Rei couldn't help giggling at the feel of the cloth against her cheek. She opened her eyes and held the silken cloth up to the light, watching the sun bounce around the curves of the fabric.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

The old shopkeeper smiled. This was a girl that obviously knew her material. Rei looked to the old woman. The scratched an idle itch and tried to assess the wealth of her young customer.

"And you can make me a fighting tunic from this material?"

"Oh no," the old lady said taken aback, "This is material for the finest of dresses, my dear. It's for impressing the men, not killing them."

Rei sighed and thought for a minute. Perhaps…

"When could you make me a dress?" Rei asked.

"Well, we'll take your measurements and have it made by this time tomorrow," the matron said, "Then we could even have it delivered to wherever you're staying."

A smile flashed across Rei's face at the thought. They were going to be in Kellenel for a while. Perfect.

"I'll take it," she said.

"Right this way dear, and we'll get those measurements."

Ikari looked back to the vendor with whom Rei had been talking. Old women like that gave Ikari the creeps. She shrugged as she watched Rei follow the old crone to the side area.

"Here you go ma'am," the young man in front of her said.

Ikari took the little stick he proffered and gave him a couple of coins. He gave her change and a wink. She wanted to knock him out.

Ikari sighed. These halfwit males all had the same things on their minds and it really annoyed her. Ikari nibbled on the shofn stick. She hadn't had one of these since a roving carnival had come to her village when she was a child. She missed them too. Shofn sticks had been something she missed about them. Childhood memories that flooded back with the sweet crystallized meat. A meal, yes but also something like dessert. It was an odd combination that Ikari loved.

Ikari walked over to the bench at which Ranma had parked herself in the noontime sun. Ranma sipped happily away at some frozen drink thing that she had picked up along the way. Hanasu was not far off, looking at the wares a local goldsmith had available.

"How much jade do we still have?" Ikari asked quietly.

"About 4 and a half, but then that also takes care of the hotel for the time we're here, so the remaining is just for food and supplies," Ranma said, "And these freezy things. These are good."

Ikari nodded between bites of shofn. They had arrived in Kellenel a couple of days ago and had since grown quite found of the city. The jade that they didn't have to pay Tsute came in handy as most of Kellenel was more expensive, but Ikari thought that was probably the price for civilization. She looked down the crowded marketplace that lined the central area of the town.

Ikari had never been in a city this large before and it worried her. Once they were out in it, Ikari had found that the people were generally friendly and helpful and that helped. Even the homeless, whom Ikari had never seen before, seemed to take most things in stride. Their group had been wet and dirty and generally a mess when they had arrived. They were able to find a place to stay with good baths, and free breakfasts, and so many other things. Ikari had been a little breathless. Rei had joined her, but seemed to handle it a little better. Ranma had been impressed by the service, but also took it better. Hanasu acted like it hadn't been enough.

And the baths. Ikari reveled in the thought. She knew Rei had as well. Growing up in the country made one used to taking baths in the rain and most of the time in freezing cold water, so the hot running water in the bathrooms were enough to make Ikari stay. The hair soap was a neat invention too. Her hair had a little bounce that she'd never noticed before and it fell about her shoulders in a way that made her feel good. She liked it.

She had wondered, at one point, how Rei was carving off the little chunks of jade that they were exchanging for money, so Rei showed her. Apparently, Rei's grandfather had sent with her a pair of clippers. Strong blades, or magical or something like that. Anyway, they got a good deal in the local bank. Ranma and Hanasu did most of the talking, as Ikari didn't know anything about it. They found that a very small amount of jade got them a very large amount of usable money here in Kellenel.

Ikari could see the merchants hawking their wares into the distance of the central market. It seemed to hold a place of prominence in the city and led up to the main state building that dominated one end of it. The building looked very much like a golden mountain rising up around which a city had been built. Ranma had said it looked like stuff she used to learn about in school. Similar to the ancient civilizations in the world from which she came.

Yuubi had been placed in a stable nearest the hotel. Ikari had tried to get Rei to sell the animal, but Rei wouldn't let her go. She held on to Yuubi like a pet, and Ranma figured that the animal would probably come in useful later on, so they decided to keep her. Ikari hadn't understood the attraction of it. Yuubi was a good work animal, yes, but she always licked Ikari across her cheek when she came near. Rei would giggle and comment on how Yuubi liked her. Ikari just thought it was gross. Ikari finished off her stick as Hanasu sat down on the other side of the bench.

"So what now?" Hanasu asked.

"Well, Rei said that there is something called seers that could tell me where Akane was," Ranma said, looking off where Rei was talking with the old lady, "She said that the only good seers are in Akamerajh, so we might head there. I've been there before. Nice town, but I don't remember any seers."

"I've heard that the seers my family use come from Akamerajh, so maybe that's a good place for you to go," Hanasu said.

"What about you?" Ikari asked.

"Well, I've had word sent to my family and they should have a ship out soon to pick me up. In the meantime, they'll send compensation for your troubles to the hotel," Hanasu said, "And I get a vacation in the process."

"I wish we still had Satori with us," Ranma said into her freezy.

"Good Gods, what for?!" Ikari exclaimed, "Satori was a prick, who only wanted to have sex with you. He was a lousy seer too..."

"Yeah, but what he did see was incredibly accurate," Ranma said, as she watched Rei conclude her business, "Remember how he showed you my true form?"

"That could have been a trick Ranma," Ikari said defensively, "I really never trusted anything that Satori Futsuu ever did for us."

