Wheel of Anime:  Book 1 - The Eye of God
Chapter Two:  The Road to Baerlon

By John Biles

http://www.thekeep.org/~wombat/Jordan/


********

 	"Ten against one," Basara said as they all rode along the road
between Watch Hill and Taren's Ferry.  "The odds were not fair at all.  To
them.  The first three Lagmen fell before they even knew what shot them.
The next two were reaching for their swords as they fell.  They began to
turn, and two more sprouted arrows from their eyes, flames spreading
across their bodies.  A while later, they fell, by which time the battle
was already over, for as the last two shouted orders to their Fanboy
followers, the followers of the other Lagmen were beginning to riot and
tore them apart.  And so, Rei leaped down from the tree onto her horse,
and began to ride to the army of Coremanda and Almoren.  This was their
chance to take the army of Fanboys while it was vulnerable."

 	Kurz and Ranma and Ukyou all listened with interest; they'd heard
many stories of Rei Silverbow, but not this one.  Hinako half-listened,
and half-simmered in her own mental juices.  Eleanor paid the tale little
mind; she'd heard it many times, growing up.  Roland looked around.
"Where is Ayabara?"

 	Ukyou sighed.  "Dammit, he's lost AGAIN."

	"Again," Roland said flatly.  "This is the third time since
lunch."

	Eleanor sighed.  She waved her staff in the air, and the tip began
to glow as she homed in on one direction.  "This way," she said, riding
off across the fallow, empty fields.

	Ranma felt her arms tingle a little and rubbed them, wishing her
clothing fit better.  It was too loose, given she'd shrunk.  "I think my
arms are going to sleep," she said.  She glanced over.  "Kurz, if you
don't stop looking at my breasts, I'm going to break you in half."

	"I am not staring at them!" Kurz protested.

	"Uh huh."  Ranma sank back into the sulleness which had devoured
her for most of the day, as they searched for Ryouga.

*******

	"You don't have to lead my horse by a line," Ryouga protested to
Roland.

	"Yes, he does," Kurz said.

	"Sorry, Ryouga, but it's necessary," Ukyou said.  "You know how
you get lost."

	He grumbled, and Basara said, "How about another story?"

	"I'd like to know more about the White Tower," Ukyou said.  "Since
all we ever hear about it are rumors and gleeman's tales."  She paused.
"No offense."

	"None taken," Basara said.  "I could sing the story of how the
jealousy of Amrylin Ran led to the destruction of Manetheren during the
Fanboy Wars."

	"Let's not and say we did," Eleanor said, frowning.  "The White
Tower stands in Tar Valon, home to all the Ajahs of the Aes Sedai.  We are
led by the Amyrlin Seat, who is elected by the members of the Cabal, our
ruling council."

	"There is no cabal," Basara whispered, seeming amused.

	Eleanor took no notice of him.  "The Tower is divided into Ajahs,
groups of Aes Sedai with common interests, each of whom chooses three
Sitters for the Cabal.  I am of the Blue Ajah, who seek to promote
justice."

	"They like to meddle," Basara added.

	Roland glared at him.  Ryouga and Kurz laughed.  Ukyou tried to
not laugh, but failed.

	"The Yellow Ajah studies the arts of healing.  The Green Ajah
study the arts of war."

	"And sleep around," Basara pointed out helpfully.  "Due to having
lots and lots of warders."

	Roland fingered the hilt of his blade meaningfully.  Ryouga and
Kurz snickered.  Ukyou glared at them.

	Serenely, Eleanor continued onwards.  "The Grey Ajah are
negotiators and peacemakers.  The Brown Ajah study and preserve knowledge.
The White Ajah are students of logic and of law, practicing the legal and
debating arts."

	"Because, of course, if you have the power to change the world,
the best way to use it is to take up a job where the use of your powers
means you've failed in your job," Basara said.  He sounded a little
bitter.

	"It might be said that The Silver Ajah is in charge of finding
people who won't shut up when other people are talking and setting them
on fire and using their burning bodies as night-lights," Eleanor said,
her voice still level.

