Author's Note: Alrighty, then. I checked the website,
http://www.spe.sony.com/tv/kids/jackiechan/). They are labeled "Finn,
Ratso, and Chow" and standing with the green guy first, the disco guy next,
and Chow last. When the first season design of the website was up, the
Enforcers had individual bios, and the disco guy was labeled "Ratso." And
yet, in the episode entitled "He Does His Own Stunts," the disco guy called
Frankenstein "Ratso." Special thanks to my stepson, Karjanmon, and to
Chris Fabris, for pointing this out to me. I mean, the fandom is for the
show, not the website, right? A revised version, with the names portrayed
accurately, should have already been posted. Now, I just hope I can get
used to the change....
Thanks, fans, and enjoy!
***Qinzong Li, Lan Tao***
"Are. we. done. yet?" Jade panted, wiping the blood from her scraped knuckles as she tiredly tried to stand.
"Not. till. one. of. us. falls," Meilin replied, gasping for air, kneeling.
"Well. it won't. be me," Jade finally made it to her feet long enough to try a half-hearted swing at her adversary.
Darkness had fallen a long time before, and yet the battle had not ended. Jade had a bloody hole in the knee of her jeans, and there was more blood and dirt caked under her fingernails. One of Meilin's pigtails had been relocated just under her ear, its odango pulled out and sticking to the sweat on her neck.
Dodging Jade's swing, Meilin found herself on the ground yet again. She lost her balance and fell back, looking up in alarm as Jade began falling, too. Meilin rolled out of the way just as the American girl hit the dirt, and neither made much of a move to rise. Jade yawned.
"What say we postpone the climax of this fight till tomorrow?" she asked, her voice full of hope.
"Does that mean you concede?"
"You never quit, do you,"
"Never," Meilin confirmed. "If I quit, I never would have become a fighter."
"Me, either," Jade said. "It takes a lot of practice to be as good as we are."
Meilin turned to face her American counterpart.
"You really think I am good?" she asked, beaming.
"Uh-huh," Jade said emphatically. "Trust me, I know."
"You're really good, too," Meilin said. "Next time we meet, I hope it's on - "
She stopped abruptly, and suddenly sat up, grunting as she did so. Jade looked in the direction she was peering, and saw a cluster of lights in the late-night sky. Meilin made a small growling sound deep in her throat.
"What is that?" Jade asked her.
"A helicopter. I don't know whose," Meilin said grimly. "But it comes every evening. In fact, it's late tonight."
"Does this have anything to do with a red-haired American girl?"
Meilin looked at her a long time before answering.
"Some of the merchants in town, the ones that go to Gizjhang, say that helicopter brings the American girl. But that place - " She shuddered.
"What do you know about it?" Jade prompted.
"Not much. I've never even seen the American girl,"
"WHAT?!!?" Jade exclaimed. "The lady in the antiques shop said I was to look here for her great-niece, and that you would be able to lead me to the American girl." Jade's hands had flown into the pockets of her jacket in indignance. But she stopped abruptly when one hand struck something hard. Puzzled, she reached into her pocket.
In her hand, and miraculously unscathed, was the porcelain figure of Song Lin Tzu.
"Hey, that's from Auntie Ying's shop!" Meilin pointed at the figurine. "It's one of her most priceless pieces! What are you doing with it?"
"I." Jade thought for a moment. "She gave it to me. To show you I'd spoken to her."
"But she knew I was right there!" Meilin exclaimed. "I would have recognized you anyway! There must have been a different reason." Suddenly getting into stance again, she demanded, "You didn't steal it, did you?"
"No way!" Jade replied, preparing to defend herself despite protesting muscles. "She really DID give it to me! And if you knew who I was, why did you fight me?"
"I needed to make sure you were worthy," Meilin responded simply.
"Give me a break," Jade dismissed. "This is like a bad hop-and-chop theater! Why would you need to test me?"
"Look, that's just who we are around here, okay?" Meilin exclaimed. "When we're threatened, it's our business. We don't like outsiders poking their noses in it."
"And that - " Jade gestured in the direction the helicopter had gone. " - is threatening to your village?"
"Well, you tried talking to the people today," Meilin said, crossing her arms. "Since you act so much like you're Chinese, they talked to you. But would they talk about the helicopter or the American girl?"
"No," Jade admitted. "And I AM Chinese. I grew up in New Kowloon."
"You did?" Meilin asked in shock. "What did you say your family name was, again?"
"Chan," Jade crossed her arms proudly. She didn't fully understand why, but Chan was a surname with a lot of prestige around Hong Kong and southern China. She even knew about Mexican Maya whose last names were Chan, and they, too, were revered.
And when she saw Meilin's reaction, she decided she would have to ask Uncle about that sometime.
Meilin did not bow, or kneel, but she looked like she was about to. She DID lower her head and say, "Had I known that, there would have been no need to test your skill, or your honor."
"Why?" Jade ventured.
"I did not realize you were Chinese. I thought you were American. Though you don't act much like a Chan."
"What does a Chan act like?" Jade asked.
"I don't remember what the books say, but I expect a Chan to be more. refined,"
"WHY?" Jade was getting exasperated.
"I told you, I don't remember! I just remember my teacher mentioning the name when I was younger,"
While Jade seemed to grudgingly accept this answer, Meilin shuddered at the lie. Her teacher never told her; no one had. Its mere mentioned had stirred up some cobwebbed corner of her mind, and in turn had caused a chill to run up and down her spine. It was not a name that specifically meant anything to her, and yet it meant everything.
"So why won't anyone talk much about the American girl, anyway?"
"Huh? Oh, because they think she is a demon,"
"Ah, and mentioning a demon could bring it to you," Jade nodded. "Well, is she?"
Meilin shrugged. "I don't know."
"Well, if she is, just wait till Uncle gets here," Jade said proudly. "He knows magick, and he'll do a chi spell that'll send the demon back to wherever she came from."
"Wow, your Uncle knows magick?" Meilin asked, sighing. "So does my fiancé, Shaoron, but I don't even know if Shaoron will be here to help me."
"Well, with all that magick, beating a demon will be easy," Jade said. "I'm sure your friend will come, and then there will be demon guts everywhere!"
"I hope so,"
"So what's on that island, anyway?"
"Towers,"
"What's IN the towers?" Jade wanted to know.
Meilin shrugged. "I've never actually been to the island."
"Why not?" Jade raised an eyebrow.
"Because spirits live there. Or, at least, they did till the towers went up,"
"We need to go there!" Jade exclaimed. "Gather intelligence. Find out as much about the demon as we can, so Uncle can make the right chi spell."
"Well, I know where we can get a boat," Meilin replied.
"Good, then let's go get this demon!"
"That is, assuming we can even get the boat," she said about an hour later.
Outside the village of Qinxong Li was a small harbor, from which the fishermen of the village would set sail for the day's catch. Most of the boats were junks, their scalloped sails dark in the blackness of night. There were a couple of motor boats, little better than skiffs, and not suitable for the crossing.
"Oh, no," Meilin sighed, looking over the selection. "There's only one boat here that will work, but I don't know about taking it."
