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The Third Task

After a short but refreshing sleep, the freshly married couple woke up in their common bed. Unfortunately, they didn't have much time for themselves because a short time later, servants came to prepare them for the day. Again, Lord Noriyuki had left nothing to chance and happily, they gave themselves over into his experienced hands.

A lot of guests had departed the day before and only about 40 closer friends and relatives were around. Amongst them was Master Heroito to whom Usagi apologized profusely for his mishap. The master accepted his apology seriously.

"What are your plans, now?" he asked afterwards.

"Pau told us that there would be some interesting possibilities for us after the wedding and therefore, we haven't made any plans, yet," Usagi admitted.

"In that case, I would like to offer you to spend some time in my school," Master Heroito explained. "You have a great potential and it would be an honor for me to help you to explore it."

Usagi promised to talk with Tomoe about this offer.

"And if I remember correctly, you also owe me a match," Master Heroito went on smiling.

Tomoe introduced Usagi to her younger brother Tajima who led the Falling Rain School after her father had retired. Many fighters for the Geishu clan were trained in that school(1). Tajima welcomed Usagi respectfully into the family but from the beginning, they couldn't stand each other. After they had politely exchanged a couple of words, they separated again.

Tomoe sighed deeply when her brother left them. Still, he couldn't forgive her that she was the superior swordsman. If ability had been the sole factor, she would have become fencing master of the school but the traditional role of the woman just didn't allow it.

However, the other guests made her forget her dark mood quickly. Kitsune was around and Pau had promised Tomoe make sure purses and other valuables of the other guests would stay where they belonged. Despite her distaste for the life the pretty she-fox led, Tomoe liked her somehow. Her uncomplicated character and her ability to be happy and free of care made her amiable.

Kenichi and Mariko congratulated Usagi and reported that up to now, Lord Hikiji had actually obeyed their agreement.

After lunch, Pau approached the happy couple. "Now, it's time for my present for you two," he said smiling friendly.

"You have another present for us, after you have transported all those people from all over the land to here?" Usagi asked amazed.

"This was just a service for a friend. My present is something which you can enjoy for a longer time," Pau replied mysteriously.

With the remaining guests and Lord Noriyuki, who rode as it was proper for a lord, the couple followed Pau who lead them through the city until they stopped before a freshly renovated house.

"Is it in there?" Usagi asked curiously.

"Not quite," Pau smirked, "it is the present."

For a moment, Usagi was speechless. "You give us the whole house as a present?"

"Yes," Pau replied simply. "The Taja Ninjas were wealthy and I think this way, the money is put to a good use. If you want, you can think of it as a kind of compensation."

Speechless, they looked at the enormous building. It was almost 30 ken(2) long and wide, had two stories and was located close to White Heron Castle.

"And we wouldn't want you to disturb Lord Noriyukis sleep with your ... nightly activities," Pau laughed and Kitsune joined in. Usagi blushed. Only Lord Noriyuki pretended he hadn't been listening.

With a bow, Pau handed over the document which made them the owners of the house.

"How about a small tour?" Pau suggested when the two didn't move.

In awe, they explored the enormous building. Usagi didn't dare to think how much it might have cost. When a guest asked what he intended to do with that much space, he had no answer.

"Now, he can found his own clan," Pau teased him friendly.

"In that case, he will have learn how to give birth himself," Tomoe promised in a determined manner while Usagi got all red.

In the middle of the house was a large courtyard. That gave Usagi an idea what he could do with the house but as always, Pau was way ahead of him. Pau asked the guests to spread around the courtyard and Tomoe and Usagi to sit down.

Then he waved the former pupils of Master Katsuichi over to him and stood before the couple in the courtyard.

Pau knelt humbly and the pupils followed his example.

Calmly, his voice sounded: "Hereby, I'm fulfilling the last wish of Master Katsuichi."

"He asked me to take care of his pupils and bring them to your school. He also asked me to tell you that it was his wish that you complete their training. Will you grant the last wish of Master Katsuichi, Master Usagi?"

Pau stopped and waited for an answer.

"I will," Usagi answered with a shaking voice. This instant, there was no one on this world who was as happy as he was.

"It's a great honor to accept this responsibility from Master Katsuichi and I will prove myself to be worthy of it," Usagi went on.

"I do thank you," Pau said, bowed again and went to the other guests.

Usagi shot a glance to Kenichi who just smiled silently and nodded his agreement. Relieved, Usagi collected himself to welcome his first pupils in the school. Then he remembered something. He looked at Pau.

Pau bent down to Keiko and said something to her that Usagi couldn't hear. The little girl looked surprised at Pau and then to Usagi, who nodded encouragingly. Quickly, the girl ran to the other pupils and sat down next to them. Since the pupils still looked humbly to the ground, Usagi couldn't see their expressions but the movement of Waytikis ears told him that the young boy smiled.

"Welcome to the Shiroi Usagi Dojo(3)," Usagi began and prayed that the punishment which Tomoe would inflict on him for choosing a name without consulting with her, first, wouldn't be too hard. But he had something in mind which might just buy her over.

"Like Master Katsuichi, we only accept the best. Those, of which we believe that they will become an honorable example for others. We will teach everyone whom we deem worthy, man and woman. We expect our pupils to behave honorably and respectfully among each other and to anyone else. In return, my wife and I will teach you all that we know."

Usagi felt how surprised Tomoe was when he made her a teacher. Now, he had a chance to see the next day.

"Keiko," Usagi spoke to the small, kneeling shape, "please look at me."

Keiko looked up and returned Usagis gaze. "Do you want to become a pupil of our school?"

"Yes," came her answer without hesitation.

"Do you promise to honor our rules?"

"I do."

"Then I welcome you, Pupil Keiko," Usagi greeted his first pupil.

"Now you," he said as silently as he could. If Tomoe was surprised, she controlled herself perfectly.

"Waytiki," her voice sounded calmly and clearly, "look at me."

As with Keiko, Waytiki was asked if he wanted to join their school and if he would obey their rules. Waytiki promised and Tomoe welcomed him in the school. She also greeted and welcomed the other pupils and this way, it became a tradition in the Shiroi Usagi Dojo that a couple led the school and the woman would greet the male pupils.

Now, Usagi could offer Master Heroito a guests room. During the next days, they would have a closer look at the building, hire an artist to create a mon for the school and buy clothing.

The next day, Pau brought the remaining guests back to their homes and came back to bid his farewell.

"You leave us forever?" Usagi asked his friend.

"Probably," Pau nodded.

"Then you have been able to complete your mission?" Usagi asked surprised.

"Yes."

"I didn't notice."

"As it should be. If someone knew what I did, that person could come up with the idea to chance the course of events."

Tomoe stayed in the school to take care of their pupils and Usagi accompanied his friend out of the city. On the small path where they had returned from the moon months ago, they stopped.

"I thank you. For everything," Usagi said seriously.

"It was my pleasure," Pau thanked him.

"If you allow, I still have some questions."

Pau nodded.

Usagi worked on the wording of his first question for a moment. "Since when did the Taja Ninjas work for you?"

Paus face stayed unmoved. He didn't smile and also didn't show any other emotion. "I created the Taja Ninjas about one month before they captured you. In this month, they trained to be able to show you a convincing illusion so you wouldn't become suspicious too quickly."

Usagi wasn't really surprised that Pau stayed so calm but much more that he didn't feel the urge to kill Pau. He had actually grown from the experience and wasn't still holding a grudge because of it.

"Why?"

"I didn't have much time to develop you as far as I needed so I had to do something to accelerate the process. This way, I could push you to your limits and make you into what you are now in just a couple of months."

Usagi accepted the statement as it was. "You are Instructor Tse, am I right?"

Instead of an answer, Paus form dissolved and Tse stood in front of Usagi. Again, cold shivers ran down Usagis spine but he could stand it now. He thought what he should do, now, but there was only one thing left to do. For himself.

"I forgive you," Usagi said seriously.

"Thank you," came the polite answer. "Do you want to hear your third task, now?"

Usagi chuckled quietly. Actually, he didn't but curiosity would kill him. So he just nodded.

"Leave your wife, your friends and everything behind and come with me."

Relieved, Usagi smiled: That, he couldn't do. "Pau," he said farewell to his friend, "will I ever see you again?"

"If you want to," Tse replied, "it will happen."

"Goodbye, Pau Tai and good luck," Usagi bowed.

"Usagi, it was a pleasure to share a short distance on your way with you. Live long and prosper," Pau said farewell and vanished.

Shaking his head, Usagi turned and went away. There was a life he had to live.

Silence had returned to the station on the moon. Only the most important systems were still active. The parkland was barren, all plants and animals had either been put into hibernation or to other places. Tse didn't return to this place.

Instead, Tse stood at the shore of a sea that splashed slowly and evenly against the flat beach. While his body put itself into motion automatically, he added some last information to the big puzzle which had been the result of his mission to Usagis world. He guessed that Usagi would have found out in fifteen or at most twenty years what he had done. Eventually, Usagi would look through all the lies and misinformation with which Pau had fed him and realize what Pau had really done to him.

Then Tse stood before the old stone circle. Since billions of years, it lay here, in this unreal reality. In the inner sanctum of Ookaa'h. Her temple. The place where one could communicate directly with her.

Without hesitation, Tse stepped into the circle. If there had been an observer, he would have seen a glow filling the circle. It would have looked glaring but despite the brightness, one could look directly into it without it hurting the eyes.

After some time, Tse stepped out of the circle again and the glow vanished. Ookaa'h had been pleased, he had accomplished more than had been planned originally. Now he could turn to his next problem: Lord Braxter.

If Tse had been able to experience any emotions, a wolfish grin would have shown itself on his face. Ookaa'h had decided that it was time to heave the civilization of this galaxy onto the next level. As Philmann Dark, he would return to his job and put an end to the intrigues of the lord once and for all.

But his face stayed unmoved, without any expression. With flowing movements, he went back to the beach, where he turned into Philmann Dark and vanished from this reality to step out of a transmitter the next instant on his chosen home on Halkor where the Council was located.

Traitor!

Gen had stayed at the new school for a couple of days giving the pupils useful hints. That had eventually lead to him being thrown out of the school by Tomoe. She had accused him of spoiling the pupils. This could not dent his good mood. In the end, it was more important to survive a fight than to be able to lie proudly in the tomb because one had fought honorably.

But he also couldn't wait anymore. He had said farewell to the others, demanded his purse back(4) from Kitsune and was on his way to the court of Lord Hirano.

