NOTE: This is parts 1-13 of Symmetric Polynomials. Ross has taken a hiatus from writing recently, so it's not known when this will be finished. -Rod ------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 21:59:59 -0700 (PDT) From: Ross McKenzie To: fanfic@tendo-dojo.ranma.net Subject: Symmetric Polynomials, part one (of an unknown integer) This story is a Ranma fic, a sequel of sorts to Descents and Inversions. That story touched on the possible futures of the Ranmaverse; this story deals with one of those potential worlds... Tachi Kuno stared blankly at the television, idly switching her sonic penknife on and off. "Computer, change channels." She leaned back into her chair, wallowing in boredom. "Random selection. Repeat every thirty seconds." "This I can not do, my lady," the computer replied in a deep, even, inhuman voice. "The Will of Heaven has prohibited 'Channel Surfing' lest the screen suck away the spirit of creativity as a spider drains the very essence of life from her captives." "Father!" Tachi shouted. "What did you do to the entertainment system?" Satsuke, alerted by Tachi's cries, poked his head into the family room. "Master Kuno had the voice recognition system reconfigured today while you were at school, Mistress Tachi." The short-haired girl frowned. She wriggled around in the overstuffed chair until her chin rested on its back. "Why did he do that?" "He mentioned something about a midterm, Mistress Tachi." "Thank you, Satsuke." The family ninja recognized a dismissal when he heard one. With a final bow to Tachi, he vanished. "Computer, shut yourself off." The screen obediently went dark. Tachi sat there, her arms and legs draped across the chair at awkward angles. The blade of her small knife hummed in and out of existence. "This chums." The mercenary girl rolled onto the floor, landing on her feet like a trained gymnast. She padded through the mansion to her room, flopped onto her bed, and grabbed her data reader. Mathematical equations filled the screen, and her face glowed from their pale, faerie light. "Bah," Tachi sighed, dropping the 'reader to the floor. "I know all that already." She rolled over on her back and stared at the ceiling. That didn't last long, either. Ever since discovering that she had Aunt Kodachi's old room, the short-haired girl never felt comfortable there for long. She didn't have nightmares, not anymore, but there was still a sense of unease that filled her soul whenever she brooded on the room's former inhabitant. "Computer, connect me to Ranko Saotome. Voice only." "This I can not do, my lady," the computer droned. "The Will of Heaven has prohibited-" "I get the picture!" Tachi interrupted. "Incoming communication. The very Heart of Heaven wishes to converse with her daughter, that she may impart wisdom and understanding." Tachi sat upright. Nabiki didn't often call home in the middle of the working day. "Patch the connection through to my desk screen!" Nabiki's face appeared on the wall opposite the window. There was an old-style pencil tucked behind her ear, giving Tachi the impression that this was to be an informal call. "Yes, Mother?" "You're studying hard, I see." There was sarcasm in Nabiki's voice, but it was lighthearted, meant to tease, not to tear down. "I'm not that predictable, am I?" The teenage girl flopped into her chair and leaned on her desk, propping her chin up with her hands. "It's just that what we're studying is so booring. I can't find any real-world applications." "No, you're not predictable," Nabiki assured her. "And certainly not since your trip to the past. Up until then, I had a little bit of inside information on how events would turn out, after all." Tachi pulled her sonic knife out of her pocket. "I guess they weren't kidding when they said it had a lifetime guarantee." Nabiki smiled. "They never specified whose lifetime. And I liked the design so much I bought the company." "Only after knowing what the finished product looked like, years in advance." Nabiki pointed to herself with feigned innocence. "Do you think _I_ would turn down information from such a trusted source?" "Never." Tachi smiled at her mother. "So why did you really call?" "When your father had the voice interaction system reprogrammed, I added in a few surprises of my own. I had the home computer page me the second time you tried to do something besides study." "I thought you said I wasn't predictable." "Not compared to other people, no." Tachi sat back and crossed her arms. "You're not comparing me to Ranko, are you?" Nabiki laughed in spite of herself. "Heavens, no. I would never compare you to your cousin. The two of you are like apples and oranges." Nabiki fiddled with something off-screen. "It's just that I've noticed you've been... 'preoccupied' since your trip to the past. Your father and I talked about this. We decided that you need a vacation, a chance to get away and spend some time thinking." "I just had a vacation, Mother. To another time." "I was there, remember. I know you didn't have much of an opportunity to reflect. It was one big fight after another, with enough angst and confusion thrown in to make you think you were an X-Man." The teenager nodded. Her mother was right; she'd spent a good portion of that trip tied up in the Nekohanten, worried that her universe was about to come to an abrupt end. "So where am I going?" Nabiki sat up straight; her voice took on the qualities of a game show announcer. "You, and one other lucky contestant, are going to lovely, scenic... China!" "China? One other? You're not sending _Ranko_ to China with me, are you?" "Bzzz! Wrong answer. That was your father's idea, but I vetoed it." Tachi nodded again. Ranko Saotome was her cousin, and her best friend, but sending her to China, with all of her father's history in that country, would be like sending a tiger to play in a room full of disgruntled postal workers. "So who is going with me?" "Ah, that is the question." Nabiki's eyes sparkled. "If you guess the proper name, you go. Otherwise, it's back to the books for you." "That's not fair," Tachi wailed. "You already said I could go." "That's because I have faith that you'll make the right decision." Then, before Tachi could say another word, her mother cut the connection. Tachi stared at the blank screen. "So... who would be the best person to take to China... ______ {B-{=__ rmckenzi@euclid.ucsd.edu : The White-Robed Mathematician Date: Mon, 10 Jun 1996 16:40:48 -0700 (PDT) From: Ross McKenzie To: fanfic@tendo-dojo.ranma.net Subject: Symmetric Polynomials, part two Tachi opened her closet doors as she puzzled her way through Nabiki's impromptu test. _Mom wants me to be able to relax and have fun, so I can narrow my choices down to my generation._ A sundress went flying across the room to land near the bed. _If Ranko isn't going, then Ran certainly isn't._ A more formal gown followed the sundress. _Father would certainly frown on my best friend's fiancee as a traveling companion, even if Mom was feeling perverse._ Tachi paused as she reached the more combat-suitable section of her wardrobe. "I might as well," she sighed as she held up a dark-knit, form-fitting jumpsuit. "A trip to China means Jusenkyo and Joketsuzoku. There's no way I'll be able to avoid fighting altogether, unless... no, Mom wouldn't send Bell-chan with me to China. She's the antithesis of the Amazons; they wouldn't understand a woman so peaceful that she can end a fight just by walking past the combatants." Tachi frowned. _That doesn't leave many other people. There's Ryuunosuke, and there's-" The jumpsuit fell to the carpet. "Satsuke!" Tachi shouted. "Have my scooter powered up. I'm going to Grace Brothers." * * * * * _Which floor is he on?_ Tachi asked herself. _They keep moving the Ladys' and Gents' Department around... oh, wait, there's that supercilious floorwalker. I'm in the right spot._ The short-haired girl hopped out of the elevator just as the doors were about to close. A mannequin dominated the center of the floor, moving jerkily under the influence of outdated robotics technology. Tachi ignored the display; her tastes ran to the ultra-modern and the archaic, not the obsolete. A slender man with age-silvered golden hair saw the teenager approach. "Why, hello there, Miss Kuno," he greeted her cheerfully from behind the display counter. "I do believe Mister Kuonji is just finishing with a customer." The salesman finished folding a pair of y-fronts. "Are you free, Mister Kuonji?" he called to the fitting room. "I'm free, Mister Humphries," a kawaii voice echoed back. A moment later, Shun Kuonji appeared. Of an age and height with Tachi, his hair was much longer and his voice much higher. To Tachi's eternal dismay, he also had a narrower waist. The combined effect was disconcerting, and even those who knew Shun well had to remind themselves that he was a boy. "I wonder what your transdimensional half-brother's gender sense would make of you," Tachi whispered under her breath. "Permission to speak with the daughter of a stockholder?" Shun asked Mister Humphries. "Permission granted, Mister Kuonji." To Tachi, he added, "Don't keep him too long. Old Spit and Polish Peacock is in a right mood today." "That might be a problem," Tachi mused. "No, wait, Mom would have taken care of it." The mercenary girl grabbed Shun by the arm. "You've got to start packing. We're going to China." The floorwalker, just now noticing the commotion in the Gents' department, walked over and attempted to throw his weight around. "Now see here, Miss, you can't just carry our saleswo- salesme- sales_persons_ out of the store." "I'm sure it's all right," Tachi reassured, batting her eyelashes to throw Captain Peacock off guard. "If you check with Young Mister Grace, you'll find that Mister Kuonji has some vacation time coming up." "Well." Peacock cleared his throat and stood ramrod straight. "I'll do just that." "Good." Tachi dragged Shun away before the floorwalker could say anything else. "What was that about?" the androgynous boy asked as the elevator doors shut them away from the Lady's and Gents' Department. "Do I really have vacation time?" "I'm sure you do. My Mom planned this, and the day she can't get a favor from Young Mister Grace is the day he goes blind _and_ deaf." "He already is," Shun reminded his friend. "He's only _mostly_ blind and deaf." "Isn't that like being mostly dead?" "No, that's when you need a miracle pill to rescue your true love." "I thought mostly dead was when you threatened to bite someone's kneecaps off." "No, that's Marvel-dead. You also get to come back the next time the issue number hits a multiple of twenty five." "Whatever." The elevator opened onto one of the parking levels. "Please