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-- Attached file included as plaintext by Ecartis --
-- File: bewitchedII.txt

Sailor Moon and all related characters are copyright of Naoko
Takeuchi and are used here for non-profit purposes only.

NOTE: This story contains sexually explicit scenes of a dark nature.
As well, it takes place in an alternate universe setting.  Any or all of
these elements may offend some readers, so please proceed only at
your own discretion.  Thank you.





                   Shadow of the Witchqueens

                by Eric Buchanan



Part Two: The Secrets of Witches



     The mansion belonging to the headmistress stood mostly
quiet.  In the kitchen, Michiru had finished making a meal for the
new witch, and was waiting patiently for the blonde to arrive.  She
knew that Haruka would have needed to linger in the bath, to wash
away the memory of the night's torment.

     "Yo," Haruka said casually as she walked into the kitchen.  The
expression on Michiru's face was priceless.

     Michiru looked up as Haruka entered the kitchen, and for a
moment she felt as thought she couldn't breathe.  She flashed on an
image of Haruka as she'd first seen her; a tall girl, attractive enough,
but nothing special.  She couldn't reconcile that image with what she
was seeing now.

     "Hey, that looks good," Haruka said casually, plopping
down into a chair and pulling a plate to her.  "I hope you're a better
cook than you are a conversationalist."

     "You ..." Michiru gaped.  "You ... what have you done?"

     Haruka just stared at her, blue eyes twinkling.  Haruka had
gone into the bath looking bedraggled, dazed, and beaten down.
But now, she was like a different girl.  The most obvious change
was her long, pale blonde locks.  She'd cut her hair off at her collar,
leaving long stray bangs to hang over her cool blue eyes.  The
style was nearly boyish, yet it suited her in some way that Michiru
could not explain.  Also, the blonde had exchanged the girlish dress
she'd been wearing when taken for a man's white dress shirt,
unbuttoned at the collar, and a pair of tapered slacks.

     "I thought it was time for a change," Haruka said with a
wry smile.  "If my old life is over, then I might as well go for broke,
right?"

     "Setsuna-sama didn't give you permission to cut your hair, did
she?" Michiru asked, the implications of the girl's act sinking in.
There was no way Haruka could know the significance of a witch
cutting her hair, of course.  The girl was new to her powers, and knew
next to nothing about the customs of witches.  That, however, would
not affect their mistress's reaction.

     "'Course not," Haruka mumbled through a mouthful of
food.  "This is great, by the way."

     "She is going to be very upset!" Michiru snapped.  She was
quite upset herself, mostly at the way Haruka had so easily
disrupted her careful equilibrium.

     "Well, she didn't tell me not to do it," Haruka pointed out.
"And what's she going to do, make me grow it back?  I mean, she
doesn't control every single decision you make, right?"

     "And where did you get those clothes?" Michiru added, deciding
it would be best to ignore Haruka's question for the moment.

     "They were in the room," Haruka shrugged.  "And you told
me to find something to wear in there."

     Michiru had no response to that.  Quite frankly, it had never
occurred to her that Haruka might do something so drastic, and
berating the girl now would not change anything.  What was done was
done, and Haruka would have to face the consequences of her rash
act.  Their mistress would deal with this soon enough.

     "Hey, Michiru-san," Haruka said after a time.  "Tell me about
this witch thing."

     "What do you want to know?" Michiru asked.  She was
reluctant to get drawn into a conversation with the girl, but
Setsuna had pointedly told her that she would be working
closely with the new girl.

     "Well, what do we do with these powers?" Haruka asked as
she ate.

     "Simple," Michiru replied.  "Whatever our mistress
demands."

     "It seems a bit much, having witches to keep order at a
girl's school," Haruka said with a frown.

     "That is not our function," Michiru informed her.  "There
are outside threats, women like our mistress known as
Witchqueens.  They have their own witches, and they constantly
fight amongst themselves for territory, artifacts of power, new
witches and slaves and playthings."

     "Super," Haruka grimaced.  "Well, what about the rest of
the time?"

     "I don't understand."

     "Don't you do anything when you aren't fighting the other
witches?" Haruka asked.  "Hobbies or pursuits?"

     Michiru hesitated, but Haruka's eyes stayed fixed on her.  "I
paint," the green-haired girl admitted.  "And play the violin."

     "Ah-hah," Haruka muttered.  "So, she doesn't control
everything we do."

     "No, but when she demands something of you, you should
do it," Michiru stated.  "Not only to avoid punishment, but also
because she knows the ways of the Witchqueens.  Following her
orders will keep you alive and out of their clutches.  Believe me,
you may think Setsuna-sama is cruel, but what I have seen of the
others makes me feel fortunate that she was the one to Bind me."

     "Huh.  Maybe I should hear more about our competition,"
Haruka said.

     "Later," Michiru told her, eyeing the now-empty plate.
"Right now, we have an appointment with our mistress.  And she
doesn't like to be kept waiting."




                     ####



     Silke stopped in front of the dormitory, scarcely able to
believe her eyes.  Ami Mizuno was walking towards her, Luna
draped over her shoulder.  Crossing her arms, Silke stood and
waited for the pair to notice her.  When Ami finally glanced up, her
eyes widened for a moment before she realized who was standing in
the path.

     "Tsukino-san," Ami said.

     "Mizuno," Silke replied.  "I see you've met Luna."

     "Luna?"  Ami glanced at the contented cat, then back to
Silke.  "She's yours?  I ... I'm sorry, I didn't know!  I mean ...."

     "Relax," Silke sighed.  "It's no big deal.  I hope she hasn't
been bothering you, though."

     "Oh, not at all!" Ami hastened to assure her.  "She's very
charming."

     "Yes," Silke said dryly.  "She is that."

     "Um ... Tsukino-san," Ami began, shuffling her feet
nervously.

     "Call me Silke," Silke said, weary of the girl's stiff
formality.

     "Oh.  I mean, yes.  Of course.  And I ... um ...."

     "Ami, right?" Silke prompted.

     "Yes, of course," Ami said in a rush.  "But I, that is, what I
meant to say ...."  Ami stumbled over her words, obviously feeling
self-conscious all of a sudden.

     "Out with it, Ami," Silke said.

     "Um," Ami said, stopping to take a deep breath.  "Yes.  The
thing is, S-Silke-san ...."  Silke thought about making an issue over
the -san, then decided it was probably best to let Ami take things at
her own pace.  "The thing is, pets aren't allowed in the dorms.  If
you get caught, you'll be in trouble."

     "Oh, is that all?" Silke asked.  "Getting in trouble doesn't
bother me.  Anyway, I've been in trouble before.  I always manage
to get out."

     "Oh," Ami said, obviously taken aback at Silke's lack of
concern over the rules.  "It's just that there are some girls here
who, well, would report you ... not me, I mean, but some girls ...."

     "Relax, Ami," Silke said.  "I get it.  No problem."

     "Ah," Ami said.  "Well."  She shuffled her feet, glancing
around nervously.  Silke held out her hand, and Luna leapt with feline
grace, scampering up her mistress's arm to perch on her shoulder.
Ami watched with what appeared to Silke to be envy.

     "I never thanked you properly," Ami said at last.  "For this
morning, I mean."

     "Forget it," Silke said dismissively.  "But if you don't learn
to be stronger, those punk girls are going to keep at you."

     "I ... I know," Ami mumbled, staring at her shoes.  "I suppose I
just don't have what it takes, that's all."

     "If you believe that, then that's how it will be," Silke told
her.  "Nobody can help you if you don't help yourself."  She would
have gone on, but Ami appeared to be shutting her out while
making a polite show of listening.  Silke shrugged.  There was no
sense in lecturing the girl, was there?  Anyway, bucking up some
girl who was doomed to be everyone's doormat was not why she'd
come to this place.  She turned and began mounting the steps.

     "Um, Silke-san?  Where are you going?" Ami asked.

     "Going?  I'm going to my room to relax a little before
supper," Silke replied, looking at Ami over her shoulder.

     "This is your dorm, too?" Ami asked.

     "That's right.  You're in here?"

     "The fourth floor," Ami confirmed.

     "Well, how about that?  We're neighbors," Silke said.
"Maybe I'll see you at supper time, neighbor.  Later."

     Silke said nothing further until she reached her room.  Once
the door was closed and locked, Luna jumped to the floor,
transforming and kneeling in front of her mistress.

     "Well?" Silke asked.  "I trust you have a good explanation."

     Luna nodded, remaining prostrated as she related the events that
had led her to make contact with Ami while Silke listened silently.
When her familiar had finished, Silke wandered over to her bed and
sat, lost in thought.

     "She stood up to them only when she was protecting you?"
Silke asked.

     "That's correct, Silke-sama," Luna replied.  Silke beckoned
idly and Luna rose, coming to the bed.  She curled up at her
mistress's feet, laying her head in Silke's lap.  Silke began stroking
her familiar's long silky hair as she thought.  Luna, attuned to her
mistress's moods, did not interrupt.

     "And you're certain the magick you felt came from Ami?"
she asked at last, receiving a murmur of assent.  "What sort of
magick was it, could you tell?"

     "No, it was too sudden and wild.  It could have been nearly
anything to achieve the result I saw.  Focussed waves of air, earth
magick to split the pipe, water magick to raise the pressure.  I just
can't say."

     "Strange," Silke mused.  "She gets picked on quite
frequently.  I wonder if anything similar has ever happened?"

     "I doubt that," Luna replied.  "Too many strange
occurrences would draw attention."

     "So our little Ami has some magick, eh?  Still, it just seems odd
that she'd tap into it to protect someone else, a cat no less, but not
herself," Silke remarked.

     "What about the other girl, the one who was poking around
the scene of the attack?" Luna asked.  "She had strong spiritual
power at the very least.  Was there any indication of offensive
magicks?"

     "Not that I could feel," Silke sighed.  "But she was plenty
offensive."  She related briefly her conversation with Rei Hino, and
Luna listened intently.

     "You let on that you were watching her?" Luna asked when
Silke had finished.  "It's not like you to be so easily baited, Silke-
sama."

     "It's no big deal," Silke growled, eyes narrowed.  "She just
rubbed me the wrong way, that's all.  Anyway, maybe she'll get
nervous and slip up."  That was lame, but Silke wasn't about to
explain to Luna how Rei had gotten under her skin.  Even though
Luna was right, there was nothing to do now but keep her eyes on
the girl.  If she really was an enemy, she'd show her hand soon
enough.

     "I have been wandering the campus, Silke-sama," Luna said
after the silence had stretched for a bit.  "But it has yet to react at all.
Have you any idea how close the key needs to be to sense the portal?"

     "No," Silke admitted.  "I had hoped that it would synch up
with the portal from a distance, allowing us to use it to home in
on its location.  It looks as though our task is going to be more time
consuming than I believed.  Unless we get lucky."

     "We will find it," Luna told her with conviction.  "If I have to
crawl into every dark corner of this place, then I will.  Fear not, Silke-
sama.  This time we are on the right track.  I feel it."  Luna rubbed her
cheek languorously against Silke's thigh, sighing softly, and Silke
smiled.

     "It's going to be another late night," she told Luna.  "We
should grab a nap before supper."  Luna hopped immediately onto
the bed, and Silke slipped out of her uniform, then lay down beside
her familiar.

     Silke had long since learned to sleep whenever she had the
chance.  Within minutes, her breathing was deep and even.  Luna
snuggled up to her and quickly followed suit.



                     ####



     Traffic on the street was heavy, which was hardly unusual in
Tokyo.  At one intersection, a palely beautiful woman began
crossing as the light was changing, blithely ignoring the imminent
danger as she busily ate from a bag of animal crackers.  Several
drivers waiting at the light took pause to let their gazes linger on
shapely legs which extended from a short, tight skirt, or on the
way her heavy mane of glacier-white hair swayed with the gentle
motion of her carelessly sensual gait.  Her eyes were hidden by dark
glasses which only enhanced her aura of enigmatic beauty.

     She had not reached the other side, however, when the light
changed.  Traffic began to surge, then halted amongst a cacophony
of horns as impatient drivers found their way blocked.

     "Hey, lady!" one irate driver shouted, somehow unaffected
by the young lady's obvious charms.  "Get off the street, wouldja?"

     "Sooo-reeeee!" she beamed with ditzy good humor,
skipping lightly to the curb and up onto the sidewalk.  Once on the
sidewalk, she briefly considered retaliation, but let the thought slip
away almost immediately.  She, after all, had bigger fish to fry.

     Reiko Aya pondered as she walked towards her current
lodgings, compulsively munching the animal crackers one after the
other.  She was in quite a quandary here, and the fact that it was all
her own fault didn't help matters any.  She needed to find a way to
keep this from turning ugly before it got to Galaxia's attention.

     She reached her building, crumpling the empty cracker bag
and dropping it in a trash can on her way in.  She swiped the
security card that allowed the elevator to ascend to the top floor,
which was entirely taken up by the suite she had taken as her own.  As
she stepped out into the small foyer between the elevator and her door,
though, she froze, sensing danger.

     Someone was inside.

     Without hesitation, Reiko summoned her power.  There was
a blaze of light and a gust of eldritch wind and smoke as a ghostly
form embraced her, and then Reiko was gone, and Siren stood
revealed.

     The door flew open before her as she stormed inside, hands
raised to deliver a devastating elemental attack to the person foolish
enough to trespass upon Siren's territory.

     Until, that is, she saw the woman sitting patiently, legs
crossed, on the luxurious leather couch.

     "Akane!" Siren blurted.

     "Quite an entrance, Siren," Akane Karasuma said dryly,
eyes taking in the low-cut gown with its spaghetti-thin lacings and
long, flowing, high-slit skirt.  Akane rose as Siren released her
power, changing back into her civilian guise, and closed the door.

     "You gave me a fright," Reiko pouted.

     "That isn't what it looked like to me, Reiko," Akane
pointed out.  "You looked ready to rumble.  Your temper always
gets short when things are going badly."

     "Akane," Reiko said, her pout deepening.  "What a cruel
thing to say."  She sidled up to the other witch, fingers fussing with
Akane's string-tie as she gazed up into the woman's deep brown
eyes from under lashes lowered coquettishly.  "You didn't come all
this way just to chastise me, did you?"

     "Cut the innocent little girl act, Reiko," Akane sighed.

     "Little girl, yes," Reiko purred, plucking Akane's broad-
brimmed hat off her head and tossing it aside, then brushing her
fingers lightly through her sometime-partner's long, glossy bronze
hair.  "But innocent?  You know me better than that."

     Reiko tried to get in close, but Akane pushed her away
impatiently.

     "Look, Reiko, I know you came up with some theory about
the Phoenix Egg after you got back from the last job Galaxia-sama
sent you on.  I don't know the details, but you got her to indulge
you on this.  You know our mistress, Reiko.  As long as you get
results, you'll be okay.  But I know you and your theories, and
dangling the Phoenix Egg in front of Galaxia-sama wasn't very
smart.  How the hell are you going to come up with something to
satisfy her now?"

     Akane was glaring at her, and Reiko fought the urge to snap
at the woman.  She had become very adept at handling her fellow
witch over time, though.  Galaxia-sama cared little for the
dominance games her witches played, as long as they never lost sight
of where their true allegiance lay.  And if they should forget, well,
she was always happy to remind them.

     "I know I can prove my theory," Reiko said in a little voice.
"But I got a little overconfident last night, and had a tiny-teeny little
setback."

     "Oh, man," Akane sighed, running her hand through her hair,
causing individual strands to catch the light.  Those strands gleamed
like metal.  "Okay, you'd better tell me."

     "I don't want to get you in trouble with Galaxia-sama,"
Reiko went on, clasping her hands and wriggling in place.  "She
probably doesn't even know you're here, right?"

     "Let me worry about that," Akane said sternly.  "Just tell
me."

     Reiko hid her glee with practised ease.  Akane really was
the best.  "Well, according to an interpretation by this really smart
professor working with some old writings, and some pages that
supposedly came from Aki Raven's journal ...."

     "So, that WAS you," Akane said softly.

     "He'll live," Reiko shrugged.  "And he never had such a
thrill in his life, so what's he got to complain about?"

     "Not remembering his research?" Akane asked, crossing her
arms under her full breasts.

     "Anyway," Reiko went on blithely.  "This theory states that the
Phoenix Egg has never been found because it doesn't exist in the
world as an artifact, the way that, say, the Ring of Daimons did."

     "So he thinks it's in the depths of the Darkside."

     "Nuh-uh," Reiko said with a sly smile.  "He thinks it's
hidden."

     "Well, duh," Akane sniffed.  "If it wasn't hidden, someone would
have found it a long time ago."

     "Yes, but listen, Akane.  He thought it could have been
broken into fragments and hidden in the hearts of humans."

     That got the other girl's attention.

     "What?" Akane said sharply.  "What humans?"

     "He didn't know that," Reiko admitted.  "But he thought,
according to his interpretation of Raven's writings, that she might
have constructed her academy over that power nexus as some sort
of lure, that would somehow draw people with the fragments to it
...."

     "Oh, damn," Akane blurted, her eyes widening in alarm.
"You're not thinking of screwing around at Raven Academy, are
you?"  Then she took in Reiko's angelic, innocent smile, and
winced.  "Oh, Reiko, you didn't.  Tell me you didn't."

     "I was just going to turn a student so I could have her spy
for me," Reiko pouted.  She had a great pout, that was an
irrefutable fact, and normally Akane was helpless before it.  This
time, though, the other witch seemed unaffected.

     "So what went wrong?"

     "Well, I found a good one," Reiko said, the corners of her
full lips curling as she recalled her conquest.  "She fought, but of
course she was no match for me.  I sapped her will and exposed her
heart, which by the way did not contain a fragment ...."

     "Imagine my surprise," Akane sighed.

     "Well, I unleashed her darkness, but another girl stumbled
on the scene," Reiko went on, unperturbed.  "So I instructed my
new pet to deal with her, then ...."

     "Then you left before the deed was done," Akane said,
shaking her head in despair.  "Because you were hungry, no doubt."

     "Well, the girl was a mousy little thing!" Reiko wailed.
"She looked boring, and I really was hungry!  I thought my pet
would make short work of her and meet me outside the academy's
walls with an extra plaything as an added bonus.  And I thought the
less time I spent there, the less chance of conflict with the enemy."

     "Well, at least you thought that far ahead," Akane muttered.
"So what happened?"

     "They never came," Reiko sighed.  "Something broke my
hold over my pet.  I couldn't get any details, but it seems the
darkspell was completely broken."

     "Broken?"  Akane looked startled.  "How?"

     "I don't know," Reiko admitted miserably.

     "Could it have been that mousy little girl you talked about?"

     "It must have been," Reiko nodded, then brightened as if
she'd just had a thought.  "Maybe she has a fragment of the
Phoenix Egg!  Maybe that let her break the darkspell!"  Got you,
she thought as she watched Akane think that over.  Now all I have
to do is reel you in.

