Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ in any shape way or form. Insert the standard disclaimer here.

Author notes: Well since had disposed of the use of the asterisk amongst other things, I am now :: using :: to enclose telepathic conversations. The end is in sight now please read and review.

"Double quotations indicate conversations."

'Single quotations in italics indicate thoughts.'
:: indicate telepathic conversations::

Glossary :

Ohayo: Good morning

Baka: Idiot

Kuso: (Generally) damn or shit.

Hai: Yes

Iie: No

Otousan: Father

Katana: Literally a Japanese sword, generally refers to the typical samurai sword.

Sensei: Teacher

Gomen: Sorry

Ten: Heaven

Ken: (a) Sword, not necessarily a Japanese one.

Saishuu: The last

She was still a mad thing, a wild thing, under her skin she always had been. It lay beneath the self she presented to the world, controlled, steady but breathing and still influencing her actions. Passionate people are often so and Maya had a will not just of iron but of steel. Self-control and self will are often closely related. Her hands held Kamikaze's powerful canter back to something more closely resembling the rebound of a coiled spring. She was strong and now she sought to control herself completely again. Her eyes blazed between Gokou and Korin she wasn't sure who she wanted to maim first. 'Gokou you baka! How could you just leave without even a breath to your wife?' The trouble was she knew exactly why. Chichi's anger was legendary but all the same, Maya was aware of the fear and desperation behind it. No one, after all, wishes to be left completely alone. She dug her knuckles into Kamikaze's black neck. 'As for Korin. What ever Korin thinks I'm no prize for Yajarobe.' Shewas no wife for a samurai, not in her pool of blood. Her control had slipped and now she clawed it back. She saw Korin's intention as clear as glass, and no, it was time to go back.

The black horse strained his ears to her, eyes wide, dark, and glittering with nervousness. He could feel the burning cold resolve from the woman on his back. It flowed through him, down the reins and through each hair, making his skin prickle. She turned him abruptly charging up off the sand into the bamboo in a cascade of glittering silica. Her fingers tightened on the hilt and Kamikaze shivered as he felt the blade swing over his neck. The sight of shinning silver filling his vision for a heart beat. Then a sharp crack and the bamboo fell about his hard black hooves. How he flew! So strong, so fast. She could fly, but flying never sent the blood rushing though her veins like this. The hard bundle of muscle and fire at her command and the grace and control of kenjutsu. Nothing else came close. Kamikaze snorted and Maya drew him round, wheeling him, driving his hocks under him, and cutting a swath through the bamboo as they thundered through.

She halted the stallion, who still trembled with nerves at the edge of the sand. The bright glint of the sword, its tip pointing to the earth at his girth, seemed even brighter against the sweaty black coat. Maya was calmer. Anger fizzed a little less aggressively in her veins. She flicked the sword irritably, more out of habit than anything, before drawing it through the cloth and sheathing it. She glanced back at the decimated bamboo. Her sensei had taught her well, her skills had not faded, just her aggression and her drive. Kamikaze snorted arching his neck, champing the bit. Well trained as he was, he still got nervous in the face of such powerful human emotions. Maya wheeled him and sent him charging down across the sand. Hooves dipping into the ocean throwing up sparkling droplets against the sun. So it seemed, that he ran through a wall of showering crystals. Maya, plait snapping in the wind of their onward rush, settled behind his neck and sent him on. At her bidding, he pinned his ears back and sprinted. His heavy black tail streamed out behind him like a cloak. Plaited leather in her hands, steady mouth on the bit, and the heavy weight of the sword on her waist and hip, and above all the sharp cut of the wind on her skin burnt the last of her anger out. Calm once again reigning, she brought him back to a long striding walk.

Chichi leant against the railing, her black hair loose around her shoulders. She and Ranshi were still staying at Maya's but the older woman had been decidedly restless for the last few days. Chichi had a feeling it was something to do with Yajarobe. He hadn't turned up for a few days either. Then again, it had really come to a point when Gokou had left. Chichi sighed, and pulled on a strand of hair. She'd felt dreadfully upset about that. He kept doing it, leaving without so much as a good bye. Still it was a little heartening to think that there were people just as upset over Gokou's lack of farewells on her behalf. She sighed and looked at the distant mountains all blue and white their peaks shrouded in cloud. 'Just come back Gokou come back…alive this time. And bring Gohan back with you.'

The view might have been wonderful but she wished the people in the house were as peaceful as the view. The last she'd seen of Maya had been four hours earlier as she'd bustled Kamikaze out of the paddock and pulled the old plaited bridle over his ears. She'd been in a fine temper though she'd done her best to hide it. She'd vaulted on the black horses back with all the athleticism of a teenager, sword glinting on her hip. Chichi wondered if Maya slept with it, she'd only once seen her without it. She sighed 'Otousan you were right, you can take the person out of the warrior but never the warrior out of the person. It's the same with Gokou too, with all of them.'