tell me you had Satsuke drive you here in your mom's limo." Tachi frowned at Shun. "No, I brought my scooter. Do you have a problem with that?" "Well, I'm rather attached to the concept of living." "Hey, I'm a good driver," the mercenary girl said defensively. Shun shrugged. "If you ever find a way to be your own passenger, I think you'll change your mind." Tachi reached for a scathing comeback, but the unintentional irony of Shun's words made it die before she could give it voice. In silence she handed the boy a spare helmet. Shun caught her mood, and in silence they rode away. ______ {B-{=__ Author's Note: As I plot these story segments out, I realize that they're noticeably shorter than the chapters of D&I. Sorry about that. I think this might be my length limit on POV sections. Symm P focuses on far fewer characters than D&I did, so I run out of things to say faster before I have to take a break. I hope I spelled the AYBS characters' names right. Date: Wed, 12 Jun 1996 17:41:59 -0700 (PDT) From: Ross McKenzie To: fanfic@tendo-dojo.ranma.net Subject: Symmetric Polynomials, part three "So tell me again why _I'm_ going to China with you," Shun asked as he and Tachi stood in line at the baggage check. "It's because you can't fight," she answered. The short haired girl tossed her dufflebag onto the conveyor belt, then carefully slid a thin, yard-long wooden box beside it. "I thought that's what you said." Shun grunted as he heaved his bag behind Tachi's. "I'm not sure if I should be insulted or not. What kind of a reason is that?" "The best kind, if you're going to Joketsuzoku." She walked through the weapons detection field. "You've heard the stories, right?" "Yeah, I've heard the stories. And I'm wondering what my mother was thinking when she let me go on this trip. Hell, _I_ don't even know what I'm doing on this trip. Cursed springs and homicidal barbarian women? What kind of a vacation is this?" Tachi picked her luggage up again. "You're here to keep me out of trouble while I think." Shun frowned. "If you wanted someone to keep you out of trouble, why are you taking me instead of Bell-chan?" "She wouldn't get along very well with the Amazons." "And I will?" "Hey, you, they might try to adopt. I mean, they'll take one look at you and decide you need to work out more." "Thanks, Tachi. So basically, I get to go on this trip because I'm a wuss." "Don't pout." Tachi patted her friend on the shoulder. "Keep in mind that an inability to fight is a survival trait for an outsider in Joketsuzoku." "If that's the case, then why'd you pack your bo-" "Shhh!" Tachi covered his mouth with her hand. "Do you want the whole terminal to know," she whispered, "or just Airport Security." Shun brushed her hand away. "I still don't get how you managed to pull that off." "'cuz it's made of wood!" she hissed. "Not metal, not high density plastic, and not some carbon-graphite compound." "Score one for you historic purists, then." He fished a small packet out of his jacket pocket. "Gum?" Tachi waved him off. "No, thank you." "So why are you going to China to think?" Shun popped a stick of gum in his mouth. "I mean, wouldn't a temple work just as well? It'd be a lot safer, too." "I'm a martial artist, Shun. Danger is something I have to live with." The long-haired boy pointed a finger at his friend. "That sounds like something your uncle would say, or your cousin. You've never been so... bullheaded before." "A lot happened last week, Shun. It turned out all right in the end, but I wasn't much help." The short haired girl looked down. "If I'd been a better martial artist I could have done something. As it was, it gave me a lot to think about." Shun frowned. "You didn't get mugged, did you?" "No." Tachi shook her head. "Not exactly." "How do you 'not exactly' get mugged?" "Look, Shun, I don't want to talk about it, OK?" "No, it's not 'OK.'" Shun planted himself in front of thee mercenary girl, his hands on his hips. "Something bad happened to you, something so bad you won't talk about it, and the only remedy you and _all_ our combined parents can think of is to send the two of is to _China_, where one wrong move can get us dead, engaged, cursed, or any combination of the above? If you want me to go with you, then you'd better start explaining. Otherwise I'm not moving another step." He took a deep breath. "And I won't let you go, either." Tachi snickered despite herself. "You? Come on, Shun. We both know that I could snap you like a toothpick if I wanted to." Shun turned red, but he held his ground. "Then you'll have to do just that, because I'm not moving." They locked eyes, then Tachi looked away. Taking Shun's arm in hers, she led him through the airport. "It all started with a girl named Spring..." * * * * * "That," Shun said, "is quite a story." "Now do you see why we're going to Joketsuzoku?" "To play detective?" he guessed. "No, that doesn't quite seem right." He settled back in his seat. "I mean, this is a dangerous trip. Wouldn't your uncle be a better choice?" Tachi stared out the window. "No. If there really was a problem, he'd only make it worse." As far as she could tell the clouds rushing past the airplane made no pattern. "I don't think my mom is expecting anything out of the ordinary. This trip is supposed to be cathartic, to give me a sense of closure." Shun nodded. "So why isn't Ranko going?" "She doesn't need closure." A small, dark cloud raced by. "She's doing just fine. You should see the dojo. Now that Ranko knows how to focus her Chi into an offensive energy blast, she's managed to shoot the building full of holes." "I'm sure Ran isn't very happy about that." Another dark cloud zipped past Tachi's window. "He's the only thing that's been shot up more than the dojo." * * * * * Shun wiggled his jaw, trying to get his ears to pop. The gum hadn't helped much, and the Dramamine just made him drowsy. He poked Tachi. "Hey. There's a woman over there holding a sign. It's got your name on it." "That would be Plum. She's our ride." Shun narrowed his eyes, studying the well-dressed woman. "She doesn't look like an Amazon to me." "She's not," Tachi laughed. "She's the Jusenkyo Guide." The two teens left the gate. *Thank you very much for meeting us," Tachi said in flawless Chinese. "You are more than welcome, Miss Kuno," Plum said back, in Japanese. "If you ladies will please come this way?" "Ahem!" Shun coughed. Plum didn't seem to notice. "We've had a good deal of rain recently," she told them as she pulled an umbrella out of her purse. It telescoped open at the touch of a button. "If either of you is cursed..." "No, no," Tachi assured her. "Rain doesn't bother me much." The silver glow of an active umbrella field snapped into existence around her. "Well _I_ don't like getting wet," Shun muttered. He ducked his head under Plum's umbrella and grabbed his wind-blown hair, trying to brush it into some semblance of order with his fingers. "Not all of us can afford fancy toys, Tachi." "D'oh," Tachi cried, slapping the side of her head with her free hand. "I forgot. I've got one for you, too, Shun." "Do you really think technology will protect you from Jusenkyo?" Plum asked. She seemed amused. Tachi shook her head, the wind blowing her bangs left and right. "I hope I never need to find out." ______ {B-{=__ rmckenzi@euclid.ucsd.edu : The White-Robed Mathematician Date: Sat, 15 Jun 1996 21:26:27 -0700 (PDT) From: Ross McKenzie To: fanfic@tendo-dojo.ranma.net Subject: Symmetric Polynomials, part four The tires on Plum's small ATV tore at the dirt road. Mud fountained up behind the vehicle, and only the pouring rain kept the back widow from being coated in grime. Of course, that same pouring rain cut her visibility to almost nothing. "We're almost there," she told Shun, anticipating the young man's question. "Good." He massaged the back of his neck, trying to work out the kinks earned from hours of sitting in the passenger's seat. "How are you doing back there, Tachi?" "Fine," she mumbled. The Shooting Star of Furinkan High stared out one of the side windows, both her arms and her legs crossed. "That's informative," Shun commented around a mouthful of gum. Tachi shook herself. "Sorry." She uncrossed her legs and sat up straight. "It's just that I've got a bad feeling about this." "That's encouraging. I mean, you're the one who dragged me out here into the middle of nowhere." He turned to Plum. "Is there anything for us to worry about? Any evil overlords from hidden kingdoms? Any rogue monsters spawned from the Joesinkyou pools?" "Not that I know of. Bump." The passengers braced themselves as the ATV hit a rough patch in what was left of the road. "Just the rain. And it's 'Jusenkyo.'" "Hear that, Tachi? We've got nothing to worry about." "That," she said to herself, "is what worries me." * * * * * The ATV came to a halt. "From here on in, you walk," Plum announced. "You can see the trail; it's not too far to Joketsuzoku. The way is too steep and overgrown for my car, though." "You call that a trail?" Shun squinted, trying to see through the driving rain. "And how far is 'not too far?'" "A half a mile; easy walking distance." "Not in this rain," Shun complained. Plum looked amused. "You stand near the heart of mystic China. What did you expect? A sidewalk?" "Tachi," Shun growled, "you owe me for this." Bracing himself, the long-haired boy threw open the ATV's gull-wing door. Wind-whipped rain dodged around what little cover he had and slammed full-force into the silver glow of his umbrella field. The field glowed brighter, struggling to maintain integrity against the strong Jusenkyo weather. Mutely, Tachi slid past the passenger seat. Her shoes sank into the mud as she stepped out of the car; technology couldn't compensate for everything. Reaching back inside, she grabbed Shun's bag, then her own luggage. "I will be back in a week," Plum told her. "We will be waiting." Tachi forced a smile. "Thank you for meeting us at the airport." Plum nodded. Tachi's smile might be forced, but the gratitude behind her words was not, and the Jusenkyo Guide could sense such things. "You are more than welcome, Honorable Guest." "Thanks," Shun added as he closed the car door. Plum waved, and the two teens stepped back far enough so that they wouldn't be coated in mud when the ATV drove away. "Gack," Shun spat. "Damn wind. I keep getting hair in my mouth." "Then you shouldn't chew gum," Tachi suggested. "I don't think there's any peanut butter in Joketsuzoku." "Does that really work? Mom always used okonomiyaki sauce." "It does. When we were younger, that's how Aunt Kasumi would always get Ran's gum out of Ranko's hair." Shun frowned. "You say that as if it happened more than once." Tachi smiled