Nabiki - New Horizons Chapter 27 - Folly , Foxes, and Flirtation by G.L. Sandborn Jeff froze at the sound of the old man's voice. Only his eyes moved to regard the aging figure with a curious stare. "You control your emotions well, Jeffrey Lawrence," the old man said in a surprisingly strong and deep voice. "You must be Shinobi trained." "Curious you know my name. Might I inquire who is asking?" The old man chuckled some more. "Forgive me. Four hundred years ave robbed me of my manners. I am Shimazu Nariakira, a prisoner like yourself." "Well, Nariakira-san, I thank you for your help," Jeff said, adding a modest but respectful bow. "What is this place?" "This is the spirit world of your ancestors. More precisely, the spirit world of your wife's clan ancestors. You somehow opened a portal from the mortal world and crossed over. A very admirable feat, indeed." "I see," Jeff replied, glancing at several pairs of glowing blue eyes in the darkness off to his right. "That would explain the blue haze I saw just before... well, before I found myself here." "Transition can be most uncomfortable for the living. I myself experienced a brief period of disorientation when entering." The old man must have noticed Jeff's continued glances at the glowing eyes. Barking a sharp command in an ancient form of Japanese, the eyes bobbed briskly before receding into the darkness. "Forgive them. They don't trust you." "The feeling is mutual," Jeff said, looking around to see if there were any more watchers. Satisfied they were now alone, he frowned at the old man seated on a throne carved out of the cavern's odd rock formations. "You seem disturbed by something," the old man croaked. "Forgive my impertinence, but why are you here?" The old man sadly shook his head. "It's a long story that I'm certain wouldn't interest you." "Humor me," Jeff said, a little more demanding than he intended. He reminded himself to be careful not to insult his current benefactor. With a sigh that could have indicated worn patience, the old man slowly nodded. "I'm afraid it's all my own fault. Four hundred years ago, I belonged to the Cold Moon Clan." The very walls seemed to groan and move at the man's claim. "I thought they were a kunoichi clan," Jeff cut in suspiciously, his eyes searching for the reason of the odd sounds and sudden movement. First the threatening creatures of the dark, followed by a spooky old man was bad enough. Now the walls themselves seemed to be alive. It all left Jeff most uneasy. "Quite true, quite true," the old man said, nodding. "It was a kunoichi clan. However, there were some males who also took part in clan activities. How do you think they produced little clan members?" Jeff agreed that made sense but continued to eye the man with distrust. There was something about this place that wasn't right. "In any case, a warlord of the Edo shogunate threatened the combined Shinobi clans. He feared their power and suspected they would oppose the new government. Foolishly, I believed I could convince him otherwise." The man's voice dropped in sadness. "You see, he was not like other men. Some even suggested he was more the servant of demons than the shogun. Whatever the truth, he had powers that concerned all Shinobi. In my imprudent youth, I believed I was strong enough to withstand whatever powers he possessed. For the most part, I was right. "So confident was I in my own powers that I tried to reason with him. At first, he appeared to be reasonable enough. He even agreed to a meeting with the clans. I knew in my heart the clan elders would never agree to such a meeting. So, I tried to bring him to them and force the issue. You see, I once had the same power as you. I could open portals, shortcuts through the spirit realm to the various clan shrines." "Couldn't you just meet them at some neutral site?" "The clan elders were suspicious of both myself and the warlord. They refused to leave their own lands. The only way I could bring them and the warlord together was with some method the warlord could not reproduce should he choose to betray my generosity." When Jeff started to protest, the old man just held up a bony hand. "I know and you are correct. It was a dishonest thing to do. Please understand, Mr. Lawrence, our small island nation had been at war for over a hundred years. Everyone, shogun, samurai, soldier, and peasant, suffered so much that I was desperate to end the fighting by whatever means necessary. So certain was I that peace could be brought to the Shinobi people, I took a foolish chance." "So, what happened?" "My own people stopped me before I could act." When the old man paused, the walls again rumbled and a mournful groan swept through the chamber. The old man acted as if it were nothing to worry about. "Captured, stripped of my powers, I was thrown into this world to spend all eternity regretting my foolishness." "And the warlord?" Jeff asked. His question was met by another groan and a series of vibrations from the cave walls. The old man shrugged. "I don't know what happened to him. After the elders stripped me of my power and imprisoned me in this inhospitable realm, I lost touch with the outside world. It took a long time for me to learn the skill of tapping the various sources here for enough energy to sustain my life. By then, I had become the grotesque husk of a man you see before you." "Okay," Jeff said before turning suddenly to face the sound of growling coming from the darkness behind him. "What's the deal with those blue-eyed horrors?" With a disdainful short, the old man sagged into his seat. "I believe them to be the fox people; malevolent spirits imprisoned here by the Cold Moon Clan centuries ago when the clan forced them from their ancestral home. It is that land the clan claimed as their own. I suppose it would be fair to say that this part of the realm is not where the Cold Moon Clan spirits reside." "The 'low-rent' district, huh?" "That is a unique way of putting it but accurate. This is more of a prison than a paradise - a dungeon I share with the animal-like spirits of the banished fox people." "Are they dangerous?" "Only to the unwary and those of the clan," the old man said as he stood up. "As you are neither and in my company, you're safe enough. Allow me to show you around my prison." ***** "What are you doing?" Sodoshi Tanaka asked as she leaned against the smooth white wall, her arms crossed. Nabiki was on her hands and knees trying to find a way through the wall that blocked their way. Peering through a tiny hole at the wall's base, she evaluated their position. "There is a chamber on the other side. If I can just get this stupid panel to open." Sodoshi watched Nabiki link her fingers in the hole and tug. She allowed it to go on for several minutes, as Nabiki alternated between tugging and kicking the hole, before sighing. "You're going about it the wrong way." "Well, at least I'm doing something," Nabiki growled before kicking the tiny hole again. "You're just standing there." Sodoshi sighed again and shook her head. "The spirit realm is a lot more complex than you imagine." She stepped over to the wall next to Nabiki and caressed its cool surface with her fingers. Finding the spot she was looking for, she grinned at Nabiki and lightly hammered it with the side of her fist. A small access door popped open. "And a lot simpler." "You knew that was there all along?" Nabiki gasped, not certain she was amused or angry. "When were you going to tell me?" "When you finished kicking the wall." Sodoshi pressed a small stone inside the access panel and smiled again as the wall slowly dissolved. Nabiki just rolled her eyes and led the way into a chamber much larger than it first appeared. She couldn't believe getting past that wall was so easy. Reminding herself to look at things from more than one angle in the future, she stopped and took in her surroundings. The room was about the size of a small gym with a smooth black floor, its walls arching above and disappearing into darkness. A few waist-high pots stood around the edge of the room. Strange yellow flames burning from their open tops caused the two women to cast eerie