Hello, everyone.  I'm not quite dead yet!

I have several pieces of news for anyone who cares :)

First of all, I have set up a new central repository for my fanfics:

http://www.thekeep.org/~wombat/Stories/fiction.html

I have, even as I type this, realized I have a story that still needs to 
go up there (my Utena story), but it has every story of mine I could find, 
all hopefully convenient to find and with fewer images to ease loading 
times.

Secondly, for those waiting for COAEG, I hope to beat the last few scenes 
of 23 out of Rod soon, so COAEG 23 should be out by the end of the month. 
I PRAY.

I am still trying to beat Rod into putting 22 up on our official website, 
but you can find it at

http://www.thekeep.org/~wombat/Stories/Cthulhu/COAEG22.txt

Thirdly, SMZ 24 is about 2/3rds done, but right now, Jeff is doing the Big 
Marriage Ceremony thing, and I fear until that's over, I'm more likely to 
have Hanajima move in with me than for him to have much free time.  But 
we're trying to get it done in this century.  ^^;;;


Fourthly, I have a new Wheel of Anime episode ready for your enjoyment and 
here it is:



Wheel of Anime:  Book 2 - The Hunt Is On
Chapter 3:  Tests and Trials

By John Biles

http://www.thekeep.org/~wombat/Stories/Jordan/


**********

 	Ranma-chan awoke to the sound of bells.  After a moment of 
confusion, she remembered that this was the signal to get out of bed and 
go to breakfast.  Usagi was still snoring away, though Ranma-chan couldn't 
figure out how anyone could sleep through this.  So she reached up and 
yanked one of Usagi's long ponytails.  "Wake up!"

 	Usagi yelped and sat up, banging her head on the top bunk and 
falling back down, dazed.  Unable to stop herself, Ranma-chan did it a 
second time with the same results.  "Get up, Usagi."

 	"Owwwwwwww!!!!!!"

 	"Sorry about that," Ranma-chan said, feeling a little guilty about 
the second yank.

 	Usagi stumbled out of bed.  "I'm awake.  I'm awake."  She stumbled 
into Ranma-chan, knocking her down and landing on top of her.  "Ahh, 
sorry!"

 	The door opened and Ukyou came in.  "Rise and shine, Ran...hey!"

 	Usagi got up.  "You okay, Ranma?"

 	"Fine, consider us even, ow," Ranma-chan mumbled and got up. 
"We'd better get moving."

********

 	"Hmm," Master Yupa said as he watched Kurz, Nanami, and Ryouga 
target-shoot.  Kurz was plunking arrow after arrow into the bullseye. 
Ryouga was generally hitting the target.  Nanami had taken down two 
passing pigeons, an owl, three shirts hung out to dry, and a pile of cakes 
being hauled across the courtyard on a mobile table.  "Try shooting the 
birds," he suggested.

 	Nanami's arrows began hitting the target.  Master Yupa said, "Hmm, 
I think there's a definite problem here."  He walked over to some of the 
other Warder Trainees, who were mostly doing sword drills under the eyes 
of several warders.  "Sousuke, please go to the infirmary and get the Aes 
Sedai on duty.  I think Nanami may need some sort of healing."

 	"I do feel a little weird," Nanami said.

 	"Man, your arrows get as lost as Ryouga."

 	"Hey, MY arrows aren't going wild," Ryouga said.

 	Sousuke took off.  Master Yupa had Nanami sit down while Kurz and 
Ryouga now began sparring under his watchful eye.  Sousuke returned with a 
brown-haired, glasses-wearing woman dressed more like a man than a woman, 
in blue and black.

 	"Ahh, you're in luck," Master Yupa said.  "Sumi Sedai is very 
good."

 	"You flatter me, Master Yupa," she said, smiling at him.  "Hmm, so 
we have a depth perception problem, I suspect."  She came over to Nanami 
and laid her hands upon Nanami's brow.  "What...What is this?" she asked 
in disbelief.

 	Nanami twitched.  "What?  What?"

 	"She's not about to have an underwear obsession relapse, is she?" 
Kurz asked.

 	"A what?" Ryouga asked.

 	"Ahh, I see," Sumi said.  "But...  Did Setsuna Sedai tell you 
about this, child?"

 	"About what?" Nanami asked.

 	"She had this crazy underwear obsession after we visited Shady 
Logon," Kurz said.  "I thought Setsuna Sedai fixed that, though."

 	"Underwear obsession?" Nanami asked.  "I do laundry for the money, 
not because I want to wallow in the soft, silken feeling of clean 
clothing."

 	Sumi Sedai frowned.  "Setsuna Sedai should have told us about 
this.  Now all our best people are involved in the trial."  She shook her 
head.  "Come with me.  I'll see who all I can get together to try to help 
you."

 	She led Nanami away.  "Trial?" Kurz asked.

 	"The False Ronin," Master Yupa said.  "Don't worry, they'll see to 
it she's okay.  Let's get back to testing you two."

*********

 	Three Aes Sedai were waiting with Belldandy in her office when 
Ukyou, Ranma-chan, and Hinako arrived.  Sarasa Sedai was sitting and 
reading a book on the art of paper folding.  Hotaru Sedai was reading 
several loose papers as she sat and waited.  And Chloe Sedai was doing a 
handstand on one hand.  "Good morning," Belldandy said, rising from her 
desk.  "I understand all of you have met.  Ukyou, Sarasa Sedai will be 
acting as your advisor while you are a Kohai.  Chloe Sedai will be doing 
the same for Ranma.  And Hotaru Sedai will advise Hinako.  We are ready to 
administer the Sempai test whenever you are ready, Hinako."

 	"Can I do it today?" Hinako said.  "Unless there's anything I need 
to learn first."

 	"I suggest we wait until tomorrow.  Hotaru can tell you about the 
test today and introduce you to what your duties will be," Belldandy said. 
"But we can do it right this minute if you don't want to wait."

 	"Alright, I can wait a day," Hinako said.

 	"I will see you tomorrow morning here, after breakfast, Hinako," 
Belldandy said.  "You're all free to go, unless anyone needs to ask me 
something."

 	"Let's go," Sarasa Sedai said.  "We've got a lot of time to go 
over things today, since there are no classes during the trial."

 	The three of them split up, each following their new advisor. 
"It's a pity you have to wear that boring Kohai dress," Sarasa Sedai said 
as she walked towards the stairs with Ukyou.  "I suppose given how 
frequently Kohai destroy their clothing, putting everyone in plain woolen 
clothing is best, but it stains so easily.  I burned my old Kohai dresses 
when I became a Sempai; some of those stains NEVER come out."  She shook 
her head sadly.  "Have you ever had a boyfriend, Ukyou?"

 	They started up the stairs.  "Not exactly," she said.  "I mean, 
there was this guy, but we never exactly...you know.  I still...I still 
like him, but I don't know...when we'll be able to be together as a man 
and a woman again."

 	"He didn't come to the Tower with you?"  She shook her head. 
"Probably has crazy ideas about Aes Sedai in his head."

 	"They scare him," Ukyou said.

