You have to believe we are magic;
Nothing can stand in our way.
You have to believe we are magic;
Don't let you aim ever stray.

And if all your hopes survive,
Your destiny will arrive
And bring all your dreams alive
For you.

I'll bring all your dreams alive
For you.


Magic

Part 2 - Family and Friends

by Richard Lawson

Comments & Criticism Welcome!
sterman@sprynet.com


The opening of the dojo door saved Nouma from further thoughts on how to 
balance his obligations. A very serious-looking man in a dark suit and 
sunglasses looked around the inside of the dojo. Why he was wearing 
sunglasses in the gloom of the early evening was lost on Nouma. The man 
gave the screened off area at the back of the dojo a hard look, and Nouma 
realized that the sunglasses must have infrared and other capabilities 
built in. With seeming reluctance, the man stepped back and let other 
people enter the dojo.

The first was someone Nouma didn't immediately recognize. He had last seen 
her over ten years ago. When he did, he blinked in amazement. He bowed 
deeply to her. "We are honored by your presence, Ambassador."

The woman snorted. "It is we who are honored to be here." Her Japanese was 
much better than Nouma remembered. "Please, call me Shampoo."

"Shampoo-san." Nouma bowed to her once again, slightly. Talk about ageless; 
Shampoo looked as beautiful as when he had last seen her ten years ago, and 
back then everyone had said she still looked the same as she did when she 
was sixteen. In her case, it *was* genetics and conditioning; the Amazons 
were known for their longevity, and Shampoo kept herself fit and trim. Even 
then, Nouma could see crow's feet on her face, and slight folds on her neck 
that were on their way to becoming wrinkles. She could not be mistaken for 
a twenty-year-old.

Nouma turned to the man next to her. "Mousse-san, it is a pleasure to meet 
you again." He, too, looked quite well. He wasn't wearing glasses, but very 
few people did these days, with laser surgery being able to correct most 
people's vision problems. "Please, enter."

They did, bowing to the center of the dojo as they did so. Nouma kept 
himself from blinking in surprise; bowing was not something Chinese did. 
Still, as diplomats they had probably learned to conform to the customs of 
many different countries.

Mousse smiled at Nouma. "You've certainly grown quite a bit since the last 
time I saw you. You look very much like your father did at your age."

"A bit like Akane, too, maybe in eyes." Shampoo's speech patterns 
degenerated just a bit as her smile grew wide and her eyes lost focus a 
little. "Always said Akane was tomboy. That why Ranma like her so, I think. 
Son look like tomboy mother, but that okay since he is boy. Probably have 
Akane's fierce spirit. Spirit was the one part of Akane Shampoo always have 
secret admirings for."

Nouma chuckled, wondering what she thought of Mikanma, whose face was 
almost the spitting image of Mother's. Nouma wasn't exactly sure what 
'tomboy' meant, but having read tales of Father's adventures twenty-five 
years ago, it couldn't have been terribly flattering. Shampoo, however, 
seemed to be using it with something like affection now. "It is just a 
shame, Shampoo-san, that none of us could have any of your attractive 
features or force of will."

Shampoo laughed. "You flatter this old woman, Nouma-san." Shampoo turned to 
the door, frowning slightly. "Allow me to introduce our daughter." She 
raised her voice slightly. "Khu Lon!"

Nouma looked past Shampoo. Suddenly, he couldn't breathe.

A young woman stepped into the dojo. She had her mother's attractive figure 
and her father's piercing, soulful eyes. Dark red hair flowed down her 
shoulders and halfway down her chest. She must dye it, Nouma realized with 
a start. He tried to remember how old she was; he thought she was two or 
three years younger than he was. Perhaps nineteen or twenty. She frowned 
sullenly at him.

Nouma floundered for a greeting; his composure seemed to have deserted him 
completely. "Cologne?"

The young Amazon's eyes flashed. "Khu Lon!"

Shampoo reached up and placed her hand on Khu Lon's shoulder. Khu Lon 
flushed and looked down. Shampoo looked at Nouma with a trace of apology on 
her face. "I know you meant no offense, Nouma. That is how everyone in 
Japan referred to my great-grandmother when they used her given name. 
Nevertheless, it was an incorrect pronunciation. My daughter's name is Khu 
Lon."

Nouma ducked his head. "Then perhaps I should call you...."