     "This is risky," Akane said with a dubious expression.
"Operating in the very heart of a rival Witchqueen's territory, looking
for something that might not even exist."

     "Ah-ka-neeeeee," Reiko crooned, moving closer and twining
her arms around her rival/partner/lover's neck.  "Galaxia-sama was
so mad after my last failure.  Remember how she punished me?"

     "Well, yes.  That's why ...."

     "But if I pull this off," Reiko went on breathily, drawing one
finger slowly up and down the front of Akane's blouse while
running her other hand through the tawny witch's straight heavy hair,
"I'll be back in her good books.  And I know I can at least find out
something about this theory."  She let that wandering finger stray over
the swell of Akane's breast, spiralling slowly in towards the centre as
Akane stiffened.  "If you help me."

     "Reiko," Akane said stubbornly, a warning tone in her
voice.

     "Please?" Reiko breathed, her face hovering close to the
other woman's bronzed skin.  "Just," she whispered, kissing
the corner of Akane's lush red mouth lightly, "for," another kiss,
lingering, "a little," another, brushing across the lips lightly,
"while?"

     "I really don't think ...."  Reiko saw the uncertainty in
Akane's eyes that belied her words and knew it was time to cement
the deal.  She drew her victims in like her namesake, the Siren
whose bewitching song lured the unwary to their doom.  She used
her grip on Akane's hair to pull her face down into a savage kiss,
parting the woman's lips with her succubus tongue as her other
hand slid to cup one full breast, finger teasing the suddenly hard
length of that captive nipple.  Reiko turned her body so that she
could thrust her thigh between Akane's weakly resisting legs,
pushing forward inexorably until she could bring silken pressure to
bear upon the crux of the other woman's heat.

     "You know how grateful I can be," she breathed as she
broke the kiss with a soft, wet parting of mouths.  "Say you'll help
me."

     "We'll both end up punished if we fail," Akane whispered
back, but Reiko saw the acquiescence she desired in those lovely
brown eyes, and she kissed the woman again, moving her mouth
along Akane's slack lips, then biting down on the full lower lip
sharply.  She tasted blood as Akane jerked, whimpering, and Reiko
licked at it as Akane clutched her, running her hands up and down
the ivory-maned witch's back.  Reiko cupped Akane's face in
her hands, tilting it back so she could gaze upon those flushed
features adoringly.

     "Akane," she purred.  "We're so good together, aren't we?
Those girls aren't going to know what hit them."

     The bedroom was a shrine of decadent pleasures, with the bed
its altar.  By the time Reiko pulled the unresisting Akane into her
inner sanctum, the tawny witch was nearly naked.  Reiko half-pushed,
half-threw Akane onto the huge bed, licking her lips as the woman lay
there, chest heaving.

     "Time to have some fun," Reiko breathed, shucking her own
jacket and blouse as she stalked her willing prey.  Reiko crawled up
over Akane's supine form, staring down hungrily.  Reiko whined deep
in her throat as Akane's head dipped, the pale witch's lips bestowing a
lingering kiss on one engorged nipple.  Akane took her time, letting
her mouth wander over the sweat-beaded skin, tasting her way down
to Reiko's navel where her tongue plunged in, making the bronze-
haired witch cry out and buck under her.

     Akane's fingers raked roughly through Reiko's pale locks as
those kisses resumed, wandering ever lower.  Akane had already lost
her skirt to her lover's impatient hands, and now her flimsy panties
were torn away.  Akane gasped and tightened her grip, trying to guide
Reiko's mouth to where she wanted it.  Reiko, though, only smirked
cruelly, passing by Akane's heat to lick her way down one long, toned
leg.  As Akane thrashed helplessly, Reiko took each toe into the velvet
heat of her cruel mouth, lavishing each with all her attention.  By the
time she had finished Akane was whimpering.

     "Please, Reiko," the woman whispered.  "Stop teasing.  It's
been so long!"

     "If you please me, then I'll give you what you want," Reiko
replied, nipping the inside of Akane's thigh.  The tawny witch
spasmed and cried out her pleasure.  "It's not fair for me to do all the
work."

     Reiko loved making Akane squirm.  Still, Akane was right.  It
had been a while since they'd had a chance to be together, and Reiko
intended to make Akane sweat as long as possible.  She moved so that
she was lying beside the other woman, smiling in anticipation as
Akane rose shakily and moved over her.

     Akane rained kisses down on pale skin as Reiko sighed
appreciatively.  Slender hands pulled away Reiko's skirt, then slid her
powder-blue thong down long legs and discarded it.  The kisses
became more fervent, and impatience overcame Reiko, an occurrence
that was hardly unusual.  She twisted, catching Akane off-guard as
she moved down the bed.  Smiling evilly, Reiko spread her legs and
caught the other woman in a scissors hold, grabbing Akane's wrists as
the bronzed beauty uttered a breathy cry.  They ended up sprawled
across the bed, Reiko's head at one end, Akane's at the other, their
long legs forming twin V's that were joined at their narrowest points.
Reiko pulled on the captive wrists and she ground slowly against
Akane's heat, enjoying not only the hard-edged bliss that spiked
through her but also the lissome passion of her lover's cries as they
rose higher and higher.  The two women writhed in a heated tangle of
limbs and hair and hot, sweaty flesh, pleasure building like
stormclouds, ready to explode with primal fury at any moment.

     Even in the heat of the moment, Reiko managed to control the
rhythm of their slick writhings, making Akane dance to her tune,
teasing the moaning woman by backing off each time she sensed the
shuddering edge of climax.  It pleased her to play with Akane that
way, just as she knew it pleased Akane to be toyed with so skilfully.

     But duty had kept them apart for too long, and Reiko's need
would not be denied for long.  Finally pleasure wound itself around
her core, squeezing with tendrils of crimson pleasure until Reiko
parted her lush lips and cried out.  Her grip on Akane's wrists
tightened as she used her leverage to thrust hard against the other
woman, and Akane matched her cry.  Both naked, sweat-slicked
bodies froze for a moment in an erotic tableau, then waves of release
weer washing over them, dragging moans and gasps into the heated air
as the two women came against each other again and again.

     In the aftermath, Reiko just remained still, gasping for breath
as sweat trickled down the curves of her full breasts.  She didn't
bother to move, knowing that Akane would come to her.  And she did,
pulling away from erotic temptress with a gasp as heated flesh slid
along sizzling nerves.  Drowsily, the tawny witch crawled up beside
Reiko, collapsing in the pale-haired woman's arms.  Reiko wrapped
her arms around the other woman possessively and they lay there,
basking in the afterglow.

     "I missed you," Akane whispered.

     "Mmmmm," Reiko replied, her eyes half closed as she studied
Akane's lovely flushed features.  "I missed you too, love.  Ah, Akane.
A school full of beautiful, powerful girls.  They'll never be able to
resist the two of us.  Oh, don't scowl," Reiko pouted as Akane's
mouth twisted into a frown.  "And don't be so serious.  We are going
to have so much FUN!"



                     ####



     Luna woke, senses questing for the cause of her
apprehension instinctively.  Then she heard the sound again.

     It was Silke, moaning in her sleep.  Luna raised herself on
one arm, moving cautiously.  With any luck, it had just been a
moment of wakefulness.

     Unfortunately, luck was not with her.  Silke moaned again,
her breathing rapid and shallow.  Her limbs thrashed as she tossed
her head, mumbling something unintelligible as her eyes twitched
under her lids.

     Another one of her nightmares.  Luna knew from
experience that it could be dangerous to wake her.  Silke was her
mistress, though, and Luna would not let harm come to her if she
could help.  Although whether waking her would be helpful was
certainly questionable.

     The decision was taken out of her hands as Silke bolted
upright in the bed with a hoarse cry, eyes wild.  Her shoulders
heaved and sweat glistened on her face as she crouched there,
panting loudly.

     "Silke-sama," Luna said softly.  Silke jumped and let out a
short cry before focussing on her familiar.

     "Just a dream, Silke-sama," Luna breathed, keeping
carefully still.  "You are safe now."

     Silke stared at her for long moments, awareness only slowly
flooding back into her wide blue eyes.  At long last she nodded,
closing her eyes and turning away.

     "It's all right, Luna," she said, and Luna relaxed.  Silke had
only hurt her once in the aftermath of one of her nightmares, and
that had been unintentional, but the lesson had stuck.  Caution was
called for when those terrors stalked her mistress.  And Silke would
refuse to talk about it, so all Luna could do was to give her mistress
space until she had regained her equilibrium.

     "The hour grows late, Silke-sama," Luna murmured, and
Silke shrugged her shoulders, working the muscles thoroughly.

     "Indeed it does," Silke replied.  "I'll go grab some supper
from the cafeteria.  Shall I bring you back something, my Luna?"

     "Thank you, but I'll hunt for my dinner tonight," Luna
replied with a faint smile.  "The urge is upon me."

     "Just don't be long," Silke cautioned her, all the fear and
uncertainty that had lurked in her eyes shut away behind a shield of
cool self-assuredness.  "We have things to do tonight."

     "I remember," Luna said, a predatory smile on her lips.  "The
enemy may try for Ami."

     "Yes," Silke said darkly.  "And we'll be waiting."



                     ####



     Ami took another bite of her sandwich, frowning at the
screen.  This just didn't make sense.  She checked again anyway,
then sighed and shut the connection down.

     Putting her half-eaten sandwich down, she wandered over
to her bed and flopped onto it, rolling on her back to stare at the
ceiling.  She'd only wanted to find out more about Silke, so she'd
gone looking for background information.  Most people would
probably have struck up a conversation to learn more about
someone they had just met, but for Ami this was easier, more
natural.

     The more she'd looked, though, the stranger things had
become.  First, she'd checked the records of local schools, but Silke
had obviously not been enrolled close by.  Then she'd thought
about it.  Silke was an unusual name, and the girl had the slightest
accent as well, both elements suggesting a touch of the exotic.  It
had become a game to her, and Ami had checked the south first,
renowned for tolerating eccentricity.  Then she'd checked the
schools all around the capital, since it was quite cosmopolitan.
Silke might be only half Japanese, with a parent who was a
diplomat or entrepreneur.

     But that yielded no clues either, and finally Ami gave in and
went to the national register of students.

     Silke's name wasn't there.  In fact, Ami could find no trace
of a Silke Tsukino having been born in the country at all over the
past twenty years.  She might have been born abroad, but Ami
knew that the academy required certain scores on the national
entrance exams before they would even consider admission.
Foreigners could enrol, but only if they took the exams.  And
anyone having taken those exams would be listed in the national
register, along with their scores.

     Silke's name wasn't there, yet she was here. The school
must have received some records, else they would never have
allowed Silke to register.  It was all very strange.

     And then there was the cat.  Ami recalled the strange mark
on Luna's forehead, the one that looked like a crescent moon.
She'd wanted to ask Silke about it, but had been too flustered.  But
she remembered seeing a mark something like that, or thought she
had, on one of the girls who'd saved her.  She wanted to find out its
significance, but there were reams of moon lore out there.  Besides, it
might not be anything more than a decoration.

     And Luna was just a cat.  But it seemed strange,
nonetheless.  There had been that strange incident the previous
night, then Silke showed up seemingly from nowhere.  Could there
be a correlation?

     Ami hoped not.  Silke was, well, interesting.  Ami felt
strangely drawn to her, even though Silke seemed to think she was
just a wimp.  Still, the charismatic new girl hadn't been cruel to her,
not like Ryoko and her bunch.  She'd even stood up for Ami, and
that was not an everyday occurrence.  Ami knew there was just
something about her that drove people away, something inherently
unlikeable.  But she could hope, couldn't she?  She could hope that
even Ami Mizuno might find someone who'd want to be her friend,
right?  Was that so much to ask?

     She rolled over and pushed off the bed.  Who was she
fooling?  Silke had just been trying to make a name for herself on
her first day, that was all.  Anyway, the girl was very definitely
trouble.  A bad element, a rule breaker, a free spirit.

     All things Ami wished she could experience, just once.

     Sighing wistfully, Ami checked her watch.  It was getting
late.  She was hesitant to go out after dark after last night's
incident, but she was feeling restless and the only time she liked to
swim in the campus's pool was when there were as few people as
possible around to see her and sneer at her underdeveloped body
and poor form.

     Ami waffled for a bit, then decided that it couldn't hurt.
Everyone would be extra alert in the aftermath of the attack, and
the way to the rec centre was much more open and well-lit than the
path to the old library.  Making up her mind, Ami threw her things
into her bag and set out.

     After all, whoever had performed that vile spell was
probably long gone by now.



                     ####



     Silke sat near the edge of the gently sloped roof, legs drawn
up as she watched Ami swim through the long windows that
surrounded the pool.  Luna sat beside her, all feline grace even in her
human form.

     "She's very lovely," Luna remarked as her eyes followed Ami's
progress.

     "Yes," Silke agreed. "A regular mermaid."

     "She should have chosen a better swimsuit, though," Luna
went on.  "That one is terribly plain.  Or, better yet, just go without.
The feel of water on bare skin is so enticing."

     "I don't think she's the skinny-dipping type," Silke replied dryly.
"I'm surprised that she likes anything that doesn't involve books or
computers."

     "No wonder she was able to run so easily," Luna
murmured, arching her back as she stretched with feline languor.

     "Well, she's alone in there now," Silke said.  "If anything's
going to happen, I'd expect it to be soon.  That idiot girl.  She
couldn't make this any easier for the enemy, could she?"

     "Mmmm," Luna sighed, sounding distracted.  She leaned
over, rubbing her cheek against Silke's shoulder as her fingers
trailed up her mistress's arm.

     "Focus, Luna," Silke said, not taking her eyes from the
pool.

     "Forgive me, Silke-sama," Luna replied, sounding not the
least chastened.  "But there's something in the air tonight.  Magick,
dark and sensual.  Can you not feel it calling?"

     Silke frowned.  This place was full of magick traces, some
new, some very old.  It made sensing any one thing a challenge, but
as she concentrated she began to see what Luna meant.  The wind,
though cool, felt like the alluring caress of a wanton lover over her
skin, and her nipples tightened with pleasant heat as her heart began
to beat just the tiniest bit faster.  She found herself more aware of
Luna's proximity, her scent, the feel of the girl's unbound hair blowing
against the back of her hand.

     "Yes, I feel it," she said at last.  "But its not like a directed
spell.  It's very unfocussed, general.  I've never felt this particular
magick before."

     "Perhaps it is simply the sexual frustrations of all these girls
calling out at once," Luna suggested.  Silke wasn't certain if her
familiar was joking or not, but nothing was completely beyond the
realm of possibility, was it?  After all, this place was a power nexus.
Strange things could happen at such locations; this, Silke knew from
experience.

     And there certainly did seem to be a constant, almost
subliminal, undercurrent of erotic power in the air of Raven
Academy.  She'd noticed it from the start.

     "Silke-sama."

     "Yes," Silke murmured.  She'd seen them; two girls walking
out from under the trees below them.  They were not walking on
the path, however.  Rather, they lingered in the shadows, which in
itself was suspicious.  Also, their attention seemed focussed on the
windows through which Ami could be seen swimming alone.

     "I can't sense anything about them from here," Luna said
without being asked.  "Perhaps if I were to get closer ...."

     "Do it," Silke commanded.  Luna shifted into her purely
feline form and bounded soundlessly away, a patch of night.  Silke
regarded the pair coolly.  Could they be behind the recent attack?

     A restless breeze blew, rustling the leaves that partially hid
the pair from her view.  Silke felt a sudden shock of recognition;
the smaller of the two, the girl with the long tumbled waves of pale
green hair, struck her as familiar.  In a moment she had placed the
girl; she'd seen her briefly that morning, escorting Ami away from
class to see the headmistress.  The taller girl with the short blonde
hair and the dark trench coat she did not recall having seen on
campus, but Silke was suddenly certain that the pair had been sent
and that the headmistress was, at the very least, a canny woman.
Whatever Ami had told her, the school's headmistress apparently
suspected, as Silke did, that Ami might be targeted by the person
who had turned the student the previous night.

     Silke pondered that.  Her rose would have erased the other
girl's memory of her turning, a fact which the staff would be aware
of by now.  The headmistress was said to be a direct descendant of
Aki Raven, and thus was probably at least familiar with magick, if
she was not in fact a sorceress herself.  But did she know the lore
of witches?  Would she know what power could break a darkspell
that held a turned heart, and its significance?

     All good questions.  She would have to investigate further.
It wouldn't do to be tripped up by a woman like that.  And if the
two below her had in fact been sent by the headmistress as she
suspected, they too might be opponents to be reckoned with.

     Not that it would come to that.  Silke intended to be a
ghost, a phantom that slipped away like mist from every attempt to
see her clearly.  If what she sought was in this place, she would find
it without being caught.

     A movement caught her eye, and she shifted her attention.
Another girl was moving carefully through the darkness under the
trees, stopping when she caught sight of the pair between her and
the pool building.  Silke was intrigued to see that it was Rei Hino,
the haughty beauty from earlier who'd been investigating the spot
where her magick had banished the darkspell.

     Her vantage point proved to be advantageous as she spotted yet
another familiar figure walking along the path below.  Ryoko
seemed intent on heading towards the pool, but turned at the last
minute and headed along a different branch of the winding
walkway.  Had she spotted either Rei or the strange pair and
decided to change her destination?  And if so, was she intending to
torment Ami further, or were her intentions somehow darker?

     Another figure came into sight below, jogging easily along
the pathway from the direction Ryoko had disappeared.  She came
along the curve, then seemed to spot the strange pair and veered off
towards them.

     "Damn it," Silke hissed.  "Is the entire academy out here
tonight?"



                     ####




     Michiru watched the girl swim with smooth, easy strokes through
the clear water of the swimming pool.  Haruka stood beside her,
arms crossed.  As Michiru had suspected, Setsuna-sama had been
displeased with Haruka's little show of defiance.  Strangely, though,
she'd let the matter slide for the moment, only saying that she would
have to discuss it with Haruka later in private.  Haruka seemed to
think she'd won a concession.  Michiru knew better, but thought it
better to let the girl find out for herself what consequences her
actions would have.  The rules of witches could be confusing to
newcomers, but Haruka would not be allowed any leeway.  That was
not how it worked.

     "Pretty," Haruka said softly, and Michiru had to agree.
Although a lonesome sight, the girl possessed grace in the water
which, Michiru guessed, would nearly equal her own.  "I wonder
why she's swimming so late?"

     "I do that myself, on occasion," Michiru remarked.  "It's
nice to have privacy sometimes."

     "So what do we expect to happen here, anyway?" Haruka
asked.