 	The staircase seemed to spiral up endlessly.  Sarasa got out one 
of her fans and began to fan herself as she walked.  "Well, Tar Valon has 
many handsome men.  And once I'm done with you, they'll all be ready to 
throw themselves at your feet."

 	"..."  She sounds more like a matchmaker than an Aes Sedai, Ukyou 
thought.

 	"The social graces are one of the most important things you will 
ever learn," Sarasa Sedai said.  "When I'm done with you, you will be the 
very epitome of good manners and grace.  That's the problem, you see."

 	"The problem?" Ukyou asked.

 	"Many people hate Aes Sedai.  This is because many Aes Sedai don't 
realize how rude they are.  Manners are everything; they separate us from 
the animals.  It won't matter how well you can channel if an armed mob 
rips you apart because you told a joke about how violent Altarans  are in 
the middle of the Rahad."

 	"The what?" Ukyou asked.

 	"It's the rough quarter of Ebou Dar," Sarasa said.  "Best not 
visited."  She turned and stepped out onto the eighth floor.  "This way."

 	Ukyou followed after her.  "Well, politeness is a good idea."

 	"But a lot of Aes Sedai forget that.  I will make sure you don't. 
So what sorts of talents do you have?"

 	"I can cook pretty well, and I learned some bookkeeping from 
Father," Ukyou said.  "And I know how to wait tables.  And hit things with 
my giant spatula."

 	"It does clash with your dress," Sarasa said.  "But then, 
everything seems to clash with a Kohai dress."  She shook her head sadly, 
then came to a door, which she unlocked.  "Come in."

 	The front room was apparently a shrine to Arad Doman, given there 
was a flag and a map on the wall, along with several paintings of the 
major cities of Arad Doman, a bookshelf full of books printed in Arad 
Doman, and very nicely made furniture in the style of woven wood popular 
there.  Sarasa sat down, then gestured for Ukyou to sit.  "So you're an 
innkeeper's daughter?"

 	Ukyou nodded.  "My father was also the Mayor."

 	"Ahh, a man of politics as well.  Good, good.  Knowing how to 
handle people in power is an important skill."  Sarasa rose again, then 
went to the bookshelf and got some paper off it, along with some ink and a 
quill pen.  She sat down, looking thoughtful.  "So, I know you've learned 
some amount of channeling already."

 	"I can grasp the Source fairly reliably, and I've learned some 
simple things like linking, making small flames and winds, and moving 
water around.  And how to copy books."

 	"Ahh, a Brown taught you that, I suspect," Sarasa said.

 	Ukyou nodded.

 	"Alright.  Seven days a week."  Sarasa began drawing a grid on the 
paper.  "Fifty-six hours a week for sleep.  Twenty-one hours a week for 
eating and bathing.  Seven hours a week for etiquette training, three 
hours a week for Tower History and Law I, twenty hours of chores, twelve 
hours of channeling practice, Accounting II six hours a week..."  The list 
seemed to go on and on.  Finally, Sarasa had filled in the entire week 
with classes, chores, and thankfully, one large block of free time for 
most of the first day of each week.  "We may have to revise this; I 
suspect the Kitchens will want to claim you to help cook meals, in which 
case we'll have to juggle things around."  She got up.  "Let's go hit the 
kitchens."

 	"Umm, right," Ukyou said.  She got up and followed.

********

 	"The scheduling for a Kohai is pretty rigid early on," Chloe said. 
"In order to ground you all in certain basics before you begin the 
specialization which really flourishes when you become a Sempai.  Your 
main choices are whether you want to do your chores for some particular 
part of the Tower operations or if you're content to just report in at 
fixed times and be assigned a task for the day, which of three possible 
classes to take in the afternoons on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and 
whether you want your big day off on Sunday or Saturday."

 	"Which three classes can I choose from?" Ranma-chan asked.

 	"You could take Basics of Research, which a Brown usually teaches, 
Expressions of Disdain, which I see Karaberas is teaching again, or..." 
She thumbed through papers.  "Hmm, Afura is teaching a special session of 
her class on Applied Ethics.  It might be a little too advanced for you if 
you haven't studied much philosophy, though."

 	Ranma-chan frowned.  "None of those sound all that good."

 	"Well, unfortunately, because you can already channel and don't 
need the lessons in trying to start, that somewhat throws your scheduling 
off," Chloe said.  "I'd suggest Basics of Research."

 	"Ugh."

 	"Knowledge is power," Chloe said.

 	Ranma-chan sighed.  "Alright, I'll try that, then."

 	Chloe nodded and began writing out a fresh copy of the schedule. 
"Classes start tomorrow.  Has anyone shown you where everything is?"

 	"Not enough for me to remember it very well."

 	"Alright, then.  Let's take a tour.  The trial would probably be 
educational for you to watch, but it's not like we don't already know how 
it's going to end."  She got up and led Ranma-chan out of her very plainly 
furnished living room, out into the hallway and down it towards the 
stairs.

 	Ranma-chan winced.  "I suppose so."

 	Chloe shook her head.  "When the Ronin shows himself, it will be 
obvious for all to see.  Really, the fact of being brought to the Tower in 
chains is proof enough someone is not the Ronin.  Destiny cannot be 
denied, no matter how we try.  We cannot evade our fates."

 	"Not even a ta'veren?"

 	"A ta'veren can bend the world because the Pattern is empowering 
him or her.  If she defies the will of the Pattern, it will destroy her. 
Nothing is more crucial than to find what the Pattern desires of you and 
to do it.  Only thus will you be able to find true happiness, for those 
who try to defy their fate force the Pattern to get violent with them, to 
push them back to the true course.  It's like channeling."

 	"Like channeling?" Ranma-chan asked as they reached the stairs.

 	"Exactly.  You must move with the flow, in order to guide them. 
If you try to wrestle the Power by force, it will destroy you, but if you 
join with it, move with it, it will do all that is necessary."

 	"Huh," Ranma-chan said.

 	"I expect the Pattern has marked you to do great things," Chloe 
Sedai said.  "Three of such power from one village."  She shook her head, 
bemused.  "And Usagi as well."

 	"Usa...oh, because she's strong, right?"

 	"Usagi and Ukyou will likely be stronger than any living Aes 
Sedai.  You and Hinako will be even stronger," Chloe said.  "The Blues are 
crowing as if they'd given birth to you three themselves."

 	"Crowing?" Ranma-chan asked in confusion.

 	"The strength of the Tower is not what it once was.  Much credit 
accrues to whoever brings a particularly potent Kohai to the Tower, if she 
is recruited by an Aes Sedai instead of just deciding to come to be 
tested, as most of our Kohai arrive.  Setsuna, a Blue, found three of 
surpassing power," Chloe said, starting down the stairs.  "The Reds will 
feel their thunder has been stolen, which pleases the Blues greatly."

 	"They don't get along?" Ranma-chan asked.

 	"There are several traditional feuds and rivalries in the Tower, 
most of them for no good reason," Chloe said.  "The Reds and Blues have 
been feuding for millennia, ever since Amyrlin Ran, the first Red Amyrlin, 
was deposed by a coalition led by the Blues.  The Blues have had many 
Amyrlins, the Reds only a few.  And the Red Amyrlins have all come to bad 
ends.  Very strange, really."