again; this time for real. "Now you know one of the reasons why Ran always had a black eye." The short haired girl pulled one foot loose from the mud; it came free with a slurping sound. "We'd better get going. I don't want to take root here." "Whatever you say, boss." Shun looked down at his once-new hiking boots. "Did I mention you owe me for this?" "Move. I don't want Plum to have to say, 'Oh, Honorable Guest, you fell in the "Spring of Drowned Hiker." There is a tragic legend, a _very_ tragic legend, of a hiker who drowned one week ago, because HE WOULDN'T GET MOVING!'" * * * * * Joketsuzoku was a promise of bright lights and warm fires at the end of a long, wet walk. That gave Shun and Tachi the energy they needed to make the half-mile hike. The weather cleared up somewhat as they trudged up the mountain. Tachi's mood did not. Shun noticed this. "What's bugging you? If you've got some mystic-martial-arts-sixth-sense you're not telling me about, now would be a good time to share. Now meaning before we get to the village of homicidal barbarian women." Tachi struggled to find the words she wanted. "No, it's not like that." she finally said. "Then did you get bitten by a radioactive spider? It's obvious _something_ has you on edge." "I keep thinking there's something I missed." Tachi held up her left hand. "I went to the past and met my own parents." She folded her pinky finger down into her palm. "I wasn't much help when the fate of the universe was being decided." Her ring finger joined her pinky. "I've been moping around the house for the last week, and my mom has questions about the Joketsuzoku Amazons." Two more points; two more fingers. "Going to China is supposed to solve all of that." She made a fist. "But it just doesn't add up." "It made sense when you explained it on the plane." Shun shrugged. "It still makes sense to me. What else could there be?" "I don't know." Sun sighed. "Whatever. If you figure it out, let me know. Right now, I just want to find someplace dry." "That can be arranged," a perky young voice called down from somewhere in the branches high above the hikers, "if you can give me a reason why two strange women should be allowed into Joketsuzoku." ______ {B-{=__ Question: What is Sailor Moon's hairstyle called? Date: Tue, 18 Jun 1996 21:21:18 -0700 (PDT) From: Ross McKenzie To: fanfic@tendo-dojo.ranma.net Subject: Symmetric Polynomials, part five Tachi could see little. Dark clouds hid the sun, cutting its light to a fraction. Branches heavy with rain made a dark green canopy, a cloak of leaves that could conceal half a dozen Amazons. *We're expected,* the short haired girl called as she searched for the Joketsuzoku sentry. *Plum, the Jusenkyo Guide, brought us.* *I was not told of this,* the hidden voice replied. "What are you saying?" Shun hissed. "I can tell it's Chinese, but nothing besides that." Tachi waved him silent. *Are you told everything?* she challenged. *Few would hide anything from me.* The voice was sure of herself. *Then you shouldn't be afraid to hide from us.* Shun grabbed his friend's sleeve. "Tachi..." @Quiet,@ she whispered in English. @I'm in the middle of a battle of wills at the moment, and I don't have time to explain.@ The branches above them rustled, and a lithe, long-haired shadow leapt to the ground. Tachi wasn't sure in the dim half-light, but she thought the sentry's twin pony tails were purple. *I am not afraid of you.* Tachi's voice was steady. *Nor I of you. But I have no desire to fight with you.* The sentry took a step closer. She was a young woman, in her late teens, and Tachi noticed with irritation that her shoes didn't sink in the thick mud. *Are you that afraid of losing?* *No. I'm afraid of winning.* The sentry laughed, amusement tinged with mockery. *I don't think you need to worry about that," she gasped at last. Fortunately for Tachi, in the dim light no one could tell how red her face was. *Accidents happen,* she said, her voice strained. *I'm from Nerima, in Japan. I've heard the stories. I don't want to earn the Kiss of Death through some bizarre twist of fate.* *Nerima,* the sentry whispered. *Do you know the one called, 'Ranma?'* *He's my uncle.* The sentry frowned, disappointment evident on her features despite the darkness. *Come with me, then.* She spun, dark hair flairing like twin ribbons, and marched off towards Joketsuzoku. "Well, did you win?" Shun asked. Tachi narrowed her eyes at the sentry's back. "I'm not sure. I think the game was called before the final inning." "That's fine by me." Adjusting the bag on his shoulder, the long-haired boy trudged off after their now-distant escort. "We've met the bloodthirsty barbarian women, and neither of us is dead yet. I guess I'm earning my keep." * * * * * The Joketsuzoku sentry led them to a hut on the outskirts of the village. Golden light poured from the windows; now Tachi could tell that the girl's odango-style hair was the deepest violet, the color of the sky just as the stars made their appearance. _Out here, this far from civilization, I'll bet it isn't even dyed. Supermodels from all over the world would kill for a body that toned and hair that shade._ The short-haired girl shook her head as the sentry ushered them inside. _I can't believe I'm jealous. Not of someone's physical appearance. That's so... ordinary._ She caught Shun staring at the girl, openly appraising and admiring her. A swift elbow to the ribs brought that to a halt. "Hey, what was that for," he complained. Tachi's frown was all the answer he ever got. On the other side of the room, a long-haired man with thick, coke-bottle glasses shut the book he was reading with an audible snap. "Welcome to Joketsuzoku, Tachi Kuno," Mousse said. He stood up; long white robes flowing as he moved. "And greetings to you as well, Shun Kuonji." "Hello, Uncle," Tachi replied. It seemed the safest thing to say. "Uncle?" Shun counted on his fingers. "Umm, Tachi, unless I'm missing someone..." "Uncle," Mousse agreed. "Considering the past, and what brings you here, I think that is as good a title as any." "You know why I've come to Joketsuzoku?" Tachi probed, trying to mask her eagerness. There was still some nagging doubt in the back of her mind, some piece of the puzzle she had yet to ferret out. Perhaps Mousse held the key to why she was _really_ in China. "Of course I do." Mousse smiled, but through the distortion of his lenses Tachi couldn't tell if it touched his eyes. "You are here because I am here. Your mother sent you to Joketsuzoku to see me." ______ {B-{=__ That's all for now. I'm headed to Modesto for a month; no computer access for me there. When I return to San Diego I'll be able to work on this some more. I'll even actually get to the real plot... Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 15:49:15 -0400 (EDT) From: Ross McKenzie To: fanfic@fanfic.com Subject: Symmetric Polynomials, part six (fwd) AARGH! What is wrong? I can't send anything to the list! Could one of you guys forward this for me? Oh, and in case I've become a complete moron without noticing, what is the address for the fanfic mailing list? * * * * * I originally tried to post this Sunday afternoon, but server problems seem to have consigned it to the e-void. Here goes... * * * * * Where were we? There is nothing to do in Modesto, California besides RPG's and higher mathem- Oops. That's where _I_ was. Once upon a time... No, that doesn't quite work, either. Not with my stories. O.K. There was this girl named Tachi. She'd recently been dragged to the past, where she witnessed the near destruction of her native timeline. That left her confused, morose, and moody, so her mother suggested a vacation. In China. Jusenkyou and Joketsuzoku, to be exact. Now, the idea of an uncursed native of Nerima, Japan willingly going to that part of China for a vacation makes about as much sense as Frosty visiting a dimension where the welcome mat says, "Abandon Hope, All Ye Who Enter Here." Nabiki Kuno was known for being a shrewd operator, though, so Tachi went. Part of Nabiki's game was for Tachi to figure out exactly what the rules were. The androgynous salesman, Shun Kuonji, went along to, "Keep her out of trouble." Together, the Nerimites met Plum, a young amazon girl, and Mousse... * * * * * "To _see- you! We flew to China, risked death, engagement, and having our very human bodies turned into something unnatural just to _see_ you?" Shun's voice, normally high pitched, hit glass-shattering notes. "Wouldn't a vid call work?" Mousse laughed. "Vid? Girl, we don't even have _telephones_ in Joketsuzoku." Shun glared daggers. "It's not funny," he complained. "And who are you calling a- Tachi, quit hitting me." The short-haired girl turned wide, innocent eyes to her friend. "Would I hit you, Shun?" "Would I hit you, Shun?" he echoed back, mimicing her honeyed tones. "Of course you'd hit me! You hit everybody." "That is good practice," the purple-haired amazon noted. Shun threw his hand in the air. "I give up. This is a totally different planet than the one I was born on. Nothing here on Mongo makes any sense." He dropped his backpack to the floor and slumped down on a nearby stool. "China, do your worst; I can't get any more confused than I am now." Mousse frowned. "I wish you hadn't said that." "Why?" Suspicion colored the edge of his voice. "Did I activate some ancient mystic Chinese curse or someth..." The other three people in the hut stared at the long-haired boy. "Oh, shit," he muttered as he slapped himself in the forehead. "I forgot where we are." "Well," Tachi said, trying to break the tension. "Well, indeed," said Mousse. "I guess it's a sure bet that you're not going to just tell me why we've come here, right, Uncle?" Mousse pushed his glasses to the top of his head. "Would Nabiki send her only child to Joketsuzoku for a week if the answers to her questions could be found in a single conversation?" Tachi knew the answer to that. Mousse blinked, just now remembering his manners. "Forgive me. Please, have a seat." He indicated a second stool, identical to the one Shun sat moping on. "I live alone, so I'm afraid there isn't much space here. I've made arrangements for you to stay with other members of the tribe, though." "Father, may I go now?" the young amazon interrupted. "I do have sentry duty tonight." "I don't think your mother would begrudge you the time it takes to see to the needs of village guests, Brook," Mousse chastised. "Yes, Father." "And what have I told you about wearing your glasses?" Brook sighed. "Yes, Father." Mousse folded his hands in his sleeves. "Well?" In a small voice, Brook whispered, "I left them in my room." "Go." That single word sent the odango-haired amazon running out into the rain. Wind slammed the door shut with a bang. Tachi stared at it for a moment, then looked at her host. "That was rather hypocritical of you, wasn't it, Mousse?" she accused. "Uh, Tachi, are you sure you want to go there?" Shun asked worridly. She waved him quiet. "Mother told me you never used to wear your glasses, and that you kept mixing people up. Wanting to keep your daughter from making the same mistakes you did is one thing, but-." "Tachi!" Shun hissed. @Ix-nay on the asses-glay.