He arrived in the city shortly after midday and pondered if he should immediately go to the palace but decided against it. Instead, he first spent some money to make himself more presentable. To achieve this, he bought some new clothes and spent the night in a simple but clean inn. The next morning, he took a bath and only then, he went to see Kan.

"I've got a letter of recommendation for his lordship," he rumbled when the guards wouldn't let him pass and gave the letter to one of them who took it only with hesitation. But after giving it a short examination, the guard became really courteous. A servant was called to lead him inside.

In there, he was bathed once more despite his futile protests and put into decent clothing. Still, he enjoyed it when the female servants giggled looking after him. Maybe things wouldn't turn out to be that bad.

Then he had to wait until the lord would receive him. He hated waiting. The longer it took, the more irritated he got. And nervous. But he knew that he could never forgive himself, if his hot temper would ruin this. So he struggled to restrain his emotions.

Finally, he was called but he was also at the brink to loose his self-control. Nevertheless, things went quite smooth until Lord Hirano asked him if he was willing to enter the lords service.

Gen looked at him and simply said: "Yes." The outraged look of Sakajato told him that according to the protocol he wasn't expected to look at the lord at this time. 'Damn,' he cursed inwardly.

Lord Hirano was unmoved, at least to the outside. "And how would you like to serve me?"

This took Gen a bit by surprise because he hadn't thought about that, yet. A bounty hunter was probably of little use to a lord. And there wasn't much else that he could do. "I would like to serve as your bodyguard," he answered a bit too quickly. It was impossible to tell if this arrogation lead to even more indignation in Adviser Sakajato.

"I see," the lord replied. "In this case, I want you to compete against three members of my bodyguard tomorrow morning so I can find out if you are indeed suitable."

"Thanks, Lord Hirano," Gen bowed. With that, the audience was ended by the lord and Gen stomped out of the room. Outside, a servant lead Gen to a remote garden where he tried to relax his tension.

He cursed himself and worried how many breaches of protocol he had committed. At least Adviser Sakajato openly showed that he wanted him to be thrown out of the castle as soon as possible. And he didn't want Lord Hirano to have to protect him all the time. Tomorrow morning, he would show them, he promised himself.

The next morning, he was in a good mood again. A servant lead him to the training field where the test would take place and Gen was more than ready. The first two fighters, he could beat without much effort but the last one turned out to be invincible.

Three times, Gen attacked and three times, he was beaten.

Gen was crushed. With that, his chances were probably as low as Usagi being invited into the services of Lord Hikiji. Depressed, he knelt with his opponents before the lord. An unknown man in uniform spoke silently to the lord. Then Adviser Sakajato added something, too. Gen could readily imagine what he said. But he would bear his defeat with pride.

"Very well," the lord said finally, "I think, you have shown yourself worthy of my court."

Gen almost didn't believe his ears. 'Did I really make it?' It was incredible! Almost, he hugged one of the warriors next to him. There was going to be a celebration and soon!

When the silence went on, Gen suddenly realized that something was expected from him.

"Thanks, my lord! You won't regret it!" he bubbled. Adviser Sakajato closed his eyes in disbelief.

Lord Hirano introduces the unknown man next to him. "This is Major Terani. He leads my personal bodyguard and is now your superior. He will see to it that you are introduced to your duties."

With an unmoved face, the major nodded and they were released. The lord and his adviser went away not without the adviser shooting one last distasteful look at him.

The major came over to them and the warriors rose. "You haven't been introduced to me, yet," he started the conversation. His voice was low and controlled.

"My name is Murakami Gennosuke," Gen introduced himself with a slight bow.

"Are you related to the late General Murakami?" Terani asked.

"He was my father," Gen replied.

"A great man."

"So everyone tells me," came the curt reply.

The major didn't pursue this further and introduced the other warriors. The first two, which Gen had defeated, were the brothers Abai and Kinai. The third in the group was called Vato. Gen was told that these were the best warriors in the whole bodyguard.

"I was most impressed when you defeated the brothers so easily," the major admitted. "You will in fact be a gain for the bodyguard." Gen beamed proudly.

"After we have taught you to move in court, of course," he added and Gens posture crumbled.

"Vato, I'm putting him into your responsibility. Please brief him," the major commanded and went away.

As the first thing, Vato showed Gen his new home. They ordered new clothes for him, an armor and other equipment and Gen met the rest of the bodyguard. As the major had promised, Gen was trained in the protocol, first. That was really hard for him. He was the open, direct kind of guy, who didn't hold back his thoughts. The stiff fuss at court wasn't to his liking and therefore, his progress was only a slow one.

Also his relation to Adviser Sakajato didn't improve with time. Sakajato avoided Gen and when they met, he made sure that Gen felt his dislike. At least, he didn't spread any rumors about Gen having been so personal with the lord.

And so quite some time passed until Gen was ready to be officially on duty in the bodyguard of his lord. He was proud of himself and even the controlled Major Terani seemed to open up a bit. Vato became a close friend and together, they trained the other members of the bodyguard. Unfortunately, the duty itself turned out to be pure boredom. Gen spent most of the time with sitting near his lord without doing anything.

Inside of the castle, the bodyguard was used for not much more than representation because the castle guard was responsible for the security. And during that time, Lord Hirano didn't travel much, so they didn't leave the castle very often. Gen, who was used to a free life without many regularities had to face the fact that he could stand his job less with every passing day.

Besides, Lord Hirano had become unreachable for him. Of course, all he would have had to do was to reach out and touch him but there was no way they could ever talk with each other. For someone as low as him, that wouldn't have been appropriate.

After one especially boring day, Gen just wasn't tired enough to sleep and went on to patrol a bit in the castle even if that was completely futile. It just gave him an excuse (at least before himself) and this way, he could have a walk until he got tired.

Despite moving silently and discreetly, the castle guard stopped him several times. These guys knew what their job was and really saw to it. But on his way back, he thought that he had seen some movement in the corner of his eye. At first, he believed that he had been mistaken but when he went down the hall, he saw someone darting around the next corner.

Gen broke into a run but took care to move as quietly as possible in order to make sure that whoever he was pursuing didn't notice him. While he ran, he thought about raising an alarm but decided against it. No need to expose him to ridicule if he should have been wrong.

He came into a hall which lead into the open. On one side of the hall were the rooms of Adviser Sakajato and on the other side, someone lived whom Gen didn't remember. 'Has my shadow run outside?' he wondered. While silently running down the hall, Gen passed the door to Sakajatos rooms. It wasn't closed completely and Gen routinely shot a short glance into the room behind. And there, his shadow was!

Without thinking or slowing down, Gen threw himself right through the paper wall of the room. The person he had persecuted seemed to be taken completely by surprise because he drew his sword only when Gen was already within reach. The ninja had no chance: Injured deadly by Gen, he collapsed.

"Alarm!" Gen yelled at the top of his lungs, "Ninjas in the castle!"

Relieved, he heard the alarm gong sounding and the trampling of many feet in the halls of the castle.

"You hurt?" Gen snapped at the distressed adviser who seemed to have been surprised in sleep. With an empty face, his gaze wandered back and forth between Gen and the dead Ninja. Eventually, he just shook his head.

The door was ripped open and several members of the castle guard secured the room. Gen greeted them with a short nod and was on his way to his lord whose safety was his duty.

After a searching for several hours, it was sure that the ninja had been alone. There were speculations about how he could have entered the castle without being spotted but the major, who was leading the castle guard promised to find the weak spot and fix it.

Gen received a praise from Lord Hirano himself for his deed and he could see how proud it made the other members of the bodyguard. Even if they had no official duty here inside of the palace, they had proven to be useful, nonetheless.

"Still, I see that you are not satisfied," the lord went on.

Almost, Gen gave a sigh. "No, my lord," he admitted.

"Why not?"

"It's boring," Gen admitted openly and Adviser Sakajato made a sharp breath. 'Can't I keep my big mouth shut at least once in my life?' Gen cursed inwardly.

"I understand," the lord said. "Unfortunately, my duties don't allow me to travel more often at this time."

The lord thought about this for some time. "But Adviser Sakajato will have to travel in my service quite often and therefore, you'll serve him from now on."

Gen felt as if someone had pulled the carpet out from under his feet. Boredom had been replaced by the snake pit. He must have looked quite horrified because for a moment, he saw Kan in the eyes of Lord Hirano.

"Trust me, Gen," the lord said quietly.

That gave Gen the strength to get a grip on his emotions until he was alone. "Of course, my lord," he said composed, bowed and went way when he was released.

He had regained his composure when Adviser Sakajato had him summoned. Lord Hirano had to bend to political considerations, but Gen trusted Kan. If Kan asked him to trust, then Gen would do that.

To give no more grounds for trouble, Gen quickly showed up before his new superior, carefully looked after the proper protocol, the necessary bows and when to speak.

Still, he couldn't muster to listen with more than half an ear. Adviser Sakajato explained where his next journey would go, how many they would be and what the purpose of the journey was. Sakajato behaved coolly but correctly. Unfortunately, this wasn't enough for Gen, anymore. Too long he had had to suppress his true self.

"Why do you hate me that much?" he demanded when the pressure inside of him finally became too great to bear.

Sakajato was confused. "I beg your pardon?"

"Since I arrived, you look at me as if I'm some ugly illness that has to be kept from the lord. I saw you speaking to the lord when I made my initial test. Surely, you proposed him to send me away," Gen complained bitterly.

"I don't know what you saw," Sakajato replied coolly, "but it wasn't me who advised the lord to turn you away. My advice for the lord was to grant your wish. And I don't hate you, I despise you."

"But why?" Gen asked, being confused.

"You are a disgrace for the remembrance of your father, the famous General Murakami," was the curt answer.

"What do you know about my father?" Gen asked bitterly.

"He was my friend. I have the utmost respect for the integrity and honesty of your father and to see how his son rejects these values and sullies the honor of his family is almost more than I can stand!"

"The honor of the family? Honor?" Gen flew into a rage. "Maybe he was your friend but you know nothing about him! What his so called honor did to his family! What about the honor of his wife and his small son which he chose to ignore because of some abstruse duty(5)?"

"What about our honor? The desperation and the humiliations which we had to endure? What's honor if those have to suffer who cannot defend themselves?" Gen yelled. He gave a damn who overheard them.

"Do you know what it means for a small child to stand at the grave of his mother and not being allowed to mourn her death because the father has no time for such nonsense?"

