"Cologne-sama, welcome to Ucchan's,"  Konatsu said, 
bowing.  "How may I be of service?" 
 
         "Are you aware of Ukyou's trip to another world?" 
 
         He boggled. 
 
         "Okay, let me explain." 
 
************

Parallel Lives #12:
Book One:  For Remembrance Lost

The Promises That Count

A Wheel of Time / Ranma 1 / 2  crossover, 

by John Biles

Other chapters available at
http://www.thekeep.org/~wombat/PL/


************
 
	Dr. Tofu was rather surprised to get a package in the mail 
from Kasumi.  Normally, she would have just delivered it herself.  
But a present is a present however it is presented.  His brain began 
to fog overbefore he even finished opening the box.  Thus, when 
he saw the blackroses, his brain was too lost in space to wonder 
why Kasumi would send himblack roses, or why he was unable to 
move after he sniffed one.  He wasabout to take a nice, long, deep 
nap. 
 
************ 
 
         Janis Algar was one of the oldest men in the Black Tower, 
seventy years old, but still well muscled, a huge barrel chested 
man with white hair in the traditional Shienarian style.  Where 
most Ash'aman looked like someone had snuck up on them and 
tied a sword to their belt when they weren't looking, he looked 
deadlier than most men half his age.  He was Dedicated, not a full 
Ash'aman yet, so he had not been in command of the recruiting 
drive in Arad Doman which had just returned.  But he was theone 
that the nominal commander had chosen to speak; it was he who 
had found out the crucial news.  "They said we had already come 
and taken three of their townsmen, M'hael," he said.  "They were 
lead by an Domani man with brown hair and green hypnotic eyes.  
He was dressed like one of us, with the sword and the dragon pin.  
He had five other men with him.  It was just like one of our 
recruiting missions." 
 
        "Except that we didn't send anyone to Arad Doman yet,"  
Taim said, his face darkening.   
 
         "Someone's impersonating us." 
 
         Dreadlords, Taim thought.  They're recruiting Dreadlords.  
Unless they're working for that fool Kaneda...no, he wouldn't pose 
as one of my men.  I don't think he'd even think of such a thing.  
"This is the plan.  Follow it to the letter." 
 
************ 
 
         Ranma-chan looked at herself in the mirror, making minor 
adjustments to her clothing.  She was wearing her golden serpent 
ring on her right hand with a silver bracelet of intertwined vines 
and leaves on that wrist.  A matching bracelet encircled her left 
wrist as well.  Each of her ears had a small gold bead tied to it 
with air; each bead had a small hoop to hang very accessories.  
Today, there was a tiny ruby circled by a tiny gold wire to look 
like a ringed planet hanging from each bead. 
 
         Her dress was green silk, with ruffled sleeves down to just 
below the elbow, loose at the ends.  The skirt ran down to mid-
calf, slightly pleated with two small pockets.  A loose blue belt 
circled her waist with several small pouches hanging from it; one 
of them was stuffed with gold and silver coins.  The blouse of the 
dress was cut low in back, loosely laced shut with two long 
threads, while the front was cut in a wide, but shallow square, 
buttoned down the front to the waist.  She played with the buttons, 
debating on whether to leave any open and show off her cleavage.   
 
      She idly rubbed an itch on one leg with a black slipper clad 
foot as she debated with herself.  There was only two people she 
really wanted to stare, and she really should only let one of them 
do it.  And one of them wasn't around, anyway.  On the other 
hand, if she ended up needing to nudge any men along the path of 
what she wanted, it would help. 
 
        She unbuttoned the two top buttons and pulled it open, 
showing off some of her cleavage, but hopefully not enough to 
send Nynaeve into a rage.  Although probably any cleavage at all 
was too much for her.   
 
         She stared at herself.  She could hardly believe how 
comfortable she had become dressing like this.  Part of being Aes 
Sedai.  After all the time she had spent trying to get out of it, to go 
back to her world, now she found herself increasingly liking being 
Aes Sedai.  Maybe it was akin to the way a junkie liked their 
habit.  Maybe it was simply getting respect.  It could be something 
to do with the fact that most of her friends in this world were Aes 
Sedai, and she liked having friends.   
 
        Sometimes she wondered if the world itself, the 'wheel' that 
everyone talked about, had done something to her.  Everyone 
from her world who came here seemed to change.  Especially 
Akane.  I can't believe she wouldn't let me go with her, Ranma-
chan thought.  I'm gonna laugh when I have to go pull her fat out 
of the fire, she thought. 
 
        If she had to go help her.  Akane seemed to have become 
better at saving herself lately.  And Ranma-chan had other duties 
now.  To her friends, to Elayne, who would be the first Aes Sedai 
queen in centuries, and to her fiancee, her only fiancee, the 
woman she loved.  It was different from what she felt for Akane, 
stronger in some ways, weaker in others.  But it was getting 
stronger the more time she was with Ukyou.   
 
        While they didn't have too many fewer fights than Ranma-
chan was used to with Akane, they tended to have better reasons.  
And the making up was better.  A lot of the fights came from the 
fact that Ukyou was less eager about being here than Ranma-chan. 
 
         If Ranma-chan could have learned to channel as a guy, she 
would have been happy to stay in this world forever.  She had to 
agree with Akane; their lives had a purpose here, and it felt good 
to have a purpose. She'd accomplished more to make a difference 
in the last month than in her entire life before that, she felt.  And 
she had always wanted to be a heroine...hero. 
 
         Ukyou was rather less eager; she had dreamed rather 
different dreams, although she seemed to be gradually accepting 
this.  Ranma-chan hoped that was the case; they were both in for 
the long haul on this. 
 
         Nynaeve stuck her head in through the tent flap.  "Ready?" 
 
         "Ready as I'll ever get.  Are all of Rand's boys ready to go?" 
 
         "They're Elayne's men now,"  Nynaeve said.  She laughed a 
little. "I feel like it's been eternity since the last time I came to 
Caemlyn." She came all the way in and walked over to Ranma-
chan, casually reaching over and buttoning the dress the rest of the 
way up.  "You missed two." 
 
         Ranma-chan resisted the urge to laugh.  "So what is 
marriage like?" 
 
         "Wonderful," she said.  "Scary.  A blessing with thorns.  I 
keep finding myself doing exactly what Lan wants me to, even 
when it's a bad idea." 
 
        Ranma-chan found that only marginally more believable than 
one of the Forsaken dropping in to sell them some Amway 
products.  "How...how did you know it was the right time?" 
 
        "I figured it out long before he did," she said.  "Fool man 
always prattling on about his battle, as if throwing his life away 
would do the dead any good.  Trying to protect me from having 
my heart broken when he died by breaking my heart.  The usual 
crazy man logic that makes NO sense."  She pulled out a brush.  
"Let your hair out, and I'll brush it." 
 
        "Thanks."  Brushing her hair was always a pain, so she was 
grateful.  She let it down, then stared at  herself in the mirror.  "I 
can't believe I'm dressed like this." 
 
         Nynaeve looked down at herself, then began to brush 
Ranma-chan's hair.  "Neither can I.   Somewhere...it just kind of 
creeps up on you, then suddenly you find yourself doing things 
you never imagined."  Her voice was subdued.  "I never thought 
I'd marry a King, even if he doesn't have a crown." 
 
         Ranma-chan looked at Nynaeve in the mirror.  She was 
wearing a blue dress.  It was silk and somewhat clingy, modest, 
but tighter and thinner than she remembered Nynaeve favoring.  
She had her shawl on, as well as several pieces of jewelry, and 
makeup as well.  What passed for makeup in this world, anyway.  
"I bet you never thought Rand would be a king either.  Or Perrin a 
lord.  Or Mat a general.  Or Egwene the Amyrlin." 
 
        "Rand still needs a good spanking, though.  Hopefully, 
Elayne will keep him in line better than Min did.  Although how 
all of them are going to resolve that...mess."  She shook her head.  
"If this was Emond's field, I'd have to give them all a good 
switching, and then the Women's Circle and the Men's Council 
would likely join forces to chase them through the streets with 
rotten fruit." 
 
        "Well, I resolved mine.  I had over five people wanting to 
marry me at one time,"  Ranma-chan said.  "Now I'm down to 
one."  One who can find me, anyway. 
 
        "But you're afraid you're going too fast,"  Nynaeve said, 
gently clearing a snarl in the hair. 
 
         "I'm not afraid!  I'm just...I want to be sure I'm making the 
right decision,"  Ranma-chan said.  "He...he wants to have a quiet 
life, and...well, Aes Sedai don't have quiet lives." 
 
        "Not in the Green Ajah, anyway.  So what does he want you 
to do?" 
 
        "Go back to our own world and be normal teenagers.  Get 
married, run a shop...I can't do that anymore.  Not with the 
commitments I've made, not with people depending on me.  And 
if we don't stop the Dark One, he'll destroy our world anyway."  
Ranma-chan sighed.  "I think I understand why Akane wanted to 
stay a little better every day." 
 
         "Akane?" 
 
        "Kaneda.  My other fiancee.  His... umm... nickname."  She 
still hadn't been able to tell them about her curse, although she 
knew it would come out soon anyway, unless they never talked to 
anyone in Cairhien ever again.  "I came back looking for him.  
Now he's run off like an idiot to Ebou Dar.  And he wouldn't take 
me with him." 
 
        "It's too dangerous going into Seanchan territory if you're 
Aes Sedai unless you have to or can take an army with you.  They 
won't bother to test him to see if he channels.  I just wish we 
hadn't had to leave Mat behind."  She frowned and tugged Ranma-
chan's hair a little too hard.  "Or the boy, Oliver.  Or Thom, or...or 
any of them."  She sighed.  "I feel guilty." 
 
         "They'll be fine.  So how far is it to Caemlyn?" 
 
         "We should arrive around noon." 
 
          Birgette stuck her head in the door.  "Elayne sent me with a 
message for you, Nynaeve." 
 
          "Hmm?" 
 
          "The scouts report there's a menagerie camped along the 
road near the city." 
 
          "And?" 
 
          "Guess who runs it." 
 
          Nynaeve nearly pulled out all of Ranma-chan's hair in a 
convulsive yank.  "No." 
 
          "Yes." 
 
          "Blood and Ashes."  Nynaeve's eyes flared with surprise. 
"Sorry...I...that man..."  She could feel her blood pressure rising.  
"If he even says hello, I'll get Lan to cut him to bits." 
 
         "I've been telling Lan all about him." 
 
         "And?" 
 
          "He asked if Elayne would highwalk during her 
coronation." 
 
          Nynaeve's eyes widened.  "You're lying." 
 
          Birgitte grinned.  "Maybe just a tiny bit." 
 
          She dodged the brush with ease. 
 
*********** 
 
	Mrs. Ichinose clutched at her back again as she staggered 
down the street with the village idiot (also known as Godai) 
helping her along.  "I didn't mean to fall off the roof on you!" he 
said for the twentieth time. 
 
	"Just get me to this chiropractor before I die," she said.  "You 
should have let me bring some sake to kill the pain." 
	 
	"What sake?  You drank it all before we got out the gate." 
 
	They reached the chiropractor they were looking for, only to 
find they were out of luck.  There was a neatly written note on the 
door. 'Gone to visit my mother.  Be back in a week, Ono Tofu.'         
 
	"Alright, NOW we go buy some sake." 
 
*********** 
 
         Elayne's army swept south along the road, following the 
Princess-heir.  They were trained men who knew their business, 
and did it with gusto.  Especially because of one of the two 
banners flying over the force.  The banner at the top of the banner 
poles was the Red Lion of Andor.  Below it flew a banner which 
had been raised at Elayne's insistence despite the protests of her 
general, but he had no better sigil by which he might be known.  
The golden crane of Malkier flew once more.   
 
         A messenger rode up to the army from Caemlyn; he wore 
Dyelin's livery.  Soon, he was brought before Elayne.  "The Lady 
Dyelin asks who it is who marches on Caemlyn flying the Red 
Lion and the Golden Crane." 
 
         "It is Elayne of House Trakand, the Daughter-Heir, come to 
claim the throne that is hers by right of blood,"  Elayne replied.  
"Tell Dyelin that I have come with my allies, the uncrowned King 
and Queen of Malkier, with a delegation of Aes Sedai, and with a 
delegation from the Sea Folk to take up my birthright.  I have 
heard of the fidelity with which Dyelin has guarded the throne, 
and she will be well rewarded for the loyalty she has shown." 
 
         "And what do you intend to do about the Dragon?" 
 
         "I intend to summon him to account for what he has done in 
my kingdom as I would any steward after a long absence."  Her 
voice was cool and calm. 
 
          The messenger, on the other hand, paled.  "You what?" 
 