@ Tachi rode over Shun's attempts to stop her. "But you're glasses are sitting on top of your head, even as we speak. What gives you the right to humiliate your daughter like that, when you're doing the exact same thing?" Mousse stood stone still in the center of the room. "You would accuse me, in my own home, in the middle of a world that is so unlike yours that your friend compared it to a work of fiction? After you came to me for help?" "Of course she doesn't, right Tachi?" Shun was talking a mile a minute. "It's all a joke, a new style of Japanese humor. Hahahahaha! Haha. Ha." Tachi got up and stared Mousse straight in the eyes. She had to look up; he was much taller than she was. "Yes." "That's it, Tachi, we're dead." Mousse slowly reached for his glasses. He carefully took them off the top of his head, folded the temples closed, and smiled. "Good for you." He handed Tachi his glasses. "Your father wouldn't have let me get away with that sort of behavior, either." Tachi closed her hand around the thick lenses. "I don't understand." Mousse held up his index finger. "That," he told her, "is because you don't have all the information yet." Tachi snapped Mousse's glasses open and stared through them. She could see the inside of the hut perfectly; people were people, bookshelves were bookshelves, and hanging potted plants were hanging potted plants. "These aren't prescription lenses!" she accused. "No, they aren't," Mousse agreed. Then he clapped twice, and the lamp behind his reading chair snapped off, plunging the room into darkness. Tachi could still see. "Light intensifying eyeglasses?" she asked incredulously. "And a Clapper?" Shun echoed. Mousse turned the lights on again. "I can't afford a voice activated computer." He shrugged, palms up. "I could barely afford a generator. This is the only hut in the village with electricity." Tachi eyed him quizzically. "Then your vision is just fine?" "Twenty-Thirty. Surgery is an amazing thing." An idea began to take shape in Tachi's mind. "It's also expensive." Mousse nodded once, slowly. "That it is." "Some people could afford it easily, though." Mousse nodded again. "That they could. Or someone could work for the money." Tachi set Mousse's glasses on the stool behind her. "To make that kind of money, someone would have to do something very dangerous, or possibly illegal." This time, the white-robed man offered no answer. "Well." Shun clapped his hands together once and stared at the two martial artists. "That was fun. And healthy, too. I don't think my heart has ever had such an envigorating workout. Let's do it again, soon." "Oh, be quiet, Shun." "I do apologize, Miss," Mousse said. "Every difficulty can be avoided, given enough work, but I've discovered that sometimes it's not worth the effort." A navy blue umbrella appeared from somewhere inside his robes. "I don't know what's keeping Brook, but dinner should be ready now. If you'll come with me?" Shun sighed, and his shoulders slumped. "For the last time, I am not a- Tachi, would you cut that out!" "Who, me?" the short-haired girl asked... ______ {B-{=__ And now, for a couple of bits of administrivia: 1) Did anyone review Descents and Inversions while I was away? If so, my ego and I would like a copy of the review. 2) It looks like X-Change Students #3 finally hit the net. Could someone send me a copy of that, too? Thanx, Ross John McKenzie Jr. Date: Thu, 25 Jul 1996 22:14:29 -0400 From: Ross McKenzie To: fanfic@fanfic.com Subject: Symmetric Polynomials, part seven * * * * * Brook stopped running as soon as she was out of sight of her father's hut. *Stupid glasses,* she muttered. *I'm a Joketsuzoku warrior. I don't need any outworld _technology_.* She spat the word like a curse. _Besides,_ she thought as she stomped along the muddy path, _it's not like I_ need _to learn how to read, or to cypher numbers. That's work for washed-up ancients and cripples._ Brook shook her head violently, making her wet hair snap like two purple whips. *I'm no cripple. I'm a Joketsuzoku warrior.* The storm and the dark reduced visibility to almost nothing, bad eyes or no, but Brook wove her way through the village like a skier on a slalom course. No magic was involved, just years of practice and a good memory. Magic, or something much like it, did cause Brook to stop just outside her mother's hut, though. Rain washed away all sights and sounds, but it could not touch the feeling she had when someone was watching her. Crossing her arms, Brook waited. Only one person would be fool enough to wait outside for her in this kind of weather, but the odango-haired girl preferred to let others speak first. It helped her to avoid mistakes when the visual identity of a stranger was in doubt. *Hello, Brook,* Myrrh said. The blur shifted; Brook was sure the fool boy was trying to hand her flowers. *Go away, Myrrh. I'm busy.* *You're all soaked,* Myrrh complained. *You should have let me walk you home. We could have shared my umbrella.* The blur stepped closer; Brook stepped back. *I was on sentry duty, Myrrh. I couldn't very well have some fool following me around with an umbrella, now could I?* *I could have watched with you.* Brook cringed; Myrrh's voice cracked hideously, despite his being sixteen years old, like her. *We never spend any time alone together.* _I've had enough of this for one night,_ Brook decided. *There's a reason for that, Myrrh. It's because I don't like you. Now go back to your own village and leave me alone.* *Oh, you're just saying that! You know we're destined to be together, Brook.* *I'll believe that when I see pigs fly.* The odango-haired girl tried to push past her annoying suitor. *Now will you just go?* Myrrh planted himself firmly in Brook's path, his feet squelching in the thick mud. *Not unless you make me.* *Fine!* Amazon fury worked its magic on local gravity, and Myrrh found himself in Low-Earth Orbit. *Loser!* Brook shouted after him. * * * * * "Jeez, it's dark out here," Shun complained. "Well, could that be because it's... NIGHT?" Tachi teased. "Duh!" Shun stumbled as one of his boots slipped on the unstable ground; it took all of his limited athletic prowess to keep from falling face down in the mud. "It's never this dark at home." "You have street lights in Nerima," Mousse explained. "Here, I'm the only person with electricity." "Isn't that a little backw-" This time, Shun's native balance wasn't enough to keep him upright. Fortunately, Mousse's reflexes were. "Thanks." "You're welcome. And to answer your question, yes, it is anachronistic, but the people of the village want it this way. It helps preserve the old traditions that have kept them strong." Tachi caught the use of the word "them;" she filed it away for later use. "Wouldn't modern technology make your lives easier? The Nekohanten certainly doesn't limit itself to the dark ages." "The Nekohanten isn't run by Joketsuzoku anymore. Shampoo sold it before either of you were born." Mousse stopped walking for a moment, giving Shun time to catch up. "As for the village, well, what does technology have to offer the people here. Transportation? Communications? For the most part, they are content to pretend the world ends at the horizon. Modern medicine? Joketsuzoku magic can match most anything science can in that field." "But not your eyes," Tachi said. "No." Mousse started walking again. "But the point is moot. I was in Japan at the time." "What about modern conveniences," Shun wheezed. "You know, little things like hot water and flush toilets." Tachi could see Mousse smile. "Luxuries like that would make the Amazons weak." Shun facefaulted. "Fortunately for you, Miss, I've become attached to electricity and plumbing." Shun grit his teeth. "I am not a-" There was a flash as two active umbrella fields touched; the sharp scent of ozone filled the air. "Tachi," he growled, "this hitting thing is getting old." "You promised," the short-haired girl whispered. "Back in the hut you said, 'For the last time.'" Mischief danced in her brown eyes. "I'm going to hold you to that, for as long as we're in China." "Oh, you're gonna pay for this, Tachi," Shun vowed. She smiled. "When do I ever pay for anything?" * * * * * The years had been kind to Shampoo; she was still as trim and toned as the teenage girl Tachi remembered from the pictures in her family room. Mousse greeted her with a quick kiss on the cheek, then the Amazon hustled her guests inside, almost violent in her hospitality. Brook was facing away, busy setting the western-style table. Then she turned, and Tachi had to fight back the urge to whallop Shun again. Even with coke-bottle thick glasses, the young Amazon was a knockout. _I will not be jealous. I will not be jealous. Oh, hell, I_ am _jealous._ Tachi sighed. _It's just not fair. Nobody should be allowed to look that good without scads of elective surgery._ Shun, being an average teenage boy, held the exact opposite opinion. The guests washed up; Tachi noticed that the faucet had two handles. "I thought you were the exception to the rule," she asked Mousse. "Huh?" She pointed. "Plumbing. Hot _and_ cold running water." "Oh." He pushed his glasses to the top of his head. "I don't think anyone with a Jusenkyou curse would willingly live without ready access to hot water." "Dinner ready," Shampoo called. Shampoo was full of questions; Tachi and Shun had to take turns catching her up on years' worth of family gossip. Shun had the most fun with that, and when he wasn't telling old stories he was trying to chat Brook up. The odango-haired girl was uncooperative, though, answering Shun's flirting with one-syllable words. Otherwise she just stared at her plate, violet eyes owl-wide behind thick glass lenses. "And then Ran stuck his head up through the hole in the floor." Shun pantomimed the action with his hands; the storm had grown more intense during dinner, and the rain pounding on the roof and windows made conversing with voice alone difficult. "You should have seen him. He was all covered with chalk dust from where Ranko tagged him with the eraser." He jerked his head back to demonstrate, talking with his body as much as with his words. Shampoo laughed. "That funny." Mousse nodded. "It reminds me of the old days." "Yes," Shampoo agreed. "Good old days very funny." Tachi nodded pleasantly, but inside she was bursting with impatience. She hadn't been able to steer the conversation at all, so she'd learned precious little throughout dinner. Nabiki's mysterious purpose in sending her to China remained just that, a mystery. *May I be excused?