"Do see your own mother being buried in a hole in the dirt out in the middle of nowhere because money is too scarce to buy something to eat?"

"To have a father, whose whole life rotates around the duty before his clan while he totally neglects the duty before his family?"

"You know nothing! Nothing of what I had to endure! You're mocking me being just a bounty hunter! My father was nothing at all! I'm doing an important job for the society even if it's one which is frowned upon but he did send my mother begging! What's that for honor?"

"His honor only made everyone unhappy, sad and desperate. In the end, he actually found Adviser Oda but his honor was probably more important to him than to get something to eat and so he died full of honor and without fulfilling any duty against anyone!"

Like punches, the words hit Adviser Sakajato. When Gen finally stormed outraged out of the room, he shook so badly, he had to sit down.

Meanwhile, Gen ran through the castle like the God of Rage himself. He didn't notice whom he met, never looked left nor right and who didn't jump out of his way quickly enough, was overrun. When he regained consciousness, he stood in the small, isolated garden where he had been waiting for his first audience with Lord Hirano.

He sat down on a small stone bench and waited for his raging emotions to calm down again. That had probably done it; he had finally managed to ruin the only thing which had ever meant something for him in his whole life. Moaning, he rested his head in his hands. 'What had come over me? Why did I have to fly into such a rage all of a sudden? Why haven't I been able to keep my self-control, excuse myself and make a few rounds on the training field to calm down again?'

Instead, he had to yell at the most important adviser of his lord and even in public, more or less.

He didn't look up, when he heard someone approaching him. Several people had entered the garden. Probably the adviser had called for the guards of the castle to throw him into a deep hole. A single person came over. Of course, they knew his skills as a warrior and probably wouldn't want to waste more lives than necessary. He could almost feel the points of the arrows of the archers which were surely manning the walls around the garden this instant.

But he wouldn't dishonor Kan. He already had caused too much trouble for one lifetime. Slowly, to provoke no one, he untied his sword and put it carefully next to him on the bench. Then he looked up to surrender.

Before him stood neither a soldier nor Major Terani but Adviser Sakajato. When Gen looked up, the adviser sank on his knees.

"Please forgive me my thoughtless words, Murakami Gennosuke. Like many others, I saw your father in you and the many ideals which have been a shining example for me and the pain seeing how you seemed to neglect many of them, made my words. I'm very sorry for this. I should never have allowed my memories to deceived me but should have accepted you as the person that you are, instead."

Gen couldn't think of a reply. Speechless, he looked at the adviser who knelt in a humble posture before him. Near the exit of the garden, Major Terani stood with Vato. No archers were to be seen. The adviser had actually asked for pardon in front of the others.

"Um," Gen stammered, "maybe, we should give it a fresh try."

"I do thank you," Adviser Sakajato said. He nodded to Major Terani and Vato, who went away again without saying a word.

"Please, sit," Gen offered. Hastily, he made room and moved his sword out of the way. He couldn't see it but right above them, Lady Hirano stood behind one of the windows of her private rooms and watched Gen as she had done some time ago, while Gen had waited for his audience. She smiled and left the two alone, too.

"I don't know what came over me," Gen mumbled nervously.

"Old hatred," the adviser replied calmly, "often turns out to be beyond our control when it is stirred."

All Gen could do was nod. All the years he had carefully nurtured and tended his hatred.

"If you would like me to, then I can tell you something about your father," Sakajato offered. "I knew him very well. For a long time, we both served the Asano clan."

Gen gave a quiet sigh. "All that I have left from him is the memory and his sword."

"And your hatred."

"And my hatred."

They remained silent until Gen was able to go on.

"How did you receive the sword of your father?" Sakajato asked.

Gen sighed once more. "I was with Usagi. By pure chance, we ran into Lady Asano who was after the traitor Oda like my father. She even found Oda. As usual, Usagi couldn't stop and had to help her. We were all thrown into prison but we could make our escape. In the store rooms of Oda, we got us some swords. By pure luck, I took the sword of my father."

"What happened to Oda?"

"Dead. Lady Asano killed him," Gen said curtly.

"So you fulfilled the duty of your father against the Asano clan," Sakajato concluded.

"Unintentionally," Gen admitted.

"Doesn't this mean anything to you?" Sakajato said sympathically.

Gen looked openly at Sakajato: "I had to pay too high of a price to be happy about it."

Sakajato nodded understandingly. "What do you know about Adviser Oda?"

"Nothing," Gen replied. "When the Asano clan was destroyed by his treachery, I was but a small kid. Later, my father only told me that he had betrayed the clan and deserved to die for that."

"That maybe was the only fault of your father. He was proud," Sakajato said.

Gen just snorted.

"Please, let me tell you the whole story. Maybe that will help you to make your peace with your father," Sakajato offered.

"When Oda betrayed his clan, I was already in the service of Lord Hirano," Sakajato told Gen. "But I do remember when Oda joined the clan. Lord Asano didn't trust him. Almost, all this hadn't happened but Oda had someone who spoke in favor of him. This way, it happened that he could stay and commit his crime."

"My father," Gen suspected dully.

"When it became known that Oda was the traitor, your father must have felt responsible for the whole disaster. It is my guess that the thought to put things right again was the only thing which filled his mind. He had to make up his mistake and by this, lessen the tragedy that he had brought over the clan which had been entrusted to him."

"My father invited the snake," Gen realized.

Again both were silent for some time. Then Gen asked to be alone. Wordlessly, Adviser Sakajato left. Gen stayed for a long time in the garden, lost in thought. Unnoticed, Lord Hirano watched him for some time before he went to bed. He hoped that those two would find each other. Sakajato had been a good friend of General Murakami and Gen came after his father, no matter how much he rejected the notion. Hirano really hoped that Gen would be able to help Sakajato.

The next morning, Gen appeared a bit tired but also relieved at work, to accompany Adviser Sakajato to his next destination. They mounted the horses and with the first daylight, they were on their way.

On the way, Gen thanked Sakajato for his sympathy. Sakajato smiled sadly: "Again, I must admit that I only did it because of the remembrance of your father. To see how the son of a good friend hates him was more than I could stand."

"Please try to see the great man that he was before Oda destroyed the Asano clan, the life of your father and yours. If you would like, I can tell you more about him while we are on our way," Sakajato offered Gen.

Gen accepted this and with time, he learned a lot from Sakajato. Some things, he had already known but many things, he learned to see in a different light. It was really interesting to hear something about his own past. In course of the journey, Gen actually managed to make his peace with himself and to forgive his father.

An adviser and a bodyguard had left, as friends they came back. After a long time, Gen enjoyed his work again. The two almost became inseparable and where Sakajato went, Gen followed. This way, he met much more often with Lord Hirano and in a much more relaxed atmosphere. No guests of the lord would be around when they met to discuss something and often, Gen was able to have some words with the lord himself.

All could have been perfect if Sakajato had not changed to the worse over time. Gen began to worry about his friend but there never seemed to be a good moment to speak with him about this.

After another journey to Lord Noriyuki, on which they had discussed further, common projects of the two lords, Sakajato summoned Gen. The journey had been an utter success, Gen had seen Usagi again and together with Sakajato, they had drank to the future of their provinces.

Gen was determined to speak now, no matter if there would be a good moment or not. Near the end of the journey, Sakajato had almost stopped to speak with him at all.

But before he could say anything, Sakajato asked him to open a chest. Inside were a couple of big bags. Sakajato told him to open one. Inside was money. Gen guessed it to be around 800 or 1000 ryo all in all. Before he could ask what that meant, Sakajato went on with a silent voice.

"A life without honor is no life anymore. Your father did sacrifice his own life, his happiness, his family for what he thought honorable. I'm weak, though."

"But I can't live on, anymore. As a friend, I would like to ask you to grant me a last wish. Be my second(6)."

The pieces of the puzzle came together in Gens head. "You have been bribed," he suspected. Sakajato didn't answer.

Gens thoughts raced. He needed help but whom could he ask? If the lord learned what had happened, he would have to order Sakajato to commit seppuku and his honor would have been tarnished forever. "I accept," he said with a controlled voice, "but I must ask for one thing."

"What is it?" Sakajato asked forced.

"Not today and not tomorrow," Gen demanded.

Surprised, Sakajato blinked. He had expected that Gen would try to talk him out of this. Maybe even hoped for it. That Gen would agree so willingly was a bit unexpected but now, he couldn't back out anymore. "I accept. And not a word to anyone."

"That goes without saying," Gen promised reassuringly.

Relieved, his friend relaxed. It was almost like at the beginning of their friendship, again, after they had had their talk. The invisible shadow which had lain on Sakajatos soul had vanished and he was able to enjoy his last two days alive.

After Gen had left for the night, he went into his room and sat down to think. He had to think of something. Under no circumstances, he could just allow his friend to die like that. But what could he do?

Then it came to him. There was one person he could talk to! 'Why didn't this occur to me earlier! Surely, he will know what to do.' He wrote a short notice and called for a servant to deliver it first thing in the morning.

"It's of utmost importance, that he gets this letter," he stressed the importance of this to the servant. "If not, someone could die!" Shocked, the servant promised to see after it, personally.

The next day, Gen appeared at work as usual. Sakajato was still as relaxed as he hadn't been for a long time. Happily, he talked with Gen and Gen noticed that everyone was very relieved about this change in Sakajatos attitude. Lord Hirano also noticed but he just smiled when Gen looked at him and said nothing.

Gen, on the other hand, was pretty nervous because he hadn't received an answer, yet. In the afternoon, he was at the brink of going to find out where the servant was and to question him when a servant came running with a reply.

"Meet me in the garden where you waited for your first audience with Lord Hirano after sunset," it read. No name or seal. Relieved, Gen thanked the gods.

"A secret love?" Sakajato asked merrily.

"Even better!" Gen replied.

"Better?" Sakajato laughed.

"I will meet a very good friend that I missed for a long time," Gen was delighted.

"A friend? In the garden below the private chambers of the lord?" Sakajato asked innocently.

Gen froze. But when he thought about it, then the garden must really lie below the rooms of Lord Hirano. "They let me stew down there to watch me!" he said almost upset.

Sakajato laughed. "I will not comment. Is it Pau Tai?"

Gen shook his head. "According to Usagi, we will never see him again. Might be better this way."

Sakajato was about to try again but Gen waved him off. "You don't know him but you will like him, I'm sure."

So the rest of the day went by and the sun set. Gen and Sakajato were early.