	Kurz howled with laughter, and Ukyou laughed as well.  Even Ranma
smiled a little.  Roland grinned for a moment.

	Basara said, "Alright, I get the hint."

	"The Silver Ajah is actually in charge of the Tower's finances,"
Eleanor continued.  "And they study ways to use the Power to make things.
The Red Ajah is in charge of hunting down male channelers and bringing
them back to the Tower to have their powers removed."

	"Because they're all insane," Ryouga said.

	"Because they go insane, ever since the Dark One tainted dubin,
the male half of the One Power," Eleanor said.  She glanced over at Basara
for a moment, then said, "It is a necessary job, but not very pleasant.
You may get to meet a Red sister, Fatora, since we will likely pass
through Caemlyn."

	Basara started to speak, then fell silent.

	"She lives in Caemlyn?" Ukyou asked.  "I thought all Aes Sedai
lived in the Tower."

	"We are trained there, and many make it their home, but many of us
must leave the Tower frequently or most of the time, to pursue our Ajah's
functions.  Only the Whites spend most of their time in the Tower.  Fatora
is Queen Lum's advisor, which is why she dwells in Caemlyn."  Eleanor
paused.  "The last of the major Ajahs are the Purples.  They are
explorers, who use the Power to seek out new and exciting places."

	"And die a lot," Basara said, then paused.  "I had to say that."

	Eleanor sighed.  "I'm afraid it's all too true.  The world can be
a dangerous place, even for Aes Sedai."

	"Are there many Aes Sedai?" Ukyou asked.

	"There are a thousand Aes Sedai, perhaps a hundred  Sempai, and
hundreds of Kohai," Eleanor said.

	"What's a Sempai and a Kohai?" Ukyou asked.

	"Kohai are the new apprentices," Eleanor said.  "They learn the
basics of the Power and learn self-control and discipline while serving
the Sempai and Sisters.  The Sempai are the journeymen, who had mastered
the basics and begin advanced studies.  They also help to teach the
Kohai."

	"I take it a lot of the Kohai and Sempai flunk out?" Ryouga asked.
"Or quit?"

	Eleanor gave him an assessing look.  "Yes, they do.  What made you
think that?"

	"Because if everyone who was a Kohai made it to Sempai, there
would be roughly even numbers of each," Ryouga said.  "And given Aes Sedai
live for hundreds of years, with that many Sempai, your numbers ought to
be growing.  I think."

	"You are correct," Eleanor said with a tone of some respect.
"Hinako and Ukyou will be Kohai when we reach the Tower."

	"I am not becoming an Aes Sedai," Hinako said sharply.

	Eleanor just smiled.  "We shall see."  She turned to Basara.  "My
throat is dry.  Would you like to tell another story?"

	"Hmm, how about the tale of Franky Four-Fingers and the Demi-Jewel
of Death?"

	"Ooh, yeah!" Kurz said.  "Tell us that one!"

	"Frankie Four-Fingers, he was a great gambler," Basara said.
"Some said he had the Dark One's own luck.  In the same sense that a lucky
rabbit's foot wasn't too lucky for the rabbit.  But as it stood..."

*********

	"What part of 'We're closed for the night' was unclear?" the
groggy and angry ferryman asked them as he leaned out of the front door of
his house.  "Get an inn room, come back in the morning."

	"We need to cross immediately," Roland said.  "We can pay you
well."

	"You can pay me well in the morning," the man said, yawning.

	"We need to cross now," Eleanor said.  "We can't wait."

	"It's foggy, it's cold, if we get wet, we will likely all freeze
to death," the ferryman repeated.  "I am going to bed, goodnight."

	"Well, I suggest we wait here and sing the entire Great Song of
the Horn to keep awake until morning, when we can get our ride and move
on," Basara said.  "You all can sing well, right?"

	"If well means 'sing like a choking horse'," Ryouga said.

	"I ain't singing," Ranma said sullenly.

	"I can sing pretty well," Kurz said.

