Part One of a series of sidestories, set in the continuity of my fic "A
Study In Scarlet"
(available at http://members.tripod.com/spghome/index.htm) The events in
this sidestory take place after the events of ASIS part six.

I would like to gratefully acknowledge the help of Gary Kleppe with the
names of some of the characters herein.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The three women peered curiously through the curtain of silk at the new
arrival. She was short in stature, but wiry, with short-cropped blue-black
hair, looking strangely out of place in her delicate silk costume and draped
across velvet cushions.

"So, who do you think she is?" The russet-haired woman wondered aloud.

"Amazon, most likely. Look at all those unseemly muscles and scars,"
answered another, this one a brunette with a finely-chiselled, aquiline
profile. "Tsk. I thought Mistress Nai Sheidu said that the menfolk weren't
allowed to go bridenapping anymore..."

The redhead frowned, a moue of puzzled displeasure on her lips. "She doesn't
look local, though."

"Ooh, look, I think she's waking up," gasped the third woman eagerly, a
platinum blonde with shining dark eyes.

The new girl groaned and attempted to sit up, before pressing her palm to
her forehead and collapsing back into the cushions. She mumbled something in
a strange, harsh language and then, her eyes snapped open.

"Yes, she's definitely awake, now," the blonde chirped, nodding sagely at
her own cleverness.

The redhead scowled. "Eyes of blood, Ro Wen! What was your first clue?"

"Jin Jia! You're mean!" the blonde whined, her eyes filling with tears.

"Girls, please. You'll alarm the newcomer," said the sharp-faced brunette,
frowning meaningfully at her companions.

Jin Jia rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't be such a stiff, Hou Li. Ro Wen was
asking for it."

The newcomer was sitting up now, her face clouded with confusion and a
little anger as she took in her surroundings and her raiment. She glared up
at the women, more nonsense syllables tripping off her tongue.

"Yep, definitely a foreigner," Jin Jia concluded, stepping into the
curtained pillowing nook and kneeling down next to the newcomer.

"Careful, she might be dangerous!" Ro Wen yelped. Jin Jia spared her a
withering glare.

"Don't be any sillier than you have to be, fluff-head. She's just scared and
confused, you can practically smell it on her." Jin Jia turned her attention
to the raven haired stranger and cleared her throat. "Ahem. *Jin Jia*," she
said pointedly, holding her hand at her silk-clad chest. "I'm Jin Jia. And
you?"

She made a beckoning gesture to the new girl, who blinked twice, and
answered, "Ginger?"

Jin Jia nodded, and pointed to her face. "Yes, I'm Jin Jia. And you?"

The stranger's brown eyes widened in comprehension. She pointed back, then
at herself. "Ginger, Akane."

"Your name is A-Ka-Neh?"

"Akane, hai."

Jin Jia smiled. "Hello, A-Ka-Neh, these are my friends Ro Wen and Hou Li,"
she pointed out the other two girls when she spoke their names. The blonde
beamed and gave a little wave, while the brunette merely nodded slowly, her
wary expression never changing.

"Now that she's awake, we should bring her to see the Mistress," Hou Li
said, fixing Jin Jia with her sharp-eyed stare. "She needs to be formally
presented."

"True," the redhead answered, standing up and extending a hand to A-Ka-Neh.
"C'mon, now, come with us." The newcomer took her hand and rose unsteadily
to her feet, wincing slightly and touching her right temple. "Ouch, look at
that goose-egg. Looks like you took quite a whack there, Ah-Ka-Neh." She
turned to her friends. "We should have Se Zhi take a look at her, shouldn't
we?"

Hou Li shook her head briefly. "The Mistress said she wanted to see her as
soon as she woke up, and I, for one, don't plan on disobeying her. You
*know* what she does to girls who get on her bad side..."

Jin Jia and Ro Wen shivered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SPACE PIRATES PRODUCTIONS PRESENT:

A Dave Menard Fanfic

RANMA 1/2:

THE BET: A STUDY IN SCARLET SIDESTORY:

Based on characters and situations created by Rumiko Takahashi and others.

Original concept by Gregg "Metroanime" Sharp, continued with permission

Previous chapters available at
(http://members.tripod.com/spghome/index.html)

WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE: Through a chain of events involving a misspoken wish,
Akane Tendou (pre Ranma 1/2 volume one) wound up in the body of an older,
seemingly-immortal counterpart of herself who spent centuries in Gregg
Sharp's fantastic "Aramar" setting.  In an attempt to get back to her proper
space and time, she was accidentally(?) *flushed* through Mimir's Well.
More's been going on, but that's all you really need to know to enjoy this
chapter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Akane was, to put it mildly, confused. To be perfectly honest, she wasn't
even one-hundred percent sure that 'Akane' was her name. Her memories felt
like leaves tossed on the wind; colourful, chaotic, possessed of only
accidental meaning. There was something about getting home (wherever *that*
was,) further somethings about dragons, and animal women, and someone she
was supposed to love who was somehow both male *and* female... The last
solid things she remembered were cool waters closing over her head- she had
fought against the currents, gasping and choking as she swallowed water into
her lungs. It seemed she was falling, until a sudden, sharp impact robbed
her of consciousness.