 	"So where are we off to?"

 	"I'll show you around to where your classes will be, and then 
we'll hit the main locations in the Tower."

 	"Alright."

*********

 	"Hotaru, there you are," Sumi Sedai said to Hotaru, hurrying up to 
her as she was taking Hinako to show her the infirmary.  "We have a messy 
case to settle."

 	"There wasn't violence at the trial, was there?" Hotaru asked, 
frowning.

 	"Type III lechery possession," Sumi Sedai said.  "It appears that 
Setsuna Sedai sent a message to our Sitters, asking for us to treat her, 
but the Trial seems to have gotten in the way.  If you could come take a 
look, I'd appreciate it.  I fear we may have to wait for the trial to end, 
so we can get enough people with enough strength together to deal with 
it."

 	"Wait, is this about Nanami?" Hinako asked.

 	"Yes, it is," Sumi Sedai said.  "Do you know why she didn't report 
to the infirmary on arriving?"

 	"I could have sworn Setsuna told her to," Hinako said, frowning.

 	"The infection probably successfully fuzzed her memory," Hotaru 
said, frowning.  "Let's go take a look."

**********

 	"The Hall proclaims its sentence," Kasumi said, speaking for the 
Amyrlin and the Hall.  "It finds Mamoru Chiba to have falsely proclaimed 
himself the Ronin.  He will therefore be gentled, to save his sanity and 
protect the world.  Sitter Nephrenia, call forth the Circle of Release."

 	Nephrenia turned and spoke the ritual words.  "Let us come, 
sisters, and release this man from the burden with which he has been 
cursed.  Let us free him from the taint and the shadow of death.  Let him 
be gentled, that he might not break the world, or himself."

 	Ten Red sisters advanced and joined the three Red Sitters: 
Nephrenia, Asuka, and Misato.  They linked, giving Nephrenia the lead as 
eldest Red Sitter.  They then advanced towards Mamoru.  Nephrenia held the 
small statuette of a praying woman always used for this task, an angreal 
of moderate power.

 	Mamoru was smiling at them, the same slightly unnerving smile he 
had had ever since his arrival.  Even as Nephrenia began to construct the 
weave which would gentle him, he began to speak, his body becoming rigid 
and his eyes rolling back.

 	"The Signs Have Begun," he said in a booming, hollow voice.  "The 
Ronin Comes.  The Tower Will Break.  The Ronin Comes. The Seals Shatter. 
The Ronin Comes.  The Nations Will Break.  The Ronin Comes.  The Forsaken 
Escape.  The Ronin Comes."  His voice grew louder and faster.

 	Nephrenia finished the weave and began to apply it to him as the 
Hall and the collected observers stared in shock.  Never before had a 
False Ronin had a Foretelling during his trial, although Turin Turambar 
had screamed about past Foretellings during his trial.

 	The Amyrlin made a 'stop' gesture at Nephrenia, but she pressed 
on.

 	"The Black Ajah Will Strike.  The Ronin Comes.  The Exiles Return. 
The Ronin Comes."  He faltered as Nephrenia hacked wildly at his 
connection to the Source.  "The Unstained Tower Will Kneel to The Ancient 
Sign.  FOR THE RONIN COMES!"  And then his voice faded and his connection 
to the Source was destroyed.  And he smiled.  Alone of all the men brought 
before the Hall for this purpose, he still smiled.

 	Nabiki stared at him in silence for a moment, and then she said to 
Nephrenia, "Has his burden been lifted?"

 	"He is free of it," Nephrenia said.  "It will shadow him no more."

 	"Then let him be sheltered, that he might be prepared for his new 
life, passed through the fire and reborn," Nabiki said.

 	The ritual continued, and through it all, Mamoru smiled, seemingly 
content.

 	Nephrenia was not.  This would set too many minds thinking the 
wrong sorts of thoughts.  This would take forever to clean up.

*********

 	Kurz sat under a tree with Ryouga, eating lunch.  "I hope Nanami's 
going to be okay."

 	"Me too," Ryouga said, staring suspiciously at his food.  "This 
isn't pork, is it?"

 	"I'm pretty sure it's mutton," Kurz said.

 	"Kurz!  I'm so happy to see you!"  Kurz found himself having been 
tackled and hugged by Nuriko.  He tried to get free and discovered Nuriko 
was, in fact, very strong.

 	"I see you were right, Brother," Sousuke said.  "Your luck is 
excellent as usual."

 	"It's the will of the Pattern," Nuriko proclaimed.

 	"You're crushing me," Kurz mumbled.

 	"Oh, sorry!"  Nuriko let go of Ku rz.  "So you're going to train 
here too?"

 	"Until Setsuna Sedai drags us away again, anyway," Kurz said.

 	"This will be lots of fun.  Maybe we can finally get my brother to 
relax."

 	"I am perfectly able to relax myself," Sousuke said stiffly.

 	"Hey, you're that guy who..." Ryouga began.

 	Kurz sighed.  "Ryouga, this is Prince Nuriko and Prince Sousuke of 
Andor."

 	"PRINCE?" Ryouga asked, looking at Nuriko, who looked rather 
feminine.

 	"Nuriko, Sousuke, this is my friend Ryouga Aybara from the Two 
Rivers."

 	"Technically, we're both just lords, since we can't inherit the 
throne of Andor," Sousuke said.

 	"Don't be so picky," Nuriko said.  "So, how are Ranma-chan and 
Nanami doing?"

 	"Nanami's in the infirmary, Ranma-chan is...doing Aes Sedai 
things.  Or something."  He sighed.  "We don't see her too much anymore."

 	"That WAS her earlier," Nuriko said.  "She really cannot shoot at 
all."

 	"She's sick," Kurz said.  "They have to heal her."

 	"It's taking a long time," Ryouga said, frowning.

 	"I'm sure they'll help her," Sousuke said, sitting down.  "You 
caused a lot of trouble in Andor, Kurz."

 	Kurz sighed.  "I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to.  And Nuriko helped, 
anyway."

 	"Mother already punished Nuriko."

 	"It was horrible.  HORRIBLE," Nuriko said.

 	"What did she do to you?" Kurz asked.

 	"She had Megane sing to us," Nuriko said.  "His love poetry.  Five 
quatrains and Usagi was out like a light, but I lasted ten."

 	"How long did you last?" Ryouga asked Sousuke.

 	"_I_ didn't get in trouble," Sousuke said.  "So I wasn't 
punished."

 	"Like the time you shot the Murandian Ambassador," Nuriko said.

 	"He was wandering the hallways with a sword and armor in the 
middle of the night!  Even I don't wear armor to the bathroom inside the 
palace," Sousuke said.  "It must be very insanely dangerous in Murandy."

 	"So I hear," Nuriko said.

 	"How did she punish you?" Kurz asked.

 	"I had to bodyguard the Murandian ambassador for six months. 
During which time I nearly died eight times and had to fight off twenty 
three would be killers and knock him out fifteen times to keep him from 
killing someone for no good reason."  Sousuke shook his head.  "Quite a 
mess."