	"My singing was once described as 'the lost wailings of a dying
banshee'," Roland said.  "But I have great volume."

	The ferryman said, "You wouldn't dare."

	"Singing is a good way to keep warm on a cold night," Eleanor
said.

	"Especially very loudly," Roland said.

	The ferryman said, "Hah!  Do your worst!"

	Twenty minutes later, they'd sent all the stray cats running for
the hills, and the ferryman stomped out.  "Alright, I'll take you across
if you will just shut up."

	The ride across the Taren seemed endless as they drifted through
the mists.  Ranma stared down into the water at her now feminine
reflection.  Hinako came over and began taking measurements.  "If you're
going to be a woman, we're going to have to get you some nice dresses,"
she said.

	"I ain't gonna wear no dresses," Ranma said.  "Once we find a
cure, I ain't never gonna be a woman again."

	"If there's a cure.  Aes Sedai don't know everything," Hinako
said.  "But while you're a woman, there's some things you should know."
She began rambling on about periods and men and various other things Ranma
wished might not turn out to be useful to know.

******

	Once they were across the river, they rode upstream a mile and
made camp.  Exhausted, they all collapsed and slept.  Ryouga had to be
tied to a tree.

	The next day, they rode on without incident.  That night, they
made camp.  Hinako put Ryouga to work helping her cook, since his tether
was long enough to reach the cooking fire, and Ukyou because she was a
great cook.    Ranma wandered off to sulk.

	She had brewed herself up a good cup of unfocused anger and
loathing when she heard footsteps behind her.  It was Ukyou.  "Hey,
Ranchan," Ukyou said, coming over and hovering behind her.  "You okay?"

	"No," Ranma said flatly.  "This sucks."

	"Hey, being a woman isn't so bad," Ukyou said, sitting down next
to her.

	"It SUCKS," Ranma asserted.  "I can't move right, my body feels
funny, my arms get all tingly at random intervals, and this braid keeps
getting tangled up in things."  She tugged her braid irritably.  "Stupid
Pop."

	"Hey, being a woman has its good side too," Ukyou said.

	"Not for a man," Ranma said.  "I hope this isn't permanent."

	"Me too," Ukyou said.  "I mean, we couldn't...I mean..."

	They trailed off into silence, staring off into the woods.  "This
can't be permanent," Ukyou said.

	"I'm gonna kill Pop so dead they'll be finding bits of him in
Saldea if this is permanent.  It didn't even have any kind of warning
label or nothing!"

	"Well, maybe you can learn to channel if you stay stuck," Ukyou
said.  "Then we could be in the Tower together."

	"I'd rather turn back to a guy and be your Warder," Ranma said.
"Someone's got to watch out for you."

	"Hey, I can take care of myself!" Ukyou said.  "I'm stronger than
you."

	"Not any more," Ranma said.

	"What?" Ukyou asked.

	Ranma turned and picked Ukyou up with one hand, holding Ukyou over
her head.  "See?"

	"Put me down!"

	She began to juggle Ukyou.  "And I can do this."

	"PUT ME DOWN!"

	"And this."  Now she was juggling Ukyou and her sheathed sword.

	"Ranchan, stop being an idiot!  You could put an eye out!"

	"Ranma, what are you DOING?" Hinako said, looking at them.
"You're being a delinquent."

	"No, not while he's..."  BZZAP.  "...juggling me," Ukyou said,
then toppled to the ground.

	A now grownup Hinako said in her deeper voice, "And don't let me
catch you doing that again, Ranma.  A woman has to have some dignity."

	"We're both in trouble, since I'm not a woman and you have no
dignity," Ranma mumbled.

	BZZAP!  "I heard that," Hinako said.  "Ukyou, weren't you supposed
to be gathering wood for the fire?"

	"I'll get right on it!"

*******

	Several more days of travel ensued, and finally, they crested a
ridge and saw the city of Baerlon spread out before them.  It was the
largest city in Western Andor, for what that was worth.

