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em； the steam rising。 Her arms came around him； pulling him hard against her； both of them still in orgasm。
The clouds were on fire。
The sun； sliding downwards in its arc； broke across the oblique shoulder of Fuji； turning the sky to crimson。 As quickly as it had e； the flare faded as the sun dipped behind the mountain and all that was left was traces of pink； slowly healing wounds on the undersides of the passing clouds。 Soon they had turned grey。 The lights were lit。
Kansatsu sat cross…legged in the centre of the dojo。 Nicholas faced him。 Nothing was said。 The students； the other sensei had departed for the night。 These two stayed on； breathing。
'Tell me；' Kansatsu said at last； 'what you have learned from the Go Rin No Sho。' His eyes remained closed。
'There is good in it；' said Nicholas。 'And evil。'
'That is rare； Nicholas。'
'On the contrary； sensei。'
'So？'
'I don't think anything in life is all good or all bad。'
Kansatsu opened his eyes and nodded。 'You have learned well； Nicholas。 You are an astute student。 It is a bad idea to rely too heavily on one discipline or 。one strategy set。 This quickly bees ingrained and one's thinking stagnates。 Rely only on the situation that presents itself。 If you let notions of strategy dictate to you； you will surely be defeated。〃 He closed his eyes again。 'You would be surprised； Nicholas； at the number of quite good students who make that mistake。 Sensei； too。'
For a time there was silence between them。 From outside Nicholas heard the muffled cough of a car starting。 It drove off； the beams from its headlights swinging briefly across his field of vision。 Darkness returned。 A plover twittered； took off in a soft clatter。
Nicholas cleared his throat。 'I have read it all。'
'And what do you think？'
'To be truthful； I don't know what to think。'
'Do the ninja interest you； Nicholas？'
'Yes。'
'Then why do you hesitate？'
'I didn't know I had。'
'Then you had better look inside yourself。'
He thought for a moment。 'I guess I feel I should have said no。'
'Ah。'
'Ninjutsu seems a forbidden topic。〃
'Arcane； yes。 Forbidden； no。' Kansatsu stared at Nicholas across the small space between them。 'Even here in Japan； there is surprisingly little known about the ninja。 They are from a segment of society about which no Japanese can be proud。 But ninjutsu is an ancient art。 It came from China； or so it is monly said。 I do not think that anyone could tell you with absolute certainty。
'The ninja were not bound by the Way of the Warrior。 Bushido was only a word to them。 Their rise was swift。 Because they were so successful； the bushi used them more and more。 As their wealth increased； so did the sophistication and diversity of their techniques。 There came a time； then； when the samurai came to the ninja to learn。 Thus the Way became perverted。
'There are many ryu in Japan。 More than in any official governmental count。 Among these； the variety of disciplines taught is virtually limitless。 Good and evil are sometimes propounded indiscriminately。' He did not have to ask if Nicholas was following his line of thought。 Darkness； now； the clouds obscuring the moon。 Only man…made lights shone。
'To be a true champion； Nicholas； one must explore the darkness； too。'
That evening； Cheong took Nicholas aside。 They went into the Colonel's study。 It smelled of tobacco smoke and leather。 Along with the kitchen； it was a Western room in an otherwise very traditional Japanese house。
Cheong sat sideways on the high…backed wooden chair in front of the Colonel's roll…top desk。 Nicholas sat on the leather couch； near her。
'You are happy that Yukio has e to stay with us。' It was not a question。
'Yes；' he said truthfully。 'Is there anything wrong with that？'
Cheong smiled。 'You are growing up but you are still my child。 I think I have a right to ask。 You don't have to answer me； you know。'
His eyes dropped to his hands for a moment。 'I know that；' he said softly。
She leaned forward； enclosed his hands in hers。 'My darling； you have nothing to fear from me。 Whatever you and Yukio do is between the two of you。 Your father may not approve but he sees things differently to what we do。 He is still a soldier and； therefore； mistrusts everyone and everything。'
Nicholas looked at her。 'He mistrusts Yukio。 But what …'
Cheong shook her head。 'It doesn't matter； don't you see that？ It's a blind spot he has。 Never mind。 I'm quite certain he mistrusted So…Peng in the beginning。'
She turned and； opening a drawer in the desk with a key； she produced the dragon…and…tiger box that was So…Peng's parting gift to her and the Colonel。 With deft； economical movements of her fingers she opened the box。