Jade, too, was looking at the sleek black boat with the white scorpion emblazoned on its side. She'd seen a thousand just like it on San Francisco Bay; muscle-boats, usually piloted by some weight-lifting bruiser with a bikini-clad babe tanning on the bow. She looked out at the rough seas, and jumped on the scorpion boat.
Meilin looked down uncertainly at her from the dock.
"I don't know about this." she said.
"Do you have a better idea?" Jade demanded.
Taking one last cautious glance around, Meilin untied the boat and followed Jade on. Jade had managed to get it started; Meilin could see no sign of a key, but she couldn't see any damage, either. She decided to herself that Auntie Ying had been right about this Chan girl.
And suddenly it was as though they were flying across the bay. The boat glided over the water and they could feel the chilly, salty wind blowing through their hair and over their faces. Waves made the boat jump and skip across them, jarring both the girls along the way.
The lights on top of the towers were getting bigger and bigger. At first, they mistook this for the decreasing distance making them appear that way. Until an extremely rough wave knocked Meilin to the back of the boat. Jade hung on to the wheel, but keeping her feet on the ground was tricky.
"What's going on!" she cried.
She yanked the throttle down to nothing, but little good came of the attempt at order. Now the waves were desperate infielders, continuously trying to get a double play. The whole world around them was shaking, and the girls held on frantically.
"It's like an earthquake!" Jade cried.
"This is not good," Meilin had a chance to add before another wave sent her flying.
Jade looked up just before Meilin's head collided with hers.
Then there was an explosion of stars.
Then cold blackness.
***New Kowloon***
The airport, like most airports, had been an exercise in chaos, despite the use of the private jet. Unfortunately, they'd had to land on the mainland, because there were no airports large enough to land the Kuno mammoth on Lan Tao. Li knew where they could get a boat the rest of the way, but first they had to work their way through a huge mob of travelers, merchants, and workers that filled the airport like so many sardines in a can.
Li directed them to a taxi and then suddenly disappeared. Madison looked at Sakura, not sure what to say, not even convinced she would be heard. She could only shrug.
Sakura was looking around, feeling extremely small, when she noticed something direly wrong.
"Where's Kodachi?" she asked.
"I don't know," Madison shouted back, barely hearing Sakura's question over the din. "The last place I remember seeing her was the plane!"
"Li sure was in a hurry to get off the plane," Sakura observed. "He must be really eager to get home."
"You would do the same, if it was your family," Madison replied. "I just wonder what the Oni had to do with it, and why she was in Tokyo."
"I just hope the Cards will be enough to stop her, whoever she is," Sakura reached down and absently fingered the Key of Clow, which hung from a chain around her neck.
Presently, Li returned.
"Okay, let's go," he said, ducking them quickly into a cab. He said something in Chinese to the driver, and they were off.
The two girls could only look at him in outrage.
"Where's Kodachi?" Sakura demanded.
"Looking for the connecting flight to Lan Tao," Li sat back, casually lacing his hands behind his head.
"Then why are we taking a boat?" Madison wanted to know.
"Because there IS no connecting flight to Lan Tao," Li smirked.
"WHAT?!!?" both the girls exclaimed in unison.
Kero chose this moment to poke his head out of Sakura's bag. He had a big grin on his pudding-covered face.
"Good move, kid," he said approvingly.
"Kero!" Sakura exclaimed. "We can't just ditch Kodachi!"
"Yeah," Madison seconded. "She's big back home. You could have just ruined us!"
"How? What could she do to US?" Li asked, scowling.
"Well, there was this martial gymnast at her school," Madison explained. "Lita Kino. And she was better than Kodachi. Then, all of a sudden, this rumor went around about her. People started saying that Lita liked to beat people up. Ever since then, she's been known as 'Karate Maniac.' She wound up leaving the school, and Kodachi became the best gymnast there."
"If you knew that about her, why did you want to hook up with someone like that?" Kero crossed his arms disapprovingly.
"Because she has a lot of clout, and it's good to have clout like that on our side," Sakura responded.
"What, a rumor-spreading gossip-queen?" Li snorted.
"No, Tokyo's best martial gymnast and one of its richest citizens," Madison replied. "She's not even an adult, and she's worth more than half the kids in Tokyo combined. And that's just HER allowance. She has a twin brother, and a Daddy who makes all this money, too."
"Yeah," Sakura added. "How else would we have gotten to Hong Kong? And to thank her, you left her stranded in the airport!"
Li sat forward, the scowl on his face cutting lines in it and shooting daggers at them.
"I don't trust her," he said. "And the only reason I told you two is because this is Clow Card business. We're going to my ancestral home, which used to be the home of Clow Reed. And I don't want that crazy girl anywhere near it, you got that?"
"Li, you know she's just going to go there anyway," Sakura warned. "And then she's going to find us and be really mad."
"Let her be mad," Li snapped back. "She probably would have done the same to us, anyway."
He leaned back, glaring in a manner that dared them to argue, so he could unleash. They didn't.
"Good. Then it's settled,"
The rest of the ride to the shipyard was angrily silent.
Kodachi wandered around the airport for about an hour before she realized that those idiot children had clearly gotten so lost she would never find them. This was frustrating, but it was something she had expected anyway. Besides, it wasn't her place to be a babysitter to a bunch of fifth-grade brats. She just hadn't realized losing them would be so easy.
However, she wasn't in Lan Tao yet. She went to the information desk, where a young lady - a peon, a mere poor person - awaited her with a smile. Well, Kodachi would ruin her day.
"I demand to see the flight planner," she said, inwardly gleeful when the smile melted.
She began spouting off in very heated Chinese, and Kodachi was quickly lost amidst only semi-familiar phrases spoken too quickly for her understanding. Finally, she grabbed the woman by the collar and hissed, "Do you know who I am? I am Kodachi Kuno, and I demand to see the flight planner!"
Something registered in the woman's eyes; she held up a finger and ran to the security office behind her desk. Kodachi crossed her arms and waited. After a few minutes, the woman re-emerged with a Japanese man in a business suit. He approached her, looking extremely nervous.
"Miss Kuno?" he stammered in Japanese when he reached her. "My name is Aiko Mosimato. I'm the flight planner. How can we help you?"
"First off, fire her," Kodachi turned to point to the desk attendant, not realizing how close she was. By the time Kodachi finished her gesture, the woman was clutching her face and shouting something.
"Why do you want her fired?" Mr. Mosimato asked in surprise.
"She is inefficient. She dared to make me wait," Kodachi spat.
"Miss Kuno, your father is very important in the board of directors," Mr. Mosimato told her. "But I can't fire this girl. She didn't know you were the heiress to the Kuno fortune. When she found out, she came and got me immediately. She did a fine job."
"What kind of place is this?!!?" Kodachi threw up her arms in despair, knocking aside a huge stack of luggage on a passing cart.
"This is an airport, Miss Kuno," Mr. Mosimato replied helpfully, trying not to wince as the fallen luggage took three people down with it. They moaned in pain, their belongings scattered all over the floor. "And you had a flight plan to file?"
"Yes," Kodachi replied. "Happy you've finally joined the conversation. I want to fly my jet to Lan Tao."