"Isn't she back yet?" Ranshi asked padding up the veranda.

"Iie" Chichi smiled. Ranshi seemed much better, nowhere near her usual self yet but still she was a lot more alert and you could hold a conversation with her now. Maya had commented that she'd need to rest a lot for a time, and looking at her Chichi could understand that. She certainly slept a lot. The sun was starting to slither behind the trees, Chichi wondered idly if Maya had brained herself or something but she doubted it. At that moment, the black horse appeared through the trees.

Ranshi sat on the veranda in the dark, rubbing the puppy's exposed belly. The strains of some unknown melody filled the air around her. As above her, above the sweet wisteria, Maya's fingers slipped across the piano keys. She closed her eyes and listened aware of Chichi leaning against the doorframe behind her listening too. Such a strange song filled with an aching longing. Suddenly it paused leaving the final notes hanging on the air. Then slowly but with growing strength it started again. Another beautiful emotional unknown song, intertwined with the sweet sent of the wisteria and filling the cool night air with its wordless lament.

Maya played from memory, a memory even older than that of Kioshi. Even with her eyes closed, her fingers slipped unerringly over the keys. Worn old ivory keys as familiar as the plaited leather reins on her old bridle. There was no other noise, just the strains of Beethoven's inexpertly played music filling the quiet night. She sighed as she played the final notes and slid her hands into her lap onto Socrates fur. She was calmer now, calm enough that she could almost forgive Gokou's foolishness, and Yajarobe's encouragement. But Korin's plotting was another matter. Eyes closed she stroked Socrates fur. 'Pity.' She was only steps away from falling in love with Yajarobe. It wasn't right. Her past that made such a thing impossible.

The cold edge in the air, belied the bright sunlight. The breath of human and animal alike hung on the air. Maya sat astride Kamikaze peering down at Socrates in vague amusement. Socrates stood firmly in her way, eyes focused on her face. Kamikaze stamped his steel shod hooves bare inches from the cat's paws and head. He looked up at Maya his blue eyes very bright and meowed inquisitively. 'Cats, always in the road.' There was something decidedly peevish about her thoughts. The image of Korin hovered in her mind.

"Go home Socrates!" The cat didn't move. He merely meowed at her inquiringly.

Kamikaze's hooves thudded. Four quick beats then a moments silence as his hooves reached out across the grass followed four more quick beats. Nostrils flared, ears pricked, eyes on the thick hedge ahead. The cold air, Maya's fingers light on his mouth smoothly drawing him back, the deep tangle of green up ahead blocking their path filled his consciousness. She pushed him on hard, his feet drummed, his stride lengthened. The stallion's body arched and the impact of his hind feet digging in and pushing off ran through her. Then ahead through the trees, a sharp gleam of silver pieced her awareness. Her sword though at her side was out of reach, the expanse of Kamikaze's hard arched black neck blocked its path. Up ahead the katana gleamed as cold and final as a death threat, but one katana she could deal with. A katana and a wakizashi were another matter completely, but all she could see was one blade. As Kamikaze landed, she hooked him back and spun him about coming face to face with her attacker.

"Yajarobe!" He smiled up at her humourlessly as he sheathed his sword.

"Korin wants you." She scowled her own sword hilt gripped in her fingers. Eyes flashing.

"So you pull a katana on me?"

"I knew it'd make you stop. The mood you've been in lately I doubted you'd stop just for me." Maya grunted, he was probably right.

"Well I can't say I'm overly impressed with your helping Gokou to slink off without even a single word to his wife! And don't think I didn't notice how quickly the rest of you scuttled off leaving me with the fall out." Her eyes burnt into him. He couldn't really say anything, partly he'd done what Korin had asked, but there was no doubt he'd cut and run to avoid Chichi's predictable and he had to admit understandable upset. Maya sighed.

"What does he want, the conniving pain in the arse."

"You think I know?! I'm just the messenger."

"Hmm, you're more than that. I know you, even if he didn't tell you you'd have a fair idea. Tell him I'm busy." She nudged Kamikaze forward.

"You know he won't accept that, he wants you up there before night fall. I don't know what he wants but it's important what ever it is." She pulled up. They regarded each other, the tension between them filling the air. Kamikaze loathing it swung sideways.