"Shampoo." Her voice was firm. "I allowed everyone to call me that, and 
even referred to myself that way when speaking Japanese." She smiled 
widely. "It's a little comforting, actually, to be called that. It reminds 
me so much of the good times I had here all those years ago." Her gaze 
drifted over to Mousse, and they smiled at each other, sharing memories of 
days before Nouma was born.

He took the opportunity to try and make amends with Khu Lon. "Please 
forgive me, honored guest, for having upset you. I am at your service; 
command me, and I will do as you say." That was going a little overboard, 
but he couldn't help himself. She was doing things to him.

Khu Lon lifted her eyes and glared at him. Nouma noticed that Shampoo 
tightened her grip on Khu Lon's shoulder. It might appear to be a simple 
squeeze, but Nouma's training allowed him to recognize the way Shampoo's 
forearm bulged and the slight tightening in Khu Lon's eyes. Shampoo was 
applying a powerful, painful hold to Khu Lon's shoulder. Nouma was 
impressed by how impassively Khu Lon took it, and her voice seemed mild and 
without a hint of strain. "There is nothing to forgive, honored host. If 
you are to accept any of my commands, than I command you to allow me to 
humbly beg for your forgiveness for treating you so disrespectfully."

The flat way she delivered the words and the way her eyes glinted let Nouma 
know that nothing was truly forgiven. Still, she had gone through the 
motions, with remarkable diplomatic skill. This spoke volumes for her self- 
control and intelligence.

Nouma shook himself mentally. He knew that he was trying to interpret 
everything she said and did as favorably as possible. He couldn't help 
himself. She was beautiful, and there was just something in the way she 
held herself, something that showed in her dark brown eyes. He didn't know 
what it was, yet. He certainly knew that nothing of what he felt was being 
returned by the angry young woman in front of him.

Somehow, he didn't care. There was a part of his brain that was letting him 
know in no uncertain terms that he would be making every effort to get to 
know Khu Lon better.

The tableau was broken by the arrival of more guests. Nouma murmured his 
apologies and moved to greet them, not missing the appraising and slightly 
amused look Mousse was giving him.

Familiar faces smiled at him. "Aunt Akari. Uncle Ryoga." Technically, they 
weren't a part of the family, but they were such good friends that he and 
his sister had taken to calling them Aunt and Uncle. "Thank you for 
coming."

Ryoga bowed. "Nouma, it is good to see you again. How's the new job?" 
Unlike Father, Ryoga had understood Nouma's desire to do something besides 
martial arts.

"It's great. I love the work." Nouma turned to Akari. "How's life been for 
the Savior of the World?"

Akari flushed; she was still embarrassed by the title accorded her by most 
periodicals. "Life at the lab has been very exciting. We're getting closer 
and closer to a strain of pig that can grow to adulthood in less than a 
month, and at the same time produce meat that is free of many of the things 
that make meat unhealthy." She frowned slightly. "Of course, the animal- 
rights protesters picket the lab almost daily. I feel like the last of the 
gas-powered automobile makers, trying to convince everyone how great my car 
is while they all buy electrics."

Nouma smiled. "Don't feel that way, Aunt Akari. You still make the best 
bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches I've ever tasted. I'd hate to have to 
live in a world without them." 

Akari smiled back at him, showing a touch of gratitude for Nouma's 
reassurance.

One of the two boys behind Ryoga and Akari stepped forward and punched 
Nouma in the arm. "Hey, you don't come around the dojo no more. I've been 
aching for a chance to wipe that damned annoying smile you always wear off 
your face."

Nouma chuckled. "In your dreams, Mitsuaki." He turned and faced Kouichi. 
"How about you? Ready for another fight?"

Kouichi winked. "No, I know that I'll never be able to defeat you. And I 
don't enjoy getting my face beaten in as much as my idiotic older brother 
does."

"Boys, please." Akari chided them gently. "Another time." 

They all grinned at each other. Nouma had had a lot of fun training with 
the Hibiki boys in the dojo. They were his good friends, too.

Nabiki entered with Uncle Tatewaki. Nabiki nodded, while Tatewaki gave a 
very formal bow. Nouma bowed back, then grinned. "It is good as always to 
see you again, Uncle."

"My pleasure as well, Nephew. Too long has it been since we had you over to 
the mansion. Needs must we rectify that, and soon."