"Who's Satori Futsuu?" Rei asked as she handed a folded piece of paper to Ranma.

"He's a jerk."

"He's a guy that Ikari and I picked up about a month after we left her village," Ranma said, unfolding the piece of paper.

Ranma read it and sighed to herself. She turned her head up to look at Rei, who remained passive. Ranma sighed to herself again and nodded, to which Rei began jumping up and down, clapping her hands. Ikari shot a questioning look to Ranma, who just shook her head in what Ikari realized, was resignation.

"Don't ask," Ranma mouthed to her.

Ranma got up and Rei took her arm. Hanasu and Ikari followed as they made their way back towards the hotel.

***

Kowaku sniffed slightly and waved off the vendor that was pestering her to get out of his tent. She was too busy watching Shiro. She wondered what exactly was going on with that girl. It seemed that the tall blonde girl and the shorter blonde girl were friends. The raven-haired girl was most certainly attracted to Shiro. Kowaku wrinkled her nose at the thought. She shrugged and shook her head.

It took all types.

Perhaps that was why Ten'imuhou-sama wanted Yoko. She seemed to be Shiro's type, that innocent schoolgirl type. Kowaku hummed to herself slightly. It was good that they had opened up shop when they did. Yoko was having a couple problems finding the right combination, but perhaps this would help.

So they wanted a seer, did they? she thought to herself, We just might have to give them one then.

Kowaku took the little plug out of her ear. The little device fit nicely into a pouch that she kept near her waist. One of the little things on the black market from the other side of Kellenel. Kowaku smiled tightly. It was a listening device and Kowaku had found something that just might help them.

She stepped back into the shade of the tent flap and watched as Shiro and his group headed back towards the hotel at which they were staying. She smirked, even as the annoying little vendor continued to argue about where she was standing. She looked around and, finding no one nearby, slipped a knife quickly into his ribs. He grunted once and tried to fight, but the poison on the blade took over quickly and he subsided easily into death. Kowaku looked around as she pulled him inside the tent. She picked up a couple items from his stand as she left. He was really overpriced anyway.

Kowaku pulled her robes around her and walked briskly back towards the blue district. She disliked being placed in the residential district, even though they had a business.

Bureaucracy, she huffed to herself.

The market crowded around her. Men stared after as she passed. Kowaku pulled at the hood that covered her head, partially to protect her from the glare of the sun, but also to keep her pheromones from influencing the populace of the city. If she spent too much time in the company of the opposite sex, her pheromones would drive the men insane with sexual tension. It was one of the reasons she kept a poisoned blade handy. One slight prick and it was all over. She smiled to herself. One prick for another.

She turned the corner in the first alley and stepped up to the side entrance. She put her key on the lock and it glowed slightly, accepting her pass. Kowaku heard the click of the lock and she pushed the door aside, closing it behind her.

"Kowaku-san," Yoko said from her workstation across the hall, "Did you see her?"

"Yes, there might be a problem getting you in though," Kowaku put the little trinkets on the end table and went to Yoko's station.

"Kowaku-san, this is the latest batch. A little too strong, I think, but then for Shiro, it should be fine," Yoko said, looking at the swirling black liquid, "What's the problem?"

"Well, there seems to be a group of girls already with her," Kowaku said, setting another trinket down, "And one of them seems to be very well acquainted with her, if you catch my meaning."

Yoko raised an eyebrow at her mentor. She sighed and set the flask onto a small circular pad. The pad began to rotate the flask and Yoko dipped a nearby brush into a clear liquid. She painted the sides of the flask as it turned slowly around. Kowaku watched her student as Yoko then took a glass rod and dipped it in the same liquid. She ran the rod along the side of the flask as it turned and a sweet note rang into the air. It rose in volume and timbre until Yoko took the rod away. She set it down and picked up a little metal hammer.

"Kowaku-san, I may act nice and innocent," Yoko said above the note, "But I'm not."

She sharply tapped the hammer against the flask. Kowaku watched as the liquid inside flared into the neck of the flask slightly and collapsed in on itself into a tight pillar shape. The note in the air died away and Yoko tapped the flask again. The pillar inside the flask heaved and fell away into a cloud inside the flask. Yoko set the hammer down and wrapped the flask in a towel, removing it from the pad as she wiped off the liquid.

"Now, all we have to do is wait for the dust to settle, and it's ready," Yoko said, putting her hands on her hips.

"Well, I think we might have something between us that will bring Shiro to us," Kowaku said as she watched the dust swirl into different, delicate patterns.

"What is it?"

"Hm?" Kowaku muttered.

"This thing that we can do to draw her," she sighed.

Yoko silently wished her mentor could hold her own attention for more than the time it took a man to orgasm.

"What? Oh, that," Kowaku thought for another moment, "She's looking for a seer."

"Do you know what they were going to ask the seer?"

"No," Kowaku thought again, "It has to be something pretty big because they were talking of going to Akamerajh to get one. Why not open the flask now?"

"Because the cloud would get out before it settles to usable dust," Yoko explained, "But you didn't hear what it was?"

Kowaku shook her head. Yoko sighed. If she could just find an angle, then Shiro would be hers. The performance that night could go a long way towards getting herself in Shiro's group. Kowaku had told her not to worry about how she was going to do that, but Yoko still wondered. Yoko watched her mentor walk to the other room and begin picking out clothes for her for that night. She said that Shiro liked a certain look in her women and that she could help give her that look. Again, Yoko wondered.

