Shampoo usually kept her eyes closed because of the gasps she had heard from people that saw her, and had acquired the normal dark glasses just in case. She didn't know what her eyes looked like now. She only knew that they disturbed people. Her imagination had worked out the scar tissue that used to be her eyes to be much worse than they appeared, actually, but that was expected.
In any case, however, as closely as Kodachi had stayed with her at school, it was inevitable that the gymnast should see. Shampoo remembered the slight intake of breath and increase of heart beat, but Kodachi had made no reaction that anybody but Shampoo would notice. That had confused her somewhat, she would have expected the gymnast to attempt to point it out and laugh at her.
"Shampoo's eyes destroyed," Shampoo said. "But not her ears, or nose!"
Kodachi blinked for a moment and then nodded.
"Either this is some Amazon secret technique," Kodachi said. "Which I doubt, or else your reactions in the hospital make little sense. Or else, the same chemicals that destroyed your eyes improved your other senses."
"And apparently provided new ones," Cologne added. "You seem quite perceptive yourself, Kuno-san, in other manners."
"My thanks, elder," Kodachi said, bowing from her seated position. "I suppose it would be my turn to 'lay my cards on the table.'"
"Yes, you tell how you get changes," Shampoo snapped. It being Kodachi, she didn't much doubt a deal with dark mystical forces.
Kodachi paused for a moment reached for the answers, a fact Cologne noticed as the confusion showed momentarily on Kodachi's face. Then the samurai nodded and raised her hand.
"There is a lab in New York that breeds a certain rose hybrid that is more resistant to freezes than most other strains," Kodachi explained. "I ordered a supply of blooms and seeds with the intent to create a strain of my black roses that would not have so much trouble with the Tokyo winters."
"Ah, I see," Cologne said. "Have you had any luck?"
"It is much too early to tell, Elder," Kodachi said. "It has only been a few weeks since I received the blooms and seeds."
"These are the same roses you use to make your drugs?" Cologne asked in response. Shampoo groaned and slumped forward.
GARDENING...they'd gotten on the topic of GARDENING and herbology and plant breeding and other such things. She knew enough about both Kodachi and her Great-Grandmother to know that this conversation could go on forever.
"I plan to attempt to introduce the freeze resistance into all my strains," Kodachi said. "But I plan to start with the more mundane and safer strains. It is difficult to breed the medicinals in any case."
"That seems wise," Cologne said. "Is paralysis the only effect you have produced so far?"
"With the black roses yes," Kodachi said. "I must admit that breeding those roses was something of a...whim on my part. I do, however, maintain a fair-sized greenhouse full of other more familiar herbs. I have a full range of herbs to work with."
"I should like to see some of your work if that is alright with you," Cologne said.
"Oh yes, I would be honored to have your opinion on my efforts," Kodachi said excitedly.
"Excuse please," Shampoo said.
"Excuse me, please," Kodachi corrected. Shampoo groaned irritably and sighed.
"What is it, child?" Cologne asked.
"What this have to do with you being 'Kumobara'?" Shampoo demanded, almost snapping. She was rapped on the head with Cologne's cane...she COULD have moved out of the way, but decided that would probably result in something worse.
"Some respect would be appreciated," Cologne said.
"Yes, great-grandmother," Shampoo said contritely.
"She does, however, have a point," Cologne said. "We shall discuss horticulture later, Kuno-san. About you're changes."
"Ah, yes," Kodachi said, sighing, she'd have to tell after all. "There was a spider included in the package I receive. I did not recognize the species. It bit me. Afterwards I managed to find and spray it to death, but I spent the following night in agony. When I awoke the next day...there were changes."
"I see, such as?" Cologne gestured for her to continue.
"Perhaps you notice that my skin is finally starting to acquire some amount of tan," Kodachi said. Cologne nodded, but had figured that only meant that Kodachi had been getting outside more often. "I've always suffered a slight lack of melanin, along with moderate anemia, and a condition that is just sly of hemophilia. All low levels, mind you, but there none the less."
"I think I see where those might arrive from," Cologne nodded.
"I as well, Elder," Kodachi said. "The samurai classes have always held pure blood in high esteem. Perhaps we have been far too reluctant to add any new blood to the higher classes for some time. I have also found myself...well...for lack of a better term...thinking in a less clouded manner. It is as if someone took a blindfold from my eyes."
"I assume that your enhanced abilities arrived about the same time you lost the problems brought on by your clan's inbreeding?" Cologne asked.
"That is correct, Elder," Kodachi said, nodding. "Now, unless there is anything else. I believe that we both have the information we were seeking. Shampoo-san, I shall see you at school. Mizu-sensei is supposed to have a new book, remember." She started to stand up.
"Hai, hai," Shampoo said, though the irritably was quite transparent to both of the other participants in the conversation.
"That is not the only business at hand, Kuno-san," Cologne said, laying a hand on Kodachi's arm.
"Really?" Kodachi said, arching an eyebrow.
"There is the matter of your training," Cologne said.
"I am already an accomplished gymnast and martial artist," Kodachi said.
"Your art is a sport form," Cologne said. "I believe that the Hibiki boy is the only one to truly convert it into a worthy combat art."
"I do well enough," Kodachi said.
"Indeed," Cologne asked. She tapped several sections of Kodachi's body and was rewarded with seeing the girl wobble for several seconds and clinch her teeth. "These are all small bruises, but if Sham...Cheng-Huang had not been there and you had continued to try and face Tarou in close combat..."
"I understand the point, Elder," Kodachi growled as she took a seat and tried to stretch out the kinks that Cologne had awakened.
"In addition," Cologne said. "I need to repay you in some way for your aiding my granddaughter in school."
"She no help Shampoo that much," Shampoo muttered.
"As I was saying," Cologne said. "The mere amount of sniping and complaining about how you're always correcting her at school tells me how seriously you are taking your duty as her student tutor."
"Ehhh?" Shampoo said.
"I thank you for your praise, however..."
"As such," Cologne said, interrupting her. "You will accompany Shampoo here, after school everyday...and you will be trained to use those abilities of yours."
Kodachi sighed in resignation.
"As you wish, Elder," she said.
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(Posted Thu, 12 Dec 2002 20:19)
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