"Goodbye.  Again, thank you for your help... and thank you for the tea."
"Bye!"  Kasumi and Akane waved cheerfully as they left the building.
Sato and Ono stood in the waiting room and saw them off.  "Oh, it's no
trouble at all," Tofu laughed as he waved his farewell.  Sato curled his
right hand over his left and bowed in traditional Shoulin style, wishing
them to "try and stay healthy."
Then, when the two girls were out of sight, Ono sighed heavily and turned
to walk back to the examining room.  Sato turned with him and patted him on
the shoulder, saying, "You shouldn't feel neglected.  You are a new face
around this part of Tokyo.  As your reputation grows, so will your
recognition.  Just because Akane doesn't prefer your assistance now doesn't
mean that she won't in the future."
Ono sighed and nodded his head slightly.  "Yes, Sensei."
Sato raised an eyebrow, hearing the unsaid 'but that's not all' in his
voice.  As he followed Tofu back to the examining room, he pointed out, "I
would give similar advice concerning Kasumi Tendou as well."
Without turning (avoiding eye contact), Ono chucked a bit nervously, "Why,
whatever do you mean, Sensei?"
Sato sighed and closed his eyes lightly.  This was getting rediculous; who
was Tofu trying to fool?  The aging priest waited until they were both
inside the room, then he closed the door and placed a gentle restraining
hand on his apprentice's shoulder; Ono stopped walking and glanced back
questioningly.
With a light chuckle, Sato turned his student about and placed both hands
on the young doctor's shoulders, eyeing him somewhat sternly as a father
would a son, yet maintaining his ever-casual smile.  Ono stuttered to say
something, but before the words started forming a coherent sentence, Sato
began, "Look, Tofu, you're a very bright young man and quite honestly the
finest student I've ever taught--no doubt you will someday even surpass my
skills.  But it pains me to see my prodigee hinder his own education like
this; it is my duty as your sensei to help you overcome these obstacles."
Ono tried to look confused when he asked, "What do you mean, Sensei?"
Sato's grin widened a bit.  "Why don't you tell Kasumi how you really feel
about her?  Your affection for her is obvious.  The longer you keep your
feelings to yourself, the more they will cloud your chi (mind) and the
harder you will find it to fucus.  I don't want to one day be teaching
advanced medicine to a babbling idiot."
Ono looked at his master a bit incredulously, but then looked downcast in
understanding.  "But Sensei....  She's so young... and sweet... and
fragile...."
"Hah!"  Tofu looked up in surprise when his teacher laughed.  Sato moved
over beside Ono and draped his arm around his shoulder, then lowered him a
bit into a football huddle and whispered, "Apparently, you have never been
over to the Tendou's training hall.  I have seen her humble quite a few of
Soun's (male) students in my visits, some students many years her senior."
Ono's eyes widened in shock.  "What?  She can fight!"
Sato chuckled at his pupil's reaction.  "For a girl of only thirteen,
Soun's daughter is far from fragile.  I have met many women like her.  It
will take a strong man to tame her?
"But...."
Sato drew back and looked at Ono in mock-surprise.  "Don't tell me you are
intimidated by the girl!"
Ono clamped his eyes shut in frustration.  "No!"
Sato softened his tone a bit, amused at what a few acting classes would
allow him to accomplish.  "Do you think so poorly in your skills?"
"No, Sensei!"  Ono opened his eyes and looked at his elder like a trapped
mouse.  "What do you suggest I do--beat her up like a barbarian?"
Sato smiled once more, then responding calmly, "I expect you to prove your
strength by becoming the master of your mind and doing what needs to be
done, young Tofu.  Physical prowess is nothing unless your mind is
disciplined enough to use it."
Ono froze as the words registered in his mind, realizing the point Sato
was trying to convey.  Calming himself, he bowed and muttered, "Yes,
Sensei.  I will prove my strength."
Sato swept his arms out and mirthfully clasped Tofu on the arms.  "Now
that's more like it!"  Ono smiled to see that Sato wasn't mad at all--as
usual.
"Now what say we go practice those katas?"  Sato started leading Tofu to
the training room he had set up in one of the back rooms, but then stopped
and furrowed his brow thoughtfully.  "Or would you rather practice more
pressure points first?"
Ono nodded.  "Pressure points, please."
Sato smirked and patted Tofu on the back.  "Okay.  You get Betty out of
the closet and I'll go fetch a few scrolls from the storage room."  Walking
off, Sato added, "You and those pressure points.  If your enthusiasm keeps
up, I'll have no more to teach you by the end of the month."

	

