The Ripple of a Stone

The Ripple of a Stone

Records of a Mind

Authors Note: This story I have written may not be exact with the customs and culture founded by the Predator movies, comics or stories but I have tired to stay in the area of their beliefs and ways. I have brought in elements from each of the categories and have combined them into one. I do not own Predator. Updates will be regular and changes will be made if any suggestions are made for me. Pronunciations at bottom. Some of the mentioned items in the Yautja world are made up by me. Good Reading.

E.M.

“You know what I find strange?” Nala asks after she and Sya leave the observation room, when she was done crying, and got back to the conference room.

“What do you find strange?” Lord Khupiees voice makes the two already in the room look up to see him and a few of the others.

“I don’t feel a need to apologize to Lidch for killing his brother.” Nala sighs heavily and rests back into a chair.

“And so you shouldn’t.” Inkle walks to Nala and sits in the seat next to her as she was next to Lord Khupiees chair. “Some who were witness to his words say you were to light in your punishment.” Nala was about to say something back to Inkle when Dhm'Ni walks right up to her, almost uncomfortably in her space.

“Get out of my chair.” Dhm'Ni says sternly.

“Make me.” She says sweetly and with a smile. Dhm'Ni snorts at her and sits in another chair, crossing his arms in disapproval. That was his chair. “I do however feel a need to apologize to the tables I ran over. I can’t even begin to imagine what they were thinking to have an Ooman run over their food.” They chuckle at her funny need to apologize at all.

“I think you should know little one,” Sya begins and sits down directly across from her. “You are well within your rights to defend Allen’s honor.”

“Who is Allen?” Bakkub, who discretely sits by Sya and not the female who played ‘pick the pressure point’ with his arm, asks gently.

“Allan was my mate.” Nala smiles to him as she answers. “You guys would have liked him.”

“We already do. Any male who would sacrifice themselves for their mate would be held with the highest honor.” Lord Khupiee tells her smoothly. “What puzzles me Nala, is that you killed the Queen and Jabot with the same anger in you. With that same look in your eyes.”

“The Queen killed Allen. Jabot insulted him. I see no difference and so should be dealt with in the same manner.” Nala says in a rather harsh tone of voice.

“But as I took you off of him,” Lord Khupiee starts.

“That was you?” Nala bursts and Lord Khupiee just nods in affirmation to her. “Sorry.” She shrugs her shoulders but they all just laugh at her.

“Are you always so violent with your anger?” Dh’Kn asks with a tint of laughter.

“Yeap.” Nala giggles. “The enhancements didn’t help either, I just snap.”

“You have yet to show us where we can find others like yourself.” Pakka, who Nala didn’t even realize was in the room, asks.

“Bring up a projection of that planet and I can show you where.” After a projection of Earth came up, Nala points out the best spots to find those with the enhancements. She was finding it a little too easy to just show this Yautja where to hunt the Oomans. But she didn’t care. She was simply showing good hunting grounds as she would too show where to find deer when in season.

“Bakkub tells me you inflicted a great amount of pain with only a push of your fingers.” Dh’Kn thrills at his friends misfortune.

“That I did!” Nala says proudly. “But now I know where to hit for the next time I fight. I have learned of a few places to hit that would make any Yautja double over in pain.”

“If you ask someone to stick out their arm, I think I will have to ask you to leave the conference room.” Sya warns but playfully and Nala sticks out her tongue.

For the next few hours, the small group engaged in lengthy discussions about anything that came to their minds. At one point Nala was finally informed of a Yautja by the name of Shn’Di’Ka’Cha who was truly responsible for the Queens presents and when she was told, Nala went silent. Then after a few minutes, told them that it would be best for him to hide for it she got her hands on him… She lets her words trail, they had an idea of what she would do. But soon the conversation drifted into more mundane ideas. Nala failed horribly as she attempted to get her ‘new name’ from Lord Khupiee. He and the others had a hearty chuckle when Nala grunted in her throat then snorted. Miy’Hota joking that she even acted like a nine and a half seasons old pup. The conversation then turned onto children, with Nala finally knowing about Dhm’Nis brother, Det-Onda’Ni. After that she kind of lost track of how many conversations they held. It was only when Ykas’e, who Nala was the same height with but would never point it out because that’s just mean, came in to inform them that the night meal was begin served. Nala however declined the invitation to go back there again, opting to go to sleep early. Dhm’Ni even commented that she had said earlier that day that she would hate for the galley to be where everything bad happens to her because she liked to eat! After a few minutes of lighthearted arguing about Nala being afraid of the galley, which she is NOT, she left in a huff to go to sleep. She was exhausted from the day’s events and had lost her appetite for both the food for the day and the galley for the day. She just doesn’t want to go back to a place where all the bad things happened, not yet anyways.