Yoko looked back to the flask, with the swirling blackness inside. She didn't like the use of those kinds of powders, but with Shiro being a Senshuken, Kowaku told her that there was no other way. Yoko wasn't convinced. There had to be another way, there always was. Some way to not only get Shiro, but to control her as well. There had to be a way.

An odd thought passed through her mind at that point, like a flash of insight. It confused her though, as it didn't make any sense. Why would Shiro be called 'Shiro Daiou' when it was clear that she was a woman? Wouldn't she be called 'Shiro Kisaki'?

The question nagged at Yoko, who couldn't come up with a clear answer. She put it away in the back of her mind to work on later. Something told her that the question was more important than the project in front of her. It nagged her like an errant child who won't go play in the yard. Something about it gave her the distinct impression that it was the key for which she had been looking...but how?

"Which do you think would work better?" Kowaku asked from the other room, "The white or the silver?"

Yoko supposed that, for now, the question would wait.

***

There was a flash on the other side of the courtyard that startled her. Hana took a couple of deep breaths as she set the bag down on the bed of the cart. She looked to the origin of the flash and frowned.

Honestly, she thought, bringing an imadoushin on the trip with them was pure suicide, especially one that had such raw innate power.

Hana Son watched as Ijisai trained the red haired girl. The girl had a small metallic ball suspended in mid air and was playing an elementary game of keep away from Ijisai. It was an acolyte game that honed their telekinetic powers. Hana was surprised to see how far the red haired one had come in such a short amount of time. Ijisai said at one point that the girl's name was Mikan. Stupid name. Like the ones the northern tribes would give to older, unmarried girls.

Hana gasped as the girl-

She caught and corrected herself. Mikan was her name, no matter how silly it was. She had folded the little metallic ball through space to the other side of Ijisai. Why the nerve...! That was a high level sister-protectorate spell. What in the world was Ijisai doing, teaching something so dangerous to an imadoushin like Mikan? She would have to speak to the acolyte when she was done with the days training.

Hana shook her head and looked back to the cart. This was Ijisai's work. Why should she be forced to...

No, she corrected herself, No one was forcing her to go along.

But then, she knew that Esu couldn't protect herself. She proved that in the final fight with the namagoroshi. While Esu was off getting pummeled by the critters, Hana was back in the main chamber trying, once again, to shatter that damned stone. She had succeeded too. It left her a little tone deaf when the thing exploded, but it meant that there would be no more namagoroshi. Well, less that there had been.

Hana was disgusted to find out that shattering the stone did nothing to abate the power it held. It simply split it into many, very strong little stones. Hana stopped trying after that. Apparently, splitting the stone at least toned the effects down to the point that it stopped calling the namagoroshi. Maybe by spreading the power out or something, she didn't know. She took comfort that she was the one that got rid of them, even if they did attribute it to that imadoushin of Ijisai's.

What of the flowers? the voice said to her quietly, What of the pretty flowers and the happiness?

Hana closed her eyes tightly against the voice. She shook her head and the feeling went away. She had no time for a little nagging voice that meant nothing but to confuse her. She opened her eyes again and pushed the sac fully onto the cart. Hana looked at the sac. She suddenly realized that she had no idea what was in these bags that weighed so much. She didn't know. That bugged her. Esu brought them from her place in the storeroom and told her to load them into the cart, that they were vital to the success of their mission.

If they were so vital, why didn't she tell Hana what were in them? Well, because she really didn't have to. Esu was the head of the sisterhood and that was good enough for Hana.

For the moment, at least.

Hana smiled to herself as she picked up another heavy bag.

***

Esu tapped her finger on the windowsill. Hana was off huffing and puffing with the bags in one part of the courtyard. Ijisai was trying to teach Mikan to control her powers in another part. She would watch, as Hana would see something she didn't like about it all, make a mental note, smile stupidly and continue loading.

Esu sighed and shook her head. This whole mess would only lead to trouble. Especially if her plan didn't go as expected. She turned back to her desk and looked at the possessions box.

"Ranma Saotome, you little ass," she said, opening the box, "Why did I ever let myself get saddled into helping you?"

She smiled as she picked up the little gold bauble from the box. It sparkled in the mid morning light and cast a sliver of golden light across the two other things in the box. Her smile broadened. She knew she was doing anything that she didn't want to. She yearned for Ranma's life, to be rid of the responsibilities of the sisterhood, free from the pressure of leading this group into the new age.

Esu put the ring back into the box and picked up Akane's picture. She glanced back out at Mikan, who was laughing and making Ijisai angry at how well she was keeping the trainer from her. The little ball flit back and forth, warping through little wormholes that Mikan had a knack for making. It would swoop and glide along the ground and pop suddenly over Ijisai's head when she was close to grabbing it. Ijisai finally collapsed on the ground, panting and laughing with Mikan. Esu smiled fondly. Ijisai would do just fine.

Esu looked at the picture for the thousandth time. She supposed that she knew the face of Akane as well as Ranma, though not the person. Mikan certainly had her face, but there was something odd about her personality. It was as if she couldn't get angry. The overall affect of this was to put one in a generally good mood when one was around her. Even the perpetually angry Hana would lighten up when she was around Mikan. Her laughter would lighten the darkest of hearts and her positive nature made it easy to be near her. Esu suspected that she would be quite popular with the dashing young House princes from her home.

