Spots on Shadows
ISDH
AN: first time on a crossover. Advice and such welcome.
Phase Two;
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The air was filled will squeaks, clicks and shrill whistles. One Human stood in the middle of the room. The only one fully lit. His Three piece Suit spotless in this den of filth. His eyes were closed as he listened to the Room.
"So it is decided. I will Talk to the Head of the Clan. It will be up to Her if We move on to Phase Two."
Adjusting his double breasted jacket, he pulled put a pair sunglasses, turned and stepped into the shadows. When the lights came up, there was no sign of him, he had vanished into the solid stone of the wall.
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hours later
We see a young woman wearing short shorts, a short top, and pair of sandles strolling down the main street. She had a small duffle slung across her back. No one touched her. No one Dared.
She was being fallowed. She knew it, but could not find the one who was tailing her. She thought it was her sisters punching bag, but she could not find anyone. the reason she knew she was being fallowed, her scences that helped her avoid/find trouble told her that someone/thing was out there, tracking her.
She turned into the Mall. They either would reveal themselves or they were not that big of an issue. She was to meet Ranma here for a minor shopping spree.
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He steps from the Shadows. She knew he was there, she was the One to inquire if 'he' would take the change. It was time to find the Mistress. Pulling a pocket watch from his vest. It was almost time for afternoon tea. He would have to hurry. He returned to the Shadows...
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Tea for One.
An old habit. One she tried to break many times. Her attempts have grown more frequent, now that she know the where abouts of her Son. She had tea at the Tendo's at least once a week, in hopes of catching her son there. And now that she knew of his 'inflection' she found 'him' more often then not.
She had many hopes and plans centered on the 'cub'. He was more then just a son to her, but a major step if the 'Clan' was going to make its return from the 'Grave'.
But how to break the news to Ranma.
Which "side" Did he Follow?
She Prayed to the Gods that he was of her Blood line as apposed to that of his "Father's".
...Her delicate pink ear twitched...
...Some-One or rather Some-Thing was trying to enter her Home...
Quieter then a shadow, quicker then a snap, She was on her feet, her blade spinning in her hand, her back to the one Wall that 'Could not' be breached...
...She waited...
...one breath...
...two breathes...
Then a Shadow, caused by the Bamboo sill of the Tea Room door, buckled ... heaved... and spit out a shortish male in a dark Grey Suit. His Back was to her.
She laid her Sword on his shoulder in greeting/threat...
He Stiffened...Then Bowed his Head. "Many pardons for Entering your Haven in this vulgar fashion. I Carry word from the Circle. As their most trusted and known Agent, it would have been ill-timed for me to Come to your Door, for those who 'Watch' will know 'Who and What I am' And just as they know 'Who and What you are'. Besides I was afraid I would be a bit late for tea..."
She noticed the inflections he used on varius words. Her ears perked at ; haven, carry, word, circle, watch, as well as the references to Who and What
they both were...
With the reference to tea, he was either trying to edge around her, or he was speaking the truth...
"I will need to set another place, I must have forgotten that you were coming." She was going to play the perfect hostess, as long as the game was played by the simple rules of Haven and Hearth. Besides she would need another blade if 'he' turned nasty...
"Completely my fault, I should have called ahead, both to remind you and to tell you, I was running late. But I worried about who might be 'Listening'."
In the Kitchen, the Woman we all know and love as Nodoka; Head of the Satome Clan, Keeper of the Satome Honor Blade, Wielder of... For full title, check the Personal reference files... , Selected the formal Tea Service, two cups, and double checked it had one set of 'silver'ware and one set of Ivory carved teaware. She also slid a Dagger of hand carved Ivory up her sleeve.
Upon returning to the Tearoom, she saw that her 'guest' had placed the Tea-for-one set aside and now was knelt across from where she had knelt not ten minutes ago...
Then the Clock chimed the Hour, and the Ceremony was off, and not even the Gods could have preformed such a complex dance of form, art, and Beauty...
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Stepping from the Gauntlet was a taxing effort, but the greeting was to be expected. He had 'tracked mud' into her Haven, and had he been followed, he would have led them straight to her...
But Nobody tracked Him. Those Who did not have business with Him, were either not Powerful to keep tabs on Him, or were busy elsewhere. This Made Him a perfect Agent, Nobody wanted to delay him, for he just might be carrying something for their Keepers.