dancing shadows as they moved. In the middle of the room, stood an old wooden chest the size of a large shoe box perched on a gleaming white pedestal about the same height as the urns. It looked new and untouched. "What's in here?" she asked, bending over to get a better look. "Don't touch that!" Nabiki jerked upright at Sodoshi's warning. With a frown, she asked: "Why not?" "I'm not sure," Sodoshi admitted. "I was told when I first got here to leave all chests and boxes alone. I was never told why but I got the feeling they meant it." With a skeptical expression, Nabiki turned away from the box and began looking around the room. There really wasn't much to see. Other than the way they entered, there appeared to be only one exit; across the room from where they came in. "Where does this go?" she asked. "Don't know," Sodoshi replied, squinting at the darkened tunnel. "I've never been in this part of the realm." "Is all of it like this?" Sodoshi shook her head. "No, there are much nicer parts. From what I remember, this is the Realm of Outcasts. There's only those who don't deserve to enter the Great Beyond and those creatures our clan banished over the centuries." "I see," Nabiki said in a soft voice. "Then why don't we look for Jeffrey where our ancestors reside?" "Because he can be no where other than the Realm of Outcasts since he's not of our clan." "Then the elders can help us," Nabiki said hopefully. "I doubt it. This is not a place where their spirits can go freely. I'm not really sure they can help us here." "Oh." Nabiki wandered over to the chest again. "Anyway, I was told there are trials and traps scattered amongst the things we find here. They're meant to torment those they imprison in this realm. There are also things that might be useful to us," Sodoshi replied, her attention drawn to a couple of pots stacked along the wall. Nabiki watched as Sodoshi began examining the pots. The first two were obviously worthless. By the third one, it didn't look like she was going to find anything useful among them. With her friend occupied, Nabiki again turned to the small chest. Its top changed colors as she moved her head, like it consisted of an oily fluid. On the front was a small lock that glimmered in the reflected spirit lights like a small jewel. It couldn't hurt to look at it, she reasoned. Bending over, she noticed something written on the lock but it was partially obscured by a bit of dirt. If she could just wipe some of if off, she might be able to read the inscription. After all, it could be a clue. Casting a quick glance over her shoulder to assure that Sodoshi was still busy, she hesitantly reached out and touched the lock with her index finger. The instant she touched it, the lock snapped open with a loud 'click'. "Don't touch that!" Sodoshi yelled, rushing to grab Nabiki and pull her aside. Before she could get close enough, the lid popped open with a loud 'bang'. What emerged headed straight for Nabiki's face. Screaming, the current Cold Moon Clan elder ducked as the white object whizzed past her head. Sodoshi saw Nabiki duck but wasn't as quick. With a sickening 'splat', it struck her full in the face, knocking her backwards until she stumbled and fell on her butt. "I'm sorry," Nabiki sputtered, rushing to Sodoshi's side. Muffled curses came from behind the white mass as she clawed at the gooey mess. Great clumps of yellow and white drooled down her face, dropping onto her white yukata. Nabiki knelt next to her and frantically helped scrape off the goo. It was a little runny and smelled of lemons. Out of curiosity, she held up a bit and sniffed. "It's a cream pie!" Spitting and coughing, Sodoshi finally scraped enough of the stuff off her face to growl: "I noticed!" "I'm really sorry. I... I didn't think it would open if I just touched the lock." "Didn't I tell you to leave it alone?" Nabiki hung her head. "Yes." Grabbing a cloth from one of the pots, Sodoshi wiped the mess from her face and glared at Nabiki. "There's a reason I told you that. You don't know what's inside. It could have been something dangerous." Nabiki scooped a clump of lemon filling from Sodoshi's hair. "Only to a dieter," she mumbled. Sodoshi just growled and frowned at Nabiki again, like she couldn't decide on a suitable punishment. Nabiki, however, glanced up at her friend and started to giggle. "What's so funny?" "You should have seen your face before it hit." Nabiki practically doubled over with laughter. "I wish I had a camera." "Very funny," Sodoshi snarled. "Since the box is open, we might as well look inside." The two wandered back to the now open chest, Nabiki still chuckling and Sodoshi pulling clumps of pie out with her fingers. "Now I need to wash my hair," the older girl grumbled. "It was just a pie." "It could have been something else." Nabiki didn't answer. She was too busy trying not to giggle again. Sodoshi spit out a bit that had stuck to her lips and examined the open chest. A spring arm, obviously held in place by the lid, now stood fully erect after throwing the pie. Attached to the arm was a small slip of paper. "Remember: Curiosity killed the cat," she read. "Only if they're allergic to lemons," Nabiki replied with a half-suppressed giggle. Sodoshi closed one eye and made a face that issued a clear warning to her clan sister. It was wearing thin. Waving a hand, Nabiki got the message. "Okay, I'll be more careful in the future." "You better or I'll feed you to the first fox creature that comes along," Sodoshi warned, pushing past and heading towards the exit tunnel. "This place is unpredictable. You have to watch every step or else --" Her voice ended with a sudden scream as the floor gave way beneath her. Sodoshi's scream echoed from the darkness as she slid down an incline that was once the floor, ending with a cacophony of sounds, like someone fell into a full closet. Glass breaking, boxes falling, a cat yowling and finally a loud gong came from the darkness below. Nabiki rushed to the edge. A section of the floor was now sharply angled downwards like a long slide. "You okay?" she called. There was a hesitation before Sodoshi's irritated voice came back. "Yeah, I'm just fine. Give me a minute to stand up and get my bearings." A moment of silence was suddenly pierced by more sounds of things falling, the last sounded like a hubcap spinning down on a concrete floor. "What's down there?" "Seven hundred years of junk. I think I found the Cold Moon Clan's Lost and Found." "Anything we can use?" "How should I know?" Sodoshi growled from the darkness. Her friend's snarl caused Nabiki to flinch. "Fine. Think there's a way out down there?" When Sodoshi made an exasperated sound, Nabiki held up her hands in resignation. "I know. Stupid question." "I might be able to climb back out if you give me your hand." Nabiki lay flat on the floor and extended her arm as far down the incline as she could. "I can't reach it." "Try jumping." Sodoshi did. As the two linked hands, it quickly became obvious that the older girl, now in a solid human form, was heavier than she looked. "WATCH OUT!" Nabiki yelled as she felt herself being pulled over the edge. A short slide into the darkness was followed by another series of crashes, breaking glass, falling boxes, and finally a horse whinnying. Then silence. "Idiot!" ***** Kasumi trudged home with her load of groceries. They felt heavier today, like her mood. Her whole world had come apart with the announcement of Akane's pregnancy. With a deep breath, she chastised herself for such feelings. It wasn't right to blame her sister for what happened. Akane had no way of knowing she was also pregnant. If only one or the other had waited a day or so to announce, it wouldn't have been such a big deal. But she had planned her announcement for two days. It was supposed to have touched off the kind of attention her sister got. Instead, she was once again shoved into the background, a convenient maid and house servant instead of an honored eldest daughter. A wave of self-pity rolled over her, forcing a pause in her stride as she fought the inevitable reaction. No, she mustn't allow herself to give in to such emotions. She