     "Perhaps nothing," Michiru admitted.  "But since the girl
who was attacked doesn't remember anything, Ami is the only clue
to the identity of the attacker.  It might have been a rogue youma or
daimon, of course.  Some of them have the power to expose a
human's mystic heart.  Or one of our enemies may be  testing our
defences.  We just don't know enough yet.  But the attacker may
decide to come after Ami to ensure her identity remains secret."

     "And what about this other one?" Haruka asked as the
breeze blew her once-again shorn hair about.  "This witch who broke
the dark magick?"

     "What Ami told Setsuna-sama was very strange," Michiru
said, staring through the leaves that hid them at the girl who swam
all alone.  "She described something so rare, I don' t think even
Setsuna-sama has ever encountered it before."

     "But she said it was a witch," Haruka protested.

     "You are a Yellow Witch," Michiru replied.  "I am Blue.
Our powers are centred around certain elements or aspects of
power, although witches often possess other abilities outside their
principal designation.  All witches, for instance, possess some Black
Magick.  Darkspell is Black, and sometimes a witch can become
Black even if she began as something else entirely."

     "Okay," Haruka said, hesitant.  Michiru sighed.  No sense in
making this more complicated than it had to be.

     "Well, to answer your question, the power that was used
against the darkspell appears to have been that of a Silver Witch."

     "Which is rare, I take it," Haruka said.

     "Extremely rare," Michiru clarified.  "There hasn't been any
record of a Silver Witch in centuries.  In times of legend, the Lunar
Queen was supposed to have been Silver.  It is the power that is
anathema to Black, as well as almost every sort of mystic darkness.
Little is known about the full abilities of a Silver Witch, but there is
a prophecy ...."

     "Hey!  Michiru!"

     Michiru's train of thought was rudely derailed by the cry,
and she turned to see a lithe figure in tight shorts and a white t-shirt
emblazoned with the academy's logo on the breast crossing the
grass in long, easy strides.  She took in the tousled red hair and
deeply tanned skin, and smiled.

     "Eliza," she replied warmly.

     "I thought it was you," Eliza grinned, stopping in front of
her.  A sheen of sweat glistened on Eliza's body, making her shirt
cling to her full curves in very intriguing ways.  Michiru had the
sudden desire to sketch the girl as she was just now.  What a
wonderful painting it would make, the child of the sun standing in
dappled autumn moonlight.

     "Ahem," Haruka said politely.

     "Hey," Eliza said.  "Eliza Gray.  I'm a teaching assistant in
the phys. ed. department."

     "Haruka Ten'ou," Haruka replied.  "The headmistress
recently, um, hired me."

     "Charmed," Eliza said, appearing mostly sincere.

     "I was just showing Haruka-san around the campus,"
Michiru told Eliza.

     "Well, it's a beautiful night for it," Eliza said, turning the
warmth of her smile on Michiru once more.  "I'm surprised you
aren't out sketching a landscape or one of our historic buildings,
Michiru."

     "Or a teaching assistant?" Michiru teased.  "Although it is a
little cool tonight to be nude, Eliza."

     "You could sketch me clothed once, you know," Eliza shot
back.

     "Ah, Eliza, what fun would that be?"   Michiru was
deliberately showing her familiarity with the other girl, and Eliza
responded in kind.  Haruka seemed stiff and uncomfortable with the
casual intimacy between the two girls, which was just what Michiru
wanted.  Haruka's presence had thrown off her equilibrium, so it
was only fair that she return the favor.

     "Hey," Eliza said.  "If our esteemed headmistress can spare
you some night this week, we should hit a club.  Maybe Rapture."

     "You'll get a terrible reputation, going to a place like that,"
Michiru objected, but her eyes sparkled.

     "I already have a terrible reputation," Eliza returned
mischievously.  "And that never seemed to bother you before."

     "I'll see what I can do," Michiru promised.

     "Great.  Well, I gotta go.  Talk to you later.  Nice meeting
you, Ten'ou-san."

     "You, too," Haruka said as the girl resumed her run.
Haruka watched her disappear down the path, then turned to
Michiru.  "Interesting friend you have."

     "Eliza is not the shy type," Michiru said distantly, her gaze
returning to the pool.  Ami was still swimming laps, and she was
still alone.  Haruka seemed about to say something else, then she
turned instead.

     "There is one thing about this school," she said quietly,
watching a girl with long dark hair walking past their position on
the path.  "It is very scenic.

     "Is she the one who was watching us from back in those
trees?" Michiru asked.

     "Yes," Haruka told her.  If she was surprised that Michiru
had sensed the girl's presence, she gave no sign.  "Magick faculty
uniform."

     "I recognize her," Michiru murmured, watching the girl
walk by while pretending not to see them.  "Rei Hino.  Excellent
student, very popular.  Her specialty, I believe, is divination."

     "What do you suppose she's trying to divine tonight?"
Haruka asked dryly.  "Or does she have a thing for the lovely
lass in there?"

     "Unlikely.  She is the sort of girl who attracts suitors, not
the sort who pines for a girl from afar.  I wonder what her interest
is?"

     "Shall we ask her?" Haruka murmured, eyes following the sultry
beauty as she strode down the path.

     "No," Michiru cautioned her.  "We'll report to Setsuna-
sama, see what she wants to do.  Right now Rei doesn't know
we're aware of her interest, and for now it should remain so.  We'll
just watch."

     "For how long?" Haruka sighed, leaning back against the
trunk of a tree and crossing her arms.

     "As long as Setsuna-sama requires," Michiru said quietly.

     "Mightn't that interfere with your social life?" Haruka
muttered, a trifle snidely Michiru thought.  She didn't reply, but for
a moment she almost fancied that she heard a tinge of something
very like jealousy in Haruka's voice.

     She dismissed the thought quickly.  She and Haruka were
oil and water; Haruka had no more interest in her than she had in
Haruka.  Which was really for the best.



                     ####



     Rei walked down the path, brushing her windblown hair out
of her face idly.  Her plan to get near Ami Mizuno had been foiled,
but that was not what bothered her.  No, the two girls who had
been watching the pool were much more troubling.  She knew that
one of them, Michiru Kaioh, worked directly under the
headmistress, and the grapevine had it that Ami had been called in
to see the headmistress that morning.

     Did the headmistress believe that Ami was in danger from
something?  Rei's instincts were rarely wrong, and she felt that
something very strange had happened the previous night.  The
traces of magick on the spot where the two girls had been found had
been totally unfamiliar to her, yet for some reason her intuition
screamed witchcraft.  Had Ami actually done something that she was
trying to hide?  Could she be, under that painfully shy exterior, a
witch?

     That seemed highly unlikely.  The power of witches was rooted in
female sensuality, and Ami was as far removed from her own sexual
nature as anyone Rei had ever met.  One thing was for certain,
though.  Ami knew more than she was telling, and if this thing was as
important as Rei sensed it was, then she needed to get Ami to talk to
her.

     That shouldn't be too great a problem.  Rei had a way with
girls, after all.  Ami Mizuno, shy and reserved, would be putty in the
hands of a seductress like Rei.  That thought brought her, though,
to the new girl, the one who had been snooping around.  Silke
Tsukino.  Something about that girl nagged at Rei.  Her reaction to
the blonde had been uncharacteristically abrupt; she'd let Silke's sly
insinuations get to her when she should have just coolly deflected
them.

     It appeared Rei was going to have her hands full
investigating her fellow students as she tried to get a handle on
things.  It would have helped if she'd had some idea of what she was
looking for.  One thing was for certain, however.  Rei was going to
come out on top.

     No matter what the occasion, Rei always ended up on top.



                     ####



     Yuki Mitsuragi walked down the sidewalk, cursing to herself.
She'd gone all the way to her boyfriend's school to surprise him
with a visit.  It had been a whim, and she hadn't even stopped to
change her academy uniform.  After all, he always said it made him
hot, and she was definitely feeling the itch after two weeks.  She
knew he was busy, but a healthy girl like her had needs, and she
couldn't be expected to be satisfied with her fingers forever, could
she?

     So she'd gone to give him a little break from his routine,
which would have involved some stress relief for both of them.  Her
visit had been a surprise, all right.  A surprise for him and the girl
he'd been kissing and groping, and a shock for her, although looking
back now it shouldn't have been.  The signs had been there, in
retrospect.

      But it was so unfair!  She caught sight of her reflection in a
shop window as she passed.  Her shoulder-length blonde hair was
stylishly cut to frame her lovely face.  Her eyes were a deep shade of
blue, a blue he'd always said reminded him of the skies above his
family's house in the north.  Her academy uniform fit her like a glove,
her full breasts pushing almost impatiently at her blouse.

     She was perfect, a beautiful and intelligent Raven Academy
girl.  Who was that tart he'd shacked up with?  Some skanky local
girl in a tight leather skirt?  And the way the tramp had smirked as
he'd coolly told her it was over!  She'd get hers when he pulled the
same shit on her one day!

     Fuming, Yuki stalked along the sidewalk, absently noticing
how few people were about and how late it had become.  She had
to get back on campus before curfew, otherwise the main gates
would be locked and she would have to sneak in over the wall.
And if she got caught doing that, she'd be in hot water.

     All for some guy who hadn't been satisfied with a girl like
her.  Unbelievable.

     She swung down a side street that would take her to one of
the smaller gates along the academy's west wall.  After whatever
had happened the previous night, curfew was certain to be strictly
enforced, and one thing Yuki didn't want was to be hauled in front
of the headmistress.  That was one scary woman.

     She thought about how Ryoko had cornered that little
Mizuno twit earlier.  Yuki liked hanging with Ryoko and her girls,
but she honestly did not understand why Ryoko went so far out of
her way to rag on Ami Mizuno.  Sure, the girl was a meek little
nothing geek, but really, something about that girl always got
Ryoko's temper boiling.  Yuki wondered what had really happened
the night before; could Ami and Sayuri Himitsu have been fooling
around with drugs or something?  But no, they were both quiet,
both good students.  That didn't make sense.  Still, Ami had gotten
hauled in front of the headmistress.  Something was going on.

     A soft cry reached Yuki's ears, and she stopped, pulled from
her reverie.  It came again, a call for help, from the alleyway just
ahead of her.  The street was deserted, and Yuki hesitated, but the
call came again, definitely female.  She edged closer to the mouth
of the alley, hoping that she wasn't making a very big mistake.

     "Is someone there?" a soft voice called, and Yuki could make
out a woman crouched on the ground, looking around fearfully.

     "Are you all right?" Yuki called back.

     "Oh!" the woman gasped.  "Yes, I just ... I seem to have
twisted my ankle, and I can't walk.  It's silly, really.  These new
shoes, the heels are so high, and I caught one in a crack and fell
down."  The woman gazed up at Yuki with limpid, guileless eyes,
and Yuki felt foolish for having worried.  She walked down the alley
to where the woman crouched.

     "Here, take my hand," Yuki said.

     "Thank you so much," the woman replied with a grateful
smile.  She reached up and grasped the proffered hand, using Yuki's
help to stand unsteadily.  She tossed her long thick ice-pale hair back
with a nervous gesture, reaching up to lean on Yuki's shoulder.  "My,
what a lovely girl you are.  And that uniform.  You're a student at the
Raven Academy, aren't you?"

     "That's right," Yuki told her.  She felt a familiar sensation,
like a sweet burning, between her legs, and suppressed a groan.
That guy had messed her up royally if she was going to start
getting hot and bothered every time someone touched her!

     "Well, that's what I thought," the woman said, smiling.  She
moved so that she was standing between Yuki and the mouth of the
alley, and Yuki felt the first twinge of alarm.  The woman wasn't
limping or favouring her ankle at all now, and there was a dark
edge to the smile on her full ruby lips.

     "Um, you seem better," Yuki began.  "So I should go now."

     "So soon?" the woman asked sweetly.  "I'm afraid that
won't do, my dear.  You see, I need you to do me a favour."

     Yuki gaped as a wind seemed to kick up in the narrow alley,
swirling around the woman.  It plucked at her clothes, whipping her
hair into a gleaming swirl that rose straight above her head.  Yuki
shielded her eyes as the wind whipped into a miniature tornado,
then faded as quickly as it had appeared.

     When Yuki looked up again, the woman's business suit was gone,
replaced with a blue dress that clung to her curves and swirled about
her legs.  Yuki backed away slowly, taking in the woman's cruel
smile.  A magick user, clearly, but what did she want?  From the
hungry way she was eyeing Yuki, the girl feared this woman was
some sort of pervert.  That was just what she needed to make her day
complete.

     "I don't want any trouble," Yuki said cautiously, still backing
away.

     "I know what you want," the woman replied. "I can smell it
on you, little girl.  Your need is great.  But don't worry.  I won't
leave you unsated."

     Yep.  Pervert.  Just great.  If she could get closer to the
campus, her screams might bring some heavy hitters from the
martial arts group, or a sorceress to fight this one.  But that meant
getting out of the alley first.  The woman was advancing on her, but
slowly, and Yuki tensed to turn and run.

     Then a pair of slender arms circled her from behind.



                     ####



     Siren smiled as Crow embraced their prey tightly, pinning her
arms.  The girl cried out and began to struggle, but the witch was
far too strong for her.  Siren sauntered up to the pair, her eyes alight
with desire.

     This was going to be fun.

     "Tell me, dear, what's your name?" she asked, slipping her
fingers under the girl's chin and forcing her head back until their
gazes met.

     "Piss off, pervert!" the girl snapped.  She was obviously
scared, but was at least showing some defiance.

     Excellent.

     Crow was delighted as well.  She hated it when they folded
right away, kneeling to kiss her boots or some other such nonsense.
The fun was in the conquest itself; the more they struggled, the
better it was.  She reached up to cup the girl's breast expertly,
kneading them while she leaned in to brush the blonde's earlobe
with her lips.

     "Hey!" the girl gasped.  "St-stop that!"

     "Darling," Siren crooned.  "Look at me."  The girl
struggled, but the auras of the two witches were beginning to have
their beguiling effect, seducing the girl's senses.  "You needn't
resist us, sweetness.  We won't hurt you.  In fact, we'll make you
feel very nice indeed."

     Siren pressed her body closer, so that the blonde was
sandwiched firmly between her and Crow, keeping her captivating
gaze locked on the girl's eyes.  She smiled as her prey's nostrils
flared at the intoxicating perfume of the two witches that enveloped
her.  Crow kept up her ministrations, and Siren caught one of the
girl's hands when she managed to free it, raising it to her lips.

     "Come now," she purred.  "My name is Siren, and the lovely
lady caressing you so sweetly is Crow.  What is your name?"

     "Don't," the girl said, her voice shaky.  "I don't ... I'm not
into girls."

     "But sweetness," Siren breathed.  "No girl can resist a
witch."  She watched the girl's blue eyes widen at that, then let her
tongue flick out along the length of one of those captive fingers
before she drew it into her mouth, running her lush lips along its
length slowly.  The blonde's face was flushed, her eyes beginning to
glaze as her struggles grew weaker.

     It was necessary to bewitch a person, breaking down their natural
resistance, before their mystic heart could be exposed.  You could
never tell how much resistance a person would put up; Siren had seen
the meekest girl struggle for hours until her strength was totally
exhausted, where a sleek, dom-looking leather queen might surrender
almost immediately.

     A fascinating study in the sexual nature of the average folk, to be
sure, but the end result was always the same.  No one had ever
escaped Siren's enslaving embrace.  This girl, for instance, had
initially resisted, but Siren had been able to scent her sensual
frustration before she'd even laid eyes on the girl.  That would work
in Siren's favour, and indeed, the girl was already beginning to be
overwhelmed.  Those lovely blue eyes were looking heavy with
lust, her mouth slack as Crow pulled her blouse open and unsnapped
the lacy bra beneath.  As Crow's warm, skilled hands engulfed the
girl's bared breasts she cried out sweetly, and Siren took another
slim finger into the velvety heat of her mouth.

     "There," she said softly when she at last pulled the captive
fingers free with a soft, wet sound.  "Isn't that nice?"

     "No," the girl moaned.  "Stop ... it isn't right ...."

     "How can I stop," Crow whispered, "when you're this
wet?"  Crow's fingers had dipped below the hem of the short
pleated skirt and came up covered with the girl's own honey.

     "Oh, my," Siren murmured, her face close to the girl's.
"What a shameful display.  And you wanted us to believe you were
unwilling."

     "No," the girl whimpered.  "You ... you're making me feel
this way."

     "I'll make you feel even better," Siren promised.  "I'll make
you feel free.  Wouldn't you like that?"

     The girl was falling more deeply under the spell of the two
witches every moment, but some resistance still remained and she
shook her head from side to side.

     "Please," the girl moaned.  "I won't ... won't tell.  Just stop
... please?"

     "You're nearly there," Siren breathed.  "You don't have to
worry.  We've got you."  Siren knew just what would push the girl
over the edge; her sensual hunger was fully stoked now, and it was
time for one of the most devastating weapons in Siren's seductive
arsenal.

     Siren slowly knelt in front of the captive girl, running her hand
up one bare thigh as she held the spellbound blonde's gaze.  Higher
and higher her hand went, until it encountered the hem of the girl's
uniform skirt.  As the captive girl gasped and writhed, Siren pushed
the skirt up until a pair of silky white panties was visible.  Already
they were damp with desire, and Siren breathed in that musky
perfume as she pinned the skirt high with one hand, letting the other
slip around to cup full, smooth buttocks and knead them gently.

     "I'll have your name," Siren told the girl softly, lowering her gaze
to the sight before her.  "Willingly, from your own lips.  Ah, lips.  So
sweet, so soft ...."

     She leaned in, letting one finger slide deeper between the
curves of the girl's bottom as her face hovered near the sweet-
smelling heat of her captive's passion.  Siren may have been on her
knees, but she was the one in control here.

     Parting her full, ripe lips, Siren pressed in against the damp
silk without bothering to remove it, and a cry of wanton desire was
torn from the young blonde's throat as the witch nuzzled her
expertly.  Then, impishly, Siren pressed her tongue against the damp
material, using her erotic skills to command the girl to dance to her
seductive rhythm.  The blonde bucked and let loose a series of sharp,
high squeals, but before long those struggles had melted obediently
into the molten cadence of Siren's enslaving butterfly kiss.  She drew
the kiss out deliberately, tasting the girl's whimpers and moans,
savouring them like fine wine, feeling the last of the resistance melt
from the lithe young woman.

     She broke the kiss at last, her gaze rising to catch sight of Crow's
flushed, smiling face over the girl's shoulder.  Siren rose, staying in
contact with her captive's body the entire way up.  Finally they stood
face to face, and Siren ran her tongue up  the girl's cheek slowly, then
pulled back to look her prize in the eye.

     "Your name," she purred.

     "Yuki.  Mitsuragi."  The girl sounded beaten, her eyes half-closed,
nipples standing out dark and erect on her creamy breasts.  She had
lovely skin; Siren looked forward to seeing all of it, perhaps
decorating some of it with a few bite marks.

