Apocolocyntosis

With a gasping breath, the still form lurched once, then heaved and sat quickly upright, hyperventilating. With a hand clutched tightly to his chest, the figure let his mouth hang open letting each cool breath fill his lungs and bring him to life again. He was relieved to still be alive and more than a little annoyed at how close to death he had once again come.

Still, it was only a dream, maybe he couldn't have died there.

As the world slowly came back into focus, Ron Stoppable recognized the familiar surroundings of his room. It was not the poster laden, cluttered and fairly disorganized room he'd spent most of his life in. That had been left behind in Middleton six months ago. His room at the Yamanochi Ninja School in Japan was much smaller, and mostly empty save for a mattress on the floor, a small chest against the window, and a tiny sleeping bag for Rufus, used on those nights that Ron was forced to train alone rather than with his much more highly skilled mole rat.

As his eyes finished focusing, he noticed something else in the room that wasn't normally there. A figure, ever still, dressed in white robes that were pulled tightly against her slim form. Her shoulder-length hair fell forward around her face, but the gentle movement of her upper body and the casual sway of her head led Ron to believe she was either sleeping or so deep into meditation that it was indistinguishable from sleep. Either way, she hadn't noticed Ron's sudden awakening and he reached out to tap her gently on the shoulder.

“Yor--” Ron started, reaching towards his fellow Yamanouchi student. The figure immediately tensed and grabbed Ron's hand, twisting it clockwise and then yanking it towards her. The strength of the pull belied the smaller student's small frame and Ron found himself almost flying up towards her. The robed girl never rose her head but jutted out her shoulder to catch Ron in the chest and flipped him easily over her head. He landed with a hard thump on his back and his feet punched through the paper wall.

Finally, the student raised her head, looking suspiciously groggy, and looked around, blinking. Her eyes focused on Ron and she immediately gasped.

“Stoppable-san!” she said, following the breath. Looking at her own hand in horror, she released Ron's arm and quickly pushed herself back in order to bow. Her head nearly touched the floor as she closed her eyes. “I'm so sorry, Stoppable-san. I momentarily forgot my surroundings. It was a very foolish mistake to make.”

Nearby, Ron choked once then finally got air back into his lungs for the second time in the evening. “No, no,” he groaned, struggling with each word. “Really, I -- gasp -- shouldn't have… startled… you.” He expelled all the air in his lungs and slumped slightly, his feet still sticking through the wall to the vacant room beyond. The rooms to either side of Ron had been cleared out months ago when it was confirmed he was definitely not a morning person and had the tendency to walk through walls when tired. At this particular moment, Ron considered it a very wise idea indeed.

“Oh! Let me help you,” she said, suddenly realizing his situation. She moved quickly over to him and effortlessly pulled him from the wall and laid him flat on his futon on the floor again.

Yori patted him down discretely looking for injuries, which just caused Ron to squirm as if being tickled. Finally she relented and simply asked, “Are you hurt, Stoppable-san?”

“Er…” his head hurt like nothing else, but he wasn't entirely certain that was from being thrown through the wall or being nearly blown up by Shego. In a dream. In another world. While she was possessing someone else's body. And raising their children.

It occurred to Ron that his life was much weirder now than it had been around this time last year.

“Just a little sore,” he finally finished. “That happens to me all the time, actually.” Which is very nearly true, thought Ron.

“Oh,” said Yori with a smile and then laughed in her unique staccato laugh. “Stoppable-san, you are joking, right?”

“Yeah. Aheh. A joke.” He rubbed the back of his neck, then looked out through the patches in his exterior wall. In the distance the first hints of sun could be seen. “What time is it?”

“Very nearly five am,” said Yori. “We are late for morning excercises.”

“Right,” said Ron, with a sigh. “Why are you here anyway? You shouldn’t be late just because I am.”

“Sansaku no kyuumu can be dangerous,” said Yori. “I wanted to make sure that you were all right. There are tales of dreamwalkers getting trapped in their dreams. I didn't want that to happen to you, Stoppable-san.”

“Oh,” said Ron. “Then, thanks!” He smiled, then raised an eyebrow. “But… you… fell asleep.”

“I was just meditating,” nodded Yori, standing. “Come on, Stoppable-san.”

“Yeah, yeah,” said Ron, picking himself off the floor then digging around in his closet for his gi.

---

“Stoppable-san!” came the call as soon as he and Yori made it to the practice grounds. Ron sighed and ran up to the instructor, a towering, elder man, covered in scars and a personality that reminded Ron very much of Mr. Barkin.

“Master Yuudai,” said Ron as he ran up, bowing severely. “I--”

“Please, Yuudai-sensei,” interrupted Yori. “He was practicing techniques taught to him by Master Sensei which ran longer than expected.”

Master Yuudai narrowed his eyes but nodded reluctantly. “That explains where he was, where were you?”

“I… uh,” Yori looked to the side, then blushed. “I was watching him.”

“Uh-huh,” said Yuudai, unconvinced. “I want to see you do your complete sansetsukon katas, three times. Solo.”

“Sansetsukon?” asked Yori, surprised. The sansetsukon were nunchaku with three segments rather than two. She'd rarely succeeded in their use. “But… I'm a tessenjustu --”

“I'm aware of your specialties,” said Yuudai. “I taught them to you, after all.”

“I…” started Yori, then nodded, seriously. “Hai.” She turned to head towards the weapon rack. Ron watched her go, guiltily.

“Uh, you know, Master Yuudai--”

“As for you, Stoppable-san,” continued the sensei. “Your bo skills are still lacking, let me see your first katas, five times.”

“Five?” asked Ron, boggling. “That could take--”

“Quite a while,” said Yuudai, turning on his foot and walking toward the long rows of students practicing their karate forms. “Remember to start from the beginning if you make a mistake.”

Ron hung his head. A moment later a small hand rested on his shoulder.

“Cheer up, Stoppable-san,” said Yori. She was holding her sansetsukon and a long bo staff in her other hand. “You're improving quite a bit.”

Ron nodded sadly and took the bo Yori offered to him. “Not enough for six months of intense training.”

Yori smiled. “Even the strongest seed can only become a great tree over many years,” she said. Then moved back to begin her kata. Ron looked at the staff in his hands.

“All right,” he said, confidently. “Lets you and I work together for once.”

The staff ominously said nothing.

---

“Wah!”

“Stoppable-san!” hollered Yuudai. “Where the hell are your clothes!”

Ron yelled at his bo. “Come on! Why every time??”

“Oh my,” said Yori.

---

Ron laid on his back on the porch of one of the dojos, sweating profusely and breathing deeply. He'd finally gotten through his katas, but it had taken him several hours. He thought he'd collapse before finishing but somehow he'd found the energy to get through it.

His stomach growled.

“Yo, Stoppable-kun.”

Ron turned his head. Hirotaka was walking up, looking fresh and alive, a sharp contrast to Ron defeated state. He was wearing that red coat he picked up in the US a couple years ago and pretty much refuse to take off when not training. Trailing behind him was Hideyoshi, the slightly shorter but athletic man with very short red hair that was a couple years behind Hirotaka and Ron at Yamanouchi. Which meant he was only much better than Ron rather than at a complete different level, like Hirotaka.

“Hey,” groaned Ron. “Is it time for afternoon spars already?”

Hirotaka laughed. “No, it's not that late yet.”

“That's good,” nodded Ron.

“We're going to head down the mountain and grab some lunch,” said Hideyoshi. He stuck his hands in his pockets and stood casually. “You up for it?”

“Unng.” He thought about the miles long walk from the monastery to the town below and figured he was better of just going hungry.

“Is that a no, Stoppable-kun?” asked Hirotaka. “That is a shame, I heard there is a new restaurant in the village.”

“I heard that too,” said Hideyoshi. “Some sort of an American franchise, a … Happy Happy Taco?”

Ron's ears perked up.

“Oh, right!” said Hirotaka, energetically. “But in America it's called something else. Nanto? Nabo?”

“Nacho,” said Hideyoshi, thinking for a second. “Bueno Nacho.”

Ron leapt to his feet. “Well, I'm ready to go, are you ready to go?” He started heading towards the campus gates. “Come on, those nacos aren't going to eat themselves!”

Hirotaka and Hideyoshi grinned to each other and slapped hands behind Ron's back.

---

Ron nearly inhaled his first naco, savoring its sweet, sweet release from the frequent, desperate hunger that had plagued him since coming to Yamanouchi. The Lunch Lady was skilled and Ron had yet to reliably get lunch from her even after six months. He took his time on the second he'd ordered, eating it only slightly savagely.

Hirotaka and Hideyoshi were eating some form of broiled fish with salsa and a side of steamed rice that Ron had never seen on the menu at a Bueno Nacho before, but figured it was one of those ‘regional’ items that had be used to promote it's internationalism.

“This is like heaven,” said Ron sighing. “You guys are lifesavers.”

“It's the least we can do for the one who got our sacred iris to bloom again,” said Hirotaka, sipping his tea.

“Eh?” asked Ron. “Iris? Bloom?”

“You don't know?” asked Hideyoshi. “You haven't heard even after all the time you've been here?”

“What story? What iris?” Ron was confused and comforted himself by taking another bite of his naco. Or more like three.

“Yori,” said Hirotaka.

“What about her?” asked Ron.

“She's always been… withdrawn,” said Hideyoshi. “Quiet.”

“Yori?” asked Ron. Surely they were talking about someone else. That didn't sound at all like the girl who dragged him around the world looking for Master Sensei last year.

“Yes,” nodded Hideyoshi. “She was dedicated, regimented, and never made mistakes, but rarely talked unless prompted. She was well known for her great skill and beauty, but stoic demeanor. We called her Yamanouchi's Iris.”

“That's silly,” said Ron. “I've never seen her acting that way.”

“No, you haven't,” said Hirotaka.

Ron blinked. “What do you mean?”

Hirotaka and Hideyoshi looked wearily at him. “I feel bad now,” said Hideyoshi. “She's just going to be disappointed.”

“We should warn her now,” agreed Hirotaka. “I wonder if it's too late.”

“W-wait,” stammered Ron. “You're saying she's acting differently because of me?”

“How do American's say it?” asked Hirotaka. “Duh?”

“That's crazy,” said Ron. “I mean… I knew she was kinda into me once, but, that was over a year ago.” He looked panicked. “And I’m with Kim now, so surely she's… you know, gotten over it, right?”

“Hmm,” mused Hirotaka. “Yes, of course, because it's so obvious you're dating someone now. They way you left her and flew to the other side of the world where you never call or write.”

Ron frowned. “I don't remember you using so much sarcasm when I first got here.”

“I'm a fast learner,” said Hirotaka.

Ron looked away. “It's… complicated.”

“Not to Yori, apparently,” said Hideyoshi. He leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. “But, hey, whatever! We all benefit seeing our Iris smiling so often, so if you want to deny it, go ahead.”

“She's never said anything!” complained Ron. “How was I supposed to know?”

“I can't believe you're my sempai,” said Hideyoshi, rolling his eyes. “Can't you tell when a girl is interested in you?”

“Not… um, reliably,” said Ron, embarrassed. “No.”

“Well, now you know,” said Hirotaka, finishing his meal. “What are you going to do about it?”

“Me?” asked Ron.

“She's made the advancement, it's your turn to answer.”

“But… I'm still with Kim,” said Ron. “I'm not going to leave her.”

“Sempai,” said Hideyoshi. “You haven't talked to her in half a year. You think you're with her, but how do you know she's still with you?”

“Kim wouldn't…” Ron hesitated, then stopped entirely.

“Yeah,” said Hideyoshi. “Totally not my sempai.”

---

“You took quite a while at lunch, Stoppable-san,” said Yuudai looking down a still somewhat tired but infinitely more preoccupied Ron. “I hope you realize that one of the most important aspects of our study here is discipline. Of which you have demonstrated a surprising lack of.”

Ron looked sheepishly around at the four rows of six students each waiting for Yuudai-sensei to start his lesson and instead getting to watch him berate his less than stellar student. He shifted his weight uncomfortably. He was used to public humiliation, it as practically his trade, but much of the lunch conversation had bothered him and he couldn't keep himself from thinking about it.

“I hope you're not learning bad habits from him, Hideyoshi-san, Hirotaka-san.” Yuudai Sensei looked distainfully between the other two boys then back at Ron. “I've decided to pair you with someone comparable to your skill for today's sparring, Stoppable-san.”

“Really?” asked Ron, trying to decide if that was a good or a bad thing.

“Isamu-san,” said Yuudai calling out to the rows of students. There was some movement in the back, and Ron tried not to look anxious. He wondered how his skill compared to the rest of the class, although he never really wanted to put it to the test for real. Still, it would be nice to know.

Isamu finally became visible as he stepped out of the line of students. He was dressed as all the rest of the students, but he was shorter. Much shorter than Ron himself and even shorter than Hideyoshi. His face was rounder too, and kind of pale. In fact he looked to be…

“Um, Sensei?” asked Ron. “He's, like, six years old.”

“Ten,” said Isamu, frowning.

“He's an excellent student,” said Yuudai, nodding to Isamu. “And will provide you an adequate challenge.”

“Hold on,” said Ron. “I've beaten monkey fist! And Fukushima! Are you saying this kid could have done that?”

“Your skill is limited by your weakest ability, Stoppable-san,” said Isamu. “Luck can only carry you so far in battle.”

“It's not luck,” mumbled Ron.

“Want to wager on it?” asked Isamu, with a smirk.

“A wager?” asked Ron.

“I bet you 25,000 yen that you can't beat me,” said Isamu with a confident smile.

“Uhh…”

“Roughly $250.”

“Oh.” Ron rubbed the back of his neck. “I dunno, that seems like a awful lot of money to take from a kid--”

“Only if you win,” said Isamu.

Ron looked back at Yuudai sensei, who said nothing.

“I suppose,” said Ron.

“Excellent!” Isamu smacked his fist into his palm. Ron just looked around for some sign of support from anyone. The only real sign he received was a nod from Hirotaka, but little else. Ron sighed.

“Everyone else, pair with your sparring partner and get going,” said Yuudai finally, dismissing the remainder of the class. Ron stalked off with the rest of the students.

“After this,” said Isamu to Yuudai, both of whom lingered for a moment more. “Maybe you can stop treating me like a kid.”

Yuudai looked down at the boy. “You are a kid,” he said simply. “You shouldn't be so eager to grow up. Stoppable-san has the potential to be a great master of the art, but it has nothing to do with his age.”

Isamu snorted. “Yeah, it's because he cheated and got Toshimaru-sama's mystical monkey power. Everyone knows that's why he got into Yamanouchi.”

Yuudai looked grim. “That is not the case. You of all people know that Yamanouchi doesn't not recognize only ability and means, but philosophy and temper. Stoppable-san does not fight for himself, rather, he would be eager to run and hide than fight. But his passion is derived from another. He fights to protect the people around him, and it gives him the potential to be great, without the ambition to tempt him to fall.”

Isamu looked almost betrayed. “You're just trying to justify keeping Tai Shing Pek Kwar within Yamanouchi. I see how you treat him. Your actions speak louder than words.” Isamu stormed off towards the sparring area.

Yuudai frowned, then turned and headed to watch the fights.

---

Hideyoshi bowed respectfully and watched as his opponent bowed back. They both straightened eventually and then fell into familiar stances, ready to fight.

Hideyoshi grinned. “You're late… again,” he said, then made an initial attack which Yori deflected. It was part of his style to use dialogue as a means of distraction during combat. Yori had never been very susceptible to it until Stoppable showed up. Now she was just as vulnerable as the rest, but Hideyoshi had to be careful. After so many years of silence, he was almost too interested in what she had to say and it was starting to distract him.

“I was running an errand for Master Sensei,” she said, striking with her left first but getting parried. “I was searching the libraries.”

“Ooh, what for?” asked Hideyoshi. He launched a series of punches.

“Some information about the exile of the Shade from Yamanouchi,” she said, quietly while defending.

“The Shade? Why now all of a sudden?

Yori shrugged then grabbed Hideyoshi's arm and flung him over her shoulder. Hideyoshi quickly righted himself in mid-air however, and landed on his feet gracefully. “You know how Master Sensei is,” explained Yori, saying little else.

“Uh-huh,” replied Hideyoshi. He quickly dashed in close to try and catch her with a jab at close range. He had always been more of a brawler than an artist and favored the strength of his punches over technique. It was a hard habit to break.