should channel her feelings into a positive action, such as arranging for another place to live. The thought of leaving the only home she had ever known only reinforced her despondency, this time resulting in a pause long enough to attract attention. "Are you alright, Tendo-san?" came a voice from behind. Sniffing and setting down one of the bags to wipe her eyes, she glanced over her shoulder to see a police officer from the local koban approaching. "I trust there's nothing wrong," he added with a concerned look. "No, Officer Kobiyashi. I'm fine," she lied, knowing he could probably see right through such prevarication. "Perhaps you should sit down for a moment. You look pale." He stooped to pick up her bag. "No, really, I'm fine." She tried to add one of her better smiles, the one she usually saved for when Ranma tried to apologize for breaking something. "I really must get home. It's getting late." "Very well," he said, handing her the bag. "It's only two more blocks. I'll walk with you to make sure you get home okay." "Thank you," she said softly. "I had coffee with your husband this morning. He stopped by the koban to talk, like he does nearly every morning." "I didn't know that." Kasumi tried to hide her surprise at discovering her husband's early morning activities. "Yes, he comes by and tells us what's going on in the neighborhood, noting little complaints he's heard, and even giving a quick treatment to those of us not feeling well. He says it's just part of being a good citizen. We appreciate that." A more genuine smile graced Kasumi's face as she thought of how lucky she'd been in marrying such a thoughtful man. Tofu had turned out to be everything she dreamed her husband would be. He was always home when she wanted him to be and gone when it suited her. He knew when she needed comforting and when she needed to be alone. The ideal husband. "I suppose congratulations are in order," the officer said with a shy grin. Kasumi's smile faded as she braced herself for another round of 'Akane praising'. Why was it always Akane? "Yes, all of us down at the koban are hoping it's a boy." Her chin fell at what she perceived to be a reference to her sister's condition. "First, Nabiki and now you. I'll bet your father is beside himself with joy." Officer Kobiyashi grinned while rubbing the back of his head with a white-gloved hand. "I just wish our neighborhood had more people like you and your husband." Kasumi glanced at him in surprise and then blushed, shyly concealing her response with a hand. "Thank you," she said. "I really must be on my way. Tofu will be expecting dinner when he gets home." "I'll walk with you. Just to make sure you get home okay." She thanked him and smiled to herself. She liked Officer Kobiyashi. He was one of the more thoughtful officers, always checking up on people in the neighborhood and offering assistance whenever there was any sort of domestic problems. She felt safe walking with him, knowing any neighbors who might see them together would correctly assess the situation as simply a policeman doing his duty. At the Tendo compound gate, he touched the bill of his hat with a hand and bowed politely. Thanking him again for his kind consideration and words, she stepped through the gate. Her mood had brightened considerably. That mood was quickly tested when she saw who was waiting for her. "Welcome home, Oneechan," Akane said with a friendly smile. Kasumi forced herself to return the greeting and smile while thinking of how she could get past her younger sister and into the house without facing the kinds of questions her sister had been pestering her with over the last few days. "Let me carry those for you," Akane said eagerly. "They're not heavy. I can manage." Kasumi tried to skirt around her sister. "Can I help with anything?" "No, thank you. I just have to start dinner." Kasumi almost felt bad about the way she was dismissing her little sister but she just wasn't ready yet to face another round with Akane. "Oh, okay," Akane replied, her chin dropping. Without waiting for her sister to restart their brief conversation, Kasumi opened the door and stepped inside. The cooler entryway gave Kasumi a moment to sigh contentedly. She hadn't realized just how hot it was outside until she stepped into their home. Summer was coming and she would need to make sure all the shogi panels slid smoothly on their tracks. They would need to work smoothly if she was going to keep the house cool during the hottest months ahead. Changing her shoes, she looked up to see who was coming down the stairs. It caused her to abruptly question her sanity. "Hi, Kasumi," Akane said, as she reached the last step. "Need any help?" Kasumi glanced at Akane, then to the front door, and back to her sister again. Something wasn't right about this. Didn't she just leave Akane outside? "What's the matter? You look like you've just seen a ghost." Akane giggled. "Imagine, a ghost in the middle of the afternoon." "Yeah. Imagine." Kasumi snatched up her bags and retreated towards the usual safe haven of her kitchen. How did Akane get inside so fast? And how did she get upstairs from the front walk without her noticing? Her emotions were running so high when she encountered the first Akane that she failed to adequately probe to see if she was real. By the time she thought to examine the second, the girl was gone. Disappointed in her lack of attention, she rounded the corner and ducked into her kitchen. She flinched to a halt at what was waiting for her. "Hi, Kasumi," Akane said cheerfully. "I'm just doing a little cleaning so that everything would be perfect when you got home." Kasumi dropped her bags and took a step backwards. Leaning over slightly, she stared down the hall towards the front door. Glancing between the Akane cleaning her kitchen and the empty hallway, she frowned. A quick probe of this Akane caused her to recoil further. It felt like she was touching a dead space where nothing existed. Just a black void where Akane stood. As she stood there staring at Akane wiping the counter, she heard someone approaching from the laundry room. It was another Akane. "I'm just finishing the laundry, Oneechan," Akane said. "Did you get everything you needed for dinner?" Kasumi blinked at Akane and glanced in the kitchen again. That Akane was still wiping the counter. A quick mental probe of this new Akane confirmed what she already suspected. Neither one was the real Akane. Thinking fast, Kasumi tried a gentle smile on her approaching 'sister'. Motioning for her to come closer, she watched warily for a reaction from either. "Yes, Kasumi?" Kasumi pointed to the kitchen and waited. Akane's reaction was priceless. "AAAAAAAHH!" both Akanes yelled when they saw each other. "Who's THAT?" the second Akane squealed, one hand covering her mouth and the other pointing at her duplicate. "I'm the real Akane," the one in the kitchen said. "No, Oneechan, I'M the real Akane," insisted the other. "Neither one of you is real," Kasumi said with a firm expression. Both Akanes started to protest but stopped when they noticed Kasumi's look of irritation. After a few guilty glances at each other, they lowered their eyes and appeared to pout. "Kasumi?" came Akane's call from the front hall. "What was that noise?" Holding up one finger as a warning, Kasumi silenced the other two Akanes. "I'm back here." Another Akane came down the hall wearing a broad grin. "Have you seen Father?" she asked just before reaching her sister. Kasumi mentally probed this new Akane, her expression changing to disgust when she felt the same dead response. "No, but I think you better come into the kitchen. I want to show you something." "Really? Is it something you bought? I can't imagine what --" Akane's voice choked when she saw the other two standing sheepishly next to each other. Glancing between the twin Akanes and Kasumi, Akane number three shook her head like she didn't believe her eyes. "Get in there with the others," Kasumi ordered the last Akane, her voice firm like a mother chastising a child. The third Akane's shoulders sagged and her chin dropped as she complied. Standing together, the three