Nabiki smiled. "He means come on over for dinner any time, Nouma. You're 
always welcome."

Nouma looked into Tatewaki's eyes. As always, they were noble and serene. 
The only thing that could shake Tatewaki's poise was his wife. This time, 
however, she didn't succeed; he assumed a pose of noble suffering. Nouma 
smiled at him, to show that he was on his side this time.

A woman about Mikanma's age stepped between Nabiki and Tatewaki to bow to 
Nouma. "Good to see you here, Cousin. Do you know what the story is this 
time?"

Nouma bowed back. "I'm glad to see you, Tachi. Father will explain 
everything when we're all settled."

Nabiki put her hand on her daughter's shoulder. "That's what we call a 
'subtle hint', Tachi. Come on."

Tachi chuckled, and moved away with her parents.

The next group of people had been waiting patiently for the doorway to 
clear. They stepped into the dojo, and the whole place seemed to become 
calmer as a result of the peace they seemed to radiate. Nouma smiled; he 
remembered Ranko's observation that doctors didn't need to prescribe anti- 
depressants any more, they just sent their patients to live in the Ono 
house for a week. "Aunt Kasumi. Uncle Tofu. Thank you for coming."

Kasumi's voice drifted pleasantly across the space between them before 
drifting into his ears and settling down in the most tranquil part of his 
brain. "It is always a pleasure to return here, and even more of a pleasure 
to see you here with your family."

Nouma smiled, basking in her kind words and hearing the subtle message in 
them, that he needed to spend more time with his parents. Kasumi had taken 
parenting and refined it to a high art form, somehow managing to discretely 
guide the lives of the entire Tendo clan. She was the heart of the whole 
family, and was revered for her calm wisdom and gentle guidance.

Tofu bowed to Nouma. "You seem to be doing very well for yourself, Nouma, 
if all I hear is true. You've become a very fine young man."

Nouma flushed; as nice as that was, it wasn't what he needed to hear right 
now, in the face of his father's request. "Thank you, Uncle."

Kasumi turned slightly to allow her middle child to step forward. Three 
years younger than Nouma, Kikuko was the spitting image of her mother. She 
was also an exceptional martial artist, easily the equal of Kouichi or 
Mitsuaki and even approaching Nouma's level in certain areas. Yet, despite 
the violence inherent in taking martial arts so seriously, she had as calm 
in nature as her parents. Very often during training sessions she would 
take her opponents by surprise with her sudden attacks, which seemed so out 
of place coming from someone as sweet as Kikuko.

She bowed to him. "Thank you for your hospitality, Nouma. I look forward to 
being able to talk with you again. I may have some prospects for you."

Nouma laughed. Kikuko wasn't nearly the matriarch her mother was - not yet, 
anyway - but she had taken up an interesting hobby, that of matchmaker. She 
considered it a major crime that he didn't have a girlfriend, and had been 
suggesting dates for him for the past couple of years. He had yet to agree 
to meet any of the women she tried to push off on him, but that only seemed 
to make her try harder. She had successfully found Mitsuaki a girlfriend, 
and he seemed happy enough. Still, that wasn't something Nouma was ready to 
try for himself.

Besides, he had a prospect of his own to cultivate.

He mentally shook himself away from that train of thought. "We'll see, 
Kikuko. Please, make yourself comfortable."

Kikuko smiled, somewhat mischievously, before following her parents into 
the dojo.

His next guest was alone. He bowed to her deeply; she was another one of 
his favorite people. "Thanks for taking time off to come here, Aunt Ukyo."

She laughed brightly. "Oh, I have lots of time now, Nouma. I no longer have 
to do everything to keep the company running. I actually have people I can 
trust doing a lot of the things I used to do. Now, when I cook, it's 
because I want to cook."

Nouma chuckled. "That's good. What're you up to now, fifteen, twenty 
restaurants?"

Ukyo tsked at him, still smiling. "You are so far behind, Nouma. Thirty- 
six. Four more opening soon, including the one in Paris."

Nouma raised his eyebrows. "Paris? Wow. You got 'em all over the place, 
don't you?"

Ukyo shrugged. "Not all of the international ones do so well. I had to 
close the New York restaurant, but I've still got one in San Francisco, as 
well as Hong Kong, Melbourne, Singapore, Seoul, Honolulu, Duesseldorf and 
Bangkok." She counted them off on her fingers, them beamed at Nouma. "I 
didn't really need to open them all over the place. I kind of stretched our 
resources, took a lot of risks, to do that. It was just a dream of mine, to 
one day have restaurants all over the world."