"One more thing," Gen started, "some things which are going to happen tonight will look strange or odd," he explained while laying down his weapons near the entry of the garden. "Whenever you feel like it, just leave. No one will hold you back or think unhonorably of you if you do."

Astonished, Sakajato nodded to show that he had understood and Gen went on: "I would like to ask you to keep quiet in the beginning and let me talk."

Sakajato frowned but agreed. "Why did you leave your weapons at the entry?" he asked instead.

Gen shrugged. "No idea. It just seemed ... right. That's probably the most strange thing about all this. I will do many things tonight without being able to say why. Just that they are ... somehow ... right."

Now, Gen had made Sakajato really curious. Together, they waited. But then Lord Hirano and his wife entered the garden. 'They will surely want to have it for themselves,' Sakajato thought. Together, they rose. As it was proper, Sakajato bowed but Gen just stood there.

When the lord had reached them, Gen spoke: "Hello, Kan. I'm glad to meet you again."

Sakajato froze. 'What is Gen thinking he is doing?'

"Gen, I'm glad, too." Then they hugged like old friends. Sakajato looked up. Without doubt, that was Lord Hirano. 'What is going on here?' he wondered.

Then the lady and Gen greeted each other. She, too, addressed Gen with his surname and they also hugged. And it wasn't that Gen hugged her, she also returned the embrace!

"Kan, I would like to introduce a good friend of mine to you," Gen said and pointed at Sakajato. "This is Maro."

"Hello Maro," the lord greeted his adviser casually and as if he met him for the first time in his life, "I'm glad to meet a friend my son Gen."

"Son?" Sakajato gaped in astonishment.

Kan smiled and Gen laughed. "Kan is the father for me that I never had. He is the reason why I came at the court of Lord Hirano. And you," he said to Sakajato, "helped me to find the other father that I never had. For this, I'm most grateful."

The lord and his wife were dressed in plain, white robes, plain and inappropriate for their position. Still, they didn't seem to mind. Then Sakajato remembered. They had worn these robes when Pau Tai had brought them back after healing them. Sakajato got more confused by the minute.

"Come," the lord asked and lead them a way to a place where covers were spread on the ground.

Sakajato was about to speak to Gen who waved him off. "Just one advice: Whatever happens, just accept it as it is without ulterior motives and without thinking what it could mean. Just be here and now."

They sat down and Gen started: "I'm Gen. Only Gen. Today, I have no past, only the now. All that will be offered to me here and now, I will accept as the present that it is without ulterior motives and without judging or condemning it. All that is told me here and now will never leave this place. Here and now, I'm just Gen. I will help anyone who asks for my help as good as I can, without ulterior motives, without hoping for a reward or for any other personal boon."

As before, Kan and Kinuko repeated the promise with their own words. Then they waited for Maro and Maro decided to give it a try. 'What can I loose?' he thought. 'Tomorrow, it won't matter anyhow.'

"I'm Maro. Just Maro," he started and made his vow.

"Gen, are you sure we are able to do a positioning without the help of Sanshobo or Tai?" Kinuko asked a bit uneasy.

"Well, I just wanted to talk. But if I'm asked, I'm ready," Gen reassured her. "It's been such a long time since we last met and there is so much to talk about."

"How do you like it at the court of Lord Hirano?" Kinuko asked.

"I think, I was right to come here. It sure took me some time to find my place but right now, I'm happier than ever. I just wished," he said to Kan, "if I could meet you more often."

"Yes," Kan admitted, "I feel the same. If someone thinks of something, I'd like to hear it."

"Well, wouldn't it be possible that your Adviser Sakajato could stand in for you and you would make a journey? In my opinion, it would be better if you would talk directly to Lord Noriyuki instead using a courier all the time."

Maro liked the proposal. Unfortunately soon, he wouldn't be available for this and that was a pity. He felt how Kan suffered being confined to the castle by his duties. Maro moaned inwardly. He would have to decide between his duty and his honor. Could he even be so selfish to put his personal luck above that of his lord?

To distract himself from these desperate thoughts, he asked: "What is a positioning?"

"A way to heal," Gen answered, "but don't ask me how it works. I have no idea, whatsoever."

"Imagine to have a problem which puts a strong burden on you but which you cannot put into words," Kan asked him. That was an easy feat for Sakajato.

"A positioning does exactly this: It shows your problem to you. After you have seen it, what it is, the parts which make it up, then it is often evident how it works and how it can be solved."

"I do not understand," Maro admitted openly and felt the joy of being able to talk about something without having to worry about rank or background.

"Do you remember when you told me about my father?" Gen tried a different approach. Maro nodded. "You told me that you suspected that it was revenge which had driven him."

"That I knew already because Tai had done a positioning with me. I learned a lot about me and my father. No stories or words or something like that," he said thoughtfully, "more like ..."

"Aspects," Kinuko helped him.

"Exactly. Aspects of the problem. We were eight at that time," Gen explained.

"Really? Only the lord, his wife and Pau Tai were in the part of the castle which was sealed off."

"Only for a short time," Kan told him. "Pau brought us to a different place where the others were already waiting."

"Tomoe and Usagi were there, a priest called Sanshobo, the couple Keiko and Nero, I and someone called Jei. Strange girl. Supposedly a messenger from the gods and immortal."

"I've heard about him," Maro said, "allegedly, he killed Sakana-no-ashiyubi and 50 of his samurai alone(7)"

"Sounds like Jei," Gen said with a dry laugh. "Be it as it may, Jei impersonated the aspect of revenge to which my father did sacrifice everything. I could hate him and tell him all those things what I always wanted to get rid of my soul and that did help me."

"This way," Kan went on for Gen, "we all have been able to see one problem of us. We could see the aspects that make it up and understand it better. After that, the problem either didn't exist anymore or we at least knew what it is and how we might live with it."

"Unfortunately, we are not enough to pose any situation which is even a bit complex," Kinuko said regretfully.

"But surely, there is something important to talk about," Kan finished this topic. "You letter sounded very serious," he said to Gen.

"Yes," Gen replied and thought a moment where he should start. "I've been asked for a favor by someone whom I respect very much. I cannot reject the favor but I also don't like to grant it. I'm in a dilemma. On one side, I think I do understand the motives which are behind the wish but on the other side, I have the distinct feeling that something is wrong. Therefore, I ask for your advice."

"Can you tell us what kind of favor this is?" Kinuko asked.

"I was asked to assist him to commit seppuku."

"That's a great honor," Kan envied him.

"That it is," Gen said and meant it. "But I don't know what the exact reasons for the suicide are and that makes me suspicious."

"He didn't tell you?"

"No."

"That is in fact odd," Kinuko thought aloud. "On one hand, he puts so much trust in you that he offers you this honor and on the other side, he doesn't trust you enough to explain all the reasons for this decision."

Gen nodded. "What should I do now? I cannot refuse this honor but I don't know what else I could do. I just feel that there is something which I could do but I just can't think of what that might be."

"Can you tell us who offered you this honor?" Kan asked composed.

"No," Gen regretted.

And Maro saw his chance. Never, he would have been able to talk about this with the lady or the lord. But nothing they would talk about would leave this place. He could explain himself and leave another big burden behind.

"I did," he admitted openly.

"You want to commit suicide because you have been bribed by Lord Hikiji to betray your lord," Kan said.

Maros mouth fell open. "You ... know?" he asked unbelieving.

"Lord Hirano knows since a long time," Kan admitted calmly, "but," he added strongly, "I'm Kan and nobody else. If you want to talk to Lord Hirano, then you must leave this place and wait at his chambers. If I'm not mistaken, he will return to his rooms, soon."

"I see," Maro replied weakly. "Since when? Why?"

"I learned it shortly after Tai brought me back after healing us. My healing was that I could not put trust into anyone. I had to control everything and never, I could put a stop to suspecting betrayal in the actions of someone else."

"After the healing, Tai told me that I could trust Adviser Sakajato. So I did."

Maro laughed desperately. "A grave mistake."

"No," Kan contradicted, "that it wasn't."

Unbelieving, Maro stared at him.

"Let me explain." Kan sorted his thoughts.

"When we came back, we praised Adviser Sakajato for his work. Oddly, he didn't seem to be very happy about this. When I had recovered, I learned from a castle guard that a ninja might have been in the castle during the time when I had been away. It didn't take much to combine the two facts."

"So I thought, that Tai had in fact wanted to warn me about a traitor. The whole time, I had been looking for treachery but when it had finally happened, it came from an unexpected side. And thus I learned: It's impossible to prevent treason."

"That could have been the end of the story if there hadn't been something which nagged me. Tai hadn't warned be about the traitor but in fact asked me to trust him."

"That was odd. There are many rumors about Pau Tai and he does strange things but if he says something, he sticks to the truth."

"So he probably really wanted me to trust the traitor, strange as it may sound. And I'm sure that Tai knew that Adviser Sakajato had betrayed me. I decided to find out what Tai had tried to tell me and did as he had asked."

"And strange, the more I trusted, the more responsibility I did put into his hands, the more unhappy he became. This, I hadn't expected. It's my guess that my constant distrust against everyone and everything had lead to the treason of Adviser Sakajato. When I opened myself towards him, he saw his mistake and regretted it. But it had already been done and I worried for his life."

"Then Gen came, eagerly expected by me. I knew that you have been an old friend of his father and I hoped that you would befriend each other. Unfortunately, Gen almost ruined my plans by asking to become a member of my personal bodyguard. I let him fight against my best men in the slim hope to gain at least a little bit of control about where he would end up and he wiped the arena with my samurais."

"My hopes to safe the life of Adviser Sakajato had been thwarted. But he didn't take his life and I began to hope again. Maybe my prayers to the gods had been heard and they were giving me another chance. I took Gens character into account and made him do the most boring jobs which Major Terani could come up with."

"Then, the incident with the Ninja happened. I saw my chance and immediately took it. Gen was sent into your services and finally, you became friends."

Speechless, Gen and Maro had followed the explanations of Kan.

"You used me," Gen said finally in bewilderment.

"You planned all this," it came from Maro.

"Gen, I would never use you," Kan fought the notion off, "but Lord Hirano sometimes has no choice. I can decide freely but Lord Hirano cannot. But I can promise you that Lord Hirano will never abuse you for unhonorable reasons or for something which you wouldn't do on your own if you would know," Kan vowed.

"Thanks," Gen said, "that's all I wanted to hear."

"And yes, my wife and I hoped that it would end up like this. Without her, it wouldn't have happened," he said thankfully and Kinuko visibly enjoyed the open praise.