* Brook asked. "You sick?" Shampoo held her hand to Brook's forehead. "No fever. You go now, you no get dessert," she warned. *I'm just not hungry,* they violet-haired teen answered. "Brook," Mousse added, "what did I tell you about speaking Chinese in front of our guests?" She bowed her head. "Yes, Father." *I don't mind,* Tachi said, trying to take some of the pressure off the young Amazon. Jealous as she was, the sense of honor she'd inherited from Kuno would not let her sit idly by while someone else was uncomfortable, not if she could do something about it. *Do you, Shun?* *Uh, no.* Shun's Chinese was limited, but he had years of understanding Tachi-ese. The swift kick in the shins spoke an entire conversation. Shampoo stared at Tachi; the short-haired girl was sure her hostess was staring right into her soul. *Very well, then.* The elder Amazon turned to Brook. *If you're not hungry, then you can help clear the table.* *Yes, Mother.* Brook lethargicly began picking up empty dishes. Then Shampoo turned to Mousse. *And as for you, Mister, we have a deal.* She leaned across the table, idly twirling her knife between her fingers. *_I_ make the rules under this roof, and _I_ enforce them.* *Proper manners-* began Mousse. The knife stabbed down, quivering from the force required to drive it into the hardwood table. *Our bargain,* Shampoo insisted. *She lives with me, and I teach her to be a proper Joketsuzoku warrior. You teach her outworld ways as time permits.* Mousse settled his glasses on his face. *Conversing with guests in an outworlder tongue certainly falls under my jurisdiction.* Shampoo wasn't about to be put off. *Conversing with "guests" of any sort puts her outside your influence completely.* Shun turned to Tachi, confused. "What are they saying?" She held up a hand to shush her friend. "Domestic squabble." She listened intently; this argument was more informative than the entire dinner conversation. "Don't your parents argue?" Shun shook his head. "Dad just gives in. But I've seen Ranko's parents go at it. Shouldn't we be getting out of hammer range about now?" Tachi paused to consider Shun's suggestion. Mousse and Shampoo were standing now, nose to nose, ignoring everything and everyone else as they whispered accusations at each other. No weapons were evident, but that didn't necessarily mean anything, especially where Mousse was concerned. "You know, that might not be a bad-" The sound of the roof being ripped the building drowned out the rest of Tachi's words. * * * * * Well, I hope I've answered some of your questions. Actually, I think this chapter worked rather well in that respect, so if anyone has any other questions about Our Favorite Amazons (no, not Wonder Woman), or the Kuno clan, send 'em my way, and I'll see what I can do. ______ {B-{=__ rmckenzi@euclid.ucsd.edu : The White-Robed Mathematician Date: Fri, 16 Aug 1996 14:35:29 -0700 (PDT) From: Ross McKenzie To: fanfic@fanfic.com Subject: [fanfic] Symmetric Polynomials, part eight BETA A touch of grammar correction here, a bit more character motivation there... Mousse was a blur. One minute he and Shampoo were arguing from opposite sides of the dinner table, the next they were huddled together beneath his golf umbrella. Flipping his glasses onto his face with a sharp nod, he stared through the umbrella's one transparent wedge, looking for the cause of the destruction. A giant saurian eye stared back. *Dragon!* Shampoo shouted. Her breath was warm on Mousse's ear, but the winds muted her voice to the faintest whisper. He wouldn't have understood her at all if he hadn't already been thinking the same thing. Sharp talons tore into one of the walls, and that much more of the hut came apart, wet cardboard in a child's hands. The Joketsuzoku veterans hunched low, guarding themselves against the elements as best they could. Transforming now would be very, very bad. *BROOK,* the dragon roared, *I HAVE COME FOR YOU!* Its voice echoed with thunder, cutting through the howling winds and further deafening the humans. Mousse saw his daughter shouting something back at the beast. Her words, carried away by the storm, had no impact on the dragon. It reached for her. Brook was having none of that. She picked the dinner table up over her head and and slammed it down on the dragon's claw. Wood shattered, and the dragon reflexively pulled back. The young amazon followed up her assault with what was left of the chairs, throwing them at the dragon's head one after the other. Mousse felt Shampoo tense, her arm around his waist pulling them closer together. Years of familiarity communicated her plan; words were useless in this environment, and only actions had a voice. Shampoo jumped, carrying Mousse to the top of what was left of the wall. He let go of the umbrella; she caught it and jumped again, this time giving her lover the height and the angle he needed to attack. It was a cold, calculated plan, unlike anything either would have thought of twenty years before. Age and experience made a world of difference. Where before, the sight of a loved one in danger would have sent them both charging headfirst into battle, now it just gave them incentive to be that much more exact. Chains sprang from Mousse's sleeves, wrapping around the dragon's head like a wrought-iron muzzle. The chains also served to alter the trajectory of Shampoo's jump, and the two of them landed on top of the opposite wall. The Amazon released her hold on Mousse, instead taking up half the impromptu steel leashes. She jumped a third time, reversing the path of her last flight while Mousse anchored himself where he stood. The fifties B-movie fishbowl helmet he now wore only kept his head dry, but he'd waterproofed his robes years ago. They'd hold out against the rain, for a little while, at least... Shun didn't like what he saw. Two world-class martial artists reaching meltdown in a domestic argument was bad, but it was something he could understand. He'd heard about the Saotomes, after all. A dragon, now, that was something else entirely. Dragons just didn't happen in real life. You only saw them at the movies. _Or in mystic China._ Brook was busy throwing everything she could find. That seemed to be about as effective as taking a flyswatter to Mothra. It was also hard on the furniture. _Not that they'll need much, considering that they don't even have a_ roof _anymore. And there goes kitchenwear! I guess I'd better offer Shampoo my employee discount at Grace Brothers._ Tachi held her bokken in both hands, standing firm against the stormwinds that tore through what was left of the hut. Shun crawled over to her. "You look about as menacing as an angry kitten." She couldn't hear him; Shun saw that she was concentrating on the battle. "Oh no you don't!" he shouted, realizing her intentions. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to the ground. "Leave this to the professional homicidal women!" Tachi struggled madly, but she didn't have much leverage, and she was determined to hang on to her bokken. That was enough of a handicap for Shun to maintain his feeble attempt at a wrestling pin. "Let go of me!" the girl shouted, elbowing him in the chest to emphasize her point. "Ow, dammit, cut it out!" Shun tried wrapping his legs around her, vainly searching for a way to hold a person who was bigger, stronger, and more determined than he was. "You're not making my job any easier, you know." "I said, 'Let Go!'" Tachi finally dropped her sword, only to plant her fist in his face. Shun felt a lot of pain. Then he felt nothing... Tachi pulled herself free from Shun's limp arms. There was a battle going on, and once again she was less than useless. _At least in the Nekohanten I had the excuse of being tied up. Here, thanks to Shun, I'm just excess baggage._ She watched Shampoo and Mousse as they jumped back and forth in their battle with the dragon. They looked like a pair of spiders, weaving a web around an enormous fly. It was a clever plan, certainly more intricate than anything her uncle would have thought up. Ranma would have attacked the dragon head-on. _Of course, he'd probably be able to win._ The adults finished their midair dancing simultaneously. _I've never seen teamwork like that before. Everyone back home is too stubborn to fight together properly._ An arm around her waist startled Tachi out of her analysis. She made a fist, expecting to wallop Shun again. Instead she saw Brook. The young Amazon helped Tachi to her feet, then shouted something Tachi couldn't hear. _I'm glad Mom taught me to read lips._ She pantomimed agreement with Brook's suggestion to leave, then bent down to get a good grip on Shun's unmoving body. _We need to get him out of here before he gets hurt._ Brook had a slightly different take on the plan. She picked Shun off the ground with one arm, grabbed Tachi with the other, then ran out the front door. She didn't bother to open it, but by this time the hut was in such bad shape that she didn't need Amazon muscles to break through the wall. "Hey, wait," Tachi cried. "What do you think you're doing?" She struggled, but Brook was carrying her like a sack of rice, and there was no way for Tachi to break free and hit the girl. "Let me go!" she pleaded. "I can help you! Honest!" The dragon seemed surprised, unwilling to believe anyone would dare to fight back, let alone that they would be successful. It snorted, fog pouring through its nostrils as it struggled against the chains that bound it. Mousse and Shampoo braced themselves, knowing full well what would happen if the dragon could work its way free. The beast coiled, then swung its tail at one of the remaining walls. Jade scales crashed through timber, knocking Mousse from his perch and tearing half the chains free from their anchors. Mousse landed on his back, hard, and the waterproofing on his robes gave out. A wet, stunned MuMu-chan lay trapped beneath a fishbowl, staring up a an angry dragon hundreds of times his size. Another swing, another crash, and neko-Shampoo was left to confront the beast alone. Cat-women might always land on their feet, but they still get wet when they fall in a puddle, umbrella or not. The dragon ignored the animals; what could they do to stop him? Instead it flexed its jaws, snapping the chains that muzzled it. *BROOK!* it roared. *YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM ME!