Jedi Kasumi
By Jim R Bader &
Brandon Kelley
(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi and George Lucas)
Chapter Ten.
Force and Counter Force
The crisis with Nodoka momentarily averted, Kasumi begins to train Ranma under the guidance of her mentor, Trieste. Meanwhile Nabiki is tending to her injuries and feeling dejected over losing to Ukyo, and possibly to Kasumi in the romance competition between them and their mutual iinazuke...
Akane has been showing signs of losing control over her temper but convinces Trieste that she has not yet gone over to the Dark Side. She has, however, demonstrated a budding interest in the Sith apprentice, Ukyo Kuonji, and has sounded out the girl for a tentative "friendship" (IE assignation) in spite of knowing full well that Ukyo is in service to Darth Purge, the enemy Sith Lord who has vowed to destroy all remnants of the Jedi...
However, Shampoo's arrival has further complicated the picture and has also drawn Akane's interest. Shampoo is the oath-sister to both Kasumi and Ranma and has received Jedi training and considers Kasumi to be her role model. Hovering in the background, however is a Jusenkyo-cursed Mousse, whose winged "Angel-like"
form gives him the ability to scout at great height and range,
and he is under the mistaken impression that Kasumi and Ranma are "obstacles" to his dark ambitions, and being Sith trained, he has set his sights on defeating Shampoo and winning her as his bride in the service of the Sith Lord...
Night had fallen on the Kuno estate, and all was quiet. Only the slight rustling of leaves in the breeze broke the absolute stillness of the grounds, which suited Tatewaki Kuno just fine as he sat on the grounds meditating on recent events, namely the arrival of one Saotome Ranma. While aloud he would admit to nothing but loathing and maybe the smallest bit of pity for the newcomer, (He still shuddered as he tried to envision anyone engaged to Nabiki) inwardly, he was a mass of conflicted emotions, having tested the youth and found him a formidable fighter, if not yet to the standards of the Jedi.
(The sheer audacity of the cur is astounding!) he told himself for the hundredth time that evening, (The knave has dared to affront the personage of the 'Blue Thunder'! And the insults!) He gritted his teeth as he promised himself, (My revenge shall be swift and certain indeed, I but give the wretch his time to greet his makers in a manner worthy of one who has Samurai ancestors.)
Having decided that, He took up his ever-present bokken, performed a Zarei and assumed the sankakudai stance. Hesitating a moment, he began his nightly katas, his mind drifting to the recent battle with Ranma.
(Rude and uncouth as the boor is), Kuno mused, (I must admit, if simply to myself, that he is indeed a skilled warrior. My skills have grown in both of my disciplines and yet he still found a way to test me to my limits.)
As he thought these thoughts Kuno executed a series of precise and expert motions that would have dealt savage injury, even death to a series of imagined opponents, the wooden sword in his hand moving like a thing alive, less a weapon and more an extension of his being.
(However), he thought as he continued his routine, his mind like a pool of rippling water as he executed a flawless series of strokes that would disarm and disable even a highly skilled opponent, (Even with a decided lack of suitable challenges to my skill, I must face the possibility that my training has stagnated. If even a lowborn dog like him can avoid my thrusts then there must be a fatal flaw in my technique that I have yet to discern...a concept most troubling indeed...)
Kuno's mouth twisted with distaste at the thought, (Until now only the beauteous Kasumi and the noble Akane Tendo have alone challenged my skill and have surpassed me. In many ways I am indebted to them both, for without their encouragement and close association I would never have progressed as far as I have in the study of my Nampo. This mysterious "Force" that they have embodied in our matches has been an inspiration to me indeed.. And yet, the more I advance, the farther behind me I leave my closest competition. The sisters Tendo alone have been my equals in the fighting arts, no one else until now has been my equal. And so, The 'Blue Thunder' is reduced to instigating battles with women to keep his edge. I must train, and yet, at the same time, I am pushing the one I love away from me by these tactics. Truly this is a tragic irony indeed...so perhaps I should view this Ranma as a blessing in disguise, an enemy whom I can at last test myself against without reservation..)
Kuno smiled slightly at that. He was well aware of what Akane, no, what the school itself thought of him, a self-righteous eccentric living in the past or some bygone era. Slowly, sheets of perspiration began to seep through his skin as he continued his workout. (They think me mad for my chosen lifestyle), he mused to himself, trying to see himself as his classmates saw him, (They may well be right, for I may be mad to prefer the civility and courtliness that is so lacking this rude, coarse age in which we live. My devotion to the samurai arts is without precedent for them, they who have seen this sullied modern age. But, I am not as devoted as I should be. Fighting with women is dishonorable, but lo! I have no recourse. Except perhaps... Kuno's face took on a different light as he renewed his pondering of the battle with Ranma.
(Even Musashi has been bested honorably), he thought, (He would not have turned down the chance to hone his skills against such a nemesis. Perhaps the villainous Saotome will be that nemesis for me. I match my skill against his, determine where I am wanting, and seek to improve on those areas, and surely, this will lead to his eventual defeat. Thus Saotome himself may well contribute to his own undoing...)
The Irony of that thought was so delicious that it brought an actual smile to his lips and he came to a momentary pause in his katas to reflect upon this concept. (Yes, this could work out very nicely...I must remember every nuance of that fight and adjust my attacks accordingly. Saotome could clearly see the flaws in my attack, I must make certain that our next match goes not so easily as he may now expect, thinking he has taken my true measure...)
Having decided on a course of action, Kuno resumed his katas, slowly divesting himself of conscious thought, [though some would have said that this was not such an overly long process] Slowly but surely, his connection to the force deepened until he began to glow faintly. He had the look of a man preparing himself for a nightmare, and eventually, it arrived.
A woman's voice echoed from the woods of the Kuno estate, startling him out of his practice.
"Tachi-chan?" The voice was high and musical, echoing from the real world and straight from the deepest regions of Kuno's own memory. He turned slowly, his handsome face a mixture of dread and longing.
"Mother?" he whispered, seeing an slender figure in a kimono come into view, a regal and modestly handsome for all her years and dressed in a formal kimono. Kuno saw his mother, Hitomi Kuno, smile at him, albeit a bit sadly, a single tear tracing down a pale cheek, barely seen in the darkness of the dimly lit garden.
"You seem troubled, my son," Hitome observed quietly, "Has something happened that has affected the Wa of your spirit?"