Yori twisted gracefully and blocked a low jab following it with a sweep kick that flipped Hideyoshi onto his back. He landed hard and after sucking air back into his lungs laughed.

“You always get me with that,” said Hideyoshi, shaking his head.

“I'm hoping to break your habit,” nodded Yori, then offered him a hand. She pulled him up almost effortlessly and they both stood to bow.

“Ready?” asked Yori, already back in fighting stance. She tended to extend her leg and arm, keeping her center of gravity low. Hideyoshi suddenly could see where she would hold her fans in her tessenjutsu and recognized the stance from his own training. He replayed her moves in his mind and realized what she was doing.

Hideyoshi moved into a loose stance and held his hands firm, like blades. “Ready,” he said.

Yori launched her first attack, a horizontal swipe with her imaginary iron fan. Hideyoshi spun with the strike and countered with a back-handed swiped with his hand.

Just barely moving out of the way, Yori switched stances and prepared another attack. Hideyoshi struggled to remember his tessenjutsu training and form a proper defense. “So, who do you think will win,” he asked.

“Win what?” asked Yori. She attacked quickly and caught Hideyoshi's forearm, causing him to abort his own strike and parry to move out of range.

“Sempai against Nakasumi-chan,” said Hideyoshi, protecting his injured left arm and changing his attack to use his right.

Yori got clipped in the shoulder by Hideyoshi's high strike, but then rolled along his extended arm to jab him in the gut. “Why is Stoppable-san fighting Isamu-san?”

“Some wager,” said Hideyoshi, rubbing his side. This wasn’t working very well. Despite recognizing her attacks, Yori was still quicker and faster at changing between tessenjutsu forms. “Nakasumi-chan thinks he's so much better than sempai just because he tries to act like an adult soooooo hard.” He rolled his eyes.

“Isamu-san is quite good,” said Yori, attacking again. Hideyoshi took a strike to his knee and he fell hard. “As are you, Hideyoshi-san.”

Hideyoshi held up his hand in defeat and Yori helped him up again. “Thanks, Yori-sempai,” he said. As both Yori and Ron were his elders in the school, they were both his sempai.

“You recognized my attacks,” Yori continued. “That is a big improvement for you.”

“Well, I've seen you fight tessenjutsu many times,” said Hideyoshi. “I just hadn't put it together until now. I doubt I could do it if you changed jutsu.”

Yori smiled. “You underestimate yourself.” She glanced over to the other fights going on in the sparring grounds. Several fights were in progress but much fewer than she expected. Then she saw the small crowed by the demonstration platform.

Hideyoshi followed her glance. “Worried about sempai?” he asked.

Yori looked back quickly and had the barest hint of a blush. “I am concerned that Isamu-san will take it too far.”

Hideyoshi nodded his head. “The kid does have a control problem.” He rubbed his knee. “Want to take a look?”

---

Ron stumbled slightly, avoiding a completely ballistic attack from Isamu and dodging out of the way. He wasn't sure when this fight had turned from a spar into GWA, but the cheering crowd certainly did not make the fight seem any more civilized.

The worst part was that so many more people in the crowd were cheering for Isamu, which was just depressing. Yori, Hirotaka and Hideyoshi were cheering for him, at least, and Yuudai sensei was just looking irritated and not cheering for anyone.

Isamu was like a tiger, Ron decided, borrowing a metaphor from a number of kung fu movies he'd seen. He would stalk around the ‘ring’ and then suddenly leap at Ron with his fists and legs flying with blurring speed. Ron had taken several hits to the head before learning he was better off just avoiding the attack rather than parrying. Unfortunately this had led to a rather embarrassing game of cat and mouse.

Ron was sure he could win. The little quirt was fast but Ron had size and power on his side. He just needed to land a hit.

“Going to run all day?” asked Isamu, after missing shredding Ron into confetti by only inches on his last leap. “I didn't think cowardice was an element of Tai Shing Pek Kwar.”

The crowed ‘oooh'ed at the insult. Yup, definitely a GWA match.

“Me? Running?” asked Ron, nervously making an attack only to have his hand struck away. “Just… umm… you know, stretching. Need to be in good form when fighting.”

“Fight me head on, Stoppable-san,” said Isamu. Ron boggled at the Japanese's ability to be respectful even when being insulting. “Show me what a master of Tai Shing Pek Kwar can do.”

“A-a master?” baffled Ron. “I'm an amateur at best!”

Isamu leapt again and caught Ron in the shoulder, taking a quick grab and flipping over him to gain momentum for a toss. He flung Ron across the sparring area and nearly into the crowd if Ron hadn't instinctually twisted to change his direction and land on his head inside the ring. His neck hurt incredibly.

“Prove you're worthy to be here!” yelled Isamu, getting in a leaping stance again.

Ron rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself up to the feet. He was losing for a lot of reasons, not the least of which was the fact that he equated striking a kid to abuse and that was just wrong. He tried to imagine Isamu as his devilish cousin, but even then he found it hard to strike. It was just sparring, Ron knew, but he couldn't help but think that regardless of what this fight was supposed to be, it had turned into something else.

He rubbed his neck again and looked back at Isamu. He couldn't disagree with him. Ron had only gotten to come to Yamanouchi because he'd inherited the mystical monkey power from that idol, and if he couldn't tap into that skill, what purpose did he have here?

“You can do it, Stoppable-san!” said Yori from the crowd. Hirotaka and Hideyoshi cheered on with her, but they were a minority in the cacophony of voices.

“Stoppable-san,” called a deeper, elder voice from the crowd and much of the other voices quieted to see what Yuudai-sensei was about to say.

Ron looked up, unsure what to make of his suddenly interruption.

“The age of your opponent is irrelevant,” he said. “Fight your best and either win or lose this fight in the next five minutes. I have other lessons to give.”

After a moment, the crowd went back to cheering.

Sighing, Ron looked back to Isamu. Yuudai-sensei had read his mind, apparently, but that didn't make it much easier to hit the ten year old. Still, he had instructed him to finish this, so Ron swallowed hard and prepared himself to either fight now, or get beaten.

Isamu didn't hesitate and leapt at him as soon as Ron had gotten into stance. With a duck, Ron rolled under the flying attack and managed to flip back into stance on the opposite side of the ring. He took a defensive stance, and wished he could have his staff. He was at least proficient in the staff, unarmed he was no better than a distraction.

And yet, while that thinking had always been comfortable, it had been what had gotten Kim hurt in the first place. If he had been a better, more confident fighter, she never would have gotten shot, and he wouldn't have had to see her bleed out onto the floor in a dizzying realization of how useless he was.

Useless. That's all he'd ever felt. He was there to be a laugh, and a distraction, but in a fight, there was nothing he could do but hide behind Kim. He had to be better than that, because Kim wasn't invincible, and, as he saw, it could get her hurt.

Yori believed him in, he knew, and even Master Sensei had entrusted him with the task of retrieving the Lotus Blade when Monkey Fist stole it. They weren't dumb people. They saw something in him, something that wasn't useless.

Ron just wished he could see it in himself.

“At least attack me,” said Isamu, suddenly. “This is embarrassing for both of us.”

“I don't really like hurting people,” said Ron, stepping around the ring as Isamu did the same. “Especially kids.”

“Then you will never get what you want,” said Isamu. “And you'll embarrass the Yamanouchi school and every one of us who struggled to be accepted here.”

Ron blinked. He was right, it wasn't fair to the other students. Ron had gotten in on a whim, but his failure to excel shamed the ones who hadn't. If he didn't get better, he would fail not only Kim, but Yori and Master Sensei, who had put so much faith in him. He was better off leaving.

Ron lowered his arms and stood in a relaxed position. “Come on,” he said sadly. “Just finish it.”

Isamu grinned. “Gladly,” he said, and prepared himself to pounce.

Ron closed his eyes and let his mind drift away from the fight. It wandered in that half-dream state that was similar to meditation, but had recently enabled Ron to leave his body to dive into other people's dreams. He didn't wish to do that now, of course, it could be dangerous given what was about to happen, but this zen-like state would protect him from feeling too much pain.

He thought about Kim for a moment, but that was too painful, so he tried to think about something else instead. He remember watching Yori do her katas with her metal fan and lost himself in the graceful moves. Each step and muscle flex was intentional and yet fluid, moving from one position to the next in increasing speed. She was a master, and Ron imagined himself being a master as well, moving along with her motions, mimicking the attacks against imaginary foes. Ron knew it wasn't as simple as mimicry, but it gave his mind something to focus on.

Then, all of a sudden, it clicked in his mind.

Ron opened his eyes again and saw Isamu flying towards him. He twisted his waist and lowered himself by extending his foot forward and his hand held high in a fist. Isamu was flying high now, but not so high he would miss Ron completely. In response, Ron swiftly shifted his weight onto his forward leg so his rear one was extended and swung his hand in a chop as if cutting through the air.

Isamu spun out of control as the strike hit his thigh. He only barely got his legs and hands beneath him to land four-legged. He slid his body beneath himself again and launched immediately into a chest-level kick.

Ron twisted his body, cycling his arms like a windmill, and dodged out of the way, ending up back in position again, with his right hand down and his left behind him and bent up at the elbow.

In the crowd, Hideyoshi and Yori gasped in unison.

Isamu changed stances and slowly stepped closer. Ron kept still until the attack came. It was fast, and low, a series of punches and kicks designed to start low and work up to a temple strike. Ron deflected the first few attacks with his fist then spun around Isamu's outstretched arms to strike him in a side.

Isamu stumbled to his knee and coughed, then rolled away again to but distance between himself and Ron.

“What are you doing?” asked Isamu, suddenly. “Where did you--”

“Isamu-san!” said Yuudai-sensei suddenly. “Fight, do not talk.”

Isamu scowled but nodded. “Yes, sensei,” he said.

Ron's face was completely calm as he stood, keeping himself ready for attack. When Isamu turned back towards him, however, Ron quickly advanced forward. With each step he swung his leg out and around, keeping his body low to the ground, advancing confidently, but somewhat mechanical. Once within range, Ron attacked four times, changing his stance and direction each time until the last one hit Isamu in the center of the chest, throwing him onto his back.

Isamu coughed again, desperately sucking air back into his lungs. He moaned on the ground once he was breathing normally again, rubbing his chest slowly.

The crowd was nearly silent. Yuudai-sensei stepped through it and moved to pick up Isamu in his arms. “Everyone return to your lessons,” he said loudly. Everyone looked shocked but eventually dispersed back to their individual spars or departing for training under a different instructor.

“Stoppable-san,” said Yuudai, looking down at Ron.

Ron finally released himself from his stance and stood normally. He looked at Isamu with a frown. “I--I'm sorry,” he said.

“You will be practicing with Yori from now on,” he said suddenly. “Your use of tessenjustu was flawed.”

“Tessenjutsu?” asked Ron, confused.

Yuudai almost smiled. Almost. Then turned and headed towards the living quarters.

Ron looked after him, boggling.

“Stoppable-san!” said Yori as she and Hideyoshi came running up. “You did very well!”

“Ah,” Ron blushed and looked away. “It was just the magic.”

“No, Stoppable-san,” insisted Yori. “You did not use Tai Shing Pek Kwar in that battle.”

“I didn't?” asked Ron.

“She's right,” said Hideyoshi. “You were using the fan arts, like Yori-sempai.”

“I did?” asked Ron, further confused. “But… I don't know how to fight that way.”

“How did you decide what to do, then?”

“I just…” Ron looked up. “I just remembered watching Yori do her practice routines and imagined myself making the same motions. I'm not even sure how I did it. I don't think I could again.”

“Well, you impressed Yuudai-sensei all the same,” said Hideyoshi with a grin. He stuck his hands into his pocket. “I guess I'm going to lose my sparring partner.”

“Oh, dude. I'm sorry,” said Ron, sincerely.

“It's no problem,” Hideyoshi waved him off. “She always beats me anyway. It was starting to get boring.”

Ron blinked. Hideyoshi was much better than he was, and if he constantly lost against Yori, that meant Ron had about as much chance as a fly would. He looked over at Yori.

She smiled warmly.

Ron swallowed nervously.

---

Ron and Yori sat before Master Sensei in the meditation shrine just as the sun was starting to set. The smell of incense tickled Ron's nose and he wished the place wasn't perpetually full of it.

“Tell me, Stoppable-san,” started Master Sensei. “What was the result of your quest last night?”

“I found Shego,” said Ron, shifting slightly back and forth on the tatami mat. His legs kept falling asleep in the kneeling position and he couldn't imagine how Yori managed it. “She was in one of the worlds I visited taking care of two children. I honestly couldn't believe it, she's not exactly what I'd call the ‘caring’ type.”

“We find many ways to deal with our troubles,” said Sensei. “Continue.”

“She said something about having been out there for two years, but it's only been six months for us. How is that possible?”

“Each world follows different laws,” said Sensei. “They do not always equate exactly. As you know, there is no time in the dream, so spending six months or six years can be no more for us than the time it takes for a butterfly to flap its wings.”

Ron considered that, and then continued. “I tried to bring her back here, but something -- I'm not sure -- something stopped me.”

“Stopped you?” asked Sensei, concerned.

“Yeah, I mean, I had her, and was pulling her back to our world when something just ripped her from my grip and I woke up again.” Ron frowned as he thought about it. “I'm sure she's on the path now, I'm just not sure when she'll make it to the end and wake up.”

“Hmm,” said Sensei, pulling absently on his beard. “This is troublesome, but not entirely unexpected.”

“Sensei?” asked Yori. “You knew Stoppable-san would have trouble retrieving Shego-san?”

“My meditations over the last few weeks have been disturbed,” said Sensei. “Something is disrupting them, keeping me from finding my equilibrium. I suspected such an action would have repercussions in our dreamworld, but this confirms it.”

“Who could be disrupting your meditations?” asked Yori.

Sensei frowned but said nothing.

“I haven't had any trouble until today,” offered Ron.

“Yes,” said Master Sensei. “You are an amateur in sansaku no kyuumu, and only the few of us at this school know that you are being trained in the ability. This may have helped you escaped notice, until now.”

“Why now?” asked Ron. “They were watching for Shego?”

“Pulling the consciousness across the dream divide is a great act and very noticeable to anyone attuned to the dream,” said Sensei. “Were I not currently being stopped from reaching my meditative peak, I would have known the result of your actions last night as soon as you woke.” He looked down. “It is safe to say that whoever is stopping me, has its eye on you now too.”

Ron gulped.

“Don't worry,” said Master Sensei. “You are not in any danger now, just being watched. It does not seem to have affected your ability to channel.”

Yori looked surprised. “Channel?” she asked. “You taught him how to channel the dreamworld?”

Master Sensei smiled. “No, I had not,” he said. “It seems you have discovered it on your own, Stoppable-san.”

Yori's eyes suddenly lightened and she nodded understandingly. “Ah, your fight with Isamu-san.”

“Indeed,” nodded Sensei.

“Uh, what?” asked Ron. He was back in the dark again. “What about my fight?”

“You used sansaku no kyuumu to temporarily borrow Yori's ability in tessenjutsu,” said Sensei.

“Woah, wait,” said Ron. “I never entered that dream-thingy, I just tried to meditate!”

“Channeling is not like dreamwalking, Stoppable-san,” said Yori. “You just need to enter a detached state and envision the skill you wish to channel.” She blushed. “You must have thought of me when you meditated, and channeled my tessenjutsu.”

Ron boggled. “So… I can become as good as anyone I've met just be mediating on them?”

“It's not so simple,” said Master Sensei. “There is a limit to how much you can channel, and a duration based on how experienced you are. I have said before you are a natural at the dream, and you have been taught elements of tessenjutsu while here at Yamanouchi, so you did not need to channel much. Were you to pick an unrelated skill, you would not have been so successful.”

“Wow,” said Ron as he considered the possibilities. Then he blanched. “Oh no! Yuudai-sensei is going to be expecting me to be as good as I was in that fight now!”

Yori laughed.

“Yuudai-dono knows of your abilities, Stoppable-san,” said Master Sensei. “He's seen people channel the art before.”

“Oh,” said Ron, relieved.

“I wish you to practice with Yori-san,” started Master Sensei. “While I am gone.”

“G-gone?” asked Yori, surprised.