Maybe that was the reason she left? Esu didn't know for sure. A runaway? Looking at the picture again, Esu thought that there was probably more to it than that. Esu put the picture back in the box and looked at the third item. It was an odd scrap of paper, much like the photograph. It had a strange creature eating some plants on the front and several odd bits of writing on the back. Ranma said it was in his own language, something called Japanese. It looked very much like the tight script of the scribes, but somehow more ornate. Esu wondered briefly what it said. She'd have to ask Ranma when she met her again. She put the scrap back into the box and closed it. She absently brushed a bit of imaginary dust from the top and smiled fondly.

Box, she thought at it, You and I have been through much together, my friend.

The box happily sat there. Esu turned her attention outside once more as another explosion went off. Another on of Mikan's folds had gone off again, scaring everyone in the complex. Esu sighed and smiled a sad smile. If Mikan turned out to be who or what Esu thought her to be, then she could save this world.

Or destroy it.

Esu shook her head. She hated it when she cliché'd herself.

***

Ranma sighed at the image that presented itself in the mirror across the room. The image looked more feminine than Ranma would have preferred, but then, what else was new? The jumpsuit that Rei had given her was nice. A kind of etameran cloth, it was emerald green and had kind of an iridescent quality to it. It fit well enough. The gold arm bangle, she didn't know about though. Ranma smiled despite herself as she slid it on her left arm.

Damn, she thought, It's Shampoo all over again.

Rei had gone all out for this, spending far more than Ranma thought was necessary, but she said nothing. Rei had asked her for a date, and Kami damn her, she agreed. Why had she agreed again? Ah, that was it. To prove to Rei that whatever she did would not make the slightest impact on her feelings. A challenge of sorts. Why were there butterflies then? Could it be that she actually wanted-?

Ranma squashed that thought before it got started. She was married to Akane. They had even...Well...What married couples do when they go on their honeymoon. Ranma smiled and she saw the blush rising in her cheeks. Damned mirror. Ranma took a couple of deep breaths and let them out, trying to control the wild feelings she was having. The emotions that were warring with her sense of honor and loyalty.

One date wouldn't hurt anything, she thought to herself, Rei deserves that for being as good a friend as she is...

"Then why do I feel like I'm betraying Akane?" she asked the mirror.

The mirror just answered with the tight smile that Ranma wore. Ranma sat on the edge of the bed to put on her new slippers, also a present from Rei. Ranma smiled, again despite herself. Rei had thought of everything. Ranma looked at the nearby nightstand. The little band of gold sat on the stand, calling to her. Ranma picked up the ring and looked it over. She huffed once and slid the band on her middle finger. It didn't really fit all that well, but it fit enough that it wouldn't fall off. She looked at it and stood to take in the whole effect in the mirror. Ranma bit back her thoughts at the image. She still looked good.

There was a soft knock at the door. Ranma took a quick, deep breath and exhaled. She opened the door and stepped back in shock. Rei was...Rei was...

Beautiful.

She had her raven-black hair tied up in a tight, yet ornate bun on the top of her head. Her neck seemed to stretch forever in the absence of that hair. Ranma thought briefly that she looked taller. A single jade teardrop in either ear formed her earrings. Her skin seemed ghostly pale against the deep blue of the dress. And the dress...Two silver clasps held it together at the shoulders. The material scooped in the front just to the top of her chest and around her throat was a small black and silver broach.

"You don't really have to stare," Rei said quietly, "But thank you."

Ranma could feel the heat in her face as she tried to stammer an answer. Rei simply smiled slyly and pushed Ranma into the room with one finger. Ranma didn't resist as she stepped back. Ranma watched as the sides of Rei's dress lazily swished around her silken legs.

Hmph, Ranma thought, Haven't seen something like that since Tougenkyo.

"Are you ready?"

Ranma shook her head and then she nodded mutely. She looked back down at the ring on her hand.

One decision or another Saotome, she thought.

"Okay," Ranma said, grabbing her coat, "Let's go."

The little gold ring hummed as it spun. It finally came to rest and lay quietly on the nightstand.

***

"Well, this is it," Esu said from the doorway, "Tomorrow, we set out to find out what all this is about."

Mikan nodded.

"Scared?"

"Kind of, I mean, I know who I am and everything, but these powers..." she trailed off, "And the flashes that I get. And the fact that I don't think Hana likes me very well."

"Hana doesn't like anyone very well," Esu smiled, "Don't worry about her, I'll take care of her."

"What do you think it means?" Mikan asked, "Ijisai said that you might have a theory."

"Ijisai talks too much for her position," Esu wagged a finger at the girl, "But yes, I have a theory about all this. It's a little far-no, it's a lot far-fetched, but it's the only one we've got to go one for now. And it means getting you to Ranma."

"Is that why we're going to Akamerajh?"

"Yup," Esu chirped, "We don't know where he is and the fastest way is to use a seer, which we can find in Akamerajh."

"Then what?"

Esu thought for a minute and smiled.

"I don't know," she admitted, "I was hoping that the journey would jumpstart something with you, or maybe even when you met Ranma, I don't know. Something."

"That's okay Esu-san," Mikan brightened, "I'm sure it'll all work out. And while my family isn't rich by any stretch of the imagination, you and the sisterhood are welcome anytime."

"Thank you dear, that's sweet of you," and Esu meant it, "Now get some sleep, because we've got to start early if we want to reach Cunec in a couple of days."

"Okay," Mikan happily turned over in the bed and tried to get to sleep.

Esu closed the door as she left. She wondered where it would all lead, this power of hers. It was certainly manifesting itself now, though slowly. Esu had another thought, and it was one that frightened the hells out of her. She shook her head to banish such thoughts. Ridiculous. Mikan was simply a girl with some strange, new powers that was in need of help and dammit, they would help. Esu straightened as a thought caught her. Maybe there was a way to find out after all.