"I hope, you're not angry with me, Gen" she asked gently.

"How could I?" Gen laughed. "This was ingenious."

"Good," Kan called them to order again. "Maro, you can lie at me and betray me as you like but this one time, you must answer truthfully."

"Of course, Lor ... Kan," Maro vowed and met Kans open gaze.

"Did you betray me?"

Maro shook his head: "I received the money in advance. I guess that the ninja, who was killed by Gen, was sent to tell me what was expected from me."

"Hikiji payed the money in advance?"

"Yes," Maro replied honestly.

Kan looked at his wife. "Is it possible to have so much luck?" he asked laughing and she smirked.

Confused, Maro looked at Kan. Kan bared his teeth. "Do you have any idea what you did?"

"I betrayed you," Maro admitted.

"You only planned to," Kan corrected.

"Where is the difference?"

"The difference is that I do not behead my men if they made a mistake and realized it. But that's not the main point. You have put a weapon in my hands!"

Maro didn't understand that but Gen did: "If Hikiji wouldn't trust you, that untrusting old dog would never have sent you the money in advance, now wouldn't he?"

"Exactly," Kan confirmed Gens thoughts, "and I plan to take full advantage of this!"

"As Lord Hirano, I order you, Adviser Sakajato, to betray me!"

"But ... but ...," Maro stammered weakly.

"Don't you see? Hikiji trusts you! You will tell him everything he wants to know and then give me a report! This way, I can always be a step ahead of him, because I will know what he knows!"

"You want me to lie to him!" Maro realized.

"No!" Kan contradicted. "He would find out eventually! Tell him the truth and then tell me what you said!"

"See, it's actually pretty simple. Next month, I will travel to meet with Lord Noriyuki. I will plan to take, say, 20 men with me. You will report that to Hikiji. He will plan for an ambush. On the morning of the departure, I will decide that this is a wonderful day and my men need some exercise and depart with 120 men. Hikiji will not be able to change his plans that quickly."

"Since I know which information he gets, I can plan ahead. I will always be a step ahead and hopefully, it will take him a long time to figure out how I do it. You will turn out to be a trustworthy information about me and even if Hikiji should have another spy, all he will be able to report is that you tell the truth."

"This is invaluable for me and I ask you to do this for me."

Kan grinned diabolically. "Time has come to relieve Hikiji of some of his murderers," he promised.

When Lord Hirano and his wife were on their way to Lord Noriyuki, there was an unimportant incident. Rumors had it that Lord Hirano had been laughing aloud while helping his men to fend off the attackers.

Farewell

20 years have passed since their marriage and Usagi still loved his wife as much as he had the first day. The few wrinkles only made her face more beautiful. But now, her age was something that worried him.

Wet from the fever, she lay in their bed. Two healers from Lord Noriyuki himself were examining her. Quietly, they talked to each other. Usagi didn't know much about their art but the longer the examination took, the more his hopes diminished.

Three days later, she did her last breath without gaining consciousness again.

Her death took a heavy burden from Usagi since his secret would now be safe from her. He called everyone and broke them the sad news.

Grief filled the Shiroi Usagi Dojo. The teachers and pupils sneaked through the corridors and sometimes, it was as if the whole building had been deserted.

Couriers were being sent to Lord Noriyuki and Tomoes family. Her body was burned and almost 80 guest attended the funeral.

The priest conducted the proper rituals but all who had known this great woman felt this incredible pain that she was gone.

Especially her many children showed their mourning openly. With tears in his eyes, Usagi remembered how Tomoe had thrown him out of their double bed after the eighth child had been born but she had done it laughing. Involuntarily, he had to smile. He had been so happy, it was almost impossible to be sad today.

And so he remembered what he had learned at the grave of his teacher Katsuichi. When the mourners were about to go back into the city, he called them back.

Since they were too many to sit around the grave, they went a short distance to a meadow and made themselves comfortable there. As good as he could, Usagi tried to remember the story of the river which Pau had told them. Master Waytiki did astonish him once more, when he was able to retell it word by word. Composed, Waytiki repeated Paus words.

Very soon, Usagi was able to say farewell to Tomoe. He turned to her grave and said with a sound voice: "Tomoe, I thank you for all those happy hours which I could share with you. For the life that you shared with me. Thank you."

He bowed and the sorrow was slowly replaced by thankfulness. Quietly, he rose and sat down at a distance to wait until the others were ready. Master Waytiki followed him shortly with his wife Keiko.

One after the other, they came, the pupils, the teachers, the relatives, Lord Noriyuki. Only some of their children couldn't let go. Usagi felt with them; Tomoe had cared greatly for them.

Eventually, Nara came over and demanded what Usagi had feared. "Call Pau Tai!" he cried.

When Usagi didn't move, Nara threw himself at his feet. "Please! Call him so he brings her back!" his son pleaded.

"No," Usagi said full of sympathy.

"Why not?" Nara cried, "Don't you love her anymore?"

Some mourners gave a sharp breath at this incredible insult but Usagi didn't mind. No sorrow dazed his senses and he could see the pain of his son as if it was his own but there was nothing he could do.

"You see the city?" he asked instead. His son didn't reply.

"Thousands of people live there and many have lost someone who meant as much for them as your mother means to both of us."

"How can we ask them to live with their pain if we refuse to do it?"

"Did they have to endure Pau Tai?" Nara replied stubbornly.

"No, they didn't. But there is another reason. Pau Tai cannot call someone back if that someone doesn't agree."

"Why shouldn't she want to come back?"

"Could you live with the disappointment if Pau Tai told you that she doesn't?"

"If you asked it from him, he would still do it!"

Usagi sighed. 'Why doesn't he understand?' "I cannot," he answered. "I'm not willing to pay the price."

"Because you don't love her anymore!" Nara yelled at him and began to hurl abuse at his father, to imply that he had done things which made the other mourners pale. Usagi who felt the pain below all that hatred, bore everything with compassion.

But the refusal of the others was too much for Nara. Eventually, he turned and ran away, towards the city. Muted, Usagi just sat there; he had failed.

The other comforted him but Usagi was still uneasy. When they got back to his school, Nara was gone with some food and some personal belongings. Usagi realized he had to go after him to save whatever he could.

As he had planned, he passed the school into the hands of Master Waytiki and Keiko who were both ready and willing to accept this responsibility from him. With them, Usagi knew his school was in the best of hands. When he had everything else, he went to the chest which Pau had left behind to get some money for the journey.

But like many of the thieves who had tried it, he couldn't open it anymore. Laughing, he called Waytiki and asked him to open the chest. Confused, Waytiki did as he was asked. Without any problems, he opened the chest and looked at all the money in it.

"Is that where all the money for the school comes from?" he asked astonished.

Usagi nodded. "Only the head of the school and his wife can open it and believe me," he laughed at Waytikis look, "many have tried! Will you give me some?"

"Of course. How much? And why don't you just take it?"

"I'd rather not be the one who finds out if Pau Tai has installed more little jokes. 150 ryo should be more than enough."

"Here," Waytiki passed the requested sum of money. What will you do now?

"I will get Nara back," Usagi promised.

"And if he refuses?"

Usagi didn't reply.

After three weeks, Usagi had caught up with Nara. Unlike him, Nara was not used to spend long periods outside of the cities and survive alone. Usagi had spent countless years as masterless ronin and he knew his way around in the wild. Nara had been brought up in a large city and had never shown great interest in anything when they had traveled somewhere.

That was now to Usagis advantage and also what Pau had done with him. What he hadn't been able to tell even his wife.

Still, Nara had been a good pupil. Effortlessly, he had killed the eight bandits who had expected an easy prey. And yet, Usagi was sad. Three of them had surrendered but Nara had killed without mercy.

After Nara had cleaned his sword and put it away again, he did spit onto the dead and laughed. Then he noticed Usagi sitting on the border of the path and froze. "What do you want?"

"I've come to get you back," Usagi replied calmly.

Nara laughed at him. "You old bastard! Get me back! I will kill you as easily as those idiots here!"

If Usagi was surprised at his outbreak, he didn't show. His face didn't gave his emotions away.

Nara drew his sword and dropped the scabbard thoughtlessly. With a battle-cry on his lips, he attacked.

Mercilessly, he attacked his father. Usagi had to pull every trick he knew to survive the first moments of the fight.

Nara just grinned. "Impressive," he mocked, "for someone as old as you, you fight amazingly well."

Usagi didn't reply. The time for words was over. Only by shear luck, he survived the next round of attacks. 'Or because he's just toying with me,' Usagi thought with growing uneasiness.

Bleeding from a few minor cuts, Usagi still stood and his breathing was obvious now but not yet going hard. He had to think of something and quick.

"Ah, have you finally decided to make use of your brains, haven't you?" Nara mocked him. "Maybe that bastard of a son is better than expected?"

'Something is wrong but what?'

Nara told him: "I've mastered the fighting style of Tai Chi! How about a taste?"

Naras outline became a blur for Usagi. Helpless, he tried to counter the attacks but as Heroito, he couldn't do anything anymore.

Nara laughed and Usagi stood naked in a heap that had been his clothes only moments before.

"What do you say?" Nara laughed cynically. "And you probably thought that I was caring about mother when I made that scene at the grave. Hah! I just wanted to know if you would call Pau Tai. He would be the only one to stop me. How about a good shear?" he tried to humiliate Usagi and blurred into another attack.

This time, Usagi was better prepared. He let go and found himself once more in this strange, distant state which was the fighting style of the Tai Chi. But he had to end this quick. Staying too long in this state would kill him as surely as Naras blades.

Motionless, he stood and let Nara commence with his attack who now seemed to move with his normal speed again. This way, he created the illusion for Nara that he was still helpless. Then he was where Usagi wanted him to be and as fast as he could, he hit the broad side of Naras sword.

As he had hoped, Pau did save his life once again. His Katana, which had been treated in a very special way, did cut deeply into the blade of his son. With a metallic ping, it broke into two pieces.

But Nara was far from thinking to surrender. With the almost useless rest of the blade, he fended off his fathers attacks until he had drawn his wakizashi. A part of Usagi admired his excellent technique but only to find its weakness.

Nevertheless, time slipped like sand through his fingers. Soon, his body would not be able to stand the burden and he would die again. And Nara would be able to cut a trail of blood through the land.

There, a chance. Immediately, Usagi took it. Too late, he realized the feint, saw the wakizashi coming, impossible to avoid. But the trick didn't safe Nara, either, and Usagis katana bit deeply into the left shoulder of his son. Still, Nara would be able to push his wakizashi into his heart. They would die together.

