Kasumi Mahô Minarai Teiruzu Disclaimer: Ranma ½, Darkstalkers and whoever else mentioned in this story do not belong to me and I’m not making any money from them. Rojiura no Uchuu Shounen (theme song for Dai-Guard) sung by the Cobra Twisters. < >: Thoughts [ ]: Lyrics Chapter 4 A Wild Ride to the Finish! Dairy entry May 8th continued, I’m afraid I’m going to have to make this entry short, as I’m about to do something that would be considered extremely foolhardy. I’m about to ride a canoe down a two-mile high waterfall. A normal person would consider such an act as insane, but these Apprenticeship Games are not meant for normal people. And if I want to make it to the next round, I have to do this. I’m very thankful that I have Meala with me. I have an idea... of how to get to the bottom safely, but it will need her help and I am not all that certain I’ll be able to do it. As for the rest of the journey to the underground lake... we’ll just have to deal with whatever problems that comes our way. As of now, I am as they say, ‘winging it.’ Kasumi shut her Alamanac closed as Meala signaled to her from within the canoe. Beside her, the field judge water nymph gave them final instructions as they both prepared to take the plunge, so to speak. “Remember that you still have your Token spells that you can use at any time. If the challenge proves to be too much for you to handle, simply use a Token and it will transport you to the next marker.” Both girls nodded as they settled themselves in the canoe and each took up a paddle. Then they started to make their way toward the waterfall. ---------- In the Blackstorm Private Observation Booth... “I can’t believe she’s actually going to do it!” Serena exclaimed as she and the others watched her sister paddle toward the edge of the falls. “Gotta admit,” Clea addressed Nabiki as she watched while eating some popcorn. “Your sister has got a LOT of grit to willingly go down the Mayallan Falls.” “Yeah, but that’s just like Kasumi.” The werewolf girl said. “Once you give her a task, she’s going to do her best on it, no matter how hard it might be. I’ve often told her that she doesn’t have to go all out and it’s okay to give up on something that’s impossible, but she’s kind of got a stubborn streak under that serene appearance. Unlike my other sister, Kasumi won’t leave things half-done. I wouldn’t be surprised if she does all five challenges without using her Token spells.” “But she doesn’t have to!” The young witch pointed out. “Once she passes this trial, she can use her Tokens to skip the last two challenges and finish. Easy!” “Let me tell you one thing about my sister.” Nabiki pointed out. “The easy way never sat well with her. She wants to EARN her way and that makes her feel more fulfilled. She doesn’t want things to be handed to her. She’s believed in hard work all her life.” Jason’s mother nodded. “The more I hear about your sister, the more I think she takes after my old friend Kimika, rest her soul. I think she will do all five challenges as well. But the trick now is getting through this one.” “And here she goes...” Jason commented as the scene showed the canoe reaching the edge of the falls. ---------- The Mayallan Falls... Meala could only say two words as the canoe went over the edge and down the falls. “OHHHHHHHHHH...... HAIRBAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!” In which Kasumi replied. “Meala, please watch your language!” Even in the middle of a life-or-death situation, one should always mind one’s manners. Kasumi let her friend’s slip in etiquette go as she had bigger things to worry about; such as preventing their canoe from tipping over or smashing against any rocks on the way down. When she saw that they were heading toward a huge outcropping of granite, she immediately released three of her limiters and thrust out her wand. She quickly chanted her wind spell, letting loose with a gust of wind to the portside. As she had learned in physics class; every action had an opposite and equal reaction. The sudden blast of air caused the front of the canoe to veer off to starboard, thereby barely missing the rock. However, they weren’t in the clear as they were halfway down the falls at breakneck speed. Kasumi knew that it didn’t matter if they hit the rocks or the water at the bottom. At that velocity, it would be like slamming into concrete. So before they had made their mad descent, they had come up with a plan... sort of... ---------- Flashback... “Are you SURE this is going to work?” Meala asked after Kasumi had explained to her how they were going get to the bottom of the falls safely. “In theory... it should work.” Kasumi admitted. “You know, we really don’t have to do this. It’s not too late to use our Tokens to skip this challenge.” The Magikat considered the human girl before her for a long while before shaking her head. “No. We will do this and I trust you.” “You do?” “Indeed. If it were not for you, I wouldn’t have gotten this far in the Apprenticeship Games. In fact, I would have eliminated right after the starting line. So the least I can do is to see this challenge through.” “I appreciate that. Let’s do it.” ---------- End of Flashback... Kasumi knew that stopping instantly at such a high speed was considered suicidal. The old cliché of the superhero swooping in to save the falling damsel just inches about the ground didn’t work as the victim would perish by the force of the sudden deceleration. The same thing went for riding down a two-mile high waterfall. Initially, she had thought about creating a water spout to help cushion their fall, but vetoed that idea when she realized that it wouldn’t slow them down enough and the impact would still be comparable to ramming a car into a brick wall at 30 mph. So she thought of a more radical way to decelerate and redirect the kinetic energy of their downward motion. Behind her, Meala had been steadily concentrating her Mana reserves for this one spell. Since she did have greater skill in Water-based magic, the Magikat was essential for Kasumi’s plan to work. As they dodged another outcropping of rock, the Tendo girl caught a glimpse of the bottom and cried out. “NOW MEALA!” The Magikat’s eyes snapped open and glowed a bright blue-white as she raised her right arm. The golden bracelet on her wrist glittered as the Rune symbols hummed. She invoked her most powerful water-summoning spell at that instant. At the bottom of the falls, the churning water began to glow and bubble for a few moments, before erupting upwards in one massive stream. However, the stream of liquid seemed almost alive like a snake as it headed upward to meet with the falling novices and their canoe. Meala worked her magic to bend and form the water into a crude shape. Just as they were less than a hundred feet away, Kasumi shouted out her spell. “Vis spiritus subsisto thy motus!” (1) Another blast of wind, this time a hundred times stronger than the ones she had been using previously, shot out to meet Meala’s water construct, causing the molecules to slow down and begin to freeze. However, it wasn’t doing the job fast enough, causing the Tendo girl to panic. As if in answer to her plea, the fourth stage limiter on her Level Seven Seal glowed brightly, and then disappeared, allowing Kasumi access to a greater amount of her Mana reserves. The icy wind she had created suddenly became so cold; it could cause steel to shatter like glass. The water construct immediately froze solid, just ten seconds before the girls reached it. Watching from the top of the falls, the water nymph field judge stared in amazement at their creation. The canoe suddenly found itself riding not on water, but a sheet of ice! Kasumi and Meala had actually formed a very crude, 1000-foot ice ramp that angled them away from the deadly rocks at the bottom of the waterfall. They began to slow down as the ramp’s incline lessened. However, they were still going at a fast clip as they reached the end of the ramp, which launched them into the air like a ski jump. The water nymph began counting down. “Ten... nine... eight... seven... six... five... four...” She never made it to three, as the canoe landed in the river at the bottom. They came in at a shallow angle and skipped several times across the surface of the water like a stone, before finally slowing to drift peacefully down the river. The nymph shrugged as she merged into the waters, went down the waterfall without any problems, and then reformed beside the battered, but still intact canoe. She looked inside the craft and found on their backs, two dazed, but otherwise unharmed novices. “I must admit, that was NOT the most graceful way of going down the falls, but you managed to do it and survive. I won’t count the time you were on that ice ramp, since technically that was frozen water. You were in the air for about seven seconds, so I won’t disqualify you for that either. Very impressive display overall.” Kasumi sat up while rubbing her head and checking to see if she had any broken bones. Her Magikat companion did likewise. Both had bruises in places they didn’t know they had as they moaned and groaned from the experience, both physically and spiritually as their Mana reserves were nearly exhausted. Nabiki’s sibling looked down at her right hand and noted that the fourth limiter was back in place. ---------- On Earth... The Grimbards were currently in the middle of purchasing some spell ingredients in Henry the Halfling’s Potion Shop when they felt a disturbance in the surrounding Ley Lines. “Did you feel that?” Parelle asked her younger sisters. Girella nodded as did Tyselli. “Could it be?” The middle Grimbard pondered. The youngest confirmed their suspicious with a psychic probe. “No doubt about it. Kasumi’s fourth limiter came undone. I wonder what happened to her?” ---------- Back in the Makai... “Wow! I didn’t know Kasumi could do that!” Serena chirped after seeing what she and the Magikat had created. “I didn’t know either.” Nabiki said as she turned to address Shidori and Henry, while pointing at the projection. “Wouldn’t that be considered as too advanced to be novice level?” Shidori assessed the workmanship of the ice ramp and shook her head. “Hmmm, actually that was quite sloppy and she had to release her fourth limiter in order to freeze all that water. She may have the power, but she needs quite a bit of work to control it. That Level Seven Seal may hold back her Mana reserves, but she overdid it that time.” She pointed at the ice ramp. “She not only froze the water that her partner summoned, but also a good portion of the surrounding waterfall. She used a blanket effect instead of concentrating on just the ramp itself. The Grimbards’ Seal won’t help her fine-control and precision issues. She’ll have to work on that herself.” Henry turned to her in slight surprise. “Ah, so you know about Kasumi’s Level Seven Seal?” Argus’ wife shrugged her shoulders. “I sensed it the moment I met that girl, and I recognized the Grimbard Sisters’ handiwork. Apparently, Kasumi