“” “” “” “”

Groggily the next morning, Nala slowly begins to wake when she realizes her arms were rapped around a giant body and her head was moving up and down slowly. It was a rhythmic, regular movement. Soothing. So when Nala opened her eyes, she was stunned to find her head on Dhm’Nis belly. That cool green skin of his, on his belly at least, was actually soft. The fur blanket was pooled at his feet, covering one of his four toed feet, which Nala had a field day making fun of! That was another thing that Nala couldn’t stop laughing about. But she was quickly silenced when Dhm’Ni insulted the Oomans saying that they couldn’t handle standing on only four toes, they weren’t ‘sophisticated’ enough. Nala simply threw something at him and told him to shut up. Taking a quick look to the time reader to find it was only the eighth hour on the morning, Nala silently scolds herself. Maybe she shouldn’t have gone to sleep so early. Uncoiling from Dhm'Ni, Nala turns onto her back but keeps his belly as a wonderful pillow. The rhythmic up and down of him was very calming. Once she was comfortable, Nala looks up to Dhm’Ni and sees that his hands are behind his head, almost gleaming with the fact that she was around him and not the other way around like last time. But he was still sleeping. Nala shakes her head in amusement and sighs as her mind registers what she dreamt of. It went as it always did and again Dhm'Ni was there. And when it ended they were once more in that white room, however, the chairs were gone. A little bit later, Nala had her first dream other then her memory. It was a disjointed account of a field of flowers, and a picnic maybe… She just couldn’t remember and that idea made her smile so wide. She was actually dreaming like a normal person now!

A low grumble from Dhm’Nis chest startled her a little bit, afraid that she may have woken him but Nala was soon relieved that he was just making sounds in his sleep. What was he dreaming of? What if he had to go through his dream many times, while she only had to do it once? Nalas face twists in concern, what if he is hurting right now… Her suspicions were soon broken when Dhm'Ni begins to emit an incredibly loud and deep purr, the vibrations causing Nala to giggle. And they were further busted when a giant smile forms with his mandibles. He is having a good dream, probably hunting something, or someone. Turning her head to rest on its side, Nalas eyes look down to see a very a strange but familiar belly button. It looked exactly the same as an Oomans, but the skin around it turned back into the darker color of green and then almost black as it went in. Smiling mischievously, Nala slowly raises one hand, her pointer finger ready, and in an instant, she plunges her finger in, but gently. But no matter how she did it, gentle or not, Dhm’Nis eyes widen and he hisses in surprise. His stomach muscles clinch immediately, but Nala thankfully got her finger out of his belly button before it was crushed by the muscle around it.

“Nalani!” Dhm'Ni groans, rubbing the offending belly button. “What in the depths of a Hard Meat hive was that for?” But she just laughs wholeheartedly and turns on his belly so she was facing him. Dhm'Ni shakes his head tiredly, then with a glace at the time reader, he glares at her. “It is only the eighth, what are you doing waking me at the eighth?”

“I was up.” Nala whispers. Dhm'Ni growls at her in a serious tone, but she knew it was that serious. Before she could do a thing, Dhm'Ni turns his body from her, ending up on his stomach and Nalas head on his lower back.

“Evil female. This is why the males don’t sleep with the females for long periods of time. They wake up too pauk-de early.” He groans, but his breathing calms down after a few minutes of silence. Nala didn’t want to really point out that this was her first time waking up early, but she didn’t want him to get angrier. Wiping Dhm’Nis tresses to one side, Nala grimaces at his tear drop shaped scar. It looked just like hers but his skin color of green. Over the passing days, Dhm’Ni was actually nice enough to apply that stupid ointment that Kh’Cho had given her to place on the rim of her Hard Meat scar on her neck. But never did Dhm'Ni make her hurt, unlike Kh’Cho. She even did it for him once and did it successfully. But right now the rim looked a little tender from the nights movements, and needed something for it.