         "He is, after all, an Andorman, and whatever other titles he 
may hold, I am his queen."   
 
          The messenger began to sweat, despite the growing chill in 
the air as the world returned to the proper weather for the middle 
of Taisham...the dead of winter.  "You...intend...to put the Dragon 
on trial?" 
 
         "An accounting of his stewardship.  A review.  Not a court 
of criminal law.  I do hope proper records have been kept in my 
absence." 
 
          The man's forehead resembled a waterfall.  "I'll...tell...Lady 
Dyelin that."  He knuckled his brow and bowed as best he could 
from horseback, then turned and rode hastily towards the city. 
 
          "So how did I do?"  Elayne asked. 
 
          "I thought he was going to die,"  Ukyou said. 
 
          "You're going to put Rand on trial?"  Ranma-chan asked. 
 
          "It wasn't easy to talk him into it, but it will show I am 
Queen by my own right, NOT because he gave me the throne or 
some such claptrap." She frowned slightly.  "He's so lonely, even 
with Min with him." 
 
          Aviendha touched her arm.  "To be a leader is often lonely, 
first sister.  But I will do my best to make sure you need not be 
lonely when you are Queen." 
 
         She smiled, and spurred her horse.  "Let's go see how much 
panic we've caused." 
 
         Ranma-chan laughed.  "If you wanted panic, I think I could 
arrange that." 
 
         "Not THAT much panic!"   
 
************* 
 
         Rand frowned.  Master Gill was gone from the Queen's 
Blessing, and no one knew for sure when he would return.  He 
had departed with several other people who none of the staff knew 
the same day of his battle with Rhavin, escorting some red haired 
woman.   
 
         For a moment, he wondered if the woman had been 
Morgase, then he dismissed the thought.  If she was alive, surely 
she would have proclaimed herself somewhere.  From what little 
he knew of her, Morgase would never have stood for the control 
he had exerted over Andor in the past months.   
 
          He had hoped to spend a little while with the man relaxing, 
although he supposed the twenty Maidens and four Ash'a'man 
with him probably wouldn't have been very relaxing for Master 
Gill.  He wouldn't have brought so many Maidens, except that 
Aviendha had given him a tonguelashing he would never forget 
after talking to some of them. 
 
         He had laughed for joy when she did, which had greatly 
confused her, then angered her further.  To have someone so 
completely forget who he was delighted him.  For a moment, he 
had felt like he was a child again with his hand in the cookie jar; it 
had been even better than being kissed.   
 
         Kissing Elayne had been like a dream; he had expected her 
to hate him, almost wanted her to hate him so he could keep her 
safe, far away from him.  But now, she was close to him, always, 
for he could feel her though the warder bond they now shared.  
She was smiling, happy, and coming closer.  Her army would 
reach the city in an hour, he estimated.   
 
         "Flinn, have you ever been married?"  he asked.  Flinn was 
old enough to be Rand's grandfather, so he expected the answer 
would be yes. 
 
        "Depends on if he and Samitsu have taken the oath yet,"  
Fedwin Morr, a fairly young Ash'a'man said, grinning. 
 
        "She died a long time ago.  There was an outbreak of 
plague."  He sighed.  "I could have saved her if it happened now." 
 
          If she had stuck by you, Rand thought.  Although from the 
reports, most of the wives of his Ash'a'man had stuck by them.  
"Are any of you married?" 
 
         "I do be married,"  Jur Adley said.  He was from Illian.  
"Why do you be asking?" 
 
          "How...have everyone's wives been...taking it?" 
 
          "Very few leave,"  Jur said.  "They wouldn't have come 
with us in the first place if they didn't intend to stay.  And we have 
a wife bond which is sort of like a warder bond, so we know 
they're okay, and they know we're okay.  My wife's fretting about 
something right now...but she always frets." 
 
        Merana, who was also with them, said, "Thinking of getting 
married, Lord Dragon?" 
 
         For a moment, he wondered if she read minds.  "I don't 
know if I will be given a choice." 
 
         "There's always a choice," one of the Maidens, Kari, a short 
blonde, said.  "Though if a Maiden loves you, there's only one 
right choice."  She grinned. 
 
         "It's just...well, let's get some food.  Elayne likely won't need 
us until after lunch," he decided.  "Time to see if the cook here is 
as good as I remember." 
 
************ 
 
      Konatsu sipped his cup of tea.  "So Ukyou-sama is now in 
another dimension?" 
 
       "Yes.   I don't know how long she'll be there.  If you wish to 
join her, I suggest you find Kasumi and Nabiki at the airport." 
 
        He blinked.  "They're taking a plane to another dimension?" 
 
        "They have a device for dimensional travel with them.  You 
can use it to go to the dimension Ukyou is in.  Which will make it 
safer for them as well; Kodachi will have no reason to attack them 
once they no longer have it." 
 
         Konatsu nodded and rose.  "I will prepare to leave at once.  
And where are you going?" 
 
         "To make war upon Kodachi.  You are the last person I 
needed to talk to.  Now I go to my destiny." 
 
          He nodded.  "Good luck." 
 
*********** 
 
 
         Ranma-chan glanced over at Nynaeve, who was tugging her 
braid for no discernable reason.  "Something wrong?" 
 
         She pointed down the road to a large camp, a menagerie.  
"Him." 
 
          "That Valan Luca guy?" 
 
          "He's going to do something crazy."  She sniffed, and 
probably would have folded her arms under her breasts if she 
hadn't been holding reins. 
 
         "Like what?"  Ukyou asked, wobbling on his horse.  He 
wasn't used to riding, but Elayne had given both of them horses.  
Ranma-chan seemed to have the knack of it, which he envied. 
 
          Elayne grinned.  "Probably propose to her again." 
 
          "Very funny,"  Nynaeve said sourly.  "He's probably going 
to think Lan kidnapped me." 
 
         Lan had just a hint of a smile.  "Should I be afraid for my 
life?" 
 
         Birgette crowed with laughter, and Elayne giggled softly. 
Nynaeve snorted loudly.   
 
         The closer they got, the tenser Nynaeve got.  They got close 
enough to make out individuals in the caravan, and some of the 
things it had.  Ukyou pointed at one of its wild animals.  "Hey, 
look, Ranchan! It's an elephant!" 
 
          Ranma-chan laughed.  "Oh yeah, right, an elephant.  Did it 
use a D-hopper too?" 
 
          "What's an elephant?"  Elayne asked. 
 
          "A S'redit,"  Birgette said, pointing. 
 
          Ranma-chan finally spotted it.  "What's an Elephant doing 
here?" 
 
          "The Seanchan brought them,"  Birgette said. 
 
           There was activity in the camp, people moving to stare at 
the column of troops, Aes Sedai, and nobles.  Ranma-chan was 
still staring at the Elephants when the sea of people parted and a 
stocky man dressed clearly as the Ringmaster rushed out, holding 
a bouquet of flowers that had seen better days.  "I was right!" he 
proclaimed. 
 
         Nynaeve tugged her braid so hard she nearly fell off her 
horse. "Valan Luca..."  Her voice sounded like she had been 
gargling with acid. "Don't.  You.  DARE!" 
 
         He smiled at her, pressing through the throng to her side. 
Birgette actively got out of his way, laughing.  Lan simply stared 
at him impassively.  Valan Luca reached her side and shoved the 
flowers into Nynaeve's hands.  "I knew you would come back to 
me, Nana!  I have dreamed of you all these nights!"  She tried to 
spur her horse, but everyone was in the way, and in fact, the horse 
stopped dead.  "The Wheel has woven us together!" 
 
         Ukyou clapped his hands together.  "It is fate." 
 
         "Going to become Aiel now, Nynaeve?"  Ranma-chan 
teased, not noticing Aviendha giving her a glare.  "Perfect chance 
to pick up another one." 
 
         Valan Luca looked around and for the first time, suddenly 
realized there were other people there.  "Who are these people 
you're riding with, Nana?" 
 
        "My name is NYNAEVE, I'm an Aes Sedai, and I'm 
MARRIED!" she said, holding up her wedding ring and her Aes 
Sedai ring.  "To him!"  She pointed at Lan, who waved casually at 
Valan. 
 
         "Now, this...this will be a challenge," he said.  "But nothing 
can stop true love." 
 
         "Do something, LAN!"  Nynaeve shouted. 
 
         "Now, now, Nana, it's not like you to hide behind a man.  If 
you're angry with me, just let it all out directly," Valan said, 
waggling a finger. 
 
          Nynaeve was starting to turn red in the face.  Everyone was 
laughing, except Lan, and he was smiling wider than anyone 
present had ever seen him do in public.  "If you wish to stop for 
an impromptu target shooting session, I'm sure Birgette would be 
glad to oblidge,"  Lan said, his voice dry, but his eyes twinkling. 
 
         "My own husband has betrayed me!"  Nynaeve shouted.  
Birgette laughed so hard she fell off her horse.  Elayne was on the 
verge of joining her.  "Valan Luca, I have no time for you!  We 
must reach Caemlyn today and arrange for Elayne's coronation." 
 
        He blinked.  "The daughter-heir?  Why would you need to be 
there? Or has she arranged for a show?" 
 
        Only the fact that people were watching kept her from 
leaping at his throat.  "Did you hear anything I have said?" 
 
        "You're married, you're going to the coronation, you're..."  
He noticed the ring.  "You're Aes Sedai?" 
 
        "YES!" 
 
        "I never thought I'd marry an Aes Sedai.  But no matter, I can 
accept that." 
 
        Everyone has a point beyond which they should not be 
pushed. Nynaeve had just fallen across that point.  She had 
enough self-control not to channel.  Strangling Valan Luca...that 
was different.  Giving a strangled cry, she leaped at Valan Luca, 
only to have Ukyou's mega-spatula suddenly interpose itself.  She 
clanged into it head first, then fell to the ground.  "Sorry, Lan," 
Ukyou said.   
 
        He sighed, dismounted, and picked her up off the ground, 
dusting her off.  "I hope you never tried that with Siuan Sanche." 
 
         Nynaeave was too stunned to answer.  Valan Luca's eyes 
were wide. "She...She's...Is something wrong with her?  I'm used 
to her getting mad at me, but she never tried to strangle me 
before."  He looked at the spatula.  "And what is that?" 
 
         Elayne said, "Master Luca, I think you and Lan, her 
husband, should have a little talk." 
 
         "Morelin?" he said, finally noticing her.  "What is going 
on?" 
 
         "My name is Elayne Trakand, and I am the Daughter-Heir of 
Andor. As soon as I can be crowned, I will be Queen.  These are 
my friends and this is my army.  And much as I know you are 
devoted to Nynaeve, you have missed your chance."  Her voice 
was a little sad.  "Lan, if you will?" 
 
         Lan nodded, and put Nynaeve back on her horse, then took 
his horse's reins with one hand, and Master Luca's shoulder with 
the other, and went off to talk to him. 
 
         Ukyou watched them go.  "Poor man." 
 
         Ranma-chan shook her head.  "What an idiot." 
 
         Elayne sighed.  "He's a good man.  He just has a bit of 
a...blind spot." 
 
         "He's an idiot,"  Nynaeve said, finally recovering from being 
stunned.  She turned to Ukyou.  "You could have just grabbed me!  
Now I've got a headache!" 
 
          "I don't have arms eight feet long, and you COULD have 
just told him to go away!"  Ukyou said. 
 
          "I tried!  It didn't work!" 
 
           "Strangling people is NOT a good debate method!" 
 
           Nynaeve snorted, and turned away. 
 
********** 
 
         "You're a damn difficult man to find, even WITH a 
farspeaker," Taim said to Rand, fuming. 
 
         He blinked.  "You called?" 
 
         "YES!  There's someone running around imitating my men!  
I thought you MIGHT want to know." 
 
          "Don't take that tone with me!"  Rand thundered back, 
standing up from the table he was seated at, while the serving folk 
quietly got as far away as possible.  The maidens hung on the 
verge of veiling themselves, and the four Ash'a'man looked 
distinctly uncomfortable.  "I am the..." 
 
         "I don't care if you're the High King of the Rutabagas!  If 
you don't answer calls, those talking boxes are useless!  I had to 
nearly strangle several people in Cairhien to find where you were.  
What the hell are you doing hiding at some inn?" 
 
        "It is NONE of your business,"  Rand said flatly.  "I have 
plans to which you are not privy.  So you say someone is 
impersonating the Ash'a'man?  Who and where?" 
 
        "Recruiting in Arad Doman.  And probably elsewhere as 
well." 
 
        "Dreadlords,"  Rand said flatly.  "This must be stopped.  Can 
they do gateways?" 
 
         "We don't know." 
 