has a massive store of Mana that she hasn’t made use of until recently. Since she’s so inexperienced in manipulating it, she needs that seal to keep it from going out of control. The Elder Council of Wizards most likely assessed her experience levels and deemed her as eligible as a novice.” “How powerful is Kasumi’s potential?” Nabiki asked. “Presently speaking?” Shidori cocked her head in thought for a moment before responding. “Do you know what happened to Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945?” The female werewolf nodded as she remembered studying World War II in history class. “That was when the Americans dropped the first atomic bomb.” “Imagine that blast, only ten times more powerful and you’ll get a rough estimate on Kasumi’s potential as of now. We can only speculate how much more powerful she will become in the future. She may one day achieve my old friend Kimika’s full abilities, thereby rivaling my own.” Everyone in the booth was shocked at that estimate as Jason let off a low whistle. “Well, I guess that explains that fireball incident yesterday.” “Indeed. From what we’ve observed so far, Kasumi seems to be able to release up to three of her limiters at will. Hopefully that will be enough for the rest of this challenge.” All eyes turned back to the main projection as the two contestants began paddling their canoe downstream. ---------- Back on the river... “How far did that judge say the underground lake was from where we landed?” Kasumi asked. “She said that it was about three miles away.” Meala replied as she looked up at the sky and noted the position of the sun. “It’s getting close to midday and we need to go faster.” “I agree. It’ll take us a long time to paddle our way there and... Oh!” Almost as if in answer to their prayers, the currents began to speed up, moving their craft along at a faster rate. However, this came with a price as both realized WHY the waters were going faster. Up ahead they saw a very daunting sight. The river was sloping downward toward an extremely dangerous area of rapids. And that’s when Meala saw something that made the situation even more hazardous. “Kasumi! We can’t hit those rocks!” “I know! We’ll sink!” “Sinking is the LEAST of our worries! Do you see those crystals?” Nabiki’s elder sister nodded as she noted that many of the rocks had some kind of metallic crystal formations, sticking out from their exposed surfaces. “What are they?” “That’s Devil’s Ore!” The Magikat shouted out. “It’s an extremely unstable metal that will EXPLODE if a source of Elemental magic comes too close to it! Unfortunately, we COUNT as sources of Elemental magic!” Kasumi became pale as she realized that they were heading toward the equivalent of a minefield. “How big an explosion are we talking about?” Meala gulped as she answered. “One gram is same as a two sticks of that Earth explosive you call dynamite!” The oldest of Soun’s daughters did some fast calculations as she estimated the amount of Devil’s Ore that they were coming up to. Nabiki wasn’t the only one in the family with a head for numbers. She swallowed hard as she realized that there was enough ore to equal the bombing of the Oklahoma City Federal Building in 1995. The rapids were fast approaching as she and Meala had to make a decision. The use of Elemental spells was ill-advised as the Devil’s Ore would detonate and blow them out of the water. They couldn’t use Water or Wind spells to propel them past the rocks or to outrun the explosions. They couldn’t move the rocks out of the way with Earth spells. Fire spell were considered to be the worst option as they would certainly cause the ore to explode. They didn’t have enough metal on them to make any spell powerful enough to protect themselves with. What could they do? As the rocks loomed ever closer, it seemed there was no choice but to use a Token. One of her hands started to reach for her badge as they were almost upon the rapids. She could see the water splashing on the slick surfaces as the crystals glowed intensely. Just as they were about to enter the rapids, she caught a glimpse of a brightly-colored fish that resembled a salmon, jump out of the water and come close to a patch of Devil’s Ore. However, as it glanced off the rock and splashed back down into the water, the answer came to her. Behind her, Meala started to raise her right arm to invoke a spell from her bracelet. Kasumi cried out at that moment. “DON’T DO IT!” This caught the Magikat by surprise. “HUH?! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!” “MEALA, DO YOU TRUST ME?” “WHAT?!” “DO YOU TRUST ME?” “YES, BUT...” “THEN DO AS I DO! JUST USE YOUR PADDLE TO KEEP AWAY FROM THOSE ROCKS AND KEEP THE CANOE FROM TIPPING! ABOVE ALL DON’T USE ANY MAGIC!” At that moment, the canoe entered the rapids and started to get tossed about like socks in the dryer. Summoning up all the strength she had built up during her magic-training, and a lifetime of lifting heavy loads of wet laundry and other chores, Kasumi pushed hard with her paddle. Her partner did likewise as they rode the fast-moving waters. The rocks with Devil’s Ore on them glowed intensely as they desperately navigated between them. At one point, the waters thrashed so hard that the canoe slammed into the side of a large boulder, nearly breaking it in half. However, that wasn’t the biggest thing Kasumi had on her mind. The one thing she had on her mind at that instant was the fact that she was only inches away from a large deposit of Devil’s Ore. The metallic mineral glowed with an eerie white light as its surface seemed to pulsate like a beating heart. Even a tiny amount would be enough to blow her head clean off. Her breathing stopped for what seemed to be an eternity as she waited for the explosion. Then, as quickly as it came, the boulder was passed by as the rapids continued to throw them downriver. The two novices were barely able to keep themselves from being thrown out of the canoe and into the water as they hit the most intense part of the rapids. However, that was also where the most deposits of Devil’s Ore were located. Both girls held their breath as they entered what could be the end of their participation in the Apprenticeship Games, and their lives. For a single moment in time, they found themselves surrounded on nearly all sides with Devil’s Ore. The only good thing about that situation was the fact that if the metal did detonate, the explosion would be so quick and massive, that they’d never feel it. Thankfully, that fate would never come to pass as the waters finally slowed down and they were able to exit the danger zone. As they left the rapids and neared the tunnel that would take them to the underground lake, both female novices let off sighs of relief. “I can’t believe we got through that!” Meala said with awe. “What’s even more amazing was the fact that the Devil’s Ore didn’t explode!” “I was impressed too. Would you mind telling me how you did that?” Both girls were startled as the water nymph judge suddenly appeared from the river to causally drape her arms over the side of their canoe. “Whoa! Where did you come from?!” The humanoid feline asked. “Better yet, how did you get past the rapids?” “Oh that?” The elemental being shrugged her shoulders. “I just went down one of the side tributaries and bypassed the rapids altogether. Of course, you two couldn’t do that since they weren’t big enough for your canoe. You had to take the hard way.” She turned to address Kasumi. “Getting back to my question, how did you know that Devil’s Ore wouldn’t explode if you didn’t use any magic?” Kasumi took a deep breath before explaining. “When Meala said that the Devil’s Ore would explode if a source of Elemental magic came close to it, I wondered if that meant if the ore could somehow sense if an Elemental source was nearby. However, when I saw an Elemental Rainbow Fish come near a deposit and it didn’t explode, I came to the conclusion that it was actually the USE of Elemental magic and not the source itself that was the trigger.” “The use of Elemental magic?” Meala repeated in confusion. “Yes. You remember your own Elemental magic training, right?” With the Magikat’s nod, Nabiki’s sibling continued. “My teachers taught me to use my Mana in a specific way, in order to manipulate the Elements. You could call it a special kind of magical frequency. I reasoned that it was that ‘frequency’ which caused Devil’s Ore to detonate. Therefore, the obvious counter was to NOT use Elemental magic.” “How did an Elemental Rainbow Fish give you that idea?” The water nymph asked. “I read about them during my studies on Makai species. Unlike Mirror Fish, that use the surrounding Elements to hide from predators, Rainbow Fish actually use crude Elemental spells to defend themselves. Things such as projecting water spouts against birds of prey and causing temperature changes can happen. However, mere contact with a rock wouldn’t be considered as an attack, so the fish had no reason to use an Elemental spell.” “I get it, no spell means no explosion.” The Magikat affirmed. “I guess the common notion that Devil’s Ore blows up if you get close to it is not entirely accurate.” “It’s STILL not something you would WANT to get close to.” Kasumi pointed out. The water-being nodded as she clearly impressed with Kasumi’s logic. However, she also needed to point out something. “Even though I am in a bit of awe at your reasoning, I must point out that you didn’t use any Elemental magic to get through those rapids. The other judges might see that as a violation of the Elemental-magic only rule.” “We violated nothing.” The brown-haired girl countered. “As the Primary Judge Kalan stated, we were only allowed to use Elemental magic to meet each challenge. He did not say that we HAD to use it to do the challenge. In this particular case, we chose to restrain ourselves from using Elemental spells. Therefore, you cannot say that we broke the rules by using a magic other than Elemental, when in fact we didn’t use any at all.” The judge considered her reasoning, and then let off peals of laughter at the irony. To think that a magical novice in a magical competition could pass part of a trial WITHOUT using magic! After she composed herself, she nodded to the pair to continue on their way. ---------- Back in the Blackstorm’s Private Booth... “Well now, that was quite a nail-biting experience.” Jon Talbain commented as he addressed Kasumi’s sister. “I must admit, I am impressed with your sister’s logic and her restraint.” Nabiki could only smile in response. “If there’s one thing that my sister’s known for, it’s her patience and her ability to keep focused.” She mentally added. “It’s a good thing she saw that fish and figured out the trick behind the Devil’s Ore. That would have been a real mess.” Serena commented. “Talk about your lucky coincidences.” ---------- Castle Tabain... “I thought you said that Leprechaun Gold will only change the odds of a bad situation in one’s favor, only once per day.” Kismet asked