***Juuban Ward, the next morning***

Rei woke up with a start, trying to put her finger on what had woken her so abruptly. She rose and ran all over the shrine and dojo, trying to find the source of her stress. It wasn't until she had explored every inch of her shadowy home that she realized what the problem was.

Zhu Shu was gone.

Zhu Shu would be on her way to China by now with the Saotomes, the Tendos, and a whole entourage of Zhu Shu's other friends that Rei knew very little. She knew Ranma and Akane well enough, but had only gotten to know the other Tendos over the past few days. She missed Akane and Kasumi, who had been so kind to her in her recent confusion. But she felt lonely without Zhu Shu.

Over the past few days, she had been forced to re-examine her entire view on relationships. Not only did Zhu Shu like girls, but she was a better and more courteous date than any boy she had ever known. The fact that Zhu Shu was very beautiful did nothing to make her apprehensions any easier.

Rei had hoped that with Zhu Shu gone, she would have an opportunity to think about her feelings toward her trusted friend and mentor. She would have a chance to really think about what she wanted, and decide whether she loved Zhu Shu or not. It really was the perfect opportunity. if she could get over the dark loneliness that she was feeling right now.

Since it was the wee hours of the morning, she didn't want to wake her friends by phoning them, and she didn't think any of her friends would understand anyway. In fact, she was worried that despite the respect they offered Zhu Shu, they would laugh if she so much as hinted at her interest. That was the worst part - the only people she had been able to confide in were Kasumi and Akane, and they were gone, too.

Knowing she would be unable to sleep any more tonight, she slipped into some sweats and a pair of comfortable shoes. Grabbing her transformation pen and some yen, she stepped outside into the starry night and looked out over the Juuban Ward.

She had no reaction to the two ravens sitting atop the entrance to the shrine as she breathed in the night air. This almost served to offend the two birds, and they cawed loudly in protest.

"I see you guys," Rei smiled up at the two birds. "Phobos, Deimos, would you like to go for a walk?"

She descended the stairs that lead to the street, the birds following like the two faithful servants they were. She walked aimlessly, not caring where she wound up, since she was so well-equipped. She let her body worry about the physical while she turned her mind inward, toward her soul.

So much had happened the past few days, and she didn't know where to begin analyzing it. Monday, she had held Zhu Shu's corpse in her arms, only to have it reanimated by two mysterious strangers. Tuesday, she had made some new friends, hoping to sort out her feelings, only to learn a new, very powerful threat lurked on the horizon. Now, Zhu Shu was possibly heading into that threat alone, which in itself did not sit well with the Shinto priestess.

When Rei realized this was part of her apprehension, she stopped dead in her tracks.

"Whether I love her or not," she whispered, "I may never get to tell her!" And then, "Since I WANT to tell her, I must love her. Right?" She demanded this last of the two birds, who didn't really have much in the way of confirmation or denial.

She looked around, realizing suddenly that she was lost. Surrounding her were huge suburban homes similar to Serena's, but a check of the street sign told her she was not in Juuban anymore. She knew Juuban like the back of her hand, and THAT street wasn't in it.

"Where have you stupid birds led me?" she asked, wandering further in the same direction, looking for some kind of sign.

Suddenly, the birds started shrieking at the sky. At the same moment, something in Rei's mind sent a shock through her whole body, and she froze. Looking up, she saw a very strange sight.

Someone was flying. More, they were flying on a stick with wings! Two someones, a closer inspection revealed. And one of them didn't look too happy about the whole thing. They were going at top speed, and Rei wondered if they were trying to catch something. or.

With a feeling of dread creeping from the pit of her stomach to the top of her throat, Rei turned to look behind her.

There was nothing but an empty street. Rei sighed in relief and turned to continue her walk.

.and walked right into the bosom of a very tall woman with red hair flowing down her back and piercing eyes of dark brown. She was dressed in a kimono and holding several slips of parchment. Rei's eyes widened for two reasons - first, those parchments were charms; and second, this woman had an aura nearly as powerful as Zhu Shu's!

"Well, well," the woman said, helping Rei steady herself. "I was hoping I would find you."

Rei's brow wrinkled in confusion. "Excuse me?" she asked, incredulously.

"Oh, come now, Hino Rei," the mysterious lady laughed. "You know what I am, just as I know what you are. There are far more important things for us to discuss before your quest begins. Let us not tarry by involving ourselves in false airs."

"Who are you?" Rei asked in astonishment. There were many obvious answers to that question - a powerful mage; a Shinto priestess; a moon goddess, cool and warming all at once.

"In some ways, I am all of those things," the woman said, as though Rei had spoken aloud. "But to make it easier, please call me Mizuni. Mizuni Kaho." She bowed reverently, as though to a superior in rank, and Rei's jaw dropped.

"Why are you bowing to me?!!?" she couldn't help but asking. "I am not remotely your equal!"

"Come, walk with me," Kaho said, smiling warmly. "We have much to discuss, and little time."

In shock and awe, Rei followed her. The woman felt too - good - not to follow her orders. Moreover, there was a scent of cherry blossoms in the air surrounding her that made Rei feel extremely at ease.