         "Investigate.  If they do, they can be traced.  Gateways leave 
residues.  Use as much force as you see fit.  We can't afford letting 
the Forsaken recruit their own Tower.  Also, you should start 
making arrangements to move the Black Tower.  Our training 
center shouldn't be on the frontier.  There's enough room in 
eastern Cairhien to hide a dozen Black Towers.  How quickly can 
you manage this?" 
 
         "In a week at most." 
 
         "Do it.  Also, I want you to start sending those who have 
completed their basic training to Kaneda's school for a week.  I 
want them to learn to link with women." 
 
          Taim frowned.  "We cannot trust Aes Sedai.  They have 
hunted us for three thousand years." 
 
          "I trust few not sworn to me.  But it is a useful skill.  And 
there is much else to be learned there.  Once enough of them learn 
it, they can bring back many secrets to be spread throughout the 
entire Black Tower.  There will be no secret tricks of the Power 
among us.  Unless something is forbidden to all, it will be made 
known to all.  Any other business?"  He sounded as if he hoped 
the answer was 'no'. 
 
         "The Golden Crane of Malkier flies over the army marching 
through the city, along with the Red Lion of Andor.  What is 
this?" 
 
         "al'Lan Mandragoran leads Elayne's army, at least for now.  
Have any of your scouts heard anything of her brother?" 
 
         "A vague report that he is skulking about the vicinity of Tar 
Valon.  I know nothing more since you have forbidden any 
approach to that area." 
 
         "Find him.  I will need Lan to rally the Borderlands to me if 
there is any problems.  Avoid any direct confrontation with Tar 
Valon, but find him." 
 
         "The leaders of the Borderlands are headed south.  No one 
knows exactly where they're going, but they have a large army 
with them.  All four of the Kings and Queens have joined for 
this." 
 
         Rand frowned.  "Which means they've likely decided to 
move against me, possibly in support of Elaida, or they wouldn't 
bother hauling an army south with no one to fight.  Have the men 
looking for Gawyn keep an eye out for them.  Any word 
from...Hmm.  Anything else?" 
 
         Taim cocked his head, frowned slightly, and said.  "No.  I 
will see to these matters."  He didn't look very pleased as he 
vanished. 
 
         "That one strains at his leash," one of the maidens observed. 
 
         "He's a dangerous man,"  Merana said. 
 
         "Only to his enemies,"  Fedwin said.  "He treated us as well 
as any army commander ever does." 
 
        Flickering handtalk combined with dubious faces showed the 
maidens were neither convinced nor willing to argue. 
 
*********** 
 
 
       Perrin's force was camped outside Bethel.  Much to Alyssa's 
surprise, it had been joined by Queen Alliandre, who had not just 
come to them when they expected to go to her, but had sworn 
fealty to Perrin.  Now I know what seeing ta'veren in action looks 
like, she thought, as she stood at the edge of the camp staring off 
towards Bethel.  Manetheren is being reborn, pulling itself 
together around him like a mounting whirlwind.   
 
        At the same time, Ghealdan was being pulled apart, with 
Aiel, Whitecloaks, Ghealdanners, the Prophet's lunatics, and now 
Perrin's force dashing about the countryside.  She felt sad for her 
beautiful homeland, being burnt and plundered inch by inch, often 
by its own people.  How can we have gone so crazy?  
Ghealdanners had been a tough minded people, skeptical of 
everything, and perhaps a little too distrustful of outsiders.  Now 
everywhere outside her home village seemed to be a land of 
lunatics or cowards hiding from them. 
 
 	The Dragon will break the nations, it is written, she thought. 
And he seems to have started with Ghealdan.  And I will have to 
ensure it does not break too badly, she thought.  The eagle must 
spread its wings.  She gave a great sigh.  I hope Mom and Dad 
will be okay.   
 
	She reached out through her bond to Kaneda, just to reassure 
herself he was okay.  The link was weaker with distance, but she 
could feel him off in the distance.  He felt a little tired, but was 
healthy.  I wonder if he's thinking of me, she thought. 
 
*********** 
 
        Akane sneezed.  I hope I'm not getting a cold, she thought.  
She was pitching in as a barmaid for Setalle Anan, after two of the 
barmaids had been carried off by some Seanchan who liked their 
looks.  They'd all fumed, but they couldn't risk a confrontation 
until their opportunity to bust out Mat arrived.   
 
        She shivered slightly when a patron gave her a wink and 
dropped a silver coin into her bosom, in part because the coin was 
cold and in part because of his choice of targets.  She was wearing 
a pale blue wool dress, cut high around the neck, but with a long 
narrow slit down the middle of her chest to just above her belly 
button.  It was designed to be tight around her bosom, but it was 
comfortable for her, since she had less chest than the average 
Ebou Dari tavern maid, although she had the attitude down right.  
The skirt was a bit odd, gathered above her left knee to show off 
the red and yellow petticoats under it; Akane wasn't quite used to 
moving in it.    
 
         Once she finished shivering, she gave the man her best 
glare, and to her satisfaction, he visibly wilted.  The men around 
Ebou Dar gave women a lot of respect, and to her surprise, they 
even did so for barmaids.  They also tipped well; she'd earned 
enough to live fairly well for several days in half a day.   
 
         She swept past Setalle Anan and into the kitchen for another 
round of drinks for a group of men at one table.  Setalle gave her 
an odd look; Akane wasn't surprised.  It took a while to adjust to 
her curse.   
 
         After she finished serving the group of men, Thom, who had 
entered in the interval, beckoned her over to the table he shared 
with Vanin.  The two men had become quite friendly since she 
had introduced them to each other. 
 
         "And what would you two scamps like to drink?"  Akane 
asked loudly. 
 
         "Two mugs of ale, Mistress Akane,"  Vanin said.   
 
          "There's rumors Suroth has gone mad,"  Thom said.  "And 
rumors of some sort of secret raid she's organized.  She's started 
talking in the third person, and keeps calling people by strange 
nicknames.  And a large fleet is gathering here, calling in all their 
ships.  It could just be for the daughter of the Empress' reception, 
but.."  His voice was very quiet, and his lips barely moved.  Then 
he said loudly, "And two meat pies." 
 
         Akane nodded.  "Two meat pies, two ales."  More quietly, 
she quickly asked, "Any idea why she's crazy?" 
 
         Thom shook his head, and Akane went to fill their orders.  I 
wish the Empress' daughter would hurry up...The longer we hang 
around Ebou Dar, the longer the odds that something will go 
wrong, or someone will spot us, she thought.  Although being able 
to go around in my girl body for long periods of time is nice.   
 
         I wonder if Ranma has told her friends about her curse yet.  
She shook her head.  Ranma would keep up the masquerade as 
long as he could. For a moment, she intensely missed Ranma, and 
wished he was there.  I bet even he'd have to admit I look cute in 
this, she thought.  All the stares she kept getting indicated that 
Ebou Dari men favored her anyway.   
 
          But I had to send her away for her own good, she thought.  
It's too dangerous for her...for him here.  Or for Alyssa.  She 
missed them, and thoughts of them filled her head as she took 
Thom and Vanin the food and drink they ordered, then went 
around, serving people on autopilot. 
 
          Alyssa was a little melancholy off in Ghealdan; Akane 
could feel it.  While she couldn't channel as a woman, the warder 
link still functioned.  In fact, it felt more intense when she was 
female.   
 
         I wonder what Ranma is doing.  Probably skulking around 
Ebou Dar trying to find me because he thinks I can't take care of 
myself.  She frowned.  I wish I could have brought him.  For a 
moment, she wished he would walk in the door, tell her how 
uncute she looked in that dress, then let her punt him into orbit.  
She laughed at the thought.  THAT would draw interesting 
attention from the Seanchan; they'd probably assume she must be 
a channeler.   
 
       Another fantasy surfaced, an old one not replayed in quite a 
while, one of him professing to her that he loved her, sweeping 
her into his arms, and kissing her passionately.  Her eyes flared, 
and she tried to stomp out the thought.  It didn't work; she could 
feel her body starting to arouse, which she extremely didn't want 
to happen while she was surrounded by mildly rowdy, fairly 
intoxicated men.   
 
        Making the fantasy worse was that she knew it wouldn't 
happen. Maybe in the past it could have happened one day, and 
part of her still wanted it to happen, but not now it couldn't.  She'd 
made a commitment to someone else, and...Ranma couldn't accept 
her as she was.  Ranma could only love Akane, not Kaneda, and 
anyone who loved her needed to be able to love both.   
 
        Although she still wasn't really sure what Alyssa thought of 
Akane, or whether she would be changed by her curse as Akane 
had been by hers.  Ukyou hadn't seemed to be attracted to women 
in her boy body. Which was a pity, as it was a rather attractive 
boy body.  Akane blushed slightly, remembering the dream she'd 
had a few nights ago.  This simply made her current matters 
worse.   
 
        Akane rarely had attacks of horniness, especially not 
spontaneous horniness.  If there had even been some guy she was 
finding attractive around, she could have understood it, but it just 
seemed to be a brain spasm.   
 
         When someone asked her for some beer for the fifth time, 
she suddenly snapped out of it.  "Sorry about that," she said, and 
ran off. On the way back out of the kitchen, Setalle Anan stopped 
her. 
 
         "Is something wrong?" 
 
         "Missing someone," she said quietly, fingering the choker 
she was wearing; it was a sign of being engaged, Setalle had told 
her.  It would keep people from propositioning her, among other 
things. 
 
          Setalle nodded.  "You'll get to go see them soon enough, 
I'm sure.  I know I miss my husband sometimes when he vanishes 
for several days on a trip.  How soon do you expect to get 
married?" 
 
        "I don't know."  Akane sighed.  "I don't think my father will 
approve." 
 
        "Sometimes we have to defy our parents, but it's never easy.  
And better that it not be," Setalle said.  "I'm sure they're thinking 
of you." 
 
         "I hope so." 
 
************ 
 
	Elayne sat and brooded, staring out the window across the 
countryside.  Nineteen great houses.  One was her own.  Dyelin's 
was a second.  Three more houses wanted Dyelin instead of her, 
but might follow Dyelin's lead, hopefully.  That could make up 
five out of the ten she needed to take the throne.  Dyelin claimed 
Luan and Ellorien and Abelle would bring their houses to her, but 
she couldn't trust in that.  Six houses were united and moving 
against her in support of Armyilla's claims.  And eight of them 
were sitting on the fence.  

	And, just to further complicate matters, the Black Tower 
lurked in northern Andor and an army of Borderlanders was 
marching south into Andor as well.  The Sea Folk were slowly 
driving her insane, and the Kin...she wasn't sure what exactly to 
do with them.  

	Still, she had at least the core of an army, though five 
hundred men wasn't much.  And Lan's name would be good for 
more.  

	"So now we get to go hopping around the countryside?" 
Ranma-chan asked, snapping her out of her funk.  

	"Yes.  First to pin down support from the houses which 
follow Dyelin, then to start bringing the neutrals to us," Elayne 
said.  "And to spread the word that we intend to bring the Dragon 
to account for his stewardship.  That should hopefully bring over 
some of the neutrals."

	"Alright.  I'm ready when you are," Ranma-chan said.

	"But first, we wait for Rand.  He should be here soon.  So we 
can stage the announcement that I am claiming the throne and will 
expect him to account for his stewardship."

	"Right."

	Elayne prayed it would all go well and that enough nobles 
would attend to spread the word as well as she hoped.

**********
 
       Rand looked at the palace wall and laughed to himself.  "The 
first time I ever entered this place was by climbing up here." 
 
       Fedwinn paled.  "We're going to climb THAT?" 
 
       The wall was a crumbling mass of bricks, not a ninety degree 
rise, but close enough, overlaying the slope of the hill which rose 
towards the palace.  There was a garden on the other side of the 
wall, Rand knew, a quiet out of the way spot.   
 
       Kari laughed.  "That's easy, wetlander.  A five year old in the 
waste could climb worse than that.  I do wonder why we're 
breaking into the palace, though."  She put her hands on her hips 
and gave Rand the 'what is my crazy older brother up to' look.  
The maidens all treated him as either a sibling or a child; she at 
least gave him the courtesy of viewing him as an elder brother. 
 
         "So no one will know that I'm here," he said.  "And..."  He 
smiled faintly.  "This brings back good memories."  The day he 
had done this suddenly sprang back into his mind as if he was 
living it again.  "I met her at the top of this wall, the day they 
brought Logain through the city on his way to the Tower to be 
stilled." 
 
         The others listened politely; several of the Maidens and all 
of the Ash'a'man seemed interested, while the other Maidens kept 
watch or handtalked, possibly speculating on who would reach the 
top first.  