the Irish imp on her shoulder. Shamus blew another puff from his pipe and nodded. “Aye, that I did and I did not tell any untruths. The luck from Kasumi’s wee belt buckle be all used up for today. Her seein’ that fish, it’s not me gold’s doin’. I be guessin’ that Lady Destiny gave the lass a freebie.” ---------- Meanwhile... “There it is!” Meala said as she pointed to a large cavern up ahead. The river flowed into it and started rushing downward. “What is that?” Kasumi asked as their canoe headed straight for it. “According to old lore, that used to be a mine in which Makai Transfer Stones were harvested, until it was abandoned and the river eventually flooded it. I guess it makes sense that our final destination is at the bottom of that mine. That should be where all the Transfer Stones are.” “How long ago was it when someone last worked in this place?” The Magikat shrugged her shoulders. “About three hundred years, give or take.” “And we have to go in there?” “If we want to go to the next round of the Games and... uh-oh!” Meala paused as she heard an ominous noise. It was the sound of a LOT of rushing water. “That doesn’t sound good.” Kasumi commented cautiously. Just as the canoe entered the cavern; it suddenly dropped down a steep incline and immediately gained speed. The two suddenly found themselves on a hair- raising bobsled run! “DEFINITELY NOT GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDD!!!” Meala screamed as they plunged downward. ---------- Speaking of things going downhill... “I can’t believe we FINALLY got all the ingredients for the counterspell for that bad luck hex.” Girella complained as the three witches came back to the Tendo home. “It is ironic that we HAD all the right ingredients to begin with, but most of it got wasted by a wannabe sorceress.” Tyselli sighed. “Well, it’s good that Henry’s store is well-stocked with very reasonable prices.” Parelle pointed out. “By the way, what about the new security system we put up?” “Well, let me see...” Girella walked over to her bag and nodded as she assessed the aura surrounding it. “It’s been set off twice since we were gone.” “Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum tried to break in again?” The eldest witch inquired. “Yes, and it seems that a short-tempered girl who THINKS she can do magic, also attempted to break in. Apparently, with no spell ingredients for her to ruin, she decided to try for any magical artifacts that we had in our possession, including her sister’s first spellbook.” “The one we gave to Cologne?” Tyselli asked. The middle Grimbard nodded again. “Hmmm, since the spellbook Henry gave to our apprentice had its own protection spell, Akane decided to try for the beginner’s volume. As a precaution, I placed that book in the bag. She tried to get it and my bag reacted.” “So what happened to those three dimwits? They all get the runs?” Girella shook her head. “No, I thought that was old hat, so I put in a random teleportation spell, where the invader would be instantly sent to place that will NOT be to his/her liking. And just to be spiteful, I also added an instant nudity spell.” She pointed down to the floor where a small pile of clothing was. “I wonder where they got transported to?” Parelle mused. “I can tell you that.” Happosai said as he came to the door to their room with a grin on his face. He was barely holding in his snickering after seeing on the viewing crystal; where his foolish disciples and Akane ended up. ---------- The Kuno Residence... “AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!” “AH MY DEAREST TIGRESS AKANE TENDO! YOU HAVE COME TO YOUR ONE TRUE LOVE, CLEAN AND NAKED! I SHALL, (among other things that I cannot mention in polite company), DATE WITH THEE!” The entire Kuno mansion shook as a madcap chase through its hallways took place. Akane had never run so fast, nor so hard before. Then again, she had never been motivated as she was that day with the biggest pervert in Nerima, (next to Happosai), hot on her heels and just inches away from grabbing her bare posterior. The ninja squads that were trying to help their master catch his elusive prey weren’t helping either. The only saving grace was the fact that they were about as incompetent as Kuno’s manservant Sasuke. In most cases, they either tripped themselves up or got caught in their own booby-traps. By the time she finally managed to escape Tatewaki’s residence, most of the mansion was in shambles. Most of the ninjas were in need of medical attention as Akane had sunk into her beat-the-mob-everyday-at-school mode. As for Kuno, he had the misfortune of chasing Akane across the koi pond, where his sister’s pet Mr. Green Turtle resided. The irritated alligator first tried to snap at the nude and tasty morsel, but ended up biting Kodachi’s brother in rear. He wasn’t going to be sitting down comfortably for a while. Even though she had made it out of the Kuno madhouse with her sanity and purity intact, she still one major obstacle to overcome. How to get home in the nude. ---------- The fish cannery at the wharf... “Oh gross!” “Where did they come from?!” “That’s so disgusting!” “They’ve ruined the entire catch!” “Nobody would want to eat that!” Genma and Soun were as shocked as the fishermen as they had suddenly appeared in the cargo hold of a fishing boat, without their clothes. Now, they were naked and half-buried beneath a pile of tuna. And even worse was the fact that both men needed to go to the bathroom. And since they were still feeling the after-effects of the first time they had encountered Girella’s security system... “EEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWW!!!” ---------- Back at the Tendo Residence... “I’m certain those idiots will be back eventually.” Parelle stated as she took out a small paintbrush, and began inscribing some magical runes on the surface of the dresser-drawer mirror. “I’ve been itching to see how our apprentice is doing during the First Round of the Games.” “I was wondering about that too, ever since her Fourth Level Limiter was briefly undone.” The youngest of the three witches stated. “Kasumi’s Fourth Limiter was released?” Happosai cocked his head in thought, and then nodded. “I wondered what that disturbance in the surrounding Ki was about.” “So you felt it as well?” A new voice remarked. Everyone looked toward the hallway to see Oscar leading two familiar figures to the room. “Cousin!” All three Grimbards said simultaneously as they went over to hug the Amazon Elder. Behind her was Shampoo, who waved politely at the trio of witches. Fortunately for her, Happosai didn’t try to make a grab at her bosom, as he knew that the Salem magicians wouldn’t take kindly to having one of their distant relatives molested. After their greeting, Cologne addressed Happosai. “So you also sensed Kasumi’s Seal opening up more of her potential?” “To have felt it here, all the way from the Makai, certainly speaks volumes about Kasumi’s inner power.” The old Anything Goes Grandmaster stated. “Yes, we were just about to check up on her.” Girella stated. “You three are welcome to watch with us.” Everyone sat down in a comfortable spot as Parelle finished the spell, turning the mirror into a magical viewer. ---------- In the Makai... “I REPEAT, THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT GOOD!” The Magikat shouted as the canoe rounded a very sharp turn. Kasumi was in quite a state of shock as she and her partner rocketed down a series of tunnels at well over 100 mph. She had not expected the mine to be this complex. Furthermore, the walls and ceiling were absolutely smooth, with the water rushing across the floor smoothly and unceasingly. The insides of the mine were well lit as the rock seemed to emit a soft light. It was like they were part of the Olympic Bobsled team. However the canoe was not suited for such high speeds and turns as the wood threatened to come apart at the seams. The only thing Kasumi and Meala could do was hang on for dear life as they slid down toward the bottom at a hair-raising pace. “What is this place?!” “In ancient times,” Meala shouted out. “Old Dwarven Miners used Giant Tunnel Worms to dig for Transfer Stones! They could move through the ground as easily as we can on the surface. They used acid to dissolve the rock so they could digest it.” “How big are these worms?” Kasumi asked as they shot past a few ancient markers left over from the miners. “They’re about the size of an Earth school bus!” “You’re kidding!” “You can look them up in that Alamanac later! Right now, we’ve got a major problem here! The walls are so smooth, we can’t do any braking action and we can barely steer this thing!” “Actually, I can think of a BIGGER problem than that!” Kasumi pointed in front of them, and the feline novice gasped at the sight of a row of stalagmites and stalactites some five hundred meters ahead. Apparently, the limestone structures had gradually formed over the years, which now created a very deadly obstacle. She didn’t have to imagine what would happen to them if they slammed into them. “What do we do?” Kasumi gulped as she considered her options, and then held up her right hand with her wand while releasing three of her limiters. “Meala! We might be able to get through if we destroy a few of them out of the way!” The Magicat paled at the suggestion. “No offense Kasumi, but considering yesterday, you might just bring down the whole mine on top of us!” “I got some pointers from some good friends! You take out the top ones, I’ll do the bottom! Hurry!” Seeing that they had no other option; Meala thrust out her right arm and let loose with a trio of small fireballs. The projectiles impacted against two of the upper stalactites, breaking through and causing a small gap. Kasumi focused her power and was about to let loose with her fire magic when the canoe hit a hump, causing it to buck upwards. This threw off her aim, and caused her fireballs to shoot high. True to her word, the projectiles were controlled and didn’t have the same destructive power as her previous mishaps. However, her fireballs didn’t destroy the stalagmites as she had hoped, but cleared out the remaining stalactites, leaving the upper half of the tunnel open. Unfortunately, they were on the bottom half and were less than fifty feet away as Meala screamed out. “We’re doomed!” In a flash of adrenaline-fueled inspiration, Kasumi threw a blast of wind to the side, causing the canoe to veer off in the opposite direction. Incredibly, it skidded up alongside the wall and the pair found themselves upside-down on the ceiling of the tunnel, just barely clearing the stalagmites by millimeters as they passed through the gap. The canoe slid back down on the other wall before splashing into the water and continued on its mad dash to the bottom. Meala looked back in utter shock at the disaster they had narrowly avoided, then asked her partner the following. “What do you call THAT maneuver?” Nabiki and Akane’s sister could only shrug and reply, “Uhm... Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo?” (2) ---------- In the Blackstorm Booth... “Way to go girl!” Clea cheered along with the others as they just witnessed Kasumi and Meala’s unbelievable stunt. Sitting behind them, Shidori and Jason smiled at each other and silently congratulated each other. The pointers they had given to Kasumi to control her fire powers had worked. Granted it was not in the way they had intended but it still came out favorably. Unknown to the other competitors, Kasumi and Meala’s exploits had caught the attention of several thousand other spectators as word got out. Nearly the entire stadium was watching them. Both girls had inadvertently become the main spectacle in the Gold Griffin Division that first day. Initially, the contestants had been dropped in groups of ten for a total of twenty. Each group would land in a different area and be directed toward a certain path to the finish line. Some paths would intersect with others with varying levels of difficulty. Ironically, though the Leprechaun Gold had saved her and Meala from being eliminated, they had landed on the pathway that was considered the HARDEST to clear. Many of the judges thought it would be impossible and any contestant unlucky enough to go down that route was almost certain to be knocked out of the competition. The crowds were cheering ever louder after seeing them plunge down the falls and make their way through the rapids. Now they were on the edge of their seats as the pair sped through the tunnels. What would happen next? ---------- The Tendo Home... “I don’t remember teaching Kasumi that maneuver.” Parelle remarked. “She does show quite a bit of imagination and ingenuity.” Cologne said. “If only her father showed that kind of determination and quick-thinking during his training days.” Happosai said with a sigh. ---------- The mines... Just after barely passing through one obstacle, the girls encountered another just a little further down the passageway. Clumps of strangely-colored mushrooms were growing on the ceiling and began to glow with a reddish light. Kasumi began to have some recollections of seeing such vegetation in her Almanac, then her eyes snapped open wide as she fully recalled them. “MEALA, DUCK!” “HUH?!” Kasumi managed to crouch down and hold her breath as they neared the mushrooms. Meala was a second too slow and paid the price as the fungi suddenly erupted a huge cloud of noxious spores. The Magikat coughed violently, and then took on a dazed expression as she began to sway unsteadily. Kasumi knew that particular species of mushroom defended itself by spraying a cloud of spores that temporarily causes the attacker to lose his/her equilibrium and sense of logic. She hoped that it would wear off soon as she didn’t have the antidote. The eldest child of Soun Tendo looked ahead and gasped as she saw that the tunnel split off into two directions. She had to make a quick decision as to which way to turn. Remembering a technique she had used earlier, she unsheathed her dagger and pointed it forward. Focusing her voice into the metal blade, she invoked her spell and sent her voice down the two passageways. “Seek!” Her echolocation spell bounced off the walls of the tunnels and gave her enough feedback to determine that the left tunnel was less hazardous. She called back to her friend. “Meala! Lean to the left!” The Magikat was still under the Confusion Spores’ effect as she slurred back her response. “You want to... go left... right?” “Right!” “Okay... going right!” “No! I said go left!” “You want... to go left?” “Right!” “Okay... right it is!” “No! I said left!” “Left?” “Right!” “Okay... let’s go right!” “That’s wrong!” “Right is... wrong?” “Right!” “So right... is left?” “Right!” “Okay... we go right!” “Wrong!” “Right is... wrong?” “Yes!” “Left is... right?” “Right!” “So... we go right?” “No! Right is wrong and left is right!” “Huh?” Just as they were about to hit the divide, Kasumi started to desperately lean to the left and hoped Meala would do the same. “Left! Left! Left! Meala, go left!” “Er... I haven’t left... I’m right here!” There was a hard impact as the canoe nearly broke apart and skidded into the right tunnel. At that point, Meala began to shake off the effect of the spores as she realized her friend’s previous statements. “Oh... you meant GO TO THE LEFT!” “Right.” “Go to the right?” “Never mind.” Kasumi could only sigh as they were committed down the more hazardous tunnel. In the stadium, the crowds roared with laughter at their unintentional Abbott & Costello routine. This was by far the most entertaining part of the first round of the Apprenticeship Games. In his own private booth, Belial laughed so hard, he almost choked on his snack. Beside him sat his daughter and granddaughter, Morrigan and Lilith. The King of the Makai finally composed himself, though he was still snickering a bit. “I know we shouldn’t laugh at the competitors’ misfortunes, but one cannot honestly watch that scene and NOT find that amusing.” ---------- Down in the mines, Meala finally shook off the effects of the Confusion Spores and apologized to her partner as they continued to speed along. “I’m so sorry, Kasumi!” “It’s all right Meala.” The gentle novice assured. “What’s done is done, and you couldn’t help yourself. I didn’t make things any easier when I panicked. In hindsight, I should have used a wind spell to push us toward the left tunnel. We’ll just have to handle whatever troubles as they come up.” Almost on cue, they came across a huge cavern, where they slowed down and drifted toward the center. They were no longer speeding about as they leveled off in very deep water. On all sides of the cavern were numerous tunnels, each with water pouring through them. “Where are we?” Kasumi wondered. “It looks like we’ve reached an intersection point.” Meala replied. “Intersection point?” The Magikat nodded as she explained. “Dwarven Miners can spend years underground without ever seeing the light of day. They often make camps at places where a lot of tunnels intersect. This must be one of them. Of course, ever since the river flooded this mine, whatever’s left of their camp is probably under about fifty feet of water now, with whatever else washed down the river.” Just as those words left her mouth, the water began to bubble and froth as something huge erupted from the watery depths and roared. The creature was gigantic and resembled a grotesque serpent. Only this beast had two sets of mouths and four pairs of eyes. It had silver-scales that looked metal plates. It had a very hungry look on its face and acid drool was dripping from its jaws, which incidentally was full of very sharp teeth. Kasumi looked at Meala and said, “You know, maybe we SHOULD have used a Token.” At that instant the monstrous serpent lunged forward. Kasumi and Meala immediately reacted by throwing fireballs at the beast, but its metallic scales simply deflected the projectiles. The blasts only served to further enrage the monster as it intended to swallow the pair in one gulp. It looked like the end as both girls began to reach for their badges. At that point, Fate decided that they had suffered enough during this third trial and gave them a reprieve. Kasumi’s arm brushed against Meala’s side, and bumped against an object in one of her pockets. This caused it to activate at full blast, letting loose with a flood of... rock n’roll music? The serpent immediately recoiled as its sensitive auditory organs did NOT care for the heavy drum beats and the sound of the electric guitar. It thrashed about in agony, causing violent waves to spread out in all directions. Finally, it let off a roar and dived down into the water to escape the painful sounds, leaving a bewildered pair of magical novices. “Where’s that music coming from?” Kasumi asked. Meala reached down in her pocket and pulled out a small, multicolored gemstone. Amazingly, it was constantly flickering in sync with the music as she explained. “This is my Lyrical Gemstone. It records and plays back any kind of melody. I guess you could call it the Makai MP-3 player. I use it to record my favorite anime songs and... uh-oh!” At that point, a huge wave that had been caused by the serpent’s departure almost swamped their canoe, and sent it down one of the surrounding tunnels. As they once again found themselves speeding through a passageway at near- suicidal velocity, the Lyrical Gemstone began playing a different tune. “Ooh! This is my favorite song!” The Magikat said excitedly. Kasumi could only stare in shock at her friend as the music attended their breakneck dash to the end. [Baa Ba Ba Baa Ba Ba Baa Ba Ba Bararararara! Baa Ba Ba Baa Ba Ba Baa Ba Ba Bararararara!] Both girls immediately ducked as they passed by another clump of Confusion Shade Mushrooms. [OH! Maku ga aite, tobidashita tsuyoi, araburu tamashii wa!] The canoe went through a series of slalom turns, throwing the duo back and forth. The wood started to crack under pressure. [Dare ni date, nan ni date, tomerare wa shinai no sa!] Kasumi became alarmed as the canoe threatened to break apart. She quickly reached into her handbag for some special seeds. She pulled out a handful and threw them about the floor of the boat, invoking an Earth spell. [Rojiura de yume o miru uchuu shounen no kokoro wa!] The seeds immediately sprouted and a network of vines wrapped about the canoe, strengthening it as they suddenly dropped a heart-stopping five-hundred feet. [Doko made mo moete iru, so, "taiyou no kodomo sa"] After leveling off somewhat, the girls found themselves in another large cavern, only this time, their tunnel was reduced to a very rickety track like a rollercoaster’s. Behind them, the track started to crumble. [Kekka deru made shoubu wa wakaranai!] The two gasped as the track then put them through an impossible loop, with the water somehow staying on the track. [Yatte minakerya subete wa wakaranai, wakaranai, wakaranai!] After shooting through the loop, the canoe hopped over a series of bumps, and was then sent into a spinning spiral. The two females just BARELY managed not to throw up. [Nen gara nen juu tabishite wa honto no jibun o sagasu no sa] Here comes another loop! [Mou, tatakai wa hajimatte iru!] [Baa Ba Ba Baa Ba Ba Baa Ba Ba Bararararara! Baa Ba Ba Baa Ba Ba Baa Ba Ba Bararararara!] Followed by several more slalom turns. [OH! Yami o saite, koe ageta, akai kibou no katamari ga!] The canoe went over a HUGE hump and broke into two pieces as it landed! [Jidai date, rekishi date, ugokashite kita hazu sa!] Kasumi suddenly found herself alone in the front half as Meala found herself in the rear part and turning off on a side track! [Rojiura o, tobidashita, uchuu shounen no sugata wa!] Both stared at each other from parallel tracks in amazement. [Oretachi ga, yume miteta, akogare no HIIROO sa!] The two tracks merged back into one as Kasumi grabbed her friend’s outstretched arms and pulled the back half of the canoe toward the front half. More vines were summoned to bind the two pieces