"Do I know you?" she asked the older priestess.

"You did, once," Kaho replied. "What do you remember?"

"I - uh." Rei began, unsure whether or not to tell her.

"Never mind, I will tell you," Kaho sighed. "But I wish you would trust me. This is important. You remember a kingdom, a Princess on the Moon, to whom you were a guardian. You remember an ally, with whom you had a close alliance. You mistook that ally for another, and nearly broke your best friend's heart, even if you refuse to admit you love her."

"So I DO love Zhu Shu?" Rei breathed.

Kaho laughed, a merry, tinkling sound.

"No, dear, the Princess,"

Rei wrinkled her brow. The Princess was Serena. did she mean Darien?

"That is not the name I know him by, but yes, that is who I meant," Kaho confirmed.

"Would you please warn me when you are reading my mind?" Rei asked. "It's a bit. weird."

"My apologies," the woman said, bowing her head demurely. "I meant only to expedite this." She looked at Rei, meeting her eyes. "We are allies, and we once united to fight a great evil. Together, many of us created weapons of great power, capable of vanquishing our enemies. Among these was a crystal, the Ginzuishou, which you recently reclaimed. Currently, the weapon I helped create is being gathered, so that someday, when we are again needed, we can defend the Earth - and the Crystal Kingdom."

"The Crystal Kingdom?" Rei asked, confused. "And the Ginzuishou?"

Kaho gasped. "Have I reached you too early? Surely not; I felt the Ginzuishou's energy harnessed by its rightful owner, Princess Serena. That means the Scouts have arisen, right?"

"I know what the Ginzuishou is, I just want to know how you know about it!" Rei cried suspiciously. "And what on Earth is the Crystal Kingdom?"

"Ah, it is not time for that yet," Kaho nodded. "Trust me, when it is time for you to know of the Crystal Kingdom, it will drop right in your lap - or perhaps on your head. As for the Ginzuishou, I helped create it."

"No way!" Rei protested. "I don't believe you."

Kaho shrugged. "It is true. A bit more explanation may be in order here. I have a very specific mission for you, but you have to trust me in order to do it."

"I'd say a bit more explanation is in order," Rei fumed. "How do I know you're not from the Negaverse?"

Kaho shot her a hard glance.

"Many reasons," she said sharply. "Not in the least of which is - if I had been, you would be dead. You've faced the Negaverse, so you know it; once, I faced them alongside you."

"Okay, I don't understand. Explain,"

"When Queen Beryl overtook the Earth, only two empires stood against her - that of Prince Endyomon, and that of the Song Dynasty," Kaho explained.

"How do you know all of this?" Rei asked again, awed.

"Because during the reign of the Song Dynasty, Empress Lin Tzu ruled what is now Hong Kong," the elder priestess explained. "There was an island there, upon which she established a mages' school. The most promising mages in the land gathered at this school and literally made it a magickal forum.

"When Queen Beryl attacked, Song Lin Tzu called upon the mages to create weapons to aid her and her allies in defeating the evil Queen. Mages from all three kingdoms gathered to help in this task. They created the Ginzuishou, as well as a deck of very powerful magickal cards. When the war was over, the three allies agreed that these weapons should not be available for the unscrupulous to use. They placed the Ginzuishou in the hands of two representatives - Prince Endyomon and Princess Serena. They placed the cards in the hands of two guardians as well. I am one of those guardians."

"Who is the other?" Rei asked, stunned by this woman's off-handed knowledge of the Silver Millennium, the Song Dynasty, and Darien's true identity.

"You will meet him shortly," Kaho replied. "However, know this - I was chosen to guard them, not to wield them. When the time was right, the true wielder of the cards would appear and subdue them. Then, later, history would repeat itself, and you would need to align with the bearer of the cards once again."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"Not all the cards have yet been captured," the priestess explained. "And yet, a great threat has arisen, and the Three Kingdoms must align again. When this happens, the Bearer will be in more danger than they have ever known. And I must ask that you guard them, or all the cards will never be captured."

"What do you mean, them? I thought there was only one Bearer,"

"Well, there is a complication," Kaho looked down at her feet. "We know who the Bearer is, but that person must NOT know until it is time. And the time has not yet come. This, unfortunately, must be tended to first."

Rei nodded. "I see. You don't want me to let something slip to the real Bearer. But why me?"

Mizuni Kaho stopped and faced the teenaged girl. She had a very serious look in her eyes, as though she was hesitant to mention this, but finally, she said, "I was chosen as one of the cards' guardians because my ancestry put me in a position to be of unique concern to the cards. My father was from the Moon Kingdom, a warrior who helped you and the other Scouts defend it during the war. My mother, however, was sister to the mage that created the magickal cards. And she was also a servant to the Empress. I remember you, at least in spirit, Sailor Mars."

With a jolt, Rei looked at Kaho. However, it was not the priestess she saw, but a vision from a long time ago. a vision of herself with Zhu Shu; she bowing to the Chinese empress. Words echoed through her mind, words of a conversation held not long ago, that confirmed this vision to be truth.