Akanes glanced nervously at each other. Kasumi just crossed her arms and frowned disapprovingly at all three. "I'm going to ask you all only once. Who are you? More importantly, WHAT are you?" The three shifted nervously, each holding their hands together in front of their identical skirts. They could have been triplets to anyone not able to detect they weren't real. "I TOLD you this was a bad idea," the first Akane growled at the other two. "How was I to know she could detect we weren't real?" the second Akane protested. "Yeah, you were the one that said Akane was the person most on Kasumi's mind," the third sniffed. "I did not!" "Yes, you did. You said we could fool her." "You're crazy!" "Am not!" "ENOUGH!" Kasumi yelled before reminding herself to be calm and in control. She had to admit, all three had her sister's temperament. "I want to know WHO you are and WHY you're here." The three pouted at the floor for a few moments before the first Akane sighed. "We're... kitsune spirits," she finally admitted. "Our master sent us here to..." She hesitated, a confused expression crossing her face, before turning to the other two. "Why are we here again?" "The third Akane shrugged. "I don't know. I thought YOU knew." "No way. Ask HER." She pointed to the second Akane. "Hey, you're the leader. You're supposed to know what our mission was." "I am not! I was never the leader. You were the one who last time pretended to be Kasumi and came back bragging how easy it was to fool the Tendos." "Oh, sure, blame me for thinking the rest of the family is as stupid as the fathers." "Well, that little stunt with the axe certainly got their attention." "Was that you?" Kasumi gasped. "YOU put a hole in my living room floor?" "Uh-oh," the three said together. "She wasn't supposed to find out about that," the third Akane said out of the corner of her mouth. "Way to go, big mouth." "I was just trying to scare them," the first Akane said contritely. "I don't believe this," Kasumi groused. "Do you know how much it's going to cost to fix that?" "Sorry." The three 'Akanes' exchanged nervous glances. Kasumi was still trying to think of what she was going to do about the fake Akanes when Ranma stumbled down the stairs, yawning and scratching his head. Before she could think of any way to detour him, Ranma was squeezing his way past her and into the kitchen. "Hi, Akane," he mumbled as he passed the first duplicate on his way to the sink. "Sorry I overslept. With a baby on the way, I need to run classes later at night. It really takes a lot out of a guy," he said, pulling down a plastic glass and filling it with water. Kasumi watched all this with profound disbelief. The boy was amazing. How could he possibly wander past THREE identical versions of his own wife without noticing? Yawning, Ranma stretched and groaned. "I think I overdid it last night." "You poor baby," the three Akanes said together. When Ranma looked their way through the bottom of his plastic glass, he froze and blinked. A frown crossed his face before he lowered the glass, dribbling water down the front of his shirt. He blinked again and rubbed his eyes. "You want me to wash that glass when you're through?" the third Akane asked. In an instant, he was wide awake. The empty glass bounced off the floor as he stumbled back against the counter and stared at the three. "Wha... what's going on?" he finally gasped. "It would seem we have some visitors," Kasumi said. "Why do they all look like Akane?" he demanded. "Don't you know your own wife?" the first Akane said in a demanding tone. "Huh? Oh... yeah... heh, of course I do." He stepped forward just enough to take the first Akane's hand. "I'm sorry, Akane. I should have recognized you right away." When he looked to Kasumi for confirmation, all he saw was her slowly shaking her head. Swallowing hard with an apprehensive expression, he slowly let go of the first Akane. "Sorry... uh, Miss. I must still be half asleep." With a nervous chuckle, he moved over to the second Akane but hesitated. "Honestly, Ranma, I can't believe you don't know your own wife," the second Akane growled. "For crying out loud, Akane, I... I'm just not awake yet. That's all," he protested. "You all look so much alike." He forced a self-conscious snicker before glancing once again at Kasumi. She was still shaking her head. He turned back to the second Akane and gave a little nervous giggle, his left eye twitching. She might not have hammered him in a long time but he got the feeling that was all about to change - by a factor of three. "Then..." he said hesitantly, pointing to the third Akane. Chancing a peek at Kasumi, her disappointed expression and slow shake of her head confirmed this wasn't the real Akane either. With wide eyes, he backed towards Kasumi, always keeping his eyes on the three perfect duplicates of his wife. At least he could be certain SHE was real. "Okay, you three, what did you do with the real Akane?" Kasumi demanded. The three fakes glanced at each other before looking down at the floor. "She's asleep out in the dojo," the first said. "We didn't hurt her. We just made her fall asleep." "We wouldn't really hurt anyone," the third added, still looking down at the floor and fidgeting. "We don't like hurting mortals. That's why nobody likes us in the spirit world. Even our own kind are mean and nasty to us." Kasumi sighed. She could tell they were being honest. "Okay, I believe you." Shaking her head, she looked at the shaken Ranma for only a moment. "You better go out and see if your wife is okay." Like a flash, Ranma was down the hall and out the door. His frantic footsteps fading into the distance. An awkward pause filled the room as Kasumi regarded the three imposters and tried to think of what to do. "For starters, you better change. Those identical Akane outfits are a little... unsettling," Kasumi said with a frown. The three looked at each other and shrugged. "Okay," they said together. Kasumi blinked as the three bodies seemed to shimmer and blur before reforming in their solid form. However, she was certain this change wasn't for the better. Both hands covered her mouth in surprise as three naked Akanes stood shamelessly in front of her. "Is this better?" the first Akane asked. Kasumi quickly looked away. "Absolutely not." The first two Akanes traded confused looks. The third had other things on her mind. Cupping her bare breasts, she jiggled them and frowned. "I don't get it. What are these for?" she asked innocently. Chancing a peek, Kasumi whimpered and covered her eyes. "Please stop doing that." "Okay, but I really don't see what good these things are," the third Akane said as she switched from jiggling to poking. "I mean, they've GOT to serve some purpose." Kasumi closed her eyes and slowly counted to ten... and then to twenty, all the time reminding herself that Tofu said she would be experiencing certain mood swings due to a temporary pregnancy-induced hormone imbalance. All she had to do was calm down and relax. Her natural balance would eventually return. At least, that was HIS opinion. When she looked again at the three, the other two were beginning to mimic their confused partner. Kasumi suppressed a groan. "Okay, let's approach this logically," she said, her hands sliding up to hold her head between them. "We can't have three Akanes running around with the real one. So the first thing we need -- WILL YOU PLEASE STOP THAT!" The three Akanes instantly dropped their hands to their sides. "Thank you," Kasumi said with a sigh of relief. "We need to find different forms for each of you that won't alarm everyone in the neighborhood." She looked around until her eyes caught on her 'Modern Japanese Homemaker' magazine on the counter. It was normally used to pass the time while things were cooking. She thumbed through the pages until she found three models that looked acceptable. Assigning each of the fox spirits one to duplicate, she sighed in relief as they transformed into perfect duplicates of the girls in her magazine. "That's better," she said. "Now all we have to do is give you names. Uh, do you already have names?" "Of course but we rarely use them," one