“Dhm'Ni?” Nala asks loudly, but gets no response. “Dhm'Ni!” She yells.

“I’m busy!” He hisses, but laughs along with Nala when she bursts from the simple sentence. “What do you want?” Dhm’Ni groans.

“When was the last time you put on ointment?”

“The day before last.” Dhm'Ni tells just as a very long and loud yawn hits him. And by unwritten law, Nala yawns as well.

“I will place some on you, it looks very tender.” She says getting off the bed and going into the bathroom to get the small jar of orange paste and two things that looked like q-tips.

“Must you?” Dhm'Ni asks as he turns his head to her, scowling at the jar in hand.

“Do you want it to hurt? I can give it a nice whack to let you know what it’s going to be like without it…” She smiles sweetly, getting onto the bed.

“Get it over with.” He breathes out sourly. Nala kneels by his giant body, which seemed even larger as he was spread out on the bed. Dhm'Ni tucks his hands under his chin and takes a deep breathe when Nala begins to apply the ointment. “Lou-dte Kalei.” He sighs. Dhm'Ni had been teaching Nala how to swear and thought it was comical how she would try and try to say it. She knew most of them, however she tended to get them mixed up or forget the meaning.


“Female Yautja, or can be used to insult a male. I will never forget that one my friend.” She laughs, but makes sure to take the tip of the applicator away before so, not wanting to hurt him.
“Kwei.” He says another.

“Umm…tricky.”

“Good. You surly know S'yuit-de.” He stops and laughs but was silenced when Nala pinches his side painfully. “Tarei'hasan.”

“Oh…” Nala pauses and looks into the air, her mind drawing a blank. “Um, that’s a bug right?”

“And,” Dhm'Ni moves his head and look up to her, only to see her face twisted in trying to remember.

“…a…bug…” Nala shrugs her shoulders and looks pleadingly at him.

“Unworthy opponent.” He smiles. “Are you finished?” Dhm'Ni groans.

“Yes.” Nala sighs condemningly as Dhm'Ni sits up, grabs the jar and remaining stick and ushers her to sit with her scar to him. “I can’t wait for the day you pauk up and hit it, then I get to hit you!” Nala laugh, but Dhm'Ni just rolls his eyes and applies the goop.

“So are you excited?” Dhm'Ni asks casually while continuing his purpose.

“About…” Nala whispers, not allowing her neck to move too much so that it would hurt.

“Your garments should be ready, and you Awu’asa as well.” Instantly Nala perks up, wondering how in the blue hell she had forgotten. “I knew you’d forget.”

“Shut up.” Nala says fast, not wanting him to rub it in.

Closer to the tenth hour, and after a lot of arguing, Sya interrupted their petty dispute telling Nala that she should go to Kaines, the Awu’asa makers, at the thirteenth hour and that she did not have to go to her lessons that day for they will be training once she is out fitted. Once she and Sya were done talking, Nala starts walking back to the bed where Dhm'Ni was sitting against the wall to finish ‘discussing’ how many ways you can use the word ‘pauk’. But mid way there, the COM starts to beep again, Nala guessing Sya had forgotten to tell her some thing. And so, sarcastically turning on her heals, Nala heads back to the COM and accepts the call, but she did not see Sya.

“OH!” Nala overreacts to the face as it pops into her eyes sight. “You guys should really get caller ID. Seeing THAT face is not something I would like to wake up to in the morning. I mean, I know I told you to go look in a mirror and twitch, but now you made me twitch.” Dhm'Ni was about to ask what was going on but he soon found out who she was talking to when a very loud growl comes from Thr'ik over the COM.

“That is not a nice way to say Hello!” Thr’ik funnily scolds.

“Hello.” Nala says in a fake fit of rudeness.

“You don’t have to be rude!” Thr'ik makes fun of their first meeting. “So you’re up!” Thr'ik points out.

“No, I’m sleep-walking.” At that, Nala closes her eyes, lifts her hands up in the typical sleep-walker fashion and walks away from the COM.

“Wait, what?” Thr'ik hisses in alarm, trying to see Nala on the screen at his end.