The three exotic-looking women spoke softly amongst themselves in their
almost-musical language as they led her on unsteady feet through unfamiliar
corridors lined with paper lanterns. Occasionally, they would stop and speak
to other women, equally strange to Akane's eyes, dressed, like she and her
escorts in shifting, colourful silks that seemed to paradoxically hide and
reveal hints of creamy, golden flesh. Under her slipper-clad feet, the
flooring had the smallest amount of give, like tatami, though it could have
been the thick carpeting instead. Finally, they came to a circular doorway
of lacquered wood and rice paper, painted with the image of a shining green
dragon soaring through stormy clouds. The great serpent was so realistically
depicted it seemed to move before her eyes, twisting, writhing and dancing
amongst the clouds and rain, eyes flashing, scales rippling. The tinkling of
finger-cymbals came from behind the door, accompanied by soft, feminine
giggles and the delicate, slow plucking of a stringed instrument. A strong
scent of incense tickled her nostrils, sickly-sweet but not cloying. The
aroma, combined with her fantastic surroundings and her blurry memories,
gave the world a soft, unreal feeling that left her half-hypnotised and
dreamy.

Her brown-haired escort, (Holly?) knelt with fluid grace before the
decorated door, and the others followed suit. Akane, not knowing what else
to do, joined them, feeling awkward and clumsy as she strove to imitate
their movements. Holly reached out beside the door and pulled on a thick
golden velvet rope, and a deep, resounding gong sounded. The music on the
other side of the door stopped abruptly, and the great painted screen
withdrew. An ancient, leathery-skinned crone stood in the doorway, dressed
in elegant, elaborate robes of scarlet and cloth-of-gold. She said something
in a raspy voice, and Akane's escorts rose from their kow-tows, drawing her
to her feet as well and leading her into the chamber beyond the door. The
crone smiled at her, revealing fine, strong teeth like aged ivory. Akane
briefly shivered, sensing something vaguely predatory in the old woman's
smile.

The inside of the chamber seemed schizophrenic to Akane's dreamy gaze; it
combined the features of a gigantic bedroom and audience hall. Dozens of
silk-draped, exotic women lounged across cushions in various states of
undress, sipping delicately from fine porcelain cups. A trio of female
musicians laid aside their instruments and turned their strange-eyed gazes
to the new arrivals. Clouds of sweet incense billowed from bronze censers in
the corners of the great hall, and before them a long path of pale, creamy
silks seemed to flow like a river up to a raised dais at the opposite end of
the room. Atop the dais a woman reclined on a throne of pillows, dressed in
sumptuous robes that suggested both regal beauty and sweet seduction. Her
silvery hair was drawn up into an elaborate hairstyle held in place with
myriad jade combs, lacquered sticks, beads and ornaments, and her face shone
with sensual beauty. Her shell-like ears tapered gracefully to a delicate
point, and hooded, golden eyes seemed to cross the intervening distance and
burn with a coiling, slow heat into Akane's own. Behind her stood a vast
enamelled screen painted with the same great, sinuous dragon that decorated
the main door and, with a start, Akane realised that the woman's eyes were
those of the dragon!

The regal woman beckoned gracefully to her, somehow both gentle and
imperious at the same time. With a rush of movement, Akane was in front of
her and bowing, though she didn't remember walking over. The regal woman's
voice echoed softly in her ears, her language strange and incomprehensible.
Akane raised her head and tried to look her in the eye; something in her
recoiled from the presumption and instead focussed her gaze on the woman's
silk-draped shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Lady, I don't understand your language..." she whispered, her
voice tremulous and so quiet in the echoing silence that seemed to surround
the queenly woman.

Laughter like pearls splashing into still waters filled her ears, amused
rather than malicious. "So you aren't an amazon, after all," the smoky,
sensuous voice said, this time in a language that Akane understood. Akane
raised her eyes once more, this time able to meet the woman's shining gaze.
Golden eyes darted over her form, observing all and missing nothing. "One of
the islanders, then; a child of the Sun Goddess?"

This stirred something in Akane's mind, memories of visiting simple yet
beautiful wooden shrines, tales told at mother's knee. "Y-yes, Lady, I think
that's right. I'm... Japanese?" she answered in the same tongue. It came
naturally to her.

Concern, puzzlement. "You are not sure?"

Akane frowned angrily. "I can't remember! I think this bump on my head..."
she almost sobbed in frustration.

"Poor child," the Lady said, reaching out and delicately stroking Akane's
cheek with bejewelled fingers, her voice soft and caring. "Poor, poor child.
You are so confused, aren't you? A little frightened, too, I'll wager. Is
that not so?"