Nouma smiled warmly at her. "One you could not fail to accomplish, not with 
the dedication you and your partner have shown."

"Thank you, Nouma. That means a lot, from you. I finally forced Konatsu to 
take an extended vacation last year with his wife and children. He'd never 
stop working if I didn't threaten him with bodily harm."

Nouma looked around. "If you'd like to wait a moment, Aunt Ukyo, you can 
sit with me."

"That's okay, Nouma. I think I'll go visit with Ryoga." She walked over to 
the Hibikis, reaching out to grasp Ryoga's hand. Soon they were deep in 
conversation. Nouma watched them for a few seconds. He hadn't realized that 
Ryoga and Ukyo knew each other that well, although he really shouldn't have 
been surprised, since they had both been intimate parts of Father's life 
twenty-five years ago. 

The rest of Nouma's immediately family entered. Ranko and her parents - 
Nouma's grandparents - Nodoka and Genma. Nouma's other grandfather, Soun, 
was with them, along with Mother and Mikanma. There was a bit of hugging 
that Nouma had to endure, which he actually didn't mind this time.

Nouma was worried about the one person missing until she showed up, right 
at the last minute. Nouma smiled at her, relieved. "Hello, Aunt Kodachi. 
Thanks for coming."

"Ah, Nouma-chan, you are the one person who is always glad to see me." 
Kodachi smiled sadly. "It warms my heart."

Nouma shook his head, laughing. "Don't play the stricken maiden with me, 
Auntie. I think your husband and daughter would be just as glad to see you 
as I am."

Kodachi lifted her hand to her forehead in mock dismay. "Alas, they do not 
appreciate me as much as you do." She smiled, then turned serious. "There 
are still people in this room who are not completely comfortable around me. 
I thought it best to limit my exposure to them as much as possible."

Nouma thinned his lips, understanding if not accepting the attitudes she 
was describing. He had, of course, heard about the exploits of the Black 
Rose. He had found those tales difficult to believe of the intelligent, 
rational woman who had taught him so much. She had, on occasion, told him 
of some of the demons that had driven her to madness. Nouma accepted her 
for who she was, not who she might have been, and didn't much like it that 
others could not. She really was one of his favorite people.

Nouma reached out and took her hand. "Well, I am very glad to have you 
here. I think I'm going to need your help before the night is through."

"Indeed." Kodachi looked around the dojo. "I wonder what your father is up 
to. He's made a lot of people very nervous."

Silence suddenly descended on the room as Father stepped from behind the 
screen in the back of the dojo. Nouma blinked; Father had become female for 
some reason. She looked around the room, moving her gaze from group to 
group seated on the floor or leaning against the walls. She shared smiles 
with each individual, at the same time giving each of them a piercing 
appraisal. She ended with Kodachi, and did not look into Nouma's eyes. That 
disturbed him for some reason.

"I want to thank you all for coming, as I'm sure my son already has. I 
apologize for disturbing your lives in this way. I fear I have some 
terrible things to ask of you.

"All of you here know about my curse." She looked down at herself. Nouma 
didn't think of his father's female side as being attractive, of course, 
but all of his friends had commented on it. Once his parents had come to 
visit him at college, and a thunderstorm had struck just before they 
entered his dorm. For weeks afterwards, Nouma had had to fend off his dorm 
mates, asking if his 'sister' was available, and could they have her phone 
number? Nouma had put up with it as best he could.

Father looked up again. "To reiterate, there are at least four aspects of 
the curse that we know about. One, I turn into a woman when splashed with 
cold water. A side effect of this aspect is that cold water finds ways of 
splashing me as much as possible.

"Second, I can't get cured. During the first year I was cursed, I tried 
many different ways to rid myself of it. They inevitably ended in disaster. 
I learned not to fight it.

"The third aspect is this aging thing." Father hung her head a second, and 
Nouma could see again how much it bothered her. "We didn't really notice it 
until about ten years ago. I don't think I've aged since I was twenty. I 
don't know why it works this way.