	Merana looked at the wall with a look which expressed her 
extreme dubiousness of the idea of climbing it.  
 
        "I didn't even realize I was getting into the palace.  I just 
wanted a good view."  He could see the crowds in his mind's eye, 
a huge mass of people struggling for the best viewpoints; 
Caemlyn was so quiet today, he could hardly believe it the same 
city.   
 
       "And when I got to the top and perched up in the tree," he 
pointed to the tree which overhung the wall, "Then I got to see 
Logain.  But then I fell down and hurt myself and Elayne found 
me."  The harshness that often ruled his voice had faded.  For a 
moment, the Dragon Reborn was gone, and only Rand al'Thor 
remained.   
 
       "She wasn't Aes Sedai yet, but she did her best to put me back 
together, and she and her brother made sure I got out of the Palace 
without getting in trouble.   Gawyn that is.  Galad assumed I was a 
threat."  He laughed.  "I was sure the Queen was going to lock me 
up forever or worse."   
 
        Looking up the wall, he said, "I'll give ten gold crowns to the 
first person to reach the top."  He grinned at the maidens.  "I bet 
that's what you were discussing...who'd get there first."   
 
        Three maidens blushed, and several of the others looked 
startled. One of them said, "Make it fifteen." 
 
         Rand laughed.  "Alright.  Fifteen.  Everyone find a good 
spot, and I'll count down to the start." 

	Merana stared at him as if he was insane, then took off her 
gloves and moved over to the wall, trying to still her shaking 
nerves.
 
         The Ash'a'man all shifted uncomfortably, looking at each 
other as machismo battled with common sense.  Then one of the 
maidens said, "You four can use the front door if this is too much 
for you." 
 
          That did it; they joined the others at various spots along the 
wall.  Rand could feel all four grasp the Source, but he didn't; he 
had done this when he couldn't channel his way out of a tangle of 
cobwebs, and he was sure he could do it now. 
 
          Kari and another ruby haired Maiden took the lead, 
scrambling faster than Rand thought humanly possible, while Jur 
Adley took the rear, indeed, the far rear.  In fact, Rand wasn't sure 
if Jur would make it up the wall before the sun set; it was close to 
the horizon already.  Merana scrambled along up the wall, looking 
rather unhappy about it, in the middle of the pack. Rand leaned 
over to Narishma, who was a head in the lead of Rand, but quite 
close to him.  "What's taking him so long?" 
 
         "He's deathly afraid of heights,"  Narishma said.  "But he 
never tells anyone until he panics.  He got punished back at the 
Black Tower once by having to fix the roof.  He was okay for a 
while, but then he looked down and...well, luckily Janis was 
around to catch him." 
 
         "You should have said something!" 
 
         "No one likes being humiliated,"  Narishma said.  "And he'll 
never conquer his fear by not facing it." 
 
          Rand nodded.  Narishma was right, but...he was going to 
feel horrible if Jur fell, even if he wasn't hurt.   
 
         Kari reached the top first, scrambling up to sit on top of the 
wall, then began to talk to someone the others couldn't see.  Rand 
got there fairly quickly, and the wall top began to fill up.  Birgitte 
(Rand wondered if she lived up to the original) was there, 
grinning as she sat in the tree, wearing a white shirt, yellow jacket 
and black trousers. "Well, the announcement of your coming to 
account seems to have drawn lots of minor nobles out of their 
houses, and some major ones as well."  She looked round at 
everyone.  "Elayne didn't mention you'd be bringing this many 
people."
 
        Rand looked down at Jur, who was now halfway up the wall.  
"Someone go help him; we can't wait all day," he said, then turned 
back to Birgitte.  He couldn't quite bring himself to say that 
Aviendha had browbeaten him into swearing he'd never leave the 
Maidens behind again, except for things like using a privy.  
Especially as he wasn't quite sure how she had gotten him to 
swear that.  "The maidens carry my honor.  They go where I go, 
unless it is vital that they do not." 
 
        Several of the maidens nodded approvingly.  Two of them 
had headed down to help Jur.  One of the remaining ones said, 
"We will remain unseen. You need only worry about the four 
men." 
 
        Birgitte nodded.  "Let's go."   

**********

         Ranma sank into the hot water, grateful for the chance to be 
a man for a little while.  He had warded the doors, AND sealed 
them shut with the power; no one would interrupt him and Ukyou.  
A little tied off flow of fire was keeping both of their baths warm; 
they each had their own fair sized copper bath pot, not quite so 
large as he really wanted, but wonderfully soothing; his behind 
hurt from all the horseback riding.  He had become decent at it, 
but it still didn't feel good at the end of the day. 
 
         Nearby, Ukyou luxuriated in the hot water.  "I'm never 
riding a horse again if I can help it." 
 
         "It beats trying to keep up on foot,"  Ranma said, happily 
lying and soaking in the warmth.  "Oh MAN, this feels good!" 
 
         "I wanna know what Lan said to that Luca guy...he looked 
HAPPY to be sent away,"  Ukyou said. 
 
         "I wanna see Elayne do highwalking at her coronation." 
 
          Ukyou laughed.  "Me too.  I'll see if Lan and Birgitte can 
come up with a way to talk her into it." 
 
          "I saw you three ran off to talk while we Aes Sedai were 
discussing stuff and making the arrangements for the Sea Folk to 
get home." 
 
           Ukyou laughed.  "She's great.  I wish Birgitte had gone to 
our high school.  We spent most of the time trying to get Lan to 
laugh...no one should be so sombre.  And discussing how crazy 
Aes Sedai are." 
 
          "We're not crazy!"  Ranma shouted. 
 
          "Hmm.  I just realized a problem." 
 
          "What?" 
 
          "We don't have any towels, you enchanted the water so it 
won't get cold, AND you sealed us in." 
 
           "..." 
 
           "Well, we won't freeze to death, but we might WRINKLE 
to death." 
 
           "..." 
 
************ 
  
        Min stood in the ter'angreal storage room, trying to make up 
her mind while she chatted with Mai and Corwin Corey, who 
were on guard duty. She was trying to decide if she wanted to try 
bargaining with the Foxes. There were two somewhat good 
reasons, and one bad reason she was contemplating doing it.  The 
first good reason was that she was hoping that just maybe they 
could bring Herid Fel back to life, although she suspected the 
price for that would likely be more than she could pay.  The 
second reason was that she was sure they could make her special 
power more reliable and make it so she always understood what 
she saw and knew more about her visions.  The bad reason was 
the petty one. 
 
         She was worried about losing Rand.  Having him all to 
herself had been nice...very nice.  And now he was off with 
Elayne.  Maybe Elayne and Aviendha could all accept sharing 
him, but...she was sure she wasn't being greedy.  At the same 
time, they were her friends and she didn't want to let a man come 
between them.  But how could three women fairly share one man?  
It was impossible.   
 
         The temptation was quite clear...to get the Foxes to change 
their minds and his.  She knew she shouldn't do it.  And she wasn't 
really going to do it...that sort of compulsion was evil.  But it was 
tempting and grew more so.  Best not to hang around the door, but 
at the same time, she couldn't quite make herself leave, especially 
when there were GOOD things she could do with it. 
 
         "So what would you wish for?" she asked Mai.   
 
         "A bag that never ran out of food.  The ability to fly without 
wings.  I think being able to fly would be really fun, and even 
with the knowledge Kaneda got for us, I still can't fly unless I 
cheat with machines.  And...a prince on a white charger to marry 
me."  Mai grinned. "How about you, Corwin?" 
 
        "More strength in the Power...the magic bag of infinite food 
sounds good...and...hmm."  He stroked his beard, thinking hard.  
"A winged horse that bred true and could fly.  I could breed him 
and make a ton of money." 
 
          Simple dreams, Min thought.  Then again, a few years ago, 
I'd have made wishes like that, she thought.  "Do you think..."  
She stared at the door; she could almost hear it singing to her.  
"Do you think they could bring back someone from death?" 
 
         "I think you'd probably have to die yourself to pay for it.  Or 
someone else die,"  Corwin said.  "And it would only work if the 
Creator hadn't already woven them back into the Pattern in a new 
life." 
 
          Surely not this quickly, Min thought. 
 
          "Thinking about Herid Fel?"  Mai asked. 
 
          Min started.  "Yes." 
 
          "I heard about what happened to him...it sounded awful,"  
Mai looked over at the items at the table.  The number of 
ter'angreal had grown in the past weeks, but the first ter'angreal of 
the hoard remained, some more useful than others.  "You could 
take a few of the ter'angreal we can easily replace, like that silly 
watering can and use them as payment." 
 
          "Do you think it would be enough?" 
 
          "You could ask,"  Mai said.  "It's not like we can't make 
more. Actually...oooh, I know what you should ask for." 
 
          "Hmm?" 
 
          "Since you can't channel, you should ask for something that 
protects you from channeling!" 
 
           Corwin nodded.  "Good idea.  The Forsaken will likely try 
to kill you eventually...I bet THAT would shock them when you 
just laughed at a lightning bolt." 
 
          Min laughed.  "Then stuck a knife in him."  Definitely goes 
on the list, she thought. 
 
          "And you could..."  Corwin began, then stiffened.  "What 
in..." He was pointing at the door; something was oozing under it, 
a mass of vaguely flesh colored (Caucasian flesh colored) jelly, 
moving rather fast. The wards, which should have fried it to a 
crisp weren't doing anything. In fact, he could see them 
unravelling as they touched the jelly.  "Mai, get Min out of here 
and get help!  I dunno what this is, but..."  He grasped the source 
through the small angreal he held; they each had one now, but 
they weren't very strong.  It took a lot of channelers, and the 
leader needed to have the right Talent to make very strong angreal 
or sa'angreal, and they didn't have anyone with the Talent.  He 
wove a doorway, which he could just barely manage, and couldn't 
have done without the ter'angreal, and Mai nodded. 
 
         Just as Mai and Min stepped towards it, the jelly sped up and 
erupted at the gateway.  When it struck the edge, the gateway 
unravelled. The creature formed up into the shape of a woman, 
medium in height with short brown hair and freckles; if she hadn't 
just oozed under a door, she would have blended right in.  "You're 
not going anywhere," it said, then grinned.  It began to stalk quite 
deliberately towards him.   
 
          He unloaded fire upon it; the fire dissolved away 
harmlessly. Then Mai did the same thing with the silly looking 
heart wand angreal from the table.  It flew across the room, now 
charred on one side, though the burnt flesh began to regenerate.  
"What...you..."  Its eyes narrowed. "Why must I serve idiots," it 
muttered, then charged at Corwin again.   
 
         It was caught in mid-charge, bound with air.  Mai grinned. 
"Maybe because you're an idiot yourself,"  she said. 
 
         Suddenly, it became a pool and zoomed along the floor 
towards the twisted doorway, having simply dropped out of the 
bonds of air.  It took Mai a few precious seconds to decide what to 
do.  In those seconds, another one began to ooze under the 
doorway.  Mai wove fire in front of the doorway, driving the first 
one back.  When she hurled more at the second one, though, her 
weaves unraveled.  The first one had assumed a human form once 
more.  "Hurry up you damn slow idiot!" she shouted at the second 
one, which gradually formed up into a man. 
 
           Corwin then flung fire at that one and was gratified when it 
fell back screaming against the door, though it soon began to heal.  
We won't last long once each of them targets one of us.  He 
sprinted over to Mai and Min.  "Only one way out!  GRAB 
EVERYTHING!" 
 
          He and Mai put up a wall of fire to block off the two 
creatures for the few seconds they would need while Min grabbed 
as much stuff off the table as she could.  Then as the two creatures 
each shattered the weavings, the three of them leaped through the 
twisted doorway. 
 
          The two creatures were after them in an instant.  An instant 
wasn't enough.  The twisted doorway shimmered and vanished.  
The woman howled.  "Ishiri's EYES!  This is all your fault!  What 
in blue blazes took you so long?" 
 
         "I needed a snack." 
 
          "First you get your ass kicked by a some punk kid with a 
spear who can't even CHANNEL, then you botch this job because 
you wanted an early DINNER!  Why Aginor bothered making 
you three male idiots..."  She fumed.  "YOU get to tell Demandred 
about this." 
 
           "Me?  Hah!  You..."  Suddenly his flesh began to burn, 
blue flames flecked with black.  "Irideshi's LIVER!" he howled.  
"IT HURTS STOP IT HELP ME!"  His flesh was burning away to 
powder, and the woman backed away from him, staring in horror.  
She'd always believed her kind virtually unkillable; only one 
gender of Aes Sedai could even affect them, and they would heal 
almost any damage back in time.  The male one had fallen to his 
knees, howling.  "NO HELP PLEASE..."  His flesh was burning 
and melting and turning to dust, and soon he could no longer 
speak.  A few seconds later, there was nothing left of him.   
 