Akane murmured assent, leaning in to the woman's touch. She felt herself
gathered up in strong, arms and her head was laid gently across a warm lap.
"What is your name, my poor, frightened darling?" Languid torpor seeped into
her mind as the woman spoke, and she felt herself drifting, floating as
though on warm waters.

"Akane..." she breathed, her voice sleepy. Here, with her head in the lap of
this strange woman, she felt safe, like a child again. Long, tapered nails
stroked through her short hair, soothing her further. Her breathing slowed,
and in moment, she was asleep, the tension in her face fading. From waking
dream to slumber she fell, and her dreams were dreams of a strong, loving
woman who kept all the bad things away, kept her safe and warm...

"Mommy..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Well, *that* was unusual," Jin Jia murmured as attendants, followed by Se
Zhi the healer carried Ah-Ka-Neh away.

"I'll say," Ro Wen agreed, her dark eyes wide. "I've never seen the Mistress
take to anyone like that before." Her voice held a note of mild jealousy.

Hou Li said nothing, but her sharp, intelligent eyes darted back and forth
between the supine newcomer and the Mistress, considering.

"Aww, poor little Ro Wen," Jin Jia teased, but she gathered the smaller,
plush blonde to her side and petted her hair softly. "Don't worry, we still
love you, even if the Mistress has a new favourite." Ro Wen gave a little
whine and snuggled closer, her love of cuddling overwhelming her desire to
protest Jin Jia's words.

Hou Li finally broke her silence, pulling her eyes away from Ah-Ka-Neh as
she was carried behind the curtains. "Ladies, I think we've been very lucky
to be chosen as the newcomer's trainers. This should prove... interesting."

Ro Wen bounced to her feet, sending Jin Jia sprawling in the cushions, her
eyes sparkling. "Ooh, is widdle Hou Li in lu-uvv?"

Hou Li's studied composure cracked. "Er, what? Don't be ridiculous! I simply
find the newcomer... fascinating."

Ro Wen elbowed the taller girl in the ribs, grinning. "Suu-re. *Really*
fascinating."

Hou Li spared her friend a scathing glare. "Not all of us are ruled by our
hormones, you minx!"

The blonde placed her hands on shapely hips and wiggled enticingly. "Aa-nd
proud of it!" Ro Wen chirped.

The brunette rolled her eyes. "I simply believe that our little Ah-Ka-Neh
has some *very* interesting stories to tell. Didn't you notice the brand on
her hip?"

"We don't all have your eagle-eyes, Hou Li dear," Jin Jia said, getting to
her feet and blowing Ro Wen a raspberry. "Enlighten us."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"An amazon death mark?!" the elderly, plump healer Se Zhi gasped as she
noted the brand on the sleeping girl's hip. Her assistant rushed to her side
from the other side of the room.

"Goodness," Fe Nelu, a puppy-like, raven haired beauty of middle years said,
holding a hand to her mouth. "The poor thing! I wonder why those horrid
witches want her dead?"

"I'll be certain to ask, once she wakes up," Se Zhi muttered tersely as she
swabbed an antiseptic tincture over the bump on the stranger's temple. "This
is no good. We must advise the Mistress of this. Harbouring a woman marked
for death by the amazons is an invitation to war."

"War?! Oh, my! That's horrible!"

"The menfolk likely won't think so, bloody-minded idiots that they are. We
ought to throw her back where they found her. Still, it isn't our decision,
more's the pity." Se Zhi clucked her tongue as she fussed over her patient.

Fe Nelu handed her mentor a fresh swab. "Where *did* they find her? She's
obviously foreign..."

"Pei Pa- you know what a gossip *she* is- said that the Prince and his
bodyguard found her outside the Springs."

"Dear me... You don't suppose she's a new Sister, do you? Although why on
earth the Prince would be fooling around with ancient rituals like that in
*this* day and age..."

Se Zhi blinked owlishly and re-examined the woman on the table in front of
her. "I don't think so, she doesn't *look* like she has the Blood..." She
shook her head. "Besides, why would the amazons mark an animal for death?
And look, see? Her ears are pierced."

Fe Nelu nodded. "Shall I run tell the Mistress now, then?"

Se Zhi nodded, returning to her work. "Yes, please. I can handle this myself
from here. Really, she's not badly hurt, she's got a thick head, this
one..."

The raven-haired woman scurried off to follow her mentor's instructions,
sparing a brief, worried glance back for the stranger.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mistress Nai Sheidu sat behind a wooden screen in a specially-prepared
reception room, and awaited the arrival of her son. She was masked and robed
from head to foot in the thick, coarse robes of a penitent, a vast change
from her usual attire. The priestesses had left, their rites of purification
completed. It was essential that her female energies not pollute the vital
essence of the crown prince, and every possible precaution, both ritual and
practical, had been taken to keep that from happening.

A soft chime sounded, and Nai Sheidu made some final adjustments to her
robes, ensuring all hints of her femininity were concealed. She stood and
made her way to the centre of the room and knelt, kow-towing as low as she
could.

