"They are attractive girls," Kumori commented.
"That too."
"Excuse me?"
"Sure they are pretty, but I was commentin' on the fact that they look to be pretty good in their trainin'. It ain't like I've been ta a lot of places where this many people've been practicin' like this."
"Oh... Well, I suppose that's understandable. After all, this doesn't look like it's a typical village."
"That's true, but I've got a feelin' that ya ain't just talkin' 'bout the trainin'."
The doctor smiled and nodded at her owner. "You're right. This seems to be a place that doesn't quite follow the so-called 'normal' routines. After all, other places have routines too, but this one seems more... martial than anything else."
"I do hope that wasn't a complaint," commented an aged voice, which was revealed to be an old woman standing on a staff next to them when the group turned to look at her.
"It wasn't. I was just making an observation."
"We were just admiring how this place is so dedicated to the Art," Makoto commented.
"Oh?" the old woman replied.
"I've been training a long time, but I've never seen a group quite like this."
"And you likely won't."
Minako gave a puzzled frown. "What's that mean?"
"You see, we have thousands of years of history involved in this. It's our culture, and many of our women have been warriors over the centuries."
"Have they now?" asked the doctor.
"Yes, they have."
"Sounds interesting. But you are..."
"And Elder of this tribe. I am Cologne, young one. And I didn't mean to sound like I was accusing you of anything. I just had to be certain that you were as polite as your group looked. Which you are, and that speaks well of your control."
"I didn't do anything," Kumori said, "Things just seem to be nice under my current Master."
"I see..."
"Ya know," Ranma put in, "This is a real nice place ya got here."
"I am glad you like it."
"Hey. Anyplace that's trainin' in the Art like this has gotta be good, right?"
Cologne chuckled a bit. "Not quite, but in this case, your words aren't so bad. But still, you mustn't think that all we do is the Art."
"Ya don't?"
"Of course not. Our trackers are famed for their skill, we have healers who are well sought after, and our smiths create weapons of great value. And that's not all."
"Sounds like enough ta make people want what ya got," the pigtailed boy told the Elder.
"You're closer than you might think. In the past, we've had incidents where people have thought that Amazons would make good slaves. Some have even gone to the lengths of actually kidnapping villagers in order to get what they want."
"What? Why?"
"Because they think that they can break them in to 'new roles'. A few think that 'breaking' an Amazon would result in a better slave. There are males who would love to have an utterly loyal bodyguard that can double as decoration, a pet tracker, or simply a love slave whose will has been dominated by her owner's," Cologne told him with a sigh and was pleasantly surprised when the boy's face quickly wrinkled into an expression of disgust. 'This is a boy to watch. Perhaps even one to work with...'
"I hope that they don't get away with that sort of junk," sniffed the blonde.
"Most times they get a surprise when they try to do what they plan. Some villagers have to be rescued, but for the most part, we have managed to deal with it before anything happens. A couple of girls have been... damaged and then there are the ones that like certain ideas... But in any case, I'm sure that you haven't come to hear simple stories. Especially with the tournament going on."
"What sort of tournament?" the emerald eyed girl asked.
"Why one in the Art, of course. It's a contest of fighting skills. Didn't you know that?"
"Not really. Our Master's father dragged us here, and he's never really been one for telling us why we're going someplace."
"Oh, so you didn't come for the tournament?"
Ranma gave a snort. "We coulda, but we'd never know it if Pop had his way. At least until the old man decided ta tell us, which'd probably be just be before he pushed me inta it."
"Interesting," the old woman drawled with a raised brow while:
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(Posted Mon, 11 Oct 2004 01:05)
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