“What are you doing?” Dhm'Ni asks, getting up from the bed and taking Nalas place at the COM.

“SLEEP-WALKING!” Nala yells.

“Strange female.” Thr'ik shakes his head.

“You think that is strange, she woke me at the eighth!” Dhm'Ni growls, Thr’ik just laughs. “What do you want?”

“I just wish to know if Nala is going to the baths today.”

“I was thinking about it!” Nala yells after she sits on the bed.

“Good. Then we shall see you there then.” Thr'ik laughs and says a quick good-bye so he could change and tell the other males of her presence.

“Hey Dhm'Ni.” Nala calls, heading for their bathroom. “Call me when they get here.” She says entering the large room to take a bath.

“I thought you said you were going to the communal baths.” He asks confused.

“No, I said I was thinking it, but I decided against it. But I know Thr'ik will head back to haggle me for not showing up.” She laughs almost hysterically as the door closes.

A little while later…

“Nala!” She hears Thr’iks roar from inside the bathroom as she slips on a fresh set of Alsn underwear. “You said you would be at the baths!” He exclaims.

“No she didn’t.” Dhm'Ni defends. “She only said she was thinking about it, not that she was going to go.” He said and the others who came laugh.

“You have no idea how much I would have loved to see you get all ‘where is she’ in the baths, Thr'ik.” Nala says exiting the bathroom, but abruptly stops at seeing the new faces. “Hello.”

“May I introduce Rik’et, Coxa, Byht and Rabry.” Thr'ik points to each of the large males who bow their heads at their names in greetings. Nala was quick in reciprocating the gesture.

“I have heard of you Rik’et.” She says to him smiling mischievously.

“Oh?” Rik’et asks amused. “And what have you heard little one?” He asks, slowly making his way to her as she was standing by the door to the bathroom.

“You like to test Unbloods and Young Bloods to see where their limits are.” Nala says softly.

“That I do…” Rik’et says with his very dark green eyes glimmering with interest. In fact, his whole body was dark green, almost like a deep ocean green with small stripes of black here and there.

“I have also heard you are an explorer, one with knowledge of unknown hunting grounds, but will not share the most fruitful.”

“That I don’t…” He smiles.

“Perhaps one day we shall trade information, I can tell you where to hunt the more worthy of Oomans and game on my Homeworld, and you can tell me of a great place to travel.” Nala smiles all knowingly.

“I thought you have already told us of where to hunt the other Oomans like you?” Dhm'Ni asks, braking Nalas and Rik’ets gaze.

“I only told you of a few places to hunt the best Oomans, but there are a few others that I am sure would entice even the most seasoned of hunters.” Nala says, persuading an inquisitive thrill from Rik’et.

“I can already tell I like you.” Rik’et laughs and gives Nala a rough but gentle shake of her shoulder, which she tries to reciprocate but his height was kind of a challenge.

“So why were you not at the baths?” Thr'ik asks meanly.

“Ask that question again in a better tone and I may just answer.” Nala says in a rough and solid voice. And Thr'ik was quick to ask again in a better manner. “I did not go because for one thing I did not wish to be ogled every time I entered and exited the bath, I still do not understand your fixation with my scars, and I did not want to end up being late going to Kaines. Last time I was really late to get to my lessons and I knew that were would have an old grand time talking of females!”

“So, you are to get your Awu’asa?” Byht finally speaks up, his tone very low and sultry.

“Finally, yes.” Nala sighs and walks to the large group to give the others a formal greeting. “I cannot wait to see what kind of weapons have been made for me, ones that I can handle, right Thr'ik?” They have a soft chuckle at the memory.

“You will not have weapons just yet Nala.” Coxa tells her. He did have limited knowledge of craftworks, as he is an engineer. “I would think that Kaine would have just your amour ready, and not your weapons. Unless you and he had discussed any particulars of weapons you would like to have when you hunt.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that.” Nala says a little stunned. “I thought that it would be all ready. But I get to choose what weapons I carry?” They all nod in affirmation. “Well then… I will be right back.” She says quickly then heads back into the bathroom. Once in, Nala solemnly walks to a wall and pushes a little button and out comes a drawer and in it was her pack. For a moment Nala just stares at it, not knowing what to think about it. Shaking her head of those thought, Nala opens it quickly and grabs hold of the small bundle of knives and then as fast as she could, closes the drawer and heads back into the main room.