The screen door at the far end of the room slid open, and a cloaked and
masked silhouette stood revealed in the flickering lantern-light. Eyes the
colour of tarnished gold gleamed behind a painted mask.

"My Lord Prince," Nai Sheidu spoke into the floor.

"Good day, Mother," the prince answered, sitting down on his ankles in the
doorframe. "Are you well?" His voice was formal, and gruff, as though he had
a cold. She thought she heard a hint of affection in his stiff tones, and a
glance into his eyes, virtual mirrors of her own, bore that out. She was
alarmed to note no small amount of fear in those shining orbs, as well. She
cleared her throat and answered.

"This one is well, my Prince. If this one may be so bold as to inquire, how
is your highness' health?"

The Prince cleared his throat. When he spoke again, his voice was deeper
still, and even gruffer. "I am well, it is merely a cold. Tell me, Mother,
what of the strange female I brought you? Does she live?" He leaned forward
slightly, as though straining to control his impatience.

*Ah, so _this_ is what concerns him so,* she thought, smiling broadly behind
her mask. *Perhaps he, too, sensed the strange aura about the girl?* "She
lives indeed, and is recovering nicely, though her memory seems to be
impaired."

"I see," her son answered, a tiny sigh of relief whistling through his mask.
"I am... gratified that she is well."

"Your Highness, may this lowly one inquire as to why your august self was
venturing so close to the pools of sorrow?" She allowed the smallest hint of
maternal reproach to creep into her otherwise-obsequious tone.

A quick aspiration of breath. Then: "You are very well informed, Mother,"
his tone was frosty. "I see no reason why that is a concern of yours."

She winced. "Of course, my Prince. This one was only worried for your
highness' safety. Your highness' fate is the fate of the Kingdom, after all.
Forgive this lowly female if she has offended your august self. If this one
might beg further indulgence, she must inform you of the results of the
foreign female's physical examination."

Behind the mask, the prince's eyes blazed. "You said she was fine!"

"Indeed, and so she is, my Lord Prince. Yet upon her person she bears an
amazon death mark."

"What?!" the Prince yelled, in a surprisingly high-pitched voice. "What do
those bitches want with her?"

"This one does not know, My Prince. As this one mentioned, the female's
memory seems to be impaired. Indeed, it appears that her memory has been
tampered with, since the damage is more than can be accounted for by the
tiny lump on her head. How *did* she come by that, if this one might be so
bold as to ask?"

The prince hung his head. "She landed on my head."

Nai Sheidu was so confused she forgot protocol. "I beg your pardon?"

"She fell from the sky and uh, landed on my head."

It was a good thing she was masked, else he might have seen the grin. "I
see..."

"Knocked me into-" he coughed. "At any rate, have you found out her name?"

"Yes, my Prince, that much, she does remember. Her name is Ah-Ka-Neh."

"Ah-Ka-Neh... It is a strange name, is it not? Yet it is lovely..." the
prince said wistfully, before shaking his masked and hooded head. "Find out
all you can about this Ah-Ka-Neh, and keep me appraised."

"But of course, my Prince."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The prince tossed the ceremonial mask aside as he strode into his chambers,
his bodyguards at his sides.

"Didja have a good visit with your mom, Ha Bu?" The large, tiger-skin clad
youth asked, picking up the discarded mask and setting it on top of a shelf.

"Fine," Prince Ha Bu grunted.

"I wish *I* could visit *my* mom," a skinny, wolf-pelt wearing youth said
petulantly as he zipped through the chamber, quickly making a cursory search
of the room for spies, hidden assassins, and loose change before rejoining
his liege behind the dressing screen, eager to help Ha Bu out of his
all-concealing robes.

"Get away from me, you imbeciles!" Ha Bu yelped as his bodyguards began
undressing him. Twin chi-bursts served to drive the point home, and his men
across the room.

"Geez, Min To, Ha Bu sure is grumpy lately," the larger youth muttered as he
pried himself out of the wall.

His skinny colleague agreed as he clambered back up the dumbwaiter shaft.
"You said it, Lai Mu. I don't think he's being fair, not letting us touch
his titties."

"I *know*! I mean, if *I* had titties all of a sudden, I'd let you guys
touch 'em," Lai Mu agreed.

"I'm right *here*, you know!" Ha Bu called from behind the screen. A moment
later, he emerged, dressed in his armour and a long hooded cloak, an outfit
that made him look taller and broader than he really was. "I swear, if you
even *mention* my breasts again, I'll slay you where you stand."

"Yessir," the duo grumbled, disappointed that Ha Bu's raiment concealed all
the interesting new curves he'd acquired since his forced swimming lesson
the other day.

"Um, speaking of titties, did you find out what happened to that
funny-looking boy who knocked you into the water?"

"She's not a boy, she's a girl. Her name is Ah-Ka-Neh," Ha Bu said dreamily.