“I must seek out this presence that is hindering my ability to meditate,” said Sensei. “I worry that it represents a great and growing danger to Yamanouchi.”

“I should accompany you, Master Sensei,” said Yori.

Sensei shook his head. “I must do this alone,” he said. “And you need to continue to help Stoppable-san learn to develop his ability in sansaku no kyuumu.”

Yori looked down. “I am not nearly as talented as even Stoppable-san is in sansaku no kyuumu. He is a natural, while I only have learned to channel.”

“Even so,” said Sensei. “He has much to learn from you, and he will enable you to part the veil of dream so that even you shall learn from him.”

Yori nodded. “I understand, sensei.”

“How long will you be gone?” asked Ron.

“Not long,” said Sensei. “But long enough.”

Ron raised an eyebrow. That was the same as saying ‘I don't know,’ but decided not to point it out.

---

Ron finished his paltry dinner of rice and fish and tried to quell the hunger pains in his stomach by walking around the monastery. It was quite beautiful at night, under the low hanging moon. With their great altitude, the air was a little thin, and very frequently misty or cloudy, but the dim glows of the lamps across the grounds gave it a warm, pleasant feeling.

Ron looked up at the tall walls surrounding the grounds, noting the occasional ninja walking briskly across it between the small guard rooms at the corners. Ron went over by a tall, gnarly tree by the wall and quickly climbed up it, leaping casually from a branch onto the battlement. It was a trick he'd learned early on in his return to Yamanouchi and gave the best view.

Looking out from the wall on a clear night like tonight he could see for almost a hundred miles in any direction not obscured by the mountain itself. In the distance below, Ron saw the cluster of lights that marked the village at the base of the mountain, and the ‘public’ Yamanouchi High School that served as the cover for the ninja school to request Ron come to Japan two years ago. Further away, lights pocked the landscape in small clusters, growing in frequency until they reached Nagano City.

It was a view quite different than anything in Middletown or elsewhere he'd been to in the United States. There was a strange sense of anachronism here, as if the past and the future touched each other just beyond this mountain, and the carts and bicycles gave way to cars and heavy machinery. Yamanouchi was settled in the past, following the old traditions, but still reluctantly giving way to many conveniences over the ages. Electricity was available in the form of several large batteries that were recharged occasionally. And every morning three students would run down the mountain into the village to pick up food, supplies and the daily papers. But most lighting was provided by candlelight, supplies were often handmade, and scrolls and books written by hand rather than on computer. It seemed so strange to Ron but he had grown used to its eccentrics.

Walking casually along the wall, Ron looked up at the stars and wondered what Kim was doing right now. He had thought about her often, and each time he knew she was probably angry with him. He had left suddenly and had not called or written to her at all. It probably seemed cruel to her, as if he not only left her but hated her, but the real reason was so much complicated.

He was he here for a purpose, to grow his skill and become someone worthy to stand by Kim and help her in her fights rather than hinder. He couldn't leave until he was done or coming here would have been pointless. But he was weak. He knew it to be so even without others to tell him. He couldn't call or write to her because, what would he say? There was too much to tell and if he only said part of it, she wouldn't understand. And if he told her anything at all, he would have to explain everything.

She wouldn’t stand for it either, he knew. She would tell him to come back, to come home, and that she didn't care if he was a buffoon. Ron knew she believed that too, and would be happy, but he couldn't. He would always think about that scene, bathed in blood, and her dying before him. Being with her put her in danger, and he wouldn’t put her in that situation again.

So, no, he had to keep quiet, and work hard, and go back to her when he wouldn't be a burden. And if she hated him by then… well, he would have to deal with that.

“Stoppable-san?” said a voice before Ron and he looked down quickly noting he was about to step on Yori sitting on the wall.

“Uh…er- Hi,” he said, stopping. “What are you doing up here?”

“Looking,” she said simply. Her face didn't have the same energy it normally did when Ron saw her, and he thought it was usual. He thought back to what Hirotaka and Hideyoshi said this afternoon and wondered just how much of it was true. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to distract myself from my hunger, honestly,” said Ron, smiling awkwardly. He moved to the side slightly then sat down beside her. “It's a beautiful view.”

Yori nodded, looking out in the distance. “If the night is clear enough, I can almost see my home.”

“Your home?” asked Ron. He looked down the mountain. “You didn't grow up here?” Ron had known that many members of the class he'd been grouped with were children of existing Yamanouchi ninjas, like Hirotaka, who's family he occasionally saw working or teaching on the grounds.

Yori shook her head and pointed to the cluster of lights on the horizon. “No, I was born in Nagano,” she said. “My parents were not Yamanouchi ninja.”

“Ah,” said Ron, nodded. “I shouldn't have assumed. My father's an actuary and my mother …” Ron hesitated. “Actually, I'm not sure what my mother does.”

“Are they nice?” asked Yori.

“Nice?” repeated Ron. “Yeah. Sure they are. I mean, they've always looked out for me, and aside from making me do really boring stuff like clean my room or empty the garage they're pretty … um… normal.”

Yori nodded quietly again.

“How about you?” asked Ron. “What are your parents like?”

With a sigh, Yori began to stand. “It's getting late, Stoppable-san,” she said. “You should get to sleep now so that you are not late for morning exercises.” Yori bowed and then leapt off the wall onto the school grounds.

Ron frowned. “Strange,” he said to himself.

---

“Here.”

Ron stared in surprise at the wad of colorful Japanese currency being offered up to him by the young and short of stature Isamu. It was quite a stack of bills, but Ron couldn't get over the holder.

“Nah,” said Ron, gently pushing the hand of cash down. “Don't worry about it. I can't take that much money from a kid.”

Isamu bristled at the ‘kid’ comment but restrained himself. “I have plenty of money, it's not a big deal to me.”

“Then save it up,” said Ron, smiling warmly. “Use for college someday or to buy a horse or something.” People bought horses in Japan, right? He'd noticed them all over the art hanging in the dojo.

“I could buy a ranch, if I wanted,” said Isamu, holding the money up again. “This is change to me, so just take it.”

Ron was confused, but politely refused again. “We'll just say you owe me one, okay?”

“Dammit, Stoppable-san!” cursed Isamu, surprising Ron. “Do not dishonor me further! We made an agreement, hold to it!”

Blinking, Ron looked surprised at the kid and reluctantly let him put the money in his hand before storming off.

Ron looked afterwards and tried to figure out what just happened before heading off towards the practice grounds for morning exercises.

---

“Yo, Stoppable-kun.”

Ron looked up from where he was organizing the practice weapons rack. He'd knocked it down during morning practice and had been ordered to clean it up prior to lunch. “Hey Hirotaka, Hideyoshi.”

“Hey,” said Hideyoshi, moving in close. “I saw Isamu heading towards your building this morning looking pissed. Did he pay you off?”

Ron nodded. “Yeah, he didn't seem pleased about it, but wouldn't back down.”

“Awesome, lets go back to town and get some fatty tuna,” said Hideyoshi, excited.

“I don't think any place in Yamanouchi serves toro sashimi,” pointed out Hirotaka.

“Whatever, lets just go.”

“Nah, I don't think so,” said Ron, looking to the side. “I'm not going to spend it.”

“You're not?” said Hideyoshi, astonished. “What're you going to do with it then?”

“Probably just find an opportunity to give it back to him,” said Ron, placing a three bladed knife like the top of a trident, a sai, back onto the rack. “He's just a kid, I can't take his money.”

“He's got plenty, don’t worry about it,” said Hideyoshi. “Nakasumi-chan spends yen like it's going out of style.”

“Nakasumi?” asked Ron.

“Yeah, he used to have special foods and clothes delivered to the town and then he'd go out and pick them up.” Hideyoshi laughed. “One of the night guards caught him and they found out all the stuff he'd been hiding. It was hilarious.”

Ron was confused. “Wait, Isamu's last name is Nakasumi?”

“His family name, yes,” said Hirotaka. “He's the third nephew of the president of the Nakasumi Corporation.”

Ron boggled.

“His parents work in one of the Nakasumi buildings in Kyoto,” said Hideyoshi. “That's where I'm from. I … ‘met’ him a few times before we both came here.”

“You were friends?” asked Ron.

“Er, somewhat?” said Hideyoshi with a grin. “I wouldn't say so to Nakasumi-chan though, he might bite your face off.”

“Ugh,” said Ron. “Quite an animal he is.”

“He is well behaved for a Nakasumi family member,” said Hirotaka. “Most of his cousins do not bring honor to the family name. He is easily riled however, which Hideyoshi-kun here has gotten very good at doing.”

“It's a gift,” smiled Hideyoshi.

“You should go easier on him,” chided Hirotaka.

“Feh.”

“I guess he wasn't kidding when he said he had a lot of money,” said Ron, amazed that he was going head to head against a family member of Nakasumi-san. “Gee, I hope Nakasumi-san doesn't hear that I beat up his nephew.”

“Yamanouchi is a secret, remember?” said Hideyoshi. “How would he find out?”

“I suppose,” said Ron.

“So, lets go eat,” said Hideyoshi.

“I just said--”

“Yeah, yeah, I mean, let's just face the line for lunch,” said Hideyoshi, slapping Ron on the back.

---

Ron fell onto his back for at least the sixth time in the last hour. He turned his head to look up at Yori, who was, as usual, apologetically offering a hand. He took it and got back onto his feet with a sigh.

“It's just not happening again,” said Ron.

“I am sure you'll figure it out eventually, Stoppable-san,” said Yori, cheerfully. “The ability takes much practice to call upon at will.”

“Yeah,” Ron rubbed his butt. “In the mean time I'll be spending a lot of time on my back.”

“Perhaps you should try for an easier skill,” pointed out Yori. “You are already a natural at bojutsu, perhaps if you tried channeling a master you could more easily borrow the knowledge.”

Ron frowned. He didn't know any people who used the staff, except for the ninja turtle. And he wasn't real. Ron was pretty sure he couldn't channel a fictional character, even if he had watched the cartoon religiously growing up. Just for kicks, though, he closed his eyes and tried to imagine the green skinned staff wielder, hoping to channel his ability.

He ended up with a deep rooted desire for pizza.

“Ugh,” said Ron, opening his eyes again. “That was not what I was trying to do.”

“What is wrong?” asked Yori.

“Nothing,” said Ron, wearily. He tried to ignore the hunger; he had just eaten lunch, after all. “Why don't we take a break for a few minutes?”

“Okay,” nodded Yori, and the two walked over to bench outside the sparring grounds that had been set up with a few wash cloths a bucket of water. Ron briefly wiped his brow with the cool water and sat down, Yori did likewise.

Ron tried desperately to think of anything other than pizza. “So, Yori, do you often get to visit--” he stopped abruptly. He was about to ask about her family again but, remembering how she suddenly got up and left last night when he asked, he refrained. “Er… never mind.”

Yori nodded and, thankfully, did not ask further. But then the silence settled.

“Isamu doesn't seem to like me very much,” Ron said.

“He is quite confident,” said Yori. “His defeat at your hands hurt his pride as well as his body. But he will recover, with time. You taught him more about humility than any of his instructors could.”

“Yeah, but if I know anything about humility,” said Ron. “You rarely appreciate the person who taught you.” He sighed. “There were so many people cheering for him at that fight. Does everyone hate me as much as him?”

Yori opened her mouth then hesitated, and it was the first time Ron had ever seen her speechless. “Your personal strengths have not been advertised as much as your inheritance of the mystical monkey power and the Lotus Blade. I had hoped by welcomingly you openly, the others would temper their opinions.” She looked down. “They did not.”

“Sorry,” said Ron. “I guess I'm not all that likable.”

“That's not true,” insisted Yori. “You're very likable! The others just do not see yet. But you have quickly befriended Hirotaka-san and Hideyoshi-san, too.”

“Yeah,” said Ron. “I guess. But I get the feeling Hirotaka and HIdeyoshi aren't all that embraced either.”

Yori deflated slightly. “It is true that Hirotaka-san's obsession over America has not improved his appearance. And Hideyoshi-san's history of street fighting is not considered honorable. But it is a start!” She tried to end positively, but Ron realized she had to struggle.

“It's okay,” said Ron. “I'm here to learn, not to be liked.” Though being liked would be cool too.

Yori put a gentle hand on his shoulder. “That is what will eventually bring everyone around to you,” she said. “Your intentions are pure, and that says much about your character. The others will realize that in time.”

Ron half smiled. “Thanks,” he said. The feeling of hunger had passed and his desire for pizza had returned to normal levels. “Ready to try again?”

Yori nodded. “Yes.”

---

Yuudai-sensei sat cross-legged on the porch of the teacher's house smoking from a long, thin pipe. His dark blue haori hung loosely over his shoulders with the white character for ‘mountain’ glittering in the candlelight on its front. Beside him was a stack of hand bound books atop which was a platter with a tea kettle and a pair of cups. His eyes were half lidded as he stared out onto the grounds as the moon started to rise and the fireflies played along the stream that ran from the mountains through the monastery.

Yori walked careful up behind the instructor and bowed.

“What is it, Yori-san,” said Yuudai-sensei. “Come to plead for leniency for the sake of Stoppable-san?”

Yori blushed furiously. “No, sensei,” she said calmly. “I wouldn't presume to instruct you.”

“Hah!” laughed Yuudai. “You should be less humble. Stoppable-san learns more from you than from me.”

“I-- it is not because I am a better teacher, Sensei,” Yori stumbled over her words slightly and prayed for the heat in her cheeks to go away.

“No,” said Yuudai, nodding. “Though it is not for your constant fawning, either.”

Yori felt her head explode.

“Please, sit down before you overheat,” Yuudai-sensei motioned beside him. As Yori slowly moved to sit cross-legged, he poured some tea into the second cup. “Please.”

“Thank you,” said Yori, taking the cup into her hands. She stared at the slightly swaying liquid, watching the tea leaves slowly drift on the back and forth current.

“What is on your mind?” asked Yuudai-sensei. “As it is apparently not Stoppable-san.”

“Master Sensei asked me to do some research on the Shade for him,” she said.

Yuudai slowly nodded then frowned. “Ah,” he said, as if understanding more than what has been said.

“I do not know why he asked me to,” continued Yori. “But I discovered detailed tracking of their activities from the mid 1800s through to the present. It appeared as though you were keeping the logs over the last twenty years.”

“I have been,” said Yuudai-sensei. He puffed once from his pipe.

“Then, you know the details of the events you write?” asked Yori.

“I do,” nodded Yuudai.

Yori looked nervous and sipped her tea a couple times before speaking again. “Then you know what happened on November 22nd, fifteen years ago?”

Yuudai puffed his pipe again then looked slowly over to Yori. “It will bring you no satisfaction to know. Trust me.” He turned back to look at the fireflies. “I have experience.”

“But--”

“You sympathize with Hideyoshi-san, do you not?” interrupted Yuudai-sensei.

Yori frowned. “Yes.”

“He battles with his need for vengeance every day,” said Yuudai. “He knows where the yakuza gang who killed his parents are, he's probably strong enough to even beat them. But if he wants to train here, he can never do so.”

Yori looked away.

“He acts natural and cheerful with you and Stoppable-san, but the desire to run and kill those who stole his family is constantly playing in his mind.” Yuudai sighed. “I would not be surprised if he has memorized a plan accounting for every possible scenario should he find himself in Kyoto again.”

“Does that sound appealing to you, Yori-san?” asked Yuudai.

Yori frowned.

“Save yourself the struggle, then, and let your demons be faceless,” he said finally. He picked up his cup and looked into it briefly. His expression changed to a thoughtful one. “It's standing on end.” He looked again into his cup. A few tea leaves were on the surface and one was floating vertically. “Guess that means good luck for me.”

Yori looked thoughtful for several quiet moments, then drank the rest of her tea. “Thank you, sensei,” she said with a bow. Then she stood and walked off, leaving Yuudai-sensei alone with the fireflies again.

---

Ron yawned as he walked groggily from the house his room was in. He did not get as much sleep last night as he had hoped. He kept being dragged out of his sleep into the dream for some reason and was stuck watching somebody's nightmares about tall teenaged girls in strange colorful costumes and short skirts fighting monsters that looked as grotesque as they were strong. Ron hadn't minded the girls, but the ‘demons’, as the girls called them, were terrifying.