"I...had an interesting encounter today, Mother," Kuno came to stand at ease, breathing slowly to restore himself to normal, "A new boy in our class, one Saotome Ranma, gave me a bit more of a workout than I was expecting from a junior classmate."
He saw a peculiar sparkle of interest in his mother's eyes and she hesitantly asked, "Did you say...Saotome? How...interesting."
"Eh?" Kuno turned to regard his mother fully, "You know that name, Mother?"
"I...knew a young man once who belonged to that clan," Hitome said in curious amusement, "He was...as you say...an 'interesting' fellow, always getting into trouble of one sort or another, a good fighter dedicated to the martial arts but a bit lagging in other areas of study. I wonder...could the two of them be related?"
"I would not know, Mother," Kuno replied, "I only met the cur...I mean...the fellow the other day. All I know is that he is staying under the roof of the Tendo family and that...he is...engaged to the sister named Nabiki," Kuno could not quite hide his distaste as he pronounced the name of that particular Tendo.
"Still, it would be interesting to know if the father of this boy is the same man that I remember," Hitome mused, "I sometimes wonder what he would look like these days...ah well...no sense dwelling on the past or wondering such things as what life would be like if I had married him instead of your father..."
"MOTHER?" Kuno could not even disguise his dismay as he reacted to that unexpected statement.
"Ah...yes, well," Hitome smiled, "As I said, it was a very long time ago, and the boy had a certain...charm with the ladies. I never could quite explain the attraction to your father."
"You mean this...Lothario did tempt you in your innocent youth?" Tatewaki was offended by the notion of anyone approaching his mother in such an...improper manner, "The Cad! No wonder this Ranma has swayed the affections of even a cold hearted fish like Nabiki..."
"So he has charmed one of Kimiko's daughters," Hitome mused, "Interesting...and I take it that this is the girl who borrows money from you on a regular basis?"
Kuno's expression was stiff as he replied, "I do not...loan money to her...it is a bit more complicated than this. I have...on occasions...been prompted by circumstances to hire the services of the mercenary for...trivial pursuits of a somewhat personal nature..."
"You mean to acquire tokens of the girl who really interests you," Hitome said shrewdly, "The older child, Tendo Kasumi?"
Tatewaki could not immediately reply to that, but he was grateful for the dim illumination that prevented his mother from seeing that his cheeks were burning.
"You are like an open book to me, my little Tachi," Hitome said warmly, "I know how your mind works and I can see how much her mere mention affects you. She has been gone from Nerima and out of your life for a year and yet still you still think fondly towards her."
"She is...an exceptional person, Mother..." Tatewaki began to say.
"I know that well," Hitome replied, "I still owe a debt of giri to her Sensei, the lady Trieste, for saving my life years ago when I...was not entirely myself. I dare say that life would be very different for all of us if she had not happened upon me during my hour of deepest crisis. It was the lady Trieste who helped bring your father and I closer together...and I well remember the inquisitive child who was ever at her side.. It would please me greatly if-by some miracle-our houses were to be united, but that is not what I came here to say to you. Lady Trieste has spoken to me today...and she made mention of your having instigated some extracurricular activities with your fellow classmates...all centered around the youngest Tendo child, Akane."
"Er...I can explain that one, Mother," Tatewaki blanched, hoping he did not sound too nervous in his responses, "It came to my attention that...Tendo Akane was feeling somewhat disheartened during the long absence of her older sister. Knowing how much she enjoys fighting and testing herself against a worthy opponent, I took to challenging her in order to sharpen my own skills and was amazed by her prowess, for though she be little she is fierce as any Tigress."
"And the other boys who challenge her every morning?" Hitome asked.
"Tendo Akane...is very charismatic to the young men of our school," Tatewaki replied, "There was much spurious talk that sullied her reputation, and to curb the spite of those she spurned as weaklings I did issue a challenge that held that no man should approach her who was not willing to give her battle. To my great surprise many of the sporting clubs did arise to the challenge, and before long it took on the shape of a game in which they would issue challenges and be one-by-one defeated by the object of their affections. Soon the cowardly dogs were ganging up on the poor girl, mistakenly believing that they would have greater strength in their numbers. I, of course, was most appalled by this ungentlemanly action, but to their surprise and my amazement the girl proved more than equal to this challenge and could single handedly defeat an entire horde of these undisciplined rabble. Being the sport that I am, I naturally allowed them to make fools of themselves, then would step forward at the last to offer a proper challenge, just so Akane would not be feeling too disappointed and neglected."
"I see," Hitome smiled in such a way that Kuno could almost make out its predatory nature, "But of course you have no interest in this girl...in fact I was given to understand that she has no interest in young men at all, that her preferences run in a different direction."
"A sordid lie besmirching her noble character," Kuno frowned, "None but a base villain would give credit to such thinking! Who does that unworthy lot think that they offer gossip about? My own sweet sister?"
Hitome did not smile at this and in fact was less than amused as she responded, "Tachi...I have told you many times not to speak ill about your sister. Kodachi has been away in Europe for the past year and is doing very well in her studies, or so I have been told by her Headmistress."
"I...apologize for my thoughtless words, Mother," Kuno bowed his head, "It was...unworthy of me, it shall not be repeated."
"Good," Hitome smiled once again, "Because I have good news...Kodachi is coming home to pay us a visit. She'll be arriving by plane next week and I expect you to greet her properly as befits a daughter of the noble house of Kuno."
"Kodachi is coming here?" this time Kuno could not keep himself from expressing his dismay at this announcement, "But I thought the family lawyers..."
"Oh, we've managed to put that old bit of news firmly behind us," Hitome assured him, "There will be no...legal complications for Kodachi to mar her return, and besides...I hear that she has been doing very well thanks to her rehabilitation."
"Oh...wonderful," Tatewaki said without any real enthusiasm, silently vowing to himself that he would go on a hunger strike for the length of his sister's visit, if only to be certain that no unwanted substances found their way into his system.
"Cheer up, Tachi," Hitome said, "Kodachi really has changed for the better, you'll see. She's majoring in Botany this year and can work wonders with plants...she'll be helping your father out with his experiments in the greenhouse, just like in the old days."
"Which reminds me," Tatewaki said dryly, "Is father working late again? I did not notice him around dinner."
Hitome lost her smile and did not even pretend to be happy about the matter, "Your father called and said he would be late...another damned business meeting-
-and no, before you say it, I have had him investigated. Turns out he isn't seeing that new blonde secretary from America on the sly...and he would not dare cheat on me at any rate. He knows he can never hope to effectively lie to me, like he did in the old days, and that if I were to choose to leave him it would bring great dishonor to the name of Kuno, to say nothing of what it would cost him in a divorce court."