"A GIRL?!" Lai Mu yelped.

"Whoa, really?" Min To gasped, before becoming wistful. "So *that's* what
they look like. Will *she* let us touch her titties?"

"ENOUGH ABOUT TITTIES!" Ha Bu yelled.

Gears were visibly turning in Lai Mu's head. "So... you're saying that
strange boy is really a girl?"

"Yes!" Ha Bu snapped.

"That's why she has tit-" he noticed Ha Bu's fiery glare. "Er, those
*things*?"

"Ye-es..." the Prince growled.

"But Ha Bu, you have 'em, too, right?"

"Do you have a point, Lai Mu? Aside from the one on top of your head?"

"Well, if having titties makes you a girl, then... Hey, Ha Bu! You're a
girl!"

With a snarl of rage, Ha Bu promptly defenestrated Lai Mu. Min To rushed to
the window and peered out, momentarily forgetting his seething liege. He
whistled in awe.

"What, hasn't he hit bottom yet?" Ha Bu snarled.

"Naw, the battlements broke his fall."

"Damn."

"I'll say. Your dad'll be pissed."

"Why? Father is well aware that Lai Mu is an idiot and occasionally requires
disciplining. Besides, he deserves the pain. It's all his fault I'm stuck
like this."

"Yeah, but those battlements'll take weeks to repair. Lai Mu landed on his
head."

The prince rolled his eyes. Changing the subject, he asked: "What is the
status of my spies amongst the amazons?"

Min To scratched himself roughly behind his right ear. "Tou Welu's still
active. Why?"

"Only Tou Welu?"

"Yeah, Je Ru and Kuri Mu got sent on an 'embassy' to Beijing last month."

Ha Bu snorted derisively. "That's the last we'll hear from them, then. Damn.
How do those amazon bitches always ferret out our informers?" He shook his
head. "Never mind. I need you to make contact with Tou Welu. Have him find
out all he can about Ah-Ka-Neh and what those blasted amazons want with
her."

Min To blinked hard. "What do the amazons have to do with her?"

"If I knew that, I wouldn't be asking! Now go!"

The wolfish boy saluted and zipped out, leaving Ha Bu alone. Frowning in
thought, he strode to the window and gazed off at the mountains.

*Why does this... female... obsess me so? By all rights, I should order her
death for having knocked me into the Nyannichuan, and yet...*

"I must learn more about her. Perhaps..." He glanced down at his scalemail
breastplate, wincing slightly as his new additions ached beneath their tight
cloth bindings. "Perhaps this curse may prove useful, after all..."

A grunt announced Lai Mu's return, and the transformed prince glanced down
to see the tigerskin-clad boy clinging to the windowsill.

"Hey, Ha Bu. Little help?"

Ha Bu casually grabbed Lai Mu by the back of his tunic and dragged him over
the sill. "Why didn't you take the stairs?"

Lai Mu stared at his prince. "Umm..."

"Never mind. Go down to the apocathary and get me some tincture of henna."

"But Hei Na's a cook. What would he be doing in the apocathary's?"

"No, no, *henna*. The herb."

"Wait, aren't *you* Ha Bu? 'Cause if you aren't, you shouldn't be giving me
orders. I'm his bodyguard, you know," Lai Mu announced proudly.

Two more defenestrations later, and things got sorted out...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Akane awoke to the pleasant sensation of a cool, lemon-scented cloth being
tamped on her forehead. She was back in the cushioned nook where she had
last awakened, and felt rested and relaxed. "Hmm, that's nice..."

"Ah, so you're awake at last!" The cloth was withdrawn.

She opened her eyes and stared up into Ginger's yellow eyes. Her head was
propped up in the redheaded girl's lap. "I can understand you!"

Ginger smiled pleasantly. "And I, you. The Mistress must have worked some of
her mind magic. Dragon clan *is* powerful," she mused, staring briefly off
at the curtains. A thought seemed to occur to her, and she turned a kind
gaze to Akane. "The Mistress said you had amnesia. Is that so?"

Akane thought about it; her mind was still confused and muddled. "I guess
so. About all I can remember is my name..."

"Oh, that's too bad," Ginger soothed, then leaned in close, tapping Akane
playfully on the nose. "You're quite the celebrity, you know."

"I am?"

"Oh, yes! Your name is on everyone's lips. We all *love* a good riddle, and
you're the best one to come along in a long time. I was hoping your memories
would have come back to you and I'd have the inside track." She smiled down.
"Ah, well."

Akane laughed, a little sadly. "Sorry to disappoint you."

"That's okay. Just make sure that you tell *me* first if anything comes back
to you."

"O-okay," Akane whispered. "Um, excuse me, but I'd kinda like to sit up..."

"Oh! Sure, by all means," Ginger obliged, withdrawing slightly and allowing
Akane to ease herself up to a sitting position. "Are you still dizzy?"

"Hmm? Oh, no, I'm fine," she answered, briefly touching her temple where the
lump had receded considerably. "It barely even stings."