Now Mr. Mosimato really did wince, and it wasn't just because of the trolley that had skidded on some of the fallen travelers' fallen luggage, which had sent the trolley crashing through one of the arrival gates. It wasn't even the subsequent explosion from the cockpit of the plane that had been docked there, or the plane's slowly rolling into the building itself as its pilot momentarily lost control. And the collapse of that whole side of the terminal was only part of his dismay.
"Miss Kuno, you can't fly a jet as big as yours to Lan Tao!"
"And why not?" Kodachi demanded over the commotion.
"Because there's not an airport large enough on the whole island!" Mr. Mosimato shouted over the din of shouting people, klaxons, and approaching ambulances.
"Well what do you suggest?" Kodachi said acidly.
"That you take the boat, like everyone else does," Mr. Mosimato said, hoping she'd do just that and destroy their building instead.
"Do I look like everyone else?!!?" Kodachi cried out.
Three security guards ran up to the flight planner. They spoke in hurried Chinese, sparing Kodachi a few cautious glances. Mr. Mosimato said something back to them, at which point they started begging him for something. Finally, he relented.
"Let's go to my office, Miss Kuno, and we'll see what we can do," he sighed, thinking, The guards are right. The sooner she's gone, the better!
Once they were safely - he hoped - in his office, the called the only field near Lan Tao that could handle the Kuno jet. He spoke for several minutes to the field's owner, and then put the phone down.
Kodachi had her arms crossed again, and was staring out the window, her impatience making her smolder. When Mr. Mosimato finally addressed her, she was thinking, It's about time.
"You're cleared for immediate departure to Skorpion Island," he told her quickly. "It's a private island about twenty miles west of Lan Tao, and the owner has even graciously agreed to provide transport to Lan Tao. Will that be acceptable?"
"Absolutely," Kodachi smiled her wicked grin. "I'm glad you saw things my way. I want to leave as soon as possible."
"Of course, Miss Kuno," Mr. Mojimato smiled his public-relations smile. "That is all we wanted to do for you."
***Gizjhang, Lan Tao***
"So who's this music guy we're goin' to meet?" Ratso asked as he attempted to skip rocks off the pier.
"That's Song, not 'sawng,'" Valmont corrected him, looking dapper as he waited for the appointed pick-up. "Song Xian Chi. He's like the Shadowkahn, but without Shengdu."
"You mean, he's a demon?" Chow asked, bewildered.
"No, a sorcerer," Valmont replied. "And probably the richest criminal mastermind in the Orient."
"How do you know all this, Big V?" Finn wanted to know.
"Xian Chi and his Skorpion Clan have a bit of a reputation in the world of organized crime," Valmont told them. "They are a very, very old organization, and Xian Chi is a very smart man. He collects artifacts, like the Talismans, or that statue of Lo Pei we fought for the Talismans."
"You don't think he's gonna try and steal the Talismans, do you, boss?" Ratso asked.
"I am sure he will," Valmont grinned. "But two can play at that game, can't they?"
"Oh. Yeah," Ratso was clearly still confused about the whole thing, but Finn and Chow issued broad grins.
"Maybe losing that treasure was the best thing that ever happened to us," Finn told Chow, who nodded in agreement.
"Ahem!"
The feminine cough was offered from the right of Valmont, and they all looked. They were greeted by the sight of a small, sharp-featured girl whose skin was almost white beneath a long mantle of curly black hair. Her slightly slanted blue eyes appraised them with too much activity. The top of her head barely reached Chow's chest, but none of them wanted to make a move. There was a towering air about this girl, even considering the breeches and tee-tunic she wore.
"You are Sebastian Valmont, right?" she asked. "Your parents weren't very creative, were they."
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Valmont stamped his cane.
"Your first name is Sebastian?" Finn asked, giggling.
"What kind of name is that?" Ratso chuckled.
"What kind of name is Ratso?" Valmont glared daggers at him. All three Enforcers immediately stopped laughing. Satisfied, Valmont turned back to the girl.
"And who are you?" he demanded.
"My name is Larane Marsh," the girl replied, her face never changing from its blank expression. She smoothed out the long, short-sleeved shirt she was wearing and stood up a bit straighter, which seemed to add about six feet to her height, though it only added inches. "I was sent by Song Xian Chi to escort you to Skorpion Island."
"Ah, we've been expecting you," Valmont snapped up his cane and made to follow her. "Where is our transport?"
Larane narrowed her eyes. "I don't know if I want to take you," she replied. "I don't like you. Your aura lacks honor."
"I think your master would be angry if you don't bring me to him," Valmont growled, meeting her gaze.
"Xian Chi is not my master," she replied evenly. "He's more of a. business partner. And he sent me to study you. I don't like what I see."
"So what do you plan on doing about it?" As the Enforcers took fighting stances, Valmont reached into his pocket, hoping the Talisman he was about to pull out would be useful if it came down to fighting this black-clad she- bitch.
She took a deep breath, and muttered something softly.
The wind suddenly began to pick up, whipping Valmont's hair and the flags of nearby boats into a frenzy. He looked around, noticing that there were no people around, which was odd for a busy dock at this time of day.
The wind picked up harder and harder, so Valmont pulled the random Talisman out of his pocket. And was pleased to discover it was the pig. Grinning, he activated it, and took aim at a point just before Larane Marsh's feet.
"Heat beam eyes!" he cried out, invoking the Talisman's power.
The blast of heat had more than the desired effect. For one, it tore through the cold winds Larane had created, dispersing them into so many downdrafts and scattering garbage and papers all over the docks. For another, the surface before Larane was pummeled with a wall of heat so potent, it smashed through the wood, knocking Larane off-balance - and out of her spell.
"Interesting," she said, narrowing her eyes again. She reached into her shirt and pulled out a small pouch, readying to throw it. Valmont took the opportunity to interrupt her.
"I missed the first time out of professional courtesy," he said. "I will not do so again."
"Ah," she replied, smiling. "Are you sure that would do any good?" She held out the pouch as though offering it to him.
Rolling his eyes, Valmont said, "Alright. It was a pleasure knowing you."
But when he blasted her again, she leaped out of the way, tossing the satchel in the path of the heat. It exploded in a cloud of dust, which, the moment it touched her, caused Larane Marsh to fly.
Hovering about ten feet from the ground, she cried out, "It's only good if you catch me, Valmont!"
"Catch you, eh?" Valmont muttered to himself, grinning. He watched as she drifted away, pulling all the Talismans from his pocket and grabbing the two he needed most right now - Rooster and Rabbit. With Rooster's levitation and Rabbit's power of speed, catching her would be easy.
And it was. He grabbed her around the waist, crying, "Honey, I'm home!" A seagull flew past, looking a little shocked to find two people up to high without help.
"You are just a man with dangerous toys," Larane hissed over her shoulder at him. "What makes you think you are worthy of the Sorcerer Xian Chi?"
"Because my toys are just dangerous enough to catch his interest, my dear," Valmont whispered in her ear. In response, she elbowed him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him. and the Rooster from his hand.
Man and Talisman began to fall, Valmont not pleased by the fact he was headed for the roof of a warehouse. Desperately, he drew all the talismans from his pocket as his descent quickened, that roof becoming uncomfortably close.