back together. [Kekka osorete naite mo shou ga nai] [Yatte minakerya joukyou kawaranai, kawaranai, kawaranai!] The track then put them through FIVE simultaneous loops! [Nen gara nen juu tameshite wa, honto no chikara o tsukeru no sa!] [Sou, tatakai wa tsuzuite yuku!] The cavern was finally crossed as they found themselves inside a tunnel again. They were thrown into a few more tight turns as an instrumental played on. [Omou bakari jya omoui wa todokanai] [yatte hajimete hikari mieru no sa, mieru no sa, mieru no sa!] Kasumi was beginning to wonder if this wild ride would ever stop. It was then that she saw a bright light up ahead. Meala also pointed toward it. [Nen gara nen juu idonde wa jibun no uchuu o hiraku no sa] [Mou, tatakai wa hajimatte iru] Both braced themselves as they felt a surge of elemental power coming from that light. [Nen gara nen juu tabishite wa honto no jiyuu o tsukamu no sa] [saa, uta ou hajimari no uta] The battered canoe raced out of the tunnel and into the light of a large cavern in which the track ended in a ramp. [Baa Ba Ba Baa Ba Ba Baa Ba Ba Bararararara!] The girls soared off the ramp and into the air. Below them was a huge glowing lake. [Baa Ba Ba Baa Ba Ba Baa Ba Ba...] The boat skipped once on the surface... [Barararara...] It skipped again... [Barararara...] It skipped for a third time... [Bararararara!] Just as the music ended, the canoe could take no more abuse and broke into several dozen pieces on the final impact. Kasumi and Meala tumbled into the lake and disappeared beneath the surface. ---------- Everyone in the stadium held their breath and waited. After all they had gone through, this couldn’t be their end... could it? Then the surface of the lake bubbled as two figures emerged. There was a collective sigh of relief, followed by a rousing cheer as both novices came up from the depths. In the Blackstorm’s private booth, Jason smiled along with the others. “Now THAT’S what I call a finish!” ---------- Treading water on the surface of the lake, Meala and Kasumi wondered what was next. They certainly couldn’t go back up the way they came, especially with their canoe in pieces. What did they have to do, now that they’ve reached their goal? In answer to their unspoken question, the water nymph judge appeared before them. She smiled as she casually stood on the lake without breaking the surface tension. “Well, I have to admit, I am impressed that you both managed to make it to the third checkpoint. That was quite a flashy way to finish the course, but you did it. Now all you need to do is to make your way down to the bottom of the lake and you’ll see a circle of Transfer Stones. Just recite the incantation and you’ll be transported to the fourth trial.” “We have to recite the incantation underwater? What do we look like, mermaids?” Meala exclaimed. The judge shrugged her shoulders. “It’s all part of the trial. Remember, these games not only test your skills in the magic you have already trained in, but also to gauge your ingenuity, adaptability and determination in handling the unknown. Now remember, for this first day, you can only use Elemental Magic.” Meala turned to Kasumi. “So what can we do?” Soun’s daughter thought for a moment, and then smiled as she came up with a solution. “Do you still have that Lyrical Gemstone?” The Magikat nodded as she brought it out. “Yes. Why do you ask?” “Can that gem record normal voices, as well as music?” “Yes, it can.” “Give me a minute.” Kasumi took a deep breath, and then swam down to the bottom of the lake. There she saw a circle of stones with Rune symbols inscribed on their surfaces. They glowed with an eerie light as she read the incantation and memorized it. She then made her way back up to the surface to rejoin her partner. ---------- Deep in the forest near the base of Mount Valan, the fourth trial field judge was busy filing her claws as she sat nonchalantly on a large rock. She wasn’t expecting any competitors, given the fact that this was the HARDEST course. And even if any did arrive, they would most certainly use one of their Tokens to skip this challenge. A few dozen meters away was a circle of Transfer Stones. It suddenly glowed with light, signaling that visitors were arriving. To the judge’s surprise, two wet individuals appeared in the center. When the light died away, both contestants, (who had been holding their breaths), let off sighs of relief as they found themselves above ground and out of the water. “Pretty slick thinking Kasumi. Using my Lyrical Gem to record your voice, and playing back the incantation underwater.” Meala stated. “It was simple enough.” The gentle novice stated. “The gem was a combination of Earth and Wind magic so it was legal.” She took out her wand and invoked a spell to summon up a warm breeze to help dry them off. Once that was accomplished, they stepped out of the circle of Transfer Stones and looked about. “I wonder where the fourth marker is at?” In response to Meala’s question, they heard a voice call out to them. “Yoo-hoo! Over here!” Both turned to see the source of the voice and the Magikat gasped excitedly as she recognized the field judge. She jumped up and down in joy for a minute before running toward her. “OMIGOSH! IT’S HER! I CAN’T BELIEVE SHE’S HERE!” Kasumi had no idea what she was talking about as she chased after her friend. The Darkstalker known as Felicia smiled as she put away her nail file and lightly hopped off the rock to greet the contestants. “Hey there, contestants! I’m Felicia, your celebrity-guest field judge for this part of the course and...” “FELICIA, I’M ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST FANS! CAN I HAVE YOUR AUTOGRAPH?” The Catwoman didn’t have a chance to finish her introduction as a small notebook was thrust out in front of her. Shrugging her shoulders as she was used to meeting with fans, she gave the excited Magikat a nod and took the waterproof notepad from her. Using her right index claw and infusing it with a tiny amount of her power, she gracefully signed her name on one of the pages, and then handed the autograph book back to Meala. At that point Kasumi caught up with her friend and found herself face-to-face with one of the most famous Darkstalkers in both the Makai and on Earth. To say that she was a bit embarrassed at Felicia’ au natural appearance would have been an understatement, but she was even more awed by the amount of supernatural power that was emanating from the feline star. At first, she had thought that Felicia was wearing some kind of kinky bikini, but immediately realized that it was actually her natural fur that covered her breasts and nether regions. Her voluptuous figure made the eldest Tendo daughter blush even more. It was then that she realized who their judge really was. “Felicia... wait a minute! I think I’ve heard about you! Are you Felicia from Felicia’s Follies? You’re one of the most famous entertainers in the world.” “You bet she is!” Meala agreed. “She’s a living legend among us cat people!” “That’s me, sweetie.” The Catwoman affirmed as she casually sat back on the rock. “One of the field judges got sick today, so I’m filling in for him as a favor to Lord Belial.” She stopped for a moment as her nose twitched a bit. Leaning forward, she sniffed the air near Kasumi and took on an introspective expression. “Hmmm, you smell familiar contestant number 437. What’s your name?” “Uhm... Kasumi Tendo.” She replied. “Tendo? Any relation to Nabiki Tendo?” “She’s my younger sister.” “I thought I recognized her scent! I know her!” “You know her?” Kasumi was quite surprised to find out that her sibling had encountered such a famous entertainer. “Yes, I know her.” Felicia said with a slight chuckle. “We were both naked, on our stomachs and getting Swedish massages together, at Castle Talbain a while back.” That particular statement left Kasumi totally speechless. ---------- In the Blackstorm’s Booth... “Ah yes, Felicia’s as lively as ever I see.” Shidori commented. “I wondered why she didn’t join us here.” Nabiki remarked. “YOU KNOW FELICIA?!” Clea and Serena exclaimed simultaneously and in stunned disbelief. “Oh yes, we go quite a ways back.” Jon confirmed. “She’s a frequent visitor to Castle Talbain.” “And she’s also a welcomed guest at Castle Blackstorm.” Jason admitted. “She’s got a HUGE number of fans among the Orc Hordes and Ogre Army. I think Grunk and Gradel have all of her albums.” ---------- Back at the Games... “Well, now that we’ve got all the autographs signed and ‘who-knows-who’ out of the way, shall we get on with the Apprenticeship Games?” Felicia asked as she stood up and gracefully made a 30-foot leap straight up, followed by a double- somersault, and a triple-ricochet off some tree trunks; before landing on a supporting branch so lightly, she didn’t make a single leaf quiver. Kasumi was absolutely stunned at the Catwoman’s athleticism, which would have earned her a platinum medal at the Olympics. Meala continued to gaze upon the Darkstalker with star-crossed eyes. In the world of feline humanoids, none were as famous as the star of Felicia’s Follies. Lord Belial himself had approved of Felicia’s activities in the Human World as he considered her, along with the Talbains, one of the Makai’s unofficial ambassadors to Earth. The Number One Demon Lord knew that someday, the existence of the Darkstalkers would become fact rather than legend, and he had been working with the Elder Council of Wizards for that eventuality. Along with Hellsing, the MIB and several other secret organizations around the globe, the residents of the Makai and aliens from space, were gradually and peacefully being integrated into human society. On the flip side, humankind was also being slowly acclimated to those not of their world. The Apprenticeship Games was also a means for Earthlings to get used to coexisting with nonhumans. The process of eventually merging the differing societies together was a long and extremely tedious process. The Games themselves had gone on for thousands of years. However, considering that Belial was immortal, he had the time. Felicia led the girls to the edge of the forest and gestured out toward a very rocky landscape. She then explained the next challenge. “Beyond this forest is the infamous Chaos Canyon of Myalla.” “Chaos Canyon?” Kasumi asked. Meala changed from her star struck expression to one of seriousness. “Chaos Canyon? That’s one dangerous area we’re talking about.” “Indeed. And your challenge is to make it through the canyon... in three hours.” Felicia said. “Three hours?! It’ll take us the whole day to get through on foot... provided we survived!” Kasumi considered the terrain in front of them and wondered why Meala was so concerned about this canyon. Certainly it looked quite rugged and they would have to watch for falling rocks, but it didn’t seem to live up to its name of Chaos Canyon. She had to ask the obvious. “Why is this place called Chaos Canyon?” “Ask that Almanac of yours.” Meala suggested as she turned to her idol. “She