from what I'd intended with Tatewaki.  He can't even look at me now 
without snarling.  I take it as a moral lesson not to treat people like a 
commodity.  The Force does not discriminate between rich and poor, 
the strong and the weak, the smart and the stupid.  If I forget that and 
start worrying only about the accumulation of money and material 
possessions then I'll lose sight of what's really important."

"I guess I can relate to that," Ranma said, "Pop and me never had 
much of anything, and whatever money we got went through our 
fingers as fast as we could get it.  I don't steal like he does, and I don't 
drink myself stupid, but I've...ah...done stuff I'm not too proud of 
either, so you won't hear me staying nothing bad about it."

Nabiki had not thought it possible that her estimation of Ranma could 
go up another notch, but the boy just kept on surprising her in ways 
that could bring a smile to her face, and as she thought about his 
boyish grin she recalled all but falling over with laughter when he 
cheerfully called out, "Hey, Goat-Face!" to a passing Tatewaki.

It was with no little amazement that she saw Kuno bristle in rage but 
stoically turn and walk away without dignifying the insult with a 
comment.  It was probably one of the only times she had known the 
arrogant boy that Kuno had not risen to the bait of an insult, and on 
any other occasion it might have concerned her, but instead it made 
her feel better knowing that she was not being rejected because of 
her..."youthful indiscretions."

She just hoped that Ranma would be as sanguine when other skeletons 
of her past came back to haunt her.

Just thinking about the newest member of their rather eclectic school 
of Jedi training brought a feeling of warmth to her breast and she 
wished fervently that she could be the one to mesh minds and souls 
with Ranma in Meditative transfer.  As she was thinking this she heard 
a knock on her door, which startled her out of her reverie, as she had 
not been expecting company at this particular hour of the evening.  
She hardly needed to express a thought before she realized just who it 
was who as asking for admittance, so without getting up from the bed, 
she mentally undid the latches to her door to admit the other party.

She stood up slowly from her bedding as the door to her room swung 
open to reveal the graceful Jedi Mistress.  Trieste's dark eyes radiated 
her concern, but as was her usual practice, Trieste did not embarrass 
her student with emotion, simply asked,  "How are you doing, Nabiki-
chan?"

Nabiki smiled lopsidedly, knowing where this was going. 

"Terrible," she asserted. "I got my ass kicked and I was embarrassed in 
front of m---our fiancée," she corrected hurriedly, blushing furiously at 
the knowing smile that appeared on her teacher's face.

Trieste pointedly ignored Nabiki's attempts to stifle her 
embarrassment, and simply asked, "Why was that, do you suppose?"

Nabiki sighed, "I wasn't ready...or good enough.  Or both."

Trieste nodded then conceded, "Possibly."

Nabiki looked at her teacher askance. 

"Right," she said dryly. "So, What's up?  I thought you'd be with 
Kasumi training Ranma on meditation and mind techniques."

"Kasumi is more than capable of handling matters at the early stage of 
the boy's training," Trieste replied, "But when Ranma has mastered the 
basics I would like you to be present to help us out with the next stage 
of developments."

Nabiki came to full attention, "You...what?"

"I believe that young Master Saotome will profit greatly from your 
presence," Trieste explained, "He has a good and supportive teacher in 
Kasumi, but competition can also be an effective tool for motivating a 
student who has such a strongly competitive nature.  It has the added 
benefit of furthering your own training in the ways of the Force..."

"Furthering?" Nabiki repeated.

"Indeed," Trieste nodded, "In spite of the somewhat...brutal 
assessment that you have made of your own performance, you have a 
great deal more skill in the use of the Force than I had anticipated 
would be the case at this stage of your life.  You fared better against a 
highly trained Sith apprentice than I had any right to expect, and 
because you came away with nothing worse than a scratch to the 
shoulder, I would judge that you are ready to advance to a whole new 
level."

Nabiki blinked at this, "I am?  I mean...I'm grateful that you believe 
I'm ready, Sensei, but...why?"
 
"To move towards your eventual graduation as a Jedi Knight, of 
course," Trieste said, a teasing note in her voice, but her eyes were 
serious and searching Nabiki's. Currently, Nabiki's eyes were as wide 
as they would go.

"I never thought...I mean..." the middle Tendo sister stuttered.

"Did you think that I trained Kasumi first because she was the only 
one who had the potential to be a Jedi?" Trieste interjected.

Nabiki nodded, "Yeah.  You never said otherwise, and so I figured, 
that Akane and me had been trained as far as we could go..."

"Not at all, Nabiki-chan," Trieste assured her, "Granted, Kasumi came 
first, but only because she has potential far beyond anything I have 
ever seen, saving only for our young Master Saotome," she amended 
with a gentle smile as she studied the younger girl's expression.

Nabiki was still having trouble believing her ears.

"So...even though I'm not as strong in the force as they are, I could still 
become a Jedi?" she asked incredulously.

Trieste again nodded, "All of your father's daughters are strong in the 
Force, Nabiki.  For that matter, your mother has vast, unguessed at 
potential of her own, and had I taken them on a students ten years ago 
they, too, might have both become fully accomplished Jedi." 

"Wow," Nabiki mused, then something else occurred to her, "Are you 
extending this invitation to Akane, too?"

Trieste's serene look turned slightly pained.