***

Ranma took a deep breath. It was wondrous. The smells that weren't there in the daytime. The different foods that were being prepared along the concourse were a delight for the eyes as well as the stomach. There was also an odd kind of expectation in the air that wonderful things would come from this night. Ranma wondered if this was a special holiday, or if this kind of thing happened all the time here? She didn't know. And then there were the sights to behold. The sights that brought the night to life spread out before her like some kind of huge buffet of humanity. Ranma hadn't seen anything like it since the last New Year's party that she'd been to in Nerima. And she'd been too busy then trying to get some time alone with Akane to worry about the sights.

Huge stages had been set up every so often along the sides of the market. Ranma saw that some of the more flamboyant vendors were up on stage making a show of their presentations. She looked to Rei, who seemed very happy flitting back and forth between shows and booths. She seemed interested in each of the vendors' stories. How they got to be where they were, how they picked up their craft and such. It kind of bored Ranma, but she did like the shows that were put on by the vendors.

Ranma looked to Rei and sighed. She did look beautiful in that dress. So animated and happy. Ranma had even realized that the scars along her neck and face weren't all that noticeable after all. Even the larger scar that ran from her right shoulder blade, over her shoulder and down along-

Ranma turned away and blushed at the thought. She shook her head slightly and watched the stage across the marketplace. Rei's light laughter drew her attention back to the current vendor that had Rei's attention. He was an older man with a small sparkling ring of jade on his old, gnarled hands. In one hand, he held a small wand of some kind and in front of Rei was a smallish piece of crystal.

"Ranma," Rei said, pulling her close, "Look at this, it's fascinating."

There was a slight twinkle to the old man's hazel eyes as he smiled at Ranma. He looked back down to the crystal and lightly touched it with his wand. Ranma watched it with mild curiosity as it melted and mutated itself into various forms, finally settling on a very intricate butterfly hair comb. Rei inhaled in awe at the crystalline lattice that formed the wings.

"For you, my dear," the man said, "For listening to an old mans' stories."

Rei tried to decline the offer, but the old man wouldn't hear of it and simply slipped it in her hair with a firm hand and a chuckle. Rei looked to Ranma, who simply smiled and turned so that she couldn't see the blush rising in Ranmas' cheeks. Rei nodded in the assent that, if she looked good enough to get Ranma to blush, then it certainly fit her. Ranma turned back to the man.

"You're very good," Ranma said, noting the other figurines in his stand, "And I've seen others that seem to have been displaced in all this. Why is that?"

The old man chuckled again. He picked up a small rag that seemed to be almost as old as he was and wiped absently at his hands. He pointed out across the courtyard towards a larger stage set back a ways from the others.

"Because of that girl," he said, "She and her mother came in about a week ago and took the town over. She deals in pleasure magics...I don't know about her daughter, though the daughter seems to draw more people. I personally can't see it though."

"Come on Ranma," Rei said, "Let's check it out. Thank you sir."

"Your smile, my dear, is thanks enough," he chattered back.

Rei pulled Ranma towards the distant stage and watched the show that began upon it.

***

Yoko looked around the audience. So many faces in the crowd. She felt slightly uneasy, but she knew that it was simply a mild case of stage fright. She'd had it before. Kowaku was out front, dancing for all the males in the audience. Yoko's performance was oriented for males, yes, but also for the women in the audience. She had to attract the attention of a certain female, after all.

Yoko absently straightened the sides of her robe. She blushed at the immodesty of it. A little white number that was open on the sides and cut to halfway up her thighs. She was going to have to modify her performance so that she didn't give anyone a free show. She also reached up and straightened the tiara on her crown. Yoko blushed again at the vision that she must present to the men out there. A little princess for their fantasies. She had more pressing matters than libido tonight though.

She wondered what Shiro looked like. Certainly Kowaku had seen her, but Yoko had not. Kowaku had described her as a red haired demon, fair skinned and tartly. Tartly? Yoko wondered again what 'tartly' meant.

Kowaku had finished with the opening dance and was now introducing Yoko. She finished and Yoko stepped forward. She bowed to the crowd and sighed once before going into her dance. A strange ballet of sorts, it spun her lazily around, like a drunken puppeteer swinging his poor marionette this way and that.

Four large blocks of stone had been set up on the stage in a loose semicircle. Yoko spun to the first stone block on her left and threw a light dusting of the first powder over it. Yoko spun out and danced a semi circle to the next block, ahead and slightly towards stage center. She threw her hand forward and tossed another handful of powder on the block sitting there. She bounded backward and twisted in the lightly increasing breeze from the far off sea. She reversed her steps to the next block, directly across from the second. She sprinkled powder in a circular fashion across the top of the stone and threw a little bit on the center of it. She danced her semi circle back to the last stone and dusted the top in similar fashion.

Yoko brought herself back to the center and whirled to a finish. She sighed again under the weight of the magic as it coursed across the pattern she had woven. She traced a small pattern in the air and shouted a command word. The powder ignited outwards around her and spread towards the blocks. The powder burned and popped along the magical lines she had spread on the stage during her dance. Yoko smiled as the burning lines reached the stone blocks.

The first block lit and a fiery bird came to life on the top of the stone block. It gave a shrill cry before spreading its' wings and lighting into the night sky. The second block exploded in a huge ball that formed upwards in an intricate geometric display shifting to ever increasingly complex patterns. Triangles within triangles and squares within squares. It shifted faster and faster until it blazed apart in a volcanic spray of light.