          The woman ran, terrified for the first time in her entire 
millennia long existence.  (Although most of it had been spent in a 
stasis box, so it was only a few years of experience despite her 
experience) 
 
*********** 
 
       Rand was getting up to depart; he was going to simply Travel 
out of the palace back to Cairhien.  Several things happened at 
once.  The Call Box, which he had forgotten to turn on before was 
now beeping at him. Secondly, Min suddenly fell out of the air 
and landed on Aviendha, knocking her flat and out for the count. 
 
          The Maidens, who had been lurking outside dashed in, 
along with the Ash'aman, while Elayne, Nynaeve, and Lan 
jumped to their feet.  "Min!" Elayne said. 
 
         Rand tossed the box to Kari.  "Take the call."  He ran over to 
Min, kneeling by her and Aviendha.  "Are either of you hurt?" 
 
        "I'm fine," Min said weakly, taking his hand and letting him 
help her up.  "I think Aviendha took my fall." 
 
         Nynaeve came over and quickly revived Aviendha as Rand 
knelt anxiously by her.  "How did you get here, Min?" 
 
         "These two...I don't know what they were, but they oozed 
under the doors and attacked me and Mai and Corwin, so we had 
to jump through the twisted doorway and..." 
 
         "Cairhien is under attack!"  Kari announced after listening to 
the Call Box.  "Some sort of Shadowspawn has killed two 
Ash'a'man, perhaps a dozen Aiel, several servants and Jo of the 
Hall of the Servants."  She paused.  "And Corwin of the Hall is 
now missing his left eye and his left arm." 
 
         Rand formed a doorway.  "Tell them I'm coming.  
Ash'aman, follow me!"  He turned to Elayne.  "Take care of Min.  
I'll come back tomorrow or call you or something..."   
 
         Maidens and Ash'a'man poured through the doorway, with 
him last for once, and then it closed.   
 
          Nynaeve shook her head.  "The man doesn't even bother to 
say goodbye." 
 
         "He has duties,"  Elayne said quietly.  "What happened, 
Min?" 
 
         She reached inside her shirt, checking something and pulled 
out a foxhead amulet which made Elayne's eyes bulge.  Then she 
said, "Two creatures...Gholams, tried to steal the twisted doorway.  
We had to flee through it, and I ended up trading some ter'angreal 
for this," she pointed to the amulet, "for revenge on the thing that 
killed Herid Fel, and passage to somewhere safe for me and my 
friends.  I had...I hoped that I could get them to...to bring Herid 
Fel back to life, but they couldn't. Not for a price that I..."  She 
shuddered.  "That I could afford to pay. But he's been avenged.  
But..."  she looked around.  "I don't see Corwin or Mai anywhere." 
 
        "Well, they sent you to Rand, so maybe they each ended up 
with someone who could protect them,"  Elayne speculated.  "The 
three of us need to have a private talk, anyway." 
 
         Nynaeve took this as a cue to leave.  "If you need me and 
Lan..." 
 
         Birgitte nodded.  "I'm out of here.  Call me when you're 
done if you need me for anything." 
 
          Min almost wished another Gholam would come oozing 
under the door. 
 
************ 
 
         Ukyou and Ranma didn't wrinkle to death, although dripping 
dry was extremely NOT fun.  Having Mai show up while they 
were both naked wasn't too much fun either.  However, she was 
able to remove the wards on the door for them so they wouldn't 
have to stay there all night.  After checking in (after the 
application of some cold water to themselves), and discovering 
the crisis in Cairhien was over, the Gholam having simply 
vanished, they finally headed back to bed.  Having assurance they 
wouldn't be trapped in the morning, they slept together in their 
natural bodies in both the figurative and literal sense.   
 
          Ukyou spent a little while in T'A'R, going off to LINA for a 
lesson, and then went off to go find Akane and Alyssa, since she 
had promised them lessons.  They met at Cairhien, since they all 
knew it. Akane and Alyssa had gotten there first.  "So this guy 
asked if I wanted to see his 'marriage knife', so I beat him into the 
ground with the chair and broke it, then Setalle Anan lectured me 
for not using something that wouldn't break so easily."  Akane 
shook her head, fingering the choker she was now wearing; she'd 
been wearing a T-shirt and jeans when Ukyou arrived, but now it 
had flickered into a pale blue dress with a long slit down the front.  
"This thing was supposed to tell people I was off...hey, how'd I 
get into this?" 
 
         "You have to focus your minds or your clothing keeps 
changing," Ukyou said, changing her clothing into her old purple 
wrap around and tights to demonstrate.  "So how are things with 
you two?" 
 
        "The Queen of Ghealdan swore fealty to Perrin,"  Alyssa 
said. 
 
        Akane boggled.  "She WHAT?" 
 
         "The Queen of what?"  Ukyou asked. 
 
        "My homeland.  I guess this makes Perrin an Emperor, since 
he has a Queen who owes him fealty." 
 
         "Dang.  We're still stymied, waiting for that Seanchan 
woman to show up so we can rescue Mat in the confusion.  I wish 
you all were here; I'm bored out of my skull,"  Akane said.  "Oh, 
and Suroth seems to have gone mad."  

         "Who?" 
 
          "The leader of the Seanchan army.  She's started talking in 
the third person and calling people weird nicknames and rumor 
claims she smashed through a wall instead of using the door." 
 
          "What, like Shampoo?" 
 
           Akane and Ukyou stared at each other for a moment, then 
they said in unison, "No way."  Their clothing flickered, and for a 
moment, Akane was in her old school uniform, and so was Ukyou 
(though it was a boy's uniform).   
 
          "Shampoo?"  Alyssa asked. 
 
          "This crazy Amazon who thought Ranma had to marry her 
due to Aiel Law."  Akane shook her head.  "She never could 
figure out Ranma didn't love her." 
 
           "Because he...loved..."  Alyssa couldn't quite say it. 
 
           "That's over now," Akane said, then her eyes flared.  For 
just a moment, she was dressed in a eighteenth century gown, and 
then the barmaid dress returned, followed by a simple white 
button shirt and black trousers.  "Blast it!"   
 
           "Stray thoughts can be pretty embarrassing."  Ukyou 
thought about the dream of Akane's that she had seen, and she had 
to fight to keep her own clothing from vanishing or becoming 
something... inappropriate.    
 
          "Where's Ranko?"  Alyssa asked. 
 
          "Worn out, asleep."  Ukyou grinned a little.  It had been 
quite pleasant.  "I ran him ragged." 
 
           "Doing...oh."  Alyssa blushed and glanced over at Akane. 
 
           "You can change back and forth here at will,"  Ukyou said 
to Akane.  "Just think about triggering the change." 
 
           Akane tried it, and fell down with shock when it worked. 
"Wow." 
 
          "Just in case you two ever...feel the need for a little 
closeness,"  Ukyou said, grinning.  "Should I go off and let you 
two get that out of your system now?" 
 
          They both blushed.  "We can wait,"  Alyssa said faintly.   
 
          Tel'aran'rhiod would probably be full of horny teenagers if 
most people could get into it, Ukyou thought.  A good reason for 
it not to be, I suppose.   
 
************ 
  
         Alyssa went to Perrin's tent, where two of Faile's gang of 
noble friends who liked to style themselves a warrior society were 
standing guard.  They parted for her, letting her in, bowing their 
heads slightly. She stuck her head in.  "Can I come in?" 
 
         Faile, the Queen of Ghealdan, and Perrin were breakfasting 
together while Maighdin and Lini served them.  Faile smiled.  
"Certainly. Didn't someone come tell you that breakfast was 
served?" 
 
         "No." 
 
         Faile blinked and stared at Maighdin, who suddenly became 
intensely interested in refilling Perrin's tea.  She sighed.  "Well, 
you're certainly welcome.  Did you sleep well?" 
 
          She came over and sat down; Lini brought her some toast 
and soup.  "Elayne's reached Caemlyn; She's working on building 
up enough support to claim the throne properly.  Oh, and 
apparently she's calling the Dragon to account for his 
stewardship."

 	Allisandre (the Queen of Ghealdan) stared.  "Calling him to 
account?"

	"Yes.  I'm sure everything will be in order, but it's best to be 
sure," Alyssa said.

	Faile looked quite thoughtful at all of this.

          Perrin would have said something except that Maighdin 
started and poured the entire pot of tea on his head.  Perrin howled 
and flailed about, knocking Maighdin down and nearly clubbing 
Faile.   
 
          "Are you okay?  Do I need to heal you?"  Alyssa asked, 
jumping to her feet and running over.    

          "I'll be fine,"  Perrin said.  "Are you okay, Maighdin?" 
 
          "Not after I finish with her, she won't be," Lini said, 
crossing her arms under her breasts and staring intensely at 
Maighdin.  "No call for jumping about like a cricket in a fire, 
child." 
 
          "The Daughter-Heir is going to call the Dragon to account?" 
Maighdin asked intently, ignoring Lini and Faile, who was glaring 
at her. 
 
	"Yes.  Didn't I just say that?"

	"I had heard he planned to 'give' the throne to her," Maighdin 
said.

	"Well, I think she thinks she'd face civil war if she let him do 
that," Alyssa said.  "Although it looks like she likely will, 
anyway.  As a fair number of the houses are after the throne."

	"Well, it is not our concern for the moment," Faile said.  "I 
think we will have our hands full enough restoring order her in 
Ghealdan."

	"And dealing with the Prophet," Perrin said.  "Though once 
we're done with that, we may be able to help out."

	"Once we've raised a proper army," Faile said.

	Perrin frowned.  "I don't want this to come to violence."

	"I expect it will," Faile said.  "He's become quite rabid from 
all I have heard."

	"I hope we don't have to get violent with him either," Alyssa 
said.  "But I suppose we'll find out."

         Faile finished off her breakfast.  "How long will it take us to 
reach where the Prophet is?" 
 
         "Several weeks," the Queen said. 

	"We should Travel around to the major strongholds of the 
Queen and gather troops from them, just in case," Alyssa said.  
"Then we can Travel down close to where he is."

	Perrin nodded.  "That sounds good to me.  Allisandre, how 
many troops do you have at your command?"

	"Most of the ones I can rely on are already with me, 
unfortunately.  Royal authority has grown very tenuous.  But we 
could go and levy some forces from my estates and from what few 
places remain loyal."

	"That's up next, then." 
 
********** 
 
          Min found Ranma-chan working out in the garden the next 
day with Birgitte, Ukyou, and Lan.  "Got a minute?" she asked. 
 
          "Sure, we don't head out to visit with the nobles until later 
today.  You need me?"  Ranma-chan asked, finishing off the kata.  
She was wearing a simple white shirt and black trousers today, 
and glad to be wearing something more masculine than all the 
dresses she'd been wearing of late. 
 
           "Yeah."  She dragged Ranma-chan off by the arm to a quiet 
secluded room with no apparent purpose, simply four walls, a few 
chairs, a table, and a door, which she shut.  Then she plopped 
down on a chair. "I'm trying to...I mean..." 
 
          "I can't read your mind.  Talk to it, but..." 
 
          Min laughed.  "I spent a lot of last night talking to Elayne 
and Aviendha." 
 
         "Man, Rand's gotta make up his mind like I did."  There was 
just a hint of pride in her voice.  "He can't marry all of you.  Well, 
maybe two of you with that Aiel thing, but...Elayne's kinda got the 
inside track if that happens.  With Aviendha, I mean.  You know 
what I mean." 
 
          "I know.  I just...I don't know how I can compete with them.  
I don't want to have to, but they're Aes Sedai like him and I'm 
just..." 
 
          "Well, I could teach you to kick much ass," Ranma-chan 
said, grinning.  "And you don't get someone's love with the 
Power, anyway.  Or I'd be..."  She sighed.  "Anyway." 
 
          "They're both important people in and of themselves, and if 
I have any importance, it's because I'm the Dragon's lover.  I'm 
just a..." She stared at the table, tracing out meaningless symbols 
with a finger. "Although I do have this now."  She pulled out her 
foxhead amulet.  "It stops people channeling at me." 
 
         "Hey, that's cool,"  Ranma-chan said.  "Ukyou could use one 
of these.  You could be the Warder from Hell with one of these." 
 
         "If Men could bond someone." 
 
         "Talk to the Ash'aman.  I heard they figured it out or 
something." 
 
          "Really?"  Min's eyes sparked and she got an evil smile.   
 
         "Yeah.  Although I dunno how well it would work while you 
wore this, but...can't hurt to ask." 
 
          She looked across the table at Ranma-chan.  "If you could 
have married three of your fiancees, would you have?" 
 