can use it here, right?” The feline star shrugged. “As long as she doesn’t use it during the challenge. Once you enter the canyon, it’s Elemental spells only, and I’d advise being VERY careful with using even THAT kind of magic.” Kasumi reached into her handbag and took out her Almanac. Her spirit guide Google appeared as she opened the book. “What would you like to know?” “Google, please tell me about the Chaos Canyon of Myalla.” The Almanac began projecting images about the location as the guide explained. “Chaos Canyon is a place where very large deposits of Devil’s Ore are located.” “Oh dear.” “However...” Google pointed out. “... unlike the normal variety that explodes whenever Elemental magic is used nearby, the Devil’s Ore found in the canyon has been altered by the unstable Mana fields of the area. The metal does not explode, but is considered far more dangerous as it WILL cause all Elemental spells to malfunction.” “Malfunction?” Felicia gestured toward the canyon. “Try throwing a wind spell.” Kasumi held her Almanac in her left hand while waving her wand with her right. She had all of her limiters in place and only intended to summon a light breeze. However, as soon as she invoked the spell, she was thrown off her feet as a hard gust of wind slammed into her. She landed on her rear but managed to keep her book open, and with no injuries. “W-What happened?” Kasumi asked as she got back to her feet. She thanked Google for her help and put away her Alamnac. “The Devil’s Ore happened.” Felicia explained. “The energy that stuff is putting out, even at this distance, will disrupt ANY Elemental magic, causing strange and totally UNPREDICTABLE results. In other words, it’s a roll of the dice every time you cast a spell. And you may not be able to get through the canyon WITHOUT your magic. So you have a decision. I see by your badges that you both haven’t used any of your Tokens. Will you be skipping this challenge? I mean, from what I can gather, you’ve already had a tough day. No one would blame you if you used your Tokens.” “How do you know that?” “When I agreed to be one of the field judges, I was told that this was going to be the hardest course out of all of them. The fact that you two are the ONLY ones who have made it this far, especially this late in the round; tells me that it’s likely that no one else is coming. So you’ve pretty much passed the round. All you have to do is use your two Tokens to skip this challenge, and the last one, and head to the finish line. Easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy.” Kasumi was very silent as this point. It was true that they had already gone through much and no one would think badly of her if she were to skip those challenges. However, SHE would think badly of herself for leaving something undone. It just wasn’t in her nature and she wanted to know how far she could go in these competitions. Looking up at the sun and gauging the time it would take to finish this challenge and last one, she came to a decision. “As soon as I step into that canyon, please start the clock. I’ll see you on the other side in three hours.” This statement shocked both catgirls as Kasumi prepared to make her trek across one of the most magically-volatile areas in the Makai. “Kasumi, wait a minute!” Meala said as she placed a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Are you really going to do this challenge?” The gentle girl nodded and replied. “Yes. You do not have to do this with me.” “And you don’t have to do this either!” The Magikat pointed out. “You’ve got an easy run to the finish line with your TWO Tokens. We both have!” “And that’s what does not sit well with me.” “What?” “The easy way.” “Huh?” Kasumi took a deep breath as she explained. “Meala, throughout my life, I have worked for everything. And you know what? I am PROUD of my accomplishments because I have earned them all, even my magic.” “I’d be proud too. However, that doesn’t mean you have to take the HARD way when there’s an easier method available to you.” “It is tempting to take the easy way. Trust me; I was VERY tempted to use a Token on the third challenge. However, taking the easy way can become a very bad habit. Ever since I started studying magic, there’s one thing I’ve decided that I will NEVER do, and that is to follow in my father’s footsteps.” “Your father?” “I do not like to speak ill of my family, but there are some things that cannot be ignored and unfortunately, ‘taking the easy way,’ is one of my father’s, and my youngest sister’s worst habits.” “Really?” “My father is mostly... (I suppose there’s no gentle way to say it), immature, and prefers to have all of his problems solved for him, rather than dealing with them himself. Also, he is more than willing to go the easiest route, and it is often the WRONG route. I’m afraid that the family has suffered because of it. My youngest sister is doing the same thing. And I am a bit ashamed to say that I just let it all happen and not speak out against it.” Kasumi could only think back to when Soun had irresponsibly spent all of her college fund on a get-rich-quick scam, as well as for cigarettes and sake. She also thought about the so-called Unite the Anything Goes pledge and how much he was staking the Tendo familiy’s future on it. He wasn’t going to be happy once the truth was found out about ‘Ranma.’ Akane was no better with her own behavior of taking shortcuts, and thinking that everything was to be handed to her on a silver platter. Her disaster with the Anti-Hair Grow Formula, the counterspell to the bad smell, and her attempts to cast magic, were all perfect examples of how eager her sister was to taking the easy way. What was even worse was the fact that both Akane and Soun Tendo did not even think about the consequences of always taking the path of least resistance. ---------- In the Blackstorm’s Booth, Nabiki nodded in understanding. She remembered how much Kasumi was saddened when she learned that she would not be attending college. The eldest daughter had put up a brave front, but the middle sister knew she was crying on the inside. It was that one act of their father, in which Nabiki had NEVER completely forgiven. As of now, she only had a microscopic amount of respect for Soun Tendo, and that was only because he was their father. The same thing went with Akane. Nabiki didn’t respect her sister much, due to her spoiled and bratty behavior. Ever since the middle Tendo girl had begun her personal quest to become a real werewolf, she had taken a long, hard look at her family. With the exception of Kasumi, she didn’t like what she saw and was glad of the day when Matthew came into her life. Sitting in her chair, Shidori also nodded in comprehension. She remembered just how childlike Soun Tendo was during her high school years and wondered just what did her friend Kimika see in that idiot. It practically boggled the mind. Of course, some would question Shidori’s choice of marrying a demon lord, but if one were to compare Argus Blackstorm with Soun Tendo; the Great Devastator would win hands down. At the very least, her husband wasn’t afraid to face adversity, and minor problems were usually solved with a blast of Hellfire. The former Miko could understand Kasumi’s desire to move away from Soun’s ideals, and was glad that she was instead following in her mother’s footsteps. ---------- At the edge of the Myallan forest, Kasumi composed herself as she prepared for the trial. She gave Felicia a nod, indicating that she was ready to begin, and then turned to her Magikat friend. “I’m glad that you’ve been with me up to this point, but I will not force you to go with me any further. I won’t hold it against you, nor will I think badly of you; if you want to use your Tokens to head to the finish line. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner... and friend.” That statement hit deep within the feline novice as Kasumi turned to face the challenge alone. “You’re really going to do this, aren’t you?” Meala asked. Kasumi paused before answering. “It’s not that I HAVE to do this, but I CHOOSE to do this. All my life, I had been given NO choice and was trapped in a living death.” “A living death?” “Not so much as death, but rather an existence devoid of life. I was more a servant than a daughter to my father, who was content to have me take care of the daily problems of maintaining the house, and feeding the family. I had to give up on my dreams and never realize if I had any potential. It wasn’t until some good people showed me that I did have great potential.” She briefly smiled as she thought about Henry, Cologne and the Grimbard Sisters before continuing. “However, now I am given the choice and I WILL take the challenge. It’s not just because I wish to step beyond my father and sister’s ways, but I also want to prove to myself of my true potential. I am going to make those who believed in me proud. If the challenge proves to be too much, then I will use a Token, but I will not know of what I’m really capable of, unless I try.” The Magikat gazed upon the human with a bit of whimsical expression, shook her head while smiling, and then walked up to place a hand on Kasumi’s shoulder. “Well, if that’s the case, then I guess we’ll be the only two contestants who didn’t use a Token spell in the first round.” Kasumi turned to face her feline companion with a surprised expression. She was even more surprised as Meala leaned forward and framed Kasumi’s face with her hands. The two girls’ foreheads gently pressed against each other as a small flash of light twinkled briefly on contact. Meala pulled away while still smiling. Nabiki’s sister was still a bit stunned at the sudden ritual as Felicia chuckled a bit before explaining. “Whoa! Congratulations Miss Tendo. It’s not often that a Magikat declares someone as her Soul-Friend.” “Soul-Friend?” Meala nodded as she explained. “Magikats can make friends with anyone, but there are some friends, in which we consider to be the most exemplary of all acquaintances. Normally, a Magikat makes one or two Soul-Friends in his/her lifetime. I consider your determination, your drive to complete all tasks, your honesty, your skills, your beliefs and your very being to be absolutely commendable. You are the reason why I have a chance to go to the next round. I would consider myself a poor excuse for a partner and an even worse excuse for a friend, if I didn’t see this through to the end with you.” Kasumi was absolutely flabbergasted at her friend’s praise of her. “Meala... I don’t know what to say...” “Then don’t say anything and let’s get these last two challenges done.” The feline said as she nodded to Felicia to start the clock. The Catwoman star smiled as she reached behind the rock she had been sitting on and pulled out a large, elaborate hourglass with colored crystals within it. She then turned it over as the two girls headed into Chaos Canyon. ---------- Meanwhile at Blackstorm Castle... The Number Two Demon Lord took another report from one of