of the girls said. "How do you tell each other apart?" "We each smell different, especially around the --" "I get the idea," Kasumi said quickly, cutting the girl off before a truly disgusting image formed in her head. She wasn't totally successful. "Let's call you Eiko," she said, point to the first one. "We'll call you Biko and ... no, that won't work. No one's going to believe Anime names." The three blinked at her like lost puppies. She wasn't sure she liked that look. It reminded her that getting rid of them might prove harder than giving them names. "Oh, I give up. I'll just call you Yumi, Fumi, and... uh, Kumi," she said with an exasperated flap of her arms. "Yumi?" the first asked with a serious expression, like she was rolling the name around in her head. "Fumi?" "Kumi?" After a few moments of them repeating the names, accompanied by Kasumi silently counting to a hundred, they finally agreed. "Fine," Kasumi said with a sigh of relief. "Now, if you three will just go in and watch TV until I get dinner started, we can deal with your problem." Kumi, formerly the third Akane, cast Kasumi a worried look. "Can we stay here with you? We don't have anywhere else to go." "Yeah, we don't want to go back to the spirit world. It's all dark and icky there," Yumi added. "Nobody would miss us." "Please," Fumi begged. "We won't be any trouble at all. We can even help around the house." "We'll see. For now, just go watch TV so I can get some things done here in the kitchen." Kasumi tried her best 'motherly' smile. "I'm late getting dinner started." As the three turned towards the living room, Kasumi sighed and began unpacking her groceries. "By the way, do you want something to drink?" she asked, remembering her hospitality. "I've got water, juice, tea, and..." She paused to open her small refrigerator. "Oh, I see we still have three cans of Coca- Cola." "COKE! COKE!" the three called like little kids. Kasumi smiled to herself and placed the three cans on a little tray. At least this part of hosting these three seemed normal. Carrying her tray into the living room, she paused to see what they had picked to watch. It was some mindless Anime show about kids training odd-looking creatures. Not the best thing to help them understand the modern world but she didn't see how it could hurt. Placing the tray on the table in front of them, she asked: "If you're new to the outside world, how do you know about Coca-Cola?" Fumi returned an incredulous look. "We have it in the spirit world." "You have Coke in the spirit world?" "Kasumi, Coke is everywhere." Returning to the kitchen, Kasumi couldn't help but skeptically mumble: "That must be some route." Ranma found his sleeping wife, wearing her workout gi, curled up on the dojo's smooth floor under one of the windows. Despite its hard surface, she looked so relaxed and comfortable, he almost hated to wake her. Dropping to his knees, he watched her sleep for several seconds. She looked so cute like that; all curled up in a fetal position. It was hard to imagine that inside her young body was growing another life; their first child. He blushed at the images that replayed themselves in his mind of the night they began that new life. His eyes caressed her features as he remembered how innocent and frightened she looked that night. It reminded him of the first time he saw her, when she found out about their engagement. Much of the same fear and uncertainty was reflected in her face that day as well. Despite his best efforts, he lost his heart to her the moment their eyes met. Oh sure, they both acted like they resented the whole event but she admitted after they were married that she only acted badly towards him because of all she had gone through before they met. She told him how she secretly hated herself for each and every angry word and physical beating. Only at night, in her bed, did she allow herself to dream little dreams of how much she really wanted him. It may have taken her the better part of five years to come to grips with her affection for him but she insisted it was worth it in the end. Drawing a deep breath, Ranma closed his eyes and thought again how lucky he had been having her for a wife. She might not be the best at domestic chores but how many other husbands can say their wives can break a stack of bricks with their bare hands? With a sigh, he reached out and gently shook her shoulder. It took a couple more shakes to rouse the sleeping Akane but when she woke, it came with a jerk and a frantic series of glances around the room. "It's okay, Akane. We're alone," Ranma said. With a shudder, Akane looked at him with wild eyes before pulling herself into his arms. "Oh, Ranma, I just had such a terrible dream. I was in here working out and suddenly I got the feeling I wasn't alone. When I looked around, three ghosts appeared. I was so afraid, Ranma. They looked like wild animals - BIG wild animals." She shuddered again and clutched him tighter. "I wanted to run as they approached but I couldn't move. When they touched me,... That's all I remember. Ranma, it was horrible." "Three ghosts," Ranma repeated, looking back towards the house as he held her trembling body close to his. Surely, she didn't mean the three he just left alone with Kasumi. They didn't seem dangerous. At least, Kasumi didn't act like they were any kind of threat. "You do believe me, don't you?" she moaned into his chest. "Akane, I've been all over Japan and much of China. I'd be crazy not to believe in ghosts." He smiled at her in a reassuring way. "Of course, I believe you. Ghosts can be anywhere but they're usually not dangerous. I have a feeling the ghosts you encountered are pretty harmless. In any case, you're safe now." Akane drew a ragged breath and seemed to relax in his arms. While he was glad she was okay, he couldn't help but wonder what they were in for. How could he tell her the three ghosts she saw were right now inside their home and in the care of her older sister? No, that wouldn't be a good idea. She'd probably want to run to her sister's defense. Besides, her worrying wouldn't be good for either her or the baby. She needed something to take her mind off her 'dream'. "Why don't you help me set up for my first class?" he asked. Akane blinked up at him. "You really mean it? You've never let me help before. You usually don't even want me around the dojo when you're having classes. Are you sure you want me to help?" "Yeah, why not?" He helped her to her feet. "It'll go faster with the two of us." Fifteen minutes later, the dojo was properly set up and ready for the night's classes. Akane, having shed her fears over the appearance of the ghosts, quickly recovered to be her old self. At least, the self that had developed along with her pregnancy. "Done in record time," Ranma said, wiping his brow and surveying their work. "Wouldn't you say, Akane?" When his wife didn't answer, he quickly glanced around for her. The room appeared empty. The only place he couldn't readily see was inside the closet. With concerns that she might have returned to the house, he checked the closet. As he got close, he sensed Akane's presence. Stepping inside, he was surprised and pinned against the closet wall. He didn't fight because he knew who it was. He didn't speak because his mouth was already engaged, responding to a soft pair of lips that seemed relentless. When Akane broke the kiss, he gasped for air until he looked into her beautiful brown eyes, shimmering in the muted light of their tiny sanctuary. "What?" he asked with a nervous smile. He never fully understood his wife's moods. But then, few husbands ever do. "We have almost two hours until your students arrive," she said in a soft voice. "There are two mats left and I want you so bad." Jolted by the aggressiveness of his wife, he remained stuck to the wall, even when she released him and began to undo the belt of her gi. His jaw dropped a bit when her belt fell to the floor. She backed towards the mats, the front of her gi jacket open enough to show the gentle swell of her breasts. Slowly dropping to the mats, she held out her hand, beckoning him to follow. Her expression was