* ______ {B-{=__ Date: Fri, 23 Aug 1996 12:33:31 -0700 (PDT) From: Ross McKenzie To: fanfic@fanfic.com Subject: [fanfic] Symmetric Polynomials, part nine Inclement weather locked most of the Joketsuzoku Amazons inside their huts that night, but the rampaging dragon brought them out again, armed and ready for action. Brook ran towards the largest group of warrior women, dragging a hapless Shun and a helpless Tachi along with her. *Take the outworlders to my daughter's hut, young Brook,* ordered one of the matriarchs. Her eyes, sharp as the spear she carried, dismissed the Nerimites out-of-hand. *My grandchildren will see to their safety while the village avenges your mother.* *I can take care of myself,* Tachi cried, but no one paid her any heed. It was difficult to command attention when you were being held upside-down, particularly in such a strength-ordered society. A dark shape uncoiled from the wreckage of Shampoo's hut. *BROOK!* they heard the dragon roar. *YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM ME!* The Amazons took this as their call to battle and moved out, surrounding the beast with a ring of cold steel and iron determination. * * * * * Shun groaned. His head hurt, and his left eye was swollen shut. "What hit me?" he muttered. "Was it a bird? A plane? No, it was Tachi!" "I'm not in the mood, Shun," his friend replied. She paced back and forth across the room, tossing occasional dirty looks at the young Amazon sitting by the door. "You're not in the mood?" Shun wasn't sure, but he thought the guard looked awfully young. "_You're_ not in the mood?" And was that condescention in her smile? "Hello? Who was the one doing all the hitting here?" "Not me." Tachi squatted next to Shun and stared him in the face. "Thanks to you I've been relegated to the nursery while everyone _strong_ enough," she pointed outside, "is busy fighting." "Beep, beep." Shun said. "Why, look, Tachi, it's a clue phone." He held his left hand to his head, thumb and pinky splayed wide. "What's that? Facing a mad, obsessive, huge demon lizard from hell is a bad idea? Well, imagine that!" "Shut up, Shun." Tachi's hands closed slowly into fists. "Have you taken a good look at our babysitter?" "Well, no. My left eye happens to not be working very well at the moment. I wonder why that is?" "Shut up, Shun," Tachi repeated. "She's nine years old. _Nine!_ And the only reason she hasn't picked up a mace and charged into battle is because Brook told her to watch us." Shun sat up, wincing a bit as he moved too quickly. "Listen to yourself, Girl. These barbarians are willing to rush into glorious battle against something that is quite possibly eating them all one by one. Plus they think it's a good idea for prepubescent girls to go with them. That's stupid. That's really stupid. It's probably the second most stupid thing I'll ever hear of in my entire life." He pointed at Tachi, poking her in the nose. "The only thing that tops it is that you agree with them. You, the girl who was so successful at running a lemonade stand that the city made you buy a business permit." "Dammit, Shun, I'm the undefeated Shooting Star of Furinkan High!" Any thunder accompanying her pronouncement was drowned out by the storm and the battle that raged outside. "I can do some good out there! I refuse to be a sideline player when lives are on the line!" "Yes, you're a good Kendoist," Shun agreed, "but that's it. You spar against other high school students in formal settings while wearing body armor." He grabbed her by the shoulders. "You're not a street fighter, or a samurai, or even a ninja turtle. You're a sixteen year old jock, and if you go out there with your wooden sword You... Will... Die! You say your mom sent me to keep you out of trouble. Well, that's what I'm doing. If you don't like it, tough. Complain to Nabiki, and see where that gets you." Tachi knocked his arms away and stood up. "Don't you see? That's the point! It's about courage, Shun, and doing the right thing, even if it's dangerous." She turned away. "But you're just a coward, a little girly man wuss. What would you know of courage?" "Yes, I am a wuss," Shun growled. He sounded like an angry chipmunk. "Yes, I am a girly man." Using a nearby chair he hauled his battered body upright. "But I am not a coward. There's a difference between bravery and foolishness. Your mom knows the difference, and if you actually read any of your father's poetry you'd see that he does, too." "You actually read that doggerel?" "Doggerel?" Shun couldn't believe his ears. "Doggerel? Tachi, your father is one of the most respected poets of the twenty-first century. Sure, you see his work in the book section of Wallmart, but you also find it on reading lists for literature classes. Don't tell me you didn't know that." "I didn't," she whispered, still facing away from Shun. "He never made a big deal out of it. _Nobody_ made a big deal out of it. And the stuff he would program into the home computer as a prompt or a lockout message was just lame." "That's because it was a _joke!_" Shun hobbled closer to his friend. "You know how your father was a twit when our parents were our age. He told me that it was a reminder to him on how not to act." "He told _you?_ Why were you talking to my dad about poetry? You're not into art." Shun threw his hands in the air. "Why do you _think_ I was talking to your father about literature? I'm not into sales, either, but your mom got me a job at Grace Brothers'." He shook his head. "You know, Tachi, for such a smart girl, you can be really dense some times." * * * * * The battle was going poorly for the villagers. The Joketsuzoku Amazons were among the best native warriors Earth had to offer. Centuries of breeding and a lifetime of training combined in each woman to make a natural fighting machine. They were stronger, faster, and more determined than any human had a right to be. But in the end, they were just human, and no match for a dragon. Spears and arrows bounced off jade scales like rocks hitting the side of a battleship. Swords struck coiled, sinewly limbs and blunted, having little more effect on the beast than butterflies have on windshields. Maces and staves were momentary annoyances. Unarmed attacks were an exercise in futility. On the other side of the balance sheet, the dragon was wreaking a terrible toll on the village. Every lash of its tail signaled the destruction of another home. Each backhanded slash of its talons knocked another woman out of the fight, if not entirely out of the village. And through it all, the beast kept searching and kept shouting for Brook. The young Amazon was no coward; she fought the dragon with more cunning and ferocity than anyone else there. She was bait, though, and she knew it. He job was to keep the dragon focused so the other women could attack. Playing hide and seek with an obsessive dragon was easy, particularly at night in the middle of a rainstorm. Capitalizing on its obsession was something else. It was only luck, or perhaps some strange benevolence on the monster's part, that had limited the casualties to broken houses and broken bones. *This will be a glorious battle for the histories,* one of the matriarchs shouted, encouraging the warriors within the sound of her voice. They rushed the dragon yet again, with as little success as any of their other attacks. *Perhaps a bit too glorious,* another matriarch muttered as she carried one more wounded Amazon from the heart of the battle. *Young Brook, perhaps you should lead your suitor elsewhere.* *But surely we can win," the odango haired girl said, confused. *Child, your parents have already fallen to this beast.* She shook her head, but the age-grey locks of hair plastered to her cheeks remained stuck to her face. *For all their outworld ways, they are the best fighters we have. If they were here, perhaps we could triumph. As it stands now...* The old woman brandished the broken shaft of her spear. *As it stands now, the village will not last much longer.* *BROOK!* The echoes of the dragon's call hung in the air. *I... will go," the girl said. ______ {B-{=__ Sorry it's been a while. I had another project to work on, and I'd reached the limits of my detailed plotting. Now I know where I want to go with my subplots, though. Hopefully this means another installment this weekend. Date: Sun, 25 Aug 1996 17:53:58 -0700 (PDT) From: Ross McKenzie To: fanfic@fanfic.com Subject: [fanfic] Symmetric Polynomials, part 10 Neko-Shampoo frantically searched through the ruins of her hut, looking for the remains of her water heater. Eventually she found it, or, rather, what was left of it. "Mrawr!" she cursed. No hot water meant she was stuck in a helpless body for the rest of the fight. MuMu-chan, too, was trapped and helpless. His fishbowl helmet made for a cramped cage, and his duck body couldn't get the leverage he needed to free himself. In frustration he pecked at the glass with his beak. Neko-Shampoo saw her lover's struggles and considered. On the one hand, she had no idea what was going on in the rest of the village. With her ears still ringing from the earlier battle, the only way she had to gather the information she needed was to go out and take a look. On the other hand, the stupid duck was liable to hurt himself if she didn't help him get free. Mercy won out over practicality, if just barely. It wasn't like the extra knowledge would do her any good, after all. So, with an angry twitch of her tail, the cat jumped over the wreckage of her dining room set and started scratching at the dirt under the lip of the fishbowl. It took time, but two could accomplish what one could not. Once he was free, MuMu-chan paused only to quack something short at his lover. Then he was gone, a white mass of feathers flying unsteadily in the rain-filled night. "Meow?" Neko-Shampoo wondered. Unsheathing her claws, she, too, set off into the night. It was time to hunt. * * * * * Brook vaulted to the top of a thatched roof. She pulled her glasses off her face and threw them as hard as she could; she hated them, and it wasn't like she could miss spotting a huge green snake. *Here I am!* she shouted into the wind. *Come and get me!* The dragon didn't see her right away; it was busy with a pair of swordswomen who were trying their best to give him an extreme pedicure. One tail swipe later it looked in her direction. *BROOK!* it shouted predictably. *THERE IS NOWHERE YOU CAN RUN!