"The last aspect is the most important one. I've been cursed for a reason: 
to fulfill some destiny." Father grimaced. "Destiny doesn't mean one battle 
against some ultimate monster, but lots of little battles against all sorts 
of enemies. It hasn't always been fighting; I've played many different 
roles. In some instances, it's usually been necessary that I become a 
woman. So the curse has found a way to put me in situations where my skills 
are needed.

"A side effect of this last aspect is my sense of danger. I can tell when 
something bad's about to happen; it's a kind of warning system that lets me 
know when to get ready. It's not always reliable, but mostly it is.

"So, okay, you're wondering why I've asked you to come here. About a week 
ago, I got a call from a friend of mine in the United States, a police 
detective I helped out a few years ago. A colleague of his had gone on a 
hiking trip in the Canadian Northwest. They found his body along with those 
of nine other people in the woods. There was no obvious reason for their 
deaths, except that they all had terrified expressions on their faces.

"As he started telling me the details of the case, my sense of danger began 
to kick in. It grew as he asked me if I could look into it. He has no 
jurisdiction in Canada and he feels that there is more to the deaths than 
the Canadian police are willing to admit.

"I agreed, and the sense of danger went into high gear. It's stronger than 
it's ever been, and I haven't even left Japan yet. I told you that my 
destiny didn't involve fighting some ultimate monster. In this case, it 
might. The danger is so overwhelming, I can't make any comparisons, and you 
all know how dangerous some of my battles have been."

Father lowered her voice, her face very grim. "I fear that this is one 
adventure I might not come back from."

There were some murmurs from the people present, and Nouma looked over at 
Mother. She didn't look surprised - Father had obviously already told her 
this - but she was very pale and clutching Grandfather's arm very tightly. 
Mikanma did look surprised, but she also looked determined and angry, as if 
she wanted to take on the fear and fight it hand-to-hand.

Father waited for the murmurs to die down. "For the first time ever, I 
thought about getting some help. Immediately, my sense of danger got a 
little less intense. The more I thought about the people in this room, the 
lesser it got." Father looked from face to face again, this time also 
looking in Nouma's eyes and holding her gaze there a little longer than she 
had with the others.

"I need your help." Father lifted her eyes away from Nouma and looked 
around the room once more. "I'm asking that as many of you as possible come 
with me to Canada. I don't need all of you. In fact, some of you shouldn't 
come. But you do need to know what's going on. I have no idea what we're 
going to face, and I can offer no guarantees that any of us will return."

Father closed her eyes. "I'm sorry to ask this of you." She opened her eyes 
again and looked determined. "There is something very wrong, and we need to 
set it right. I'm leaving tomorrow morning. I need to know how many of you 
will be coming along. I wish I could give you more time, but I need to know 
tonight." Father looked suddenly sad and tired. "Feel free to ask me any 
more questions. And don't be ashamed to say no. I am ashamed enough for 
asking. But I do ask for a definite answer of some sort before you leave 
tonight."

With that, Father went over and sat down next to Mother, talking to her 
quietly. Mother hugged Father fiercely, tears streaming down her face.

Kodachi began to say something to Nouma, but for some reason his attention 
was focused on an intense debate in Mandarin taking place a few feet away. 
Nouma had minored in Asian Languages, and understood Mandarin, even if he 
couldn't speak it well. He was able to follow their conversation.

"I must go." Shampoo looked quite determined. "He has done so much for us, 
honor compels me to accompany him."

Mousse looked unhappy. "I agree as well. Yet the negotiations with the US 
are at a critical stage right now. We were barely able to fit in this visit 
to Japan. Do you know how much face we'll lose if we back out of the talks 
now?"

Shampoo blew out an angry breath. "That cannot be helped. I don't care if 
it means the end of my political career. I am going to help Ranma."

Khu Lon interrupted, sounding more than a little acerbic. "Really, Mother. 
When was the last time you were on the Battle Tree? How much help could you 
really be?"

Shampoo glared at Khu Lon. "Enough, Daughter. I still know enough to be 
able to defeat you if I need to."

"No you don't, and you know it." Khu Lon glared at Shampoo fiercely. "Tendo 
Ranma said that not everyone should come with him. You have to go back to 
New York; that is where you are needed."

"That's right." Mousse spoke earnestly. "I will go and represent our 
family."

"Oh please, Father." Khu Lon spoke in an exasperated tone of voice. "You're 
marginally better than Mother, but you know she won't be able to function 
at the talks without you. You've always worked best together." Khu Lon 
looked at each of her parents angrily. "It's obvious that I have to be the 
one to go."