almost one of desperation. "Please, Ranma. I can't explain why I feel this way but I need you right now, right here." "But... this is the dojo, not our bedroom," he stammered. He could feel himself becoming unstuck as his body began to react to the tempting scene before him. "Please. In a few months my body will be all swollen and ugly. I saw what it did to Nabiki and how Jeffrey reacted. I don't want that to happen to us. I need to know you still love me - that you still think I'm pretty." When she reached out to him, one of her breasts peeked from behind its hiding place. "Please," she whispered. That was all it took. Pushing the door shut behind him, he melted into her arms, his own gi disappearing into a pile on the floor. It was soon joined by Akane's. From the dojo, had anyone been there, all that could be heard was Akane's giggle and the heavy breathing of two people in love. ***** "Ugh! What is that smell?" Rachel gasped, holding her nose and blinking her watering eyes. "Is special potion to kill demons," Jade replied as she stirred the bubbling concoction on the stove. "I can believe that. It's almost killing us." Rachel set her bag of purchased herbs on the counter. "I got everything on your list. The shopkeeper was curious why you wanted all these odd items." "What you say?" Jade paused her stirring to fix Rachel with a serious frown. "Just what you told me to tell him. That you're trying to duplicate an old Chinese cure for the flu." Rachel choked and moved further away. "He seemed to buy that." "He should," Jade replied, going back to her stirring. "Only difference is two ingredients." "Why do you care if he suspects anything?" Jade paused her stirring and cast Rachel a firm look. "Would be better to tell him we making demon potion to protect from evil fox creatures? If man know real reason, he make very much trouble. All Chinese people believe in demons. Very bad he discover demons here." Rachel couldn't argue with that, although she couldn't fathom what reaction the Chinese community might have with that knowledge. Surely, they were beyond such superstitions. Why would anyone even listen to some crazy old man about demons rampaging through Hawaii? The Chinese-Americans she knew were so completely Westernized it was hard to imagine any of them reacting in the manner Jade described. Dismissing the girl's warning, she went to gather squirt guns for the potion. When the doorbell rang, little Sodoshi scampered to answer. When she saw who it was, she squealed in delight. "Hi, Sister!" she shouted. "You're just in time to fight the demons." Sister Angelica patted Sodoshi's head. "Oh, you playing some new game?" "No, Sister, we're fighting REAL demons," Sodoshi insisted with a serious expression. "They stole Daddy." Sister Angelica frowned at the child. "I see. Where's your mother?" "We can't find her," Rachel answered from the hallway, her arms full of supersoaker squirt guns. "Mr. Gaffney called all around Tokyo looking for her. There was no answer at the Tendo residence and the hotel where her business associates said she was staying claims she left a couple of days ago. She must be planning on coming back because she kept the room and left her luggage behind." With a deep sigh, Sister Angelica shook her head. She knew Nabiki could be impulsive at times but her absence when Jeffrey was in trouble went beyond even that. Perhaps she was in Japan to find her husband. There was some talk about people there who disliked the Lawrences. "Where was Mr. Lawrence last seen?" she asked. "Mr. Lawrence is in intensive care at the University Hospital," Rachel corrected, entering the living room. Following, the nun hesitated at Rachel's claim. "But, I thought she said he was 'stolen.'" "Some part of him was," Rachel said like she wasn't certain just how to explain. "At least, that's what we believe happened. He's in a coma and the doctors don't know why." "I see." Sister Angelica stroked Sodoshi's long hair and smiled at the little girl. "You're being very brave about this," she said. Sodoshi reached for a squirt gun. "We're going to beat the demons and rescue Daddy," she declared, as if it were little more than a game to her. "Perhaps you shouldn't be here," Rachel noted with a look of concern towards the Sister. "If what we suspect is coming, you could get hurt." "Honey, I grew up in a Korean orphanage. I don't think anyone has more devils and demons than the Koreans. The Sisters there used to call them 'Satan's emissaries.' If there is any way I can help, I'll stay." Rachel shrugged. "Suit yourself. You know how to handle a squirt gun?" "I'm afraid I don't use weapons," Sister Angelica said with a smile. "My order kinda frowns on that." "How are you at cooking disgusting-smelling demon-killing potions?" The nun wrinkled her nose. "Is that what I smell?" "Jade claims it's guaranteed to work," Rachel replied with a pained expression. "I'm not surprised. The smell alone is enough to chase off a sewer rat." Sister Angelica took Sodoshi's little hand and walked with her back to the kitchen, instinctively using part of her nun's habit to cover her mouth and nose as the odor got stronger. "Potion ready," Jade declared with a satisfied glint in her eye. Rachel helped load the squirt guns, handing each to little Sodoshi as they were filled. Sister Angelica continued to cover her nose while fanning the fumes with a free hand and worrying if there was any way of washing the odor out of her habit. "I wish spirit-Sodoshi was here," the little girl said with a pout, her arms full of fowl-smelling water weapons. Rachel sighed and stroked the Sodoshi's hair. "She's helping find your father. No one can be in two places at once." "I know." Sodoshi pouted some more. "I just miss her. She's a good fighter." "Spirit-Sodoshi?" Sister Angelica asked with a confused expression. "It's a long story. Let's just say that she's a very good friend of Nabiki's," Rachel replied with a sigh. The nun's next question was derailed by the door bell ringing again. Rachel shook her head as she looked towards the door. "This place sure is getting busy." Sister Angelica nodded with a helpful smile. "I'll get it." When she opened the door, her smile broadened. "Mr Bateman, how nice to see you again." Jim Bateman shook the nun's hand and ushered his guest inside. "Sister Angelica, this is Troy Tomita. He's a Shinto priest from up north." "I'm very happy to meet you," she said with her beautiful smile beaming as she extended her hand. Troy gently took her soft hand but paused when their eyes met. For several seconds, all he could do was hold on to her and stare. The nun's smile wavered slightly, embarrassment haunting her eyes as she glanced at Mr Bateman. "I... I did a report on Shinto for the Sisters at the convent last year," she said, trying to get some sort of impersonal conversation going. "Uh-huh," was all Troy could mutter as he continued to stare at her with a glazed expression. "Well, I'll just leave you two to get acquainted while I check on the others," Jim said, slipping away from the pair with a silent chuckle. "You know, your religion is most interesting." The Sister returned to smiling in a friendly way towards the speechless Troy. "Uh-huh." "Ummm, I don't want to sound rude but could I have my hand back?" "Uh-huh." She could feel her hand getting sweaty and her heart beating faster. She wasn't sure but she might have been blushing as well. "So, you've come to help?" she said while trying to gracefully slip her hand out of his. The sweat helped. Once her fingers slipped free, she clutched her hand to her chest. The cold metal of her cross helping her remember her vows. "Uh-huh." She was certain she was blushing now. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire. "This is very awkward for me," she said in a hushed voice while looking down at the carpet. "Uh-huh." She glanced up to see his continued wistful expression. With a painful grimace, she held up her left hand and wiggled her fingers in his face. "I'm taken. Sorry." "Uh-huh." When there was no reaction, she leaned over a bit and looked questioningly into his eyes. "Hello?" "Uh-huh." "Put green root in potion," came Jade's voice from the kitchen. She was obviously making more of her demon concoction. Since he looked to be in his twenties, Sister Angelica had an idea. Taking Troy's hand again, she started for the kitchen. Inside, she towed him towards the Chinese girl at the stove. "Jade, I want you to meet Troy Tomita. He's a Shinto priest who's come to help," she said with a demure little smile. When Jade looked towards Troy, she froze. Her expression dissolved into one that closely matched his as the two stared awkwardly into each other's eyes. The Chinese girl swallowed hard and touched the front of her simple blouse like she was embarrassed to be seen wearing something so unflattering. When her eyes broke contact with his, she looked down at the floor and tried to smooth her hair back towards her pony tail. "Jade honored," she whispered in a hoarse voice. "No, it is I who is..." His voice trailed off as he too looked at the floor. Sister Angelica made a little face and turned to leave. "I'll just let you two kids get to know one another." Walking away, she glanced at the ceiling and muttered: "I expected I would be tempted at some point but I never expected it to be like this. Wow, you sure know how to pick 'em." ***** Master Sato kept his vigil at the entrance of the Cold Moon Shrine. Assuming a position of meditation, his eyes barely open, he watched the 'village' below, knowing full well its ghostly inhabitants were watching him. He felt an odd sense of calm despite being from another clan. He knew he didn't have to fear their reaction. Centuries of being hunted had reduced their spirits to cautious, almost timid souls. He hoped they understood he was here to help. Allowing himself to doze, he could feel an occasional tingling, like someone or something was probing his mind. Perhaps it was just curiosity. Maybe it was them trying to communicate. In any case, he tried to ignore it - after shielding himself as best he could. It just was after one of his short periods of sleep when he got the feeling he was no longer alone. He could feel a presence nearby, a presence every bit as shielded as his own. It made him uncomfortable enough to chance a peek. Standing not more than a meter from him was a glowing figure of a man. Dressed in the simple clothes of a farmer, the ghostly entity appeared to be staring at the wooden portal. "Welcome, my brother," the figure said without looking, his voice sounding as alive as if he were a mortal being. "Konbenwa." Master Sato drew a deep, cleansing breath. "Forgive my presence." The ghostly figure merely held up a hand as if to stop Sato's apology. "You do not need to explain. I understand. You are here to help a clan member. That is sufficient for me." Sato tried to show no emotion, his gaze returning to the lights in the village below. "You seem to know much." "Perhaps," the figure said with an enigmatic smile. "But I have an interest in the outcome of my clan member's quest." "How so?" Sato to look towards the village. He could see faces peeking out from windows, watching him and the ghostly figure. He wondered if they and he were somehow connected. "Forgive me, Sato the Ronin Shinobi Master. I am not being a good host. Almost three hundred years have robbed me of my ability to feel things as you mortals. It is cold in these hills at night. I can tell your bones ache from their age." Sato wondered why the figure would ignore his question, instead choosing to express concern about his well being. He straightened up slightly, his chin rising in defiance. "I've endured worse." "So you have. But we all grow old with time. Allow me to offer the humble hospitality of our village." Another glance at the ghostly dwellings below was all it took for Sato to shake his head. "I understand. You fear what my people would do to you, a chunin from another clan." Sato shook his head again. "No, it is because I must remain vigilant. The battle is not yet won." "Agreed." The ghostly figure waved an arm, producing a rough-hewn blanket of dark red material. "Allow me to at least make you comfortable." Before Sato could protest, the blanket was around his shoulders. He was mildly surprised when it began to radiate heat, soothing his stiff joints. His whole body relaxed under the pleasant warmth. "You have been awake for more than a day. Why don't you sleep awhile. I will stand watch." The figure smiled in a friendly way. "Why are you doing this?" "I have a personal interest in what's happening in there. You see, one of my own is involved." Sato glanced at the wooden door before eyeing the ghostly figure. The man looked familiar in the moonlight. "You are a Tendo?" "No, the last of my blood and the finest shadow warrior our people ever produced accompanies our only remaining elder on her quest. I know this because I am Akikazu Tanaka - the last Shinobi Master of the Cold Moon Clan." The figure's eyes glowed dark red with his pronouncement. Instinctively, Master Sato bowed as well as his position would allow, his head almost coming in contact with the shrine's cold stone floor. Akikazu Tanaka was a legend, even among his own people. He was part priest and part warrior - the ultimate balance between two worlds. It was said he could perform the most amazing feats of shadow warrior skills. There were none who could hope to ascend to Tanaka's level of skill - even Sato himself. "Sleep, my brother. I will stand watch. You must be fresh when the time comes to act." "Hai, sensei," Sato said reverently. "No, Sato-san. Simply 'brother' will do. You are closer to my legacy than you know." ***** Ami trotted home happily from her rounds in the neighborhood. From a dog's perspective, it had been a good day. The local restaurants had fresh garbage to pick from, some of which even missed the trash cans, she had discovered a new and delightfully powerful-smelling spot in one of the green areas to roll in, and a couple of the neighborhood children had even stopped long enough to play 'chase' with her. With a yawn, she squeezed through the gate and back into her own domain. She paused to mark a couple of times, just to make sure any trespassing animal knew this was HER territory. One couldn't be too careful in a city with so many animals running free. With Kasumi nowhere to be seen, she chased after a couple of squirrels who dared to come down to the ground in her absence. She had to make certain they understood who ruled here. Satisfied that everything was as it should be, she yawned again, snorted once and trotted up to the engawa. The sun was high and Kasumi would be preparing a meal. She always had 'bites' for a cute little dog who knew how to beg properly. Up on the engawa, she sniffed the air once more. There was something different about the house. Not threatening or dangerous, she concluded, but different. Shaking herself like she always did before entering, she skipped lightly over the open shogi track and immediately skidded to a halt. Three humans in the room froze, their heads turned to look her way and their eyes wide and unblinking. At first, Ami was confused. The house often had strange humans - some stranger than others - but these were on a different level of strange. She sensed they weren't totally... human. Sniffing the air again convinced her these were not what they appeared. A low growl rumbled from her throat as her ears flattened. This was HER home, her territory. Whatever they were, this was not the place for them. When none of the three moved, she decided to assert herself with a series of sharp barks. A sudden flurry of movement by the three only caused her to intensify her angry barking. "What in the world?" Kasumi muttered, the sound of Ami barking in the living room caused her to suspend her fluid vegetable-chopping motions in mid-stroke. Wiping her hands on a towel, she went to investigate. Curiously, the seats where she had left the three fox creatures were now empty. Only the barking Ami, still standing just inside the room was all she could see. "Hush, Ami-chan," she commanded in a voice that sounded almost too sweet to be giving orders. "Behave yourself." When she entered the room and looked at why the dog