 	"Why was he in armor?"

 	"Fear of assassins," Sousuke said.  "You are rarely more 
vulnerable than in the privy."

 	"Ugh," Kurz said.

 	"Alright!  Lunch is over!  Back to practice!" Master Yupa shouted, 
and they went back to practicing.

*********

 	"The Hall is in closed session," Cooan Sedai reported after going 
to check.  "We really ought to wait until they finish.  I think it's going 
to take our strongest sisters to heal this."

 	"Is it that bad?" Nanami asked the assembled group of fifteen 
Yellows and three Browns.

 	"The Taint of Shady Logon is incredibly hard to remove from 
someone," one of the Browns, a white-haired woman named Beruche, said. 
"Fortunately, Setsuna Sedai contained it in time, but it won't be easy, 
even with the Moon Heart Rod."

 	"You think it will come to that?" Sumi Sedai asked.

 	"I fear so," Beruche said.  "I only know of four times the Tower 
has done this, and each time, it required the Moon Heart Rod."

 	Hinako frowned.  "Isn't that the strongest sa'angreal in the 
Tower?"

 	"Yes, it is," Beruche said.  "You could probably fight several of 
the Forsaken all at once if you held it, and they had no angreals.  Maybe 
all of them if your mind was nimble enough."

 	Hinako's eyes widened.  "That's a lot of power."

 	"The Key-Staff is the only known sa'angreal which is stronger, but 
it only works for men.  And it might not actually be stronger, as it's 
unclear when exactly they might have been compared to each other," Beruche 
said.  "Anyway, Nanami, the seals are still mostly holding, so you should 
be fine until tomorrow, when the Hall will have stopped meeting and then 
we can assemble a group which can heal you."

 	"Alright," Nanami said.

 	"Until then, we'll keep you here, and some of us will stay with 
you," Beruche continued.  "Just in case."

 	"In case of what?" Nanami asked nervously.

 	"I don't know," Beruche said.  "You never know when things will go 
wrong."

********

 	"The Ronin is loose!" Asuka Baradon, Sitter for the Red, said 
agitatedly before the Hall.  "You heard it as well as I did!  We have to 
find him!  Before it's too late!"

 	"What we heard was the lies of a man trying to throw us into panic 
and confusion," Nephrenia said.  "Even if Men can have Foretellings, they 
can also fake them.  Mother, have the Seals broken?  Are the ones in your 
possession shattered?"

 	"No," Nabiki said.  "No Seal which I possess is broken."

 	"Surely if any of the Forsaken were free, they would have already 
tried to destroy us," Nephrenia said.  "The Tower is the greatest threat 
they will face.  And the Black Ajah striking...hah!  There is no Black 
Ajah!  Assemble every sister in the Tower, and but ask them, for they 
cannot lie.  I am not Black Ajah.  Are you Black Ajah, Sitter Ryoko 
Mendo?"

 	Ryoko Mendo shook her head.  "I am not of the Black Ajah, but the 
Silver," she said.

 	"So long as Aes Sedai can speak no lie, then the Black Ajah cannot 
hide among our ranks," Nephrenia said.  "Calm your fears.  The Creator 
Himself seems to have struck a blow in the North and we have removed this 
great threat, Mamoru Chiba, in the South.  The Aiel are quiet in the East 
and the oceans are peaceful in the West.  Let us not work ourselves up 
into a frenzy over the lies of a False Ronin."

 	"Well said," Nabiki said.  Several Sitters looked startled at 
that.  "I call for a vote to close this session, unless anyone has a 
concrete proposal to make.  As running about in circles won't do any of us 
any good."

 	Whispers ran about the Hall.  Nephrenia rose and Misato rose with 
her.  Despite glares from Nephrenia, Asuka remained seated.

 	More Aes Sedai began to rise, some hesitating, but soon it became 
a tide, with only Asuka, Ami Mizuno (for the Brown), Theresa Testarossa 
(for the Purple), Arisa (for the Gray), and all three Blues remaining 
seated.  With twenty favoring the measure, the Hall adjourned for the 
night.

********

 	"Mother, how can you do this?  She's trying to cover it up!" 
Chirakaba protested at Nabiki's office a little while later.

 	"She's hiding something!" Yuko said.

 	"I think he would have said more if she'd not hurried to gentle 
him so he would be unable to," Sako said.

 	Miyuki lurked silently in the rear of the pack.

 	"While I can put questions to the Hall, I cannot simply wave my 
hands and control its actions.  This prophecy will be investigated, I 
promise you," Nabiki said.  "But we weren't accomplishing anything but 
panic.  We all needed some time to sit down and calm down and to think 
about what this might mean."

 	"I am CALM!" Chirakaba shouted.

 	"I would suggest, then, that you sit down and see what you can 
deduce from what he said, so as to argue it calmly before the Hall when 
the time comes," Nabiki said.

 	"I will do that."

 	"Good."

 	"There is another matter..."

 	"The healing, yes.  I will be ready.  The girl is under 
observation."

 	"I wonder if she has seen anything relevant to this," Chirakaba 
speculated.

 	"We can ask her once she is healed.  It may shade her sight, as 
she is now."

 	Chirakaba nodded.  "True, true."

*********

 	"She's gone, Mother.  Hopped on her...thing, and rode off north," 
Kasumi reported to Nabiki.  "She went to Master Yupa and got a new Warder 
assigned to her first.  A fellow named Hibiki."

 	Nabiki frowned.  "She hasn't taken a Warder in what...thirty 
years?"

 	"Not since the Aiel War, I know that," Kasumi said.  "Her last 
Warder got killed during that."

 	"Well, we'll have to get by without her," Nabiki said.  "Hinako 
and Ranma and Usagi and Ukyou are all stronger than her anyway.  I just 
wish they were skillful enough to lead, but..."  She sighed.

 	"It would help if we had Akiko," Hotaru said.

 	"It would help if she hadn't decided to pout and run off home to 
Tarabon when she lost that Amyrlin election back in 979," Nabiki said. 
"That election was a disaster, anyway."  The Hall had deadlocked between 
three candidates, Akiko, Chirakaba, and Mitsuko Varin of the Gray Ajah. 
Mitsuko had convinced Chirakaba to back her in order to ensure Akiko 
couldn't become Amyrlin, since the two hated each other.  Mitsuko had gone 
on to be a secretive, manipulative Amyrlin who quickly managed to get 
herself murdered after only two years.  Akiko had stayed in exile since 
losing.  She shook her head.  "No time for regrets.  Let's see about 
healing Nanami."

 	"Do I have to do anything?" Nanami asked as she laid on the 
infirmary table.

 	"Take off your shirt so we can remove the black bra once your bond 
to it is severed," Nabiki said.  She got out the Moon Heart Rod, wishing 
it looked less silly.  It was a long grey rod with a gaudy red 
heart-shaped crystal on the end, rimmed with gold.

 	Nanami looked around at her friends, who smiled at her as 
confidently as they could.  She then took her shirt off.

