---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 25 Jul 1996 22:14:29 -0400
From: Ross McKenzie <rmckenzi@euclid.ucsd.edu>
To: fanfic@fanfic.com
Subject: Symmetric Polynomials, part seven
* * * * *
Brook stopped running as soon as she was out of sight of her
father's hut. *Stupid glasses,* she muttered. *I'm a Joketsuzoku
warrior. I don't need any outworld _technology_.* She spat the word
like a curse.
_Besides,_ she thought as she stomped along the muddy path, _it's
not like I_ need _to learn how to read, or to cypher numbers. That's
work for washed-up ancients and cripples._ Brook shook her head
violently, making her wet hair snap like two purple whips. *I'm no
cripple. I'm a Joketsuzoku warrior.*
The storm and the dark reduced visibility to almost nothing, bad
eyes or no, but Brook wove her way through the village like a skier on a
slalom course. No magic was involved, just years of practice and a good
memory. Magic, or something much like it, did cause Brook to stop just
outside her mother's hut, though. Rain washed away all sights and sounds,
but it could not touch the feeling she had when someone was watching her.
Crossing her arms, Brook waited. Only one person would be fool
enough to wait outside for her in this kind of weather, but the
odango-haired girl preferred to let others speak first. It helped her to
avoid mistakes when the visual identity of a stranger was in doubt.
*Hello, Brook,* Myrrh said.
The blur shifted; Brook was sure the fool boy was trying to hand
her flowers. *Go away, Myrrh. I'm busy.*
*You're all soaked,* Myrrh complained. *You should have let me
walk you home. We could have shared my umbrella.*
The blur stepped closer; Brook stepped back. *I was on sentry
duty, Myrrh. I couldn't very well have some fool following me around
with an umbrella, now could I?*
*I could have watched with you.* Brook cringed; Myrrh's voice
cracked hideously, despite his being sixteen years old, like her. *We
never spend any time alone together.*
_I've had enough of this for one night,_ Brook decided. *There's a
reason for that, Myrrh. It's because I don't like you. Now go back to
your own village and leave me alone.*
*Oh, you're just saying that! You know we're destined to be
together, Brook.*
*I'll believe that when I see pigs fly.* The odango-haired girl
tried to push past her annoying suitor. *Now will you just go?*
Myrrh planted himself firmly in Brook's path, his feet squelching in
the thick mud. *Not unless you make me.*
*Fine!* Amazon fury worked its magic on local gravity, and Myrrh
found himself in Low-Earth Orbit. *Loser!* Brook shouted after him.
* * * * *
"Jeez, it's dark out here," Shun complained.
"Well, could that be because it's... NIGHT?" Tachi teased.
"Duh!" Shun stumbled as one of his boots slipped on the unstable
ground; it took all of his limited athletic prowess to keep from falling
face down in the mud. "It's never this dark at home."
"You have street lights in Nerima," Mousse explained. "Here, I'm
the only person with electricity."
"Isn't that a little backw-" This time, Shun's native balance
wasn't enough to keep him upright. Fortunately, Mousse's reflexes were.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome. And to answer your question, yes, it is
anachronistic, but the people of the village want it this way. It helps
preserve the old traditions that have kept them strong."
Tachi caught the use of the word "them;" she filed it away for
later use. "Wouldn't modern technology make your lives easier? The
Nekohanten certainly doesn't limit itself to the dark ages."
"The Nekohanten isn't run by Joketsuzoku anymore. Shampoo sold
it before either of you were born." Mousse stopped walking for a moment,
giving Shun time to catch up. "As for the village, well, what does
technology have to offer the people here. Transportation?
Communications? For the most part, they are content to pretend the world
ends at the horizon. Modern medicine? Joketsuzoku magic can match
most anything science can in that field."
"But not your eyes," Tachi said.
"No." Mousse started walking again. "But the point is moot. I was
in Japan at the time."
"What about modern conveniences," Shun wheezed. "You know,
little things like hot water and flush toilets."
Tachi could see Mousse smile. "Luxuries like that would make the
Amazons weak." Shun facefaulted. "Fortunately for you, Miss, I've
become attached to electricity and plumbing."
Shun grit his teeth. "I am not a-" There was a flash as two
active umbrella fields touched; the sharp scent of ozone filled the air.
"Tachi," he growled, "this hitting thing is getting old."
"You promised," the short-haired girl whispered. "Back in the hut
you said, 'For the last time.'" Mischief danced in her brown eyes. "I'm
going to hold you to that, for as long as we're in China."
"Oh, you're gonna pay for this, Tachi," Shun vowed.
She smiled. "When do I ever pay for anything?"
* * * * *
The years had been kind to Shampoo; she was still as trim and
toned as the teenage girl Tachi remembered from the pictures in her
family room. Mousse greeted her with a quick kiss on the cheek, then the
Amazon hustled her guests inside, almost violent in her hospitality.