his servants and skimmed over it as his viewer continued to display the antics of Conrad Blanchet. “OH GOD! MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP!” Argus snorted in disdain at his plight. He averted his eyes from the comedy of errors to read the report in detail. ---------- At nearly half a continent away, Argus Blackstorm’s suspicions were confirmed as Jedah Dohma himself surveyed the landscape from atop a cliff. Unlike his rival, Jedah looked a lot less human. He was a tall figure with blue skin and had long, blonde eyebrows that stuck up like a pair of antennae. He also had long, blonde sideburns hanging on either side of his head. The top of his head had a kind of headgear which terminated into batlike projections that angled downward. Behind his lower back were scythe-shaped wings. His hands were like talons with long, red nails. He wore a dark, blue trenchcoat with gold buttons, as well as matching slacks and boots. His overall expression had a cold and cruel attitude about him. He was deep in thought as his forces on the ground below maneuvered closer to their ultimate destination. Ala Maron. Jedah knew that he didn’t have enough forces or power to openly challenge Belial for control of the Makai. He had several of the upper echelons of the nobility agree to throw in with him on the planned coup d’état, but that was still a far cry from ensured success. Especially since his attempt to sway the most powerful Demon Lord under Belial rule had failed miserably. Having Argus Blackstorm on his side would have surely tipped the balance of power in Jedah’s favor, but the Great Devastator was fiercely loyal to Morrigan’s father. If it wasn’t for that human wife and half-breed son of his! Many of Dohma’s followers were beginning to question the wisdom of following him. None of them wanted to face the wrath of Number Two Demon Lord. Not that there weren’t those who despised Blackstorm. Chief among those who hated Jason’s father was a certain Vampire Lord who had recently returned to the Makai. Demitri Maximoff let off a growl as he approached his unlikely ally. After a disastrous encounter with the Hellsing Foundation’s secret weapon, (the vampire known as Alucard), it had taken some time for him to recover. Once he came back to the Other Realm for some mystical healing herbs, he had been approached by Jedah’s ambassadors. Ironically, the House of Maximoff and the House of Dohma had been feuding against each other for several centuries. The only reason why they had declared a truce was the fact that Demitri hated Belial MORE than he did the Dohmas. And the bloodsucker had a long grudge against Blackstorm as well. “How much longer must we wait?” The vampire asked with irritation. Why do we not attack them now, while they are distracted by the Apprenticeship Games?” “We must gather more forces to destroy Belial.” Jedah pointed out. “This is NOT like that botched attempt you made. Or do you WANT to be reduced to a pile of ashes like the others?” Demitri growled from the reminder. The Maximoffs had attempted their own takeover of the Makai twenty years ago, and that had also met with failure. Argus Blackstorm’s Hellfire was as potent and deadly against vampires as real sunlight. In fact, Hellfire burned even FASTER than sunlight. Shidori’s husband took pleasure in throwing several dozens of Demitri’s relatives into the Great Hellfire Pits. As for Demitri himself, for leading the attempted conquest, he had been banished from the Makai forever. Technically speaking, he was not even supposed to be there and Belial would have him executed if he were discovered. Only the promise of reinstating his position as a noble, did Demitri agree to join with Jedah. However, he wasn’t content to just overthrowing Belial and having his revenge against Blackstorm. He was not some peon that Jedah could order around. Instead, he would let Jedah do most of the heavy lifting, and when the time was right, Demitri would take his rightful position as the ruler of the Makai. He would have the satisfaction of throwing Jedah into the Hellfire Pits. As the two stood on the cliff, both considered the allies they had gathered so far. In addition to the number of Makai nobles and their private forces of lesser demons and monsters, Jedah had also enlisted the aid of the Soul Bees. The near-mindless insectoids only wished to gorge themselves on the multitudes of souls in the Makai and on Earth, but were severely restricted by Belial. The head of the Dohma family had managed to strike a bargain with Q-Bee, (short for Queen Bee,) promising her people a near-endless supply of life essences in exchange for their aid in toppling Morrigan’s father. Of course, Jedah had no intention of EVER fulfilling his promise to the Soul Bees. He considered them as nothing more than cannon fodder and their only advantage was their sheer force of numbers. He would simply put them at the front of his eventual assault on Belial’s kingdom. Afterwards, he planned to exterminate any survivors, thereby sending the Soul Bee race into extinction. Another ally he had managed to obtain was the insane punk-rock zombie from Australia, known as Lord Raptor. In addition to his somewhat unorthodox powers and fighting style, Raptor had the ability to raise the deceased from their graves, thereby providing Jedah with a potential army of the undead. However, zombies could only do so much, and like the Soul Bees, were best seen as expendable resources. At that point, Jedah decided to use Raptor’s abilities to gain two more allies against Belial. With that thought, he mentally sent a message to one of his servants to give the punk rocker his latest orders. ---------- On Earth, Hellsing Headquarters in Japan... In a very deep, underground vault, two scientists were looking over the readouts of a console in front of a containment unit. Within it, deep in stasis, was the battered and bloody body of Paladin Alexander Anderson. The magical runes that surrounded the dense, clear walls glowed with an eerie light. Not only did they prevent the maniacal priest from regenerating from his injuries, but they also stopped an equally murderous spirit from escaping and possessing another host. Deep within the homicidal Alexander was the spirit of bloodthirsty samurai Bishamon. Ever since Hellsing and the MIB had captured the Vatican Church’s greatest weapon, they had been unsuccessful in removing the essence of the Japanese warrior from his body. As of now, they could only contain the two murderous beings. As the scientists discussed on theories on how to accomplish their task, in a remote corner of the vault was another technologic container, which was much smaller than Alexander’s. Within it, were the ashes of a long-dead pharaoh. Anakaris. The remains had been collected by Hellsing after his encounter with Matthew Talbain and the battle between Alucard and Demitri. Anakaris had been stored within the vault, to prevent any future supernatural events with the undead Egyptian ruler. However, that was not the last the world would know of him. Suddenly, the entire space-time continuum went chaotic as space and time began to warp around that area. A dimensional hole tore itself open before the scientists, and a tall but very grotesque figure stepped out of it. The humans gasped in horror as they beheld the walking dead. Lord Raptor’s skin was a deathly blue and his rotted face was further disfigured with monstrous fangs and hollow sockets where his eyes had been, before they had completely decomposed, leaving only glowing red gaps. His hair was matted and in stylish disarray. He was shirtless, but his midsection had a gaping hole that had sharp teeth around the perimeter, forming a hideous maw. He wore torn pants with the Australian flag on the side. In his hands was a wicked-looking, electric guitar. He smiled at the terrified men in front of him and revealed a horrendous sent of fangs. “G’day mates... and goodbye!” With those words, he strummed on his guitar, sending out a high-pitched shockwave which caused the men’s heads to explode, sending bone and brain matter splattering all over the floor. As the two headless corpses dropped to the floor, Raptor turned to the container that held Anakaris’ remains and shrugged his shoulders. “Eh, I’ll raise you up in a minute.” He then turned to the containment unit that held Anderson. He chortled with glee as he sensed the murderous intent of both the priest and the samurai. “Well he’s a bit of an ocker, but the boss will be gettin’ two diggers for the price of one! Too right!” (3) Raptor cackled even louder as he began to strum his guitar even more, causing the Rune symbols on the glass to begin smoking. The supposedly shatterproof material began to crack as one of the deadliest combinations of science and sorcery was being released. Alarms went off all over the area. The zombie’s smile became even more pronounced as the containment unit was about to break apart. However... BA-BOOM! Raptor’s concert was interrupted as an armor-piercing, explosive round slammed into his instrument and drove him back into the far wall of the vault. He nearly caused the structure to cave in on itself as the impact made the area shudder. However, his supernatural guitar remained unbroken, save for a slightly smoking spot where the anti-tank round hit it. As he staggered to his feet, he looked toward the entrance and saw that the huge door was open and a female figure was standing there. She looked to be a teenager with short, blonde hair but her red eyes gave her away as someone not quite human. There was also the fact that she was easily hefting a 30mm anti- tank rifle, with smoke coming out of the muzzle of the long barrel. “Hey! What’s a skinny Sheila doin’ here?” Seras Victoria glared at the punk as she responded. “I think the better question would be what one monster is doing trying to free another!” “Monster?” Rapter said in surprise. “Who are you callin’ a monster? I’ll have you know that before I died, I had lots of fans at me concerts!” “Calling him a monster would be a stretch, Police Girl.” A new voice said from the shadows. Both looked over to the side as Hellsing’s greatest and most fearsome operative made his appearance from the darkness. Alucard smiled as he stood in his red trenchcoat, fedora and orange sunglasses. In each of his hands, he held his high-caliber pistols. “I believe the correct term for our unexpected visitor would be a zombie. Granted he isn’t as BRAINLESS as a true zombie, but it isn’t by much.” “Hey now! Who do you think you are?!” Lord Raptor demanded as he prepared to unleash another murderous melody. “I... am Alucard.” The vampire replied as he smiled, showing off a very impressive set of fangs. “Alucard?!” The zombie punk rocker backed away as soon as he heard that name. “Oh crikey! I got enough sense not to go mucking about with you!” “Then you should also know that I’m not about to let you abscond with one of my most entertaining of rivals.” With those words, Alucard used his own