Taaj wondered if the day would ever end. She had things to do, places to be. Her friends were aware that she was supposed to be goihg to visit her family in Japan in a week, and if she didn't get her midterm in for he Fiction Writing, Locals History and Brains classes, she wouldn't forgive herself.

It wasn't like she wasn't going to pass any of those without turing in a midterm. She was in the top 2% in the school, let alone of any of her classes. History was a sore spot. She couldn't keep all the 'white folks' in her mind straight from the 'furry ones' and the rest. Taaj had after all come from what was the Human side, Japan there had its share of weird fur-side meetings, but mostly still relied upon myth and legend to explain such moments.

She knew Kitsune existed, there was one of them attending her Martial Arts class. She knew that dragons and fox women and turtle men all lived... Here. Carramba High was an interesting place, Crescent City was a nice Western town - not at all like she was used to at home in Japan though.

Taaj had spent the early part of her life in Japan, after all. She learned all about Japanese history, plus the history of their family. In fact she wondered, would they think that she was disrespectful if they learned that she abbreviated her name at school? Takahara Jizenane was a little too much for most of her American friends to pronounce. Some of The Ten were better at it, but then again, they just called her Taaj because no one else would know who she was. There were two Takaharas teaching classes at Carramba High, too.

And Taaj wasn't certain, but she felt that they were in fact related to her by blood. She'd have to ask about them, when she went home. Green would be seething with jealousy - how ironic - because of all the things that the Takaharas were, it was "exotic". Taaj was aware that these particular Takaharas were shapeshifters or something odd. And, that they were related to the Sangers, which meant Red would also be seething with jealousy.

They all had their little names for one another, Taaj blandly thought as she wrote out another mediocre paragraph about how the Surf Studios petitioned for the clean beach initiative back in 1877. The names of her friends were far more important than the surfers... Really.

Tan, Green, Red, White, Black. Brown, Pink, Orange, Blond and Peach. The Ten in all their splendor. Taaj was Black - even though Tonja fought for it. She'd want to spell it "blaque" or something.

Taaj was broken from her work by one of the other students waving his hand in front of her face. Normally she'd have clamped her strong fingers around his wrist and broken his arm for that, but the bell had run and she was just totally in another world.

She turned in her paper, and then plodded on to the next class. She would have to pack, she knew that the 'people' that her father had sent to help her were not going to pack the right things.

Of course, getting those things through customs would be a bit hard...

***

>for the next part, imagine that this was translated from Japanese. okay?<

"Welcome home," said Taaj's mother, and her father gave one single nod of approval. There were formalities to go through, introductions to be made, but at least this time, no one was trying to foist a husband on her. Not since last time, and probably never again.

"Thank you, mother, it is very good to see you all again." Taaj bowed low, showing her respect in the traditional way. Her older sister and younger brothers were all there, at the family home. It was on a beautiful isolated hill, overlooking a small industrial park. The family owned that park, plus several like it scattered around the islands, and then a couple in the USA, where Taaj was being groomed to take over the business.

Though they knew, the business she would be in was hardly involving paperwork and meetings with dignitaries. She was being trained to be an assassin. At the very least, a body guard and yakuza arm. She would be her father's eyes and hands, in the United States.

Taaj didn't tell them quite yet, about Alabaster's proposal to her. That they would continue her training on the sly when she'd graduated, but afford her an obvious front for a job in the mean time. Perhaps it was a test - she'd been sworn to secrecy about it by the white-haired man in charge of Alabaster. Had he spoken to her father about it before then? Did they expect her to tell anyone?

She decided to remain quiet, and just observe, and enjoy being home once more. The scent was the first thing that struck her as being 'right'. The endless smoke and sweat and foul smells of America were gone, replaced by the sour milk smell and the fish... The woods and the flowers. Food smelled so much better here, she decided as they had an expensive meal at one of her father's restaurants.

"We got you something, we think you will like it a lot," said her older sister. "When we get back, I'll show it to you."

Taaj thanked her sister, and wondered... What would it be? A sword? Or a jacket, or what?

It turned out to be something significantly different than she could ever have imagined. It was an ... animal, sort of. A half-cybernetic creature with wires sticking out at odd angles and a face visor.

"What is this?" Taaj asked.

"It is called an Ojee, bred offworld," her youngest brother told her. "We wanted to establish a breeding colony here, but this one is neuter and cannot ... help." He blushed and grinned.

The Ojee approached Taaj, and sniffed her with his long snout. He made a quiet humming sound when he moved, like there were parts inside him that weren't organic.

"How could this breed anyway? It's been enhanced." She said.

"No, no, it's born like this," her sister said. "I saw its siblings, and parents. They are all like this, half machine. We liked this one, though. He - it," she corrected herself, "is going to be a good guardian for you."

"I... you think I need a guard?" Taaj said, slightly offended.

"We don't mean it like that," her other brother said, bumping up to her. He was the rebel of the group, the one with the dyed blonde hair, and the blue contact lenses. "You should have someone with you in that place, to remind you of us. Come on, Jizenane, you know we don't think you're a wimp or something."

"Hardly," her sister said. "So you will take him home with you? I think he will guard your home, if not you yourself."

"Of course I'll take it, it's lovely, really. I just didn't expect something... living!" Taaj laughed.

"It's name is Mist of the Burning Cloud," added her youngest brother. "Some of the Zekirans can help take care of it, they have a colony too."

She would return to America two weeks later - bags full of gifts for her friends, clothing and supplies, weapons, and one extremely odd pet...

***

With a calm glance around her, Taaj settled in at the Myrsilk establishment. Magic wasn't her strong suit, but she would learn it. Easily? Perhaps. There was something captivating about it, at least here. Volumes of it, and ... the dragons. The female were of course what she prefered to look at. Their long long tails and their beautiful markings.

If she came home riding one of those, she figured they'd never underestimate her abilities again. In fact, no gang, no form of yakuza, not even Alabaster, would underestimate her...

NEXT - the hatching!

. Ojee center on Planet Twenty is found here