The third and final blocks lit at the same time, forming a man shape and a huge lizard shape, which after noticing each other, began a fated duel to the death. At the end, the man died in the last grasps of the dragon as it gave its life to end his. As the smoke died away, Yoko stepped forward and gave a slight bow. The crowd came alive with applause and rushed forward towards the stage. Yoko laughed and bowed again, happy with the reaction.

***

Ranma looked at the olive skinned girl in wonder. She was one of the flashier mages that she had seen in her time here. Well, for a girl that was. She chided herself for the sexist thought and was reminded of how Akane would usually pound him into the ground for it too. Ranma looked to Rei, who was watching the flames of the firebird as it sped out of sight. The crystalline butterfly in her hair reflected the dying lights of the fires on stage. A twinge of guilt ran through Ranma's heart at her thoughts, she knew, however, that she was still tied to Akane.

Ranma shook her head and smiled as Rei gave her a questioning look. She would never tell Rei. She couldn't tell Rei. Rei would most likely try to take advantage of it, if she could. Ranma didn't know.

The dark haired girl on stage bowed once more and waved for silence in the crowd.

"My name is Yoko," she said, "And I was wondering if you all enjoyed the flame dance?"

Another raise of applause broke out and she once again called for silence.

"I'm glad that you liked it," she said, "What I'm going to do next is to show you some other things I can do with my powders, which can do wonderful things for you...For a price. This is business, after all."

A small group of old men from her left clapped and whistled at her, to which she smiled and bowed to them. Ranma didn't know. Investors perhaps?

"Mother?"

The older lady that danced on stage before Yoko came out and produced a small crystal mirror from the folds of her robes.

"My mother, Kowaku, is an amateur seer-"

"Apprentice, dear."

"Sorry," Yoko choked a smile out, "Apprentice seer. And she will pick out three individuals that I can try to help from the audience."

Ranma smirked. It was a good ploy, something that snake oil charmers had been trying in Japan for a time. American, England, and Chinese. All governments had their problems with it before. Ranma had only seen it a couple times when he was with Esu, but never since then. These two would have some people set up in the audience that they could call on. The girl had obvious power and Ranma wondered idly why she'd need set up like that.

The mother looked through her mirror and picked out a homely couple from the audience, as well as a rather attractive lady from near the front. When her mirror pointed at Ranma it stopped. She lowered the mirror slightly and looked at Ranma. She looked through the mirror again. She pointed to Ranma.

"You young lady," she said to Ranma, "You will be the last."

Ranma threw her hands up in protest.

"Come on Ranma," Rei whispered, "What would it hurt?"

"Look, I don't like that kind of stuff," she tried to beg off.

"Well, too bad."

Rei pushed Ranma towards the stage gently. She shot a look back to Rei, who just stuck her tongue out in return. Ranma huffed once and stomped slowly to the stage. Ranma scowled as she could feel the stares of the men surrounding her. She felt like she wanted to lash out, like she wanted...Well, like she wanted to do things that would make men cringe. She didn't even know what it was. Her cycle wasn't due for another month or so, so that wasn't it.

A gentleman was there to help her on the stage, which she kindly clenched her teeth and denied him the pleasure. Ranma hopped up on stage in one graceful leap and made her way to stand with the others. She could see some of the men talking idly about the jump, but all of them became cautious at her glance. Perhaps, this was how Akane felt. Ranma wondered briefly why she was getting so confused lately. Her emotions had never been this muddled in the past. Why now? This couldn't be a good development.

The mother, Yoko said her name was Kowaku, placed a large curtain center stage separating the stage so that the audience could see what was happening on either side of the curtain. Yoko led the homely man to one side and his wife was on the other. She asked something of the man but Rei, who was near the front in the audience, couldn't make out what it was. The man nodded hesitantly. Rei could see that Kowaku had probably asked the same of his wife, for the reaction was similar. Kowaku and Yoko conferred about something through the curtain and Kowaku skipped quickly to the rear of the stage.

"I will now show you one of my stronger powders, though I must admit that sir and ma'am are a little hesitant. I have assured them as I will assure you, that my powders are completely safe," Yoko said to the audience, "I will explain what happens after I apply the powders."

Kowaku had brought out a chair to either side of the stage and the homely couple sat in the chairs. Yoko produced two vials of similar powders from a small case that Rei had not noticed to one side of the stage. She gave the man one vial and the woman the other and motioned for them to ingest the powders.

Nothing happened for a couple of long seconds. Then the man grabbed his chest and threw himself onto the floor, writhing in apparent agony. The woman soon followed as the second chosen person and Ranma looked on in horror. Rei could see that the skin of the couple seemed to be melting and coalescing through nauseating flesh tone colors. Yoko looked as though she were bored and waved off a questioning look from her mother.

Yoko motioned to her mother again and Kowaku produced two large blankets. One went over what was left of the man, the other over his wife.

"Now," Yoko began to the audience, "I asked these two if they would like to spend the night together, making love to the most beautiful people in the world. Both said yes, but I do have to add that they are very faithful to each other and should be commended for it. The powders I gave them were powders of transformation."

Ranma's head jerked to attention.

"Now you will see," Yoko helped the man to his feet as he moaned slightly.