"You mean, I really DID know Zhu Shu in a past life?"

Kaho nodded. "Song Lin Tzu was the fan that fueled the flame of Mars. Yes, you knew her, and you loved her."

"I did? How?"

Kaho smiled. "The past is in the past, Hino Rei. I know few of the details you seek of that time, but your devotion to the Empress was renowned. I can not dictate how you feel now, that is for your own heart."

"Can you help me? I'm so confused!" Rei cried out in frustration, collapsing into the woman's arms. She couldn't explain it, but she KNEW Kaho was telling the truth. There was something about Kaho's presence that brought that comfort, as though this shoulder had been cried on by her many, many times; as though the arms that encircled her now had always been there.

"Funny, how the circle turns," Kaho chuckled. "All I can tell you is that to seek your truth, you must first seek that which is most important to you. I can not be there, but I will be here when you return. Rei - " Kaho gently turned Rei's eyes to meet hers. "The Card Captors are in danger. So are the Scouts, as well as every user of magick on this planet. I know you made a promise to your Empress, but I must ask you to break it - for her safety, and for the world's. I, too, serve the Song, and I would not ask you to do this if it were not important."

Rei sighed. "What you're asking is hard for me. But if it will help Zhu Shu, I can not say no."

Kaho smiled. "Good. Here's what I need you to do."



"We've GOT to go to Hong Kong, no matter WHAT Zhu Shu said," Serena's voice was laced with desperation as she pleaded with the other Scouts.

Despite Serena's other faults, there was one thing about Serena's room that never failed to shock the other Scouts - somehow it was always clean. Sure, there were manga piled high in a corner, and Serena's secret stash of junk food made the room smell really strange, but the only other indication the room was lived in was the never-made bed. It was also the one thing Rei did not pick on her for, since Rei was Serena's diametric opposite, with a room so messy the girls often avoided it altogether in favor of Rei's guest bedroom.

Rei sat secluded in a corner, morose silence clouding her mood. She said nothing, only listened to what the other Scouts were saying.

"No way, Serena," Lita crossed her arms and looked away, which was Lita's way of saying the conversation was over. It met with the usual success.

"Yeah, Serena, what's in Hong Kong? Darien?" Mina taunted. Serena blushed; she and Mina were the closest of all of them, and Mina's teasing was not as vicious as Rei's.

"No," Serena said. Then she did something strange. She let a single tear slip from one blue eye. The last time habitual bawler Serena had cried like that - like she MEANT it - was when Darien had been killed. That tear had brought together the Rainbow crystals into the Ginzuishou.

What did this one mean?

"Serena, are you alright?" Ami asked, jumping up to comfort her friend. Rei remained in her cloudy corner-world, but Lita and Mina followed Ami's lead.

"It's my dad," Serena said quietly. "The station gave him a new assignment. He's got to cover this festival - "

"In Hong Kong," Lita finished for her. Serena nodded.

"I didn't want Zhu Shu going there alone any more than the rest of you, and I know we made a promise," Serena said. "But this is different. This is my DAD heading into it. And whether it's the Negaverse or not, I need to protect my family. I mean, Queen Serenity assigned you guys to guard me because I was her daughter, and she had the power to. I, as Sailor Moon, have the power to protect my father, too. And I just can't let him go alone."

"Are you SURE it's not Darien, Serena?" Luna asked. "You don't usually put this much thought into something unless Darien is involved."

Serena stood up and stamped her foot, finally acting herself again. Ami, Lita, and Mina, however, exchanged a glance. No matter what Luna thought, it was obvious to them that Serena was dead serious.

"Darien, for your information, will be here in Tokyo," Serena told the black cat. "He has a summer job at a martial arts camp, and he will be out of reach for two whole weeks! Why don't you believe me?"

"Maybe it's because generally you're shallow, boy-obsessed, and narrow- minded?" Rei suggested, finally speaking up.

"Rei, that was mean!" Serena went right into bawl mode. As Ami went back to comforting her, Lita stood over Rei, her eyes flashing with anger.

"That WAS mean, Rei," she said. "What's been your problem lately? You've been acting so weird."

"I know you've been worried ever since Zhu Shu was - hurt - but she's alright now, and you've GOT to stop worrying!" Ami added.

"I'm sorry, guys," Rei looked down at her feet. "There's just. a lot going on." She looked up and met Serena's eyes. "Please don't die when I tell you this, but I agree. We DO need to go to Hong Kong."

"What?!!?" Even Serena's tears stopped in her shock.

"Rei, you of all people know the importance of the promise you made to Zhu Shu," Artemis scolded. "Why do you want to break it?"

Rei narrowed her eyes. "Didn't you listen to what Serena just said? If we let her father go and walk blindly into danger, what have we learned about being Scouts? About saving the world?"

"Wow, Rei," Serena rose and stood beside her fiery friend. "The only thing you ever do with this much passion is pick on me."

"Well, maybe it's time to believe in something new," Rei said seriously, offering a challenging leer at the other Scouts. "Come on, guys. We know there's something out there, and two people very close to us are heading right to the middle of it. Are we wimps, or are we Scouts?"

