Chapter 7: Choice

"You did that?" Ryoga burst out.

"But…" Akari started. However, she seemed at a loss for words beyond that.

"How long ago was this?" Maomolin asked. While surprised, the cat was not stunned. He had been around a long time himself.

Olaf made a vacillating gesture with his hand. "Seven hundred years ago - or thereabouts. Giants are sort of casual about the years."

"Do you all live that long or was this the Water? I think I need to know this," Akari prompted.

Olaf laughed. "No, the Water gives Wisdom, not Years. Giants are a long lived people. We are not immortal, but a couple of centuries or so to us is like one of your decades. We also have a low birth rate, which is why there are more humans than us. Anyway, as I was saying, Jusenkyo had just added me to your number. I had lost well over half my height, was trapped in my clothes, and I was annoyed. I pulled my stuff out of the spring and grabbed the vial of Water. It was still shining off to the southeast. Grumbling and cursing at it did me no good, so I tried to get organized. It was then that the local tribe - humans, mind you - found me. Unfortunately, we couldn't understand one another and I was in a foul mood. I just growled at them to go away. They must have decided that I was some wild animal that had fallen in the spring, and needed to be put out of my misery. So, they grabbed their spears and threw boiling water at me. Things went rapidly downhill after that. I didn't enjoy getting scalded even if my Giant form quickly shirked off the damage and they didn't enjoy finding out that Giants were resistant to human weapons for the most part." His audience shook and held their collective heads.

"Eventually," Olaf went on. "One of the brighter ones threw Nanniichuan water at me, and I was once again human. This same gent stopped his compatriots from attacking me. I later found out that he pointed out that I hadn't killed anyone, despite the fact that I obviously could. They were use to some 'unusual' reactions from Jusenkyo victims and I was apparently no exception. His calm demeanor worked with his fellow humans, and it worked with me too. Eventually, they gave me hot water, not scalding, and I changed back to my birth form. Then they took me to their village."

The transformed Giant paused to shake his head and added: "To this day, I still honor their collective courage in the face of the unknown. They let me stay with them for several months while I learned their language. Most of the time, I stayed in human shape so I could share their food and shelter. I made a point of helping around their village and their farms to earn my keep - and learn more about them. They were a fairly advanced people for the time: well socialized, decent understanding of arts and music, and had a healthy sense of compassion. No metal workers among them, but they traded with others in the region for the metal they needed, so they understood the concepts - I was able to broaden their knowledge there."

"Finally, I had learned enough of their language that the chief sat down with me. He explained that they were guardians of the Springs of Sorrow and Lorekeepers. They had brought me back to their village to study me and to decide if I was trustworthy. I suppose I realized that they could have disposed of me in my sleep if I proved untrustworthy, but on the other hand, I could have killed all of them in their sleep too; so, I suppose it was a shared risk." Olaf shrugged. "Anyway, the chief wanted to learn about my people. In exchange, we would be granted unlimited access to the Springs and told how to master them. I pretended to think about it for a few minutes and then upp'ed the ante - the Guardians would also have to tell me all about themselves as well. After a bit of laughter, the chief agreed."

"Anyway, I stayed with them for two years learning and sharing with them. Then Mímisbrunnr's Water made it obvious that it was time for me to leave. I bade 'Goodbye' to the Lorekeepers, and hiked home with two bags of Jusenkyo water - one from the Nanniichuan and the other from the Nyanniichuan. I also had a mixture of tree saps that could postpone the shape change - the forerunner of Jusenkyo soap. When I got back to my people, I demonstrated the shape change and told them about the Lorekeepers. The Elders immediately recognized the usefulness of the two Springs; humans were not a problem for us - yet. The knowledge of Jusenkyo could be used to keep them from ever becoming an issue. We would be able to mix and travel freely among their growing numbers. The Elders also figured that they could come up with something similar to the tree saps to control the change."

Olaf took a sip of his tea and continued: "Anyway, that was the first trip Mímisbrunnr's Water sent me on. I've done many others over the years. As soon as I get restless, it has ideas and I go along with them. I have been all over Europe and Asia. I was in England for the War of the Roses and in Italy during the 1500's for part of the Renaissance. I watched the Ottoman Empire revive itself under Murad IV in the early 1600's. In the early 1700's, I was in Saint Petersburg, keeping a watch on Peter the Great's war on Sweden. After Sweden sued for peace and Peter died, I went home for a few years only to get bored and then spent a decade in France during a time of peace. When things got noisy there, I headed home for a visit and then went to the Americas, only to end up watching the American Revolution break out around me."

"Why did you go there?" Ryoga asked.