* Brook refrained from pointing out that up til now she'd done an excellent job at evading it. Instead she jumped to the next building. The dragon followed her. Brook jumped a second time, adding a somersault for variety. The dragon continued to follow. It was starting to pick up speed; without the continuous distraction posed by a small army of angry Amazons the beast apparently could move. Brook skipped to the next hut, throwing a handful of shuriken at her pursuer to keep him honest. The dragon didn't even blink; Brook frowned when she realized that the big green blob was actually gaining on her. For her next trick, the odango-haired girl jumped sideways. Sure enough, the dragon had trouble making a quick turn at that speed. It stumbled, crashing against a hut in its attempt to brake. Brook winced at the excess property damage, but there wasn't anything else she could have done. Not without becoming dragon food... or whatever it was the beast wanted her for. * * * * * A dragon slamming into the side of the hut saved Tachi from having to deal with Shun's revelations. "Are you all right?" she asked when the dust cleared. "I'm hundreds of miles away from home, surrounded by a horde of suicidal maniacs who don't speak my language, and under attack from a mythic beast I didn't believe in until fifteen minutes ago. What do _you_ think, Tachi?" The mercenary girl smiled. "I'm O.K. too." She looked around the room for their guard and found her pinned under the remains of the doorway. "Help me over here." "Don't move her," Shun warned. Tachi checked the girl for a pulse, sighing in relief when she found one. "Since when did you have any EMT training?" "Hey, I've watched as many reruns of _ER_ as you have. We should try to free her, though" He grabbed a piece of wreckage with both hands and grunted, barely managing to set it aside. "Well, [1], since I've actually do know CPR, I'd better stay with Sleeping Beauty here." She picked up another broken plank with her free hand and casually tossed it away. "Why don't you check on the other room? That's where they were keeping the really small kids, and since we're twice as old as anyone else here..." "Since it's you asking, [2], I'll do it." In a more serious voice he added, "Stay here, Tachi. Don't go running off to do something stupid. This girl needs you more than your sense of adventure does." Author's D'oh: [1] and [2] are the male and female protagonists from ER. Unfortunately, I can't think of their names right now. This is especially dumb on my part because I live with three Med students. "I hear and obey, Master." "Hah," Shun muttered as he left the room. "I wish it was that easy." * * * * * Mousse cursed himself as he ran from his hut. There were times when living on the outskirts of the village was convenient. Now was not one of them. Not when the dragon was on the other side of town. Rubble and wounded blocked his path; he leapt over them, nearly flying in his haste. Actual flight would have been faster, but a duck couldn't hope to face down a dragon. A man could, though, particularly a desperate man. Mousse had faced some serious threats during his life, most of them on behalf of a woman who did not and would never love him. This one topped them all, and he'd have to face it alone. Mousse knew the Joketsuzoku Amazons well, and he knew they'd never succeed in defeating the dragon, not when he and Shampoo had failed. The Amazons were too set in their ways, too unwilling to adopt new tactics and new technologies. _At least,_ he told himself, _this time my motives are pure._ He saw his daughter jump from rooftop to rooftop, and he saw the dragon's unsuccessful attempt to take a sharp corner. _This is as good a spot as any._ *Father!* he heard Brook call. *I was afraid you'd-* *Not now, Little Kitten,* he said as he jumped beside her. *For now, I need you to hold my umbrella.* She took the flowery parisol from her father, confusion evident on her face. *But we have to lead the dragon from the village.* Mousse adjusted his glasses. *No, we don't.* *MOUSSE,* the dragon thundered, *STAND ASIDE! FOR BROOK'S SAKE I WOULD NOT SEE YOU HURT!* *I give you one last chance to leave,* the white-robed warrior shouted back. Blue cross-hairs glowed on his lenses. *YOU THINK YOU CAN STOP ME?* The dragon chuckled, steam pouring from its nostrils in mirth. *YOU'VE ALREADY TRIED ONCE. YOU FAILED.* *My lover and I failed to capture you.* He brought up his right arm; the cross-hairs pulsed once, then turned red. *Neither of us tried to kill you. *Yet.* Man-made thunder shook the night as he pulled the trigger of the shotgun he'd hid up his sleeve. ______ {B-{=__ rmckenzi@euclid.ucsd.edu : The White-Robed Mathematician Date: Sat, 31 Aug 1996 21:44:47 -0700 (PDT) From: Ross McKenzie To: fanfic@fanfic.com Subject: [fanfic] Symmetric Polynomials, part 11 The dragon's left eye exploded. Brook couldn't see this, of course, but she heard the blast from the shotgun, and she heard the dragon's tortured scream. Mousse's parasol slipped through her shocked fingers. *Father, what have you done?* Transformed, Mousse could not answer. Instead he quacked in impotent fury as the shotgun fell to the rain-soaked thatch, then slid off the roof completely. Brook made no move to retrieve the discarded weapon; her attention was focused on the huge jade coils writhing blurrily before her. The dragon was crying now, wordlessly howling in ignoble agony. The villagers were drawn by the sound, and the warriors, both wounded and hale, raised their weapons for one final charge. Their resolve was never tested, though, for with one last convulsion, the dragon hurled itself into the air and vanished among the clouds. * * * * * Torches and lanterns were lit, chasing away much of the nighttime gloom, yet also revealing the full extent of the damage. The villagers began sifting through the rubble with the industry of a colony of ants, repairing and reclaiming everything that could be salvaged. The rain died down from a furious deluge to a heavy mist, which helped considerably, and Tachi, desperate for something useful to do, joined the recovery effort. The village matriarchs called a council of some sort; Tachi contrived to attach herself to a crew working near the circle of ancient women. Brook stood in the center of that circle, with Shampoo, now human again, beside her. Mousse, too, stood in the mush pot, but he stood apart. Now and again Shampoo would steal a quick glance at her lover, but Brook never once looked at her father. The matriarchs spoke in hushed tones; Tachi frowned, her curiosity thwarted. She slowly worked her way closer to the council, but the women's words remained indistinct. _It's probably some ancient Amazon magic to keep councils secret,_ she told herself. Then she hid in the shadows of a ruined hut for a session of lip reading. "How many times must I repeat myself," she saw an exasperated Brook say. "I never met the dragon before. I have no idea where he came from, or why he chose me. If I knew, I'd do something about it." "Such attacks were not uncommon in Japan," Shampoo added. "My... Ranma was often the target of an unannounced vendetta or engagement." "You would do well not to mention _his_ name, Shampoo," one of the matriarchs cautioned. "Some of us have a long memory for failures," added another. Shampoo spun around to answer them, and Tachi cursed the limitations of her current mode of eavesdropping. You couldn't read someone's lips if all you could see was the back of their head. "And that leads us to the other matter I wish to discuss," the first matriarch declared. "Explain yourself, Mousse!" She hurled a blanket-wrapped object at the man's feet. "Explain this outworld weapon." *What is there to explain?* Mousse countered; his voice loud and strong despite the Amazon's enchantments. *It is a weapon like any other, and without it, my daughter would have been the prisoner of a monster.* "It is a _weakling's_ weapon," the matriarch snapped. "Any untrained fool could pick it up and kill with it." She brandished her broken spear shaft. "This is a true weapon. It pits your skill and strength and will against those of your opponent." *And look where that left you. Your entire village combined lacked the strength to face the dragon. My technology tipped the balance back in our favor and drove the beast away.* "If skill and strength and will fail us, then we must be harder!" The matriarch jabbed her broken weapon at Mousse. "I will not see us give up our traditions for the sake of expediency." *Then you are a fool.* Mousse folded his hands into his sleeves. *Even Ranma bows to necessity and wields unorthodox weaponry when the situation demands it.* Mousse spun around, answering a challenge from a face Tachi couldn't see. *I _will_ mention his name,* he declared. *Ranma Saotome is the greatest living warrior this universe has to offer. His skill is unequaled. His will is iron. If you can not accept this, then you're as blind as I used to be! The world does not end at the borders of Joketsuzoku, and if you refuse to acknowledge this simple fact and accept the changes time brings, then this,* he swept his arms wide, *is the future you can expect.* "You would have us destroy our soul to save a shell," the spear-carrying matriarch accused. *I would have us live.* "Shampoo, do you share this... _man's_ warped vision?" Tachi could not see Shampoo's answer, but she saw Mousse's face grow hard. And when Brook emphatically shook her head, she saw a single tear trickle down his cheek. * * * * * Shun busied himself with the children. The youngest ones didn't hold his frail body against him like the rest of the tribe; they just wanted to be held until they weren't scared any more. That he could do. He could also change diapers. "Why couldn't Mousse have included disposables in his technology crusade?" he grumbled. "Sure, it just means importing tons of stuff into a hidden village in the middle of nowhere, but hey, that's just a minor matter of logistics." *Whad'd you say?* a young boy asked him. *Um, nothing important,* Shun answered. *Have some gum.* He broke a stick in half and offered it to the child, who stared at the gift with wide, confused eyes. *Candy. Sweet,* Shun explained, popping the other half in his mouth. The boy copied Shun, then smiled at the sugar rush. *You like? Good. Go play.* "Don't get it in your hair," Shun called as the boy ran after his friends. "I don't think they have any peanut butter here." * * * * * The spear-wielding matriarch planted the butt of her broken weapon in the mud. "You stand condemned by your own words, Mousse," Tachi saw her say. *Condemned of what?* "You set yourself apart from this village." Tachi could see the sneer that colored the old woman's words. "And so we exile you from it." She slammed her weapon in the mud again. "Begone, Mousse. This is no longer your place." She added something under her breath, but Tachi couldn't make it out. *Make me,* was his reply. Tachi didn't need to read lips to see the commotion those two words caused. *I have defied one matriarch already; a council of them makes no difference.