But Usagi had achieved his goal. He let go of the Tai Chi and blacked out.

He woke up in a bed. Again, the pain surged through him but it only told him he was still alive. Only this time, it wasn't Pau or Tomoe at his side but his daughter Himesama.

The pain was surprisingly bearable and he smelled a strange odor. Himesama took his head and made him drink a nasty tasting brew. He asked himself what it was.

Wordlessly, his daughter began to massage him with some kind of ointment. The strange odor came from that ointment.

"This is a slave which a healer has composed for Nara and me," she explained without invitation, "something like that is being used for pulled muscles but this one is much stronger."

Motionless, Usagi listened to his daughter. She told him that they had been fascinated by the Tai Chi fighting style from her earliest childhood. Secretly, they had trained and experimented and had really come up with a style of their own. Tried salves and drinks until they had found something which allowed them to go into this state and come back and still being able to apply the ointments.

"Unfortunately, it seems that at some time, Naras soul got lost. He was always the better of us two but he was also obsessed. I don't know why but he was like that for a long time. What had happened on the funeral had been boiling for years."

Usagi closed his eyes and fell asleep again.

On the next morning, he was quite well. He could rise and even walk around if only a small distance. His swords lay ready to take. The daisho of his daughter next to them. She sat near the window, her back to him.

"I'm afraid," she admitted quietly. "What if I make the same mistake as Nara?"

Defenselessly, she offered herself to him, left the decision to him.

Slowly, Usagi went over to her, stopped next to the window and looked over the harbor of the city in which she had brought him. "As long as you fear it, you're safe," he promised calmly and hugged her.

Together, they mourned the lost son.

Later, Himesama reported to him what had happened. Since she had known what Nara was capable of, she had followed Usagi secretly. When Nara had been about to plunge his Wakizashi into Usagis heart, she had intervened and stopped it. Since she had only been for a few moments in the state of the Tai Chi, she hadn't had any trouble to get Usagi here. Nara had had a large supply of the necessary salves on him and she, too, and so she had been able to care for Usagi.

Usagi had to bathe three times until the stench of the salve had finally left his fur. He joked that they should have found something that didn't smell that bad but she didn't laugh.

"This was the worst thing that I ever had to do in my whole life," Usagi finally admitted.

"I'm most sorry, father. We have failed your trust," she replied in distress. How much she remembered him of Tomoe.

Muted, they ate lunch together and then wandered aimlessly through the city. Eventually, they ended up in the harbor. Massive, one of the black ships of the strangers Usagi had heard about, rose above the other boats in the port.

"They call themselves Englishmen," his daughter told him. "They come from an island on the other side of the world."

In silence, they looked at the big ship.

"Will I see you again?" she asked.

"Go back to the school," Usagi replied. "If I do return then I will visit my school."

"Father."

"My daughter. You have put a strong burden on your shoulders but I hope it is one you will not find too heavy," he smiled to her and then went off to see the captain of the ship.

Himesama followed him with her gaze until he was swallowed by the crowd. Then, she was on her way back to the school. Master Waytiki would be relieved to learn that Nara was dead. And horrified by the circumstances.

Search

In the port, Usagi was told that the captain was guest of the magistrate of the city. When he learned the name of the magistrate, he smiled. That would be much more simple than he had thought.

Arriving at the house of the magistrate, he asked for an audience in a family matter. After a very short time, he was allowed in.

"Usagi!" Jotaro greeted his father with delight. "What brings you here?"

It was good to see that Jotaro had found his place. He always had been good in handling the sword but even better with people. Quickly, he had made his way up in the hierarchy and now he was magistrate of the big port of Fukuyama in the north of the Geishu province.

"Unfortunately, nothing good," Usagi admitted quietly. "Tomoe died."

"That's really very sad news," Jotaro said full of empathy, "she was such a great woman. The school will be a different one without her."

"Waytiki now leads the school," Usagi told him.

"Good old Waytiki. That's good to hear and of course, that means that you are free again to roam the country," Jotaro smiled and Usagi had to laugh.

Then Jotaro became serious again. "Do you already know what happened to Nara?"

Usagi nodded: "He died by my own hand."

Surprised, Jotaro blinked: "What happened?"

Usagi gave a short report.

"I expected as much," Jotaro admitted, "when his corpse was found a few days ago. There are only few people in the land who own a sword that could cut a katana of the quality which was found next to Nara."

"But," Jotaro guessed, "that's not why you are here."

Instead of a reply, Usagi looked at the ship in the harbor which could be seen easily through the window of Jotaros room. Jotaro didn't follow his gaze.

"Come," he invited his master, "I would like to introduce someone to you. His name is Blackthorn(8)."

Usagi liked the strange man from the first moment. He remembered him of Pau Tai. As Pau, he often forgot to pay the proper respect.

Blackthorn himself turned out to be incredibly curious and eager to learn. He pestered Usagi with questions. Usagi answered as good as he could but sometimes, Blackthorn just didn't seem to understand. His knowledge of the Japanese language was limited and he spoke with a strong accent.

Blackthorn invited Usagi to come with him and Usagi accepted with pleasure. They said farewell to Jotaro and sailed north, for Edo. The sailors avoided Usagi in the beginning but because of his friendly, helpful self, they quickly opened up. And he began to pester Blackthorn with questions in return. This way, he learned many things about England, where Blackthorn had been born.

Like Japan, it was an island but not that far away from the continent. Other than Japan, they had a large fleet, traveled all known parts of the world and made business almost everywhere. He learned that there were other nations as well, who did the same and who were the enemies of the Englishmen. Blackthorn had met with people from a land called Portugal who seemed to deliver weapons to someone in Japan.

Usagi could readily imagine to whom. After a few weeks on board and in Edo together with Blackthorn, his English was almost better than Blackthorns Japanese. In the end, Usagi became translator and yojimbo(9) of Blackthorn. As payment, Blackthorn promised him to take him along when they would return to England.

This way, Usagi came to Europe where he was a big sensation. The aristocracy had heard about this strange land called Japan but to see a living Japanese was something special. The mighty and the rich overwhelmed him with invitations. Together with Blackthorn, he traveled many parts of Europe.

Unfortunately, this didn't turn out to be as nice as Usagi had hoped. Sure, he met many interesting people and learned about exotic lands and customs. But in the end, the people here were as stupid, short-sighted and only after their short-range advantages. This wasn't what Usagi had been looking for.

He realized that he was ready. He had fulfilled the third task that Pau had given him. He was ready to leave everything behind and come with him.

"I will leave you, soon," he told Blackthorn one evening.

Blackthorn was surprised to hear that. "Where are you going to?"

Usagi smiled. "I don't know exactly but I guess it will be far away."

"Back to Japan?"

Usagi smirked. 'Should I tell him that I've already been on the moon? Better not.'

"No," he said smiling. "Come, I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine."

On horseback, they rode into a small forest of the country estate of Blackthorn on which Usagi was living. In a clearing, Usagi passed the reins to Blackthorn and sat down in the middle to call Pau.

And Pau ...

... didn't show up.

After a while, Usagi gave up. 'What's wrong?' he wondered. Last time, Pau had shown up instantly but then, he had been nearby. Still, Usagi was convinced that he hadn't made a mistake. Pau had said that they would meet again if he wished. Maybe he would just have to be more patient.

Blackthorn was about to ask his friend what this was all about when his mouth fell open. Full of triumph, Usagi turned just to stop in surprise, too. That wasn't Pau Tai.

A completely alien life-form was sitting in a humble posture on the ground of the clearing. It was a lizard. Usagi guessed it was a little bit less tall than himself but with broader shoulders. Much too many fingers lay in the grass and the lizards seemed to be completely naked except for a silver ring around its neck. Still, it didn't seem to be cold despite the low temperatures.

"Hello," Usagi said in Japanese, "who are you?"

"Pau Tai wants to let you know that he's unfortunately not available at the moment," the lizard replied in perfect Japanese and without looking up.

After a small pause, the stranger asked: "He asked me to ask you if you have made a decision?"

"I have," Usagi replied with certainty.

"Who is that?" Blackthorn hissed.

Usagi turned towards him. "I guess this is a friend or adviser of Pau Tai."

"And Pau Tai is who?"

"A god," Usagi simply replied.

Blackthorn laughed as if Usagi had made a joke. "You're serious," he recognized.

Usagi nodded. "He has offered me to become his pupil."

"Hm," Blackthorn made, "I guess that's something you could hardly resist."

Usagi laughed quietly. "I did," he contradicted, "for almost 20 years but you are also right, my resistance is exhausted."

"20 years," Blackthorn was astonished and remarked: "almost your whole life."

Usagi laughed out loud: "What do you guess how old I am?"

Blackthorn blinked in surprise. "Well, around thirty maybe thirty-five, I would guess."

"I'll soon by 54," Usagi replied calmly.

"What?"

"Since Pau Tai got his hands on me, I don't get any older anymore," Usagi explained to his friend.

"He made you immortal?" Blackthorn asked unbelieving.

Usagi shrugged. "Who knows? He showed me my limits, through him, I could experience the best and the darkest hours of my life."

Blackthorn dismounted, took the reins in one hand and offered the other to his friend. Usagi took it. "Will we meet again?" the captain asked.

Usagi shook his head. "I don't think so. Maybe but most probably everyone I know will be dead when I return the next time," he guessed. "Pau plans in milleniae. As his pupil, I will probably do the same, soon."

"In that case, I wish you best of luck," Blackthorn wished to him.

"Thank you. The same to you," Usagi answered and stepped next to the nameless stranger who hadn't moved, yet.

"I'm ready, now," he said.

"Have you decided to become a pupil of Pau Tai with all the consequences which come with this decision?"

"I have."

"Then I bid you his welcome, Miyamoto Usagi," the stranger said and the forest vanished and was replaced by a large, empty hall.

Tep

Usagi mused with what story Blackthorn would come up to explain his disappearance but he was sure he needn't worry. "Where are we?" he asked instead.

"You are in the residence of Pau Tai on board of the TAURUS, master." The stranger still hadn't risen from his humble posture. Usagi asked himself if this posture was simply normal behavior for him.

"You know my name but you haven't told me yours, yet," he tried to return to safe grounds.

"I will be named whatever you choose to call me, master."

The conversation didn't go well but Usagi had no idea why. "How did Pau usually call you?"