The remaining Scouts glanced at one another again. It was Mina who spoke up first.

"This isn't about promises, this is about family - both Zhu Shu AND Mr. Tsukino," she said, striding over to joining Serena and Rei.

"If it's important enough to bring YOU two together, count me in!" Lita added enthusiastically.

All the girls looked at Ami.

"We'd be breaking a promise to one of our closest and dearest friends," she said uncertainly to the other four.

"We might also be saving her life," Rei replied.

"Well, you don't need to convince me," Ami hopped up with a cautious glance at the two cats. "I was ready to go as soon as I found out about Serena's father!"

Luna shook her head.

"I can not let you do this," she said. "If you even TRY to break your promise to Zhu Shu, I will have to contact her."

Artemis shook his head. "I never thought I'd be glad you gave her that pen, but I agree. We can't let you girls go off and face an unknown enemy."

"Well, you didn't seem to have a problem with it when it was Zhu Shu going!" Rei stomped her foot.

The cats exchanged another long glance. Finally, Artemis spoke up.

"Zhu Shu is different," he said. "She's not a Scout."

"Well, she's a Scout to us!" Serena said with finality. She turned and stormed out of the room, leaving the other Scouts to glare at the two cats.



***Qinxong Li, island of Lan Tao***

Jade had nearly wound up back in New Kowloon before she'd woken up. Fortunately, she'd had enough time to slip off the boat during the long and apparently difficult process of leaving port.

The port town was called Gizjhang, and there were so many children running about doing errands that no one questioned her presence. It helped a lot to have ten years of life in Hong Kong to teach her Chinese; it was simple to pretend she was just a nosy little Chinese girl. The fact that she really was nosy didn't hurt, either.

Thus, she'd found out by mid-afternoon that there were some suspicious goings-on near a small town at the other end of the island. She'd even managed to find a ride with an actual car; with a start, she realized she was too used to America if she expected EVERYONE to have a car. Most of the people on this island seemed to make do with donkeys and carts.

She'd arrived in Qinxong Li by midday, and it was obvious that this was a town afraid. She had no idea where to begin looking for this splinter group, but since Section 13 was concerned, she asked if there were any Americans about. She got numerous answers, mostly telling her that nothing was happening - but not convincingly.

A few people mentioned a red-haired American girl who sometimes came to the market, and Jade filed this away mentally. However, only one would tell her much about this girl, and then only small details.

Finally, she walked into a shop that reminded her a lot of Uncle's - a scattered disarray of antiques with very high price tags, many of them related to Chinese magick. She knew this because Uncle's shop was full of items like this - elaborately-painted vases, great thrones of fine woods, swords, figurines, chalices. The place was in just as much chaos as Uncle's shop as well.

It was because of this that Jade did not notice the very old woman sitting at the even older writing desk at the end of the long rectangular room. As she made her way around the maze of assorted furniture, décor, and weapons, she never felt the two narrowed eyes that followed her every move.

Indeed, for all of her martial arts skill, she did not even notice the old woman until she walked right into her, so well did the crone blend in with the labyrinth of antiques.

"What you doing here, Little Fox?" the crone demanded, pointing at her with a crooked, bony finger.

She was wearing the garb of a Chinese servant - loose-fitting pants, a high- collared shirt called a qipao, black slippers. Her snowy hair was pulled back tightly into a small bun that sat atop her head, held together with a pair of very sharp ornate pins. Jade did not want to feel their sting.

Her sharpened facial features and lithe build, though, were remnants of a society long gone, a society that only the live-in niece of an antiques dealer could tell. Jade's eyes widened in shock.

"Are you Han?" she asked in Chinese. The old woman relaxed her stance, if not her guard, and showed a crooked grin.

"You speak with the accent of the mainland," she observed. "You are Chinese, yes?"

Jade nodded eagerly, hoping this woman would not attack her. She had her doubts even Jackie could beat her.

"I am from the family of Chan," she said, offering what she hoped was a formal bow. The old woman nodded acknowledgement to her, issuing the grin again.

"You are in the ancestral village of the family of Li," she replied. "The blood you see is not Han, but that of Clow Reed."

Jade widened her eyes in feigned awe, but inwardly she was thinking. Who?

"You have not come here to buy," the woman continued. "So what are you looking for?"

"Um. nothing?" Jade tried her most innocent look. "Just window-shopping?"

"Window-shopping," the old woman repeated. "What are you up to, Little Fox?"

"My name is Jade," Jade replied, wrinkling her brow in confusion.

The old woman took a very stubborn stance. "I did not know that. I only see the spirit of the Fox. A fox, interested in Americans."

"How did you know?" Jade asked in awe.

"Simple," the woman replied. "I heard it from the fishmonger."

Jade nodded. The fishmonger had been the only person who would tell her about the American girl with the red hair.

"Well, can you tell me about her?" Jade asked.

"There are no Americans on this island," the old lady snapped.

Jade rolled her eyes. "Of course not."

She turned and headed back on her way through the maze, not seeing the little bird fly over the top of the maze to alight heavily above her, flapping its wings mightily. She suddenly heard the thumping sound of wood upon wood, and looked up to see a tall stack of chairs rocking back and forth. They were banging into an ornate wardrobe beside them, laden with shelves of figurines and vases.

