Disclaimer: Hey, I actually typed that right on the first try for a change. That's a switch. No, still no rights but to my original characters.
Chapter Nine: Odd Conversations.
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Whoopie. It's a week later, and the teachers have pulled together a school-day out of a perfectly nice--if somewhat windy--day. Ranma is stretched out in his desk, feet on either side of the one in front of him, leaning back and staring up at the ceiling. Rei is dozing at her desk, head pillowed on her arms. Come to think of it, most of the class is zoning out while the teacher drones on about mythical people.
Very few take notes as he lists off gods and other deities in that same pedantic monotone, going through several cultures--though some perk up and act interesting when he gets to the Celtic Danaans and their gods--until he gets to the Greek myths and Pantheon. Roughly a third of the class wakes up and starts taking notes, occasionally correcting the teacher when he misspeaks a tidbit of one myth or another, but Rei naps through it all until he reaches the lesser deities, and Fortuna.
"Fortuna," the man says in his slightly nasal voice, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, "also known as Fortune and Fate, is one of the most common 'threads' if you will among the various cultures that are polytheistic, and is also portrayed in the Greek's Pantheon." Rei blinked awake at the teacher's first mention of this goddess, and now watches him with the eyes of a full-stomached cat watching birds from the windowsill. Mild, predatory interest shines in her eyes as she listens, but Ranma seems to be the only one who notices.
"In Greek myth, the goddess Fortuna sits above the entire Pantheon but holds status only as a lesser deity, since she is rarely mentioned in the myths of this culture. Writings and statues found depict her as Justice's sister, but wielding a sword instead of the scales Justice uses to balance her judging. Since she is blindfolded, Fortuna strikes randomly at those around her, chance being the reason someone--mortal or god--is struck by her blade." He goes on for a little while longer on the subject of Fate, and Rei once more drops into a catnap as the teacher drones onto a different set of gods.
Later, when the bell has rung to release all of them into the afternoon sunlight, Akane, Ranma, and Rei walk together before their paths split. Rei is apparently charged with energy thanks to the quality sleep she got in class, and nearly crackles as she walks. Ranma decides to bring up what he'd noticed.
"Hey, Rei, is Fate your favorite goddess or something? You seemed pretty int'rested when the teach was talkin' 'bout her."
"You noticed," Rei says, voice flavored with amusement. "You might say she's my patron deity, actually."
"So you believe she controls everyone's entire life?" Akane questions curiously, and is given a firm negative headshake.
"Or do you believe that everyone's entire destiny is set?" Ranma adds as a different opinion. Another headshake.
"No. What I believe is something quite different.Fate doesn't try to control everyone's entire destiny, Ranma. She just sets the destination and lets people muddle their own ways through with a bit of help now and again. If she did otherwise, I doubt she'd have any time to herself!" And with an amused laugh, she takes the street that leads homeward, waving good-bye to the pair as they take the other road. "I'll see you later for training, Akane-chan!"
"Jah neh!" the two call back, and keep walking, each with a smile that has sprung unbidden to their lips.
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Hiei is getting rather irritated. There's a piece of time missing in his memory. No, correction; it's there, but he can remember nothing about it, except that it wasn't boring like most of his days are lately. And that bothers him. He may not have the most perfect memory in the world--a fact he'd never let anyone know--but a recent afternoon should not just lie there in his recollection like a piece of fog.
He can't seem to help poking at it, like he would a minor hurt to see if it is healing properly. Except that there is nothing to heal. It's just…blank. He slams a fist into the trunk of the tree he hides in, leaving a large dent and shaking several small branches loose. Damnit! What is wrong with him??
Finally he comes to a decision. Rei is a healer of the body, therefore she would probably know about minor bouts of amnesia and could possibly do something to help. A few leaves tremble as he heads off.
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He makes it to her front gate and perches there just as she becomes visible, walking from around a corner, still in her school uniform, bookbag slung over one shoulder, the free hand swinging rhythmically as she strolls leisurely towards him. A knowing smile curves her lips, lights her eyes from within. He wonders fleetingly what's gotten her into such a good mood.
Suddenly she stops, cocks her head to one side, and frowns, cheer vanishing. She stands directly below him, uncharacteristically blind to his presence. Hiei hears a male voice from the air--it sounds faintly mocking.
"Having a good time, eh?"
Rei merely leans against the wall, taking out a cell-phone's headset, and slips it on. Hiei approves. This way she will not appear strange and attract attention. "Actually, yes. This is going rather nicely."
"And the boy?"
"Probably doesn't suspect much, if at all. Now, Hiei on the other hand--" the koorime refrains from startling at his name being mentioned "--he's entirely trouble. Higher Ups if I know how, but he actually managed to get into my workroom through a sealed window."
"One of my best sub-Cards, that one."
She chuckles. "Don't let him hear you say that, Chaos. Being a sub-anything is not to Hiei's style. It's top-rung or nothing, barring someone who is seriously able to kick his ass or is an ally. I'm still wondering if he's ever going to get around to thwacking Yusuke."
"He will if I have anything to say about it." The voice remains irritatingly cheerful, Rei frowns even harder.
"You will not interfere in my bailiwick, Chaos. Nor shall your brother, Order. Understand me?"
"I don't have to listen to your orders yet, little Fortuna. You've got one more go at being Fate before that'll happen."
"Why, Chaos," and now the girl's voice turns to innocent--hah!--surprise. "Haven't you ever heard of a useful little thing called 'black-mailing'?"
"You wouldn't. It goes against your honor code."
"Wanna bet?" A wicked smile blooms. "I've been picking up a few tips from Nabiki Tendo. That girl's got connections from here to Reikai and back, whether she knows it or not."
"Yes," a new, androgynous voice says quietly, "The second Tendo daughter is one of my favorite Cards, sub or not. She does such wonderful work, organizing everything of hers perfectly."
"Neat-freak," mutters the first voice grumpily.
"Better than living in a pig-sty like you do," the second voice retorts, and Rei lifts a hand.
"Children," she says warningly, "Must I pull rank on you?"
"Fine, fine," the two voices mutter in unison. The second one fades out on the second 'fine' while the other makes one more remark.
"You know you've got Hiei right above you, right?"
"Crap," the two mortals mutter in unison: Hiei because he's been caught out by something he can't even sense, and Rei because Hiei once more knows something he very much shouldn't. With a chuckle, the first voice fades out and Rei wearily tilts her head back to look up at the wary fire apparition.
"Why'd you come today, Hiei? Gap in your memory?" He nods. "I was afraid you'd do that. I'm sorry, but you're about to have another one."
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So, whatcha think? This is as far as I've gotten, so it may be a wait until I get another chapter up. Gomen. Either way, I need information on events leading up to the battle with Saffron, including the time of the year (if anyone knows it) with as much detail as humanly possible! Thanks much!