"He called me Tep, master."

"Well, Tep is it, then. And what exactly are you?"

Usagi thought he was used to many things and the experience of the years had made him composed but the answer still made him stagger.

"I'm a slave of Pau Tai, master."

It took Usagi a few moments to recover from that. "Pau Tai owns slaves?" he asked uneasy.

"Yes, master."

"How many?"

"Twelve, master."

Usagi found that disgusting but he decided to put this issue back until he had a chance to speak with Pau Tai about this when he would come back. But there was something he had to do immediately.

"Please stand up," he asked. At once, Tep stood but his gaze was still lowered.

As Usagi had guessed, Tep wasn't wearing any clothes. His skin was of a dark gray and softly scaled. On his chest was a complicated pattern of many small, colorful scales.

'Why doesn't he wear any clothes?' Usagi asked himself uncomfortably. The public humiliation of the slave was almost unbearable.

"I would like you to wear clothes," Usagi asked the slave.

"Of course, master," Tep answered humbly.

"Right now," Usagi ordered when Tep didn't move.

Immediately, Tep went to carry out the order of his master. When he was gone, Usagi heaved a breath. The servility of the slave caused him more trouble than he was willing to admit. When talking to him, Usagi always feared to say something wrong.

'I will never burden myself with the enormous responsibility for a slave,' Usagi swore to himself. 'Maybe I should ask him to avoid me?'

Surely, Tep would have fulfilled his wish but Usagi was now a pupil of Pau Tai who probably had had something in mind by sending Tep to him. Therefore, he wouldn't turn away the slave but bear him as good as he could.

A short time later, Tep came back neatly dressed. This way, Usagi liked him much more than before and Tep also seemed to be much more at ease. Usagi was pleased to see that the slave liked it to be allowed to wear clothes again and Tep beamed all over his face.

"Why is this hall empty?"

"This is your space, master. It is empty so you can fill it as you like."

Together with Tep, Usagi made himself comfortable. They erected a three story building in Japanese style by just telling the room what they wanted. Moving images on the walls of the hall created the illusion of spaciousness.

Tired, Usagi went to bed later. Working with Tep had been a pleasure; the slave seemed to enjoy to please Usagi. He was cautious but always eager to render a service for his master. He had helped Usagi a lot to choose nice colors for the furniture and to arrange it in the rooms, a talent which Usagi had already admired on Tomoe.

When Usagi put himself to bed, Tep offered a massage but Usagi refused with thanks. He was just too tired. Smiling, Tep wished Usagi a relaxing sleep. Happily, Usagi thanked him and Tep beamed once more.

As soon as he laid down his head, he was asleep. When he woke up the next morning, he felt better than he had for a long time. No, actually better than ever. He felt as if he had been reborn. Astonished, Usagi listened to what his body told him.

Somehow, Tep must have realized that he was awake because he suddenly stood next to the bed as if by magic.

"Good morning, master," he greeted Usagi humbly and smiling.

Usagi smiled back. "Good morning, Tep," he replied happily and Tep beamed.

Then something nagged at him. "Where have you spent the night, Tep?"

"At your feet, master," came the reply after a tiny delay but his smile didn't falter.

'So I heard right.' Tep had risen silently and had gone around the bed but the trained senses of Usagi had still been able to make out the quiet rustling of his clothes.

"You spent the whole night on the ground?" Usagi asked horrified and the smile in Teps face was gone in an instant.

"Have I erred, master?" Tep asked.

'Desperate? Heavens,' Usagi thought horrified, 'what have they done to this poor being? How can one torment a soul that much that it is actually ashamed not to do something humiliating?'

Carefully, Usagi erased his thoughts from his face. "No," he lied, "it just took me by surprise."

Tep smiled carefully but Usagi had the distinct feeling that Teps smile was as false as his own expression.

"Would you like me to massage you now, master?" Tep offered and Usagi was happy about the change of topic. That would buy him time to think and he accepted gladly. Tep smiled again. Usagi had to control his face once more not to give away what he was thinking.

Tep asked Usagi to turn on his belly and started skilfully to massage him. To his surprise, Usagi didn't feel any pain, his whole back already seemed to be completely relaxed. No trace of those painful knots in his muscles he was used to. He could completely unwind and enjoy the feeling of Teps hands.

'What now?' he asked himself. To talk to Tep would probably not help. As he judged Teps character, Tep would cut off his own feet, create a delicious meal and eat them if Usagi asked him to do it. He had to talk to somebody else. 'But who?'

"Do you know when Pau Tai will return?" he asked Tep.

"Unfortunately not, master," came the reply with real regret in the voice. 'Does Tep regret that Pau will not return soon or that he can't answer the question?'

"Are any other pupils of Pau Tai around?"

"Yes, one, master. His name is Käl(10)."

'Good,' Usagi thought relieved, 'now, all I can hope for is that he is available.'

"I would like to meet with Käl," Usagi said. "Is that possible?"

"Käl would be pleased to meet you, master," came the reply without hesitation.

That took Usagi a bit by surprise but surely, Käl was as anxious to meet with him as he was. "When would he be available?"

"How about having breakfast with him?" Tep proposed. Usagi liked the idea and Tep told him that Käl would be there.

"How do you do that?" Usagi asked. "How can you talk to Käl without saying a word?"

"To be able to serve my master better, I have received an implant which allows me to talk to the station or other people silently, master," Tep immediately replied.

'Magic is probably nothing unusual around here,' Usagi thought amusedly and registered without big surprise that he didn't feel his body weight anymore. Unlike any other massage he had ever had, his weight didn't make it difficult for him to breathe. He blinked and saw why he could breathe easily: he was floating above the bed by a few sun(11).

After this relief, Tep helped him in his new clothes and they went to the common room for breakfast and to meet with Käl.

When they entered the room, a gong rang and Tep told Usagi that Käl was waiting outside.

"Please, see him in," Usagi asked.

The outer door opened and Usagi began to realize why Tep had proposed to make the rooms much higher that usual. Käl was a giant, probably twice as tall and wide as Usagi. Like a moving mountain, he rose before the rabbit.

The next fact that Usagi registered was the strong smell of Käl. While Käl bowed as Usagi would have expected from someone from Japan, Usagi quickly suppressed an impertinent thought that Käl probably didn't pay much attention to washing himself.

Like Tep, Käl was a lizard but he was a warrior. He wore a simple, practical armor and no weapons except for something that someone of his size probably used as a short dagger or even knife. His legs were as wide as Usagi head and he could probably run very fast and jump over a great distance. His feet were bare and three toes with long claws scraped over the ground.

Käl held his balance with an almost delicate tail which he carefully held away from the ground. His legs were not armored but the tail was. A silver cap was fastened to the tip but without any spikes that Usagi had expected.

Enormous muscles moved below the skin and the teeth of Käl were as impressive as Pau had told them to be. A long row of finger-long, pointed fangs in the upper and lower jaw held few happy prospects for his prey. Two intelligent eyes, wide on sides of his head gave him a good view in all directions. The head itself was flat and two big nostrils were located directly above the upper lip.

His scales were relatively large and the colors were gray, brown and green which probably resulted in a very good camouflage in the wilderness.

His Japanese was flawless when he spoke the usual greeting words and Usagi gave a polite answer. They bowed before each other and then went to the place where invisible ghosts had prepared their meal.

Käl sat down directly on the ground by putting his feet far apart and then lowering himself between his leg. His behind didn't touch the ground and he still held his tail away from the floor. In this posture, he seemed to Usagi to be even more ready to strike a sudden attack than before. Like the string of a bow, he sat there, ready to jump and pounce on his enemies.

Someone had installed a platform for Usagi so he could look into Käls face without having to look up.

Tep served them. He poured a frothing liquid in something which Usagi would have used as bucket and made tea for Usagi. Usagis breakfast floated on a tablet next to him in the middle of the air while Käl had a covered tub in front of him. Some way off, a large white towel lay on the ground.

Usagi wished his guest to enjoy his meal and started to eat. Tep removed the cover from Käls tub and inside, a quite large animal with brown fur was lying. Usagi could not make out any signs of preparations on it. It looked as if it had been caught, killed and then simply dropped into the tub.

A short time later, Usagi had to correct himself when the animal made a desperate jump from the tub and tried to escape. With a quick movement, Käl had it by the neck and an effortless press of his thumb snapped its neck.

His own meal was stuck in Usagis throat when Käl did dig his fangs into the cute body and he could hear bones shatter, could see blood flow along Käls lips, dripping into the tub. Now and then, Käl cleaned his lips a bit with a long, skilled tongue and poured some of the brew into his open mouth.

It seemed that Käl's tongue wasn't able to move the food into his throat. Instead, he leaned his head back and swallowed the large chunks.

Since Usagi had fought on some battlefields and therefore was used to see blood and death, he was able to keep on eating but he had to struggle. 'How had Blackthorn always said? Other countries, other customs.'

When he had completely ripped the animal apart and swallowed the pieces, Käl drank the blood that had dripped into the tub and cleaned himself with the towel. Usagi decided that he should stop wondering about the smell of Käl. 'If he always eats like that, I should wonder instead why his smell isn't worse!'

After the breakfast which they had eaten in silence, for which Usagi thanked the gods, Käl asked the slave to leave them. Humbly, Tep collected the remains and the dishes and left.

"Welcome, Usagi," Käl greeted him dryly, "to hell."

Usagi stared at him. "Does that mean we will eat together from now on?"

Käl laughed out loud. "Sorry, I just wanted to find out how tolerant you actually are." He bared his fangs which probably was some kind of smile.

"I didn't enjoy it," Usagi said calmly.

Käl calmed down quickly. His eyes became absent and he started to poke in his nose with his tongue. Uneasy, Usagi stared at something else so he wouldn't have to notice if it came back with something it might have found.

Eventually, Käl rose, came closer and sat down again directly in front of Usagi. He held out an open hand and asked Usagi to allow him to touch Usagis arm. "I want to show you something," he explained.

Hesitantly, Usagi did as he was asked. Käl slipped his sleeve up the arm a bit and then began to stroke Usagis fur the wrong way until it stood on end. When he was satisfied, he stopped and asked Usagi if he had liked that.

"No," Usagi replied who felt very uncomfortable. But it would be bad to start an argument with Käl this soon. Surely, they would spend a long time together.

"You see, if I would act on the assumption that your skin is like mine, I would be astonished because with my skin, this isn't possible. You can restore your fur now, if you want."

