Children grow, and learn, and ask questions.
****
"Come down, now," Kiima instructed. "We don't want to attract too much attention." Her husband moo-ed his agreement, incapable of actual speech at the moment, and imperatively directed them to move downward.
Another matter, that Kiima didn't mention, were the collecting storm clouds. She didn't dare fly too long these days, for fear of becoming human due to a wandering storm or such.
"Hai, Tarou-sensei," Coriander said glumly, as the play time was cut off. She drifted quietly on the lines of her dragon chi down to the ground as her brother flitted to and fro, rebelliously making the trip down as long as possible.
Kiima frowned in concern as her husband lumbered toward the hot-spring to change back to his human form in preparation for some martial arts training. The children were making leaps and bounds, which was to be expected considering their parentage.
Kiima rose a hand and blocked her own son's passage for a moment, speaking to him.
"Is something bothering Coriander?" she asked Hajime. Her husband's choice of a Japanese name for the boy still mystified her somewhat, but she'd grown used to it over the years. "She does not seem herself today."
"I don't know," the winged boy asked. "She won't say. Mother, it's going to rain."
"I see that," she assured him and let him pass, following along behind.
It was only a little later, that Kiima's suspicions were confirmed, though not to her. Within the dojo, sheltered from the rain outside, Tarou was lecturing the girl for being distracted when, suddenly she put in her concerns.
"What happened to my mother and father?" she demanded. Tarou froze for a moment. "I heard you and Kiima-sensai talking, saying it was almost time to tell us or something. Tell us what?"
****
Girls become women.
****
"It is only for a little money to get through law school," Nabiki said to her younger sister, carefully.
"But a police officer?" Akane said, surprised. "Why not a secretary or something?"
"This looks better on a resume," Nabiki said. "Especially for politics. Honestly, Akane, you're making a big deal out of this. What does it mean to you if I'm a police officer?"
Nabiki watched her sister fidget under the question, had she, perhaps gone too far with that goad? Did her sister suspect that she guessed anything?
"I guess it's your choice," Akane said. "Don't blame me when you complain about being a meter maid."
"We'll see," Nabiki said.
****
Secrets eat at their bearers.
****
"Same time?" the woman on the phone asked. Ukyou nodded hesitantly in front of the video display. "It's been five years, hasn't it, Kuonji?"
"Yep," Ukyou said. "Five years since we started...paying our respects."
It was a bloody mockery. They had started it as a cover, putting forth a private mourning between the four girls for Ranma. And it still went on. And with each meeting Ukyou felt the knife twist further into her gut.
Over five years, she'd married Konatsu and built her business into a high success, with Kodachi's help somewhat. But, the Kuno held that fact over her head, and her marriage to Konatsu was troubled by her continually growing guilt over the way she had sent Ranma to her grave.
She needed to get away from the other three girls, but if she did that...she'd be dead. There had been implications enough between the four of what would happen should they suspect that one of them was having thoughts about turning against the others.
They were bound, whether Ukyou wanted it or not.
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(Posted Tue, 15 Jul 2003 10:02)
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