Rei's heart fluttered at the sight of him. And she was quite sure that the other female hearts in the audience were breaking too. He was about six foot three with an extremely well rounded body. Rei saw that Yoko peaked through the blanket as she wrapped it around him and nodded in approval. The young man staggered slightly under the unfamiliar body, but quickly got himself under control. His bronzed complexion slightly glistened across a broad chest and washboard stomach. He ran a hand through the full mane of rich, dark hair and looked at his hand with an odd kind of fascination.

The other side of the curtain held a certain wonder too, as Kowaku helped the woman into a short kimono. Rei smirked. The transformations were certainly impressive, but she wondered what Yoko and her mother were paying these people. The woman was certainly beautiful. Rei looked around the audience and saw that she captivated all of the men. She brushed a thick strand of platinum blonde hair from her face and looked herself over unsteadily.

Yoko made sure the man could stand on his own and went to the curtain. She pulled it back and the couple got their first looks at each other. Both of them stared and gawked at the other. Yoko and her mother helped them together and they shared a kiss center stage, to even out the show. Rei smirked again. Having done this so many times, they must have been pretty sick of each other by now. She suppressed a giggle. She didn't want to seem rude to the 'couple' or anything. Besides, Ranma hadn't closed his mouth to all this yet.

Ranma, A flash of thought struck her, Transformations.

"Oh my gods," Rei whispered to herself.

Kowaku began to lead the second woman to the chair, but Shiro jumped ahead and sat in the chair instead.

"Me! I'm Ranma Saotome and I want to be next!" Ranma shouted enthusiastically.

Kowaku smiled and clucked softly. She motioned for her 'daughter' to come to her side, which Yoko obeyed. Kowaku held her mirror up to Ranma, so that Yoko could view it. Yoko gasped at what she saw and dropped the vial in her hand. She swore as it began to eat through the stage. She bounded back to her little supply cabinet as Kowaku talked to Ranma.

"I'm sorry…Ranma? That was your name?" Kowaku purred at her, "But you've been selected to receive a free consultation, and I feel that your special problem could be...uh...fixed."

Ranma looked back at her with the wide eyes of a child who really thinks there is a Santa Claus. Her eyes narrowed as part of her rationality came back.

"What do you know of my problem?"

"I know that you have a certain...difficulty," Kowaku smiled wickedly, "But we can't treat you here. Meet us at our workshop tomorrow and we'll discuss...treatment options. You see, I can only read auras to determine problems, but at our shop we can diagnose the problem better."

Kowaku gave her a little card and Ranma quickly left the stage. The crowd was becoming a little rowdy with all this whispered talking and Kowaku and Yoko began the show with the second girl...

***

"Ranma!" Rei yelled from behind her, "Wait up!"

Ranma stopped and looked at Rei. She had a kind of crazed look about her that made Rei stop in her tracks.

"Are you okay?"

"Rei," Ranma said, giving her the little card, "They said they might be able to cure me. I mean, for real! Can you believe it?!"

"Ranma," she began, "In all likelihood, those two were just charlatans looking for an easy mark. Yeah the transformations were impressive, but it might have just been an illusion-"

"I don't care!" Ranma yelled, "If there's any chance, even the slightest, then I'm going to try!"

Rei shrank back and searched around for something to steady herself against the onslaught. Ranma caught herself and hung her head. Rei, not quite knowing what else to do, found herself wrapping her arms around Ranma.

"I'm scared Ranma," she whispered on Ranma's neck.

Ranma returned the embrace and closed her eyes against her own tears. She opened them and saw the wing of the butterfly comb as it reflected the moonlight.

"You-You don't have to be scared of me."

Rei pulled back and wiped a stray tear from her own eye.

"I'm not scared OF you, you nimrod," Rei smiled putting a hand behind Ranma's head, "I'm scared FOR you. I mean, what would happen if you became a man? Then what? Would you just leave Ikari and me and set off for that girl of yours? Would we just be some interesting people that you'd just as soon forget? Would you-"

Rei let out a muffled cry as Ranma's lips met hers. They parted soon, too soon for Rei, and Ranma looked away. She knew that Ranma was crying.

"I-" Ranma sniffed twice, "I don't leave my friends. I care for them dammit. But Rei, I'm not a woman, not matter what my current form, and if these two can give me cure, then I owe it to all of you to try it."

Rei thought for a moment, but shook her head in agreement and wiped another tear from her cheek. She put a hand on Ranma's shoulder and turned the girl gently to face her again.

"Okay, then if you go, I want to go too," Rei said as she wiped a tear from Ranma's face.

She leaned forward and kissed Ranma lightly on her cheek. She turned Ranma in her arm and began to lead her back to the hotel. Ranma didn't resist and looked ahead, a confused look scrawled across her face. Rei knew of the warring emotions that were going through Ranma, and she promised herself that she would not be the source of any more.

Rei was glad that the night was late, for the blush that rose in her cheeks at the realization that Ranma had kissed her. Rei bit back a smile and continued to lead Ranma back to the hotel.

***

Yoko felt great. She had a bath, a good meal, and had found out the one thing that Kowaku hadn't been able to find. Yoko pulled her kimono tight around her as she entered the small livingroom and flopped down in the oversized chair across from Kowaku, who was counting that night's profit. Yoko brushed out her platinum blonde hair and idly watched her mentor.

"I thought I told you not to use that damned thing," Kowaku said, noting the little pencil on the end table, "It'll make your hair fall out. And only the gods know what it does to your skin."

"Oh poo. I don't have the advantages like you," she said as she made a grabbing motion with both hands at her breasts.

Kowaku raised an eyebrow and continued to count.

