Atop the Waterfall
31 August 1998
by O'donna Dean

As Marako sat atop her steed many thing were going through her mind.

First she was amazed how comfortable she felt in these surroundings. It was like being at home again. At the top of the waterfall she could see everything in the valley. The wide-open fields were just like the ones at home that she had ridden on so many times. As a matter of fact she and Motoko had just ridden in those fields right before coming up here.

Next she was amazed at how content the monks and visitors were at laboring in the fields and on the grounds. They seemed to achieve great pleasure from helping maintain the beauty of this place. Marako had to admit that if they asked her to help she would do so. There was just something about this place.

Her train of thought stopped for a second, and she pulled out her spyglass. She looked down at the base of the waterfall and there she saw Jinjiro. He looked as if he were writing something. Knowing him like she did, she would guess he was writing another haiku. The one thing that seemed to give him great pleasure, besides dueling.

While she had her spyglass out she thought she would look around to see if she could see anything else. After last night in the storm she would be using these more often. Seeing something on the ridge watching them was a little disheartening. She only wished that the weather would have been better so that she could have got a better view. She didn't see anything at this time, but she would keep alert. She now noticed that Jinjiro was on his way up the road that led to the top of the waterfall. She wouldn't have much more time by herself.

Thoughts flooded her mind once more. This time though they weren't good thoughts like before. She remembered the description of the different things that Ozaki and his group came upon while in the Shadowlands. Weeds that hold you until you starve to death. Worms that burrow into your skin at an alarming rate to get to your heart. A green goblin wave. All of these things made her skin crawl.

She knew that Ozaki's mind would be troubled for sometime about the things that he had seen. She also new that her future would probably lead her into the Shadowlands someday. That was not something to look forward to, but it was inevitable.