"That is good to hear," Tatewaki sighed, "I am...sorry if I overreacted in my suspicions, Mother, but given Father's past..."
"You don't need to say a word," Hitome assured him, "I understand completely."
"But...how can you be so calm about it all?" Tatewaki asked, "He once drove you near to the point of suicide and madness..."
"True," Hitome replied, "But that was before I learned that there was another way to live my life than to always be in your father's shadow. Thanks to the friendship of Trieste, I was able to rebuild myself from within and get my life started anew, once I learned what I did about the discipline of Force manipulation."
"Force manipulation, Mother?" Tatewaki blinked.
"You know what I mean," his mother explained, "The discipline that Trieste has been teaching all of her students, the reason why they are all three such powerful fighters. I did explain to you once about the ways of the Jedi..."
"You told me it was an ancient order of Samurai to which Trieste belongs and is the sole remaining Master," Kuno responded, "She has lived with the Tendo family and trained their three daughters in this mysteriously mystical order, and I have witnessed the results of that training first-hand on many an occasion."
"Trieste explained much about her origins to me," Hitome said, "Things that must remain a secret for now, as I promised I would not divulge them to another. What I can tell you is that the Force is the living embodiment of life itself and is a powerful ally to those who become attuned to its presence. It allows one to perceive knowledge and events before they happen, anticipate one's enemies before they can act and to move objects at a great distance. I myself know only a little of their potential, and that mostly from counseling sessions with Trieste-san. It is the power that allowed her to sense when I was in the grip of a deep melancholy that was causing me to act just a little bit crazy. You do remember what I was like before I began to train in meditation under her calm and patient guidance?"
Without meaning to Kuno felt a slight shudder escape him. He could well remember the terror of his childhood, the sense that his mother could turn on him, go from loving, gentle parent to screeching monster without any proper warning. Many was the time that he had been locked in a cupboard or had taken refuge in his room to hide from one of her rages. Kodachi had been nearly paralyzed with fear of her mother's demanding obsessions with the mastery of gymnastics and to this day felt traumatized by the ordeal that had shaped the early years of their existence.
That their mother had been relatively calm and stable for the past seven years was something of a minor miracle, a miracle their family owed to Trieste's intervention. One day she was just suddenly there, like a shining knight coming to their rescue while their mother had fallen into a deep and all-consuming depression, tormented by fears of what her own conduct had been doing to her children and the devastating discovery that her husband had been unfaithful. In Hitome's mind only death cold atone for the dishonor that she was faced with, and so she chose to take the path of a true daughter of a long and illustrious line of Samurai by performing ritual hara-kiri, and with a tanto-knife poised so near to her throat that it had left a slight scar at its intended point of entry.
But a hand had stilled the blade and forced it away from its target. Hitome's plight had somehow called out to the perceptive Jedi Knight, who had somehow read the other woman's intention to take her own life in time to act to prevent it, and with her was a twelve-year old Kasumi, very open eyed yet somehow knowing when Tatewaki and Kodachi had encountered her a short time after they had gotten their mother to some much-needed medical attention.
For this act of mercy the Kuno family owed a debt of gratitude to the Jedi, for Hitome had not only recovered from her ordeal but had grown into a stronger woman because of Trieste's guidance. The Jedi had also forced Kuno's father to confront and admit to the results of his own irresponsible actions, and she had forced him away from an addiction to the very medicinal plants with which he was experimenting, helping him become a better (if far from ideal) husband and father-figure for the wife and children who needed him so greatly.
More than this, the experience had also awakened in Hitome a renewed sense of herself and her own abilities and led to an increasing fascination with horticulture and plant life so that she had learned to practice the ancient art of Bonsai, the crafting of miniature trees and shrubs into artistically sculpted wonders whose aesthetic glory was only matched by the obvious love and attention to detail that they embodied. Hitome had also taken to caring for the roses on their estate and took a greater interest in her husband's Botany experiments so that they could have more in common with one another [and also she could spy on him to make sure he did not fool around any more with Black Rose extracts, the source of his initial addiction].
In all other respects Hitome had learned to rely more on the servants who were employed within their mansion to handle the day-to-day chores that had once driven her to so much distraction. Having learned to ease back on the pressure that she brought to bear upon Kodachi, Tatewaki's younger sister had herself blossomed into a much nicer and well-rounded young woman [even if she were a bit too bratty and uppity for Kuno's liking].
Too bad Kodachi proved to be a bit too...precocious in her off-duty hours, and something of a mischief maker, which was why the family had been forced to send her to that academy in Paris...
"And," Kuno hesitantly began to ask, "By studying this art you achieved an enlightenment that overcame your former...distraction?"
"The Force is the essence of cosmic harmony and enlightenment, Tachi," Hitome replied, "It is what the martial arts aspire towards, complete mind and body integration. I have never soared high enough in my meditations to achieve more than a fleeting glimpse of its awesome majesty and the complete wonder it inspires in those who do perceive it. A very few gifted individuals can achieve a holistic integration of the mind and consciousness into a full awareness of its presence and its wonders. You yourself are sensitive to this energy field...you have felt it when in the company of the one whom you desire, and there is a good chance that you may one day accomplish that which I could not achieve on my own and become as one with the Force. Think of it as a gift more than a birthright, you can perceive the Force so you could one day become a Master, like the Jedi."
"To be as one with this...power you describe?" Kuno seemed unusually thoughtful, "Perhaps you are right, Mother. It certainly does bear further investigation."
Hitome leaned forward on tip-toes and kissed the taller boy on the cheek, "When you do I could not be any prouder of you than I am at this moment, my Son. You have already taken your first step into a greater world...and who can say where your road will ultimately take you?"
"I will...think well on what you have said, Mother," Tatewaki replied, "And for your wise council I do thank you."
Hitome smiled and then returned into the house while two sets of watchful eyes observed the younger Kuno returning to his solitary meditations. The one, very tall and scaly, flicked his tongue out as he considered the matter before him, then-perceiving the restlessness of the other boy at his side-hissed, "Well?"
"Where is it written down that we have to recruit every Moron in Japan as your apprentice?"
"You are including yourself in that description?" Purge asked aloud, receiving a snort of derision at the suggestion.
