The sun, one-third past its zenith, shone brightly down on the odd pair. Xin Lon, thankful for its presence on the breezy post-harvest day, soaked the bit of warmth it provided. Her hair remained steadfastly in place, unmoving. This was an addition to the unnaturalness of her life. She stood beside the Sohei (warior –monk), Chen Zhen, who was her companion in the tall grasses. Their gold color struck her: that they would be such a pretty color at their death. The grass itself was an amazing thing to her, as it died in beauty, to sleep in winter, to be reborn in the spring.

There were no trees close to them, though there were a few on the homestead toward which the pair were traveling. She could see their colors in this distance; again, she paid attention to their pre-hibernation vibrancy.

The homestead looked, not as her report had said, but as if a room had been added. As she gazed upon the field behind the house, she could tell that there had been a recent harvest. This was not unusual for men of Yuusuke's rank, as many people grew personal gardens not intended for beauty, but for practicality. According to her report, they kept some of the produce, and traded and bartered some as well.

"It looks like they are still preparing for our arrival." Xin Lon stated as she watched the mother sit on the porch as a girl began beating a rug. She wasn’t sure what the three boys and father were doing, but their laughter rang and pealed out to where the two of them stood.

"We should rest here; give them the time they need." Chen Zhen said as he lowered himself to sit. Xin Lon sat in the tall grass, the wind singing around her. Chen Zhen, looking amused, began preparation for tea. She flipped out her hand-held portable gateway to study the report on the Yamaguchi family one last time before their final approach. As she was here by her father’s order – to spend the until the summer training. Yuusuke was not just a man of accomplishment, but a highly respected sensei of open had combat.

He had left his original homestead in the hands of his sister, and then purchased his rank, leaving him enough to buy some stocks and this tract, to become a Landed Soldier. He performed his duties with tenacity, and provided information that rooted out assassins in the Lord Governor’s ranks. Landed Soldiers were common, but she did not find Yuusuke common in the least. He had started out an ordinary foot soldier, and had married a farmer's daughter, Masu, who bore him three children two sons named Hiroaki and Hajime with one daughter Okatsu. Her eyes unconsciously flickered toward the family. Maybe the boy was a friend of Hajime?

As she read the report regarding their schooling, Chen Zhen poured the tea. She looked up only when she heard laughter wafting out toward them. The intelligence report had stated the school Hiroaki attended, but not his performance. As for Hajime – he studied at his fathers dojo, and excelled – he had been invited to go to the school with the ranking children such as herself. He didn’t have any close friends... who then was that other boy? The hairs on the back of her neck rose, as they smelled the wind, looking toward the 12-year-old girl and elder monk for a mere instant. Those boys knew they were there, even though they sat so far away, hidden in the tall grass.

"Masu is ill." She glowered at the report, it did not mention this either.

Chen Zhen smiled, in the six months they had traveled together by her father’s order to see the lay of the land and meet the people, or to get assassinated while doing so…he had learned much about Xin Lon's amazing perception. He never grew tired of the things she could see.

"How can you tell?" he asked her as he sipped his tea.

He wondered what her thoughts were as the father and boys played, as this was an experience outside of Xin Lon’s short life: the unwanted child of a Provincial Governor, who had been an embarrassment in akido and kendo. So much so, that he had made the child go on foot, banning the use of ports or ovoids.

"Illness has its colors. Her vibrant energies, being drained and changing to those colors, stain her energy and her aura. In her aura, there are black and greenish brown spots. The spots that should be bright green have darkened. It’s almost as if her energy has given up on the attempt to heal. She is dying."

"What is the nature of the sickness?"
"I don’t know."
"Perhaps some day you may."
"I'd rather not. Chen Zhen, why do I see these things, when no one else does?"

She folded her hands in her lap, continuing to gaze at the family. He wondered, what else would be able to see as she grew older.

He fought an inner battle of discomfort. There were so many things she did not know about her origins; these was best kept secret. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. How does one tell a child, who has been through as much as she has, the truth of her nature? He knew then, that the dreams would come to him, ones he would never share with another soul, other than the Senior Master of the Sohei.