Eventually he found a way of walling himself off from the rest of the dreamscape by building a literal cinderblock wall around him. Things were strange in the dream, and building an actual wall sometimes had metaphoric consequences. At least, in this case it did.

The downside is that he'd already lost several hours of sleep before realizing he could protect himself.

The sun would not be rising for at least an hour now, which was always depressing, but at least it was Sunday, which meant that practices were short, and training only lasted until noon. Ron planned on returning to his room and sleeping until Monday. After this week, he felt he could really use the break.

Unfortunately, the day had other things in mind for him.

“Stoppable-san.”

Ron looked up to see Isamu before him again. For someone he'd barely noticed since coming to Yamanouchi, this kid was starting to show up more frequently than a bad penny.

“Hey, Isamu,” said Ron, trying to start off pleasant.

“I want a rematch,” said Isamu. “Same wager.”

“Uh,” Ron hesitated. How to end this peacefully? “Why?”

“What do you mean why?” asked Isamu. “To prove I'm better than you.”

“Don't you mean ‘fight better than you?'”

Isamu stared.

“Uh, right,” said Ron, looking away.

“Today at 13:00,” said Isamu. Ron mentally translated that to one o'clock.

“Listen, would it help if I just said you were better than me?” asked Ron.

Isamu turned and walked away.

“What about a poster? I can make a really big poster!” Ron sighed. “A flag?”

---

“Oh, no. He doesn't give up,” said Hideyoshi plainly between practice and training. “I'm not sure you realize, but that's one of the reasons he was admitted to Yamanouchi.”

“Great,” said Ron. He should have expected this coming. “At least I can lose this way and get him to take back his money.”

“Stoppable-san, you aren't going to throw the fight are you?” asked Yori, concerned.

“Er… no?” said Ron.

“You've already shown your best, Stoppable-kun,” said Hirotaka. “If you don't fight your hardest, everyone will notice.”

“Right, I knew that,” said Ron, depressed.

“If you want, I can give you some pointers on getting him to lose his cool,” said Hideyoshi.

“Uh, I think I've done that well enough on my own, thank you very much,” said Ron. “I just don’t know which will be worse, losing the fight and having him believe I let him win, or winning the fight and looking forward to having him come back over and over again for rematches.”

“See?” said Hirotaka to Yori, rather suddenly.

“This is not the same,” said Yori, dismissively. Hirotaka looked surprised in return.

“Have you at least gotten better at your tessenjutsu?” asked Hideyoshi.

“Not really,” said Ron. “Actually, I may be worse.”

“How did you get… worse?” asked Hideyoshi.

“It's complicated.” Ron held his head in his hands. “Ugh, how am I going to get out of this? I don't want to win fights against kids eight years younger than me! There's no way to look good at it. Either I lose and look pathetic for losing to a pre-teen or I win and I look like I'm beating up on child.”

“He's hardly defenseless,” offered Hideyoshi.

“Go to the battle, Stoppable-san,” said Yori. Ron looked up and saw her staring intently at him. “Hirotaka-san and I will take care of the rest.”

Hirotaka looked over in surprise. “We will?”

---

Ron stood in the sparring ring and looked around, confused. He and Isamu were all alone.

“Not quite the turnout this time,” Ron said.

Isamu stared back. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Look,” said Ron. “I don't really understand what I did to you that was so awful, but do we really have to fight about it?”

“Yes.”

“But, isn't that against what Yamanouchi teaches us?” said Ron. “Shouldn't we be resorting to fighting only when there is no other choice?”

“Why honor anything Yamanouchi teaches us when they admit people like you?” said Isamu.

Ron sighed. “Then there's no point in being here. You have to choose something to believe in, and sometimes it's hard to keep faith but… it's worth it in the end.”

Isamu scowled. “You don’t deserve to be here if the only thing you've done is touch a two thousand year old idol.”

“I agree,” said Ron. “I wasn't asked to train here. I wanted to come here on my own accord and I had to prove that I was committed.”

“If you're so committed, how can you act like such a child?” asked Isamu, never leaving his fighting stance.

“That's… that's completely different,” said Ron. “That's who I am. I don't want to be a different person, I want to be the same person but with the discipline to protect the people I love.”

“You like being a buffoon?”

“Well, I'd like it if people stopped calling me that,” admitted Ron. “But I don't dislike myself for being clumsy or a little foolish sometimes. It's fun for me, and it's not something I want to change. I don't think I could if I wanted to.”

“But… but…” stammered Isamu. “Nobody respects children.”

Ron smiled weakly. “Maybe not, but fortunately the only thing you have to do to fix that is wait.”

---

Hirotaka back-flipped to get away from the blades of Yori's fan and flung a pair of shurikens at her to ward her back. Yori produced a second fan and deflected the first of the small blades and dodged the other. With a soft tap Hirotaka landed on the ground and held his wakizashi in his hand defensively.

At the edges of the large dojo in which they were fighting, nearly half the school had gathered and were cheering on either Hirotaka or Yori with great enthusiasm. In the corner, a few of the teachers were observing but most of them seemed disinterested and were talking amongst themselves.

“Why are we fighting again, Yori-san,” asked Hirotaka as he made a quick dash forward to strike with his short blade. Yori used her heavy metal fan to deflect the strike and followed up with a backwards kick that Hirotaka only barely parried with his sword sheath, or saya. “Not that I mind fighting with lethal weapons for little or no reason at all,” he added sarcastically.

“We are buying time for Stoppable-san to work out his problems with Isamu-san,” said Yori, swinging again with her fan only to have Hirotaka defend with his wakizashi. “A fight between us would draw away the crowd giving them privacy.”

“Hmm,” thought Hirotaka as he flipped back over Yori's head and swung down with his saya. Yori had her fan up in lightning speed to defend against the blow. “Very clever, Yori-san,” he said.

“Our only difficulty is playing a convincing fight long enough to keep the gathered students from departing,” said Yori between several strikes.

“Then we'd better get serious,” said Hirotaka. He put his wakizashi in its sheath and held it in his right hand with his arm extended. In his left hand he fanned out several shuriken. “I've always wondered who would win in a battle between us.”

He dashed forward again to strike with his fist full of shuriken.

---

Isamu had lowered his hands, leaving his ready position, but he and Ron still kept their distance in the sparring circle.

“Why did you come to Yamanouchi?” asked Ron, carefully.

“My parents are embarrassing,” said Isamu coldly. “My father has been a salary man for uncle's company for years without promotion or raise. He does only enough to get by and then comes home to fuss with his collection of cell phone trinkets.”

Isamu looked down. “My mother left my father years ago and when I go to see her she's always too busy with her office lady friends to pay attention to me.”

Ron frowned sympathetically. “I'm sorry,” he said. “So you wanted to get away from them?”

“I wanted to show them what a waste their lives have been,” said Isamu. “They never strove to better our family or to make something of themselves. They were only concerned with themselves. I have to prove that our family is more than just my uncle.”

“So you chose martial arts?” asked Ron.

“A master of martial arts is well respected in this country. I wanted to become the best martial artist in Japan and open a dojo proudly showing our name.” Isamu looked up. “When Yamanouchi approached me, I knew that I was already on the path to bring honor back to my family.”

He focused his eyes intensely on Ron. “But you forced me to question that accomplishment.”

Ron couldn't help but feel guilty, but it wouldn't help his situation to say so. “So, the only way you'll feel like you haven't made the wrong choice is to prove that I have the mad skills to belong here?”

Isamu looked at Ron and reluctantly nodded.

“Huh,” said Ron. “This certainly went in a direction I hadn't expected.” He scratched his chin for a moment. “Well, if that's what it'll take, I shouldn't be fighting you, then.”

“Huh?”

---

Hirotaka feinted to the side but Yori didn't fall for it and easily anticipated his next move, slashing him across the ribs with her fan.

“Ah, hey!” yelled Hirotaka as he twisted with the attack to minimize the damage. “Easy!”

Yori looked surprised for a second and then bowed several times. “I'm sorry Hirotaka-san,” she said. “I thought you would defend against that attack.”

Hirotaka put his hand to his side and felt the faint trickle of blood. “I guess that is why we practice a two person kata before doing it for real.” He winced slightly with the pain but eventually it subsided.

“Do you think we've given Stoppable-san enough time?” asked Yori.

“I'm sure whatever he's had to say he's said it,” said Hirotaka. He held his hand tight against his wound. “I was certain I was faster than you. I guess not.”

“It was a lucky strike,” assured Yori. “I shouldn't have been going for direct contact.”

“I should have figured out your move before you made contact anyway.” Hirotaka shook his head and then looked to the crowd. “Looks like she beat me,” he announced.

The crowd cheered, many for conflicting reasons. It didn't matter to Hirotaka anyway.

Yori blushed at the attention she was being fawned, especially references to that nickname she disliked, ‘The Iris.’ Her blush faded when she noticed a pair of guys pushing their way through the crowd and then onto the dojo's fighting ground.

Hirotaka noticed everyone quieting down and he looked to find the source. Ron and Isamu were walking over towards them.

“Hey,” said Hirotaka. “Everything cleared up?”

Ron shook his head. “No, but thanks for doing all this. You should have told me, though, and you definitely should not have gotten hurt.”

“It'll heal,” said Hirotaka with a weak smile.

“Stoppable-san, why have you both come here?” asked Yori.

“We need to do one more fight,” said Ron, sounding serious.

“I had hoped to get rid of your crowd for you,” said Yori, disappointed. “You wish to fight in front of these people?”

“Yes,” said Ron with a nod. “But I'm not fighting Isamu.”

“You're not?” Yori looked puzzled between Ron and Isamu. “Then who?”

---

Ron stood opposite Yuudai-sensei in the dojo, preparing to fight. If half the school had come to see the Yori/Hirotaka fight, then the entire school had crammed its way along and around the dojo walls for this battle.

Ron idly wondered if he should have prepared a last will and testament as he looked at Yuudai's huge sword. In contrast, the thin staff in his own hands seemed almost laughable. At least Yuudai-sensei's sword was blunt, though Ron didn't doubt for a second it was still lethal.

“I won't try to dissuade you,” said Yuudai-sensei, looking down at the decidedly shorter Ron. “But I hope you have fully considered your options before deciding to do this.”

“Who, me?” asked Ron, lightly. “I don’t think anything through fully. I'm actually hoping not to think about this very hard or I very well may have a heart attack.”

Yuudai-sensei looked not amused. He glanced at the crowd and tilted his head slightly to listen to the rabble. “This had best not be a means of impressing the students.”

“I don't think getting my butt kicked by you is going to raise anyone's opinion of me,” said Ron. He closed his eyes and tried to let his mind drift. He need to think of an expert bojutsu user, someone… anyone he knew that he could channel the ability of to increase his paltry skills.

“Stoppable-san.”

Ron reluctantly opened his eyes to look at Yuudai-sensei again. “What?”

“Never fight with the expectation of losing,” he said. “Even if the odds are a million to one, if you assume you're going to lose, then even that slight chance is lost.”

Ron considered his chances to be zero, but nodded all the same. He supposed as long as he was conscious there was a slightly chance he could turn the tide and win. Stranger things have happened to him. Well, not entirely stranger but somewhat similar. Ron had only considered the odds of surviving the fight, winning was a matter so insurmountably against him that he didn't even give it a thought.

But, thought Ron as he closed his eyes, if he were to compare himself to Yuudai-sensei, they weren't entirely different. They were human, after all, and fighting with weapons. And there were a hundred different qualities that they each possessed both similar and different from each other that hardly mattered at all after they made the first attack. In fact, outside of the realm of fighting, they could stand equal on several things.

Ron reconsidered his assessment. He may not be able to turn the tide in a battle, but, to be fair, until they actually started fighting, they were even. Skill or size or strength were tools that affected your progress in battle, but didn't set you on a higher platform before it. Until that first strike, they were equal.

Drifting partially into the dreamscape, Ron could see himself standing in the dojo in front of Yuudai-sensei. They were a highly contrasting pair, but they weren't comparing size or shape. They were competing in skill. All Ron needed to do to stand a chance was find someone -- anyone -- equal in ability to Yuudai-sensei to channel.

But searching was silly. Ron already knew someone equal to Yuudai-sensei.

Ron's consciousness coalesced back in his mind and he changed the position of his feet and body, holding his bo in one hand near to the end. His eyes settled calmly on Yuudai-sensei and he nodded once.

---

Across the void, a disturbance rippled through the dream. With a shiver, the presence yawned and awoke, as if breathing the air for the first time, inflating to push past the weak barriers that had once contained it. It had long suffered in silence, asleep, trapped within a cage beholden to a master that did not even know it existed. Over the years it had atrophied slightly, and lost hope.

But now it had been freed and it sucked up everything around it to grow strong become what it had always supposed to be.

Elsewhere in the dreamscape, eyes lit up with fire and turned towards the birthing being, their attentions caught and interest piqued.

One of those pairs of eyes blinked.

“Oh my,” she said.

---

Ron breathed hard and struggled to keep focused on his opponent as sweat fell into his eyes and blurred his vision. All of his muscles ached and his joints felt sore but for the life of him he'd never felt so aware. Everything little sound and touch was magnified a hundred times and echoed off of everything else.

Yuudai-sensei was stoic, holding his weapon at the ready. He hadn't even a beat a sweat or taken a misplaced breath. Ron was awed by his ability to process so much information so quickly and not be overwhelmed.

Ron pushed his fatigue down again and launched himself forward, swinging his bo staff like a sword against Yuudai-sensei's own. Their weapons clashed and Ron twisted just enough to avoid getting his wooden weapon cut by Yuudai's steel. Even blunt, the force the teacher put behind each swing was enough to do massive damage and Ron thanked the gods that he'd avoided getting hit by one.

Faster. Faster! Ron's mind shouted as he swung the staff around. Each of his attacks was deflected and even as his speed increased still no opening were made in Yuudai-sensei's defenses. Three, six, ten strikes in a row. Then came a counterattack from the teacher which Ron barely parried and felt his wrist strain from the effort.

Reluctantly Ron leapt away again to catch his breath. Each heaving gasp felt like fire in his throat and lungs.

“You're not used to this,” said Yuudai-sensei suddenly. “You'll seriously hurt yourself if you keep pushing like that.”

“I… can … handle …” Ron stopped and leaned heavily on his bo. The energy was draining from his body but he struggled to keep going. His mouth was dry and he yearned for anything to quench his aching thirst.

Yuudai-sensei frowned and lowered his voice to almost a whisper. Somehow Ron could hear it clear as day. “Listen to the others in this room,” he softly said. “Let yourself focus on more than just me.”

Ron stared intently at the teacher then reluctantly let the words of the gathered crowd reach his ears.

“Can you believe it?!”

“I've never seen anyone move like that before…”

“Who knew Stoppable-san was such a great fighter?”

“Did he just deflect Yuudai-sensei's power strike?”

“I could barely see his attacks they moved so fast…”

Ron blinked but lacked the energy to do much else.

“Do you hear it?” asked Yuudai-sensei.

Ron nodded.

“Yield and we'll call it a stalemate,” offered Yuudai-sensei. “You've earned your place here.”

Ron forced himself up and looked to the side of the dojo. Isamu stood there, staring, his face strange, conflicted.

“Not yet,” breathed Ron as he tightened his grip on the bo again.

“I won't let you hurt yourself,” said Yuudai-sensei, as he changed his grip on his sword. “Yield now or I will force you to rest.”

Ron grit his teeth against his aching bones. He focused his attentions on Yuudai-sensei again and let the noise of the spectators die away. He had to attack first or Yuudai-sensei would easily out-power and out maneuver him and Isamu wasn't satisfied yet. Ron could see it in his eyes.

Ron moved his hands close together on the bo, still wielding it as a sword, and held them low and to the side, the long shaft crossing his body. Without hesitation he lunged forward again.

Yuudai-sensei simply stepped a half-step back and rose his sword to strike.

Each second in Ron's mind slowed as he approached, he pulled on his overworked muscles to bring the bo around, starting his own strike to match his opponents.

Easily reading Ron's telegraphed moves, Yuudai-sensei changed the direction of his strike slightly and shifted his weight to avoid the strike. He pushed own his own well oiled muscles to cut his sword faster through the air, almost leaving air trails behind. He twisted his wrist slightly to ensure that Ron got hit with the side of his sword rather than the edge which, even dull, could easily shatter bone. The blade neared Ron's shoulder.