 	The nine Aes Sedai and four Kohai linked together.  Nabiki took a 
moment to worry about the four of them.  She needed their strength, but 
this was risky.  But more for her than for them, as all they needed to do 
was to link to the others.

 	"Alright, let's begin," Nabiki said, holding the rod over Nanami 
and beginning to sweep it back and forth in broad strokes, beginning to 
weave lines of power around the bra.  It tried to fight back, but Nabiki 
wove a net around it which cut it off from Shady Logon.

 	Then she began to methodically sever the ties between it and 
Nanami.  Nanami began to howl and buck and writhe, so she had to restrain 
Nanami with flows of air.  Nanami's friends watched nervously with wide 
eyes.

 	Once the ties were severed, she then peeled the bra off Nanami and 
burnt it, then burned the ashes, then shoved the remains of the ashes into 
a weave for burning things which had already been burnt.  There was 
nothing left.

 	Nabiki could feel herself wobble, but there was more work to be 
done.  She reached out with the Moon Heart Rod, and tried to purge all the 
energy left behind in Nanami by the ecchi taint of the bra. 
Unfortunately, some of the damage seemed to be irreversible, though it 
wouldn't get any worse.  There was only so much that could be done.

 	She sighed, then released the weaves and the circle.  "You are 
healed," she said to Nanami.  "You are free of it."

 	Nanami closed her shirt.  "I'm going to need a new bra."

 	Ukyou and Ranma-chan and Usagi and Hinako rushed over to her. 
"Are you okay?" Ranma-chan asked.

 	"I'm fine," she said.  "I feel really tired."

 	"You should rest," Hotaru said.  "Ukyou, Ranma, can you take 
Nanami to her room?  Hinako, you need to come with me so we can take you 
to be tested."

 	"What about me?" Usagi asked.

 	"I suppose you should go to your lessons," Hotaru said.

 	"It would not hurt if you helped them take her to her room first," 
Nabiki said to Usagi.

 	Usagi bowed to Nabiki.  "Thank you, Mother."

 	"I think I shall go and lie down myself," Nabiki said.  "Kasumi 
will stand in my stead at the test, Hotaru."

 	Hotaru nodded.  "Let's go, Hinako."

********

 	Hinako stared at the unusual piece of statuary.  It consisted of 
three stone arches, each spreading out from a common central spire, 
equidistant from each other.  The arches were strangely bent, twisting 
around in such a way that one could run a finger up one leg of the arch, 
and if one continued to the other end, one ended up behind the arch 
instead of still in front of it.  At the apex of each arch was a large 
circular stone with a character set into it in jade.  It looked like the 
Old Script to Hinako, who could not read it.

 	An Aes Sedai stood by each arch.  Belldandy smiled cheerfully at 
Hinako, her face encouraging.  Afura Mann regarded her coolly from next to 
a second.  And Hotaru looked a little worried next to a third.  Apart from 
them, Kasumi stood in full regalia of her office as Keeper.

 	"I come in stead of the Amyrlin," Kasumi said very formally.  "We 
have been notified that one comes seeking the rank of Sempai."

 	"Hinako al'Meara comes," Belldandy replied.  "I say that she is 
ready to be tested."

 	"I concur," Afura Mann said.

 	"I consent as her advisor," Hotaru said, though her voice wavered 
a little.

 	Kasumi turned to Hinako.  "Is the candidate ready to face her 
fears and hopes, what was, what is, and what yet may be?"

 	"I am ready to face the past, the present, and the future," Hinako 
said, hoping she remembered the words correctly.

 	"Then let the test begin," Kasumi said.  The three other Aes Sedai 
grasped the Source and began to channel into the arches, which filled with 
the Power.  "You must pass through each arch once, Hinako al'Meara.  The 
way back will come but once each time.  Do not let it leave you behind. 
No matter what you must give up."

 	Hinako nodded.  "I understand."

 	"You must strip before entering the arches."

 	"..."

 	"For some reason, they sometimes seem to malfunction if people go 
through them with anything.  Do not worry, it will provide you with new 
clothing in the places you visit," Kasumi said kindly.

 	Hinako gulped and quickly took off her clothing, then nervously 
stepped up to the gateway.  She could dimly feel the Power pulsing through 
it; it was a lot harder to sense anything relating to the Power when she 
was a child, though not impossible.  Taking a deep breath, she stepped 
through it.

 	She found herself walking through snow.  Thankfully, she was now 
fully dressed again in a sturdy yellow dress and long stockings, with a 
sturdy brown cape pulled around herself.  Wolves howled in the distance; 
they'd come down hungry out of the mountains.  They avoided the village 
now, though; she'd blasted an entire pack with her Delinquent Punishing 
Attack two days ago.

 	She tried to remember what she was doing and where she was going. 
Was someone sick?  And...something about a doorway.

 	She kept walking the way she was going, trying to figure out where 
she was going.  Soon, through the gently falling snow, Master al'Vere came 
into sight.  He was a huge man, muscular with curly hair, wearing a purple 
wrap-around and black tights as he usually did, though with a matching 
purple cloak and hood, due to the cold.  He waved Hinako over.

 	"I'm so glad you came," he said.  "She's really sick."

 	Hinako nodded.  "Take me to her."

 	Ukyou lay groaning on her bed, sweating heavily and staring off 
into space.  "They're breaking free.  Free!  Clawing their way to the 
surface!"

 	Hinako looked over at Master al'Vere as she began checking Ukyou's 
temperature with two fingers on her brow.

 	He said, "She's been babbling for hours.  All sorts of crazy 
things."

 	"She did take all the medicine, didn't she?"  Ukyou had already 
had two spells like this; she'd gotten better each time, but then got sick 
again, faster each time.  Something was definitely wrong, Hinako thought. 
She frowned.  "What has she been eating?  Maybe this is some sort of 
reaction."

 	"We've been working our way through a huge pot of stew," Master 
al'Vere began.

 	"Throw it out.  Don't make more, make something else.  And get me 
hot water."

 	He nodded and went and got her some while she watched Ukyou 
writhe.  She'd gone through something like this some years ago, at about 
this age, though she'd never seen it in anyone else.  It had come faster 
and faster each time.  She'd gotten better thanks to the medicine the old 
Wisdom had mixed up for her.  I hope I'm getting this right, Hinako 
thought.

 	And then there was a flicker of silver and a doorway opened.  'The 
Way Back Will Come But Once.'  The way back to...  And then she 
remembered.  The tests.  But...I can't leave Ukyou like this.  Not until I 
know she's going to get better.

 	The doorway began to waver.  But once, Hinako thought.  She 
screwed up her face.  This isn't real.  It can't be real, she thought, 
starting for the doorway.  I hate to do this, but...

 	"The Daughter of the Night...she's after him.  She wants him!  To 
make him hers!  I can see the flowers!  THE FLOWERS!" Ukyou shouted.

 	Hinako wavered, gritted her teeth, and threw the herbal mix onto 
the table, then ran through the doorway.  It's not real, she told herself.

 	Flicker.

She emerged, naked again, from the first doorway, shivering and feeling 
guilty.