Suddenly, the dresser began to tip, falling toward her and spilling over thousands of years of priceless antiques. A delicate porcelain figure of an ancient empress caught her eye, and she leaped forward to catch it before it hit the floor. Cushioning it like a football, she tumbled out of the way just as the dresser took control of the same space. Sitting on her butt, breathing hard, she looked at the completely undamaged figurine and breathed a sigh of relief.

The old woman stood on the other side of the wreckage, making a tsk-tsk sound with her tongue.

"Big mess," she said, shaking her head. Then she looked at the little girl, who shrank back in fear.

"I didn't do it!" she told the old woman. In her panic, she realized she was speaking English.

""Why you save that one?" the old woman queried back, her English as bad as Uncle's. "Lots of pieces there. Jade, onyx. You save porcelain?"

"This is Empress Lin Tzu of the Song Dynasty!" Jade rose, indignantly. "Pieces from the Song are worth a fortune!"

The old woman grinned. "Little Fox knows much for cub. How you know so much?"

"Are you kidding? If that happened in Uncle's shop, I'd have been grounded for life if I didn't save it!" Jade made a face, remembering one time when thugs from the Dark Hand had come to Uncle's shop, and Uncle had made Jackie catch every piece of pottery in the building rather than risk something's destruction. "You sure don't know much about antiques, either," she added. "Those other pieces were probably made in Taiwan. uh. in a toy factory," she finished, remembering where she was.

"Ha! See? You can never pass one by Li Ying!" the old woman announced triumphantly in Chinese, making a motion suspiciously like she was spiking an American football. Then, she looked at Jade, and pointed again. In English, she said, "You more than what seem. Very smart, very strong. You want American girl? Go see great-niece, daughter of sister's son. She tell you what do."

"Where can I find your great-niece?" Jade asked excitedly. Finally, a lead! And Jackie wasn't even here yet!

"She on beach, each night at sunset," the old woman told her. "Follow sun's path to edge of island. You find there."

Jade was bursting with joy. "Thank you!" she waved, going through the maze at top speed. Suddenly, she stopped, and turned.

"Um, excuse me?" she asked, standing on tip-toe and trying to see through the furniture.

"You keep figurine," the old woman shouted back. "Show to great-niece, so she know you."

"Thanks again!" Jade rushed out the door and spared the afternoon sun a quick glance. It was barely past noon, so she decided to find a way to get some food before heading off to finally find the American girl. It never occurred to her to wonder how Li Ying knew what she'd been about to say before she left.



Li Ying called her bird to her, and it rested on her finger.

"You're such a little bird," she told it. "But you and I make a great team, don't we?" She turned and set the bird on its perch, then went to a door located behind some file cabinets and a computer whose screen was showing the accounting for the month. She opened the door and smiled into the bathroom beyond its threshold.

"Did you hear that?" she asked. "I have found you a worthy ally to aid in your quest. She is even of our heritage, if not our clan."

Li Meilin stepped out of the water closet, having only used it for temporary concealment. "Yes, Revered Great-Aunt, I heard it all. As for worthy, I'll be the judge of that."



***Flight 679 to New Kowloon***

Lita sighed.

"This is the life," she said, leaning back in her seat.

"Yeah, Serena," said Ami. "We should travel with your dad more often!"

Rei raised an eyebrow. "By the way, how did your mom suddenly and so conveniently remember that Luna and Artemis needed their shots?"

Serena smiled. "Just lucky, I guess," she said.

"Good thing, too," Mina said. "I almost forgot, and Artemis would have gotten VERY sick without them!

"Well, we're going to a little town south of the mainland, and we're going to stay in their best hotel!" Serena gushed excitedly, evoking oohs and aahs from her friends.

"Have we given any thought to what we're going to do when we get there?" Rei asked in a low tone.

"I'm going to the beach!" Lita announced.

"I'm going shopping," Mina added excitedly.

"I'm going to the spa," Serena said brightly.

"I'm going to analyze the area and see what I can find out about this energy spike," Ami said, knowing exactly what Rei meant.

"What a downer, Rei," Serena glared at her friend. "I was hoping I'd get to enjoy myself."

"Yeah, Rei, you've been acting awfully strange lately," Lita added. "Why is this so important?"

"I. uh," Rei stammered, feeling like a deer in headlights.

"Come on, Rei, spill it," Mina prodded.

Rei sighed. "I hope you understand this," she said. "I can't tell you guys just yet."

"What?" all four girls said in varying states of shock.

"It's not like a secret, or anything like that," Rei laughed nervously. "It's just. I'm still trying to work it out for myself. When I'm ready, you guys will be the first to know about it, okay?"

"Why aren't you ready now?" Serena demanded, much to the chagrin of Ami and Mina. Lita, however, was giving Rei the same inquisitive look.

"Because it's complicated, guys," Rei emphasized. "Just, trust me. I am always a part of the team. I just. there's something else I need to do."

"I bet it's about a boy," Lita retorted.