"You know that Kuonji and me are the only ones worthy of the training, Boss," Taro responded with typical arrogance, "The Pig and Duck Boy aren't worth much more than cannon fodder at best, and neither one of them could stand up in a fight with either the Jedi or her apprentice. So what makes this guy any different from those two?"
"I sense a strong convergence in this one," Purge nodded towards Kuno, "On his own he has managed to achieve quite impressive results for one not schooled as either a Sith or a Jedi. You may be underestimating him because of his eccentric nature, but in a way that makes him even better suited to our purposes. The youth has wealth and connections...he could be useful in more ways than simply to serve as a distraction."
"Hmmm...I get it," Taro smiled a less than pleasant sort of smile, "You mean if we can turn this bozo over to our side..."
"Which may be easier than your reckon," Purge observed, "He has a fascination with the Jedi Padawan...a strong desire that appears not to be reciprocated. Frustration and desire can be the opening we need to approach this youth, and how interesting to learn that he has a sister whom he regards as a family disappointment. Yes, I see much potential for mischief in all of this. Perhaps a bit more research into the matter will turn up other interesting things that we might use to our advantage."
As he said this, the Dark Lord raised his arm and held up a bound and gagged figure that was dangling from its ankles and squirming about in a vain attempt to free itself. The figure appeared to be a diminutive Ninja, but the eyes of the little man registered great fear as he found the slitted eyes of the Lizard Man were glaring at him in no overtly friendly manner.
"Family retainer to House Kuno," Taro sniffed, "Maybe you should throw this one back, Boss, he looks a bit under the limit. Besides, Ninjas are supposed to be so tough that they wouldn't talk no matter what you did to persuade them."
The little man made a stifled noise of protest and violently shook his head from side-to-side in negation. Purge mused at the universality of physical gestures when applied to the human species and just smiled as he hissed, "Oh...I think this fellow may be more cooperative than that...am I mistaken in assuming this...little man?"
Sasuke eyed the hulking man-lizard and took note of the rows of visible teeth in a face that was anything but human. He also could not help noticing that the arm suspending him above the level of the ground was long enough to do justice to a fair-sized tree-trunk. The boy next to this giant was cracking his knuckles and smiling at Sasuke as though contemplating a punching bag. Weighted against these factors his loyalty to House Kuno did seem a trifle...lacking...
"Good," Purge mused ominously, "Then I don't suppose you would object to my asking you a few...harmless little questions?"
Sasuke swallowed, feeling lower than someone one scraped off of their heel when they came indoors, then bowed his head in submission to the inevitable, hoping that his ancestors might one day forgive his cowardice in the face of so much promised pain with no real gain to be offered as compensation.
"After you get done with him, Boss," Taro mused, "Can I have a little fun with the twerp?"
"Certainly not," Purge rumbled, "I have...other uses for this one, and if he agrees to fully cooperate, then I will be merciful and erase all memory that we ever had this meeting. Will that make you feel better about your betrayal, little Ninja?"
Something about the way this Lizard man offered up his concept of mercy frightened Sasuke far more than the other boy's promised beating. Into what kind of monstrous hands was he surrendering the Young Master? It almost made him rally what little courage he had to muster up a token show of defiance, but the thought was squelched as soon as it reared its timid head within his breast, to be replaced with a more practical "Better a Live Rat than a Dead Duck" sort of mindset, so once the gag was removed and the questions were asked, Sasuke started talking, hoping against hope that one far stronger, braver and wiser than himself would put an end to these foul villains...
Someone he knew by the name of "Mistress Kasumi..."
All in all, Nabiki reasoned, it was not so bad to get off lightly in a fight with a fully trained Sith with nothing more than a sore shoulder, but still it was awfully hard to remain detached and philosophical when told by her Sensei that she would have to remain on the sidelines...at least for the moment. It was galling to think of how easily she had been taken down by an enemy...and worse than that, a RIVAL to the very boy whose hide she had intended to protect. Her pride was stung by the knowledge that it took an outsider to drive away the bad guy, a literal "Deus Ex Machina" running to her rescue. Still...without such timely intervention, well...Ranma would have been able to do little more than watch as Kuonji carved her up with the blazing hot tip of her light saber.
(The bitch really kicked my ass), Nabiki thought sourly, (And for all my training there wasn't a damned thing that I could do about it. I just wasn't good enough...) she paused a moment, replaying the sound of her own thoughts in her head then smiled ironically and added, (I'd better watch myself...I'm starting to sound just like Ranma!)
The boy in question was currently taking what looked like a short nap on the floor to their dojo, the result of having gotten careless again when sparring with Kasumi. (Serves him right), Nabiki thought with mild irony, (Him and that macho code of his against hitting women...)
Still it was kind of sweet and refreshing to meet a boy who wasn't an outright bully out to impress a girl by bullying her around with brute force and bluster. Nabiki had met and dealt with far too many who were like that in her time to have much sympathy for the "Equal Opportunity" bruisers. Ranma's crude conception of chivalry was a stark contrast to the "Hentai Hordes" that had made every morning of the past semester a waking nightmare for her sister. It still puzzled Nabiki that Akane insisted on regarding Ranma a little better than the rest, but at least she could take comfort in the fact that she would not be facing stiff competition from her "Overly Popular" and boy-hating little sister.
It still puzzled her how quickly this Ranma had suddenly taken center stage in her life, but Nabiki was hardly one to look a gift horse in the mouth. A few days ago she had not even known that a boy like him could even exist, and now she found herself pining for him and sympathizing with each and every lump that he was taking as he sought to improve himself by going full-out against someone as accomplished as Kasumi. Her older sister was fighting without weapons and withholding the bulk of her Force training, and still she was able to throw him the length of the room without seeming effort. Ranma might not think highly of his performance, but Nabiki was very impressed on seeing him get up again, a virtual glutton for punishment, too stubborn (or too stupid) to lay down and admit that he was outclassed here.
(You've got guts, Saotome), Nabiki silently remarked, (Your Kempo style isn't a match for Oneechan's Aikido training, but still you won't quit. A mule would have more sense than to keep rushing her the way you've been doing...)
She winced again as Ranma's attempt to grapple the taller girl resulted in Kasumi throwing him ass-over-teakettle into a wall, where he slid down slowly to the floor in an almost comic fashion.
"Aiyaa," Shampoo remarked, "What does Little Brother think he is doing using such an obvious tactic? This one cannot believe that the one who fought her to a standstill before her whole tribe could be so blindly stupid."