 	"Trial of the Past is complete," Belldandy said.  "Pass on to the 
Present."

 	"It's not...it's not real, is it?" she asked as she walked towards 
the second doorway.

 	"We don't know," Afura Mann said.  "It may be other worlds, or 
perhaps it's all in your mind.  You need not speak of it."

 	Hinako nodded, took a deep breath, and passed the second archway.

 	She laid on a table, clad in a simple blue shift, staring 
nervously at the Aes Sedai around her.  "Are you sure this will work?" she 
asked Hotaru.

 	"It should work," Hotaru said.  "Just stay there and don't move 
any more than you can help."

 	Hinako nodded and watched as the thirteen Aes Sedai linked, and 
then began to wave a somewhat silly looking rod over her, an iron rod with 
a huge heart on the tip.  She could feel them doing something to her with 
the Power, but her child form couldn't sense the flows, other than that 
they were there.

 	She looked down at herself, and saw her body begin to age.  She 
felt very strange, a mixture of nausea and jangling nerves, as she grew 
taller and her body changed from that of a child to that of a teenager. 
It was working.  She could feel it.  She was starting to see the flows, 
not just vaguely sense them.

 	And then a silver doorway appeared.  The way back will come but 
once.

 	No, not now!  Not now!  We aren't done!

 	The doorway began to waver.

 	Crying tears of frustration, she sat up.

 	"Don't move!  We're not done yet!" Hotaru said.

 	Crying, she leaped off the table through the doorway.

 	Flicker.

 	She was a child again, naked and cold and unhappy.  "I hate this," 
she said.

 	"You must master your hopes and fears, or they will control you," 
Afura Mann said.  "The Trial of the Present is complete.  Pass on to the 
Future."

 	Hinako stepped up to the third door and stared at it miserably, 
then sighed and passed through it.

 	She was in her adult body, all of a sudden, wearing a fancy green 
tunic and black tights.  The outfit had the most ludicrous huge metal 
shoulderpads she had ever seen, which helped to hold up a long brown cape. 
There was a tiara on her brow and rings on every finger.  A large 
heart-shaped broach with a huge heart-shaped ruby set into it was pinned 
to her tunic at the base of her neck; it glowed brightly.

 	Why did I think these shoulder pads were a good idea, she asked 
herself.  She just didn't know, though it suddenly struck her this was 
much the way Lady Deedlit had dressed.

 	There were Aes Sedai everywhere, dozens of them.  And dozens of 
men in black coats.  Channelers, she suddenly realized.  They seemed to be 
friendly, though.  In fact, Ranma was one of them, wearing a black coat 
and holding a long staff which glowed brightly.

 	He turned to her.  "Are you ready?"

 	She tried to remember what she was ready for.  Some sort of 
battle.  "Yes," she bluffed.

 	Everyone started linking, men and women together, forming into 
circles of up to seventy two people.  She ended up leading a circle of 
seventy one, with mostly women, but a handful of men.  Ranma led a circle 
which was almost perfectly balanced, with just two more women than men. 
Dozens of other circles joined them as well, and beyond them, on the 
seemingly endless grassy plain where they stood, soldiers got into 
defensive positions.

 	And then she remembered what they were going to do.  They were 
going to cleanse the Source of the taint on Dubin.  The Forsaken would 
certainly attack, so they had brought all the might to bear that they 
could.

 	The principle was simple, really.  It was the same method used to 
purify the Dubin at the Eye of God.  Except that this time, they had 
hundreds upon hundreds of Channelers to do the work in properly linked 
circles and the two most powerful sa'angreals ever to do it with.

 	She opened herself to the Source and felt all around her do the 
same.  And then she and Ranma began to wrestle the One Power to the ground 
and make it their willing dog.  It was wonderful and ecstatic, though also 
very draining.  The two of them had enough power in their hands to shatter 
the world to bits if they so chose, more power than anyone had ever used 
before.

 	They could feel it working, the Taint scraped off Dubin, which 
then flowed back into the Source, diluting the strength of the remaining 
Taint.  She could sense it, through the men she was linked to.  Battle 
broke out all around them, but she ignored it; this was what was 
important.

 	And a silver doorway appeared.  The way back will come but once.

 	No, she thought.  No, I can't leave now!  It will all go crazy and 
kill everyone if I suddenly vanish!  I can't!

 	The doorway began to flicker.  She reached out with the Power and 
seized it, forced it open and tied it into place, then returned her full 
attention to the task at hand.

 	She couldn't leave.  Not yet.  If being Aes Sedai meant abandoning 
people to die that were counting on you, she wanted no part of it.  She 
would do it on her terms, or not at all.

*********

 	Hotaru watched the doorway by her turn silver and gleam.  Either 
Hinako would come out while it glowed, or she wouldn't come out at all.

 	Endless seconds passed.  The light began to flicker and she 
tensed.  The time was growing short.

 	And then, as it was about to flicker out, it flickered brighter 
instead, filling the room with light, surprising all the Aes Sedai.

 	Hotaru said softly, "Have any of you seen this before?"

 	Kasumi frowned.  "Not exactly.  None of you are carrying any 
ter'angreals or angreals or sa'angreals, are you?"

 	"No, of course not," Belldandy said.  "If they get too close to 
this while it's in operation, it goes haywire."

 	"I will go and get more people, just in case we need to...to 
contain it starting to explode or something," Kasumi said.  "You three 
keep an eye on it and wait in case Hinako makes it out."

 	She hadn't come back yet when Hinako stepped out in her adult 
form, clad in a green tunic and black tights with hideously large 
shoulderpads.  She stumbled and almost fell on Hotaru.  "Ugh," she said. 
"I did it," she mumbled.

 	"You have passed all three tests, mastering your hopes and your 
fears," Hotaru said, letting the ritual words calm her.  "Take now this 
dress."  She handed a folded bundle to Hinako.  "And this ring."  She 
started to pass Hinako a Great Serpent ring, then realized Hinako was 
already wearing one, on the hand which designated being a full Aes Sedai. 
She stared a moment, then passed it to her anyway.  "You stand now among 
the ranks of the Sempai.  There is more for you to learn, but now you will 
begin to share you knowledge as well.  You have obeyed, but now you will 
command and guide those below you.  Welcome."

 	Hinako tried to find a finger without a ring on it, finally taking 
one off and replacing it with the one she was given.  "I am ready," she 
said, then stumbled again.  "To lie down a long time."

 	Hotaru helped her stand.  "Well, Hinako, I don't think anyone ever 
brought anything back with them before."

 	"I have heard that the Amyrlin Serenity I, when she was taking her 
Kohai test, actually brought back the Moon Heart Rod with her," Afura Mann 
said.

 	Hinako looked down at all the angreals and ter'angreals she had 
been carrying, the rings, the broach...all of them were just jewelry now, 
with no connection to the Power, though beautiful.  "These WERE angreals 
and ter'angreals," she said.

 	"What, all the jewelry?" Afura Mann asked.

 	"Yes."

 	"Amazing."  She shook her head.  "Did the doorway seem to last a 
long time from your perspective?"