Quickly finding Horse and Dog, he landed with a THUD! Dog prevented him from dying, its glyph shimmering as it finished its work. Then, Horse healed all the bruises and the broken back which had resulted from the fall, restoring him to full capacity with plenty of time to snatch the Rooster before it could be grabbed by his adversary.
"Are we quite finished yet?" he demanded as she landed on the roof beside him.
"Well, Xian Chi will be wondering what's keeping us," she hissed. "But don't think this is over, Valmont."
"What have I done to deserve this hatred from you, Miss Marsh?"
"First off, the name's Le Fey. Make sure you use it," she told him, her voice full with venom. "And, what have you done? I can see through you, Valmont. And without your Talismans, and your Demon, you're nothing. If Xian Chi doesn't chew you up and spit you out, mark my words. I will."
With that, she pushed him off the roof, leaving Dog and Horse to perform their duties yet again. Gathering up all four of them, she pointed to a cruiser in one of the boat slips.
"We get on that one. Come on, let's not waste any more time,"
As she walked away, Finn helped Valmont to his feet.
"She's really got it in for you, don't she, Big V?"
"How could she have so much power without having Talismans?" Ratso wondered.
"She's a witch," Valmont said through wounded pride. "And soon, she'll be a dead witch."
***Tan-O, Lan Tao***
"THIS is our luxury suite?!!?" Steam was coming out of Rei's ears as she advanced on Serena. The sometimes-Champion of Love and Justice backed away from her counterpart's ire with true fear in her eyes.
"I didn't know!" she cried defensively. "I didn't know this was such a dippy town!"
Indeed, all the people that lived in Tan-O could have moved into Juuban district, and not even had to build new homes. In fact there were about as many people as there would be in the Juuban Mall at this very moment.
It was much more modern than Gizjhang, however. In fact, it looked like a suburb, except that there was no city to attach itself to. Rows of houses on neatly-paved streets were punctuated by several schools and a university. There were even twenty-four hour stores here. Even the hotel might not have been that bad. if there hadn't been five beds in one room the size of Serena's.
Serena by herself could take up one room. So could Rei. The others, while rather neat, still would have been cramped sharing the room without the two resident slobs.
"Maybe we could get another room." Lita muttered to Mina, who giggled in response.
"There ARE no other rooms, because of the festival!" Serena pouted, slinging her luggage on a bed. She sat down, arms crossed, looking like a younger version of herself. Lita and Mina exchanged a glance, then each took a bed of their own.
"We can do this, guys!" Lita said, sounding a little over-enthusiastic.
"Yeah, it's only for a few days," Mina hoped she didn't sound too sugary.
"Besides, how much space do we really need?" Ami smiled, taking a bed and leaving the last for Rei.
"Where's the bathroom?" Mina asked, unpacking a myriad of loofahs, creams, washes, hair treatments, and other toiletries.
"I think it's over there," Lita pointed as she unpacked her punching dummy. "Any suggestions where I should put this?"
"Maybe we can find some room outside," Ami suggested as she loaded the shelves with her books.
Rei glared at Serena for a moment before hissing, "I'll find a way to get you back for this one."
"But I really didn't do it, Rei! Honest!" Serena protested. She dug in her bag and handed Rei a brochure. "THIS is what I thought it was going to be like."
Rei glanced over the brochure, and she had to admit, it made Tan-O look like a bustling metropolis. Even the hotel looked a lot grander in the photos than it actually was. She shook her head.
"Damn," she said. "I guess we're stuck here."
"Hey, we're here," Lita said. "That's a lot better than we were doing yesterday."
"I don't know, I kind of liked that inn we stayed at last night," Rei said, and Serena detected a hint of something in her voice.
"You met a boy last night, didn't you!" she cried, her eyes wide.
"No," Rei said, blushing harder. Knowing her face felt so hot made her feel frustrated. Would her friends ever get her? It was okay to be friends with a boy. Serena was friends with Melvin. But he was Molly's boyfriend. Well, Zhu Shu was friends with Ranma, and that was the same as Jackie. Right, Rei?
"It was nothing like that!" she exclaimed. "He's much older than me." Lita and Serena gasped in delight at this new scandal; even Mina returned from the bathroom to hear this one.
"No! He was looking for his niece! I helped him find her. sort of."
"Was he cute?" Serena demanded.
"Was he tall?" Lita asked, sounding a little shy.
"What was his name?" Mina asked.
Ami sighed and continued putting her books away, finally graduating that chore to hook up her laptop. Her ear never left the conversation, however.
"Okay, fine, he was kind of cute," Rei admitted. "He looked like that Chinese actor in the American movies. And he believed in magick. When I told him I could scry, he sounded interested."
Ami froze. "What if." she wondered aloud.
The other Scouts all looked at her.
"Go on," Rei said expectantly.
"Well, how many people really believe in magick?" Ami theorized. "With everything that's been going on in this area, we should really be careful of other magick-users. We don't know who might be the cause of all this negative energy. or who is allied with them."
"That's so paranoid, Ami," Rei challenged, narrowing her eyes. If Jackie showed up, she didn't want him to be caught in the middle of all this, and if those other magick-users, the Card Captors, appeared, how could she get the Scouts to trust them? She added, "I can feel negative energy, remember?"
Ami shook her head. "I think we need to be careful. We're not in Juuban, and we don't know what we're up against. And there have been times when negative energy has been hidden from even you. Remember Urawa-kun? You never noticed he had a Shadow Warrior inside him, or a Rainbow Crystal. And do you remember where that OTHER Rainbow Crystal was?"
The vehemence in Ami's demeanor caused Rei to take an involuntary step back. The Shinto priestess was shocked that her genius friend would bring up that OTHER Rainbow Crystal, the one that had all along resided in her own grandfather. and Rei had gone her entire life, never knowing the hidden menace within her own flesh and blood. Usually, Ami was so sweet, but she had gone too far, this time.
"That was cold, Ami!" Rei shouted, grabbing her gi and exiting the room. She ran for somewhere, anywhere, to go work out her frustrations with some katas. Maybe she could practice some of the stuff Zhu Shu had shown her.
If only Zhu Shu were here, she thought.
She stopped dead, struck with a sudden realization.
Zhu Shu WILL be here!
The overwhelming joy she felt at this epiphany overcame her anger enough to clear her head and guide her outside, where fresh air and exercise would do the rest.
"Ami, that was really mean," Lita observed. "That's not like you."
"Yeah, is there something wrong?" Serena rose, and sat on the bed where Ami's rump had fallen like a lead weight once Rei had gone. Tears streamed down her slender face as she fought to keep her composure.
"When we got to the inn last night, I noticed there was another spike. It must have happened while we were on the plane," Ami said. "And there was another in the middle of last night, and another on the way here."
Lita, Mina, and Serena exchanged clueless glances, not sure what Ami did once she uploaded her data. Finally, Mina managed a weak but encouraging, "Yeah?"
"Well the two most recent were definitely from here," Ami continued. "Very high-level bursts, with a lot of residue. They're getting stronger."