"Too obvious if you ask me," Akane responded, "My guess is the Baka was trying to fake Kasumi out, only Oneechan wasn't gullible enough to fall for his tactic. Guess Ranma hasn't figure out yet that he can't count on brute strength to overpower Kasumi...the Force multiplies her natural strength by tenfold, so she can easily overmatch him in a grapple. She's also got the advantage of size and reach, which means he can't hope to rush her when her guard is up, and Kasumi never drops her guard for any reason."
That was the other really curious thing for Nabiki...finding out that she was not the first girlfriend that Ranma had recently known. This Shampoo character was an incredibly beautiful and exotic looking creature who had Force training from Kasumi and tended to regard the elder Tendo sister as her "Clan-Sister." Ranma was her "clan-brother" by adoption and-as such-more like a friend than a potential BOY-friend. There was obviously some affection extended both ways, but it seemed fairly harmless and comradely, lacking the sort of sexual tension that was always in the air between herself and Ranma. Coupled with that was the implied relationship that this Chinese girl had enjoyed with Kasumi, and her coy reference to having "some else" whom she was seeing, and Nabiki felt somewhat reassured that this Shampoo character did not constitute a potential rival of the same caliber as Kuonji.
But still a girl would have to be insane to drop her guard around someone this sexy and vivacious-to say nothing of CURVACIOUS-as Nabiki's estimate of the other girl suggested that-if her claims to being "natural" were to be taken at face value-the purple-haired Shampoo was not someone to be taken lightly. She was the sort of girl who not only could turn male heads but cause traffic accidents just by breathing deeply, and no WAY was Nabiki taking any chances that Ranma might suddenly notice her as a woman.
Especially not since she had Kasumi in the picture!
Akane...well...it looked like her little sister had taken an instant liking to the new girl on the block and was sitting beside Shampoo as if the two of them were childhood buddies. (Nabiki wondered if she should give a friendly warning to the new girl in town on just what her little sister regarded as "Friendship," then decided that she probably would not have to as this Shampoo did seem more experienced than Akane and Nabiki put together) At least this time Akane was flirting with one of the good-guys, not at all like that bizarre way that she had handled herself during the brief altercation involving Kuonji.
Nabiki winced as she felt, as well as heard, Ranma taking another beating and decided to turn her attention back to the fight, hoping the matter with Akane and Shampoo might resolve itself in a reasonably amicable manner...
Kasumi was starting to believe that she had detected a pattern to Ranma's recent string of hopeless attacks, and when he came too near to her this last time she had concluded that his strategy was basically a good one. He was deliberately probing her defenses for possible openings and weaknesses, and-finding none-
was seeking to create one, only to find Kasumi ready with a counter. She was hardly conscious at all of her own actions as she flowed to her own counter-
offensive, side-stepping his lunge while bringing the flat of her palm forward to lightly tap him on the shoulder, which naturally combined with his momentum to set him off balance so that his legs shot out from under him and he went tumbling backward onto the wooden floor of the dojo.
"Oh my," Kasumi remarked as she glanced down at her own handiwork, "Are you sure you're all right this time, Ranma?"
"Sure," he groaned, managing somehow to retain consciousness on this particular occasion. To himself, however, he silently thought, (It wouldn't hurt nearly this much if she didn't keep asking me that question...)
"Are you still not satisfied that Kasumi's defenses are nearly flawless, young Master?" Trieste's voice was gentle yet mocking, hinting at a weakness in his tactics that she seemed to believe would be obvious to anyone of a less headstrong nature.
(Oh yeah), Ranma winced as he tested the condition of his body and found that moving hurt a little less once his muscles stopped tensing, (This definitely isn't working...)
He had decided, after the first few cases of him winding up studying the ceiling of the dojo, that his personal reservations about hitting girls simply did not apply at all to someone like Kasumi. Oh sure, there was no mistaking her for anything else but a girl, and he certainly did not want to hit her-far from it, in fact! She was the single nicest person he had ever had the pleasure of encountering until now, and she easily ranked right up there with the most beautiful he had ever met. No way did he want to hurt someone like her, and he could not even feel resentment for all the punishment he had so far taken from twenty frantic moments of continuous free sparring.
No, his decision to try and hit her stemmed from the simple fact that-of all the Tendo sisters he had matched skills with so far-she was the only one with whom he had yet to even come close to scoring a hit. He had easily defeated Akane, performed quite well in his matches with Nabiki, but Kasumi was like a whole new level or dimension in fighting. She hardly seemed to move and yet she deflected and avoided his best attempts to lay a hand on her. He had gotten frustrated and then careless, rankled by his conflicting need to win the fight without actually doing her any damage, and in the split second of hesitation this provided she was all over him, scoring hits and points with such ease that he might as well not have bothered with his defenses. It was uncanny how she seemed to know just when to strike and how much effort would be needed to send him flying. She was a heck of a lot stronger than she looked...and fast? She was blinding! Next to her he was practically standing still and he was like a child in her grasp, a feeling about which he was far from happy.
Nabiki had not realized it at first, but she was chewing her fingernail anxiously as she watched her older sister face their iinazuke in an uncharacteristic attack stance, and Ranma seemingly hypnotized-or paralyzed-
in the face of Kasumi's onslaught. Nabiki had thought she had trusted her sister, but the tension was becoming too much for her and gathered herself to intervene, stopped at the last moment by Trieste' voice in her head, which was surprisingly calm and oddly reassuring.
(Trust your sister, Nabiki, she does not wish to see the boy harmed either. I believe this will work if you show a little patience.)
Nabiki was not so sure, but she held her peace. Little did she know how extraordinary the next few minutes would prove to be...
"I'm okay," Ranma said as he got to his feet once again, slowly testing himself out to insure that he was no worse than a little shaken, "I don't get this...how can you be so strong? This doesn't make any sense..."
"Don't be too upset or frustrated by your lack of success, Ranma," Trieste cautioned, "Your training is good, by far the best I have seen of anyone your age living on this planet...but Kasumi is one with the Force, and the power that affords her is near-infinite. You must learn to attune yourself to the same currents if you wish to complete on the same level."
"Right," Ranma said as he straightened up and readied himself, "But...how? I'm trying to keep myself open, to feel the currents and all that other stuff you told me about...but...I just can't feel nothing."
"That's a contradiction in terms, Ranma," Kasumi explained, "One cannot not feel anything, it's a double negative and it ultimately means nothing."