was barking, she clutched the towel to her chest and gasped. "Oh, my." There, perched on top of the television, were the three spirits, one on top of the other. Their eyes were wide and staring at the aggressive little dog. "We can't have this," Kasumi said, scooping the still growling dog off the floor and carrying her out of the room. Ami-chan switched to simple whining, like she knew what was coming. With a sigh, Kasumi opened the door to the laundry and placed Ami on the floor. "You will just have to wait here until I can think of what to do about my three visitors." Shutting the door, she returned to the living room. The three were still perched on the TV. "Will you please get down - carefully," she said. The fox spirits traded glances like they were silently daring each other to go first. Kasumi was in no mood for hesitation. "Get down NOW!" In their mad scramble to obey, the three human-looking females tumbled to the tatami mats, landing in a tangled heap. Kasumi held her head in a hand and counted to one hundred - very fast - before her control was regained and her three house guests got to their feet. "You didn't say anything about having a dog," Yumi said in an accusing voice. "Yeah, we don't like dogs," Kumi added. "And they don't like us." "Hey, I think I just figured out what these are for," Fumi muttered, squeezing her breasts through her blouse. "STOP THAT!" Kasumi drew a deep breath and dispensed with counting. It wasn't working anyway. "Sorry," the three answered. "Okay, we obviously have a little problem between you three and Ami-chan," Kasumi said in a calm voice. It wasn't easy. "What's an Ami-chan?" Yumi asked. "The dog," Fumi chided out of the corner of her mouth. "Oh." Kasumi collapsed onto one of the pillows that surrounded the family's table, her face a worried scowl. She had to think. There must be a way to let all parties coexist under the same roof. After all, they worked out a way for Ranma and his father to live there. "I'm sure with time Ami-chan would accept you." "I doubt it," Kumi replied. "Dogs always chase us." "Yeah, you'd think we were some sort of prey or something," Yumi added. Kasumi looked towards the ceiling and tapped her chin with a finger. "Well, until I can figure out something, you'll have to stay somewhere else." "Oh, that's no problem," Fumi chirped with a silly grin. "We can stay where we've been hiding for the last week." "Where's that?" Kasumi eyed the trio, unsure she really wanted to know. "We've got a really neat den under your shed out back," Kumi said proudly. "It's big enough for all three of us, has soft moss for our beds, and lots of tasty mice and grubs to eat." Kasumi made a face before her slender hand covered her mouth. Closed eyes made it hard to hide her struggle to control a case of nausea brought on by an image of the three eating mice and grubs. "It really is a nicer place than where we came from," Fumi said thoughtfully. Swallowing hard, her control over the nausea tenuous at best, Kasumi forced a shaky smile. "I'm sure it is. Why don't we just leave it at that." "Then we can stay?" Yumi sounded hopeful. "The dog won't bother us there." "You're sure?" Kasumi asked. "Of course. We can live there and still be close enough to visit." Kasumi looked between the three. They seemed so sincere and innocent; like children begging a mother to sleep a night in their treehouse. Of course, this 'treehouse' was buried somewhere under the family's three meter square storage shed. "Very well. You may stay." The celebration by the three spirits was cut short by her raised finger. "Providing you only appear in your human forms when you visit. I'm not sure the rest of the family is ready for fox creatures living under the shed out back." "We promise," the three said together. "Fine. I've got to get dinner started so you better go home to your..." She paused. "What do you call it?" "We call it a foxhole." "Figures," Kasumi muttered. The three fox creatures, still in their human forms, started for the open engawa when Yumi stopped and looked again at Kasumi. "Uh, I almost hate to ask but could you do us one little favor?" With a sigh, Kasumi held her head in a hand. "What is it?" "Could you leave a six-pack of Coke out behind the shed? It goes really well with grubs and mice." Kasumi made a little 'urp' noise, her hands covering her mouth before she nodded briskly. Mice, grubs, and Coke. Tofu was NOT going to believe this one. ***** Are you sure this is the way we're supposed to go?" Nabiki asked as she balanced on one foot, rubbing the other in hopes of making the soreness go away. She hated the rubber-soled tabi she was forced to wear. She longed for her expensive cross-trainers with the special arch support. They had paused in a dark tunnel that seemed endless. Only a dim glow from an occasional flaming pot lit their way. "This was the only exit from that pit we fell into," Sodoshi said in an offhand manner. "That YOU fell into," Nabiki corrected. "I was pulled in." Sodoshi waved a hand her direction. "Details. Details." "How long have we been in here, anyway?" "Time has no meaning here. To those on the outside, we could have been in here for as long as a century." Sodoshi paused to examine some symbols etched into the blackened cave wall. "A century?" Nabiki gasped. Suddenly, her foot didn't hurt so much. Sodoshi's wry grin betrayed her amusement. "Or less." "How much less?" "Could be only a few seconds." Sodoshi's broad smile told Nabiki it was most likely the latter. "But since you're a mortal, I suspect time for you has remained constant." She hated when her clan sister teased her this way. "You have a mean streak, Sodoshi." "I'm just taking after the one I'm tasked to protect." "My daughter doesn't have a mean bone in her body," Nabiki growled in protest. The cave rumbled and moaned, like it was reacting to a far- away disturbance. "Clearly, you don't know much about her," Sodoshi replied, her eyes roaming the rough-hewn walls in search of whatever it was that caused the disturbance. To her more sensitive ears, it almost sounded like a voice shouting a warning. Nabiki bristled. "What's THAT supposed to mean?" Sodoshi's response was cut short by a low growl that came from the darkness ahead. Both women froze for just a moment before, at Sodoshi's urging, they began to slowly back down the tunnel. Another growl was followed by a third. Then silence. "What was that?" Nabiki whispered. Her answer came from the darkness behind them. It sounded like laughter - at least, the kind of laughter one would expect from a wild carnivorous beast, if such a creature could laugh. The two spun around to face the largest, fur-covered beast either had ever seen - in or out of the spirit realm. Over seven feet tall and almost as wide across the shoulders, it displayed saliva-dripping teeth behind a hideous-looking smile. Sodoshi's sword sprang to her hand, its blade glowing bright yellow. Nabiki scrambled to put her clan sister between herself and the slavering blue-eyed beast. The two backed up the tunnel in slow, measured steps. All the time, keeping their eyes on the advancing creature. The area flooded with the same overpowering stench Nabiki remembered from the realm entrance. Nabiki's retreat was stopped when she collided with something large and armored. She swallowed hard and felt tenuously with a hand. Whatever it was, felt like she was touching a mummy. She gulped again and turned to look. A strangled scream escaped her lips as she beheld a decaying figure dressed in full fifteen-century samurai armor. Its lips were a shriveled mass drawn back from rotting teeth and the skin on its neck hung in tatters, overlapping the armor in places. Dull white bones showed in places, decorated with decaying muscle and dangling veins. Its odor was overwhelmingly of death. Reaching back towards Sodoshi, her hand met with no obstruction. Chancing a glance her friend's way brought a new horror; the barely glowing figure of Sodoshi Tanaka, face down on the floor with a dozen or more of the animal-like creatures closing in. That was all she remembered before a blow to the back of her head made everything go black.