"And the third one? The one that happened yesterday?" Lita asked, her eyes wide.
"That one originated from the mainland. From an area called Joketsuzoku," Ami said miserably.
Now the other three turned ashen.
"Ami," Serena began slowly. "Isn't that where.?"
Ami nodded, her whole body feeling numb as she did so. "That's where Akane and Zhu Shu went for the betrothal ceremony."
Thanks, fans, and enjoy!
***Qinzong Li, Lan Tao***
"Are. we. done. yet?" Jade panted, wiping the blood from her scraped knuckles as she tiredly tried to stand.
"Not. till. one. of. us. falls," Meilin replied, gasping for air, kneeling.
"Well. it won't. be me," Jade finally made it to her feet long enough to try a half-hearted swing at her adversary.
Darkness had fallen a long time before, and yet the battle had not ended. Jade had a bloody hole in the knee of her jeans, and there was more blood and dirt caked under her fingernails. One of Meilin's pigtails had been relocated just under her ear, its odango pulled out and sticking to the sweat on her neck.
Dodging Jade's swing, Meilin found herself on the ground yet again. She lost her balance and fell back, looking up in alarm as Jade began falling, too. Meilin rolled out of the way just as the American girl hit the dirt, and neither made much of a move to rise. Jade yawned.
"What say we postpone the climax of this fight till tomorrow?" she asked, her voice full of hope.
"Does that mean you concede?"
"You never quit, do you,"
"Never," Meilin confirmed. "If I quit, I never would have become a fighter."
"Me, either," Jade said. "It takes a lot of practice to be as good as we are."
Meilin turned to face her American counterpart.
"You really think I am good?" she asked, beaming.
"Uh-huh," Jade said emphatically. "Trust me, I know."
"You're really good, too," Meilin said. "Next time we meet, I hope it's on - "
She stopped abruptly, and suddenly sat up, grunting as she did so. Jade looked in the direction she was peering, and saw a cluster of lights in the late-night sky. Meilin made a small growling sound deep in her throat.
"What is that?" Jade asked her.
"A helicopter. I don't know whose," Meilin said grimly. "But it comes every evening. In fact, it's late tonight."
"Does this have anything to do with a red-haired American girl?"
Meilin looked at her a long time before answering.
"Some of the merchants in town, the ones that go to Gizjhang, say that helicopter brings the American girl. But that place - " She shuddered.
"What do you know about it?" Jade prompted.
"Not much. I've never even seen the American girl,"
"WHAT?!!?" Jade exclaimed. "The lady in the antiques shop said I was to look here for her great-niece, and that you would be able to lead me to the American girl." Jade's hands had flown into the pockets of her jacket in indignance. But she stopped abruptly when one hand struck something hard. Puzzled, she reached into her pocket.
In her hand, and miraculously unscathed, was the porcelain figure of Song Lin Tzu.
"Hey, that's from Auntie Ying's shop!" Meilin pointed at the figurine. "It's one of her most priceless pieces! What are you doing with it?"
"I." Jade thought for a moment. "She gave it to me. To show you I'd spoken to her."
"But she knew I was right there!" Meilin exclaimed. "I would have recognized you anyway! There must have been a different reason." Suddenly getting into stance again, she demanded, "You didn't steal it, did you?"
"No way!" Jade replied, preparing to defend herself despite protesting muscles. "She really DID give it to me! And if you knew who I was, why did you fight me?"
"I needed to make sure you were worthy," Meilin responded simply.
"Give me a break," Jade dismissed. "This is like a bad hop-and-chop theater! Why would you need to test me?"
"Look, that's just who we are around here, okay?" Meilin exclaimed. "When we're threatened, it's our business. We don't like outsiders poking their noses in it."
"And that - " Jade gestured in the direction the helicopter had gone. " - is threatening to your village?"
"Well, you tried talking to the people today," Meilin said, crossing her arms. "Since you act so much like you're Chinese, they talked to you. But would they talk about the helicopter or the American girl?"
"No," Jade admitted. "And I AM Chinese. I grew up in New Kowloon."
"You did?" Meilin asked in shock. "What did you say your family name was, again?"
"Chan," Jade crossed her arms proudly. She didn't fully understand why, but Chan was a surname with a lot of prestige around Hong Kong and southern China. She even knew about Mexican Maya whose last names were Chan, and they, too, were revered.
And when she saw Meilin's reaction, she decided she would have to ask Uncle about that sometime.
Meilin did not bow, or kneel, but she looked like she was about to. She DID lower her head and say, "Had I known that, there would have been no need to test your skill, or your honor."
"Why?" Jade ventured.
"I did not realize you were Chinese. I thought you were American. Though you don't act much like a Chan."
"What does a Chan act like?" Jade asked.
"I don't remember what the books say, but I expect a Chan to be more. refined,"
"WHY?" Jade was getting exasperated.
"I told you, I don't remember! I just remember my teacher mentioning the name when I was younger,"
While Jade seemed to grudgingly accept this answer, Meilin shuddered at the lie. Her teacher never told her; no one had. Its mere mentioned had stirred up some cobwebbed corner of her mind, and in turn had caused a chill to run up and down her spine. It was not a name that specifically meant anything to her, and yet it meant everything.
"So why won't anyone talk much about the American girl, anyway?"
"Huh? Oh, because they think she is a demon,"
"Ah, and mentioning a demon could bring it to you," Jade nodded. "Well, is she?"
Meilin shrugged. "I don't know."
"Well, if she is, just wait till Uncle gets here," Jade said proudly. "He knows magick, and he'll do a chi spell that'll send the demon back to wherever she came from."
"Wow, your Uncle knows magick?" Meilin asked, sighing. "So does my fiancé, Shaoron, but I don't even know if Shaoron will be here to help me."
"Well, with all that magick, beating a demon will be easy," Jade said. "I'm sure your friend will come, and then there will be demon guts everywhere!"
"I hope so,"
"So what's on that island, anyway?"
"Towers,"
"What's IN the towers?" Jade wanted to know.
Meilin shrugged. "I've never actually been to the island."
"Why not?" Jade raised an eyebrow.
"Because spirits live there. Or, at least, they did till the towers went up,"
"We need to go there!" Jade exclaimed. "Gather intelligence. Find out as much about the demon as we can, so Uncle can make the right chi spell."
"Well, I know where we can get a boat," Meilin replied.
"Good, then let's go get this demon!"
"That is, assuming we can even get the boat," she said about an hour later.
Outside the village of Qinxong Li was a small harbor, from which the fishermen of the village would set sail for the day's catch. Most of the boats were junks, their scalloped sails dark in the blackness of night. There were a couple of motor boats, little better than skiffs, and not suitable for the crossing.
"Oh, no," Meilin sighed, looking over the selection. "There's only one boat here that will work, but I don't know about taking it."
Jade, too, was looking at the sleek black boat with the white scorpion emblazoned on its side. She'd seen a thousand just like it on San Francisco Bay; muscle-boats, usually piloted by some weight-lifting bruiser with a bikini-clad babe tanning on the bow. She looked out at the rough seas, and jumped on the scorpion boat.
Meilin looked down uncertainly at her from the dock.
"I don't know about this." she said.