supernatural power to strengthen the Rune Symbols on Anderson’s containment unit, making it impossible for Raptor to shatter it. At that point, Seras had reloaded her weapon and took aim. Seeing that taking the possessed paladin back to the Makai was out of the question, Lord Raptor decided on the consolation prize and grabbed the case containing Anakaris’ remains. He then strummed his guitar at the two decapitated bodies of the scientists, causing them to rise up and attack Alucard. The diversion worked as Alucard blasted one body into pieces and Seras took out the other. Raptor made his escape through another dimensional rift, closing it immediately behind him to prevent anyone from following him. ---------- Back in the Makai... “That near-brainless idiot failed!” Demitri grumbled as he was informed of Raptor’s mission and its results. “Never send a zombie to do a vampire’s job!” “And I suppose YOU would have done any better against Alucard?” Jedah pointed out, which caused Demitri to snarl. Dohma sighed. “At the very least, we now have the means to summon more forces to our cause.” He noted the approach of Raptor and addressed him. “Have you completed the resurrection process?” The undead Aussie nodded. “Yeah, I was able to raise ‘im up. That Talbain pup didn’t leave much to work with. Mind you, the bugger was right cranky. His bleedin’ voicebox was all rotten but I fixed that up right.” At that moment, a hulking figure in bandages walked up to the trio and raised his massive arms in triumph. “Anakaris... LIVES!” “Well, I wouldn’t go that far, mate!” Raptor pointed out. “We’re undead, or as I like to call it, livin’-challenged. But hey, bein’ alive can be overrated.” Jedah was deep in thought as he gazed in the direction of Ala Maron. ---------- In Belial’s Private Observation Booth... “Are you certain of this?” The supreme ruler of the Makai asked as he spoke to the heads of Hellsing and the MIB, via mystic crystal viewers. “Quite positive, Lord Belial.” Sir Integra affirmed as she played back the security footage of the vault. Zed nodded as he spoke. “Records confirm the identity of the intruder as the zombie punk-rock musician Lord Raptor. He was a small-time performer in Australia, who messed in things beyond mere mortal comprehension. He used the lyrics of an ancient spellbook during his final concert, killing himself and over a hundred fans in the audience. He was later resurrected as the undead being you see now.” Integra nodded as she continued with her report. “We believe that Raptor may be working for someone in the Makai, who hired him to break into Hellsing Japanese HQ. Our operatives were able to prevent the theft of Paladin Alexander Anderson and the spirit of Bishamon. However, Raptor managed to steal the remains of the Undead Egyptian Pharaoh Anakaris.” “Anakaris?” Morrigan’s father repeated. “Jon Talbain told me that his son had encountered the mummified body of that cursed ruler and destroyed him.” “He did, but there were still some remains that we collected and kept in storage. It is possible that whoever Raptor now works for, intends to bring back Anakaris, if he hasn’t already done so.” “I have a suspicion of who that might be.” Belial commented. “And I think that it is no surprise that this incident occurred during the Apprenticeship Games. The security has been stretched thin and I can ill-afford to divert forces to deal with this potential threat.” “Perhaps it would be best to postpone the Games, or cancel them altogether?” Zed suggested. “No!” Belial said firmly. “The Apprenticeship Games are necessary and once begun, by ancient Makai Law, they cannot be stopped! We must let them run to their conclusion. This is vital for the novices. For within every succeeding generation, lies our future.” ---------- At the finish line to the Gold Griffin Division... Near the summit of Mount Valan, a group of people waited as the sun began to set. Near the two golden pillars that marked the finish line, the last of the field judges watched the area for any remaining contestants arriving before the deadline. Those who did not make it before the sun touched the horizon would be disqualified. And that was only a minute away. The field judge was kind of holy man from India, who was no stranger to the ways of the warrior. He was a tall, but thin man with his bald head adorned with two red stripes on top, and two more on each cheek. He wore only a pair of yellow shorts, and was barefoot. Around his neck was a ceremonial necklace of three, shrunken skulls. His wrists and ankles were bound in gold bands. He wore hoop earrings as well as twin bracelets. He was also sitting in a cross-legged position and levitating four feet off the ground. His hands were pressed together in prayer. His eyes glowed with a soft, blue light. At that point, one of the contestants approached the field judge and asked in a very irritated tone. “Master Dhalsim! Why must we continue to wait? Surely there is no one else coming!” The Yoga Master turned to face Alexis Val Karas VII and answered in a stern tone. “As per Lord Belial’s instructions, it is MY responsibility as a guest field judge to give ALL contestants a fair chance of completing their challenges. Those who arrive here before the sun sets, shall be given the right to continue to the next round of these games. The sun has not yet touched the horizon, and I sense two more approaching.” “Two more? I don’t see...” At that moment, a gust of wind suddenly swept her off her feet. To everyone’s surprise, a rickety and crude vessel with a sail on it came up to the finish line and crossed the two pillars, just as the sun touched the horizon. The craft broke apart, leaving Kasumi and Meala exhausted on the ground. A gong was sounded nearby as Dhalsim stood up and announced the results of the first day of competition for the division. “Congratulations, Gold Griffins! With the arrival of contestant number 437 and 639, I hereby declare this first day of the Apprenticeship Games to be over. Out of the two hundred applicants, only eighty-six remain!” Alexis couldn’t believe that her peasant rival had actually made it on time. She was even more shocked to see the state of Kasumi and Meala’s badges. Dhalsim also noticed their badges and made a further announcement. “And we also have a very impressive achievement!” He pointed to the pair as they stood up. “These two not ONLY completed all five of the challenges on the hardest course, but they did so WITHOUT using a Token!” There was a tremendous round of applause from the others, save for Alexis who grumbled in disgust. Unlike Kasumi and Meala, she had used one of her Tokens to get through her challenges. The peasant had once again upstaged her, and that put Kasumi first on the spoiled novice’s hit list. ---------- The White Pegasus Division... Conrad Blanchet let off a sigh of relief as he crawled across the finish line at the exit to the Hedgerow Maze. All the remaining contestants recoiled in disgust as they caught wind of Blanchet’s stench. The field judge grimaced and held his nose as he marked Conrad as the final contestant to finish. He noted on Conrad’s badge that he had used up his two Tokens. ---------- Later that evening... Kasumi and Nabiki, along with their friends and a few guests, celebrated their victories at the fanciest, most expensive restaurant in Ala Maron. Shidori stood up from the head of the large banquet table, and raised her glass. “I would like to propose a toast.” She gestured to everyone who had competed. “You have all performed beyond everyone’s expectations and should be rightly proud of your achievements!” She then directed toward Kasumi and Meala. “And to the both of you, for your stunning win! Kampai!” “KAMPAI!” Everyone cheered as they raised their glasses and clinked them together with each other’s. Beside her sister, Nabiki nodded as she drank down the fruity beverage and turned to Kasumi. “Way to go Sis!” The elder Tendo sister nodded while blushing a bit. “Thank you Nabiki, but I couldn’t have done it without my friend... my Soul-Friend.” She turned to address Meala. “Thank you.” The Magikat nodded and smiled. “I am proud to have you as my Soul-Friend. Even though we may eventually face each other in these Games, if I had a chance to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.” “It’s a good thing you became Soul-Friends.” Clea commented. “You actually helped each other out during that fourth challenge. That altered Devil’s Ore can really throw Elemental spells out of whack for one caster.” “How did you know that by simultaneously casting the same spell, it could overcome it?” Serena asked. Kasumi shrugged. “I reasoned that the altered Devil’s Ore still worked like the regular variety in which a certain Elemental frequency triggered it. So it made sense that when one of us cast a spell, the ore would focus on her, while the other could cast the same spell correctly.” “And since you two were Soul-Friends,” Shidori commented, “Each caster could compensate for the disruption by boosting her partner’s spell. You worked in perfect harmony. Very good work indeed.” “It sure came in handy to fight off those monsters and all the avalanches in the canyon.” Jason commented. “And they managed to clear the canyon in two hours and fifty-five minutes.” Felicia said as she took a bite of her fish dinner. “Lucky thing you two became Soul-Friends BEFORE the challenge. I would have disqualified you if you did it during the trial.” “I must say that you’ve done me and your teachers proud Lass.” Henry remarked. “And that final challenge was no walk in the park. Going up the mountain without having your feet touch the mountainside, and yet you weren’t allowed to fly more than one foot off the ground? What was that thing you two made?” “I believe on Earth we call it a windsurfer board.” Kasumi explained. “Since it was impossible for us to use levitation spells and our Wind spells were not refined enough to carry us that distance, I... had to think of an alternative.” The Magikat nodded in agreement. “Using both of our Earth spell magic, we managed to construct a platform and used a giant leaf for a sail. We greased the bottom with some slime from a nearby bog and used Kasumi’s Wind spells to propel us up the mountain.” “Very inventive of you two. You’ll do well in these Games.” Jon Talbain commented as he and the others continued to celebrate. Tomorrow was going to be a very busy day. To be continued... Author’s Notes And so the first day of the Apprenticeship Games draw to a close. Coming up in the next chapter, Kasumi will be in some very challenging events that will make this first day seem like a cakewalk. We’ll see you there! (1)Nature’s breath stop thy motion. (2)There’s a scene in the movie Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo where the lovable VW actually goes up the side of a tunnel to pass another car. (3) In Australian terms, an ocker is an unsophisticated brute, while a digger refers to a warrior or soldier. Too right means definitely.