"Turns out Mímisbrunnr wanted me to sprinkle a few drops in an American general's cup," Olaf shrugged. They all looked at him amazed. "That general wasn't the only person I visited over the centuries. Most of the time, I don't know how or why the individuals were chosen - the general was a bit obvious, but that's not the first vial I've prepared at the Well's insistence," he stated while indicating the Water sitting on Akari's desk.

"Does it insist often?" Akari asked.

"Not all my travels have been at its suggestion," he shrugged. "Just the more interesting ones. And not all have been for mysterious motives; many have been for me - experiences just for me to learn."

"Have you been in many wars?" Maomolin asked.

"A few," Olaf admitted. "But they've mostly been my idea. I don't like bullies, and I don't like slavery, so I've been known to help out the other side here and there. I've played bodyguard a lot too. Really, the only war Mímisbrunnr insisted on was what is now called World War II. I was in Norway at the time, and I didn't like what I was hearing out of Germany, so I wanted to take a look. However, Mímisbrunnr pointed me to Oslo instead of Berlin. I ended up saving one of the Human King's grandchildren from a Nazi kidnapper. I was with Colonel Eriksen at the Oscarsborg Fortress when Germany first tried to invade Norway with a naval attack. We sank the Blucher and forced the flotilla to turn around. I was sent to the Selersten Battery and kept one of the old 40mm anti-aircraft guns going until the Luftwaffe got too heavy for us. Toward the end, I made sure all of my buddies managed to make it to shelter as it became obvious we couldn't keep up. Eventually, I was hit and stunned. They sent me back to Oslo in a medic truck, but honestly, the damage was mostly superficial. Unfortunately, I couldn't convince my buddies of that, so off I went. I was later attached to the royal family and helped them flee to England."

"Wait," Akari stopped him. "You were in human form, right?"

"Yeah," Olaf admitted with a shrug.

"And you've spend a lot of time in human form?" she pushed.

"Yes," he agreed again.

"Not to sound morbid, but why aren't you dead?" she asked. "Humans only live so long and can only take so much."

Olaf shrugged again. "Why do the children of the Musk show animal traits despite having their mothers - or rather great-grandmothers - bathed in the Nyanniichuan?" he returned. "Who we are is never really lost. Ono thinks it's because Giants are really mystical creatures in nature. Jusenkyo doesn't cancel our magic, it just adds to it. A transformed Giant doesn't seem to age any faster. We're not quite as invulnerable in human form, but we are still extremely tough and most of our strength stays with us, although we lose some of the leverage with the change. The bomb that took me out was a glancing blow - a direct hit would have really laid me up. As it was, the planes' machine guns bruised me through the chainmail I wore under my clothes; I was black and blue from the battle, but the bullets didn't pierce my skin - although I have more to fear from modern ammunition."

He took a drink again and then continued: "Anyway, I'm getting away from the point. The Water of Mímisbrunnr has been benevolent to me and others over the years. Enough so that I've always given it the benefit of the doubt. It has led me through some great adventures and brought some great people into my life - like Tofu, Ciren, Mausu, and you lot. Yesterday morning, before I started my trip back to Japan, the main bottle began glowing in sync with my little phial…" He stopped to take out a small ornate phial that glowed brightly in his hand. "I prep'ed that vial." He nodded at the vial on Akari's desk. "I didn't know who it was for until I talked to Tofu this afternoon. Now I do." He looked very directly at Akari.

A mixture of emotions crossed Akari's face. Chief among them was confusion and doubt. "Olaf, I don't know what to say. I'm not sure I can accept such a valuable gift though."

"Stop," he cut her off firmly. "I'm not giving this to you. Mímisbrunnr is. I don't own the Water. I'm just the messenger. From what we know of the Consecration used, it requires three baptisms and Happosai is going to make them happen soon - if Other Powers don't beat him to it. We think the little gnome has Jusenkyo Water, and we don't know of another Water of Power nearby." Then he grinned at her. "Except this one."

Olaf stood up then. "Anyway, I did my job and the new vial is with its owner. There's no mistaking that glow. Keep it or use it, it's yours. I'm not crossing Mímisbrunnr after all its done for me. Now, I heard an offer of dinner. Is that still on?"

Akari gave a small snort of a laugh. "That's one thing I noticed mercenaries had in common with Martial Artists - they're always hungry." She stood up and Maomolin and Ryoga stood up too. "Of course it is, my friend."

Later on, Akari sat in her office and looked at the vial laying on her desk. Olaf had not mentioned it again during dinner. When he left, he only said that he knew she would do what was right for her and that he trusted her. Apparently, so did Mímisbrunnr. The vial started glowing when she entered the room, but she felt no compulsion coming from it. The light carried a gentle warmth, but that was the only feeling from it. "If I take it," she wondered out loud. "What will I become?"