"Good. Se Zhi is an excellent healer, just like all Owl clan women."

"Owl clan?" Akane wondered aloud. "Um, I've been meaning to ask, but...
Where am I? Everything's so strange..."

"Why, you're in the Willow Pagoda, of course, where else would a woman be?
Oh! Tsk, of course you wouldn't know, you're a foreigner," Ginger scolded
herself. "Silly me, I'm acting like Ro Wen, she's such a silly thing. This
is the land of the Musk. We're the greatest nation in the Middle Kingdom."

"Middle...? Oh!" A memory rose in Akane's mind. "This is China! We're
speaking Chinese, aren't we?" She'd taken lessons in Chinese, hadn't she?
In... school? But she hadn't been very good at it, she recalled.

Ginger looked puzzled. "I don't understand what you mean, is that what they
call the Middle Kingdom in the outside world? Chi-na?"

Akane nodded. "I guess so."

Ginger shrugged. "Oh, that's nice, I suppose. Well, you won't need to worry
about that anymore, you're safe and sound here, where you belong."

That statement bothered Akane. She wasn't sure *where* she belonged, but she
was pretty sure it wasn't here. "Umm, I guess this is going to take some
getting used to."

Ginger smiled and hugged her. "You look worried, but you shouldn't be. The
Mistress takes very good care of all her subjects. I'm sure you'll do just
fine."

"No offence, Ginger, but I don't really plan on sticking around for very
long. I need to... be somewhere. I think."

Ginger looked astonished, and a little hurt. "But you just got here, and
besides, where would you go? We're safe here in the Pagoda; outside is full
of horrible things, like amazons and soldiers and. well, just *horrible*
things!"

Akane looked askance at her new friend, resolving to table the matter for
the time being. "Well, I suppose it would be rude to leave without at least
doing something to repay your hospitality."

Ginger smiled warmly, all the confusion disappearing from her face.
"Wonderful! I know we'll be good friends in no time. Now," she stood and
re-arranged her costume until it hung properly. "I should begin by showing
you around. I think the easiest thing to do would be to gather up Ro Wen and
Hou Li, and then we'll all do the grand tour."

"Okay," Akane answered, getting to her feet with little difficulty.
Straightening her loose silks proved a little trickier, and in the end
Ginger had to help her adjust the strange garment. It was something like a
backless caftan that hung just above the navel, surmounting loose, thin
pants that tied at the hips and ankles, with dangling ties at the knees
where it appeared the fabric could be cinched tighter as needed. The cut of
the outfit was identical to that worn by Ginger, save for the colour,
(Ginger's was jade-green, while hers was a shimmering azure blue,) but in
Ginger's case it was set off with pretty, elegantly-wrought baubles and
jewellery- some that appeared to be made of precious metals and rare stones,
while others seemed more homespun and mundane, though no less lovely -
whereas Akane's was plainer for the lack.

The redhead noted her appraisal and grinned a foxy grin. "You like them?
They're tokens of favour. This one-" she extended a graceful hand and
displayed a gold ring wrought into the shape of a rampant tiger with tiny
jade chips for eyes, "-was a gift from General Lei Mon, the Emperor's
military counsellor." She shivered briefly in delight, clamping her hands to
her bosom. "My, he was a *handful*." She unhooked the pair of pendant
earrings she wore and handed them to Akane for inspection. They were made of
simple hammered bronze, obviously handcrafted by a talented amateur rather
than a professional jeweller. "Hou Li made those for me last year as a love
token, aren't they just precious? I adore the sound they make, even if it is
a little distracting at times..." Akane peered curiously at one of the
teardrop-shaped ornaments. Sure enough, it contained a tiny glass bead that
acted like a miniature clapper, turning the hollow pendants into tiny chimes
that tinkled cutely when shaken.

"Holly... She's your friend with the dark hair, right?"

"That's right," Ginger confirmed, retrieving the ornaments and replacing
them in her ears. "She's Eagle clan, and they all have very sharp eyes, so
she's excellent at close work like this. And she knows I love pretty, shiny
things that make noise, all Fox girls do. Ooh, now *this* one-" she pointed
to the choker necklace she wore, constructed of chunky, square-cut gems set
into gold links, "I received from the Mistress as a birthday gift." She
fingered the necklace fondly. "It's still one of my favourite pieces, I
almost never take it off except to bathe or sleep."

"You keep mentioning clans. Are they families, or...?"

"Families?" Ginger blinked. She began to walk, leading Akane through the
lamp-lit corridors.

"You know, people who are related, who share the same ancestors?"

"Oh! Lineage, I understand what you mean. You're close. Clans are people who
share the same Blood. Sometimes that means that we have common ancestors,
but not always. We really don't bother keeping track of that sort of thing
beyond two or three generations back, except for Dragon clan. Dragon clan
can trace their lineage back hundreds of years, to the beginning of history.
That's not why they're in charge, though; it's because Dragon Blood is so
strong, it always breeds true. A Dragon's offspring will always be Dragon,
no matter what clan the other parent is."