"Who knows?" He answered in a cheerful tone. "Such sight will be useful."

She watched the family enjoy each other’s company, such an alien thing in her life. Every so often the two boys would allow a casual gaze to waft over their position.

"Chen Zhen?" He could feel her gaze rest upon him.
"Yes, child?" He met her dark blue eyes... eyes like none he'd ever before seen.

"The family roster said there were three children. Hiroaki and Okatsu, and Hajime."
He nodded in agreement
"Then where did the other one come from?"
"Where indeed, well perhaps it is time to find out." He said, but she put her hand on his arm. "Sufi, let us give them more time. They will begin to worry once they see us, it’s already in the air around them, that orange color. It's pale, but palatable."

Chen Zhen looked at her out of the corner of his eye for a moment. Then, he too watched the family. He wondered for a moment if she didn’t feel a bit envious.

"I wonder if it bothers him." Xin Lon mussed.
"What and whom?" Chen Zhen asked her. Sometimes he wasn’t sure if she was talking to him, or something that remained unseen.

"Yuusuke. He has worked very hard, but it’s a matter of course isn’t it? Never mind that many people will do only the work they are supposed to. He gets rewarded not for all of his efforts, but for a piece of information he came across."

"Ah but this piece of information, saved many lives, and put an end to a plan to assassinate the Province Marshal."

She sighed audibly. “I see death lingering around that man, a violent one at that, it makes you wonder what the head of Provincial safety is actually doing as Marshal.
Chen Zhen attempted not to laugh, nearly choking on his tea.

"They know we are here, the younger boys." She felt odd saying it that way; they looked to be her age.
Chen Zhen had not noticed this. "Are you certain?" he asked, a bit concerned. "I haven’t seen them looking toward us." Chen Zhen replied bemused.
"They noticed and looked over when we first got here. You know, I think they can smell us." She pondered toward the family for a moment. "Occasionally, when they turn to do something their gaze fall upon us."
Chen Zhen was a bit surprised that she noticed such things.
"They are very subtle." he said to her
"Their attention is as sharp as a bite."
"Their attention?" he muttered, looking to the younger boys who seemed to be paying them no mind. Xin Lon however, stared intently at the family interaction.
" You have never felt when someone is looking at you, or paying attention to your actions?" She smiled, remembering his stories of getting into trouble as a young monk.
"I can not deny I have." He smiled back.
"Their auras and energy patterns are.... different." She said, staring intently.
"How so?" he asked, leaning forward to look at the people, small in the distance.
She did not answer, but continued her intent stare. It seemed the boys did not appreciate this type of scrutiny. In but a brief moment, Yuusuke was alerted to their presence. It took a moment for the man to see them, but then he waved to them walking to meet them with Hiroaki.

"They are waiting." Jirou said sharply.
Hiroaki and Yuusuke stopped what they were doing and turned slowly toward Jirou, they could not remember him being wrong about such things. Though Hajime was just as sharp in perception, it was usually the eldest of the boys who spoke first.

Hiroaki, looked at his father. "But, there are no gilded Oval transports." usually one could hear their soft hum from a far distance, if not have their eyes burnt out of their sockets by their gaudy nature.
"There are only two. Adult and child." Jirou said, his eyes narrowing.
"Oh! Perhaps our Provincial Governor has brought his son!" Masu exclaimed, delighted, staring into the distance for what her eyes longed for, but could not see.
"How long have they been there?" Yuusuke asked mildly nervous, it would not do to keep the Governor waiting.
"Twenty minutes." Jirou spoke.
"It’s not the Governor." Hajime said, with a glower. "I sense a presence of peace, not of domination or control."
"Then, perhaps it’s just the young Master?" Hiroaku asked, astounded that the Governor would allow his eldest Son to travel so, in such dangerous times.
Both Jirou and Hajime had peculiar looks on their faces. "The Governor only has two sons with him. His daughters are all married, and he had a fair few of those: ten, I believe."
"But there are no Ovals, no guards, so how can we be sure it really is the Governor’s son?" Okatsu posed.
"They have the standard official gateway distributed to..." Jirou’s countenance became mocking, "men of office."
"Perhaps young Master doesn’t prefer fanfare." Hiroaki said impressed.
Jirou snorted in disgust. "That would be a first."
"Well, one would think that The Provincial Governor would be more concerned about his eldest son, inheritor of his position." Hiroeki mussed.
"Maybe he isn’t," Jirou stated as if it were obvious.
"Son?" Hajime asked.
Jirou shot him a look that immediately silenced him.
The others, used to their oddities ignored it.

