The secret was old, beyond recorded history.  It was laughable old, it
made the mountains look young, so old that it had become almost
instinctive.  Almost...

Although every human has the capacity, it still had to be taught,
initially to most.  Most could not remember the lesson, but once learnt,
it never left, it was there, ready to be used at anytime, but emotional
stress makes the barrier easier to breech. 

We go now to the lesson, of one Tendo Akane.  In this picture, she is a
very young girl, still fresh in the experience of life, able to walk and
think on her own, but still emotionally a blank slate, ready for the
specifics of the secret to be implanted.

They watch.  They always watch.  They are never more than a vague 'they',
sometimes used as a scare factor to encourage prompt response, but they
are still 'They', watching, and waiting, for the right moment.  Akane's
moment has come, now, just as she has tripped over, just before her blind
emotion of rage against the path starts to rise.

The barrier is opened near Akane, just at the right moment.  For most, the
mere opening of the barrier to this special reality at the right moment is
enough to imprint the secret.  For some, however, a further lesson must be
taught...

                                    ...

"Tendo Akane?"  The voice is resonant, and somehow multiple in origin.
Akane looks around, but seens only featureless blackness.  "Ano?"

"Tendo Akane.  Your lifeline marks you as a fighter.  Choose your weapon."
A flash of light occurs, somehow imparting to Akane awareness of the
existence of every conceivable weapon, a goodly lot which seem to have
been conceived, and quite a lot which couldn't have been.

"choose?"

"Choose."

                                    ...

"Ow!"  Akane howled with pain, as her knee impacted the path.  Her mother
came running out, ready to comfort her child, but found, for once, that it
wasn't strictly required.  And the whole incident was nearly forgotten,
just another part of learning to walk.  Except that the lesson had been
imprinted onto Akane's mind, and she would from then on, in moments of
emotional anger, use the secret and bring forth, a hammer.

They watched, pleased with the effect of the lesson.  Before leaving to
teach another child, this time in a mountainous region of china, one of
Them brushed over the imprint of the hammer in the path. 

                                      ~~~~~
                  The Chaotic Trickster - kergma@thelbane.ranma.net