In a blur, Ron moved. His body twisted and spun slightly, rolling away from Yuudai's attack, surprising the teacher with his speed and last second feint. Using the momentum from his twist, Ron brought the sword around from behind Yuudai, striking towards his back.

Even faster than Ron moved, however, Yuudai swung his sword back and struck at the approaching bo. The two weapons arced towards each other faster and faster, beyond what Ron would call reason. Then, when it seemed as if they had been flying forever, they struck.

Ron's bo shattered into a million splinters and crumbled to the floor. Ron, absorbing some of the reverberated energy into his arms spun out onto the ground and rolled several times before coming to rest on his side. He laid there, breathing, but otherwise motionless.

“RON!” yelled Yori before anyone else could breathe. She leapt across the dojo in a flash and was beside him, cradling his head tenderly and checking his breathing and pulse. After a moment she picked up his body and dashed off, through the crowd, and out of the dojo.

In the center of the room, Yuudai-sensei looked frozen in shock as the crowed began surging towards him, many cheering his victory. He played the battle in his mind again to be certain and then, after a minute, wordlessly replaced the practice sword and departed the dojo. When he was finally apart from the mass of students, he let himself realize what he'd been thinking.

Right before the end, a single moment before he'd shattered the bo, Stoppable had hit him.

---

Unconsciousness was not like sleep. Ron had come to know the difference since returning to Yamanouchi and he didn't like the former at all. When he slept, he had control, he could step into the dreamscape and walk the dreams other had or, as he recently learned to do, leave entirely to see other worlds, universes, dimensions. Like the ones he chased Shego through.

But when he was unconscious, when he was forced asleep through fatigue or injury, he did not have control. He simply slept and was vulnerable to anyone or anything within the dreamscape with power. He couldn't control his path through his dreams and couldn't voluntarily step beyond him. Someone else had to grab him and pull him away if he were to leave his own dreams behind.

Which is exactly what someone did.

Ron found himself strapped to a table with large metal manacles that seemed to be part of the platform itself. Darkness surged and ebbed around him, leaving no sign of a room or place he was being held in. Lights fell from distant points in the sky, illuminating the area Ron laid on, but nothing more.

Then the feeling of being alone vanished and he felt like he was on display. A hundred eyes of crimson and green flittered in the darkness. Even though Ron couldn’t see them, he could feel them, and he wasn't sure they were all exactly human.

“What is this one?” asked a voice in the darkness. Ron opened his mouth to respond but found he had no voice.

“He is a son of man. Frail, weak, but with potential,” said another voice, a deeper one that rumbled in the dark. Ron thought it sounded like a lion if lions could speak.

“We should destroy it,” said a quick, sharp voice with anger. “The more humans here, the more danger we are in. The Saxons proved that.”

“We should monitor it, it intrigues me,” said a deep, but sultry voice. “It may be a useful tool against the Witch.”

The voices descended momentarily into chaos at mention of the witch. Their voices overlapped obscuring their words but Ron got the distinct impression that whoever this witch was, she was hated.

“I agree that we should watch it for now,” a voice finally rose from the bickering. “It has only just realized its ability, we will have opportunities to intervene again.”

“This is a mistake,” the angry voice responded. “We will all suffer from this decision.”

“Then, to a vote?” asked the sultry voice. “We shall handle this as the humans do.”

“Very well,” said the lion. “All who favor destroying it say ‘aye.'”

Loud voices clambered in response.

“All who favor monitoring it for a while longer say ‘nay.'”

Louder voices decried with vigor.

“Very well,” said the lion. “We shall do nothing… for now.”

“Then he shall be returned,” said the sultry voice.

The voices grew unsettled and then, one by one, their presences vanished, leaving only Ron, alone on the table, in the ever expanding darkness.

Then Ron heard strange clicking noises and suddenly, a figure stepped into the pool of light around the table. It was a woman, tall and thin, with very long dark hair and wearing what appeared to be a black evening gown covered in diamonds that formed the constellations in the sky. She extended a long pale arm and touched Ron's cheek softly.

“I'll be anxiously awaiting our next meeting,” she said softly and leaned over his body to place her face directly above Ron's own. Ron opened his mouth to speak but still could find no voice.

Then her face began to descend, slowly getting ever closer to his. Her eyes closed gently and her dark lips parted just a bit until…

---

Ron's eyes opened suddenly and he took a deep breath in. He felt sore all over which probably meant he was back in his body in what he considered to be the ‘real’ world. The blanket covering him felt like the weight of a mountain and he struggled just to move his head slightly to look around.

It was very dark out and the moon's low position in the sky made it either early evening or past midnight. Only a few candles nearby were lit, illuminating a room that Ron recognized as the infirmary. A curtain hung to one side, giving him a slight bit of privacy from the rest of the room should it be full of patients.

A gentle movement nearby brought Ron's attention to the girl sitting beside the bed he was on. He recognized Yori's dark hair and athletic form, and also noticed she had fallen asleep in the chair, her arms crossed and head hanging down. He breathing sounded regular, but Ron wondered how fitful of a sleep she could be getting while upright in a wooden chair.

Another figure moved in the shadows across the room and Ron noticed a larger man standing and moved closer. The silhouette of the man was broad, covered with layers of clothing that swept behind him as he walked. The candle light eventually reached his face as he approached and Ron recognized the slight scars of Yuudai-sensei.

“Sen… sei,” Ron croaked then felt incredibly parched. Yuudai-sensei reached for a glass on the table and offered it to him. The cool water felt like bliss as it flooded his sandy throat.

“Stoppable-san,” he said after a moment. “How do you feel?”

“Like I just tried lifting an elephant,” Ron said, shaking his head. Just lifting the glass to drink again was hard with his muscles feeling so sore and tight. “I can barely move.”

“You channeled abilities beyond your body's limit,” said Yuudai-sensei. “If you had continued the fight, you very well may have fractured your own bones and tore your muscles.”

“I guess it was a silly idea,” said Ron, looking away.

“No,” said Yuudai. “It was very clever and bold. As a master of my art, I am well adept at defending myself against those who practice the same form, but most would not have fared so well. I am very impressed.”

“It's still cheating,” sighed Ron. “I don't know your sword arts, or Yori's fan fighting, I just copy what I've seen.”

“It is a start,” said Yuudai. “And it shows your potential. Master Sensei charged me with guiding you towards mastery in the arts we teach here and I am convinced now that, given time, you will succeed.”

Ron smiled wearily and nodded. “Sorry I can't jump with joy,” he said.

“Rest,” said Yuudai. “In the morning, you will feel better.” He turned back to sit in the corner.

“You're staying?” asked Ron. Yuudai nodded and silently settled himself in the corner.

Ron looked confused then laid back on the bed again and relaxed. As soon as he closed his eyes, he fell asleep.

---

“Are you sure you're okay, Stoppable-san?” asked Yori as they walked towards the morning practice areas. It was, as usual, just short of four o'clock in the morning and Yori had insisted on being there when he returned to classes. He hadn't realized that her intent would be to dissuade him though.

“I'm fine,” said Ron. “I rested all day yesterday like you insisted, I need to move today.”

“Perhaps you should not strain yourself so soon, though,” suggested Yori.

“All I had was fatigue, I'm fine now, honestly,” insisted Ron. Also, he thought, if I have spend another day locked up in a room with no TV, video games, or comic books I'll go crazy.

“Let me know right away if you need anything,” said Yori.

“Okay,” nodded Ron, glad to finally get her begrudging agreement. They continued the rest of the way mostly in silence until they reached the practice grounds. Yuudai-sensei rose an eyebrow slightly at Ron's arrival but otherwise regarded him as usual.

“Hey Stoppable-san,” said one of the male students in the lines. Ron wasn't sure of his name. “Welcome back.”

“Uh, thanks!” said Ron, smiling.

“Good morning, Stoppable-san,” said a girl near to where Ron stood. Her name was Mayu, and Ron had seen her several times since returning to Yamanouchi but never had a conversation with her. Yori eyed her suspiciously for some reason.

“Good morning,” replied Ron, kindly.

Several other students greeted him, much to Ron's confusion, before Yuudai-sensei stepped in. “Since everyone is so perky this morning, lets begin with exercises,” said Yuudai-sensei. Several of the students groaned, but they didn't look scornfully in Ron's direction as he expected them to. In fact, some of the girls smiled at him.

Yori looked at him too, but seemed upset.

---

“It seems you are well, Stoppable-kun,” said Hirotaka, coming up to him after morning practice. Hideyoshi was following behind him.

“Hey, Hirotaka,” said Ron. “Yeah, I'm okay. How're you doing? I hope you didn't get hurt too badly for my sake.”

“I can safely say that my injuries were nothing compared to yours,” said Hirotaka. “Also, they were a distinct reminder that I need to focus on my training more. Yori-san's attack was simple and I should not have fallen for it.” He looked around briefly. “Speaking of, where is our Iris this morning?”

“She left after practice ended,” said Ron. “She seemed angry at something. I'm not quite sure why. I hope it wasn't me.”

“Hmm,” said Hirotaka, looking thoughtful. “Did anything happen this morning?”

“Nothing major,” said Ron. “Well, a bunch of students welcomed me back after resting yesterday. I totally didn't expect that.”

“You have gained much ground in the eyes of the students at this school because of your performance in the match with Yuudai-sensei,” said Hirotaka. “Many who believed you not to be worthy of Yamanouchi have come to change their mind.”

“Hmm,” mused Ron. “I still haven't seen Isamu recently, though, he was the only one I was trying to satisfy. Have either of you seen him?”

“Not yesterday,” noted Hirotaka. “But I do not typically see him during my training.”

“How about you, Hideyoshi?” asked Ron.

“…”

Ron looked back at Hirotaka, confused, then again at Hideyoshi. “Hideyoshi?”

“Hmm?” said Hideyoshi, looking slowly over to Ron. “What?”

“Have you seen Isamu recently?” repeated Ron.

“Aside from two days ago?”

“…” Ron was flabbergasted. “Yes, aside from when you saw him with me.”

“Oh,” said Hideyoshi. “Yeah, I saw him around lunch yesterday. He missed many of his attempts at grabbing sushi, then left early.” He looked hesitant for a second. “I think,” he then added.

“Are you alright?” asked Ron. “You seem kind of spacey.”

“Oh, I'm fine,” said Hideyoshi nodding randomly.

Ron looked to Hirotaka.

“He's awestruck,” said Hirotaka. “With Keiko Ichinara.”

“Who?” asked Ron.

“Another student at his level,” Hirotaka explained. “She was at the fights yesterday. She is also from Kyoto.”

“Aaaah, I see,” nodded Ron, knowingly. He looked to Hideyoshi with nearly a leer. “Got a little crush.”

“What?” asked Hideyoshi, just realizing they were talking about him. “I don't!”

“Uh-huh,” said Ron, implying he did.

“No, I just… she's just very … uh, interesting,” said Hideyoshi who then nodded to himself. “She's interesting… and I like to talk to interesting people.”

“Nice recovery,” said Hirotaka, sarcastically.

“She knew my neighborhood,” said Hideyoshi. “We were just talking about the places we grew up, that's all.”

“Yeah, okay, and when did you have this discussion?” asked Ron.

“During the fight,” said Hideyoshi.

“So, while practically the whole school was watching me get my butt kicked by Yuudai-sensei, you and Keiko were talking geography,” clarified Ron.

“…” started Hideyoshi. “Yeah.”

“Right, totally a crush,” said Ron.

“He is correct,” said Hirotaka, nodding knowingly.

“What would you know?” said Hideyoshi to Hirotaka scornfully. “You've never dated anyone here.”

“Perhaps I have not told you of my time in America,” said Hirotaka with a smile. “I had many ladies do very amusing things to keep my attention.” He grinned smugly. “In Middleton, they like foreigners,” he informed Hideyoshi.

“Whatever,” said Hideyoshi in return, and looked away.

“Well, anyway,” said Ron, deciding to grant Hideyoshi a temporary pardon from the topic. “Let me know if you see Isamu around, okay? In the meantime I need to figure out why Yori is upset with me.”

Ron turned to leave but Hirotaka stopped him. “Just out of curiosity, did any of the girls greet you this morning?”

“Yeah,” said Ron, offhandedly. “Several, actually. Why?”

“Hmm,” said Hirotaka. “Oh, no reason.”

---

“Stoppable-san!”

Ron stopped on his way to lunch when he heard his name called out. He turned to see Yori running up to him at incredible speed. He stepped back instinctively as she came to a fast stop right in front of him. He looked confused at her as she breathed a few times hard then composed herself.

“What's wrong?” asked Ron, unable to hide is bewilderment.

“Setsubun is this Thursday,” she said finally. “The village at the bottom of the mountain holds a celebration every year. Would you like to go?”

“Setsubun?” asked Ron. He tried to remember hearing about this before. “Some sort of bread making?”

Yori shook her head. “The setsubun celebration commemorates the start of spring and is much like your new year's eve celebration.”

“A party?” asked Ron. “Heck, yeah I'll go. What goes on?”

“Typically there are games, food, and fireworks, in addition to the mamemaki.”

“Mamemaki?” asked Ron.

“I shall explain it to you when we go,” said Yori with a smile.

“Cool,” nodded Ron. “Gee, I'm glad you're smiling. I thought for a moment this morning you were upset with me.”

“I… was preoccupied by other matters. But I am not upset with you, Stoppable-san.”

“Great,” said Ron. “Lets see if I can use my newfound abilities to score me some grub.”

“We do not typically eat grubs here,” said Yori as they walked. “But if you want--”

“No no!” interrupted Ron as they walked. “It's just an expression.”

“Oh, haha. You and your American-style…”

---

Ultimately, Ron wasn't able to leverage his channeling to do anything but stare disappointed at his empty plate. Yori had grabbed a few extra pieces of sushi and was happily sharing them, much to Ron gratitude.

“Um, Stoppable-san?” came a weak voice from behind where Ron and Yori were sitting. Ron turned to see a long haired girl with two other girls behind her. One of the girls was Mayu, whom Ron saw in the morning.

“Hey,” said Ron. He didn't know the other two girls’ names and wondered how he'd figure them out without insulting them. “What's… uh, up?”

The girl in front looked a little frozen and then Mayu strangely nudged her in the back. The girl yelped slightly and began talking. “Stoppable-san, do you have a moment to talk,” she said, hesitated, then continued, “in private?”

“Uh… okay?” said Ron, suspicious. He stood up and followed as the nameless girl walked off towards the now empty training area. Ron felt a strange fire against his back but when he turned to look he only saw Yori staring at him. The girl's friends stayed behind with Yori.

Once they were out of earshot from anyone the girl reluctantly turned around. “Um, Stoppable-san,” she started again.

“You know,” interrupted Ron. He didn't want to be impolite, but he knew things like this only ended up spiraling out of control if not dealt with head on. He'd seen enough TV to know that. “I don't actually remember your name. It's really embarrassing, and please don’t get insult--”

“Akemi Inoue,” the girl said quickly.

“Ah,” nodded Ron. “I'm very sorry, Inoue-san.” He tried to be as respectful as he could remember other people being. He'd just gotten in better graces with the people at Yamanouchi, he didn't want to blow it all by upsetting a classmate.

“Would you like…” Inoue started then hesitated. “Would you like to go to the Setsubun festival?”

“Oh, that,” said Ron smiling. “Yeah, I just heard about it, I'm definitely going.” He was glad that others were going, maybe he'd finally feel integrated with the school for once.

“O-oh, I mean,” stammered the girl. “Would you like to go with me?”

Ron considered that request for a moment. “Well, Yori and I are already going, but we can all go together,” he suggested. More people was always better, right? “Are your friends coming too?”

“Oh.” Inoue looked down. “I-I don’t know,” she said after a while.

“Well, let me know then,” said Ron. “We can plan a time.” He looked back over to where Yori was. She was talking animatedly with the other girls and he wondered what about. “Well, I'm going to get back to my lunch before Yori eats it. But thanks for inviting me.” He smiled and nodded, then, awkwardly bowed, then confusingly slunk away from the strangely unmoving girl.

As he was heading back the two girls looked up and then headed past Ron towards Inoue. He should have asked about their names too, he thought, then sighed. There would be another opportunity, he hoped.

“What was that about?” asked Yori when he sat down again. “If you don’t mind telling me, Stoppable-san?”