The entire rest of the flight consisted of speculation between Lita and Serena about Rei's "secret mission." It was only paused temporarily for the in-flight meal, which was devoured if not enjoyed by these two, which came as little surprise to anyone else.

* * * * *

***Gizjhang, Lan Tao port town***

Rich Americans were more common on the mainland, but no one questioned their presence. The mid-afternoon sun was shining brightly overhead as they made their way through the market, ignoring the various kiosks and carts; no one questioned that, either. In fact, most Americans appearing in this area, rich or not, did not usually buy anything, so the locals thought nothing of the presence of the four well-dressed, if disheveled, American men.

"I just want to find a sushi joint and have some lunch! Can't we, boss?" This from the gangly carrot-topped greaser, a reject from some disco movie, some day gone by.

"Yeah," the really huge one said. He looked a lot like Frankenstein would if he were a real person - very tall, bulky, like an ox in a business suit. "We haven't eaten since we got the Talismans, and I'm hungry!"

"We need to maintain a low profile for a few days," came the clipped British reply. "We are obviously not Chinese, so we need to be cautious, in case Section 13 is around."

"Low profile? Who cares?" asked the last of this party, a small, skinny man who actually was Chinese. As if to illustrate his point, he reached out and took an apple from a cart they were passing.

The British man in the green suit whipped around, his long white ponytail spinning with him. He put out his hand, and, in a flash, his friend dropped the apple and recoiled in pain. The merchant who'd begun to give chase ducked back behind his cart, willing to overlook the slight in order to prevent trouble with the formidable Englishman.

"Why'd you do that, Big V? It hurt!" he cried in surprise.

"We need to act like we are not international criminals, Chow," Big V, which stood for Valmont, hissed back, his eyes narrowing.

"But, boss," the ox scratched his head. "Aren't we."

"No, Ratso, not today," Valmont's tone indicated he was losing patience. "We've enjoyed some degree of anonymity thus far. It would be foolish to risk it until we are secure." As a wistful afterthought, he added, "I wish we had the Dark Hand ninjas. It wouldn't hurt to get out of San Francisco."

"Well, if we're not going to be international criminals, what are we going to do?" asked the skinny disco fan.

"That's simple, Finn," Valmont replied. "We look for a hotel, then we lay low and think of a way to get back at that goody-goody, Chan."

"Are we going to get food?" Ratso asked.

Valmont just rolled his eyes, glad he was in the lead. It was no wonder these three had failed in every attempt to get Chan that they had made thus far. To top it off, Valmont was NOT happy about losing Tohru, who was one of his best agents.

However, a good criminal mastermind kept even his dumbest agents happy, and it wasn't long before Valmont had the four of them lodged and dining. Granted, this place was no Marriott, but more like an inn from an old kung- fu movie; that was alright.

"So why don't we just use the Talismans to kill Chan?" Finn asked as he slurped on some kind of brothy soup.

"Even when we had all twelve of them, he still eluded us," Valmont chewed thoughtfully at his food. "No, we need to get a manhunt going. I suppose we'll have to contact other criminal organizations, but I hate to do that. The competition is so tedious."

"How do we do that, boss?" Ratso asked.

.and moments later, a dart separated his food from his chopsticks. Ratso could only gaze, dumbfounded, at the empty utensils, but the others jumped up, on high alert, and ran for cover.

It did no good, as a group of ninjas stormed the room through the window. Quickly, all four Dark Hand operatives were subdued by the lightning-fast chops and kicks of these men; it all went by in such a blur that they would spend years speculating on exactly what had happened. They were all down on the floor, but the ninjas' eyes were only on Valmont.

The apparent leader of the black-clad warriors bowed to Valmont, presented him with a card. Then, as suddenly as they had all appeared, they were all gone. The four Americans could only look on, shocked.

When they could find their voices, Valmont's three henchmen all simultaneously asked about the card. By the time this happened, though, Valmont had already memorized its contents, so great was his shock.

I HAVE BEEN OBSERVING YOUR RECENT EXPLOITS, AND WISH TO MEET WITH YOU WHILE YOU'RE IN HONG KONG. PLEASE MAKE YOURSELVES AVAILABLE AT THE SIXTH PIER TOMORROW AT NOON. AN ESCORT WILL MEET YOU.

XIAN CHI

"Gentlemen, I think we have found our hunters," he laughed. Oh yes, they will definitely be hunting, and the prey is Chan.

* * * * *

***New Kowloon, Hong Kong***

"So tell me again about this splinter group?"

Jackie was aghast by what he'd heard thus far, and this was the third time he was making Black repeat it. He shifted in his seat, watching the buildings on the route to the airport flash by.

"They're known as Section Three," he replied, sighing. "They're an organization like ours. They study paranormal artifacts. If we still had them, they'd get the Talismans. Remember that movie about the guy with the hat and the whip, the archaeologist? All the loot he found would have gotten to Section Three eventually. But they're funded privately. They're just regulated by the government."

"And they disappeared?"

"Almost all of them," Black replied. "All of the key researchers, all the data, even a few of the test subjects."