"Do you have a better idea?" Jade demanded.
Taking one last cautious glance around, Meilin untied the boat and followed Jade on. Jade had managed to get it started; Meilin could see no sign of a key, but she couldn't see any damage, either. She decided to herself that Auntie Ying had been right about this Chan girl.
And suddenly it was as though they were flying across the bay. The boat glided over the water and they could feel the chilly, salty wind blowing through their hair and over their faces. Waves made the boat jump and skip across them, jarring both the girls along the way.
The lights on top of the towers were getting bigger and bigger. At first, they mistook this for the decreasing distance making them appear that way. Until an extremely rough wave knocked Meilin to the back of the boat. Jade hung on to the wheel, but keeping her feet on the ground was tricky.
"What's going on!" she cried.
She yanked the throttle down to nothing, but little good came of the attempt at order. Now the waves were desperate infielders, continuously trying to get a double play. The whole world around them was shaking, and the girls held on frantically.
"It's like an earthquake!" Jade cried.
"This is not good," Meilin had a chance to add before another wave sent her flying.
Jade looked up just before Meilin's head collided with hers.
Then there was an explosion of stars.
Then cold blackness.
***New Kowloon***
The airport, like most airports, had been an exercise in chaos, despite the use of the private jet. Unfortunately, they'd had to land on the mainland, because there were no airports large enough to land the Kuno mammoth on Lan Tao. Li knew where they could get a boat the rest of the way, but first they had to work their way through a huge mob of travelers, merchants, and workers that filled the airport like so many sardines in a can.
Li directed them to a taxi and then suddenly disappeared. Madison looked at Sakura, not sure what to say, not even convinced she would be heard. She could only shrug.
Sakura was looking around, feeling extremely small, when she noticed something direly wrong.
"Where's Kodachi?" she asked.
"I don't know," Madison shouted back, barely hearing Sakura's question over the din. "The last place I remember seeing her was the plane!"
"Li sure was in a hurry to get off the plane," Sakura observed. "He must be really eager to get home."
"You would do the same, if it was your family," Madison replied. "I just wonder what the Oni had to do with it, and why she was in Tokyo."
"I just hope the Cards will be enough to stop her, whoever she is," Sakura reached down and absently fingered the Key of Clow, which hung from a chain around her neck.
Presently, Li returned.
"Okay, let's go," he said, ducking them quickly into a cab. He said something in Chinese to the driver, and they were off.
The two girls could only look at him in outrage.
"Where's Kodachi?" Sakura demanded.
"Looking for the connecting flight to Lan Tao," Li sat back, casually lacing his hands behind his head.
"Then why are we taking a boat?" Madison wanted to know.
"Because there IS no connecting flight to Lan Tao," Li smirked.
"WHAT?!!?" both the girls exclaimed in unison.
Kero chose this moment to poke his head out of Sakura's bag. He had a big grin on his pudding-covered face.
"Good move, kid," he said approvingly.
"Kero!" Sakura exclaimed. "We can't just ditch Kodachi!"
"Yeah," Madison seconded. "She's big back home. You could have just ruined us!"
"How? What could she do to US?" Li asked, scowling.
"Well, there was this martial gymnast at her school," Madison explained. "Lita Kino. And she was better than Kodachi. Then, all of a sudden, this rumor went around about her. People started saying that Lita liked to beat people up. Ever since then, she's been known as 'Karate Maniac.' She wound up leaving the school, and Kodachi became the best gymnast there."
"If you knew that about her, why did you want to hook up with someone like that?" Kero crossed his arms disapprovingly.
"Because she has a lot of clout, and it's good to have clout like that on our side," Sakura responded.
"What, a rumor-spreading gossip-queen?" Li snorted.
"No, Tokyo's best martial gymnast and one of its richest citizens," Madison replied. "She's not even an adult, and she's worth more than half the kids in Tokyo combined. And that's just HER allowance. She has a twin brother, and a Daddy who makes all this money, too."
"Yeah," Sakura added. "How else would we have gotten to Hong Kong? And to thank her, you left her stranded in the airport!"
Li sat forward, the scowl on his face cutting lines in it and shooting daggers at them.
"I don't trust her," he said. "And the only reason I told you two is because this is Clow Card business. We're going to my ancestral home, which used to be the home of Clow Reed. And I don't want that crazy girl anywhere near it, you got that?"
"Li, you know she's just going to go there anyway," Sakura warned. "And then she's going to find us and be really mad."
"Let her be mad," Li snapped back. "She probably would have done the same to us, anyway."
He leaned back, glaring in a manner that dared them to argue, so he could unleash. They didn't.
"Good. Then it's settled,"
The rest of the ride to the shipyard was angrily silent.
Kodachi wandered around the airport for about an hour before she realized that those idiot children had clearly gotten so lost she would never find them. This was frustrating, but it was something she had expected anyway. Besides, it wasn't her place to be a babysitter to a bunch of fifth-grade brats. She just hadn't realized losing them would be so easy.
However, she wasn't in Lan Tao yet. She went to the information desk, where a young lady - a peon, a mere poor person - awaited her with a smile. Well, Kodachi would ruin her day.
"I demand to see the flight planner," she said, inwardly gleeful when the smile melted.
She began spouting off in very heated Chinese, and Kodachi was quickly lost amidst only semi-familiar phrases spoken too quickly for her understanding. Finally, she grabbed the woman by the collar and hissed, "Do you know who I am? I am Kodachi Kuno, and I demand to see the flight planner!"
Something registered in the woman's eyes; she held up a finger and ran to the security office behind her desk. Kodachi crossed her arms and waited. After a few minutes, the woman re-emerged with a Japanese man in a business suit. He approached her, looking extremely nervous.
"Miss Kuno?" he stammered in Japanese when he reached her. "My name is Aiko Mosimato. I'm the flight planner. How can we help you?"
"First off, fire her," Kodachi turned to point to the desk attendant, not realizing how close she was. By the time Kodachi finished her gesture, the woman was clutching her face and shouting something.
"Why do you want her fired?" Mr. Mosimato asked in surprise.
"She is inefficient. She dared to make me wait," Kodachi spat.
"Miss Kuno, your father is very important in the board of directors," Mr. Mosimato told her. "But I can't fire this girl. She didn't know you were the heiress to the Kuno fortune. When she found out, she came and got me immediately. She did a fine job."
"What kind of place is this?!!?" Kodachi threw up her arms in despair, knocking aside a huge stack of luggage on a passing cart.
"This is an airport, Miss Kuno," Mr. Mosimato replied helpfully, trying not to wince as the fallen luggage took three people down with it. They moaned in pain, their belongings scattered all over the floor. "And you had a flight plan to file?"
"Yes," Kodachi replied. "Happy you've finally joined the conversation. I want to fly my jet to Lan Tao."
Now Mr. Mosimato really did wince, and it wasn't just because of the trolley that had skidded on some of the fallen travelers' fallen luggage, which had sent the trolley crashing through one of the arrival gates. It wasn't even the subsequent explosion from the cockpit of the plane that had been docked there, or the plane's slowly rolling into the building itself as its pilot momentarily lost control. And the collapse of that whole side of the terminal was only part of his dismay.
