"So tell me again why _I'm_ going to China with you," Shun asked 
as he and Tachi stood in line at the baggage check.
	"It's because you can't fight," she answered.  The short haired 
girl tossed her dufflebag onto the conveyor belt, then carefully slid a 
thin, yard-long wooden box beside it.
	"I thought that's what you said."  Shun grunted as he heaved his 
bag behind Tachi's.  "I'm not sure if I should be insulted or not.  What 
kind of a reason is that?"
	"The best kind, if you're going to Joketsuzoku."  She walked 
through the weapons detection field.  "You've heard the stories, right?"
	"Yeah, I've heard the stories.  And I'm wondering what my mother 
was thinking when she let me go on this trip.  Hell, _I_ don't even 
know what I'm doing on this trip.  Cursed springs and homicidal barbarian 
women?  What kind of a vacation is this?"
	Tachi picked her luggage up again.  "You're here to keep me out of 
trouble while I think."
	Shun frowned.  "If you wanted someone to keep you out of trouble, 
why are you taking me instead of Bell-chan?"
	"She wouldn't get along very well with the Amazons."
	"And I will?"
	"Hey, you, they might try to adopt.  I mean, they'll take one 
look at you and decide you need to work out more."
	"Thanks, Tachi.  So basically, I get to go on this trip because 
I'm a wuss."
	"Don't pout."  Tachi patted her friend on the shoulder.  "Keep in 
mind that an inability to fight is a survival trait for an outsider in 
Joketsuzoku."
	"If that's the case, then why'd you pack your bo-"
	"Shhh!"  Tachi covered his mouth with her hand.  "Do you want the 
whole terminal to know," she whispered, "or just Airport Security."
	Shun brushed her hand away.  "I still don't get how you managed 
to pull that off."
	"'cuz it's made of wood!" she hissed.  "Not metal, not high 
density plastic, and not some carbon-graphite compound."
	"Score one for you historic purists, then."  He fished a small packet 
out of his jacket pocket.  "Gum?"
	Tachi waved him off.  "No, thank you."
	"So why are you going to China to think?"  Shun popped a stick of 
gum in his mouth.  "I mean, wouldn't a temple work just as well?  It'd be 
a lot safer, too."
	"I'm a martial artist, Shun.  Danger is something I have to live 
with."
	The long-haired boy pointed a finger at his friend.  "That sounds like 
something your uncle would say, or your cousin.  You've never been so... 
bullheaded before."
	"A lot happened last week, Shun.  It turned out all right in the 
end, but I wasn't much help."  The short haired girl looked down.  "If I'd 
been a better martial artist I could have done something.  As it was, it 
gave me a lot to think about."
	Shun frowned.  "You didn't get mugged, did you?"
	"No."  Tachi shook her head.  "Not exactly."
	"How do you 'not exactly' get mugged?"
	"Look, Shun, I don't want to talk about it, OK?"
	"No, it's not 'OK.'"  Shun planted himself in front of thee 
mercenary girl, his hands on his hips.  "Something bad happened to you, 
something so bad you won't talk about it, and the only remedy you and 
_all_ our combined parents can think of is to send the two of is to _China_, 
where one wrong move can get us dead, engaged, cursed, or any combination of 
the above?  If you want me to go with you, then you'd better start 
explaining.  Otherwise I'm not moving another step."  He took a deep 
breath.  "And I won't let you go, either."
	Tachi snickered despite herself.  "You?  Come on, Shun.  We both 
know that I could snap you like a toothpick if I wanted to."
	Shun turned red, but he held his ground.  "Then you'll have to do 
just that, because I'm not moving."
	They locked eyes, then Tachi looked away.  Taking Shun's arm in 
hers, she led him through the airport.  "It all started with a girl named 
Spring..."

* * * * *

	"That," Shun said, "is quite a story."
	"Now do you see why we're going to Joketsuzoku?"
	"To play detective?" he guessed.  "No, that doesn't quite seem 
right."  He settled back in his seat.  "I mean, this is a dangerous trip.  
Wouldn't your uncle be a better choice?"
	Tachi stared out the window.  "No.  If there really was a problem, 
he'd only make it worse."  As far as she could tell the clouds rushing 
past the airplane made no pattern.  "I don't think my mom is expecting 
anything out of the ordinary.  This trip is supposed to be cathartic, to 
give me a sense of closure."
	Shun nodded.  "So why isn't Ranko going?"
	"She doesn't need closure."  A small, dark cloud raced by.  
"She's doing just fine.  You should see the dojo.  Now that Ranko knows 
how to focus her Chi into an offensive energy blast, she's managed to 
shoot the building full of holes."
	"I'm sure Ran isn't very happy about that."
	Another dark cloud zipped past Tachi's window.  "He's the only 
thing that's been shot up more than the dojo."

* * * * *

	Shun wiggled his jaw, trying to get his ears to pop.  The gum 
hadn't helped much, and the Dramamine just made him drowsy.  He poked 
Tachi.  "Hey.  There's a woman over there holding a sign.  It's got your 
name on it."
	"That would be Plum.  She's our ride."
	Shun narrowed his eyes, studying the well-dressed woman.  "She 
doesn't look like an Amazon to me."
	"She's not," Tachi laughed.  "She's the Jusenkyo Guide."  The two 
teens left the gate.  *Thank you very much for meeting us," Tachi said in 
flawless Chinese.
	"You are more than welcome, Miss Kuno," Plum said back, in Japanese.  
"If you ladies will please come this way?"
	"Ahem!" Shun coughed.
	Plum didn't seem to notice.  "We've had a good deal of rain recently," 
she told them as she pulled an umbrella out of her purse.  It telescoped 
open at the touch of a button.  "If either of you is cursed..."
	"No, no," Tachi assured her.  "Rain doesn't bother me much."  The 
silver glow of an active umbrella field snapped into existence around her.
	"Well _I_ don't like getting wet," Shun muttered.  He ducked his 
head under Plum's umbrella and grabbed his wind-blown hair, trying to 
brush it into some semblance of order with his fingers.  "Not all of us can 
afford fancy toys, Tachi."
	"D'oh," Tachi cried, slapping the side of her head with her free 
hand.  "I forgot.  I've got one for you, too, Shun."
	"Do you really think technology will protect you from Jusenkyo?" 
Plum asked.  She seemed amused.
	Tachi shook her head, the wind blowing her bangs left and right.  "I 
hope I never need to find out."
 ______
{B-{=__
rmckenzi@euclid.ucsd.edu : The White-Robed Mathematician