Jackie couldn't imagine it. America was such a great country! Even in parts of Hong Kong, despite its industry and trade, people did not know luxuries so common in America as television, automobiles, and CD players. Just north, in China, basic freedoms, like free speech and religion, were denied. In all of Jackie's travels, he had never seen a country with as much liberty and luxury as America. Why would anyone want to desert it like that?

"So why is this Section Thirteen's job, again?"

"Because we're the only ones equipped to fight them, if they cause trouble," Black said somberly. "And even that is not definite."

"That's because weapons can't defeat magick," Uncle spat, agitated.

"I know that, Uncle," Black nodded, trying to maintain his calm in the face of the little man. "That's why you're here."

"And what if they do have this superweapon you're talking about?" Jackie asked. This was the part that made his stomach twist.

"Then we may be looking at total global devastation,"

"What is this superweapon? Very secret," Uncle leaned forward intently.

Black sighed. "I haven't been evasive. I just only have a code name: Banshee."

"Banshee. Screaming. That doesn't sound too bad," Jackie laughed.

"No one back home is laughing," Black said gloomily. "They wanted us in Lan Tao within twenty-four hours."

Jackie gazed out the window. "I don't know how I got talked into this."

"Because, Jackie," Uncle said cheerily. "A hero's work is never done!"

* * * * *

***Kuno Enterprises private jet***

Kodachi sighed in the darkness. On the huge viewing screen before her, the video was playing for what seemed like the eighty-seventh time, and she was not going to sit and watch it again, despite what the others wanted to do. She really wasn't.

She was almost sorry to have to share the luxurious jet with these brats. In addition to the screen, the plush seats were comfortable, with plenty of room to lay back and even sleep comfortably. There was a four-star chef in a small kitchenette preparing gourmet food; a full-scale vanity housed a professional make-up consultant; and there was even a small gym for the Kuno twins to practice their moves.

The little boy, Li, was stuffing his face, but also keenly observing everything she did. Madison was a little know-it-all who had something to say about every little thing the hag and her friends said. Sakura was the strangest of the three; she would take some pudding from the spread the chef had set out for them, and slip it into her knapsack. Kodachi shook her head.

Children.

"Well, they're obviously mages of some kind," Madison was telling them. "They detected, through their little computer, that there was some kind of magick at work in Hong Kong. They know what they're looking for."

"Yeah, but what interest could they possibly have in the Clow Cards?" Sakura demanded.

Madison shrugged. "I don't know," she admitted.

"Maybe it's not the Clow Cards they want," Li said between munching. "Qinxong Li, my ancestral home, was once the home of the Imperial mages. Their families remained there. So did many magickal secrets. They could be after just about anything."

"Yeah," Sakura agreed. "In my dream, the faceless ones are not after the Cards, but Meilin." She turned to see the look of dismay on Li's face. "Oops," she added weakly.

"No," Li shook his head. "Your dream reminds us all what the stakes are."

"Gee, Shaoron," Madison giggled. "Do I detect some worry for Meilin in there?"

"Yeah," Sakura added. "You sure seem - concerned - for someone you think is annoying!"

Li shrugged. "She IS my cousin, you know."

Kodachi felt the urge to break in, before this rather interesting tidbit was lost amongst elementary-school babbling. She knew the little one, Sakura, knew some kind of magick, but she wanted to know more about this premonition.

"What happened in your dream?" she asked, trying to sound polite.

"Our friend, Meilin, was attacked by these faceless warriors," Sakura replied, remembering with a shudder. "They're expert fighters, and even though she is, too, she's no match for them. But they won't back down, and neither will she.

"Then, someone screams. and Meilin disintegrates to dust."

Sakura turned her face away with a shudder as she looked back out the window toward the sun, which hung perpetually over the ocean as though time had stood still. Kodachi though about this for a minute, saying nothing. She really wasn't sure whether to take the little girl seriously or not.

"Can you tell me anything about my future?" she asked finally.

"Sakura's powers are not a joke, or a parlor trick," Li protested. "There are things out there that you don't understand."

"I might understand them better than you think!" Kodachi snapped back. "I'm helping you because I am after a Chinese witch! She has put an enchantment on my beloved, and I must defeat her to win my beloved back!"

She hadn't meant to reveal her reasons for traveling so far away, but it had a profound effect. The girls' eyes widened and were suddenly filled with stars.

"Just like a fairy tale!" Madison exclaimed.

"Like a soap opera," Sakura added.

"Like hell," Li grumbled and turned away. To Kodachi he added, "I appreciate your help and all, but that doesn't mean I have to trust you, or your motives."

"That's quite alright," Kodachi said.

Mentally, she added, It doesn't matter anyway. Once you show me where I'm going, I'm done with you, and you can swim home for all I care.

* * * * *

Jade spotted Li Ying's great-niece right away, but waited a moment before going in to soak in the beauty of her quarry's favorite spot. She was standing on a crest of hills that provided both a gorgeous view of the ocean and shelter for the town from the winds of the South China Sea. The town was set in a basin, flourishing in the saturated land the hills provided for them. From her high perch, Jade could see farms, homes, and even the town square.