* He glanced at Shampoo. *And I doubt any one of you can force me to do anything against my will.* "You can not hope to prevail against an entire village," the spear-wielder said. Mousse raised his right hand. Knives flashed in the torchlight, then vanished back up his sleeve just as quickly. *There's only one way to find out.* He took half a step forward. *And I have nothing to lose.* Shampoo stepped in front of him, shouting something Tachi couldn't see. That brought Mousse up short, and made the matriarch bow her head in thought. A short, angry discussion took place, and then the council broke apart, leaving Mousse, Shampoo, and their daughter alone. With the circle dispersed, whatever magic it held was broken as well. *You are a fool, Mousse,* Shampoo accused. *Why can't you ever hold your tongue?* She threw her hands up. *If you would just remember your place, I could smooth things out. We both know that with time the matriarchs forgive.* *My place?* Mousse pointed at Brook. *There is my place. I will not be moved from it, not by a dragon, and certainly not by a gaggle of hidebound old women.* *You know I applaud you dedication,* Shampoo whispered. *It has served me well in the past. But as in our youth, sometimes You... Go... Too... Far.* *That is where we disagree,* Mousse replied, his head bowed low. *You say I go too far. I fear I don't go far enough.* *Enough!* Brook shouted. *I don't want to hear this! I am a Joketsuzoku Amazon! I do not need to listen to the philosophy of a _man._* *Brook, he is your father.* *No, Mother.* The girl spun on her heels. *I do not have a father.* Shampoo reached after Brook, but the girl was already gone. Turning back to Mousse, she whispered, *She didn't mean...* Mousse wrapped his left arm around her shoulders and drew Shampoo close. *No, she didn't mean it. But convincing her otherwise will not be easy.* Knives danced between the fingers of his right hand. *Tonight the matriarchs have much to answer for.* ______ {B-{=__ rmckenzi@euclid.ucsd.edu : The White-Robed Mathematician Date: Fri, 20 Sep 1996 11:17:50 -0700 (PDT) From: Ross McKenzie To: fanfic@fanfic.com Subject: [fanfic] Symmetric Polynomials, part 12 Recap: Tachi Kuno, Nabiki's daughter, was been sent to the Joketsuzoku Amazons by her mother for some as-yet undisclosed reason. While there, she and her friend Shun Kuonji were caught in the middle of a battle between the village and a dragon over the well being of Mousse and Shampoo's daughter, Brook. * * * * * Brook's running off left Tachi in a quandry. _Do I stay here, or do I follow her? Mousse and Shampoo are talking about the past, and I need clues if I'm to play my mother's game. But Brook is upset. I'm not sure she should be alone._ Tachi shook her head. _She's a big girl, and with her looks and charming personality, I'm sure she's got plenty of friends here. She doesn't need one more._ She frowned. _And an "outworld" one at that._ With a start, Tachi realized that her moment of introspection had almost let her quarry get away. She stood up quickly, dislodging a bit of debris in her haste to follow Mousse and Shampoo. _Smooth one, Tachi. Satsuke'd throw a fit if he heard how much noise you were making._ Suitably self-chastised, the mercenary girl searched for a useful patch of shadow among the ruins. Spotting one, she quietly slunk through the night after the older Joketsuzoku warriors. * * * * * *Are you sure she's following us?* Mousse asked Shampoo. He held a mirror up to his face, ostensibly to fix his wind-blown hair. *I don't see anything.* *That's because she's good.* Shampoo took the mirror from her lover's hand. *There's no way you could spot her now, not without your glasses. My hearing is better than yours, though.* She brushed her long, purple hair behind her ears. *That's one of the few benefits of this curse you convinced me to keep.* She handed the mirror back; it vanished up one of Mousse's sleeves. *Do you regret that decision?* *My other body is useless, Mousse. Oh, yes, I can climb trees better, and I can fit in tight spaces. That does me a fat lot of good. At least you can fly.* *You can always return to Jusenkyo. I certainly won't stop you.* Shampoo shook her head. *No, I've grown too used to it now. We've been this way for more than half our lives now. And I do agree with your theories about the Musk Dynasty.* She poked him in the arm. *I do regret letting you read Brook those Xanth novels when she was growing up, though.* *It seemed like the best way to explain our rather unique situation.* *Not "unique," Mousse. Ranko Saotome and Ran Hibiki come to mind.* Mousse waved his arm wide. *Unique among the Joketsuzoku, then.* Shampoo stopped walking. *Is that why the dragon chose her, then?* *I don't know.* Mousse took Shampoo's hands in his. *We've rarely had such rains before, and I don't remember a monster of this caliber ever attacking the village. If I didn't know better, I would thing that Ranma was nearby, or that we'd been cursed with his luck... Tell me, has Brook been having problems with boys lately?* Shampoo laughed. *Boys? Hardly. I think she considers them all sub-human. There's no one in Joketsuzoku man enough to win her affections.* Mousse gave his lover a wry smile. *That won't stop some people from trying.* *True. But the answer is still no. She hasn't told me of any unwanted suitors.* *Well she certainly has one now.* Shampoo tightened her grip on Mousse's hands. *What are we going to do? The other Amazons are helpless against the dragon, and I'm not that much better. I still haven't mastered the -* *That wouldn't help,* Mousse interrupted. *There is no way you'd be able to get a storm dragon hot enough, especially if it has the power to control the weather.* *Then you tell me. I'm the traditionalist; you're the one with all the clever ideas. What are you going to do? Shoot it again? That trick won't work a second time.* *No, it won't.* Mousse shook his head. *If only Brook hadn't reacted the way she did. I had the beast dead to rights.* *So what can we do?* There was a touch of panic in Shampoo's determination. *I will not give up my daughter without a fight, but I don't want to throw my life away uselessly.* *We need help. The dragon will want to heal; that should be long enough for Nabiki to send me a bigger gun.* *No!* Shampoo pulled away. *Mousse, what are you thinking? You were nearly exiled over a twentieth century shotgun! If you show up carrying a plasma projector or a particle cannon, I won't be able to save you from the matriarchs.* Mousse was grim. *So be it. I wasn't bluffing when I defied them.* *But if we're sending away for help, why not call Ranma? He could stop the dragon easily enough, and the matriarchs would only be displeased, not angry.* Shampoo's eyes were teary. *I know he'd come, for old times sake if nothing else,* she added wistfully Mousse turned away. *I have my pride. I will not hide behind someone else, not when my own abilities will serve.* *But the price is too high! What happened to the boy who would have accepted a thrown fight just to date me?* *He let Cologne torture him for a year so he could learn enough to fight her and win.* Mousse shook his head. *You know that boy is gone now. Cologne might as well have killed him.* * * * * * Brook ran through the village, hopping from rooftop to rooftop. Then she ran out of huts. "Hey, come back," she heard a high, childlike voice call down from below. "I said- oh, uh." There was an embarassed pause. *Come back here.* _The weak outworld girl needs help._ For a moment, Brook considered letting the weakling fend for herself. Why should the best warrior of their generation stoop to chasing children? The devastation around her sparked the compassion in the odango-haired girl's soul, though. She could not in good conscience let a child run free through the rubble. It might get hurt. A short hop to the ground later Brook stood in the path of the running child. She bent down to pick it up, then straightened hurridly when she saw the blurry man-shape that was Shun. *Thank you, Brook.* There was a while blob where Shun's hands should be; the Amazon assumed it was a diaper. *Here.* She handed Shun the giggling child. *Watch the children better next time.* *Too much work. Too little workers. You help?* *Of course she'll help.* The new speaker was Myrrh, who stepped from behind one of the battle-damaged huts. He had been hurt in the fighting; a bandage was inexpertly wound around his head, covering his left eye. *I'm sure Brook would be wonderful with children.* Brook spoke slowly. "Go away, Myrrh.* *But it's true.* Myrrh took the child from Shun and held it up. *See, she likes you, Brook.* Myrrh smirked. "She's got good taste.* Shun shook his head. "Man, that's pathetic," he muttered. "Even pig-boy Ran has more style." Brook glared at her would-be suitor, eyes flashing with anger. Her shoulders tensed. Her hands curled into fists. Then she spun on her heels and stomped away, unable to hit the stupid boy while he hid behind his toddler shield. Myrrh, unable to take a hint, followed her. *Brook, wait up! Let me walk you wherever you're going!* Shun blinked. "The guy's not just pathetic; he's dense, too." Then he joined the parade, calling, "Hey, you, come back here with that kid." ______ {B-{=_ rmckenzi@euclid.ucsd.edu : The White-Robed Mathematician Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 22:19:36 -0700 (PDT) From: Ross McKenzie To: fanfic@fanfic.com Subject: [FFML] [R1/2] Symmetric Polynomials, Part 13 (fwd) Resent-Date: Thu, 1 May 1997 15:00:21 -0400 Resent-From: fanfic@fanfic.com I told y'all I wasn't dead yet... I even tried posting this a week ago, but funny server problems delayed it. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- In a world where all the Ranmaverse pairings went the way a Konatsu fan would expect, Tachi Kuno, daughter of Kuno and Nabiki, was sent to the Joketsuzoku Amazons by her mother. While having dinner with Mousse, Shampoo, and their daughter Brook, a dragon attacked the village. Mousse managed to chase it off, but just barely... Tachi left off her eavesdropping and ran back to Mousse's hut. It had survived the dragon's rage intact; Mousse lived on the outskirts of the village, away from the heart of the battle. The mercenary girl didn't bother to knock. She just kicked at the door in an imitation of Shampoo, then kicked it a second time, more carefully, as the unlocked door flew open and slammed shut from the force of her first blow. Her luggage was still stacked against the wall; one frantic search later and it was spread out across the floor.