“Hm? Oh, she just wanted to know if I was going to that setsubun thingy you were talking about earlier,” said Ron. “I told her we were going but she got all quiet when I said we could all go together. I don't really get it.”

Yori looked at Ron with a mixture of confusion and concern.

“What? You too?” said Ron. “Why is everyone getting quiet now when I talk to them?”

After several moments of thought, and a couple glances over at the group of girls, Yori got a slight smile on her face again. “Sorry, Stoppable-san,” she said. “You sometimes say very amusing things and… we must contain our laugher at your American wit.”

“Oh, then don’t hold back,” said Ron. “Laugh out loud. It just feels awkward when you get all quiet.”

Yori smiled. “I will keep that in mind, Stoppable-san.”

---

Hideyoshi blinked at Ron's story.

“By the kamis,” Hideyoshi said. “Twice in one day?”

“Twice… what?” asked Ron, confused.

The two had just left their stealth lesson and were walking across the campus.

“Both Yori-sempai and Inoue-san asked you out,” he said. “Surely you understand what they were asking?”

“What?” asked Ron. “No way. Yori knows I'm with Kim and why would Inoue ask me out just because I got my butt whipped by Yuudai-sensei?”

Hideyoshi put his hand on Ron's shoulder and shook his head sadly. “Clearly, you need to learn a bit about women,” he said.

“Um, not to be mean, but, how are you a reliable source in that matter?” asked Ron. “Did you ask Keiko to the… uh… setsubun?”

“Keiko?” said Hideyoshi. “Nah, I mean, we're not… you know… it's not…” he trailed off.

Ron looked up. “Good answer.”

---

Hirotaka found Yori sitting in one of the small gardens by the waterfall. She had a somewhat dazed expression on her face and Hirotaka looked intrigued at the scene.

“So,” he said, walking over and sitting beside her. “Had an interesting day, I hear.”

“What do you mean?” asked Yori. Hirotaka sighed.

“I don't want to be involved,” he said simply. “But I really don't want to see you get hurt again. Don't get involved in something you can't finish.”

“I don't understand,” said Yori, but sounded completely not amused.

Hirotaka frowned in response. “Fine, I've made my attempt.” He looked up at the waterfall. “I think I may go too, though.”

“Go?” asked Yori.

“Setsubun festival,” said Hirotaka.

Yori looked surprised. “But, you never attend festivals. You said they didn't appeal to you.”

“It seems this year a lot more of the school will be there,” he said nodding. “Also, my previous opinion on Setsubun was based on the presence of food and fireworks, neither of which greatly impress me. But this year I considered who would be there, and decided it could be much more interesting.”

“Interesting? How?”

Hirotaka smiled. “I think you'll see.”

---

Hideyoshi and Ron peered around the equipment hut. Three girls were standing in front of one of the living houses talking cheerfully. One was a short, messy haired girl that looked slightly more muscular than the others but all three were fairly athletic looking. The remaining two had longer hair but tied up in buns. One shorter than the short haired girl, one taller.

“Why are we spying on Keiko?” asked Hideyoshi.

“Because you need to get her alone so you can ask her to Setsubun,” said Ron, quietly.

“I'm not asking her to Setsubun,” insisted Hideyoshi. “And you are the one who thinks that Yori isn't trying to date you by going to the festival with you.”

“I didn't say it wasn't a good dating opportunity,” pointed out Ron. “Just that Yori's my friend and she knows that.”

“You might want to make sure,” muttered Hideyoshi.

They watched as the girls talked for a few minutes more, then the two longer haired girls waved and headed away towards one of the dojos.

“Oh, the other two are leaving,” said Ron. “Here's your chance.”

“I'm not going over there,” said Hideyoshi.

“Look at it this way,” said Ron. “Either you're not into her like that and you'll just casually be talking to her, or you are into her and this will be your best chance to get in a first date.”

“I just met her yesterday,” insisted Hideyoshi.

Ron put his hand on Hideyoshi's shoulder and leaned in close. “Just listen to your sempai, alright?”

“I'm no-- uuuaah!”

Ron had pushed him forcefully forward around the hut, causing him to stumble for several steps before getting his balance back. He silently cursed Ron for doing that and vowed some form of deadly revenge. Now he just hoped that he could get back to cover before--

“Hey, Hideyoshi-kun!” The short haired girl waved that Ron had deduced was Keiko Ishinara.

“Oh, hey, Keiko-san,” said Hideoyoshi, straightening just a smidgen unnaturally.

“I was just thinking about you,” said Keiko, casually. “Good thing you showed up.”

“Oh, really?” asked Hideyoshi, then quickly stammered. “I-I mean, yeah, good timing.” His mind rattled in his skull.

“So, what's been happening?” she asked with a smile. “How's your friend enjoying the spotlight?”

“Who?” asked Hideyoshi, trying to comprehend what she was saying while his brain tumbled about.

“Stoppable-sempai,” she said. “Everyone's been talking about him lately.”

“Right, sempai,” nodded Hideyoshi. “I mean, yeah, sempai has definitely been popular today.”

“Now I feel bad for not paying attention,” she said with a laugh.

What did that mean? Hideyoshi thought to himself. She was talking to me while the fight was going on, was she saying the fight would have been more interesting or more worthwhile? That's kinda lousy. Wait, why do I even care? She's just a friend; she doesn't have to find everything I do entertaining. Even if we go to Setsubun together, it'll just be a friends anyway, nothing more… right?

“Uh, Keiko-san, I was just thinking about going to the--”

“Oh, the Setsuban festival is this week!” she suddenly interrupted.

“Set… setsu-- Oh, yeah, it is this week.”

“We should totally go,” nodded Keiko. “Or do you not like those things?”

“Eh? No!” said Hideyoshi loudly, then he towed it down several notches. “I mean, I was just thinking the same thing, actually.”

“Great,” cheered Keiko. “Let's plan to head down around just after sunset.”

“Okay,” nodded Hideyoshi with a smile on his face. He was actually trying not to look that happy over going to the festival but his body refused to listen. Stupid body, always doing it own thing.

“Good,” nodded Keiko, looking pleased. “Well, I actually have to get to my next lesson or who knows how many katas I'll be forced to do. So, catch you around!”

Keiko waved as she turned to which Hideyoshi reciprocated with glee. Eventually she vanished between the buildings and Hideyoshi forced himself to stop waving.

“Wow, was that great?” asked Ron as he ran up. “I mean, I couldn’t hear much of it but it looked like something good happened.” He looked at Hideyoshi's face, which seemed locked in shock. “Something good happened, right?”

“I…” started Hideyoshi. He moved his mouth a few times to no effect, then finally found his voice. “I'm not sure yet. I'll know after this week is over.”

“So you did get a date with her?” said Ron, knowingly.

“We're going to Setsubun together.”

“That sounds great,” said Ron.

“But,” Hideyoshi said with a start. “I barely know her! I don't even know what she likes or dislikes or… or anything! How am I supposed to get through a night with her?”

“Luck,” said Ron, mostly from experience. Hideyoshi looked at him with broad skepticism.

“I'm not following your advice on this,” said Hideyoshi, turning. “I'm going to talk to Hirotaka-kun.”

“Oh, come on!” yelled Ron after him. “What does he know that I don’t??”

---

Ron and Yori sat on the floor facing one another in Ron's room. They were both sitting cross-legged and had their bodies in relaxed positions.

“Okay,” said Ron. “Just, um… well, try to sleep.”

“Sleep?” asked Yori.

“Well, I need to pull you out of your dreams, so you'd have to be asleep for me to do that,” said Ron. “Or in a deep meditative state, like Master Sensei, but I'm not really sure how he does that.”

“What do you and Master Sensei do to train?” asked Yori. “I've never been able to get to the dreamscape on my own, so Master Sensei never trained me there.”

“Oh, we pretty much walk in and out of people's dreams,” said Ron. “There are always people dreaming, somewhere in the world. If it was later, we could look at the dreams of people here at Yamanouchi, but right now we'll have to settle for people outside Japan.”

“Could we see the dreams of your friends in Middleton?” asked Yori.

“Uhh,” started Ron. “I suppose we could try looking for them. It's way in the AMs over there so they're probably asleep. I was able to track Shego across worlds so finding Wade or Monique's dreams shouldn't be too hard.” He thought about that for a second. “Assuming Wade sleeps, which I'm not sure he does.”

“What about…” Yori seemed pensive. “What about Possible-san?”

“Kim?” asked Ron, then shifted about uncomfortably. “I've… already been there once… I'd prefer not to go again.” He looked down, solemnly.

Yori looked away but was somewhat pleased to know he hadn’t been lurking in Kim's dreams, even if they claimed to be dating.

“Anyway, we'll try finding a few people,” said Ron. “If we have a lot of success we can try for a few more, but we have to remember to come back and sleep eventually.”

“Sleep? Won't be already be sleeping?” asked Yori.

“Master Sensei says that your mind must sleep as well as your body, so while you're technically ‘asleep’ while dreamwalking, you're not getting any of it's benefits.”

“Oh,” said Yori. Years she had spent learning to channel the dream from Master Sensei, but she was now discovering that he had taught her very little about sansaku no kyuumu in general.

Yori closed her eyes and tried to relax herself, letting her mind and body settle, drifting into deeper meditation. She had gotten this far many times in her training to channel, but she knew she had to go deeper if Ron were to pull her into the dreamscape. She cleared her mind further, thinking of and only considering the emptiness. Her mind floated over several other topics, none of them sticking, as she continued to relax. Until she could feel nothing more from her body and began to lose the binding that wound her consciousness when awake. Thoughts, images, sounds, feelings, all blurred and became murky.

Then they suddenly snapped back into focus as she was standing on a white road surrounded by millions of spheres of light against a black expanse. Ron was walking up to her, slipping around and between the floating orbs to close the distance.

“There you are,” he said with a smile.

“Stoppable-san,” Yori said looking around. “There's so many more dreams here.”

“Really?” Ron asked. “This is about normal for me. You mean you saw fewer of them when Master Sensei brought you here?”

Yori nodded and looked closely at a sphere as it drifted past. Someone was dreaming of flying through a big city and playing with clouds. Yori laughed at the look of delight on the dreamer's face. “It's beautiful.”

“It is,” said Ron, looking around. “The problem is finding just one.” He held out his hand and several spheres began to drift towards it, hovering in a ring over his palm. He looked into each as it spun past.

“You have to look into each one?”

Ron nodded. “I can call dreams with similar themes, but if I'm looking for a particular person's dream, it’s a little harder.” He shook his head then closed his palm slowly, letting the dream spheres drift away gently. “Sensei was much better at it than I am.”

“I guess that's why he wanted you to practice,” said Yori, looking around in amazement. So many dreams, she wondered if they were sorted in any way, or if they just aimlessly ebbed and surged like the tide. Yori felt a pang of jealousy at Ron that he could come here so effortlessly while she could never arrive without an escort.

“Oh, here we go,” said Ron, suddenly. Yori looked over to see him peering into a silvery orb. She moved closer to look over his shoulder.

“Who is this?” asked Yori.

“Brick Flagg,” said Ron with a grin. “He's a quarterback in our school. Well, was. He graduated last year. I think he works in an auto shop now.”

“Can we enter his dream?” asked Yori, anxious to see more.

“Of course,” said Ron. He held the orb close then slowly sank his hand into the silvery pool. He was up to his elbow when his eyes lit up and suddenly the orb exploded around them, sucking them in.

---

The house was unusually warped with strange, skewed rooms and peculiarly vaulted ceiling on the fist floor. The walls were covered in splotches of color, sometimes the same, others wildly clashing and crawling along the surface, mixing with other colors to form little baby splotches of color.

Ron and Yori looked around in amazement.

“It looks like a fun house,” said Ron, frowning.

“I do not believe I would have a lot of fun in this house,” said Yori.

“Oh, no, I mean--”

Suddenly a scream rang out and a large muscular boy came running out of a doorway with a bag on his head and crossed the room to exit on the opposite side. A gang of papers, textbooks, pencils and calculators emerged from the first door and chased after him making sounds like a pack of wolves. A few minutes later a stapler hopped by, leading a parade of paperclips.

“Was that you friend?” asked Yori after the shock settled slightly.

“The boy or the stapler?” asked Ron.

“The boy,” clarified Yori as she watched an ottoman suddenly begin moving of its own volition.

“It sounded like Brick.” Ron considered everything he'd seen and reluctantly decided to follow the parade into the next room. Yori followed, deciding not to let much distance get between her and Ron.

They ended up in the kitchen. Brick, or at least the boy who looked like him, was clinging to a hanging lamp while the papers, which Ron now recognized as exams, leapt up and tried to bite him. The textbooks and calculators were viciously growling at him while the pencils were working with the paperclips to build a ladder.

“Go away!” yelled Brick, clinging for his dear life. “You can't have me anymore! I graduated!”

“Not until you pass your final grown-up tests,” crooned the exams. “I come in three parts!”

“Noooo!”

Ron looked at Yori. “I'm starting to figure out why it took Brick seven years to graduate.”

“This is his nightmare,” Yori said as the realization dawned on her.

“Yeah,” nodded Ron. “It's all perspective though, so it's hard to tell from the outside.”

“He must have had a stressful youth,” said Yori, watching Brick try to climb into a tight ball against the ceiling. Below him the paperclips and pencils had formed a ladder propped against the stapler and were letting the exams and textbooks climb up.

“You wouldn't have thought so if you met him,” said Ron, raising his eyebrows. “I think we better leave.”

“Yes,” agreed Yori, who was suddenly less enamored by this whole dreamwalking experience.

Ron walked around the room, searching the walls thoroughly before gripping a corner of a piece of moulding and pulling it apart, causing the whole scene to collapse back into a silvery ball and float away.

Yori and Ron found themselves on the white path again. Despite the surreal nature of this scene, Yori preferred it to the skewed suburban home they had just departed. She hoped they found a better dream next.

Ron, on the other hand, was staring in confusion at something behind Yori. She turned slowly, hoping that the recliner from Brick's dream had not followed them, but instead noticed a large spiral stone staircase descending below the white path to darkness below.

“Was…” started Ron, unsure of how to take the appearance of new geography in the dreamscape. This had certainly never happened with Master Sensei. “Was that there before?”

“It was not,” said Yori, stepping closer to examine the deep hole. “I can't see the bottom.”

“Why would a staircase appear?” asked Ron. “I didn't think the dreamscape was malleable.”

“How did you cross worlds in search of Shego?” asked Yori. “Did you not take a path?”

“No, actually,” said Ron. “I had to enter my own dream and forge a gateway there, not out here in the ‘scape.”

Yori and Ron walked up to the edge of the staircase and stared at it, unsure. “Should we use it?” asked Yori after a minute.

“Master Sensei never told me what to do in a situation like this,” said Ron. He squinted to see if he could see where the staircase ended, but there was only black. “Though he repeatedly warned me that the dreamscape was dangerous. Maybe this is what he meant.”

“A staircase is dangerous?” asked Yori.

“I'm more concerned about where it leads,” said Ron. “I think we should leave it alone.”

“Okay,” said Yori. She was half glad. Seeing how strange people's dreams could be had unsettled her and she didn't really want to risk seeing something so much worse they buried underground.

She was, however, half very interested on what was down there.

---

Ron looked wearily at his empty plate at lunch. They had visited several other dreams last night while dreamwalking, though none of people Ron knew. Still, they stayed up later than he had planned in the dreamscape and thus he was not suffering from serious sleep deprivation.

“Bleh,” moaned Ron as he attempted to eat the plate.

“Here,” said Yori, who still looked bright eyed despite getting just as much food as Ron had. She handed him some pieces of sushi to prevent him from swallowing ceramic. Ron chomped down on the pieces with vigor.

“Hey, Stoppable-kun, Yori-san,” said Hirotaka as he came up with his own plate of sushi. “I didn't see you this morning.”

“We overslept,” said Yori. “Yuudai-sensei had us doing repetitive katas again. This time with the sai and the nodachi.”

“You overslept… together?” asked Hirotaka, with an amused smile.

“I was…” Yori blushed slightly but continued after only a moment's hesitation. “I had slept in Stoppable-san's room, but we slept separately.”

“Of course, my mistake,” said Hirotaka but he was still smiling.

“We were practicing until late at night,” slurred Ron. “Lost track of time.”

“Practicing in your room,” clarified Hirotaka.