     "Yuki, you're mine now," Siren said huskily, and Yuki merely
gasped, arching her back and baring her throat.  Siren smiled, a
slow, wicked curve of her lips, and let her long nails run lightly
down the exposed curve of Yuki's throat until they rested in the
notch of her collarbone.

     The girl bucked weakly as Crow's stroking fingers moved to work
their way under the soaked panties, then Siren was tracing the
pentagram pattern between lovely Yuki's full, pert young breasts.  As
it was completed, it flared with lurid crimson light, and Yuki cried out
her final surrender to the dark forces which had snared her.  Siren
pulled back to watch the girl's mystic heart emerge obediently from
the pattern as Yuki's head lolled back onto Crow's shoulder.

     "Pretty," Crow whispered.

     "Yes," Siren agreed.  "But so light.  Let's see its dark
nature, shall we, my love?"

     Then she placed her lips upon it, and Yuki stiffened, crying out one
final, drawn out wail of helpless passion.



                     ####



     Silke sighed as she flung her blouse at the chair which
already held her blazer and skirt.  For a girl that nobody seemed to
care about, Ami had drawn quite a crowd that night.
Unfortunately, none of them had made a try for her, leaving Silke
no closer to answers.

     Barefoot, Silke padded over to the old wooden dresser with
its ornately framed mirror and sat on the chair.

     "That must be cold," Luna murmured, running her gaze
over Silke's nearly naked body.  "Shall I fetch you a robe,
mistress?"

     "I'm fine," Silke assured her.  She had, after all, been
subject to far worse discomfort on a regular basis growing up, and
tended to shrug off such minor matters.  Anyway, cold didn't much
bother her.

     Silke reached up to undo the cloth coverings that held her
buns in place, but Luna appeared at her back as if summoned.  Silke
sat back as Luna pulled one tie free and let the heavy golden locks
cascade freely to the floor.  She repeated the process on the other
side, and Silke was looking at her face through stray strands of
silken sunshine.  Her face looked softer this way; her entire mien
was softer, more feminine.  That was one reason why she rarely let
her hair down around other people.

     Luna picked up a brush and began brushing out her
mistress's hair with long, sweeping strokes, humming softly as she
worked.  Silke allowed her familiar to attend her, letting her
thoughts drift over the events which had brought her to Raven
Academy.

     "How long will we continue to watch Ami?" Luna asked, as
if sensing her mistress's thoughts.

     "I didn't come here to play nursemaid to a wallflower,"
Silke sighed.  "But I also didn't anticipate that another witch might
be nosing around here.  I can't ignore this situation.  I suppose I'll
have to try and draw the girl out, see what she knows about the
attack, if anything.  Our best chance is still to identify the witch and
deal with her."

     "Do you think our competition is also looking for the
Phoenix Egg?" Luna asked softly, her nimble fingers drawing
Silke's hair back from her face gently.

     "Hard to say.  If she is, then why attack that girl and turn
her?  She isn't anyone significant within the academy, in fact she
seems to be an ordinary student as far as I've been able to discover.
The attack may in fact have been merely a random, if ill-timed,
occurrence."

     "But you don't think so," Luna sighed.

     "I'm not willing to take that chance," Silke said grimly.
"This is the best lead I've ever come across, and I'm not going to
risk getting added to some Witchqueen's private collection.  Once I
have the Phoenix Egg, I can smash Darkside like a rotten
fruit and watch its foul denizens scuttle away from the cold light of
truth like maggots.  I think that would just about be the finest thing
ever, my Luna."

     Luna made a non-committal sound.  Silke knew that, even
though Luna was a magickal creature of Darkside, such talk
didn't perturb her.  She had fought to survive in that strange,
twisted place as all its inhabitants did, preying on those weaker
than herself while trying to avoid becoming prey for something
stronger.  Luna's home was wherever Silke was now.

     "Something on your mind, sweet Luna?" Silke asked at last.

     "I just wonder," Luna said after a long pause.  "I know that
you'll never truly feel safe as long as she is out there, but if the
legends and prophecies are true ...."

     "The Lunar Court, born anew?" Silke snorted.  "Faerie tales,
Luna.  Faerie tales never saved anyone.  I know you put some stock in
prophecy and such, but I've little time for it."

     "You are the first Silver Witch since ...."

     "Since the Queen of the Lunar Court?" Silke said dismissively.
"So what?  In the end, her power didn't save her, and neither did her
Court.  She drew the darkness to her, and in the end it overwhelmed
her and destroyed all she had built.  Such a position is nothing to
aspire to, if you ask me.  Faerie tales are for little girls, and it's been 
a
long, long time since I was any such thing."

     She fell silent, but suddenly Silke couldn't meet her own
gaze in the mirror.  She stood abruptly, causing Luna to leap nimbly
out of the way, and strode over to the bed, shedding her bra and
panties as she went.  Slipping into a filmy nightgown, she pulled the
covers back and slipped beneath.  Luna stripped to the skin and
joined her, cuddling up to her mistress's body.

     "Haruka Ten'ou," Silke murmured, shutting off the lamp.
"And Michiru.  They mentioned the headmistress, and reporting
Rei's interest?"

     "Yes.  I only heard what they discussed from just after that
red-head, Eliza, appeared.  There appeared to be tension between
the two watchers, but they didn't say anything else significant."

     "You did sense power, though."

     "Yes," Luna sighed, snuggling closer and letting her hand
steal stealthily over Silke's belly.  "Mostly from the blonde.  She
wasn't as good at shielding her power as the other, but I couldn't
get a read on what exactly it was."

     "We'll have to keep an eye out for them as well," Silke
sighed.  "How will my credentials hold up, Luna?"

     "On paper, very well.  However, computers don't react to
magick all that well.  If someone gets curious and starts looking, we
may have a problem."

     "Well, I'll just have to deal with things quickly and be on my way,
then," Silke told her.

     "I suppose keeping a low profile is out of the question?"
Luna asked innocently.

     "I am what I am, Luna," Silke said wryly.  "But you may
rest assured I will stay one step ahead of any who would seek to
ensnare me.  I have bested all who would make me their prize thus
far, have I not?"

     "Yes," Luna murmured into her unbound hair.  "My fierce,
wild mistress."

     "If the path to the Phoenix Egg is here, I will find it," Silke
whispered, reaching out to stroke Luna's dark curls affectionately.
"And then the Witchqueens and their ilk will know the wrath of a
Silver Witch."

     Luna's eyes glowed in the dim light, like a cat's.  She
seemed quite enamoured of that notion, as Silke had expected.  The
blonde witch closed her eyes and checked the wards she'd placed
around Ami's room earlier to inform her if anyone tried for the girl
in the night.  Then, with Luna purring softly against her breast, she
took her familiar into her arms, and stroked her expertly until Luna
gasped and arched against her.

     "Mistress," Luna breathed.

     "The night calls to us, sweet Luna," Silke replied, her voice
low and husky.  "Let us accept its invitation."

     They kissed, a lingering exploration of each other that turned
hotter, sweeter, and finally Silke rolled over, pinning Luna under her.
Perhaps it was just Raven Academy's salacious spell, but Silke
suddenly felt desire swelling in her.  Hunger must have shown in her
eyes, for Luna smiled with anticipation and closed her eyes, baring
her throat to her mistress.

     Luna's cries grew so loud as Silke's mouth rained kisses upon
exposed flesh that the witch finally threw up a barrier to keep the
noise from reaching adjoining rooms.  Silke sensed Luna's pleasure
through their bond, and used those sensations to feed their erotic
dance of pleasure.  Witch and familiar reached the heights of pleasure
together, and Silke's skill kept them there until thought and will
melted together into one molten gush of orgasmic bliss, and Luna
was crying out for release, begging and wailing as she bucked wildly
in Silke's embrace.

     Lying together afterwards with Luna's head on her shoulder,
Silke stared at the ceiling.  Every time she thought that she was above
her most primal sexual instincts, reality came crashing back in on
her.  Sex was like a drug to her in some ways.  She wondered if that
had to do with the dark, sensual side of a witch's power, or if it was
merely her past catching up with her.  There was no way to know,
she supposed.  A witch was what she was, and the past could not be
undone.  Wishing and hoping were pastimes for naive girls, not for
her.

     No, she would not wish to change what had been.  But she
would find a way to have her revenge on those who had made her
what she was.

     All of them.



                     ####



     Setsuna stood, regarding her two witches.

     "So, nothing untoward, then," she mused.  "Besides the
apparent interest on the part of Rei Hino."

     "Ami returned to her room after swimming," Michiru
confirmed.  "She was unmolested, and turned in early.  Do you
want someone to watch the room throughout the night, Setsuna-
sama?"

     "No, I do not think that will be necessary," Setsuna replied.
"I sense nothing amiss at the moment.  I will decide tomorrow
whether or not to continue watching the girl.  Michiru, you may
turn in.  Haruka, follow me."

     Michiru nodded and left, leaving Haruka to trail after as
Setsuna went from her study to the main hall, then into her own
private wing.  Haruka followed her obediently enough, and that was
good.  But a lesson needed to be administered, and the sooner the
better.

     Setsuna held the door to her room open, letting Haruka
precede her inside.  Then she closed the door behind them and
flicked on the low, intimate lighting.

     The room was sumptuous, showing not only Setsuna's
wealth but her personal taste as well.  As Haruka gawked, Setsuna
reached up and drew out the long pins which held her hair up,
shaking it out and letting it cascade down her body in an emerald
avalanche.  Haruka watched warily, standing stiffly to one side.

     "What do you think?" Setsuna asked.

     "The room?  It's gorgeous," Haruka admitted.

     "Yes, it is," Setsuna said with a smile.  "I like to have
beautiful things around me.  As much as you did not want it to be
so, I think that by now you realize that you are one of my beautiful
things.  That is so, isn't it, Haruka?"

     "Yes," Haruka replied, her voice soft as she glanced away.
Setsuna stepped closer, her voice hardening.

     "Haruka."

     "Yes, Setsuna-sama," Haruka whispered, turning to meet
her mistress's eyes submissively.

     "Better," Setsuna nodded.  "Now, I know the adjustment is
difficult, but our relationship need not be filled with conflict, my
witch.  For you to be useful to me, you must be healthy and well-
balanced, in touch with your new powers, and aware of and able to
fulfill your duties.  Do you understand?"

     "I believe so," Haruka replied, her face partially shadowed
by the low light.

     "Good," Setsuna murmured, moving until she stood directly
in front of the taller woman.  "I do not discourage initiative on the
part of my witches, Haruka.  And I realize that I did not forbid you
in this matter.  And it does suit you, somehow, custom
notwithstanding."  She reached up to run her fingers through
Haruka's shorn locks, letting her nails trace light patterns over the
scalp as Haruka stiffened once more, her eyes wide.

     "However," Setsuna whispered to the frozen girl.  "I believe
you intended this as a show of defiance, so it appears an object
lesson is in order."  Her fingers tightened, gripping Haruka's hair,
and the girl cried out in surprise as magick tingled through her body.
Haruka gaped as her pale blonde hair began to grow, flowing over
her body in a silken flood.  It reached the floor, but Setsuna did not
stop, letting it pool there, letting it grow until it trailed behind the 
girl.

     Roughly, Setsuna shoved her shocked witch at the bed,
watching as the girl tripped on her out of control locks and fell
headlong across it.  Setsuna moved after her with quiet confidence,
catching Haruka as she tried to sit up and forcing her back down,
then straddling the girl's waist.

     "Setsuna-sama," Haruka began.  "Mistress, I ...."

     "Silence," Setsuna hissed, reaching for one of the intangible
threads of power that bound her witch to her and pulling it taut.
Haruka gasped, eyes wide, and Setsuna reached down casually to
tear the girl's shirt open, sending buttons flying to clatter on the floor.
Then she reached up to cup Haruka's chin in her hand, locking gazes
with the frightened girl.

     "Better," Setsuna breathed, drinking in the other girl through
her imperious gaze.  "It appears that the time has come for you to
experience a revelation about yourself, my witch.  I had intended to
hold off on this, but I see now that I underestimated your resilience.
It is best that you understand our relationship more fully."

     "It's just a haircut, Mistress!" Haruka protested, fear pooling
in her eyes.

     "There is so much you must learn, my willful little witch," Setsuna
whispered sweetly.  "For instance, did you know that in the past
witches customarily did not cut their hair?  It's true.  They believed it
sapped their power.  For a Bound witch to cut her hair is more than
just a statement of personal style, Haruka.  It is a challenge to your
Witchqueen's authority and power over you."

     "But it's such a little thing," Haruka whispered, pinned and
unable to look away from Setsuna's hungry gaze.

     "Oh, for a witch her hair is more than merely a symbol of
power," Setsuna murmured, picking up the long pale locks from the
satiny sheets and watching as they slipped through her fingers like the
finest shimmering silk.  "It is a challenge to other witches.  You see, if
a witch is bound in her own hair, her body is not the only thing which
is ensnared.  Being so fettered effectively binds a witch's powers, a
secret closely guarded by our kind for ages.  It is referred to as being
witchbound."

     A slow smile of anticipation spread across Setsuna's lush lips
as she saw realization dawning in Haruka's eyes.  "You see, Haruka,
there are many ways for a victorious witch to neutralize her fallen
prey, but none so erotic and, in my opinion, effective, as this.  It is one
of the most  fiendishly effective punishments in a Witchqueen's
repertoire when one of their witches displeases them.  Being displayed,
witchbound, before all of a Witchqueen's servants and witches was
traditionally one of the most demeaning and humbling punishments a
witch could suffer.  At least of those that didn't involve blood."

     As she spoke, Setsuna pulled the torn shirt away from the girl,
stripping her to the waist by throwing the plain white bra after the
ruined garment.  Then she rolled Haruka onto her stomach, grabbing
a handful of that Rapunzelesque hair and forcing the girl's wrists
behind her back.

     Haruka began to struggle at last, but Setsuna leaned down
against the girl's back and placed her lips next to Haruka's ear.

     "If you do not take your punishment willingly," she hissed,
"I will be forced to increase it.  Would you like to spend another
night in that room downstairs, suffering the attentions of the
restrictors?"

     Haruka subsided immediately, and Setsuna stroked the girl's
back approvingly.

     "Very good," she crooned.  "The next time you think to
make a fool of me, Haruka, you will remember this.  Now, lie still."

     As the sleek, smooth locks were knotted around her wrists
Haruka gasped aloud.  The physical sensation was accompanied by
one she could hardly describe.  It was as if that heavy silk had been
knotted around some intangible part of herself at the same time, a
raw core of naked nerve endings and power.  The sensation was
horribly sweet, evoking some deep, instinctual submissive reflex that
she had not been aware she possessed.  It was so seductive that she
could hardly conceive of struggling against it, and in that instant she
understood why witches would keep this vulnerability secret.

     Pleasure slithered through her most secret parts, a
mesmerizing current of subservient, pliant, resistance-sapping molten
sweetness evoked merely by her own weak, helpless struggles.  Her
hips bucked against the yielding mattress as her nipples burned with
sudden need.

     "Ah," Setsuna whispered, her lips brushing the captive witch's
ear.  "Now you understand, yes?  There is no fighting this, Haruka.
It is far more insidious than your trial at the mouths of the restrictors.
This is a part of you, this sinfully sweet desire to surrender.  You have
been fighting against me, Haruka.  But can you fight yourself?"

     Haruka wanted to scream at her, but it was impossible.  The
air seared her lungs as she gasped, and that traitorous part of her that
was insidiously witchbound was purring like a kitten, aroused by her
helplessness, wanting to be taken, desiring nothing more than to kneel
and be utterly subjugated.

     It was horrifying.  It was ecstasy.  Haruka pulled against the
cool plaits of hair and only succeeded in inflaming her humiliating
need to submit.

     "Struggle all you wish, my witch," Setsuna crooned.  "You
will only hasten the moment when you deliver your unconditional
surrender to me.  Now do you understand, Haruka?  You are not a
martyr, tormented by a cruel tyrant who stole your freedom.  This is
an intrinsic part of who and what you are.  It would not be possible
for me to possess you so utterly if a part of you was not complicit."

     "No," Haruka half-gasped, half-sobbed.

     "It is true," Setsuna purred, holding the mane-trussed blonde
in her arms.  She did not stroke or tease her captive, however.  She
did not have to, and Haruka struggled to deny the truth, even as
Setsuna's words caused quicksilver pleasure to blossom in her white-
hot core.  "You know it.  Being witches gives us power, but that
power is a double-edged sword.  Only the strongest of us possess
enough raw discipline to master not only our own desires, but those
of others as well.  Only such a woman can become a Witchqueen.
The rest, Haruka, are destined by their own weakness to serve."

     Haruka wanted to scream, to throw those hateful words back
in Setsuna's face.  She had struggled for so long to be her own person,
that could not have been for nothing.  Could it?

     With every moment of her humiliating bondage, that
smoldering core of submissiveness robbed her of more of her strength
and will, leaving her pliant and utterly in Setsuna's thrall.  Finally she
lay still, feeling the Witchqueen's heat around her, perfume filling her
senses.  She could barely think as the pleasure overwhelmed her,
drowning out not only the fear and uncertainty but also the disgust
she felt for herself.

     Setsuna was right.  At heart, she was nothing but a slave.  She
wasn't even free to hate what was being done to her.



                     ####



     Rei had awoken in a poor humor.  Her dreams had not
been pleasant, and her sleep had been restless at best.  The sense of
lingering disquiet had been with her since she'd heard of the
incident where the two girls had been found unconscious on the
grounds, and although she could not put her finger on exactly why
this should trouble her so, her instincts about such things were
rarely wrong.

     She had a quick shower to try and wash away the night's
turmoil, and although the results were less than totally successful
she at least felt a little better when she emerged.

     Standing naked in her room, she grabbed a brush off her
dresser and began brushing out her long, glossy mane of midnight
silk in front of the full length mirror.  Her room was large and
luxurious, as was the rest of the family home.  That was one
advantage to having her family living in town; she didn't have to live
in a small dorm with limited privacy.  Of course, if things kept on the
way they had been she might very well move into one of those dorm
rooms anyway, or take her grandfather up on his offer.

     She was vain about her hair, and despite the fact that she
was running late she brushed it until it shone, lustrous and luxuriant.
Then she regarded her gloriously naked reflection, all pale flawless
skin cloaked in heavy silken sable hair that fell below her knees.  Her
body was lithe, feminine yet strong.  The muscles of her flat belly
and long legs were like coiled steel under the sleek satin of her skin,
and she admired the fullness of her breasts as she turned.  It almost
seemed a shame to cover such a body up with mere clothing.