All this talk of dragons was stirring something in Akane's mind, but it was
hazy, and far away. She put it aside. "So, you're Fox clan, and Holly's
Eagle clan... What about Rowan?" she asked as they rounded a corner into a
corridor that seemed to slant upwards.

"Oh, Ro Wen's Mink clan- Sable, really, but she's a sport and was born with
white hair, so we call her a 'Mink'. Sables are fierce and creative, but
they get distracted easily, and they're not as clever as Foxes or Wolves, or
any of the Cats, for that matter. Except for the colour of her hair, Ro
Wen's a pretty typical Sable; she's flighty, and fun, and a good friend to
have around, even if she always 'borrows' my tokens without asking. She's a
really fabulous limner, too... She painted the screen at the door of the
Receiving hall. You remember, that sky dragon?"

"Rowan painted *that*? Wow..." It wasn't her imagination, the hallway *was*
slanting upwards, and apparently was open to the outside somewhere above-
she could smell fresh air, and the lamps were flickering softly in the light
breeze. "You mentioned the Mistress, earlier; was she the woman I met...
Yesterday?"

"It was last night, and yes. She's Dragon clan, of course. Her son will be
Emperor someday."

"So she's the Empress?" As she asked that, they passed through a set of
sturdy ash wood doors that opened onto a high-walled courtyard, where
several women were working at various mundane chores. Under a low canvas
overhang, a middle-aged woman worked at a loom, while beside her young girls
carded wool and spun thread. A pair were in the process of hanging laundry
on a line, gracefully weaving through the hanging fabrics that billowed
slightly in the breeze. The sight gave Akane a strong pang of homesickness.
Somewhere, she remembered seeing an older girl or woman performing similar
tasks, humming softly to herself as she worked.

"Empress? What does that mean?" Akane blinked, brought out of her reverie.
She turned to Ginger.

"You know, the Emperor's wife?"

"Wife? Um, I'm sorry, Ah-Ka-Neh, I don't know that word."

Akane looked faintly exasperated. "Aren't they married? Husband and wife?
You said they had a child together..."

"Oh! Oh, I think I understand what you mean, now. They were mated, yes."

"*Mated*? You make it sound like they were bred together like livestock!"

It was Ginger's turn to look exasperated. "Well, of course! How else would
they sire offspring?"

The Japanese girl flushed. "That's not what I meant! Didn't they get
married?"

"I told you already, I don't understand what you mean by that word,
Ah-Ka-Neh."

"Married! Together forever, 'till death do them part'..."

"A pair-bond?" Ginger looked faintly horrified. "Between man and woman?
T-that's blasphemous! Is this some strange kind of foreign perversion, or
something? Eyes of blood, Ah-Ka-Neh, only *animals* pair-bond! Imagine,
spending the rest of your life with a *man*, brr... They can be fun
sometimes, and of course you can't have offspring without one, but...
honestly!" Ginger gave her a look that was half disapproving frown, half
sympathy. "Your people must truly be barbarians, Ah-Ka-Neh. It's just as
well you're here, we'll soon have you straightened out."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Let me get this straight: No one in this country ever
gets married?"

"Assuming you mean what I *think* you mean by that word, no. Aside from the
fact that no woman in their right mind would spend time with a male beyond
their season, male and female energies are inherently inimical to each
other- everyone knows that." They continued to walk as they talked, making
their way across the courtyard to an inset outbuilding on the far wall. "If
you mean a love-bond, well, lots of people have that. I love Hou Li and Ro
Wen, and we often pillow together, but I can't conceive of loving a *man*.
Take General Lei Mon, for instance; he's a decent enough fellow when my
season comes around, and he makes fine babies, but I wouldn't, no,
*couldn't* form a pair bond with him. We'd kill each other in a month or
less."

Akane was blushing beet red, but the conversation had her dander up, and she
wasn't ready to let go of the topic. "What do you mean, you'd kill each
other? Are you that hard to live with? Or is he?" She tried to inject a
little levity into that last line, and it seemed to work. Ginger seemed more
amused than offended by this point.

"Blood and bones, no; I'm a perfect *angel* to live with, ask anybody," she
winked. "And I've no reason to suspect that Lei Mon is any worse than any
other man. What I mean is that male magic and female magic is in
opposition."

"I thought that opposites attracted," Akane said. Ginger laughed.

"Certainly they do, like lodestones to iron. If male and female didn't
attract one another, the race would die out. The problem is that magics in
opposition can have unpredictable effects- the magic can create new life, in
short doses, but continued exposure can bring nothing but unhappiness and
pain."

"Look, I admit I don't remember much about *my* life in particular," Akane
stated firmly, "But I *know* that's not how it works where I come from."