“Yeah,” said Ron. Then he paused. “I mean--”

“So when is everyone heading down to Setsubun?” interrupted Hirotaka.

Yori looked at Ron who blearily stared in an aimless direction. “Probably before sundown,” said Yori. “The games start then.”

“Interesting,” said Hirotaka. “I'll probably plan to come slightly later, as I understand Hideyoshi-kun will be arriving after sundown.”

“You're going with him?” asked Ron, catching part of the conversation.

“With him and Keiko-san,” said Hirotaka. “He begged me last night to go with him.”

“Hrm,” grumbled Ron. His efforts at matchmaking were not as successful as he had thought. He would have to find another way to help.

“Hey, Stoppable-kun, have you run into Isamu yet?” asked Hirotaka.

“No, he didn’t show up at morning practice yesterday or today,” said Ron. “I'm a little concerned.”

“Then you should come with me.” Hirotaka turned towards the back of the school grounds and beckoned Ron.

Ron blinked and looked to Yori once then stood and shrugged. “All right,” he said, and followed.

---

The waterfall coming off of Mount Yamanouchi was tall but narrow and fell into a deep pond in the rear of the monastery. After the centuries of care the area had been turned into a gigantic but meticulously cared for bonsai garden that many of the instructors at the school came to for meditation. Ron felt almost sacrilegious wading through the pristine pool towards the falls.

“It's cold,” he complained back towards the shore.

“Go on,” said Hirotaka from a bench near the pond. He waved Ron on.

Ron sighed and approached the waterfall. The cold water fell like hammers onto the pond and even mere drops felt like stingers on Ron's skin. He shivered from the cold and the needling sensation and grit his teeth as he walked on. With each centimeter the water seemed colder and his knees strained under the pressure from the water. Ron felt his ears and nose fill with water and he scrambled forward to hopefully shorten the pain. In an instant his shins smacked into something hard and Ron toppled forward through the falls and onto hard ground beyond.

Ron was puzzled at first but as he climbed out of the water onto the stone beyond he realized there had been a cave carved out behind the waterfall, and a fairly big one too.

He also noticed Isamu, sitting cross-legged in the dark shadows beyond. The boy looked up, shocked at Ron, who shivered in the cold. He wrapped his arms around his chest for warmth and chattered through nearly frozen teeth.

“I-Isamu,” said Ron.

“Sempai,” Isamu said. He was frozen in shock. Apparently he never suspected someone would find him here. Ron noticed he was dry and wondered how long he'd been hiding.

“Why are you back here?” asked Ron, clenching his teeth to keep them from chattering. “Have you been going to training?”

Isamu looked strangely afraid then slowly turned away with a frown. “I haven't,” he replied.

“Why?” asked Ron.

“I've… been wondering if I'm on the right path,” he said slowly.

“You weren't convinced that I belong here?” asked Ron. He was starting to get a little angry. He practically killed himself trying to prove he hadn't cheated his way into Yamanouchi and it was all for nothing.

“No, I don't doubt you,” said Isamu, looking down. “I'm not sure I'm worthy to be here.”

“You?” asked Ron, confused. “You got picked to be here, why would you think you don’t belong?”

“I wonder if they only looked at me because of my uncle,” said Isamu looking towards Ron. “I'd never won an award or fought in a famous fight. I don't have special skills.”

“You know that's not the only things they look at here,” said Ron. He figured, at least, considering how poor Ron himself was at fighting.

“I'm starting to get that,” said Isamu. “But why did they look at me to begin with? If I had been the nephew of someone boring, would they still have watched me long enough to see if I could come here? In the end, did they say ‘Isamu-san is good for a martial artist’ or ‘Isamu-san is good for a Nakasumi’?”

Ron tried to think of something to say to console the kid, but had little idea of what made a proper Yamanouchi Ninja candidate. His own admittance was unique, based on his inheritance of the mystical monkey power. Many of the students at the school were descendants of Yamanouchi graduates as well, probably allowed in due to heritage. How did Yamanouchi decide to let in people like Isamu or Hideyoshi?

“It doesn't matter,” said Ron.

“What?” asked Isamu. “What if they were taking pity on me?”

“What if they were?” asked Ron. “Does that make the education here not good anymore? Does it make you ill-fit to learn?”

Isamu frowned. “If this place doesn’t have an honorable system of--”

“Isamu.” Ron moved over to sit beside the boy. “What do you think about the training you've done and seen at Yamanouchi?”

The boy narrowed his eyes indignantly at Ron but when the elder student continued staring he faltered a bit. “I… think it's good,” he said reluctantly.

“Just good?” asked Ron.

Isamu looked away. “Maybe some of the best that I've seen, and I visited many dojos when I first started the art.”

“Then what does it matter how they decided to let you in?” asked Ron. “You said to me before that you came here to make something of yourself. To try your hardest despite the fact that you could easily ride out on your name alone. Well, maybe you got here because of your name, but that doesn't mean this isn't a great opportunity for you.”

Ron looked out at the waterfall and sunlight streaming in. “You don't always get to choose the people or situations you end up in. Sometimes life just throws things at you randomly to see what will stick.” Ron looked back down at the boy. “You do get to choose what you do with those things. How you shape them. How you live.”

Isamu looked up in awe at Ron and for the first time, Ron felt he understood a little bit about why Master Sensei was so patient with him.

“Would you stay?” asked Isamu.

“I'm here, aren't I?” asked Ron.

Isamu looked out at the light beyond the waterfall. “I'm sorry I treated you so poorly before,” he said. “It wasn't … honorable.”

“S'okay,” smiled Ron. “It's not like everyone else wasn't thinking it.”

“But they aren't anymore,” said Isamu. “You showed them you are strong.”

“It was just a fight,” said Ron, grimacing. “It'll pass. Trust me, I've touched fame a few times before, it never lasts.” He pushed up back onto his feet then looked sadly at the waterfall. “There isn't a… uh, dryer method of getting out of here, is there?”

Isamu looked at Ron sympathetically.

---

Yori showed up to her ropes class a little early to practice some of her moves using a knotted rope as a weapon. She had gone through several different techniques of flinging the knot like a mace when they arrived.

She was confused at first, most of the small band of girls were not typically in her class but she knew schedules were changed all the time. But when they stared at her with eyes filled with venom, she knew something was up and, as usual, Yori hadn't been informed.

She wrapped the rope between her hip and shoulder and walked over to the girls with a confused look at her face. “What is going on?” asked Yori.

The lead girl had shorter, shoulder length dark hair with a narrow nose and sharp features. Yori recognized her as one of the girls in her morning practices who had showed up yesterday with Inoue. Mayu was her name. She didn't look pleased.

“I didn't notice you during our morning class,” said Mayu with sneer. “But Achika reminded me that you were there when Akemi-chan was talking about the Setsubun festival.”

Yori frowned, but said nothing.

“She was talking about asking Stoppable-san out to the festival,” she said. “And then you strangely vanished afterwards.” Mayu cocked her head to the side. “Where did you go, Yori-san?”

“It was nearing lunch,” said Yori, deliberately. “I went to get some before Rufus-san got there.” She looked to the other girls briefly. “There isn't often much left when he's done.”

“But you didn’t go directly to lunch,” said Mayu, drawing Yori's attention back.

Yori looked suspiciously at the girls. She couldn't determine if she was in genuine danger or just social danger. She could handle the latter, social standing mattered very little to her. “I met up with Stoppable-san first.”

“Yes,” nodded Mayu. “And by the time Akemi-chan came to ask him out during lunch, he was already suspiciously going with you.”

Again, Yori said nothing.

Mayu stepped closer, invading much of Yori's personal space, and stood eye to eye with her. “The way I look at it, Yori-san,” she said, emphasizing the honorific for some reason. “You had your chance already.”

“Chance?” asked Yori.

“With Stoppable-san,” clarified Mayu. “You had six months to make your move. Now it's time for you to step back.”

Yori frowned. “Stoppable-san is a close friend,” she said.

“And it's clear that's all it will ever be between you two,” said Mayu.

For some reason, Yori felt a pang in her heart at those words, but she kept her composure. “You don't get to decide that,” she said.

“You're right,” nodded Mayu. “Stoppable-san gets to.” She backed down from being so close to Yori. “And he has.”

Yori fought back the bubbling rage in her heart and just stood there as Mayu smiled smugly then motioned for the rest of the girls to leave. They walked away confidently, leaving Yori shaking on the inside with rage.

And grief.

---

Ron sneezed violently while he was trying to do a nunchaku kata and successfully struck himself squarely in the face during the distraction. He nose felt crooked and began gushing with so much blood Ron thought he was going on faint.

“Aw, geeze, Stoppable-san,” said the instructor, a woman named Hasegawa. “I thought you'd gotten over that.”

“Naw,” said Ron, trying to hold his nose from bleeding. “Ifths thib code I gob frumb tha wabber faul.”

Hasegawa-sensei blinked. “Uh, right,” she nodded. “Why don't we have someone take you back to the infirmary.”

Immediately several hands went up from the female population of the class offering to take him. Hasegawa-sensei knew better than to indulge these girls so she carefully picked one who didn't appear interested.

“Ichinara-san, please take Stoppable-san to the infirmary.”

“Yes, sensei,” said Keiko. She put down her pair of nunchaku and gently took Ron's arm and started guiding him towards the house used as a hospital. The other girls in the class looked on at her, envious.

“Ahem!” Hasegawa-sensei cleared her throat. The girls turned back… most of them anyway.

---

“Thank youb,” said Ron to Keiko, his nose now fully bandaged. It hadn't been broken, thankfully, but definitely badly bruised. The doctor had been concerned there would be swelling so he applied some ice and a cream that was supposed to help. Ron nodded when he could but much of the medical talk flew over his head. He knew enough to decline the mustard poultice at least.

“You're welcome, Stoppable-san,” said Keiko, respectfully. She was quite a competent girl, though Ron, and decidedly less flighty around him than the others had been in the last couple days. He actually appreciated someone only paying him a passing amount of attention.

“So,” he said. “I heard you're going to the Setsubun.”

“Yes,” nodded Keiko. “With Hideyoshi… and Hirotaka.” She said Hirotaka's name almost reluctantly.

“Dating two guys at the same time, huh?” said Ron. “That's pretty good.”

“Ah, no,” Keiko shook her head. “I'm not sure how they do it in America, but they're just friends.”

“Oh, sorry,” said Ron. “I didn't mean to be disrespectful.”

“It's okay,” said Keiko. She sat down next to the bed Ron was recovering on. “I heard you've had some attention lately too.”

“A little,” said Ron, wearily.

“I always thought you were close to Yori,” she commented.

“I am,” said Ron. “But not that close,” he added. “Uh, not that she isn't my closest friend here, because she is, but, I mean, we're not close close, we're just… uh… close.” Ron hesitated for a moment. This isn't quite the way he intended this to go.

“So you aren't going out?” asked Keiko.

“No, I've got a girlfriend in the US,” said Ron.

“But you haven't been home in six months,” said Keiko, amazed. “Does she not miss you?”

“I… err… I'm not sure,” said Ron. “I haven't talked her since I left.”

“Oh,” said Keiko before going silent for several moments. “Are you and she… betrothed?”

Ron coughed in surprise. “Betrothed??” asked Ron. “No, no, we're not -- uh, not betrothed. We just started dating last summer, actually.”

“And you left her to come to Yamanouchi so quickly?”

“Not… intentionally, but yes,” said Ron, feeling uncomfortable. “You know, what about… uh, I mean, so are you and Hirotaka close?” Ron had to change the subject, it was starting to get… into that uncomfortable zone.

“Not really,” said Keiko. “I've been here a while so I know of the ‘great’ Hirotaka. We've talked a few times, that's all.”

“Oh, so you really don't know either of the guys you're going with?” asked Ron.

“No, I know a lot about Hideyoshi,” she said. “We've been talking a lot and we eat lunch together.”

“Oh,” said Ron. This was more where he was hoping things would go. “He's from Kyoto, I think.”

“I know,” said Keiko. “Would you believe so am I?”

“No way!” said Ron. This was good, he putting up a convincing front! He was sure of it.

“It was strange but, you know, kinda cool to have someone to talk about home with. It's…” she blushed ever so slightly. “Comforting.”

Ron smiled. “Seems like you got a lot in common with Hideyoshi.”

“I… suppose,” she said slowly.

“Hirotaka almost seems like a fifth wheel,” said Ron.

Keiko said nothing.

“You know, Hirotaka is a good friend of mine, I could have him go with me and Yori instead if you want.”

“Uhh,” started Keiko. She looked conflicted. “I'm not--”

“Actually, we're going to need him to move that… uh,” Ron wracked his brain. Wait, wrack! “Equipment wrack! Yeah, the equipment rack has to be moved after sundown. So we need his help anyway.” Ron looked over at her but couldn’t see her face because of her hair falling forward and obscuring it. “You don't mind, do you?” Ron asked, giving her an out.

“No, not really,” said Keiko and Ron nodded with a smile.

---

“You're going down to Setsubun with us, Hirotaka,” said Ron that night as they gathered after dinner.

“I am?” asked Hirotaka. He looked between Ron and Yori but the former was strangely unreadable and Yori seemed not to be paying attention at Ron's antics tonight.

“He is?” asked Hideyoshi with even more surprise. “Wait, he's already going with me.”

“Not anymore,” said Ron simply. “I already talked with Keiko about it.”

“Y-y-y-y-y-y-you WHAT?” sputtered Hideyoshi.

Hirotaka grinned and put his had on Hideyoshi's shoulder. “Ah, Hideyoshi-kun. He's outmaneuvered you again.”

“Now nothing can get in the way of your date,” said Ron, pleased with himself.

“It's not a date!” yelled Hideyoshi.

“I'd say two people going to a festival together constitutes a date, don't you think so, Stoppable-kun?” asked Hirotaka.

“Definitely,” nodded Ron.

“Ahhhhhhhh!” yelled Hideyoshi as he ran around like a maniac.

---

Ron and Yori stood in the expanse of the dreamscape that night staring at the tiny motes of light that represented dreams. The staircase was still there, and Ron was doing his best to ignore it so he wouldn't be tempted to descend. Yori was currently standing directly beside it and occasionally peered down the endless hole in wonder doing a decidedly bad job at ignoring it.

“I think we should go down, Stoppable-san,” said Yori, speaking up for the first time in quite a while.

“I really want to wait for Master Sensei,” said Ron. “I'm sure if he wanted me to walk down staircases, he would have told me.”

“Perhaps he could not see it,” suggested Yori. “Just as I could not see so many dreams the first time I was here.”

“That only makes me more nervous,” said Ron. “If there was something hiding from Master Sensei, I definitely don't want to know why.” Ron pulled a dream out of the air. “Here's another one of my classmates,” he said. “Want to take a look?”

“As long as there is no moving furniture,” said Yori, looking one last time down the staircase before heading towards Ron.

---

The morning of the Setsubun festival proved to be exactly the kind of morning Ron would have typically stayed home for except for the fact that he now lived on the same grounds as his school. The early morning mist was thick and felt like a dense blanket over everything. The cloudy sky peppered the blackness now but would soon cast a gray light over everything on the grounds.

“Ugh,” said Ron to Hirotaka and Hideyoshi after morning practices. “Gloomy day.”

“Its terrible weather for fireworks,” said Hideyoshi. “Not the best Setsubun day we could have asked for.”

“It'll clear up,” said Hirotaka. Ron and Hideyoshi looked at him.

“You're a weatherman now?” said Ron.

“It's still early,” clarified Hirotaka. “There's plenty of time for it to blow over and leave a cloudless night.”

“Yeah, well, in the meantime, be careful when you're around the first year shuriken class,” said Hideyoshi. “If you think their aim is bad normally, I can't imagine what it'll be like when they can't even see their targets.”

Hirotaka and Ron thought about that for a moment and, for once, completely agreed with Hideyoshi.

“I better get to class,” said Ron, heading towards the practice grounds. Hirotaka and Hideyoshi headed off in another direction towards their own class.

“Hey, Hirotaka-kun,” said Hideyoshi as they walked. “If you were… you know, hypothetically speaking, on a date with a girl you only knew for a couple days. What would you talk about?”

Hirotaka considered that. “If you still don’t know much about her, then just ask her various things about her past. Whatever she answers, talk about it. Give your opinion or it happened to you.”