The Steel Blade would have Made a mess of his perfect Suit. Rips and tears were not uncommon as the fact his blood often flowed, but his Suit was Expensive. And When the Suit was Damaged, he had to get a new one. As Such he got a New one once a month if he needed it or not, just to stay ahead of the Fashion trends. But like Her, the mess would have been mostly just the clothes, the flesh heals fast, faster then it was even damaged some of the time...
She Took his Words at Face Value. She was willing to play by the Rules of Haven and Hearth. Rules the 'Clans' had paid for in Blood. "I will need to set another place, I must have forgotten that you were coming."
The Blade was gone. He had to fight the urge to resettle his Suit Jacket.
"Completely my fault, I should have called ahead, both to remind you and to tell you that I was running late. But I worried about who might be 'Listening'."
His only notice that She was gone was the he could no longer smell her light perfume...
moving over to the Table, he collected the elegant tea set and moved it away from the Table. She would test him while the Tea was being served, Tested on his skill, knowledge, form, and bloodlines...
When the Tea service was placed...They waited...
Then the Clock chimed the Hour...
He took the 'Silver'ware, but kept an eye on the Ivory.
She poured water over a bundle of herbs, surprising a grin at his reaction the scented steam.
It was like that till the end when they both had sipped away the hour. Think of it as a chess game and the "Mad Hatter's Tea party" Rolled into one. It was more then just tea. It was, to the Master, A way to talk about yourself before you could say a Word...
When the Clock chimed the next Hour, He sighed. "It has been sometime since I have played 'Tea' with a Master as skilled as you, Milady. While your skill is rusty, for there is only so much you can 'say' when you are drinking alone, your control and manner proclaim that you once 'played' the Grand Court."
"Not the Grand Court, but my Grandmother did. She drilled me daily for over twenty years. Your skill is impressive for a 'Rat'. Your Style reeks of the 'Blood' Courts."
"Yes, those who play 'Tea' at this Level are mostly of the 'Blood' Courts Only a few are still active. Those who have not 'fallen asleep' are hunted by those who Watch. "
Pulling the Dagger from her Sleeve and placing it on the table. "Why are You here." it was no simple Question but a prelude to His next set of words...
Pulling a long curved Blade from under the Back of his Jacket, the Blade was of an alloy to withstand great damage from combat, and the green slime that coated it, and placing it on the table. "The Circle has Claimed it is time to reveal to your 'Son' the truth of his birth. If we move now, we might be able to reverse some of the Damage that Fat Bastard has done to him. I have been sent to you to see if you are agreeable to 'Phase two'."
"The Time Had to Come Sooner or later. Why Now? Why me?"
"The Stupid Panda destroyed any chance of the Birthing Plague taking your Son, but imbued him with most of its Gifts. He is now able to withstand most all viruses and diseases. He does have a weakness to most poisons and toxins, but as quickly as he falls, he returns to health. While He is building up immunities to some of the more complex Toxins, his Rat nature is too weak to help him, while its weaknesses will pull him down."
He removed the Shades, his Red eyes looked her in the eye. "He is a great piece of meat. Your Husband is a Master 'Smith' when it comes to working the Flesh of the Next Super Weapon. A Grandmaster. Ranma is right now, the finest 'Blade' ever Forged. But the 'Smith' has made three Mistakes; One, he has built the 'hilt' of this Blade to fit only his hand, and his is not the hand to wield this Blade. Two, He has begun tempering this Blade, thinking that the Blade is done, but there is still more Work to be done before this blade will be finished. And Three; He has overlooked flaws in the Blade that are common to his craftings, and it is these flaws that will cause the Blade to shatter and kill all who are in need of the Blade for Defense."
"What is needed to be done?"
"Ranma has Mastered the Weapon of Flesh Schools. He now Must Master the Sword, the Knife, the Shadow, and ... Death. He was promised the Nezumi-ken and the Arts of the Kin on his Birth." the red eyes close. " It will Fall to You to Open the Door. The Change will the Hardest. Genma in trying to allow Ranma to master your linage, while being open to the 'Plague' Damaged the young man, shredding any hope that Your Son would fill our ranks with strong Warriors, Cunning coureurs, Powerful Shamans and Healers. The 'Plague' stops with him. As penance, Genma was stripped of his Plague and its gifts."
"Was it painful?"
"For those who Welcome it, the Plague is part of our soul, Removing it is a long, slow process. Three weeks it took to remove it. Genma screamed the whole time."
"Good"
"We will need you to issue a Challenge claiming your Son is unable to Master These Schools." He Pulled a list from his inside pocket, and passed it to her. "My services, and that list are Phase Two. Are You Agreed?"
"I am, And Your Name?"