“What do you have there?” Rik’et asks, looking at the roll of fabric in her hand.

“Something I wish to include on my Awu’asa. It is close enough to the time for us to go, would you like to join me to finally see all my new clothing?” Nala asks the group who were eager in accepting to go have the first look.

Kaine was never one to let deadlines or schedules interfere with his creations. However, even he knew that he was taking too long with the females’ garments and Awu’asa, but it was time well stolen. While he did have most of her everyday clothing ready, like her casual, semi-formal, formal and made a few decorative neck coverings to protect her scar. But what look the longest were her ceremonial and her Awu’asa. He had spent almost every waking hour on her clothing and he was glad that it was today that they would be coming to the unveiling of his masterpieces. He did wonder just who was going to be there to see them first, Nala of course, and Sya. Kaine had wanted Lord Khupiee and the others to come as well but he was more then pleasantly surprised as Nala, Dhm'Ni and a few others came in to his shop.

“I had not expected so many!” Kaine thrills in excitement. “But you are early!” He scolds the group of six.

“I am not here to see them just yet.” Nala reassures him. “I was just informed that you need me to tell you of the weapons I would like top have.”

“Ah yes, but we do not need to do it now, we can do it after.” Kaine starts.

“I do not want to cover everything, Kaine.” Nala smiles and places her bundle on a table. “I just want you to know that I want these items included.” She says and unties the thick black rope around the bundle and then unrolls it like parchment paper.

“What are those?” Rabry gasps along with the others as their eyes stare down at the many different weapon that were snuggld into a black pocket. All of the blades no shorter then five inches and their handles were elegantly laced with a white stone with a black background. Gently racking her hand over the bumps of the handles, Nala allows the wonderful yet painful memories of these weapons come to her…

(Flashback)

At the age of seventeen, Nalani had just graduated from the Academy, The Shchudlo Academy for the Future Youth of the New World Government Army, and was sent to Japan for her first mission and secondary training. Only a select few were chosen to go for secondary training, only those with a special ‘ability’ as they called it. But Nala knew what they meant. While the other nine members of this team were clearly all in one form or another a sociopath, meaning having no care for well…anything, but Nala was not one. She was never someone who didn’t care, if anything she over cared, she was overprotective. But when the option to go to Japan came, to learn from the best teachers, she swallowed her feelings and went.

She knew that those who were sitting in the waiting room along with her were here just to know how to do ‘what we do’. It was never spoken, but Nala knew she was here to learn how to interrogate prisoners, how to torture, how to cause an insurmountable amount of pain onto another living being. And it made her insides turn. Nala never bothered to learn the names of the other students, she didn’t want to know. She just wanted to learn a new way to fight, a new way to survive. Taking a deep breath, Nala was filled with a calming scent of the incense as she rests on her knees before a large cream colored sliding door. There was no sound but for the trickling of a fountain that was in the waiting room, the hard breathing of her fellow students and every now and then the thrumming of some ones fingers as they were beginning to become impatient with waiting. Their supervisor for this trip was Commander Marks, whose son was actually in the Academy with Nala. The two were good friends with each other but Duncan, his son, was the complete opposite to his father. While they were undoubtedly the largest black men every born, Duncan was sweet and kind, his father was ruthless and cruel. At that moment, Commander Marks was in with the four teachers of this house, this being the House of Xiao. One of the last surviving training camps after the wars. He had been in that room for over three hours and the others were getting angry at having to wait, Nala not so much.

About ten minutes later, Commander Marks finally emerges from the room and informs the group that something different was going to happen this year. While it was usually the entire group of four teachers leading the ten students, the highest teacher had decided to brake up the group into smaller, more involved and intimate groups. And that they were all to go into the room to be tested to see who each teacher would like to handle. And so, standing on sleepy legs the group of ten seventeen year olds stride into the room, and it was a large room indeed. It must have been the size of a gymnasium but it looked nothing like it. Corn colored straw mates were laid on the ground, tickling Nalas bare feet. The incense was even stronger in here and she could feel herself go even calmer. The door closes behind them and Nala turns to see a little girl wearing a beautiful kimono close it. Nala smiles to her and nods in thanks. Rejoining the group, Nala takes her place and knees down in front of the low table as the four teachers sit on the other side.