"Perhaps in time," she allowed, "There is much about your sister's 
attitude of late that troubles me.  I understand that she is going through 
some...difficult phases in her life, and I am willing to extend her the 
benefit of the doubt, but I'm afraid that she will require...special 
handling for the moment."

"Yeah...I guess she will at that," Nabiki slowly nodded.

"My decision there is not fixed, of course," the Jedi Mistress quickly 
amended, "But you may have noticed that she has experienced some 
difficulties of late in controlling her temper..."
 
"I'd hoped you'd noticed that, Sensei," Nabiki commented, carefully 
observing her teacher, "She seems a lot angrier at Ranma-kun than 
some of her usual tantrums..."

 Trieste nodded slowly,  "She has allowed wounded pride to dominate 
her dealings with him.  If she is not careful, she will allow the dark 
side a foothold into her soul."

Nabiki nodded grimly, saying nothing for the moment. Trieste 
watched Nabiki carefully as the teen Force adept pondered the 
invitation that she had just been given, and after a silent moment, she 
prompted, "Nabiki-chan?"

Nabiki looked torn, "But...I have plans for my life...I can't be some 
kind of warrior!"

Trieste smiled fondly and gently chided her pupil, "Child, being of the 
Jedi does not preclude you taking part in a normal life.  Jedi Knights 
are of all walks of life and all occupations...merchants, engineers, 
scientists, tradesman...in fact, one of the most famous of the Jedi 
Knights is not only an apprentice to her brother, but was a leader in the 
old galactic republic to which I once belonged.  Besides that she is the 
mother of three.   Your own sister is attending school to become a 
healer of this world, and one day very soon I dare think she will even 
be a Doctor."

 Nabiki looked mildly surprised at this.

"I wouldn't be some kind of...outcast if I wanted a career after my 
training?" she asked with a hesitant expression.

 Trieste laughed, "Of course not, so long as whatever you do with your 
life is guided by the light side of the Force," she added with a smile of 
infinite warmth.

Nabiki still looked undecided.  Trieste smiled mischievously and said, 
"I do hope that you will, Nabiki.  Ranma would benefit greatly from 
your company.  He has been...depressed about his inability to rescue 
you from the Kuonji girl..."

She hated to play on her student's all too obvious affection for her 
iinazuke, but Trieste could sense that Nabiki was slowly talking 
herself into her proposal.  In spite of herself, and the painful recent 
memories, Nabiki smiled her teacher's statement and nodded.

"That baka," Nabiki said warmly, thinking of how protective Ranma 
had been towards her since the fight against Kuonji.

Trieste noted that her pupil was nearly won over, so she simply added, 
"Look on it as an opportunity, child.  You can continue your travels 
into a larger world, stopping when and if you choose. You may also 
regain the ability to protect yourself from those who would harm you 
and your loved ones."

 That decided it for Nabiki, "All right Teach, I'm willing to do it.  
For...for Ranma's sake, at least."

Trieste nodded understandingly, "Of course, it is all for the good of 
your mutual training." 

Nabiki shared a warm, knowing smile with her mentor, but then the 
both of them heard sounds coming from one wall of the room and 
turned their heads accordingly, and through no great use of the Force 
perceived two auras moving together towards the bedding in the next 
room.

"What the...?" Nabiki gasped.

"Oh my," Trieste lifted an eyebrow, "Perhaps I've greatly 
underestimated the mental resilience of your sister."

"You mean...AKANE???" Nabiki reacted, then paused as she allowed 
her senses to open wide as her awareness expanded to inform her of 
the identity of the other party currently grappling with her younger 
sister, "Shampoo?  What...?"

"And here I was afraid that her personal growth was being stunted," 
Trieste mused softly, then gently took Nabiki by the arm and said, 
"Let's give them some privacy, shall we?  I think it's time for the both 
of us to have a look in on how your sister is doing with Ranma.  I'll 
speak with your mother later to see that your father does not 
imprudently disturb the meditations of your sister."

"Meditations?" Nabiki said with lifted eyebrows, "Well...if you want 
to call it that, I suppose.  I just hope they take it easy on the 
floorboards.  Akane plays real rough, and I've got a feeling that 
Shampoo character is no slouch when it comes to pressing the old 
futon."

"Time will tell what comes of this," Trieste replied, "But I think for 
now it would be safe to say that neither one of them is currently 
indulging in the dark side."

"Yeah, but one question though," Nabiki paused at the door to her 
room, hearing a soft moan penetrating through into the hallway, "Is 
there such a thing as the PINK side to the Force, Sensei?"

Trieste's gentle laughter could be heard all the way down to the study, 
where Soun Tendo briefly looked up from reading a magazine, then 
shrugged his shoulders and went back to reading.  After all, there were 
some things that any smart father knew better than to get involved 
with...



Continued.

Comments/Criticisms/Karaoke Knight on the Ritz: 
shadowmane@ridgenet.net

Okay, so the first one to make it to the bedroom sweepstakes 
is...AKANE?  (And some people think I never do anything nice for the 
Violent Tomboy--heh!)  So what happens next with Ranma, Kasumi, 
Nabiki and all the rest of the gang?  Well...Mousse and Ryoga have 
been chewing at the bit, and Ukyo is still trying to get her bearings 
"straight," while Purge continues to take stock of Kuno Tatewaki, and 
a certain Amazon Elder is waiting in the wings to make her 
appearance.  Be with us next time for, "Karma chasing the Dogma," or 
"Duck and Pig-Out!"  Be there!





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