Brook was facing away, busy setting the western-style table. Then
she turned, and Tachi had to fight back the urge to whallop Shun again.
Even with coke-bottle thick glasses, the young Amazon was a knockout.
_I will not be jealous. I will not be jealous. Oh, hell, I_ am
_jealous._ Tachi sighed. _It's just not fair. Nobody should be allowed
to look that good without scads of elective surgery._
Shun, being an average teenage boy, held the exact opposite opinion.
The guests washed up; Tachi noticed that the faucet had two
handles. "I thought you were the exception to the rule," she asked Mousse.
"Huh?"
She pointed. "Plumbing. Hot _and_ cold running water."
"Oh." He pushed his glasses to the top of his head. "I don't
think anyone with a Jusenkyou curse would willingly live without ready
access to hot water."
"Dinner ready," Shampoo called.
Shampoo was full of questions; Tachi and Shun had to take turns
catching her up on years' worth of family gossip. Shun had the most
fun with that, and when he wasn't telling old stories he was trying to
chat Brook up. The odango-haired girl was uncooperative, though,
answering Shun's flirting with one-syllable words. Otherwise she just
stared at her plate, violet eyes owl-wide behind thick glass lenses.
"And then Ran stuck his head up through the hole in the floor."
Shun pantomimed the action with his hands; the storm had grown more
intense during dinner, and the rain pounding on the roof and windows made
conversing with voice alone difficult. "You should have seen him. He was
all covered with chalk dust from where Ranko tagged him with the
eraser." He jerked his head back to demonstrate, talking with his body
as much as with his words.
Shampoo laughed. "That funny."
Mousse nodded. "It reminds me of the old days."
"Yes," Shampoo agreed. "Good old days very funny."
Tachi nodded pleasantly, but inside she was bursting with impatience.
She hadn't been able to steer the conversation at all, so she'd learned
precious little throughout dinner. Nabiki's mysterious purpose in
sending her to China remained just that, a mystery.
*May I be excused?* Brook asked.
"You sick?" Shampoo held her hand to Brook's forehead. "No
fever. You go now, you no get dessert," she warned.
*I'm just not hungry,* they violet-haired teen answered.
"Brook," Mousse added, "what did I tell you about speaking
Chinese in front of our guests?"
She bowed her head. "Yes, Father."
*I don't mind,* Tachi said, trying to take some of the pressure
off the young Amazon. Jealous as she was, the sense of honor she'd
inherited from Kuno would not let her sit idly by while someone else was
uncomfortable, not if she could do something about it. *Do you, Shun?*
*Uh, no.* Shun's Chinese was limited, but he had years of
understanding Tachi-ese. The swift kick in the shins spoke an entire
conversation.
Shampoo stared at Tachi; the short-haired girl was sure her
hostess was staring right into her soul. *Very well, then.* The elder
Amazon turned to Brook. *If you're not hungry, then you can help clear
the table.*
*Yes, Mother.* Brook lethargicly began picking up empty dishes.
Then Shampoo turned to Mousse. *And as for you, Mister, we have
a deal.* She leaned across the table, idly twirling her knife between
her fingers. *_I_ make the rules under this roof, and _I_ enforce them.*
*Proper manners-* began Mousse.
The knife stabbed down, quivering from the force required to
drive it into the hardwood table. *Our bargain,* Shampoo insisted. *She
lives with me, and I teach her to be a proper Joketsuzoku warrior. You
teach her outworld ways as time permits.*
Mousse settled his glasses on his face. *Conversing with guests
in an outworlder tongue certainly falls under my jurisdiction.*
Shampoo wasn't about to be put off. *Conversing with "guests"
of any sort puts her outside your influence completely.*
Shun turned to Tachi, confused. "What are they saying?"
She held up a hand to shush her friend. "Domestic squabble."
She listened intently; this argument was more informative than the entire
dinner conversation. "Don't your parents argue?"
Shun shook his head. "Dad just gives in. But I've seen Ranko's
parents go at it. Shouldn't we be getting out of hammer range about now?"
Tachi paused to consider Shun's suggestion. Mousse and Shampoo
were standing now, nose to nose, ignoring everything and everyone else as
they whispered accusations at each other. No weapons were evident, but that
didn't necessarily mean anything, especially where Mousse was concerned.
"You know, that might not be a bad-"
The sound of the roof being ripped the building drowned out the
rest of Tachi's words.
* * * * *
Well, I hope I've answered some of your questions. Actually, I
think this chapter worked rather well in that respect, so if anyone has
any other questions about Our Favorite Amazons (no, not Wonder Woman), or
the Kuno clan, send 'em my way, and I'll see what I can do.
______
{B-{=__
rmckenzi@euclid.ucsd.edu : The White-Robed Mathematician