In fact, she could see the next town, up the coast; a plane was landing somewhere over there, and the bright lights had a more modern look than the traditional setting she was now in. With a few exceptions, Qinxong Li was like traveling back through time.

Jade sighed. "Oh, well," she said to herself. "May as well get this over with."

She walked south along the hills, carefully, since it looked like the girl she was seeking was praying, or meditating. The other girl looked no older than Jade was, with long black hair fixed in pigtails that were topped with the bun-like odangos that were popular all over China and Japan. She was wearing a long white and red cheongsam, the traditional Mandarin dress, similar in appearance to her great-aunt's shirt, but longer. It had gold trim and slits up the sides, which allowed the wearer freedom of movement for kicks and jumps. The ends of the long angel-cut sleeves were trimmed with a single bell each.

Oh, no, thought Jade. She's a fighter, too.

"Um. excuse me?" she said aloud, in Chinese.

When the girl turned, Jade took a step back. It wasn't so much the fighting stance - Jade took a defensive stance, ready for an attack. It also wasn't the yin-yang symbol that decorated the front of her adversary's dress. It was the fire in the young girl's eyes, a seemingly tangible force that in itself knocked her a few steps back.



Meilin had been waiting for this Chinese-American girl to show up for several hours. She had prepared for it in many ways - she had gone to the family shrine and consulted the elders; she had taken the ritual bath of herbs and flower pedals; she had gathered her strength through meditation. She had every intention of testing this American girl before giving her a chance. After all, this was Li business, not to be meddled in by others.

She sized the girl up, all the while trying to appear as imposing as she could. Chinese as her heritage might be, the American girl was slovenly - a sweatshirt zipped up over a tee-shirt, jeans, sneakers - not fighting clothes at all. Outside of that, she looked like a boy, with short hair cut in a bob just above her shoulders. Her stance was a good one, though; a defensive stance known only by upper-level warriors. How could this sloppy little American girl know a stance like that?

"Who are you?" Meilin demanded.

Jade gulped. "I'm. uh. Jade," she replied. "An old lady told me to come here and find her niece. Are you her niece?"

Meilin's face never changed, and she evenly replied, "I may be. I am Meilin. What is your business here in my village?"

Jade wasn't sure how to explain that one. "I'm looking for a red-haired American girl," she tried.

"Why do you seek her?"

"Because she might know about some other people I'm looking for," Jade said, relaxing her stance a little. The other girl did not relax hers one iota.

"These people are a threat to my village," Meilin spat. "What's your connection to them?"

"I work for people who are trying to stop them," Jade replied, sounding a bit desperate. This was NOT going well. "Will you help me?"

"That depends - are you a worthy warrior?" Meilin said. and snapped right into a flying kick, aimed right for Jade's face.

Jade leaped back, flipping into the air and landing in the first stance she had taken. Meilin also landed, and tried a roundhouse that Jade was able to duck. barely. She could feel as her hair was moved by the force of the kick and felt her stomach jump into her throat.

This girl is good. she thought. Maybe better than me.

She threw a punch in Meilin's direction, not very surprised when it got blocked and pushed out of the way. Meilin made a punch of her own, which Jade blocked, leaving her barely enough time to spin away from Meilin's kick.

Facing off again, Jade decided it was time to take the offensive. She unleashed a flurry of kick that was both graceful and sharp; Meilin blocked them with determination, thinking perhaps this Jade girl was a worthy fighter after all. She was certainly well-trained.

Meilin grabbed a hold of Jade's ankle and flipped her back, but the cat- like American girl landed on her feet, crouching like a tiger about to pounce. Meilin decided not to waste any time and leaped herself; her anticipation of Jade's move proved correct and the two clashed in mid-air like a pair of fighting hawks.

To the shock of both, their feet touched in mid-kick, and resulted in no more than both girls using one another as springboards for a landing. Their feet had barely touched the ground when they were up again, each leaping toward the other one, this time with a flurry of punches. Finally, Meilin managed to grab a hold of Jade's wrist, and used both it and the leverage of Jade's thrust to flip the girl again. Jade landed face-first, rolling out of the way before Meilin had a chance to drop-kick her head. She rose in time to see the crater Meilin's kick had made, where her head had previously been.

Meilin pulled her foot out of its self-made hole and fell into stance again. Jade jumped toward her and cried out, "The hand is quicker than the eye!"

Meilin suddenly found herself dizzied by a kaleidoscope of punches, and trying to block them all was a tiring task. It wasn't until an impact with the force and feel of a brick hit her chin that she realized her mistake, even as Jade was saying it.

"But you weren't watching my foot!" the American fighter jumped back triumphantly.

Meilin could hear Jade's panting, even through her own, and her blinding pain. She rose and reached one hand up to her warm, moist lip, noting that the hand came back with blood. Taking her stance, she met Jade's eye.

"Im. Impressive," she said as she gasped for air. "You. drew. first blood."

"Then. did I pass?" Jade asked, through labored breathing.

"No," Meilin said, the look back in her eyes. "We've only just begun."

And, to Jade's horror, Meilin leaped at her again.