"Ah...it's just a figure of speech, Kasumi," Ranma said as delicately as he could manage.
"Oh?" Kasumi blinked, "Oh my...but then what does it mean, Ranma-kun?"
"Ah...forget about it," Ranma shrugged, realizing another basic problem he was having in putting up a credible fight with this overly nice girl...he just could not get angry enough at her to go all out like he would against his own father. The entire scope of his training to date had left him ill prepared for combat against someone who was not actually out to hurt him.
Kasumi felt a bit crestfallen herself, knowing that the very scope of her prowess was upsetting the very boy with whom she wanted to make friends. It had been a problem for her in the past in dealing with young men who might otherwise find her attractive...they were forever being intimidated by the very ease in which she could defeat them. Ranma's ego was taking quite a beating, and yet she was not even trying to put up much of a fight. All her instincts were geared to reacting on automatic to a perceived threat or attack, and it would have been contrary to her training to ignore these essential reflexes.
"You don't have to understand everything at once, young Master," Trieste urged, "You first have to learn to feel your way as you would in any other battle. You rely too much on what you know and what you think you know, what you see and think you see, and as such your response time is much slower than it would be if you could feel your way in the battle, the same as Kasumi."
"Feel my way in a battle?" Ranma asked.
"Exactly," Trieste replied, "You've been trained to shut down most of your feelings when you fight, leaving only the emotions essential to keeping your focus in a battle. This has had the negative effect of leaving you unable to cope with feelings that are outside of those involved directly in battle. Anger, fear and hate can be strong motivation for doing your best in a fight, but they are essentially negative emotions and border on the Dark Side. You will find that Kasumi is entirely lacking in such strongly negative feelings. She hates no one and is angry at nothing. Fear is just a feeling she ignores, like heat and cold or extremes of the weather. Her strength is in the positive feelings of love and compassion, and this makes her powerful in ways that you cannot imagine."
"Love...and compassion?" Ranma was surprised by that, "You can use stuff like that in a fight?"
"I don't fight because I want to hurt people, Ranma," Kasumi replied, "I fight because it is necessary, and because I can feel the suffering that is caused by those who want to hurt other people."
"But...ain't that kinda more defensive than offensive?" Ranma asked.
"It is a reactive force, true," Trieste admitted, "And Kasumi is hardly an offensive sort of person, but think on this well...who is winning and who is losing?"
"Ah..." Ranma winced, "Good point..."
"Mistress," Kasumi spoke up, "Perhaps Ranma-kun's problem is that he does rely too much upon his external senses. Do you remember how you taught me to feel my way in a fight?"
"Good thinking," Trieste smiled, extending a hand that held a black silk handkerchief, "I was wondering when you would think of that. Use this and let Ranma experience for himself the power of the Force first hand. It should instruct him far better than anything that you or I might verbally describe for him."
Kasumi extended her hand and the silk kerchief flew across the space between herself and her instructor, gently landing across the palm of her hand as she turned and smiled at Ranma, who in turn felt oddly nervous at that smile, suggesting as it did so many things that he did not know how to handle.
"Put this on, Ranma-kun," Kasumi urged, "It will help you learn how to focus."
"Focus?" Ranma asked, "W-What do you mean?"
"You are familiar with the concept of Blind Fighting, correct?" Trieste asked him.
"Oh, sure," Ranma said, "A guy I met in India was pretty big about it. I learned to use my hearing instead of my eyes, but how is this supposed to make me learn to use this Force stuff."
"You already do know how to use it...to a fairly limited extent," Trieste replied, "But here you will learn just how strong the Force is working through you. As your eyes...and even your ears can deceive you, you must learn to trust your other feelings, the ones you have kept hidden in your heart nearly all of your young life."
"Well, all right," Ranma said dubiously, tying the blindfold around his head so that his eyes were completely covered, "But I don't know if this is gonna work..."
Trieste smiled indulgently at the boy, knowing full well that he could not see the gesture. The boy was a trooper, willing to try anything at least once, and in spite of his self-deprecating manner he still had the cockiness of someone who was sure of his own abilities. The battering he had taken sparring with Kasumi had not dampened his warrior spirit, only wounded his pride and made him twice as determined to master this new system. Whatever the shortcomings of the system under which he had trained, he still had the fire and determination of a proven winner seeking to improve his technique, and there were a lot worse qualities that one could want for in a student.
Aloud what she said was, "Try sparring now, and see what happens."
"As you wish, Mistress," Kasumi replied and at once assumed a posture of readiness.
"Remember, young Master," Trieste addressed herself towards Ranma, "With the force as your ally you are never truly blind. You rely too much on your thinking for your actions rather than upon your subconscious."
Ranma winced slightly at Nabiki's audible snort.
"Heh, Nobody's ever accused me a' that before," he murmured self-consciously, showing the same self-deprecating humor that had attracted Nabiki to him in the first place.
Kasumi smiled benevolently, and began to speak and a low, soothing tone, almost hypnotic, "Nonetheless, it is true. You must let go your conscious thought, Ranma-kun. Your eyes can deceive you, do not trust them. Stretch out with all of your senses, sight, smell, hearing, and touch, then let go and allow them to become automatic. Think with your feelings, not in words or pictures. Let the force guide you where your physical sense cannot and the rest in turn will become second nature..."
Kasumi continued to speak to Ranma until all expression had dropped off the visible portion of his face, and he was bouncing, almost too gently to see it, on the balls of his feet. Kasumi stopped talking when Trieste made a hand gesture while Ranma's expression did not waver. She probed him gently with the force and noticed that he seemed to still be aware, so she decided to test him. She could feel Nabiki's buildup of anxiety as her sister felt Kasumi once more shifting to an attack mode. Truth be told, Kasumi was somewhat anxious herself, but she needed to do this, Ranma's confidence in his own training depended on her testing his defenses.
Gathering the Force into her body, she prepared to attack again with all that she had...
Ranma Saotome found that he was calm and serene, Kasumi's speech having effectively lulled him into a trance-like state that left his thoughts adrift in a void while he stared into the blackness of his blindfold. With unusual clarity of thought he realized that he had been trying to force his thoughts onto the situation. He reacted now by shutting off his internal voice, all his questions and his doubts. He simply listened to the gentle tone, if not the words, of his sensei, and began to allow his mind to expand. He wasn't sure how it happened, but suddenly, he could actually see her, framed against the dojo. He did not see the entire dojo, of course, simply Kasumi and himself as though they had a spotlight shining down on them from all angles. He was also filled with an all-consuming certainty that something was about to happen, and the hairs on his arms all stood on end as he calmly braced himself, feeling the air as though tensing for the moment.