"Well then, we should greet them, whom ever they are." Yuusuke waved toward the figures sitting in the long grass, Hiroaki following him.
"You noticed didn’t you?" Hajime asked his brother the tongue of the Technomancer as Okastsu led Masu into the house.
"Of course. We say nothing, just see what happens," Jirou directed.
Jirou and Hajime watched Xin Lon watch them.

Xin Lon and Chen Zhen began their walk, meeting with Yuusuke and Hiroaki at the base of the hill. Each bowed politely to the other.
"If you please, this would be Xin Lon, son of the Provincial Governor. He will be conducting the land and holding survey. I am his companion Chen Zhen."
"Excuse me for my rudeness sir," Hiroaki began with excitement. "You are a Sohei monk, are you not?" He was practically bouncing up and down on his feet.
"Yes, young sir, I am. Very pleased to meet you."

The breeze had picked up to a brisk wind, causing the fabric of Xin Lon’s official Governor’s Vassal tunic to whip round. Chen Zhen's own Sohei robes rippled violently.

Yuusuke looked around as if to scold the wind. "If you would like we should go inside. My daughter has prepared a meal for you, and of course if you would like to stay in our home, we can prepare a place for you." He looked a bit abashed. "Of course it is not so fine as if you were to stay in Town."
Xin Lon and Chen Zhen bowed, "Yes, that will be fine." Chen Zhen smiled.
"Before we go." Xin Lon interrupted. "who is that boy?" Again, she felt a surge of ridiculousness at herself.
"Young Master..." Yuusuke looked uncomfortable.
"But, we put in the adoption papers last year!" Hiroaki said in defense.
"It is not in my records," she said out loud.
"I apologize, but we are still waiting on the approval for the adoption." Yuusuke bowed again.
"Please excuse the oversight, it seems none of this made it into my records."

She knew very well it was no oversight. Too often on her journey she had noticed omissions, forcing her to go to a public access to update the records on her portable gateway. She was very close to hiring a Technomancer to input ALL files necessary for the rest of her journey. This was just a way to make her look incompetent.

"When I go to Town to inspect, I will approve it myself. Unless of course you can think of a reason it should not be?" Xin Lon corrected herself. She expected people to be honest, and lately, it seemed the reverse was the normal course of things.

Yuusuke and Hiroaki looked distinctly uncomfortable. Yuusuke heaved a great sigh, and resigned himself. "Young Master, I have not been able to be attentive to my family, regarding my physical presence. Over a year ago, during the spring planting, the boy showed up and assisted my daughter at her task while Hiroaki was at school. Masu is ill and was unable to help. In honesty, he has never told us where he comes from, he never speaks of it. I have put him in the regional school, and he seems to do well. He doesnt cause many problems and is a great benefit to the family I’m unable to remain close to." He again bowed.

Xin Lon considered this information. There was no reason why she couldn’t get approval for it, but she was more than certain she would need a Technomancer now.

"Did you report him missing?" She asked.
"Yes, young master."

She wondered what the problem could possibly be.
"And the child welfare department has remained silent on this matter?" she asked.
"Yes, it seems so." Yuusuke replied.
She was beginning to wonder just how little attention her father was paying to the general state of things.
"Yes, I will look into this matter as soon as I’m able to get to an access port. If you please, I would very much like to go inside."

Yuusuke bowed and began leading the way.