'You see；〃 she said in a hushed voice； 'there are fifteen。' She meant the emeralds。 'There were sixteen； originally。 One bought this house。〃 She looked up at him； I'm sure your father told you the story of this present。' Nicholas nodded and she continued。 'What he didn't tell you was its meaning。 I'm not certain whether even he knows it fully。' She shrugged。 'And if he did； he would most likely dismiss the idea。 He is a most pragmatic man； your father。' She smiled。 'One of his few faults； I'm afraid。'
She put the opened box with its glittering contents in Nicholas's lap。
'You are free to use six of these。 To convert into money if your need is sufficient。 No； hear me out。 I want you to understand this fully； I think you can accept what I'm going to tell you。' She took a deep breath。 'There must never be less than nine emeralds in here。 Ever。 No matter what the reason； you must not use more than six。
'This is a mystical box； Nicholas。 It has certain powers。' She paused； as if waiting。 'I see you're not smiling。 Good。 I believe it； as did my father； So…Peng。 He was a great and wise man in all matters； Nicholas。 He was no fool。 He knew well that there exist on the Asian continent many things； which defy analysis； which； perhaps； have no place in the modern world。 They relate to another set of Laws； they are timeless。' She shrugged again。 'So I believe。' She took her hands away from the box； watched his face。 'You are old enough now to form your own opinions about the world and its mysteries。 If you believe； then the power will be there for you when some day you need it。'
Night。 Nicholas in the living room； cross…legged in front of the window。
High in the sky； clear now of clouds； the full moon sent reflected light scattering down across the treetops and； closer to him； the formal garden。 Intense black shadows streaked die window as the tall pine near the front of the house was illuminated as if by some celestial spotlight。 Now and again； as the wind disturbed the branches； the shadows moved up and down； up and down； the motion of a fairyland boat from tales his mother used to tell him as he was falling asleep years ago。 That time seemed long gone and Nicholas wondered now whether this was something all people felt： that childhood belonged to another； simpler time when all decisions were minor and seemed of little consequence。
In times gone by； on sleepless nights； that lone pine had been his protector。 He knew every configuration； every angle of its branches； every knot along its thick trunk。 Now it seemed to him to have been transmogrified。 He saw it as an old soldier； a guardian in the night； a friend and an ally。 To be a true champion。。。
His world was changing so swiftly now。
Haragei allowed him to bee aware of her presence as she stepped into the room。 He did not move。 He heard her ing towards him。 Softly。 Softly。 Appalled； he found himself getting hard。 He willed his erection down but his body would not listen。
She sat down gracefully； facing him； away from the moonlight。 Her face black in the dense shadows； her long blue…black hair haloed faintly in platinum light。 He thought he could see her entire body beat with the rhythm of her pulse。
He was so acutely aware of her； it was almost painful。 The musk of her body； mingled with a perfume he could not identify； a certain heat that transmitted itself physically。 But there was more； an almost tangible force。 He felt enveloped by her aura。
The house was so still that he could hear the white noise soughing in his inner ear like an internal storm。
He stood up so abruptly that he felt rather than saw her start。 Reaching down for her hand； he pulled her up and； opening a shoji； took her outside。
Unmindful of the cold； he took her to the periphery of their property； along the verge of the cryptomeria wood； searching for the half…hidden path Itami had shown to him years ago。
At length he found it and plunged with her headlong into
the forest。 There was no light to speak of； just dim； luminous patches like odd floating flora where the moonlight penetrated the green canopy high above their heads。 Cicadas called shrilly and to one side came a soft scuffling of leaves； a pair of bright red eyes。
They flew along the jungle trail； Nicholas guiding them unerringly as if he were a bat with sonar。 They leaped over roots； ducked under black swinging branches and； at last； broke through into the moon…drenched clearing。 Before them was the circular path and the closed double doors of the