Ranma hunched down but found that he could not detect any movement in his opponent. He tried to cock his ear and listen for any rustling of clothing fabrics but Kasumi remained quite still and naturally gave no indication of any intention to attack. Left as the situation was it would most probably have resulted in an impasse, but Trieste made a visual signal to Kasumi and indicated that she should attack, and like the obedient student she had always been the oldest Tendo daughter followed her instructions.
Ranma felt as though an odd shadow version of Kasumi were taking form within his mind, knowing that whatever it was that was going to happen would it happen now or not at all. Very slowly Kasumi moved forward into a simple punch, flowing slowly in his mind as if underwater. Ranma simply angled his head and shoulders to dodge as the fist flowed gracefully past his nose. As Kasumi began to continue her attack, Ranma's normal fighting instincts joined him in this slow moving ballet-fight and he began to observe the shadow-form in his mind coming right at him!
Despite herself, Nabiki gasped as Kasumi threw a blindingly fast force-powered uppercut. It was full speed for a Jedi, and no normal human had a hope in hell of dodging. Ranma however, continued to prove that he was most assuredly not a normal human being. With a speed that made the move difficult to see, Ranma rolled his shoulder and head back, allowing Kasumi's punch to harmlessly graze his cheek. As Kasumi retracted her arm, Ranma snapped his head and shoulders back to their original positions and he leapt backwards, assuming a fighting stance while Kasumi assumed one also, and then two began fighting in earnest.
Ranma barely had time to detect the sound of movement in front of him before Kasumi's foot came rocketing towards his face, but at the very last instant he darted backwards, feeling the brush of bare skin lightly grazing his chin without more substantial contact. Almost immediately he reacted by vaulting backwards and lashing out with his own foot, which was stopped mere centimeters from Kasumi's face as her hand came up to block it. Ranma continued in the same motion and his other foot came into play, forcing Kasumi to dart back and avoid it as Ranma completed his motion and came down to the floor in a one-point landing.
No sooner had he touched down, however, then Kasumi launched a direct attack with the blade edge of her foot aimed for his mid-section, and so silent was her approach that he did not even hear it coming before it connected, doubling him over and sending him flying backwards.
"Ranma-kun!" Nabiki called out in distress, her anxiety overcoming her normal reserve as she winced sympathetically, feeling as though her own gut had been kicked by her powerful older sister.
Much to her surprise, though, Ranma jack-knifed backwards in mid-air and came down in a roll on the floor that resulted in him winding up standing upright. Ranma tensed himself and then rocketed forward as though his body were working on automatic, but once he had crossed half the space between himself and the taller girl he launched an attack that actually forced Kasumi on the defensive, his punches and kicks delivered with fast and furious timing that was surprisingly intense considering the reserve in which he had fought up until that moment. Without seeing Kasumi he was fighting blind and actually scoring, coming far closer to connecting with her opponent while being met by an equally intense defense on the part of Kasumi. This time she did not counter attack, and it was not because she was taking it easy on her opponent.
This exchange only lasted a few seconds, but finally Ranma found an opening, a point where her sparring partner was a tad bit slow in erecting her guard. Her shoulder was just a bit off and too low to block a shot, and without thinking twice about it he rocked his foot forward with a solid roundhouse and actually connected. Kasumi did not see the kick but felt it as it rocketed her to the floor, having cleanly knocked her from her feet from the force of that impact.
"KASUMI!" both Nabiki and Akane reacted at once while Shampoo merely blinked her eyes and stared at where her "Big Sister" had fallen.
"WHOAH!" Ranma cried as he landed on his feet, tearing off his blindfold with a look of exultation, "What the hell was that? It felt like...WOW!"
"Congratulations," Trieste smiled approvingly, "You made a connection. You have taken your first step into a much larger world, young Master Saotome."
"I know...it was incredible!" Ranma exclaimed, "I could actually feel her coming at me...it was like...OMIGAWD! Kasumi?"
Ranma belatedly realized that Kasumi was sprawled on the floor of the dojo, and like a shot he was crouched over her side as Kasumi pushed herself off of the floor, feeling her chin where a thin trickle of blood had started to flow. Ranma stared in dismay at the angry bruise he saw forming where his foot at connected, and in horrified realization of what he had done he said, "Kasumi-
I-I-I'm sorry...I didn't mean to...!"
To his complete and utter surprise Kasumi looked up at him...and she was actually smiling! With a radiant grin that lit up her normally serene features she said, "Ranma-kun...thank you! There is no need for you to apologize, you did very well! Very well indeed..."
"W-What?" Ranma stammered, having in no way anticipated such a favorable reaction.
"I wanted you to hit me and you did," Kasumi said as she got into a sitting position, then bent her head forward and pressed her hands against the floor, "Arigato...you have done me a great honor."
"I have?" Ranma still could not quite equate what he had done with anything that was praise worthy.
"You were holding back because I am a woman," Kasumi replied, "You couldn't see me as your enemy so you fought with less than your full fighting spirit. When I attacked you it triggered your latent warrior instincts, and since your eyes could not contradict this you behaved as you would had I been an actual assailant. I am so proud of you for giving me an honest effort this time...you have shown me your true potential as a fighter and I feel so...exhilarated because of it. I have never enjoyed a fight so much as I did at this moment, for that that I am entirely grateful."
"Huh?" Ranma blinked, still not quite able to understand why hitting a girl should have made her so happy.
"Don't try to figure it out, Ranma-kun," Nabiki urged as she approached, "Kasumi's got a...very unique way of viewing things, and I guess she just enjoys the fact that you're finally taking her seriously rather than stand around and let her punch your lights out."
"I don't care what anybody else says," Akane growled, "You hit my sister, but you never fought with me like that! I'm not gonna take it so easy on your anymore, next time we fight it's for real!"
"Now Akane, don't be jealous," Kasumi gently chided.
"I AM NOT JEALOUS!" Akane said fiercely, "He's your boyfriend...or maybe Nabiki's, but keep me out of this!"
"Suit yourself," Kasumi said brightly, then turned to Trieste and said, "Did you see, Mistress? He actually force me to work for it this time! I've never had my skills so tested...this is wonderful!"
"Oh yes," Trieste smiled indulgently, "And it's only the beginning, in fact..."