	Kurz stared, mouth agape.  "It's...you could drop five of Nerima's
Field in there and LOSE it."

	"Wow, that's a great city," Ukyou said, staring.  "There must be
dozens of inns."

	Hinako tried to pretend she wasn't impressed by the seemingly
endless sea of tile and metal roofs and the stone houses, but the other
Nerima's Fielders all simply stared in utter amazement.  Ukyou saw Hinako
didn't seem impressed, and tried to fake not being amazed herself, but
without much luck.

	"And blacksmiths," Ryouga said.  "Do you think they'd let me
watch?"

	"If we were not in a hurry, this would be a very good place for
you to learn of smithing," Eleanor said.  "Baerlon processes all the ore
that comes down from the mines, and makes the coins of Andor.  "But we
will simply be staying at an inn I know, then moving on.  I think we
deserve a night in comfortable beds."

	"I couldn't agree more," Kurz said.  "I hate camping in winter
time."

	"Then let's go find ourselves a room," Ryouga said.  "Just don't
tie me to the bed."  He sighed.

	"Hmm, I'd forgotten the Royal Mint was here," Basara said.

	"Let us go and settle in for the day and the night, then," Roland
said, starting down the slope to the city.

	"Wait," Eleanor said.  She got several pouches of coins out of her
bags, passing one to everyone except Roland.  "I expect most of you will
be wanting to buy some new clothing here, and didn't think to bring enough
money."

	Basara blinked in surprise, then smiled broadly.  "Very generous
of you."

	"Thank you," Hinako said reluctantly.

	The others gave thanks as well.

	Eleanor smiled a little smile.  "Thank the Amyrlin.  The Tower has
grown richer since Amyrlin Nabiki took the helm, as she'd put it," Eleanor
said.  "Try not to spend it all, as I don't have infinite amounts of
money."

	Basara said, "I would be impressed if we could spend this much
money in Baerlon in an overnight stay without buying half the town."

	"Why doesn't Roland get any money?" Kurz asked curiously.

	"I have few unmet needs," Roland said.  "And I already bought a
keg of sword polish on our way through here."  He preceded to start
polishing his sword as he rode as an illustration.

	Kurz began to snicker, but wouldn't explain why, as they rode down
into the town.

********

	Ukyou stared at the Stag and Lion. It was twice the size on each
floor of the Winespring Inn back home, and twice as tall as well, with
four stories.  Father would give his left arm to have this inn, she
thought.  "Can we afford to stay at such a palatial inn?" she asked.

	Roland smiled slightly.  "Master Stephan Fetchitt charges quite
reasonable prices."

	"Rank hath its privileges," Eleanor said.  "And the Silver Ajah
ensures no Aes Sedai goes hungry.

	"Expense account?" Basara asked.

	"Exactly.  But remember, do not advertise than I am Aes Sedai.
Master Fetchitt knows, but few else in Baerlon know, and I would keep it
that way."

	"Yes, ma'am," Kurz said.

	They went inside and were greeted by the tall, balding Master
Fetchitt.  "Lady Eleanor, it is marvelous to have you back so soon, and
with so many guests."  He counted them with his eyes.  "We have a room
suitable for the three ladies with you, assuming you wish to share.  Or we
can provide private chambers."

	"Share a room?  With Ucchan and the Wisdom?" Ranma asked in shock.

	"Now, now, we're all girls together," Hinako said warningly.

	"But...we...I mean..."  Ranma made herself shut up.

	"Nanami.  NANAMI!" Master Fetchitt shouted at a girl who was off
across the room.

	Nanami was a girl about the same age as Ranma, Ukyou, Kurz, and
Ryouga.  A little on the short side, she had short orange hair and wore
the same style of outfit as Ukyou, a green wrap around with black pants,
with a golden stag and a golden lion embroidered on the top.   Instead of
answering Master Fetchitt's call, she continued to address the five miners
at the table.  "Now, this one is my special ginseng dinner, which will
give you extra energy.  It's discounted to only four silver pentemes and
two copper axes.  Or, you might want to try the..."