"Yuusuke-san? What is his name?" she asked as they defied the zephyr.
"He didn’t tell me that. We call him Jirou." Yuusuke replied, he and his son remaining steadfast as the wind whipped about them.

uusuke was incredably surprised with his Govorner's eldest son. He was polite and respectful at all times to whomever he was interacting with. He was very manerly. In short, he acted the way the son of an important official should, insted of the unruely bratty way most children of high birth were. He even offered to set the table for dinner. He waited on his Sohai companion as well, as if it were he that was the servant. Even Hiroaki was just as impressed with the pair.

Throughout the dinner, Xin Lon held his own in discussions regarding the state, the local news and the financial affairs of the household. He was not belligerent but was able to ask his questions in such a manner that everyone felt at least and was somehow not the least bit intrusive. He even discussed the literature Hiroaki was studying in school. On the same vein Xin Lon even discussed the house hold affairs with Okatsu. Throughout Jirou remained uncharacteristically silent, in a way it was a relief since he had a tendency to make it a point to not display any manners. Hajime too, was silent, but that was normal.

They sat around the table with their tea, after all the dishes had been cleared. The room was dim and Xin Lon felt 'comfortable'. She opened up her tag-u,/ portable gateway and pulled up the file on the family. She snapped it shut in irritation, looking up, Jirou had a bemused look on his face. He could have passed for a native of Nippon, with no trouble. They looked like brothers- Hajime with his hair was long, going against most standards, kept it tied neatly off the top of his crown, it dangled down to his mid-back. Jirou however, his white hair was kept tied at the nape of his neck, except for one braid on either side of his face, in the braids were beaded leather. His eyes, an absence of color, while hajime had light brown, almost yellow.

Jirou sat the way a commoner would, sloppy half lounging. Everyone else sat as decorum dictated.
"It looks like your having a problem." he said in a bored, way as if to challenge the vanity of the Young Master.
"Its a problem only because specific files are not there, and Im not currently near an access point in order to input." Xin Lon spoke carefully, sensing that this was a test of some sort.
"Maybe, I know if I was trying to make you look like a fool, I would put the files you needed in a sub file that wasn't noticeable, so that when the matter was brought up, one could simply point to the oh so obvious sub file. Or you just don't know what you are doing."
Xin Lon looked into his eyes for a moment, knowing that everyone held their breath waiting to see her reaction. She bowed her head in deference. "That certainly is a possibility."
Jriou shifted his weight, sat up straighter and held his hand out. "Give it to me. I will find those files you need."
Again, Xin Lon bowed in politeness. "I thank you."

Everyone in the room realized that they had been holding thier breath through this small exchange. Yuusuke was over come with pride at the thought of his Governor's son. Young the boy may be, he was certainly worthy of praise and admiration.
Jirou immediately began pressing buttons. "Xin lon is a Main Land name."
"yes it is." Xin lon replied pleasantly, sipping tea.
"I understand the Sohei having a mainland name, but isnt is against 'tradition'" he spat the word out "to have a name like that, being the son, " he stressed that word "of an important official?"
"Venerable Master Chen Zhen, was asked by my father, to provide a name. Xin Lon is the name of the Dragon King of the element of fire." She said with an utter absence of arrogance.
Even though Jirous fingers continued what they were doing, he stared at Xin Lon for a moment.
"Aren't you afraid it would offend the Dragon King?" Saitou asked.
Jirou looked sidelong at his brother, with a half grin. He raised his eyebrows and returned his gaze to Xin Lon, then finally back to the tag-u gateway.
"Do famers care what dogs call themselves?" she asked with a grin. "Im not sure great dragon kings invest much time in the petty affairs of humans."
Saitou nodded once, but did not look as if he quite believed those words. Jirou however, made a noise of deep satisfaction, clicked the tag-u gateway shut, tossing it to Xin lon.
He had a look of prideful satisfaction "Take a look. You should be able to find everything now."
Xin lon did as Jirou had bade, knowing that the files were never hidden. Had they been, Jirou was the type of person to point out their location... but when she looked, she herself was surprised at the sheer volume of what was there, including, the acceptance of the adoption.
Perhaps she was just being overly suspicious. She bowed to him, and thanked him again.