     Going to school naked, though, was not an option.  Putting
the brush down, she took the bottle of her favourite perfume and
spritzed some on the pulse points of her throat and wrists.  Then she
quickly grabbed some underwear, matching white silk thong panties
and bra with lace trim.  If she had to wear something, it might as
well be decadently sensual next to her skin.  A clean academy
uniform came next, skirt and blouse fitting with tailored perfection.
She tied her necktie, the cloth whispering softly as she cinched it
around her slim, pale neck.

     Perfect.  Of course.

     She threw her blazer over her shoulder and went
downstairs, hoping that she wouldn't have to see her father's new
aide this morning.

     In vain, as it turned out.

     "Ah, Rei.  Running a little late this morning, aren't you?"

     "A bit," Rei replied shortly.  "I'll skip breakfast."

     "Shall I drive you to the campus?"

     "Not necessary," Rei sniffed.

     "Rei," the woman said patiently.  "You shouldn't be late.
Your behavior reflects on your father, you know.  He is a very
important man ..."

     "Kaori," Rei said with icy curtness, "I know how important my
father is.  He rarely misses an opportunity to tell me, after all.  He's
so important that he's rarely here, something I wish could be said
for you."

     Kaori just gave her that small, superior smile, and Rei turned on
her heel, striding to the front foyer.  At first she'd been certain her
father had hired Kaolinite simply for her looks; even Rei had to
admit the red-head was stunningly beautiful.  The way her long red
hair was pulled back from her face showed off her aristocratic bone
structure, large eyes, and full lips, and she always dressed in suits of
severe cut that enhanced the lush feminine curves of her body.

     Rei wouldn't have cared if Kaori had been a plaything for her
father.  Hell, she'd long since ceased caring what her father did,
since he obviously cared about her only as a trophy to parade for
political advantage.  But unlike her predecessors Kaori had quickly
gained her father's trust, and now she was actually in charge of the
household.  That meant she was always around, acting as the eyes
and voice of the master of the house.

     In the past, Rei had always been able to seduce her father's
aides.  It had become something of a game to her.  He kept hiring
beautiful women, as if to deny the truth he found so distasteful, that
his daughter preferred the company of women.  Apparently, he also
could not grasp that his daughter was skilled at dominating and
seducing the women he sent to watch over the household in his
absence.  Not one of the women who'd occupied this position had
ever been able to resist his sultry, scheming daughter.

     Until now.  Kaori and Rei had clashed right from the sultry red-
head's appointment to the household.  Kaori had thus far proven
somehow immune to Rei's charms, which enraged Rei far beyond
what she would have believed.  Just as distressing was the fact that
Rei's temper and haughty demeanor didn't seem to faze Kaori in the
least.  To Rei, who had always intimidated all her father's staff, not
just the ones she'd bedded, this was an unwelcome adjustment.  Kaori
seemed to be enjoying thwarting Rei.  Had her father somehow finally
found a woman Rei couldn't get to?

     No.  She wouldn't accept that.  She would either tame Kaori
or drive the woman away.  Preferably both.  The red-head would
find out that Rei Hino was not to be trifled with.

     "I've been hearing about trouble at the campus," Kaori said,
following Rei as she stalked across the floor.  "Apparently, the
mayor is concerned about anything disrupting the visit of the
Guild's representative."

     "Fascinating," Rei said idly in a tone that clearly showed she
considered Kaori's words anything but.  She bent to retrieve her
shoes, giving Kaori a teasing glimpse of her shapely, toned rear
pressing tightly against her pleated uniform skirt.

     "A reception is being planned," Kaori went on as if Rei
hadn't nearly flashed her.  Any of her father's other flunkies would be
stuttering by now.  "Your father would like you to attend with him."

     "I'll bet he would," Rei said shortly.  "Unfortunately for
him, I fully intend to have better things to do."

     "Appearances are important," Kaori pressed.  "It would
look good if he could have you, his daughter and a student at the
academy, with him when he greeted the representative."

     "I said no," Rei snapped, turning to glare at the icy beauty.
"Face it, Kaori.  If my father can't make me do what he wants, and
he hasn't been able to so far, then you certainly can't."

     With that, she stalked out the door, letting it slam behind
her.  She had enough problems without having to add that woman
to the list.  Kaori might have the senior Hino wrapped around
her elegant little finger, but there was absolutely no way she was
going to be telling Rei what to do.

     Kaori was going to find out that, in any relationship, Rei was
always in charge.



                     ####



     Kaolinite let an arrogant smile creep to her full, crimson lips as
Rei stomped out the door.  The elder Hino had provided the access
she'd needed to the local power structure, but his haughty little
daughter was entirely an unexpected fringe benefit to Kaolinite's
plans.

     As her influence had increased and she'd become
indispensable, she'd insinuated herself into the man's life more than
strictly necessary, seeking and gaining control of his household.
Since she held his ear it was simplicity itself to whisper into it,
weaving a persuasive spell.  His daughter ought to be at his side,
after all.  If he couldn't control his daughter, he'd never succeed the
old man when he finally passed the torch, would he?  The girl just
needed discipline, and guidance.  A woman's touch was just the
thing to straighten her out.  Didn't he agree?

     And, finally, he had.  Kaolinite was welcome to try and bring
Rei around.  Is she could, he would be grateful.

     She smiled again, taking long sensual strides as she moved
quietly through the sumptuous house.  Oh, he would be pleased
with the results, of that she was certain.  Would he even question
how his daughter had come to be so pliant, so docile, so obedient?
She thought not.  He would simply accept his daughter's change of
heart gratefully.

     And Kaolinite would gain an exotically beautiful slave with
untapped powers of divination.

     The prospect was enticing, and Kaolinite felt her nipples
tighten as a sleek wave of carnal heat swept through her, considering
the ways she might begin Rei's lessons.  The subjugation of her
charge, however tantalizing, would have to be handled with care.

     Kaolinite paused to ensure that she was alone, then slipped
into Rei's room.  The scent of Rei's perfume still hung faintly in the
air, and the flame-tressed witch smiled.  Rei's fabled temper would
have boiled over and exploded had she known that Kaolinite had
entered her room.

     Of course, there were many things that the luscious Rei did
not know.  Kaolinite looked at the still unmade bed, noting how the
sheets were twisted.  It appeared that Rei had slept poorly.  Perhaps
she'd had disturbing dreams.  It was unlikely, though, that Rei
suspected the truth behind her recent bout of darkly erotic night
visions.

     Smirking, Kaolinite crossed to Rei's dresser, easing the top
drawer open.  Within were Rei's undergarments, an exquisite
collection of silk and lace carefully folded and awaiting the chance
to grace their mistress's porcelain skin with their cool caress.

     Kaolinite concentrated, spotting a few items which had
escaped her notice the previous day.  They'd probably just returned
from being laundered.  No matter.

     Being careful not to disturb the order of the drawer,
Kaolinite drew a pair of red silk panties and a matching bra from its
depths, then a deep violet silk teddy.  She took the panties first,
lifting them to her face and examining them carefully.  Yes, these
had not yet been tainted.  Kaolinite turned the panties inside out,
pursing her full lips and pressing them against the inside surface,
letting the debauched magick flow out.  When she drew them away,
the imprint of her lips remained on the sheer fabric, glowing a
corrupt crimson.  Kaolinite felt her lips curl in satisfaction, then
pursed them and blew softly.  As she watched, the imprint pulsed,
fading into the panties until it could no longer be seen.  It was still
there, though, that lush imprint of her mouth, waiting for that sleek
triangle of silk to be pulled taut over Rei's darkest, most intimate
area.

     She repeated the process with each cup of the bra, then
violated the teddy the same way.  Once she was done, she replaced
the corrupted undergarments back exactly as she'd found them.

     Rei was wearing Kaolinite's mark next to her skin even now.  The
spell was subtle, though; it had to be, as Kaolinite was wary of Rei's
abilities.  It was important to take her time, entangling the girl in her
hypnotic web before Rei ever knew what was happening.  By the time
she even began to resist, it would be far too late.

     This sort of operation was Kaolinite's specialty, the subtle
machinations of a huntress skilled at taking and taming even the
most willful prey.  But this hunt, although intoxicating, was not her
only reason for being here.  The Sorcerer's Guild representative
was one potential target for her mistress, but Kaolinite also had to
deal with Siren and Crow.  They were nearby, no doubt scheming to
penetrate the academy.  Kaolinite knew she had to try and locate the
two witches, but not to stop them.  Oh, no.  If they thought they
knew some way to uncover secrets related to the legend of the
Phoenix Egg, then by all means let them take the chances and face the
dangers of the academy's Witchqueen and her allies.  Then, if the
pair actually did manage to find something, Kaolinite would sweep
in at the last moment and claim the secrets, and the two lovely witches
as well.

     And if anything went wrong, her enemies would end up
fighting each other while she lurked, unseen, waiting for her
opportunity to strike.

     Reluctantly, she left Rei's room.  It really was quite
diverting to snoop through it; the girl had exquisite taste in clothes,
jewellery, shoes and erotica.  The latter was well hidden, along with
some quite extreme outfits and accessories that gave Kaolinite some
insight into the girl's most hidden psyche.  As well, she possessed
numerous trophies of past conquests.  Rei, it seemed , was much
sought after, and not just by her fellow students.  Staff members had
fallen under the girl's sleek spell as well, to judge by the letters and
pictures secreted in Rei's room.

     Ah, what a sweet pet she would make.  Breaking her was
going to take all of Kaolinite's cunning and skill, and she was
greatly anticipating the process.  For now, though, it was time to
deploy her spy daimons and gain some intelligence, as well as keep
up with her other responsibilities.

     It was not wise, after all, to disappoint Mistress 9.



                     ####



     Michiru opened the door when her second knock went
unanswered, peering into the dim interior.

     "Haruka-san?" she called softly.  The figure on the bed just
lay there, staring blankly at the ceiling.  "Haruka-san, come on.
You have to get up now.  We have things to do."

     Haruka didn't move, and Michiru fought the urge to sigh.  Setsuna
had responded to Haruka's small rebellion by showing her who was in
control, something that Michiru had seen coming.  It wasn't like
Michiru couldn't sympathize with the girl, having been through the
same experience herself.  Humiliation wasn't easy to shake off, after
all.

     But wallowing in it wouldn't help.  Michiru walked into the
room and threw the curtains wide, letting daylight in.  Haruka
winced but otherwise didn't respond.  Michiru saw that the girl was
still naked, clothed only in flowing blonde locks that spilled over
the coverlet and off the bed onto the floor.

     "Get up," she said to Haruka.  "There are scissors in the master
bathroom that you can use to cut your hair."

     "She'll just make it grow back," Haruka said listlessly.

     "No," Michiru sighed.  "She won't.  Setsuna-sama has made her
point.  Look, Haruka-san.  You tried to put one over on her, and she
punished you for it.  It's over now."

     "Over?" Haruka repeated, her tone laced with bitterness.
"It's not over.  She didn't just kidnap me, take me away from my
whole life, and make me her slave.  Do you know what she showed
me?  Do you?"  Haruka's eyes, fever-bright, sought Michiru's out,
and Michiru knew what was coming.

     "The dark side of our nature as witches," Michiru said softly.

     "Hell, it's all dark," Haruka mumbled.  "But this, this part of
us that wants to be taken, that needs it?  She says we're guilty of
complicity in our own slavery.  How screwed up is that, huh?"
Haruka's gaze returned to the ceiling, and Michiru just stood there
for a time, uncertain of what to say or if she should even say anything
at all.  She'd gone through this part alone, after all.  Perhaps Haruka
would have to as well.

     But the situation now was not what it had been then.  The
academy faced attack by another Witchqueen's minions, and a Silver
Witch was nearby, if not already amongst them.  Setsuna needed all
her resources.  And Haruka looked so utterly miserable without that
slightly rakish twinkle in her eye.  They were going to be working
together, after all.  Better a challenging comrade than a moping one.

     "It is true that our power is unusual," Michiru began, seating
herself gingerly on the edge of the bed after brushing long locks of
blonde hair out of the way.  "Sorcery relies on natural talent, mental
discipline, and training.  Witchcraft, though, is wild and rooted deeply
in a woman's sexual self.  Many of our powers relate to sexual
domination or manipulation.  That is one reason that the sorcerers of
ages past hated and feared us, and why witches were hunted nearly to
extinction centuries ago."

     Haruka lay still, not responding in any way.  Still, Michiru
pressed on.  "Of course, we are our own worst enemies.  The
sorcerers formed their Guild, which allowed them to wield power
greater than the sum of its parts.  The Guild is a political power in the
world even today.  Witches, though, have never been able to exercise
any comparable power in the world.  All because of the nature of our
power."

     "Wicked witches."  Haruka's voice was soft, expressionless,
and Michiru was not certain if the girl was being facetious or just
bitter.

     "Perhaps.  Every witch carries, at her core, two warring
natures.  Part of her wishes to conquer other witches in order to
elevate herself to Witchqueen, and part wishes to be conquered.  We
may hate that part of ourselves, Haruka-san, but it won't change the
truth.  You have difficulty dealing with the revelation that part of you
desires to be Bound.  I understand.  But you are a witch.  Part of you
also wishes to Bind, and if you had come into your power sooner,
perhaps you would have given in to that urge."

     "I would never," Haruka said flatly.  "I wouldn't do that to
someone."

     "Many times has that oath been uttered," Michiru told her
with a wry smile.  "But in the end, we witches fall back into the trap
of our most ancient selves.  Some say the Lunar Queen was different,
but no record of her ancient Court remains, so perhaps that is wishful
thinking.  Still, she was Silver, the rarest of witches, and there have
been none since her reign.  Until now.  Perhaps we shall witness
something remarkable.  Not even we can know the future."

     "What future?" Haruka growled, finally looking at Michiru
again.  "As an expendable foot soldier and pleasure doll for that
woman?  I had plans for my life, you know!  Now I find out I'll be the
property of this depraved witch forever!"

     "And it is unfair," Michiru conceded.  "But throughout history,
there have been people who were not free to decide their own fates, to
run their own lives.  Peasants were owned by wealthy nobles, women
by men, slaves by masters.  Even royalty had to marry for political
purposes, denied the call of their own hearts.  Much injustice existed
and none of it was fair or right, I suppose.  But what is, is.
Setsuna-sama has trapped us in her Binding, and so we are hers.  Our
destinies are linked with hers.  As for the future, who can know?  All
we can do is serve well and squeeze what freedoms we can from our
lives.  The alternative is madness.  Believe me, I have faced this
darkness."

     For a long time, Haruka did not say anything.  Finally she
sighed, shaking her head.

     "You know what's really insane?" the blonde said at last, her eyes
meeting Michiru's.  "I was looking to break out of my old life.
Setsuna-sama is beautiful, alluring, sophisticated, just a totally
fascinating woman.  If she'd come to me and offered to hire me, I
would have jumped at the chance!"

     "Yes," Michiru said softly.  "It is our tragedy, perhaps, that
our nature causes us to take what might have been willingly given.
But enough of this, Haruka-san.  We have duties to fulfill.  Threats
are all around us, and we must learn as much as we can or we may
suffer the consequences.  Come.  Do not test our mistress's patience
further.  That would be most unwise."  The look on Haruka's face told
Michiru that the new witch was not anxious to anger their mistress any
further.

     "There's something I don't understand," Haruka said, trying
to sit up without getting tangled in her own hair.  Michiru helped her,
glad that the girl finally seemed ready to face the day.  As for the long
term effects of her discipline, well, only time would tell.

     "What's that?"

     "This witchbinding thing, with the hair," Haruka muttered,
meeting Michiru's eyes briefly.  "Why didn't she do it to me when she
laid her Mark on me?"

     "It is a powerful technique," Michiru said, her gaze darkening.
"Very powerful.  Its use for matters of discipline has been made
exceptionally clear to you, Haruka-san.  But if a witch is witchbound
when she is claimed in a Ceremony of Binding, it is almost certain that
she will be completely broken, no matter how strong her will.  I have
only laid eyes on such a witch once, but afterwards I was convinced
that the rumors are true."

     "Rumors?" Haruka asked, looking worried at Michiru's
expression.

     "Supposedly, a witch Bound that way is completely docile and
subservient," Michiru told her, shuddering at the memory.  "Her very
existence is dedicated to the whims of her Witchqueen.  She is fit
only for domestic purposes."

     "You mean as a pretty doll for a Witchqueen to play with,"
Haruka said tightly.

     "Yes," Michiru admitted.  "We may be Bound, but we still
possess initiative and will, and can serve in any number of ways.
These poor creatures exist solely to please the woman who broke
them.  It is a terrible and wasteful thing to break a witch that way,
Haruka-san.  Setsuna-sama would never do it, but there are others
who would, whether out of vengeance or simply for the sheer pleasure
of it.  You would do well to remember that when you start thinking
that your lot in life is so horrible."

     Carefully Haruka got up, Michiru gathering the wild coils of
hair for her so that the girl could walk without causing herself a bad
case of whiplash.  Slowly, they made their way towards the bathroom.
Haruka seemed deep in thought, but to Michiru it seemed as though
her new partner had learned the lesson that Setsuna-sama had wished
to teach her without breaking down.  Setsuna-sama had a talent for
handling her witches, a deft touch that some of her fellow
Witchqueens lacked.  Michiru was certain that her mistress had
pushed Haruka just far enough to tame her spirit without breaking it
completely.

     "So, if I cut it short again," Haruka said at last, "will I get in
trouble?"

     "Well, no," Michiru said.  "I spoke to Setsuna-sama this morning,
and she has no objection now that the point has been made.  But ...."

     "But?" Haruka asked, eyes narrowing quickly.  "But what?"

     Michiru sighed.  "It's just that it is customary for witches to grow
their hair long."  Absently, Michiru ran her fingertips lightly over her
own waist length hair, currently bound up in a stylish swirl.

     "All the better to get tied up in it?" Haruka grunted.  "There's a
great idea."

     "It's not as simple as that," Michiru informed her patiently.
"Witches once believed that cutting their hair also cut their power.  It
became a point of pride to have long locks, the longer the better.  In
fact, it became almost a badge of honor among witches.  It is common
for a witch to wear her hair up or in an ornate style, of course, like a
taunt or tease to her enemies who would see her witchbound and
humbled.  Having short hair, on the other hand, far from being
sensible, is considered a sign of cowardice.  It will earn you immediate
contempt from any witch you meet."

     "Like I care what they think," Haruka sneered.  "I'm getting
tired of being pushed around and looked down on.  I may have to obey
Setsuna-sama, but the rest of them can go to hell.  Stupid freaking hair
obsession."

     "It is not stupid," Michiru told her.  "Witches take such matters
seriously."

          "Well, screw it.  I'm going short," Haruka growled,
getting carefully to her feet and gathering up her out-of-control locks
in her arms.

     "Do as you will," Michiru said, exasperated.  The girl just
would not take her advice, it seemed.