 	"I forced it to stay open," Hinako said.

 	"..."

 	"I couldn't leave and I didn't want to never come back either.  So 
I made it stay."

 	"That...no one has ever done that before," Afura Mann said.

 	Hinako felt herself change, dwindling down to her child body in 
clothing which now didn't fit.  "I think I am going to sleep now."

 	And she did.

*********

 	Ranma-chan tried to put Nanami down in the bed, but she was 
clinging to her in her sleep.  "Nanami, come on, I can't stay," she said 
to Nanami.

 	Ukyou got several mini-spatulas and began to pry Nanami loose. 
"She's not lost any of her strength."

 	"She's very strong," Usagi said, trying to help, but only managing 
to pull Nanami's shoes off instead.  She tossed them on the floor and 
tried again.

 	They finally got her into the bed.  Ranma-chan leaned against the 
wall.  "Geez, I'm tired even though about all I did was to stand around 
and get used as a conduit."

 	"Yeah, I know," Ukyou said.  "I wish I could take a nap."

 	"I hope Hinako will be okay," Usagi said.

 	"Me too," Ranma-chan said.  "Well, I guess we'd better get to 
class."

 	"Yeah," Usagi said.  "I guess we should."

 	There was a strong lack of movement.

 	"A little nap wouldn't hurt," Ukyou said.

 	"Not at all," Usagi said, yawning.

 	"The floor's really not THAT hard," Ranma-chan said, lying down on 
it.

 	"Spread your arms out, Ranchan," Ukyou said, lying down next to 
her.

 	Ranma-chan did and soon found Ukyou and Usagi were using them as 
pillows.  "Hey!"

 	They were out like lights.  She sighed and went to sleep.

********

 	Dark eyes flashing, Sayoko Sedai said to Belldandy, "They never 
showed up."

 	"Never showed up?" Belldandy asked in surprise.

 	"Yes.  It gave me more time to work with the other students who 
needed it more than they did, but still...skipping class is a serious 
offense," Sayoko Sedai said.  Of the Gray Ajah, she was one of the sisters 
in charge of instructing the Kohai in the basics of channeling this year. 
Most of her students were still fumbling to find the Source, as she had 
the newest students.

 	"I will see about disciplining them," Belldandy said.  "They spent 
several hours helping with the healing of that girl, Nanami Farshaw."

 	Sayoko's eyes widened.  "They were called in to assist with THAT?"

 	"They are very strong and growing stronger.  And since all they 
had to do was to provide strength..."  Belldandy shook her head.  "I don't 
like it either, but it was the Amyrlin's choice, not mine."

 	"They probably decided to run off, assuming that would cover their 
practice for the day," Sayoko said, frowning.  "Probably think they can 
get away with anything, just because they are so strong."  While Sayoko 
was not a weakling in the Power, she fell a fair distance short of their 
potential.  "Like Setsuna always did."  She'd long resented Setsuna, who 
had entered the Tower as a Kohai when Sayoko was a Sempai and had become a 
full sister while Sayoko was still a Sempai.

 	"It is possible," Belldandy said.  "I will have them looked for."

 	"And punished."

 	"They will be disciplined if they have no good reason for it."

 	Sayoko frowned.  "Don't coddle them."

 	"I will treat them as they deserve."

 	Sayoko grumbled and stormed out.

********

 	Chloe walked into her living room with Kirika, one of her Warders. 
"I wish the Foretelling had not been interrupted."

 	"He faked it," Kirika said.

 	"I don't think so," Chloe said.  "He..."  She paused.  Her hands 
flickered in the signal which meant that she heard breathing where there 
shouldn't be any.  She crept over to the door to Nanami's room, listened 
and held up four fingers.  Kirika nodded, crossbow and sword coming out.

 	Chloe opened the door and saw...

 	Nanami asleep on the bed, with Ranma-chan, Usagi, and Ukyou asleep 
on the floor, curled up to each other.  Usagi and Ukyou seemed to be 
holding hands across Ranma-chan's chest.

 	Chloe blinked.

 	Kirika blinked.

 	Chloe closed the door and waved Kirika over to the far end of the 
living room.  She whispered softly, "Kids move fast these days."

 	"Shouldn't they be in classes?" Kirika asked.

 	"Let them sleep," Chloe said.  "They're too cute to disturb."

 	Kirika nodded.  "Alright."

 	Chloe went into her room to read some letters while Kirika went to 
her own room to practice sword forms.

 	A while later, there was a knock on the door.  Chloe answered it. 
"Hello?" she asked.

 	Two of the Sempai were at the door.  Kanako glowered, looking 
unhappy as usual, while Hikari smiled her usual bright smile.  "Good day, 
Sedai.  Three Kohai were sent to take Nanami to her quarters here; have 
you seen them?  Ukyou, Ranma and..."

 	"Usagi," Kanako said.  "Little Miss Princess."  Her voice was 
laden with disdain.

 	"Well, Nanami is sleeping by herself," Chloe said.  "They're not 
in her bed."

 	"Just checking," Hikari said.  "If you see them, let Belldandy 
know, won't you?"

 	Chloe glanced at Kanako, then said, "If I see them awake, I will 
tell them they're being looked for."

 	"Good," Hikari said.  Kanako gave Chloe a curious look.  "Good 
day, then!"  She dragged Kanako off.

 	Chloe closed the door and went to Nanami's room, then said, "FIRE, 
FLOOD, DISASTER!"

 	Everyone started awake.  Ukyou and Usagi looked at each other, 
yelped, and jumped back across the room.

 	"I don't see any fire," Ranma-chan said groggily.

 	"I didn't say there was any fire," Chloe said.  "I just shouted 
the word to wake you up.  The Mistress of Novices is looking for you 
three; best you find her first."

 	"How long did we sleep?" Usagi asked, yawning.

 	"I don't know," Chloe said.  "It's almost dinner time."

 	"..."

 	"Let's go," Ranma-chan said.

**********

 	"It was my fault," Usagi said.  "I was too tired to go on and they 
stayed with me so I wouldn't have to sleep alone."

 	Belldandy sighed.  "If you had come to me, I could have sent you 
to bed.  But as it stands, you skipped class without authorization.  I'm 
going to have to discipline you all for that."

 	"I understand," Ukyou said.

 	"Can we sleep some more, then get punished?" Ranma-chan asked, 
yawning.

 	"All of you, go sleep.  In the morning, instead of classes, report 
to the kitchens.  They'll put you to the nastiest work."

 	"The greasetrap," Usagi moaned.

 	"And all its ugly sisters," Belldandy said.

 	"Ugh," Ranma-chan said.

 	"Let's go sleep, Ranchan," Ukyou said, yawning.  "Good evening, 
Belldandy Sedai."

 	"Good evening," she said, trying to be cheerful.  Well, they seem 
to have taken it well, she thought.  I know they didn't mean any harm, but 
the rules are the rules.  I have to enforce them.

*********

 	Hinako groggily sat down at the dining table with Kurz and Ryouga. 
"I feel like warmed over death," Hinako said.

 	"I take it you passed?" Ryouga asked.