“For the past few hours,” A very old looking Japanese man at the center of the table starts to speak, his voice harsh and strict. “We have been observing you as the time pasted. And I have to say I am already seeing that you, most of you,” He adds quickly. “Were not able to rest and wait peacefully. That is not good in ‘what we do’. You must have a patience in your soul for this duty, for this gift. And in the next year you will all learn it, and one of you will learn more then she already knows.” The old man glances at Nala who knew not to even look at him and so her eyes were staring at the carpet. “However, this year the House of Xiao will break the larger group. Now, stand and sit on the line at the far end of the room.” He raises his old hand and points to the left side. Instantly Nala was on her feet and walks gracefully to the line and kneels down. Over the next two hours, each of the other students were tested by the three other teachers, with the older one sitting off to the side, observing the sparing and talking in a tongue unknown to Nala to the small girl from before as she writes down on a piece of paper. When it came time for Nala to be tested, she takes off her new army jacket and folds it before standing up. She walks nimbly to the center of the room where the three younger looking men await her. For over an hour, Nala fought the three men separately to her best ability. Hoping to impress them with her skills. But she was not heartless in her moves. If one of them was to fall, she would stop the fight and help them up, just as they did to her when she was down. Once Nala was done sparing with each one, she thought she was finished. She was just about to bow to signal that it was over when the old man stands up abruptly.

“Now I will test you.” His voice echoes in the great room. Normally Nala wouldn’t have thought anything of him fighting her, but as she sees the faces of the other teachers twist in shock, she wonders if she is in trouble. Wearing a stiff black kimono, the old man walks to stand before Nala, with the little girl in toe, and slowly takes it off to reveal no shirt and only drawstring pants, black in color. Trying to hid her shock, Nala eyes widen as her eyes see that this old man was no the typical old man. He was the same height as Nala, which is only 5 foot eight inches, but he was quite built, but not bulky. His muscles were clearly formed, and immaculately shaped. Nala had to wonder just how this old man was this built and yet…so old. “What is you name child?” He asks.

“Nalani.” She says softly.

“I should have known by your tan and you attitude. You are Hawaiian, yes?”

“Yes sir.” Nala says stunned at his assessment.

“Master!” His voice was commanding and strong. “You will call me Master Yul.”

“Yes, Master Yul.” Nala instantly bows in apology for using the wrong title. Little did Nala know, but Yul was not just a teacher, but a true Master. He was Yul Xiao, the oldest of the Xiao family and top trainer.

“You have five minutes to fight me and in that time, you will try to hit me once. And if you do, I will be more impressed then I already am. If not, then there is room for you to learn what I will teach you.” Master Yul smiles smugly at his one and only new student. She was the only one in the group who was not affected by the waiting time, and had shown great stamina, strength of mind, body and soul. While the others just wished to know how to kill, Nala seemed different. She just wished to know. Master Yul nods to the small girl and she starts a timer in her hand. “Begin.” He yells and they both go into a low fighting stance. But the two don’t move for a moment, and just stare at one another. Master Yuls’ black and gray hair was short to his head, and his eyes seemed to glow from an unknown knowledge and power. But soon, Nala starts to circle him slowly, one foot expertly going over the other to walk around him.

Finally Nala charges at his side, ready to punch him at his vulnerable hip. But just as she gets close, Nala sees a blur of skin and black. Not even able to counter anything this old man was doing, Nala feels the tell tail pain of being hit. All she could feel was a knee in her gut, a fist at her side, a foot on the back right knee and an elbow on the back of her head. Before she knew it, Nala was down. Face first into the straw mate and heaving heavy breaths to get her wind back. Out of the corner of her eye, Nala sees the pant leg of Mater Yul and she was quick to use it to her advantage, or so she thought. Twisting her legs under her, Nala jumps back to her feet and flings herself at Mater Yul with her elbow aimed at his head. Only for him to duck beneath her and deliver another calculated punch to her side and then her stomach. Landing on her face once more, Nala can’t catch her breath and begins to heave violently, only to have her lunch come back up from her gut and onto the floor. Once her spell was over, Nala turns onto her back and takes a very deep breathe, tears from the pain of the hit and throwing up rolling down her eyes.