     "By the way," Haruka grunted as she slowly made her way
towards the bathroom.  "Are there any other weird rules about being a
witch I should know about?"

     "Undoubtedly," Michiru sighed.  "But I have confidence that
you will stumble into all of them, in time.  Now hurry up.  We have to
get over to Setsuna-sama's office.  Unless you want our mistress to be
angry with you again?"

     Haruka picked up the pace considerably.  Michiru rolled her
eyes.  Plucky Haruka was more tolerable than mopey Haruka, but not
by much.



                          ####



     Galaxia reclined on her throne in a manner that would have
suggested benign inattention to the casual observer.  Fortunately,
those present were far too aware of the woman's true nature to be
lulled.

     "What have you to report, Mouse?" Galaxia asked, glancing
down at her witch's kneeling figure.

     "The reports were unfounded, Galaxia-sama," the pale
haired girl replied, keeping her head respectfully bowed.  "There
was no sign of a witch in that town at all.  I did find a grimoire that
appears to be sealed with some sort of magick, that could account
for the magick that was sensed."

     "You obtained the book, I trust," Galaxia murmured, her
chin propped on her hand.

     "Of course, Galaxia-sama!" Mouse exclaimed.  Galaxia
knew that Mouse was on edge, having failed to bring back a witch;
the fact that there had been no witch to retrieve didn't lessen
Mouse's desire not to displease her mistress.  In truth, Galaxia was
not terribly surprised.  The report had been sketchy at best, the
chances of finding an unmarked witch slim.  Let Mouse sweat,
though.  It was always good to keep her witches motivated with
regards to her own pleasure.

     "Well, I shall examine it later, then," Galaxia said after a
pause long enough to make the kneeling witch's anxiety spike.
"For now I trust you have other duties to attend to."

     "Yes, Galaxia-sama," Mouse said meekly.

     "Then you are dismissed."  Mouse rose and scampered
away, Nyanko taking her place.

     "Greetings, Galaxia-sama," the leather-clad witch said
smoothly, the bells on her costume making a soft chime.

     "What have you to report?" Galaxia asked, although she
suspected she knew what was on the little schemer's mind.

     "The operation on the waterfront is proceeding smoothly,"
Nyanko said, looking up slyly at her mistress.  "There has been no
further interference from the Ayakashi sisters since that little
skirmish last week.  I do not believe they found out what we were
up to."  Nyanko then made as show of looking around, puzzlement
on her face.  "Crow does not seem to be here," she went on with
what to Galaxia was completely insincere concern.  "That's strange,
as she left two days before I did.  I hope she didn't have to go
cover for Siren again ...."

     "I am aware of Crow's whereabouts," Galaxia said frostily.
"You need not concern yourself with such matters."

     Nyanko stiffened, clearly sensing that her attempt to curry
favor and throw two of her rivals into a bad light had backfired.

     "Of course, Galaxia-sama," she blurted, bowing deeply.  "I
was simply worried that ...."

     "Your concerns are duly noted," Galaxia told the kneeling
girl.  "I believe there are other concerns, however, which should be
occupying your attention at this time.  You are dismissed, Nyanko."

     The witch scuttled away with little of her usual grace, and
Galaxia watched her departure from the throne room with wintery
eyes.

     "Alway looking for an angle, that one," a voice murmured
from the shadows behind her.

     "Indeed," Galaxia replied, watching Papillon emerge to
stand beside the throne.

     "However, it is true that Crow has, shall we say, stretched
the limits of her operational discretion in going to Siren instead of
returning here," Papillon went on smoothly.  "Do you really put so
much credence in Siren's mission, Galaxia-sama?  She was merely
supposed to check out the rantings of an obscure old researcher,
after all.  Why should his theory about the Phoenix Egg be more
worthy of our attention than any of the others?"

     "Perhaps it is not," Galaxia acknowledged with a cool smile.
"However, any lead is worth checking out, and after her recent
failures Siren is highly motivated to find something, anything, that
will please me.  And with Crow at her side, chances are she will
actually manage to find something worth my attention.  She does
have a gift for surprising me, that girl.  I am inclined to give my
lovely witches a little leeway here or, at the very least, enough rope
with which to hang themselves."

     "And the fact that they are operating in the heart of a rival's
territory?" Papillon asked respectfully.  "Setsuna Meioh may be
content to keep her forces close to her, but we cannot disregard the
presence of the princess."

     "I am not disregarding it," Galaxia said softly.  "But such
things can be rather tenuous.  My rival scored a coup there, that
much I will admit.  But she may have only one witch under her
command, which limits the amount of force she can bring to bear
outside her little domain.  And should it actually become necessary
to assault the academy directly, then I will simply have to find a
way to deal with that meddler without inviting retribution from her
mother's Court."

     The greatest risk, as always, was that bold action on her
part might cause the others to unite against her.  She would be able
to defeat them, but the war would likely be long and costly, and
there was always the possibility of drawing the attention of outsiders,
such as the Sorcerer's Guild or certain avaricious eyes from Darkside.
No, subtlety was called for here.

     "I am still uncertain as to how successful Siren and Crow
will be at operating within the Meioh woman's sphere of influence
without being detected."

     Galaxia smiled, reaching out to stroke Papillon's long wavy
hair possessively.

     "Do not worry, my witch," she said, her voice low and
husky.  "If they are foolish enough to be caught, they may be
tortured.  They may even be killed.  But no Witchqueen is strong
enough to replace my Mark with hers, of that I am certain.  You are
all my witches, and you will remain so until you die."

     "Galaxia-sama," Papillon breathed, falling to her knees
beside the throne.  Galaxia smiled down at her loyal witch.

     Yes.  All hers.



                     ####




     Setsuna was staring out the window when the intercom on
her desk chimed musically.

     "Professor Jahanna is here, Headmistress," Michiru's voice
came.

     "Send her in," Setsuna replied.  "And Michiru, I don't wish
to be disturbed."

     "Yes, Headmistress."

     The door opened to admit Reimi Jahanna, the head of the
school's Faculty of Martial Arts.  The woman moved across the
office with a slow, feline strut that showed off her feral animal
grace to full effect.  Words like sultry and captivating hardly began
to do justice to the woman; she turned even the most jaded heads as
she passed.  Her hair was a lush mane of pure, pale frost that fell
nearly to the floor in soft waves, a long heavy corkscrew curl falling
in front of each shoulder to the waist.  Her alabaster skin was
flawless,  contrasting sharply with her full ruby lips and bottomless
eyes of darkest midnight.  Everything about her drew the eye, and she
moved with a confidence which showed she knew the effect she had
on those around her.  This woman was sensual sin incarnate.

     Reimi strode languidly to the chair in front of Setsuna's
desk, seating herself without waiting for permission.  She wore her
work clothes, a soft gray blouse and pants with a black vest and
matching bow tie, managing to make it look somehow elegant and
alluring.

     "Thank you for coming," Setsuna said, inclining her head
slightly.

     "Not at all," Reimi replied, her voice a low throaty purr.
"We do not get as much opportunity to speak as I would like."

     "How are the girls doing?"

     "Quite well," Reimi replied.  "We are going to have some
stand-out talent this year, of that I have no doubt."

     "Excellent," Setsuna nodded.  "I trust your mother is well?"

     "I get back to Court infrequently," Reimi said with a cool
smile which bore a hard edge.  "But I am certain she is well.  I will
tell her you asked after her health.  I am certain she will be gratified.
She always asks me about the allure of this place, you know."

     "It does have its charms, doesn't it?" Setsuna asked lightly.
"And I intend to see that those charms are not disrupted by
outsiders."

     "You refer, I presume, to the incident earlier this week,"
Reimi said with a slight curling of those blood-red lips.  It was not a
question, so Setsuna nodded.

     "I have reason to be concerned," the Witchqueen admitted.

     "I have set teams of my girls to patrolling the grounds after
dark," Reimi said, sitting back and crossing her arms under her full
breasts.

     "And I am grateful," Setsuna murmured, considering
making an issue of that "my" for a moment before letting it slide.
She was, after all, going to be asking for a favor.  "But thus far,
there have been no signs of a recurrence.  I am hopeful that the
incident was an isolated one."

     "If not, my girls can handle it," Reimi said with a deepening
of her smile.  "I believe a record number will be qualified to enter
my little underground tournament this year.  I am quite looking
forward to it."

     "You know, I've always been curious," Setsuna remarked.  "I was
certain when we negotiated our arrangement that you would desire
the Faculty of Magick.  I would never have thought that one of your
people would enjoy hand to hand combat.  It just seems ...."

     "So physical?" Reimi asked, raising one slim eyebrow.
"Vulgar, sweaty even?"

     "Just so," Setsuna said with a slight shrug.

     "Ah, but it is such a delight, after the cold machinations of
Mother's Court," Reimi said with a soft sigh.  "To fight one's
opponent face to face, to feel the heat of her skin as you lift her
battered body, to feel the soft brush of her breath on your skin as
she gasps, to hear the catch in her sweet voice as she realizes that
defeat is upon her, that she will be forced to submit.  It is an
experience to be treasured, not looked down upon.  There are many
among the Court who would not understand my desire to
break my opponents with my own strength in such a manner.  But
you, Lady Witchqueen, one who has subjugated a fellow witch and
laid your Mark upon her in a Ceremony of Binding, you must
understand the truth of which I speak.  It is a base pleasure,
perhaps, but none the less sweet for that."

     "And if you were to lose?" Setsuna asked.

     "Ah," Reimi replied, eyes lidded.  "If I were to meet such an
opponent here, why then I should finally experience the bitter
flavor of defeat.  The mere possibility spices every experience in
this world.  It is part of why I came here."

     Indeed.  Setsuna knew that Reimi's presence deterred action
by her rivals, as it was intended to do.  Reimi was bound to provide
certain services in return for her position, and only Setsuna knew
precisely what those services entailed.  Reimi did not begrudge the
obligations of the agreement she had with Setsuna, as the
compensations were many and quite satisfying.

     But there were tasks which Reimi was not bound to
perform, and this was one such.  Negotiation would be, as usual,
delicate and tricky.

     "You do realize that these pleasures are tied to the continuing
fortunes of this academy," Setsuna murmured, leaning back in her
high-backed leather chair and forming a tent with her fingers, tips
pressed against each other.

     "Ah, the hook," Reimi replied with a trace of amusement.
"I knew there would be one.  But to answer your question, I do
benefit from the current state of affairs, as per our agreement.  Are
you going to appeal to my sense of self-interest?"

     "Were you a human witch," Setsuna said, inclining her head to
acknowledge Reimi's verbal riposte, "the closest classification for
your power would be Platinum."

     "Which no mere human possesses," Reimi stated.  "As I understand
it, the closest human counterpart to my power would actually be
Silver."

     Setsuna's face remained expressionless, but suddenly she
knew that Reimi was fully aware of why she was here, and what
Setsuna wanted.  That was going to make this much harder.

     "I suspect Silver Magick was used to counter the attack
made upon Himitsu-san.  I wish to know the source."  Setsuna
delivered the words without emphasis or intonation, knowing it
would be fruitless to fence with Reimi any longer.  It was hard to
tell if her decision impressed Reimi or not, but at the very least the
princess did not seem disappointed.

     "And if I in fact do know the source?" Reimi asked softly,
that amused little curl of the lips fading as her eyes glinted.  "What
would that be worth to you, Setsuna Meioh?  Would you bargain
with me?"

     "What price would you ask?" Setsuna asked, maintaining
her icy facade.

     "One night," Reimi replied, her voice full of dark promise.
Setsuna fought the urge to shudder under its velvety caress.

     "To go willingly to your bed is to place myself in your
power," Setsuna murmured.  "I respect that power far too much to
risk becoming caught in your sweet, honeyed trap."

     "Pity," Reimi sighed.  "As long as our previous bargain
holds, you are off-limits to me.  You do fascinate me, Setsuna,
and I am no slip of a girl to want you simply because I cannot have
you."

     "You flatter me," Setsuna said, but the intensity of Reimi's
gaze made her mouth go dry even as her pulse pounded in her
throat.

     "Not at all," Reimi replied.  "Very well.  Then I will accept
your witch, Michiru.  She is a haughty little thing.  I salute you for
preserving that spirit, as some Witchqueens would not or could not
do when Binding a witch.  But her aloofness stems from the
protection our deal affords her, and it would give me great pleasure
to test the limits of her strength."

     "Out of the question," Setsuna said.

     "Oh?  Do you not trust the strength of your Mark upon
her?" Reimi asked, cruelty hinted in the set of her mouth.  "Only a
witch significantly stronger than yourself can replace your Mark on
her and claim her.  Do you think that I, who am no witch, could steal
her from you?"

     "Michiru is precious to me," Setsuna replied, hiding her
anger, "and is not to be risked without cause."

     "Then you obviously do not consider this matter terribly
urgent," Reimi replied, standing in one motion of liquid grace.
"But unless you can find something of equal worth to tempt me
with, I fear we cannot bargain in this matter."

     "Perhaps," Setsuna said softly, "time and events shall
conspire to change your mind in this, Princess."

     "Or yours," Reimi said with a predatory smile.  "And if that
should happen, you know where to find me."

     And she left without being dismissed.

     Setsuna fought the urge to lash out, turning her chair
instead so that she could gaze out her window.  A Silver Witch
could be the key to everything.  She must find that witch and claim
her before any of the others got wind of her existence.  And she
would have to work fast.

     Otherwise, she would find herself faced with the choice
between fulfilling her mysterious destiny or losing Michiru.



                     ####



     "I don't understand," Ami said, blinking rapidly.

     "Come now," Miss Haruna said, sounding a bit impatient as
she waved the sheet of paper negligently.  "It isn't complicated.  A
request was put in by the martial arts faculty advisor for a tutor,
and your name came up.  You go find this girl and tutor her for this
semester."

     Ami was familiar with the arrangement.  Top students could
be asked to tutor students who needed help, and Ami's marks were
very good.  But she'd never imagined she might have to do
something like this herself, and to top it all off the girl was in the
martial arts faculty, which meant some sort of jock.  Ami wouldn't
be able to tutor her; she wouldn't even be able to TALK to her.
The girl would probably just threaten to break Ami's arms if she
didn't do homework for her or something.

     "But ...." she began meekly.

     "You've got her name and class there, so I suggest you go
track her down and set up your first session," Miss Haruna went on
heedlessly, tugging the sleeves of her tight red dress with fussy
motions.  "Don't forget to submit the proper paperwork to the
faculty advisory office to show how much time you've put in, or
you won't get any credit for it."

     It was obvious that Miss Haruna had no intention of
listening to Ami's pleas, so the girl simply nodded miserably and
took the information sheet, wandering out into the hall.

     "Hey," a voice said behind her.  Ami started, certain for a
moment that Ryoko was ready to spring on her.  But that was
foolish; Ryoko wouldn't get her revenge where any of the faculty
might see.  She turned to see Silke standing behind her, giving her
one of those cool appraising looks she seemed so good at.

     "Oh, it's you, Silke-san," Ami breathed.  "You gave me a
fright."

     "You looked a million miles away," Silke noted.  "What
have you got there?  Bad test?"

     "No, nothing like that," Ami said.  Silke took the sheet from
Ami's hand before the girl could protest and read it.

     "Huh.  So you're tutoring," Silke remarked.

     "I guess I have no choice," Ami muttered.

     "I hear you've got great grades.  What's wrong with
tutoring someone who needs it?" Silke asked, walking beside Ami
down the hall.  Ami noticed that a few girls gave the pair curious
looks as they passed.  Partly, that was because Silke was the new
girl, but part of it was likely that Ami usually went everywhere
alone.

     "It's not that," Ami said softly, her cheeks warming already.
"I just ... I'm not comfortable with it.  Talking to some strange girl,
I mean.  And she's a martial artist, so she's probably tough, and
she'll think I'm so ... not that I'm not, but, you know ...."  Ami
trailed off, realizing how idiotic she sounded.

     "What's the problem?" Silke asked, sounding exasperated.
"You'll be the tutor, so you'll be in the driver's seat.  She's the one
who needs you, right?"

     "I guess so," Ami said uncertainly.  Of course, Silke would
see things that way, and if Silke was asked to tutor some girl, she'd
take charge immediately.  And the other girl would be happy to let
her, for Silke had a dynamic, dominant personality.  But Ami
couldn't hope for things to go that way, could she?

     "Well, this is cozy," someone said, and Ami nearly had a
heart attack as that someone took her arm and pressed up beside
her.  A wave of fragrant dark hair slid along her bare arm, causing
her to blush down to her toes, and she turned her head to see Rei
Hino trying to read the information sheet that she was once again
holding.  "What's this, Ami-san?"

    Ami-san?  They were on a first name basis now?  Ami could
only gape, taken completely aback by Rei's familiar manner and the
extremely distracting way her breast pressed against Ami's captive
arm.

     "Ami has to tutor some girl in the fighter's faculty," Silke
said, sounding less than thrilled at Rei's appearance.

     "Oh, you're here too," Rei added, glancing up at Silke
briefly.  Ami's skin prickled as she realized that not only did Rei
and Silke know each other, they didn't appear to be on friendly
terms.  And here was Ami, literally in the middle.

     "Shouldn't you be chairing a meeting of your fan club or
something?" Silke asked snidely.

     "Ami-san, you shouldn't hang around with such a barbaric girl,"
Rei said sternly, catching Ami's gaze with her own and holding it.
"You'll acquire bad social habits."

     "That's nothing," Silke shot back, "compared to what you'll
acquire if you hang out with this one."

     "A cheap shot," Rei remarked, apparently unfazed.  "How
appropriate."

     "Um, Hino-san," Ami began.

     "Rei," Rei purred, turning a slow sensual smile on Ami, who
was beginning to feel distinctly light-headed.

     "Rei-san," Ami soldiered on.  "Do you know this girl?"  She
was hoping to somehow defuse the odd tension between Rei and
Silke, who was hovering quite close to Ami's other side.

     "Makoto Kino," Rei mused.  "I don't think so."

     "But then again, it must be hard to keep all their names
straight, when you're as popular as Rei-san," Silke sniffed, placing a
delicate but deliberate emphasis on Rei's name.  Ami swallowed.
Hard.

     "Silke-san," Rei murmured with a dismissive glance, "is there a
point to your offensive mumblings?  I am not even certain why you
are here."

     "I need to talk to Ami," Silke informed the girl tightly.

     "Well, I have pressing business that is no doubt much more
significant than your need, so why don't you just run along?" Rei
asked, a cool edge barely concealed in her silken tone.

     "I was here first," Silke pointed out tersely.

     "I believe, Silke-san, that you are deliberately trying my
patience."

     "Is that so?"

     "Excuse me!" Ami called out, spotting her salvation and
acting without thought.  The girl she'd called to, who wore the long
pleated skirt and laced blouse of the martial arts faculty, glanced at
her.