"Miss Kuno, you can't fly a jet as big as yours to Lan Tao!"
"And why not?" Kodachi demanded over the commotion.
"Because there's not an airport large enough on the whole island!" Mr. Mosimato shouted over the din of shouting people, klaxons, and approaching ambulances.
"Well what do you suggest?" Kodachi said acidly.
"That you take the boat, like everyone else does," Mr. Mosimato said, hoping she'd do just that and destroy their building instead.
"Do I look like everyone else?!!?" Kodachi cried out.
Three security guards ran up to the flight planner. They spoke in hurried Chinese, sparing Kodachi a few cautious glances. Mr. Mosimato said something back to them, at which point they started begging him for something. Finally, he relented.
"Let's go to my office, Miss Kuno, and we'll see what we can do," he sighed, thinking, The guards are right. The sooner she's gone, the better!
Once they were safely - he hoped - in his office, the called the only field near Lan Tao that could handle the Kuno jet. He spoke for several minutes to the field's owner, and then put the phone down.
Kodachi had her arms crossed again, and was staring out the window, her impatience making her smolder. When Mr. Mosimato finally addressed her, she was thinking, It's about time.
"You're cleared for immediate departure to Skorpion Island," he told her quickly. "It's a private island about twenty miles west of Lan Tao, and the owner has even graciously agreed to provide transport to Lan Tao. Will that be acceptable?"
"Absolutely," Kodachi smiled her wicked grin. "I'm glad you saw things my way. I want to leave as soon as possible."
"Of course, Miss Kuno," Mr. Mojimato smiled his public-relations smile. "That is all we wanted to do for you."
***Gizjhang, Lan Tao***
"So who's this music guy we're goin' to meet?" Ratso asked as he attempted to skip rocks off the pier.
"That's Song, not 'sawng,'" Valmont corrected him, looking dapper as he waited for the appointed pick-up. "Song Xian Chi. He's like the Shadowkahn, but without Shengdu."
"You mean, he's a demon?" Chow asked, bewildered.
"No, a sorcerer," Valmont replied. "And probably the richest criminal mastermind in the Orient."
"How do you know all this, Big V?" Finn wanted to know.
"Xian Chi and his Skorpion Clan have a bit of a reputation in the world of organized crime," Valmont told them. "They are a very, very old organization, and Xian Chi is a very smart man. He collects artifacts, like the Talismans, or that statue of Lo Pei we fought for the Talismans."
"You don't think he's gonna try and steal the Talismans, do you, boss?" Ratso asked.
"I am sure he will," Valmont grinned. "But two can play at that game, can't they?"
"Oh. Yeah," Ratso was clearly still confused about the whole thing, but Finn and Chow issued broad grins.
"Maybe losing that treasure was the best thing that ever happened to us," Finn told Chow, who nodded in agreement.
"Ahem!"
The feminine cough was offered from the right of Valmont, and they all looked. They were greeted by the sight of a small, sharp-featured girl whose skin was almost white beneath a long mantle of curly black hair. Her slightly slanted blue eyes appraised them with too much activity. The top of her head barely reached Chow's chest, but none of them wanted to make a move. There was a towering air about this girl, even considering the breeches and tee-tunic she wore.
"You are Sebastian Valmont, right?" she asked. "Your parents weren't very creative, were they."
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Valmont stamped his cane.
"Your first name is Sebastian?" Finn asked, giggling.
"What kind of name is that?" Ratso chuckled.
"What kind of name is Ratso?" Valmont glared daggers at him. All three Enforcers immediately stopped laughing. Satisfied, Valmont turned back to the girl.
"And who are you?" he demanded.
"My name is Larane Marsh," the girl replied, her face never changing from its blank expression. She smoothed out the long, short-sleeved shirt she was wearing and stood up a bit straighter, which seemed to add about six feet to her height, though it only added inches. "I was sent by Song Xian Chi to escort you to Skorpion Island."
"Ah, we've been expecting you," Valmont snapped up his cane and made to follow her. "Where is our transport?"
Larane narrowed her eyes. "I don't know if I want to take you," she replied. "I don't like you. Your aura lacks honor."
"I think your master would be angry if you don't bring me to him," Valmont growled, meeting her gaze.
"Xian Chi is not my master," she replied evenly. "He's more of a. business partner. And he sent me to study you. I don't like what I see."
"So what do you plan on doing about it?" As the Enforcers took fighting stances, Valmont reached into his pocket, hoping the Talisman he was about to pull out would be useful if it came down to fighting this black-clad she- bitch.
She took a deep breath, and muttered something softly.
The wind suddenly began to pick up, whipping Valmont's hair and the flags of nearby boats into a frenzy. He looked around, noticing that there were no people around, which was odd for a busy dock at this time of day.
The wind picked up harder and harder, so Valmont pulled the random Talisman out of his pocket. And was pleased to discover it was the pig. Grinning, he activated it, and took aim at a point just before Larane Marsh's feet.
"Heat beam eyes!" he cried out, invoking the Talisman's power.
The blast of heat had more than the desired effect. For one, it tore through the cold winds Larane had created, dispersing them into so many downdrafts and scattering garbage and papers all over the docks. For another, the surface before Larane was pummeled with a wall of heat so potent, it smashed through the wood, knocking Larane off-balance - and out of her spell.
"Interesting," she said, narrowing her eyes again. She reached into her shirt and pulled out a small pouch, readying to throw it. Valmont took the opportunity to interrupt her.
"I missed the first time out of professional courtesy," he said. "I will not do so again."
"Ah," she replied, smiling. "Are you sure that would do any good?" She held out the pouch as though offering it to him.
Rolling his eyes, Valmont said, "Alright. It was a pleasure knowing you."
But when he blasted her again, she leaped out of the way, tossing the satchel in the path of the heat. It exploded in a cloud of dust, which, the moment it touched her, caused Larane Marsh to fly.
Hovering about ten feet from the ground, she cried out, "It's only good if you catch me, Valmont!"
"Catch you, eh?" Valmont muttered to himself, grinning. He watched as she drifted away, pulling all the Talismans from his pocket and grabbing the two he needed most right now - Rooster and Rabbit. With Rooster's levitation and Rabbit's power of speed, catching her would be easy.
And it was. He grabbed her around the waist, crying, "Honey, I'm home!" A seagull flew past, looking a little shocked to find two people up to high without help.
"You are just a man with dangerous toys," Larane hissed over her shoulder at him. "What makes you think you are worthy of the Sorcerer Xian Chi?"
"Because my toys are just dangerous enough to catch his interest, my dear," Valmont whispered in her ear. In response, she elbowed him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him. and the Rooster from his hand.
Man and Talisman began to fall, Valmont not pleased by the fact he was headed for the roof of a warehouse. Desperately, he drew all the talismans from his pocket as his descent quickened, that roof becoming uncomfortably close.
Quickly finding Horse and Dog, he landed with a THUD! Dog prevented him from dying, its glyph shimmering as it finished its work. Then, Horse healed all the bruises and the broken back which had resulted from the fall, restoring him to full capacity with plenty of time to snatch the Rooster before it could be grabbed by his adversary.