"For how long is Tep wearing clothes?" Käl asked out of the blue.

Usagi stopped for a moment. "Since I arrived yesterday. Why?" he asked suspiciously.

"Why does he wear clothes?"

"It is humiliating for him to have to run around naked!" Usagi defended the poor slave.

Käl shook his head. "No, it's humiliating for you. You simply take this for granted because it would be humiliating for you but you have neither asked him nor yourself how he feels about this."

"Usagi," Käl pleaded, "Tep is not human."

"I know," Usagi replied bitterly, "he is just a slave."

Käl thought about this. "That's not what I said. We have to tread carefully here because I do not actually speak your language. The hidden technology of the station just creates the impression that I do but I know as many words from your language as you know from mine. Therefore, misunderstandings are very likely especially when it comes to complex issues like the one I'm trying to explain to you."

Käl crossed his claws before his chest. "Am I human?"

"Of course," Usagi said.

"Like you?"

"Certainly."

"Maybe I should ask Tep to serve another T'sha. Then you can show me if you can eat it as I do."

"I'm not referring to the spiritual aspect of being human. I'm talking about having a human body. My body is very different from yours. While you eat your tasteless and little nourishing rice balls, I have different needs. My skin asks for bones, my muscles demand meat and blood. You don't have the same needs that I have and therefore, you are not human in the same way as I am. And the same applies to Tep."

"You are trying to tell me that it was wrong to allow him to wear clothes?" Usagi asked unbelievingly.

"Not quite. I would like to ask you to hear me out until we are both sure that you have really understood what I'm trying to tell you. Otherwise, you could involuntarily make things even worse than they already are. Can you promise this to me?"

Hesitantly, Usagi nodded but Käl wasn't satisfied with that,

"I would like to have your word of honor!" he demanded.

Aghast, Usagi looked at the pupil. 'He demands what?'

"Believe me, this is more important than you could possibly imagine right now!" Käl beseeched him.

Usagi didn't like it one bit but he realized that Käl was in fact serious about this. "I swear on my honor that I will only talk to Tep when I'm sure that I have completely understood what you are trying to tell me."

Käl still wasn't happy. "That's not what I asked for," he mumbled and his tongue was once more busy in his nose.

Usagi cleared his throat. "Would you please stop that?" he asked Käl.

"Stop what?"

"Drilling in your nose with your tongue."

Käl stared at him. "What do you do when you think?"

To this, Usagi could not readily answer. "Well, nothing or sometimes I scratch my head," he replied.

Käl made a disparaging sound. "Little wonder little comes from it, then," he said but not completely serious.

"Look," he went on. A picture of an eye with many tentacles appeared in mid-air. "This is a being for which it is very hard to make conversation with you when you blink."

"For you, it's important to blink because your eyes dry up if you don't. For this being, closing the eye means that the conversation has ended. If you wet your eyes every few moments, you are irritating it greatly because each time it has to find out if you actually want to end the conversation or not."

"In your culture, problems like these are nonexistent because even if you all look different, you think along the same lines. Here, you can run into beings who look incredibly familiar but who think in a completely different way. Until you know better, you should always start out from the idea that what you see and what you think that it could mean, are two completely different things."

"Good," Usagi accepted, "but what about Tep?"

"What do you think about slavery?"

"I despise it," Usagi openly admitted.

"Slave traders?"

"Monsters who must be stopped."

"Slaves?"

"Poor creatures who need our help."

"Slave owners?"

Usagi hesitated. That group included Pau. "I have a hard time to trust these people," he finally answered carefully.

Käl thought about this but without drilling in his nose.

"You noticed?"

"Noticed what?"

"That I didn't drill in my nose anymore?"

"Yes."

"Good. The reason why I stopped it was that I want you to concentrate on my words instead of wasting your energies on keeping your disgust in check."

"I've read that you once served someone?"

"Lord Mifune," Usagi nodded.

"Your life and death was his decision?"

"Yes," Usagi replied proud.

"So you were his slave," Käl concluded mercilessly.

"What? What makes you think so?" Usagi rejected the very idea.

"What's the difference between a slave and you? Have you been able to decide freely over your life? If he asked some service from you, could you simply reject it?"

"Of course not," Usagi replied, "I was bound by honor."

"So what's the difference then?"

"I surrendered my freedom willingly," Usagi told him.

"I see," said Käl probably content to have clarified this point.

"I've also read that you knew a geisha called Maple," Käl went on.

"Read?" Usagi asked.

"Pau Tai has created extensive dossiers about you which I have studied carefully," Käl admitted, "but I would prefer to stick to one thing at a time."

Usagi made a face but accepted. "Yes, I knew Maple-San."

"What is a geisha?"

"A companion, who tries to fulfill all needs of the man she accompanies," Usagi tried to summarize.

"In other words a whore?"

"No, she is just a companion who should entertain the man she accompanies. She has to be intelligent, beautiful and wise, her manners must be flawless, she must be able to make good conversation, have a pleasant nature so one enjoys her presence," Usagi corrected.

"Yes," Käl said, "I understood that in a similar way."

"Since the dawn of intelligent life, there has been slavery. The reasons why it exists are so manifold as there are beings you can meet. Some are enslaved because someone has an advantage and some are like geishas."

"You want to tell me that Tep has become a slave on his own free will?" Usagi asked unbelievingly.

"Teps most important goal is to please his master. When you gave him clothes, he was happy, wasn't he? But he wasn't happy about the clothes as such but he was happy that you were happy."

"That in itself is not a problem but you have only looked for your own best interests and your own feelings in this matter. It didn't matter to you what it might mean for Tep. It was uncomfortable for you to see him naked, therefore, you ordered him to wear clothes."

"And since Tep is Tep, he was happy when you were happy. He wasn't happy about the clothes but that you liked it when he wore them."

Thoughtfully, Usagi nodded. "He would eat his own foot if that would make me happy."

"Precisely," Käl agreed with him and seemed to be relieved, at least to Usagi.

"And with that, we're coming closer to the problem. If I told you what you have done, you would immediately call for him and order him to remove the clothes. He would know that you only ask him for this because he is unable to fulfill your order and he would be destroyed."

"It would be unbearable for him to see how you suffer because he's not able to carry out such a simple order. Making others happy is not his utmost goal, Usagi," Käl said forcefully, "it's his only goal."

"Like a geisha, he has oriented his whole life on the goal to make others happy no matter what it might cost him. If it would make you happy to beat him into pulp every day, he would beg you to do it."

"That's horrible," Usagi whispered.

"That is horrible for you and me," Käl admitted calmly, "but he isn't like you and me. He is Tep. And for Tep, there is nothing worse than seeing or making his master unhappy."

"If you would ask Tep if he liked something you did with him, then he would look into your face to find out if you did like it. If so, he would beg for more. If not, he would be terribly unhappy to be unable to give you this pleasure."

As if paralyzed, Usagi sat there and Käl went on. "Out there, outside of Pau Tais residence, you will meet beings for which it's an insult if you look directly at them and others, for which it's an equal insult if you don't. Some greet each other by spitting in each others face and still others hit themselves over the head. Some even bite a piece out of the body of the other and eat it and some only talk to each other after they have spent a night together."

"Tolerance is not another useful skill in our culture, it's its very base. If one cannot accept other lifeforms completely and totally for what they are, if one cannot let go of ones own wishes what they ought to be, then one can would a thousand enemies by just walking once over a public square."

"I strongly recommend that you don't leave these rooms until you have managed to accept Tep as Tep. Not the slave Tep. No the Tep that you would like him to be. Tep himself."

After Usagi had digested that somewhat, he promised: "I promise on my honor that I will call for Tep only after we have found a solution together."

Astonishingly careful, Käl placed a paw on Usagis shoulder. "Thanks, my friend. That's what I wanted to hear."

"What did I do?"

"Despite the fact that Tep has a skin similar to mine, it's incredibly thin. He chose clothing like yours because he guessed that that would please you most. For his skin, that's like sandpaper. I would be surprised to find a place on his body which is hidden below the clothing with any skin left on it."

Usagi had to use all his willpower to be able to keep his oath.

"He must be in agony, now," Usagi pressed out.

"He is happy because you are happy that he wears clothes," Käl contradicted. "That horrible agony is of little meaning to him."

Crushed, Usagi covered his eyes with his hands. 'What have I done?'

"What can I do?" he asked desperate.

"Nothing complicated," Käl proposed. "Tep loves his life because it is so simple. All he has to do is to follow whatever he is told and that's it."

Then he proposed a way to resolve the situation which sounded reasonable to Usagi. After he had made some corrections to the plan so he could execute it, he called for Tep. At once, the slave was back.

"Tep," Usagi smiled, "I would like to learn everything about you."

"Yes, master," Tep smiled back. Usagi was astonished about this inconspicuous being. Despite being in a horrible agony, nothing of it could be seen in his face, his eyes and nothing could be heard in his voice. His face was just a mirror in which Usagi saw himself.

"Käl has told me how delicate your skin is and therefore I would like to start with you showing me how I can cure the wounds the clothes have inflicted on you," Usagi asked calmly.

"Yes, master."

"What do I have to do?"

Humbly as was his nature, Tep instructed Usagi. Carefully, Usagi kept his horror in check when he saw how terrible the state of Tep really was. Tep received something to drink which would soothe his pains according to his own words. Openly, Usagi showed his relief when he applied the healing plasma and Tep beamed.

Fortunately, Tep never asked the question which Usagi feared most: If he should skin himself every morning from now on so Usagi could heal him again.

When Tep was patched up, Usagi turned to Käl who had sat there the whole time without saying a word.

"Thanks for your help," Usagi bowed.

"I'm happy that you accepted it," Käl thanked as well.

"Will we meet again tomorrow?"

"If you want to."

Then Käl laughed: "But I guess if I wand to avoid you to starve to death, I will have to be content with processed food."

"That would be most welcome," Usagi thanked him.

After that, Käl left and Usagi was happy to have found a friend with which eternity might be endurable.

Usagi went outside on the terrace and watched the illusion of the wide sea which quietly roared against the artificial beach. Almost he could smell the sea and feel a light breeze.

He asked Tep for a cushion and made himself comfortable on it. Tep offered him something to drink and Usagi told him to make himself comfortable, too. Immediately, Tep curled himself up on the ground by his side.

"Tell me something about you. Who are you? Where do you come from? How did you end up in the services of Pau?" Usagi wanted to know and sipped from his tea.

And Tep told Usagi about his life with his calm, pleasant voice.

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