     "Yes?" the girl asked as Ami came up to her.  She had long, flame-
red hair that she wore tied back so that it fell in a lush tail, unruly
bangs framing her face, and she fairly vibrated with physical vigor.

     "I ... I was wondering if you knew this girl," Ami managed
to say.  Talking to strangers was not her strong suit, but at least Rei
and Silke weren't fighting at the moment.

     "Makoto Kino?" the girl read.  "I think she's in my sister's
class."

     "Hello, Akira," Rei murmured, her voice low and throaty as she
fixed her gaze on the girl.  "It's been too long.  I must say, you look
lovely today.  As always."

     "Thank you, Hino-sempai," the girl beamed, blushing prettily.
"We've missed you at the caf�.  You should come in sometime soon,
bring your friends.  I'll give you the best service."  Akira clasped her
hands behind her back, making her full breasts jut as she sidled up to
Rei.  The martial artist's green eyes lingered boldly on Rei with a
directness Ami could only envy.  Rei, for her part, did not seem at all
offended by the girl's direct, flirtatious manner.

     "What a sweet offer," Rei said softly,  with a smile that made
Ami's stomach do flip-flops even though it wasn't directed at her.
"I'll be sure to take you up on it.  For now, though, it appears I have
business with the eldest of the lush and lovely Takeuchi sisters.  Tell
me, do you know where Yuka's class is now?"

     "They'll be on the practice field for conditioning, sempai," Akira
told her, bouncing up lightly on the balls if her feet as she basked in
the sultry heat of Rei's gaze.  Ami felt like she should avert her eyes
or something.  The girl's behavior was uninhibited, bordering on
shameless.

     "Thank you, Akira," Rei murmured, violet eyes lidded as
they took the girl in with a slow, languid glance.  "I look forward to
enjoying your ... service."

     "Soon, I hope," the girl said breathlessly, her eyes only for
Rei.

     "Very soon," Rei promised, reaching out to brush one rogue
lock of hair from the girl's face.  "But right now, aren't you late for
class?"

     "Huh?" Akira blurted, blinking as though waking from a
daydream.  She glanced at her watch and yelped.  "Damn ... darn it!
Gotta go!  Bye, sempai!"

     With that, the energetic young martial artist took off running,
leaving the three girls in her wake.  Rei smiled as she watched the
girl go, a smile that struck Ami as somehow possessive.

     "Well, shall we go, Ami-san?" Rei asked, taking Ami's arm again
and tugging the girl along.  Silke caught up a moment later, still
looking peeved.

     "Maybe that one can chair your fan club," Silke said flatly.

     "Akira is a sweet girl," Rei said sleekly, giving Silke a haughty
stare.  "She has a great deal of potential.  And superior taste."

     "Really?" Silke inquired acidly.  "Well, enough about your
fan club.  Tell me, why do you care about this girl Ami's supposed to
tutor, anyway?"

     "My interests," Rei said breezily, "are many and varied."

     Silke muttered something profane under her breath, and the
three of them hurried along towards the practice field.  Ami could
scarcely believe what was happening; she had not one, but two
beautiful girls following her around all of a sudden.  The sensation
was quite intoxicating.

     Although her brain, of course, had to bring her back to earth
with a jarring thud.  Rei had expressed interest in the incident, so
that explained her presence.  No doubt she wanted to press Ami for
details.  Probably Silke was after the same thing, some juicy gossip.
Once they both found out she wouldn't talk, they'd cast her aside.

     Still, to be the centre of attention, even if only for a little
while, was something that Ami had never thought would happen to
her.  Normally she shunned the spotlight, but there were things to
be said for having two bold, strong-willed girls fighting for her
attention.  Suddenly she understood those girls who trailed after
Ryoko, playing the sycophant for a scrap of notice, a stray smile, a
compliment.  It was like a drug.

     A dangerous one for a girl like Ami, who'd been a solitary
person for most of her life.  It was all well and good to tell herself
that she preferred her own company, or that social activities were
frivolous and distracted from serious study.  Deep down, though,
there was a place inside Ami that was barren, and she knew that
was because it had been neglected so badly.  Friendship was needed
to make that garden of her soul grow, friendship that never seemed
to be offered.

     She remained between the two girls as they crossed behind
the gym and headed towards the practice field, alternately
embarrassed by their occasional bickering and elated by the mere
fact of their presence.  In fact, the task of going to speak to this
Kino girl somehow no longer seemed quite so daunting.

     The three were approaching the corner of the gym when
someone emerged from the adjacent equipment shed, glancing up at
them with a sleek, slightly amused smile.

     "Ah, Professor Jahanna," Rei said, bowing.  The sleek girl's eyes
lingered on the older woman's form in a way that was at once subtle,
yet did not fail to express erotically charged desire.  That was quite a
trick.  All Ami could manage was to gape, her mouth dry as sand.

     "Why, it's my favorite mistress of magicks, Rei Hino," the
professor replied.  "What brings you to my humble domain?"

     "An errand with one of your students," Rei replied, running her
fingers though her long sable locks casually.  Ami was amazed at
Rei's self-possession; Reimi Jahanna possessed the beauty and allure
of a goddess, and Ami herself was having trouble just remembering
her own name in the woman's presence.  "This is Ami Mizuno, and
to her left ...."

     "Hello, Silke," Reimi said, her smile widening by the merest
fraction.  "I never expected to see you here.  What a surprise."

     "I never expected to see you here either," Silke replied.
Ami frowned, suddenly aware that Silke had gone completely still
beside her and was staring at the professor fixedly.  Although Silke
hadn't done anything overt, Ami knew with a prey's inborn
sensitivity that the girl was on the verge of violence.  Rei also
seemed to sense something, because her gaze shifted from Reimi to
Silke and then back.

     "You two know each other?" Rei asked, her brow creased.

     "Silke is an old friend of the family," Reimi said, her gaze
never leaving Silke's face.  "Although she never comes to visit any
more.  A pity, really.  My mother has missed her so, but girls do
grow up, don't they?"

     "Indeed," Silke said, and although her tone was mild Ami
began to worry.  It was almost as though power was building inside
Silke's body, power that Ami could sense like heat or electricity.

     "We must get together sometime, Silke," Reimi went on
blithely.  "We have a lot to talk about."

     "Do we?" Silke asked.  Both Rei and Ami had fallen silent
now, watching the exchange with puzzled silence.

     "Oh, yes," Reimi said softly.  "After all, the past is the past,
and things have changed, haven't they?  And your falling out with
my mother needn't affect us, Silke.  Think about that.  We'll talk.
Rei, always a pleasure.  Ami Mizuno, I hope we shall meet again.
Now ladies, I'm afraid I have a pressing engagement with my
Advanced Ki class.  Take care."

     Ami watched the woman stride off across the grounds,
falling leaves coasting to the ground around her as if they had been
instructed to frame her departure by some higher power.  Even
though she hadn't been the focus of Reimi's attention, Ami's heart
seemed to be beating faster in her chest.

     "Ahem," Rei sniffed, glaring at Silke.

     "I don't want to talk about it," Silke said stiffly, watching
Reimi's departure with a strangely distant expression in her eyes.

     "You know Reimi Jahanna?" Rei asked, sounding offended.
"And her mother?"

     "And her two sisters," Silke said, taking Ami's arm and
dragging the girl along.  "And no, I won't tell you about it."

     "Nobody knows about her family!" Rei shot back, forced to
hurry along as Silke had been earlier.  "You can't keep something
like this a secret!"  It was the first time Ami had seen Rei lose her
cool composure, but Silke showed no signs of enjoying her victory.

     "I certainly can," the blonde replied, and if they hadn't been
touching then Ami wouldn't have known how tense the new girl
was.  "Now let's find this dumb jock girl, shall we?"



                     ####



     Ami swallowed nervously as the taller girl crossed her arms
under her full breasts and stared down impassively.

     "So what's this about?" Makoto Kino asked.  Her green
eyes were cool, measuring.  Her height lent her an intimidating air,
but she hadn't actually done anything hostile yet.  Not that she
needed to; Ami was already regretting having left Rei and Silke
outside.

     "Um," Ami began.  "That is, my name is ...."

     "Ami Mizuno.  You told me that," Makoto said.  Her voice
was quiet and even, but Ami flushed as if she'd been rebuked.

     "Yes, well, I received a request from my homeroom teacher.
About you, I mean.  For tutoring?"

     "Oh," Makoto said, understanding dawning in her eyes.
"That.  So you're going to be tutoring me, hmmm?"

     "That's right.  I just thought I should meet you and set up a
time for a first session, so we could go over a lesson plan."  Ami
clasped her hands tightly and fought the urge to fidget.  This
Makoto Kino looked quite strong in her practice gi, like she could
break Ami in half with one hand.

     "All right," Makoto said, nodding once.  "How about we
meet this afternoon in the library, then?"

     Relieved, Ami agreed to a time, then watched as Makoto
strode away to rejoin the practice.  Ami peered around the corner
and out into the yard, where girls were performing amazing feats of
physical ability, leaping and spinning and throwing themselves
through the air with reckless abandon.  They seemed to be
thoroughly enjoying themselves, but the sight just made Ami feel
even more self-conscious and out of place than usual.  She
generally avoided this part of the campus, and now that her
business was finished she felt the urge to leave.

     Immediately.



                     ####



     Rei watched the girls going through their paces with idle
interest.  The sounds of shouts and gibes, with the occasional burst
of laughter, lent an air of camaraderie to their exertions.

     The young fighters moved with a pantherish grace that drew
the eye, and Rei found herself watching two girls sparring.  She
recognized one half of the pair as Yuka Takeuchi, Akira's older
sister.  The resemblance was striking; Yuka's hair was darker, but
she wore it in the same style, and her lithe body possessed the same
ripe, full curves as her younger sister's.  Her sparring partner had
short brown hair and a mole on her cheek, and the way the two
sparred made Rei think of two lovers dancing on the edge of passion.

     Yuka's long ponytail swirled in the air as she spun and leapt
over her opponent, landing to rush in with a flurry of punches.  The
other girl anticipated the move, though, and deftly blocked the
strikes, countering with a quick spinning kick of her own.  Back
and forth they flowed, bodies caught in the rhythm of the moment.

     "Hey."  Rei blinked, distracted by Silke's voice.  The persistent
girl had been sullenly silent as they waited for Ami, leaning against
the side of the old practice hall.

     "What?" Rei asked, expecting another barb.  This new girl
was quickly getting on her nerves, not to mention making it hard
for her to get Ami alone.

     "How much do you know about that professor?" Silke
asked, not looking at her.

     "I assume you mean Professor Jahanna," Rei sniffed.  She was
still irked that Silke knew about Reimi Jahanna.  The woman's past
was shrouded in mystery, and Rei would have given anything to gain
insight into it.  She and Reimi flirted outrageously, but so far the
woman had remained beyond Rei's reach, a fact Rei wanted to
rectify in the worst way.

     "Mm-hmm.  She's the head of this faculty?"

     "That's right.  She's very popular, too.  Supposedly, she's
never been beaten in a match, not by any of the students or any of
the other teachers.  She's incredible."

     "Are there any rumors about her?" Silke pressed.

     "Rumors?  What sort of rumors?" Rei frowned.

     "Anything strange, unusual."

     "Ah," Rei said with a sly smile.  "You mean her
extracurricular fighting tournament.  So, you've heard about that
already, have you?"

     "Not much," Silke said, giving Rei a neutral glance.  "I was
just curious.  What does the academy think about these
extracurricular activities?"

     "Well, I assume the headmistress probably knows," Rei
admitted.  "It's not all that secret, really.  But it takes place off-
campus, and only the best girls are allowed to enter.  You've heard
about the rules?"  This last was delivered with a salacious smile.
Perhaps it was time to stop allowing Silke to bait her and turn on the
charm.  After all, if Silke had something that Rei wanted, well, Rei
knew how to charm information from a pretty girl.  And for all her
abrupt mannerisms, Silke was quite striking.

     "Not really," Silke said cautiously.

     "It's a fighting tournament," Rei informed her, turning to face the
other girl fully and wetting her lips with the tip of her tongue.
"Basically, two girls fight with no rules, except this.  The winner
gets to strip the loser naked in front of the audience."

     "Get serious," Silke exclaimed, blue eyes narrowing.  "That's just
a story, right?"

     "Oh, it really happens," Rei assured her smugly.  "I got to
attend most of last year's matches, including the grand finale."

     "Let me guess," Silke said flatly.  "Whoever makes it that
far fights the prin ... professor."

     "That's right," Rei nodded, intrigued by Silke's verbal stumble but
not willing to give the girl another chance to lord her knowledge of
the enigmatic professor over her.  "But get this.  Up for grabs are a
hundred million yen, the professor's own Ferrari, and a big plot of
land with a mansion in the heart of Tokyo!"

     "And what does the professor get out of it?" Silke asked.
"Her family is incredibly wealthy, so I'm assuming she's putting up
the prizes."

     "Mmmm," Rei murmured.  "If she wins, she gets to keep the loser
for an entire night.  To the victor go the spoils, and all that."  And the
stories of what went on behind closed doors were wild, but no one
could deny the devotion even the most hardened fighter showed to
Reimi after such a night.  The woman's seductive skills had become
the stuff of legend, one reason Rei wanted to test herself against the
woman.  On a softer battlefield, of course.

     "And that's all right with these girls?" Silke asked, staring up at
the sky.

     "There is no shortage of female fighters willing to enter,"
Rei informed her slyly.  "For such a prize, a lot of people will risk
humiliation and degradation."

     "That's because they don't understand," Silke said softly.

     "What?" Rei asked.

     "Nothing," Silke sighed.  "Why should I care about a bunch
of spoiled girls who are willing to throw themselves into that
woman's web, anyway?"

     "So, you do have a personal grudge against her," Rei
mused.  How very interesting.  Perhaps she could use this against
Silke.  Getting under the exotic professor's skin had proven an
elusive goal for Rei, but if there was some old business between
Silke and Reimi, it was possible she could find a chink in the
goddess's armor.

     "You're interested in what happened the other night," Silke
replied, changing the subject abruptly.  "That's why you're
following Ami around, isn't it?"

     "I admitted as much the last time we spoke.  You seem pretty
interested yourself," Rei replied.

     "I just want to know if there's more going on here than
meets the eye," Silke shrugged.

     "Oh, I'm sure there is," Rei told her with a sly smile.  "And I fully
intend to find out about it.  This is my school, after all, and as a
member of the Faculty of Magick I have an obligation to defend the
academy and its students against evil magicks."  Plus, Rei despised
not knowing what was going on.  If some power was at work here,
it could be dangerous to her.  She wanted to assert control over it,
and to do that she needed information.

     "And you think that's what was involved the other night?"
Silke asked, eyes narrowed.

     "Magick was certainly involved," Rei said, deciding to play
some of her cards.  "Some of it very dark, but also a magick that I've
never felt before.  I am intrigued, Silke-san.  What about you?"

     "I don't know what to make of it, Rei-san.  But I do know
this.  If dark magick was involved in whatever happened, it might
strike again.  And I doubt any divination would protect you against
it."

     "I can take care of myself," Rei said thinly.  God, this girl was
irritating!

     "Um," Ami said, emerging from the building.

     "Hey," Silke replied lazily.  "We were just talking about you, sort
of."

     "Me?" Ami asked, looking uncomfortable.

     "Well, since it seems that neither one of us is going to back
off, why don't we share her?" Rei said sleekly, enjoying Ami's
flustered reaction to the deliberate double entendre.

     "Huh?" Ami squeaked.

     "All right," Silke said at last.  "But not here.  Let's go find
someplace to sit down."



                     ####



     Ryoko was in a bad mood.  She hadn't been able to get Ami
alone since the little twerp had given her the slip in the library.  It was
bad enough that the new girl had ended up in the same dorm as Ami,
but the headmistress's assistant seemed to keep popping up around the
girl as well.  One thing Ryoko was not willing to risk was a
confrontation with the headmistress.  She needed a way to get back at
that snotty little know-it-all without getting caught.

     Which was why she was here.  Ryoko stared at the doorway,
hesitation warring with curiosity.  Yuki had asked to meet her
off-campus, saying it was important.  And since her note had
mentioned Ami Mizuno, Ryoko had been more than happy to ditch
class.  She'd make up an excuse later, and the teacher would believe it
without reservation.  After all, Ryoko was a student leader, wasn't
she?

     But what was this place?  She'd gotten into the elevator,
which had brought her to the top floor without Ryoko having to do
anything.  And now she stood before the penthouse door, the skin
on the back of her neck prickling.

     Something was wrong here.  Yuki's family was well-off, but
they didn't own any property in the city.  And Yuki's good for
nothing mongrel boyfriend was distinctly low-rent, despite his
obvious physical charms.  He was clearly only using Yuki; there was
no way he could afford digs like these.  Unless the girl had finally
gotten smart and dumped him for someone richer.

     But what did any of this have to do with that Mizuno brat?
Ryoko scowled at the thought of the girl, and at that moment the
door swung open silently.

     Ryoko stood there for a moment.  "Hello?" she called.
"What's going on?  Yuki, this isn't funny.  I'm beginning to get mad
out here."

     The interior was dark, but from within Ryoko heard a faint,
muffled sound.  Then Yuki's voice called out softly.

     "Ryoko, come in."

     Ryoko hesitated a moment longer, but in the end there was
really no option.  Ryoko was one of the elite, not like the mewling
masses.  There was no way she would just stand out here like a scared
little girl.

     Lifting her chin haughtily, she strode inside, only starting
slightly as the door shut behind her with a firm click, apparently on its
own.  The room was shrouded in heavy shadows, furnishings looming
with a sense of lurking menace.  Ryoko walked to the middle of the
large room, her footsteps muffled by the heavy carpet.

     "Yuki, where are you?" she demanded.

     "Yuki is here with me," a soft, throaty voice replied.  Ryoko
whirled to see a shadowy shape lounging in a low chair, face
obscured by the shadows.  The long, shapely legs and spill of
pale hair went with the voice, though.  And curled up at the
woman's feet, head in her lap, was Yuki.

     Ryoko could only gape.  Yuki blinked up at her lazily,
nuzzling the leg her cheek rested against as slim fingers stroked her
blonde hair with languid motions.  Ryoko knew Yuki, had known her
since they'd started at the academy together.  Yuki was a bitch, there
was no better way to say it.  She held her own in any situation, had
a sarcastic streak a mile wide, and liked to be in control.

     Yet here she was, wearing a tiny white silk and lace teddy
with matching fingerless gloves and high-heeled pumps, arms
wrapped around some woman's leg while she got stroked like a pet
cat.  Most damning of all, though, was the collar around her neck,
the one with a leash that ran to the shadow woman's other hand.
Not even the hunkiest of Yuki's many boyfriends had been able to
reduce the girl to any such level of subservience; if pressed, Ryoko
would have claimed that Yuki didn't have a submissive bone in her
body.  Several dumb ones, at least when it came to picking
boyfriends, but submissive?  No way.