Hideyoshi nodded, rapt in attention.

“Talking isn't a big deal anyway,” said Hirotaka. “When I was in America, I just let all the girls do the talking and mostly stayed quiet.”

“That's not really different than what you do here,” pointed out Hideyoshi. Hirotaka shrugged in response. “Okay, so talk about her past and comment on it.”

“Not necessarily comment,” said Hirotaka. “Commiserate. You don't want criticize her, you want to give the impression that you care about whatever she's saying.”

“What if I don't?” asked Hideyoshi. “What she talked to me about make-up or hair styling?”

Hirotaka stared at Hideyoshi. “Have you seen her?” he said. “I'm not sure she wears makeup. Odds are she'll talk to you about street fights.”

“Oh, cool,” smiled Hideyoshi. “I know about that.”

Hirotaka laughed. “So has this hypothetical situation about me been helpful?”

“Er…” started Hideyoshi. “Yeah, the hypothetical was helpful.” He nodded, mostly to himself, assured that he'd safely covered his tracks. “Well, I head off here. See you later!”

Hirotaka nodded and shook his head with a smile as he continued on his way. He arrived at his judo training just in time to see Yori running up. Class still had another couple minutes before it started, but Hirotaka knew sometimes the teacher would start at odd times to ensure people to show up early.

“Hey,” he said to Yori as she walked up.

“Good morning,” she said politely and quietly.

“How have you been holding out recently?” asked Hirotaka.

“I slept better than yesterday,” she said simply. “Otherwise things are fine.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Hirotaka looked at her skeptically, then he leaned in closer. “You don't have anything you want to talk about?”

Yori turned her head to look at him sharply. “No.”

Hirotaka raised his hands in surrender. “All right.” Then he stuck them in his pockets and turned. “Just let me know if you change your mind.”

---

By lunchtime, things still had not cleared up and Hideyoshi was starting to feel like the evening was going to be a bust. He, Ron and Yori were sitting on the front porch of one of the training buildings eating sushi. Ron had actually caught a few pieces from the lunch lady, making him beam with delight as he savored each one.

Then groan in hunger when both were done. Yori laughed and gave him a couple pieces of her sushi to which Ron thanked her profusely.

“I hate practicing in this weather,” said Hideyoshi picking around his food. “It's all humid and makes my gi stick to my skin.”

“Just take it off then,” said Yori casually, then blinked and covered her mouth. “Sorry, I don't know what came over me.”

“Ahh, got a desire to see some Hideyoshi skin, huh?” asked Hideyoshi in a salacious way.

“I do not,” Yori abruptly replied and turned away.

“It's okay, you can admit it,” insisted Hideyoshi. “I'm all man.”

“You're all boy,“ said Yori, then quieted before she made herself look any more foolish.

“Uh-huh,” nodded Hideyoshi. He nudged Ron slightly.

“Stop that,” said Ron, and gobbled another piece of sushi.

Ron heard nearby laughter suddenly and he looked up to see a small cluster of younger students laughing at another student holding his platter of sushi. Ron strained his eyes but he could have sworn that the single student looked like Isamu.

After a few more moments of laughter, the boy turned and walked slowly away. As he made his way past the area Ron was sitting at he knew it was Isamu.

“Hey,” he called out to the younger boy. Isamu looked up at him and reluctantly walked over.

“Yes, sempai,” he said, softly.

“What's going on over there?” asked Ron. “You didn't look too happy.”

Isamu looked down at his sushi, wondering if it would jump up and respond for him. When the sushi plan failed he opened his mouth. “They're … making fun of me.”

Ron blinked. “Why?”

“Because… I made a big deal about challenging you and it turned out you were good enough to face Yuudai-sensei.” He looked away. “They think I'm a fool now.”

Ron frowned then moved slightly closer to Yori. “Come on.” He motioned to where he had sat. “Eat with us.”

Isamu looked up, shocked. “S-sempai?”

“This is at least partly my fault,” Ron said, looking somewhat embarrassed. “So, at least until it blows over you can eat with us.”

Isamu bowed deeply. “Thank you, sempai.” He came over and sat down, eating his food deliberately.

“Don't let them get to you kid,” said Hideyoshi. “Everyone makes a few mistakes, even them.”

Isamu nodded solemnly.

---

“I'll be damned,” said Ron as he stared up at the swiftly drifting clouds.

“It's not a clear sky,” admitted Hirotaka. “But it's close enough to see fireworks.”

“How did you know?” asked Ron. The clouds were moving off leaving behind large empty spaces showing the light orange hues of the early evening sky.

Hirotaka just smiled and patted Ron on the shoulder. “Live up here long enough you get a feeling for the weather.”

Hirotaka, Ron and Yori were heading down the path from the school towards the village for the festival. They had traded their typical outfits for some nicer clothes that Yori and Hirotaka had. Yori was wearing a yukata colored light blue with some pink patterns on it tied with a dark brown obi belt. Hirotaka had a darker men's kimono colored grey with an occasional circular pattern matted on it and a black obi. Ron, who borrowed a kimono from Hirotaka, was dressed in a deep, dark blue with a dark brown obi featuring a simple silver pattern.

The kimono Ron was wearing was loose and light, drifting behind him slightly as they walked and felt barely covering him though he could see in a mirror that he was practically covered from the neck down, thanks to the black hakama divided pants he got from Hirotaka. It was quite a process to put the garment on, Ron discovered, and Hirotaka hinted that Yori's would have taken her much more time, so he appreciated the effort she made.??Still, he felt odd, for some reason. Like he was dressed in pajamas going to a formal event.

Yori had not said very much all day, Ron noticed, and was starting to get concerned about her. But when she arrived in her yukata, she was smiling warmly at him so he decided to dismiss his concerns. It was going to be a great night, tonight, he could tell.

If they ever made it down the mountain.

---

“Uh, wow,” said Hideyoshi before he could catch himself. Keiko was standing before him in a simple, lightly colored yukata with her hair delicately combed and wearing a pair of geta with split toed tabi socks. Her normal edge had somehow been smoothed and she looked completely unlike the girl he'd talked to only yesterday.

To his own credit, Hideyoshi was wearing the nicest kimono he had, which, admittedly, was a discount item he picked up last fall in Kyoto. It was covered in autumn colors but still looked rather nice, but nothing compared to Keiko's.

“I mean, are you ready to go?” Hideyoshi finally said when his mind caught up with his mouth.

“Yup,” said Keiko as she hopped down from the porch and walked over to him. She held her hands clasped in front of her as she walked and Hideyoshi could barely believe she was acting so subdued.

Hideyoshi turned as she reached him and they walked side by side out of the monastery and onto the path. “Have you been to the Setsuban festival in this village before?” asked Hideyoshi as they walked.

“I haven't,” said Keiko. “But I have been to the downtown Kyoto one several times.”

“Oh, yeah, me too,” said Hideyoshi. “I always used to get a goldfish every year. I think my father started to get annoyed when it looked like we had a fish farm.”

Keiko laughed. “My parents never really liked the games, they were there for the shopping and eating.”

“Right, the food,” nodded Hideyoshi. “Although I mostly stuck to the street vendors. Anything that's served on a stick,” he smiled meekly.

“Mostly I did the same,” nodded Keiko. “I think a couple times we ate at a restaurant but we couldn't afford to it frequently.”

“Yeah,” said Hideyoshi. “I know the feeling.”

They reached the small stream crossing a little ways from the waterfall that hid the opening to the monastery. Hideyoshi moved slightly ahead and turned to hold out his arm.

“Here,” he said, leaning over the stream. “I doubt you can move your legs easily in that thing.”

Keiko nodded and took a hold of Hideyoshi's arm, letting him help her make the few short hops over the stream without getting her yukata wet. Once they were on the other side they continued walking but Keiko didn't let go of his arm. Hideyoshi glanced down but then quickly looked up again, so as not to draw attention. Maybe she is afraid of falling, he thought. Or just forgot to let go.

He looked at Keiko and saw her slightly flushed. Maybe she just wants to hold my arm, though Hideyoshi. That would mean…

Now Hideyoshi looked flushed.

---

It was like a carnival.

Ron looked around amazed at all the things he saw. Besides the weird but rather tasty food, there were games with prizes and tests of skill just like at a carnival or the boardwalk. Strings of paper lamps had been hung all across the small booths that were erected throwing colored light all across the street.

Hirotaka had played a game of throwing small bladed darts which he easily beat, given his substantial shuriken training, and was rewarded with some sort of a paper fan that reminded Ron of Yori's typical weapon. Afterwards a procession of excessively ornate warriors came past dressed in what Hirotaka insisted was traditional armor.

Ron tried catching a goldfish with a paper net but found the entire process confused and, ultimately, impossible. Yori, naturally, laughed at his antics which he supposed was at least one good thing that came out of the attempt.

It was still early in the night when Yori paused and turned her head towards the sky.

“What is it?” asked Ron. “Fireworks already?”

Yori shook her head but said nothing, just listening intently. Ron tried to hear what she heard but the only sounds he could pick up on were from the many people at the festival and various sounds of the games.

“Do you hear it, Hirotaka-san?” Yori eventually asked, still looking up into the sky.

Hirotaka frowned and looked up to listen as well. Suddenly his eyes became wider. “Helicopters,” he said, then frowned. “A lot of them.”

“Where is the nearest USFJ base?” asked Yori.

“Atsugi in Kanagawa,” said Hirotaka. “But that's east of here, not north.”

Yori listened closely some more then turned rapidly to Ron. “We need to go,” she said.

“Go?” asked Ron.

“Back to the school,” said Hirotaka, still looking to the sky.

“Because of a few helicopters?” asked Ron. “Those things are flying around all the time in the US.”

“They shouldn't be here, though,” said Hirotaka. “They never fly over here. Yamanouchi graduates make sure of it.”

Yori pushed gently on Ron's shoulder. “We need to go,” she insisted.

Ron nodded and began wading through the crowd back towards the mountain path. They had just exited the crowd when they heard a deep sounding bell echoing through the mountains. Yori and Hirotaka stopped for a moment and looked to one another then started running.

Ron struggled to keep up. “What's with the gong?” he asked between breaths.

“It's the school,” said Yori. “It's the alarm.”

Suddenly two forms dropped from out of sight onto the path beside the three. Yori quickly produced her fan from somewhere inside her yukata and held it at ready.

“Woah, woah!” yelled Hideyoshi with his hands up. “It's just us!”

Yori slowly lowered her fan as she recognized Hideyoshi and Keiko. Then she frowned and started running again. They all followed.

“What's going on?” asked Keiko.

“We're not sure,” said Ron. “Hirotaka said he heard helicopters.”

“What could that mean?” asked Hideyoshi.

Ron shrugged.

The five students ran as fast as they could up the long jagged path until Ron felt all the food he ate at the festival start to rumble in his stomach. Unable to keep up, he slowed down slightly and began taking gasping breaths.

“Stoppable-san,” said Yori as she turned back to him. She put a gentle hand on his back but urged him on. “It's not far.”

“I'm not going to make it,” Ron said, dramatically.

“I thought you were getting into better shape,” Yori accused.

“I'm surprised I made it this far!”

The mountain suddenly rumbled and a sharp noise rung out like thunder. Yori looked upwards towards the school and suddenly saw several flashes of red light followed by plumes of black smoke. Her jaw hung open.

“By the kamis,” said Hideyoshi nearby in awe.

“Stay here,” Hirotaka suddenly said. He then leapt an impossible distance and vanished into the folds of the mountain.

“Wait!” yelled Yori but it was too late.

“What's happening?” asked Keiko, nervously hanging onto Hideyoshi's arm.

“We're being… attacked?” Yori said in wonder.

Another sound echoed like an explosion and the four students could see flames lap around the edges of the walls around the monastery. Black smoke was filling the air and the rumbling of heavy things falling continued unabated.

Ron frowned. He was terribly out of breath and far from a model student at Yamanouchi. He'd made a reputation for escaping situations he'd been thrust into and letting others do the fighting. Fire and explosions were things he'd traditionally run away from.

But he was trying to be a better hero than he'd been.

“Come on,” he said, pushing himself back onto his feet and heading up the path towards the monastery. “If there's something wrong, there's a chance we can do something.”

He walked dutifully forward, straining against his shallow breath and sore muscles. But he didn't walk alone.

---

Yamanouchi was in flames.

Ron could barely believe his eyes as he saw the towering fires and fallen walls and buildings on the campus grounds. Yori was probably even more astonished as they reached the former gates. But none of them had time to be distracted.

Ninjas, dressed in black with silver tigers embroidered on them were swarming the school, locked in deadly combat with many of the teachers at Yamanouchi. They were chasing after students and wrecking buildings as they pushed forward from the helicopters they were pouring out of. It took them less than a minute to notice the newcomers.

“Yah!” yelped Ron as a ninja with a sword nearly cut him in half. He dodged out of the way and resorted to his ages old technique of running his attacked around in random directions.

Yori was much more proficient and already had her fans out when the first ninja reached her. He was skilled and Yori struggled slightly but after a few moments it was clear she was the better ninja and dispatched him.

Hideyoshi and Keiko were younger and less trained, but they each had several years of brawling experience and were resorting to old habits as they punched their way past the attackers.

Eventually Ron reached a pile of burning rubble and pulled out a piece of wood shaped like a staff and held it at ready. The ninja didn't hesitate to attack but at least Ron knew how to defend himself.

The students fought the oncoming wave of ninja but Yori could easily see they would soon be overpowered. Who were these ninja and why had they come to Yamanouhci seeking destruction?

Another ninja suddenly appear out of a cloud of smoke. His outfit was similar to the attackers but lacked the silver tiger shape. He attacked the ninjas, positioning himself between them and the students and despite being outnumbers, easily subdued the attackers with his heavy sword.

He finally turned back to the students who were ready to fight him if necessary. Without ceremony he pulled off his head covering revealing his face.

“Y-Yuudai-sensei,” said Yori. Hideyoshi and Keiko expressed similar surprise.

“Who are these people?” asked Ron as she looked at the defeated ninja.

“The Shade,” said Yuudai, and Yori gasped.

“The exiles of Yamanouchi?” she asked.

“The same,” nodded the teacher. He looked periodically behind him to make sure nobody was approaching. “They are backed by a greater power now, however, organized into a blade. Master Sensei and I have been monitoring their actions closely but didn't predict this attack.” He looked away. “We should have.”

“Someone has hired the Shade?” asked Yori. She suddenly realized why she'd been asked to do all that research on the group.

“Dominated them is more likely,” said Yuudai-sensei. “Their numbers swell faster than we can keep track of and they are backed by a powerful, rich organization.”

“What organization?” asked Ron, stepping forward. He was afraid to hear the answer.

“They call themselves SCHEME,” he said.

Ron frowned. He had expected WEE, or maybe some variant of his and Kim's past villains but he'd never heard of this group before. “Who are they?”

“We still don't know,” said Yuudai-sensei. “But it doesn't matter to you. You must flee, now.”

“We can't abandon Yamanouchi,” said Yori, firmly.

“A good warrior knows when to fight and when to run,” said Yuudai. “We are outnumber, surprised, and concerned for our students. We must run today.”

“But--”

“Listen to me, Yori-san,” said Yuudai-sensei. “I want you to go with Stoppable-san back to America and stay there until we call for you.”

“America?” asked Yori. “Why?”

“It is safe there for you,” he said. “Stoppable-san has many powerful friends there that will keep you safe until we are ready to take back Yamanouchi.”

Yori frowned.

“We will take it back, Yori-san,” insisted Yuudai-sensei. “But we need to better understand this threat and prepare. I'm sorry if you feel insulted, but this is something the instructors here will decide.”

Yuudai looked up. “Hideyoshi-san. Keiko-san. Please return to Kyoto with Isamu. His family will give you the means to protect yourself. Someone from the school will check up with you shortly.”

Hideyoshi frowned but reluctantly nodded.

“Yuudai-sensei,” tried Yori again.

“Go,” Yuudai simply said. “This is not the end for us, just our entry into a war.”

Yori eventually agreed and turned to take Ron's arm. They scampered away back down the path with Hideyoshi and Keiko while Yuudai turned back towards the flames. This was his home as much as it was the students, and it enraged him beyond reason that it had been defiled.

He clutched his sword tightly in his hand and swore that this injustice would be righted.

They would take their home back.