They stared at her. She glared back at them, as if daring them to prove her 
wrong. After only a few seconds, Shampoo and Mousse looked at each other, 
and Nouma could see in their faces that they found her arguments 
convincing. They were going to let her go in their place, no matter how 
much the thought terrified them.

Shampoo turned back to Khu Lon and nodded. They made their way over to 
Father.

"...and then, after I've made your mother as happy as possible, I'll take 
Ranma and marry him in her stead. Then I'll marry you, Nouma, because 
you've always been such a sweet boy. We'll go together with my first 
husband and live in the United States. I understand they're a lot more open 
about that kind of thing. While I'm at it, I'll marry your sister. I'm not 
really into that sort of thing, but we mustn't play favorites, must we?"

Some of what Kodachi was saying began to percolate through Nouma's 
consciousness. He turned and gaped at her. "Aunt Kodachi!"

She smiled at him sweetly. "Oh, do I have your attention? I feared that you 
were too busy drooling over that sweet young woman to pay any heed to your 
poor old ugly aunt's senile ramblings. Still, I had so hoped that you would 
agree to my plans; life would be much more interesting that way."

Nouma looked into her eyes, bringing his eyebrows slightly closer together. 
"Enough, Aunt Kodachi." He had always enjoyed bantering with her, but she 
went too far this time. He was letting her know that there were some lines 
she shouldn't cross.

She raised an eyebrow. "Have I got your dander up, Nephew? I *am* sorry." 
This was said in a mostly sarcastic voice, but Nouma did detect traces of 
genuine apology. She had gotten the message.

Nouma was forced to admit to himself that he had been behaving rudely as 
well. "Please forgive me, Aunt Kodachi. I intended no disrespect. Your 
words are valuable to me."

She smiled again, this time warmly. "I understand, Nouma. I've seen that 
look in enough young men to know that if I were set ablaze, you might have 
commented on the smoke in your eyes. Then again, you might not have." Her 
eyes twinkled. "She *is* an attractive creature, is she not? Full of spirit 
and fire, I can tell. Reminds me of a certain rhythmic gymnast I knew 
decades ago."

Nouma couldn't help but chuckle. "If only I could have known you then, Aunt 
Kodachi."

Kodachi's eyes clouded over, and pain flitted across her face. "It is best 
that you were spared that version of myself." She focused on Nouma once 
again, and her demeanor turned business-like. "It appears that your father 
expects something from you, Nouma. I saw the way he was looking at you. 
What did he say to you earlier?"

Nouma grimaced and looked down. "He wants to retire from the world-saving 
business in favor of me."

He heard Kodachi draw in a sharp breath. "Does that mean...?"

Nouma nodded. "I think so." He looked over at Father, talking quietly with 
Shampoo, Mousse and Khu Lon. "I'm not sure what to think about his 
request."

"Well, I know what *I* think." Kodachi's voice was quick and angry. "You 
weren't around during some of the worst of it, when he was first cursed. It 
made his life and the lives of those around him quite frenetic. Everyone 
nearly lost their lives a dozen times over, it seemed like. Maybe it had 
something to do with the concentration of all those curses in close 
proximity, but either way, it was no kind of lifestyle I would wish on my 
child." She folded her arms across her chest, clearly fuming. "Why he would 
want to afflict you with the curse is quite beyond my ability to 
comprehend."

Nouma curved one corner of his lip down. "I understand. He feels a duty to 
the world to help solve their problems. What more does a father hope for 
than to have his child take up the duty for him? However, there's a big gap 
for me between understanding the reasons for his request, and accepting 
those reasons as valid."

Kodachi nodded. "I guess that's what I mean, too. Your father thinks life 
is nothing but a fun adventure. It's all he's known, first wandering the 
world with his father, then being cursed and having adventures find him one 
way or the other." Her voice grew a little sad. "He doesn't understand how 
other people could want to lead nice, quiet, normal lives. That's extremely 
dull and boring to him. I'm sure he thought you would be overjoyed at the 
prospect of leaving the tedium of computer programming behind to delve once 
more into the exciting world of the cursed martial artist."