 	"Yes," Hinako said, beginning to eat greedily.  "I am about 
starving to death, too."

 	"Congratulations," Kurz said.  "Have you heard any word of 
Nanami?"

 	"She's doing alright," Hinako said.  "She's gone to sleep." 
Hinako yawned.  "Which I did a lot of after my test."

 	"Really tiring?" Kurz asked.

 	"Extremely," Hinako said.  "So how are you two doing?"

 	"We spent today being tested, and tomorrow we start our training," 
Ryouga said.

 	"Unless Ryouga gets lost," Kurz said.

 	"I'm not due again for a while," Ryouga said hopefully.

 	"Have you seen Soun?" Hinako asked.

 	"He's been off with Setsuna, doing whatever he does when he's 
here," Kurz said.

 	"Well, I'm sure he'll turn up," Ryouga said.  "I expect he'll be 
here for a while."

 	"True, true."

*********

 	Chef Bork was a redhaired man with eyebrows so thick, you could 
not actually see his eyes, especially since his white floppy hat kept 
sliding down over them.  He constantly gestured at everything with a 
cleaver, pointing to first Ukyou, then Usagi, then to Ranma-chan. "I vunt 
yuoo tu ploock zeese-a cheeckens, zeen prepere-a zeem fur cuukeeng. I vunt 
yuoo tu cleun oooot ell zeese-a cooldruns. Um gesh dee bork, bork! Und I 
vunt yuoo tu cleun zee greese-a treps. Um gesh dee bork, bork!"

 	Ukyou said, "Is that the Old Tongue?"

 	Usagi said, "You want me to make something cold?"

 	"Say what?" Ranma-chan asked.

 	Angrily, Chef Bork repeated himself, then said, "Und du it 
qooeeck. Nu useeng zee Pooer, ieezeer! Veet yuoor hunds!"

 	"Huns?  I thought the Huns were wiped out," Usagi said.

 	"Ether?  I don't know enough alchemy to make ether," Ukyou said.

 	"What's a Pooer?" Ranma-chan said.  "Not what comes to mind, I 
hope."

 	Chef Bork yelled angrily again, and one of the assistant cooks 
sidled over.  "You fix the chickens, you clean the pots, and you clean the 
grease trap," she said, pointing to each in turn.

 	"Right," Ranma-chan said, sighing.  "Down to work."

*********

 	"The Horn must go to Illian," Setsuna said.  "That is where it 
will be used, we know."

 	"The Horn should stay here until the Ronin is revealed," Afura 
Mann said.  "It is safer here, and since it is not needed until the Last 
Battle, that avoids it falling into the hands of the Dark One's forces."

 	"Better to take it now, before the Dark One's armies are marching, 
before he can put minions in place to intercept it," Setsuna said.  "And 
to take it to Illian will cement Illian to our cause."

 	Nabiki sat and listened, frowning.

 	"And if some Illianer lord tries to seize it in hopes of using it 
for his own goals?" Afura asked.  "And the Darkfriends already exist. 
They may interfere irregardless."

 	"With two ta'veren in my train, things will go our way, if the 
Pattern wills it," Setsuna said.  "The last battle is coming.  We all 
heard Chiba.  We must act, if we are to seize control of events, instead 
of being controlled by them."

 	"I will think on this," Nabiki said.  "There is much to be 
considered on both sides of the question."

 	Setsuna and Afura both nodded to Nabiki.  "I hope we were of 
assistance, Mother," Afura said.

 	"Yes, you were," Nabiki said.  "Go now, I will think on this."

 	They left her to her thoughts.

*********

 	"I call this meeting of the Seanchan High Council to order," High 
Duellist Touga said, smiling his usual arrogant smile.  He gave his red 
hair a triumphant toss.  To the surprise of most of those present, a new 
Rose Bride stood next to him, a short, dark-skinned woman who wore glasses 
and had fancily arranged purple hair.  They could all feel her strength 
through their dueling rings; it dwarfed that of the former Rose Bride. 
"Two days ago, the True Rose Bride was revealed.  The time has come for 
the Correne, for us to return and reclaim Dar'ela."

 	"The Rose Casket has opened?" High Duellist Kaname asked in shock. 
"Why were we not informed of this?"

 	"It might have something to do with the fact that you were off 
with your little friend in the middle of the wilderness when the Castle in 
the Sky manifested itself and the Casket opened," High Duellist Kozue 
sneered.  "Or perhaps you were too busy coddling your Brides to notice."

 	"Sister, be polite," High Duellist Miki said.  He and his sister 
were twins, with short blue hair and short, thin bodies; even as adults, 
they could still easily pass for each other if they so desired, though 
they did not do it as often as they had as children.

 	"I have the right to treat my Brides however I like," Kaname 
protested.  "Which includes not being so desperate as to sleep with them 
because nothing else would, unlike, say, you, Kozue."

 	Kozue glared daggers at Kaname, who settled back with a smirk.

 	"Ladies, ladies, we can all resume the usual round of calling each 
other sluts and manwhores later," Touga said smoothly.  "I have called 
this session that we might begin to make plans for the Correne.  Beginning 
with designating a leader for the first wave, who will secure beachheads 
and scout out the opposition for us."

 	That provoked uncomfortable silence all around the table, as while 
many were eager for glory, none were willing to be the one who would have 
to head into completely unknown territory and face foes of which they knew 
virtually nothing.  Especially since failure would likely mean loss of 
status as a High Duellist, and things would be hardest for the first wave.

 	"How about Kaname?" High Duellist Nanami suggested.  "She's the 
one who claims to have met travellers from Dar'ela."

 	"I wouldn't trust her to command an expedition to bring back a box 
of donuts," High Duellist Kozue said.

 	"Well, we can't send Kozue, or she'll get too busy forcing the 
local men to bed her to accomplish anything," High Duellist Saionji said.

 	"She has been known to briefly pause from whoring, it must be 
admitted," High Duellist Juri said cuttingly.

 	"At least I'm not colder than the top of Mount Ohtori!" Kozue 
said.  "I understand you can chill drinks by sticking your finger in the 
glass."

 	"And she makes her Brides wear those raspberry-colored wigs, too," 
Saionji said.  "We can all guess why."

 	"Better than having mine all be barefoot and pregnant like YOURS," 
Juri said to Saionji.

 	The discussion soon erupted into the usual round of insults. 
Compromise only came when Mikage foolishly was the first person to go to 
the bathroom.  By the time he returned, he'd been put in command of the 
first wave of the Correne, with Kozue as his Second.  This was an honor, 
an opportunity, and a potential suicide ticket all at once.

 	"I assume I will have my pick of Duellists and Brides for my 
forces?" Mikage asked.

 	Touga gestured to the Rose Bride.  The Rose Bride now laid a 
bouquet of black roses  down on the table.  "These will guide you to the 
best men to take with you, High Lord Mikage."  She bowed to him.

 	High Lord Mikage took the bouquet, studying them curiously, then 
said, "I will commence my planning immediately."

 	"Good," Touga said.  "The way will be prepared for you.  It is 
time for us to revolutionize the world."





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