Ranma suddenly felt the slap of a hand against the side of his head and turned around to find Shampoo glaring at him, which made him defensively say, "What?"
"Why do you stand there like an idiot with your mouth hanging open, Little Brother?" the Amazon said fiercely, "You fought very well this time against Big Sister and should be proud of giving a good account. You must never dishonor her by holding back or implying that she is a weak girl who is in need of your protection. No Amazon would ever put up with such an insult, and if my cousin were here, or any of the truly fierce warriors of our tribe, they would be taking you to task for not fighting her with honor! What do you think this is, a challenge match or something?"
"But..." Ranma started to stammer.
"This one believes that you have had it much too easy since leaving Joketsuzoku," Shampoo declared, "It is time you remember what a true warrior can be like. You will face me now and fight like an oath-born brother to the Nyanchiczu or this one will give you reason to ponder. With your permission, Elder?"
"By all means," Trieste said with a wave of her hand, "I should very much enjoy seeing how far you have come in your own studies."
"Now this one has good reason to fight at her best," Shampoo beamed proudly, "You give this one your best show, Little Brother, so that this one can properly demonstrate her skills as a fighter."
"Gulp," Ranma responded, and not with irony or humor conveyed in his tone or expression.
Trieste smiled at the young warrior's discomfiture, knowing full well that Shampoo would not allow him to fall back into his old patterns. The battle had been an amazing thing to see, Ranma and Kasumi clashing in a brutal and yet incredibly graceful duel, moving at speeds that the normal human eye would register as mere blurs...that is if they saw it at all. Even Trieste had been forced to dip into the Force in order to speed up her perceptions to keep track of the rapid exchanges of their movements. It was confirmation of her belief that Ranma could be a worthy Apprentice is given time to work through his considerable disadvantages. It meant that he was worth the risk that she was taking, and even if the boy did have the potential to turn to the Dark Side she felt in her heart that he would prove true to his positive nature. No one who showed such remorse over injuring Kasumi could be truly evil in his heart, and with Kasumi guiding him there was reason to believe that he would gradually come to surpass even her expectations.
Nabiki had been feeling a mixture of relief and dismay upon seeing Ranma topple her idol. Her mouth had been hanging open the whole time that she had been watching the fight between two people who were both very important to her, showing a depth in her own emotions that she had never suspected that she possessed, a feeling mingled with dismay when she noticed a spark of interest passing between Ranma and Kasumi. She had to fight a jealous impulse to step forward and declare her stake in the boy who had come to mean so much to both of the older Tendo sisters. She had been lonely in her life without realizing it until now, and discovering that there was a boy who could make her feel these emotions made her want to declare for him in spite of her lifelong habit of remaining aloof, a detached and almost emotionless observer.
And yet to see Ranma in motion, the hard lines of his lightning-quick body, the fierce glow of his spirit contrasting brightly next to the calm blue flame that was Kasumi, awoke in her an intense desire to have him near to her, to have him looking at her with those magnetic blue eyes and speaking soothing words into her ear that would fulfill the unspoken wishes of a lifetime.
Akane had no such complimentary thoughts to extend towards Ranma, but she was suitably impressed that the boy had proved himself no common thug, so she was willing to tolerate his laying a rude hand (or foot) upon her sister since Kasumi seemed not to have minded it. It did prove her suspicions that he had been holding back all the while, a suspicion further confirmed as she watched the fight break out between Ranma and the Amazon, Shampoo.
She smiled as she watched the purple haired girl pressing hard against Ranma, who genuinely had to defend himself against the onslaught of the Chinese warrior-woman, and as Akane studied their fight she found herself drawn to the fluid motions of the newcomer. This Shampoo seemed graceful and as dynamic as a bamboo shoot in the wind, and there was no mistaking her curves as the curvaceous girl flowed easily from one movement to the next. She had the strength of a fighter with the poise of a dancer and it definitely left Akane excited to see her pounding on Ranma's defenses, pressing the boy to the limits until he had no choice but to retaliate, and at length force Shampoo back on the defensive.
Kasumi herself was pleased as she watched her clan-sister go toe-to-toe with her prospective boyfriend. Iinazuke or no, Ranma had taken her seriously during their fight and had even shown concern for her safety when he managed to score against her. She wanted very much to spar with him again, to see if she could improve her own fighting skills against this most worthy of sparring partners. There was much about him that reminded her of the best aspects of her own father, and this made her wonder what else she could discover if she spent more time around this handsome, confusing, sometimes exasperating and altogether wonderful young man she could now happily call her Apprentice.
The fight between Ranma and Shampoo concluded in a draw with an even number of blows exchanged on either side, Shampoo having battered and relentlessly pressed herself against her "clan-brother's" defenses, and Ranma retaliating in kind mostly from sheer desperation than any actual desire to inflict injury on his Amazon "sister."
"Very good, Shampoo," Trieste complimented, "You have become strong with the Force indeed, and you do great honor to your ancestors."
"Thank you, Elder," Shampoo smiled, not even breathing very hard for all her recent exertions, "Great-grandmother will be most pleased by your appraisal."
"And Ranma," Trieste smiled, "You have performed quite well and made great progress in this session. The Force is indeed strong with you, young Master, and one day soon you will be a great Jedi Knight if you continue to progress at such a rate.
(Yeah), Ranma thought to himself as he studied the eager and even gleeful faces of the four girls eyeing him like a prized possession, (If I survive this...)
And in thinking this thought he could not help but feel a slightly fatalistic shudder...
Continued.
Comments/Criticisms/Moonlight Rambling: shadowmane
My thanks again to Brandon Kelly, from whose notes a generous portion of this chapter were borrowed and adapted. I'm working to keep this storyline fresh and original while avoiding the predictable cliches that some have suggested that I am headed towards, and while I like to flirt with various possible directions I am not inclined to repeat the same patterns that I have followed in my other fanfics. Some duplication is inevitable, but I hope to take things in some new and interesting directions.
Next time out we have Ukyo considering the curious direction that her life appears to be taking as she re-assesses her approach to "converting" Akane to the Dark Side. Nabiki opens up a bit more about her own past with Ranma while Kasumi begins to take a more open interest in the...development of her new "Apprentice," while Akane does her own sounding out with Shampoo...and will Tatewaki Kuno really become the next recruit in Purge's growing Sith-army? Tune in next time for: "That old Sith Magic," or "With Sisters like these, who needs Sith for enemies?" Be there!
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