She picked up the pencil; "This little gadget gives me at least one trick. Well, other than my powders."

Yoko twisted the end of the pencil and touched it to her arm. She watched as her skin began to redden and then darken and watched with fascination as it spread along her body. A few minutes later, she had her olive complexion back, which she quite preferred in this desert city. Yoko twisted the end again and touched it to her hair, which flashed darker until it was raven-black. She would have preferred to keep her normal platinum color, but people would wonder because of her skin. She sighed. So many people were hung up on looks.

Like Shiro, or should she say Ranma? Ranma Saotome was her name. But she wasn't really a she, was she? Kowaku only used the seer mirror to find the aura, so she had no idea that Ranma was really a man. Boy would she be in for a surprise. Yoko thought for a moment. She was really no reason for her to tell Kowaku. It would be several days before she could get a strong batch of potion ready for Ranma and all she had to do was get into their group. The plan that Kowaku had laid out didn't please Yoko, but then Kowaku tended to be a little heavy handed with these kinds of things anyway.

This required tact and stealth. Something that Yoko felt her mentor might never have. Yoko smiled to herself.

So THAT was the reason Ten'imuhou-sama sent me to do this, Yoko thought.

So, by the time Yoko had a batch that was ready, Kowaku would be back at Ten'imuhou-sama's castle. Yoko would be in Ranma's group and possibly, have Ranma all together. Yoko laughed at the possibility. She smirked at Kowaku's confused expression and lightly leapt out of the livingroom and up the stairs to her quarters.

Ranma would be hers...

***

Mikan waved at the sister-protectorates as they watched from the ramparts. They had all become quite good friends in the past month and she was sorry to go, but Esu-san had said that they were now on an important mission that could determine the fate of their world. Mikan wondered why she would always shake her head and swear something under her breath after she said it. Something about the world, she supposed.

It sounded awfully important, which was why Esu-san wanted Ijisai-chan to train her. She was getting used to these nice, new, wonderful powers that she seemed to have acquired somewhere. She didn't know why she had them, but Ijisai-chan said that she could end up hurting someone if she didn't know how to use them properly. And Ijisai-chan was a great teacher.

Mikan looked around the wagon. It was loaded down with as much as she had ever seen for a trip. And Esu-san only said that they were going to Akamerajh, which was only about a week or two away. Mikan wondered what they were all for. She had her nice little place near the front of the wagon and Ijisai-chan was across from her. Ijisai-chan smiled back.

Mikan looked toward the back of the wagon, where Hana-san had taken up her place. Esu-san had said that she needed someone to guard the rear, just in case there were any of those nasty namagoroshi still lurking about. Hana-san was only too grateful not to have to…What was her word?

Babysit, she thought, but that was silly. There weren't any babies along on this trip...

The wagon heaved and bumped along the old road leading away from the nunnery walls. The old trail led south to Cunec and would eventually turn east towards Akamerajh. Ijisai would be fine. Esu wondered why she kept reminding herself of that these days. She knew it was an idle thought, but she thought that she had some time for them.

Esu and Hana would trade the reigns and the duties. Ijisai would keep watch at night and Mikan could keep watch during the day. Esu knew that Hana wouldn't be all right though. She'd already shown her open hatred for Ijisai and only followed Esu because she was the head of the sisterhood. Esu sighed inwardly.

The trail spread out several minutes later as it led along the western wall of the valley. Esu could see the rest of her beloved forest as it swept southward to the sea. She looked across the valley and smirked. It had grown back in the two short years since her last adventure. If you knew what you were looking for, you could just make out where the Ijutsu Hoshi had landed. It had grown in nicely and her forest was whole once more. She loved this forest. She just wished she could shake the sense of impending doom.

It was more than that backstabber Hana. It was more than deciding who would replace her should she not return. It wasn't even Mikan, whose powers were growing daily. Esu couldn't put her finger on it, but she had a bad feeling that it would come in the form of Ranma Saotome. It wasn't that she didn't like the girl. It was just that Ranma rarely thought about the unending chain of consequences that followed events in her life. It wasn't even that she didn't think things through either. It was that she put herself and others in positions that she couldn't get out of. Esu looked once more across the valley to the old crater.

Oh Ranma, she thought, What in the world have you done now...?

***

The day was raining down around her. She looked at the ground under her feet. It was wooden. She could look through the uneven slats in the boards to the rough waters below. She looked out to the seas in front of her. Her seas. The seas from her home were similar. Not the same though. These were rough seas. She looked down at herself again. She was wearing some kind of light cloth dress that was thoroughly soaked through. She didn't feel like caring though.

Lightening flashed in the distance and she looked into her hands. She was holding a large piece of pretty looking metal. Kind of round with a notch on once side. In the flashes from the storm, she could see that there were strange markings all along one side. It hung from a large chain around her neck.

The lightening flashed again and pain shot through her head. Flowers. Yellow flowers. She looked up and for a moment, saw a face. It drained from her memory as fast as it had come, leaving her clutching at her head in pain. She fell to her knees as the surges of images came in pulses with the storm, raging against her head.

Someone helped her to her feet. She looked up at him, a kindly, gnarled old face. She couldn't hear what he was saying through the pain in her head. She staggered under an increased onslaught and stumbled into his arms. He was asking about her. Her name, where she was from and such. She looked up at him helplessly as he led her back towards the seemingly distant lights of the city. The lightening flashed in anticipation of her only question. She looked up at the old man, who stooped to hear her speak.

"Who…Am I?"

***