          "No.  I wouldn't marry Kodachi if my life depended on it, 
and I'd rather not marry Shampoo, although I'm not fanatically 
oppossed to it. I suppose if Akane and Ukyou had gotten together 
and said I had to marry both of them I wouldn't have fought it too 
hard, though."  Or Akane and Alyssa. Or Akane and Ukyou and 
Alyssa.  The thought wiggled into her brain, and she tried to 
fumigate it.  Best not to waste time on things that could never be.  
Not unless she started lusting after men, which the Foxes had put 
a stop to. 
 
          Min frowned; clearly this wasn't the sort of answer she 
wanted. "Do you think Rand would marry all three of us?" 
 
         "I think if the three of you asked Rand to shave his head, 
paint it blue, and try to pass as a giant Smurf, he would give it his 
best shot."  Ranma-chan leaned back in her chair.  "The real 
question is what happens when someone gets pregnant." 

	"Aviendha already is," Min said softly.
 
	Her eyes widened.  "Ack." 

	She nodded.  "I hope we can work this all out, but I just...I 
don't know.  I hardly know Aviendha at all.  Elayne trusts her and 
I trust Elayne, but..."

	"Well, you have got to get to know her, then.  Best to seize 
the chance now, while you're both here."

	Min nodded.  And if nothing else, I'll have a better idea how 
to compete, she thought.

	A thought now came to Ranma-chan.  "Elayne and Nynaeve 
and everyone don't know about my curse yet.  Please don't tell 
them.  I know I should, but I just..." 
 
         "Afraid they'll get mad?" 
 
         "I'm being an idiot, but...Egwene doesn't know either.  I'm 
just...I think most Aes Sedai would freak and..."  She stared at the 
table.  "I can't believe it, but I like being Aes Sedai.  Even if most 
of us are idiots.  I don't want to end up as a book study by some 
Brown Ajah."  She sighed.  "I guess I'm being stupid." 
 
         "I won't tell them, but you're gonna have to tell them 
eventually." 
 
         Ranma-chan leaned back in her chair again.  "I know.  I 
just...You've heard Nynaeve rant about Men." 
 
        Min laughed.  "Yep.  I can see your point." 
 
        "Exactly." 
 
************ 
 
 
         Suroth stared at the twisted doorway.  Was it fate?  She had 
planned to steal it, but it had stolen itself, apparently.  It was 
secured inside her bedroom now, and heavily guarded.  They 
might cheat, but it could be a very valuable tool.  For one thing, 
she was hoping they could put her head back together...she could 
tell her efforts to pretend to be Suroth weren't working very well. 
 
         She'd collected some items and odd knicknacks they might 
like as trade items--lacquers, wine, several a'dams, some 
illustrated books, fine robes, jewelry, and some statuettes.  
Shoving it all through was going to be a pain and a half.  She 
rolled up her sleeves.  Time to get cracking. 
 
************  
 
        "No, Mistress Cologne,"  Sasuke said as he stood in the 
doorway. "Mistress Kodachi has left to visit friends and pick 
flowers." 
 
         "Is her brother with her?" 
 
         "I believe he was chasing her when they left, yes." 
 
         Mousse frowned.  "Now what?" 
 
         Cologne turned to Mousse.  "I will have to teach you a new 
trick. Only you can do it...I'm getting too old and some of my 
senses are fading." 
 
          Mousse stared in shock.  "You're going to actually teach 
ME something?" 
 
         "I don't see anyone else named Mousse," Cologne said.  
"Come with me, Mousse...this may take a little while to master."  
Especially since I need to turn you into a duck first, she thought. 
 
********** 
 
         Kasumi looked down at the outfit Nabiki had dressed her up 
in. "Is this really necessary?"  It was far too warm for trenchcoats, 
although the sunglasses were stylish. 
 
        "No one would ever expect me to wear such a cheesy 
disguise, therefore if they see it, they'll assume it's someone else,"  
Nabiki pronounced, looking up from _Japan Financial News 
Daily_.  "And you never wear disguises, so it's even better for 
you.  And since we don't want Kodachi to find us..." 
 
          "We could just break the D-hopper,"  Kasumi said. 
 
          "Then she might get mad and break US if she catches us,"  
Nabiki said.  "And if we give it away, she'll assume we hid it.  
Etc.  Since we're damned no matter what if she catches us, we 
might as well keep it. If we HAVE to, we can use it to run away.  
But she'll never, ever find us in Bermuda."  Nabiki grinned.  
"Especially since I left tourist brochures for India, Monaco, and 
New York City lying around my room with various points circled 
and a forged receipt for tickets to Calcutta next to them." 
 
          Kasumi nodded.  "Are you sure we have enough money?" 
 
          "We're loaded, which is why we haven't starved to death 
despite Daddy not having earned any money ever that I can 
remember.  Grandpa Tendo was quite the financial wiz.  And 
since we live pretty frugally, it's not hard to make ends meet, 
especially since I can squeeze more money out of Ranma just 
existing in any day than it takes to repair the damage he causes."  
She shrugged.  "And with just the two of us...we can stay on a 
nice Caribbean beach for a very long time.  And with all the 
tourists, we won't stand out too much." 
 
	"I wish Dr. Tofu hadn't gone off to visit his family,"  Kasumi 
said, sighing.  "I'd feel safer if he was with us." 
 
	"He'd have probably had a hard time getting a ticket in time," 
Nabiki said.  "The flight was close to full when I bought ours."  I 
would feel better if we had someone who knew how to fight, 
though, Nabiki thought. 
 
          Soft footsteps caught Kasumi's attention and...she would 
have thought she was smelling something familiar, but it smelled 
like a person, which didn't make any sense since they weren't 
really stinky, and how else could you smell someone unless you 
stuck your nose to their skin?  It smelled like Ukyou's 
friend...Konatsu, that was his name.  "Konatsu?" she asked as she 
turned. 
 
          It looked like a Noh actor, in multicolored robes and a 
bronze Oni mask.  He moved like one as well...in another culture, 
they might have called it 'grandstanding'.  Not very much like 
Konatsu at all.  Which was why she was surprised when he said, 
"Kasumi?" 
 
         She took off her sunglasses.  "That is you?" 
 
         "Yeah."  He took off the mask.  "I thought no one would 
recognize me." 
 
         Nabiki now turned and blinked.  "Nice disguise.  How'd you 
spot him, Kasumi?" 
 
         She couldn't bring herself to tell the truth; it was too weird. 
"Well, Konatsu does disguises, and why would anyone go around 
in full Noh regalia in an airport unless they were trying to disguise 
themself?" 
 
         Nabiki blinked, then gave Kasumi a look of respect.  "Good 
thinking.  Although it could have been someone else trying to 
disguise himself, but still...good work.  What brings you here?" 
 
         "Cologne-sama told me about your problem and how 
Ukyou-sama is in the other world, so I was hoping to come with 
you, to guard you until you got out of the country.  Then I hope to 
use the magic rod to travel to the world Ukyou-sama is in and 
help her." 
 
        "Sounds fine with me,"  Nabiki said.  "Do you have enough 
money for a ticket?" 
 
        With a flick of the wrist, a ticket appeared in Konatsu's hand, 
the same flight as Nabiki and Kasumi had.  In fact, the seat was 
right next to Kasumi's, the left aisle seat.  "Yes.  I already bought 
one." 
 
        Nabiki blinked.  "How'd you know which flight?" 
 
        "The art of the Teahouse Kunoichi has many secrets."  He 
stripped out of the Noh costume, quickly bundling it and attaching 
it to the back of the mask, which he then slipped into the carrybag 
slung across his back.  "We must be alert.  I found this in the 
hallway."  He produced a black rose from inside a sleeve. 
 
         "Oh great.  And our flight doesn't leave for an hour," Nabiki 
said.  I should have gotten the first flight to ANYWHERE, then 
found a connecting flight, but nooooo, I had to get the best rate.  
Damn me to hell, she thought. 
 
        "HOHOHOHOHO!  This is your airport announcer.  Will 
Nabiki Tendo or Kasumi Tendo please come to the Black 
Courtesy Phone?"  The voice was high pitched and female. 
 
        Kasumi started to get up, but Nabiki and Konatsu both 
grabbed her hand.  "It's a TRAP,"  Nabiki hissed.  "That was 
Kodachi!" 
 
        "But what if it's someone else?" 
 
        "There aren't any BLACK courtesy phones,"  Konatsu said.  
"And I'd recognize that laugh anywhere." 
 
         "Oh my,"  Kasumi said. 
 
********* 
 
         Semirhage had all eyes on her in the backroom of the 
backwater inn.  At least it was a backwater in her eyes; the largest 
cities on the continent would have been villages at best in the 
Second Age.  She was irritated to have gotten stuck doing this, but 
she had to admit that keeping a Queen in line kept her less busy 
than the Tower did Mesaana or Arad Doman did for Graendal, 
while Demandred...the man acted as if he already WAS Nae'blis.  
Still, his plan did make sense.   
 
        Her one concern was that it was too similar to Rahvin's plan, 
although him putting himself forward, a visible target, was most 
of why it had failed.  The trick was to rule from the shadows.  
Properly trained, proxies could do the work and attract the 
lightning.  Excessive hands-on management fails because you 
can't be everywhere and supervise all your subordinates 
simultaneously. Not at the scale the Chosen operated at. 
 
        Thus, it was important to make sure they did exactly the right 
thing.  Several aspects of the operation were delicate.  The target 
was surrounded by enough channelers, even if they were a horde 
of washouts and failures, to potentially level a small city.  Maybe 
a large city.  This was why Semirhage intended to be nowhere 
nearby when it was carried out. No one would notice small 
amounts of channeling, but if things got out of hand, an army 
would descend upon her minions.   
 
        Normally, she would have simply waited, but things were 
coming to a head.  Caemlyn needed to be firmly in hand when the 
Borderland army arrived.  Assuming any of it survived its 
encounter with the Black Tower, they needed to be sure that 
Elayne declared war on the invaders from the Borderlands.  Such 
an invasion would further hamper any cooperation among the 
nations, and likely force Al'Thor to either support Andor and lose 
the Borderlands, or support the Borderlands and lose both, since 
the Borderlands would be of little use to anyone if the army they 
had sent South perished.   
 
        Her one concern was the forces that Mesaana reported had 
been sent to deal with the Black Tower.  She had just a tiny bit of 
respect for the White Tower now; its force sent to attack the Black 
Tower had split up into small bands and practically vanished.  
Likely it would catch the Black Tower by surprise, and possibly 
even triumph, although if the reports from Osan'gar were 
accurate...Assuming Shadar Haran had passed on accurate 
information; she did not trust the Mydraal.  Not that she really 
trusted very many people she hadn't personally trained into a state 
where she could trust them. 
 
        Taim and this Kaneda person...and the so-called 'Hall of the 
Servants'.  They both knew too much, secrets that only someone 
from the Age of Legends could know.  Had they been taught by 
one of the Chosen now fallen?  Or by one now living?   
 
         Taim at least had a history, although it was marked by a 
sudden change...a man who vanished for close to a decade from 
his hometown, then emerged as one of the most powerful and 
competent False Dragons of all time, only to be defeated by his 
horse rearing up.  It rang false to her. Perhaps he had never 
intended to succeed.  Or perhaps I am getting paranoid, she 
thought.  It could be that the Pattern did strike him down. But that 
in itself had disturbing implications. 
 
         Kaneda was worse.  The man had no past that anyone could 
discover.  He had sprung fully grown from the ground in 
Tanchico, it seemed, then gradually built up an army of skilled 
fighters and channelers.  Channelers who possessed tricks lost 
since the Age of Legends.  Al'Thor, who was becoming paranoid, 
trusted the man.  His lover, who had washed out of the tower, 
now, if rumor was true, had enough power to possibly go toe to 
toe with the best the Tower could produce.  If she hadn't known 
better, she would have suspected he was one of the Chosen in 
disguise.  But he couldn't be.  There was no one left to play the 
role. 
 
          Which was where her real worries came in.  What if...the 
Creator was starting to give new flesh to fallen champions of the 
Light from the Age of Legends?  It could not be...he did not do 
such things...supposedly. She had seen too many truths shatter to 
trust that.  Was it possible?  A hero of the Horn of Valere, 
perhaps?  Maybe when it had been sounded, the heroes had not 
departed.  Or possibly, just maybe...maybe the Creator WAS 
going to take a hand.  The Chosen had slept for three thousand 
years...what if the Creator had hidden away an equal number of 
HIS Chosen? Given them new flesh in some manner?   
 