Ginger gave a condescending smile. "Well, of *course* it doesn't work that
way, you don't have the Blood." Ginger opened the door of the building and
ushered Akane inside. A strong chemical smell assaulted her nostrils and her
eyes began to water. Ginger dampened a pair of handkerchiefs in a
thoughtfully-provided pitcher of water and tied one over her mouth and nose,
gesturing for Akane to do the same. "Just give it a minute, you'll get used
to it. We won't be staying long, anyway.

"What *is* this place?" Akane yelped. "It *reeks*!"

"It's where we dye the silks and cloth. The chemicals are a little strong, I
know." Ginger's tone was sympathetic. "If you think *you've* got it bad, try
dealing with it with *my* sensitive nose..."

When the discomfort eased, they continued into the building, following a
downward spiralling staircase. "You keep mentioning 'blood'. I get the
feeling you mean something more than just lineage..." The chemical odour was
growing stronger, even through the handkerchief.

"Well, it has to do with the history of our nation, and- Oh, look, there's
my darlings!" They hand reached the end of the staircase, and entered a room
that looked like it had once merely been a natural cave. Several large
chimneys had been carved out of the living rock, each capped with what
appeared to be a strange bellows system manned by two women who pumped out
the fume-heavy air, while circulating fresh air in. The floor of the chamber
was dotted with low pools full of acrid, smelly liquids and criss-crossed
with bamboo and wood scaffolding, allowing about a dozen women to nimbly
cross the myriad stinking basins. Several pools had floating bolts of cloth
inside, and those were being dutifully stirred by masked women dressed in
rough cotton versions of the outfits Akane and Ginger wore. At the sound of
Ginger's shout, two girls bearing bolts of raw silk waved and, setting down
their burdens on a convenient table, joined them by the stairs.


They pulled off their masks, revealing Rowan and Holly, looking sweaty, yet
pleased to see them. "Well, hello, Miss Sleeping Stranger," Rowan chirped,
smiling at Akane. "How are you feeling this fine day?"

"It is nice to see you up and about," Holly said, brushing her sweaty bangs
out of her eyes.

"I'm fine, thank you all for taking care of me," Akane said with a smile
hidden by the dampened handkerchief she wore.

"Girls, I've promised Ah-Ka-Neh a grand tour, but first I think we'll need
to wash out the stink of this place. I suggest we repair to the baths,"
Ginger stated firmly. The motion was acclaimed unanimously.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I brought you the stuff you wanted, Ha Bu," Lai Mu announced as he let
himself in to his prince's chambers. "I hope it's- Gaah!" the burly youth's
jaw dropped and a thin trickle of blood leaked out of his nose as he took in
the scene.

The future Emperor of the Musk Dynasty scowled at his, or rather *her*
bodyguard from the corner of her bed. Ha Bu was scantily clad in woman's
silks in a fetching white that set off her hair and eyes, silks that were
not incidentally more or less translucent. "Tell me, Lai Mu, have you ever
heard of *knocking?!*

"B-but Ha Bu! I can see your titties an' everything!"

Ha Bu glanced down at the outfit. "Y-yes, well, this is apparently what the
women in the Willow Pagoda wear..."

Lai Mu glanced lower. "What happened to Li'l Ha Bu?!" He couldn't decide
whether he was horrified by the missing appendage or intrigued by what had
replaced it.

"It's your damn fault he's gone, you nitwit, and don't think I haven't
forgotten! If you hadn't splashed me with that damned ladle..."

The big lad kow-towed as low as he could, (a gesture completely unmotivated
by the fortunate happenstance that the pose allowed Lai Mu a closer view of
the Prince's lower anatomy) and began as fine a display of abject grovelling
Ha Bu had ever seen. "I'm sorry, Ha Bu! I figured that was the thing to do!
After all, that's what they always did in the legends!"

Ha Bu stood and stormed over to his dressing screen. "That fact, and our
long friendship are the only reasons you are still breathing, Lai Mu. You
would do well to remember that." He donned his cloak with a flourish and was
soon concealed from head to foot, to Lai Mu's well-hidden dismay. "As soon
as Min To returns, we are going to the waterfall behind the castle to use
what you've brought."

Lai Mu pulled himself to his feet. "Yeah, about that. What exactly *are* you
planning on doing with this stuff?" He held up the bottle of tincture.

Ha Bu sighed. "It's a simple hair dye, Lai Mu. I wish to disguise myself."

"Ooh, nifty! We haven't done that since we were little! Can I be the
captured amazon warrior?"

Ha Bu laughed. "No, my friend, I'm afraid that's *my* role this time..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

END PART ONE



More to come! C+C of all kinds gratefully accepted, either public or
private. Note that my speculations about the social organization of the Musk
Dynasty are wholly my own, and should not be taken for canon, or assumed to
be drawn from canon. I just though that it'd be neat , given all the Ranma
fics set in the Amazon village, or the few featuring Phoenix Mountain, to
see a peek inside the Musk community.



Dave Menard

Hack-At-Large,

Art-Slave-In-Training.





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