"Mother, I'm home!" Kasumi announced as she slid the door shut and
proceeded to slip off her shoes.  Shortly after, Akane, who was sitting on
the floor and grunting impatiently as she tried to undo a knot in her
shoelace, excitedly chirped, "I'm home too!" as if she would somehow go
unnoticed if she kept quiet.
Kasumi waited patiently until her sister had resolved her shoelace problem
and set her shoes aside, then headed toward the kitchen to find her mother;
Akane trailed behind like a shadow.
Brushing back the curtain separating the main hallway and the kitchen,
Kasumi could see her mother, in her favorite blue dress and frilly, white
apron, chopping vegetables for her latest culinary masterpiece as she
hummed a joyous work tune; and laying open by the corner of the table was
the bown notebook her mother had been dutiously inscribing her recipes into
for months.  Without turning from her work, her mother chimed, "Welcome
home Kasumi, Akane."
Kasumi looked dubious, drawing her hands in front of her.  After a few
seconds hesitation, she slowly said, "Mother.  I've had to take Akane to
see Dr. Naorukawa again."
Her mother stopped chopping with a slight gasp and turned to her daughter
with raised eyebrows.  "Is she alright?  Why didn't the school call me?"
Ignoring her mother's second question, Kasumi pulled back the curtain and
Akane meekly walked in, her hat once again resting on her downturned forehead.
Mrs. Tendou laid down her knife and crouched down in front of Akane, who
grudgingly raised her head to display the bandage the doctor had applied.
Akane smiled a bit awkwardly and assured, "It doesn't hurt anymore, Mommy.
Mr. Naurokawa made it better."
Before her mother could pass judgement, Kasumi handed her the slips of
paper she was carrying, explaining, "Akane and I have both been excused
from school for the day."  Her mother opend both slips of paper and looked
at them.  Kasumi hesitated before bringing up the topic: "Mother, I think
someone's been bullying Akane."
Her mother was quiet for a moment while she studied the notes, then she
folded them and set them on the table, chuckling, "What makes you think
that."  She turned and studied the bandage, brushing at it with her hand.
Kasumi began to protest, but her mother calmly cut in, "This kind of
roughplay is to be expected with kids Akane's age--Nabiki has certainly had
her share of falls on the playground."  Kasumi tried to interrupt, but her
mother continued as if her daughter were listening patiently, "Maybe you
should ease up on your training with your father--you're even beginning to
stalk around the house as if a prowler were just around the corner."  She
turned to Kasumi with an assuring face.  "The notes said nothing about a
bully.  Mr. Sakamoto would never allow a bully onto his campus."
Kasumi opened her mouth, then closed it, seeing no point in carrying the
conversation any further--it was all just a child's prattling to her
mother.  Instead, she nodded her head and said confidently, "Yes, you're
probably right, Mother."
Her mother's smile broadened.  "Of course I'm right."  She laid a hand on
both Akane and Kasumi's shoulder and asked cheerfully, "Now, do either of
you want to help me make dinner?"
Both Akane and Kasumi smiled brightly and nodded "yes" in unison.  Their
mother added curtly, wagging a finger, "But you have to finish your
homework first.  With a syncronous note of acknowledgement, they both
scampered out of the room, their mother sighing proudly and shaking her
head before rising and returning to her work.
Outside, Kasumi slowed her pace considerably as she headed for the stairs,
her cheerful expression completely faded.

	

"Aw, c'mon, Kasumi, just a little smile?  You're even starting to bring me
down."  Lying across the bed on her stomach (still wearing her school
uniform), Nabiki made a pouting gesture at her sister, opening her eyes to
pitiful levels, trying to get her to at least think about laughing.
Sitting on the floor with her legs folded beneath her, Kasumi maintained
her thoughtful frown.  "I'm worried about Akane.  She's been getting hurt
more frequently now that I'm in junior high."  She closed her eyes and
lowered her voice.  "And I'm worried about Mother.  She seems so...
oblivious sometimes.  Of course I love her, but I'm afraid that one day
I'll be just like her...."
Nabiki rolled her eyes upward and rapped her fingers on the side of the
bed.  "You worry too much, Sis.  You're going to give your headaches or
something."  Smiling just as brightly as ever, she chuckled, "You'll always
be savin our butts even after we finish school."
A thin smile gleamed across Kasumi's face as she thought about the
prospect.  "Well, I've got to settle down sometime."
Nabiki twisted her face--"settling down" wasn't even a thing she wanted to
think of yet.  She was only eleven; Kasumi was just 'way' too mature for
her age.  With a smirk, she sighed, "Well, I'm still having fun."
Kasumi shook her head and smiled at her sister's playfulness.  But then
her face became stern again and she muttered, "You said you heard something
about who's been picking on Akane...."
Nabiki's expression fell--she would have liked to avoid this.  She watched
her finger make circles on the covers as she began, "His name is Ken.  He's
new, but he's in the sixth grade.  People don't talk 'bout 'em much.  I
only see him sometimes, hangin around the older kids.  I hear he's a scary
guy to be around.  That's all I know."  She held out her hands to show that
she had nothing.
Kasumi closed her eyes again as she thought about what she could do with
this information.  Sometimes it felt as if she had too many
responsibilities--that she was being made to grow up too fast.  She needed
to get a grown-up to handle these things--she was sure Dr. Naorukawa and
Tofu at least suspected what was going on.  Maybe taking on overwhelming
situations made her feel like she was doing grown-up things.  Maybe
Nabiki's right--she did think too much....
"Thak you, Nabiki,"  Kasumi stood up and turned to the door.  "Now, I'd
better finish the rest of my homework.  You can descibe him to me later."
Nabiki looked alittle disappointed that her sister was leaving so soon.
But then her face lit up as she remembered, "Daddy's coming home sometime
tomorrow!  I heard mommy reading one of his letters."
Kasumi glanced back and chuckled, "I know.  I asked her last night before
she tucked me in. *sigh* This training trip has been one of his longest one."
Nabiki was again disappointed--everyone knew everything before her.  She
brightened again.  "Hey, Sis!  After we eat, you want to play softball with
me and some friends?"  She smiled slyly.  "Some of the boys bet tomorrow's
lunch money that they could whip us girls with no problem."  She tilted her
head and chirped, "Akane could come with us."
Kasumi shook her head and scolded, "Akane shouldn't be playing games so
soon after her accident."
Nabiki quickly returned, "She could just watch."
Kasumi folded her arms.  "She needs her rest."
"Then we'll leave her here."
"I need to practice my katas."
"You're no fun."  Nabiki looked bored, then her eyes widened.  "You're not
gonna beat up this Ken guy, are ya?"
Kasumi lowered her head as she left Nabiki's room.  "I hope not."