         The idea chilled her to the bone.  Things were moving too 
quickly; they'd spent a century preparing the last time, but now 
they had months at best before the Great Lord would be free and 
whatever he was planning would come to fruition.  He was 
impatient, moving too fast, but she had to obey him.  Even though 
too quick of action always led to disaster. 
 
        She turned her attention back to those around her; too much 
time spent lost in thought and they might think her senile.  She 
could disabuse them of that, but it would take time she didn't 
have.  At least she had a mindtrap to work with.  Conditioning 
Elayne would take too long, but properly mindtrapping her would 
be just as good until there WAS time to be sure.  Assuming, of 
course, that these fools didn't botch the job.  I hate rushing, she 
thought.  I hate it. 
 
************* 
  
          Suroth was wiser but poorer when she emerged.  And her 
arms hurt from too much cooking.  Apparently the Foxes had a 
taste for ramen, and she'd foolishly agreed to cook for ALL of 
them.  I've been a idiot, she thought.  Suckered by one of the 
Forsaken and serving an EVIL empress. Her first wish had been to 
have access to all of Suroth's memories and knowledge and to her 
own without going insane.  This had told her more than she had 
EVER wanted to know.   
 
          She had thought about wishing to be able to channel, but it 
was too dangerous while being Suroth...she'd end up leashed, 
most likely. She'd thought about wishing for her body back, but 
she felt like it was her duty to wreck all of Suroth and Demandred 
and the evil Empress' plans. So, instead she had wished for a 
'Wand of Stilling'.  Demandred was going to wish he'd never met 
Shampoo. 
 
         The third wish had come from thinking about Suroth's 
memories. Suroth had known about a very powerful artifact called 
the Horn of Valere. So Suroth/Shampoo had wished for it.  It was 
at that point she had learned that since she hadn't actually wished 
for safe transit out, she was going to have to stay. 
 
         They thought using her as a slave to make ramen for them 
forever would be funny.  Until she drugged the ramen, then 
robbed them blind and threw some gem marked 'Delicate--Prison 
of the Troll Gods.  This end up.' into the middle of the drugged, 
hallucinating Foxes.  It shattered, and she ran as anarchy swept 
through the place. 
 
        She was just glad to have gotten out alive, and she really 
hoped they couldn't come looking for her.  She was of two minds 
as to whether or not to keep her big bag of loot.  It had all looked 
useful, and it was her rightful war booty, but...it also might put up 
big flags to the Foxes, 'Come stomp Shampoo here.'  But what 
was life without risk? 
 
********** 
 
         Demandred moved pins on his map.  Everything was 
coming together nicely.  The White Tower's forces, who even 
Mesaana had lost track of, would arrive at the Black Tower and 
both sides would greatly weaken each other.  Two days later, they 
would be hammered by the Borderlands army, to which the 
survivors of Elaida's forces would flee with a little nudge from his 
agent within their numbers.  By the time the news of this reached 
Caemlyn, Elayne would be under Semirhage's control.  And 
Haldane's forces would be primed to absorb what was left of the 
Black Tower or destroy it.   
 
         And through her, they could manipulate that horde of 
channelers she had picked up.  Oh, they might be mere babes, 
failures and rejects, but so many of them...they had their uses.  
Especially if Elayne could be made to keep them free of the 
Tower.   
 
         There was only one worry in his mind.  Something had 
killed one of his two Gholams.  Given that they were virtually 
unkillable except by the True Power, this bothered him.  They 
were somewhat more vulnerable to one side of the Power, but 
still...only the True Power could kill them. Even balefire hadn't 
stopped them.  But now one was dead.  The other Gholam didn't 
even know what had killed it. 
 
         It had happened before, once during the War of Power.  
They hadn't figured out what destroyed the Kraken, a great sea 
monster of Aginor's creation, but it had died like that, with flames 
that burnt underwater.  Perhaps it was simply a flaw of 
construction, but...It was probably the twisted doorway.  He had 
to have it, but he had no clue where it had vanished to. 
 
         Still, all was moving well.  He would have to make some 
preparations for the arrival of the Seanchan Empress' daughter in 
Ebou Dar, such as deciding if Suroth was still stable enough for 
the job.  Her erratic behavior had declined, but now...he had the 
feeling she was up to something.  He hoped it would not be 
necessary to compel her...compelled servants were rarely as 
effective as those who served with full control of their wits.  He 
would do what he had to, though. 
 
*********** 
 
 
        Konatsu, Nabiki, and Kasumi settled down in their seats, and 
Nabiki got out the in-flight magazine.  Time for a nice crossword 
puzzle. The plane lifted off without any trouble, and soon they 
were on their way across the Pacific.  The first drink service 
started, and Nabiki ignored it.  Until she heard Konatsu give a 
strangled cry.  Kodachi in a flight stewardess uniform was 
standing over him; he was paralyzed.   
 
        "Not bad,"  Nabiki said, "But how do you plan to make your 
getaway?" 
 
        "The Dimension Hopper of course.  I will be reunited with 
my Ranma and together we will rule all of creation!  
HOHOHOHOHO HOHO!!!!" 
 
         Of course you will, Nabiki thought.  Time for desperate 
measures, she thought.  "Do you promise to let us go if I just give 
it to you?" 
 
         "Of course!  I care nothing for you, as you are no rival or 
enemy of mine."  Kodachi held out a hand. 
 
         Nabiki casually hooked Kasumi's foot with one foot, which 
caused Kasumi to give her a funny look, and put her other foot 
touching Konatsu's leg.  I hate to do this, she thought, but I'm not 
going to risk Cologne being right about all of creation being 
destroyed.  She reached into her purse and pulled out the D-
hopper.  "This thing, right?" 
 
        "Right." 
 
         Nabiki punched the button on top and prayed it worked on 
just the people she was touching.  This was, however, not the 
case.  The glow expanded to engulf herself, her companions, 
Kodachi, the drink rack, the suspiciously Kunou shaped bundle on 
the bottom of the drink rack, the people in the rows in front of and 
behind her, and the in-flight magazine. 
 
*********** 
 
        Sam Beckett was quite certain things couldn't get any worse.  
This time he was in the body of a left-handed Latverian lesbian 
lactose-intolerant lithographer who was about to be experimented 
on by some sort of mad scientist with an assistant named Rogi.  
And Al hadn't shown up yet. 
 
        Al finally DID show up.  "Hmm.  You're not gonna believe 
this." 
 
        "It doesn't get much more unbelievable than this." 
 
        "In about 30 seconds, three Japanese tourists from another 
dimension are going to fall on the mad scientist, crushing him.  
Then..." 
 
         "WHAT?" 
 
         "You then have to help them return to their home 
dimension." 
 
         "..." 
 
          It only got weirder for him from there, although he did 
enjoy finishing the crossword puzzle in the flight magazine that 
came with them. 
 
*********** 
 
         The Stainless Steel Rat was not a happy man.  It had been 
planned as a nice simple heist.  Okay, a nice simple heist of an 
atomic bomb which some terrorist nutjob had planned to use on a 
hapless city. Unfortunately, things had gone wrong, and now the 
terrorists were about to shoot him.   
 
         "Ready." 
 
          He racked his brain for a plan, but they'd done a damn good 
job of sealing the exits and immobilizing him with these weird 
restraints that had been devised for helping people from heavy 
gravity worlds adapt to lower gravity by restricting their 
movements. In his case, it restricted him to the point he couldn't 
move. 
 
         "Aim!" 
 
         He said a short prayer, deciding to not take any chances.  
Might as well repent now when he had nothing to lose. 
 
         "Fi...ACK!"  Three people fell from nowhere on the firing 
squad leader and the two men by them.  Their guns went off at a 
bad angle, knocking out key elements of the restraining system 
without hurting him.   
 
          There is a God, he thought.  Now I just have to figure out 
how to get him to do things like this more often. 
 
********** 
 
         Kodachi was gone, and so was the plane when things cleared 
for Kasumi, Nabiki, and Konatsu.  They found themselves lying 
on top of an incredibly surprised old man who had been trying to 
sleep when they arrived.  He had thick white moustaches, and 
pleasant eyes, though those eyes were quickly turning suspicious.  
"WHO are you people and WHAT are you doing?" 
 
        Konatsu fell off the bed, still paralyzed.  Nabiki said, 
"Running away from a lunatic."  She jumped off the bed.  "Sorry 
about that...this thing doesn't have very good aim." 
 
        "Oh my,"  Kasumi said, getting off the bed and kneeling by 
Konatsu.  "Snap out of it, Konatsu-san." 
 
         There was running in the hallway, and the door flew open.  
Akane in a nightgown (carrying a sword), and two men neither of 
them knew (both also with swords) sprinted in.  "What's going 
on...Kasumi?" 
 
         "Did Dad find you?"  Nabiki asked. 
 
         "Dad's in this world?" 
 
         "Do you know these people, Akane?"  the man on the bed 
asked. 
 
         "Thom, these are my older sisters Kasumi and Nabiki, and 
the person on the floor is Konatsu.  What happened to him?" 
 
         "Paralytic poison.  Kodachi.  She's gone nuts and is trying to 
get to this world to 'rule the Universe with my darling Ranma-
sama.'. More or less,"  Nabiki said.  "So Dad and the Saotomes 
haven't found you?" 
 
         "It's a big planet.  They could be in Seanchan for all I 
know." 
 
        "Just great," Nabiki said.  "Well, we'll just go back home 
now; I think we've lost Kodachi." 
 
        "What if we end up where the plane was?"  Kasumi asked.  
"It would be gone by now." 
 
        "..." 
 
         Konatsu began to snap out of the effects of the poison.  "I 
intend to stay.  I must find Ukyou-sama." 
 
         "Also, the 'low battery' light is flashing on it,"  Kasumi said. 
 
         "Hey, I used Duracell!"  Nabiki said. 
 
         "Should have used Everready." 
 
*********** 
 
	Queen Tenobia couldn't sleep.  She had easily slipped past 
her sentries, who were nodding off (they would be punished 
tomorrow), and clambered up the rise on which her army was 
camped to its highest point, then gazed off south towards 
Caemlyn.  Was this the wisest choice? Bashere had to be shown 
he couldn't just run off and join the service of another monarch, 
and the Dragon, if such he was, needed to learn proper respect for 
the Kings and Queens of the world...but the Blightborder was only 
thinly guarded now, especially with both her army and Bashere's 
gone. 
 
	What if it came to war?  Could they really fight the Dragon, 
even with the aid of the Aes Sedai who traveled with them?  This 
looked to be the sort of conflict that no one really won.  If he was 
the Dragon, and they antagonized him too far, he might leave 
them to die when the Trollocs came in force, as she knew they 
would.  What if they came today? 
 
	Lost in thought, she didn't hear the muffled cry until AFTER 
the wrapped in cloth semi-conscious samurai fell from the sky 
onto her.  But just about everyone heard HER shout.  Soon, all 
were in motion. 
 
*********** 
 
        Ranma-chan worked on a kata while Ukyou and Birgitte 
were sparring and Lan was doing a swordform.  It's an open 
tossup as to which one of us has a warder who kicks the most ass, 
she thought.  I bet Lan and Birgitte couldn't jump onto the roof 
from a standing start, though. 
 
         It was early in the morning, and most of the palace was 
asleep, but they were all early risers, so they were working out 
together.  Lan and Birgitte had been startled at first by her joining 
them, but they were 
used to it now.   
 
         None of them were used, however, to what happened next.  
Kodachi fell from the sky on her head, slamming her into the 
stone ground.  She quietly passed out. 
 
********** 
 
        She woke up with Nynaeve seated near her, looking 
concerned.  She was lying on a bed built for two with blue and 
silver sheets, nice and soft.  She guessed it was Nynaeve and 
Lan's room; she hadn't been there yet.  Ukyou and Lan were 
talking quietly across the room.  Ukyou sprang up and ran over.  
"You're awake!" 
 
        "I didn't imagine Kodachi, did I?" 
 
        "She tried to carry you off, but then Birgitte put an arrow 
through her leg and she lost her grip on you." 
 
         Great, Ranma-chan thought.  Now Kodachi's gonna want 
Birgitte dead.  "Did you have to get that violent on her?  I 
mean...she's not all that tough." 
 
         Ukyou frowned.  "She caught Lan with those damn flowers 
of hers and managed to tie up my legs so I couldn't GET to her.  
Then she was about to bound off with you." 
 
         "This woman thinks you're her husband?"  Nynaeve asked, 
clearly confused.  She sounded a little mad too; probably because 
Lan, who looked faintly embarrassed, had been caught by the 
woman. 
 
         "She's a total nutcase.  Where is she?" 
 
         "She opened a travelling gate and left," Ukyou said.  "She's 
learned to channel somehow!" 
 