Nouma blinked. Once again, he marveled at Kodachi's reasoning ability. He 
was convinced that everything she had just said was right on the mark. 
Obvious, really, once it was pointed out. Nouma was sure that Father 
believed he was making a tremendous sacrifice in giving up the curse, and 
was bestowing upon Nouma a wonderful gift.

Nouma's lips thinned. He would have to make sure his father understood 
exactly how he viewed such matters.

All that could wait until after this matter had been dealt with. He looked 
around to see how the conversations were going.

Kodachi saw him shift his gaze around and offered her own observations. "If 
I were to make a guess, I would say that Ryoga and his sons are coming, 
along with Ukyo and Nabiki. I don't know about Mikanma; she'll definitely 
want to go, and she'll be valuable as the second-strongest martial artist 
of the bunch. It depends on how your mother feels. She'll not want to risk 
her whole family on this one dangerous quest. I'm guessing Mikanma will be 
staying."

Nouma looked over at Mother and Mikanma. They were having a quiet but very 
intense debate. He saw flickers of chi-energy come from them both; they 
only manifested when they were both very angry. Usually they were shouting 
at each other by this point. In the end, Father would have to play 
peacemaker, as he usually did. Nouma wasn't sure which side Father would 
take. He surely wouldn't want to risk Mikanma either, but if his danger 
sense told him that Mikanma was needed, he might insist on her coming.

"Of the others I'm not sure. Kikuko wants to come. Kasumi doesn't want her 
to go, but probably will let her because of her sense of duty to the 
family. Tofu, of course, will go along with whatever Kasumi decides. 

"The debate I find interesting is the one between Tachi and her parents." 
Nouma, as it happened, was looking in their direction as Kodachi continued 
speaking. "I don't know why Tachi wants to come - she's not much of a 
martial artist, and she knows it. Nabiki will be representing their family, 
so it can't be because of any sense of duty."

Nouma watched as Tachi spoke passionately in her own defense. "I think I 
know why. Tachi has taken it upon herself to chronicle Father's adventures. 
I think she's insisting that she be allowed to record the events as they 
happen."

Kodachi humphed. "I see. A dangerous avocation, that of war correspondent. 
I hope they talk her out of it."

Nouma nodded. He turned his head to look at Kodachi. She felt his gaze and 
turned her eyes back to his. "What about you, Aunt Kodachi? You'll be 
staying, won't you?"

"Oh please, silly boy." Her voice was light, but with a very serious 
undertone. "Who else can plan strategies for your sad lot? You're quite 
capable of course, Nouma, but you don't have my experience." She drew her 
eyebrows together, looking at Nouma fiercely, but with just a trace of 
pleading in her voice. "You need me to come with you."

Nouma sighed. "I suppose we do." He pretended not to hear her small sigh of 
relief.

More and more people were drifting towards Father, and it was going pretty 
much as Kodachi had predicted. Tachi had evidently made her case; she was 
coming, as was Kikuko.

Nabiki took over the logistical planning, and told everyone to meet at the 
airport late the next morning. She would have a charter available, along 
with some equipment. She hoped to have the plane in the air by noon.

Father nodded and thanked everyone, apologizing once again despite the 
numerous protests. Everyone left more or less at once, and soon only 
Mother, Father, Mikanma, Grandmother and Grandfather Saotome, Grandfather 
Tendo, and Ranko were left in the dojo with Nouma.

All eyes were on Father as she sat slightly hunched, burdened by the 
knowledge of the danger she was placing a lot of her friends and family in. 
She lifted her eyes. "Akane, my dear wife, I am sorry. I need Mikanma with 
us. If she and Nouma aren't with us, I got a feeling that it will end in 
disaster."

Mother dissolved into sobs and hugged Grandfather Tendo. He did his best to 
console her, while Grandmother and Grandfather Saotome moved over to speak 
softly with Father.

Ranko came over and sat with Nouma and Mikanma. She looked solemn for once, 
and she gazed steadily at them both. "I want to come, but Brother won't let 
me. As much as we may need Microtechnic Specialists in this world, they 
wouldn't be much use where he's going." She smiled briefly before sobering 
again. "This is the first time in my life that I wish I had learned some 
martial arts; then I might be coming with you."

Nouma lifted a corner of his mouth. "I think that Grandmother would have 
disowned you if you had taken up martial arts."

Ranko shook her head. "No, Mother just wanted to make sure that I was given 
a choice. I do think, however, that she was happy I showed no interest in 
becoming like Father and Ranma." She turned her head to look at her family.