	"Waitresses who don't come when called get docked their wages for
the hour!"

	Like a flash of lightning, she was over at Master Fetchitt's side.
"Any of you like to try a handmade dinner?  Only four silver pentemes and
two copper axes!" she said.

	"Nanami, stop hawking your special dinners when you're on the
clock and take these people's bags up to their room," Master Fetchitt
said.

	"Yes, sir," she said, looking them up and down.  She saw Ranma,
paused, rubbed her eyes, blinked, then said, "Alright.  Let's get you all
up to your rooms!  Time is money."

	They all got their bags squared away; Roland tipped Nanami, which
made her smile.  As she was about to go, Ranma pulled her aside.  "Why
were you looking at me funny earlier?"

	"I...uh...I thought I'd seen you before," Nanami said, then poked
Ranma's left breast.  "But I guess not."

	"I've never been to Baerlon before," Ranma said.

	"I can tell," Nanami said.  "You all stare at everything like it
was a royal palace."

	"It just seems so huge and...oh."

	"Oh?"

	"Where do we take a bath?"

	"There's a bathhouse on the first floor, but you can only get to
it from the stairs over there," Nanami said, pointing.  "Keeps perverts
from wandering in off the street into it."

	"Okay," Ranma said.  "Thanks."  She paused.  "Bathhouse?"

	"Group bath," she said.  "You don't have them back home?"

	"Not with strangers," Ranma said a little nervously.

	Nanami shook her head.  "Look, I'll come with you, okay?  We know
each other's names, so we're not strangers any more."

	Ranma sighed.  "I guess I sound like a village idiot."

	"Not at all," Nanami said.  "I could use a nice relaxing bath."

	"And it gets you out of working?"

	Nanami laughed.  "See, you're not an idiot at all.  Get a change
of clothing from your room, and I'll go get myself one and meet you back
here at your room."

	Ranma-chan laughed nervously.  "We sort of...lost all our other
clothing."

	"Really?" Nanami said.  "We have a laundry here, it's very cheap.
You can borrow some of mine while they do yours, okay?"

	"Thanks," Ranma said.

	"No problem," Nanami said, smiling.  "Let's go, then."

********

 	Ranma-chan's nerves were jangling like violins.  She was
surrounded by naked and half-naked women...well, okay, there were only
about eight women in the room, but that was enough to easily pound her to
a pulp if they realized she was a man on the inside.

	On the other hand, Nanami's hands felt really nice on her back,
and she was better looking naked than Ranma-chan had originally expected.
There was something vaguely reassuring that she still found women
attractive despite having been turned into one.

	"Relax," Nanami said.  "There's just women here, nothing to worry
about, Ranko."

	Ranma had given her that name so she wouldn't have to explain why
a girl had a boy's name.  It sounded strange to hear herself called that.
"I guess any guy who got in here would get pounded flat, fast."

	One of the other women said, "I can take a man down with a thrown
bar of soap in one shot."

	"Whack him in the balls with a curled towel," another said.

	"You're safe here," one of the women said kindly.  "Had trouble
with a man in the baths?"

	"Cats," Ranma said, having a flashback she didn't want.  "The big
idiot threw cats in my bath."  She'd pounded Kurz flat for a week after
that.  He was lucky Ranma had been the one in the Al'Vere's bathtub
instead of his target, Ukyou.  She would have slaughtered him worse, Ranma
was sure.

	"I hope you pounded him flat," another woman said.

	"He couldn't sit for a week," Ranma said.

	Nanami finished Ranma's back.  "Alright, let's rinse off and get
in the hot water.  I'll go get us some drinks real quick."

	"Alright."

	Nanami got up and went to get some drinks, wrapped in a towel,
while Ranma went over and sank into the nice hot water.  Then her whole
body spasmed and suddenly, she was a he again.

********

	Eleanor heard the screaming from the second story and rushed down
the stairs to find a bunch of women pounding Ranma flat.

	This will be interesting, she thought.





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