          "She never did that before!"  Ranma-chan said, then 
realized...no one could channel in Nerima, but maybe she 
somehow learned, and couldn't do it until she got here.  "Great." 
 
          Ukyou fidgeted on one foot.  "Are you...you're not having 
any problems with memories or anything are you?  It seems like 
every time you bang your head, you think you're the Shah of Iran 
or something." 
 
         "Hey, I thought we agreed we'd NEVER mention that time 
ever again,"  Ranma-chan said.  "Anyway, I know who I am."  
She glanced over at Nynaeve.  I can't reassure Ukyou right with 
her watching... 
 
         She did a quick mental inventory.  My name is Ranma 
Saotome.  I was cursed at Jyusenkyo.  I'm engaged to Ukyou.  I'm 
really a boy, but I'm in a girl body right now since I can only 
channel when I'm a...when I'm in my girl body.  I was engaged to 
Akane, who is a girl, but is now dating  a girl.  I do martial arts 
and channeling.  I'm not a kumquat or secretly a girl or Elvis. 
Everything seemed to be in place as far as she could tell.  Ukyou 
looked a little cuter than usual, but Ukyou looking cute was quite 
normal.  "I feel fine.  So I just had a head injury?" 

	Nynaeve nodded.  "Other than that, you are fine."  She shook 
her head.  "You must be made out of rock."
 
        "I'm hungry," Ranma-chan said, jumping off the bed. "Let's 
get some food.  Thanks for the first aid!" 
 
         "What are we going to do about Kodachi?"  Nynaeve asked. 
 
         "Keep an eye open.  Not much else we CAN do,"  Ukyou 
said, sighing.  "Let's go, Ranchan." 
 
*********** 
 
 
         Ukyou woke up the next morning with Ranma-chan's feet on 
his face.  She'd done a one eighty in the night and now had her 
head at the wrong end of the bed.  He brushed the feet aside, 
picked up Ranma-chan, and turned her around.  That woke her up.  
She yawned.  "I had the weirdest dream where God told me that 
my promise to my Mother was absolved.  I wish." 
 
         "Ranchan...would you REALLY kill yourself if your mother 
said you were unmanly?" 
 
          Ranma-chan turned and stared at the wall.  "I don't know.  
If I'd promised on the Oath Rod, I'd have to, but I've never sworn 
on it.  If I didn't kill myself...I'd lose all my honor." 
 
          "What about ME?  What about your promises to ME?" 
 
          "I think we could convince her that took priority." 
 
          Ukyou frowned.  "What if you couldn't?  What if she 
demanded you kill yourself.  Would you do it?" 
 
	Ranma-chan shrank in on herself.  "You wouldn't want to be 
married to a guy with no honor." 
 
          "Ranchan, I couldn't give a damn about some stupid 
promise your father the brainless twit made because he wanted to 
run away from his wife.  You were five years old!  You had no 
CLUE what you were doing!" 
 
          She rolled over and stared at Ukyou.  "I was the same age 
when I got engaged to you, and you took that seriously enough to 
try to hunt me down and kill me for running out on you." 
 
          Ukyou's mouth flapped wordlessly.   
 
          "If my promise to her isn't valid, neither was my 
engagement to you." 
 
          Ukyou choked down waves of panic.  Think clearly, he 
thought. "There's a difference." 
 
          "What?" 
 
          "You've reaffirmed your promise to me once you were old 
enough to know what you were doing."  He reached over and took 
Ranma-chan's hands.  "You told me you wanted to make our 
engagement work.  That was a promise, Ranchan.  And our 
marriage can't work if you're dead." 
 
           She nodded quietly.  "But...I have to keep all my promises 
or...I'll be just like Pop." 
 
           "You're nothing like your father."  He leaned closer.  "A 
promise made by an adult is more important than a promise you 
can't even remember made by a child.  Isn't that true?" 
 
          Ranma-chan nodded slowly.  "I guess...I mean...I was never 
cut out to be a White...I should talk to Olwen.  She's good at 
figuring out these things." 
 
          "Olwen...the Accepted?" 
 
          "Yeah.  She's a serious brain, and she's going to be a White 
and they spend all their time figuring out this sort of stuff."  
Ranma-chan's voice returned to its usual confident tone.  "I'll ask 
her." 
 
********** 
 
           Olwen and Ranma-chan sat in a tent in the 'Salidar' Aes 
Sedai camp while Ranma-chan explained everything.  She had 
made a quick Travelling jump to the camp, which had been in the 
same place for a while now, which made this easy.  "So what 
takes priority?"  It had been hard to convert everything to terms 
which wouldn't give away certain secrets, but Ranma-chan felt 
she'd laid it out pretty well. 
 
         "Well, while five year olds SHOULD keep their promises, 
they simply can't make EITHER of those kinds of promises.  They 
can't get married and they can't promise to kill themself.  They 
don't REALLY understand what they're talking about.  And really, 
your engagement takes priority.  So I'd say that if your mother 
showed up and tried to tell you you were being too mannish and 
had to die, it would be perfectly honorable to tell her to go dunk 
her head.  Not to mention, a mother forcing her child to kill 
herself is simply..."  Olwen shuddered.  "It sounds like something 
a Darkfriend would do." 
 
         "My mother is NOT a Darkfriend!" 
 
         Olwen waved her arms about.  "No, no, I didn't mean that.  
It just...There is NO moral obligation for you to kill yourself." 
 
          "But if that doesn't count, then I'm not engaged to Ucchan 
either." 
 
          "You made the commitment yourself, it sounds like.  And 
even if that didn't count...just ask him to marry you.  That WILL 
count, I guarantee it."  She shrugged.  "Anyway, I doubt your 
mother will say you're too mannish.  You're more feminine than a 
fair number of Aes Sedai I know." 
 
          Ranma-chan winced.  This was NOT what she wanted to 
hear.  "So you say both promises are invalid, but I've made a new 
one." 
 
         "Yes.  Although I AM surprised you're marrying a guy.  I 
always thought you preferred women."  She gave a tiny shake of 
her head.  "I nearly died when I saw you with a guy.  Cute one 
too." 
 
         Ranma-chan gulped.  Should I be honest with her?  I don't 
want her to think I'm gay...I'm not gay!  I'm a guy and I like 
women!  Yeah, that's it, she thought.  But I can't tell her that.  
Impulses warred within her.  Random slips of the tongue wore 
out.  "I was kinda surprised myself." 
 
         "So you DO like women!" 
 
         "Uh...yeah."  She blushed.   
 
          "Hah!  Malinda owes me ten silvers now!"  Olwen briefly 
went through her usual 'I win again' cackle.  "I guess you like 
women and men, then." 
 
          Ranma-chan gulped.  "Something like that."  Men who 
ARE women, anyway, she thought.   
 
        "Well, he's a lucky guy.  If you ever want to have a 
threesome, let me know,"  Olwen said.   
 
          Ranma-chan's eyes flared.  "What?"  She is kinda cute, 
Ranma-chan thought.  Although a bit tall.  Relative to my girl 
body. 
 
          Olwen giggled.  "So what else do you want to talk about?" 
 
           "You'd really...with us?" 
 
           Olwen blushed slightly.  "Yeah.  Ummm..."  She stared at 
the ground.  "And I tell Malinda she has a big mouth." 
 
           "So...ah...when do you guys start marching on Tar Valon?" 
 
            The conversation soon headed for safer ground. 
 
********* 
 
          Ukyou sparred with Lan.  He was good.  Damn good.  If he 
had possessed any knowledge of chi techniques at all, he could 
have gone toe to toe with any of the Nerimans and probably won.  
But chi gave Ukyou a substantial edge, strength, speed, and 
endurance beyond what Lan could dream of having.  He was 
trying to teach Lan some techniques, but Lan's whole fighting 
style, having been developed in a world which knew naught of chi 
kept getting in the way.  Philosophy more than his style, per se.   
 
         He leaped over Lan, then swatted him in the butt with the 
mega-spatula.  "I wish we had a raging ocean handy...that would 
make teaching you about chi easier...that's how I learned." 
 
         He smiled a tight smile.  "There's enough channelers to 
make our own raging ocean, I think.  So where is Ranko?" 
 
         Ukyou sighed and leaned on his mega-spatula.  "She's 
worried about this stupid promise her father made her make to her 
mother when she was age five, that she'd kill herself if she didn't 
measure up to her mother's standards by the time they met again.  
This was when her father dragged her off to teach her martial 
arts." 
 
         He nodded.  "Every oath is important to keep.  Why is she 
worried?  I can't imagine how her mother would not be proud of 
her." 
 
        "The problem is that she has no REAL idea what her 
mother's standards are.  It was a very vague promise." 
 
       "That you don't want her to keep,"  Lan said. 
 
        "Not if it means she dies!  I love her!  I want her to marry 
me!" 
 
        "Duty is heavier than a..." 
 
         "SHE'S GOT A DUTY TO ME!  She promised to marry me 
when she was six years old!  If she keeps her promise to her 
mother, she breaks the one she made to me!"  Ukyou was getting 
mad.  "If you found out you'd promised to kill yourself if you 
didn't measure up to some standard you don't even know, just on 
someone else's word that you didn't cut it...would you kill yourself 
and leave Nynaeve a widow?" 
 
          He frowned at Ukyou.  "I have kept all my promises." 
 
          He sighed.  "Men are completely insane," he said, then 
turned and left, leaving Lan in a state of mild confusion. 
 
********** 
 
         Ranma-chan found Ukyou in the garden on her return.  
"Olwen said neither of my promises counted.  But that my 
promise to you did."  She sounded uncertain.  "She said the word 
of a child didn't...that a promise only counted if you understood 
what you were promising." 
 
         "Exactly,"  Ukyou said.   
 
        "I just...I feel like I would be breaking a promise, though...It's 
just easy to find excuses."  She stared at the ground. 
 
         Ukyou came over to her.  "Ranchan, no one is perfect.  I just 
want you to marry me and NOT kill yourself over some promise 
you don't even remember." 
 
         "I don't want to die either."   
 
         "Then don't.  I want you to promise me..."  A set of words 
came to her mind.  "I want you to swear to me under the Light 
that you won't EVER kill yourself." 
 
          Ranma-chan gulped, then stared at her feet, then at Ukyou.  
"I swear under the Light that I won't ever kill myself." 
 
          Ukyou relaxed.  "See?  And I swear under the Light that I 
won't ever kill myself either.  Now we're both safe."  He took her 
hands. "There we go." 
 
          "I guess it's not too likely my mom would show up here 
anyway." 
 
          "Yep.  And it'll be years before we ever go back."  But it 
won't be bad as long as I'm with you, he thought. 
 
********* 
 
	Cologne cursed.  "BY THE LIVERS OF THE SEVEN 
LUCKY GODS!" 
 
	Mousse-duck said, "Quack." 
 
	"They're gone!  We have no choice; we're going to have to 
use that..."  She shuddered.  "But first, we find where Kodachi 
stashed Tofu." 
 
	"Quack quack?" 
 
	"I doubt she thought to remove his scent.  Let's get on it."  
She turned her back on the airport and started walking. 
 
********* 
 
        "She's WHAT?"  Ukyou asked Akane.  She had met with 
Alyssa and Akane again in T'A'R. 
 
        "The Saotomes and Daddy are somewhere in this world, 
along with Nabiki and Kasumi and Konatsu,"  Akane said.  "Do 
you know a way we can find them here?" 
  
        "Konatsu?"  He's not going to be happy, Ukyou thought.  
About me and Ranchan.  "We can try."  She took each of them by 
a hand.  "Think about the D-hopper.  We can find it, I think."  
Maybe. 
 
        Flicker.  Flicker.  Flicker.  They settled in a grassy field near 
a farm; it could have been anywhere in the universe.  Every once 
in a while, a tent or two appeared briefly.  "Probably they're in 
someone's camp,"  Ukyou said, frowning slightly.  "I can try to 
find their dreams, although I'll have to wait until tomorrow night.  
I need to get some sleep." 
 
         Akane nodded.  "Well, we know how...once we get Mat 
rescued, we can find Daddy.  The Seanchan woman arrives 
tomorrow, and then during the festival, we're going to bust him 
out." 

	"Good luck," Alyssa said.  "We're still going around 
Ghealdan building our army up, so I doubt anything very exciting 
will happen to us tomorrow."

	"Good luck, Akane," Ukyou said.

	"Thanks.  We're gonna need it, I think.  Then we can find 
Daddy and Mr. and Mrs. Saotome."
 
         If Mrs. Saotome tries to make Ranchan kill himself, I'll toss 
her into Shaol Ghul myself, Ukyou thought.  Ranchan WILL keep 
the promises that count.    
          
 
 
End Part Twelve