"Are we quite finished yet?" he demanded as she landed on the roof beside him.
"Well, Xian Chi will be wondering what's keeping us," she hissed. "But don't think this is over, Valmont."
"What have I done to deserve this hatred from you, Miss Marsh?"
"First off, the name's Le Fey. Make sure you use it," she told him, her voice full with venom. "And, what have you done? I can see through you, Valmont. And without your Talismans, and your Demon, you're nothing. If Xian Chi doesn't chew you up and spit you out, mark my words. I will."
With that, she pushed him off the roof, leaving Dog and Horse to perform their duties yet again. Gathering up all four of them, she pointed to a cruiser in one of the boat slips.
"We get on that one. Come on, let's not waste any more time,"
As she walked away, Finn helped Valmont to his feet.
"She's really got it in for you, don't she, Big V?"
"How could she have so much power without having Talismans?" Ratso wondered.
"She's a witch," Valmont said through wounded pride. "And soon, she'll be a dead witch."
***Tan-O, Lan Tao***
"THIS is our luxury suite?!!?" Steam was coming out of Rei's ears as she advanced on Serena. The sometimes-Champion of Love and Justice backed away from her counterpart's ire with true fear in her eyes.
"I didn't know!" she cried defensively. "I didn't know this was such a dippy town!"
Indeed, all the people that lived in Tan-O could have moved into Juuban district, and not even had to build new homes. In fact there were about as many people as there would be in the Juuban Mall at this very moment.
It was much more modern than Gizjhang, however. In fact, it looked like a suburb, except that there was no city to attach itself to. Rows of houses on neatly-paved streets were punctuated by several schools and a university. There were even twenty-four hour stores here. Even the hotel might not have been that bad. if there hadn't been five beds in one room the size of Serena's.
Serena by herself could take up one room. So could Rei. The others, while rather neat, still would have been cramped sharing the room without the two resident slobs.
"Maybe we could get another room." Lita muttered to Mina, who giggled in response.
"There ARE no other rooms, because of the festival!" Serena pouted, slinging her luggage on a bed. She sat down, arms crossed, looking like a younger version of herself. Lita and Mina exchanged a glance, then each took a bed of their own.
"We can do this, guys!" Lita said, sounding a little over-enthusiastic.
"Yeah, it's only for a few days," Mina hoped she didn't sound too sugary.
"Besides, how much space do we really need?" Ami smiled, taking a bed and leaving the last for Rei.
"Where's the bathroom?" Mina asked, unpacking a myriad of loofahs, creams, washes, hair treatments, and other toiletries.
"I think it's over there," Lita pointed as she unpacked her punching dummy. "Any suggestions where I should put this?"
"Maybe we can find some room outside," Ami suggested as she loaded the shelves with her books.
Rei glared at Serena for a moment before hissing, "I'll find a way to get you back for this one."
"But I really didn't do it, Rei! Honest!" Serena protested. She dug in her bag and handed Rei a brochure. "THIS is what I thought it was going to be like."
Rei glanced over the brochure, and she had to admit, it made Tan-O look like a bustling metropolis. Even the hotel looked a lot grander in the photos than it actually was. She shook her head.
"Damn," she said. "I guess we're stuck here."
"Hey, we're here," Lita said. "That's a lot better than we were doing yesterday."
"I don't know, I kind of liked that inn we stayed at last night," Rei said, and Serena detected a hint of something in her voice.
"You met a boy last night, didn't you!" she cried, her eyes wide.
"No," Rei said, blushing harder. Knowing her face felt so hot made her feel frustrated. Would her friends ever get her? It was okay to be friends with a boy. Serena was friends with Melvin. But he was Molly's boyfriend. Well, Zhu Shu was friends with Ranma, and that was the same as Jackie. Right, Rei?
"It was nothing like that!" she exclaimed. "He's much older than me." Lita and Serena gasped in delight at this new scandal; even Mina returned from the bathroom to hear this one.
"No! He was looking for his niece! I helped him find her. sort of."
"Was he cute?" Serena demanded.
"Was he tall?" Lita asked, sounding a little shy.
"What was his name?" Mina asked.
Ami sighed and continued putting her books away, finally graduating that chore to hook up her laptop. Her ear never left the conversation, however.
"Okay, fine, he was kind of cute," Rei admitted. "He looked like that Chinese actor in the American movies. And he believed in magick. When I told him I could scry, he sounded interested."
Ami froze. "What if." she wondered aloud.
The other Scouts all looked at her.
"Go on," Rei said expectantly.
"Well, how many people really believe in magick?" Ami theorized. "With everything that's been going on in this area, we should really be careful of other magick-users. We don't know who might be the cause of all this negative energy. or who is allied with them."
"That's so paranoid, Ami," Rei challenged, narrowing her eyes. If Jackie showed up, she didn't want him to be caught in the middle of all this, and if those other magick-users, the Card Captors, appeared, how could she get the Scouts to trust them? She added, "I can feel negative energy, remember?"
Ami shook her head. "I think we need to be careful. We're not in Juuban, and we don't know what we're up against. And there have been times when negative energy has been hidden from even you. Remember Urawa-kun? You never noticed he had a Shadow Warrior inside him, or a Rainbow Crystal. And do you remember where that OTHER Rainbow Crystal was?"
The vehemence in Ami's demeanor caused Rei to take an involuntary step back. The Shinto priestess was shocked that her genius friend would bring up that OTHER Rainbow Crystal, the one that had all along resided in her own grandfather. and Rei had gone her entire life, never knowing the hidden menace within her own flesh and blood. Usually, Ami was so sweet, but she had gone too far, this time.
"That was cold, Ami!" Rei shouted, grabbing her gi and exiting the room. She ran for somewhere, anywhere, to go work out her frustrations with some katas. Maybe she could practice some of the stuff Zhu Shu had shown her.
If only Zhu Shu were here, she thought.
She stopped dead, struck with a sudden realization.
Zhu Shu WILL be here!
The overwhelming joy she felt at this epiphany overcame her anger enough to clear her head and guide her outside, where fresh air and exercise would do the rest.
"Ami, that was really mean," Lita observed. "That's not like you."
"Yeah, is there something wrong?" Serena rose, and sat on the bed where Ami's rump had fallen like a lead weight once Rei had gone. Tears streamed down her slender face as she fought to keep her composure.
"When we got to the inn last night, I noticed there was another spike. It must have happened while we were on the plane," Ami said. "And there was another in the middle of last night, and another on the way here."
Lita, Mina, and Serena exchanged clueless glances, not sure what Ami did once she uploaded her data. Finally, Mina managed a weak but encouraging, "Yeah?"
"Well the two most recent were definitely from here," Ami continued. "Very high-level bursts, with a lot of residue. They're getting stronger."
"And the third one? The one that happened yesterday?" Lita asked, her eyes wide.
"That one originated from the mainland. From an area called Joketsuzoku," Ami said miserably.
Now the other three turned ashen.
"Ami," Serena began slowly. "Isn't that where.?"
Ami nodded, her whole body feeling numb as she did so. "That's where Akane and Zhu Shu went for the betrothal ceremony."