"Gomen Yajarobe. I know it's not entirely your fault." She sounded terribly apologetic, and it threw Yajarobe. He was expecting abruptness, stubbornness prickliness at the very least, but not this. She sighed a little. Yajarobe's expression of startled surprise was enough. She felt guilty she knew full well she was being grumpy and difficult.

"I'll get up there later but I can't stand here talking. Kamikaze's too hot to stand." He stepped off, the black horse, tail high nostrils wide. Yajarobe watched him go with that quick and jaunty tread, full of nervous fire and found himself staring at Mayas long glossy plait.

Yajarobe sat tensely on the steps up from Korin's tower to Kami's lookout. He could not see anything but he could hear perfectly well. It wasn't exactly honourable, but then nor were a lot of things. He listened intently but all he could hear was Maya's light impatient tread.

"You really shouldn't eve's drop you know. It's so silly, and you're better than that." She was standing on the edge looking down at him smiling in amusement. She swung round her plait swinging to and dropping over her shoulder. He froze, watching her for a moment.

"Well come on then, if you want to listen you might as well do it openly. I'm hardly going to complain about it."

Korin was as ever inscrutable. Maya sat as she often did with her back against one of the columns, arms folded.

"I want you to do something for me." Maya grunted she didn't like conversations that started that way. There was always a catch in there somewhere. The question wasn't so much what as how much it was going to cost her.

"Hmm…Nani?" Korin smiled faintly the suspicion was evident not just in her voice but in the cool look that accompanied it. He paced a few steps to the left.

"As you know Kami-sama's gone and the only members of the senshi left are Yajarobe and of course yourself." He peered at her from under his lashes. Maya's eyes where half closed but he could feel her watching him. 'Hmmm, yes telling me something that I don't already know.' Maya sighed audibly.

"Would you kindly stop covering known ground and get on with it. I'd like to get home before dooms day." ' Especially considering who's in residence right now!' Korin smirked.

"Well, it's quite simple really. I want you to be on alert."

"Nani! I'm already on alert." She sounded irritated not truly angry.

"That's not what I mean I mean something's going to happen I don't know what yet but I want you ready when it does. We need the ten ken. We need it more than ever now so you'd better be ready." Maya's eyes narrowed.

"Ten ken." Her eyes flashed, her heart froze in her chest. When it again started beating she was filled with an ice cold aggression, he was playing with her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Korin's staff swing at her head.

Yajarobe watched eyes wide, as Maya's hand shot out and knocked the wooden staff across the lookout. He'd seen that before somewhere, 'but where…'. He had a flickering image of a wakizashi hilt deflecting a katana in the same way, but the memory had the same disjointed out of focus quality of an old grainy bit of film. It was connected to a voice a voice telling him that fighting on the edge of life and death in a war zone was the difference between a good and great swordsman. Maya's voice cold and hard jerked him back to the present.

"You can think again if you think that's going to work." Those eyes they blazed with a raw cold anger and Korin. Korin just smirked, seemingly well pleased.

"I know who you are." He said cheerfully. Maya growled.

"You think you do. There's no such thing as ten ken, it's a myth." Her voice vibrated. Korin just continued to smirk. Yajarobe knew that smirk, what ever it was he wanted to know he'd found out from that one single movement. Yajarobe frowned what was it? That movement, all he could think was battou-jutsu but she'd just used her wrist and the back of her hand not her sword. 'No that's not it what is it?' She was better, better than he'd thought and he knew she outstripped him in kenjutsu. He had felt it from that first spar, tired and thin as she was he'd felt it. Her skill, her clear headedness, her ability to read his actions. He'd always been good but that voice, that memory. 'The difference between a good swordsman, Yajarobe and a great one, is fighting on the knife edge, the nether world between life and death. That is the difference. To survive such a thing you must go beyond good or even outstanding. I hope you never come to that.' That was the difference between them, he had known it from the first moment their swords touched. Here was the proof, few could intercept Korin's swing and Maya had done it without even seeming to try. 'Ten ken…..' What on earth did Korin mean and Maya's response was so fierce. He didn't quite know what was going on but it bothered him. Maya stood up and looked Korin hard in the face. :: Don't mention ten ken again! I don't want to hear it!::

"I'm going." Korin watched her walk to the edge of the lookout back straight her plait twitching. She wasn't happy, but he'd gotten what he'd wanted.

Ten ken, ten ken it beat down in side her. 'Why now? Why after all this time? What does it matter to him?' She flew rapidly her thoughts scorching a path in side her. 'Ten ken. Saishuu ten ken.' No one had said that for so long, her heart had stopped beating at the words 'ten ken' it scared her half to death. For if, he knew that, what else did he know. Ten ken, ten ken it beat down in side, in her veins, her heart, her mind.

(2004)