“Good!” Master Yul yells in a hidden voice of excitement. “That was better then I expected, and do not worry of the mess, it is a common thing here. And an honor for you to know that it was I who caused such agony.” He laughs evilly. Master Yul signals for the girl to come back and he redresses in his kimono. He then discreetly orders her to get Nalas mess cleaned and for her to be taken to the healing room to be massaged and cleaned. And ironically, just as the little girl exits the room, the beeping of the watch could be heard.

For the next year, Nala trained under Master Yuls hand. And each and every morning Nala would wake with new pains, new bruises but also with a longing to know what she was going too learn that day. She was the only to be thought by Master Yul, with the others being split in groups of three. But to the other students, their teachers were just teachers. Master Yul was like a grandfather to Nala. He was not just there to form her muscles and ability and skill, but her mind as well as her soul. Every night Master Yul would speak to his student about her past, and over her thoughts of her future. Even how ‘what they did’ made her sick to her stomach sometimes, and to Nala amazement, it was the same for Master Yul. But he told her that this gift, this ability given to her was not to be used just to inflict pain, as he knew the others would use it. But it should be used to defend and to prosper. But for a few months in the year, Nala had to have Master Yul guidance more then usual as she was being taught how to torture another person. But by the end of it, Nala had the knowledge and the ability to hold down her lunch. On her eighteenth birthday, Master Yul forced Nala to drink sake, an alcoholic drink, and the next morning woke her by way of a giant gong. Not very nice, but Master Yul thought it hilarious. But it was not only her friendship with him that had bloomed, but indeed her mind, with the ability to meditate and calm herself. Her body, not only growing to her full height and maturing like a woman but also with her muscles formed from the year of training. And lastly her soul, never had Nala felt so at peace with herself. By the end of their training, Nala was actually able to hit Master Yul back, and a few times broke a few bones. But she would never be able to match the amount of bones in her body broken by him.

“You are to leave tomorrow.” Master Yul says matter-of-factly as he and Nala sit together in the gardens. Every now and then they would hear the chirps of a bird or the sound of the wind in he leaves of the trees. But there was a constant calming trickle of water from the pond filled with Koi fish.

“I have a feeling like I am not ready to.” Nala, in flawless Japanese, speaks softly. It had taken time, but Master Yul had taught her how to speak well in many tongues, some dead and some that still live.

“But that is how it is meant to be.” Master Yul pauses to sip his tea. “That is the best part of living Nala, to be able to exceed you current ability. To grow and prosper. If you are to ever think you have nothing else to learn, I would fear you are dead.” They laugh lightheartedly. “But I have a gift for you, two in fact.” Nala turns slowly to her Master with wonder in her eyes. “I love how your eyes tell what you feel, but that can also be a bad thing. You should never show your enemy how you really feel. Pain, pleasure, hate, love, pride, humility. When standing with a person, they do not care of how you feel. Only that you will put up a challenge.” Master Yul says while setting down his cup of tea. “The other teachers have the option of doing what I am going to do, but have chosen not to as the others in your group are stupid.” He says bluntly, but Nala does not laugh. It’s true. “I am going to give you a brand of the House of Xiao. But for each student, there is a different sign. For you, I have chosen the out line of a Hawaiian Lilly.” Master Yul takes out a small piece of paper from a black and gold kimono and hands it to Nala, the picture was of a simple and familiar flower that one would think of when they think of Hawaii.

“I am honored.” Nala says softly and smiles at her teacher.

“That is not all.” Master Yul laughs lightly and takes out another item, but this was a small bundle of black fabric, tied with a black string. “I had this made for you specially Nala. I know that these ‘tools’ will accompany your ability wonderfully.” He says, then unravels the bundle. Nala gasps loudly at the sight of the beautiful black and pearl inlaid knives, blades, throwing stars, butterfly knives and other exotic oriental weaponry.

“Master Yul…” She was lost for words.

“These weapons are not meant for any other hand but yours and a craftsman’s hand if they need to repair it or clean it.”

“I under stand Master.” Nala instinctively says.