     "Welcome, Ryoko," the woman holding Yuki's leash said,
her voice a husky purr.  "I've heard a lot about you."

     "What the hell is this?" Ryoko demanded.  "Yuki, what's
going on here?  If this is a joke, it isn't funny!"

     "Mistress wanted to meet you, Ryoko," Yuki sighed, closing
her eyes in delight as the woman scratched her behind her ears.

     "I never knew you were into this, Yuki," Ryoko sniffed
dismissively.  "But I want nothing to do with it."

     "Not even if I can give you what you want?" the shadowy
woman asked, inclining her head.

     "I don't go for women, and you'd have a hard time getting
me in that get-up, lady," Ryoko snapped, mouth set in a hard line.

     "That's good," the woman said softly.  "Because that
wouldn't suit my needs at all.  Nor yours, I suspect.  You see, we
have something in common, the two of us."

     "I doubt that," Ryoko retorted, backing towards the door.  It was
time to get out.

     "Ami Mizuno," the woman said.  Ryoko froze, and the
woman chuckled.  "Ah, I see I have your attention."

     "What about her?" Ryoko asked cautiously.  This was all so
weird.  Could the little twerp have set up some sort of revenge for
Ryoko's tormenting her?  Yuki had been there many of those times,
including the library the previous day.  Maybe sweet Ami really was
into some bad stuff, after all.  Maybe she had slipped something into
Yuki's coffee to make her go 1oopy.

     "Ami is a thorn in my side," the woman replied.  "I need
someone to deal with her for me, to bring her to me.  And since
you, according to my pet here, have a hate on for her, I thought we
might work together."

     "Who are you?" Ryoko asked suspiciously.  Despite her
misgivings, she was intrigued.  Could this bitch be for real?

     "You may call me Siren," the woman responded.

     "Uh-huh," Ryoko muttered.  "Well, whatever you are,
you're too smart to go looking for trouble at Raven Academy.  So
you want to use me instead."

     "I won't lie to you," the woman replied with a throaty chuckle.  "I
do want to use you.  With all the attention that the recent incident has
attracted, it is too risky for me to chance the academy's grounds in
person.  I need someone to be my eyes and ears.  However, in return
for these services, I propose to give you power."

     "What power?" Ryoko asked, her heart suddenly racing.
Those bitches in the magick faculty were always lording it over
everyone.  And the fighters and sword swingers too, thinking they
were so tough.  Ryoko longed for the power to put them in their
place, so that they would all recognize her as being superior, as
being better than some timid smart little nothing like Mari.

     Ami.  Like Ami.  Some timid little nothing like Ami.

     "I can release the power that lurks in your heart, Ryoko my
dear," Siren said sweetly.  "Like I did for Yuki."

     "What?" Ryoko looked down at Yuki, eyes widening, and
Siren laughed.

     "Oh, yes, that was in her heart," Siren purred.  "But your
heart harbors no such softness, does it?  Oh, no, my dear.  Your
heart burns.  It burns with hate and anger.  I wonder why it burns
so?"

     "Why should I believe you?" Ryoko asked cagily.  The
woman stood, Yuki whimpering as the caressing hand fell away, then
stepped forward into the light.  She possessed the breathtaking
beauty of an angel, but one which had fallen from grace.  Wickedness
lurked behind those perfect features, and her smile was every bit as
alluring as her laugh had been.

     "Power, Ryoko," Siren whispered, standing close.  "It is for
the bold.  Go, if you are afraid.  Go, and I will find another to give
this power to.  From what I'd heard about you, I never suspected
you were a coward."

     "I'm no coward," Ryoko hissed.  "But I'm no idiot, either.
Why do you want her so badly?"

     "Why do you hate her so much?" Siren shot back, and
Ryoko's jaw snapped shut.

     "See?" Siren giggled.  "There are some things we would
just as soon not share.  But you are something of a kindred spirit,
Ryoko.  I can sense that.  You are not afraid of power."

     Ryoko twitched as something brushed her leg, catching
sight of Yuki brushing affectionately against her, pulling at the leash
Siren held.

     "Power over others," Siren breathed.  "Isn't it delicious?
Wouldn't you like to have this sort of power over those lesser than
you, Ryoko?  Don't you deserve to?"

     Yes.  Yes, she did.  Ryoko looked down again at Yuki,
proud Yuki, who had been reduced to this submissive, docile pet.  If
she could humiliate Ami that way, it would be worth it.  It would be
worth anything.

     "Here," Siren whispered, holding out the leash.  "Hold it.
See how it feels."  Enrapt, Ryoko took the leash.  The
supple leather felt good in her hand, good and somehow right.  She
looked down again, her gaze boring into Yuki's wide blue eyes.  Then,
slowly, deliberately, she wound the leash tightly around her hand, loop
after loop, until there was nearly no slack between her hand and
Yuki's throat.

     Then she pulled hard.  Yuki whimpered, but did not resist.

     "Come here," Ryoko hissed.  Yuki obeyed, rising as Ryoko
pulled.  Once she'd barely gained her feet, Ryoko yanked again,
pulling the girl off-balance, catching her easily.  Ryoko held the girl
close to her, keeping pressure on the collar that adorned her slender
throat.

     "Yuki," she whispered to the girl she'd known for years.
"My shoe is dirty.  Clean it."

     "Yes," Yuki replied breathily.  Ryoko jerked the leash, and
Yuki cried out.  The sound resonated in the pit of Ryoko's stomach,
sent tingles along her spine to collect in the darkness between her
legs.

     "Yes, what?"

     "Yes, Ryoko-sama," Yuki murmured demurely.  Ryoko
nodded, giving the girl enough slack to kneel, then bow so her face
was near the floor.  Ryoko felt pleasure rushing up through her, felt
it spike as Yuki's tongue lapped out to flick slowly across the toe of
one shoe.

     "What do you want me to do?" she asked Siren as she
watched the show, knowing that she had to possess this power.

     "Just relax," Siren purred, reaching out to gently undo the
collar of Ryoko's blouse.  "Let it happen.  And I'll take care of all
the rest."



                     ####



                           ####



     It was maddening.

     Rei frowned, shifting in her seat.  Usually, her self-control
was much better than this, but for the past few days she'd been
getting uncomfortably aroused at odd times.  Her skin felt warm
and tight, and her nipples were aching pleasurably, as though they
were immersed in hungry mouths.  Her thoughts kept drifting to
sweet dark intimate places filled with soft cries and silken murmurs,
occasionally punctuated with a crack of a whip or the slap of a riding
crop.

     Pleasant pasttimes, such daydreams, but they were becoming
more intrusive and distracting of late.  Rei shook her head irritably.
Obviously, she'd been neglecting her sensual appetites, mostly
because that witch Kaori kept popping up at the most inopportune
times.  Rei couldn't find the privacy she needed to release her inner
tension, and that was simply beginning to take a toll on her.

     Well, maybe solitude wasn't what she needed.  Maybe an
assignation in the gym equipment room or the nurse's office.  There
were plenty of candidates; Akira Takeuchi, for instance.  Yes.  The
lush, tomboyish fighter would be a willing participant in her own
seduction, Rei knew, rubbing her thighs together as her gaze
became unfocussed.  And she would cry out so sweetly when she
came ....

     Rei shook herself again.  Enough!  Where is your discipline?
Don't let yourself get ruled by your desires, girl!

     She took a deep breath, let it out slowly, employing some of
the techniques she used for meditation while at the shrine.  After a
few moments the burning in her breast became more manageable,
and she relaxed.  Much better.

     The frustrations of the morning weren't helping at all,
either.  Ami had refused to answer any questions for either Rei or
Silke, and it had quickly become apparent why.  The headmistress
had already interviewed Ami, and had instructed her to remain
silent on whatever she had witnessed.  A glimpse of Michiru, the
headmistress's secretary, as she just "happened" to walk by their
table in the student lounge during the conversation, had caused Ami
to go rigid with fear.

     Rei could sympathize with the girl's dilemma.  The
headmistress was an imposing woman, and her instructions were
not to be taken lightly.  However, Rei's talents told her that this
incident was significant, and that more trouble would follow.  She
intended to be ready for whatever it was.  After all, she was becoming
convinced that the strange magick she'd sensed at the scene of the
attack was a form of witchcraft, albeit one unfamiliar to her.  If there
was a witch on the prowl, then Rei would have to be very careful
indeed.

     As to the matter of Ami, Rei really needed to get the girl
alone somewhere.  Silke might prefer to ask questions with that
scowl on her face, but Rei had a sweeter method of drawing
answers from even the most reluctant girl.  She was certain that she
could get Ami into a more cooperative mood if given the chance.

     Of course, that meant she had to get to Ami while she
wasn't being dogged by Silke or the headmistress's hounds.  But that
was no problem; when it came to a pretty girl, Rei was always up for
a challenge.

     In the meantime, Rei turned her attention back to her book.
The academy's library was extensive, and included many arcane and
obscure texts that could not be found elsewhere.  Rei could not
remove this particular book from the rare books reading room, so
she tried to focus her attention once again.

     The book dealt with the magick and its history, but Rei was
especially interested in the sections on witches.  Documentation on
witches and their powers was scarce, partly because they were so
rare.  Many people believed that witches had died out centuries
before, unlike mainstream magick users like the members of the
Sorcerer's Guild.  There was a great deal of myth and mystery
surrounding witches as well, mostly centring around the dark carnal
nature of witches and their powers.  There was still much licentious
interest in them for just this reason, which encouraged speculation
and rampant rumor.

     Rei had been trying to amass all the knowledge that she
could regarding witches and Witchqueens ever since the day she'd
discovered she herself was a witch.  The salacious stories she'd
heard about the appetites and practices of Witchqueens had
caused her to proceed cautiously, and she was happy that she had
done so, if even a fraction of what she had learned was true.  If any
Witchqueen, or another witch for that matter, was to learn of her
existence, she would almost certainly find herself in a struggle for
her freedom.  An unMarked witch such as herself would be
regarded as a prize to be conquered and taken.

     That was one reason for her concern.  If the residue of the magick
at the scene of the incident was that of another witch, she might find
herself in such a struggle sooner rather than later.  What this new
witch might be after, Rei couldn't say.  What she did know, though,
was that she had no intention of becoming a virtual slave to some
debauched Witchqueen.  She was far better suited to ruling rather than
being ruled.  For Rei, the best defence was a good offense.  The more
she could find out about what was going on behind the scenes, the
better her chances of turning things to her advantage.

     This book, though rare, was not proving to be very helpful.
It concentrated more on the creation of the Sorcerer's Guild and
the use by nations of special teams of magick users.  The only really
in-depth section on witches spoke of the distant past, during the
time when Witchqueens practically divided the known world between
them, and the mysterious Lunar Queen rose to power.

     Interesting stuff, but there was no way to tell myth from
reality when it came to that period of history.  Rumor had it that the
headmistress's private library contained some very interesting tomes,
including a few thought lost forever.  But that was only rumor, and
even if it was truth Rei could hardly ask to see them.  Interest in
witches, especially by a girl, was regarded as unhealthy a best,
suspicious at worst.  She was completely on her own when it came to
dealing with this.

     With a sigh she closed the old, leather-bound volume and
returned it to the attendant, then left the room.  Rei's knowledge of
witches was fairly thorough, at least as thorough as it could be
given the sources she had to work with.  Sooner or later, though,
she was likely to encounter another witch, and that would not be
the time to find out that there were gaps in her knowledge.

     She thought again of the description she had once found of a
Ceremony of Binding, and shuddered with a mixture of dread and
arousal.  There were minor variations according to the witch, but
the aim was always the same: complete domination, body and soul.
Rei knew that, as a witch, she had the ability to become a Witchqueen
herself by Binding other witches into her service.  And although she'd
always told herself that she would never be forced to serve another in
such a manner, she would be at a disadvantage if she had to fight a
war of wills against a witch who had experience in Binding.

     She found her thoughts wandering to that darkest aspect of her
power.  Women were naturally drawn to and aroused by a witch's
aura, according to legend, and Rei knew this was true.  And she
enjoyed her sexual conquests, lived for the sweet pleasure of
seduction.  But a Ceremony of Binding, that was something beyond
even the most depraved act she had ever performed.

     To conquer another person so utterly, what must that feel
like?

     Or to be, in turn, conquered?



                     ####



     "What?" Luna blurted, staring in shock at Silke.  "One of
them is here?"

     "Not just one of them, Luna," Silke said, moving to stare
out the window.  "Miranda's youngest daughter, Reimi.  She's
passing as human, and she's in charge of the martial arts faculty
here."

     "Silke-sama, we must flee!" Luna said, moving over to
stand behind her mistress.  "Quickly!  It may not be too late!"

     "If she'd been sent to find me, it would be too late, Luna,"
Silke mused quietly.  "But I don't think that she was."

     "Then why is she here?" Luna demanded, concern heavy in
her voice.  As a creature of Darkside, Luna knew just how
dangerous Reimi's kind could be.

     "I'm not sure," Silke admitted.  "But she never got along
very well with her mother.  And what she said to me about the past
being past, and about what happened between her mother and me
not having to affect us, got me thinking.  She said she wanted to
talk."

     "Her mother will want you back," Luna protested.

     "You know how they love to bargain," Silke said with
forced casualness.  "Maybe Reimi wants to make a bargain with
me, in return for keeping my presence here a secret."

     "What do you have that she might want?" Luna asked.

     "Well, there's only one way to find out," Silke said.  "Luna,
go up on the roof.  If I don't return in one hour, leave this place
and never return."

     "Silke-sama!  I can't!  I won't!"

     "That is my order, Luna," Silke said sternly, turning from
the window.

     "I am your familiar," Luna whispered, bowing her head.  "If
something should happen to you, I will know.  But Silke-sama, I
will be yours as long as you live.  No matter what, I want to serve
you."

     "You would not survive long at Court, Luna," Silke said,
expression softening.  "They are cruel and capricious, and they
would use you poorly."

     "Silke-sama," Luna whispered.  "There is nothing else for
me.  Only you."  Silke sighed as a tear coursed down Luna's cheek,
and reached out to wipe it away.

     "My path has always been perilous, loyal Luna," she
murmured to the stricken girl.  "You understood that."

     "I understood that I would be able to stand at your side,"
Luna whispered through her tears.  "I can bear anything, as long as
I can stand with you, Silke-sama.  Must I beg you not to leave me
behind?"

     Silke stared.  Luna had been an untamed creature of Darkside
when Silke had made her into her familiar.  Over time, Luna had
become a constant presence, but was it possible that Silke had
become so used to her she'd failed to notice that Luna's loyalty was
no longer simply a matter of being her familiar?

     "Oh, Luna," Silke breathed.  "What am I to do with you?"

     "I will gladly die so that you may escape," Luna said in a
small voice.  "It would be preferable to living while my mistress
was enslaved, or worse.  Please, Silke-sama.  Please."

     Silke reached out and slipped her arms around the girl,
drawing her close.  Luna gasped joyously, hugging her mistress
with fierce exhilaration and laying her head on Silke's shoulder.

     "I am sorry, my Luna," Silke murmured into the tumble of
dark curls.  "I did not mean to insult your loyalty to me.  You faced
worse than this in Darkside, and I expect no less of my familiar."

     "Thank you, Silke-sama," Luna sobbed into her shoulder.
Silke felt a sad smile creeping to her lips.  Such displays were unlike
her, even with Luna.  Perhaps she might have been more like this, a
sweet and sympathetic girl, if things had been different.  Perhaps.

     But things were as they were.  She tightened her grasp on
Luna's slim shoulders and pushed the girl back.

     "Now, then," Silke said.  "I must go to speak with the
princess, and determine just how much trouble I am in.  You will
follow at a distance, and remain outside while I speak to her.  You
are to remain hidden, Luna.  She does not know of your existence,
and I want to maintain that advantage.  Also, there are other threats
here to deal with.  Now prepare yourself."

     There was a shimmering of light around Luna's body, and
then a small black cat stood there, looking steadfastly up at Silke.

     "I am ready, Silke-sama," Luna said, her voice firm.

     "Go, then," Silke told her.  "And be careful."

     Luna leapt from the window, leaving Silke alone for a
moment.  Silke turned to go, hesitating as she caught sight of her
reflection in the mirror.

     "You," she whispered.  "You ought to know better.  You
can't afford to love anyone or anything.  Anything you love can be
taken from you, used against you.  If you grow soft, they'll crush
you.  You must be strong."

     The girl in the mirror didn't look strong and resolved,
though.  She just looked lonely, and Silke turned in disgust and left
the room.

     This little quest was not turning out at all as she'd planned.




               #################


Author's notes:

     This chapter featured some new characters that people may
not be familiar with, not that familiarity is necessary to follow the
story.  Akira is from a Japanese video game called Viper V16 Rise
and its sequels.  There are a few characters in that game, put out by
Sogna, that resemble characters from the game and anime Variable
Geo more than a little.  Akira not only looks like Yuka Takeuchi, the
main character from VG, she is also a waitress in a Hannah Miller's
type restaurant, just like Yuka, even wearing a similar outfit and
being a martial artist.  Obviously, one of these games was
influenced/inspired by the other, although I have no clue which came
first.  So anyway, for some reason I always wanted to have the two
girls in the same story, so I decided to make Akira and Yuka sisters.
More of the female martial artists from VG will be showing up in
various roles as members of the martial arts faculty.

     Reimi Jahanna also a character from VG, the rich goddess of
the VG circuit.  Obviously, she is something more here, but just what
will be gone into in more detail later on.

     I always liked the couple of Crow and Siren.  I always liked
Kaolinite, too, out of all the SM villainesses she is perhaps my
favourite.  A fox like her deserved better than Prof. Tomoe anyway.  I
can find some sexy mischief for her to get up to in this story.  More
SM villains will be appearing as the story goes on, although I won't be
able to showcase all of them.  I hope to at least show some of them in
HLS ... I mean, character development.  Yeah, that's it.

     Eliza Gray is also a SM character, and even though she only
appeared in one episode I always liked her.  I think that could make
an interesting triangle, relationship-wise: Eliza, Haruka and Michiru.
Assuming Haruka and Michiru are irresistibly drawn to each other
despite their circumstances and mutual dislike which clearly does not
merely mask latent passion.  Clearly.

     Many evil plots seem to be afoot, but believe it or not I do
have a master plan here.  Hopefully everything will make sense as the
plot progresses.

     Thanks to all who wrote to say they liked the first chapter.  I
might not have found the time to finish this one of it hadn't been for
that encouragement.

     That's all for now.  Chapter three is in the works, but I'm not
a real fast writer, so please be patient.

Eric S. Buchanan
eric_buchanan@hotmail.com



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