Nouma frowned as he thought about that. Given a choice? He tried to think 
back to a time when he chose to become a martial artist. As far as he could 
remember, martial arts had been a necessary skill, like learning to read 
and write. He remember Father showing Mikanma how to assume the ready 
position almost as soon as she could stand on her own. Father was likely 
only doing to his family what had been done to him.

Nouma shook his head; he shouldn't judge his father harshly. After all, 
he'd enjoyed using the skills he'd learned from martial arts. There was 
nothing to compare to the feeling he got in the dojo, his mind and body 
working together to produce a symphony of motion.

Still, he couldn't help wondering whether or not that feeling would be 
enhanced if it had been something he'd chosen to pursue.

Mikanma, meanwhile, was trying to comfort Ranko in her own unusual way. 
"Just be glad you ain't coming, Auntie. You'd just be in the way and 
probably get yourself killed. Stay here and root for us and that'll be good 
enough."

Nouma looked at Ranko, and their eyes twinkled in amusement. Nouma was glad 
that Ranko understood Mikanma's intent.

Glancing around the dojo, Nouma stood up. "I should be getting home and 
preparing for the trip. I'll meet you all at the airport tomorrow."

Father nodded, while Mother looked up at him with a sad, frightened look on 
her face. Nouma winced inside; the real parting tomorrow would be very 
painful.

He made his way to his apartment, lost in thought. The next few days had 
the potential to change his life forever, and that of everyone else in his 
family.

It also might cost everyone their lives.

He palmed the door to his apartment open. Everything was dark, which suited 
his mood. He went into his bedroom and collapsed on the bed. He was still a 
little sore from the beatings he'd taken today. For now, he just wanted to 
relax and let all his tension drain out of him. There would be time enough 
later to be worried again.

"Tendo Nouma."

Nouma leapt to his feet, assuming a ready stance. He looked around the 
darkened bedroom, trying to find the source of the soft whisper. He saw 
nothing. "Minmay, lights." The apartment's computer responded, but the 
bedroom lights revealed nothing new.

"Tendo Nouma."

He whirled around, but he just couldn't get a fix on the whisper. "Minmay, 
list apartment entries."

The personality he'd chosen for the house computer answered in a bright 
tone. "Apartment entered today at 9:17pm by Tendo Nouma. Apartment entered 
today at 5:37pm by Tendo Nouma. Apartment entered yesterday at...."

"Minmay, stop." Whoever was in here had bypassed the apartment's security.

It could be a transmission of some sort, he realized. Someone playing a 
joke. He ran through his list of friends, trying to decide which one of 
them was the most likely to have pulled this off. Whoever it was sure had a 
very bad sense of timing.

"Tendo Nouma. I await you."

"Dammit, this is not funny!" He looked around the bedroom again, this time 
seeing if he could find a receiver of some sort. Which was futile, of 
course; microtechnics could produce a receiver the size of a grain of dust. 
Of course, it would need something slightly more substantial to produce the 
sound he was hearing. Maybe something the size of a one-yen coin. He should 
be able to find it.

"Tendo Nouma. I will devour your sister and I will devour your father and I 
will devour you."

Now he was really angry. Beyond angry; furious. "God help whoever this is, 
because if I find you I'm going to beat you within an inch of your life." 
He was shouting now, his hands clenched into fists and trembling with the 
force of his anger.

"You and only you I will give a choice. Come to me willingly, and I will 
leave your soul free. Fight me, and every person you love will die in 
agony. Be ready for the choice, and choose wisely. It will be offered only 
once."

For the first time, Nouma considered the possibility that this was more 
than someone's practical joke. Just as a touch of horror began pushing away 
the anger inside him, the whisper laughed quietly as it faded out.

Nouma tried to bring moisture back into his mouth. He looked down at his 
clenched fists and forced them open. He went into the kitchen and drank a 
glass of water, trying to bring order to his racing heart and mind.

More than anything else, he wanted this to be over. He wanted nothing more 
than to be thinking about his new algorithm and puttering around his 
computer and maybe practicing a few martial arts moves. Normal life, not 
the "excitement" of his father's life.

Whatever it was he'd been dragged into, it promised to be horrifying. He 
had the feeling that was not going to relaxing any time soon. Quite 
possibly until the end of his life.

END PART 2