“Unless,” Master Yul pauses. “Someone asks your permission to touch one or you give one as a gift. I cannot expect you to keep every one as you life goes on. That would be stupid of me, even the gift of my ‘tools’ given to me is a considerably lower number then when it was given to me by my teacher. But the idea is the same. Now, I will ask permission to handle the one to mark you with the House of Xiao.”

“Please.” Nala bows to her teachers.

“Take off your shirt, and turn your back to me.” With out question, Nala strips her top bare and moves to him. Master Yul then pulls her long red hair to one side, revealing her right should to him. Without another word, he takes hold of a very sharp knife and carves Nalas sign into her right shoulder blade. And underneath that, the small and true sign of The House of Xiao. After cleaning the blood and applying both an ointment to gently color the scar to make it more visible and to help heal it, Master Yul covers it with a white bandage.

“Master Yul, I…” Nala begins after redressing herself and facing her teacher.

“I know Nalani. Your thanks is in your eyes. You do not always need to say something for it to be said.” With that, Master Yul rolls up the bundle of weapons, after cleaning the one he used, and gives it to his student. Nala bows very low to him, signifying her respect and then Master Yul stands up, walks through the elegant gardens and goes through the sliding door. Nala was to never see him again.

(End Flash back)

“These are my ‘tools’ given to me by my teacher.” Nala smiles at her memory. Just then, Thr'ik extends his hand to touch them, but Nala was faster in slapping it away. “No hand but mine, a craftsman and who I say can touch these.” She says strongly, staring at Thr’ik with hard eyes. He, along with all those in the room, nod to her in understanding. “But I ask that they each have a spot in my Awu’asa. But I will not have them on me all the time.” Nala tells Kaine.

“Of course.” The Awu’asa makes bows his head. “May I look at one? They seem to be of extraordinary artistry.” Kaine says, staring at the layout of Ooman items.

“Which one would you like to see?” Nala asks with a smile and Kaine points to her favorite. “This…” she trails and takes it out of its pocket. “It called a ‘Shobu Zukuri Tanto’. But I don’t think you understood what I just said.” Nala laughs when they all look at her oddly. “It is an old Ooman weapon that I am skilled in using, the straight edge at the back of the blade gives the handler added stability and the blade itself is fourteen inches long, with its handle properly proportionate to my hands only. So no one can barrow it!” Nala eyes them all playfully.

“Are we late?” Sya suddenly appears with Lord Khupiee and a few others at their side.

“No, no. Nalani was just showing me some of her Ooman weapons.” Kaine says as Nala hands her knife to him. The Awu’asa maker begins to inspect it carefully not to scratch or damage it in any way, only marveling at the invention. Lord Khupiee and the others walk up to the show of weapons but was quickly warned not to touch my Thr'ik.

“These were given to me by a teacher on my Homeworld. They are my ‘tools’ for my abilities.” Nala explains.

“They are exquisite.” Bakkub trills. “I have never seen Ooman weapons like this in all my seasons.”

“We are not here for Nalas show, but for Kaines.” Sya remained the large group.

“Right, right.” Kaine barks, giving Nala her weapon back and heading to her private shop, bringing a few helpers in with him. Within a few seconds, the helpers come out with a few of Nalas garments in hand, and she couldn’t help but gasp at the beauty.

Authors Note: I am so sorry for the long wait, I have been having a lot of trouble with my computer and so couldn’t update. Usually I do every fifteen days unless something is really wrong. But besides that, I am sorry.

A special thanks to:

On ff .net: ben revell, aquamum, swift hunter, Oak Tree Woman, and Black-Inu.

On aff .net: Kehlan, Cara, chancelor22, Prairiefire, Death God Dist and raiser.

Pronunciations (Previous on chapters 3, 4, 6, 9 to 13, 15 to 17, 21 and 22.)

I apologize if my Asian pronunciations are wrong, I do not know how to properly say them.


Duncan Done Can
Xiao Ze Ou (I think)
Yul You Ill (I think)
Shobu Zukuri Tanto I have no idea.

Last note!


I will now be tell you that I am actually going to be writing a short story of ‘The Story of Creation’ and even on for how Nala got her scars. So that should be fun…ish?! And to Death God Dist, you honor me with your words for this and my other story. Thank you.


Hope you liked this chapter, it gave Nala some history!
E.M.