As she pondered that, she felt a familiar presence watching her. She looked up to see Ryoga studying her silently. His face was impassive, but that wasn't unusual. "At least he's not as bad as his father," Akari thought with a little amusement. "What do you think I should do?" she asked him.

"I think that's up to you, Love," he answered softly. Then he grinned, "For what it's worth, I think you're already the wisest of our Family, with the possible exception of Tofu, and even he's been known to be off-the-wall a few times. Often, you can be as steady if not steadier than Kasumi. You've manage to run this farm in the black for the last several years."

"Yes, but Kasumi has to manage a house full of crazies - I think she edges me out for the toughest job," she answered.

Ryoga shrugged and the grin retreated a little, but didn't go away. He came in and walked around the desk. Then he kissed her and said: "Whatever path you choose, I'll walk it with you; whether it be Olaf's, Happosai's - or your own." He kissed her again and left her in peace.

"My own path," she murmured after a while. "That's what my friends and loved ones wish for me. Happosai gave me no choice, but Olaf did. Mímisbrunnr is giving me a choice too. It's not trying to hypnotize me; it's just trying to be innocuous. And, ultimately, it's from Yggdrasil - the Tree of Life." She reached for the vial. "I'm a farmer, a servant of the Earth and a tender of Life." She broke the top off of the vial and dabbed her fingertips with it. "My choice," she murmured again. She touched the four sore spots on her forehead, and then drank the remainder of the Water.

Instantly, she felt as if someone had pulled cotton from her ears and blinders from her eyes. The room seemed brighter and her hearing improved greatly. Realizations flooded through her mind and a number of things clicked into place. She turned to check her forehead in the mirror and saw that the spots had vanished. Ryoga flew into the room - she could hear his heart racing. "Are you all right?" he demanded.

She slowly smiled at him and then suddenly leaped over the desk at her lover/fiancé, tackling him. "You are a complete moron sometimes. Of course I'm all right. And I love you very much," she told him.

"Great," he muttered. "Not only is my wife-to-be smarter than me, now she's wiser too."

Akari kissed him. "Nope, just wiser - but I already was." She kissed him again. "That's all right, you're still stronger and faster, but you have to show me how to be tougher.

"Are you O.K.?" he demanded again.

Her face grew serious. "Yes, Honey, I am. Olaf was right. I'm still me. Now we need to take steps so that I stay me. I need you to go and roust Katsunishiki. He understands you. Tell him it's an emergency and I need him to guard the farm tonight."

"I can guard the farm," Ryoga told her.

"No, you'll be guarding *me*," she returned firmly. She got up and pulled him up too. "C'mon, Happosai's not one to wait - he grabs what he wants. We have things to do before bed. Go get Katsunishiki." Ryoga got up with a nod and started to leave the room, but Akari stopped him by saying: "Honey, you forgot something."

Ryoga half-smiled and replied: "I love you too."

"Told you you were smart," she said to him.

Happosai looked down on the quiet farm. "I have to complete the Consecration for Henna to See her and I have the three flasks now. I can get this done tonight," he thought confidently to himself. He could see the wards surrounding the farm, but had taken steps to counter them this time. "This will be a piece of cake." The old man took out his first bottle - and weapon - and ran forward to a nearby tree. Then he ran to a bush. He ducked under a split rail fence and entered the yard proper. He paused behind a large rock and studied the farmhouse.

As he watched, a rumbling sort of growl broke out around him. "Must have woken the Guardian Spirits," he thought. He grabbed an amulet hanging around his neck. "The Council assured me that this would prevent spirit damage." He started to run forward again, but a heavy hand (hoof?) suddenly pressed down on his head hard enough to stop him cold. The hoof spun him and Happosai now stared at the rock. It was definitely growling. He looked higher and higher at the rock until he recognized a hog's head high a top of it. It did not look amused.

"Oh crap," Happosai thought. "I can't Sense him and he can definitely see me." He popped the top off the Jusenkyo bottle and said out loud: "You know what, my friend? You could use a diet!" With that, he splashed the sumo pig with Water. The grey pig blackened for a moment in the back yard lights and then returned to his normal color. Unfortunately for Happosai, he didn't change into a little piglet. "Oh hell…the Spring of the Drowned Piglet doesn't work on an actual pig." That resigned thought was the last thought Happosai had for quite some time…

A/N: Short final chapter coming to wrap this up - especially what happened in the last paragraph. I was going to end this here, but answering Flameraven's review made me think of a better ending (Reviews are important!).